Chapter 2: Character Creation

Strength (STR)

Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power. Strength is important for characters who regularly engage in melee combat, since it offers a bonus to the chance of hitting and to the amount of damage dealt with melee weapons. A high Strength is required for some heavy items.

Apply your character’s Strength modifier to:

• Melee attack rolls.
• Damage rolls when using a melee weapon or a thrown weapon.
• Skills that have Strength as their key ability. (Climb, Jump, Swim, Lift, Open)
• Strength checks not covered by Skills.

Dexterity (DEX)

Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance. Dexterity is important for characters that specialize in sneaking or in the use of ranged weapons, such as Spellchrome pistols. A high Dexterity can also help a character avoid an attack, making it desirable for any combat focused character.

You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to:

• Ranged attack rolls, including those for attacks made with Spellchrome pistols, riffles, cannons and other ranged weapons.
• Armour Class (AC), provided that the character can react to the attack.
• Reflex Saving Throws, for avoiding area of effect attacks from Spellchrome weaponry and certain spells.
• Initiative Bonus. Add the modifier to your d20 result when rolling for Initiative
• Skills that have Dexterity as their key ability. (Balance, Drive, Hide and Move Silently, Pilot, Ride, Use Rope, Acrobatics and Tumbling, Escape Artist, Locks and Traps, Sleight of Hand)

Constitution (CON)

Constitution represents your character’s health and stamina. A Constitution bonus increases a character’s Hit Points (HP), so while it is important for all types of characters, it is especially integral for those who expect to be in the thick of combat.

You apply your character’s Constitution modifier to:

• Total Hit Points, each time a new level is gained.
• Fortitude saving throws, for resisting poison, some spells and similar attacks.
• The Concentration and Endurance Skills.
• Note: if a character’s Constitution modifier changes, the character’s hit points also increase or decrease accordingly.

Intelligence (INT)

Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. Intelligence is important for characters that expect to be making lots of critical and challenging Skill tests.

You apply your character’s Intelligence modifier to:

• The number of Skill Points your character has each day to spend.
• Skills that have Intelligence as their key ability. (Appraise, Craft, Knowledge: common or popular, Repair, Speak Languages, Decipher Script and Write Languages, Forgery and Detect Forgery, Gather Evidence, Investigate, Knowledge: academic, specific or obscure, Research)
• Note: if a character’s Intelligence modifier changes, the character’s daily Skill points also increase or decrease accordingly.

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. Since Wisdom is tied to perception, any character who wishes to have acute senses should put points towards Wisdom. Wisdom is also tied to some important Skills, such as Healing, and Sense Motive.

You apply your character’s Wisdom modifier to:

• Willpower saving throws (for negating the effect of mind affecting attacks, such as some spells).
• Skills that have Wisdom as their key ability. (Cooking, Domestic proficiency, Gamble, Listen and Spot, Professional proficiency, Heal, Navigate, Sense Motive, Survival and Hunting, Tracking)

Charisma (CHA)

Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead and physical attractiveness. This ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting. Charisma is important for characters that want to cast more spells because it influences their Magic Points. A character’s magical prowess is limited by the number of Magic Points they have, but the Charisma modifier adds to this.

You apply your character’s Charisma modifier to:

• The number of Magic Points your character has each day to spend.
• Checks that represent attempts to influence others.
• Skills that have Charisma as their key ability. (Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle animal, Perform, Disguise, Gather Information, Interrogate, Intimidate)

Additional things to keep in mind when determine your character’s attribute score:

• Any bonus Attributes gained from Magical Pollution Traits, Skills or Power Alterations stack once the above points are allocated. These bonuses allow an Attribute to exceed the normal limit of 18.
• At levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 characters add +1 to a single attribute point, representing personal growth.
• If you are unsure about how to allocate you points, ask the GM or another player for advice. Have them explain why their suggestion is good for your character.