Each character has five core ability scores that define their essential traits. These are:
These abilities play a crucial role during gameplay, as they influence the outcome of the most important dice rolls: ability/skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.
A score of 0 represents an average level of ability—neither exceptional nor deficient. Characters with a 0 in an ability perform as a typical, untrained individual in that area.
Heroes are skilled in various abilities, each of which progresses through five distinct levels of proficiency. All skills start at the Novice level.
When a hero attempts to do something that isn’t trivial, they must perform an ability check.
The Architect decides when a roll is necessary, which ability or skill is involved, and sets the difficulty of the task.
| DC | Difficulty Description |
|---|---|
| 5 | Trivial - Routine actions a typical civilian succeeds at without thinking (walking a narrow path, recalling common knowledge). Failure is rare unless distracted or impaired. |
| 10 | Easy - Tasks that most civilians can accomplish with minimal effort or focus (climbing a short fence, basic first aid, noticing obvious danger). |
| 15 | Moderate - A standard challenge for trained individuals or starting heroes (bypassing a simple lock, tracking a suspect, holding your ground under fire). |
| 20 | Hard - Demands expert training or heroic capability (advanced hacking, precise combat maneuvers, resisting intense physical or mental stress). |
| 25 | Very Hard - Elite or superheroic feats that only specialists or powerful heroes perform reliably (outmaneuvering elite opponents, surviving extreme environments, complex battlefield tactics). |
| 30 | Nearly Impossible - Legendary or superhuman feats, achievable only under exceptional circumstances (stopping a speeding vehicle barehanded, outthinking master strategists mid-combat, enduring catastrophic force). |
During an ability check, you roll a 20-sided die and add the relevant ability. If the result equals or exceeds the DC, the task is considered successful.
Characters possess abilities, not skills by default.
Skills represent specialized training and are only listed on a character sheet if the character has invested training in them. If you are not trained in a skill, you make the check using only the relevant ability.
Example:
A superhero wants to hack a secure facility’s system to open a locked door. The character has no training in hacking, so she is considered a Novice in Hacking. She does not add a skill proficiency bonus. She uses her Wits ability, since hacking relies on technical knowledge and focus.
The roll:
1d20 + Wits modifier
Each skill, when trained, is linked to an ability:
These skills are only suggestions. Depending on your setting and world, the Architect may introduce additional skills as needed. The final decision on which ability modifier applies to a given skill always rests with the Architect.