The name that you wish to be known by is used whenever another character wishes to refer to you specifically.  For example, when giving gold or items, a name is required.  When healing with spells or items, your character’s name is needed if other characters are in the area.  Choose your name well since it cannot ever be changed again.  Only one character in Single or Multi-player can have a given name at a time. 

Race 
The race you choose to be will determine your maximum age, how quickly you learn and how strong, intelligent, wise, healthy, charismatic and dexterous you can become.  There are several other important points concerning your race; they will be discussed later.  The race you choose will also determine the number of ‘stat points’ you have when creating your character.  You can discover this by exploring different race selections when creating your character. 

Stats 
There are six basic statistics (stats) that determine how your character will perform when faced with certain tasks.  Since some Items and Spells require a minimum stat to use or cast, choosing a race that supports these stats can be important.  All guilds also require a set of minimum stats in order to join.  Certain items found in the dungeon may modify a stat while equipped, but the unmodified (natural) stat is still used in some circumstances (e.g. the guilds look only at your natural unmodified stats when deciding if you may join.  Also, the maximum spell points a character has is based on the character’s natural stats).  You may raise your natural stats by using certain items you can find in the dungeon, but there are also monsters in the deeper parts of the dungeon that can reduce your stats, so look out! The six basic statistics (stats) are described as to what effect they have on your character’s abilities as follows: 

Strength (Str) 
Your character’s Physical Strength determines your chances of hitting a monster in combat, and how much damage is done when you hit a monster. 

Intelligence (Int) 
Your character’s Intelligence determines your chances of hitting a monster in combat,  the maximum spell points that your character is allowed, your ability to identify an item, and your ability to properly identify a monster. 

Wisdom (Wis) 
Your character’s common sense and insight affects your chances of hitting a monster in combat, the maximum spell points your character is allowed, your ability to recognize a trap on a chest, your ability to identify an item, your ability to recognize a monster, and your chances of leaving combat without being hit. 

Constitution (Con) 
Your character’s ‘healthiness’ affects the number of hits you receive when you make a level, the chance of being raised when dead, your ability to resist special attacks from monsters (poison, disease, stoning, aging, paralysis, ‘breath’ attacks and spells cast by monsters. 

Charisma (Cha) 
Your character’s beauty and leadership determines your chances of having monsters join and become your companions, how long a companion will stay with you, and the chance of monsters becoming hostile towards you. 

Dexterity (Dex) 
Your character’s speed and agility affect your chance of hitting a monster in combat, your ability to disarm traps, how long it takes your character to open a chest while in combat, the chances a monster has of stealing from you, your chances of moving in combat without being blocked, and your chances of surprising monsters. 

When a stat has reached its natural peak (i.e. it cannot naturally be raised any higher), it will appear in bold type on the screen.  For example: 26. 
 
Attack/Defense (A/D) 
The A/D of your character is a percentage representation of how well you do in combat and is based on your stats modified by your current guild/level plus any armor or weapons you are wearing.  An A/D of 9/12 means that you have an 9% additional chance of hitting a monster while the monster has an additional 12% chance of missing you.  Keep in mind that as your character progresses and as you head deeper into the dungeon, the monsters will be more experienced and have a higher A/D. 

Hit Points 
Hit points (‘hits’) determine how much damage your character can take during combat and from other inflictions (e.g. poison, disease, drowning, etc.) before dying.  The number of hit points your character has will rise as you gain levels in guilds.  Your constitution is also important in determining your maximum hit points since you can receive ‘bonus’ hits when you make a level if your constitution is above 16.  When your character’s hit points reach 0, you are dead.  You can be raised by another character or in the morgue when you do die (which will be discussed later). 

Hit points are expressed in a fraction - for example, 15/15 means that you are at full strength, while 7/15 means you are at half strength.  The first number represents your current hit points while the second number represents your maximum hit points.  You can raise your hit points by achieving higher levels in your guild or having ‘special’ events occur.  Some guilds have the ability to cast spells (e.g. Clerics) that will heal lost hit points, which can be very useful when one is far from the city.  The usual non-magical ways to restore a character’s hits are to return to the city and level in the Guilds, drink from the Fountain, or just re-enter the dungeon and get healed with a penalty of aging.  Some items found in the dungeon can also restore hit points. 

Experience 
Experience is used in relation to the guild(s) you are a member of to determine how much your character has learned (from fighting, casting spells, opening chests, etc.).  When you have reached a certain amount of experience, your guild will allow you to advance in level which will increase your character’s powers.  Both your race and guild will affect how much experience is required to make a level in your current guild. After a certain point, if you do not make a level, you will see that you become Pinned. NOTE: Once pinned, any further experience will not be credited to you until you advance to the next guild level. 
 
Gold 
Since there is no weight limit for gold in Ascension, there is no limit as to how much your character can carry.  Gold is what makes the entire city function.  When buying items, making levels in guilds, raising dead characters or companions, you need gold.  It’s a good idea to use the bank to store your gold, considering that some monsters have the ability to steal it from you - and sometimes in great amounts. 

Spell Points & Spell Level 
Every character has a certain number of spell points that they can use for casting spells (even if they don’t know any).  As a character’s Intelligence and Wisdom go up, so does the maximum number of spell points that they have.  Like hit points, spell points are expressed in a fraction that show the current number of points and maximum number of points.  Every character also has a “Spell Level”, which is related to a character’s current Guild & Guild Level.  The power of a spell is based on a character’s Spell Level, which goes up as a character gains levels in their guild(s).