Ability Scores
Ability Scores are your skills manifest in danger.
- Strength (STR): Rolled for tests of muscle, stamina and brute force like climbing, lifting gates, bending bars, resisting poisons, etc.
- Dexterity (DEX): Rolled for tests of grace, skulking, balancing and reflexes like dodging, sneaking, balancing, etc.
- Willpower (WIL): Rolled for tests requiring force of mind, discipline and charm like resistance to magic, manipulating spells, encounter's reaction, etc. NPCs also use this stat for morale.
Increasing your Ability Scores
There are 3 ways to improve your Ability Score:
- A Class's Talent may allow a Ability Score to increase by +2.
- Artifacts can increase an Ability Score when worn/ in use.
- Rolling three 20s using the same Ability will raise that Ability up by 1.
No need for Dungeons and Dweebs "proficiency bonuses." The Ability Scores have been streamlined and simplified for less confusion when each is applicable (don't get me started on that dumb WIS vs INT tomato analogy from the internet).
No Intelligence Stat? You as a player are only as intelligent as you are. You can get around this to some degree if the game has significant skill-like mechanics your Intelligence score can influence, but an OSR game typically doesn't and "roll to see if your character figures it out" defeats the purpose of allowing for player agency.
No Constitution Stat? "Strength" and "Constitution" are practically synonymous. One cannot be strong but frail in frame. New players always find differentiating between CON and STR difficult anyways, so no more CON!
No Charisma Stat? To the designer's great dismay, Charisma, similar to Intelligence, removes player agency and kills roleplay encounters, dumbing it down to a single roll. Any other utilities offered by CHA are encompassed by WIL. So yes, CHA is a meme ability, but it is singlehandedly the worst "skill" to have in a RPG.
Note that if you can reasonably explain how you can use another Ability than the common one to avoid danger, the GM can allow you to roll against your desired score instead. For example, one could argue that it might be easier to simply hammer the rusty lock (STR) open than pick it (DEX). Perfectly valid - give it a roll!