Anathema characters only have eight stats with numbers (there are some additional numbers as well, but we'll get back to those later).
Numbers go from 0 and up: 0 is not good, 3 is quite good for a human, and 5 is about as good as most people can get. During character creation it's possible to reach all the way to 9, but only because you're something special. 10+ stats are reserved for truly exceptional creatures (such as your Champions on higher tiers).
High stats let you overcome more difficult challenges more often. High also beats a lower stats in a competition, unless special circumstances come into play: Someone with Prowess 4 will almost always beat someone with Prowess 3 in a standup fight. With Prowess 5 vs. 3 the situation is even more clear cut. Guess the weaker guy has to cheat - or try something else, like writing a clever narrative that brings into action one or more of his other stats.
Prowess: This is your own personal physical prowess and combat ability. High Prowess general means you're strong, tough, and/or fast (in whatever combination you desire). Prowess also helps determine your personal fighting skills. If you have high Prowess you're also allowed to use better defensive gear, armour and power fields and such. This is the most important stat; in the Dark Future there is plentiful combat and physical challenges galore - you won't be much use if you're dead.
Cunning: This is your mental capacity, you smarts, your perception, your willpower, and so on. Lets you solve mysteries and conduct investigations, amongst other things. Also lets you outsmart dumb enemies, even if they have higher Prowess than you for example. Or to see through the lies of those that would try and trick you. Or to compensate for you lack of skill in other areas. This is the most important stat; smart always beats dumb, no matter what else is entered into the equation.
Interaction: This is your social skills, you appearance, your charisma. Lets you interact with others in a favourable (for you) fashion). Threaten, lie, persuade, seduce...there are many ways to get others to do your bidding. With high Interaction you will have a bigger and/or more loyal warband than the norm. This is the most important stat; you don't need to be a great warrior if you have 10 champions ready to die in your place.
Warcraft: You're a trained warrior, war is your craft, death your companion. You can shoot, fence, command others, set ambushes, create good battlefield tactics, ensure your men have enough supplies, the applications are many. It also helps determine your personal fighting skills; high Prowess in combination with Warcraft is better than pure Prowess for example (but not necessarily better than say a combination of Prowess and another stat). This is the most important stat; in the far future there is Only War, and only the true warriors will prevail.
Subterfuge: Sneaky stuff. You know, sneaking around, tricking your opponents, setting traps - anything that isn't directly confrontational goes here. Your opponents won't get much use out of their Prowess or Warcraft if you sneak up on them and slit their throats before they realize you're there. It also covers information; high subterfuge means you know the secrets of your enemies and allies. This is the most important stat; those who live by the gun, die by the gun, leaving you to pick up the pieces.
Psychics: You're a master of futuristic magics. Read and manipulate minds...set stuff on fire...pick up a tank and use it to crush your enemies...the possibilities are endless. You should decide what type of psyker/sorcerer you are; give yourself a good theme so to speak. This is the most important stat; iconic and immeasurably potent - why would you NOT want to be a rogue psyker or chaos sorcerer!?
Faith: Faith in the True Gods. Basically one or more of the major Chaos gods - or the innumerable minor gods/major daemons. Those of great faith will find that Chaos favours their actions in ways great and small. It also covers stuff like the Mark of Chaos and Gifts from patrons, the summoning of daemons (in conjunction with Psy) and so forth. This is the most important stat; I mean, in a galaxy where Chaos is a very real force and Dark Gods really do exist...you do the math!
Tech: You're tech-priest material. Maybe you have formal training - or maybe not. Doesn't matter really. What does matter is that in an age where tech is poorly understood - but hugely powerful - you know how to work this particular brand of magic. Combine it with Psychics and/or Faith to work with the most esoteric of technologies. This is the most important stat; despite being dark, gritty, and sometimes low-tech the galaxy is also awash with techno-stuff of ever color and variety - and you're one of the few who can work it...
How good you are at something depends on how many points you've sunk into a stat:
0: You're pretty inept. Much like the citizen-dregs of the Imperium in fact, which usually have only 0s across the board.
1-2: You've some skill. You're not an master or anything, but you're noticeably more skilled than those with a 0 score. A PDF trooper has Warcraft 1, while a Guardsmen might have 2.
3-4: You're pretty damn good. A person with Prowess 3 is going to be incredibly fit and a dangerous opponent in a brawl. Someone with 4 in Psychics is someone to be wary of.
5: This is getting pretty amazing; few normal humans can ever reach this level. This is the kind of Prowess possessed by Space Marines or Ork nobz for example, or the Tech of a full Tech-Priest.
6+: You're not a normal human. You're a Champion of Chaos. You could be a veteran Space Marine, a Chaos sorcerer, a powerful mutant, an insidious xenoform...whatever you can imagine. Normal rules do not really apply to you. So if you want you can go for a 6 or a 7 or even higher (9 is absolutely max). But only if you want to go 6+ you must make up a good enough background story to fit.
Since this is an RPG there will be plenty of opportunities for your character to grow (i.e. gain more stat points). Would be no fun at all if that wasn't possible!
Dice: Anathema isn't dice-less. It's dice-light.
Sometimes I'll grab one ore more d10s and let them roll across a relatively smooth and level surface. I do this whenever I feel the Dark Gods aren't quite sure what they want and instead decide to add some randomness.
You (the player) on the other hand NEVER roll any dice. You're not one of the Great Gods of Chaos, so what fate awaits you is dictated by the will of the gods - and your own ability to shape your own future. That's right, your choices and actions do matter - this is, after all, the Age of Freedom, where men with vision and willpower can carve out their own destinies. DICE do not in any way enter into this equation.
