There's no reason to cut out numbers entirely. They serve a relevant, useful purpose and can be beneficial for a) providing concrete limitations on character power and b) helping to define a character's power for thematic purposes. The most common questions a writer often has to answer are "Who, what, when, where, why, and how?" Numerical data can very easily answer "what" and "how" when needed. That doesn't mean you need numerical representations for everything, but they are useful.
Example: It's much more accurate to say that a character deadlifts 1100 lb than it is to say "My character is really strong." If you were to say "My character can lift X or Y object" what you're really saying is "My character can lift X or Y object which weighs approximately this or that much." At that point, you're dealing with unnecessary convolution, gilding the lily, so forth; it's easier and more accurate to say "My character deadlifts X amount of weight."
Obviously, as previously said, numbers can get in the way of things. There's a point where numbers aren't strictly necessary or useful.
Example: The PSI of a punch is not really necessary, nor would it be necessary to compare the PSI of a punch versus, say, the tensile strength of a rib bone in order to determine whether it would break under the punch. This would be unnecessary complication -- again, gilding the lily. What makes more sense is to describe it in clear terms to get the point across: if my character is coming at you with a bad-attitude left hook that has the potential to crack ribs, then I can reasonably expect my opponent to respect the descriptor provided without resorting to numerical data.
Example 2: The temperature of a fire ability. Necessary? Maybe at higher levels of power where you're melting metal, but at lower power levels, you can forgo actual temperatures and just say "This ability can give 1st/2nd degree burns" or something similar. That's the pertinent info your opponent needs. Temperature is of secondary importance, at best.
The bottom line of whether or not to utilize numbers is: will it help explain or define my character's abilities, or will it help my opponent understand my post? If it simplifies or provides benefits in the form of limitations, use the numbers. If it doesn't, then forgo them. KISS is the rule of the day when it comes to numerical data.
For profiles, I'll use a quick analogy. We have two fire users. Figuratively speaking, one is a shotgun, the other is a sniper rifle. Short range, burst AoE versus long-range, pinpoint single-target damage. Would numbers help define these characters and explain their playstyles? Sure. How far an ability can reach, how wide of an area it covers, etc. All useful information. Feel free to include it in your profile because you're using these numbers as limiting factors to further describe how your character works, and it provides essential information about how your character is supposed to operate (see above about "what, when, who, where, and how"). A character who can cover a mile long stretch of ground in fire is very different than someone who can cover 20 feet in fire.
On the other hand, I'll use my own character. I play a lighting-based character. I provide 0 information about joules, watts, volts, or anything else because it isn't necessary for how I play the character. I don't have to use quantifiable data for most of his abilities because it's not important. I can describe them: this shock will have X or Y effect. I don't need to go into the numerical minutiae of how the electricity works, what's important is its effects. In this situation, providing numbers for those "stats" - watts, volts, and so on - isn't beneficial. So I don't do it.
The bottom line should always be: does it help me create a more concrete outline of my character, and/or does it help my opponent understand my post. Err on the side of simplicity. If yes, use numbers. If no, then don't. Numerical data is neither good nor bad; it's merely another tool that someone can use to their - and to their opponent's - benefit. No reason to limit yourself.
Example: It's much more accurate to say that a character deadlifts 1100 lb than it is to say "My character is really strong." If you were to say "My character can lift X or Y object" what you're really saying is "My character can lift X or Y object which weighs approximately this or that much." At that point, you're dealing with unnecessary convolution, gilding the lily, so forth; it's easier and more accurate to say "My character deadlifts X amount of weight."
Obviously, as previously said, numbers can get in the way of things. There's a point where numbers aren't strictly necessary or useful.
Example: The PSI of a punch is not really necessary, nor would it be necessary to compare the PSI of a punch versus, say, the tensile strength of a rib bone in order to determine whether it would break under the punch. This would be unnecessary complication -- again, gilding the lily. What makes more sense is to describe it in clear terms to get the point across: if my character is coming at you with a bad-attitude left hook that has the potential to crack ribs, then I can reasonably expect my opponent to respect the descriptor provided without resorting to numerical data.
Example 2: The temperature of a fire ability. Necessary? Maybe at higher levels of power where you're melting metal, but at lower power levels, you can forgo actual temperatures and just say "This ability can give 1st/2nd degree burns" or something similar. That's the pertinent info your opponent needs. Temperature is of secondary importance, at best.
The bottom line of whether or not to utilize numbers is: will it help explain or define my character's abilities, or will it help my opponent understand my post? If it simplifies or provides benefits in the form of limitations, use the numbers. If it doesn't, then forgo them. KISS is the rule of the day when it comes to numerical data.
For profiles, I'll use a quick analogy. We have two fire users. Figuratively speaking, one is a shotgun, the other is a sniper rifle. Short range, burst AoE versus long-range, pinpoint single-target damage. Would numbers help define these characters and explain their playstyles? Sure. How far an ability can reach, how wide of an area it covers, etc. All useful information. Feel free to include it in your profile because you're using these numbers as limiting factors to further describe how your character works, and it provides essential information about how your character is supposed to operate (see above about "what, when, who, where, and how"). A character who can cover a mile long stretch of ground in fire is very different than someone who can cover 20 feet in fire.
On the other hand, I'll use my own character. I play a lighting-based character. I provide 0 information about joules, watts, volts, or anything else because it isn't necessary for how I play the character. I don't have to use quantifiable data for most of his abilities because it's not important. I can describe them: this shock will have X or Y effect. I don't need to go into the numerical minutiae of how the electricity works, what's important is its effects. In this situation, providing numbers for those "stats" - watts, volts, and so on - isn't beneficial. So I don't do it.
The bottom line should always be: does it help me create a more concrete outline of my character, and/or does it help my opponent understand my post. Err on the side of simplicity. If yes, use numbers. If no, then don't. Numerical data is neither good nor bad; it's merely another tool that someone can use to their - and to their opponent's - benefit. No reason to limit yourself.
