The people I game with usually are very character focused, in the sense that they make choices based on what is appropriate for the character, and not what is mechanically advantageous.

This is especially apparent in character creation. Choices are always made based on how they reflect the character concept.

How do I explain allocating points for Favored Attributes for my group? If the points upped the whole stat, then it would be easy to explain; the fact that they are only used sometimes makes the "what they are" somewhat muddy. Without an explanation it makes favored attributes appear to be a purely game-focused element rather than one supported by the story.

How do you describe someone with a low attribute but a high favored attribute (or vice versa)?

In that the Favored Attribute is only used when a Hope Point is spent to augment a Favored Skill, I would explain it that "the higher Favored Attribute reflects the character's burning interest in that particular activity."

indeed - something that they're passionate about.

Typically one strives harder to accomplish that is not only important but something someone is personally passionate about accomplishing. That passion for it creates more tenacity and personal best effort; thus the "favored attribute" score can be described as what exactly it changes is something that the person is truly passionate about.

Robert

First, I don't see the attributes as absolute.

For example, a low body rating doesn't mean that the character is weak or clumsy; it means that it isn't very good to draw upon its reserves of strength or its natural agility to make the difference between a close success or a short failure.

Skill tasks and tests (including weapon skills) are pretty self-sufficient; the more skilled you are, the less you have to rely on your attributes.

Only when the skill fails can you 'save' it with an attribute. In that light, it makes sense that healing is a heart skill, not because it doesn't take wits to perform, but because the empathy between the healer and its patient will make the difference between a close failure and success.

Some characters have a more innate knack with some skills, not in terms of training but in terms of natural ability. These are the favoured skills. A favoured skill doesn't make it easier to succeed, it makes so that you can draw even more than the usual when you invoke your attribute to save the skill from failing. How much is 'more than usual'; your favoured bonus to the attribute's score.

So I explain the favoured attribute bonus as such: your ability to draw more from your attribute representing your natural knacks with some skills (passion or interest work too).

hope this helped (or simply made sense for that matter)

Glorfindel