Ability Checks
Ability checks consist of seven handy scores calculated directly from the
Player Character's primary attributes. These scores consist of: Skill,
Endurance, Perception, Knowledge, Influence, Willpower, Panic, and
Body/Mind/Spirit (or B/M/S). [Table]
- Skill combines the attributes Intelligence and Dexterity. Skill
checks are useful when attempting a maneuver that requires complex and
delicate manual tasks (such as carving, tying difficult knots, and repairing
clothing, etc.) Skill checks are also useful in determining if a trap is
avoided, or if a task requiring a modicum of stealth has been done quietly.
- Endurance is an even mixture of Strength and Constitution.
Basically, Endurance measures a character's ability to perform a sustained,
physically demanding task. For example, Strength alone can determine if a
Character can lift a two hundred pound load, while Endurance could be use to
gauge that same character's chances of lifting the load ten or more times.
- Perception measures a character's ability to observe his or her
surroundings or situation and make a logical conclusion based on information
gathered. For example, a successful perception might make the difference
between seeing an oily sheen of a stack of gold coins as spilled lamp oil, or
as deadly poison. A perception check is also handy when searching for a lost
object, or when trying to remember one's way through a darkened catacomb. The
Perception check is based on Intelligence and Wisdom.
- Knowledge is the ability to make use of the skills gained from
formal schooling. Examples of such skills include, but are not limited to,
reading and writing, decoding messages, chemistry, history, and religion.
Knowledge is based on Intelligence and Wisdom, but with Intelligence being
weighted heavier.
- Influence is the ability to affect others solely with the power of
one's personality. This ability is derived from Charisma and Comeliness. When
the need to haggle arises, a successful influence check can be quite handy.
Additionally, Influence can be used by the Player Character to try to con
others into believing what the character has to say, regardless of validity of
the PC's statement. This Check is also invaluable for getting the average
stubborn barfly to divulge information of value. In real-world terms,
politicians, lawyers, and used car dealers make an almost constant use of
Influence.
- Willpower is one of the most important ability scores. Being
composed from Wisdom and Faith, Willpower determines the mental and spiritual
strength of the Player Character. A person with high Willpower is better
equipped to resist possession by evil spirits, able to cast out demons easier,
and able to break the bonds of dark magic and witchcraft. People with high
Willpower tend to be better leaders and usually have a high degree of personal
initiative, while those of low Willpower tend to be lazy, weak-minded, and
sluggard.
- Panic: This check is not truly ability in itself; instead, it is
used when a Player Character is attempting to resist a powerful source of
fear. This Check is usually used to determine if an insanity is triggered or
resisted, but it is also appropriate to have Characters make Panic Checks to
resist other sources of horror, such as: Demons, Dragons, massive battlefield
slaughter, and similar things that could shock a person into a state of panic.
When conditions arise that might trigger a character's insanity, a Panic check
must be rolled to determine if the character successfully resists a surge of
disordered though patterns. Panic is derived from Intelligence, Wisdom, and
Faith.
- Body/Mind/Spirit - The arithmetic mean of all eight attributes. It
measures overall inner strength, the culmination of a person as a whole. In
this check, fractions are not dropped. Thus a B/M/S score of 14.75 becomes
14¾. Mathematicians and Necromancers use B/M/S to fuel their spiritual powers,
thus they benefit from having a high B/M/S value. However, all character
classes use B/M/S to power their innate abilities.
The table below shows the formulas for calculating each of the ability
scores.
Table: Ability Score Calculations
|
Ability
|
Formula
|
Ability
|
Formula
|
B-M-S
|
Sum of Attributes
8
|
Panic
|
(Faith x 2) + Wisdom + Intelligence
4
|
Endurance
|
Strength + Constitution
2
|
Perception
|
Intelligence + Wisdom
2
|
Influence
|
Charisma + Comeliness
2
|
Skill
|
Dexterity + Intelligence
2
|
Knowledge
|
(Intelligence x 3) + Wisdom
4
|
Willpower
|
Faith + Wisdom
2
|