Buy me a coffee2) Determine Ability Scores
“Ability Scores” – Start by generating your character’s ability scores. These six scores determine your character’s most basic attributes and are used to decide a wide variety of details and statistics. Some class selections require you to have better than average scores for some of your abilities. There are several methods to choose from for generating these scores so consult your GM to determine which method he is using.
If your GM is using a point buy method, the point amounts and costs of attributes are included at right for your convenience.
Note: Your choice of race will offer one or more bonuses to apply to your Ability Scores.
Point Buy: If you will be using a “point-buy” method, the two following tables include the costs of purchasing ability scores.
ABILITY SCORES
ABILITY MODIFIERS
Each ability, after changes made because of race, has a modifier ranging from -5 to +5. Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells shows the modifier for each score. It also shows bonus spells, which you’ll need to know about if your character is a spellcaster.
The modifier is the number you apply to the die roll when your character tries to do something related to that ability. You also use the modifier with some numbers that aren’t die rolls. A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a negative modifier is called a penalty.
THE ABILITIES
| Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells | |||||||||||
| ———– Bonus Spells (by Spell Level) ———– | |||||||||||
| Score | Modifier | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
| 1 | -5 | ———– Can’t cast spells tied to this ability ——— | |||||||||
| 2-3 | -4 | ———– Can’t cast spells tied to this ability ——— | |||||||||
| 4-5 | -3 | ———– Can’t cast spells tied to this ability ——— | |||||||||
| 6-7 | -2 | ———– Can’t cast spells tied to this ability ——— | |||||||||
| 8-9 | -1 | ———– Can’t cast spells tied to this ability ——— | |||||||||
| 10-11 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 12-13 | +1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 14-15 | +2 | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 16-17 | +3 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 18-19 | +4 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 20-21 | +5 | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| 22-23 | +6 | – | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| 24-25 | +7 | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| 26-27 | +8 | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 28-29 | +9 | – | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 30-31 | +10 | – | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 32-33 | +11 | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 34-35 | +12 | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 36-37 | +13 | – | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 38-39 | +14 | – | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 40-41 | +15 | – | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 42-43 | +16 | – | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 44-45 | +17 | – | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| etc. . |
ABILITIES AND SPELLCASTERS
The ability that governs bonus spells depends on what type of spellcaster your character is: Intelligence for wizards; Wisdom for clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers; or Charisma for sorcerers and bards. In addition to having a high ability score, a spellcaster must be of high enough class level to be able to cast spells of a given spell level.
Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of his or her actions.