Attribute

From Metaforce TTRPG
Revision as of 05:59, 2 October 2025 by AlienOvan (talk | contribs) (→‎Attribute Power Tiers: removed old mechanics)
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Overview

There are 6 Attributes that characters can possess: Strength, Endurance, Agility, Perception, Intellect, and Charisma. These stats can contribute to the three Core values Body, Reflex, and Mind. These in turn will increase other stats such as Health-Points (HP), Meta-Points (MP), Deflection and Evasion.

There are two parts to an Attribute, the Base bonus, and the Attribute die. The base bonus is a fixed number that is used to calculate other stat bonuses, whereas the Attribute die is called upon in certain checks. A character's Attribute Tier can also determine what bonuses they can apply to checks.

The maximum Attribute limit is determined by the Game-Master, however 10 or 12 is a reasonable number for most games.

Attributes and Affected Core Values

Attributes increase a Core value by one (1). Core value in parentheses increases by 0.5. Only whole points count for Cores:
Attribute to Core-Value Chart
Attribute +1 bonus +0.5 bonus Description
Strength Body (Reflex) “The ability to physically move themselves and the things around them”
Endurance Body (Mind) “The ability to resist harm and maintain their health and stamina”
Agility Reflex (Body) “The ability to move both quickly and precisely without fail”
Perception Reflex (Mind) “The ability to be aware of, and react to their surroundings effectively”
Intellect Mind (Reflex) “The ability to learn, retain and recall information and abilities quickly and accurately”
Charisma Mind (Body) “The ability to influence others, resist others, and the strength of one’s resolve”

Attribute Bonus and Dice

Most skill and ToHit checks can benefit from the user’s own Attributes. For skill checks, the most appropriate Attribute modifier is added to the total modifiers. For combat/ToHit checks, the kind of Attribute used is dependent on the attack type. Attribute dice are Meta Dice, they have a minimum roll value and can't explode.

Improvised Checks

Whenever a character needs to do a check which they have no Metaphor prepared for it, they may roll an Attribute (or Improvised) check using that value. The character's Attribute tier may determine whether the Attribute modifier is a flat bonus or a die, check the chart further down for more information.

Improvised rolls are: d12 + the relevant attribute’s modifier + Other modifiers.

Attribute Limit / Metaphor Softcap

Except during the Creation phase and the Attribute point granted from a Level-up, a character’s attributes can’t be raised higher than their current Character Level. This is known as the Attribute/Level Limit. Once a character has levelled high enough, they can begin raising any of their attributes up to their current level.

The Metaphor Softcap refers to a cost multiplier when a character tries to increase a Metaphor's rank above +5 (the default). Improving Metaphors above the softcap comes at a x2 cost multiplier (+6 costs 12 XP, instead of 6). Some Metaphors set at creation, along with those linked to high-tier Attributes may have higher softcaps where the cost multiplies later, or removes it entirely for a linear progression. Experience is not refunded if a character spends into a softcap but raises their Attribute tier later, experience always converts into LP (Level points).

Attribute Power Tiers

Attribute Tiers affect how a character can apply their Attribute bonuses to checks and abilities. By default characters start at Tier 1, then may attain higher tiers depending on their abilities and power in comparison to their reality. Characters can add their Attribute bonus normally, or 'Exert'. The Exerted version grants a greater benefit to checks and Metaphors than the default, but often requires paying a cost in Metapoints, stacks of Exertion (status) or otherwise.
Attribute Power Tiers
Skill Level Tier Title Normal Exerted
Novice 0 Inept ♦ Use Base Attribute Value
♦ -1 Advantage State penalty.
♦ Metaphor softcap lowered to 3.
Negate: ♦ -1 Advantage State Penalty
1 Average ♦ Use Base Attribute Value
♦ Base Metaphor softcap set to 5.
Instead: ♦ Roll Attribute Die + Level value to result.
Proficient 2 Adept ♦ Roll Attribute die
♦ Add Level to result
♦ +1 Attribute dice.
3 Talented ♦ Roll Attribute die, or Take Average.
♦ Add Level to result
♦ Metaphor softcap raised to 6.
♦ +1 Attribute dice.
Expert 4 Gifted ♦ Roll Attribute die, or Take Average.
♦ Add Level to result.
♦ Metaphor softcap raised to 8.
♦ +1 Attribute dice.
♦ +1 Advantage State (if lower than Normal).
5 Super ♦ Roll 2 Attribute dice, or Take Average.
♦ Add Level to result.
♦ Metaphor softcap raised to 10.
♦ +1 Attribute dice.
♦ +1 Advantage State (if lower than Normal).
Master 6 Ascendant ♦ Roll 2 Attribute dice, or take Average.
♦ Add Level to result
♦ Metaphor softcap no longer applies.
♦ +1 Attribute dice.
♦ +1 Advantage State.
7 Apex ♦ Roll 3 Attribute dice, or take Average.
♦ Add Level to result
♦ +1 Attribute dice.
+2 Advantage State.
Legend
Skill Level: Character is considered to be Proficient/Expertise/Master in all Attribute checks and Metaphors of the appropiate type. Affects the check difficulty or benefits from using the Attribute successfully. It costs 1 Training point to upgrade to a Proficient Tier, Expert costs 2, Master costs 3.

Title: Cosmetic name for a particular Tier.
Normal: These benefits are granted to any check or Metaphor that uses this Attribute. It's automatically given.
Exerted: These benefits are granted on top of Normal benefits when the character 'Exerts' for the Exert cost.

 Base Attribute Value: The flat bonus provided by an Attribute.
Attribute Die: Meta-die associated with a specific value. (1 = md4, 2 = md6, 3 = md8...etc).
Add Level (to result): Add Character's Level to result as if it were a bonus modifier.
Metaphor Softcap: In games where maximum Metaphor rank is restricted, higher Attribute tiers enable higher caps or eliminate them entirely. Only for Metaphors that benefit from that Attribute.
+# Advantage State: Alters Advantage State of the roll, if it is appended with (if lower than Normal), then the state only changes if the user was rolling Disadvantage or worse.
Take Average: The average of a normal die rounded down, usually means 'half the number of side of a die' as a value to add to a result. When multiple dice can be thrown, multiply average by dice amount (2d6 = 6).
+1 Attribute dice: Roll an additional Attribute die with whatever amount is normally thrown, add to result. Stacks with 'Take Average'.

Core Values

For more information about what stats are affected by Attributes, see Core Value and Combat.

For information on how Attributes are applied, see Character Creation.