CURRENT LEVEL: 1
POINTS TO ASSIGN: 20
LEVEL AFTER POINT ASSIGNMENT: 5
STRENGTH: 5 (16th percentile for current level)
AGILITY: 6 (22nd percentile for current level)
PERCEPTION: 12 (60th percentile for current level)
CONSTITUTION: 7 (30th percentile for current level)
INTELLIGENCE: 18 (98th percentile for current level)
CHI: 10 (50th percentile for current level)
CHARISMA: 10 (50th percentile for current level)
Without thinking too much, I dumped a bunch of points into agility, which I needed desperately right now if I was going to be dodging rockets. The Dalek was still turning in my direction with almost comic slowness. I began to run diagonally to avoid being in front of it. If there was one thing my gaming experience had taught me, it's that when you don't know what to do, you should run in circles.
This seemed to work, likely due to the agility boost I just got; I had to keep on running but the Dalek’s turn rate was slow enough that I was able to keep just ahead of it’s rocket launcher. Several times, I almost tripped as the arena was strewn with weapons: bows, swords, halberds. I even remember seeing a wookie bowcaster somewhere.
CURRENT LEVEL: 2
POINTS TO ASSIGN: 14
LEVEL AFTER POINT ASSIGNMENT: 5
STRENGTH: 5 (14th percentile for current level)
AGILITY: 12 (58nd percentile for current level)
PERCEPTION: 12 (58th percentile for current level)
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
CONSTITUTION: 7 (28th percentile for current level)
INTELLIGENCE: 18 (97th percentile for current level)
CHI: 10 (48th percentile for current level)
CHARISMA: 10 (48th percentile for current level)
I seemed to be able to manipulate the menu with my thoughts. Most of these traits were self-explanatory. On a whim, I expanded Intelligence and an explanation popped up:
“INTELLIGENCE: boosts in this stat rewire the brain to boost cognitive ability, problem solving, creativity, working memory, and related attributes.”
The Dalek had stopped turning and fired a rocket somewhere quite far from me, which gave me the time to stop for a quick breather. Running in circles might be a viable strategy but I couldn’t keep on doing it forever.
I looked at the only other stat that wasn’t self-explanatory.
“CHI: boosts in this stat turn you more in tune with the universe.”
Well, that was suitably mysterious.
So what were my options here?
I could boost up my strength and agility, pick up a weapon, roll close to the Dalek and go hand-to-hand. But the robot seemed heavily armored and, anyway, this option did not play my strong suits. I was already starting far behind in strength, agility, and constitution.
I could increase my intelligence and hope that a solution would present itself to the smarter me. But rewiring your brain...that felt iffy, a bit like death. As if I was replacing myself with someone else who would take over my body. I remembered endless debates back in an intro to philosophy class -- if I change my brain to a replica of Napoleon’s brain one neuron at a time, do I cease to be me? If so, should I think of myself as dying constantly given that my body rewires my neurons daily?
I didn’t have any good answers but, just to be on the safe side, I wasn’t touching the intelligence stat.
But then what could I do?
The Dalek started turning in my direction again and I resumed circling. I had to do something and I had to do it soon.
An idea began to take hold in my mind. I wouldn’t be able to get out of this predicament without risk, I said to myself. Every option was a gamble with unknown odds. I already felt my legs starting to get heavy. I needed to choose. So, with a heavy heart, I closed my eyes, said a short prayer to a God I did not believe in, and allocated my remaining stats.
CURRENT LEVEL: 5
POINTS TO ASSIGN: 0
STRENGTH: 5 (12th percentile for current level)
AGILITY: 12 (56th percentile for current level)
PERCEPTION: 12 (56th percentile for current level)
CONSTITUTION: 7 (25th percentile for current level)
INTELLIGENCE: 18 (95th percentile for current level)
CHI: 24 (99th percentile for current level)
CHARISMA: 10 (45th percentile for current level)