HEALTH
Whenever a character takes damage, points are subtracted from a pool of total health points. Maximum health
is initially determined by the character’s class (see p. 6); it increases with each point spent on the constitution
attribute. Lost health regenerates slowly during combat but almost immediately after a fight. If you’re near
death, use a health potion or cast a healing spell.
Injuries
So long as at least one party member survives a fight, those who fell in combat revive themselves once all
enemies are dead—but they sustain injuries that reduce their health pool. At most difficulty settings, it is
possible for each character to sustain multiple cumulative injuries, which prevents them from fully healing
until the injuries are treated.
To remedy an injury, use an injury kit on the character. The party’s injuries are also automatically treated
whenever Hawke returns home.
STAMINA/MANA
Warriors and rogues draw from a pool of personal stamina to power many of their talents, and mages use
their mana for spells. (A few abilities, however, cost nothing to use.) Each class regenerates stamina or mana
differently: warriors replenish some stamina each time they kill an enemy, rogues regain a small amount
of stamina with each hit, and mages regenerate mana continuously. Certain spells and talents also allow
characters to regenerate mana or stamina.
Because mana and stamina are limited, talents and spells are special supplements to basic attacks, not the
focus of battle. The size of the stamina or mana pool is initially determined by the character’s class (see p. 5).
It increases with each point spent on the willpower attribute.
ATTACK
Attack is usually represented as a percentage that indicates a character’s chance to hit an opponent with a
basic attack. This percentage is based on a flat attack score, which is visible alongside the percentage in the
Attributes screen.
For a given flat attack score, the percentage varies based on the level and rank of the opponent. The percentage
score that you see most often is calculated in comparison to a normal-rank enemy of the same level as the
character. To see a character’s attack percentage against enemy lieutenants or bosses, select ATTACK in the
Attributes screen and press the F button to view more details.
Because the attack percentage is calculated in comparison to an enemy of the same level as the character, the
percentage diminishes each level unless you spend points to improve it. This means that you must continually
invest in the strength attribute for warriors, magic for mages, and dexterity for rogues.
Cover
Arrows and crossbow bolts cannot penetrate obstacles like columns or trees. Although it is possible to target
and fire at opponents behind cover, the shots will not hit them, no matter how high the attack score is.
DEFENSE
Defense represents a character’s ability to avoid attacks entirely. Defense works just like attack, as described
above, except that defense produces the opposite effect: with sufficient defense, attacks glance off harmlessly
or inflict minimal damage.
Defense, like attack, is usually represented as a percentage that varies based on the opponent’s rank and level.
Consequently, as characters increase in level, you must continually invest in the cunning attribute to keep their
defense score high.
