AoA: CHapter 4 - Abilities

Characters use their basic physical & mental Stats to accomplish various tasks. Stats combine across 21 different categories, the sum of each combination representing the character’s proficiency towards specific actions.

Abilities

There are twelve Ability scores which represent the character’s level of capability in the indicated category. The following descriptions provide a basic definition of the application of character Abilities. However, there may be less common applications of character Abilities, and Game Masters will often need to determine which Ability is the most appropriate for any given situation. 

Attack: The Attack score represents the character’s ability to perform striking physical attacks. The Attack score is equal to the sum of the STR and WIT Stat scores. Attack deals damage to targets by reducing their HP (Health Points). Attack Checks are performed against the Defense Ability score of targets. 

Agility: This Ability is a combination of the character’s Strength and Dexterity. It enables characters to lift objects, to jump, to move gracefully, and to grasp and pin opponents using their entire body. Agility may be used as an attack to knock back or throw targets, continually pin/ immobilize targets. Agility checks are performed against the Endurance Ability score of targets, if applicable. Agility is also used to determine the range of thrown objects, as opposed to the use of ranged weapons which use the Perception Ability to determine their range of effectiveness. The object being thrown may provide an attack bonus towards either Attack, Agility, or Precision, depending on the item description.

Precision: The Precision score represents a character’s manual dexterity, as well as their ability to apply it with delicacy. Precision determines a character’s ability to perform piercing attacks. The Precision score is equal to the sum of the DEX and WIT Stat scores. Successful piercing attacks will deal at least 2HP damage to targets, but the target receives the ability to make a Counter Action if the Precision attack fails (unlike other actions, where a counter attack occurs only in the case of a critical miss). Precision checks are performed against the Speed Ability of targets.  

Perception: The Perception score represents a character’s ability to detect details of their surrounding environment. Although this Ability does not deal damage directly, Perception determines the range of attacks made from a distance, at a rate of approximately 15 ft (or 5 yards) per point. If the ranged attack targets something outside the Perception range, the DC of the check increases by 1 for every 5 feet outside the range. The Perception score is a sum of the SPR and WIT Stat scores. If targets are attempting to avoid detection, Players must make a Perception check against the target’s Evasion Ability.

Charm: The Charm score represents a character’s persuasiveness and overall appeal. The Charm score is equal to the sum of the SPR and INT Stat scores. Charm is used primarily in social situations, for example to win an argument or curry favor. Charm checks are performed against the Will Ability score of targets.

Knowledge: The Knowledge score represents a character’s ability to remember and recall facts and information. The Knowledge score is equal to the sum of the WIT and INT Stat scores. Knowledge checks are performed against the Reason Ability score of targets, if applicable. The Knowledge score also adds to a pool of ‘Potential’ points that Players can assign to Specialty Potential.

Defense: The Defense score represents a character’s ability to resist Attack-based attacks, as well as other types of ‘striking’ damage that may be inflicted on the character. The Defense score is the sum of the STR and VIT Stat scores.

Endurance: The Endurance score represents a character’s ability to resist Agility-based attacks, as well as Stamina, which affects how much weight the character can carry and how much the character can exert themselves physically in a particular instance (rather than over time, which is represented by AP). The Endurance score is equal to the sum of the STR and SPR Stat scores. 

Speed: The Speed score is a measurement of physical speed, and aids a character’s ability to resist Piercing attacks and helps to determine the distance a character can travel within a given period of time. Speed is used to determine Initiative during Encounters. The Speed score is equal to the sum of the VIT and SPR Stat scores. 

Evasion: The Evasion score represents a character’s ability to avoid detection in a stealthy manner. The Evasion score resists Perception Checks and is equal to the sum of the VIT and SPR Stat scores.  

Will: The Will score represents a character’s ability to resist being charmed or influenced as well as their resolve or conviction. The Will score is equal to the sum of the DEX and INT Stat scores.

Reason: The Reason score is different from Knowledge in that it is a measure of a character’s ability to apply knowledge. It is also representative of a character’s ability to use logic to see patterns and solve problems. The Reason score is the sum of the VIT and INT Stat scores. The Reason score also adds to a pool of points for Specialty Skills that Players can use to add to their Skill level in any Specialty Category.

Hit Points

There are three Hit Point categories which represent the character’s capacity for expending effort to act or withstand damage. Hit Points are different from standard Abilities; the total score of Hit Points creates a pool of spendable points to take action or receive damage according to the Hit Point category. Access to this pool can be limited if characters receive certain amounts of damage or are subject to different status effects. Additionally, the maximum available points in a Hit Point category can potentially be reduced when PCs encounter certain effects or situations.

Action Points: Action Points, abbreviated as ‘AP’ represent a character’s stamina- their available energy to take action. AP is spent to take any action which is not considered ‘free’. The AP score is equal to the sum of the STR and INT Stat scores. If the AP pool is reduced to 0, their AP capacity is reduced by half and cannot be restored to maximum until the character eats a full meal. 

Health Points: Health Points, abbreviated as ‘HP’ represent a character’s capacity for enduring damage. HP is spent any time a character receives damage. The HP capacity of the character will be reduced by half if available HP is reduced to 0 – this is referred to as Wounding Damage. HP cannot be restored to maximum until the character receives a full night's rest.

A wounded character will lose 1HP capacity per turn until their injury is treated. If HP capacity reaches 0, the character is passed out and can no longer act at all. The PC will need to receive medical treatment and 1 week bedrest in order to act again.

Break Points: Break Points, abbreviated as ‘BP’, represent a character’s ability to use intense focus while taking action or defending. 1 BP may be spent in order to temporarily reduce the DC of the action being attempted, OR can be spent to reroll the attempted action if unhappy with the result. Players may also use BP to alter their charecter's alignment The BP score is equal to the sum of the DEX and SPR Stat scores. If the BP pool is reduced to 0, the character must have their BP restored by being awarded by the GM before they can spend it again. The maximum BP available can be temporarily reduced by certain status effects. The current and available BP can be restored by Panaceas and Potions, respectively.

Ability Measurements

All ability checks are made against a DC. The DC can be objectively measured in certain instances. If you wanted to know how much weight your character can lift, or how fast they are, or even what their IQ range is, DC values can translate into actual measurements for these types of Ability Checks according to the following table;

Proficiencies

Proficiency represents a special gift for a particular aspect or subset of any given Ability. There are two categories of Proficiency per Ability, each representing a potential application of the listed Ability. Class Proficiencies are increased by 1 every 5 character levels. The 24 categories of Proficiencies are defined below as subsets of their relating Ability:

ABILITY PROFICIENCY DEFINITION    
Attack Armed Attack   +1 to striking attacks made with a weapon (excluding gloves)
Attack Unarmed       +1 to striking attacks made without a weapon (excluding gloves)
Defense   Armored +1 to defense against striking weapons(excluding gloves)
Defense Unarmed +1 defense against striking attacks made without a weapon (e.g., punching, kicking)
Agility   Grappling +1 to grappling/ immobilizing actions
Agility   Athletics   +1 to any jumping, tumbling and other ‘acrobatic’- like abilities
Endurance Resistance    +1 defense against grappling attacks
Endurance Bear +1 to load capacity (5 lbs per point); +1 to similar, applicable actions
Precision   Piercing Attacks  +1 to piercing attacks
Precision   Crafting +1 to crafting rolls (e.g., fixing or making objects)
Speed   Dodge +1 defense against piercing attacks
Speed   Foot speed +1 to initiative; +1 to other actions/ checks involving footspeed

Perception Intuition +1 to social Perception checks (e.g., to intuit motives from a person or creature)

Perception Observation +1 to Perception checks involving detection of physical details

Evasion   Stealth +1 defense against Observation/Perception actions

Evasion Distract  +1 defense against Intuition/Perception actions

Charm Performance +1 to Charm checks when performing a skill (such as song, dance, theater, etc.)

Charm Communication +1 to Charm checks during verbal and written communication

Will   Presence   +1 to resist…

Will Focus   Ability to focus despite distractions

Know   Contemporary +1 to Knowledge checks regarding current culture, events and modern science

Know Historical   +1 to Knowledge checks regarding historical events and other arcane subjects

Reason Debate +1 to Specialty Skill, &  +1 to applicable social checks (such as an argument or debate)

Reason Deduction   +1 to Specialty Potential, & +1 to checks involving the deduction of facts/ events.    

Kinetic Abilities

Although players will select only one of the six Kinetic Techniques outlined in Chapter 3, all PCs will possess the same set of Kinetic Ability Scores  which determine the capabilities of any given Kinetic Skill:

Kinetic Power: Kinetic techniques draw power from the character’s Ki and their physical strength. A combination of the KI + STR Stats + a D20 roll will determine the impact of any Kinetic Skill.

Kinetic Duration: The duration of any Kinetic expression is determined by the combination of the character’s Ki and their physical endurance (Vitality). A combination of the KI + VIT Stats, the Kinetic Duration score represents how long the Kinetic Skill lasts.

Kinetic Range: The range from which a Kinetic Skill can be delivered is determined by the character’s Ki and their Precision. The manner in which Kinetic Range is utilized depends on the Kinetic  Technique; the score is a combination of the KI + DEX Stats.

Kinetic Area: The area affected by a Kinetic Skill is determined by the character’s Ki and their ‘strength of heart’; a combination of the KI + SPR Stats. The manner which Kinetic Area is utilized depends on the Kinetic Technique.

Kinetic Elements: The number of individual Kinetic Elements which can be learned by a character is dependent on their Ki and their mental fortitude; a combination of the KI + WIT Stats. The Kinetic Element, along with the Kinetic Technique, forms the basis for any Kinetic Skill. 

Kinetic Conditions: Kinetic Conditions are special modifications to Kinetic Skills which allow the skill to be deployed at specific times or under specific circumstances. The number of individual conditions which can be learned and utilized by a character is determined by their Ki and their intelligence;  a combination of the KI + INT Stats.

More information about Kinetics is covered in the next chapter. 

Updated 8/4/2023