There are six attributes in the Unisystem, three physical and three mental which represent a character's basic propensities. The 'average' attribute is around 2. An exceptional human being would have around 4 or 5, while 6 represents the very best. Anything higher than that is superhuman.
Your average citizen probably has a total number of attributes that add up to 13.
Strength
I totally blasted my pecs today. Just thought you should know. Feel my tris! This usually determines damage, how much shit you can carry, and as a cool bonus, adds to how durable you are. The table below is a guideline for how much you can usually lift - you'd max out at about double that.
| STRENGTH | LIFTING CAPACITY |
|---|---|
| 1-6 | 50 lbs x STR |
| 7-10 | 250 lbs x (STR - 5) + 500 lbs |
| 11-15 | 1000 lbs x (STR - 10) + 1,500 lbs |
| 16-20 | 1,500 lbs x (STR - 15) + 5,000 lbs |
| 21-25 | 2,500 lbs x (STR - 20) + 10,000 lbs |
| 26-30 | 5,000 lbs x (STR - 25) + 20,000 lbs |
Constitution
Toughness and durability. How well you can take a punch and avoid the flu, all in one. It also covers stamina and general endurance. You'd use Constitution for things like staying awake and running a marathon.
Dexterity
This catch-all covers hand-eye coordination, reflexes, motor skills, and, oh yeah, how fast it takes you to get from point A to B. Punching someone, sneaking up on someone, your latest submission to deviantart, flitting about like a ballerina, and flashing yo' freerunning skillz to jailbait down the block are just a few things you do with this admittedly overpowered attribute. Also: with more dexterity comes more actions in a round. Since you automatically gain one offensive and one defensive action with no penalties, having more dexterity gives you on extra action as according to the table below, to be decided by you as offensive or defensive - with a cumulative -2 penalty, though it resets at the end of every round.
| DEXTERITY | EXTRA ACTIONS |
|---|---|
| 5-6 | 1 |
| 7-8 | 2 |
| 9-10 | 3 |
| 11-12 | 4 |
| +2 Dexterity | +1 Action |
Intelligence
Let's see: memory, reasoning, analysis, and things like that. Basically, if you want to understand just what the hell quantum chromodynamics is or what Prince Alfred liked to do in his spare time, you'll probably pair this with something in a roll. Oh, and it's also useful when interacting with people - you've got to have some intelligence to tell an artful lie.
Perception
Are you absorbing all the information you're processing or are you lost somewhere, planning an assault on someone else's castle in the sky? Yup, if you want to notice what kind of cuff-links that cute but old fashioned dude down the street was wearing, where your last bounty escaped to, or who's about to sneak up on you… you'd probably use Perception. Needless to say it's helpful for identifying clues.
Willpower
So I guess this nat' 20 means I use my ridiculous willpower to will the world to work for a second in my favor? No - and d20s are lame. Willpower is exactly what it sounds like: your force of personality and will. However, it helps when you're trying to show the thug who's boss, playing a game of mercy, resisting telepathic invasion, moving shit with your alpha waves, using certain powers, and being able to affect the world in your own image.
