Abilities: Power at the Edge of the Rift

In Starfall Galaxy, Abilities are the core things a character or creature can do that go beyond basic checks, gear, and movement. They represent trained techniques, innate powers, and reality-bending tricks that matter in encounters, exploration, and downtime.

What “Abilities” Mean in Starfall

Mechanically, “abilities” in Starfall are any defined game elements that give a character special options or modify how they interact with the rules. These include:

• Class features and talents (soldier bombardments, mystic connections, witchwarper paradoxes)

• Feats of all kinds (ancestry feats, class feats, skill feats, archetype feats)

• Spellcasting and spell-like abilities

• Faction boons and reputation-based benefits

• Item-granted powers, implants, and magitech protocols

• Subsystem hooks like Influence, Devotion, or Reputation that grant special moves or bonuses

Most abilities plug into the core chassis of the game: attributes, proficiency, checks, DCs, actions, and conditions.

The Core Ability Engine

Every ability in Starfall sits on top of a shared rules engine.

Attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma measure raw potential. Their scores feed attacks, skills, saving throws, and many abilities.

Proficiency: Every significant statistic has a rank (untrained, trained, expert, master, legendary). Your proficiency rank + level + attribute modifier is the backbone of most abilities.

Checks and DCs: When you use an ability, the outcome is often a d20 check against a DC: skill DC, AC, save DC, or subsystem DC (such as an Influence threshold).