Game Statistics

Player characters are described, in game terms, by a set of statistics that define their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses in the game world.

Ability Scores

The basic physical and mental strengths and weaknesses of the character. There are 6 ability scores: Strength (abbreviated STR), Intelligence (INT), Wisdom (WIS), Dexterity (DEX), Constitution (CON), and Charisma (CHA). A character is ranked in each ability score by a number between 3–18. (3 being the worst score possible and 18 the best.)

Class

An adventuring profession to which the character belongs. A character’s class defines their main abilities. See Character Classes.

Race

A character may be human or one of a number of demihuman species. Unless a demihuman class is selected, the character is assumed to be human.

Level

The character’s experience as an adventurer is denoted by their experience level. Characters typically start play at 1st level (the lowest level of adventurer) and can increase in level through successful adventuring. As a character goes up in level, they gain more powerful abilities, as defined by their class.

Experience Points (XP)

The character’s advancement in the game is tracked by the accumulation of experience points. Experience points are awarded by the referee after a successful adventure. When the character has accumulated a certain number of experience points, the character’s level increases. Each class specifies the number of experience points required to achieve each experience level.

Prime Requisite

The ability score (or scores) that are the most important to the character’s class. The character’s score in these abilities can affect the rate at which the character accumulates experience points.

Alignment

The character (and every other creature in the game world) is aligned with one of three cosmic principles: Law, Neutrality, or Chaos (see Alignment). This alignment determines how certain magic influences the character and should be used by the player as a guideline for role-playing the character.

Hit Points (hp)

The character’s ability to avoid dying. The character has a maximum hit point total and a current hit point total, which are tracked separately. When a character is harmed, their current hit point total is reduced. If this number reaches 0, the character is dead! Rest or healing can restore lost hit points (see Damage, Healing, and Death), but never above the character’s maximum hit point total (this is only increased when the character increases in level).

Hit Dice (HD)

The number of dice used to determine the character’s maximum hit point total. The character’s level determines the number of Hit Dice and their class determines the type of dice rolled (i.e. d4, d6, d8). (Some classes also grant a flat bonus to hit points at certain levels.)

Armour Class (AC)

The character’s ability to avoid damage in combat. AC is determined by the character’s armour and their Dexterity score. Lower Armour Class scores are better, so bonuses decrease the character’s AC and penalties increase it.

Dual format: The equivalent ascending AC is listed in square brackets, for groups using the optional rule for Ascending AC. (e.g. AC 5 [14] — an AC of 5, or 14 if using the optional rule for Ascending AC.)

Unarmoured AC: An unarmoured character has AC 9 [10].

Ascending AC (Optional Rule)

Some groups are more familiar with an Armour Class system where higher scores are better. This system is known as Ascending Armour Class (abbreviated AAC) and works as follows:

• Armour Class: When using AAC, higher scores are better. Bonuses to Armour Class increase the AAC score and penalties decrease it.
• Attack rolls: When using AAC, the procedure for resolving attack rolls involves the use of an attack bonus instead of a THAC0 score and attack matrix.

Note: Using Ascending Armour Class results in very slightly different attack probabilities than when using the traditional approach of descending AC with an attack matrix.

Attack Roll “to Hit AC 0” (THAC0)

The character’s ability to hit foes in combat, determined by their class and level. The THAC0 score indicates which row of the attack matrix (see Combat Tables) to use when attacking. Lower THAC0 scores are better.

Dual format: The equivalent attack bonus is listed in square brackets, for groups using the optional rule for Ascending AC. (e.g. THAC0 15 [+4] — a THAC0 of 15, or an attack bonus of +4 if using the optional rule for Ascending AC.)

Attacking: The procedure for making attack rolls is described in Combat.

Saving Throw Values

The character’s ability to avoid certain dangerous or detrimental effects. There are five saving throw categories: death (or poison), wands, paralysis (or petrification), breath attacks, spells (or magic rods or staves). The character’s saving throw values are determined by class and level. See Saving Throws for full details.

Movement Rate

The speed at which the character can move when exploring, travelling, or during combat. Every character has a base movement rate and an encounter movement rate (noted in parentheses). The encounter movement rate is one third of the base movement rate. The default movement rate for characters is 120’ (40’)—a base movement rate of 120’ and an encounter movement rate of 40’.

• Overland: The number of miles a character can travel in a day in the wilderness is determined by dividing their base movement rate by five.
• Exploration: When exploring unknown areas of a dungeon, characters can move their base movement rate in feet per turn (10 minutes)

Class Abilities

Finally, the character’s class denotes a set of special abilities that the character may use, including the ability to use certain types of armour and weapons and to speak one or more languages.