Ability scores are the core representation of every creature's general aptitudes represented as statistics for various facets such as their might, swiftness, bravery, balance and so on.

Ability Score Categories

Abilities are split into distinct categories. These are the Essential, Physical, Mind and Social abilities, each governing a part of the character's whole. The details for each is detailed below and on the further pages.

ESSENTIAL ABILITY SCORES

WOUNDS (WND)

Wounds represents a character's body's current health and general damage. Characters with high wounds can sustain cuts, bruises or other injuries and still keep living. High wound characters also take more damage before falling unconcious.

CONSTITUTION (CON)

Constitution represents a character's overall physical health. Characters with high constitution are able to continue fighting or running for longer, holding one's breath or even fall further distances before being crippled.

TOUGHNESS (TOU)

Toughness represents a character's overall physical durability. Characters with high toughness can take strikes without flinching, and are even sometimes capable of shrugging off any damage that their adventures offer.

VITALITY (VIT)

Vitality represents a character's overall internal resistance. Characters with high vitality tend to outlive poisons, venoms and diseases more easily, often overcoming any sickness that falls upon them.

PHYSICAL ABILITY SCORES

STRENGTH (STR)

Strength represents a character's muscle quantity and raw physical power. Characters with high strength can carry more objects as well as strike harder, increasing the chance of breaking through armour with physical attacks and the effectiveness of skills that have to do with muscled exertations such as climbing or swimming.

AGILITY (AGI)

Agility represents a character's nimbleness, speed and grace of movement. Characters with high agility can move faster and with more ease than most while also having an easier time crossing over acrobatic obstacles. Agility increases actions per round, ease of movement, striking speed, turn initiative and skills that have any acrobatic components.

DEXTERITY (DEX)

Dexterity represents a character's attention to small movements and finess. Characters with high dexterity have an easier time with detailed actions such as picking locks and pockets or crafting a detailed object. Dexterity is used to increase many skill that provide characters alternatives instead of face to face combat, however is also used to calculate the character's aim with ranged weaponry.

MIND ABILITY SCORES

INSTINCT (INS)

Instinct represents a character's overall ability to sense dangers and react to them. Characters with great instincts tend to find themselves in fewer dangerous situation, reacting to them almost before they happen. Instinct directly impacts a creature's initiative in combat, their ability to intuitively dodge attacks and increases any skill which requires sensing their opponent's actions.

INTELLIGENCE (INT)

Intelligence represents a character's book knowledge and memory retention. Characters with high intelligence are usually well read and well versed in the mysteries of the world. Intelligence is most notably used for scholar characters as it determines the number of languages known and their well of knowledge upon chosen subjects.

“Our shields are more than wood, metal and cloth, they are the men and women behind it as well.” - Commander Cain

WILLPOWER (WIL)

Willpower represents a character's overall ability to resist outer influences. Characters with high willpower are not as easily persuaded nor scared and are better able to resist magical domination and illusion effects.

SOCIAL ABILITY SCORES

WISDOM (WIS)

Wisdom represents a character's action knowledge and ability to read people. Characters with high wisdom will usually know what to do and how to react in most situations. Wisdom therefore increases many skills in which being alert and mindful is the most appropriate action to survive.

"The splendor of my compassion comes from that same strength in which kneels my faith.” - Pendar, Paladin of Arenya

CHARISMA (CHA)

Charisma represents a character's overall ability to speak, persuade and influence a target through speech. Characters with high charisma seem to know exactly which words will make things go their way. Charisma is very useful for characters who wish to resolve situations through speech and reasoning

ELEGANCE (ELE)

Elegance represents a character's physical attractiveness, beauty and the visual grace of their movements. Characters with a high elegance score have an easier time influencing and seducing others. However, beauty without wit or charm only gets a character so far and it is the least effective method of influencing a target over time.

Increasing Ability Scores

Ability scores may be increased (or decreased) by players when creating their characters, trying to match their backstory as best as possible. The ability scores given at base is the average of a species. There are some stronger classes, such as wizards or knights which show on their class page ability score increases. These aren't necessary, but are the average ability scores of any character following that path.

Note that ability score increases are a rare occurance, and requires intense training in said area, or an incredible talent. A single +1 gives a large advantage in Avorkarth's system. Be wary to not create too strong a character.

Decreasing Ability Scores

If a character's backstory should dictate their ability scores be lowered, this is entirely up to the player's choice. While it isn't recommened, there is nothing stopping the player from creating a weaker variation of thier chosen species.

Player Tip! : Ultimately when choosing the character's ability scores it is best to keep to try and match the backstory of the created character. It is even possible to play as a simple villager adventuring for their first time by not choosing any class nor talents. As with all things, keep in mind the other players and their playstyles as well!