Statistics are a representation of a character's physical and mental abilities, measured in eight categories. Players can increase these statistics through equipped items and talents gained while leveling, but only super stats increase on their own.
Each statistic has its own soft cap, which varies with your level, beyond which the stat's effects are subject to diminishing returns. An easy method of finding each soft cap is to check what value is required for your Super Stat(s) to grant a damage bonus of 30% - that value is the soft cap for your level. Any statistic above that value will be affected by diminishing returns.
- Prior to the Oct 6, 2009 patch, statistics were limited by a Hard Cap, set to the value required for a Super Stat to grant a damage bonus of 32%.
Strength[]
- Main article: Strength
- Melee Damage (except Ego Blades)
- Melee Knockback Strength
- Knockback Resistance
- Pick Up and Throw Power
Dexterity[]
- Critical Hit Chance
- Aggression Stealth Strength
Dexterity represents agility and reaction time. It helps determine a hero's critical hit chance and the effectiveness of any stealth granting powers they may use.
Dexterity is a magnificent characteristic for raw offense. A high chance to critically hit your enemies is important for maximum damage output, especially when facing targets with substantial defensive powers of their own. Burst damage is king when fighting other players in the Hero Games or when facing Super Villains. Strongly consider this attribute for that reason alone.
The Lightning Reflexes Defensive Passive power increases a character's Dodge & Avoidance based on Dexterity as well.
The formula for critical strike chance follows a pattern of escalating returns. The benefit for the first few points of Dexterity is small, but each additional point is worth more than the previous one. Players should be able to easily achieve critical hit values of ~6%, though with a Characteristic Focus this value can rapidly grow to more than 20%. After that point, the return for additional Dexterity diminishes.
Constitution[]
- Increases Maximum Health Points
Constitution represents health and hardiness. It grants heroes bonus Health.
Lack of health is the primary cause of death! Constitution has only one benefit to a character, but it is of significant value. The more Constitution your character gains, the more Health they'll have. Stack Constitution, live longer. Further, your health comes back faster after fights, because it regenerates as a percentage of maximum health.
Note that the Combat Roles can increase or decrease the bonus Health granted by Constitution!
Intelligence[]
- Power Recharge Speed
- Power Cost Discount
- Stealth Sight
Intelligence represents the ability to take in and process information quickly. It helps determine the damage of a hero's pets, power cooldown length, stealth detection abilities, and affects the energy cost of their powers.
Intelligence is an aggressive statistic focused on consistent damage output. High Intelligence reduces the energy cost of powers and mildly reduces power cooldowns. By making powers more efficient, Intelligence synergizes well with both Endurance and Recovery.
The Energy Discount benefit from Intelligence follows a pattern of escalating returns. The benefit for the first few points of Intelligence is small, but each additional point is worth more than the previous one. Players will be able to easily achieve energy discount values of ~10%, though with a Characteristic Focus this value can rapidly grow (the actual cap is very level dependent. For reference, it's about 35% at level 20, and about 50% at level 40. This value is indexed against the similarly escalating, but linear, benefits of Recovery and Endurance.). After that point, the return for additional Intelligence diminishes.
Ego[]
- Ranged Damage
- Ego Blade Damage
- Hold Resistance
- Ranged Knockback Strength
Ego represents mental strength and strength of will. It helps determine a hero's damage and knockback strength with ranged attacks and ego blades, and chance to break free from intangible holds.
Formerly, Ego improved Critical Hit Severity, but relied on a different Characteristic to trigger. A low Dexterity score reduced the effectiveness of Ego; a low Ego score reduces the value of Dexterity. This was one of the reasons Ego's function was changed.
Reducing intangible crowd control is nice for survivability, especially in the Hero Games. Otherwise, it's a situational benefit - you aren't likely to notice the increased resistance normally.
Presence[]
- Healing and Shielding Bonus
- Hold Strength
- Crowd Control Resistance
Presence represents mental forcefulness, charisma, bravery and leadership qualities. It improves the hero's healing/shielding, hold strength, and crowd control resistance.
Formerly, Presence improved a hero's threat increase or decrease, depending on role, and combat pet health. This function is now determined by the hero's super stats.
Recovery[]
- Improved Energy Generation
- Increases Energy Equilibrium
- Slightly Increases Maximum Energy
Recovery sets a character's equilibrium and increases the rate of Energy generated from Energy Building attacks.
A high equilibrium is wonderful in sudden fights - it allows a hero the option to use more powers or more potent powers. This is especially useful in the Hero Games. Having more starting energy is also useful for Support and Defensive characters - heroes can heal damage sooner or generate threat earlier.
The Combat Role Sentinel dramatically increases a hero's Equilibrium, emulating a high Recovery.
Endurance[]
- Maximum Energy
Endurance sets a character's maximum Energy as well as increasing the numerical amount of Energy that Energy Building attacks generate.
Endurance is not a survival attribute in Champions Online. Instead, it allows a character to use his or her powers at their most powerful level by letting you build up a large store of Energy and unleashing it all at once. Against weak enemies its benefit is trivial, but it is perfect for taking on Super Villains and using high-end charge-up powers.
While Endurance is most useful for heroes with high-cost abilities, it can also allow for long strings of low-cost attacks without the need to regenerate Energy often.