Bedlam City stat key

This exists as a reference for players to determine the capabilities their stat sheets allow for their characters. It is not a strict guideline, but it will help the players understand what their limits are.

Strength:
(Note: All Strength ratings allow you to hurt people with equivalent Durability ratings or lower.)

F:
--You can barely lift a small coffee table, much less anything substantial.
--You have the punching power of a kid in elementary school. Not a particularly strong one, either.
-You'd lose a fistfight with an old woman who needs a cane to walk.
E:
--You've finally gotten the hang of picking up that coffee table. A folding table gives you trouble if it's too big, though.
--You could probably score a mean K.O. on a five year-old.
--Punching a car window would damage your knuckles more than it would damage the window.
--You couldn't knock over most people your size unless you got a running start first, and even that's iffy.
D:
--You could be a hell of an arm-wrestling contestant if you put your mind to it.
--You've probably knocked someone out a couple of times. Nobody impressive, though.
--You'd make a really strong teenager.
C:
--You can lift about as much as a grown man who's quite a bit stronger than average. Maybe more, depending on your size and build. That big folding table is not even remotely the kind of problem it was before; you could probably throw it hard enough to really hurt somebody if you tried.
--With the kind of punch you can throw, you'd do well as a boxer.
--You can break solid wood if you put some serious effort into it. You'll probably hurt yourself, though.
--Get some formal training, and you'll have no trouble beating up just about any normal human.
B:
--If you come across a motorcycle and don't like where it's parked, you're more than welcome to pick it up and move it.
--A held-back punch from you would shatter a door into splinters. A good, strong punch from you would do appreciable damage to stone.
--You could make some decent money juggling barbells as a street attraction.
--Your strength allows you to break out of weaker forms of telekinesis by force.
--Any regular human who fistfights you is going to die, formal training be damned.
A:
--You could make a fun hobby out of shotputting parked cars.
--Your punching power is enough to make a tank shell jealous.
--Stone and concrete shatter like peanut brittle when you hit them. Iron and steel don't fare much better.
--Moderate forms of telekinesis are no match for your strength.
--You'd have no trouble winning a fistfight with a speeding semi-truck.
S:
--If someone pisses you off and you happen to know where they live, feel free to pick up and throw their own house with them still inside of it.
--Most walls are scared of being hit by you.
--Your fists could come in handy if you're ever faced with a particularly uppity bulkhead.
--You'd give a werewolf a pretty decent fight, even accounting for their regenerative ability.
--You have no trouble breaking free from powerful telekinetics with the sheer force of your strength.
--There isn't a single prison in the real world that can contain you.
--Hurricane-force winds are not powerful enough to move you if you dig in your heels or grab onto anything sturdy.
--If you ever find yourself doubting your ability to storm a fortified bunker by yourself, don't worry. I believe in you.

Magic:

F:
--You can't cast magic at all. End of story.
E:
--Your abilities are paltry at best, and none of them are combat-applicable. You'd make a great prestidigitation act, though.
D:
--You have small knowledge of magic and can cast a few minor spells that might wow a normal person, maybe. You do have combat magics (sort of), but your friends aren't going to be looking to you for magical firepower, that's for damn sure.
C:
--You're an alright spellcaster, more than capable of bringing down mundane and inexperienced people with magic alone. Try not to get into any fights with other magicians, though. You're not good enough to rely on nothing but magic against any wizard worth his salt yet.
B:
--You're good at what you specialize in. You have decent abilities and more than a little magical "oomph!" to boot. You're no Merlin, but you're more than skilled enough to handle yourself, and that's all that matters.
A:
--Anyone who's not an exceptional fighter or mage is going to have their day ruined if they try to take you on. Knowledge, power and versatility are at your fingertips. You're battle-ready, and nasty with it.
S:
--You might not be the most powerful mage in history, but you're definitely stronger than most. Your magical power is the stuff of nightmares. God help whoever tempts you into using it.

Speed:

F:
--You'd lose a race with a kid in a wheelchair.
--You have the reaction speed of someone who's blackout drunk.
--I could fuck your mother and be on my way in the time it would take you to read this entire reference sheet.
--Damn, you're slow...
E:
--You'd win a race with a kid in a wheelchair. Probably.
--You have the reaction speed of someone who's only moderately drunk.
--You're probably better off not driving or operating heavy machinery.
D:
--You'd do well in a track race with people who don't run track.
--You react a little slower than most people, but not that much. Be glad.
--If you decide to punch someone, don't bother to wind up first. It'll only piss away your time.
C:
--You could probably outrun just about any police officer, provided they're not moonlighting as a successor to Usain Bolt. Lesser athletes can't catch up to you either.
--If something is flying at your head, you can dodge it pretty easily as long as you have warning. Provided it wasn't shot out of a gun or something.
--You're the first person to raise your hand when the teacher asks the class a question. None of the other classmates know how you do it.
B:
--Most people who try to watch you run see nothing but a blur.
--You have no trouble outdrawing the quickest gunslingers in the west.
--You can snatch arrows out of the air pretty easily.
--If you punch a normal person in the same spot three times, they'll be left with the impression that you hit them once, really hard. They'll also wonder why your fist was vibrating.
A:
--You can literally give a fighter jet a run for its money.
--An attacker with a gun is just an opportunity for you to reenact your favorite slow-mo scene from the Matrix trilogy.
--Most normal people think you can teleport.
S:
--The sight of you running would be compared to a hypersonic missile if anyone could actually see you while you're in motion.
--Speaking of that, you ever tried catching a hypersonic missile before? You could probably have some fun with that.
--In the time it took me to write this sentence, you already killed several bad guys, went back to your apartment, ate a meal, took a piss, and then stepped back outside.

Durability
(Note: All Durability ratings allow you to take hits from people with the equivalent Strength rating)

F:
--There are children tougher than you are.
--A hard enough slap from a woman scorned could probably put you in the hospital.
--If a baby bites you too hard while breastfeeding, you might end up losing that entire nipple.
--Stray bacteria can leave you infirm.
--Your bones are weaker than crackhead teeth.
--You might as well just check yourself into a care facility already. You're a self-injury waiting to happen.
E:
--You could probably get away with beating up your 4th-grade son's bullies once their parents realize how frail you really are. I wouldn't risk it, though.
--That woman's slap isn't nearly as dangerous as before, but it still fucking hurts.
--Biting into a decent piece of candy hurts your teeth a little.
--You start to tear up if your coffee is too hot when you drink it.
D:
--You could probably get up from having someone obese fall on you, but you'd rather not see that happen.
--You can take a punch well enough, I guess. Just don't get into any fights with anyone bigger than you.
--You don't get sick often, but when you do, it sucks.
--You'd make one tough 13 year old.
C:
--A non-fatal gunshot is something you can walk off, though you'll still probably want to try and go to the hospital afterwards.
--You can take a punch a lot better than most as long as the attacker isn't wearing brass knuckles.
--A pitbull's bite will still hurt like hell, because this is a pitbull we're talking about.
B:
--World-class boxers routinely break their hands trying to punch you.
--You can take gunshots and keep going as long as the gun in question isn't designed to kill an elephant.
--A baseball bat to the stomach doesn't hurt you that much.
--Your immune system fights off most normal diseases before you can even feel their effects.
--Weaker poisons don't effect you.
--It takes a really strong drink for you to feel any sort of buzz whatsoever.
A:
--Dynamite doesn't do shit to you.
--Much like Lily and James Potter, a car crash is definitely NOT what's going to kill you.
--Falling off a skyscraper would do more damage to the ground than it would to your body.
--Your drug and alcohol tolerances make Lemmy Kilmister look like Jerry Seinfeld.
--Horse tranquilizers don't even make you blink, assuming they can pierce your skin at all.
--You remind me of that movie that starred Damon Wayans and Adam Sandler. What was it called again..?
S:
--You can literally eat nails for breakfast. Without any milk.
--The worst thing a high-yield C-4 explosion could do to you is ruin your outfit.
--You've given up trying to tell whether or not you've been hit if someone shoots at you, thanks to it not making any difference whatsoever.
--The act of ingesting ten pounds of rat poison would barely even faze you.
--Getting sloppy drunk requires you to drink enough alcohol to kill a man three times.
--Getting showered with a flamethrower would, at most, leave you a little singed on the outside.
--If a disease is capable of affecting you, it's either the product of extensive scientific engineering, or it's supernatural.

Intelligence:
(Note: This one is a lot more subjective, depending on which specific forms of intelligence your character has. Ignore whatever you feel doesn't apply.)

F:
--The letter of this rank reflects every grade you've ever gotten on a report card.
--You can't spell "deductive reasoning". Actually, you can't even spell "stupid", which is extremely ironi-- oh, right, you don't know what irony is...
--You can't read. Not even a little.
--Every time you speak, you sound like the Hulk. Assuming you can speak at all.
E:
--Double-entendres are...not your forte.
--At the very least, you can put two and two together. (Yes, I'm talking about math...)
--You're not a fan of big words.
--Learning how to spell took you several tries each time you encountered a new word. And even then, you have a tendency to forget the spellings anyway.
--Most jokes go over your head. Which probably explains why you haven't been laughing to yourself as you read this reference sheet.
D:
--If your average in school was a sentence, that sentence would be "I was average in school". And that's if I'm being generous.
--You don't tend to notice when people are manipulating you unless they're really bad at it.
--You consider Dane Cook a genius comedian.
--You learn things slowly, but once you do learn them, they tend to stick. Most of the time.
--You figured out how to spell "DECAF BS" using the letters in this ranking system, and that amuses you for some reason.
--You're smarter than a fifth grader. Maybe.
C:
--You're happy enough that you graduated high school without repeating any grades.
--You're good enough at understanding when someone is trying to pull a fast one on you, although part of that comes from falling for similar tricks in the past.
--You'd make an alright kindergarten teacher.
--You learn decently fast if you're motivated. Less so if you're not.
--One of your best moments of intellect was finding out who stole the cookie from the cookie jar.
B:
--You're really good at games like Clue and Charades.
--You made your parents very proud of you when you were in school. You got bullied a lot, though.
--People who try to trick you tend to end up falling for a trick instead.
--Unlike most people nowadays, you thoroughly enjoy reading books.
A:
--You can pick up a lot of complicated things on the first or second try.
--Deductive reasoning is something you implement practically every day, to solid effect.
--You excel at chess.
--Your cursive is immaculate.
--You did extensive research on sex before your first time, and as such were able to make a very memorable impression on that very special first person.
--An elephant never forgets, and neither do you.
S:
--Your detective skills are on-par with Sherlock Holmes.
--You'd beat Bobby Fisher pretty solidly in a chess game.
--There is at least one academic subject you've learned that you're more than qualified enough to become a professor in.
--A lot of people's ineptitudes tend to get on your nerves, but that's alright. They can't help it.
--My attempts at humor aren't nearly highbrow enough for you.
--You have the potential to become a very famous person someday depending on how you choose to use that brain of yours.

Stamina:
F:
--You bleed a -lot-, no matter how otherwise insignificant a given wound is.
--You can't run half a block without tiring a little.
--You literally can't walk a mile in my shoes. Actually, you can't even walk a mile in your own shoes.
--If someone hits you in the stomach too hard, you're done for the next few hours.
--A grievous enough wound is guaranteed to kill you if you don't seek medical attention moments after you receive it.
--You may or may not be narcoleptic.
--If you were an electoral candidate, you wouldn't even have the stamina to run for Mayor.
E:
--You have the lung capacity of someone who's been smoking for most of their life.
--Carrying anything heavy to you for longer than a few minutes leaves you sore.
--One could be forgiven for thinking you're in the beginning stages of a degenerative muscular illness.
--A fat kid would outlast you in a marathon.
--"Karate class" ended up being the most expensive pair of pajamas you ever bought.
D:
--You occasionally tire yourself out by shadowboxing for a few minutes.
--You can stay up playing video games almost indefinitely...that is, until you start to see the sunlight through your curtains.
--Sexual partners are...not very pleased with you most of the time.
--If you use magic, your reserves are paltry, and won't last out in a prolonged fight.
--You only took P.E. in school because it was required.
C:
--You can run for an hour before you have to stop and rest.
--Your magical reserves are average, more than enough to last in a given fight, but less likely to hold up across a series of encounters.
--Minor aches and pains are something you can ignore well enough.
--If you have a problem with my sense of humor, you can literally take a hike.
B:
--You can hold your breath for up to five minutes.
--You can run at a full sprint for several hours without tiring.
--Your magical reserves are well above average, more than  enough to last throughout multiple fights.
--Dislocated joints aren't painful enough to bother you.
--You can last up to three days without food or water before you begin to show signs of hunger or fatigue.
--Phoenix, Arizona summers don't bother you that much.
--Denver, Colorado winters don't bother you that much.
A:
--You can climb to the top of the world's tallest skyscraper without tiring.
--You can last up to twelve hours in a fight with an evenly-matched enemy before you start slowing down.
--You have no trouble continuing to fight after being impaled, as long as the impalement is not instantly fatal.
--Being covered in bruises doesn't slow you down in the least.
--Broken bones won't slow you down unless they are instantly fatal or another, more serious injury results from them. (Ex: a broken arm or hip won't leave you unable to fight, but a fractured skull will still severely incapacitate you, and a broken neck will still kill you.)
--Your magical reserves are the mage's equivalent to the stamina reserves of an Olympic marathon runner.
S:
--You can scale Mount Everest barehanded without coming out of it the least bit worn.
--You can run at full-sprint for a whole week without stopping.
--You can last up to a full day in a prolonged fight with an evenly-matched enemy before you start to tire.
--If you fight using magic, your reserves of magical energy will last throughout dozens of consecutive battles and then some.
--A full day of non-stop sex isn't enough to exhaust you.
--You can go up to ten days without food or water.
--You can go without sleep for up to two weeks before your body starts showing signs of fatigue, assuming you don't perform any strenuous activity.
--Your pain tolerance is such that you could take prolonged dip in boiling hot water while ignoring the pain.
--You could make a decent pasttime out of stepping on a Lego for amusement.
--Severe injuries such as amputations and collapsed organs won't slow you down unless they are extremely fatal. (Ex: Liver damage and a missing arm won't leave you unable to fight, but severe brain trauma, a crushed heart or a missing lung will still kill you.)
--If your character is robotic, comparing their battery power to that of a car battery would be the same as comparing that car battery's power to that of a common Duracell triple-A battery.
---Likewise, their functional processes, without maintenance, would last weeks longer than a brand new car under the same conditions.

Willpower:

F:
--Your willpower is practically nonexistent. Your conviction could be overpowered by a light breeze, and anyone or anything with psychic powers can dominate you without mercy.
E:
--You're a coward. All it takes is one viable threat or a raised voice to make you want to turn tail and run. All but the most pitiful forms of mind control and emotional domination are guaranteed to work on you, also.
D:
--Your will exists, but it's nothing special. Perhaps you're hindered by an overawareness of your own limitations, or maybe you simply don't have it in you to muster your courage the way certain others do? Whatever the case, you're strong enough to put up a fight against the weakest of mental, emotional and spiritual effects, but you won't last long against anything more overbearing.
C:
--You've learned how to stand your ground and face your fears, but self-preservation is still your first and foremost priority, and you are not above running if you feel like the situation has fallen out of your favor. You can mount an alright defense against mental, emotional and spiritual attacks, but anything particularly potent is going to give you a really bad time.
B:
--Your will isn't unmatched, but it's definitely nothing to scoff at. You know how to be stubborn and courageous when the time calls for it, and it takes a lot to snuff out that courage once it has been brought to bear. Mental and spiritual effects are dulled when faced with your will, with only the stronger or subtler effects being enough to push past it.
A:
--Your will is solid iron, fortified to an immense degree. You've hardened yourself against that which would seek to crush your spirit, and you're more than ready fight back tooth and nail of necessary. Weaker mental, emotional and spiritual effects are entirely beneath your notice, and even stronger effects can be tossed aside with enough effort on your part. Your mind isn't impenetrable, but breaking through the fortress wall that serves as your will is not going to be easy.
S:
--Your will is a powerful and tenacious energy that practically has a life of its own. You back down from nothing unless you are certain you have no chance of defeating it. Hollow words cannot stop you, arguments cannot turn you aside, and that which sends most people running will give you slight pause at best. Overcoming your will through supernatural means takes power of an exceptional order; you are functionally immune to most mental, emotional and spiritual effects, and only the strongest of these powers can break you indefinitely. In some cases, the sheer force of your willpower may even be enough to stop a weaker-willed being in their tracks, paralyzing them with fear or overmastering awe.

Charisma:
This section is far too variable to outline properly. Use your own judgement and discretion here; if you can't figure out why your own character has the personality-based stat ranking you've chosen for them, then I don't know what to tell you.