The Abilities
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The Abilities
by Support Team Sun Feb 09, 2014 2:33 pm
THE ABILITIES
Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of his
or her actions.
The description of each ability includes a list of races and
creatures along with their average scores in that ability. (Not every
creature has a score in every ability, as you’ll see when you look at
the lists that follow.) These scores are for an average, young adult
creature of the indicated race or kind, such as a dwarf tax collector, a
halfling merchant, or an unexceptional gnoll. An adventurer—say, a
dwarf fighter or a gnoll ranger—probably has better scores, at least
in the abilities that matter most to that character, and player
characters are above average overall.
STRENGTH (STR)
Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power. This
ability is especially important for fighters, barbarians, paladins,
rangers, and monks because it helps them prevail in combat.
Strength also limits the amount of equipment your character can
carry (see Chapter 9: Adventuring).
You apply your character’s Strength modifier to:
Melee attack rolls.
Damage rolls when using a melee weapon or a thrown weapon
(including a sling). (Exceptions: Off-hand attacks receive only one
half the character’s Strength bonus, while two-handed attacks
receive one and a half times the Strength bonus. A Strength
penalty, but not a bonus, applies to attacks made with a bow that
is not a composite bow.)
Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. These are the skills that have
Strength as their key ability.
Strength checks (for breaking down doors and the like).
Average Strength Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Strength Modifier
Allip, shadow, will-o’-wisp — —
Lantern archon, bat, toad 1 –5
Rat swarm 2 –4
Stirge, monkey, Tiny monstrous spider 3 –4
Grig, Small monstrous centipede 4–5 –3
Hawk, cockatrice, pixie 6–7 –2
Quasit, badger 8–9 –1
Human, beholder, dire rat 10–11 +0
Mind flayer, dog, pony, ghoul 12–13 +1
Gnoll, dire badger, baboon, manta ray 14–15 +2
Black pudding, choker, Large shark 16–17 +3
Centaur, displacer beast, minotaur 18–19 +4
Ape, ogre, flesh golem, gorgon 20–21 +5
Fire giant, triceratops, elephant 30–31 +10
Great wyrm gold dragon 46–47 +18
DEXTERITY (DEX)
Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance.
This ability is the most important ability for rogues, but it’s also
high on the list for characters who typically wear light or medium
armor (rangers and barbarians) or no armor at all (monks, wizards,
and sorcerers), and for anyone who wants to be a skilled archer.
You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to:
Ranged attack rolls, including those for attacks made with bows,
crossbows, throwing axes, and other ranged weapons.
Armor Class (AC), provided that the character can react to the
attack.
Reflex saving throws, for avoiding fireballs and other attacks that
you can escape by moving quickly.
Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Ride,
Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Use Rope checks. These are the
skills that have Dexterity as their key ability.
Average Dexterity Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Dexterity Modifier
Shrieker (fungus) — —
Gelatinous cube (ooze) 1 –5
Colossal animated object 4–5 –3
Purple worm, ogre zombie 6–7 –2
Ogre, basilisk, fire giant, tendriculos 8–9 –1
Human, triton, boar, giant fire beetle 10–11 +0
Bugbear, lammasu, hobgoblin 12–13 +1
Displacer beast, hieracosphinx 14–15 +2
Blink dog, wraith, lion, octopus 16–17 +3
Astral deva (angel), ethereal filcher 18–19 +4
Arrowhawk, bone devil 20–21 +5
Elder air elemental 32–33 +11
CONSTITUTION (CON)
Constitution represents your character’s health and stamina. A
Constitution bonus increases a character’s hit points, so the ability is
important for all classes.
You apply your character’s Constitution modifier to:
Each roll of a Hit Die (though a penalty can never drop a result
below 1—that is, a character always gains at least 1 hit point each
time he or she advances in level).
Fortitude saving throws, for resisting poison and similar threats.
Concentration checks. This is a skill, important to spellcasters,
that has Constitution as its key ability.
If a character’s Constitution score changes enough to alter his or
her Constitution modifier, the character’s hit points also increase or
decrease accordingly.
Average Constitution Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Constitution Modifier
Ghoul, mummy, shadow — —
Centipede swarm, locust swarm 8–9 –1
Human, imp, dire weasel, grick 10–11 +0
Rust monster, medusa, otyugh, nymph 12–13 +1
Light horse, merfolk, troglodyte 14–15 +2
Tiger, chimera, assassin vine 16–17 +3
Polar bear, gargoyle, umber hulk 18–19 +4
Elephant, aboleth, tyrannosaurus 20–21 +5
The tarrasque 35 +12
INTELLIGENCE (INT)
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons.
This ability is important for wizards because it affects how many
spells they can cast, how hard their spells are to resist, and how
powerful their spells can be. It’s also important for any character
who wants to have a wide assortment of skills.
You apply your character’s Intelligence modifier to:
The number of languages your character knows at the start of the
game.
The number of skill points gained each level. (But your character
always gets at least 1 skill point per level.)
Appraise, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Forgery,
Knowledge, Search, and Spellcraft checks. These are the skills
that have Intelligence as their key ability.
A wizard gains bonus spells based on her Intelligence score. The
minimum Intelligence score needed to cast a wizard spell is 10 + the
spell’s level.
An animal has an Intelligence score of 1 or 2. A creature of humanlike
intelligence has scores of at least 3.
Average Intelligence Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Intelligence Modifier
Zombie, golem, ochre jelly — —
Carrion crawler, purple worm, camel 1 –5
Tiger, hydra, dog, horse 2 –4
Gray render, tendriculos, rast 3 –4
Otyugh, griffon, displacer beast 4–5 –3
Troll, hell hound, ogre, yrthak 6–7 –2
Troglodyte, centaur, gnoll 8–9 –1
Human, bugbear, wight, night hag 10–11 +0
Dragon turtle, cloud giant, lamia 12–13 +1
Invisible stalker, wraith, will-o’-wisp 14–15 +2
Beholder, succubus, trumpet archon 16–17 +3
Mind flayer, death slaad, nightwing 18–19 +4
Kraken, titan, nightcrawler 20–21 +5
Great wyrm gold dragon 32–33 +11
WISDOM (WIS)
Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception,
and intuition. While Intelligence represents one’s ability to
analyze information, Wisdom represents being in tune with and
aware of one’s surroundings. An “absentminded professor” has low
Wisdom and high Intelligence. A simpleton (low Intelligence)
might still have great insight (high Wisdom). Wisdom is the most
important ability for clerics and druids, and it is also important for
paladins and rangers. If you want your character to have acute
senses, put a high score in Wisdom. Every creature has a Wisdom
score.
You apply your character’s Wisdom modifier to:
Will saving throws (for negating the effect of charm person and
other spells).
Heal, Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks.
These are the skills that have Wisdom as their key ability.
Clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers get bonus spells based on
their Wisdom scores. The minimum Wisdom score needed to cast a
cleric, druid, paladin, or ranger spell is 10 + the spell’s level.
Average Wisdom Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Wisdom Modifier
Gelatinous cube (ooze), animated object 1 –5
Shrieker (fungus) 2 –4
Red slaad, githyanki 6–7 –2
Purple worm, grimlock, troll 8–9 –1
Human, lizardfolk, phantom fungus 10–11 +0
Owlbear, hyena, shadow, remorhaz 12–13 +1
Wraith, owl, giant praying mantis 14–15 +2
Devourer, lillend, androsphinx 16–17 +3
Couatl, erinyes devil, guardian naga 18–19 +4
Unicorn, storm giant 20–21 +5
Great wyrm gold dragon 32–33 +11
CHARISMA (CHA)
Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness,
personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. This
ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one
is perceived by others in a social setting. Charisma is most important
for paladins, sorcerers, and bards. It is also important for clerics,
since it affects their ability to turn undead. Every creature has a
Charisma score.
You apply your character’s Charisma modifier to:
Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal,
Intimidate, Perform, and Use Magic Device checks. These are the
skills that have Charisma as their key ability.
Checks that represent an attempt to influence others.
Turning checks for clerics and paladins attempting to turn
zombies, vampires, and other undead.
Sorcerers and bards get bonus spells based on their Charisma
scores. The minimum Charisma score needed to cast a sorcerer or
bard spell is 10 + the spell’s level.
Average Charisma Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Wisdom Modifier
Zombie, golem, shrieker (fungus) 1 –5
Spider, crocodile, lizard, rhinoceros 2 –4
Tendriculos, octopus 3 –4
Dire rat, weasel, chuul, donkey 4–5 –3
Badger, troll, giant fire beetle, bear 6–7 –2
Gnoll, dire boar, manticore, gorgon 8–9 –1
Human, wolverine, dretch (demon) 10–11 +0
Treant, roper, doppelganger, night hag 12–13 +1
Storm giant, barghest, medusa 14–15 +2
Ogre mage, pixie, harpy, achaierai 16–17 +3
Greater barghest, nixie 18–19 +4
Astral deva (angel), kraken 20–21 +5
Great wyrm gold dragon 32–33 +11
EXAMPLE OF GENERATING AND
ASSIGNING ABILITY SCORES
Monte wants to create a new character. He rolls four six-sided dice
(4d6) and gets 5, 4, 4, and 1. Ignoring the lowest roll (1), he records
the result on scratch paper: 13. He rolls the dice five more times and
gets these six scores: 13, 10, 15, 12, 8, and 14. Monte decides to play a
strong, tough dwarf fighter. Now he assigns his scores to abilities.
Strength gets the highest score, 15. His character has a +2
Strength bonus that will serve him well in combat.
Constitution gets the next highest score, 14. The dwarf’s +2 racial
bonus to Constitution (see Table 2–1: Racial Ability Adjustments,
page 12) improves his Constitution score to 16, which gives him a +3
modifier. This bonus gives the character more hit points and better
Fortitude saving throws.
Monte puts his lowest score, 8, into Charisma. The dwarf’s –2
racial penalty to Charisma (see Table 2–1) reduces his Charisma
score to 6, for a –2 penalty.
Monte has two bonus-range scores left (13 and 12), plus an average
score (10). Dexterity gets the 13 (+1 bonus), which helps with
ranged weapon attacks and with Reflex saving throws. (Monte’s also
thinking ahead. A Dexterity score of 13 qualifies his character for
the Dodge feat—see Table 5–1: Feats, page 90).
Wisdom gets the 12 (+1 bonus). The Wisdom bonus helps with
perception skills, such as Spot and Listen (see Table 4–2: Skills, page
63), as well as with Will saving throws.
Intelligence gets the 10 (no bonus or penalty). An average Intelligence
isn’t bad for a fighter.
Monte records his character’s race, class, ability scores, and ability
modifiers on his character sheet.
Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of his
or her actions.
The description of each ability includes a list of races and
creatures along with their average scores in that ability. (Not every
creature has a score in every ability, as you’ll see when you look at
the lists that follow.) These scores are for an average, young adult
creature of the indicated race or kind, such as a dwarf tax collector, a
halfling merchant, or an unexceptional gnoll. An adventurer—say, a
dwarf fighter or a gnoll ranger—probably has better scores, at least
in the abilities that matter most to that character, and player
characters are above average overall.
STRENGTH (STR)
Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power. This
ability is especially important for fighters, barbarians, paladins,
rangers, and monks because it helps them prevail in combat.
Strength also limits the amount of equipment your character can
carry (see Chapter 9: Adventuring).
You apply your character’s Strength modifier to:
Melee attack rolls.
Damage rolls when using a melee weapon or a thrown weapon
(including a sling). (Exceptions: Off-hand attacks receive only one
half the character’s Strength bonus, while two-handed attacks
receive one and a half times the Strength bonus. A Strength
penalty, but not a bonus, applies to attacks made with a bow that
is not a composite bow.)
Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. These are the skills that have
Strength as their key ability.
Strength checks (for breaking down doors and the like).
Average Strength Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Strength Modifier
Allip, shadow, will-o’-wisp — —
Lantern archon, bat, toad 1 –5
Rat swarm 2 –4
Stirge, monkey, Tiny monstrous spider 3 –4
Grig, Small monstrous centipede 4–5 –3
Hawk, cockatrice, pixie 6–7 –2
Quasit, badger 8–9 –1
Human, beholder, dire rat 10–11 +0
Mind flayer, dog, pony, ghoul 12–13 +1
Gnoll, dire badger, baboon, manta ray 14–15 +2
Black pudding, choker, Large shark 16–17 +3
Centaur, displacer beast, minotaur 18–19 +4
Ape, ogre, flesh golem, gorgon 20–21 +5
Fire giant, triceratops, elephant 30–31 +10
Great wyrm gold dragon 46–47 +18
DEXTERITY (DEX)
Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance.
This ability is the most important ability for rogues, but it’s also
high on the list for characters who typically wear light or medium
armor (rangers and barbarians) or no armor at all (monks, wizards,
and sorcerers), and for anyone who wants to be a skilled archer.
You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to:
Ranged attack rolls, including those for attacks made with bows,
crossbows, throwing axes, and other ranged weapons.
Armor Class (AC), provided that the character can react to the
attack.
Reflex saving throws, for avoiding fireballs and other attacks that
you can escape by moving quickly.
Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Ride,
Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Use Rope checks. These are the
skills that have Dexterity as their key ability.
Average Dexterity Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Dexterity Modifier
Shrieker (fungus) — —
Gelatinous cube (ooze) 1 –5
Colossal animated object 4–5 –3
Purple worm, ogre zombie 6–7 –2
Ogre, basilisk, fire giant, tendriculos 8–9 –1
Human, triton, boar, giant fire beetle 10–11 +0
Bugbear, lammasu, hobgoblin 12–13 +1
Displacer beast, hieracosphinx 14–15 +2
Blink dog, wraith, lion, octopus 16–17 +3
Astral deva (angel), ethereal filcher 18–19 +4
Arrowhawk, bone devil 20–21 +5
Elder air elemental 32–33 +11
CONSTITUTION (CON)
Constitution represents your character’s health and stamina. A
Constitution bonus increases a character’s hit points, so the ability is
important for all classes.
You apply your character’s Constitution modifier to:
Each roll of a Hit Die (though a penalty can never drop a result
below 1—that is, a character always gains at least 1 hit point each
time he or she advances in level).
Fortitude saving throws, for resisting poison and similar threats.
Concentration checks. This is a skill, important to spellcasters,
that has Constitution as its key ability.
If a character’s Constitution score changes enough to alter his or
her Constitution modifier, the character’s hit points also increase or
decrease accordingly.
Average Constitution Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Constitution Modifier
Ghoul, mummy, shadow — —
Centipede swarm, locust swarm 8–9 –1
Human, imp, dire weasel, grick 10–11 +0
Rust monster, medusa, otyugh, nymph 12–13 +1
Light horse, merfolk, troglodyte 14–15 +2
Tiger, chimera, assassin vine 16–17 +3
Polar bear, gargoyle, umber hulk 18–19 +4
Elephant, aboleth, tyrannosaurus 20–21 +5
The tarrasque 35 +12
INTELLIGENCE (INT)
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons.
This ability is important for wizards because it affects how many
spells they can cast, how hard their spells are to resist, and how
powerful their spells can be. It’s also important for any character
who wants to have a wide assortment of skills.
You apply your character’s Intelligence modifier to:
The number of languages your character knows at the start of the
game.
The number of skill points gained each level. (But your character
always gets at least 1 skill point per level.)
Appraise, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Forgery,
Knowledge, Search, and Spellcraft checks. These are the skills
that have Intelligence as their key ability.
A wizard gains bonus spells based on her Intelligence score. The
minimum Intelligence score needed to cast a wizard spell is 10 + the
spell’s level.
An animal has an Intelligence score of 1 or 2. A creature of humanlike
intelligence has scores of at least 3.
Average Intelligence Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Intelligence Modifier
Zombie, golem, ochre jelly — —
Carrion crawler, purple worm, camel 1 –5
Tiger, hydra, dog, horse 2 –4
Gray render, tendriculos, rast 3 –4
Otyugh, griffon, displacer beast 4–5 –3
Troll, hell hound, ogre, yrthak 6–7 –2
Troglodyte, centaur, gnoll 8–9 –1
Human, bugbear, wight, night hag 10–11 +0
Dragon turtle, cloud giant, lamia 12–13 +1
Invisible stalker, wraith, will-o’-wisp 14–15 +2
Beholder, succubus, trumpet archon 16–17 +3
Mind flayer, death slaad, nightwing 18–19 +4
Kraken, titan, nightcrawler 20–21 +5
Great wyrm gold dragon 32–33 +11
WISDOM (WIS)
Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception,
and intuition. While Intelligence represents one’s ability to
analyze information, Wisdom represents being in tune with and
aware of one’s surroundings. An “absentminded professor” has low
Wisdom and high Intelligence. A simpleton (low Intelligence)
might still have great insight (high Wisdom). Wisdom is the most
important ability for clerics and druids, and it is also important for
paladins and rangers. If you want your character to have acute
senses, put a high score in Wisdom. Every creature has a Wisdom
score.
You apply your character’s Wisdom modifier to:
Will saving throws (for negating the effect of charm person and
other spells).
Heal, Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks.
These are the skills that have Wisdom as their key ability.
Clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers get bonus spells based on
their Wisdom scores. The minimum Wisdom score needed to cast a
cleric, druid, paladin, or ranger spell is 10 + the spell’s level.
Average Wisdom Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Wisdom Modifier
Gelatinous cube (ooze), animated object 1 –5
Shrieker (fungus) 2 –4
Red slaad, githyanki 6–7 –2
Purple worm, grimlock, troll 8–9 –1
Human, lizardfolk, phantom fungus 10–11 +0
Owlbear, hyena, shadow, remorhaz 12–13 +1
Wraith, owl, giant praying mantis 14–15 +2
Devourer, lillend, androsphinx 16–17 +3
Couatl, erinyes devil, guardian naga 18–19 +4
Unicorn, storm giant 20–21 +5
Great wyrm gold dragon 32–33 +11
CHARISMA (CHA)
Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness,
personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. This
ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one
is perceived by others in a social setting. Charisma is most important
for paladins, sorcerers, and bards. It is also important for clerics,
since it affects their ability to turn undead. Every creature has a
Charisma score.
You apply your character’s Charisma modifier to:
Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal,
Intimidate, Perform, and Use Magic Device checks. These are the
skills that have Charisma as their key ability.
Checks that represent an attempt to influence others.
Turning checks for clerics and paladins attempting to turn
zombies, vampires, and other undead.
Sorcerers and bards get bonus spells based on their Charisma
scores. The minimum Charisma score needed to cast a sorcerer or
bard spell is 10 + the spell’s level.
Average Charisma Scores
Average Average
Example Race or Creature Kind Wisdom Modifier
Zombie, golem, shrieker (fungus) 1 –5
Spider, crocodile, lizard, rhinoceros 2 –4
Tendriculos, octopus 3 –4
Dire rat, weasel, chuul, donkey 4–5 –3
Badger, troll, giant fire beetle, bear 6–7 –2
Gnoll, dire boar, manticore, gorgon 8–9 –1
Human, wolverine, dretch (demon) 10–11 +0
Treant, roper, doppelganger, night hag 12–13 +1
Storm giant, barghest, medusa 14–15 +2
Ogre mage, pixie, harpy, achaierai 16–17 +3
Greater barghest, nixie 18–19 +4
Astral deva (angel), kraken 20–21 +5
Great wyrm gold dragon 32–33 +11
EXAMPLE OF GENERATING AND
ASSIGNING ABILITY SCORES
Monte wants to create a new character. He rolls four six-sided dice
(4d6) and gets 5, 4, 4, and 1. Ignoring the lowest roll (1), he records
the result on scratch paper: 13. He rolls the dice five more times and
gets these six scores: 13, 10, 15, 12, 8, and 14. Monte decides to play a
strong, tough dwarf fighter. Now he assigns his scores to abilities.
Strength gets the highest score, 15. His character has a +2
Strength bonus that will serve him well in combat.
Constitution gets the next highest score, 14. The dwarf’s +2 racial
bonus to Constitution (see Table 2–1: Racial Ability Adjustments,
page 12) improves his Constitution score to 16, which gives him a +3
modifier. This bonus gives the character more hit points and better
Fortitude saving throws.
Monte puts his lowest score, 8, into Charisma. The dwarf’s –2
racial penalty to Charisma (see Table 2–1) reduces his Charisma
score to 6, for a –2 penalty.
Monte has two bonus-range scores left (13 and 12), plus an average
score (10). Dexterity gets the 13 (+1 bonus), which helps with
ranged weapon attacks and with Reflex saving throws. (Monte’s also
thinking ahead. A Dexterity score of 13 qualifies his character for
the Dodge feat—see Table 5–1: Feats, page 90).
Wisdom gets the 12 (+1 bonus). The Wisdom bonus helps with
perception skills, such as Spot and Listen (see Table 4–2: Skills, page
63), as well as with Will saving throws.
Intelligence gets the 10 (no bonus or penalty). An average Intelligence
isn’t bad for a fighter.
Monte records his character’s race, class, ability scores, and ability
modifiers on his character sheet.
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