SpiralWorlds Player’s Manual · Character Creation

Ability Scores

Strength · Dexterity · Constitution · Intelligence · Wisdom · Charisma

Ability scores are the six core numbers used by all three supported rules systems. The names are shared; the way you generate and adjust them is not. Choose the tab for your campaign and complete only that procedure.

Polyhedral roleplaying dice used to generate ability scores — Generate six scores, assign them to the six abilities, apply only the adjustments required by your edition, then record the final modifiers.

Do not mix editions. A 5.5e character does not apply Pathfinder or 3.5e racial ability modifiers or legacy bonus-spell tables. A Pathfinder or 3.5e character does not use 2024 background ability increases unless the Games Master has deliberately house-ruled them in.

The six abilities

What each score represents

Strength

Physical power, lifting, carrying and force.

Dexterity

Agility, reaction, balance and precision.

Constitution

Endurance, stamina and physical resilience.

Intelligence

Reasoning, memory, analysis and learning.

Wisdom

Perception, judgement, intuition and awareness.

Charisma

Presence, conviction, self-expression and influence.

Legacy individual ability pages

These older pages are retained for link continuity but are not yet fully edition-separated. Use the definitions and mechanics on this rebuilt chapter as authoritative until each child receives its own Player’s Manual pass.

Strength · Dexterity · Constitution · Intelligence · Wisdom · Charisma

Rules procedure

Generate and assign your scores

5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

D&D 5.5e / 2024

1. Generate six numbers. Use the method chosen by the Games Master:

Standard Array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
Random Generation: roll 4d6, discard the lowest die, total the highest three, and repeat until you have six numbers.
Point Cost: spend 27 points using the table below.

Score	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Cost	0	1	2	3	4	5	7	9

2. Assign the numbers. Place one score in each ability. Your class’s primary ability is normally a good place for one of your highest scores.

3. Apply background increases. Your 2024 background lists three abilities. Increase one of those by 2 and a different one by 1, or increase all three by 1. These increases cannot raise a score above 20.

Using older species or backgrounds: ignore older species ability-score increases. If an older background lacks ability-score adjustments, use the 2024 conversion rule supplied by the current rules rather than adding species bonuses.

4. Record ability modifiers. Use the shared modifier table below, then continue with the remaining character details.

Pathfinder 1e

Choose the generation method approved by the Games Master. Pathfinder 1e provides several official methods:

Standard: roll 4d6, discard the lowest die and total the other three; repeat six times and assign freely.
Classic: roll 3d6 six times.
Heroic: roll 2d6 + 6 six times.
Dice Pool: allocate a pool of 24d6, at least 3d6 to each ability, and total the best three dice in each group.
Purchase: begin at 10 in every ability and buy scores using the table below.

Score	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Cost	-4	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	5	7	10	13	17

Campaign	Purchase points
Low Fantasy	10
Standard Fantasy	15
High Fantasy	20
Epic Fantasy	25

After generation: assign the scores, then apply the Pathfinder racial ability modifiers for the chosen race/people. These adjustments happen after the base scores are generated or purchased.

Pathfinder spellcasters may gain bonus spells from high spellcasting ability scores. That is a Pathfinder rule and should remain inside the PF1e build.

D&D 3.5e

Use the generation method chosen by the Dungeon Master. A common standard method is to roll 4d6, discard the lowest die, total the highest three and repeat until you have six scores, then assign them to the six abilities.

After the base scores are assigned, apply the racial ability adjustments required by the chosen 3.5e race. Do not substitute Pathfinder’s purchase totals or later racial revisions unless the Dungeon Master explicitly uses them.

High spellcasting abilities can affect spell access and bonus spells in 3.5e. Use the 3.5e spellcasting rules for the character’s class; do not apply the legacy bonus-spell table to 5.5e.

Finally, record the modifiers from the shared table below.

Shared arithmetic

Ability modifiers

For ordinary ability modifiers, all three supported systems use the familiar progression below. The modifier is the number added to many checks, attacks, saves and other derived statistics.

Score	1	2–3	4–5	6–7	8–9	10–11	12–13	14–15	16–17	18–19	20–21
Modifier	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	+0	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5

For a score not shown, subtract 10, divide by 2 and round down.

Player guidance

Put the scores where the character needs them

Primary abilityGive a strong score to the ability that drives the class’s main attacks, spellcasting or core features.

SurvivalConstitution commonly affects hit points or physical endurance. Dexterity, Wisdom and other abilities may also strongly affect defence depending on edition and class.

ConceptUse the remaining scores to support the person you meant to create. A scholarly fighter, intimidating rogue or physically frail wizard can all work if the mechanics still support the class’s basic job.

WeaknessYou do not need six high scores. A deliberate weak score gives the character limits and gives other party members room to matter.

Scores do not write the personality. Low Strength does not mean cowardice. Low Intelligence does not mean lack of education or practical expertise. Low Wisdom does not require immorality. Low Charisma does not mean ugliness. Use the number for its game effects, then decide the character’s personality yourself.

Before moving on

Ability-score checklist

The campaign edition is fixed.
The Games Master’s approved generation method was used.
All six scores are assigned.
Only edition-correct background or racial adjustments were applied.
Final ability modifiers are recorded.
The class’s primary ability is high enough for the intended build.
Any spellcasting ability is identified.
No PF1e/3.5e bonus-spell rule has been applied to 5.5e.

Back to Character Creation Related: Choose Your People Related: Choose Your Class

Sources and licensing

Rules sources

SRD 5.2.1 attribution: This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

Legacy Open Game Content notice

Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e mechanical material is Open Game Content only to the extent that it derives from material released as Open Game Content under the Open Game License version 1.0a. SpiralWorlds setting material, examples, artwork, CSS and editorial presentation are excluded.