(1) Each character starts with 8 points in each ability score and then draws upon a pool of 35 points to raise their abilities. The table below lists both the incremental cost and the total cost for increasing ability scores.

For example, a character wishing to increase their strength to 10 would have to spend two points to raise it from 8. However, if they then wanted to raise it to 15, it would cost 6 more points, for a total of 8 points on that ability score.

(3) In the Core D&D rules, Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are treated as more important than Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. This reasoning is used to justify the Half-Orc getting a +2 to Strength while suffering a –2 to Intelligence and a –2 to Charisma. I believe that no one ability score should have more weight during character generation than others.

The importance of an ability score rests in the way a player uses it. Charisma, for example, can be far more important than Strength in many situations. Imagine arriving at a diner and accidentally knocking over an entire row of Hell’s Angels’ motorcyles, including your own. Would you rather fight your way out or talk your way out?

Strength:This represents someone’s ability to exert force on another object. Lifting, Jumping, Sprinting, Hitting, and Pulling all require Strength.

• Your full Strength modifier affects the damage your character inflicts in melee.
• Half your strength modifier, rounded down, affects your ability to hit people in Melee.
• Half of your strength modifier also affects how much damage you do with ranged weapons
• If using a projectile weapon, the modifier applies only if the bow/crossbow is made for a character of your strength.

Dexterity:This is a measure of how coordinated and nimble someone is. Accuracy, Balance, Timing, and Reflexes all take a measure of Dexterity. The modifier for dexterity improves your armor class, increases your base speed, and improves your Reflex save.

• Your full Dexterity modifier adds to your rolls to hit with ranged or melee weapons.
• Because you are better at aiming for vulnerable spots, half of your Dexterity modifier, rounded down, adds to how much damage in melee.
• Half of your Dexterity modifier also adds to damage with ranged weapons.

Constitution:This measures the physical toughness of your character’s body. Endurance, resistance to damage and disease, physical damage recovery, and your character’s overall health reflect constitution. Your constitution modifier adds to hit points, and improves Fortitude saves.

• Constitution increases the number of hit points you recover per day at +25% per point of Constitution modifier.
• Example:If a 4th level character is resting they will heal 4 hit points per day. That same character with a Constitution of 16 (+3 Mod) would heal an additional 3 points. (Three times 25% equals 75%; 75% of four is three; 3+4 = 7 hit points per day)

Intelligence:Intelligence represents the "Mental Dexterity" of a character. It includes how fast they process information as well as how well they work around and solve problems. It also effects how high a level of spell a character can learn as well as their chances to learn the spell in the first place.

• Your Intelligence modifier affects chances of spell success.
• Chances to learn spells
• Chances to identify spells or magical effects

Wisdom:This is the "Mental Constitution" of a character. It affects memory and intuition. It improves a character’s ability to resist charms, recover from mental shock, and retain information. It also improves your Will save.

• Your Wisdon modifier determines how many bonus spells you gain
• Your Wisdom modifier determines bonus skill points
• Your Wisdom modifier modifies concentration checks

Charisma: This is the Mental Strength of a character. It is their force of will, their ability to dominate a group with their presence. Natural leaders tend to have high charisma. Charisma also affects how powerful spells are.

• Your Charisma modifier adds to spell DCs
• Note that this applies to all types of spell-casters.