The way of a superior man is three-fold;

virtuous, he is free from anxieties;

wise, he is free from preplexities;

bold, he is free from fear.

- Confucius

Each character has 8 abilities that represent their natural aptitudes and capabilities for meeting mental and physical challenges. These abilities represent a character's baseline competence and prowess in activities relating to tasks associated with that ability. A character's more specific knowledge and talents are represented through skills and feats. 

Abilities are represented through modifiers. This modifier is applied any time you roll a skill check relating to that ability.  For most characters, their abilities' modifiers fall between -5 to +5, though supernatural creatures often have modifiers above +5, and characters can achieve higher modifier using occult powers and enchanted items. A modifier of 0 represents the average human. 

Assigning Ability Scores

At character creation, your character starts with a base of 0 in all 8 scores. You then have 25 points to spend on ability scores as follows: 

Once you have completed purchasing ranks, you will further modify your starting ability scores based on your origin, your background, and other steps of character creation. 

At any point during or after character creation, or afterwards, you may further increase your starting modifier by spending 10 Experience Points if the modifier is below +5. For every modifier above +5, it costs double that modifier's value in Experience instead (so to reach +6 it takes 12 Experience, to reach +7 it takes 14 Experience, and so on).

NOTE: For every 1 Ability Point you choose not to spend here, you gain 1 additional Skill Point to spend on Skills and Feats in Step 6 of Character Creation

The Abilities

Your ability scores are divided up into two broad categories: physical and mental. Brawn, Agility, Dexterity, and Constitution represent your physical might, reflexes and stamina. Intellect, Cunning and Presence represent your mental cunning, awareness and force of personality, and Spirit represents your supernatural presence.

Brawn

Brawn represents your character's physical power, muscle and ability to exert force. It is tied to many athletic skills and hand-to-hand combat. 

Brawn skills are primarily active, and has no defence skill.

Agility

Agility reflects your character's footwork, reaction speed, and ability to land on their feet. It is tied to acrobatics, stealth, and reflexes.

Dodge represents Agility-based defences.

Dexterity

Dexterity measures your character's hand-eye coordination, finesse, and deftness. It is tied to slight-of-hand, fine motor skills, and combat with firearms.

Parry, which is used for Armour Defence, the primary passive defence skill, is dependent on dexterity but also incorporates armour, wards, and other effects.

Constitution

Constitution measures your character's overall health, stamina and resilience.  It is used for sustained physical effort, as well as to determine your ability to take hits in a fight.

Endurance represents Constitution-based defences, while Stamina determines your total Wound and Vitality health pools.

Intellect

Intellect represents how well your character can learn and process data. It also affects skills related to academics.

Intellect is primarily active, and has no defence.

Cunning

Cunning represents your character's mental fortitude and ability to reason. It influences skills that rely on empathy and understanding.

Resolve represents Cunning-based defences. while Awareness represents your ability to pay attention to your surroundings.

Presence

Presence represents your character's force of personality and social grace. It influences skills that rely on social interaction.

Composure represents Presence-based defences.

Spirit

Spirit represents your character's strength of spirit, and their connection to the supernatural elements of the world.

Willpower represents Spirit-based defences, while Gnosis determines your total Anima or Terror pool.