Charisma measures a character's force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. This ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting. Charisma is most important for paladins, favored souls, sorcerers, and bards. It is also important for clerics and blackguards, since it affects their ability to turn undead, and is important for spirit shamans and warlocks as it affect some of their spell DC's. Every creature has a Charisma score.

Charisma modifiers are applied to:

• Bluff, diplomacy, intimidate, perform, and use magic device checks. These are the skills that have Charisma as their key ability.
• Sorcerer, bard, spirit shaman, and warlock spell/invocation DC's
• Turning checks for clerics, paladins, and blackguards attempting to turn zombies, vampires, and other undead.

Sorcerers, bards, and favored souls get bonus spells based on their Charisma scores (see ability modifier). The minimum Charisma score needed to cast a sorcerer, bard, or favored soul spell is 10 + the spell's level.