There are two types of stats that are used in almost every roll in RINGS: fundamental and tactics. As you level, these are the most basic way you customize what your character focuses on – what they consider important for their growth. While no points can ever be truly wasted, most players will pick one or two fundamental stats and tactics to focus in (though there are advantages to being moderately good at everything). What you do in combat (defend, support, control, or damage) has no bearing on which fundamental stat you invest in – all are viable options.
FUNDAMENTAL STATS
These stats are, in fact, the fundamentals, and every living thing will have at least one point in each to start. BODY covers your physical form, MIND covers your personality and mental capabilities (you don’t need to be sentient; cleverness and animal cunning count for a lot), and WILL is your drive to survive and alter your environment.
You don’t die if any stat temporarily hits 0 or below, but you are gonna have a bad time of it until that’s fixed.
BODY
Body covers everything to do with the physical: not just how strong and durable you are, but how swift or dexterous or graceful you are. How much punishment can your form take? Are your hands steady no matter what?
It’s easy to think that a high BODY would result in a hulking brute, but that’s not true here. An octopus doesn’t look ripped but can absolutely tear a ship apart. Strength, agility, toughness, fine motor control…all these things are impacted by how much you’ve invested in your BODY.
MIND
Mind covers everything to do with the intellect and personality. Are you charming, intimidating, tactical, empathetic? Can you connect with others and understand their perspective? Can you deduce patterns in your environment or predict how an enemy will behave? It also covers the tactical side of cunning: how good are you at getting others to do what you want through language, charm, or other forms of mental manipulation?
WILL
Will keeps you going, keeps you upright, determines how much grit you have to carry on in the face of adversity. It covers instinct – how much can you trust yourself and experience you’ve forgotten – as well as fortitude. It also covers lying, coercing or convincing others to follow you – not through charm like with Mind. Use the sheer force of your conviction to bring reality (or others) to heel.
LUCK
There is a fourth fundamental stat which is used differently from the others: Luck. Luck is a special stat only Hands have access to. You spend it to change what fate has dealt you – and can only regain it through Accords you’ve made, the successful completion of important milestones, plus one free point per Rest. Luck doesn’t just help you – it can help your companions as well OR harm your foes.
How you can use Luck:
- Force a reroll on any roll in the game. Even enemies or allies. This must be declared and spent right after the roll is made and the second result must be accepted. This cannot be done multiple times in a row on the same roll.
- You may also spend a point of Luck in combat to give yourself (and only yourself) one additional Ring charge for that encounter usable on any Ring you’re currently wearing and have active. If you don’t use it during that encounter, the charge is lost.
- Luck can be spent to give yourself or an ally one automatic success on a roll in addition to any successes from the roll itself.
- One point of Luck can keep you standing for a round of combat after you’ve hit 0 HP. You will be KNOCKED OUT at the end of your turn after you activate this power.
- During a non-combat encounter, you may spend a point of Luck to provide an additional failure for the team.
Everyone has a maximum of 3 Luck. You cannot store or hold onto more than that – it’s simply lost if you gain Luck while at 3. You cannot have negative Luck. If you have 0 Luck, you simply can’t spend any. You cannot give Luck to anyone and you will never use Luck as a stat to roll.