Step 5: Determine Derived Attributes

Once you’ve spent your character’s starting XP, the next step is to determine your character’s derived attributes. We call them derived attributes because they are determined by your character’s other attributes and your choice of archetype.

Wound Threshold

Your character’s wound threshold represents how many wounds (physical damage) a character can withstand before becoming incapacitated. Your character’s starting wound threshold is determined by adding the wound threshold for their archetype to their Brawn rating (after spending starting XP). After you determine this initial value, further increases to your character’s Brawn rating do not increase their wound threshold—wound threshold improvements are acquired by purchasing talents, such as Toughened.

Strain Threshold

Your character’s strain threshold determines how much strain ( psychological and mental damage )a character can withstand before becoming stunned, dazed, or incapacitated. Your character’s starting strain threshold is determined by adding the strain threshold for their archetype to their Willpower rating (after spending starting XP). After you determine this initial value, further increases to your character’s Willpower rating do not increase their strain threshold—strain threshold improvements are acquired by purchasing appropriate talents, such as Grit.

Defense

Defense represents an extra level of protection that makes your character harder to hit in combat. Defense is divided into ranged defense and melee defense. Your character’s default value for each defense rating is 0. Defense is most commonly gained by wearing armor or by adopting a defensive position in combat (such as gaining cover).

Soak Value

Soak value determines how much damage a character can shrug off every time they’re hit. When your character suffers damage (usually from someone attacking them), you subtract your character’s soak value from the damage inflicted. Any remaining damage after subtracting soak becomes wounds, which you apply against your character’s wound threshold. Your character’s default soak value is equal to their Brawn rating. After you determine this initial value, subsequent increases to a character’s Brawn rating do increase their soak value. You can also increase your character’s soak by buying armor for that character. Some talents, such as Enduring, increase a character’s innate soak value as well.