I like the idea of having every stat contribute to one of the standard saving throws. The difficulty is finding one that Charm applies to, since it's purely social and I decided to divorce Willpower from it (the genre is full of charming, but weak-willed, con-artist types). How about a social save, though? For resisting subtle spells and con artistry? I'd need an 8th stat, though.
Social Save: Intuition and Charm. Makes sense. Intuition works for sensing that someone's betraying you, and Charm works because you have experience with this sort of thing.
Willpower Save: Knowledge and Drive. Drive, definitely. Knowledge is a little bit iffier, though. But before, honestly, Intuition was kind of iffy, too. Hm.
Reaction Save: Agility & Perception. Sensing something coming and reacting fast enough to do something about it. Could also be Intuition & Perception and drop the physical movement part entirely. But I don't really like that idea.
Toughness Save: Strength and Drive or Strength and Constitution? Strength and Size only works if there's a separate stat for Size and I'm thinking that it won't be a "true" stat since you can't increase it... it's based on your race.
Save like things I could use...
Noticing Lying: Intuition & Charm.
Noticing Danger: Perception & Intuition.
Toughness: Strength & Endurance.
Willpower: Knowledge & Drive.
Dodge/Reaction: Perception & Agility.
So, if I dump Noticing Danger, I've got all 8 used.
What all are the stats used for?
Strength: damage, strength checks, hit points, one or two skills. Possibly some style of attacks (ones that use brute force).
Endurance: hit points, endurance checks, one or two skills. Healing.
Charm: general charm/reaction rolls, several skills.
Knowledge: lots of skills, particularly magical arts.
Perception: ranged attacks, several skills.
Drive: one or two skills.
Intuition: a few skills.
Agility: many skills, dodging.
So far my "dump stats" look like Drive and Intuition. Charm/Knowledge could be dumped for fighter types, Charm/Strength for mages. Everyone wants Perception and Endurance and probably Agility.
What would Drive and Intuition be good for? Well, I can see several uses for both involving magic. In fact, I could take magical arts away from Knowledge and call them all Intuition skills... on the grounds that no matter how smart you are, you can't work magic without being sensitive to invisible forces.
Drive also helps determine how many spells you can maintain simultaneously, so it'll help there, too. As well as impacting your magic save and leadership. That might leave Knowledge as the dump stat, though. Hm. Perhaps, Ars Magica style, I might allow you to substitute Knowledge under certain circumstances? Or add both? I'll have to think about it.
Hm. How about...
Willpower (save vs overt mind stuff): Drive & Intuition.
Insight (save vs subtle stuff): Charm & Knowledge.
Reaction (reflex/initiative): Perception & Agility.
Toughness (fort): Strength & Endurance.
Hm. Well, this makes mages the best at resisting willpower stuff, but not so hot at resisting subtle stuff. How about putting Intuition back in Insight?
Willpower: Drive & Knowledge.
Insight: Charm & Intuition.
Reaction: Perception & Agility.
Toughness: Strength & Endurance.
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