Version: 0.8

Chapter 3: Attributes

Attributes are one of the three fundamental pillars of character definition in the game, alongside skills and talents. They represent a character’s inherent qualities and capabilities, providing a baseline for their abilities and influencing how they interact with the world.

Attributes are divided into four main categories:

• Primary Attributes: Core attributes that define a character’s physical and mental/social capabilities, further subdivided into Physical and Mental/Social attributes.
• Secondary Attributes: Special attributes applicable only to mages, runners, and major NPCs, with Essence being intrinsic to all living beings.
• Derived Attributes: Values like health and stamina are calculated from primary attributes.
• Defensive Attributes: Derived from primary attributes, these provide resistance to various forms of attack.

Primary attributes

Eight primary attributes define a character, split evenly between physical and mental/social categories.

Characters with high Strength and Vitality are physically powerful and resilient. Strength contributes to offensive actions, while Vitality ensures endurance and recovery.

Agility and Dexterity balance speed and precision. Agility governs movement and evasion, while Dexterity focuses on fine motor control and tool or weapon handling.

Cunning and Intellect represent mental sharpness. Cunning governs tactical thinking and adaptability, while Intellect covers broader knowledge and analytical ability.

Resolve and Presence balance inner strength and external influence. Resolve denotes mental toughness, while Presence allows a character to lead, inspire, and influence others.

Attribute Rankings (0 to 10+):

·         0 – Absent: You cannot perform tasks related to this attribute.

·         1 – Weak: Below average; related tasks are difficult.

·         2 – Below Average: Slight deficiency; tasks require extra effort.

·         3 – Average - Low: Lower end of normal; can handle tasks but may struggle.

·         4 – Average - Typical Human: Standard level; no particular difficulty in related tasks.

·         5 – Above Average: Slightly better than average; excels in relevant tasks.

·         6 – Noticeably Superior: Clearly above average; recognized for strength in this area.

·         7 – Exceptional: Far above average; highly capable and often regarded as gifted.

·         8 – Near-Superhuman: Nearly unmatched; performs feats most find impossible.

·         9 – Superhuman: Far beyond human norms; performs with incredible ability.

·         10 – Peak of Human Potential: Achieves the absolute maximum for humans.

·         11+ – Beyond Human Limits: Surpasses human potential, entering the realm of the extraordinary or supernatural.

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Strength (ST)

Represents raw physical power and the ability to exert force. Affects actions like lifting, breaking objects, and physical combat.

Role in Character: High Strength indicates dominance in brute force and physical feats. These characters can overpower opponents and perform tasks requiring considerable muscle.

Vitality (VI)

Reflects overall health, endurance, and resilience. Determines how well a character can withstand physical stress, recover from injuries, and resist illness.

Role in Character: High Vitality denotes robust health and stamina, allowing characters to endure prolonged physical activity and recover quickly from setbacks.

Agility (AG)

Represents speed, coordination, and graceful movement. Affects how quickly a character acts, evades, or performs acrobatic feats.

Role in Character: High Agility allows characters to move nimbly, evade attacks, and perform complex movements with ease. It is crucial for roles that require quick reflexes and precision.

Dexterity (DX)

Measures skill and precision in tasks requiring fine motor control, such as lock-picking, crafting, or using delicate tools and weapons.

Role in Character: High Dexterity suggests expertise in tasks requiring hand-eye coordination and finesse, making the character proficient in using weapons and tools with great accuracy.

MENTAL/SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES

Cunning (CU)

Reflects strategic thinking, cleverness, and the ability to outwit opponents. Governs awareness, quick thinking, and resourcefulness.

Role in Character: High Cunning indicates a character adept at manipulation, tactical planning, and problem-solving. They excel in navigating complex situations and spotting opportunities.

Intellect (IN)

Measures knowledge, reasoning, and analytical skills. Governs how well a character learns, understands concepts, and solves intellectual challenges.

Role in Character: High Intellect reflects deep knowledge and strategic thinking, making characters capable of solving problems that require insight and education.

Resolve (RE)

Represents mental fortitude, determination, and the ability to withstand psychological stress. Affects persistence and resistance to coercion.

Role in Character: High Resolve means a character is strong-willed and able to endure emotional and psychological challenges. They are determined and less likely to succumb to external pressures.

Presence (PR)

Reflects a character’s aura, charisma, and ability to influence others. Governs leadership, charm, and making a lasting impression.

Role in Character: High Presence enables a character to captivate and lead others, excelling in roles that require persuasion and leadership. They make strong impressions and can command attention in social situations.

Secondary attributes

Secondary attributes represent unique or rare qualities that apply only to certain types of characters, such as runners, magic users, or exceptional individuals. Most ordinary people have a value of 0 in all secondary attributes except for Essence. Only runners and other exceptional individuals have Edge, and only magic-using characters have Magic or Resonance scores. Essence is unique in that all living things have some amount of Essence, but pure machines do not.

Edge (EDG)

Edge represents a character’s luck, their ability to tap into extraordinary outcomes or avoid potential disasters. It measures the character’s capacity to influence the odds in their favor during critical moments.

Role in Character: Characters with high Edge experience more favorable outcomes in high-pressure situations. Edge can be used to reroll failed checks, enhance the success of an action, or occasionally allow the character to perform beyond their normal abilities. It is a crucial resource for overcoming challenges that require a little luck or pushing the limits of what’s possible.

Calculation: Edge is typically determined during character creation and may be influenced by a character’s background or experience. Most NPCs do not have Edge. Humans, however, have an inherent advantage and gain +1 Edge compared to other species, reflecting their adaptability and resourcefulness.

Essence (ESS)

Essence measures a character’s connection to their innate humanity or true self, particularly in the context of technological or magical enhancements. Essence represents the purity of one’s being and influences how much a character can be altered by cybernetic implants or other modifications before losing their essential human qualities.

Role in Character: High Essence indicates that a character is largely unmodified and maintains a strong connection to their natural self. Characters with high Essence experience fewer penalties related to technological or magical interference. Conversely, low Essence indicates heavy augmentation or magical tampering, which might grant powerful abilities but at the cost of personal vulnerability, reduced humanity, or susceptibility to certain magical effects. Essence is also critical for magic users, as reduced Essence limits their ability to perform magic effectively.

Calculation: Essence starts at a base value (typically 6 for unmodified humans and metahumans) and decreases based on the amount of cybernetic augmentation or drastic magical alteration a character undergoes.

Magic (MAG)

Magic represents a character’s inherent magical ability or affinity with the mystical forces in the world. It governs the character’s capacity to perform spells, rituals, or other magical actions. Magic is essential for characters who wield magical powers, whether through learned spells, innate magical talents, or ritualistic practices.

Role in Character: Characters with a high Magic attribute can perform powerful spells and access deeper realms of magical knowledge. They are more effective in casting, sustaining, and controlling magical effects. Conversely, characters with low or no Magic have no access to mystical powers and are unaffected by magical limitations or penalties. A reduction in Essence (from cyberware, for example) directly reduces a character’s Magic rating, making Essence critical for maintaining magical prowess.

Calculation: Magic is typically equal to the character’s Essence (for magically active characters), but it may vary depending on their training, background, or magical traditions. Cybernetic or technological augmentation that reduces Essence will also decrease Magic.

Resonance (RES)

Resonance represents a character’s connection to the digital world, particularly for those with a deep affinity for the Matrix and other advanced digital environments. Resonance is critical for technomancers—individuals who can manipulate the digital world in ways others cannot.

Role in Character: Characters with a high Resonance score can interface with the Matrix in unique and powerful ways, using their abilities to manipulate data, control machines, and perform feats that go beyond traditional hacking. Resonance governs the use of special abilities like threading complex programs or interacting with digital entities without the need for physical hardware. Similar to Magic, Resonance is deeply tied to a character’s Essence—cyberware and technological augmentation can disrupt a character’s connection to Resonance, reducing their abilities in this area.

Calculation: Resonance is typically based on the character’s natural abilities as a technomancer and is also linked to their Essence. Like Magic, if a character’s Essence is reduced by technological augmentation, their Resonance will decrease accordingly.

Derived attributes

Derived attributes are calculated from a combination of primary attributes and reflect key aspects of a character’s ability to function in combat and stressful situations. These attributes include initiative, health, and stamina, all of which are critical for survival and success in the game world.

Initiative (NT)

Initiative represents a character’s ability to act quickly and decisively in high-pressure situations, combining physical agility with mental sharpness. Characters with high Initiative can assess and react to danger faster than others, allowing them to act before their opponents.

Role in Character: High Initiative gives a character the upper hand in combat and fast-paced situations, allowing them to act first, set the pace, and potentially avoid or mitigate danger before it escalates. It’s especially important for characters focused on quick reflexes, such as those engaged in combat or fast decision-making roles.

Calculation: 2x Agility + Cunning.

Health (HT)

Health represents a character’s overall physical condition and resilience to damage. It measures how much physical harm a character can endure before incapacitation or serious injury.

Role in Character: High Health allows a character to withstand more physical punishment and recover more effectively from injuries. This is essential for characters expected to engage in combat or survive dangerous environments, making them tougher and harder to take down in physical confrontations.

Calculation: 12 + Strength + 2x Vitality.

Stamina (SM)

Stamina reflects a character’s ability to maintain both physical and mental effort over long periods. It combines endurance, willpower, and mental resilience to measure how well a character can push through fatigue and stress.

Role in Character: High Stamina allows characters to persist in extended physical activities or high-stress mental challenges. It is vital for characters who need to remain effective during prolonged battles, intense physical exertion, or situations requiring mental toughness and concentration over time.

Magic and the Matrix: Stamina is essential for mages who cast spells and plan to interact with the Astral in any way and for deckers and technomancers who plan to do intrusive netruns.

Calculation: 12 + 2x Vitality + Resolve.

Size (SZ)

Size determines the physical dimensions of a character or creature, impacting combat, movement, and interactions with the environment. Each size category has specific mechanics that affect how characters engage in combat, hide, and occupy space.

Medium size: Humans, Orks, Elves, Dwarves

·         Standard size with no special modifiers.

Large size: Trolls

·         Advantage on Ranged attacks against them due to their large size.

·         Disadvantage on Stealth because their bulk makes it harder to hide or move silently.

Speed (SD)

Speed represents a character’s movement rate during combat or exploration. While movement is abstracted, it helps to compare against a standard movement scale. The following values are typical for each race, with 12 meters per round being the human standard.

·         Humans: 12 meters per round.

·         Orks: 12 meters per round.

·         Dwarves: 10 meters per round (slightly slower due to shorter stature).

·         Elves: 14 meters per round (more agile and graceful than other races).

·         Trolls: 16 meters per round (despite their size, trolls move quickly to close the distance in combat, but their size creates significant disadvantages in stealth and makes them easier targets).

Defensive attributes

Defensive attributes (aka defenses) are crucial in mitigating or avoiding damage and other adverse effects during combat. Each type of defense protects against specific forms of attacks.

Dodge (DGE)

Represents a character’s agility and capability to evade both melee and ranged attacks, making it harder for opponents to land a successful hit.

Formula: 14 + AG (Agility) + CU (Cunning)

Note that ranged attacks also have a Target Number derived from range, movement, visibility modifiers, and cover. Use whichever value is higher (dodge typically only comes into play if you have exceptional reflexes and/or the range is short and there is no cover).

Parry (PRY)

Indicates a character’s ability to deflect or block incoming melee using weapons or unarmed techniques. If you’re a physical adept or armed with a melee weapon, this is likely your primary line of defense against melee attacks.

Formula: 14 + Brawl or Melee skill (depending on whether you’re armed or not)

Composure (CMP)

Composure is a character’s ability to maintain their calm and poise under social pressure. It is primarily used to resist social “attacks,” such as bluffs, feints, intimidation, or manipulation.

Formula: 14 + CU (Cunning) + PR (Presence)

Discipline (DSP)

Reflects a character’s mental fortitude and willpower, crucial for resisting mental attacks, magical compulsions and fear effects, or other forms of psychological pressure. If the source of the effect is more social in nature, such as a gang trying to intimidate you, use Composure instead.

Formula: 14 + RE (Resolve) + PR (Presence)

Resilience (RSL)

Measures a character’s toughness and endurance, used to resist effects like knockdowns, physical debuffs, or sustained damage.

Formula: 14 + ST (Strength) + VI (Vitality)

Active defenses

When the GM asks you to "roll defense," they’re referring to an active defense—the game’s version of a saving throw. Instead of the attacker (typically the GM) rolling against your defense (such as Dodge, Parry, etc.), you roll to match or exceed a Target Number (TN) or the attacker’s roll. This keeps the focus on the player and reduces GM workload, while maintaining the same hit chances as the static system.

Active defenses are used not only in combat but also to resist various harmful effects. For instance, you might be asked to make a Dodge check to avoid an environmental hazard or roll Resilience to resist the effects of a poison or electrical discharge.

How Active Defenses Work

Each defense roll is calculated using the following formula:

2d10 + attribute bonuses

The TN you need to beat varies depending on the attack or effect. Below are the different types of defenses, their calculations, and an example of when each might be used.

Dodge (DGE)

Represents your ability to evade melee or ranged attacks.

Formula:
2d10 + AG (Agility) + CU (Cunning)

Example:
The GM asks you to make a Dodge check vs. TN 16 to avoid falling debris. If your AG is 3 and CU is 2, you would roll 2d10 + 3 + 2. If the result equals or exceeds 23, you successfully dodge the debris.

Parry (PRY)

Measures your ability to block or deflect melee attacks using weapons or unarmed techniques.

Formula:
2d10 + Brawl or Melee skill (depending on whether you're unarmed or wielding a weapon)

Example:
Parry, as an active defense, comes into play only rarely. Continuing from the dodge example above, if you were holding a door or a riot shield, you might be allowed to use that to deflect the falling debris instead of dodging but this is a corner case.

Composure (CMP)

Reflects your ability to remain calm under social pressure, bluffs, or manipulation.

Formula:
2d10 + CU (Cunning) + PR (Presence)

Example:
The GM asks you to make a Composure roll vs. TN 20 to resist being intimidated by a gang leader. With a CU of 5 and PR of 4, you roll 2d10 + 5 + 4. If your roll beats 20, you remain composed under pressure.

Discipline (DSP)

Represents your mental resilience and ability to resist magical, mental, or psychological attacks.

Formula:
2d10 + RE (Resolve) + PR (Presence)

Example:
A mage attempts to cast a fear spell on you, and the GM calls for a Discipline check vs. TN 15. If your RE is 4 and PR is 3, you roll 2d10 + 4 + 3. Beating the TN means you resist the spell’s effects.

Resilience (RSL)

Measures your physical toughness and ability to withstand damage, debuffs, or hazardous conditions.

Formula:
2d10 + ST (Strength) + VI (Vitality)

Example:
You’re hit by a powerful electrical shock, and the GM asks for a Resilience check vs. TN 20 to avoid being knocked out. With ST of 8 and VI of 8, you roll 2d10 + 8 + 8. If the roll beats TN, you endure the shock without losing consciousness.