Character Stats

Your stats are the mechanical skeleton upon which the rest of your character will be built. At first level you gain a parcel of 16 points to use to buy your stats up the way you want to a maximum of 20. Every level afterward you will receive stat points as dictated on the progression chart to be used as you see fit. Each stat affects your character differently as described below.

Offenses
At level 1, all offenses begin at 4

Strength


 * Adds 2nd modifier to heavy melee weapon damage rolls.
 * Adds 2nd modifier to medium melee weapon damage rolls.
 * Adds its full value to all physical combat maneuver rolls.
 * Adds 4th modifier to your carrying capacity (item slots).
 * Adds to the effectiveness of finishers.

Agility Acumen
 * Adds its full value to your initiative.
 * Adds its full value to all attack rolls.
 * Adds its full value to spell-based combat maneuvers.
 * Adds 4th modifier to range increment damage.
 * Adds its full value to some physical combat maneuver rolls
 * Adds 2nd modifier to light weapon damage.
 * Adds 2nd modifier to medium weapon damage.
 * Adds 2nd modifier to spell damage and healing.
 * Adds its full value +15 to starting knowledge, and 3rd+1 to knowledge upon level up.

Defenses
At level 1, all defenses begin at 8.

Fortitude Dodge Resilience
 * Adds its full value to active defense rolls against combat maneuvers.
 * Adds twice its value to your health.
 * Adds 4th modifier to your physical damage reduction.
 * Adds its full value to active defense rolls against weapon attacks.
 * Adds 4th modifier to your kinetic damage reduction.
 * Adds 4th modifier to the number of stances you can use at a time.
 * Adds its full value to active defense rolls against spells.
 * Adds twice its value to your mana.
 * Adds 4th modifier to your magical damage reduction.
 * Adds 4th modifier to your total morale.

Resistances
Physical Damage Reduction (PDR): Subtracts its value from all attacks that deal physical damage such as light and medium weapons.

Magical Damage Reduction (MDR): Subtracts its value from all attacks that deal magic or elemental damage such as spells. Elemental damage from natural sources such as magma, ice, or acid is not reduced by MDR.

Kinetic Damage Reduction (KDR): Subtracts its value from all attacks that deal kinetic damage such as heavy weapons, certain abilities, or falling.

Morale Damage Reduction (MoDR): Subtracts its value from all attacks and effects that deal morale damage such as skills, or fear magic.

Elemental Resistance: Subtracts its value from all damage of that type, including natural effects like fire, ice, and acid. When confronted with a magical source of damage, resistance for a specific element is calculated after MDR.

''Example: If a player has 5 MDR, and 4 Fire Resistance, when they are hit with a spell that deals 10 points of fire damage, the player only takes 1 point of that damage. If the same player walks into a burning building and takes 10 fire damage, they instead take 6.''

Other Stats
Health: This stat measures your ability to stay in the fight. If it reaches zero your character enters the lure of death. Your character's health is always equal to twice your fortitude.

Mana: This stat allows your character to cast magic and perform other extraordinary abilities. Your mana is always equal to double your resilience.

AP: AP (Action Points) are required to perform any action in APress. The only way to increase your AP total is by leveling up. Each additional AP you gain is noted on the progression chart.

Karma: Every character starts the day with an amount of ‘Karma Points.’ The amount of points you have increases with your level. You can spend a Karma Point anytime you would roll a dice. Karma points have many uses and are detailed in their own section.

Morale: This stat is much like health, but represents your character’s overall mental well-being and energy to perform tasks. Morale is equal to 30 + 1/4th of your character’s resilience. As your morale decreases, your AP regeneration will also take a hit until you are no longer able to fight effectively. The chart below shows the effect morale loss has on AP regeneration. ''Note: If your morale is above 30, the chart still applies. You never feel adverse effects from morale-reducing attacks until your morale hits 15, and so on.''

Stat Modifiers
Once you have your base stats distributed, you can pre-determine some math you would otherwise need to do on the fly by determining your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th modifiers. APress uses some fraction-based math for a lot of mechanics, but by pre-determining those values you can avoid having to do them over and over.

Your “2nd modifier” is equal to one half of the base number. For every two points you have in a stat, your 2nd goes up by 1.

Your “3rd modifier” is equal to one third of the base number. For every three points you have in a stat, your 3rd goes up by 1.

Your “4th modifier” is equal to one fourth of the base number. For every four points you have in a stat, your 4th goes up by 1.

Temporary Stats
Some actions in Apress grant you temporary stats, such as temporary health, temporary mana, or temporary AP. These temporary stats are added on top of your current stats. Temporary stats can exceed normal maximums, and are always used first when consumed. If you receive a temporary stat while you already have temporary stat points of the same kind, the new instance overwrites the current temporary stat points if the new amount is higher. Temporary stats of the same kind never stack.

Mana, Mana Regeneration, and Mana Burn
Mana Regeneration: Your mana regeneration is an attribute that determines how much mana you regain when you take a rest. Your mana regeneration is equal to your resilience. Whenever you take any short rest you regain your mana regeneration in mana. During a long rest you regain all mana.

Mana Burn: When you run out of mana completely by falling to 0 mana, you gain a malady called Mana Burn (see maladies). It is a very dangerous and serious affliction for spell casters of all types. Whenever you are Mana Burned, you suffer the effects until you regain mana or temporary mana.