Generating Ability Scores

The Ability Scores

To venture into the worlds of the AD&D game, you first need to create a character. The character you create is your alter ego in the fantasy realms of this game, a make-believe person who is under your control and through whom you vicariously explore the world the Dungeon Master (DM) has created.

Each character in the AD&D game has six abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

The first three abilities represent the physical nature of the character, while the last three quantify his mental and personality traits. In various places throughout these rules, the following abbreviations are used for the ability names: Strength--Str; Dexterity--Dex; Constitution--Con; Intelligence--Int; Wisdom--Wis; Charisma--Cha. This will generate a series of scores in the range of 3 (the lowest) to 18 (the highest) [Exception: See Strength].

These scores may be placed in any order for the first two characters created. However, from the third character on, the ability scores must be rolled in this order - Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, Perception. Before arranging the scores, give some thought as to the race and class you want the character to be.

Extremely High and Low Ability Scores

If the highest score that can be rolled is 18, why do the tables go up to 25 or down to 1?

Ability scores can be enhanced (or depleted) by magic. Sometimes this is temporary, in some cases it is permanent. In either case, the absolute minimum score is 1 (if any ability score drops to 0, that equals character death), and the absolute maximum is 25. In no case can an ability score increase above 25.

This is not a hard and fast rule, however. There are always exceptions. There are some instances where a character may have a certain ability score increase to 19 naturally. Dwarves, being a sturdy folk generally have high constitutions, and elves tend to be very nimble-fingered and can have an extremely high (19) natural dexterity. See the individual races for more information.

There are seven methods that can be used to generate these scores. Method VII is the recommended method of generating these scores, but the method used is up to the player and how much of a challenge they want to assume with their character.

Perception

There is a seventh ability score, called Perception but this is a non-standard ability.. To generate a Perception score, roll 3d6 and add them together. This is a non-standard ability that was detailed in Dragon magazine. It is the ability to be observant and notice things that may not be obvious. Perception cannot rise above 18 or drop below 3.

There is a seventh ability score, called Perception but this is a non-standard ability.. To generate a Perception score, roll 3d6 and add them together. This is a non-standard ability that was detailed in Dragon magazine. It is the ability to be observant and notice things that may not be obvious. Perception cannot rise above 18 or drop below 3.

Rolling the Ability Scores

Let's first see how to generate ability scores for your character, after which definitions of each ability will be given.

The six ability scores are determined randomly by rolling six-sided dice to obtain a score from 3 to 18. There are several methods for rolling up these scores.

Ability Score Generation Methods

Method I: Roll three six-sided dice (3d6 the total shown on the dice is your character's Strength ability score. Repeat this for Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Chrisma, in that order. This method gives a range of scores from 3 to 18, with most results in the 9 to 12 range. Only a few characters have high scores (15 and above), so you should treasure these characters.

Method I creates characters whose ability scores are usually between 9 and 12. If you would rather play a character of truly heroic proportions, ask your DM if he allows players to use optional methods for rolling up characters. These optional methods are designed to produce above-average characters.

Method II: Roll 3d6 twice, noting the total of each roll. Use whichever result you prefer for your character's Strength score. Repeat this for Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. This allows you to pick the best score from each pair, generally ensuring that your character does not have any really low ability scores (but low ability scores are not all that bad any way!).

Method III: Roll 3d6 six times and jot down the total for each roll. Assign the scores to your character's six abilities however you want. This gives you the chance to custom-tailor your character, although you are not guaranteed high scores.

Method IV: Roll 3d6 twelve times and jot down all twelve totals. Choose six of these rolls (generally the six best rolls) and assign them to your character's abilities however you want. This combines the best of methods II and III, but takes somewhat longer.

As an example, Joan rolls 3d6 twelve times and gets results of 12, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15, 9, 12, 6, 11, 10, and 7. She chooses the six best rolls (15, 12, 12, 11, 10, and 10) and then assigns them to her character's abilities so as to create the strengths and weaknesses that she wants her character to have (see the ability descriptions following this section for explanations of the abilities).

Method V: Roll four six-sided dice (4d6). Discard the lowest die and total the remaining three. Repeat this five more times, then assign the six numbers to the character's abilities however you want. This is a fast method that gives you a good character, but you can still get low scores (after all, you could roll 1s on all four dice!).

Method VI: This method can be used if you want to create a specific type of character. It does not guarantee that you will get the character you want, but it will improve your chances.

Each ability starts with a score of 8. Then roll seven dice. These dice can be added to your character's abilities as you wish. All the points on a die must be added to the same ability score. For example, if a 6 is rolled on one die, all 6 points must be assigned to one ability. You can add as many dice as you want to any ability, but no ability score can exceed 18 points. If you cannot make an 18 by exact count on the dice, you cannot have an 18 score.

Method VII (Recommended): The recommended method of generating ability scores is this: Roll 4d6. Re-roll the lowest die. Discard the lowest die of this set and add the three remaining values together. Repeat for each ability score listed above.

For example, you roll a 4, 3, 6, 2. Rerolling the 2 gives you a 6. The 3 is discarded and adding the three highest dice together (6, 6, 4) gives you a score of 16.

What the Numbers Mean

Now that you have finished creating the ability scores for your character, stop and take a look at them. What does all this mean? Suppose you decide to name your character "Rath" and you rolled the following ability scores for him:

Strength 8

Dexterity 14

Constitution 13

Intelligence 13

Wisdom 7

Charisma 6

Rath has strengths and weaknesses, but it is up to you to interpret what the numbers mean. Here are just two different ways these numbers could be interpreted.

1) Although Rath is in good health (Con 13). he's not very strong (Str 8) because he's just plain lazy — he never wanted to exercise as a youth and now it's too late. His low Wisdom and Charisma scores (7, 6) show that he lacks the common sense to apply himself properly and projects a slothful, "I'm not going to bother- attitude (which tends to irritate others). Fortunately. Rath's natural wit (Int 13) and Dexterity (14) keep him from being a total loss.

Thus you might play Rath as an irritating smart-alecky twerp forever ducking just out of range of those who want to squash him.

2) Rath has several good points—he has studied hard (Int 13) and practiced his manual skills (Dex 14). Unfortunately, his Strength is low (8) from a lack of exercise (all those hours spent reading books). Despite that, Rath's health is still good (Con 13). His low Wisdom and Charisma (7, 6) are a result of his lack of contact and involvement with people outside the realm of academics.

Looking at the scores this way, you could play Rath as a kindly, naive, and shy professorial type who's a good tinkerer, always fiddling with new ideas and inventions.

Obviously, Rath's ability scores (often called "stats") are not the greatest in the world. Yet it is possible to turn these "disappointing" stats into a character who is both interesting and fun to play. Too often players become obsessed with "good" stats. These players immediately give up on a character if he doesn't have a majority of above-average scores. There are even those who feel a character is hopeless if he does not have at least one ability of 17 or higher! Needless to say, these players would never consider playing a character with an ability score of 6 or 7.

In truth, Rath's survivability has a lot less to do with his ability scores than with your desire to role-play him. If you give up on him, of course he won't survive! But if you take an interest in the character and role-play him well, then even a character with the lowest possible scores can present a fun, challenging, and all-around exciting time. Does he have a Charisma of 5? Why? Maybe he's got an ugly scar. His table manners could be atrocious. He might mean well but always manage to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. He could be bluntly honest to the point of something not likely to endear him to most people. His Dexterity is a 3? Why? Is he naturally clumsy or blind as a bat?

Don't give up on a character just because he has a low score. Instead, view it as an opportunity to role-play, to create a unique and entertaining personality in game. Not only will you have fun creating that personality, but other players and the DM will have fun reacting to him.

[Player's Handbook]

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