ABILITY SCORES

  “While green Martians are immense, their bones are very large and they are muscled only in proportion to the gravitation they must overcome.  The result is they are less agile and less powerful,  in proportion to their weight, than an Earth man, and I doubt that were one of them suddenly too be transported to Earth, he could lift his own weight from the ground.”        (PM, III) 

 

                                                                          ^{Table 3.2}                      

  SCORE   Description       Modifier    

 

           1 -  3           dismal                       -4                        

  4 -  5           feeble                       -3                        

  6 -  7           poor                         -2                      

  8 -  9           inferior                    -1                      

 10- 11          average                  +0                   

 12- 14          superior                 +1              _          _

 15- 17          impressive            +2                  

 18- 20          excellent               +3                 

 21- 24          great                       +4                   _

 25- 29           amazing                +5                   

 30- 34          incredible             +6                    

               35+      fantastic                    +7                   

 

Strength measures capacity of a character to exert bodily or muscular force.   This ability score is crucial to mundane tasks like kicking in doors, carrying things and inflicting damage with melee weapons.  Low strength score does not have to imply that one is a weakling, but could reflect a prior shoulder or back injury.

Dexterity is a measure of speed and skill in using the limbs and body, i.e., agility.  This score is crucial to defending oneself. Most activities that depend upon balance or coordination are governed by this ability. High dexterity score gives you a bonus to your defensive class.  It is also a measure of eyesight.  A low dexterity is not always a lack of agility, but could represent myopia or a knee injury.

Constitution is an assessment of the body to resist painful stimuli and prolonged strain. This ability is also used to measure the sense of smell.  Constitution is a composite of health, endurance and resilience.  A low score in this ability could represent a respiratory limitation such as asthma or could simulate phobia, PTSD or cowardice. 

 Intelligence includes recognition, recall, logic and reasoning; it is not just a proxy for one’s IQ score.  It is also a measure the sense of fine touch.  This ability is the basis for learning and is essential for scholastic and scientific pursuits. A low intelligence score does not have to imply that a character is a moron or imbecile; it could represent illiteracy, hyperactivity or overzealous superstitions.

 Wisdom measures imagination, insight, and awareness.  This ability is also used to measure the sense of hearing and echolocation.  This score is crucial to abstract thinking and the use of spells or powers (RP5). A low wisdom score often represents a character struggling with the familiar problems of addiction (alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc.) and is not necessarily a lack of insight or perception. 

 

Charisma  is that quality that gives one power or authority over others.  This is a composite of personality, etiquette, attractiveness, reputation and animal magnetism. This ability is also used to measure the sense of taste.   Charisma is frequently used when negotiating or parleying with NPCs.