Ability Scores

The ability score is a mixture of your character's talent and experiences.

## **The Abilities**

There are three groups of ability scores: **physical**, **mental**, and **social**. Divided up into three categories: **offensive**, **finesse**, and **defensive**.

#### Physical

*Brawn* (Br) (Offensive)

Brawn measures bodily power, athletic training, and raw physical force. With Brawn, you can attempt to lift, push, pull, or break something. Examples could be forcing your way through obstacles, breaking free of bonds, hanging on to a rope, etc.

*Dexterity* (Dex) (Finesse)

Moving nimbly, quickly, or quietly with balance. Examples could be controlling a heavily laden cart on a steep descent, steer a chariot around a tight turn, and wriggle free of bonds.

*Vitality* (Vit) (Defensive)

Vitality checks with skills are uncommon, as a person's endurance and health are more of a passive trait. Though it should be used when you try to push past your physical limits, like holding your breath, marching or laboring for hours without rest, going without sleep, surviving without food or water, or handling toxins of different kinds.

#### Mental

*Intelligence* (Int) (Offensive)

Intelligence is all about memory, education, and knowledge. It is mostly used in conjunction with skills. Though there are some examples when a pure Intelligence check should be done, for instance, when estimating the value of a precious item, recalling information about a subject you are not Proficient in or winning a game of skill through memorized tactics.

*Cunning* (Cun) (Finesse)

Cunning is all about connecting the dots, to apply the knowledge you have or gathered to a conclusion or a theory. Basically, applying your knowledge and adapting it to your circumstances. Pure Cunning tests could be done when trying to solve a puzzle, win a game of skill by adapting and deceiving, selling wares as expensive as possible, or come to a conclusion after a successful research attempt.

*Resolve* (Res) (Defensive)

Resolve enables you to go further than what your physical limitations allow—your strength of will. Resolve is the presiding factor whenever you have to keep your Concentration. A character is allowed in critical situations to attempt a Resolve check to push their body and mind a little bit further. It could be everything from clinging on to your life after a failed Death Saving Throw, holding your breath longer than what your Vitality allows, or wrestling for control of another Soul.

#### Social

*Presence* (Pre) (Offensive)

To be able to intimidate, seduce, convince, deceive, etc., by only saying a few half-hearted words or even not saying anything at all - that's Presence. Your innate aura of charisma. Pure Presence checks could be gaining attention in the middle of a squabbling crowd, inspiring your troops across the battlefield, or conveying a simple message to another person by only a stare.

*Manipulation* (Man) (Finesse)

On the other hand, Manipulation needs a silver-tongue to work its magic. Where Presence convinces or deceives through body language, Manipulation does the same through words. Manipulation is mostly performed with skill, but the GM should not be afraid to ask for a pure Manipulation check if they find the situation falling outside of any specific skill.

*Composure* (Com) (Defensive)

Composure is your strength of character, how well you pay attention to your surroundings, and if and how they affect you. Composure checks could be rolled when you need to stay calm in a stressful environment, to control your emotions during harrowing times, or your ability to stay vigilant no matter your surroundings.

## **Using ability scores**

There are three main ways to use an ability score: Ability checks, saving throws and skill checks.

Central to all of these uses is the *ability modifier*, a representation of your character's level of ability compared to the baseline of 10. To determine the ability modifier, subtract 10 from the ability score, divide by 2, and round down. This number is then added to other modifiers.

The GM will assign a *Difficulty Value* (**DV**), to the check. You will then roll a d20 and add the applicable bonuses, and if the total meets or exceeds the DV, the attempt succeeds. Sometimes, the check will instead be a contested check; the higher outcome wins the check, and a tie generally results in no change in the situation.

When a character attempts an action using raw ability, the GM may call for a direct check. Examples of this may include moving a heavy load with pure brawn, or withstanding harsh weather with vitality. This check will only apply the character's ability modifier to the roll.

A saving throw represents an attempt to resist a specific effect with the appropriate ability. These work like ability checks, except that a character with a proficiency in the applicable saving throw will also add their proficiency bonus to the roll.

Finally, a skill check combines one of your skill modifier with an ability modifier. Add these two modifiers to a roll for an outcome.

There are also some special cases:

* A character's carrying capacity is 5kg times their raw brawn score.
* When gaining a level, the character adds their vitality modifier to their maximum HP. If a character's vitality modifier changes, this applies retroactively. Modify the HP by the change in modifier (positive or negative) multiplied by total level.
* The character's spellcasting ability modifier determines the DV to resist their spells.

## **Determining your Ability Scores and Power Level**

First of all, the GM must decide upon a general Power Level of their campaign. If they want to play something more down to earth, something grand, or something in between. The Power Level comes with a certain amount of points the player can spend on their ability scores as well as their Proficiencies (see later sections of Character Creation).

* Mundane 20 points
* Heroic 25 points
* Champion 30 points

To determine the ability score (AS) use the table down below and purchase the values that make sense for your character. All ability scores start at 10 and a value of 10 is considered to be average and most people on Frostmark have values that range between 8 and 12. The cost is cumulative, so for example, purchasing an AS of 17 costs 1+1+1+1+1+2+2= 9 points. Add your racial bonus on top of your bought ability scores in this section.

### Examples

##### ***Character Creation Example 1 “Helos”***

Eve purchases these ability scores:

Br 8 (-1)    Dex 10 (0)    Vit 12 (+1)

Int 15 (+3)    Cun 12 (+1)    Res 17 (+3)

Pre 14 (+2)    Man 15 (+2)    Com 10 (0)

She adds the ability score bonuses Helos gained from the race of human and the feat Theologian so the final ability scores become as follows:

Br 8 (-1)    Dex 10 (0)    Vit 12 (+1)

Int 16 (+3)    Cun 12 (+1)    Res 18 (+4)

Pre 14 (+2)    Man 16 (+3)    Com 10 (0)

*When Eve asks her GM which power level the campaign has, she learns that they will be playing with a heroic power level. With the 25 ability score points she gains, Eve wonders what Helos’ scores would be. Since Helos will be a spellcaster, Eve considers first what spellcasting ability score Helos will possess and eventually settles on Resolve since Helos is stalwart in his faith. Hence, Eve decides to make this Helos’ best ability score. Eve also wants Helos to be able to encourage the masses in the rianish faith and thus assigns some points to Helos’ Presence and Manipulation. Eve thinks that Helos would not be the most intimidating or striking figure, but still shows some confidence, so she gives Helos more Manipulation than Presence.*

*As Helos has been a scholar all his life, Eve lowers his Brawn to show the neglect of his martial side. However, he has lived a sheltered life where he always has had access to food and excellent healthcare, so Eve increases his Vitality slightly. Helos is sharp and has been given a good education, so Eve wants to invest some points into more of his mental ability scores. The Church does not value nurturing their pupils to think for themselves, so Eve decides that Helos’ Intelligence score is higher than his Cunning.*

##### ***Character Creation Example 2 “Rogath”***

Carl purchases these ability scores:

Br 16 (+3)    Dex 12 (+1)    Vit 16 (+3)

Int 10 (0)    Cun 14 (+2)    Res 15 (+2)

Pre 13 (+1)    Man 8 (-1)    Com 14 (+2)

Carl adds the ability score bonuses Rogath gained from the race of dragonborn so the final ability scores become as follows:

Br 18 (+4)    Dex 12 (+1)    Vit 16 (+3)

Int 10 (0)    Cun 14 (+2)    Res 16 (+3)

Pre 14 (+2)    Man 8 (-1)    Com 14 (+2)

*When Carl asks his GM which power level the campaign has, he learns that they will be playing with a champion power level. With the 30 ability score points he gains, Carl wonders what Rogath's' scores would be. Carl quickly decides that Rogath will be a Brawn-based fighter, and considering Rogath's grueling upbringing, Carl makes Brawn Rogath's best ability score. Rogath's Vitality score would also be high, from the harsh nature of his home and training. Rogath has never been that agile, but he gained some dexterity through his past workouts.*

*There wasn't much access to education in Rogath's village, but Cunning is a vital talent to nurture, to survive in the wild, and outsmart your opponents. Resolve is an obvious choice for Rogath, as he is indeed very stubborn and aspirational. His confidence and impressive stature allow him some Presence. But his dogged pursuit of martial prowess has led him to mostly ignore social aptitude, his competitive and aggressive nature didn't give him any friends growing up. Lastly, his lonesome nature has made him more observant of his surroundings.*