Dexterity (ability stat)

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Dexterity	AC Adj.	Initiative Adj.
3	-4	-3
4	-3	-2
5	-2	-1
6	-1	nil
7-14	+1	nil
15	+1	nil
16	+2	+1
17	+3	+2
18	+3	+3

An ability stat, describing the movements and actions of the bone structures, placed in two groups. The first describes the movement and coordination of the arms, legs and other large body parts, related to running, crawling and swimming. The second involves smaller movements of the wrists, hands, fingers, feet and toes, related to smaller actions such as picking up objects, writing well and even blinking. These two forms comprise the character’s coordination.

Dexterity also includes reflexes, skill at targeting opponents and reaction to immediate threats, as determined by the game mechanic, initiative. The table shown indicates an adjustment that dexterity gives to the character’s armour class (AC). This is the amount by which AC is improved. The negative dexterity of 4, for example, would make the character’s AC worse by three points ~ it would not adjust a 10 AC to 7, but rather to 13. Conversely, a 17 dexterity would improve a 10 AC to 7.

The adjustment to hit with missile weapons is alike to the character’s adjustment to initiative. For example, a 16 dexterity would provide +2 to the d20 die to hit with a bow, and would also provide +2 to the d6 roll to determine who attacks first.

See Player Characters