Choosing Characteristics

A very important point to establish during the creation of your Roleplaying Game is the number and the Characteristics you will use. The decisive factor for this choice is the longevity you want for your RPG.

The Number of Characteristics

The number of Characteristics depends on many factors :

Choosing Characteristics

Very difficult! Choosing Characterisitics remains a problem because you must assess the relevance of each chosen Characteristic. Here is a comprehensive list of Characteristics and their meanings. We draw your attention ont the Characteristics "Weight/Size" and "Intelligence". We even give you various name for these Characteristics. If you dissociate those we gathered, it means that you will repeat a same Characteristic.

The Physical Characteristics

Strength

This Characteristic is used by all RPGs. It symbolizes the physical strength of the Character and determines the mawimum weight a Character can lift or carry. It may also determines the physical power the Character can release.

Agility - Vivacity

This Characteristic is often connected to Dexterity and that's a mistake.  In fact, it must represent the suppleness of the body and it's ability to walk with fluidity. Agility deterrmines the ability of the Character to move, receive himself after a fall, to free himself from shackles...

Dexterity - Skill

This Characteristic show the skill of a Character with his prehensile limbs (in the case of human : the hands). The greater the Dexterity is, the more easy manipulating various things will be, juggling, lockpicking ans so on...

Constitution - Vitality - Vigor - Health

This Characteristic shows the capacity of a Character to be hit, to resist diseases, radiations and poisons and sometimes, to spells. This Characteristic may be used to avoid to fall unconscious or to stay in apnea. It's also used to calculate the Hit Points of a Character.

Endurance

Often replaced by Constitution, Endurance should be used to show how long a Character can sustain an effort.

Rapidity - Speed

Obviously, this Characteristic determines the speed of a Character ans also his speed to accomplish certain actions. It may used to calculate the "Initiative" of the Character.

Appearence - Beauty

This informative Characteristic shows the physical beauty of a Character. It may be used in roleplay to influence the reactions of Non-Player Characters.

Size/Weight

Some RPGs uses the Size and/or weight as a Characteristic. However, we don't think it's a good idea because it can't really vbe translated through the Characteristic Sheet (in  term of rules). Size and/or weight may be used as informations and in precise circumstances (to cross a fragile bridge or to pass through a tight hole). Using it as a Characteristic seems superfluous.

The Mental Characteristics

Intuition - Sixth Sense

This Characteristic represents the ability of a Character to foresee a danger before it really happens (few seconds before!) or to feel invisible things to normal senses like a particular morbid atmosphere in a mansion where crimes were commited.

Memory

Obviously, this Characteristic represents the ability of a Character to remember things and events. It's also used for the photographic memory.

Charisma - Presence - Empathy - Communication

This Characteristic, especially social, represents the aura of the Character on other people. The greatest this Characteristic is, the most attractive the Character is. You can eventually separate these Characteristics as below : Charisma for relationship with one person, Presence for relationship with a group, Empathy for relationship with animals and Communication for the eloquence of the Character.

Will - Ego - Control

This Characteristic represents the ability of the Character to go on, not to be panic-stricken or not to faint in front of an horrible fact. It's the mental strength of the Character. It can be used to resist spells.

Wisdom - Mental Health - Equilibrium

It's the equilibrium of the Character, his ability not to go mad. It's used especially in cartesian worlds where Characters are confronted to paranormal events. Madness may catch Characters who are to weak in this Characteristic.

Instruction - Education

Obviously, this Characteristic represents the degree of education of the Character and the knowledges he acquired with time.

Vigilance - Perception

This Characteristic represents the attention of the Character toward his environment. We dissuade you to use Perception as a Characteristic. Use Vigilance, which we'll be used to calculate "Perception" as a skill, but don't use Perception as a Characteristic. Why? The Skills "Stealth" and "Shadowing" are always used as Skills. In many RPGs, Characteristics are very difficult to increase or even can't be increased at all. However, Skills can be increased. So, a Character with a great "Steealth" Skill can't be seen by a Character with a great Characteristic "Perception" and that even if the Character spent more Experience Points in "Perception" than whom who spent Experioence Points in "Stealth". That's illogical : it means that a Character who conceals himself becomes invisible! Use "Perception" as a Skill.

Intelligence

Very difficult problem is the Intelligence. According to us, such a Characteristic is stupid, because the Character is limited by the Players's own intelligence. How do you play a Character with an inhuman Intelligence? Quiet difficult! So if you want to be realistic, ban this Characteristic from your Character Sheet even if famour and official RPGs use it. Another problem, theoritically, a Player with an inhuman intelligence should ask the GM an Intelligence Roll to solve an enigma or an investigation. Every GM refuse, but theoritically, the GM msut answer if the test is successful. It's then no use writing enigma for a scenario because a simple Intelligence roll would solve it. Avoid the problem by banning this Characteristic from your RPG.

The Other Characteristics

Numerous Characteristics can be created for Magic or Extraterrestrial matters. Up to you!

Other questions about Characteristics? Send us an e-mail!