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License v1.0a.
Every character has six basic
Ability Scores:
Strength (STR)
Dexterity (DEX)
Constitution (CON)
Intelligence (INT)
Wisdom (WIS)
Spirit (SPI)
Appearance (APP)
Charisma (CHA)
The Score of these Abilities
ranges from 0 to infinity. A limit, if
any, will be specified in the rules. The
normal human range is 3 to 18. It is possible for a creature to have a score of
"none". A score of
"none" is not the same as a score of "0". A score of "none" means that the
creature does not possess the ability at all.
The modifier for a score of "none" is +0.
A character with a CON or SPI
of 0 is dead. A 0 in any other score
means the character is helpless and cannot move.
Keeping track of negative
ability score points is never necessary. A character’s ability score can’t drop
below 0.
Each ability will have a
modifier. The modifier can be calculated using this formula:
(ability/2) -5 [round result
down]
The modifier is the number
you add to or subtract from the die roll when your character tries to do
something related to that ability. A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a
negative modifier is called a penalty.
Use Of Ability Scores
Any creature that can
physically manipulate other objects has at least 1 point of Strength.
A creature with no Strength
score can't exert force, usually because it has no physical body or because it
doesn't move. The creature automatically fails Strength checks. If the creature
can attack, it applies its Dexterity modifier to its base attack instead of a
Strength modifier.
Any creature that can move
has at least 1 point of Dexterity.
A creature with no Dexterity
score can't move. If it can act, it applies its Intelligence modifier to
initiative checks instead of a Dexterity modifier. The creature fails all
Reflex saves and Dexterity checks.
If a character's Constitution
changes enough to alter his or her Constitution modifier, his or her hit points
also increase or decrease accordingly at the same time.
Any living creature has at
least 1 point of Constitution.
A creature with no
Constitution has no body or no metabolism. It is immune to any effect that
requires a Fortitude save unless the effect works on objects. The creature is
also immune to ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, and massive damage,
and always fails Constitution checks.
Any creature that can think,
learn, or remember has at least 1 point of Intelligence.
A creature with no
Intelligence score is an automaton, operating on simple instincts or programmed
instructions. It is immune to all mind-influencing effects (charms,
compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects) and automatically fails
Intelligence checks.
Any creature that can
perceive its environment in any fashion has at least 1 point of Wisdom.
Anything with no Wisdom score
is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Wisdom score also has no Charisma
score, and vice versa.
Any creature with a soul has
at least 1 point of Spirit.
Any creature capable of
communication it’s existence to another creature has an appearance score, this
score unlike other abilities can be less than 0. An invisible creature making no sound or in
any other means of communicating has a none score in appearance
†Charisma
Any creature capable of
telling the difference between itself and things that are not itself has at
least 1 point of Charisma.
ABILITIES AND SPELLCASTERS
The ability that governs
bonus spells depends on what type of spellcaster your character is:
Intelligence for wizards; Wisdom for clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers; or
Spirit for sorcerers and bards. In addition to having a high ability score, a
spellcaster must be of high enough class level to be able to cast spells of a
given spell level. (See the class descriptions for details.)
THE ABILITIES
Each ability partially
describes your character and affects some of his or her actions.
STRENGTH (STR)
Strength measures your character’s muscle
and physical power. This ability is especially important for fighters,
barbarians, paladins, rangers, and monks because it helps them prevail in
combat. Strength also limits the amount of equipment your character can carry.
You apply your character’s
Strength modifier to:
• Melee attack rolls.
• Damage rolls when using a
melee weapon or a thrown weapon (including a sling). (Exceptions: Off-hand
attacks receive only one-half the character’s Strength bonus, while two-handed
attacks receive one and a half times the Strength bonus. A Strength penalty,
but not a bonus, applies to attacks made with a bow that is not a composite
bow.)
• Climb, Jump, and Swim
checks. These are the skills that have Strength as their key ability.
• Strength checks (for
breaking down doors and the like).
DEXTERITY (DEX)
Dexterity measures hand-eye
coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance. This ability is the most
important one for rogues, but it’s also high on the list for characters who
typically wear light or medium armor (rangers and barbarians) or no armor at
all (monks, wizards, and sorcerers), and for anyone who wants to be a skilled
archer.
You apply your character’s
Dexterity modifier to:
• Ranged attack rolls, including
those for attacks made with bows, crossbows, throwing axes, and other ranged
weapons.
• Armor Class (AC), provided
that the character can react to the attack.
• Reflex saving throws, for
avoiding fireballs and other attacks that you can escape by moving quickly.
• Balance, Escape Artist,
Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Ride, Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Use Rope
checks. These are the skills that have Dexterity as their key ability.
CONSTITUTION (CON)
Constitution represents your
character’s health and stamina. A Constitution bonus increases a character’s
hit points, so the ability is important for all classes.
You apply your character’s
Constitution modifier to:
• Each roll of a Hit Die
(though a penalty can never drop a result below 1—that is, a character always
gains at least 1 hit point each time he or she advances in level).
• Fortitude saving throws,
for resisting poison and similar threats.
• Concentration checks.
Concentration is a skill, important to spellcasters, that has Constitution as
its key ability.
If a character’s Constitution
score changes enough to alter his or her Constitution modifier, the character’s
hit points also increase or decrease accordingly.
INTELLIGENCE (INT)
Intelligence determines how
well your character learns and reasons. This ability is important for wizards
because it affects how many spells they can cast, how hard their spells are to
resist, and how powerful their spells can be. It’s also important for any
character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills.
You apply your character’s
Intelligence modifier to:
• The number of languages
your character knows at the start of the game.
• The number of skill points
gained each level. (But your character always gets at least 1 skill point per
level.)
• Appraise, Craft, Decipher
Script, Disable Device, Forgery, Knowledge, Search, and Spellcraft checks.
These are the skills that have Intelligence as their key ability.
A wizard gains bonus spells
based on her Intelligence score. The minimum Intelligence score needed to cast a
crimson acolyte or wizard spell is 10 + the spell’s level.
An animal has an Intelligence
score of 1 or 2. A creature of humanlike intelligence has a score of at least
3.
WISDOM (WIS)
Wisdom describes a
character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. While
Intelligence represents one’s ability to analyze information, Wisdom represents
being in tune with and aware of one’s surroundings. Wisdom is the most
important ability for clerics and druids, and it is also important for paladins
and rangers. If you want your character to have acute senses, put a high score
in Wisdom. Every creature has a Wisdom score.
You apply your character’s
Wisdom modifier to:
• Will saving throws (for
negating the effect of charm person and other spells).
• Heal, Listen, Profession,
Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks. These are the skills that have Wisdom
as their key ability.
Clerics, druids, paladins,
and rangers get bonus spells based on their Wisdom scores. The minimum Wisdom
score needed to cast a cleric, druid, paladin, or ranger spell is 10 + the
spell’s level.
SPIRIT (SPI)
Spirit measures a character’s
force of personality, pluck, strength to exert their will over others and the
world, and life force, their soul. This ability represents the actual strength
of personality. Spirit is most important for paladins, favored souls, sorcerers,
and bards. It is also important for clerics, since it affects their ability to
turn undead. Every creature with a soul has a Spirit score.
You apply your character’s Spirit
modifier to:
• Disguise, Handle Animal,
and Use Magic Device checks. These are the skills that have Spirit as their key
ability.
• Checks that represent
attempts to preserver in against adversity or push ones body beyond its limits
are normally spirit based.
• Turning checks for clerics
and paladins attempting to turn zombies, vampires, and other undead.
Sorcerers, favored soul,
crimson acolyte, and bards get bonus spells based on their Spirit scores. The
minimum Spirit score needed to cast a sorcerer or bard spell is 10 + the
spell’s level.
APPEARANCE (APP)
Appearance measures a
character’s personal magnetism, bearing, and physical attractiveness. This ability represents how one is perceived
by others in a social setting. Appearance is most important for rouges and bards.
Every creature that can be perceived in any way has an Appearance score.
You apply your character’s Appearance
modifier to:
• All Perform are the skills
that have Appearance as their key ability.
• Checks that represent
attempts to impress observers are usually Appearance based.
†CHARISMA (CHA)
Charisma is not an actual
ability score. Because it is an
undeniable fact that a Devil is very persuasive but sure as hell isn’t
attractive, and because the same can be said for the other way around there are
“attractive” people who really can’t influence others very well, like many
celebrities (Britney Spears is a long way from convincing me to change my
religion); there is a kind of seventh and a half ability score called Charisma. This is ones ability to maintain composure in
the face of adversity and to present an argument without turning the audience
off. This also is knowing when to rattle
the sword or show a little cleavage. The
Charisma score is calculated by adding ten plus the Appearance Modifier plus
Spirit Modifier in all cases except for fear tactics such as Intimidate checks
where the Appearance Modifier is subtracted from the Spirit Modifier (this
means that a negative modifier will result in an increase rather than a
decrease) (10-App Mod+Spi Mod= Cha score).
The feat Intimidating Beauty allows one to allows add their Appearance
Modifier in all cases even when using fear based checks.
You apply your character’s
Charisma modifier to:
• Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather
Information, and Intimidate checks. These are the skills that have Charisma as
their key ability.
• Checks that represent
attempts to influence others, are normally charisma checks, depending on how it
performed.
When an ability score
changes, all attributes associated with that score change accordingly. A
character does not retroactively get additional skill points for previous
levels if she increases her intelligence.
Constructs
Androids,
Gynoids, Golems and other constructs normally have no souls and thus no spirit
score. If the creature needs to make a
Charisma check it uses its Intelligence modifier instead of its Spirit modifier
for determining its Charisma score.
Changing Ability Scores
Ability scores can increase
with no limit.
Poisons, diseases, and other
effects can cause temporary ability damage. Ability points lost to damage
return naturally, typically at a rate of 1 point per day for each affected
ability.
As a character ages, some
ability scores go up and others go down.
When an ability score
changes, the modifier associated with that score also changes.
Ability Middle
aged Old Venerable
Str –1 –2 –3
Dex –1 –2 –3
Con –1 –2 –3
Int +1 +1 +1
Wis +1 +1 +1
Spi +2 +2 +2
App –1 –1 –1