Statistic (role-playing games)

A statistic (or stat) in role-playing games is a piece of data that represents a particular aspect of a fictional character.

Game-specific concepts such as experience levels, alignment, character class and race can also be considered statistics.

Most role-playing games use attributes to describe the physical and mental characteristics of characters, for example their strength or wisdom.

They often influence the chance to succeed in a skill or other tests by addition to a die roll or by determining the number of dice to be thrown.

In some games, attributes represent linearly increasing ability (e.g. in Tunnels and Trolls, where a character can lift 10 lbs per point of Strength) whereas in others a small increase can represent a major gain in ability (e.g. in the DC Heroes/Blood of Heroes system, where +1 to Strength doubles a character's lifting capacity).

In many games, a small set of primary attributes control a larger number of derived statistics such as Armor Class or magic points.

In some games, such as World of Warcraft, the base attribute scores are determined by the character's race and class (however the vast majority of stat points will be obtained through end-game gear/equipment).

Many games encourage or even force players to take disadvantages for their characters in order to balance their advantages or other "positive" statistics.

Disadvantages also add flavor to a character that can't be obtained solely by a list of positive traits.

They often provide a direct relationship between how someone wants to role-play their character and a tangible "in-game" enhancement to skill or ability rolls.

Champions (1981) introduced a points-based system of purchasing attributes and skills as a means of improving game balance and flexibility.

A character's attributes (such as high intelligence), skills (such as fixing a car or mechanics), or powers (such as flying) can then be bought for a certain number of points.

Initially there were around 30 such skills with approximately 17 abilities in each covering a wide range from Riding, Perception, Thievery or Demonology.

In terms of a more fine-grained system of statistics, a single trait would often be represented by a group of skills, one or more advantages and attributes, or a combination thereof.

In addition, certain in-game methods such as spells or magical items might raise or lower these statistics temporarily.