Attributes measure the abilities of a character. Unlike traits, they are numerical rather than binary.
Each character has base attributes which are then impacted by their traits. The total is displayed on the character screen, while the base is visible on mouseover. Base attributes are mostly acquired during childhood through education, but can also be altered by events.
Some events and event chains will only have certain choices open to the player if the qualifying level of an attribute is active. For example, if a vassal demands a title, but their liege rejects it, there will normally result in a lengthy opinion malus; although, if the liege's 
diplomacy is high enough, they can reject the request politely and avoid upsetting the vassal.
国家能力
For many applications of attributes, the relevant factor is the state attribute, instead of the character's attribute.
国家能力 = 统治者属性 + (0.5 x 配偶属性) + 内阁成员属性
Notes:
- 在
伊克塔或者 
部落 政体下， 只有正妻的属性会影响国家能力。侍妾以及你的其他妻子并不会产生影响。 - 如果处于摄政状态中，由摄政者的属性加上内阁成员属性来代替上述公式。
- If a regent or spouse is also a councilor, they will only count once. Hence, regents and spouses should not become councilors (except secondary wives for Muslims)
- If
Conclave DLC is active, the player can increase state attributes by swapping a regent-councilor to the Advisor council slot.
- If
- A courtier's state skill (e.g., for monthly prestige gain) is just their personal skill
- The state attributes are displayed between parenthesis on the character screen.
Passive effects
Diplomacy
Diplomacy skill reflects ability to negotiate and please people. It is the determining attribute for a chancellor's success while doing council jobs.
Personal diplomacy:
- Increases realm courtiers' opinion towards the character (councilors and spouses included)
- Used to determine direct vassal limits, along with spouse's diplomacy (vassal bonus= 30% of ruler's diplomacy + 30% of spouse's diplomacy).
- Combined with the
learning attribute determines cultural technology points accumulated each month, if the character is not nomadic and of at least duke-rank - If the character is a chancellor on their liege's council, this attribute is used to determine their ability.
State diplomacy:
- Increases everyone's opinion toward the character (except direct vassals and courtiers)
- Increases the opinion effectiveness of gifts
- Gives character prestige (+0.01/month per point)
Martial
Martial skill is an indicator of skill at warfare and combat, and is the determining attribute for a marshal's success while doing council jobs.
Personal martial:
- Affects the character's skill as a commander, while leading battles personally
- Used to determine the character's demesne levy size and speed of demesne levy reinforcement
- Combined with the learning attribute determines military technology points accumulated each month, if the character is not nomadic and of at least duke-rank
- If the character is a marshal on their liege's council, it is used to determine their ability.
State martial:
- increases the rate at which armies recover morale.
Stewardship
Stewardship improves management of demesne and is the determining attribute for a steward's success while doing council jobs.
Personal stewardship:
- Combined with the stewardship of a character's spouse is used to determine the ruler's maximum demesne (desmense limit bonus = 15% of (ruler's stewardship + 1/2 of spouse's stewardship)). Note that nomads do not have a demesne limit
- Combined with the learning attribute determines economic technology points accumulated each month, if the character is not nomadic and of at least duke-rank
- Increases the rate of province converting to the character's culture
- If the character is a steward on their liege's council, it is used to determine their ability.
State stewardship:
- Increases demesne income (+2% per point).
Intrigue
Intrigue is a measure of skill at manipulation and scheming. It is the determining attribute for a spymaster's success while doing council jobs.
Personal intrigue:
- If the character is a spymaster on their liege's council, it is used to determine their ability
- It does not give any technology boost.
State intrigue:
- Increases plot power (and decreases the power of plots against the player)
- Makes the character's plots less likely to be discovered
- Increases imprisonment chance (and makes the character harder to get imprisoned).
Learning
Learning is a measure of a character's knowledge. It is the determining attribute for a Court Chaplain's council jobs. If the 
The Reaper's Due Expansion is active, the court physician's successes are also affected by this attribute.
Personal learning:
- Combined with diplomacy, martial, and stewardship attributes to determine monthly technology points
- If the character is a Court Chaplain on their liege's council, it is used to determine their ability.
State learning:
- Gives the character piety (or equivalent) (+0.02/month per point).
Improving attributes
Characters can strive to improve their base attributes in several ways:
Children:
- Education: A skilled guardian will pass on his skills ( Conclave DLC inactive)
- Breeding: A child grown up by high skilled progenitors (or guardian) has a better chance of ending up with higher base attributes (with Conclave Expansion).
Adults:
- If
Way of Life DLC is inactive, the player may attempt to fulfil an ambition goal in order to increase base attributes up to level 8 in a specified skill. The character can choose one ambition at each time - If Way of Life Expansion is active, focuses incorporate events to improving base attributes as well as adding many other modifiers
- Child education may result in effects on guardians (without the Conclave Expansion)
- Friendship can sometimes result in an attribute boost
- If
Monks and Mystics DLC is active, societies can trigger events which grant the character attribute points - Some religions have passive attribute bonuses and exclusive traits connected to them, e.g.,
(+2 martial), 
(+5 learning), 
(+4 martial), 
(+1 learning) - Many artifacts provide attribute bonuses.
Hidden attributes
Two hidden attributes measure the character's physical well-being: health and fertility. A character's base health and fertility are not normally visible, but trait effects are listed in tooltips.
The "charinfo" console command uncovers these attributes in the tooltip for all characters. The player may also adjust those attributes at game start by using the 
Ruler Designer.
Health
- 主条目：Health
Healthy characters are less likely to fall prey to, and more likely to fully recover from, disease. They are also less likely to die from old age per month than ill characters. High health is key to a long life.
Fertility
Fertility determines how likely an individual character is to conceive children. it should be noted that both parents' fertility is taken into account. In addition, it appears that having spouses who are also lovers will make it 3 times more likely for pregnancy to occur.
Various traits affect fertility, such as:
(+20%)
(+20%)
(+20%)
(+15%)
(+10%)
(+10%)
(+10%)
(+5%)
(-5%)
(-5%)
(-15%)
(-15%)
(-25%)
(-30%)
(-30%)
(-50%)
(-1000%)
(-5000%)- Most diseases decrease fertility (and symptoms, if The Reaper's Due DLC is active). For example,
(-10%), 
(-95%), 
(-30%).
A character who is either a 
or a 
has a drastically lowered fertility score (-5000%).