So You Rolled a Poor Foundation Score

Actually, high or low, every foundation score has pluses and minuses!

Ah, the foundation score-- four dice rolls (or one roll of four die), summed, that might seem to make or break your character even before you've had time to attend to the manifold joys of character construction. Whether your GM allows you to roll them yourself and seal your own doom, or renders your fate from behind her own screen, it's important to remember that, as in all aspects of RISE, freedom of choice allows you to mobilize however many points you get into attributes, features, themes, or any other points-requiring first-level character choice. Attributes, as you probably know, are the six key categories that form a snapshot of your strengths and weaknesses: Strength, Agility, Resilience, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Presence.

Although a brand-new character typically has a 0 in each category as the baseline for "average," you may find that several of your attributes receive a bonus based on ancestry features. Otherwise, you get to assign at will-- though the thoughtful player will remember not to put all his eggs into the Attributes basket, because those points have to also cover whatever acumen, competencies, features, or other character choices you'd like to acquire at this level. And if you roll a foundation score of ten, you will find that those points run out pretty quickly. Of course, every +1 in an attribute category offers manifold benefits, including bonuses in acumen and the ability to excel in particular competencies, as particular acumen and competencies belong to specific attributes (for example, the Deception acumen belongs to Presence, and the Blacksmithing competency is governed by Presence or Strength). Furthermore, Talents are governed by attribute scores, let it be noted.

"So," you say, "you admit that high attribute scores are helpful!" Yes, indeed, but I would hasten to add, as you stare in disgust at the dice that betrayed you, and then me with my pitiful defense of a poor foundation score, it's actually not so bad because while you will need to be a little more economical in devising how to fashion your first-level elven controller-commander-ranger-bard (hint: maybe start slower and add more things in the mix as you level up?), you also have the benefit of having a lower threshold check for saving throws. One of your luckier brethren, the human woodworking mage, may have a 21 foundation score, but he has a much higher likelihood of failing his saving throw, since that roll must equal or exceed his foundation score. Suddenly your puny 10 doesn't look so bad, right? Keep in mind that with great power comes great responsibility. I heard it from a very reliable source.

Moreover, there are all manner of features in RISE that allow you to bump up a given attribute. Ancestry Talents exist for each attribute: if you have an existing ancestry bonus to the Intelligence attribute and meet another requirement--say, an Acumen Expertise in a field governed by Intelligence, you can claim a +1 bonus to your Intelligence. (There's even the ability to borrow an ancestry-- in case you needed more indication of why you should read the RISE rule book right now!) If you've been playing boldly and are feeling lucky, you can strive to win a Reputation point and then choose the reward of a +1 bonus to a --random-- attribute score. Every little bit helps, especially since increasing your attributes after Level 1 does not alter your Foundation Score! Imagine: high attribute scores and a low threshold check!

Ultimately, the best way to maximize your Foundation score is to sketch out your initial point allocations in pencil, adjusting your designated points as you get a better sense of the character you want to make through the FACT system. Should you come away realizing that your elven controller-commander-ranger-bard should forego beefing up his Presence, and pursue bard at the next level so that you can focus right now on the attributes best suited to a ranger, you will also have a good sketch of the path you want to take when you inevitably level up. The best RISE characters are built slowly, thoughtfully, over time, which is why it's good to keep a written list of goals for the next leveling-up opportunity. And, if you find along the way that you've wandered too far off that path and want to chuck the whole character out the window, take a deep breath and check out this great post on how to attempt a mid-game character recalibration. Just don't kill off a good character because the human mage is strutting around: remember, that 21 foundation score is to a GM what a red cape is to a bull, and I predict a threshold check is a'coming.

So, hail to all foundation scores, and hail to you, ever-so-noble foundation score of 10 or fewer. Go forth, knowing that you too can RISE and be a hero.