THE ABILITIES
Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of his or her actions.
The description of each ability includes a list of races and creatures along with their average scores in that ability. (Not every creature has a score in every ability, as you'll see when you look at the lists that follow.) These scores are for an average, young adult creature of the indicated race or kind, such as a dwarf tax collector, a halfling merchant, or an unexceptional gnoll. An adventurer—say, a dwarf fighter or a gnoll ranger—probably has better scores, at least in the abilities that matter most to that character, and player characters are above average overall.
STRENGTH (STR)
Strength measures your character's muscle and physical power. This ability is especially important for fighters, barbarians, paladins, rangers, and monks because it helps them prevail in combat. Strength also limits the amount of equipment your character can carry (see Chapter 9: Adventuring).
You apply your character's Strength modifier to: * Melee attack rolls. * Damage rolls when using a melee weapon or a thrown weapon (including a sling). (Exceptions: Off-hand attacks receive only one half the character's Strength bonus, while two-handed attacks receive one and a half times the Strength bonus. A Strength penalty, but not a bonus, applies to attacks made with a bow that is not a composite bow.) * Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. These are the skills that have Strength as their key ability. * Strength checks (for breaking down doors and the like).
▶Average Strength Scores
| Example Race or Creature Kind | Average Strength | Average Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| Allip, shadow, will-o'-wisp | — | — |
| Lantern archon, bat, toad | 1 | -5 |
| Rat swarm | 2 | -4 |
| Stirge, monkey, Tiny monstrous spider | 3 | -4 |
| Grig, Small monstrous centipede | 4–5 | -3 |
| Hawk, cockatrice, pixie | 6–7 | -2 |
| Quasit, badger | 8–9 | -1 |
| Human, beholder, dire rat | 10–11 | +0 |
| Mind flayer, dog, pony, ghoul | 12–13 | +1 |
| Gnoll, dire badger, baboon, manta ray | 14–15 | +2 |
| Black pudding, choker, Large shark | 16–17 | +3 |
| Centaur, displacer beast, minotaur | 18–19 | +4 |
| Ape, ogre, flesh golem, gorgon | 20–21 | +5 |
| Fire giant, triceratops, elephant | 30–31 | +10 |
| Great wyrm gold dragon | 46–47 | +18 |
DEXTERITY (DEX)
Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance. This ability is the most important ability for rogues, but it's also high on the list for characters who typically wear light or medium armor (rangers and barbarians) or no armor at all (monks, wizards, and sorcerers), and for anyone who wants to be a skilled archer.
You apply your character's Dexterity modifier to: * Ranged attack rolls, including those for attacks made with bows, crossbows, throwing axes, and other ranged weapons. * Armor Class (AC), provided that the character can react to the attack. * Reflex saving throws, for avoiding fireballs and other attacks that you can escape by moving quickly.
* Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Ride, Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Use Rope checks. These are the skills that have Dexterity as their key ability.
▶Average Dexterity Scores
| Example Race or Creature Kind | Average Dexterity | Average Modifier |
| Shrieker (fungus) | — | — |
| Gelatinous cube (ooze) | 1 | –5 |
| Colossal animated object | 4–5 | –3 |
| Purple worm, ogre zombie | 6–7 | –2 |
| Ogre, basilisk, fire giant, tendriculos | 8–9 | –1 |
| Human, triton, boar, giant fire beetle | 10–11 | +0 |
| Bugbear, lammasu, hobgoblin | 12–13 | +1 |
| Displacer beast, hieracosphinx | 14–15 | +2 |
| Blink dog, wraith, lion, octopus | 16–17 | +3 |
| Astral deva (angel), ethereal filcher | 18–19 | +4 |
| Arrowhawk, bone devil | 20–21 | +5 |
| Elder air elemental | 32–33 | +11 |
CONSTITUTION (CON)
Constitution represents your character's health and stamina. A Constitution bonus increases a character's hit points, so the ability is important for all classes.
You apply your character's Constitution modifier to: * Each roll of a Hit Die (though a penalty can never drop a result below 1—that is, a character always gains at least 1 hit point each time he or she advances in level). * Fortitude saving throws, for resisting poison and similar threats. * Concentration checks. This is a skill, important to spellcasters, that has Constitution as its key ability.
If a character's Constitution score changes enough to alter his or her Constitution modifier, the character's hit points also increase or decrease accordingly.
▶Average Constitution Scores
| Example Race or Creature Kind | Average Constitution | Average Modifier |
| Ghoul, mummy, shadow | — | — |
| Centipede swarm, locust swarm | 8–9 | –1 |
| Human, imp, dire weasel, grick | 10–11 | +0 |
| Rust monster, medusa, otyugh, nymph | 12–13 | +1 |
| Light horse, merfolk, troglodyte | 14–15 | +2 |
| Tiger, chimera, assassin vine | 16–17 | +3 |
| Polar bear, gargoyle, umber hulk | 18–19 | +4 |
| Elephant, aboleth, tyrannosaurus | 20–21 | +5 |
| The tarrasque | 35 | +12 |
INTELLIGENCE (INT)
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. This ability is important for wizards because it affects how many spells they can cast, how hard their spells are to resist, and how powerful their spells can be. It's also important for any character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills.
You apply your character's Intelligence modifier to: * The number of languages your character knows at the start of the game. * The number of skill points gained each level. (But your character always gets at least 1 skill point per level.) * Appraise, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Forgery, Knowledge, Search, and Spellcraft checks. These are the skills that have Intelligence as their key ability.
A wizard gains bonus spells based on her Intelligence score. The minimum Intelligence score needed to cast a wizard spell is 10 + the spell's level.
An animal has an Intelligence score of 1 or 2. A creature of humanlike intelligence has scores of at least 3.
▶Average Intelligence Scores
| Example Race or Creature Kind | Average Intelligence | Average Modifier |
| Zombie, golem, ochre jelly | — | — |
| Carrion crawler, purple worm, camel | 1 | –5 |
| Tiger, hydra, dog, horse | 2 | –4 |
| Gray render, tendriculos, rast | 3 | –4 |
| Otyugh, griffon, displacer beast | 4–5 | –3 |
| Troll, hell hound, ogre, yrthak | 6–7 | –2 |
| Troglodyte, centaur, gnoll | 8–9 | –1 |
| Human, bugbear, wight, night hag | 10–11 | +0 |
| Dragon turtle, cloud giant, lamia | 12–13 | +1 |
| Invisible stalker, wraith, will-o'-wisp | 14–15 | +2 |
| Beholder, succubus, trumpet archon | 16–17 | +3 |
| Mind flayer, death slaad, nightwing | 18–19 | +4 |
| Kraken, titan, nightcrawler | 20–21 | +5 |
| Great wyrm gold dragon | 32–33 | +11 |
WISDOM (WIS)
Wisdom describes a character's willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. While Intelligence represents one's ability to analyze information, Wisdom represents being in tune with and aware of one's surroundings. An "absentminded professor" has low Wisdom and high Intelligence. A simpleton (low Intelligence) might still have great insight (high Wisdom). Wisdom is the most important ability for clerics and druids, and it is also important for paladins and rangers. If you want your character to have acute senses, put a high score in Wisdom. Every creature has a Wisdom score.
You apply your character's Wisdom modifier to: * Will saving throws (for negating the effect of charm person and other spells). * Heal, Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks. These are the skills that have Wisdom as their key ability.
Clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers get bonus spells based on their Wisdom scores. The minimum Wisdom score needed to cast a cleric, druid, paladin, or ranger spell is 10 + the spell's level.
▶Average Wisdom Scores
| Example Race or Creature Kind | Average Wisdom | Average Modifier |
| Gelatinous cube (ooze), animated object | 1 | –5 |
| Shrieker (fungus) | 2 | –4 |
| Red slaad, githyanki | 6–7 | –2 |
| Purple worm, grimlock, troll | 8–9 | –1 |
| Human, lizardfolk, phantom fungus | 10–11 | +0 |
| Owlbear, hyena, shadow, remorhaz | 12–13 | +1 |
| Wraith, owl, giant praying mantis | 14–15 | +2 |
| Devourer, lillend, androsphinx | 16–17 | +3 |
| Couatl, erinyes devil, guardian naga | 18–19 | +4 |
| Unicorn, storm giant | 20–21 | +5 |
| Great wyrm gold dragon | 32–33 | +11 |
CHARISMA (CHA)
Charisma measures a character's force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. This ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting. Charisma is most important for paladins, sorcerers, and bards. It is also important for clerics, since it affects their ability to turn undead. Every creature has a Charisma score.
You apply your character's Charisma modifier to: * Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Perform, and Use Magic Device checks. These are the skills that have Charisma as their key ability. * Checks that represent an attempt to influence others.
* Turning checks for clerics and paladins attempting to turn zombies, vampires, and other undead.
Sorcerers and bards get bonus spells based on their Charisma scores. The minimum Charisma score needed to cast a sorcerer or bard spell is 10 + the spell's level.
▶Average Charisma Scores
| Example Race or Creature Kind | Average Wisdom | Average Modifier |
| Zombie, golem, shrieker (fungus) | 1 | -5 |
| Spider, crocodile, lizard, rhinoceros | 2 | -4 |
| Tendriculos, octopus | 3 | -4 |
| Dire rat, weasel, chuul, donkey | 4-5 | -3 |
| Badger, troll, giant fire beetle, bear | 6-7 | -2 |
| Gnoll, dire boar, manticore, gorgon | 8-9 | -1 |
| Human, wolverine, dretch (demon) | 10-11 | +0 |
| Treant, roper, doppelganger, night hag | 12-13 | +1 |
| Storm giant, barghest, medusa | 14-15 | +2 |
| Ogre mage, pixie, harpy, achaierai | 16-17 | +3 |
| Greater barghest, nixie | 18-19 | +4 |
| Astral deva (angel), kraken | 20-21 | +5 |
| Great wyrm gold dragon | 32-33 | +11 |