Daggerfall:Attributes

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[edit] Attributes

Since Daggerfall is a computer game (CRPG specifically) then everything must be abstracted; the measure of your character as an individual (everything from his raw physical prowess to his likability) is a set of simple numbers. The following table describes the numbers which describe your character.

There are eight base attributes (measures of your character) from which all other values are either derived, or by which are impacted. Attributes have a range of (1, 100). In the event an attribute would be reduced (from a curse or a disease, for example) to 0, your character dies, hence the exclusion of 0 from the valid range. When starting a new character, attributes will have a base value of 50 plus up to 10 points. The variance is determined by the computer's virtual dice rolling. Don't worry if you think your numbers are particularly low; you will have the chance to distribute additional points before the process is complete. Each time your character gains a level, you will be awarded additional points to improve your attributes as you like, ranging (4, 6), and there is even a powerful artifact which grants an additional 30 points to distribute as you like, so it is possible to attain a value of 100 in each of your attributes during the game's progression regardless of your character's starting scores.

It is these attributes which fundamentally define your character's capabilities. Determining the ease, or difficulty, of almost all actions available in the game. A character with very poor scores in the physical attributes would have great difficulty in the early stages of the game (where the character's first objective is to escape a terrible death-trap), but would not be particularly disadvantaged after that. Characters with poor mental attributes, on the other hand, may find great difficulty at the latter stages where powerful, hostile magics are in play. In either case, the game can still be "won" by either character, and both offer exciting avenues of play. Therefore, one shouldn't worry about having "low" scores or a particular combination of scores at the start; there will be plenty of opportunity to improve your character and the game can still be completed.

Attributes Enumerated and Described
Strength governs encumbrance, weapon damage and the ease of increasing strength-related skills.	Modifies the amount of damage your character can inflict with either his bare hands or a melee weapon. Greater numbers translate to greater damage modifiers.	Strength also modifies the character's lifting and carrying capacity. Great strength implies the character can carry much.
Intelligence governs total magic potential (that is, your maximum amount of Magicka which you use to cast spells) and the ease of increasing intelligence-related skills.
Willpower governs resistance to spell effects and the ease of increasing willpower-related skills.	Modifies Magic Defense as either a penalty or bonus depending on poor or excellent scores respectively.
Agility governs ability to hit a target, to avoid getting hit, and the ease of increasing agility-related skills.	The character's agility modifies his To-Hit score (chance of striking an opponent).	Agility also impacts the character's intrinsic defense (chance of dodging a blow from an opponent).
Endurance governs hit points, healing rate, resistance to poisons and diseases, and fatigue.	The character's Health Points are modified by a factor based on Endurance whenever he gains a level.	His Healing Rate also receives a bonus from high Endurance scores, and similar penalties for sickly characters.
Personality Affects how well people react to you and governs the ease of increasing personality-related skills.
Speed governs movement rate, missile reloading time, weapon swinging speed, and all speed-related skills.
Luck is a small modifier to any action you take. There are no skills in which luck is the primary attribute, but your odds of succeeding in any skill trial is modified by your luck. Luck also modifies loot.