Just about every die roll you make gets a bonus or penalty based on your character's abilities. A tough character has a better chance of surviving a freezin night on Hoth. A perceptive character is more likely to notice stormtroopers sneaking up from behind. A stupid character is less likely to find a concealed panel that leads to a secret cargo compartment. Your ability scores provide modifiers for rolls such as these.
Your character has six abilities: Strength (abbreviated Str), Dexterity (Dex), Constitution (Con), Intelligence (Int), Wisdom (Wis), and Charisma (Cha). Each of your character's above-average abilities gives you a benefit on certain die rolls, and each below-average ability gives you a disadvantage on other die rolls. You assign them to the abilities you like, raise and lower them according to your character's species, and then raise them as your character gains experience.
Your Ability Scores
To generate ability scores for your character, use the following method below.
Ability Modifiers
Each ability, after changes made because of species, has a modifier ranging from -5 to +15. The table below shows the modifiers for each possible score.
Score | Modifier | Score | Modifer |
1 | -5 | 22-23 | +6 |
2-3 | -4 | 24-25 | +7 |
4-5 | -3 | 26-27 | +8 |
6-7 | -2 | 28-29 | +9 |
8-9 | -1 | 30-31 | +10 |
10-11 | +0 | 32-33 | +11 |
12-13 | +1 | 34-35 | +12 |
14-15 | +2 | 36-37 | +13 |
16-17 | +3 | 38-39 | +14 |
18-19 | +4 | 40-41 | +15 |
20-21 | +5 | 42-43 | +16 |
You add the modifier to the die roll when your character tries to do something related to an ability.
For example, you add your Strength modifier to your roll when you try to hit someone with a vibroblade.
You also apply the modifier to some numbers that aren't die rolls; for instance, your Dexterity modifier applies to your Defense to determine how hard you are to hit in combat.
A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a negative modifier is called a penalty.
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 character's ability scores all start at 8. You have 25 (30 in the Force Campaign) points to spend to increase these scores, using the costs shown below. After you select your scores, apply any species modifiers.
Score | Cost | Score | Cost |
8 | 0 | 14 | 6 |
9 | 1 | 15 | 8 |
10 | 2 | 16 | 10 |
11 | 3 | 17 | 13 |
12 | 4 | 18 | 16 |
13 | 5 |
The Abilities
Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of your character's actions.
Changing Ability Scores
Over time, the ability scores your character starts with can change. Ability scores can increase with no limit.
- Add 1 point to any ability score at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level.
- Poisons, diseases, and other effects can cause temporary ability damage. Ability points lost to damage return naturally, typically at a rate of 1 point per day for each affected ability.
- As a character ages, some ability scores go up and others go down.
When an ability score changes, all attributes associated with that score change accordingly.
For example, Sia-Lan becomes a 4th-level Jedi Guardian, she decides to increase her Dexterity from 15 to 16. Now she's harder to hit, better at using ranged weapons, and all of her Dexterity-based skills improve as her Dexterity modifier increases.