The three traits on your Pony Sheet help describe what kind of pony you are. Will you be strong,fast, and athletic like Rainbow Dash or Applejack, or clever, wise, and intelligent like Rarity or Twilight Sparkle? Could you possibly be as cute as Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy?
Starting pony characters normally begin with values of D4 or D6 for their traits, but as they grow from a young foal (colt or filly) into adult ponies, their traits will also increase to higher values—D8, D10 or even higher. Increasing the value of traits is explained on page 86.
Traits, like all other skills based on a die value, are used in tests as explained on page 52. For now
remember that the D4 is the weakest die, and the D20 is the strongest.
(Body)
The Body trait shows how strong you are—how much weight you can lift and carry, for example. It also measures how tough you are, how long you can keep running for, how easy it is for you to catch a cold, and so on. In addition, it shows how agile you are when moving, how good you are at dodging things, and how well you can balance, so is useful for when you need to complete an
obstacle course or want to show off your dancing skills.
Small animals and young ponies have a Body of D4 or D6. Grown up ponies and larger animals have a Body of D8, D10 or even more in the case of very strong or athletic ponies like Big Macintosh or Rainbow Dash.
Of course other creatures might have a very high Body value… a minotaur, for example, could have a Body of D20, and a dragon can go even higher.
(Mind)
The Mind trait shows how intelligent your pony character is, how well you remember things, and how good you are at studying and winning an argument. The Mind trait is useful for solving puzzles, finding your way out of a maze, and speaking other languages. In addition, ponies with a high Mind value are less likely to panic or to become sad or scared. They can push
themselves to keep going where others might give up.
The Mind trait also shows how good a pony’s sensitivity is. A pony with a good Mind value can pick up whether others are upset, guess what they might be thinking about, and figure out what they are going to do next—call it a ‘sixth sense…’ or even a Pinkie sense!
Young ponies start with a Mind of D4 or D6, but as they learn new things through study and experience, their Mind value will increase to D8, D10, and more, up to the very high levels that Twilight Sparkle and Zecora have.
Other creatures and exceptional ponies, such as Princess Luna or Princess Celestia, can have amazingly strong minds, even stronger than a D20.
(Charm)
Charm is not just about how pretty or cute you are. It is about your personality—how much other people like you, listen to you, and want to be your friend and spend time with you. Charming ponies make everypony else like them by being always nice and paying attention to the feeling of others.
This trait is the most difficult to measure, and can be very different for different ponies. For example, you could say that both Rarity and Fluttershy are charming, but they are so in very different ways. Charm is useful for making friends with other ponies and creatures you meet on your adventures, and influencing others’ opinions, such as when you are arguing over the price of a basket of cherries with a shopkeeper at the market.
Your Charm normally starts at D6, as even the youngest ponies can be very charming by being so
adorable (actually, some of them become less charming with age). As your personality develops and you learn to be nice, charismatic, and persuasive, your Charm might increase to D8, D10, and even higher. Some characters have a Charm of D20 or even higher, such as Princess Cadence.
(Stamina)
Your pony character’s Stamina is not based on a die; rather it’s a number of Stamina points. Stamina measures how healthy, both in Body and Mind, your pony is at present. If you are perfectly fresh, rested, and full of energy, your Stamina points are at their maximum.
Losing Stamina)
If you travel and get very tired, or are hurt, or become sad or confused, you will lose a number of Stamina points. Write down on your Pony Sheet, under ‘Current Stamina,’ the number of Stamina points you are left with.
For example, you have a maximum value of 10 Stamina points, and after a long day trekking across the countryside you are so exhausted that you lose 2 Stamina points. This means that your current Stamina points becomes 8—you write this down on your Pony Sheet. If you also twisted an ankle on a steep mountain trail, you might end up losing 1 or more additional points of Stamina.
(Zero Stamina!)
If your Stamina ever gets to 0 or less, your pony faints or can’t carry on anymore—tiredness gets the better of you, and you need some rest right now! This can be annoying as it can stop you from finishing a task. It can also cause problems, as some bad guys could take you prisoner while you sleep, and you might wake up in a cell or a cage! That’s why it’s normally a good idea not to adventure alone—having friends around to help you out when you’re down or in trouble is best!
Recovering Stamina)
Stamina is normally recovered naturally by resting, eating wholesome food and drinks, or even by magic with the use of potions or talents (as explained on page 67). All of these ways of healing will add a number of Stamina points to your total, up to your Maximum Stamina points.
As a rule of thumb, a night’s sleep out in the wild will get you 1 point of Stamina back, while resting in a comfy bed at home or in an inn or other nice accommodation will give you 2 points back.
A nice hot meal will likewise get you 1 point of Stamina back, while some cold hay under the rain might be enough to keep you going, but will not help you recover any Stamina.
Going a long time without eating will have the opposite effect—you might even lose Stamina as you become weak and hungry, so always make sure you pack some food for long trips in the wilderness.
(Maximum Stamina)
Your Maximum Stamina points will increase as your pony character develops, as explained below.
(What's my Maximum Stamina Value?)
It’s easy to figure out your Maximum Stamina value.
Look at the values of your pony’s Body and Mind traits. Ignore the letter ‘D’ in these values and add up the two numbers. This total score equals your Maximum Stamina value.
So for example, a pony with a Mind of D4 and Body of D6 adds up 4 plus 6 to get 10. The pony’s
Maximum Stamina value is 10. A pony with a Mind of D6 and a Body of D6 would have a Maximum Stamina value of 12.
When your pony gains levels, his or her Body or Mind value will increase, getting a better die. This will also make your pony’s Maximum Stamina value increase. For example, a pony with a Body of D10 and a Mind of D12 goes up a level and increases her Mind to D20. Her current Maximum Stamina value of 22 increases to 30 (Body 10 plus Mind 20).