# Abilities Six abilities provide a quick description of every creature's physical and mental characteristics: - **Strength**, measuring physical power - **Dexterity**, measuring agility - **Constitution**, measuring endurance - **Intelligence**, measuring reasoning and memory - **Wisdom**, measuring perception and insight - **Charisma**, measuring force of personality 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 abilit check, the saving throw, and the attack roll - rely on the six ability scores. The book's introduction describes the basic rule behind these rolls: roll a d20, 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. Adventurers can have scores as high as 20, and monsters and divine 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 +10 (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. **Table- Ability Scores and Modifiers** | Score | Modifier | |-------|----------| | 1 | -5 | | 2-3 | -4 | | 4-5 | -3 | | 6-7 | -2 | | 8-9 | -1 | | 10-11 | +0 | | 12-13 | +1 | | 14-15 | +2 | | 16-17 | +3 | | 18-19 | +4 | | 20-21 | +5 | | 22-23 | +6 | | 24-25 | +7 | | 26-27 | +8 | | 28-29 | +9 | | 30 | +10 | | | | To determine an ability modifier without consulting the table, subtract 10 from the ability score and then divide the total by 2 (round down). Because ability modifiers affect almost every attack roll, ability check, and saving throw, ability modifiers come up in play more often than their associated scores.