ATTRIBUTES Attributes Attribute building and skill advancement should be thought of as a measurement of your character’s abilities. The idea is not to maximize a single skill or a way to “keep score” against other players, it’s to find the optimal mix of attribute values for your character concept. If you focus solely on attribute advancement and neglect the broader opportunities for roleplaying and interacting with the other characters in the world, you will be missing out on a large portion of the game and the fun. Every time you successfully use a skill that is based on one of your attributes – Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity – that attribute will also improve as well. However, attribute improvement is much slower than skill improvement. Attributes and skills both atrophy if neglected in play. Advancement at high levels is slower than at low levels. Likewise, the higher the total sum of your attributes, the more likely they are to fall if you use a skill that boosts a different attribute. The total sum of your attributes is capped at a fixed number, and when you reach that level the chance is much higher of a random attribute being lowered when one is increased. Temporary Changes Several potions and spells can cause increases or decreases in your attributes, as can several types of magical items. Being cumbersome and rather restrictive, heavy armor causes your Dexterity to fall when worn.