Attributes (2)

Learn how to effectively allocate your character's attributes in Shadows of Doubt. This guide details the impact of Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity on your gameplay.

During character creation in Shadows of Doubt, you will 'roll' your characters' attributes. You can swap points between attributes, provided you do not go below class minimums or 3. You can re-roll as much as you like. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a total of around 90 attribute points. For Fighter-type characters, pay attention to the percentile score when Strength is 18; a total of 88 points with an exceptional strength of 18/91 is better than 90 points with a Strength score of 18/01.

Generally, you cannot start with an attribute of 19 or greater, though some racial choices allow you to reach 19 in one or two attributes at the cost of reducing others. Characters imported from Baldur's Gate may have attributes of 19 or even 20.

Strength

Investment in Strength increases THAC0 (To Hit Armor Class 0), damage per attack, bash chance, and weight allowance.

The 'To Hit' column applies to melee weapons; Dexterity provides the THAC0 bonus for missile weapons. The damage bonus applies to thrown weapons and slings. The 'Bash %' column is the chance to break open locked containers, though a Thief is more convenient for this. The 'Carry' column is the maximum weight for items. Exceeding this limit slows movement significantly, and greatly exceeding it can immobilize your character. Certain equipment has a minimum Strength requirement; 15 is sufficient for all items.

Intelligence

Intelligence is crucial for Mage characters, governing maximum spell level and number of spells per level. For all characters, it provides a bonus to the Lore skill.

Intelligence above 18 is not strictly necessary for spellcasting. A score of 19, achievable by Gnomes, reduces the chance of failing to learn a spell, which can waste scrolls. Some players consider this a reload condition. At 17 Intelligence, spell learning failure seems more frequent than the stated one-in-four chance. The Intelligence requirement for spellcasting is only for scribing spells, not casting them. Mages can use potions of Genius or Mind Focusing to help scribe spells and temporarily bypass the maximum spells per level limit. Sorcerers do not need Intelligence for high-level magic. Characters with Intelligence below 9 cannot use wands and scrolls, even if their class normally allows it.

Wisdom

Wisdom is primarily useful for Cleric and Druid characters, providing bonus spells at higher values.

Dexterity

High Dexterity provides an AC (Armor Class) bonus. For Thief, Ranger, Bard, and Monk characters, it also boosts or penalizes their skills.

A Dexterity score close to 18 is beneficial due to the AC bonus.