Ability

Every character and most creatures have six basic **Ability** Scores:

The **Score** of these abilities ranges from 0 to infinity. A limit, if any, will be specified in the rules. The normal human range is 3 to 18. It is possible for a creature to have a score of *"none"*. A score of "none" is not the same as a score of "0". A score of "none" means that the creature does not possess the ability at all. The modifier for a score of "none" is +0.

A character's ability score can't drop below 0. Keeping track of negative ability score points is never necessary. Every Character starts with a set of scores determined in a number of ways. These scores can increase over time either with age or through leveling up. Scores can temporarily change if the creature suffers various conditions. Equipment and Magic can also have effects on the scores.

## Ability Modifiers

Each ability will have a modifier. The modifier can be calculated using this formula:

`(ability/2) -5 [round result down]`
The modifier is the number you add to or subtract from the die roll when your character tries to do something related to that ability. A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a negative modifier is called a penalty.

## Starting Scores

Player Characters will start the game with all 6 scores determined either by the GM, or, more frequently, by a roll of the dice.

Roll 4d6  and drop the lowest. add the results together to create one score. repeat this until there are 6 scores. Now select which ability will get each of the scores. Once a score is matched to an ability, it cannot be used again.

GM: *Be vary careful with how divergent characters are when rolling for their scores. It is possible for one to end up with several 14+ scores while another has none above 13. To identify the balance between player characters, add each characters' 6 scores together and compare the numbers to each character.*

*If one player is more than 5 points ahead of the others, they will have a significant advantage over the other players. It may be prudent to give all other players more points to spend on their abilities until all players are within 4 points of eachother.*

*If one is more than 4 points behind the others, they will feel disadvantaged. It may be prudent to give them an additional 1d6  points to spread through their ability scores.*

## Changing Ability Scores

When an ability score changes, the modifier associated with that score also changes. Ability scores can increase with no limit but can only be reduced to 0.

### Leveling Up

Player Characters will increase one ability score by one point every 4 levels (levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20) for a total of 5 points.

### Conditions

Poisons, diseases, and other effects can cause temporary ability damage. Ability points lost to damage return naturally, typically at a rate of 1 point per day for each affected ability.

### Equipment

An equipment bonus to ability scores can only be applied once to each score.

### Aging

As a character ages, some ability scores go up and others go down.

**Aging Effects**
 Venerable | 80+ | -1 to Str, Dex, and Con+1 to Int, Wis, and Cha

## Strength

**Strength** measures your character's muscle and physical power. Strength is the bility associated with the Strong Heros. Any creature that can physically manipulate other objects has at least 1 point of Strength, often represented as (Str).

Apply the Strength Modifier to:

* Melee attack rolls
* Damage rolls for melee and thrown weapons.
* Strength checks (i.e. breaking down doors, and performing similar actions).
* The following Skills:
	+ AP (Str)
	+ AP (Str)
	+ AP (Str)

Strength will also effect the Carrying Capacity of creatures.

If a creatures Strength scores drops to 0, they are paralyzed.

A creature with no Strength score can't exert force, usually because it has no physical body or because it doesn't move. The creature automatically fails Strength checks. If the creature can attack, it applies its Dexterity modifier or another ability (see text) to its base attack instead of a Strength modifier.

## Dexterity

**Dexterity** measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and combat speed. This ability is important for characters who want to be good shots with ranged weaponsor who want to handle the controls of a vehicle fairly well. Dexterity is the ability associated with the Fast Hero class. Any creature that can move has at least 1 point of Dexterity, often represented as (Dex).

Dexterity Modifier is applied to:

* Initiative modifier even if this drops it below 0.
* Ranged attack rolls, such as with fire arms.
* Defense, provided the character can react tot he danger.
* Reflex Saving Throws for avoiding area-of-effect attacks or traps.
* The following Skills
	+ (Dex)

* + AP (Dex)
	+ AP (Dex)
	+ AP (Dex)
	+ AP (Dex)
	+ T (Dex)
	+ (Dex)
	+ AP T (Dex)
	+ AP T (Dex)

If a creature's Dexterity Score changes enough to alter his or her Constitution modifier, his or her Initiative also increase or decrease accordingly at the same time, potentially changing its position in the combat turn order. If a creature's Dexterity scores drops to 0, they are paralyzed.

A creature with no Dexterity score can't move. If it can act, it applies its Intelligence modifier to initiative checks instead of a Dexterity modifier. The creature fails all Reflex saves and Dexterity checks.

## Constitution

**Constitution** represents your character's health and stamina. It is the ability score associated with the Tough Hero class. Any living creature has at least 1 point of **Constitution**, often represented as (Con).

The Constitution modifier applies to:

* Each die roll for gaining hit points upon leveling up (though a negative Constitution Modifier can never reduce a hit point roll below 1).
* Fortitude Saving throws, for resisting poison and similar threats.
* (Con) skill Checks.

Constitution determines how long a character can hold their breath and it factors into massive damage rules.

If a character's Constitution changes enough to alter his or her Constitution modifier, his or her hit points also increase or decrease accordingly at the same time. If a character's Constitution score ever drops to zero, they are dead.

A creature with no Constitution has no body or no metabolism. It is immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless the effect works on objects. The creature is also immune to Ability Damaged, Ability Drained, Energy Drain, and massive damage, and always fails Constitution checks.

## Intelligence

**Intelligence** determines how well your character learns and reasons. It is important for any character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills. It is the ability associated with the Smart Hero class. Any creature that can think, learn, or remember has at least 1 point of Intelligence, often represented as (Int).

The Intelligence modifier applies to the number of skill points gained at each new level, however a negative modifier can never reduce this number below 1. It is also applied to the following skills:

* (Int)
* T (Int)
* T (Int)
* T (Int)
* (Int)
* T (Int)
* T (Int)
* (Int)
* T (Int)
* (Int)
* (Int)

A creature with no Intelligence score is an automaton, operating on simple instincts or programmed instructions. It is immune to all mind-influencing effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects) and automatically fails Intelligence checks.

When an Intelligence score changes such that its modifier increases or decreases, the skill ranks already present on the character remain unaffected. No new skill points are earned for raising it and none are lost for lowering it. It will, however, effect how many skill points the character receives in future level ups.

## Wisdom

**Wisdom** describes a character's willpower. common sense, perception, and intuition. Compared to Intelligence, Wisdom relates to being in tune with and aware of one's surroundings, while Intelligence represents one's ability to analyze information. An "absent-minded- professor" has a low Wisdom score and a high Intelligence score. A simplton with low Intelligence might nevertheless have great insight (high Wisdom). If you want your charcter to have keen senses, put a high score in Wisdom. This is the ability associated with the Dedicated Hero. Any creature that can perceive its environment in any fashion has at least 1 point of Wisdom, often represented as (Wis).

The Wisdom Modifier applies to:

* Will saving throws
* The following skills:
	+ (Wis)
	+ (Wis)
	+ (Wis)
	+ (Wis)
	+ (Wis)
	+ (Wis)
	+ (Wis)

Anything with no Wisdom score is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Wisdom score also has no Charisma score, and vice versa.

## Charisma

**Charisma** measures a character's force of personality, persuasiveness, magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. it represents strength of personality, not merely how other perceive you in a social situation. This is the ability associated with the Charismatic Hero. Any creature capable of telling the difference between itself and things that are not itself has at least 1 point of Charisma, often represented as (Cha).

The Charisma modifier to:

* Checks representing attempts to influence others.
* The following Skills
	+ (Cha)

* + (Cha)
	+ (Cha)
	+ (Cha)
	+ AP (Cha)
	+ (Cha)
	+ (Cha)

In FX, the Telepath and the Mystic benefit from having a high Charisma score.

A 0 in Charisma and the character is helpless and cannot move.

Anything with no Charisma score is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Wisdom score also has no Wisdom score, and vice versa.