Attributes

A character consists of five primary traits known as Attributes. These Attributes serve as the foundational building blocks for every player character, non-player character (NPC), and monster, irrespective of other factors such as race and class. In essence, they are numerical representations of a character’s physical and mental abilities.

The Attributes are Intellect, Strength, Endurance, Perception, and Character. They are typically abbreviated with a single letter enclosed in double brackets. Each Attribute possesses a value, with higher numbers indicating superior capabilities.

Intellect [[I]]

Represents a character’s intelligence, enlightenment, and capacity for learning.

Strength [[S]]

Denotes both a character’s physical strength and their ability to utilize it.

Endurance [[E]]

Reflects a character’s physical and mental resilience against both external and internal forces.

Perception [[P]]

Assesses a character’s observancy in the physical and spiritual realms.

Character [[C]]

Evaluates a character’s appearance, personality, charisma, and capacity to engender trust in others.

Aspects

Each of the five Attributes is further divided into two segments, termed Aspects. These Aspects highlight two facets of the Attribute and possess numerical values that signify a character’s proficiency or deficiency in them. Aspects are abbreviated with two letters enclosed in single brackets.

New characters begin with a rank of one in each Aspect.

The table below offers insight into what the numerical ranks denote in terms of gameplay and relative prowess.

Aspect Rank	Description
0	Disabled, Enfeeble. Infant
1	Average
2	Above Average, Gifted
3	Exceptional
4	Heroic, Best in Nation
5	Superhuman, Peak of Human Ability
6	Exceptional Superhuman
7+	Godlike, Cosmic, Extremely Rare

Human characters cannot exceed a rank of six in any Aspect without the game master’s (GM’s) approval.

Innate Intellect [II]

Innate Intellect represents a character’s inherent intelligence and the wisdom and enlightenment they’ve developed throughout their life. This attribute dictates a character’s Intangible Defense <ID> Combat Value, making them naturally more resilient to magic.

A character with an Innate Intellect of zero struggles with logical choices and decision-making. They cannot comprehend the world around them, rendering them immune to all mental effects, including charms, intimidation, and manipulation.

Acquired Intellect [AI]

Acquired Intellect signifies a character’s accumulated knowledge, memory, experience, and education. It illustrates what a character has gleaned from sources like books and schooling. If Innate Intelligence indicates how a person thinks, Acquired Intellect demonstrates what they know.

A character with an Acquired Intellect of zero is essentially a blank slate, albeit one difficult to mold. They can grasp basic survival concepts, but require significant assistance. A character starting with an Acquired Intellect of zero is assumed to have the Illiterate Disadvantage, but doesn’t benefit from it. However, they’re immune to all mental effects, be they positive or negative.

Hard Strength [HS]

Hard Strength denotes a character’s innate physical power, influencing melee combat damage, lifting and carrying capacities, and throwing distances. This attribute modifies a character’s Physical Damage <PX> Combat Value, allowing them to harness their strength for more significant damage.

Characters with a Hard Strength of zero inflict no damage in melee combat, even with a weapon. Their Speed <SPD> is also halved.

Lifting, Carrying, and Throwing Capacity

A character’s Hard Strength determines their lifting and carrying capabilities. They can comfortably carry a weight in pounds equivalent to their Hard Strength plus one, multiplied by ten. This is considered Unencumbered.

Carrying a weight in pounds equivalent to Hard Strength times thirty results in being Loaded Up, reducing Speed <SPD> by one and incurring a negative flip mod (flip-1) penalty on Physical Defense <PD> and all physically-related skill checks.

When Hard Strength times fifty is reached, a character is Heavily Loaded. Their Speed <SPD> drops to one and they are considered to have zero Physical Defense <PD> and zero ranks in any physically-related skill checks. If any skill value was already at 0, it drops to -1.

A character can drag or push up to Hard Strength times eighty but can only move at a Speed <SPD> of one.

Soft Strength [SS]

Soft Strength measures a character’s agility and finesse. It influences the Physical Defense <PD> Combat Value, enhancing their evasion and blocking abilities.

Characters with a Soft Strength of zero are deemed Helpless (refer to the Conditions appendix).

External Endurance [EE]

External Endurance gauges a character’s resistance to physical attacks, pain, injuries, and toxins. This attribute plays a role in determining a character’s STUN, which represents their damage tolerance before being incapacitated. It also modifies the External Resilience <ER> Combat Value, dictating how much damage a character can endure without adverse effects.

Characters with an External Endurance of zero are fragile, with a maximum STUN of two.

Internal Endurance [IE]

Internal Endurance evaluates a character’s mental fortitude, willpower, and resistance to psychological attacks and traumas. It’s essential for overcoming fears, resisting interrogation, and enduring adversities. This attribute influences the Internal Resilience <IR> Combat Value and STUN, dictating mental stress tolerance before incapacitation.

Characters with an Internal Endurance of zero are impressionable and compliant. Their feeble wills make them susceptible to instructions, even potentially hazardous ones. They lack foresight and the ability to resist temptations. Their maximum STUN is two.

Substantial Perception [SP]

Substantial Perception pertains to the primary senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. This attribute influences the Physical Attack <PA> Combat Value by aiding in accurately targeting foes in combat.

Characters with a Substantial Perception of zero are virtually sensory-deprived. Individual sense impairments might result in a rating of zero for that specific sense, leaving others unaffected.

Insubstantial Perception [IP]

Insubstantial Perception delves into a character’s emotional depth, empathy, and connection to the supernatural. This attribute determines their Spell Attack <SA> Combat Value, making it easier to sense magical forces.

A character with an Insubstantial Perception of zero remains oblivious to the supernatural. They’re not immune to its effects but are more vulnerable to magical or otherworldly forces.

Physical Character [PC]

Physical Character conveys a character’s aesthetic appeal, posture, and demeanor. Primarily utilized in social scenarios, it affects first impressions and superficial judgments. Some Advantages and Disadvantages might alter this value based on circumstances.

A character with a Physical Character of zero is universally unappealing. Regardless of species or cultural beauty standards, they are perceived as unattractive. All skill checks relying on Physical Character are doomed to fail.

Mental Character [MC]

Mental Character denotes a character’s behavior, poise, and charm. While Physical Character pertains to external perceptions, Mental Character concerns internal qualities like force of personality, leadership and confidence. Both attributes are often intertwined, with many checks relying on their average or higher value.

Characters with a Mental Character of zero are socially challenging. Their obliviousness to their off-putting nature exacerbates their predicament, as they often perceive unfair treatment. All skill checks based on Mental Character are bound to fail.

Adding It All Up

Numerical values for Aspects are combined to determine the value of the associated Attribute. For instance, a character’s Hard Strength [HS] and Soft Strength [SS] combine to determine his total Strength[[S]] attribute. The Attributes and Aspects system offers great flexibility. Four different scenarios arise from these value combinations:

1. In some scenarios, the GM might use the total Attribute value for a check. For instance, a riddle contest between a player and a mysterious underworld creature (who has a magical ring stashed away) might depend on a player’s knowledge and his ability to think creatively, combining both Innate and Acquired Intellect scores.
2. At times, the GM might call for the average of the two associated Aspects (always round down). Some social situations might require the average of Physical Character and Mental Character because an individual is influenced by another’s appearance and behavior.
3. Sometimes, the GM may request the higher of the two Aspects. For instance, a character with greater Hard Strength might force his way through a frantic crowd, while one with more Soft Strength might agilely navigate through.
4. Conversely, there might be times when the GM requires the lower of the two aspects. If a character participated in a carnival challenge involving unsavory tasks to win a prize, he might physically withstand it with External Endurance, but his Internal Endurance might prevent him. Alternatively, his spirit is willing, but his body cannot comply.

Attributes and Aspects might serve as prerequisites for certain actions. For example, a door may necessitate a Hard Strength of three or more to break down, or a document might require an Acquired Intellect of two or more for comprehension.

Determining Aspect Ranks

All player characters start with a rank of one in each of the ten aspects. Selecting a Generalization increases one Aspect. Choosing a class also boosts one Aspect. Finally, during the customization phase where you allocate your fifty points, you can opt to enhance an Aspect or Aspects by an additional rank by using some of these points.

Combat Values

Besides Attributes and Aspects, characters possess Combat Values used in tactical battles. Combat Value abbreviations are denoted by <>.

Human characters cannot exceed eight in any Combat Value without the GM’s consent. If an Aspect increases to push a Combat Value beyond eight, it remains unchanged.

Physical Attack <PA>

Physical Attack reflects the character’s probability of striking a target using conventional means. It broadly represents his accuracy with his current weapon. Substantial Perception determines the foundational rank of this Combat Value, which might be altered later by powers or equipment. Increasing Physical Attack indicates the character is receiving some form of general combat training.

The base value for Physical Attack <PA> is equal to Substantial Perception [SP].

Spell Attack <SA>

Spell Attack denotes the character’s likelihood of striking with spells. Insubstantial Perception establishes this Combat Value’s base rank, which powers or equipment can later adjust. Elevating Spell Attack infers the character has advanced arcane mastery, increasing his success with magical strikes.

The base value for Spell Attack <SA> is equal to Insubstantial Perception [IP].

Physical Damage <PX>

Physical Damage signifies the potential harm inflicted upon a victim when struck with sheer strength. This value typically augments a melee weapon’s damage. Ranged attacks usually do not add to the character’s Physical Damage value.

The base value for Physical Damage <PX> is equal to Hard Strength [HS].

Physical Defense <PD>

Physical Defense embodies a character’s innate defenses, such as evasion, blocking, or parrying. It heightens the difficulty of landing physical hits on the character.

The base value for Physical Defense <PD> is equal to Soft Strength [SS].

Intangible Defense <ID>

Intangible Defense reflects a character’s mental barriers and resistance to manipulation and arcane or psychic harm.

The base value for Intangible Defense <ID> is equal to Innate Intelligence [II].

External Resilience <ER>

External Resilience indicates a character’s resistance to physical harm, from being struck with a bat to gunshot wounds, flames, and more. It reduces the incoming damage a character endures from physical attacks. Further discussion on External Resilience is in the Combat chapter.

The base value for External Resilience <ER> is equal to External Endurance [EE].

Internal Resilience <IR>

Internal Resilience represents a character’s resistance to psychic damage that directly affects the mind. It is subtracted from the amount of damage a character takes from arcane sources. Internal Resilience is discussed further in the Combat chapter.

The base value for Internal Resilience <IR> is equal to Internal Endurance [IE].

Speed <SPD>

Speed denotes a character’s mobility on the tactical map, discussed in the Combat chapter.

The base value for Speed is based on the chosen race of a character. For humans, Speed <SPD> is initially set to 5.

Initiative <N>

Initiative symbolizes a character’s reactive ability in situations, determining who acts first.

Initiative <N> starts at a rank of 2 for all characters.

Modifiers to Attack, Defenses, and Resiliencies

If a game benefit modifies your Attack without specifying Physical or Spell Attack, both are affected. Similarly, if a benefit alters your Defense without detailing Physical or Intangible Defense, both are adjusted. If a benefit changes your Resilience without mentioning External or Internal Resilience, both are impacted.

Increasing Combat Values

The baseline of a Combat Value is set by the related Aspect’s rank. When an Aspect rises, its associated Combat Value does too. During the primary character customization, a Combat Value can be elevated by one rank (and only one) by utilizing some of your customization points, as outlined in Chapter 9 – Final Customization.