Ability Scores

Epic Path uses the standard array of ability scores: Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), Constitution (CON), Intelligence (INT), Wisdom (WIS) and Charisma (CHA). Each ability score is given an initial value during Character Creation, but can be raised, either temporarily or permanently, by character level, class abilities, feats, spells and spell effects, magic items, etc.

Ability scores are split into two categories: physical and mental, each of which has three of the ability scores:

• Physical: STR, DEX and CON
• Mental: INT, WIS and CHA

Temporary Ability Scores

Temporary adjustments to your ability scores are caused by any effect which has a duration, such as a spell effect, or an effect which isn't always active, such as a bonus from a magic item that has limited uses per day.

In addition, for the first 24 hours of wearing a magic item which boosts ability scores, the ability score increase granted is treated as a temporary ability score. Once the character has attuned to the item (by wearing it for 24 hours) the ability score increase granted by the item is considered a permanent ability score.

Permanent Ability Scores

Permanent ability scores are pretty self-explanatory -- they're ability scores that don't wear off, don't have a limited duration, or are part of the character's innate ability scores. The value of a character's ability scores is usually the sum of their starting values, any increases they've gained from levels, feats, or class abilities, and (non-temporary) increases granted by magic items.

Some abilities and effects ignore temporary ability scores, and are based purely on permanent ability scores. It is therefore important to keep track of your permanent ability scores separately from your temporary scores.

Ability Modifiers

The ability modifier is the numerical advantage or disadvantage that an ability score provides to your character when that ability score is used to perform skills, saving throws, combat maneuvers, and other activities. It is calculated by subtracting 10 from the ability score, and then dividing the remainder by 2, dropping fractions. For example, the ability modifier for a Strength of 15 is +2 (15 - 10 = 5 / 2 = 2.5 rounded down to 2). In the entries below, each ability score details how its ability modifier is used. You can also refer to the table below for a listing of the modifier for each ability score value.

It is important to keep an eye out for abilities and rules which call for an ability score versus an ability modifier. Using an ability score is rare, but it does happen. For example: the starting hit points for a 1st level character uses a character's Constitution ability score, but all future levels' hit point increases use their Constitution ability modifier.

When an ability score is permanently increased to a higher ability modifier, the benefit of that modifier is retroactively applied for each character level. For example, if a character's Constitution score is raised from a 15 to a 16 permanently, raising their modifier from +2 to +3, they would gain 1 hit point for each character level they currently have, as if they had always had that extra Constitution each time they leveled. Similarly, if a character's Intelligence increased to a higher modifier, they would gain an additional skill point for each character level they currently have. Refer to the individual Ability Score entries below to see how increases impact the character's other attributes.

Caster Ability Score

Spell-casting character classes always use one particular ability score modifier (sometimes referred to as their 'caster stat mod') when calculating the saving throw difficulty class (DC) of their spells. In addition, if their caster ability score is high enough, they may gain the ability to cast bonus spells, extracts or poultices per day based on a high ability score in their primary spell casting stat. The spell casting classes and the primary casting stat for each is listed below:

Class	Stat
Alchemist	INT
Bard	CHA
Cleric	WIS
Druid	WIS
Paladin	CHA
Ranger	WIS
Sorcerer	CHA
Wizard	INT

Bonus Spell Slots per Day

Spell-casting character classes who possess a high primary casting ability score may qualify for bonus spells (or extracts, or poultices, depending on their class), per the table below. These bonus spells are an additional number of spells the caster may cast each day. They do not affect how many spells the character knows, only how many spells they can cast. Note that, even if a character's caster ability score is very high, they may not cast spells from spell levels higher than their current level in their caster class allows. Once they gain a high enough level to get access to the higher spell levels, any bonus spells they qualify for are also unlocked at that time, and are added to their number of spells castable per day.

For example, a 3rd level wizard with an Intelligence score of 18 gets 1 additional castable spell per day of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th spell levels. However, because they are only 3rd level, they only have access to 2nd level spells from their caster class, and therefore the bonus 3rd and 4th level spells from their high Intelligence score are unavailable to them until they are high enough level to cast 3rd and 4th level spells.

Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells

Ability Score	Modifier	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th	13th	14th	15th	16th	17th
6-7	-2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
8-9	-1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
10-11	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12-13	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
14-15	2	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
16-17	3	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
18-19	4	-	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
20-21	5	-	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
22-23	6	-	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
24-25	7	-	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
26-27	8	-	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
28-29	9	-	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
30-31	10	-	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
32-33	11	-	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
34-35	12	-	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
36-37	13	-	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-	-
38-39	14	-	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-	-
40-41	15	-	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-	-
42-43	16	-	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	-
44-45	17	-	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1
46-47	18	-	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1	1
48-49	19	-	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1	1
50-51	20	-	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	1
52-53	21	-	6	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2
54-55	22	-	6	6	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2
56-57	23	-	6	6	6	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2
58-59	24	-	6	6	6	6	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2
60-61	25	-	7	6	6	6	6	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3

Strength (STR)

Used In

Adds to player to-hit rolls and damage rolls with melee attacks and melee touch attacks. Adds to damage for thrown weapons (but not to-hit rolls). Determines how much a character can carry without being encumbered (see below). Some skills make use of the character's Strength modifier.

Carrying Capacity and Encumbrance

Carrying capacity is the amount of weight that your character can pick up, wear, wield, and move around. Carrying capacity and encumbrance are a set of 'realism' rules, to prevent such things as the fighter from carrying around one of every single martial weapon, 'just in case'. Granted, with the right magic items a fighter can get frighteningly close to doing that at the upper reaches of play, but it should be a Big Deal.

All items in the game have a weight defined in pounds. Note that this weight is a bit abstract. Many items are a bit 'heavier' in pounds than seems reasonable, this is because 'pounds' in game terms are not based on real-world pounds, they are a combined measure of weight and awkwardness. A real-world long sword doesn't weigh anywhere close to 4 pounds, but the extra heft accounts for the scabbard, the belt and fittings to carry it, and the general awkwardness of day-to-day handling a meter-long hunk of sharp metal. Similarly, 'treasure', in the form of Sellable Goods dropped by monsters are valuable, but they're also wretchedly heavy, awkward, drippy, dirty, sharp, sticky, off-balanced, and generally inconvenient. Their 'weight' abstracts all of that detail.

A special note must be made of medium and heavy armors and the various shields. Such things are not only heavy when measured in 'game-pounds', but wearing them also inflicts penalties over and above any penalties incurred just because of their weight. Even if a suit of heavy armor is literally the only thing your character is wearing and the weight is well under your 'light load' threshold, that suit of armor still slows your movement and inflicts a penalty on your strength- and dexterity-based skill checks (see armor check penalty). This simulates the fact that, while surrounding yourself with hardened steel and bulky padding like an insect's carapace is very effective at warding off attacks, it comes at a cost.

The carrying capacity of your character is defined in the table below, based upon your current strength ability score (not strength modifier). Anything that increases your strength also increases these numbers. In addition, ranks in the Might skill increase your carrying capacity even further. Some of the fantastic races (such as Arborians) even gain racial traits that enable them to carry more weight than would be normal for a creature of their size and strength.

Light Load

If the total weight of all equipment, armor, weapons, foodstuffs, and other gear your character is carrying is less than or equal to the value listed for Light Load, based on your characters Strength ability score, your character is considered unencumbered, and suffers no penalties. It is generally recommended that characters try to avoid ever carrying more stuff than their light load would allow them to carry.

Medium Load

If your character is carrying more weight than the listed Light Load value, but less than or equal to the listed Medium Load value, they suffer a -5 foot penalty to all movement speeds they possess until they can reduce the amount they are carrying to back under their Light Load value.

Heavy Load

If your character is carrying more weight than the listed Medium Load value, but less than or equal to the listed Heavy Load value, they are Slowed with all movement speeds they possess until they can reduce thei amount they are carrying back under their Medium Load value. This is not a normal Slowed condition, since it cannot be 'cured' through any means except reducing the amount of weight your character is carrying.

Overburdened

If your character is carrying more weight than the listed Heavy Load value, but less than or equal to their listed Max Drag value, they can still move around under all of that weight, but they are considered Overburdened. While Overburdened, all squares of terrain are treated as Impeded to all movement types, even teleports.

If you try to carry more than your Max Drag, you collapse, and depending upon the GM's rulings, you might suffer the Pinned condition, or even go into the Environmental Effects Rules for suffering under a collapse. This is terrible, don't try it.

If you are swimming or flying, there will be other consequences that your kind GM will be sure to inflict upon you, such as sinking like a stone.

Drag and Lift Over Head

You can lift an object that weighs less than or equal to your Max Drag value over your head, but if it weighs more than your Heavy Load value by itself (not including any gear you are also carrying), you are Immobilized while doing so, until you drop that ridiculously heavy thing. However, if the object you are lifting, plus all the equipment you are currently carrying, brings your total encumbrance greater than your Max Drag value, you cannot lift the object off the ground.

If you are only dragging an object (i.e. some part of it is still on the ground), you can move around with the object, only suffering the movement penalties for what that object's weight does to your total load (i.e. if it pushes you to a Heavy Load, you become Slowed, etc.). If the weight of the object you are dragging brings your total weight carried to a number greater than your Max Drag value, you cannot drag it; it is simply too heavy.

If you attempt to drag an object, or lift it over your head, and the object by itself weighs more than your Heavy Load value, you are also Flat-Footed while doing so, in addition to all other penalties described above. Because of this, it can be very risky for the low-strength sorcerer to try to drag their armor-clad partisan friend out of the way of a lava flow in the middle of combat. It's certainly very heroic, though, and the partisan should definitely buy that sorcerer a tasty adult beverage when they get back to town, assuming they manage to survive such shenanigans.

Table: Carrying Capacity By Strength Ability Score

Score	Modifier	Light Load (lbs.)	Medium Load (lbs.)	Heavy Load (lbs.)	Max Drag (lbs.)
7	-2	23	46	70	350
8	-1	26	53	80	400
9	-1	30	60	90	450
10	0	33	66	100	500
11	0	38	76	115	575
12	1	43	86	130	650
13	1	50	100	150	750
14	2	58	116	175	875
15	2	66	133	200	1,000
16	3	76	153	230	1,150
17	3	86	173	260	1,300
18	4	100	200	300	1,500
19	4	116	233	350	1,750
20	5	133	266	400	2,000
21	5	153	306	460	2,300
22	6	173	346	520	2,600
23	6	200	400	600	3,000
24	7	233	466	700	3,500
25	7	266	533	800	4,000
26	8	306	613	920	4,600
27	8	346	693	1,040	5,200
28	9	400	800	1,200	6,000
29	9	466	933	1,400	7,000
30	10	532	1,066	1,600	8,000
31	10	612	1,224	1,840	9,200
32	11	692	1,384	2,080	10,400
33	11	800	1,600	2,400	12,000
34	12	932	1,864	2,800	14,000
35	12	1,064	2,132	3,200	16,000
36	13	1,224	2,452	3,680	18,400
37	13	1,384	2,772	4,160	20,800
38	14	1,600	3,200	4,800	24,000
39	14	1,864	3,732	5,600	28,000
40	15	2,128	4,264	6,400	32,000
41	15	2,448	4,896	7,360	36,800
42	16	2,768	5,536	8,320	41,600
43	16	3,200	6,400	9,600	48,000
44	17	3,728	7,456	11,200	56,000
45	17	4,256	8,528	12,800	64,000
46	18	4,896	9,808	14,720	73,600
47	18	5,536	11,088	16,640	83,200
48	19	6,400	12,800	19,200	96,000
49	19	7,456	14,928	22,400	112,000
50	20	8,512	17,056	25,600	128,000
51	20	9,792	19,584	29,440	147,200
52	21	11,072	22,144	33,280	166,400
53	21	12,800	25,600	38,400	192,000
54	22	14,912	29,824	44,800	224,000
55	22	17,024	34,112	51,200	256,000
56	23	19,584	39,232	58,880	294,400
57	23	22,144	44,352	66,560	332,800
58	24	25,600	51,200	76,800	384,000
59	24	29,824	59,712	89,600	448,000
60	25	34,048	68,224	102,400	512,000
61	25	39,168	78,336	117,760	588,800
62	26	44,288	88,576	133,120	665,600
63	26	51,200	102,400	153,600	768,000
64	27	59,648	119,296	179,200	896,000
65	27	68,096	136,448	204,800	1,024,000
66	28	78,336	156,928	235,520	1,177,600
67	28	88,576	177,408	266,240	1,331,200
68	29	102,400	204,800	307,200	1,536,000
69	29	119,296	238,848	358,400	1,792,000
70	30	136,192	272,896	409,600	2,048,000
71	30	156,672	313,344	471,040	2,355,200
72	31	177,152	354,304	532,480	2,662,400
73	31	204,800	409,600	614,400	3,072,000
74	32	238,592	477,184	716,800	3,584,000
75	32	272,384	545,792	819,200	4,096,000
76	33	313,344	627,712	942,080	4,710,400
77	33	354,304	709,632	1,064,960	5,324,800
78	34	409,600	819,200	1,228,800	6,144,000
79	34	477,184	955,392	1,433,600	7,168,000
80	35	544,768	1,091,584	1,638,400	8,192,000
81	35	626,688	1,253,376	1,884,160	9,420,800
82	36	708,608	1,417,216	2,129,920	10,649,600
83	36	819,200	1,638,400	2,457,600	12,288,000
84	37	954,368	1,908,736	2,867,200	14,336,000
85	37	1,089,536	2,183,168	3,276,800	16,384,000

Dexterity (DEX)

Used In

Adds to a character's Armor Class value (though this may be reduced by worn armor, if the armor has a Max Dex value lower than the character's dexterity modifier). Adds to Reflex saving throws. Included in to-hit roll calculations for ranged weapons (both thrown and projectile). Used by a large number of skills.

Constitution (CON)

Used In

Adds to a character's hit points each time they gain a level. (This is really, really nice.) Adds to Fortitude saves. Used for a very small number of skills. Did we mention it adds to your hit points and fortitude saves?

Intelligence (INT)

Used In

Used by several classes for arcane spells and other class features. Used in a lot of skills. Determines how many languages you start with and can learn from your race's starting language list.

Starting Languages

All player characters can speak, read, and write the Common language at native familiarity, regardless of the race chosen, or their intelligence score. Some races provide an additional language to starting characters, regardless of their intelligence score. Characters with secondary languages from their race can speak, read and write these languages at native familiarity as well.

In addition to the starting language(s), characters with a positive Intelligence modifier gain one bonus language per +1 of their modifier. That is, a character with a 14 intelligence (which grants a +2 INT modifier) would learn 2 bonus languages. These bonus languages are selected from the list of bonus languages available to their chosen character race. Bonus languages are always learned at the fluent level of familiarity.

If a character improves their Intelligence through a permanent source (such as a magic item, a manual, or through level advancement), sufficient to increase their INT modifier, they gain an additional bonus language, chosen from the same list of their chosen race. If a character's INT modifier increases to the point where they could gain more bonus languages than those offered by their race, they no longer gain bonus languages for increasing their Intelligence (though they still gain additional skill ranks each level; see below).

Characters may also learn additional languages by placing ranks in the Linguistics skill.

Wisdom (WIS)

Used In

Used by several classes for divine spells and other class features. Used in a few skills, but they are quite important. Adds to Will saving throws, and that's rather nice.

Charisma (CHA)

Used In

Used by several classes for arcane spells and other class features. Used in a lot of good skills. Makes you real good lookin', and who doesn't like that?

Other Ability Scores

Some campaigns will have campaign-specific ability scores, which can have game effects specific to the campaign. If the optional Auramancy rules are used, for example, characters may begin with a seventh ability score called Blood (BLD) which dictates the strength of their Bloodline.