ATTRIBUTES
|
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
Attributes are traits which measure a character's innate capabilities in both the Storyteller and Storytelling systems. They are separated into one of three main categories (Physical, Social, and Mental) and alongside Abilities are often combined to form dice pools. A character must select which group of Attributes the character is strong (Primary). The player then selects the group which they are average (Secondary). Finally, the remaining group is designated as the character's weak point (Tertiary). All characters begin with one dot in each category of Attributes. They then distribute seven additional dots to their primary group, five additional dots to the secondary group, and three dots to the tertiary group.
Physical Attributes
Strength
Strength is the raw, brute power of a character. It governs how much weight a character can lift, how much he can physically push, and how hard he can hit another character or object. This triad is added to the characters damage dice pool when he hits his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. It is also used when a character wants to break, lift, or carry something, as well as when a character tries to jump a distance.
Dexterity
Dexterity measures a character's general physical prowess. It encompasses the character's speed, agility, and overall quickness, as well as indicating the character's ability to manipulate objects with control and precision. Also included under Dexterity's heading are hand-eye coordination, reflexes and bodily grace.
Stamina
Stamina reflects a character's health, toughness and resilience. It indicates how long a character can exert herself and how much punishment she can withstand before suffering physical trauma. Stamina also includes a bit of psychic fortitude, indicating a character's grit and tenacity not to give up.
Social Attributes
Charisma
Charisma is a character's ability to entice and please others through her personality. Charisma comes into question when a character tries to win another character's sympathies or encourage others to trust her. This does not indicate necessarily a silver tongue or a skill with bullying. Rather, it's the simple power of a character's charm and influence. Charisma delineates a character's ability at convincing others to see her point of view.
Manipulation
Manipulation measures a character's ability for self-expression in the interest of getting others to share her outlook or follow her whims. In short, it's getting others to do what she wants. Manipulation comes into play when a character tries to influence or subtly guide another's behavior. Manipulation is used to trick, bluff, fast-talk and railroad other characters. Whether or not the characters in question actually -like- the manipulator is irrelevant (this is why Manipulation differs from Charisma); a skilled motivator can even employ the talents of people who hate her.
Appearance
Appearance is the measure of a character's attractiveness. More than simple looks, however, appearance is the sum of the character's visible grace, beauty and undefinable je na sais quoi that makes people desirable.
Appearance is both more and less than words --it appeals to the lower levels of the psyche, so it shapes first impressions and the nature of memories thereafter. No matter how open-minded a person is, no matter how vehemently he claims, "Her personality is more important than her looks," a person still thinks of another in relation to the subject's appearance.
This is used for more than getting potential vessels to heed your beckon across a crowded dance floor. In situations in which first impressions are paramount, or that involve people who view Appearance as very important, a character may have no more dice in a social dice pool than her Appearance score. Thus, it is critically important to either look or best or get to know people before you start trying to convince them to fire-bomb the justicar's haven.
Mental Attributes
Perception
Perception measures a character's ability to observe his environment. This may involve conscious effort, such as searching an area, but it is often intuitive, as the character's keen senses notice something out of the ordinary. Perception is a sensitivity to the character's surroundings, and is seldom present in the cynical or jaded (who have seen it all before).
Perception is used to determine whether or not a character understands a given situation or detects an environmental stimulus. it can warm a character of ambushes, help a character identify a metaphor, distinguished a clue from a pile of refuse or uncover any other hidden or overlookable detail, whether physical or otherwise.
Intelligence
Intelligence refers to a character's grasp of facts and knowledge. More importantly, however, it governs a character's ability to reason, solve problems, and evaluate situations. Intelligence is almost a misnomer, as the Attribute also includes critical thinking and flexibility of thought.
Intelligence does not include savvy, wisdom, or common sense, as those are properties of a character's personality, not Traits. Even the smartest character may be too foolish to keep her mouth shut or too daft to assume the thugs who want her car keys are up to no good.
Characters with low Intelligence aren't necessarily stupid (though they might be), they are just uneducated or simple thinkers. Likewise, characters with high Intelligence aren't all Einsteins; they may be better at rote memorization or have particularly keen judgement.
Wits
Wits measures the character's ability to think on her feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also reflects a character's general cleverness. Characters with low Wits scores are thick and mentally lethargic, or maybe gullible and unsophisticated. By contrast, characters with high Wits almost always have a plan immediately and adapt to their surrounding with striking expedience. Characters with high Wits also manage to keep their cool in stressful situations.
Physical Attributes
Strength
Strength is the raw, brute power of a character. It governs how much weight a character can lift, how much he can physically push, and how hard he can hit another character or object. This triad is added to the characters damage dice pool when he hits his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. It is also used when a character wants to break, lift, or carry something, as well as when a character tries to jump a distance.
- Poor: You can lift 40lbs
- Average: You can lift 100lbs
- Good: You can lift 250lbs
- Exceptional: You can lift 400lbs
- Outstanding: You can lift 650lbs and crush skulls like grapes
Dexterity
Dexterity measures a character's general physical prowess. It encompasses the character's speed, agility, and overall quickness, as well as indicating the character's ability to manipulate objects with control and precision. Also included under Dexterity's heading are hand-eye coordination, reflexes and bodily grace.
- Poor: You are clumsy and awkward. Put that gun down before you hurt yourself
- Average: You're no clod, but you're no ballerina either
- Good: You possess some degree of athletic potential
- Exceptional: You could be an acrobat if you wanted to
- Outstanding: Your movements are liquid and hypnotic - almost superhuman
Stamina
Stamina reflects a character's health, toughness and resilience. It indicates how long a character can exert herself and how much punishment she can withstand before suffering physical trauma. Stamina also includes a bit of psychic fortitude, indicating a character's grit and tenacity not to give up.
- Poor: You bruise in a stiff wind
- Average: You are moderately healthy and can take a punch or two
- Good: You are in good shape and rarely fall ill
- Exceptional: You can run, and perhaps win, any marathon you choose
- Outstanding: Your constitution is truly Herculean
Social Attributes
Charisma
Charisma is a character's ability to entice and please others through her personality. Charisma comes into question when a character tries to win another character's sympathies or encourage others to trust her. This does not indicate necessarily a silver tongue or a skill with bullying. Rather, it's the simple power of a character's charm and influence. Charisma delineates a character's ability at convincing others to see her point of view.
- Poor: Stop picking your nose
- Average: You are generally likable and have several friends
- Good: People trust you implicitly
- Exceptional: You have significant personal magnetism
- Outstanding: Entire cultures could follow your lead
Manipulation
Manipulation measures a character's ability for self-expression in the interest of getting others to share her outlook or follow her whims. In short, it's getting others to do what she wants. Manipulation comes into play when a character tries to influence or subtly guide another's behavior. Manipulation is used to trick, bluff, fast-talk and railroad other characters. Whether or not the characters in question actually -like- the manipulator is irrelevant (this is why Manipulation differs from Charisma); a skilled motivator can even employ the talents of people who hate her.
- Poor: A person of few(often ineffectual) words
- Average: You can fool some of the people some of the time, just like anybody else
- Good: You never pay full price
- Exceptional: You could be a politician or cult leader
- Outstanding: "Of course I'll tell then Prince that it is I who tried to stake him!"
Appearance
Appearance is the measure of a character's attractiveness. More than simple looks, however, appearance is the sum of the character's visible grace, beauty and undefinable je na sais quoi that makes people desirable.
Appearance is both more and less than words --it appeals to the lower levels of the psyche, so it shapes first impressions and the nature of memories thereafter. No matter how open-minded a person is, no matter how vehemently he claims, "Her personality is more important than her looks," a person still thinks of another in relation to the subject's appearance.
This is used for more than getting potential vessels to heed your beckon across a crowded dance floor. In situations in which first impressions are paramount, or that involve people who view Appearance as very important, a character may have no more dice in a social dice pool than her Appearance score. Thus, it is critically important to either look or best or get to know people before you start trying to convince them to fire-bomb the justicar's haven.
- Poor: Ugly as a mud fence
- Average: You don't stand out in a crowd, for better or for worse
- Good: Strangers offer to buy you drinks at bars
- Exceptional: You are appealing enough to be a model, and people often go out of their way to tell you so
- Outstanding: People react to you with either insane jealousy or beatific awe
Mental Attributes
Perception
Perception measures a character's ability to observe his environment. This may involve conscious effort, such as searching an area, but it is often intuitive, as the character's keen senses notice something out of the ordinary. Perception is a sensitivity to the character's surroundings, and is seldom present in the cynical or jaded (who have seen it all before).
Perception is used to determine whether or not a character understands a given situation or detects an environmental stimulus. it can warm a character of ambushes, help a character identify a metaphor, distinguished a clue from a pile of refuse or uncover any other hidden or overlookable detail, whether physical or otherwise.
- Poor: Perhaps you are absurdly self-absorbed, perhaps merely an airhead; in any event, even the most obvious details elude you.
- Average: You are oblivious to the very subtle, but aware of the bigger picture
- Good: You perceive moods, textures and minuscule changes in your environment
- Exceptional: Almost nothing evades your notice
- Outstanding: You instantly observe things almost imperceptible to human senses
Intelligence
Intelligence refers to a character's grasp of facts and knowledge. More importantly, however, it governs a character's ability to reason, solve problems, and evaluate situations. Intelligence is almost a misnomer, as the Attribute also includes critical thinking and flexibility of thought.
Intelligence does not include savvy, wisdom, or common sense, as those are properties of a character's personality, not Traits. Even the smartest character may be too foolish to keep her mouth shut or too daft to assume the thugs who want her car keys are up to no good.
Characters with low Intelligence aren't necessarily stupid (though they might be), they are just uneducated or simple thinkers. Likewise, characters with high Intelligence aren't all Einsteins; they may be better at rote memorization or have particularly keen judgement.
- Poor: not the sharpest knife in the drawer (IQ 80)
- Average: Smart enough to realize you're normal (IQ 100)
- Good: More enlightened than the masses (IQ 120)
- Exceptional: You're not just bright, you're downright brilliant (IQ 140)
- Outstanding: Certified genius (IQ 160+)
Wits
Wits measures the character's ability to think on her feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also reflects a character's general cleverness. Characters with low Wits scores are thick and mentally lethargic, or maybe gullible and unsophisticated. By contrast, characters with high Wits almost always have a plan immediately and adapt to their surrounding with striking expedience. Characters with high Wits also manage to keep their cool in stressful situations.
- Poor: Pull my finger
- Average: You know when to bet or fold in poker
- Good: You are seldom surprised or left speechless
- Exceptional: You're one of the people who make others think, "Oooh, I should have said..." the next day
- Outstanding: You think and respond almost more quickly than you can act
