For presence traits such as romantic attachment or erotic desire, 0 means the story specifically establishes that the trait is absent. Silence alone is not enough. Other traits use 0 as their stated low pole.
Axiom scoring guide
Understanding protagonist profiles
For many readers, the protagonist is the deciding factor. A subtle change in a character’s intelligence, integrity, relationships, desire, or pride can completely change whether a story feels worth reading.
A protagonist profile measures how strongly the current characteristics appear in a protagonist’s identity and decisions. Scores describe narrative evidence—not whether a trait is good or bad.
How to read the scale
The trait is outside the main storyline, barely discussed, or supported by too little evidence for a stronger conclusion.
The trait appears repeatedly and clearly affects the protagonist, but does not consistently control their most important choices. On spectrum traits, 50 means both poles carry roughly equal weight.
The trait (or, on a spectrum, its high pole) is extreme, repeatedly demonstrated, and central to how the protagonist acts throughout the story.
Score and confidence are different. A low score means evidence points toward a weak or absent trait. Low confidence means there is not enough reliable evidence to be certain.
Detailed anchors