Abilities

Everyone has certain basic abilities: how strong, fast, smart, and clever they are. These abilities influence most things your character does. Stronger characters can lift greater weights, more agile characters have better balance, tougher characters can soak up more damage, and so forth.

All characters have eight basic abilities: Strength (Str), Agility (Agl), Fighting (Fgt), Dexterity (Dex), Stamina (Sta), Intellect (Int), Awareness (Awe), and Presence (Pre). Strength, Agility, Fighting, Dexterity, and Stamina are physical abilities, whereas Intellect, Awareness, and Presence are mental abilities. Each above-average ability provides a bonus on certain dice rolls; while below average abilities apply a penalty.

Ability Ranks

Each ability has a rank associated with it, based on how above or below average it is. Abilities start at rank 0, the baseline average for an adult human being. Abilities can't go below -5 but, aside from power level limitations, there is no upper limit.

The ability rank is added to, or subtracted from, the sum of a dice roll when your character does something related to that ability. For example, your Strength rank affects the amount of damage you do when punching someone. Your Intellect rank comes into play when you roll skills based on Intellect, and so forth. Sometimes your rank is used to calculate another value, such as when you use your Agility to determine how good you are at avoiding harm with your reflexes (your Dodge defense).

Buying Ability Ranks

You choose your hero's ability ranks by spending character points on them. Increasing an ability rank by 1 costs 2 character points, so putting 4 points into Dexterity, for example, raises it from 0 to 2. Remember a rank of 0 is average (See Table: Ability Benchmarks.)

It may be desirable to acquire ability ranks (some or all of them) via Enhanced Trait for thematic or mechanical reasons (see Enhanced Trait for explanation of both). Note that ability ranks above 3 do not require Enhanced Trait, this contradiction is a snafu due to the DCs of skills (this difficult fix is being worked on).

Table: Ability Rank Benchmarks (Excluding Dice)

Reducing Abilities

You can also lower one or more of your character's ability ranks from the starting value of 0. Each rank you lower an ability gives you an additional 2 character points to spend elsewhere. You cannot lower an ability rank below -5, which is itself a serious deficiency.

Note that negative ability ranks is the only place in the game that gives back character points. Also see Flaws which reduce costs but never give back character points.

Debilitated Abilities

If one of your hero's ability ranks becomes -5 for any reason (eg Weaken), that ability is said to be debilitated and you suffer more serious effects than just a penalty. You automatically fail any rolls related to that ability including attacks and defense checks (except Debilitated Stamina). Ability ranks cannot be lowered any further once they are debilitated (ie -5 is the minimum). When making a character abilities can be lowered to -5 to gain 10 character points but doing so it not a good idea (see each ability below).

Absent Abilities

Player characters are not allowed to have absent abilities (see Immunity to fatigue instead). Absent abilities exist to handle very unusual NPCs. Even then it is not possible to have absent Stamina, Intellect, or Presence.

Rather than having a rank of -5 in a given ability, some characters actually lack an ability altogether. This gives back 10 character points (same as debilitated) and has the same effect as debilitated except more extreme where possible. The ability is considered to be rank -∞ and therefore can't be raised by Enhanced Trait (or lowered by Weaken).

Absent abilities should be rare as it creates an unusual character with a serious disability. If you (as a Gamemaster since players are not allowed to have absent abilities) are making a character with multiple absent abilities consider if this should be a character at all. It may be better handled as an object, obstacle, circumstance, etc even if it has powers and the ability to die. Note that everything has Toughness (even inanimate objects) and with enough damage can be destroyed. Plants and machines can have other traits (such as Fortitude) and need not be characters.

The minimum requirement to be considered a character (and not an object with traits) is to have HP (must have stamina) and be able to take actions (which requires both intellect and Presence). Although Awareness isn't required it would be difficult to make use of a character which is permanently unaware to everything, such a character would need Communication or something in order to get feedback for any action taken (otherwise it would have no idea that it even has the ability to take said actions). Some traits (mostly powers and skills) make a distinction between characters and objects. However some actions only require certain traits to be present on the target and thus an action that normally works on characters could be done on an object with the necessary traits. If it is unclear whether a certain action can be taken on a target ask you Gamemaster.

Absent stamina is not allowed (even for NPCs) as that would require being dead. Even zombies and robots (both of which are considered alive by game mechanics) have stamina and in fact likely have infinite stamina for which see Immunity to fatigue. Things without stamina would not be considered characters and do not have HP (see object damage instead).

Absent intellect is not allowed (even for NPCs) because being unable to think means being unable to take actions. Objects without intellect (such as a tree or statue) are immune to Mind Reading since there's no thoughts to be read. Likewise absent intellect things are immune to Persuasion, mind control, etc since they have no mind to influence.

Absent Presence is not allowed (even for NPCs) because being unable to decide to do anything (even choosing to follow commands) means being unable to take actions.

Super Strength And Speed

Super strength and super speed are common super powers. The obvious way to do this is put many ranks into Strength and Agility but this isn't a direct equivalent. For super strength buy things like Power Lifting, Leaping, and Damage (Strength-based). For super speed buy things like Improved Initiative (likely as an Enhanced Trait), Quickness, and Ground Speed. For your convenience there are example power packages for Super-Strength and Super-Speed see them for details.

The Abilities

Here are descriptions of the eight abilities and what they represent.

Strength (Str)

Strength measures sheer muscle power and the ability to apply it. It gives you the ability to move anything that is physical.

Your Strength rank applies to:

• Strength-based Damage such as unarmed attacks.
• How far you can jump (based on an Athletics skill check).
• The amount of weight you can lift, carry, and throw.
• Athletics skill checks.
• Strength checks for other feats of strength when a specific skill doesn't apply.

If debilitated: you must drop everything that you are carrying or holding (not clothing). Fall prone if you are unable to do so. You automatically fail any roll involving Strength and can't use Strength-based Damage at all.

Agility (Agl)

Agility is balance, grace, speed, and overall physical coordination. It gives you the ability to move.

Your Agility rank applies to:

• Dodge defense, for avoiding ranged attacks and other hazards.
• Initiative bonus, for acting first in combat.
• Acrobatics and Stealth skill checks.
• Agility checks for feats of coordination, gross movement, and quickness when a specific skill doesn't apply.

If debilitated: you are immobilized. You automatically fail any roll involving Agility.

Fighting (Fgt)

Fighting measures your character's ability in close combat, from hitting a target to ducking and weaving around any counter-attacks. It gives you the ability to manipulate your own body.

Your Fighting rank applies to:

• Attack checks for close attacks.
• Parry defense, for avoiding close attacks.
• There are no other uses. General checks should use Agility instead of Fighting (see known snafu).

If debilitated: nothing special (always fail Close Combat and Parry defense).

Dexterity (Dex)

Dexterity is a measure of hand-eye coordination, precision, and manual dexterity. It gives you the ability to manipulate objects.

Your Dexterity rank applies to:

• Ranged attack checks.
• Sleight of Hand and Vehicles skill checks.
• Dexterity checks for feats of fine control and precision when a specific skill doesn't apply.

If debilitated: you drop everything you are holding, can't use fingers or other fine motor skills. Close Combat: Unarmed deals 1 less damage. You automatically fail any roll involving Dexterity.

Stamina (Sta)

Stamina is health, endurance, and overall physical resilience. Stamina is important because it affects a character's ability to resist most forms of damage.

Your Stamina modifier applies to:

• Toughness defense, for resisting Damage.
• Fortitude defense, for resisting effects targeting your character's health.
• Determining length of time before a Fortitude check needs to be made in cases like forced labor and suffocation.
• Note that there are no skills that use Stamina by default but some skills may use it in some cases.

If debilitated: when Stamina drops to -5 you become dying (your HP becomes -1 if not already negative) and can't stabilize until your Stamina is at least -4. Unlike other debilitated abilities you do not automatically fail defense checks that use Stamina (Fortitude and Toughness) instead you can make the check as though you had -5 Stamina (you aren't able to make any ability or skill checks due to being incapacitated).

Absent stamina is not allowed (even for NPCs) as that would require being dead. Even zombies and robots (both of which are considered alive by game mechanics) have stamina and in fact likely have infinite stamina for which see Immunity to fatigue. Things without stamina would not be considered characters and do not have HP (see object damage instead).

Intellect (Int)

Intellect covers reasoning ability, learning, memory and knowledge. A character with a high Intellect rank tends to be knowledgeable and well-educated.

Your Intellect modifier applies to:

• Common Knowledge, Expertise, Investigation, Knowledge, Memory, Strategy, Technology, and Treatment skill checks.
• Intellect checks to solve problems using sheer brain-power when a specific skill doesn't apply.

If debilitated: you have no knowledge or memory beyond surface thoughts: the instant something is not being thought about it is forgotten. You don't know who anyone is, what you are doing or why but some complications will subconsciously remain influencing your actions. You are considered untrained in all skills (due to being unable to remember training) and some advantages may be unavailable. Since you don't know what to do and why your actions are limited to immediately obvious reactions to the situation. You automatically fail any roll involving Intellect. It is still possible for an Intellect debilitated subject to be affected by Mind Reading. The debilitated subject can only access his/her own surface thoughts and have no access to anything deeper such as memories. All of this mental information still exists and Mind Reading can view any layer normally even though the subject can't access them.

Absent intellect is not allowed (even for NPCs) because being unable to think means being unable to take actions. Objects without intellect (such as a tree or statue) are immune to Mind Reading since there's no thoughts to be read. Likewise absent intellect things are immune to Persuasion, mind control, etc since they have no mind to influence.

Awareness (Awe)

Awareness covers wisdom, intuition, discernment, and perception. In contrast with Intellect which covers logic, facts, quantitative observations, objectivity, and hard science; Awareness covers feelings, opinions, qualitative observations, subjectivity, and soft science. Awareness covers the understanding part of social interactions, the rest being covered by Presence. Simply put Awareness is your ability to sense what is going on.

A character with a high Intellect and a low Awareness may be an "absentminded professor" type, smart but not always aware of what's going on. On the other hand, a not so bright (low Intellect) character may have great deal of common sense (high Awareness).

A character with a low Presence and a high Awareness may understand the social nuances but be unable to sway people in his favor. A character with a high Presence and a low Awareness may have natural charisma and a silver tongue but may be too self-focused to notice others.

Your Awareness modifier applies to:

• Insight, Perception, and Tracking skill checks.
• Awareness checks to resolve matters of intuition when a specific skill doesn't apply.

If debilitated: you are unaware (all senses). None of your senses works and therefore you are immune to interaction skills. You may still act although difficult since you are blind, deaf, and numb (everything has total concealment from you). You automatically fail any roll involving Awareness.

Presence (Pre)

Presence is force of personality, persuasiveness, and leadership ability. Presence is useful for heroes who intend to be leaders as well as those who strike fear into the hearts of criminals with their presence. Since this includes leadership it is also to a lesser degree charisma and attractiveness.

A character with a low Presence and a high Intellect may be a socially awkward genius able to solve any math problem but unable to write an essay or speak coherently. A character with a high Presence and a low Intellect may be like a politician who can talk persuasively about things he doesn't understand.

Your Presence modifier applies to:

• Will defense, for resisting attacks on your mind.
• Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion skill checks.
• Presence checks to influence others through force of personality when a specific skill doesn't apply.

If debilitated: you have no free will (the Gamemaster may control your character rather than you). You retain all other mental traits but will do as you are told (even if you don't want to). Some complications are ignored during this time (neither receive or spend victory points for the ignored ones). All interaction skills used on you always pass. You will follow any command given to the best of your ability. The only decisions you are allowed to make are those involved with completing a command. Even though you know the difference between friend and foe you can't chose one command over another: the most recent instruction always trumps. You automatically fail any roll involving Presence.

Absent Presence is not allowed (even for NPCs) because being unable to decide to do anything (even choosing to follow commands) means being unable to take actions.