The MUD Character Statistics ("Stats") are roughly comparable to the equivalent numbers in the game "Dungeons & Dragons" and its many inspirations.
The idea is that your character is born with six (6) characteristics at certain measurable levels.
When you initially create your character, these "stats" are "randomly" rolled by the computer (range 3 to 18). You specify the stat priority (which stats should get the highest "rolled" values), so you have some input into these values. Also, you can kill/trash or just ignore the character, if you decide that its stats are simply unacceptable. (Of course, that would be unbelievable "role-playing", since a humanoid doesn't choose to die or wither away just because it might've been stronger.)
Your character's race may affect its stats.
We will refer to these initial, rolled, permanent values as your "base stats". They can only be changed (as far as is known to this writer at present) by an act of Gods (aka "Immortals").
In theory, Immortals can set some character stats above the maximum of 18 (perhaps to as high as 25).
How do I find out what are my base stats?
Advance to level 10 or higher, and issue the
ATTRIBUTE command (abbreviated ATT)
Go to the Gypsy Fortuneteller (in the Gypsy Village). Pay here many times (e.g. 10 times) to tell you your stats. Average together the approximate values that she gives you for each stat, to guesstimate its true value.
What are modified stats?
Most of the character stats (all except Charisma) can be temporarily modified (up or down) by wearing or using items which modify a character stat (e.g. "STR BY 1" means that wearing/using the item increases modified Strength by one point).
In some places, the game uses the "base stat" in a formula, whereas in others it uses the "modified stat".
Some stats (e.g. Strength) can be temporarily modified (up or down) by spells (e.g. "strength", "weakness") acting upon the character.
What effects do the character stats have in the game?
See the "Newbie page" of the official Criterion MUD website for some pointers.
As explained on pages about Rent Wearable, for the purpose of determining your max "Rent Wearable", each point of modified Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma counts as one-third of a potential equivalent extra Level.
WARNING
The information below comes mainly from massive careful research into the C++ code (aka the "Silly V1.1b code") on which the MUD runs, EXCEPT that the copy used was from 1998. Minor or major changes may have been made since that time. Thus, this research is essentially a snapshot from 1998, "frozen in time". Since the "current" codebase is NOT available to anyone but the IMPLEMENTOR, Belgararth, a "final answer" could only come through him.
Strength aka STR
The Table below will help you to answer the question
Is it worth giving up item XYZ to wear item ABC, to increase my Strength?
(Clearly, the steps from 17 to 18/00 and from 18/90 to 18/100 are very worth taking.)
My favorite stat to increase is Strength, so that my character can carry about many, many useful items in its "portable hole" (aka 'backpack'), and still have capacity to get items from killed mobiles, for later selling for gold.
Modified Strength
After Strength 18/00, every additional point of Strength adds 10 to the number after the slash (/).
The maximum possible value of Strength is 18/100.
Max Wt Carryable
The maximum total weight of all items that the character can wear, use and carry at one time - including the weight of all containers and their contents, and including both Inventory and Equipment.
(This figure has been verified in-game for most Strength values.)
This is a crucial number. As far as I know, there is no such container in the MUD as an AD&D "Bag of Holding" or "Portable Hole", whose effective weight was unaffected by its contents. Thus, you must carry every "pound" of weight that you wish to own.
The only other option:
Join a Clan, and either:
Use their clan Chest for a few items of yours.
Buy your own Chest (for millions of gp, plus 50,000+ gp/day of rent!) to hold a few items of your own.
Hitroll modifier
The change to the character's "Hitroll" that comes strictly from the modified Strength.
Damroll modifier
The change to the character's "Damroll" that comes strictly from the modified Strength.
Max Wield Wt
The heaviest Weapon that the character can Wield one-handed.
(None of these values have been play-tested. They are all taken from the 1998 "silly v1.1b" C++ code.)
Modified Strength
Max Wt Carryable
Hitroll modifier
Damroll modifier
Max Wield Wt
1
?
-5
-4
1
2
?
-3
-2
2
3
?
-3
-1
3
4
?
-2
-1
4
5
?
-2
-1
5
6
?
-1
0
6
7
?
-1
0
7
8
?
0
0
8
9
?
0
0
9
10
?
0
0
10
All values above this point were taken from the 1998 "Silly" code, and have not been verified in-game.
11
90
0
0
11
12
110
0
0
12
13
130
0
0
13
14
140
0
0
14
15
150
0
0
15
16
170
0
0
16
17
190
0
0
18
18/00
210
1
2
20
18/10
213
1
3
22
18/20
216
1
3
22
18/30
219
1
3
22
18/40
222
1
3
22
18/50
225
1
3
22
18/60
225
2
3
24
18/70
237
2
3
24
18/80
248
2
4
26
18/90
265
2
4
28
18/100
355
3
6
30
Intelligence aka INT
learn
To oversimplify, determines how much you learn per Practice used (but see below).
Modified Intelligence
learn
0
0
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
8
8
10
9
12
10
14
11
16
12
18
13
20
14
22
15
25
16
28
17
32
18
35
19
40
20
45
21
50
22
60
23
70
24
80
25
99
For every 3 full points of modified INT (above zero), your max mana rises by 3 points.
For every Practice used on a skill at a GuildMaster, "learn" determines the number of points (towards a max of 95 or 95%) gained in the skill (using base INT, not modified INT, unfortunately).
For every practice used on a skill at the
Loremaster, or Ninja RIDE (anyone), HUNT (anyone), DISARM (W only), DOORBASH (W only), RETREAT (T only), SWITCH_OPP (W only), SPY (T only), DISGUISE (T only), CLIMB (T only), or Sailor (SWIM), or Hunter or Monk Master,
"learn" determines the number of points gained in the skill (using modified INT, fortunately).
The COMMAND spell always works on victims with a maximum level of less than 6 and a modified INT less than 13.
Wisdom aka WIS
bonus
Used in various ways (see below).
Modified Wisdom
bonus
0-2
0
3-7
1
8-14
2
15
3
16
3
17
4
18-20
5
20-24
6
25
8
When you GAIN, "bonus" (based on base Wisdom) determines how many extra Practices you get.
Based on in-game experience, your max mana seems to be dramatically affected by your
modified WIS.
When you are regaining lost manapoints, "bonus" (based on modified Wisdom) determines the base rate at which you regain them.
The "spellfail" number that you're working against to successfully cast a spell (which is determined by many factors, including how drunk you are and the difficulty of the spell, and whether you have 4 or fewer attackers, and any SPELLFAIL modifiers) is reduced or increased by
6 points for every point by which the bonus differs from 3. Thus, modified Wisdom below 15 means more failures, and
modified Wisdom above 16 means fewer failures.
Dexterity aka DEX
Reaction
Used in various ways (see below).
miss_att
Appears to never be used (based on research of 1998 Silly code).
defensive
For non-Monk characters, adjustment to "naked" armor class of 100, due to base DEX. (Unfortunately, the "defensive" for modified DEX is not used.)
When a victim is not awake, this adjustment is removed (but, using the modified DEX!).
Modified Dexterity
Reaction
miss_att
defensive
0
-7
-7
60
1
-6
-6
50
2
-4
-4
50
3
-3
-3
40
4
-2
-2
30
5
-1
-1
20
6
0
0
10
7-14
0
0
0
15
0
0
-10
16
1
1
-20
17
2
2
-30
18
2
2
-40
Thief-only skills are slightly affected by modified DEX. (For DEX 13-16, the effect is zero (0). Any DEX below or above that range reduces or increases the skills.)
Chance of triggering a trap is reduced by 5% for every point of "reaction", using modified DEX.
Chance of successfully BASH/DISARMing a victim is increased by 10% for every postitive point of "reaction", using attacker's modified DEX.
Chance of successfully BASH/DISARMing a victim is reduced by 10% for every postitive point of "reaction", using victim's modified DEX.
When a character does DOORBASH successfully, computer rolls a number from 1 to 20; if that number is greater than the character's modified DEX, the character flies through the bashed door into the next room; thus, a higher DEX is better.
if a character attempts to QUAFF a potion while fighting, then, the
computer rolls a number from 1 to 20;
if the character has HELD the potion, then,
if that number is greater than the character's base DEX, the character drops & breaks the potion (instead of drinking it).
if the character has has NOT HELD the potion, then,
if that number is greater than the character's base DEX minus 4, the character drops & breaks the potion (instead of drinking it).
According to Belgarath, DEX affects a character's HAC0 value (chance to hit in combat).
This may mean that either the
Reaction or
miss_att
value
is used in the "roll to hit" formula (apparently altered since 1998).
