A key ability is an ability for which the ability's score or modifier is used frequently by a class. For example, Strength is a key ability for fighters because it determines the accuracy (attack rolls) of most fighter powers, and how hard they hit (damage rolls).
Classes typically list 3 to 4 key abilities, though depending on a player's specific focus and direction some of those abilities may become more or less important than advertised. For example, warlock lists Constitution as a key ability, but warlocks who do not take any powers that rely on Constitution will not depend on that ability score nearly as much as those who choose many such powers.
| Class | Role | Power Source | Key Abilities | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ardent | Leader | Psionic | Charisma, Constitution, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Artificer | Leader | Arcane | Intelligence, Constitution, Wisdom | Eberron Player's Guide |
| Assassin | Striker | Shadow | Dexterity, Charisma, Constitution | Dragon Magazine 379 |
| Assassin (Executioner) | Striker | Martial | Dexterity, Charisma | Heroes of Shadow |
| Avenger | Striker | Divine | Wisdom, Dexterity, Intelligence | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Barbarian | Striker | Primal | Strength, Constitution, Charisma | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Barbarian (Berserker) | Defender and Striker | Martial | Strength, Dexterity | Heroes of the Feywild |
| Bard | Leader | Arcane | Charisma, Intelligence, Constitution | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Bard (Skald) | Leader | Arcane | Charisma, Intelligence | Heroes of the Feywild |
| Battlemind | Defender | Psionic | Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Cleric (Templar) | Leader | Divine | Strength or Wisdom; Charisma | Multiple Sources |
| Cleric (Warpriest) | Leader | Divine | Wisdom, Constitution | Heroes of the Fallen Lands |
| Druid | Controller | Primal | Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Druid (Protector) | Controller | Primal | Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity | Heroes of the Feywild |
| Druid (Sentinel) | Leader | Primal | Wisdom, Constitution | Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms |
| Fighter (Knight) | Defender | Martial | Strength, Constitution | Heroes of the Fallen Lands |
| Fighter (Slayer) | Striker | Martial | Strength, Dexterity | Heroes of the Fallen Lands |
| Fighter (Weaponmaster) | Defender | Martial | Strength; Dexterity, Wisdom, or Constitution | Multiple Sources |
| Hybrid Ardent | Leader | Psionic | Charisma, Constitution, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Artificer | Leader | Arcane | Intelligence, Constitution, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Assassin | Striker | Shadow | Dexterity, Charisma, Constitution | Dragon Magazine 385 |
| Hybrid Assassin (Executioner) | Striker | Martial | Dexterity, Charisma | Dragon Magazine 400 |
| Hybrid Avenger | Striker | Divine | Wisdom, Dexterity, Intelligence | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Barbarian | Striker | Primal | Strength, Constitution, Charisma | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Bard | Leader | Arcane | Charisma, Intelligence, Constitution | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Battlemind | Defender | Psionic | Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Cleric | Leader | Divine | Wisdom, Strength, Charisma | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Druid | Controller | Primal | Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Druid (Sentinel) | Leader | Primal | Wisdom, Constitution | Dragon Magazine 402 |
| Hybrid Fighter | Defender | Martial | Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Invoker | Controller | Divine | Wisdom, Constitution, Intelligence | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Monk | Striker | Psionic | Dexterity, Strength, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Paladin | Defender | Divine | Strength, Charisma, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Paladin (Blackguard) | Striker | Divine | Strength, Charisma | Dragon Magazine 402 |
| Hybrid Paladin (Cavalier) | Defender | Divine | Strength, Charisma | Dragon Magazine 402 |
| Hybrid Psion | Controller | Psionic | Intelligence, Charisma, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Ranger | Striker | Martial | Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Rogue | Striker | Martial | Dexterity, Strength, Charisma | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Runepriest | Leader | Divine | Strength, Constitution, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Seeker | Controller | Primal | Wisdom, Strength, Dexterity | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Shaman | Leader | Primal | Wisdom, Constitution, Intelligence | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Sorcerer | Striker | Arcane | Charisma, Dexterity, Strength | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Swordmage | Defender | Arcane | Intelligence, Strength, Constitution | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Vampire | Striker | Shadow | Dexterity, Charisma | Dragon Magazine 402 |
| Hybrid Warden | Defender | Primal | Strength, Constitution, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Warlock | Striker | Arcane | Charisma, Constitution, Intelligence | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Warlock (Binder) | Controller | Arcane | Charisma, Dexterity, Intelligence | Dragon Magazine 402 |
| Hybrid Warlord | Leader | Martial | Strength, Intelligence, Charisma | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Hybrid Wizard | Controller | Arcane | Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Invoker | Controller | Divine | Wisdom, Constitution, Intelligence | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Monk | Striker | Psionic | Dexterity, Strength, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Paladin | Defender | Divine | Strength, Charisma, Wisdom | Player's Handbook |
| Paladin (Blackguard) | Striker | Divine | Strength, Charisma | Heroes of Shadow |
| Paladin (Cavalier) | Defender | Divine | Strength, Charisma | Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms |
| Psion | Controller | Psionic | Intelligence, Charisma, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Ranger | Striker | Martial | Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom | Player's Handbook |
| Ranger (Hunter) | Controller | Martial | Dexterity, Wisdom | Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms |
| Ranger (Scout) | Striker | Martial | Dexterity, Wisdom | Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms |
| Rogue (Scoundrel) | Striker | Martial | Dexterity; Strength, Charisma | Multiple Sources |
| Rogue (Thief) | Striker | Martial | Dexterity; Strength or Charisma | Heroes of the Fallen Lands |
| Runepriest | Leader | Divine | Strength, Constitution, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Seeker | Controller | Primal | Wisdom, Strength, Dexterity | Player's Handbook 3 |
| Shaman | Leader | Primal | Wisdom, Constitution, Intelligence | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Sorcerer | Striker | Arcane | Charisma, Dexterity, Strength | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Sorcerer (Elementalist) | Striker | Arcane | Charisma, Constitution | Heroes of the Elemental Chaos |
| Swordmage | Defender | Arcane | Intelligence, Strength, Constitution | Forgotten Realms Player's Guide |
| Vampire | Striker | Shadow | Dexterity, Charisma | Heroes of Shadow |
| Warden | Defender | Primal | Strength, Constitution, Wisdom | Player's Handbook 2 |
| Warlock | Striker | Arcane | Charisma, Constitution, Intelligence | Multiple Sources |
| Warlock (Binder) | Controller | Arcane | Charisma; Dexterity or Intelligence | Heroes of Shadow |
| Warlock (Hexblade) | Striker | Arcane | Charisma; Dexterity or Constitution | Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms |
| Warlord (Marshal) | Leader | Martial | Strength; Intelligence or Charisma | Multiple Sources |
| Wizard (Arcanist) | Controller | Arcane | Intelligence; Constitution, Dexterity, or Wisdom | Multiple Sources |
| Wizard (Bladesinger) | Controller | Arcane | Intelligence, Dexterity | Neverwinter Campaign Setting |
| Wizard (Mage) | Controller | Arcane | Intelligence; Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma | Heroes of the Fallen Lands |
| Wizard (Sha’ir) | Controller | Arcane | Intelligence, Constitution | Heroes of the Elemental Chaos |
| Wizard (Witch) | Controller | Arcane | Intelligence, Wisdom | Heroes of the Feywild |