Contents

  1. Primary attributes
  2. Secondary attributes
  3. Primary stats
    1. Introduction
    2. Strength
    3. Intelligence
    4. Wisdom
    5. Dexterity
    6. Constitution
    7. Charisma
  4. Primary skills
  5. Intrinsic racial skills
  6. Experience
  7. Money
  8. Possessions
    1. Inventory
    2. Weapons
    3. Armor and Armor Class (AC)
  9. Hit Points (HP)
  10. Sanity (SN)
  11. Mana (aka spell points or SP)
  12. Piety (Pt)
  13. Characteristics with little or no effect on gameplay

Primary attributes

Each character has four primary attributes: gender, race, race modifer, and class. These are chosen before the character is generated. Most of these are fixed for the entire life of that character. These attributes have many effects, which will be mentioned as they come up. Keep in mind that in the current version of ToME, your choice of race may restrict your choice of class.

Secondary attributes

Each character has a few secondary attributes, height, weight, social class, and background history, which are randomly determined, but which are affected by the gender and race of the character. In general, these attributes are only used to provide "flavor" to the character, to assist in the role playing, but they do have a few minor effects on the game. For example, background history affects social class, which affects the amount of money the character will start with.

to the top

Primary stats

Introduction

Each character also has six primary statistics, or "stats" as they are more commonly called:

strength

STR

intelligence

INT

wisdom

WIS

dexterity

DEX

constitution

CON

charisma

CHR

By default, primary statistics are represented in a linear way rather than a percentile way. You can change to percentile via the game option sequence '=', '5' (ToME options), arrow down to 'stats are represented in a linear way', and type 'n' for no. Don't forget to save your options when you are done.

If you wish to leave them turned on, see the conversion table listed under Game Concepts in FrequentlyAskedQuestions to translate the discussion below.

These stats modify the abilities of the character in a variety of ways. Every stat has a numerical value, ranging from a minimum of 3 up to a normal maximum of 18, and even higher, into the "percentile" range, represented as "18/01" through "18/100". Actually, every stat can be raised even above 18/100 by magical means, up to a pure maximum of 18/220, which is represented as "18/***". Traditionally, a percentile stat such as "18/50" has been though of as representing a value part way between 18 and 19, and this is one way to think of them. However, often, the best way to view the "bonus" values after the "18/" is as "tenth" points, since it often takes the same magic to raise a stat from, say, 4 to 5, or 16 to 17, as it does from, say, 18/40 to 18/50. The important thing to remember is that almost all internal calculations "ignore" the final digit of any "bonus", so that, for example, "18/40" and "18/49" always have the same effects. During character generation, each stat is rolled out as a number from 8 to 17, with a normal distribution, and is then immediately modified based on the race and class of the character.

Strength

Strength is important in fighting with weapons and in melee combat. A high strength can improve your chances of hitting as well as the amount of damage done with each hit. Characters with low strengths may receive penalties. Strength is also useful in tunnelling and in carrying heavy items.

Intelligence

Intelligence affects the spellcasting abilities of mage-like spellcasters, mages, rangers, and rogues. Intelligence will affect the number of spells you may learn each level as well as the number of spell points you receive. A high intelligence may also improve your chances of successfully casting a spell. You cannot learn spells if your intelligence is 7 or lower. A good intelligence can also help with using magic devices, picking locks, and disarming traps.

Wisdom

The primary function of wisdom is to determine the ability of a priest or paladin to use prayers, just like intelligence affects spellcasting. Again, high wisdom will increase the number of spell points you have and increase the number of prayers you can learn each level, while improving the chance that a prayer will be successful. A good wisdom can also help to improve your chances of resisting magical spells cast upon you by monsters.

Dexterity

Dexterity is a combination of agility and quickness. A high dexterity may allow a character to get multiple blows with lighter weapons, thus greatly increasing his kill power, and will increase his chances of hitting with any weapon and dodging blows from enemies. Dexterity is also useful in picking locks, disarming traps, and protecting yourself from some of the thieves that inhabit the dungeons.

Constitution

Constitution is a character's ability to resist damage to his body, and to recover from damage received. Therefore a character with a high constitution will receive more hit points and also recover them faster while resting.

Charisma

Charisma represents a character's personality and physical appearance. A character with a high charisma will receive better prices from store owners, whereas a character with a very low charisma may be robbed blind. A high charisma will also mean more starting money for the character.

Primary skills

Each character also has several primary "skills", disarming, magic device skill, saving throws, stealth, searching ability, searching frequency, fighting skill, and shooting skill, which are derived from the character's race, class, level, stats, and current equipment. These skills have rather obvious effects, but will be described more completely below.

Intrinsic racial skills

Each character may have one or more "intrinsic racial skills", based on the race of the character. They may include special resistances, abilities such as infravision, or even activatable powers (via the "U" command) such as food creation.

Experience

Each character has experience points (aka XP), a number which increases as the character becomes more experienced, and a character level, which is based on experience, race and class. As experience rises, so does the character level. With each new character level, your character gains Skill Points to spend as he/she wishes. This expenditure will increase his/her ability to perform assorted tasks.

It is possible for certain enemies to drain your experience and/or your character level away. You will not lose Skill Points you have already earned, but you will also not gain additional Skill Points until you achieve the next character level. Luckily, you can restore drained experience through magical means, or by simply regaining the experience all over again.

to the top

Money

Money in ToME is referred to in gold pieces, also frequently abbreviated as AU (the chemical symbol for gold.)

Each character starts with some gold, which can be used to buy items from the shops in town. Additionally, gold can be obtained by several means:

Each character starts out with some gold. The amount you start with is based on social class (higher is better), charisma (higher is better), and some other stats (less powerful characters start with more gold).

to the top

Possessions

Initial possessions may consist of three things: a weapon, armor, and other items. Depending on race and class, you may have only one or some of these.

Inventory

Inventory is what you are carrying and/or wearing at the moment. All items you carry/wear do have a certain weight. If the weight is very heavy for your strength, it can slow you down, and that is not a good thing for your character's continuing health. When your character is first created, all items you are granted upon creation will be in your inventory. Sometimes starting inventory includes something other than a weapon or armor (for example, a light source, scroll, potion, or food.)

Weapons

Some characters start with a weapon. If yours does, you will need to 'w'ield it in order to gain its attack capabilities.

Armor and Armor Class (AC)

Each character has an armor class, representing how well the character can avoid damage. The armor class is affected by dexterity, the equipment, and sometimes the race. The higher the AC, the better.

The numbers following a piece of armor's name indicate how good it is. A Metal Cap [3,+0] is not as good as an Iron Helm [5,+0], AC-wise, since the 5 is a bigger number than the 3. On the other hand, an Iron Helm is heavier than a Metal Cap, and that may make a difference to you.

The plusses following the first number (e.g. the +0) indicate a magical bonus. If the plus number is more than zero, it should be added on to the base number. E.g. a Metal Cap [3,+3] has a higher AC than an Iron Helm [5,+0].

Some characters start with armor. If yours does, you need will need to 'w'ield it in order to gain its protection.

to the top

Hit Points (HP)

Each character has hit points, representing how much damage the character can sustain before death. Hit points are derived from your race, class, level, and constitution, and can be temporarily boosted by magical means. Hit points may be regained by resting, or by a variety of magical means.

Sanity (SN)

Sanity points represent how much mental damage the character can sustain before death. They are derived from you wisdom and character level. Sanity points may only be regained by magical means and can not be regained by resting.

Mana (aka spell points or SP)

Each character has a certain amount of mana. The amount of mana represents how many spells of a certain difficulty a character can cast. When a spell is cast, you lose amount of mana corresponding to the 'cost' of the spell.

When all mana is gone, or the cost of a given spell is greater than the amount of mana you have left, you may attempt to cast a spell, beware, as there are consequences to such a rash act.

Spell points may be regained by resting. They can also be restored by a few magical means.

Your spell points are derived from your Magic skill, player level and the greatest of INT and WIS.

Your total spell points are additionally affected by:

Your total spell points may be affected by:

to the top

Piety (Pt)

Characters that have chosen to follow a God have piety points. These points represent the character's standing with their God, a standing which may rise or fall over time. A character may spend piety points to cast a spell granted by his/her God. Spent piety points can be regained in different fashions, depending on which God is involved -- each is pleased or displeased by assorted actions. Pleasing your God gains you piety, while displeasing your god will lose you piety.

Characteristics with little or no effect on gameplay

The following are present in your character's description.

to the top

Documentation/Characteristics (last edited 2006-01-07 19:57:46 by TheFalcon)