Just about every die roll you make is going to get a bonus or penalty based on your characters abilities. A tough character has a better chance of surviving a freezing night on Hoth. A perceptive character is more likely to noticed stormtoopers sneaking up from behind. A stupid character is less likey to find a concealed panel that leads to a secret cargo compartment. Your ability scores tell you what your modifiers are for such roles as these.
Your character has six abilities: Strength (Str), Dexterity (Dex), Constitution (Con), Intelligence (Int), Wisdom (Wis), and Charisma (abbreviated Cha).
Each of your characters above-average abilities give you a benefit on certain die rolls, and each below-average ability gives you a disadvantage on other die rolls. You roll your scores randomly, assign them to the abilities you like, raise and lower them according to your characters species, and then raise them as your character advances in experience.
Your Ability Scores
To create an ability score for your character, roll four six-sided dice (4d6). Disregard the lowest die and total the three dice.
This gives you a number between 3 (horrible) and 18 (tremendous). The average ability score for the typical galactic citizen is 10 or 11, but your character is not typical. The most common ability scores for player characters (heroes) are 12 and 13. (The average hero is above average.)
Make this roll six times, recording the result each time on a piece of paper. Once you have all six scores, assign each score to one of your six abilities. At this step, you need to know what kind of person your character is going to be, including his species and class, in order to know where best to place your characters ability scores. Remember that choosing a species other than human can cause some of these ability scores to change (see Species Ability Adjustments).
| Ability Modifiers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Modifier | Score | Modifier | Score | Modifier |
| 1 | −5 | 12-13 | +1 | 24-25 | +7 |
| 2-3 | −4 | 14-15 | +2 | 26-27 | +8 |
| 4-5 | −3 | 16-17 | +3 | 28-29 | +9 |
| 6-7 | −2 | 18-19 | +4 | 30-31 | +10 |
| 8-9 | −1 | 20-21 | +5 | etc… | etc… |
| 10-11 | 0 | 22-23 | +6 | ||
Ability Modifiers
Each ability, after changes made because of species, has a −5 to +5 modifier. Table "Ability Modifiers" shows the modifier for each ability, based on its score.
The modifier is the number you add to or subtract from the die roll when your character tries to do something related to that ability. For instance, you add or subtract your Strength modifier to your roll when you try to hit someone with a vibroblade. You also apply the modifier to some numbers that arent die rolls, such as when you add or subtract your Dexterity modifier to your Reflex Defense. A positive modifier is called a bonus and a negative modifier is called a penalty.
Rerolling
If your scores are too low, you may scrap them and reroll all six scores. Your scores are considered too low if your total modifiers (before changes according to species) are 0 or less, or if your highest score is 13 or lower.
| Planned Generation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Cost | Score | Cost | Score | Cost |
| 8 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 10 |
| 9 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 17 | 13 |
| 10 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 16 |
| 11 | 3 | 15 | 8 | ||
Planned Generation
Instead of rolling dice, you may select the scores you want by using the planned generation method. This requires a bit more thought and effort on your part, since you need to know what kind of character you want to play so you can select your scores appropriately. Determine your species and class beforehand, then select your scores as outlined below.
Your characters ability scores all start at 8. You have 25 points to spend to increase these scores, using the costs shown below in Table "Planned Generation". After you select your scores, apply any species modifiers.
Standard Score Package
The third method of determining ability scores is the standard score package, a balanced mix of scores designed to quickly create hero characters. Assign the scores to the abilities as you like. After you assign your scores, apply species modifiers.
The standard score package is: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8.
The Abilities
Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of your character’s actions.
Strength
Strength measures your characters muscle and physical power. This ability is especially important for soldiers because it helps them prevail in physical combat.
You apply your characters Strength modifier to:
Dexterity
Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance. This ability is the most important ability for scoundrels, but its also high on the list for characters who want to be good shots with ranged weapons (such as blaster pistols) or who want to handle the controls of a starship or speeder fairly well.
You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to:
- Ranged attack rolls, such as with blasters.
- Reflex Defense, provided the character can react to the attack.
- The following skill checks where Dexterity is they key ability:
Constitution
Constitution represents your characters health and stamina. Constitution adds to a heros hit points, so it’s important for everyone, but most important for soldiers and Jedi.
You apply your Constitution modifier to:
- Each die roll for gaining additional hit points (though a penalty can never drop a hit point roll below 1; a character always gains at least 1 hit point each time they go up a level).
- Fortitude Defense, for resisting poison, radiation, and similar threats.
- The Endurance skill with Constitution as the key ability.
If a characters Constitution changes, their hit points should also increase or decrease accordingly.
A character with a high Intelligence score is curious, knowledgable, and probe to using big words. A charactger with a high Intelligence but low Wisdom may be smart but absent-minded, or knowledgable but lacking in commons sense. A character with high Intelligence but a low charisma may be a know-it-all or a reclusive scholar. The smart character lacking in both Wisdom and Charisma usually puts their foot in their mouth.
A character with a low Intelligence mispronounces and misuses words, has trouble following directions, or fails to get the joke.
A character with a high Wisdom score may be sensible, serene, “in tune,” alert, or centered. A charaxcter with a high Wisdom but a low Intelligence may be aware, but sinmple. A character with a high Wisdom but a low Charisma knows enough to speak carefully and may become an adviser or “power behind the throne” rather than a leader.
A character with a low Wisdom score may be rash, imprudent, irresponsible, or “out of it.”
A character with a hifh Charisma may be beautiful, handsome, striking, personable, and confident. A character with a high Charisma but a low Intelligence can usually pass themselves off as knowledgable, until they meet a true expert. A charismatic character with a low Wisdom may be popular, but they don't know who their real friends are.
A character with a low Charisma may be reserved, gruff, rude, fawning, or simply nondescript.
Intelligence
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. Intelligence is important for scouts, nobles, and any character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills and languages.
You apply your Intelligence modifier to:
- The number of languages your character knows at the start of the game.
- The number of trained skills you start with.
- The following skill checks with Intelligence as the key ability:
Beasts have Intelligence scores of 1 or 2. Sentient creatures have scores of at least 3.
When a characters Intelligence score permanently increases or decreases, its number of trained skills and known languages also changes. For example, if Pauls Wookiee scout increases his Intelligence from 13 to 14, his Int modifier goes from +1 to +2. Paul’s Wookiee gains one new trained skill (chose from his class skills) and one new language. The Wookiee’s greater Intelligence allows him to utilize things he had learned but never before applied properly.
Wisdom
Every creature has a Wisdom score. Wisdom describes a characters willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. Compared to Intelligence, Wisdom is more related to being in tune with and aware of ones surroundings, while Intelligence represents one’s ability to analyze information. An absentminded professor has a low Wis score and a high Int score. A simpleton with a low intelligence might nevertheless have great insight (high Wis). Wisdom is the most important ability for scout], but its also important to characters wishing to be in-tune with their environment or characters who like to gamble. If you want your character to have keen senses, put a high score in Wisdom.
You apply your character’s Wisdom modifier to:
- Will Defense, generally for resisting certain Force attacks.
- The number of Force powers you learn when you take the Force Training feat.
- The following skill checks with Wisdom as the key ability:
When a Force-using characters Wisdom score increases or decreases, their number of known Force powers also change. For every instance of the Force Training feat that you have, you gain one Force power (or an additional use of an already-known Force power) for every point by which your Wis modifier increases. If you instead suffer a permanent reduction in your Wis modifier, you lose access to the same number of Force powers; you must choose which Force powers (or extra uses of the same Force power) you lose.
Charisma
Every creature has a Charisma score. Charisma measures a characters’ force personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. It represents actual strength of personality and force of presence, not merely how others perceive you in a social setting. Charisma is most important for nobles and Jedi.
You apply your Charisma modifier to the following skill checks with Charisma as the key ability:
Changing Ability Scores
Over time, your character’s ability scores can change. Ability scores can increase without limit.
- At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level, an heroic character increases two ability scores by 1 point each.
- As a character ages, some ability scores go up and others go down. See Aging Effects for details.
When an ability score changes, all attributes associated with that score change accordingly. For example, when Sia-Lan becomes a 4th level Jedi, she increases her Dexterity from 15 to 16 and increases her Charisma from 13 to 14. She’s now harder to hit, better at using ranged weapons, and all her Dexterity-based and Charisma-based skills improve as well.