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An attribute (also called a statistic, characteristic or ability) is an abstract number (or, in some cases, a set of dice) which represents a single aspect of a fictional character in a role-playing game. Most RPGs use attributes to describe characters’ physical and mental characteristics, for example their strength or wisdom. Usually a higher number is better, and ranges can be as small as 1–5 or as great as 1–100. They often influence the chance to succeed in skill or other tests by addition to a die roll or by determining the number of dice to be thrown.
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In contrast to skills, which represent a character’s expertise in learned capabilities like horse riding or hacking, or powers, which represent a character’s unique or special abilities such as flight, attributes describe to what extent a character possesses natural, in-born characteristics common to all characters. As a result, attribute scores are usually determined during character creation, and in many games they are fixed for the duration of the game. However, in some games they can be increased by spending experience points gained during the game, or as part of the process of levelling up. There are generally two ways of determining attributes, either randomly (by rolling dice) or by point distribution (see character point).
Some games work with only a few attributes (such as “Physical” or “Mental”), while others would go into more detail. Having too many attributes is considered to be a sign of undue complexity in a game; most games have about 4–10 of them. In many games, a small set of primary attributes control a larger number of derived secondary statistics such as Armor Class or magic points.
Most games try to give all attributes about the same usefulness to a character. Therefore, certain characteristics might be merged (such as merging a Charisma-type and a Willpower-type attribute into a single Personality attribute), or split into more attributes (such as splitting out physical Comeliness from Charisma in the original Unearthed Arcana), or even ignored altogether (for example, Intelligence and Charisma in a hack and slash adventure).
Attributes are commonly referred to by their first two or three initials.
Common attribute names
- Strength A#AK Body, Might, Brawl, ...
- A measure of how physically strong a character is. Strength often controls the maximum amount you can carry, melee attack and/or damage, and sometimes hit points. Armor and weapons might also have a Strength requirement.
- Constitution aka Stamina, Endurance, Vitality, ...
- A measure of how resilient a character is. Constitution often influences hit points, resistances for special types of damage (poisons, illness, heat etc.) and fatigue. Many games combine Constitution and Strength.
- Dexterity aka Agility, Reflexes, Speed, ...
- A measure of how agile a character is. Dexterity controls attack and movement speed and accuracy, as well as the difficulty of an opponent's attack (see Armor Class).
- Intelligence ''aka Intellect, Mind, Brains, Smarts, ...
- A measure of a character's problem-solving ability. Intelligence often controls a character's ability to comprehend foreign languages and their skill in magic. In some cases, intelligence controls how many skill points you get at "level up". In some games, it controls the rate at which experience points are earned, or the amount needed to level up.
- Charisma ''aka Presence, Charm, Social, ...
- A measure of a character's social skills, and sometimes their physical appearance. Charisma generally influences prices while trading, and NPC reactions.
- Wisdom aka Spirit, Psyche, Sense, ...
- A measure of a character's common sense and/or spirituality and/or ability to perceive surroundings. Wisdom often controls a character's ability to cast certain spells, communicate to mystical entities, or hear something in the distance.
- Willpower aka Sanity, Personality, Ego, ...
- A measure of the character's mental resistance (against pain, fear etc.) when falling victim to mind-altering, torture, or insanity. Some games combine willpower and wisdom.
- Perception aka Alertness, Awareness, Cautiousness, ...
- A measure of a character's openness of their surroundings. Perception controls the chance to detect vital clues, traps, or hiding enemies, and might influence combat sequence, or the accuracy of ranged attacks. Perception-type attributes are more common in more modern games. Sometimes combined with wisdom.
- Luck aka Fate, Good Stuff, ...
- A measure of a character's luck. Luck might influence anything, but mostly random items, encounters and outstanding successes/failures (such as critical hits).
Attributes in common systems
Dungeons & Dragons and the d20 System
D&D uses six ability scores:- Strength - physical strength
- Dexterity - agility and speed
- Constitution - ability to resist damage and disease
- Intelligence - mental acuity
- Wisdom - intuition and sense of things around himself
- Charisma - force of personality and physical attractiveness
Basic Role-Playing
- Strength (STR) - physical strength, ability to lift and carry
- Constitution (CON) - health and endurance, ability to resist damage and disease
- Size (SIZ) - mass (and height)
- Intelligence (INT) - mental acuity
- Power (POW) - basic ability to work magic, also luck and will-power
- Dexterity (DEX) - agility, manual dexterity, and speed
- Charisma (CHA) - leadership, charm, personality (earlier versions)
- Appearance (APP) - physical attractiveness (later versions)
GURPS
GURPS uses four (basic) attributes as well as a number of secondary characteristics that are derived from the attributes. Scores for basic attributes are bought or sold during character generation, starting at 10 each for base characters. Secondary characteristics can be modified relative to the primary attribute they are based upon. Skill values are based directly on a specific attribute; most skill rolls are based on 3d6 compared against the skill number.The four basic attributes are:
- Strength (ST) — physical power and bulk, ability to lift, carry, and do damage
- Dexterity (DX) — physical agility, coordination, and manual dexterity
- Intelligence (IQ) — mental acuity and sense of the world
- Health (HT) — physical energy and vitality, ability to resist disease
The four major secondary characteristics are each directly based on a single attribute:
- Hit Points (HP) — how much damage and injury can be sustained, based on ST
- Will (Will) — mental focus and strength, withstanding stress, based on IQ
- Perception (Per) — general alertness, based on IQ
- Fatigue Points (FP) — body energy levels, based on HT
Hero System
The primary characteristics are:- Strength (STR, cost 1) - physical strength, ability to lift and carry
- Intelligence (INT, cost 1) - mental acuity, learning ability
- Constitution (CON, cost 2) - health and ability to resist disease
- Dexterity (DEX, cost 3) - agility and manual dexterity
- Ego (EGO, cost 2) - mental fortitude and willpower
- Body (BODY, cost 2) - ability to sustain damage leading towards death, hit points
- Presence (PRE, cost 1) - leadership, charm, personality
- Physical Defense (PD, base STR/5, cost 1) - resistance to physical damage
- Energy Defense (ED, base CON/5, cost 1) - resistance to physical damage
- Speed (SPD, base DEX/5, cost 10) - number of actions per turn
- Recovery (REC, base STR/5 + CON/5, cost 2) - STUN and END replaced per turn
- Endurance (END, base CONx2, cost 1/2) - energy available as fatigue
- Stun (STUN, base STR/2+CON/2+BODY, cost 1) - ability to sustain damage leading towards unconsciousness
Storyteller System
Storyteller characters have nine Attributes (or Traits) in three Groups and from three Use Categories, as follows:- Power Category (the ability to alter one’s environment):
- Intelligence (Mental Group) — how mentally resourceful they are.
- Strength (Physical Group) — how physically forceful they can be.
- Presence (Social Group) — how socially influential they can be.
- Finesse Category (the ability to use power efficiently):
- Wits (Mental Group) — how clever and insightful they are.
- Dexterity (Physical Group) — how physically graceful they are.
- Manipulation (Social Group) — how socially dominating they are.
- Resistance Category (the ability to cope with power being excercised upon one’s self):
- Resolve (Mental Group) — how mentally determined they are.
- Stamina (Physical Group) — how physically enduring they are.
- Composure (Social Group) — how socially dignified they are.
Each Attribute is measured with one to five Dots: With one Dot, a character is “poor” in that Attribute, with five Dots, they are “outstanding”. Each Dot represents one die the Attribute gets to its Dice Pool. Starting characters get 12 points to add to their Attributes: The first Dot in an Attribute is free, the 2nd to 4th Dots cost one point each, and the 5th Dot costs 2 points to fill in. The player must assign 5, 4, and 3 points, respectively, to each of the Use Categories, prioritizing as they choose.
Shadowrun
Shadowrun uses nine attributes in three categories:- Physical attributes:
- Strength
- Body — constituion
- Quickness — speed, dexterity, agility
- Mental attributes:
- Intelligence
- Willpower
- Charisma
- Special attributes:
- Essence — solidity of the character’s central nervous system and mind
- Magic — magical energy
- Reaction — number of actions per round
External links
- Character Attributes in Role-Playing Games — Essay by Bob Hall
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"Attribute (role-playing games)"