Monday, May 21, 2012

Heroic Attributes

Today, we're going to discuss a little about Heroic Attributes. Before we do that, I wanted to clarify some terms you will be seeing pretty often in the game.

Statistics or Stats: These represent the actual numerical values assigned to your character, and include Size, Strength, Dexterity, Prowess and Appearance.

Senses: Sight, Hearing, Awareness, Memory and Cunning.

Derived Stats: These are stats which are derived from other stats. For example, in FORGED your Health is determined by adding your Size to your Strength, while Movement Rate is determined by adding Strength to Dexterity and dividing the sum by 10, rounding up at 0.5.

Skills: These are martial (combat-related) and non-martial proficiencies.

Heroic Attributes: These are the traits that define a Mortal Hero; setting him or her apart from common people. Heroic Attributes modify and enhance various Stats, Senses and Skills, but they are more than just numerical bonuses. They set the character above his or her peers, and allow for a much more in-depth customization for each Mortal Hero. Heroic Attributes have five ranks, each one more powerful than the one before it. These ranks are referred to as 'Bubbles' after the way you mark them on your character sheets, similar to 'Bubbles' of Mastery for Skills.

An example of a Heroic Attribute is Brawn. While any character may have a high Strength score, Brawn sets the bar for the truly mighty. Brawn grants bonuses to Strength checks, damage, and skill at using large weapons. The Stat bonuses do not raise the actual Statistic, they simply provide bonuses for checks against that Stat. A Mortal Hero who possessed a 14 Strength with one Bubble of Brawn would still have a 14 Strength for purposes of Derived Stats, but for all Strength checks he or she would roll as if the Strength Stat was a 16.

Heroic Attributes cost Hero Points, starting at five for the first Bubble. Each rank beyond the first costs two more character points; thus your second Bubble of Brawn would cost seven Hero Points (in addition to the five already spent), and so on. No more than one Bubble of any single Heroic Attribute may be purchased each Advancement Phase. Starting characters are granted one free Bubble that they may use for either Heroic Attributes or Mastery, and may purchase additional Bubbles with their starting Hero Point allotment.

Other Heroic Attributes are less easy to quantify. Take Command, for example. While Command likewise grants bonuses to certain Stats and Skills, it also grants the character the ability to inspire his or her comrades in battle, an ability that no one but those who possess Command can use.

I hope you have found this snippet about Heroic Attributes helpful in better understanding the rules of FORGED. Check back regularly for further tidbits on the system, and feel free to ask any questions you'd like.

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