Abilities

## The Seven Abilities

* Having determined your Archetype , it is time to work out what your Character's innate Abilities are.

* Abilities represent how good a Character is at accomplishing certain tasks without relying on their training or experience.

* There are Seven Abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Intelligence, Charisma, Focus and Luck.

The Seven Abilities
Abilities
 Dexterity
 Endurance
 Mental
Abilities
 Charisma
 Intelligence
 Other

## Ability Bonuses

* A Character will have an Ability Bonus tied to each Ability. The higher your Ability Bonus is, the better you are at performing acts related to that ability.

* We summarize how the *Ability* *Bonus* relates to a Character's capabilities below:

 -2 or less
 -1
 0
 +1
 +2
 +3
 +4
 +5 or higher

## Generating Ability Bonuses

* A Player may choose any values for their Ability Bonuses between -1 and +3, provided their total comes to a number determined by the Setting. 8 is the Default Total.
	+ Settings with Heroic Characters (default): 8
	+ Settings with Super Heroic Characters: 10
	+ Settings with Realistic Characters: 6
* Put these Numerical Values into the Abilities Section of the Character Sheet (Page 1).
* Note there are two boxes for each Ability (with the exception of Luck).
* Put these Numerical Bonuses in the top box of each Ability you wish to attribute that Bonus to (and the one box available for Luck).

* Additionally, choose one Ability to "Train".
	+ This Ability is denoted by an Asterisk symbol which you place alongside the Numerical Bonus. This indicates that the Character is in the progress of improving that Ability (see Training).

* We recommend having at least one or two Abilities with a +3 Bonus, which typically are attributed to one of your Archetype's recommended Abilities.
	+ For example, a Player who envisages having a Hero who is physically very able, not particularly eloquent and currently trying to improve their Endurance further may have the following Bonuses:
	+ Strength: +3, Dexterity: +2, Endurance: +3\*, Charisma: -1, Focus: 0, Intelligence 0 and Luck: +1.
	+ The sum total of 3, 2, 3, -1, 0, 0 and 1 is 8, and the Asterisk marks the Character is currently Training their Endurance.

### Ability Bonus Arrays

* Instead of deciding the Numerical Bonuses yourself, you may either choose one of the following example sets of Ability Bonuses in the table below, or roll a d6 dice and choose the corresponding set of Ability Bonuses.
* Assign each Bonus to an Ability of your choice as described previously.
* Additionally, choose one Ability to "Train".
	+ This Ability is denoted by an Asterisk symbol beside the Numerical Bonus, and indicates that the Character is in the progress of improving that Ability (see Training).

* The above Table assumes your Character is "Heroic".
* For Super Heroic or Realistic Characters, increase or decrease two of the Ability Bonuses in the chosen Array as required.

## How to Assign Ability Bonuses

* A Player assigns their Ability Bonuses however they wish for their Character.
* Place each Numerical Bonus into an Ability of your choice.

### Tips for Competent Characters

* Freedom Fantasies is a game which is intended to focus on the adventures of Heroic Characters who are competent.
* Each Archetype provides guidelines on what Ability Bonuses are mostly commonly utilized by their features. Characters who are significantly weaker in those Abilities may find they are less competent in the features their Archetype grants them.

* Characters who have weak Physical Abilities may find they are significantly more vulnerable during violent Conflicts.

* Characters with weak Mental Abilities may find themselves less capable in contributing to the narrative outside of violent Conflicts.

* Discuss with your GM the types of scenarios the story is likely to include when assigning your Ability Bonuses.

## Training

* Many of the features granted to Characters describe a Character being able to "Train" an Ability.

### Gaining an Edge

* If you Train an Ability which has not been previously trained before, place an Asterisk (a \* symbol) beside it on your Character Sheet. This indicates you are in the process of improving that Ability, and may be referred to as giving you "an Edge" in that Ability.

### Pushing your Limits

* Under certain circumstances, you may be able to treat Abilities you have an Edge in as being one point higher (e.g. a +3\* would be a +4).

* This is called "Pushing your Limits"
	+ For example, The Bloodied Condition (which occurs when you have taken more than half the Damage you are capable of withstanding) allows any Character to Push their Limits (see Conditions).
	+ Also, when you tie with another Character in a contested roll, such as determining the Turn Order in Combat, a Character with an edge in their Check will succeed over a Character who does not have an Edge.

### Increasing an Ability Bonus

* If you Train an Ability which already has an Edge, you remove the Asterisk and the Ability Bonus increases by 1.

* Some features, such as the Major Improvement feature, allow you to simply increase an Ability Bonus by 1 (the equivalent of Training it twice). If the Ability had an Asterisk, it retains it when you increase it in this way.
* Whenever an Ability Bonus increases, ensure you update all features and boxes which use that Ability Bonus.

#### Ability Bonus Limitations

* A Character cannot increase their Ability Bonus above +3 until they are Level 4 or higher.
* Most Characters cannot increase their Ability Bonus above +5 until they reach Level 20.
* The exception to this rule are Characters with the Martial Archetype, who may exceed +5 from Level 12 onwards, and Characters who are strongly focused on Martial Combat, such as Inventors, Champions and Explorers, who may exceed +5 from Level 16 onwards.

## Is Skill an Ability?

* A Character's Skill also confers a Numerical Bonus, however it is not itself an Ability.
* Skill is a representation of your Character's ability to perform well in areas they are Skilled at (as well as in the use of Weapons and Magic they are capable of using).
* Your Skill Bonus value grows independently of your Abilities as you Level Up, progressing as described in the below Table:

Skill Bonus
 1-4
 5-8
 9-12
 13-16
 17+

* If you know what Level your Character will be starting their Adventure at, add the Numerical Bonus of that Skill to the Skill Bonus Section of your Character Sheet. (Page 1).
* If you intend to Diversify your Character, your Skill Bonus will be determined by your Total Character Level.

### Adding Skill Bonus to Abilities

* Once you have determined your Ability and Skill Bonuses, you can complete the Abilities Section of your Character Sheet and the Saving Throws of the Defenses Section.
* The second row of boxes below your Ability Bonuses represent the total bonus you add to a Check if it uses both that Ability AND your Skill Bonus.
* For each of these boxes, add your Skill Bones to the Ability Bonus above it, and write this number into each box.
* If an Ability has an Edge, include the Asterisk in this box also.
	+ For example, a Level 1 Character with a + 2\* in Strength would have a Skill Bonus of +2. Therefore they would have a +4\* in the box below their +2 Bonus in Strength.
* Note your Luck Bonus does not have a second box attributed to it because you can never add your Skill Bonus to a Luck Check.

#### Saving Throw Bonuses

* The Saving Throw Bonuses of your Defenses Section can be determined from the numerical bonuses attributed to your Abilities.
* If you are Skilled in the Saving Throw of an Ability, write the higher of the two bonuses of that Ability into the corresponding box.
* If you are not Skilled in a Saving Throw of an Ability, use the lower of the two bonuses of that Ability into the corresponding box.

## Conclusion

* By this point, you should now have determined your Archetype, your Ability Bonuses, your Skill Bonus and your Saving Throw Bonuses.
* Now we're onto the final step of our three As for beginning to make your Character: Choosing your Ancestry.

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