Chapter 2 - Part 2 - Attributes

## Attributes

Attributes are inborn characteristics: your character’s strength, intelligence, senses and so on. By selecting
 a set of Attributes, you are defining the limits of what the character can and cannot do. So, if you buy a very low Dexterity for your Cast Member, do not be surprised if she falls down, breaks dishes, and sucks at juggling.

## Buying Attributes

Attributes are purchased using Attribute points (imagine that!). Those points are set by your Character Type. Attributes can be bought up to level five on a one-for-one basis (i.e., Strength 3 would cost three points, Strength 4 four points, and so on). Attributes above level five are more expensive: three points per additional level. Level six is the effective human maximum (buying an Attribute up to
level six would cost eight points). Beings with supernatural abilities (Slayers, vampires, demons, and the like) can have Attributes above six.At the other end, at least one point must be put into each Attribute. So, a White Hat has 15 points to distribute among the six Attributes. You
can have three Attributes at level two (average), and three at level three (somewhat above average). Or you could drop an Attribute to one, and get one at four. This character would really shine in one aspect, would be above average at a couple other things, would suck at one thing, and would be average for the rest. Season One Willow, for example, was not exactly Muscle Woman (Strength 1) but she was very smart (Intelligence 5). A Hero has 20 points. With that, you can go with four Attributes at level three and two at level four. This creates a balanced character good at most things. Or you could keep three Attributes at average level and have two at level five and one at level four. This persona would be extremely gifted in certain areas.

## The Meaning Of Numbers

Level 1: The character is below average in that Attribute. Strength 1 indicates a
 poor physique, either a petite or flabby, sedentary person. Dexterity 1 indicates clumsiness, someone likely to drop things - not to be trusted with intricate manual work unless the person has trained very hard to do so. Characters with a Constitution 1 are delicate and often in poor health. Intelligence 1 is below average - not mentally challenged, but certainly slow on the uptake. A Perception 1 person is not very aware of his surroundings, likely to miss what's before his face. Willpower 1 is a person easily intimidated and influenced by others, a follower
instead of a leader, and somebody who is likely to succumb to
temptation. Attributes at level one are dangerous at the big league
level; such a character is going to be pretty feeble at some things.

Level 2: This is average for human beings. Most people in any given group have Attributes at this level, typically with one or two at levels one or
three. Nothing wrong with being average, but the character is unlikely to shine with such Attributes, unless his skills are so high he can compensate.

Level 3: This is above average but not extraordinary. Strength and Constitution 3 show some athletic aptitude - somebody who works out at least three times a week, or a natural athlete who has not taken time to develop his talent. Characters with
Dexterity 3 are graceful - good dancing partners, grabbed near the
beginning in pick-up sports, unlikely to 'drop the ball' when the party's butts are on the line. Intelligence 3 indicates a bright person who can easily learn new skills, if he has the temperament to do so. With Perception 3, a character has good senses and intuition, and is not
 easily fooled or confused. Characters with Willpower 3 are rarely bluffed or bullied under normal circumstances.

Level 4: An Attribute at level 4 is well above average. Very few people, perhaps one out every ten in a random group, have one or two Attributes at this level. Strength and Constitution 4 can be found only in athletes (including the best football players in a large high school or college campus), extensively trained Special Forces soldiers, and other people who spend serious time in the weight room. A Dexterity 4 would only be common among top amateur ball players, gymnasts, acrobats, and sensei. Mental Attributes at level 4 indicate near genius (Intelligence), uncanny senses (Perception), or iron will (Willpower).

Level 5: This is the 'practical' human limit. People at these levels are extraordinarily talented, able to perform complex and difficult feats with little practice. While people with Attributes at level five are not 'record breakers,' they are among the best and the brightest. In a small or medium-sized community, only a handful
of people have one or two Attributes at this level, and they are likely to be well known for their strength, wisdom, or toughness. Cities, large college campuses, and groups of demon fighters have more of these extraordinary individuals, but even there they are not common.

Level 6: This is the true human limit. A few people with 'freakish' attributes may exceed it (to level seven), but they are a handful even among the teeming billions living in the 21st century. Characters with one or more Attributes at level six are very rare, something on the order of one in ten thousand, or less. People with more than one Attribute at level six are perhaps ten times less common, and so on.

Level 7: Now we're into superhuman territory. Someone with Strength 7 would be as strong as a horse, a Dexterity 8 covers the very best of the big cats, and . . . well, you get the picture.

## Strength

A measure of your character’s physical power, Strength determines how
much damage she inflicts with hand-to-hand weapons, how much weight she can carry, and how much she can withstand before collapsing. Strength is useful to people who do a lot of heavy lifting or anybody likely to
enter hand-to-hand combat—in BtVS, the latter is pretty much the norm. Characters apt to have a high Strength include athletes, manual workers, and soldiers. A low strength indicates either small size and body weight (cough—Snyder—cough), or just a lack of exercise. The Strength Table shows how much a character of any given Strength can lift without much effort. Higher weights can be raised (assume a maximum lifting weight—for brief periods—equal to double the Lifting Capacity), but a
nail might be broken or a spleen ruptured in the process.

### Strength Table

Strength       Lifting Capacity                          Maximum Lifting Capacity

1 to 5            50 lbs x Strength                           Double the lifting capacity

6 to 10          200 x (Strength - 5) + 250 lbs       Double the lifting capacity

11 to 15        500 x (Strength - 10) + 1500 lbs   Double the lifting capacity

16 to 20       1000 x (Strength - 15) + 5000 lbs  Double the lifting capacity

21 to 25       1 ton x (Strength - 20) + 5 tons      Double the lifting capacity

26 to 30       2 ton x (Strength - 25) + 10 tons    Double the lifting capacity

## Dexterity

Dexterity indicates your character’s physical coordination and agility. It helps with any task that requires motor control and precision, from performing card tricks to shaking booty to feeding knuckle sandwiches (Dexterity helps to land the punch; Strength determines how much it hurts the punchee). If you want to do cartwheels - or try those kewl moves you saw
 in The Matrix - you’d better have a high Dexterity (and some help from the script).

## Constitution

This Attribute shows how physically hardy or healthy your character is. Constitution is important when it comes to resisting disease, damage, and fatigue. It is also used (along with Strength) to determine how much of a pounding your Cast Member can take and still keep ticking. Constitution also comes into play with skills that involve endurance, like swimming and long-distance running. Constitution is useful for people in strenuous and dangerous jobs (firefighting, Slaying, being a Slayer’s friend).

## Intelligence

Brains good. This mental Attribute determines your character’s ability to learn, correlate and memorize information. The higher her Intelligence, the easier it is for her to employ “scholastic” skills. Also, this Attribute is used to understand and interpret information. Note that intelligence and education are two separate things; you can be brilliant but illiterate. Education is covered by your character’s skills, which determine what she has learned in her life. Watchers and other intellectual types tend to have a high Intelligence level.

## Perception

When a vamp you’ve never seen before tries to suck your blood, Perception might help you spot her before she strikes. This mental Attribute governs the five senses of the character and is important for wannabe detectives (to spot those important clues), people with enemies (to see or hear them coming), and mystical or psychic types (to detect “disturbances in the Force”).

## Willpower

This Attribute measures your character’s mental strength and self-control, and her ability to resist fear, intimidation, and temptation. If you
don’t want to run away screaming like a little girl the first time a vamp flashes its fangs at you, Willpower is your friend. Any supernatural ability that tries to control or influence victims is resisted by Willpower. It can also be used to intimidate and dominate others through sheer force of will.

## Attribute Bonuses

Some Qualities (like Slayer) provide bonuses to one or more Attributes. These modifiers are applied after Attributes have been purchased normally. For example, if you spend five points on Dexterity, and your character has a Quality that adds a +1 to Dexterity, Dexterity 6 is the final result.

## Life Points

Life Points keep you fighting, running, or just standing when the pounding persists. Strength and Constitution are determinant factors - a big, muscle-bound bouncer can survive more punishment than a be-spectacled, 90-pound horticulturist. When your character's Life Points go below zero, falling over is highly recommended. Life Points are determined by adding the character's Strength and Constitution, multiplying the result by four,
and adding 10. Or, if you're looking to skip all that advanced math stuff, just consult the Life Point Table. This formula is only for human beings (and human-like beings, like half-demons and vampires). Some
creatures have different Life Point totals (many demons are much tougher than normal humans). The Hard to Kill Quality is a good way to
increase Life Points. Players should work out their characters' Life Points after all Attributes and Qualities have been purchased, and all Drawbacks taken.

### Life Point Table

.............................................Constitution

Strength    1    2     3      4      5     6     7     8      9    10

1              18    22    26    30    34    38    42    46    50    54

2              22    26    30    34    38    42    46    50    54    58

3              26    30    34    38    42    46    50    54    58    62

4              30    34    38    42    46    50    54    58    62    66

5              34    38    42    46    50    54    58    62    66    70

6              38    42    46    50    54    58    62    66    70    74

7              42    46    50    54    58    62    66    70    74    78

8              46    50    54    58    62    66    70    74    78    82

9              50    54    58    62    66    70    74    78    82    86

10            54    58    62    66    70    74    78    82    86    90

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