Where can I find a big reference list of all the main and supporting abilities by Clinton Nixon or other "authoritative" authors, so I can consult it for ideas? It will help me when making a character, so I can compare to already existing main and supportive abilities to make sure they are around the same ballpark range.

The big list of abilities could be sorted into categories to help find one similar to what you have in mind, for ideas.

Sonja

I think many D&D 3E Feats would make good Donjon Abilities. Plus they have some cool names. :) Here's a big list of Feats from WotC:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/feats

And to pick a couple random examples that sound cool:

• Forest Gnome Phantasist: You can protect your forest home with a variety of phantasms and patterns to befuddle your foes.
• Pierce the Darkness: You can channel positive energy to temporarily increase the range of your darkvision.
• Sunken Song: You can project your voice underwater.

For a variety of purposes, I put a list together of Main and Secondary abilities, both taken from the Donjon text, and added by myself.

Main abilities
Hit things with weapons
Absorb all kinds of damage
Convince people
Sneaky like a ninja
track anything
Cast spells

supporting abilities
knock down doors
take damage in melee combat
use bow
dodge in melee
bargain with authorities
ride horses
resistant to fire
intimidate people
regenerate adroitness damage
thick hide- avoid damage from sharp things
understand demon languages
damage demons
avoid magic
lie convincingly
run like ass is on fire
sneak in forests
swing machete
wild animal lore
climb trees
cast nature spells
make light
hands of flame
hit people with swords
find secret doors
detect traps
detect ambushes
sense evil
detect lies
jump over chasms
unlock doors
see in the dark
haggle over supplies
bargain with general store merchant
move quietly in swamps
swim in lakes and swamps
stab people in the back
sing distracting songs
listen at doors
smell orcs

What about the abilities of the human characters in Donjon Pak B1: Men of Steel and Beasts of Terror!

For example, it has an archer with:
Excellent Vision and Aiming 3
Shoot Crossbows and Bows 4
Coordinate Barrage of Arrows 2
Take Damage in Combat 1
Bowcraft 3

Are all of those supporting abilities, or is one of them a main ability?

Etc.

Sonja Elen Kisa

Sonja,

The first ability is always the main ability.

Thanks Clinton!

So the tribal warrior's main ability is "Protect the Tribe 4" and the goblin's is "Eat Anything 3"?

Sonja

I still have trouble determining what should be the power range of a main ability and what should be the general application of a supporting one.

I realize it's completely free to create new ones for each character, but part of me wants there to be a big list of suggestions or more detailed guidelines of what is too much to be a supporting ability or what is a good scope for a main one, etc.

Sonja, I agree that the text doesn't make it perfectly clear, but I'm not sure how someone could clarify it.

One way to look at it-- a character's main ability is what that character is known for; it's key to their identity.  A samurai, for example, might have the main ability, "Carry Out the Emperor's Commands."  And then supporting abilities would be lesser things, like "Awesome Swordsman" or whatever.

Another way to look at it: Donjon has certain subsystems within it.  A damage system, an initiative system, a provisions system, etc.  If an ability adds dice to one of these sub-systems under all circumstances, it's important enough to be a main ability.  (Thus, the fighter's "Hit Things With Weapons" is a main ability.)  A supporting ability would give dice to a sub-system, but only under certain circumstances: "Lie convincingly" would add to the Charisma check, but only when you're being deceitful.  (Then there are cases like the "Carry Out the Emperor's Commands," which conceivably adds to many different sub-systems, but only when the condition is met.  I'd say this is a main ability due to its versatility.)

Here's the real question for Donjon, though, and one perhaps best saved for another thread: what on earth is a fact?