Basic rules all PCs interact with:
Ability Scores
At character creation, you start with a 10 in each of the following scores:
- Strength
- Dexterity
- Constitution
- Intelligence
- Wisdom
- Charisma
You have 20 points to modify these as you see fit. The following rules apply:
- The points are "unweighted". Adding +1 to a 10 costs 1 point. Adding +1 to a 17 also costs 1 point.
- Max score at start is 18 (before origin and level modifiers).
- Minimum score is 8
Advancement
Each time you gain a level, you may add +1 to any of these 6 ability scores.
Core Skills
There are 6 skills important to all adventurers:
- Attack (str)
- Reflex (dex)
- Fortitude (con)
- Spellcraft (int)
- Concentration (wis)
- Willpower (cha)
You do not invest directly in these skills. Rather, each time you select a Feat, you gain bonuses to these skills based on the category of the feat. For instance, more combat-oriented feats improve your Attack faster than your Spellcraft, while spellcasting-oriented feats do the reverse.
Defenses
There are 5 fundamental defense scores:
| Defense Score | Description | How it's calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Armor | Deflect enemy attacks with armor (if any) | 10 + bonus from equipment |
| Block | Mitigate damage with a shield (if equipped) | 10 + Fortitude bonus + equipment bonus |
| Dodge | Avoid enemy attacks with agility | 10 + Reflex bonus |
| Parry | Turn aside enemy attacks with your weapon | 10 + Attack + equipment bonus |
| Hit Points | Take damage without serious consequences | See below |
Insert longer description here. Quick notes:
- Block, Dodge, and Parry require awareness of target and alertness to danger.
- Block requires a shield or equivalent. Works on targeted and area attacks, but only those coming from the front 180 degree arc. On success, mitigates an amount of damage based on the shield (example: light shield mitigates light damage, heavy shield does heavy damage).
- Dodge works against targeted attacks only, and only if the attacker does not have advantage (barring any feats you might have to change that). On success, you avoid the entire attack.
- Parry requires a weapon capable of parrying, works only against melee attacks from the front arc. On success, you avoid the entire attack.
Hit Points
Hit Points are similar to the Core Skills--they are modified by feat selection and your Con score. However, they are not a "skill", just a number indicating how much damage you can take before serious complications arise. See Wounds.