843:
588:
149:
36:
376:
699:, the base attribute scores are determined by the character's race and class (however the vast majority of stat points will be obtained through end-game gear/equipment). Because they represent common, in-born characteristics and not learned capabilities (as skills do), in many games they are fixed for the duration of the game. However, in some games they can be increased by spending
789:), or powers (such as flying) can then be bought for a certain number of points. More powerful abilities or a greater degree of power will require more "spending" of character points. Later, character points can be earned and spent to improve attributes or skills, or to buy new skills or powers. In some games, such as
729:
their advantages or other "positive" statistics. Disadvantages also add flavor to a character that can't be obtained solely by a list of positive traits. Advantages and disadvantages often have a thematic element to them. They often provide a direct relationship between how someone wants to role-play
994:
Many games make use of derived statistics: statistics whose values are determined only by the values of other, "basic" statistics. They often represent a single capability of the character such as the weight a character can lift, or the speed at which they can move. Some are unitless numbers, but
920:
is noted for being the first text based multi user role-playing game to offer a developed profession and skills system . Choosing a profession then conveyed a bank of general skills and guild specific ones each containing a ladder of skills which could be invested in via lessons earned through
659:
Most games try to give all attributes about the same usefulness to a character. Therefore, certain characteristics might be merged (such as merging a
Charisma-type and a Willpower-type attribute into a single Personality attribute), or split into more attributes (such as splitting physical
907:) add the base attribute to the skill at character creation time; after that, it is independent of the attribute and is used instead of the attribute rather than adding to it. Most games have a fixed penalty for attempting a task without a relevant skill; older editions of
921:
on-line play. Initially there were around 30 such skills with approximately 17 abilities in each covering a wide range from Riding, Perception, Thievery or
Demonology. As of 2015 Avalon possesses 66 Skills with 2194 distinct abilities developed over its 26-year tenure.
1077:.) For example, a character class may require certain minimum attribute scores, or a spell may require a minimal level of magical talent. Learning some esoteric skill often requires knowledge of another one at an "expert" level or possession of a certain advantage: In
721:
An advantage is a physical, social, intellectual, or other enhancement to a character. In contrast, a disadvantage is an adverse effect. Advantages are also known as virtues, merits or edges and disadvantages as flaws or hindrances, or by the abbreviation "disads".
622:
or other tests by addition to a die roll or by determining the number of dice to be thrown. As a consequence, usually a higher number is better, and ranges can be as small as 1–5 (for numbers of dice) or as great as 1–100 (when adding to results of
776:(1981) introduced a points-based system of purchasing attributes and skills as a means of improving game balance and flexibility. These points are known as character points, and it has become a feature of numerous later games, most notably
482:
Most games divide their statistics into several categories. The set of categories actually used in a game system, as well as the precise statistics within each category, vary greatly. The most often used types of statistic include:
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Traits are rarely drawn from a predetermined list; rather, the player chooses some description during character generation. For example, a squash-playing history professor with a knowledge of fine wines might have the
913:
gave a complex network of penalties for using similar skills (such as attempting to pick an electronic lock by using the
Computer skill instead of the Electronics skill). The text-based roleplaying game
737:, where a player strives to take disadvantages which have little or no tangible effect on play while using the character points gained from those disadvantages to pay for powerful advantages.
502:
represent unique or special qualities of the character. In game terms, these often grant the character the potential to gain or develop certain advantages or to learn and use certain skills.
770:, while allowing each character a fixed number of skills. As a result, characters were at the same time wildly unbalanced in terms of attributes and heavily constrained in terms of skills.
878:'s skills are generally chosen from a long list. A character may have a fixed number of starting skills, or they may be paid for using character points. In contrast to
785:
Usually, a player is allotted a number of points for character creation. A character's attributes (such as high intelligence), skills (such as fixing a car or
633:, where a character can lift 10 lbs per point of Strength) whereas in others a small increase can represent a major gain in ability (e.g. in the
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are broad areas of expertise, similar to skills, but with a broader and usually more loosely defined scope, in areas freely chosen by the player.
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Some games define various interdependencies between statistics of different categories, as well as within categories. The most common are:
100:
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17:
459:, that either describes how the character developed that particular score or an affinity for a particular use of that statistic (like
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or during "levelling up". Since some skills are likely to be more useful than others, different skills often have different costs.
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Most role-playing games use attributes to describe the physical and mental characteristics of characters, for example their
1134:.) For example, a character class may be disallowed for certain races, or one of the game effects of a disadvantage (say,
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882:, very few games fix a player's skills at the start of the game, instead allowing players to increase them by spending
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Skills usually influence a character's chance to succeed by adding to the relevant attribute. In some games (such as
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of a character. Skills are known by various names, including proficiencies, abilities, powers, talents and knacks.
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are often treated as a sort of skill. Superpowers may also use the same rating scale as the primary statistics.
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901:), a skill can be added to different attributes depending on how the skill is being used. Some games (such as
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For some types of statistics, this value may be accompanied with a descriptive adjective, sometimes called a
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common to all characters in the game. Attributes are also called statistics, characteristics or abilities.
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describe to what extent a character possesses natural, in-born characteristics common to all characters.
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Many games encourage or even force players to take disadvantages for their characters in order to
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1019:). Basic and derived statistics are also called primary and secondary statistics, respectively.
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Systems of advantages and disadvantages are often criticized for allowing or even encouraging
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refer to their statistics as "traits", even though they are treated as attributes and skills.
1083:, for example, "cinematic" or "mystical" martial arts abilities require a special advantage,
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895:), each skill has a specific base attribute to which it is always added; in others (such as
610:. Many games also include social characteristics as well, for example a character's natural
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In games which use such concepts, derived statistics are often modified by the character's
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adventure). In many games, a small set of primary attributes control a larger number of
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Bs value. Higher scores in an attribute often grant bonuses to a group of skills.
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their character and a tangible "in-game" enhancement to skill or ability rolls.
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are useful or problematic characteristics that are not common to all characters.
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character sheet listing skills such as "move silently" and "speak with animals"
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An attribute describes to what extent a character possesses a natural, in-born
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627:). In some games, attributes represent linearly increasing ability (e.g. in
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A power represents a unique or special quality that a character can use.
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Piece of data representing a particular aspect of a fictional character
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system, where +1 to
Strength doubles a character's lifting capacity).
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which are usually numeric quantities. The main exception to this is
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There is no standard nomenclature for statistics; for example, both
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949:". In terms of a more fine-grained system of statistics, a single
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693:) or by distributing character points. In some games, such as
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A trait represents a broad area of expertise of a character.
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Attribute advancement screen in a computer role-playing game
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whose values depend on other statistics, which are known as
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of a fictional character. That piece of data is usually a (
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Some games work with only a few broad attributes (such as
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in the example) to a certain maximum value (no more than
1007:). Derived statistics are often used during combat (e.g.
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gained during the game, or as part of the process of "
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The first major role-playing game to use traits was
1034:might raise or lower these statistics temporarily.
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
618:. They often influence the chance to succeed in a
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745:Character points are abstract units used in some
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1030:. In addition, certain in-game methods such as
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1221:, respectively, then the value of statistic
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660:"Comeliness" from Charisma in the original
552:statistics. Game-specific concepts such as
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953:would often be represented by a group of
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
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1251:"A Broad View on Primary Attributes"
1038:Interdependencies between statistics
58:adding citations to reliable sources
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568:can also be considered statistics.
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69:"Statistic" role-playing games
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1249:Mascarenhas, Sergio (2005-07-08).
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814:In many games, powers are binary
756:Early role-playing games such as
1307:"Legacy Reviews of MUA and MUDS"
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45:needs additional citations for
1305:Bartle, Richard (2015-12-15).
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583:Attribute (role-playing games)
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1332:Role-playing game terminology
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18:Power (role-playing games)
974:. Some systems, such as
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917:Avalon: The Legend Lives
818:qualities as opposed to
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856:A skill represents the
540:Many games make use of
1267:...the table found in
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849:Dungeons & Dragons
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444:or, in some cases, a
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54:improve this article
1085:Trained by a Master
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616:physical appearance
534:Storytelling System
135:Part of a series on
1080:GURPS Martial Arts
1049:Only if statistic
990:Derived statistics
977:Castle Falkenstein
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630:Tunnels and Trolls
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110:December 2015
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43:This article
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19:
1310:. Retrieved
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1287:|quote=
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52:Please help
47:verification
44:
1178:. The term
1013:Armor Class
832:superpowers
676:Armor Class
446:set of dice
380:WikiProject
344:Production
340:LARP groups
293:Terminology
220:Nordic LARP
179:Actual play
169:Live action
1312:2015-12-14
1262:2021-07-08
1237:References
1202:Derivation
1180:base value
1159:base value
1092:Limitation
1017:initiative
1009:hit points
963:attributes
959:advantages
898:Ars Magica
880:attributes
820:attributes
800:Ars Magica
768:attributes
735:min-maxing
715:See also:
577:Attributes
488:Attributes
466:Ars Magica
358:Publishers
309:Gamemaster
235:GNS theory
213:Video game
184:Text-based
174:Video game
80:newspapers
1230:of (x, y)
1069:is often
1065:. (Where
1001:kilograms
999:(such as
983:HeroQuest
910:Shadowrun
904:Feng Shui
865:abilities
861:knowledge
828:superhero
816:on-or-off
791:Champions
787:mechanics
773:Champions
636:DC Heroes
558:alignment
513:abilities
418:statistic
353:Designers
273:Statistic
258:Adventure
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1277:cite web
1228:function
947:Oenology
674:such as
650:Physical
612:charisma
604:strength
531:and the
438:unitless
281:Diceless
208:Tabletop
164:Tabletop
1148:average
1121:at most
945:" and "
939:History
870:During
858:learned
749:during
727:balance
685:During
546:primary
510:learned
442:integer
348:Artists
277:System
200:History
94:scholar
1256:RPGnet
1190:or if
1155:Bonus
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955:skills
943:Squash
935:traits
925:Traits
838:Skills
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807:Powers
654:Mental
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230:Theory
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1136:Unfit
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620:skill
572:Types
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528:GURPS
424:) in
327:Lists
156:Types
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