Characteristics (also called Stats) are NUMBERS that describe your character's ability as compared to everyone else in the universe. All people and creatures can be described (or written up) using Characteristics; this lets you compare one person to another, which is often important in the game. For instance, a person with a Strength Characteristic of 5 is stronger than a person with a Strength Characteristic of 4, but not as strong as a person with a Strength Characteristic of 6.

WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN

Characteristics define the basic structure of a character, and the numbers show how good a Characteristic is relative to other people. But before we can go on to actually constructing that character, we'll need to know something about the type of character it will be. Is he an everyman who finds himself suddenly catapulted into a life of adventure? Is he a seasoned veteran who is trained to face danger without flinching?  And what numbers best represent a character?
Here's a handy set of descriptions that can be applied to numbers for each Characteristic. We've also included descriptions for Skills as well, to give a total perspective of character scale.

-CHARACTERISTIC- Challenged Everyday tasks involving this Characteristic are difficult. This value is found in children, elderly people, or those weakened by illness or infirmity. [less than 1] Everyday Many ordinary people around the world are likely to have some Characteristics at this value. It's enough to get by on and to do most things (though not very unusual or stressful tasks). [1-2] Competent You are competent at everyday tasks involving this Characteristic. Most healthy adults have some Characteristics that fall into this range. This is the realm of everyday "heroes" such as policemen, firemen, paramedics, technicians, etc. [3-4] Heroic You are much better than ordinary. A born athlete, a top-notch scientist, an elite soldier might have one or more Characteristics in this range. This is the realm of professional mercenaries, top soldiers, special police, scientists, and TV heroes. [5-6] Incredible You are extremely capable in this area, among the very best in the world; an Olympic athlete, Nobel-winning scientist, a 10th dan martial artist might have a Characteristic in this range. This is also the realm of kung fu heroes, action movie cops, and other not-quite-impossible people. [7-8] Legendary This is a level that only a few ever reach; it's simply the best a human can possibly be. This is the realm of super martial artists like Jackie Chan, geniuses like Einstein, or action movie stars with a big effects budget and a lot of stunt men. [greater than 8]

-SKILL- Challenged You don't know how to do this task at all. [less than 1] Everyday You've learned the basics of this task, and can do this thing most of the time, though not very well. You're an apprentice or a beginner. [1-2] Competent You are well trained and practiced in this skill, and can perform it well in everyday circumstances. You can handle unusual applications of the skill with some difficulty. You're considered a professional. [3-4] Heroic You are a master of this skill, and are capable of unusual applications of the skill. You are considered a master craftsman. [5-6] Incredible A skill at this level means you're one of the very best in the world. You are at ease with unusual applications of the skill, or even new applications. This is entering the realm of fiction, of amazing skill that's not quite impossible! [7-8] Legendary A skill at this level puts you in the realm of the greatest practitioners of this skill in history. You are pushing forward the boundaries of the skill and what it can be used for, and have entered the realm of genius and of fiction. [9-10] Superheroic Skills at this level are better than anyone could believe in the real world. This realm belongs to comic books, science fiction, fantasy or mythology. [greater than 10]

PRIMARY vs. DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS

	Intelligence (INT): How generally bright you are. As a rule, this is more than sheer intelligence, but also cleverness, awareness, perception, and ability to learn; mental deficiencies don't become apparent until you hit 1.
	Willpower (WILL): Your determination and ability to face danger and/or stress. This Characteristic represents your courage and cool.
	Presence (PRE): Your ability to impress and influence people through your character and charisma; how well you get along with others; how you interact in social situations. Combat Group
	Technique (TECH): Your ability to manipulate tools or instruments. This is not the same as reflexes, inasmuch as this covers the knack of using tools. One character might have a high Technique, but might not be able to fence or juggle. On the other hand, another might have high Reflexes, but only a fair level of Technique.
	Reflexes (REF): Your response time and coordination, as used in aiming, throwing, juggling. A stage magician, for example, would have a high Reflex Characteristic. Most importantly, this is the Characteristic that shows your chance to hit things.
	Dexterity (DEX): Your overall physical competence, as pertains to balancing, leaping, jumping, combat and other athletic activities. A gymnast would have a high Dexterity. Most importantly, this Characteristic is used to avoid being hit. Physical Group
	Constitution (CON): How healthy you are. How resistant to shock effects, poisons and disease. You can be a really big, tough, strong guy and still get floored by a head cold!
	Strength (STR): Your muscle mass and how effective it is for exerting force. The higher your strength, the more you can lift, drag, etc., and the more powerful the blows from your fists and other body parts.
	Body (BODY): Your size, toughness, and ability to stay alive and conscious due to physical mass, sheer bloody-mindedness and structure or other qualities. How much damage you can take is derived from this. Movement Group
	Movement (MOVE): Your speed of movement; running, leaping, swimming, etc. There is only one Primary Characteristic in this group; the rest are Derived (pg. 115)

	SDC: How much stunning/brawling damage you can take before you are battered into unconsciousness, calculated as Damage Classes. These damage levels are Light, Medium, Heavy, Critical, and Terminal, and are computed from CON. If you are at a damage level less than or equal to Light (but greater than 0) you are at Light Damage. Above Light, but less than or up to Medium, you are in Medium, and so forth. Light x1/2 CON Medium x 1 CON Heavy x 1.5 CON Critical x 2 CON Terminal x 2.5 CON  Below are sample Damage Category Tables: Joe has a CON of 4 Damage Category Table   Lt Med Hvy Crt Trm SDC 2 4 6 8 10 Jack has a CON of 5 Damage Category Table   Lt Med Hvy Crt Trm SDC 3 5 8 10 13 Bruno has a CON of 8 Damage Category Table   Lt Med Hvy Crt Trm SDC 4 8 12 16 20 At the start, you may elect to move points from SDC into HDC or vice versa, as long as the total moved is limited to 1/2 of the starting Stun Value. Example: if Joe (above) spends 20 OP, he can increase his HDC by +2 across the table (thus having an Lt value of 4, a Med of 6, and is Terminal at 12).
	HDC: How much killing damage you can take before you are dying. These damage levels are Light, Medium, Heavy, Critical, and Terminal, and are computed from BODY. If you are at a damage level less than or equal to Light (but greater than 0) you are at Light Damage. Above Light, but less than or up to Medium, you are in Medium, and so forth. Light x1/2 BOD Medium x 1 BOD Heavy x 1.5 BOD Critical x 2 BOD Terminal x 2.5 BOD  Below are sample Damage Category Tables: Joe, has a BOD of 2 Damage Category Table   Lt Med Hvy Crt Trm HDC 1 2 3 4 5 Jack, has a BOD of 5 Damage Category Table   Lt Med Hvy Crt Trm HDC 3 5 8 10 13 Bruno, has a BOD of 6 Damage Category Table   Lt Med Hvy Crt Trm HDC 3 6 9 12 15  You may move Hit points into Stun and vice versa (see above).
	Stunning Defense (SD) now equals CON / 2 (or PHY / 2 in Instant Fuzion). If a character had a BOD of 5, and an SD of 3, he would always take 3DCs less damage from Stunning damage.

 

	Recovery (REC) now equals (STR + CON) / 4. This measures how fast the character recovers from damage. You get back this many SDC each turn when you rest, and this many HDC back for each day of medical attention.
	Run (aka Combat Move) [MOVE x 2m ], Sprint (aka Non-combat Move) [Move x 3m], Swim [MOVE x 1m], Leap [MOVE x 1m]: How far the character runs (at a rate allowing dodges and evasions), sprints (in a flat-out run), swims, and leaps in 3 seconds.
	Luck [INT+REF]: Fate acting on your behalf. Each game session you may take points from this Derived Characteristic and use them in other places; to add to important die rolls or subtract from damage. When you have used up all of these points, they are gone until the next game session. You've "run out of Luck."
	Energy Defense (ED) [CON / 2]: How resistant you are to damage from lasers, electricity. force beams, and other "energy-based" threats. Calculated as points that are subtracted from "energy" damage only. ED is calculated from the same Primary Characteristic as SD; you can elect to move points from one to the other when you create the character (not afterwards!). The amount you can move may not be greater than one half the starting value. Example: With a CON of 6, I have 3 Energy Defense and 3 Stun Defense. I decide to beef up my SD at the cost of my ED, moving up to a max of 1.5 points from one to the other.
	Humanity (HUM) [PRE x10]: Your basic morality and humanity. Used often in games where the character faces dehumanization, extreme horror or the unearthly. This Derived Characteristic loses points by receiving "humanity" damage; seeing horrible events, removing body parts and replacing them with other objects, gaining unearthly powers that separate him from the rest of mankind, etc. For every 10 points lost from this Derived Characteristic, a corresponding one point is lost from your Presence Characteristic; when it is reduced to 0, the character becomes technically insane and his actions are taken over by the GM to reflect this.
	Mecha Reflexes (MR) {TECH + REF -10}  Your ability to handle a vehicle.  This stat is combined with the vehicle's stats to determine the DV's and AV's during vehicle piloting tests.
	Mecha Awareness (MA) [TECH + INT -10]  Your ability to read the sensors and indicators or a vehicle. It is used in the same way as MR for information based tasks while piloting a vehicle.

Buying Up Derived Stats:

	+2 SD & ED
	+1/2 SPD (Requires 2 CP or 10 OP to increase by +1)
	+1 REC
	+1/2 SDC (Requires 2 CP or 10 OP to increase by +1)
	+1/2 HDC (Requires 2 CP or 10 OP to increase by +1)

Frequency Value Guideline

Intensity
Intensity reflects how hard it is to overcome the complication, or just how much it affects you. Each Complication listed at the bottom of this page has its own Intensity rating written in parentheses ( ) right after it, but we also provide you with this handy table of general roleplaying guidelines:

Intensity Value Guideline

Importance Value Guideline