Six abilities provide a quick description of every
creature's physical and mental characteristics:
Is a character muscle-bound and insightful? Brilliant and charming? Nimble and hardy? Ability scores define these qualities -- a creature's assets as well as weaknesses. The three main rolls of the game -- the
Ability Check, the
Saving Throw, and the
Attack roll -- rely on the six ability scores. The basic rule behind these rolls: roll a
1d20 , add an ability modifier derived from one of the six ability scores, and compare the total to a target number.
Ability Scores and Modifiers
Each of a creature's abilities has a score, a number that defines the magnitude of that ability. An ability score is not just a measure of innate capabilities, but also encompasses a creature's training and competence in activities related to that ability.
A score of 10 or 11 is the normal human average, but adventurers and many monsters are a cut above average in most abilities. A score of 18 is the highest that a person usually reaches.
Particularly talented humans sometimes have scores as high as 20, and monsters and powerful immortal beings can have scores as high as 30.
Each ability also has a modifier, derived from the score and ranging from -5 (for an ability score of 1) to +18 (for a score of 30). The Ability Scores and Modifiers table notes the ability modifiers for the range of possible ability scores, from 1 to 30.
Ability Score Modifiers
| Score | Modifier |
|---|
| 1 | -5 |
| 2 | -4 |
| 3-4 | -3 |
| 5-6 | -2 |
| 7-8 | -1 |
| 9-12 | 0 |
| 13-14 | +1 |
| 15-16 | +2 |
| 17 | +3 |
| 18 | +4 |
| 19 | +5 |
| 20 | +6 |
| 21 | +7 |
| 22-23 | +8 |
| 24-25 | +9 |
| 26 | +10 |
| 27 | +11 |
| 28 | +12 |
| 29 | +14 |
| 30 | +18 |
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