Traits
Archaelund ❯ Character Development ❯ Stats • Races • Skills • Traits
Traits define the innate capabilities of player characters and are often a requisite to enter Careers or learning Open Talents. A value of 4 is considered average for Humans, while values of 8 or more are exceptional.
Strength
Physical might, ability to wield weapons in melee combat and to carry weight. Close-quarter warriors should have a decent Strength, especially those planning to wear armor. Most hand weapons require a Strength of 4, while 2-handed weapons often require 6+. For wearing leather armor, a value of 4 is recommended, while heavier armors require 7+.
Notable impact on:
- Melee Damage: +1 melee damage for each STR point above 4 (−1 melee damage for each STR point below 4)
- Armor Training: +1 Armor Training for each STR point above 4 (−1 Armor Training for each STR point below 4)
- Combat Proficiencies: (bonus/penalty for each STR point above/below 4)
- Hand Weapons (×4%)
- 2-Handed Weapons (×4%)
- Light Weapons (×2%)
- Skills: (bonus/penalty for each STR point above/below 4)
- Athletics (×4%)
Dexterity
Speed and coordination, use of weapons (especially ranged) and high mobility in the battlefield. A good Dexterity will also improve Dodge proficiency, which is useful for those not wearing heavy armor.
Notable impact on:
- Action Points: +1 AP for every 2 DEX points
- Movement Points: +1 MP gained at DEX 5, 7, 9, etc.
- Dodge: +5% for each DEX point above 4
- Combat Proficiencies: (bonus/penalty for each DEX point above/below 4)
- Light Weapons (×4%)
- Ranged Weapons (×4%)
- Unarmed Fighting (×4%)
- Hand Weapons (×2%)
- Skills: (bonus/penalty for each DEX point above/below 4)
- Athletics (×2%)
- Disarm Traps (×2%)
- Pick Locks (×2%)
- Alchemy (×2%)
- Crafting (×2%)
Endurance
Ability to stay alive and to keep going, used to calculate Health Points. Useful for any adventureer that intends to reach retirement age in one piece, but especially for those in the front battle lines.
Notable impact on:
- Health Points: Each END point grants a cumulative bonus to HP equal to the new trait value (5th point grants +5 HP, 6th point grants +6 HP, etc.)
- Combat Proficiencies: (bonus/penalty for each END point above/below 4)
- 2-Handed Weapons (×2%)
- Resistances:
- Vitality Resistance (half of maximum HP)
Awareness
Perceiving and reacting to surroundings. Awareness gives a bonus to ranged damage and to combat initiative, but also allows to detect hidden enemies or secrets. It also improves Dodge proficiency to a small degree.
Notable impact on:
- Action Points: +1 AP gained at AWA 4 and 8
- Initiative: Each AWA point above 4 is added to the Initiative roll (1...10) at the beginning of combat (each AWA point below 4 is subtracted instead)
- Ranged Damage: +1 ranged damage for each AWA point above 4 (−1 ranged damage for each AWA point below 4)
- Dodge: +2% for each AWA point above 4
- Combat Proficiencies: (bonus/penalty for each AWA point above/below 4)
- Ranged Weapons (×2%)
- Skills: (bonus/penalty for each AWA point above/below 4)
- Scouting (×4%)
- Disarm Traps (×4%)
- Human Insight (×4%)
- Spot Secrets (×4%)
- Maps & Charts (×2%)
- Survival (×2%)
- Deception (×2%)
- Mythology (×2%)
Personality
The ability to handle social situations (not everything is resolved by combat in Archaelund). It also contributes to Willpower in a small way.
Notable impact on:
- Willpower: +2 WP for each PER point above 4
- Enchantment: +4% for each PER point above 4
- Resistances:
- Spirit Resistance (PER×4%)
- Skills: (bonus/penalty for each PER point above/below 4)
- Deception (×4%)
- Diplomacy (×4%)
- Charisma (×4%)
- Healing & Herbs (×2%)
- Meditation (×2%)
Intellect
Important for offensive spellcasters because it increases Spell Power, thus improving the potency of spells (especially attack spells). But everyone will benefit from being a fast learner in the long run, as Intellect affects the XP modifier that makes a character level up faster (or slower).
Notable impact on:
- Spell Power: +2 SP for each INT point above 4
- Max. Spells: +1 for each INT point above 4
- Action Points: +1 AP gained at INT 4 and 8
- Experience: +1% XP for each INT point above 4
- Skills: (bonus/penalty for each INT point above/below 4)
- Healing & Herbs (×4%)
- Maps & Charts (×4%)
- Pick Locks (×4%)
- Alchemy (×4%)
- Ancient Lore (×4%)
- Mythology (×4%)
- Human Insight (×2%)
- Spot Secrets (×2%)
- Diplomacy (×2%)
- Runes & Arcana (×2%)
Self-Control
Determination and focus. Essential for spellcasters since it is the major factor to determine a character's Willpower, and thus how much magic a character can cast before needing to rest. Willpower is also important to resist mind effects such as fear.
Notable impact on:
- Willpower: +5 WP for each SLF point above 4 (−1 WP for each SLF point below 4)
- Combat Proficiencies: (bonus/penalty for each SLF point above/below 4)
- Unarmed Fighting (×2%)
- Skills: (bonus/penalty for each SLF point above/below 4)
- Survival (×4%)
- Crafting (×4%)
- Meditation (×4%)
- Runes & Arcana (×4%)
- Scouting (×2%)
- Charisma (×2%)
- Ancient Lore (×2%)