From the materials he'd studied beforehand, Aldric already knew that attributes were the single most important foundation in Unreal World.
In this world, every living creature was defined by six core attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Perception, and Charisma.
To put it in game terms—if someone in the real world had grown up with good nutrition, regular exercise, a proper education, decent upbringing, and average looks, then their attributes would roughly be 8 points across the board.
But in Unreal World, where endless wars had ravaged civilization, ordinary civilians only averaged 6 points per attribute.
While individual stats might differ slightly, their total usually didn't exceed 36 points.
Nobles and classals were exceptions.
When players created a new character, their base attributes (except for Charisma) all started at 6 points, and they received 24 free attribute points to distribute as they pleased.
However, there were restrictions.
Once any attribute reached 12 points, every additional point required 2 free points instead of one.
At 14, the cost increased to 3, and above 16, it would take 4 or more.
Anything above 20 required completing a special quest.
In addition, leveling up did not grant free attribute points—unless the player obtained a skill or talent that specifically boosted attributes.
Upon taking a class, a player would gain a one-time class bonus, which granted different attribute boosts and skill rewards depending on the class.
However, class also had experience penalties—for instance, a militiaman might level up faster than a "Dragon Overlord," but their skill points and weapon mastery per level would be significantly lower.
Under normal progression, each level-up granted a certain number of skill points and weapon proficiency points, and every three levels, the player earned a chance to choose a new talent.
…
"Pioneer detected.
You are one of humanity's brave vanguards, carrying our species' hopes into the stars.
Through the volunteer evaluation system, you have proven yourself among humanity's elite.
You may choose to undergo a physical and file-based scan. Doing so will allow your in-game character to inherit your real-world attributes, along with two additional bonus points.
Alternatively, you may decline the scan and instead receive six extra free attribute points."
"...Accept the scan," Aldric decided after a moment of hesitation.
As a transmigrator with the discipline of an adult soul, the benefit of modern scientific training, a strong educational background from the Loyalty Academy and military school, and over a decade of diligent training at the Wuju Martial Institute—he felt confident his real physique could hold its own.
Honestly, if he returned to his previous world, he might even pass for a night-time vigilante… the Batman type.
All that effort, in the end, had turned into the perfect foundation for—of all things—his gaming addiction.
"Commencing scan... Evaluating physical condition... Analyzing personal file... Please stand by…"
As the system worked, a detailed explanation of the six attributes appeared before him.
Strength determined how much weight one could carry and directly affected physical damage.
All gear had weight—metal armor and heavy weapons even had minimum Strength requirements for use.
Dexterity governed control over one's own body.
A character with high Dexterity could perform incredible maneuvers and enjoy faster reflexes, greater speed, and sharper reaction times.
However, wearing heavy armor or wielding cumbersome weapons imposed Dexterity penalties.
Constitution defined endurance—how well a character could resist blows, sustain damage, and recover.
The higher the Constitution, the greater the stamina, disease resistance, and healing rate.
It allowed longer, tougher battles.
Intelligence represented a character's knowledge and skill comprehension.
High Intelligence improved spellcasting, boosted spell effectiveness, and accelerated skill growth.
For mages, this stat was everything—it determined their maximum magical capability.
Even for non-mages, Intelligence mattered greatly, as it directly affected how many skill points they earned upon leveling up.
Perception governed sight, hearing, and smell—the ability to sense the world around you.
High Perception allowed a character to see the trajectory of arrows, anticipate danger, and notice subtle clues.
It was also critical for casters, as it influenced spell accuracy and energy regeneration speed.
Charm -> Charisma affected innate magical affinity and supernatural influence.
It depended on the player's real-world traits and personal record.
This stat couldn't be increased manually with free points, but it was especially important for non-mage users of supernatural powers.
"Scan complete,"
announced the soft, synthetic female voice after thirty seconds of analysis.
Final Attributes:
Strength: 12
(Base: 10 from physical scan; +1 from National Loyalty Academy Dean's Recommendation; +1 from Military Academy Honors Graduate)Dexterity: 16
(Base: 12 from scan; +1 Dean's Recommendation; +1 Military Honors; +2 from Reconnaissance Skill Assessment Level 1)Constitution: 15
(Base: 10 from scan; +1 Dean's Recommendation; +1 Military Honors; +1 Excellent Health Record; +2 Wuju Sword Hall Win Streak Record Holder)Intelligence: 14
(Base: 10 from education scan; +1 Dean's Recommendation; +1 Military Honors; +2 from Advanced Education Exam Distinction)Perception: 14
(Base: 10 from scan; +1 Dean's Recommendation; +1 Military Honors; +2 from Sixth Sense Certification)Charisma: 12
(Base: 8 from appearance analysis; +2 from S-rank Civic Evaluation; −2 from Sparse Social Network Friendship Record; +2 from Advanced Officer Training; −1 for No Romantic History; +1 from Multiple Instructor Recommendations; +2 from Pioneer Volunteer Selection)
Available Free Points: 2
(Pioneer Bonus. Without scanning, you would have had 24 + 6 = 30 free points instead.)
Aldric examined his stats carefully.
When he reached the Charisma section, he couldn't help but curl his lip.
So much for privacy—apparently, in this new age, every personal record belonged to the state.
With a shrug, he dumped his remaining two free points into Strength, raising it from 12 to 13.
(Note: Scan-based bonus attributes are permanent and not affected by the increasing cost rule for high stats.
Only Pioneer Fleet members can use the self-scan template option.
On Earth, this feature is restricted—only citizens with an A-rank or higher civic rating may unlock it, and even then, they receive no bonus free points.
Charisma cannot be increased manually—it always derives directly from the player's scan and records.)
…
"Please select your talents.
Initial players may choose three talents, but as a Pioneer, you will receive one additional talent.
All talents are based on your initial attributes.
You cannot view their detailed descriptions beforehand.
Please choose carefully."
Rows upon rows—hundreds, maybe thousands—of glowing text lines appeared before him.
Unreal World was, at its core, a game built upon a rich fantasy foundation, heavily inspired by classics like Dungeons & Dragons and Fallout.
The Talent System was the heart of it all.
Beyond the initial talents, there were bloodline talents, class talents, guild talents, and many others, gained through different milestones.
Thanks to the ship's AI's immense computing power, it was said that no two players would ever have exactly the same build.
Moreover, new talents would continue to appear as the game evolved.
Among all of these, the initial talents were by far the most important—and the extra slot granted to Pioneers was easily the best reward they could receive.
Since the interface only displayed names, not descriptions, Aldric took his time to think.
He avoided anything that looked obviously troublesome—like [Unlucky Fool], [Party Boy], or [Corpse Eater]—and instead picked four that sounded clear and powerful.
[Weapon Mastery]
You can skillfully handle any weapon and master it with ease—mastering weapons is the foundation of mastering combat.
(Weapon proficiency starts from "Skilled." Weapon proficiency gain rate ×1.1.)
(Based on player's file and combat experience.)
[Lightning Reflexes]
Your neural structure grants you extraordinary reaction speed. In close combat, you will always move faster than your opponent.
(Unlocked due to Dexterity 16.)
[Still Water, Clear Mind]
Years of discipline and repeated brushes with death have tempered your spirit like polished glass. Emotional turbulence rarely disturbs you. Increases Willpower Resistance, grants Fear Immunity, and halves negative effects on failed Will Saves.
(Based on player's experience and attributes: Constitution, Perception, and Intelligence all ≥14.)
[Enemy of Chaos]
Your heart aligns with order. After years of fighting against chaos, you understand its flaws and traces. Hidden, stealth, and deceptive acts of chaotic beings cannot escape your detection. You deal ×1.2 damage to all Chaos-aligned enemies. But beware—Chaos will gaze back at you. Demons, shades, and horrors—none shall hide, for to Chaos, you are the hunter... and they are the prey.
(Special Talent. Granted for holding Level-1 Anti-Terror Medal and Sixth Sense Certification.)
Having completed his attribute and talent setup, Aldric felt extremely satisfied.
At least in the early stages of the game, he was confident he'd be ahead of most players.
Now, it was time to show some real skill—to remind his old classmates from the Loyalty Academy, his fellow cadets from the military school, and those defeated challengers from the Wuju Sword Hall...
That the Demon King has returned!
Even across billions of light-years, you will still tremble under my shadow! RUA!
(End of Chapter)
TN: Keeping this cuz its damn funny
Author's Note (added months later):
Guys, please stop doubting my math skills!!
I've said it before—when attributes are above 12, each extra point costs two free points!
Above 14, it costs three!
This follows DnD's point-buy system, which I already explained clearly!
Whoever keeps saying "12 + 2 = 13" like it's a mistake—I swear I'm gonna explode!
Even the pirated comment sections keep bringing it up! Enough already!