If you want to know how fast, strong, healthy, or intelligent a character is, you can find out by looking at the Scores assigned to their Attributes. The higher the Score, the smarter, stronger, or tougher the character.
Attributes fall into two categories: Primary Attributes and Secondary Attributes.
Primary Attributes define your character at the most basic level. They include traits like Toughness, Willpower, and Resilience. These are foundational to who your character is and what they can do, and they will not change much, if at all, over the course of your adventures.
Secondary Attributes are attributes based on your character’s Primary Attributes. Rather than having a Score assigned to them, Secondary Attribute Scores are typically calculated from your Primary Attributes. For instance, your Maximum Body Vitality Score is equal to your Strength Score + your Coordination Score + your Toughness Score. Secondary Attributes might also include non-attribute Scores, like adding a shield’s Defense Score to a character’s Block Score.
Primary Attributes #
Cool Name RPG characters have nine Primary Attributes. Primary Attributes are grouped according to their types: Body, Mind, or Spirit. During Character Creation, you will assign a Score to each of your Primary Attributes.
Body Attributes #
Strength #
Strength represents your character’s overall muscle mass and physical power. It is the Primary Attribute used when performing Action Checks to lift, carry, pull, and push. Strength is also the Primary Attribute used in many types of melee attacks.
Coordination #
Your character’s natural sense of balance, agility, and precision with fine motor skills are represented by their Coordination. Coordination is the Primary Attribute used for many full-body activities, such as acrobatics, dancing, and balance. Coordination is also used for Action Checks requiring strong hand-eye-coordination, such as picking pockets or performing surgery.
Toughness #
Toughness represents your character’s ability to function and recover when faced with illness, accidents, or other physical demands. It is used in Action Checks to resist the effects of poison and disease, recover from injuries, and endure wounds. Toughness is also used when making Action Checks to recover Body Vitality Points.
Mind Attributes #
Intellect #
A character’s logical processing, ability to identify patterns, and general memory are all aspects of their Intellect. Intellect is the Primary Attribute used for Action Checks involving logical deduction, analysis, learning complex tasks, and remembering facts. It is also the Primary Attribute used by Wizards to cast spells.
Creativity #
Creativity represents the character’s ability to assemble information in new and novel ways. It is the Primary Attribute used in artistic creation, thinking “outside of the box,” and solving problems where the answer lies outside the realm of accepted truths. Creativity is the Primary Attributed used to create and appreciate works of art, craft new items, and cast spells as a Sorcerer. A Creativity Action Check may also be used to gain a flash of insight when you are out of ideas (that is to say, get a hint from the Gamemaster.)
Willpower #
Willpower is the character’s ability to resist the influence of others and persevere in the face of extreme physical or emotional hardship. It is used for Action Checks to resist psychic assault, push forward even when exhausted, and disbelieve illusions that are impossible to discern from reality. Willpower is also used to make Action Checks to recover Mind Vitality Points.
Spirit Attributes #
Presence #
Presence represents a character’s ability to command a room and grab people’s attention. Performance, intimidation, seduction, and leadership are all types of Action Checks where the character’s Presence comes into play. Note that Presence does not necessarily mean “charismatic” or “likeable.” A hideous monster is as likely to have a high presence as a dashing rogue. Presence is also the Primary Attribute used by Clerics for spellcasting.
Awareness #
A character’s Awareness is their innate ability to sense changes in the world around them and read the emotions of other living beings. It is used in Action Checks to sense illusions, pick up on duplicitous intent, and find things that are hidden or difficult to notice. Awareness is also used in Action Checks to see if the character unconsciously notices changes in their environment or potential danger. Awareness is also the Primary Attribute used by Druids for spellcasting.
Resilience #
Resilience represents a character’s innate ability to persevere in the face of emotional trauma and spiritual strain. Resilience is used in Action Checks to resist fear, face death in all its forms without faltering, and adapt to changes that undermine the character’s understanding of the world. It is also used in Action Checks to recover Spirit Vitality Points.
Human Primary Attribute Scores #
What is a “good” Primary Attribute Score? To give you a baseline for understanding Primary Attribute Scores, let’s look at the normal range of Scores for humans. Typically, human Scores range from 0 to 5. A Score of 2 is “human normal,” but a truly average human will not have twos for all their Primary Attributes. Rather, they will have twos for most of their Primary Attributes, a handful of ones to represent areas of weakness, and maybe a single three if they are especially gifted in one area. You are unlikely to meet many humans with a Score of 4, and it is extremely unusual to meet a human with a Score of 5.
Of course, your characters are anything but “normal.” Every one of your characters are extraordinary in some way, and the thing that makes them extraordinary might be a few higher-than-normal Attribute Scores. Most heroes have at least a couple Attributes with a Score of 3, and a few will have an Attribute with a Score of 4.
Secondary Attributes #
The Scores for Secondary Attributes are calculated Scores based largely on your character’s Primary Attributes.
Defense #
A character’s Defense Attributes help them to avoid damage during Combat Encounters. They serve as the starting Difficulty Scores for Attack Action Checks made against your character by NPCs. Detailed rules for making and defending against attacks are found in Chapter 7: Combat Encounters.
Body Defense #
Body Defenses help your character avoid attacks designed to reduce their Body Vitality Points. Each character has three Body Defense Attributes: Dodge, Parry, and Block.
Each Body Defense Score is based on a different Primary Attribute:
Dodge = Coordination
Parry = Strength
Block = Toughness
In addition, the following modifiers may be added to the character’s Defense scores:
- You may add your MO Score to any Defenses listed under Defenses in the MO description. If you have more than one MO with the same Defense, may only add one MO Score to a Defense Score.
- Characters may add a +1 modifier to their Defense Score if they have an appropriate Defense Specializations.
- Some weapons modify Parry.
- Some shields modify Block.
Mind Defense #
Mind Defense helps your character avoid mental and psionic attacks designed to lower their Mind Vitality Points.
Mind Defense = Creativity
You may add your MO Score to Mind Defense if it is listed under Defenses in the MO description. If you have more than one MO with Mind Defense, you may only add one of the MO Scores.
Spirit Defense #
Spirit Defense helps your character avoid emotional and spiritual attacks designed to reduce their Spirit Vitality Points.
Spirit Defense = Awareness
You may add your MO Score to Spirit Defense if it is listed under Defenses in the MO description. If you have more than one MO with Spirit Defense, you may only add one of the MO Scores.
Initiative #
A character’s Initiative Attribute is used to determine when a character takes their Turn during a Round. It represents a combination of their reflexes, alertness, and instinct. To calculate your characters Initiative Score, use the following formula:
Initiative = Coordination + Intellect + Awareness
Vitality #
Your character’s Vitality Attributes represent how much physical, mental, and emotional hardship your character can survive. The higher your character’s Scores for these Attributes, the more pain, damage, and suffering they can endure before they must stop to recover.
Characters have three Vitality Attributes: Body Vitality, Mind Vitality, and Spirit Vitality:
- Body Vitality: Body Vitality represents your character’s overall physical health, their ability to resist stunning blows, and how well they withstand fatigue.
- Mind Vitality: Mind Vitality represents your character’s force of will, their ability to stay centered in the face of chaos, and their power of concentration.
- Spirit Vitality: Spirit Vitality represents your character’s morale, their inner strength, and their spiritual life force.
Vitality Scores are calculated as follows:
Body Vitality = Strength + Coordination + Toughness
Mind Vitality = Intellect + Creativity + Willpower
Spirit Vitality = Presence + Awareness + Resilience
Each Vitality Attribute has a corresponding pool of Vitality Points. Your character begins with Vitality Points of each type equal to the corresponding Vitality Score. The corresponding Vitality Score also represents your character’s maximum Vitality Points of that type.
If an enemy, Challenge, or the outcome of an Encounter ever reduces one of your character’s Vitality Points to zero, your character is Incapacitated and must take time to recover. (See Incapacitated in Chapter 8: Vitality, Wounds, and Healing)