Rules / Playing the Game / Ability Scores
Ability Scores
The Basics
These are the basic parts of your character you need to know to play.
Ability Scores
Your six ability scores measure how well your character functions in the world: physical and mental prowess. When you make a check, you add the relevant score to the roll. How to set them is in Character Creation; here is what each one means and what its values look like. Scores usually run from −2 to +5, with 0 an average adult.
Might
Your Might represents your physical power, general athleticism and ability to exert force.
| Score | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| -2 | Noticeably weak | Heavy packs are a struggle; hauling gear wears you out. |
| -1 | Below average | You manage basic adventuring gear, but bulky loads slow you quickly. |
| 0 | Average adult | The typical 'can carry your own stuff' baseline. |
| 1 | Fit | Comfortable with a solid kit, and you can haul extra without slowing right away. |
| 2 | Athletic | Loads that would weigh most people down are manageable for you. |
| 3 | Very strong | 'Carries the group's extra gear' strong. |
| 4 | Martial strong | A typical front-liner's physique; heavy gear stays practical. |
| 5 | Peak human | Elite athletic strength; you feel built different. |
Reflex
Your Reflex represents your general agility, reflexes and balance.
| Score | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| -2 | Clumsy | Noticeably uncoordinated; quick movements go wrong. |
| -1 | Awkward | You get by, but precision under pressure is rough. |
| 0 | Average | Normal adult coordination. |
| 1 | Quick | A little sharper and faster than most people. |
| 2 | Nimble | Athletic coordination; confident moving fast. |
| 3 | Agile | Clearly adventurer-dexterous; you move like you train. |
| 4 | Expertly nimble | High-level finesse; your body does what you intend, fast. |
| 5 | Exceptional | Peak human quickness and precision. |
Fortitude
Your Fortitude represents your general health, stamina and vitality.
| Score | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| -2 | Frail | Sickly or delicate. You tire fast and bruise easily, a 'minor' illness can lay you out, and bad nights, poor food or harsh weather hit hard. |
| -1 | Weak | Below-average hardiness. You can push yourself, but it costs you: colds linger, long marches punish you, and you don't recover well without rest. |
| 0 | Average | Normal endurance and health. You can handle ordinary travel, stress and a rough life, if you pace yourself and get normal rest. |
| 1 | Sturdy | Good lungs and grit. You bounce back from knocks, handle long days better than most and don't get sick as often. |
| 2 | Tough | Clearly resilient. You can take hits, push through fatigue and keep going when others start complaining or slowing down. |
| 3 | Hardy | Adventurer-tough. Long marches, sleepless nights and hard conditions are manageable; you stay functional through pain and stress. |
| 4 | Iron body | Built for punishment. You shrug off sickness, hold your breath longer and endure harsh climates with fewer consequences. |
| 5 | Exceptional | Peak human durability. You recover fast, rarely fall ill, and keep fighting or traveling well past normal limits. |
Intellect
Your Intellect represents your reasoning, logic, memory and deduction, and your ability to think clearly under pressure.
| Score | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| -2 | Dull | Complex ideas and new information are a struggle; things need explaining plainly and repeatedly, and details and abstractions lose you. |
| -1 | Slow | You learn, but slowly. You can follow plans and instructions but have trouble improvising, solving puzzles fast or connecting clues under pressure. |
| 0 | Average | Typical reasoning and learning. You understand everyday concepts, pick up new skills with practice and solve basic problems. |
| 1 | Bright | A quick learner. You spot obvious patterns, remember useful facts and adapt plans when things change. |
| 2 | Clever | Consistently sharp: good at logic, research and working out how things work. You notice inconsistencies and ask the right questions. |
| 3 | Smart | A trained mind. You learn fast, retain details and juggle several ideas at once; good at strategy, investigation and technical work. |
| 4 | Brilliant | Clearly exceptional. You see patterns early, make strong predictions and build or understand complicated systems with less effort. |
| 5 | Genius | Peak human. Rapid synthesis, strong memory and deduction; you're the one others rely on to solve the 'impossible' puzzle. |
Perception
Your Perception represents your awareness, alertness and instincts, and your ability to notice hidden details, read situations and pick up on what isn't being said.
| Score | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| -2 | Oblivious | You miss obvious cues and danger signs; poor judgment, easily tricked, and often surprised by what others notice. |
| -1 | Unaware | A bit scatterbrained or naive. You notice problems late, read people poorly, and your gut feelings are unreliable. |
| 0 | Average | Normal perception and common sense. You read situations decently, spot typical threats and make fair judgments. |
| 1 | Observant | You pick up small details, have good instincts, and notice shifts in mood, surroundings and tone before others do. |
| 2 | Keen | Consistently perceptive and grounded. You read intentions well, sense danger early and stay steady under stress. |
| 3 | Insightful | Strong intuition and awareness. You quickly read people, patterns and motives, and you're hard to mislead for long. |
| 4 | Wise | Exceptional judgment. You keep perspective, spot traps social or physical, and make calm, correct calls under pressure. |
| 5 | Sage-like | Peak human awareness. You see through lies, notice the one detail that matters, and are rarely caught off guard. |
Charisma
Your Charisma represents your force of personality, emotional resilience and strength of mind, and your ability to assert yourself against fear, influence and supernatural pressure.
| Score | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| -2 | Off-putting | You struggle to connect, coming across as awkward, unsettling or unpleasant even when you try. |
| -1 | Unpolished | Socially rough. You can communicate, but often misread tone or rub people the wrong way. |
| 0 | Average | A normal presence. You can hold a conversation, make a basic impression and get along when you try. |
| 1 | Likeable | Pleasant and confident. People listen, you make friends easily and first impressions tend to go well. |
| 2 | Charming | You draw people in, and can persuade, entertain or lead a small group without forcing it. |
| 3 | Compelling | A strong personality. You can rally others, negotiate well and hold attention in tense moments. |
| 4 | Captivating | You command a room. Even strangers remember you; your confidence and presence shape outcomes. |
| 5 | Magnetic | Peak human charisma. You win trust quickly, defuse conflict and inspire loyalty with words and presence. |