Attributes
Most modern game systems have an array of ability scores, and this system is no different. While it is universally considered to be an important aspect of your character, my aim is to make each score have purpose in defining how your characters interacts with the world around them. There are, quite literally, people walking around with a bi-directional bond to the soul in their pocket. The Soul array is needed to express how that, and so many more, interactions take place. Therefore, these scores represent not only your character’s raw potential, but also serve as your conduit to explore and be a part of the game.
The average non-heroic character has an attribute rating between a 0 (weak) and a 2 (decent), though exceptionally gifted individuals might reach peak human potential (5). Of course, your character will be something more - presumably bound to fates beyond the mere mundane - and between magical items, spells, and any number of cosmic forces you will likely see many attributes go much higher.
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The attribute metrics listed above may not look familiar, but if you are having trouble wrapping your head around them (perhaps because you have only played D&D) then think of them this way: The attribute score is akin to the D&D Ability modifier. So, an attribute with a score of 2 in this system would have been a 14 or a 15 ability score in D&D.
Why, you ask?
This system streamlines three things:
1. Odd level ability scores were annoying. You had to wait to get to a level in order to benefit from them. A 15 ability score cost more in a point build game, but gained nothing over a 14. The modifier is what really mattered.
2. These attributes are much cleaner. A 5 in an attribute means you get a bonus of five. Easy.
3. There are no negatives to deal with. How many characters did you play with an ability score of 6 and a -2 ability modifier? Oh, all the time you say? Ok, well I have something a bit different (and easier) for you too.
Attributes are split into three primary groups:
Each grouping has two operative components (inspired by an axis of power and finesse) and one defensive component (serving as a blend of constitution [a lackluster attribute] and saving throws). They are outlined as follows:
Body Attributes
Physical Attributes define the condition of a character’s body. They indicate how strong, agile, and resilient a character is. Physical Attributes should be taken as the primary category for an action-oriented character.
Strength
Strength measures your character’s raw, physical power. Strength is important if your character plans to engage in melee combat. It governs how much weight a character can lift or carry, how much he can physically push, and how hard he can hit another character or object. Strength is added to a character’s offensive capability when he attempts to strike his opponent in melee combat.
Strength directly impacts the following:
Carrying Capacity (Table Below)
Melee Attack Bonus
Melee Attack Damage
Heavy Weapons and Heavy Armor have minimum Might requirements to use properly
Table: Strength
| STR Score | Can You Even Lift Bro?* | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | You can lift 34-66 lbs. | An Average Human | Can pull their own weight. |
| 1 | You can lift 44-86 lbs. | A Pony | Carries heavy objects for short distances |
| 2 | You can lift 59-116 lbs. | A Gnoll | Visibly toned, throws small objects for long distances |
| 3 | You can lift 77-153 lbs. | A Shark | Carries heavy objects with one arm |
| 4 | You can lift 101-200 lbs. | A Minotaur | Can break objects like wood with bare hands |
| 5 | You can lift 134-266 lbs. | An Ogre | Able to out-wrestle a work animal or catch a falling person |
| 6 | You can lift 174-346 lbs. | A Rhinoceros | Can pull very heavy objects at appreciable speeds |
| 7 | You can lift 234-466 lbs. | Trollzerker | Pinnacle of brawn, able to out-lift several people |
| 8 | You can lift 307-613 lbs. | ||
| 9 | You can lift 401-800 lbs. | ||
| 10 | You can lift 533-1066 lbs. | Triceratops | Amongst the strongest mortal creatures |
* Average carrying capacity. Heavy load is 1.5X
Agility
Agility measures a character’s physical prowess. It encompasses the character’s speed, manual dexterity, and overall quickness, as well as indicating the character’s ability to manipulate objects with control and precision. Also included are hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and bodily grace. The higher a character’s Agility, the more difficult it is to hit them in melee combat.
Agility directly impacts the following:
Removing Low Initiative Starter Cards (Table Below)
Improving Armor Class
Ranged Attack Bonus
Ranged Weapons, Whips, and certain Special Weapons have minimum Agility requirements.
Table: Agility
| AGI Score | Init Cards Removed | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | An Average Human | Capable of usually catching a small tossed object, average human agility |
| 1 | 0 and 1s | Bugbear | Able to often hit large targets at a distance |
| 2 | 0 through 2 | Displacer Beast | Can catch or dodge a medium-speed surprise projectile |
| 3 | 0 through 3 | Lion | Able to often hit small targets at a distance |
| 4 | 0 through 4 | Astral Deva | Light on feet, able to often hit small moving targets at a distance |
| 5 | 0 through 5 | Bone Devil | Graceful, able to flow from one action into another easily |
| 6 | 0 through 6 | Dweomercat | Very graceful, capable of dodging multiple thrown objects |
| 7 | 0 through 7 | Balor | Moves like water, reacting to all situations with almost no effort |
| 8 | 0 through 8 | ||
| 9 | 0 through 9 | ||
| 10 | 0 through 10 | Air Elemental | Moves like the wind, capable of reactions unseen by mortals |
Resilience
Resilience reflects a character’s toughness, reflexes, and stamina. It is called upon in response to an affliction affecting your body and measures measure how well you can respond quickly to a situation, how long a character can exert herself, and how much punishment she can withstand before suffering physical trauma. A character needing to draw on a burst of speed to dodge an area of effect leverages this attribute. Resilience determines how many physical wounds a character can suffer before dying.
Resilience determines the following:
How many physical scars a character can have
Saving throws against physical effects and conditions that affect the body
Bonus HP gained at Core levels
Mind Attributes
Mental Attributes define the condition of a character’s mind. They indicate how cunning, sociable, and mentally fortified a character is. Mental Attributes should be taken as the primary category for a character wishing to use magic, think critically, or have bonuses available for social roleplay.
Logic
Logic measures how well your character can learn and reason. A high Logic allows your character to analyze situations and understand patterns, as well as their ability to absorb information rapidly. Logic is used to conduct magical and mental combat, and helps many casters learn glyphs and increase their mana pool.
Logic directly impacts the following:
Spell or Mental DCs
Spell or Mental Attack Bonus
Improves Knowledge results and linguistic capabilities
Insight
Insight represents deep understanding of the world, whether it be a person, place or thing. This attribute connects ambition with outcome by shaping the will of the universe and deities into palatable context. While not a lie detector, Insight involves gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms. It can help identify falsehoods about a situation, such as ambushes, and give a character a trusty “gut”. Well developed insight might manifest as incredible luck.
Insight directly impacts the following:
Baseline Grace for character with divine connections
Ability to yield information about monsters in combat
Starting number of Hero Points
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There is a fundamental problem I have with Charisma as an attribute – it muddles physical attraction with likability. It also makes Charisma a dump stat for anyone wanting to focus on combat, and essential for anyone wanting to participate in roleplaying. I want players who are interested in roleplaying to have an avenue to be stronger at it on the sheet, but not make it so specific everyone else turns away from it.
Also, in this game, you get to simply decide how attractive your character is (by appearance). The sum of your power arrays (STR | LOG | SPR) is the main factor, because people find that sort of comprehensiveness appealing, but you can argue it is some other factor you write into your character’s backstory. Or maybe it just comes with levels and growing into your awesome abilities. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Willpower
Willpower measures how well you can resist mental attacks and efforts to control your mind, and serves as a mainstay for resisting fear effects and compulsions. Illusions are ignored via willpower, as well as manifesting mental resolve and determination. Willpower determines how much psychological trauma one can suffer before going insane.
Willpower determines the following:
How many psychological scars a character can have
Saving throws against mental effects and conditions that affect the mind
Bonus Mana gained at Core levels
Soul Attributes
Soul Attributes address the affairs of the psyche. In a world where the soul has an intrinsic, physical presence an attribute is needed to clearly define its function and efficacy. Soul attributes should be taken by character’s interested in mastering their self or understanding higher principles of the universe. Character’s focusing on these attributes tend to have an edge up on the supernatural, and strong soul users have an incredibly tethered and enduring soul and aura of their own.
Spirit
Spirit represents confidence in and awareness of oneself. It governs morale and the way a character ingests information about the world around them. Understanding of higher powers, chakra flows, and general principles of the universe are regulated by ones investment in spirit. Spirit and Aura feed one another, and those that have mastered spirit tend to see a larger and more impactful reach of their aura. Spirit is used when conducting attacks outside the body, including making assaults with their aura.
Spirit directly impacts the following:
Spiritual Attack Bonus
Ability to invest spirit into arrays
Number of Chakras available for soulmelding
Presence
A character’s Presence is a manifestation of the power within them. It is the ability to bring a foe to their knees, without moving a finger. Character’s can emit a raw emanation of power, either as a force to subdue their opponents or in some cases as a means to cast their senses afar. In some regions, battles are fought by a contest of auras rather than physical bouts. The higher a character’s Presence, the more difficult it is for their own aura to be suppressed. Presence also suggests a character’s general magnetism, charm, and ability to interact with society. It is paramount in determining a character’s first impressions, personal dynamics, and relations with other individuals.
Presence directly impacts the following:
Ability to push oneself forward through the spiritual domain
Ability to shift, contract, expand, and conceal your aura
Improves base DCs for Social Skills
| PRE Score | Aura Distance | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | No Range | An Average Human | |
| 1 | 5' Radius | ||
| 2 | 10' Radius | ||
| 3 | 20' Radius | ||
| 4 | 30' Radius | ||
| 5 | 45' Radius | ||
| 6 | 60' Radius | ||
| 7 | 100' Radius | ||
| 8 | 150' Radius | ||
| 9 | 250' Radius | ||
| 10 | 500' Radius |
Zen
Zen is the defense against spiritual attacks and quintessential arts. Creatures that attempt to quash the soul directly, or subvert the aura of a character, are defended against by means of harmonizing Zen. The stronger the Zen, the more soul wounds a character can suffer before their soul is shattered and the longer a soul can be apart from a body before becoming untethered.
Zen determines the following:
How many soul scars a character can have
Saving throws against spiritual effects and conditions that affect the soul or chakras
Bonus SHP gained at Core levels