GENERAL INFORMATION

Statistics vary in range from 4-20. The statistics are generated by a random number generator set to deal out the majority of stats between the range of 7-13. Higher stats are always better. Stats of exaclty 20 are the hardest to succesfully generate, they are rarely any rolls with more than 1 20 in them and practically no rolls with 3 20's in them. In other words, don't waste your time rolling for 20's specifically for more than 1 stat. Stats typically start to convey their special bonuses around the 15 score and start to convey serious penalties around the 5 score. Each stats will have a (%) number next to it after it is generated. Each race has natural % bonuses to certain stats and a few races have natural % penalties to some stats. 15 is a special stat, it represents the transition from non % altering values to the heavily % influecning values. A 15 in a stat will not naturally convey a % bonus to the stat, HOWEVER, there is a random chance with all stats 15-20 of there being a 1-3% bonus/penalty on top of anything currently recieved. So at 15 you could get a +1% and still get certain special bonuses conveyed by having a +% modifier to that stat. A 16 conveys a (+5%), a 17 is (+10%), 18 is + (15%), 19 is (+20%), and 20 is (+25%). The random factor can increase these numbers by about 3%, so you can have an 18 in a stat with a (+17%). There can also be a minor REDUCTION in the % tho, so you could have a 17 in a stat and receive only a (+8%) bonus. Random bonuses seem to be more plentiful than penalties tho, and the random penalty will never confer a natural (-1%) or lower to a stat naturally at 15 or above. There are random penalty modifiers/bonuses on extremelly low stats, but if the score in any of your stats is that low you should either reroll or forget about making use of that stat or any skill it influences. The importance of the (%)'s is explained in the sections below. Several stats also influence "unseen factors." These can be anything that the server automatically calculates whenever it needs to against your stat without showing exactly what it did, it simply tells you the results. (Like whether or not you succedded in fighting off a poison attack.) The "unseen factors" also include regeneration rates and shop prices. More information in the categories below on "unseen factors."

STRENGTH
The ability to use existing muscles to their greatest advantage.

Quite simply, the most important statistic in determining how well you fight with weapons. The strength stat directly influenecs your weapons skill, which appears to be responsible for both damage done and effeciency in hitting a target. There does not appear to be any outside factor that strength influences, with the possible exception of certain objects requiring a high strength to move/lift/open. Unusual to most skills, the weapons skill will recieve a whopping 75% of the of (+%) next to your strength score. So if you have a strength of 19 (+20%) it will directly add 15% to your weapons skill. Stength also affects other weapon/attack related skills like Berzerk, just about any special attack skill will use the same skill modifers for the standard weapons skill. Outside the realm of weapons, strength is limited to influencing a few exploring skills like Climb.

CONSTITUTION
General health and resistance to disease.

This is the stat responsible for determining your overall resistance and ability to withstand punishement and exercise. Skill wise, constitution does not heavily influence anything other than a few exploring skills like Swim. HOWEVER, it does play a heavy role in "outside factors." Constitution directly affects your chances to do "unseen actions" like resist poison attacks, naturally regenerate fatigue and hit points faster, as well as it determines the number of times you can be resurrected without loosing your character. The usefullness of this stat depends on your personal views. The "unseen factors" can be bolstered by spells and a few items, and skills can be trained to improve, but the general durability confered by a high constitution will make your life easier. Note that the unseen factors ARE influenced by this stat REGARDLESS of the (%) next to it. There IS a difference between an 8 and a 12 constitution even tho your skills won't reflect it, the "unseen factors" will. Finally, constitution will increase your starting fatigue and hit points, but not necessarily the amount you gain per level.

AGILITY
A measure of quickness of body.

The main purpose of this stat is to affect your round timer and your Evade skill. If you have an agility score with a (+1%) or higher score, you will recieve a standard 4 second round timer for general actions. Without a (+%), you will have a 5 second round timer and a very low (-%) will actually raise your round timer to 6 seconds. There does not appear to be any difference in round timer beyond the 1 second improvement from having a (+%). There are reports (personally unconfirmed but plausible) that a perfect 20 in this stat will grant a 3 second round timer. (For reference, round timers decrease one green block per second. Quick XXX abilities will decrease the round timer another second when performing XXX action.) Outside of round timers, Agility confers at least 50% of its (+%) bonus to your Evade skill, a higher agility means you'll get smacked around less and be able to take actions faster.

DEXTERITY
A measure of reflexes and manual dexterity.

Dexterity is a skill bolster statistic, little more. There does not appear to be an "unseen factors" that dexterity influences. However, dexterity figures into more skills than just about any other stat. Most specialized guild skills like Lockpick and Repair are influenced by dexterity. General skills like Weapons, Direct, Bandage, Evade are all influenced by this skill. Dexterity typically adds from 25%-50% of it's (+%) bonus to the skill %, varying from skill to skill. While a high dexterity is not necessary if your other stats are all high, a very high dexterity can make a medicore roll good and a good role awesome. A high dexterity by itself tho does not a solid character make, you want the "unseen factor" improvements of the other stats too.

INTELLIGENCE
A measure of the characters ability to learn and remember spells, and awareness of the world around him.

For the magical aspect of Darkness Falls, there is no more important stat. Intelligence directly affects your spell power point regeneration rate. There appears to be "clusters" to stats that regenerate power in a similair fashion. Apparently, stats ranging from 7-14 regenerate power at the same rate. Intelligence stats of 15-17 regenerate power about 30% faster than a 7-14 score. An intelligence of 18 or 19 regenerates power about 30% faster than a 15-17 score. Finally, a 20 in intelligence regenerates power at about a 30% faster rate than an 18 or 19. (To be exact, with the quick power ability, a 20 intelligence regenerates 2 power points every 2 seconds.) With spells being so demanding on power, a high intelligence is VERY desirable for any spellcaster, especially Orcs and Necromancers. (Inside tip from Nordramor, if you plan on using spells alot, get a MINIMUM 17 intelligence. I personally always roll for an 18 in intelligence, but if you can get ahold of a Necklace of Intelligence you can get by with a 17.) Intelligence also factors into many magic related skills like Direct and Research, meaning you really really want a good intelligence to be good with magic. Intelligence will confer at least 50% of its (+%) bonus to the Direct skill %.

WISDOM
Common sense.

Wisdom is a sort of a weird statistic. Skill wise, it affects a few imporant ones like Research and Percept, mostly pertaining to magic-using "smart" classes. However, wisdom also directly affects the prices that shops will charge you for items. The price differences are spread out all over the range of wisdom scores so there IS a difference between an 8 and a 12 wisdom even tho the (+%) will be 0 for both. The higher your wisdom score, the less you pay. Also, wisdom apparently plays a role in determining the number of skill points you earn per level. The formula for skill points is NOT simply based on any one stat or value, but seems to be spread out over several factors. Simplified a bit, in order to get a high amount of skill points per level, you will need several high stats (17+'s) AND a decent wisdom score. While a 18+ in wisdom iteself isn't necessary to get 18 or so skill points, having a high wisdom is necessary to get more than 20 skill points if your other stats are already very high. (The closest thing I have found to an explanation of skill points is this, add all your stats value then add the (+%)'s of all your stats together. The higher each of those two totals is will give you more skill points and the higher your wisdom score is will also allow you to have more. So you need high wisdom, high total stats, and high (+%)'s to get more skill points)

STATISTIC MODIFYING ITEMS

In general, these items can come in rather handy to make up for a bad stat. If you rolled a low agility, wearing a Wolf's Paw (adds +6% to the agility %) WILL allow you to have the base 4 second (instead of 5) round timer and will help minorly with your Evade skill. (Inside tip from Nordramor, if you rolled a low agility, you'd better have a damn high dexterity otherwise your Evade skill will be garbage even with a Wolf's Paw. This obviously doesn't apply to Zombies since they don't have the evade skill.) A Necklace of Intelligence can bolster your power regeneration rate apparenty as well. I have seen firsthand that wearing a necklace of intelligence while having an 17 intelligence will increase the power regeneration rate to match having an 18 intelligence. SOME of the stat boosting items will increase the "unseen factors" by one category if you wear the item and have a natural high score in the stat the "unseen factor" pertains too. Using Walerans example, wearing a necklace of intelligence or similar item while having a 19 intelligence will bolster your power regen rate to match a natural 20 intelligence. HOWEVER, the wolf's paw agility enhancement will NOT increase your round timer to better than a natural 4 even if yuou have a 19 agility and wear the wolf's paw. It will NOT give you the ultra fast 3 second round timer that a 20 agility confers. (I have repeatedly tried to get this to work on my characters seeing as how a 19 agility is much easier to roll than a 20 agility, but alas, only a natural 20 will do.) In general these items will influence the skills associated with the statistic by about 3% and may increase the "unseen factors" by one category. (Depending on the stat) If you can or have CONFIRMED information relating to the "unseen factors" due to a wisdom enhancing item or a constitution bolstering item, please email them to me, they probably follow the intelligence model but feel free to explore the topic if it is of concern to you.