Chapter 4: Skills

A "skill" is a particular kind of knowledge; for instance, grappling, physics, auto mechanics, or a death spell. Every skill is separate, though some skills help you to learn others. Just as in real life, you start your career with some skills and can learn more if you spend time training.

A number called "skill level" measures your ability with each of your skills: the higher the number, the greater your skill. For instance, "Lance-85" means a skill level of 85 with a lance. Most characters are skilled, competent men and women who are perfectly capable of carrying out the ordinary duties of their role. Sometimes, however, they are faced with a situation or challenge beyond the usual scope of their role and must make a skill check.

To make a skill check, roll 1d100 and add the most relevant skill level. If the total is equal to or greater than the check's Difficulty Class (DC), then the check succeeds. If the check fails, then the PC either can’t accomplish the feat at all or they achieve it at the cost of some further complication to the situation. The GM determines the specific outcome of a failure. A roll of 2 is an automatic failure.

Each skill is qualified in several ways to indicate what basic attribute represents talent with that skill, how easy the skill is to learn, any special restrictions on who can learn the skill, and whether the skill is broad or narrow in focus.

Technological Skills

Certain skills are different at each tech level. These "technological skills" are designated by "/TL". This means that when you learn the skill, you must learn it at a specific tech level (TL). Always note the TL when you write down such a skill; e.g. "Surgery/TL4" for the TL4 version of Surgery skill. Surgery/TL4 (cut his arm off with an axe) is nothing like Surgery/TL9 (graft on a replacement arm from his clone)!

You learn technological skills at your personal TL. You may also choose skills from a lower TL. You can only learn skills from a higher TL in play – and only if you have a teacher and the skill is not based on Intelligence. To learn Intelligence based technological skills from a higher TL, you must first raise your personal TL.

Technological skills rely on language, tool use, or both. This means that only sapient characters – those with Intelligence 30 or higher – may learn them. Exception: Robots and the like can have INT 29 or less and perform such skills by running programs... but, of course, programming isn't learning.

Prerequisites

Some skills have other skills as prerequisites. This is the case when an advanced skill is based on, and in some ways an outgrowth of, a basic one. To study the advanced skill, you must have at least one point in the prerequisite skill.

Certain skills also require that you know a prerequisite skill at a minimum skill level. Where this is the case, you must spend the points required to learn the prerequisite skill at the specified level before you can learn the advanced skill.

A few skills have advantages as prerequisites. In order to learn such a skill, you must possess the required advantage. If you do not have the advantage, and cannot acquire it in play, you can never learn that skill.

Specialities

An entry on the skill list may represent an entire category of closely related skills that share a single skill name. Examples include Armoury and Survival. Skills like this are marked with a dagger (†) in the list. The skills within such a category are called "specialities". When you buy a general skill of this kind, you must specify which speciality you are learning. On your character sheet, note the name of the speciality in parentheses after the general skill name; e.g. "Armoury (Small Arms)" or "Survival (Arctic)". You may learn skills like this any number of times, with a different speciality each time, because each speciality is a different skill. There is usually a favorable "default" between specialities (see Skill Defaults), which may let you purchase additional specialities more cheaply.

Buying Skills

In order to learn a skill, you must spend build points. When you spend points on a skill, you learn to bring that skill up to a useful level. The point cost of a skill depends its difficulty. Use the Skill Cost Table to calculate a skill's point cost:

Improving Your Skills

There are three direct ways to increase your skills in play: spend the bonus points you earn for successful adventuring on new or better skills, improve them by use in game time, or dedicate game time to study, which gives you points you can use to add or improve the skills you studied.

Whenever you use a skill in a scene, you may make a learning check at the end of the day. Upon your next long rest, Roll 1d100. If the result is greater than your present skill, but less then or equal to its associated attribute, you gain one point towards improving that skill.

For cinematic campaigns, when your skill level is at maximum, you can still benefit from learning checks. Roll 1d100. If the result is greater than your present skill, you gain one point towards improving that attribute.

Meaning of Skill Levels

So you have Literature-9, Savoir-Faire-22, and Shortsword-13. What does that mean? What is good, bad, and average? That’s very important when you create a character. It’s also important if you’re converting characters from another system into Stormchaser, or vice versa. There are two equally valid – but different – ways to compare skill-levels.

Relative Skill Level

Skill level reflects a combination of talent and training. For instance, a CORD 85 warrior has a lot of raw talent. He could quickly learn Shortsword-62, as this is only 2 points above its default for him. A CORD 65 fighter would need considerably more practice to become that skilled, as Shortsword-62 is 22 points above its default for him.

Such details are often unimportant; two warriors with Shortsword-62 are equally good at smiting foes, regardless of whether their skill is due to talent or training. However, there are times when you need (or want) to know the difference.

It is easy to compare talent – just look at the associated attribute for the skill. In the example above, the CORD 85 swordsman is clearly more talented than the CORD 65 fighter.

To compare training, you must look at relative skill level. You can calculate it quickly by subtracting associated attribute from skill level. In our example, the CORD 85 warrior has a relative skill level of +2, while the CORD 65 fighter has a relative skill level of +22, and is better trained.

Relative skill level becomes important when using the next two rules; therefore, you might opt to note it in parentheses after your skill level; e.g. "Shortsword-17 (+22)".

Skill Defaults

Most skills have a "default level": the level at which you use the skill if you have no training. A skill has a default level if it is something that everybody can do... a little bit. As a general rule, a skill defaults to its controlling attribute at -20 if Easy, -25 if Average, -30 if Hard, or -35 if Very Hard. There are exceptions to this, but not many. If a skill has no default, it starts at this level when you first put points into it.

Example: The "default" for Broadsword (CORD/Average) is CORD-25. If your CORD is 55, and you have to swing a broadsword without training, then your "default" skill at Broadsword is 55 - 25 = 30. You roll to hit at +30.

Some skills cannot be used without investing points into them. For instance, Alchemy, Hypnotism, and Technical martial arts are complex enough that you cannot use them at all without training.

Regardless of your default skill level, you do not get the special benefits of a skill – especially combat bonuses such as improved damage, special defenses, and unpenalised off-hand use – when you use a skill at default. To enjoy these benefits, you must spend at least one point on the skill.

Academic Skills

Optional Rule: Wildcard Skills

The professor who has studied every science, the swordsman who can fight with any blade... cinematic fiction is full of heroes who know a little bit about everything in one broad area. The time required to list every last skill such a hero might need, and the difficulty of figuring out which skills to take (and which to use), might discourage many gamers from playing cinematic experts. Such broad expertise doesn't exist in real life, but it is all part of the fun in cinematic games!

A solution to this problem is "wildcard skills" or "bang skills": skills that cover extremely broad categories of ability. The names of these skills end in an exclamation point in order to distinguish them from normal skills; e.g. "Science!" is the skill of "all science". Wildcard skills include and replace all specific skills within their area. For instance, a hero could attempt a Science! roll whenever the adventure calls for a Chemistry, Physics, or another science skill check.

Wildcard skills that cover mainly intellectual pursuits are INT-based, while those that pertain chiefly to physical actions are CORD-based. Such skills are always trained only; to use them, you must spend points on them. Buy wildcard skills as Very Hard skills, but at triple the usual point cost. For instance, it would normally cost 8 points to buy a point in an INT/Very Hard skill, so a point in the Science! skill would cost 24 points.

The GM might choose to limit wildcard skills to those with a suitable Unusual Background – perhaps "Cinematic Hero". This Unusual Background should never be available to sidekicks and random thugs! To give each hero a well-defined dramatic niche, the GM might wish to limit PCs to one or two wildcard skills apiece (preferably those that emerge naturally from their character stories).

Some examples:

Detective! (INT). Replaces Criminology, Detect Lies, Electronics Operation (Security and Surveillance), Forensics, Interrogation, Law, Observation, Research, Savoir-Faire (Police), Search, Shadowing, Streetwise, etc.

Gun! (CORD). Replaces all specialities of Beam Weapons, Gunner, Guns, and Liquid Projector, as well as all related Fast-Draw skills. Make an INT-based roll for Armoury pertaining to these weapons.

Science! (INT). Replaces Astronomy, Bioengineering, Biology, Chemistry, Engineer, Geology, Mathematics, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Naturalist, Paleontology, Physics, Psychology, etc.

Sword! (CORD). Replaces Broadsword, Force Sword, Jitte/Sai, Knife, Main-Gauche, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, Smallsword, and Two-Handed Sword, as well as related Fast-Draw skills. Use in place of such skills as Acrobatics and Jumping for physical stunts while fighting.

Wildcard skills are useful for omni-proficient characters. Someone who can pick up and play any instrument, or sight-read any choral work, would have the Music! skill. If he’s gifted with several instruments and can pick up others easily (but does have to learn them first), that’s the Musical Ability Talent.

Criminology/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Psychology-20
Defaults For: Forensics

This is the study of crime and the criminal mind. A successful skill check allows you to find and interpret clues, guess how criminals might behave, etc. Though this skill does not actually default to Streetwise, the GM might allow a Streetwise roll instead in certain situations – especially to predict or outguess a criminal.

Modifiers: -15 for Low Empathy.

Cryptography/TL - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Mathematics (Cryptology)-25

This is the ability to create and defeat encryption systems, codes, and ciphers. It is of use in wartime, espionage, and even business dealings. It covers all the techniques of your TL, which can range from unsophisticated substitution ciphers to state-of-the-art tactical encryption schemes. Knowledge of a specific system, code, or cipher depends on your Security Clearance and allegiances (national, administrative, or both). In many settings, some level of Security Clearance is a prerequisite to learning this skill at all.

Treat an attempt to break an unknown code as a Quick Contest of Cryptography skill between the codebreaker and code-maker. The codebreaker must win to break the code. Repeated attempts are possible, but each attempt takes a day. The codemaker rolls only once, when he first creates the code.

Those with Cryptography skill may take an optional speciality in making or breaking codes. (The codebreaking speciality is often called "cryptanalysis".)

Cryptography normally has no INT default, with two exceptions. Anyone can devise a trivial code or cipher by making an INT-25 roll. This won’t stall a professional for long, of course. Likewise, anyone can make an INT-25 roll to attempt to break such a trivial code (but not a code devised by someone with Cryptography skill), using the Quick Contest system described above.

Modifiers: Mathematical Ability. A computer with appropriate software gives a bonus (provided you know Computer Operation skill): +5 for a home computer, +10 for a minicomputer, +15 or +20 for a mainframe, and +25 or more for a supercomputer. The code-breaker is at +25 if he has a sample of the code with translation, and -25 if the message to be decoded is shorter than 25 words. The code-maker receives a bonus for the time taken to create the code: consult the Size and Speed/Range Table, look up the time in days in the Range/Speed column (substituting "days" for "yards"), and use the corresponding bonus.

Economics - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30, Business-25, Finance-15, Market Analysis-25
Defaults For: Finance, Market Analysis

This is the study of the theory of money, markets, and financial systems. It is mainly an academic skill, but a successful skill check allows you to predict the economic impact of events in the game world: the assassination of a political figure, the demolition of a power plant, the introduction of a new invention, etc. Adventurers with intelligence and military backgrounds frequently have some training in this skill.

Geography/TL† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 and others.
Defaults For: Area Knowledge, Cartography, Geology

This is the study of the physical, political, and economic divisions of a planet, and how they interact. It is part physical science, part social science. You must specialise:

Physical: The study of the physical properties of a planetary surface. A physical geographer could answer questions about climate, terrain, and so forth. You must further specialise by planet type; see Planet Types. Defaults: Geology (same planet type)-20 or Meteorology (same planet type)-20.

Political: The study of political regions – their borders, natural resources, industries, etc. A political geographer could answer questions about land claims, overpopulation, regional economic disparities, transportation networks, etc. Default: Economics-20.

Regional: The study of all of the above, but specific to a single region: New York, the United States, planet Earth, etc. The depth of knowledge decreases with the size of the region. Default: the relevant Area Knowledge skill at -25.

These specialities default among themselves at -25.

Geology/TL† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30, Geography (Physical)-20, Prospecting-25
Defaults For: Prospecting

This is the science dealing with the structure of planets – their crust, mantle, and core. A geologist knows about minerals, oil, ores, etc.; about earthquakes and volcanoes; and about fossils. In the field, he can attempt to find water by using an "eye for country".

You must specialise by planet type. See Planet Types for details.

History† INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30

This is the study of the recorded past (compare Archaeology skill). A successful skill check lets you answer questions about history, and might (at the GM's option) allow you to remember a useful parallel: "Ah, yes. Hannibal faced a situation like this once, and here’s what he did..."

You must specialise. There are two general classes of speciality:

• A limited geographical region – no larger than a small nation – over multiple eras. Examples: History (Bavarian), History (Irish), or History (New York State).
• A single era (e.g. Victorian period, 20th century) and one of a broad geographical region (e.g. Europe), a culture (e.g. Muslim), or an idea (e.g. economic, esoteric, or military). Examples: History (20th-Century American), History (Ottoman Muslim), or History (Napoleonic Military).

The sheer variety of possible specialities makes it impossible to list all possible defaults. In general, if two specialities overlap at all, then GM should permit a default at -10 to -20.

Law† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30

This skill represents knowledge of law codes and jurisprudence. A successful roll lets you remember, deduce, or figure out the answer to a question about the law. Few legal questions have clear-cut answers, however – even an expert will hedge his advice!

You must specialise. There are two general classes of speciality:

• The laws of a particular political region (e.g., Canada or France) within a specific field (constitutional, contract, criminal, police, etc.). Examples: Law (British Criminal), Law (Canadian Constitutional), and Law (U.S. Contract).
• A specialised body of law not associated with a political region. Examples: Law (Catholic Canon), Law (International), and Law (Space).

Specialities within the same region, such as Law (British Criminal) and Law (British Police), or field, such as Law (British Criminal) and Law (French Criminal), default to one another at -20. If both region and field differ, the default is -25 or worse.

In some times and places, a Quick Contest of Law (Criminal) between the defense and prosecution will determine the outcome of a trial. In others, Law functions as an Influence skill (see Influence Rolls) used to sway the rulings of the judge.

Law enforcers nearly always have a point or two in Law (Police) for their region. This represents knowledge of "proper procedure" when it comes to arrests, evidence handling, interrogation, etc.

Linguistics - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only)

This is the study of the principles upon which languages are based. A successful skill check lets you identify a language from a snatch of speech or writing. As well, make a skill check once per month when learning a language without a teacher. On a success, you learn at full speed rather than at 1/4 speed (see Learning Languages).

Literature - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30

This is the study of the great writings. A student of literature would be knowledgeable in the realms of old poetry, dusty tomes, criticism, etc. This can be useful for finding clues to hidden treasure, sunken lands, Ancient Secrets, and the like. The work in question must be available in a language you read.

Modifiers: -25 if you're illiterate (see Literacy) and relying on oral tradition, save in pre-literate cultures, where this is the norm.

Mathematics/TL† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 and others
Defaults For: Accounting, Cartography, Cryptography, Gambling

This is the scientific study of quantities and magnitudes, and their relationships and attributes, through the use of numbers and symbols. You must specialise:

Applied: The branch of mathematics that interacts directly with the physical sciences and engineering, dealing with mathematical models of the behaviour of physical systems. Defaults: Engineer-25 or Physics-25.

Computer Science: The theoretical study of data structures and computation. Make a skill check to answer questions about what is possible with computers. This gives you no special ability to use computers! Default: Computer Programming-25.

Cryptology: The mathematical study of codes and ciphers. This gives you a theoretical understanding of encryption schemes, including how they change with TL and why some schemes are more effective than others. To create or break codes, use Cryptography skill. Default: Cryptography-25.

Pure: Generic "academic" mathematics. Make a skill check to answer any math-related question not covered by another speciality. Pure mathematics encompasses dozens of obscure subfields that will never affect the game. If you must be an expert in something like "non-self-adjoint operator algebras", you may further note an optional speciality.

Statistics: The science of assembling and analysing data for the purpose of calculating probabilities, constructing models, and making forecasts. Make a skill check to determine the odds of a particular outcome, given sufficient data about similar situations in the past.

Surveying: The science of determining the area of a portion of the Earth's surface, the lengths and directions of the bounding lines, and the contour of the surface. Make a skill check to determine the dimensions of any area you can see. More complex determinations require specialised equipment. Defaults: Cartography-15 or Navigation-20.

These specialities default to one another at -25.

Meteorology/TL† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25

This is the study of the weather, and the ability to predict it. It includes familiarity with technological aids such as barometers and satellite maps, but you can still function without your instruments. (If you can't, you're a meter-reader, not a meteorologist!)

When you wish to predict the weather, the GM rolls against your skill in secret. On a success, he tells the truth; on a failure, he answers randomly, or lies. Each skill check predicts the weather for one day. If one day's roll fails, subsequent ones can't succeed. For instance, a three-day forecast would require three skill checks: the first for tomorrow, the second for the next day, and the third for the day after that.

A successful roll also allows you to deduce what sort of general climate to expect when you visit a new area.

At TL4 or less, this skill is called Weather Sense, and you get +10 to skill in your home area. At TL5 and up, Meteorology is a scientific skill, and you must specialise by planet type; see Planet Types for details.

Modifiers: Time is a major factor! There is no penalty to predict tomorrow's weather, but you have -5 for 2 days, -10 for 3 days, -20 for 4 days, -30 for 5 days, and an additional -10 per day for each further day. Instrumentation becomes useful with the development of the barometer at TL4, after which equipment modifiers apply. You must know this skill at better than default to claim bonuses for good equipment.

Paleontology/TL† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Biology-20 and others
Defaults For: Anthropology*

This is the science of fossil study. Make a skill roll to recognize fossils or to deduce an organism’s habitat, structure, etc. from fossil evidence. A successful roll - with equipment modifiers for lab facilities - identifies the approximate age of a fossil.

You must specialize:

Micropaleontology: The study of fossils too small to be seen with the naked eye. This skill requires a lab.

Paleoanthropology: The study of human fossils and tools, and the relation of primitive tribes to their habitats. Also defaults to Anthropology-10.

Paleobotany: The study of vegetable fossils.

Paleozoology: The study of prehistoric animals from fossilized bones, food, feces, footprints, etc.

These specialties default to one another at -10.

Philosophy† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30

This is the study of a system of principles to live by. You must specialise in a particular school of philosophy; e.g. Confucianism, Marxism, or Stoicism. (If you study a religious philosophy, buy Theology skill). When confronted with someone who subscribes to this philosophy, a successful Philosophy roll might provide insights into his behaviour.

You do not necessarily believe in the ideals of the philosophy you study. If you do, you may ask the GM to make a secret roll against your Philosophy skill when you are faced with a moral dilemma. On a success, the GM will "enlighten" you and provide a hint as to which course of action "feels" right given your beliefs.

Physics/TL - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35 Prerequisite: Mathematics (Applied) at TL5+

This is the science dealing with the properties and interactions of matter and energy. Beyond the basics (such as the behaviour of moving bodies), a physicist's knowledge includes whatever is understood about electricity, gravity, heat, light, magnetism, radiation, and sound at his tech level.

At TL6+, most physicists have an optional speciality: acoustics, astrophysics, geophysics, nuclear physics, optics, particle physics, quantum physics, relativity, solid-state physics, etc. Some settings offer exotic options, such as hyperspace physics (the science of hyperspace and jump points), parachronic physics (the study of other realities and timelines), paraphysics (the physics of psi phenomena), probability physics (the study of probability manipulation), and temporal physics (the science of time travel).

Psychology - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 or Sociology-20
Defaults For: Body Language, Criminology, Detect Lies, Interrogation, Propaganda, Sociology

This is the skill of applied psychology, which may be learned by academic study or lengthy observation of human nature. Make a psychology check to predict the general behavior of an individual or small group in a particular situation – especially a stressful situation.

In settings with multiple sapient species, you must specialise by race. Defaults between specialties are up to the GM.

If the GM desires extra detail, he may rule that Psychology is split into two specialties: Applied (described above) and Experimental (for scientists who run rats in mazes and so forth). Applied defaults to Experimental-25; Experimental does not default to Applied, as a shrewd observer of people may lack training in scientific procedures.

Modifiers: +15 if you know the subject well; +15 if the subject is of a known deviant personality type; +5 for Sensitive or +15 for Empathy, or -15 for Low Empathy, if diagnosing a subject in your presence; -15 for Callous, unless specifically rolling to deduce someone's weaknesses so you can exploit them.

Research/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Writing-15
Defaults For: Current Affairs
Prerequisite: Literacy in at least one language. At TL8+, Computer Operation is also a prerequisite.

This is the ability to do library and file research. Make a skill check to find a useful piece of data in an appropriate place of research... if the information is there to be found.

At the GM's option, when researching material connected with a "book-learned" skill such as Forensics, Literature, or Physics, you may roll against that skill at -10 instead, if that would be better than your Research skill or default (but this is not a general default level).

Modifiers: Language modifiers, for research materials in a foreign tongue.

Sociology - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30, Anthropology-15, or Psychology-20
Defaults For: Anthropology, Psychology

This is the study of societies and social relationships. A successful skill check lets you judge how well a large group of people will work together; deduce the social pressures contributing to a crime wave, revolution, war, etc.; or predict the most probable outcome of dissimilar societies coming into contact.

Teaching - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25

This is the ability to instruct others. If you have Teaching at level 60+, you may act as a teacher for game purposes. For more on teaching and learning, see Improvement Through Study.

Modifiers: -15 for Callous; -5 to -20 for Shyness. Apply both the teacher's and the student's Language penalties in the language of instruction.

Theology† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 or Religious Ritual (same)-20
Defaults For: Exorcism Religious Ritual

This is the study of a particular religion: its gods, cosmology, doctrines, scriptures, etc. You must specialise by religion. There are usually no defaults between specialties, but the GM might permit a default at -20 or so for belief systems that have similar origins, or where one is derived from the other.

Alternatively, you may study the similarities and differences between religions; this is Theology (Comparative). The Theology of any religion routinely studied by scholars in your game world defaults to this speciality at -25.

To be a priest or holy man at TL1+, you must have both Theology and Religious Ritual skill for your religion. TL0 shamans need only learn Religious Ritual.

You do not necessarily believe in the religion you study – faith comes from within, not from book learning! If you do, you may ask the GM to make a secret roll against your Theology skill when confronted with moral uncertainty. On a success, the GM will advise you on which course of action "feels" right, given your beliefs and understanding of scripture.

Apparel Skills

Arts and Performance Skills

Fire Eating - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 (Trained Only)

This is the performance skill of extinguishing flames in your mouth without burning yourself. Make a skill check for each item you wish to extinguish. On a success, you put out the flames. On a failure, you take 2d10kl damage to your mouth.

This skill also includes fire breathing: igniting a stream of fuel blown from the mouth. At the GM's option, you may use this as an attack (2d10kl damage).

Group Performance† - CONF/Average

Defaults To: CONF-25 and Others

This is the ability to arrange a performance and direct a group of performers in its execution – in rehearsal, in a studio, or before a live audience. A successful roll means the performance is pleasing. You must specialise in a particular performing art. All specialities have prerequisites: the specific skills listed below, plus any one of Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Leadership.

Choreography: The ability to instruct and lead a group of dancers. Prerequisite: Dancing. Default: Dancing-10.

Conducting: The ability to coordinate a group of musicians. Choirs, swing bands, symphony orchestras, etc. are different familiarities; see Familiarity. Prerequisites: Any two Musical Instrument skills, or one Musical Instrument and Singing. Defaults: Musical Instrument-10 or Singing-10.

Directing: The ability to direct a group of actors. Film, opera, television, and theater are different familiarities. Prerequisite: Performance. Default: Performance-25.

Fight Choreography: Similar to Choreography, but for Stage Combat instead of Dancing. Prerequisite: Stage Combat. Default: Stage Combat-10.

Makeup/TL - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20 or Disguise-10
Defaults For: Disguise

This is the skill of using theatrical makeup to enhance a performer's appearance. It is not just the ability to make someone look "pretty" – you can make yourself or others look older, younger, or of a different race or nationality. At TL6+, you can use prosthetics to further enhance the effect. However, you cannot make someone look taller or shorter than he actually is.

Musical Composition - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Musical Instrument-10 or Poetry-10 for song

This is the ability to compose a piece of music. A successful skill check means the piece is a pleasant listening experience.

To compose for an ensemble or band without a conductor, you must have 15 skill levels in at least one instrument in the composition and 5 skill levels in the rest. Roll at -5 per "instrument group" after the first used in the piece; e.g., a jazz composition for a saxophone section, drums, and bass would require a roll at -10.

To compose for an orchestra or band with a conductor requires 10 skill levels in the Group Performance (Conducting) skill. Roll at -5 per general class of instruments after the first used in the piece. Classes include brass, percussion, strings, and woodwind. Treat choir, harp, organ, or piano as its own class.

This skill includes the ability to read, write, and transcribe music in your culture's notation system (if any). Treat different systems – and different musical traditions – as familiarities.

Musical Influence - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Musical Ability 1 and either Musical Instrument or Singing at 60+

This cinematic skill allows you to influence the emotions of others by playing a musical instrument or singing. In some settings, this is a magical or psionic talent, or a special form of hypnotism, and works with any instrument, as well as with voice. In other settings, this skill is associated with a specific type of magical or ultra-tech instrument.

To attempt Musical Influence, you must first get your audience to sit and listen to your performance. You must also make a successful Musical Instrument or Singing skill check. You may then make a Musical Influence attack against the listeners' WILL defence. On a success, you can adjust the reaction roll of your audience - to you or to anyone present - up or down by an amount equal to your margin of success, to a maximum of +15 (+20 for critical success).

If you have only a few seconds, or if the audience is not paying full attention to your performance, you may adjust reaction rolls by ±5 at most.

Hard of Hearing gives +20 to resist, and those with Deafness are completely immune. However, some science-fiction devices generate vibrations that affect the body, in which case a listener's sense of hearing is irrelevant. It is up to the GM to determine whether this skill works on animals as well as sapient beings. In classic fantasy, it just might!

Musical Instrument† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Special
Defaults For: Musical Composition

This is the ability to play a musical instrument. With a successful skill check, you give a competent performance. You must specialise in a particular instrument. Defaults between specialities range from -15 for similar instruments to "no default" for utterly unrelated ones, such as Musical Instrument (Drums) and Musical Instrument (Harp).

This skill includes the ability to read music in your culture's notation system (if any). Treat different systems as familiarities.

Performance - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Deception-10, Public Speaking-10
Defaults For: Deception, Public Speaking, Stage Combat

This is the ability to act on the stage or screen. If you studied this skill formally, it includes the knowledge expected of a professional actor from your culture and tech level (stage directions, actor-agent-producer relations, etc.).

Modifiers: +10 for Voice; -5 to -20 for Shyness; -10 for Stuttering.

Photography/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Electronics Operation (Media)-20

This is the ability to use a camera competently, use a darkroom (TL5+) or digital imaging software (TL8+), etc. and to produce recognizable and attractive photos. You may roll at default to use a camera, but not to develop film or prints in a darkroom.

Modifiers: -15 for an unfamiliar camera; -15 for a motion-picture camera.

Poetry - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Writing-20
Defaults For: Musical Composition

This is the ability to compose "good" poetry of any type native to your culture, in any language you know. A successful roll lets you write one good poem in an appropriate amount of time (GM's decision). A failed roll might mean that you couldn't get inspired – or that your audience just didn’t care for your work (for whatever reason).

Modifiers: The time modifiers under Time Spent will often apply; Cultural Familiarity modifiers; Language modifiers.

Singing - CONF/Easy

Defaults To: CONF-20

This is the ability to sing in a pleasing fashion. A successful check means that the audience liked your song.

Modifiers: Language Modifiers, if you are singing in a foreign language; -10 if the audience does not understand the language; +10 for Voice; -10 for Stuttering.

Stage Combat - CORD/Average

Defaults To: Combat Art or Sport-10, an actual combat skill-15, or Performance-15

This skill allows you to perform a choreographed fight safely, yet in an entertaining manner. A critical failure indicates an injury: 1d10 damage to a random location.

Modifiers: -20 for an unfamiliar weapon.

Ventriloquism - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only)

This is the ability to disguise and "throw" your voice a short distance. A successful roll lets you throw your voice well enough to fool your audience.

Modifiers: +25 if you have a dummy or confederate to distract your audience (it's easier to "see" a face talk than it is to believe the voice comes from an immobile object); -15 if the audience has reason to be suspicious.

Writing - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25
Defaults For: Poetry, Research

This is the ability to write in a clear or entertaining manner. A successful check means the work is readable and accurate.

This is mostly useful to earn a living, but can sometimes help on adventures... or after them. The report of a spy, soldier, or private investigator is far more useful if it is well-written!

Modifiers: The time modifiers under Time Spent will often apply; -25 if you are writing about an unfamiliar subject; Language modifiers.

Athletic Skills

Hiking - FORT/Average

Default To: FORT-25

This skill represents training for endurance walking, hiking, and marching. It includes knowledge of how to pace yourself in different conditions, and how best to carry a pack. Make a Hiking roll before each day's march; on a success, increase the distance traveled by 20%. The GM may allow bonuses for good maps and good walking shoes, but not for terrain. If a party is traveling together, all must make the Hiking roll in order to get the increased distance.

Jumping - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20 (Trained Only)

This skill represents trained jumping ability. When you attempt a difficult jump, make Jumping check. In addition, you may use one tenth of your Jumping skill (round down) instead of your Speed when calculating jumping distance. For instance, Jumping-70 would let you jump as if you had Speed 7. See Jumping.

Lifting - STR/Average

Defaults To: STR-25 (Trained Only)

This is the trained ability to use your strength to its best advantage when you lift. Roll once per lift. On a success, increase your Basic Lift by 5% per point by which you made your roll. This has no effect on encumbrance, or on how much you can carry. See Lifting and Moving Things.

Mount - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25

This is the trained ability to serve as a mount for a rider. If your Mount skill exceeds your rider's Riding skill, they may use the average of the two skills (round up) whenever they must make a Riding roll. Your rider gets a +1 to their skill level for the first five points you have in Mount, to a maximum of +5. To throw an unwelcome rider, win a Quick Contest of Mount vs. their Riding skill.

Parachuting/TL - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to survive a parachute jump. Roll once per jump. Failure could mean anything from drifting off course to panic that makes you drop your gear (GM’s option). A critical failure means the chute did not open or was fatally fouled (see Falling). For a jump under bad conditions, make a second roll on landing – for instance, to survive an "ankle-breaker" landing without injury, or to dodge trees on the way down. Make an INT-based roll to pack a parachute.

Modifiers: -10 if your body weight plus encumbrance exceeds your Lift Weight×10.

Riding† - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 or Animal Handling (same)-15
Defaults For: Teamster

This is the ability to ride a particular kind of mount. Make a skill roll when you first try to mount a riding animal, and again each time something happens to frighten or challenge the creature (e.g., a jump).

You must specialise by riding beast. Defaults between specialties vary from 0 to -50. For instance, if you have Riding (Horse), Riding (Mule) is essentially the same skill (no default penalty), Riding (Camel) would default at -15, Riding (Dolphin) at -30, and Riding (Dragon) at a whopping -50!

Modifiers: +25 if the animal knows and likes you; +5 or more for a mount with the Mount skill; -50 if the animal has not been trained for riding.

Running - FORT/Average

Defaults To: FORT-25

This skill represents training in both sprints and long-distance running. Make a Running check to avoid fatigue or injury due to running. When racing someone of equal Speed on foot, roll a Quick Contest of Running skill to determine the winner.

Note that you must have legs and be capable of land movement to learn this skill.

Skating - FORT/Hard

Defaults To: FORT-30
Defaults For:

When you are moving on skates, this skill replaces Hiking skill for routine travel and Running skill for racing. The GM may also require CORD-based skill rolls in combat or chases, or for hazardous maneuvers, conditions, or speeds. Under those circumstances, any failure indicates a fall, while critical failure results in 1d10 damage to a randomly chosen limb.

Skiing - FORT/Hard

Defaults To: FORT-30

This replaces Hiking skill when you are skiing cross-country and Running skill when you are racing. Roll once per day of routine travel. The GM may require much more frequent skill rolls – usually CORD-based – in combat or chases, or for hazardous maneuvers, conditions, or speeds. In those situations, any failure indicates a fall, while critical failure means 3d10 damage to a randomly chosen limb.

Sports - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 and others

This is the ability to play a particular sport well – perhaps well enough to earn a living. Each sport is a separate Sports skill. Most Sports skills are CORD/Average and default to CORD-25, but those that put a premium on strength (e.g., rugby) might default to STR-25. Some Sports skills might default to one another or to other skills as well.

Make an INT-based roll to recall the basic rules of your sport. Detailed knowledge of the full rules governing leagues and tournaments – as would be expected of a coach or referee – is covered by the relevant Games skill.

The GM may rule that certain Sports are useful in combat situations. For instance, Sports (Baseball) might let you use a bat to parry hurled rocks and grenades, Sports (Bullfighting) might give a Parry against a slam by a beast that uses a "running head butt", and you might be able to roll using Sports (Rugby) to hit with a slam.

Swimming - FORT/Easy

Defaults To: FORT-20

This is the skill of swimming (whether on purpose or to keep afloat in emergencies) and lifesaving. Roll against Swimming to avoid fatigue while swimming or injury due to aquatic misfortunes. When racing someone of equal water Speed, roll a Quick Contest of Swimming to determine the winner. See Swimming.

Note that Swimming does not cover high diving – that's Sports (Diving).

Throwing - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-20 or Dropping-15
Defaults For: Dropping

This is the ability to throw any small, relatively smooth object that fits in the palm of your hand. Examples include baseballs, hand grenades, and rocks. (Boomerangs, javelins, knives, etc. require their own specialised skills; see Thrown Weapon, below.) Roll to hit using this skill. Furthermore, if you know Throwing at level 50 or better, add +5 to STR when calculating throwing distance (but not damage). Add +10 to STR for Throwing at level 75 or better.

If you do not have this skill, roll using your default to hit a specific target, but using full CORD to lob an object into a general area.

Combat Skills

Bolas - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-20 (Trained Only)

This is the ability to throw the bolas: a length of cord with two or more weights attached. Its primary uses are to stop herd animals and to hunt small game, but it can also entangle opponents in combat. See Special Ranged Weapons for bolas rules.

Bow - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25

This is the ability to use the longbow, short bow, and all similar bows. It also covers the compound bow, although a person who had never seen a compound bow would suffer a -10 unfamiliarity penalty.

Breaking Blow - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisite: Trained By A Master

This skill allows you to find the weakest spot in any object when making a barehanded attack. Each attack requires a separate Breaking Blow roll. Make a DC 100 skill check after you hit. Breaking Blow costs 5 SP per attempt, whether or not you hit.

On a success, your attack gains an armour divisor of (5) against any braced, inanimate, homogenous target (see Injury to Unliving, Homogenous, and Diffuse Targets), and you may treat the target as if it were Fragile (Brittle) for this one attack.

In a cinematic game, you are not limited to inanimate targets. Your armour divisor affects any artificial armour or force field (not natural DR), and you may treat homogenous opponents as if they were Fragile (Brittle)!

On a failure, your attack gains no special benefits. On a critical failure, you do the damage to your own hand or foot.

Modifiers: -50 if used instantly, dropping to -25 after 1 turn of concentration, -20 after 2 turns, -15 after 4 turns, -10 after 8 turns, -5 after 16 turns, and no penalty after 32 turns. -5 if your target is wood or plastic, -15 if brick or stone, or -25 if metal or hightech+ composites.

Cloak - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25, Net-20, or Shield-20
Defaults For: Net

This is the skill of using a cloak or a cape as a weapon. It covers the use of two types of cloak: the waist-length "light cloak" (any cloak, cape, or coat weighing less than 2 kg) and the full-length "heavy cloak" (any cloak weighing 2 kg or more).

Offensively, you can use a cloak to entangle an opponent – see Special Melee Weapon Rules for details. You can also snap a cloak in your opponent’s face or simply use it to block his vision, either of which counts as a Feint maneuver.

Defensively, a cloak works much like a shield. It provides a Defense Bonus (+5 if light, +10 if heavy) and gives a Block defense equal to 50+skill. A cloak is not as robust as a shield, though! A light cloak has only DR 1 and 15 HP, while a heavy cloak has DR 1 and 25 HP.

Crossbow - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to use all types of crossbows, including the pistol crossbow, prodd (which fires pellets or stones), repeating crossbow, and hightech compound crossbow.

Explosives/TL† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 and Others

This is the skill of working with explosives and incendiaries.

You must specialise:

Demolition: The ability to prepare and set explosives in order to blow things up. Make a roll whenever you use explosives in this way. A failure indicates an error. The gravity of the error depends on the amount by which you failed; a badly failed roll in close quarters can blow you up! Time required varies – it takes only a couple of seconds to set a prepared charge, but it might take hours to demolish a large bridge or a skyscraper. When setting an explosive trap, use this skill rather than Traps. Rolls to set a "trap" fuse (e.g. a land mine) instead of a timed fuse are at -10. Defaults: Engineer (Combat) or (Mining) at -15.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD): The ability to disarm and dispose of bombs and other explosives. When disarming a trap, roll a Quick Contest of your Explosives (EOD) skill vs. the Explosives (Demolition) skill of the person who created the device. A failure (or even a critical failure) does not necessarily mean an explosion – the GM can be much more creative than that! Sudden hissing noises, mysterious parts falling off, cramps, itches, and alarm bells are all possible in the right circumstances. It is best if the GM rolls the dice and describes the physical circumstances to the victim. Fright Checks are appropriate for the survivors of a failed EOD attempt! Prerequisite: DX 60+.

Fireworks: The skill of making pyrotechnic devices – fireworks, flares, smoke bombs, flash grenades, etc. Most of these things can be used by anyone. Default: Chemistry-15.

Nuclear Ordnance Disposal (NOD): The equivalent of Explosives (EOD) for nuclear devices. Disarming a military nuclear weapon is straightforward; disarming a homemade terrorist bomb might be more difficult. Only a critical failure verified by a second critical failure will result in a nuclear detonation. Any lesser failure will – at worst – detonate the high-explosive trigger and contaminate the immediate area with radioactive material... not that this is a great deal of consolation to those nearby.

Underwater Demolition (UD): The ability to prepare and set explosives underwater. This is otherwise identical to Explosives (Demolition). You usually need Scuba skill – or at least Swimming skill – to get into a position where you can use this skill.

These specialities default to one another at -20 except for Demolition and UD, which default to one another at -10, and EOD and NOD, which also default to one another at -10.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers; -5 to -25 for distractions (e.g. enemy fire or swarms of biting ants) or physical motion (e.g. a rocking boat or speeding bus). The time modifiers under Time Spent will often apply.

Fast-Draw† - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20 (Trained Only)

This skill lets you quickly draw a weapon from its holster, sheath, or hiding place. A successful roll means you ready the weapon instantly. This does not count as a combat maneuver; you can use the weapon to attack on the same turn. On a failure, you ready your weapon normally. A critical failure means you drop the weapon!

You must specialise in one of these weapon types: Force Sword, Knife, Long Arm (rifle, shotgun, submachine gun, etc.), Pistol, Sword (any onehanded blade larger than a knife), or Two-Handed Sword. The GM may add Fast-Draw skills for other weapons (or even tools) that one could reasonably draw quickly.

In addition to the above specialities, there are two Fast-Draw skills that allow you to reload missile weapons quickly:

Fast-Draw (Arrow): Lets you ready a single arrow, bolt, or dart instantly. This reduces the time required to reload a bow, crossbow, or blowgun by one second.

Fast-Draw/TL (Ammo): Reduces the time required to reload any kind of gun or beam weapon. The exact benefits depend on your weapon, but a successful roll always shaves at least one second off the reload time. This skill varies greatly with TL! At TL4, it covers powder-and-shot drills; at TL6+, it includes speed-loading techniques for detachable magazines; and at higher tech levels, it involves quickly replacing energy cells and attaching power cables.

For the Arrow and Ammo specialities, failure means you drop the arrow or bolt, or accidentally discard one round of ammunition. On a critical failure, you drop the entire quiver, powder horn, ammo box, magazine, etc. scattering loose ammunition everywhere!

Modifiers: Combat Reflexes gives +5 to all Fast-Draw specialities; Ham-Fisted gives -15 per level.

Forward Observer/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Artillery-20 and Others
Defaults For: None

This is the skill of being a "spotter" for artillery. It includes locating targets (with map and compass at TL6-, global positioning systems and satellite imagery at TL7+), marking targets (using smoke, a laser designator, etc.), matching ordnance to target for best effect, and calling in corrections to any fire you personally observe.

Failure means the ordnance misses the target; critical failures result in severe "collateral damage" or "friendly fire" incidents. The very worst critical failures (GM's decision) drop the ordnance on your position!

At higher tech levels, Forward Observer is less about observing targets and more about operating specialised technology such as drones, GPS, and laser designators. To remotely pilot a drone or use a laser designator to direct "smart" munitions onto a target, make a CORD-based skill check. At TL7+, Forward Observer defaults to Electronics Operation-25.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers; -10 if you are unfamiliar with the artillery (e.g. aircraft bombs when you are used to naval guns); -15 per 500 yards between you and the target – but divide the actual range by the magnification of any vision aid first.

Garrote CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to strangle a victim with a rope or a wire. See Special Melee Weapon Rules for details. Note that you cannot use a garrote to parry.

Grappling - CORD/Varies

Gunner/TL† - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to use a heavy weapon, usually one mounted on a tripod or a vehicle, to make a direct-fire attack – that is, to aim and fire at a target to which you have a line of sight. For indirect fire, use the Artillery skill. Use your Gunner skill to hit the target.

Make an INT-based skill check to take immediate action (e.g. clear a stoppage or restart a crashed targeting computer), should your weapon fail. Loaders can make STR-based skill checks to improve the rate of fire of certain crew-served weapons; see individual weapon descriptions for details.

You must specialise by weapon type. The available specialities vary by TL, but include one or more of:

Beams: Any kind of heavy directed-energy weapon: laser, particle beam, etc.

Cannon: Any kind of heavy projectile weapon – e.g. the main gun of a tank or an ultra-tech railgun on a starship – that fires single shots.

Catapult: Any kind of large, direct-fire mechanical bolt-thrower, such as a ballista.

Machine Gun: Any kind of heavy projectile weapon capable of firing bursts.

Rockets: Any kind of free-flight rocket fired from a mount.

These specialities default to one another at -20. The weapons covered by each speciality vary by TL. For instance, Gunner (Machine Gun) covers hand-cranked Gatling guns at TL5, automatic machine guns at TL6, autocannon at TL7, and electromagnetic machine guns at TL9+.

Familiarity is crucial here! Gunner/TL7 (Machine Gun) covers both tripod-mounted machine guns and aircraft autocannon, but going from one to the other gives you -10 for weapon type (machine gun to autocannon), -10 for aiming system (open sights to HUD), and -10 for mount (tripod to hull mount), for a net -30 to skill until you familiarize yourself with all the differences.

Modifiers: All applicable ranged combat modifiers; -10 for an unfamiliar aiming system (e.g. a camera when you’re used to open sights) or mount (e.g. a tripod when you’re used to a turret), or for an unfamiliar weapon of a known type (e.g. .30-cal when you are used to .50s); -20 or more for a weapon in bad repair.

Guns/TL† - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to use a handheld chemical-propellant or mass-driver projectile weapon. Use your Guns skill to hit your target.

Make an INT-based skill check to take immediate action (e.g. eject a dud round), should your weapon fail.

You must specialise by weapon type. The available specialities vary by TL, but include one or more of:

Grenade Launcher (GL): Any large-bore, low-powered small arm that fires a bursting projectile. Includes under-barrel grenade launchers, flare pistols, and ultra-tech “tanglers.”

Gyroc: Any kind of small arm that fires miniature rockets.

Light Anti-Armour Weapon (LAW): All forms of rocket launchers and recoilless rifles.

Light Machine Gun (LMG): Any machine gun fired from the hip or a bipod.

Musket: Any kind of smooth-bore long arm (usually, but not always, a black powder weapon) that fires a solid projectile.

Pistol: All kinds of handguns, including derringers, pepperboxes, revolvers, and automatics, but not machine pistols.

Rifle: Any kind of rifled long arm – assault rifle, hunting rifle, sniper rifle, etc. – that fires a solid projectile.

Shotgun: Any kind of smooth-bore long arm that fires multiple projectiles (flechettes, shot, etc.).

Submachine Gun (SMG): All short, fully automatic weapons that fire pistol-caliber ammunition, including machine pistols.

Most of these specialities default to one another at -10, but defaults involving GL, Gyroc, or LAW are at -20 in either direction. The weapons covered by each speciality vary by TL. For example, Guns (Rifle) covers muzzle-loaders at TL4, lever actions at TL5, and self-loaders at TL6+. In particular, ammunition varies with TL, from black powder and loose shot at TL4, to smokeless powder cartridges at TL6, to power cells and metallic slivers for TL9+ electromagnetic guns.

Familiarity is crucial here! Guns (Rifle) covers both bolt-action 12.7mm sniper rifles and 5.56mm assault rifles, but going from one to the other gives you -10 for weapon type (12.7mm to 5.56mm), -10 for action (bolt-action to self-loader), and -10 for grip (bipod to hand-held), for a total of -30 to skill until you familiarize yourself with all the differences.

Modifiers: All applicable ranged combat modifiers; -10 for an unfamiliar action (e.g. an automatic when you’re used to a revolver) or grip (e.g. a shoulder-fired antitank weapon when you’re used to a bipod), or for an unfamiliar weapon of a known type (e.g. a 5.56mm rifle when you are used to a 7.62mm rifle); -20 or more for a weapon in bad repair.

Immovable Stance - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: CORD-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisite: Trained By A Master

This skill allows you to anchor yourself to the ground by properly channeling your chi, using secret balancing techniques, etc. Make a skill check whenever an attack (e.g. a shove or the Push skill) would result in knockback or a fall.

On a success, you neither experience knockback nor fall down. On a failure, you are knocked back but still get the usual CORD roll to avoid falling down. On a critical failure, you automatically suffer full knockback and you fall down.

This skill also helps against attacks with the Technical Grappling skill. If you fail your active defense (or choose not to defend) against a Technical Grappling throw, your attacker must win a Quick Contest of Technical Grappling vs. your Immovable Stance skill, or his throw fails.

Modifiers: -5 per meter of potential knockback; +20 for Perfect Balance.

Innate Attack† - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This skill represents trained ability with a "built-in" ranged attack: fiery breath, super-powered energy bolts, etc. Learn it to improve your odds of hitting with Afflictions, Bindings, Innate Attacks, magical jets and missiles, and similar attacks that originate from you as opposed to a weapon in your hand. Roll using your skill to hit.

You must specialise:

Beam: Any energy blast, magical jet, etc. emitted from the hands. To use this skill, you must have at least one unrestrained hand (although it need not be empty).

Breath: Any attack emitted from the mouth, such as dragon's fire or acidic sputum. To use this skill, you cannot be gagged and you must be facing your target. Default: Liquid Projector (Same)-15.

Gaze: Any attack emitted from the eyes – heat vision, a petrifying stare, etc. To use this skill, you cannot be blindfolded and you must be facing your target.

Projectile: Any solid projectile or pseudo-solid energy bolt (e.g. Fireball spell) emitted from the hands. To use this skill, you must have at least one unrestrained hand (although it need not be empty).

These specialities default to one another at -10.

You use this skill to direct your attack, not to *activateÜ it; therefore, restrictions such as "you cannot be gagged" apply strictly to your ability to make ranged attacks. If you can trigger your attack while restrained, no attack roll is needed to attack your restraints!

You can only learn this skill for ranged attacks. Use Unarmed Strike (Brawling) to improve your odds with abilities that require a touch.

Kiai - FORT/Hard

Defaults To: FORT-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master or Weapon Master

You can channel your chi outward in a mighty shout (kiai) that freezes lesser foes. This counts as an attack, and costs 5 SP per attempt, successful or not.

Roll a Quick Contest: your Kiai skill vs. your target's WILL. You are at -5 for every full two meters of distance. Your victim resists at +5 if he is Hard of Hearing, at +10 if Deaf! If you win, your target is mentally stunned (see Effects of Stun).

This skill only works against a single victim; everyone can hear the shout, but your chi is focused on that one foe. However, a successful Kiai roll gives you +10 to Intimidation rolls vs. everyone within earshot.

Lance - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 or Spear-15
Prerequisite: Riding

The ability to use the lance: a long, spear-like weapon wielded from horseback. This is not a Melee Weapon skill. You may not use a lance to parry – you must block or dodge enemy attacks.

Lasso - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 (Trained Only)

This is the skill of throwing the lariat: a long rope or thong with a sliding noose at one end. Its intended purpose is to snare animals, but it can also entangle opponents in combat – see Special Ranged Weapons.

Liquid Projector/TL† - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to use a weapon that projects a stream of liquid or gas. Roll using your Liquid Projector skill to hit your target.

Make an INT-based Liquid Projector roll to take immediate action (e.g. patch a leak), should your weapon fail.

You must specialise by weapon type:

Flamethrower: Any weapon that projects burning liquid or gas. (This does not include plasma weapons, which are often called "flamers"; use Beam Weapons skill for those.)

Sprayer: Any weapon that emits a gas or atomized liquid (nerve gas, sleeping gas, etc.), including an ordinary spray can used as an improvised weapon.

Squirt Gun: Any weapon that fires a low-pressure stream of liquid at the rate of one squirt per pull of the trigger.

Water Cannon: Any weapon that fires a continuous jet of high-pressure liquid, usually but not always water, with the intent of causing knockback.

These specialities default to one another at -20. The weapons covered by each speciality vary by TL; e.g. Liquid Projector (Flamethrower) covers fire-siphons loaded with Greek fire at TL4, while at TL6, it covers backpack tanks that project thickened fuel.

Modifiers: All applicable ranged combat modifiers; -10 for heavy weapons when you are used to portable weapons (e.g. a flamethrower mounted on a tank when you are used to a backpack model), or for an unfamiliar weapon of a known type; -20 or more for a weapon in bad repair.

Melee Weapon - CORD/Varies

Defaults To: Special
Defaults For: Special

This is not one skill, but an entire collection of skills – one per class of closely related melee weapons. Melee Weapon skills are based on CORD, and default to CORD-20 if Easy, CORD-25 if Average, or CORD-30 if Hard. See specific skill descriptions for other defaults.

Melee weapon skill improves damage: if you have at least 1 level in a melee weapon skill, add 1d10 to basic thrust and swing damage. Add an additional 1d10 per 3 die if you know the skill at skill 50 or better! Work out damage ahead of time and record it on your character sheet.

Make a Melee Weapon roll to hit an opponent in combat. You may also use these skills to parry. Your Parry defence is 50+skill.

Melee weapons fall into broad categories on the basis of overall balance and function. When a rule refers to one of these categories, it applies to all weapons in that category and all Melee Weapon skills used to wield them. For instance, "fencing weapons" means "all weapons used with any of Main-Gauche, Rapier, Saber, or Smallsword skill".

Swords

A sword is a rigid, hilted blade with a thrusting point, cutting edge, or both. All swords are balanced, and can attack and parry without becoming unready.

Broadsword (CORD/Average): Any balanced, 60 to 120 cm blade wielded in one hand – broadsword, cavalry saber, scimitar, etc. This skill also covers any stick or club of similar size and balance to these blades, as well as bastard swords, katanas, and longswords used one-handed. Defaults: Force Sword-20, Rapier-20, Saber-20, Shortsword-10, or Two-Handed Sword-20.

Force Sword (CORD/Average): Any sword with a "blade" made of energy instead of matter. This generally refers to an ultra-tech weapon that projects energy from a powered hilt, but extends to similar effects produced using magic or psionics. Default: any sword skill at -15.

Jitte/Sai (CORD/Average): Any tined, one-handed sword designed to catch rigid weapons. Jitte/Sai weapons are built for disarming, and give +10 in the Quick Contest to disarm an opponent (see Knocking a Weapon Away). Furthermore, if you attempt to disarm on the turn immediately after you parry your opponent's weapon, you need not roll to hit his weapon first. Just state that you are attempting to disarm and move directly to the Quick Contest! This still counts as an attack. Defaults: Force Sword-20, Main-Gauche-20, or Shortsword-15.

Knife (CORD/Easy): Any rigid, hilted blade less than 30 cm long, from a pocket knife to a bowie knife. A knife has a very small parrying surface, which gives you -5 to your Parry score. Defaults: Force Sword-15, Main-Gauche-15, or Shortsword-15.

Shortsword (CORD/Average): Any balanced, one-handed weapon 30 to 60 cm in length – including the shortsword and any club of comparable size and balance (e.g. a police baton). Defaults: Broadsword-10, Force Sword-20, Jitte/Sai-15, Knife-20, Saber-20, Smallsword-20, or Tonfa-15.

Two-Handed Sword (CORD/Average): Any balanced, two-handed blade over 120 cm in length: greatswords, zweihanders, etc. This skill also covers quarterstaffs wielded like swords, as well as bastard swords, katanas, and longswords used two-handed. Defaults: Broadsword-20 or Force Sword-20.

Whips

A whip is a flexible weapon made from a length of chain, leather, wire, etc. A whip can be up to seven meters long – but note that a whip two meters or more in length cannot strike at one meter or closer, and is slow to ready after an attack. A whip tends to wind around its target, making it an excellent disarming and entangling weapon. However, a whip's lack of rigidity makes it a poor parrying weapon. For details, see Special Melee Weapon Rules.

The skills in this category default to one another at -15.

Force Whip (CORD/Average): Any whip made of pure energy instead of matter. These are usually ultra-tech devices that project energy from a powered hilt, but magical or psi-tech versions are possible. Most force whips can lash the target but not ensnare him.

Kusari (CORD/Hard): A weighted chain wielded in two hands. Default: Two-Handed Flail-20.

Monowire Whip (CORD/Hard): A whip made of a weighted length of monomolecular wire attached to a handle.

Whip (CORD/Average): Any ordinary whip.

Other Weapons

Some hand weapons defy easy classification. For instance:

Tonfa (CORD/Average): A tonfa is a baton with a protruding handle on one side. It can function as a baton, but you can also grasp it by the handle and hold it against the forearm in close combat. This grip lets you jab for thrust+1d10 crushing damage and parry close-combat attacks. Make a DC 100 skill check to change grip. On a success, the grip change is a free action. On a failure, you must spend an action changing grip. A critical failure means you throw your weapon away! Default: Shortsword-15.

Net - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: Cloak-25
Defaults For: Cloak

This is the ability to use a net as a thrown or melee weapon. For detailed net rules, see Special Ranged Weapons.

Parry Missile Weapons - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: CORD-30 (Trained Only)

This skill lets you parry thrown or missile weapons with a ready melee weapon. If you are wearing wristbands or gloves with DR 10+, or have at least this much natural DR, you can also parry with your hands. Your Parry score is your Parry Missile Weapons skill.

Modifiers (to Parry): +20 to parry large thrown weapons (e.g., axes and spears); +10 to parry small thrown weapons (e.g., knives and shuriken); no modifier to parry arrows; -10 to parry smaller low-tech missiles (e.g., crossbow bolts and blowpipe darts). You cannot parry bullets or similar high-tech projectiles! (Exception: Enhanced Time Sense allows you to parry bullets at -25.)

Power Blow - Will/Hard

Defaults To: WILL-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master or Weapon Master

This is the ability to draw on your inner strength to deliver a devastating blow in melee combat. Roll once per attack. Power Blow costs 5 SP per attempt, successful or not.

If successful, double your STR for damage purposes for the next attack only. This attack takes all normal modifiers, and must occur immediately after the Power Blow roll. If you know Power Blow at skill 100, you can triple your STR by accepting an extra -50 to the skill check.

You can also use this skill in non-combat situations. For instance, you could use Power Blow to double or triple your STR momentarily in order to move a heavy object. Such feats cost 5 SP and require a skill check, as described above.

Modifiers: -50 if used instantly, dropping to -25 after 1 action of concentration, -20 after 2 actions, -15 after 4 actions, -10 after 8 actions, -5 after 16 actions, and no penalty after 32 actions.

Pressure Points - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only). May default to Esoteric Medicine-20 in a cinematic campaign.
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master or Weapon Master

This is the art of striking pressure points in order to disable an opponent. To use this ability, you must make a successful attack with a technical unarmed strike (or other appropriate combat skill; see below). This attack is at -10 in addition to any hit location modifier. If at least one point of damage penetrates the target's DR, roll Pressure Points vs. the victim's FORT defence.

If you win, you temporarily disable your target. A limb is paralyzed and effectively crippled for 3d10 seconds. A hit to a torso pressure point interferes with the victim’s breathing, resulting in suffocation; every second he may roll make a FORT check vs the result of the attacker's Pressure Points roll to recover. A hit to the face stuns the victim; he gets a WILL check every second to recover. A blow to the skull blinds the victim for 1d10 seconds.

You can also use Pressure Points with technical grappling. Roll the check described above after successfully applying a lock. This is in addition to any other effects of the lock.

The GM may permit warriors to learn specialties of this skill for use with crushing weapons. Examples include Pressure Points (Bow) for use with blunt arrows, Pressure Points (Shortsword) for use with a baton, and Pressure Points (Staff) for use with a staff.

Modifiers: Physiology modifiers.

Pressure Secrets - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master & Pressure Points at 80+

This skill represents knowledge of the most vulnerable vital points of the human body. It allows you to maim and kill by crushing and tearing vital organs and nerve clusters with deadly precision.

To use this ability, you must make a successful unarmed attack. This attack is at -10 in addition to any hit location modifier. If you hit, make a Pressure Secrets check vs the victim's FORT defence.

On a success, any damage that penetrates DR is doubled – or tripled if you targeted the vital organs. In effect, your hands and feet have become impaling weapons!

You can also use this ability with locks and similar grappling attacks. This represents knowledge of exactly where to apply pressure to tear or sprain joints and ligaments. After applying the lock, make a Pressure Secrets check vs the victim's FORT defence. On a success, double the damage, shock, or harmful effects of the lock for that turn.

This skill is unrealistic and potentially unbalancing. The GM should carefully weigh its impact before allowing it, and may wish to make it very difficult for PCs to learn – or even restrict it to deadly NPC opponents.

Modifiers: Physiology modifiers.

Push - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: CORD-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisite: Trained By A Master

This skill allows you to channel your chi in order to "gently" push away an adversary or cause him to lose his balance. Roll against Push skill to hit. This counts as a barehanded attack (see Shove), and your target may attempt any legal active defense.

If you hit, use your Push skill as your effective STR. Roll swing damage for that STR, and double the result. For instance, if you had Push 75, you would roll swing damage for STR 75 (8d10), and double it. This damage inflicts knockback but never actual physical injury.

Shield† - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to use a shield, both to block and to attack. You must specialise:

Shield: Any shield held in place with straps. Such shields have the advantage that you can hold (but not wield) something in your shield hand, but the disadvantage of being slow to put on or take off. This is the most common speciality – list it as "Shield" on character sheets.

Buckler: Any kind of shield, usually a small one, held in the hand. A buckler occupies one hand completely, but you can ready it with only one action and drop it as a free action.

Force: Any shield with a blocking “surface” formed from energy rather than matter.

Shield, Shield (Buckler), and Shield (Force) default to one another at -10.

Sling - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: CORD-30

This is the ability to use the sling or staff sling.

Spear Thrower - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 or Thrown Weapon (Spear)-20

This is the ability to use the spear thrower: a long, flat stick with a notch or a loop at one end. It increases the force with which you can hurl a javelin or similar weapon. It takes one turn to position the spear in the thrower after both are in hand and ready.

Modifiers: -25 in tight quarters (less than two meters of overhead clearance).

Throwing Art - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: CORD-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master or Weapon Master

This is the cinematic ability to throw anything you are strong enough to lift: knives, medicine balls, televisions... anything! Roll using this skill to hit. Furthermore, if you know Throwing Art at level 50, add +1 to STR when calculating throwing distance, and +1d10 per three dice of damage with thrown weapons. These bonuses increase to +2d10 if you know Throwing Art at level 75 or better. If you are a Weapon Master, this bonus is instead of the usual damage bonus for your weapon.

You can use the items you throw as improvised weapons. Treat forks, kitchen knives, and other long, sharp objects as daggers. Any small, blunt object does thrust+1d10 crushing damage. Baseball bats do swing+1d10 crushing. Pencils do thrust-3d10 impaling. Playing cards do thrust-3d10 cutting.

Throwing Art lets you throw anything covered by the Throwing and Thrown Weapon skills. If you have Throwing Art, you do not need those skills.

Thrown Weapon† - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20 and Others
Defaults For: Spear Thrower

This is the ability to hurl any one type of thrown weapon. You must specialise:

Axe/Mace: Any axe, hatchet, or mace balanced for throwing (but not an unbalanced battleaxe or maul!).

Dart: Any sort of small, finned dart. Games (Darts) defaults to this skill at no penalty. Default: Throwing-10.

Harpoon: Any sort of tethered spear. Default: Thrown Weapon (Spear)-10.

Knife: Any sort of knife.

Shuriken: Any sort of hiltless blade, notably shuriken ("ninja stars"). Default: Throwing-10.

Spear: Any sort of spear, javelin, etc. Defaults: Spear Thrower-20 or Thrown Weapon (Harpoon)-10.

Stick: Any balanced and shaped throwing stick, such as a boomerang. This type of throwing stick does not return to the user.

Unarmed Strike - CORD/Varies

Concentration Skills

General Skills

Current Affairs/TL† - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20 or Research-15

This is the ability to assimilate quickly whatever qualifies as "news" in your world, and to recall it as needed.

You must specialise in one of the following areas:

Business: Exchange rates, investment performance, etc.

Headline News: Usually bad news, such as assassinations, plagues, and wars.

High Culture: Information on galleries, operas, symphonies, and so forth.

People: The names of and gossip on celebrities, heads of state, and the like.

Politics: Election results, international treaties, etc.

Popular Culture: Hit songs, cool fashions, and hot products, among other things.

Regional: News of all kinds for a specific region (pick one). This is the definitive "town crier" skill at low TLs.

Science & Technology: New discoveries and inventions.

Sports: Scores for recent matches, names of star athletes, etc.

Travel: Where the "beautiful people" are going this year, and how much it all costs.

These specialities default to one another at -15. It is hard to bone up on one kind of news without learning about all the others!

On a successful Current Affairs check, the GM will inform you of any news within your speciality that pertains to the current adventure (possibly including clues, on a good roll) or give you a small skill bonus (e.g. a success on Current Affairs (Sports) might give +5 to Gambling skill when betting on a boxing match).

Modifiers: -5 per day that you have been unable to access news media; -15 if you only have one source; +5 or more for "inside" access to the news (a subscription to an ordinary wire service is worth +5, while a job at an intelligence agency might give +15 or more).

Expert Skill† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only)
Defaults From: None

An Expert Skill represents cross-disciplinary knowledge of a single, narrow theme. When answering factual questions on that theme, you may substitute an Expert Skill check for any INT-based skill check that has a default. Expert Skills do not exempt you from Cultural Familiarity or Language requirements, and never provide the ability to do practical tasks. Experts sometimes complement Expert Skills with related Area Knowledge skills, but you must learn these separately.

You must specialise by theme, and the GM is free to forbid any theme he feels is too broad. Some examples:

Computer Security: Expertise at combating computer intrusion ("hacking"). Can stand in for Computer Operation, Cryptography, or Electronics Operation to spot "holes" in the security of a computer system. Use Computer Programming to patch or exploit such holes.

Conspiracy Theory: The study of interlocking networks of conspiracies. Can substitute for Anthropology, Geography, History, Literature, or Occultism to answer questions about conspiracies, and can also work as Intelligence Analysis for this purpose (only). This does not include hidden inner secrets, which are the province of Hidden Lore.

Egyptology: The study of ancient Egypt. Can function as Anthropology, Archaeology, History, Linguistics, or Occultism for that purpose.

Epidemiology: The study of the spread of disease. Can serve as Biology, Diagnosis, Forensics, Geography, or Mathematics when deducing how a disease was spread.

Hydrology: The study of a planet's water. Can be used in place of Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, or Meteorology to answer questions about precipitation, flooding, irrigation, etc.

Military Science: General expertise on military capabilities. Can substitute for Artillery, Armoury, Strategy, or Tactics to answer questions about – but not use – weapons or strategies.

Natural Philosophy: A general skill that usually replaces specific science skills (which might not even exist yet!) for scholars at TL1-4. Can be used in place of any science skill (e.g. Biology or Physics) to answer questions about how the universe is believed to work.

Political Science: The academic study of politics. Can substitute for Geography, History, Law, Politics, or Sociology when performing political analysis.

Psionics: The study of the psionic mind and brain. Can function as Biology, Diagnosis, Physician, Physiology, or Psychology when dealing with psi phenomena in living beings. Cannot substitute for Electronics Operation, Electronics Repair, and Engineer specialities that deal with psychotronics.

Thanatology: The esoteric study of death. Can stand in for Anthropology, Archaeology, Occultism, or Theology when dealing with death and the dead.

Xenology: General knowledge of the known races in your setting. Can substitute for Anthropology, History, Physiology, or Psychology to identify a member of a race different from your own, or to answer general questions about the race and its culture.

Farming/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Biology-25, or Gardening-15
Defaults For: Gardening

This is the skill of growing things. It is usually used to earn a living, but you can also use it to answer theoretical questions about or solve problems related to agriculture.

Games† - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20

This is the ability to play a game well. It includes knowledge of rules, etiquette, and tournament regulations. You must specialise in a particular game; possibilities include traditional board games (such as chess, Go, hnefatafl, and mankala), card games, war games, and computer games.

Many cultures regard the ability to play one or more games skillfully as a worthwhile social accomplishment. People often stake vast sums on games, and it might be possible to earn a living as a professional gamer. Games may also be played to settle disputes. In a fantasy world, a powerful monster or wizard might even challenge a hero to a game – with his life or the lives of his companions at stake!

Knowledge of the rules of a given sport is also a Games skill, but unlike other Games skills, sports specialities only allow you to judge an event. To play, learn the associated Sports or Combat Sport skill. As a referee, make a skill check to adjudicate a match, spot a subtle foul, determine the winner in a "photo finish" situation, etc. As an athlete, you can use Games to make an Influence roll when dealing with a referee or judge, but this use is always at -15 or worse.

When you take a sports speciality, specify both the sport and the league or tournament type; e.g. Games (NFL Football) or Games (Olympic Judo). The rules of different leagues within the same sport default to one another at -10.

Modifiers: Cultural Familiarity modifiers. Long-lived games have a body of knowledge that grows through time; therefore, when gamers from different times compete, the player from later in the timeline gets +5 to effective skill.

Gardening - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20 or Farming-15
Defaults For: Farming

This is the ability to care for plants on a small scale. (For large-scale crops, use Farming skill.) A skill check lets you grow food, medicinal herbs, attractive flowers and trees, etc.

Modifiers: -10 to -20 for an unfamiliar method (e.g. hydroponics or bonsai when you’re used to your back yard), crop (herbs, trees, and vegetables all differ), or geographical region. These three penalties are cumulative!

Hidden Lore† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 (Trained Only)

This skill represents knowledge that is lost, deliberately hidden, or simply neglected. Whatever the reason, the general public is unaware of it. It is only available to those who study it specifically.

You must specialise in a particular body of secret knowledge. If you wish to enter play with Hidden Lore skills, you must account for this specific knowledge in your character story. The GM might even require you to purchase an Unusual Background before you can learn Hidden Lore skills. Of course, the GM is also free to forbid Hidden Lore skills to starting characters... or to PCs in general!

To acquire Hidden Lore in play, you must find a reliable source of relevant information. The GM may choose to tie skill increases in Hidden Lore to specific acts – such as reading moldy tomes – instead of allowing you to spend points freely. For instance, an ancient manuscript might let you spend up to eight points (and no more) on a specific Hidden Lore skill.

Remember that most Hidden Lore is secret because somebody powerful wants it kept that way. Thus, discussing or revealing your knowledge can be extremely hazardous.

Possible Hidden Lore specialities include:

Conspiracies: You know details about the conspiracies that underlie every aspect of society. This is factual knowledge (e.g. truths about the Illuminati), not the ability to analyse conspiracies. Only available in settings where vast conspiracies really do exist.

Demon Lore: You know the secrets of Hell, the goals of demons in the mortal world, and possibly even the names of specific demons.

Faerie Lore: You have detailed knowledge of the faeries and their secret kingdom(s).

Spirit Lore: You know about ghosts and other spirit entities – names, motivations, etc.

Hobby Skill - CORD or INT/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20 or INT-20, depending on the controlling attribute.

Many fields of study have little to do with adventuring or making a living – but people study them nonetheless. Each of these is a separate Hobby Skill. Those that require agility or a delicate touch (e.g. juggling, kite flying, needlepoint, and origami) are CORD/Easy skills that default to CORD-4, while those that focus on knowledge and trivia (e.g. comic books, rock music, science fiction, and tropical fish) are INT/Easy skills that default to INT-20.

A few points in a Hobby Skill can make roleplaying more fun – and possibly come in handy once in a while. You do not need a teacher to learn or improve a Hobby Skill. However, you cannot learn skills defined elsewhere in this chapter as Hobby Skills.

Housekeeping - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20
Defaults For: Cooking

This is the ability to manage a household. It covers both home economics and domestic chores: cleaning, cooking (but not haute cuisine, which requires the Cooking skill), minor repairs (any routine maintenance task that calls for a Carpentry, Sewing, or similar skill check at +20 or better), etc. The main use of Housekeeping is to qualify for the job of "homemaker", but it can come in handy on adventures – for instance, to clean up evidence!

Speed-Reading - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 (Trained Only)

This is the ability to read much faster than normal. Whenever time is of the essence (for instance, when reading the instructions on a parachute as you fall), multiply your reading speed by a factor of 1 + (skill/50); e.g., Speed-Reading-60 would give a factor of 2.2. Make a skill check to determine whether you retain what you have read.

On a failure, your recall is shaky. Every time you try to remember or use what you read, you must make an INT check at a penalty equal to your margin of failure. Roll at +25 if you have Eidetic Memory, or +50 for Photographic Memory. If this checl fails, you cannot recall the information; on a critical failure, you recall badly flawed information but believe it to be true! To eliminate this INT roll, you must go back and reread the material slowly.

Modifiers: Language modifiers.

Typing - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20 and Others

This is the skill of using a typewriter. Typing speed is skill × 0.6 words per minute (wpm) on a manual, skill × 1 wpm on an electric typewriter or computer keyboard.

This skill defaults at -15 to any skill that involves a lot of typing, notably Administration, Computer Operation, Research, and Writing, and Professional Skills such as Journalist. If you have such a skill, Typing skill is redundant (unless you wish to work as a professional typist).

Larceny Skills

Holdout - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Sleight of Hand-15

This is the skill of concealing items on your person or on other people (usually with their cooperation). An item's size and shape govern its concealability. Some examples:

+20: A BB-sized jewel, a postage stamp.

+15: A pea-sized jewel.

+10: One lockpick, a huge jewel, a dime, a TL9+ disk.

+5: A set of lockpicks, a silver dollar.

0: A TL8 floppy disk or CD, without case.

-5: A dagger, a slingshot, the tiniest handgun or grenade.

-10: An average handgun, a grenade, a large knife.

-15: A submachine gun, a shortsword, a short carbine.

-20: A broadsword, an assault rifle.

-25: A bastard sword, a battle rifle.

-30: A crossbow, a heavy sniper rifle.

Things that move or make noise give an additional -5 or more to skill.

Clothing also modifies effective skill. A Carmelite nun in full habit (+25 to skill) could conceal a bazooka or a battle-axe from an eyeball search. A Las Vegas showgirl in costume (-25 to skill) would have trouble hiding even a dagger. Of course, the showgirl might escape search entirely (unless the guards were bored) because "She obviously couldn't hide anything in that outfit!" Full nudity is -35 to skill.

A proper concealment holster helps conceal a weapon; use the equipment modifiers. Clothing designed specifically to hide things gives a bonus of up to +20. To spot a concealed item, roll a Quick Contest of Search skill vs. Holdout. Search defaults to Perception-25 if you haven't studied it. See Search for additional rules.

Pickpocket - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: CORD-30, Filch-25, Sleight of Hand-20
Defaults For: Filch

This is the ability to steal a purse, knife, etc., from someone’s person - or to "plant" something on him. If your victim is aware someone may try to pick his pocket, or if he is generally wary, you must win a Quick Contest of Pickpocket vs. the higher of his Perception or Streetwise skill. To outwit a third party who is watching you and the victim, you must win a Quick Contest of Pickpocket vs. the watcher's Observation skill.

Modifiers: +25 if the victim is distracted; +50 if he is asleep or drunk; up to -25 for goods in an inner pocket; and up to -50 for a ring or similar jewelry.

Sleight of Hand - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: Filch-25
Defaults For: Filch, Holdout, Pickpocket

This is the ability to "palm" small objects, do coin and card tricks, etc. Make a skill roll to perform one piece of simple "stage magic". A failed check means you blew the trick.

When you use this skill to steal, you must win a Quick Contest of Sleight of Hand vs. the passive Vision or Observation skill of potential witnesses to perform the theft unnoticed.

You can also use this skill to cheat at cards, dice, etc. A successful Sleight of Hand roll gives from +5 to +25 on your Gambling roll. Any failure causes you to be denounced as a cheater! In both cases, the exact results are up to the GM.

Modifiers: +15 if the light is dim; +15 if you have a confederate to distract attention; +25 if you have prepared in advance (cards up your sleeve, etc.); -15 if the person you want to fool knows Sleight of Hand himself; modifiers for High Manual Dexterity or Ham-Fisted.

Smuggling - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25

This is the ability to conceal items in baggage and vehicles. You can also use it to hide an object in a room or a building. Roll against skill to hide an item from casual inspection. In an active search, the searchers must win a Quick Contest of Search vs. your Smuggling skill to find the item.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers for specialised smuggling gear. The difference between the Size Modifier of the package, vehicle, or room in which you are hiding the item and that of the item itself; e.g. to hide a bottle of liquor (SM -25) in a family car (SM +15), you would roll at +40.

Medical Skills

Poisons/TL - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30, Chemistry-25, Pharmacy-15, or Physician-15

This skill represents practical knowledge of poisons. A successful skill roll lets you (among other things) recognise a poison-bearing plant in the wild; extract the poison in a useful form; recognize a poison by its taste in food or drink; identify a poison by observing its effects (+15 if you are poisoned); know a proper antidote; or recognize or prepare the antidote from its sources. Each of these feats requires a separate roll.

Modifiers: Acute Taste and Smell gives a bonus to notice or recognize a poison by taste or by scent. Likewise, Discriminatory Smell and Discriminatory Tastegive +20 to these tasks when working by smell or by taste, respectively.

Surgery/TL - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: First Aid-60, Physician-25, Physiology-40, or Veterinary-25
Defaults For: Physiology, Veterinary Prerequisites: First Aid or Physician

This is skill at using invasive medical techniques to treat sickness or injury. Roll once per operation. On a success, the operation proceeded without complications. On a failure, the patient took damage – 6d10 for a simple amputation, 9d10 for other procedures. Surgery rolls can also facilitate recovery from wounds.

This skill represents general surgical expertise, which is relatively rare in real life. Most surgeons have an optional speciality in a certain part of the body (brain, heart, etc.) or a specific type of surgery (cosmetic surgery, microsurgery, transplant surgery, etc.).

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers; physiology modifiers; -15 if the area or equipment cannot be properly cleaned and sterilized; -15 for head or chest surgery; -25 for undiagnosed problems. If you lack Physician skill, you are at -25 to do anything but "field-expedient" surgery (e.g. stitch wounds or extract arrowheads, bullets, and shrapnel).

Veterinary/TL - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Animal Handling (any)-30, Physician-25, or Surgery-25
Defaults For: Diagnosis, First Aid, Physician, Surgery

This is the ability to care for a sick or wounded animal. You may take an optional speciality in a particular type of animal.

Modifiers: +25 if the animal knows and trusts you; -10 or worse if the animal is of an unfamiliar type.

Professional Skills

Intelligence Analysis/TL - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 or Strategy-25
Defaults For: Strategy

This is the ability to analyse and interpret intelligence data. It allows you to deduce enemy plans and capabilities, evaluate the accuracy of information, rate the reliability of sources, etc. In most game worlds, only intelligence, military, and security services teach this skill – often only to those with a minimum level of Rank or Security Clearance.

The GM makes all Intelligence Analysis rolls in secret. On a success, he provides details about the significance and accuracy of your data, or insights into what it means in terms of enemy planning. When you encounter deliberately falsified data, the GM rolls a secret Quick Contest: your Intelligence Analysis vs. the enemy's skill at disinformation (Forgery, Propaganda, etc.). If you win, the GM provides details on precisely what is wrong with the information. However, it is up to you to deduce what this means!

This skill has nothing to do with gathering intelligence. Use Current Affairs and Research to sift through public sources; Forensics and Search to find physical clues; Observation for human surveillance; and Electronics Operation to work with the satellite imagery, communications intercepts, and related "technical means" common at TL7+.

You may take an optional speciality in one particular type of intelligence. A useful speciality at TL6+ is Intelligence Analysis (Traffic Analysis): identifying the purpose and organization of targets by examining intercepted communications traffic.

Modifiers: -5 to -25 for incomplete information; -15 if all your information comes from a single source; -15 for intelligence concerning an arcane scientific or bureaucratic principle, unless you have skill in that area (e.g. Engineer (Electronics) for intelligence regarding a radar installation).

Market Analysis - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30, Business-20, or Economics-25 Defaults For: Business, Economics

This is the skill of predicting the short-term behaviour of bond, stock, and currency markets – usually in order to make money! It is the main job skill of professional traders and speculators. Make a skill check to determine current market trends. On a critical success, you also learn whether a trend will continue or reverse in the future. On a failure, you get no clear answer. On a critical failure, you guess wrong.

Modifiers: The Talents of Business Acumen and Mathematical Ability both provide a bonus.

Professional Skill - CORD or INT/Average

Defaults To: Special

Many realistic job skills are more useful for making a living than for adventuring. Most such skills do not appear in this skill list – but you can still learn them if you want! Each is a separate Professional Skill. If your "adventuring" skills aren't useful for earning money, a Professional Skill can help you earn a steady income. To qualify for most jobs, you will need the relevant Professional Skill at 60+ (unless you are supposed to be incompetent!).

Most professions encompass a body of knowledge. The associated Professional Skills are INT/Average and default to INT-25, because the smarter you are, the better you can recall and employ the techniques used at your job. Examples include air traffic controller, barber, brewer, cooper, distiller, dyer, florist, game designer, journalist, prostitute, tanner, vintner, and zookeeper.

A few professions – glassblower, tailor, weaver, etc. – focus more on precision than on recall. These Professional Skills are CORD/Average and default to CORD-25.

At the GM’s option, a given Professional Skill might also default to other skills. For instance, "Journalist" would logically default to Writing-15. The skills associated with highly paid or respected professions often have prerequisites. For instance, "Air Traffic Controller" might require Electronics Operation (Sensors) skill. Like defaults, prerequisites are up to the GM.

You are free to create your own Professional Skills, subject to GM approval. They should be unique and well defined, not just a compilation of existing skills. For example:

Prospecting/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Geology-20
Defaults For: Geology

This is the skill of finding valuable minerals. A successful Prospecting check lets you locate minerals, judge good ore from a small sample (and gauge its commercial value), and find water by using an "eye for country", as described for Survival skill.

This skill is "applied geology", and requires on-site examination. Prospecting from a distance – using maps, instrument readings, and extrapolation – uses Geology skill instead.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers; -5 in a new area of a familiar type, or -10 or more in an unfamiliar type of area, until you have been there for at least a month.

Religious Ritual† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Ritual Magic (same)-30 or Theology (same)-20
Defaults For: Exorcism, Ritual Magic, Theology

This is the ability to perform religious rites – masses, funerals, weddings, etc. – before a congregation. You must specialise by religion. This skill includes detailed knowledge of the ritual motions, prayers, and trappings of the faith, as well as the ability to capture and hold the attention of worshipers. For religions that practice sacrifice, Religious Ritual also covers familiarity with sacrificial tools and methods.

To be a priest or holy man at TL1+, you must have both Religious Ritual and Theology skill for your religion. TL0 shamans need only learn Religious Ritual.

In worlds where priests can perform miracles, each magical ritual or spell is a separate skill, but certain "mundane" religious rituals – such as sacrifice – can give bonuses to spell rolls. You must always make Religious Ritual check to claim such a bonus. In other settings, a priest's magic is only as good as his ritual. If this is the case, your roll to work magic uses the lower of Religious Ritual and your actual spell skill.

Soldier/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25

This skill represents a combination of basic military training – the lessons taught at "boot camp" or its equivalent in your game world – and actual combat experience. Only those who have served in an army, militia, etc. are likely to know it.

The GM may require a Soldier roll whenever circumstances would test your battlefield discipline (knowing when to shoot, use concealment, take cover, etc.) or skill at practical field survival (e.g. keeping your feet dry and eating when you get the chance). Roll daily during prolonged military action. Failure means an inconvenience – perhaps a minor piece of equipment fails. Critical failure indicates a disaster: "friendly fire" incident, trench foot, etc.

Soldier includes basic lessons in many fields covered by other skills. For instance, a TL8 soldier learns to strip his rifle without learning Armoury (Small Arms), to use a radio without learning Electronics Operation (Comm), to dig a foxhole without learning Engineer (Combat), and so forth. In a situation where someone with one of those skills would roll at +20 or better for a routine task (see Task Difficulty), the GM may let you roll against Soldier skill instead. You do not receive the bonus that someone with the fullfledged skill would get, but you do suffer any situational penalties.

Soldier can only substitute for skill checks to do things that would be a believable part of basic training. This means the routine use of standard equipment by ordinary troops – not research, improvisation, or design, and never the operation of new or secret technologies! Soldier cannot replace weapon skills, either; you must buy all such skills separately.

Example: If someone with Electronics Operation (Comm) would be at +20 to call HQ on a standard-issue radio, you could do so with a successful Soldier roll. However, you could not use Soldier to fix a broken radio, use an enemy radio, or transmit coded signals.

Strategy† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30, Intelligence Analysis-25, or Tactics-25
Defaults For: Intelligence Analysis, Tactics

This is the ability to plan military actions and predict the actions of the enemy. In most settings, only the military teaches this skill.

A successful Strategy check lets you deduce, in advance, enemy military plans unless another person with this skill leads them. In that case, the GM rolls a Quick Contest of Strategy. The amount of information gained depends on how well you roll (but not on the quality of the foe's plans). If you fail an uncontested roll or lose a Quick Contest, the GM gives you false information.

You must specialise in a type of strategy – Land, Naval, Space, etc. These specialties default to one another at -20. The specific units being commanded are less important; even the units of another nation or tech level would give -5 or -10 at most (GM's judgment), as long as you had accurate information about their capabilities.

Tactics - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 or Strategy (any)-25
Defaults For: Strategy

This is the ability to outguess and outmaneuver the enemy in small-unit or personal combat. In most settings, only the military teaches this skill.

When commanding a small unit, make a Tactics check to place your troops correctly for an ambush, know where to post sentries, etc. At the GM's option, a successful roll might even provide clues as to immediate enemy plans. To outmaneuver enemy units, you must win a Quick Contest of Tactics with their leader. All of this only applies when you lead a group small enough that you can give each warrior orders personally – or through at most one subordinate. Thus, radio and similar technologies can greatly enhance your command abilities!

In personal combat, you may make a Tactics roll before the fight begins if you had any time to prepare. On a success, you start the fight in an advantageous position – e.g. behind cover or on higher ground – as determined by the GM. The better the roll, the greater your advantage. If you fail, or do not attempt a Tactics roll, you are in a random location (or one of the GM’s choosing) when combat begins. Fighters without Tactics skill always start combat this way.

Even in an ambush or similar "surprise" situation, the GM will use the better of your Tactics skill and your Perception skill to see if you spotted the danger on time.

Scouting Skills

Navigation/TL† - INT/Average

Defaults To: Special
Defaults For: Cartography

This is the ability to find your position through careful observation of your surroundings and the use of instrumentation. A successful skill check tells you where you are or lets you plot a course.

You must specialise:

Sea: Navigation by the stars and ocean currents. Modifiers: +15 if you have Absolute Direction, or a high-tech global positioning system or inertial compass; -25 (and no use of Astronomy default) if you lack high-tech aids, the weather is bad, and the stars are hidden. Defaults: Astronomy-25 or Seamanship-25.

Air: Navigation by the stars and by the terrain below. Modifiers are as for Navigation (Sea). Default: Astronomy-25.

Land: Navigation using landmarks and the stars; also called "orienteering". Modifiers: +15 if you have Absolute Direction or a high-tech substitute. Defaults: INT-25, Cartography-20, or Mathematics (Surveying)-20.

Space: Navigating through ordinary interplanetary and interstellar space, usually at less than the speed of light (but some science-fiction "warp drives" let you travel at faster-than-light speeds in normal space). Modifiers: +10 for 3D Spatial Sense. Defaults: Astronomy-20 or Mathematics (Applied)-20.

Hyperspace: Also called "astrogation". Similar to Navigation (Space), but used when traveling through "jump space" or "hyperspace". In settings with multiple faster-than-light drive technologies, there may be one Navigation speciality per drive type. Modifiers are as for Navigation (Space). Defaults: Astronomy-20 or Mathematics (Applied)-20.

Air, Land, and Sea default to one another at -10. Space and Hyperspace default to one another at -25. There are no defaults between these two groups.

Modifiers: -5 to -10 for being in an unfamiliar area (GM’s discretion, but an unfamiliar world, star system, etc. should give at least -5); equipment modifiers.

Observation - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Perception-20 or Shadowing-20
Defaults For: Shadowing

This is the talent of observing dangerous or "interesting" situations without letting others know that you are watching. Use this skill to monitor a location, a group of people, or your immediate surroundings for concealed or tactically significant details. This is not the same as gathering clues or making a hands-on search (use Forensics and Search, respectively) – you always use Observation from a distance.

A successful skill roll lets you gather information that is not specifically hidden. For instance, you could case a bank for obvious cameras before a robbery, learn the schedule of sentries, estimate the size of a crowd, or gauge the strength of troops moving in the open. The GM may require an Intelligence Analysis roll to interpret what you observe.

To spot deliberately hidden details – e.g. someone trying to sneak up on you, an armed man hiding in the crowd, or a concealed machine-gun nest – you must win a Quick Contest of Observation skill vs. the Stealth, Shadowing, or Camouflage skill (as appropriate) of the other party. The GM should roll the Contest in secret, and should not say, "You don't see the machine gun nest concealed in the bushes".

If your attempt fails, you get no details on an obvious item, or fail to spot a hidden one. On a critical failure, someone spots you and reacts poorly to the attention...

Modifiers: Acute Senses, as appropriate; modifiers for cover, darkness, or size; -5 to -50 if the target is concealed by high-tech camouflage or "stealth" technology; +5 to +50 if you possess suitable surveillance devices (a thermograph to spot a concealed sniper, binoculars to observe troop movements, etc.) and succeed at the skill check to operate them.

Packing - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Animal Handling (Equines)-25

This is the ability to get loads on and off of pack animals quickly and efficiently. It also lets you get the best performance from pack animals on the road, judge such beasts before purchase, and select the best route for a pack train. If the beasts are ornery or badly trained (GM’s judgment), you must make a successful Animal Handling roll before you can attempt a Packing roll. A caravan without at least one master packer (Packing at 75+) moves at 80% its normal speed.

Perception - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20
Defaults For: Blind Fighting, Body Language, Detect Lies, Esoteric Medicine, Fishing, Lip Reading, Observation, Scrounging

Perception represents your general alertness. Makes a perception check to determine whether you notice something.

Search - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Perception-20 or Criminology-20

This is the ability to search people, baggage, and vehicles for items that aren't in plain sight. The GM rolls once – in secret – per item of interest. For deliberately concealed items, this is a Quick Contest of your Search skill vs. the Holdout or Smuggling skill used to hide the item. If you fail, the GM simply says, "You found nothing." (It defeats the purpose to say, "You don't find the gun under his jacket.")

If more than one person is searching, roll separately for each searcher. The GM should avoid unnecessary rolls. For instance, no human can get a sawed-off shotgun through a body search. Likewise, a knife or jewel simply cannot be found on a normally dressed person without an X-ray or skin search. In general, if the net bonus to the concealer's Holdout roll is +15 or more, a skin search is required. If his Holdout is at -10 or worse for size, a skin search will automatically find the hidden item.

Modifiers: +5 for a "pat-down" of an unresisting person (takes one minute), +15 for a thorough "skin search" of a person’s hair and clothing (takes three minutes), or +25 for a complete search, including body cavities (takes five minutes). Bonuses for Acute Touch and Sensitive Touch apply to all hands-on searches. On a successful Electronics Operation (Security) roll, specialised sensors – metal detectors, X-ray machines, etc. – give from +5 to +25 to find items they can detect (a metal detector won't help you find plastic explosives!).

Shadowing - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Observation-20, or Stealth-20 (on foot only)
Defaults For: Observation

This is the ability to follow another person through a crowd without being noticed. (In the wilderness, use Tracking and Stealth.) Roll a Shadowing check every 10 minutes: your Shadowing vs. the subject’s passive Vision. If you lose, you lost the subject; if you lose by more than 25, you were seen.

Once the subject is aware you are shadowing him, make a Shadowing check every five minutes: your Shadowing skill vs. his passive Shadowing or Stealth skill. If he wins, he eludes you. If he loses by more than 25, he thinks he eluded you. If you critically fail, you lose him and follow the wrong person.

Following someone in a vehicle is harder than shadowing on foot. Use the same rules, but you roll at -10 (and may not use your Stealth default).

Modifiers: -15 if the subject knows you. Distinctive appearance gives a penalty – see Build, Unnatural Features, and specific disadvantages (e.g. Hunchback) for details. If you belong to a visibly different race than most of the people around you, the penalty is up to the GM; it is never smaller in magnitude than the difference between your Size Modifier and that of those around you.

Stealth - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 or INT-25
Defaults For: Shadowing

This is the ability to hide and to move silently. A successful check lets you conceal yourself anywhere except in a totally bare room, or move so quietly that nobody will hear you, or follow someone without being noticed. (To follow someone through a crowd, use Shadowing.)

If someone is specifically on the alert for intruders, the GM will roll a Quick Contest between your Stealth and the sentinel’s passive Perception.

You can also use this skill to stalk game. A successful roll (and about 30 minutes) gets you within 30 meters of most animals. Another roll, at -25, gets you within 15 meters.

Modifiers: A penalty equal to your encumbrance level. -25 to hide in an area without "natural" hiding places, or +15 or more if there are many hiding places. -25 to move silently if you are moving faster than Speed 1. -25 to fool those with Discriminatory Smell (e.g. dogs).

Survival† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Perception-20 or Naturalist (same planet)-15
Defaults For: Camouflage

This is the ability to "live off the land", find safe food and water, avoid hazards, build shelter, etc. You may look after up to 10 other people. To live safely in a wilderness situation, you must make a successful Survival roll once per day. Failure inflicts 2d10 injury on you and anyone in your care; roll separately for each victim.

This skill also gives an "eye for country". A successful roll shows you the best direction of travel to find flowing water, a mountain pass, or whatever other terrain feature you desire – assuming that it exists.

Finally, you can use this skill to trap wild animals. (A city-bred thief could use Traps skill, but he's used to different game... so the roll would be at a -25.) Make one roll per trap. It takes about 30 minutes to improvise a trap from ordinary materials, or 10 minutes to set and hide a commercial steel trap. Pit traps for large game take several hours to dig.

Survival often requires skill rolls based on scores other than INT. The GM might ask for a STR-based roll to dig a pit trap or erect a log shelter, a CORD-based roll to start a fire using primitive techniques (flint sparking, bow and palette, etc.), or even a FORT-based roll to avoid nutritional deficiencies from an improvised diet.

You must specialise by terrain type. Land-dwellers may choose from Arctic, Desert, Island/Beach, Jungle, Mountain, Plains, Swampland, and Woodlands. Aquatic beings may take any of Bank, Deep Ocean Vent, Fresh-Water Lake, Open Ocean, Reef, River/Stream, Salt-Water Sea, and Tropical Lagoon. Amphibious individuals can pick from either list!

Land specialties default to one another at -15, while aquatic specialties default among themselves at -20. Island/Beach and Tropical Lagoon default to each other at -20, as do Swampland and River/Stream, but there are no other defaults between land and aquatic specialties.

In settings where it is possible to visit other worlds, you must also specialise by planet. Each Survival speciality defaults to the same terrain type for a different planet at -20. The defaults between terrain types given above are at an extra -20 between different planets. All this assumes the two planets are of the same planet type (see Planet Types). There is no default at all between Survival skills for two planets of different planet types.

At the GM’s option, extreme man-made terrain may call for unique specialties; e.g. Survival (Radioactive Wasteland). Most such specialties are trained only.

See also Urban Survival.

Modifiers: Up to -25 for extreme weather conditions. Equipment modifiers.

Teamster† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Animal Handling (same)-20 or Riding (same)-10

This is the skill of driving a team of animals pulling a wagon, chariot, etc. It includes the ability to harness and or the beasts, and judge them for quality before purchase. If the animals are ornery or badly trained (GM's judgment), you must make a successful Animal Handling roll before you can attempt a Teamster check.

For normal travel, make a Teamster roll once per day. When moving at a gallop (80% or more of the animals’ full Move) or when executing complex maneuvers with a chariot in combat, roll every 10 seconds.

A failure usually means nothing worse than lost time or a wider turn than intended. A critical failure – or any failure at a gallop – spills the wagon or chariot. Treat this as a five meter fall for each passenger and animal involved (see Falling). As well, roll 1d100 for each beast; on a 3 or less, a leg is broken! You will have to make Animal Handling checks to calm the beasts. Time required to reload the cargo depends on the load, terrain, and weather.

You must specialise by animal type; the most common speciality is Teamster (Equines), which covers horses and mules. Teamster specialties default to one another at -15.

Modifiers: -10 for more than four animals; -10 for a team of unfamiliar animals; up to -25 for bad terrain.

Tracking - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Naturalist-20 or Perception-20

This is the ability to follow a man or an animal by its tracks. Make a Tracking check to pick up the trail, then roll periodically to avoid losing it. The frequency and difficulty of these rolls depend on the terrain:

Jungle, Plains, or Woodlands: Roll every 30 minutes.

Arctic, Desert, Island/Beach, or Mountain: Roll at -10 every 15 minutes.

Swampland: Roll at -20 every 5 minutes.

Urban: Roll at -30 every minute!

You may also use this skill to cover your tracks. This doubles your travel time! A successful roll means you have hidden your tracks well enough that only someone else with this skill can see them. If another tracker follows you, the Tracking rolls above become Quick Contests of Tracking skill. If they lose any of the Contests, they lose your trail.

To stalk game once you have tracked it, use the Stealth skill.

Modifiers: -25 if the trail is more than a day old, or -50 if more than a week old. +15 if you are following a person, or +30 if following a group of people. Superior senses help a lot: bonuses for Acute Vision and Discriminatory Smell usually apply, and many superhuman senses (Infravision, Subsonic Hearing, etc.) give situational bonuses.

Urban Survival - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, or Perception-20

This talent covers the physical part of staying alive in a city environment, whether it’s overpopulated or empty. (The social problems of city survival are covered by Streetwise skill.) A successful skill check allows you to find clean rainwater; locate manholes from above or below; quickly locate building entrances, exits, stairwells, etc.; recognize and avoid physically dangerous areas, such as crumbling buildings; make and read city maps; find your way out of strange city areas; find a warm place to sleep outside in cold weather; and locate common types of buildings or businesses without asking anyone, just by your "feel" for the way cities are laid out.

Social Skills

Carousing - CONF/Easy

Defaults To: CONF-20

This is the skill of socializing, partying, etc. A successful Carousing roll, under the right circumstances, gives you a +10 bonus on a request for aid or information, or just on a general reaction. A failed roll means you made a fool of yourself in some way; you get a -10 penalty on any reaction roll made by those you caroused with. If you do your carousing in the wrong places, a failed roll can have other dangers!

Modifiers: Up to +15 for buying drinks or other entertainment for your fellow carousers; -15 for Killjoy; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 to -20 for Shyness.

Deception - CONF/Average

Defaults To: CONF-25, Performance-10, Public Speaking-25
Defaults For: Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Performance,
Public Speaking

This is the ability to counterfeit moods, emotions, and voices, and to lie convincingly over a period of time. A successful Deception check lets you pretend to feel something that you do not. The GM may also require an Deception check whenever you try to fool someone, play dead in combat, etc.

Impersonation is a special type of deception. To impersonate someone, you must first successfully disguise yourself (see Disguise) – unless your victims cannot see you!

Note that Deception is not the same Fast-Talk (the art of the "quick con").

Modifiers: +1 for every point of INT you have over the person you are trying to fool (or the smartest one in the group), or -1 for every point of difference if your victim is smarter than you; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 to -20 for Shyness; -25 for Truthfulness, but only if you are trying to deceive someone. For impersonation only: -25 if you are not well acquainted with your subject; -25 if those you wish to fool are acquaintances of the subject (-50 for close acquaintances).

Detect Lies - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30, Body Language-20, Perception-25 or Psychology-20
Defaults For: Body Language

This is the ability to tell when someone is lying to you. It is not the same as Interrogation; Detect Lies works in a casual or social situation. When you ask to use this skill, the GM rolls a Quick Contest of your Detect Lies skill vs. your subject's Fast-Talk or Deception skill. If you win, the GM tells you whether the subject is lying. If you lose, the GM may lie to you about whether you were lied to... or just say "you can’t tell".

Modifiers: +5 for Sensitive or +15 for Empathy, or -15 for Low Empathy; +20 if your subject is Easy to Read. If the subject is of a different species, the GM may assign a penalty – see Physiology Modifiers.

Diplomacy - CONF/Hard

Defaults To: CONF-30 or Politics-25
Defaults For: Politics

This is the skill of negotiating, compromising, and getting along with others. You may substitute a Diplomacy roll for any reaction roll in a non-combat situation, as described under Influence Rolls.

Unlike other Influence skills, Diplomacy never gives a worse result than if you had tried an ordinary reaction roll. Failure with Fast-Talk or Sex Appeal alienates the subject, but Diplomacy is usually safe.

A successful Diplomacy check also allows you to predict the possible outcome of a course of action when you are negotiating, or to choose the best approach to take.

If you know Diplomacy at level 91 or better, you get +1 per skill level over 90 on all reaction rolls where you're allowed to talk, for a total of +10 at level 100!

Modifiers: +1 for every point of INT you have over the person you are trying to convince (or the smartest one in the group), or -1 for every point of difference if they are smarter than you; +10 for Voice; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 for Oblivious; -5 to -20 for Shyness; -10 for Stuttering.

Enthrallment - CONF/Hard

Defaults To: CONF-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Confidence and Public Speaking at 60+.

Bards in fantasy can often influence others through storytelling. The GM may choose to represent this ability using the four Enthrallment skills described below. Depending on the setting, these skills might be magical, psionic, or a cinematic form of hypnotism. Each has a time requirement, SP cost, and duration, and requires two skill checks to use.

At the outset of the tale, roll vs. Public Speaking skill; if you can't grab your audience's attention early on, you won't have much of a chance of controlling them by the end. On a success, proceed to the Enthrallment skill check; critical success gives +5 on that roll. On a failure, you may still attempt the Enthrallment roll, but at a penalty equal to your margin of failure. Critical failure means your Enthrallment attempt fails automatically.

After the time required to enthrall has passed, roll a Quick Contest of your Enthrallment skill vs. the WILL of each audience member. If you win, you affect your audience – see the individual skill description for effects. If you lose or tie, there is no effect. However, if you critically fail, your audience instantly turns hostile!

You may never learn these skills at a skill level higher than your Public Speaking skill.

Audience Size: An "audience" can be one listener or a hundred – as many as can hear the tale. However, the number of audience members that you can enthrall at one sitting is limited to your Confidence modifier, to a maximum of 25 people at Confidence 75.

Modifiers: All four Enthrallment skills are at -15 for Low Empathy. If the player actually tells a good tale, the GM should reward him with +5 to +15 to the Public Speaking and Enthrallment rolls!

Erotic Art - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 or Acrobatics-20

This represents general knowledge of advanced sexual technique. INT-, FORT-, and even STR-based rolls are common. Precise game effects are left to the GM's discretion.

Modifiers: +15 for Flexibility or +25 for Double-Jointed; -15 for Killjoy.

Fast-Talk - CONF/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Deception-20
Defaults For: Begging, Fortune-Telling

This is the skill of talking others into doing things against their better judgment. It is not taught (intentionally, that is) in school; you study it by working as a salesman, confidence man, lawyer, etc. In any situation that calls for a reaction roll, you may make an Influence roll against Fast-Talk instead; see Influence Rolls.

If you have Fast-Talk at level 91 to 100, you get +1 per skill level over 90 on all reaction rolls where you're allowed to talk, for a total of +10 at level 100!

Note that Fast-Talk differs from Deception. In general, Fast-Talk is used to get someone to make a snap decision in your favor, while Deception is used for long-term dissimulation. However, there are situations in which the GM could allow a roll on either skill.

Modifiers: +1 for every point of INT you have over the person you are trying to convince (or the smartest one in the group), or -1 for every point of difference if they are smarter than you; +10 for Voice; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 for Oblivious; -5 to -20 for Shyness; -10 for Stuttering; -25 for Truthfulness. The GM may ask you for details of the story you are using, rather than just let you say, "I'm using Fast-Talk". Your approach and the plausibility of the story may further modify the roll, at the GM’s discretion.

Fortune-Telling† CONF/Average

Defaults To: CONF-25, Fast-Talk-15, or Occultism-15

This is the art of interviewing someone in order to learn more about his lifestyle and personality, and then using this information to make an "educated guess" about his future that you can pass off as supernatural divination. Suitable props – star charts, tea leaves, etc. – can enhance the illusion. Knowledge of traditional occult or religious beliefs (especially those of your subject) can also lend an air of legitimacy.

With the GM's permission, you can sometimes use Fortune-Telling in place of Fast-Talk (by making predictions that guide the subject toward a particular course of action), or Interrogation or Psychology (by asking the subject leading questions under the pretense of telling his fortune). This is only possible if the subject believes you are a genuine fortune-teller and you take the time to do a full "reading" for him.

You must specialise in a particular mantic art. Available specialities include Astrology, Augury (interpretation of natural omens, such as flocks of birds), Crystal Gazing, Dream Interpretation, Feng Shui, Palmistry, and Tarot.

This skill is not a paranormal talent, and the GM is under no obligation to supply you with hints of future events. You might wish to learn this skill if you have actual divinatory abilities, though, as it enables you to present your predictions in a culturally acceptable way. "I saw it in the stars" may be less likely to get you burned as a witch than "I cast a spell"!

Modifiers: +5 for Sensitive or +15 for Empathy; -15 if using Fortune-Telling in place of Fast-Talk, Interrogation, or Psychology.

Gesture - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20

This is the ability to communicate through improvised hand signals. A successful skill check will let you convey one simple idea to another person, or understand one simple idea he is attempting to get across to you. Gesture is not suited to complex communication, however.

Modifiers: Cultural Familiarity modifiers definitely apply! Different cultures develop distinct gesture vocabularies.

Heraldry - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Savoir-Faire (High Society)-15

This is the skill of recognizing and designing coats of arms, crests, flags, tartans, and other emblems. A successful roll lets you recognize a knight or a noble from his banner or shield, create attractive and proper arms (without conflicting with existing designs), etc.

In some settings, you might have to specialise in a particular type of Heraldry: Coats of Arms (the usual speciality, described above), Corporate Logos (defaults to Current Affairs (Business)-15), or even Graffiti Tags (defaults to Streetwise-15).

Modifiers: Cultural Familiarity modifiers. Up to +25 to recognize a well-known design, and down to -25 for an obscure design or one that was retired long ago.

Hypnotism - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only)

This is the skill of inducing a suggestible state in another person through verbal or mechanical means. It requires five seconds and a successful skill check to use. If you fail on a cooperative subject, you may try again. The second attempt takes five minutes, and the roll is at -25. If this attempt fails, you may not try to hypnotize the subject again that day.

A successful Hypnotism attempt puts the subject to sleep. This counts as an anesthetic for the purpose of Surgery. At the GM's option, further Hypnotism rolls might help the subject remember something he had forgotten, while Psychology rolls might help him get over mental problems.

A hypnotized individual is extremely suggestible. Roll a Quick Contest of Hypnotism vs. the victim's WILL for each suggestion. The subject resists suggestions that threaten their life or their loved ones, or that go strongly against their character, at +25. You may also give "posthypnotic suggestions", instructing the subject to do something in response to a trigger after the hypnosis ends. The subject’s resistance roll for such suggestions takes place when he encounters the trigger. He resists at +5 to WILL per week since he was hypnotised.

You cannot use Hypnotism as an attack, except in highly cinematic games. You can use it on an unaware or unwilling subject out of combat, but he resists at WILL+25. If he resists the initial attempt, he is considered uncooperative, and you may not make a second attempt that day. A subject who is unfamiliar with Hypnotism might not know what you attempted, but he suspects something – possibly witchcraft!

In all cases, a hypnotic trance lasts 1d10 hours unless you end it sooner.

Modifiers: +10 if you send hypnotic suggestions via Telesend (see Telecommunication), since voices in the head are harder to ignore.

Interrogation - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Intimidation-15, or Psychology-20

This is the ability to question a prisoner. Only intelligence agencies, police and prison services, the military, and the underworld teach this skill.

Roll a Quick Contest of Interrogation vs. the prisoner's WILL for each question. This requires 5 minutes per question. If you win, you get a truthful answer. If you tie or lose, the victim remains silent or lies. If you lose by more than five points, he tells you a good, believable lie! The GM roleplays the prisoner (or, if you are the prisoner, the GM will roleplay the interrogator) and makes all die rolls in secret.

Modifiers: -25 if the prisoner's loyalty to his leader or cause is "Very Good" or "Excellent"; -15 for Low Empathy; +10 for a lengthy interrogation (over two hours); +15 if you use severe threats; +30 if you use torture*. Increase these last two bonuses by +5 if you have the Callous disadvantage!

*"Torture" does not necessarily mean thumbscrews and the rack. Exposing a prisoner to the object of his phobia (see Phobias) is an effective torture, as is a believable threat against a loved one. Note that torturing a prisoner is usually considered vile behaviour, likely bringing retribution.

Intimidation - CONF/Average

Defaults To: CONF-25 or Deception-15
Defaults For: Interrogation

This is the skill of hostile persuasion. The essence of Intimidation is to convince the subject that you are able and willing, perhaps even eager, to do something awful to him.

You can substitute an Intimidation attempt for any reaction roll; see Influence Rolls. Exception: You cannot intimidate someone who has the Unfazeable advantage!

The results of a successful Intimidation attempt depend on the target. An honest citizen probably cooperates, sullenly or with false cheer. A low-life might lick your boots (even becoming genuinely loyal). A really tough sort might react well without being frightened: "You're my kind of scum!" The GM decides, and roleplays it. If you rolled a critical success your victim must make a Fright Check in addition to the other results of the Influence roll!

Group Intimidation: You may attempt to intimidate up to 25 people at once, at -1 to skill per person in the group. Multiple intimidators can attempt to intimidate proportionally larger groups; for instance, three thugs could try to intimidate up to 75 people! Base the skill penalty on the size of the target group divided by the number of intimidators (round up). Resolve the outcome with a single Quick Contest: the highest effective Intimidation skill from among the intimidators vs. the highest modified WILL in the target group.

Specious Intimidation: You can attempt a Quick Contest of Fast-Talk vs. the subject's INT before your Intimidation attempt in order to appear to be intimidating when you can't back it up. If you win, you are at +15 on the subsequent Intimidation attempt, which can go a long way towards off-setting the high WILL and Fearlessness of martial arts masters, world leaders, etc. If you tie or lose, however, your Intimidation attempt fails automatically, and you suffer a "Very Bad" reaction instead of just a "Bad" one!

Modifiers: +1 for every point of INT you have over the person you are trying to intimidate (or the smartest one in the group), or -1 for every point of difference if they are smarter than you. +5 to +20 for displays of strength, bloodthirstiness, or supernatural powers (GM's judgment); increase this bonus by +5 if you are Callous. Appearance matters: +10 if you are Hideous, +15 if Monstrous, or +20 if Horrific. Size also matters: add your Size Modifier and subtract the subject's. Appropriate Reputation modifiers (positive or negative) certainly count! You get -5 for Oblivious and -5 to -20 for Shyness. Subtract the subject's Fearlessness from your roll. The GM may assign a +5 or -5 for especially appropriate or clumsy dialog. Requests for aid are always at -15 or worse.

Leadership - CONF/Average

Defaults To: CONF-25

This is the ability to coordinate a group. Make a Leadership roll to lead NPCs into a dangerous or stressful situation. (PCs can decide for themselves if they want to follow you!)

You may attempt a Leadership roll in combat if you spend an action doing nothing but giving orders and encouragement. On a success, everyone on your side who can hear you (including PCs) has +5 on all combat-related Fright Checks and morale checks, and on self-control rolls for disadvantages that would reduce combat efficiency (such as Berserk and Cowardice – or Bloodlust, if you wish to take prisoners). A critical success gives +10. The bonus lasts until your next turn, at which time you may roll again. A group can have only one leader, however! If multiple people attempt Leadership rolls, no one gets a bonus.

Note that a minimum level of Leadership is often a prerequisite for high Rank.

Modifiers: +1 for every point of INT you have over the person you are leading (or the smartest one in the group), or -1 for every point of difference if they are smarter than you; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 to -20 for Shyness. -25 if the NPCs have never been in action with you; -25 if you are sending them into danger but not going yourself; +25 if their loyalty to you is "Good"; +50 if their loyalty is "Very Good". If their loyalty is "Excellent", you do not have to roll!

Lip Reading - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Perception-10

This is the ability to see what others are saying. You must be within seven yards, or have some means of bringing your point of view this close. A successful skill check lets you make out one sentence of a discussion – assuming, of course, that you know the language. If your subjects suspect that you can read lips, they can hide their mouths or sub-vocalise to thwart you. A critical failure on a Lip Reading roll – if you are where your victims could see you – means that you stared so much you were noticed!

Modifiers: All Vision modifiers (see Vision).

Mimicry† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 and others.

This is the ability to imitate voices. The Voice advantage gives +10 to skill. You must specialise:

Animal Sounds: Lets you emulate a lion's roar, a wolf's howl, a frog#s croak, etc. You can only imitate animals that have distinctive sounds. Make a skill check to attract animals of the type mimicked – or predators that normally hunt those animals – if any are nearby. To fool people, you must win a Quick Contest of Mimicry vs. the listeners' Naturalist-15 or Perception-30. Default: Naturalist-30.

Bird Calls: Allows you to reproduce the whistles, chirps, and other sounds made by birds. Otherwise, this works as Animal Sounds. Default: Naturalist-30.

Speech: Enables you to imitate vocal sounds. This does not allow you to converse in a foreign language, but if you have heard it, you can reproduce the sound of it. If you are trying to mimic a specific person, roll at -15. Treat this roll as a Quick Contest vs. the INT of anyone who knows the person mimicked well. Defaults: Deception-30 or Linguistics-20.

Animal Sounds and Bird Calls default to one another at -30. There is no default between these specialities and Speech.

Note that if you have the Mimicry advantage, there is no need to learn this skill!

Politics - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Diplomacy-20
Defaults For: Diplomacy, Public Speaking

This is the ability to get into office and get along with other politicians. It has nothing to do with administration! You can only learn Politics in office or by working for someone in office. A successful skill roll will give you +10 on reactions from fellow politicians. The GM may opt to handle an election as a Quick Contest of Politics.

Modifiers: +10 for Voice; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 to -20 for Shyness. In some jurisdictions, money is another important modifier...

Propaganda/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Business-20, or Psychology-20

This is the skill of indirect persuasion through the media. It is used for psychological warfare by intelligence and military organizations, and for advertising and marketing in the civilian world. Use familiarity to reflect the differences between these areas.

Propaganda works on groups, not individuals. The GM should set the effective Will defence of the target group based on its size, composition, and resistance to the desired outcome, and then use the Influence Rolls rules to determine the results. Success might inform the target audience or even alter its perceptions. Propaganda attempts nearly always take more time and exposure than ordinary Influence rolls, however; how much time is up to the GM.

Public Speaking - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Acting-20, Performance-10, or Politics-20
Defaults For: Begging, Deception, Performance

This is general talent with the spoken word. A successful skill roll lets you (for instance) give a good political speech, entertain a group around a campfire, incite or calm a riot, or put on a successful “court jester” act.

Public Speaking includes skill with debate, oratory, and rhetoric, as well as ability with less formal activities such as “punning” and storytelling. Not all speakers possess talent in all of these areas. You may take an optional speciality to represent this.

Modifiers: Any bonus for Charisma; +10 for Voice; -5 to -20 for Shyness; -10 for Stuttering; Cultural Familiarity modifiers; Language modifiers.

Savoir-Faire† - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20 and Others
Defaults For: Heraldry*

This is the skill of appropriate behavior in a subculture that has an established code of conduct – for instance, high society or the military. When dealing with that social group, a successful skill roll lets you interact without embarrassing yourself, detect pretenders to high standing, and so on. You may also substitute an Influence roll against Savoir-Faire for any reaction roll required in a social situation involving that subculture; see Influence Rolls. Roll once per encounter.

You must specialise. Common specialties include:

Dojo: How to greet masters, wear weapons, and issue challenges at a karate dojo, kung fu kwoon, fencing salle, or similar academy of the martial arts. Recognised skill determines relative standing. In certain places and times, to flout tradition is to risk violent retribution! For competitive martial arts (only), this skill defaults to any relevant Games skill at -15.

High Society: The manners of those of "good" birth and breeding. Status determines relative standing. Make a skill check whenever you must impersonate someone more than three Status levels away from your own. If your Status is negative and you are trying to pass yourself off as someone of Status 1+, or vice versa, this roll is at -10.

Mafia: Proper conduct within a formal criminal organization. This includes such things as codes of silence and showing proper deference to "made men". These protocols often ape those of high society... but the penalties for misconduct are far more severe. Default: Streetwise-15.

Military: The customs, traditions, and regulations of military service. This also includes knowledge of the unwritten rules: what is acceptable even if not regulation, and what is forbidden although there is nothing in writing against it. Military Rank determines relative standing.

Police: As Savoir-Faire (Military), but for civilian police service. This gives knowledge of the social protocols for police officers; use Law (Police) for the legal protocols. Police Rank determines relative standing.

Servant: Knowledge of how to serve the upper class. Certain procedures are always done just so (the salad fork goes outside the dinner fork, the Duke is announced before the Earl, etc.), and certain attitudes in a servant are unacceptable.

Savoir-Faire (High Society) is the most common speciality, and you may list this as simply “Savoir-Faire” on your character sheet. Savoir Faire (High Society) and (Servant) default to one another at -10. There are no defaults between other types of Savoir-Faire.

Modifiers: Cultural Familiarity modifiers. +10 if you are of higher standing than those you are trying to impress, or -10 if you are of lower standing ("standing" might mean Rank, Status, skill level, or something else). +10 if you seem to have important friends. -20 for Clueless; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 for Oblivious; -5 to -20 for Shyness.

Sex Appeal - CONF/Average

Defaults To: CONF-20

This is the ability to impress those who are attracted to members of your sex. It has as much to do with attitude as it does with looks. If you are not willing to "vamp" someone to get what you want, you won’t have this skill – or want it.

You may substitute an Influence roll against Sex Appeal for any reaction roll made by someone who is attracted to members of your sex; see Influence Rolls.

Usually, you may make only one attempt per "target", although the GM might allow another attempt after a few weeks.

Modifiers: +10 for Voice; -15 for Low Empathy; -5 for Oblivious; -5 to -20 for Shyness; -10 for Stuttering. Apply any bonus for above-average APP – or double the penalty for below-average APP!

Streetwise - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25

This is the skill of getting along in rough company. A successful Streetwise roll might let you learn (among other things) where any sort of illegal "action" is; which local cops or bureaucrats can be bought, and for how much; and how to contact the local underworld. Note that you might also be able to get this information by asking a Contact. This skill is a measure of your ability to make new connections as needed.

You may substitute an Influence roll against Streetwise for any reaction roll made in an underworld or "bad neighborhood" situation; see Influence Rolls.

Modifiers: +15 if you have a tough reputation (either "good" or "bad") in the area; -15 if you are obviously a stranger in the area. -15 for Low Empathy; -5 for Oblivious; -5 to -20 for Shyness.

Supernatural Skills

Flying Leap - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master or Weapon Master, and both Jumping and Power Blow

This skill allows you to make incredible leaps. It costs 5 SP per attempt, successful or not.

On a success, you may immediately attempt a jump. Use the standard jumping rules, but triple your jumping distance. On a failure, you may still attempt the jump, but you receive no bonus and make all jumping-related rolls at -25. On a critical failure, you fall down!

You may use Flying Leap to jump into someone as part of an attack. Such attacks are at an extra -10 to hit, but if you do hit, triple your STR for damage and knockback purposes. In a slam or collision, calculate Speed from jumping distance as described for Super Jump, and use this velocity to calculate damage.

Modifiers: -50 if used instantly, dropping to -25 after 1 turn of concentration, -20 after 2 turns, -15 after 4 turns, -10 after 8 turns, -5 after 16 turns, and no penalty after 32 turns.

Herb Lore/TL - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35 (Trained Only)
Prerequisite: Naturalist

This is the ability to manufacture herbal concoctions that have magical effects – healing balms, love potions, etc. It only exists in magical game worlds, where it functions much as Alchemy skill. Unlike Alchemy, Herb Lore does not include the ability to analyse "elixirs". On the other hand, an expert at this skill can locate magical ingredients for free in the wild by making a few Naturalist rolls, while an alchemist requires rare and expensive materials (such as alkahest, dragon's blood, gemstones, and gold) to do his work.

Invisibility Art - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master, and both Hypnotism and Stealth at 70+

This is the fabled skill, often attributed to ninja and other martial-arts masters, of being able to stand in plain sight without being noticed. It requires one second of concentration to activate. After that time, roll a Quick Contest once per second: your Invisibility Art vs. the Vision roll of each person who can see you.

Viewers must apply the current darkness penalty to their Vision roll. A viewer who is concentrating on something else or otherwise distracted is at -15; one who is specifically looking for intruders gets +15. If someone sees you and raises the alarm, by pointing and crying out, those who believe the warning get +15 on their next roll.

If you win, that person is unable to see you for one second. Otherwise, he can see you normally. Once someone notices you, he is unaffected by this skill until you can get out of sight somehow (which might be as easy as stepping into a shadow), whereupon you may try again.

Note that this skill does not work at all in combat. In particular, if you attack anyone, you will immediately become visible to everyone!

Modifiers: +15 if you use a smoke bomb or flash grenade before you attempt your roll (you appear to vanish in a cloud of smoke). Your movement modifies your skill check rather than viewers' Vision rolls: no modifier if you stand still (Move 0), -5 if you move at a slow walk (Move 1), -10 at a fast walk (Move 2), or -25 at a run (Move 3+). If you stand perfectly still (requires a successful Breath Control or Meditation roll), you get +5.

Light Walk - CORD/Hard

Defaults To: CORD-30 (Trained Only)
Prerequisites: Trained By A Master, and both Acrobatics and Stealth at 70+

This skill allows you to exert very little pressure when you walk. On a successful Light Walk roll, you leave no visible tracks. Tracking rolls to follow you automatically fail unless they rely on something more than sight; thus, a human tracker would be baffled, but bloodhounds would suffer no penalty at all.

You can also attempt to walk over fragile surfaces without falling through. Maximum Speed under such circumstances is 1/3 normal (GM's decision). Thin ice would require an unmodified Light Walk roll, while rice paper would require a roll at -40! Finally, a successful Light Walk roll can give a bonus to Stealth when your intention is to move quietly. This bonus equals half your margin of success, rounded down. Minimum bonus is +1.

Occultism - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25
Defaults For: Fortune Telling

This is the study of the mysterious and the supernatural. An occultist is an expert on ancient rituals, hauntings, mysticism, primitive magical beliefs, psychic phenomena, etc. Note that an occultist does not have to believe in the material he studies!

In worlds where everyone knows that paranormal powers exist, Occultism covers lore about these powers and their users. A good roll might provide insights into phenomena that aren't related to known powers. However, Occultism provides no details on how talented individuals invoke their powers. For instance, a fantasy occultist would know what magic can accomplish, and could provide advice on slaying demons, but without Thaumatology skill, he could not explain the gestures, words, and symbols used by wizards.

In campaigns where many supernatural forces coexist, the GM may require occultists to specialise in such fields as Demonology (the study of demons, possession, and pacts), Pneumatology (the study of spirits), and Vampirology (the study of vampires).

Ritual Magic† - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: Religious Ritual (same)-30
Defaults For: Exorcism, Religious Ritual

This skill gives an understanding of the intellectual and mystical processes involved in the rituals of a particular tradition of spirit invocation. Make a skill check to determine the purpose of a ritual conducted in your presence, the type of entity being summoned, etc.

You must specialise by tradition; e.g., Voodoo or Witchcraft. Specialties default to one another at -25. The processes involved are comparable, but the specific rituals and spirits differ significantly.

In worlds with working ritual magic, Ritual Magic skill is the primary skill of sorcerers. All rituals of power default to it! See the appropriate world-book for details.

This is the skill of invoking spirits to produce magical effects for non-religious reasons. The equivalent skill for the more direct, flashy magic of fantasy is Thaumatology; knowledge of religious rites associated with a tradition is Religious Ritual.

Symbol Drawing† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Special

This is the art of scribing magical symbols. Depending on your magical tradition, you might carve these symbols with a ritual dagger, draw them on the ground or an altar using blood or ceremonial powders, write them in ink, trace them in the air with a wand or your fingers, or something else. You must specialise in a particular magical tradition.

In traditions where magical power flows from the caster, nature, spirits, etc. as opposed to the symbols themselves, the symbols provide a focus that aids magic use. Roll against Symbol Drawing before each ritual. On a success, add half your margin of success (round down) to your skill with the next ritual you conduct over the symbols. This kind of Symbol Drawing defaults to Ritual Magic (same)-20. For instance, Symbol Drawing (Voodoo) defaults to Ritual Magic (Voodoo)-20, and lets you draw the vevers used in Voodoo ritual.

In traditions where the symbols themselves imbue items or places (or even people, in the case of tattoos) with magic, the magic is only as good as the symbols. Roll using the lower of Symbol Drawing and your skill with the enchantment itself. This is most common in rune magic. Each runic alphabet is a separate Symbol Drawing skill with no default. For instance, Symbol Drawing (Futhark Runes) would let you scribe the runes used in Norse magic.

More-exotic traditions may have their own rules; see the appropriate worldbook for more information.

Modifiers: -5 or more if using nontraditional means to mark the symbols; -5 or more if placing the symbols on any surface other than those prescribed by your tradition.

Thaumatology - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35. There is no default in a nonmagical setting, or for those who have never witnessed "real" magic.

This is the academic study of magical theory and the "physics" of mana. Anyone may learn this skill, but it is easier for a mage; add Magery to INT when learning this skill, just as for spells.

The main use for this skill is magical research. When creating a new spell, use the rules for inventing, but replace Engineer skill with Thaumatology. A successful skill check can also identify an unknown spell when you see it cast, deduce the ramifications of a critical success or failure with magic, determine the spells needed to enchant a magic item to perform as desired, etc. The better your roll, the more insight the GM will provide.

This is the study of fantasy magic – fireball spells, rings of power, etc. The equivalent skill for traditional, spirit-mediated sorcery is Ritual Magic, while holy magic might require Religious Ritual or Theology. However, a Thaumatology roll at -25 will allow a thaumatologist to relate these different varieties of magic to "standard" wizardry. Exceptionally weird powers or otherworldly artifacts might give a larger penalty!

Technical and Crafting Skills

Computer Hacking/TL -
INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35 (Trained Only)
Prerequisite: Computer Programming

This is the skill of gaining illegal access to a computer system – usually using another computer over a communications network. A successful Computer Hacking roll allows you to gain surreptitious access to a system, or to find (or change) information on a system you have already broken into. On a critical failure, you fail to gain access and leave some sort of incriminating evidence of your attempt.

This skill is cinematic, and simulates the way computer intrusion works in many movies and novels. It does not exist in realistic settings! Realistic "hackers" should learn a combination of Computer Operation (to exploit OS loopholes and run intrusion software), Computer Programming (to write intrusion software), Cryptography, Electronics Operation (Communications or Surveillance), Electronics Repair (Computers), Fast-Talk (to convince legitimate users to reveal passwords), Research (to find documented security holes), and Scrounging (to "Dumpster dive" for manuals, passwords on discarded sticky notes, etc.).

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers. -5 to -50 if you have been away from the field for a long time and have not had a chance to become familiar with the changes. Security measures give a penalty, from -5 for the cheapest commercial security software to -75 for the latest technology. Some measures resist your intrusion attempt; treat this as a Quick Contest of Hacking vs. the effective skill of the defenses.

Computer Operation/TL - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20

This is the ability to use a computer: call up data, run programs, play games, etc. It is the only computer skill needed by most end users. Learn Computer Programming to write software and Electronics Repair (Computers) to troubleshoot hardware.

This skill only exists in game worlds with computers. Individuals from settings without computers cannot even use it by default until they have had time to gain familiarity with computers! In settings where it is possible to "jack" your brain into a computer, Computer Operation includes the ability to use a neural interface, but new users initially suffer a -20 penalty for unfamiliarity.

Modifiers: -10 or more for an unfamiliar computer, operating system, or program.

Computer Programming/TL - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 (Trained Only)

This is the ability to write and debug computer software. A successful roll lets you find a bug in a program, determine a program's purpose by examining the code, answer a question about computer programming, or write a new program (time required is up to the GM).

In settings where artificial intelligence (AI) exists, those who wish to work with AI must learn Computer Programming (AI). There is no default between this skill and regular Computer Programming. When using Detect Lies, Fast-Talk, Psychology, Teaching, and similar "social" skills on an AI, roll using the lower of Computer Programming (AI) and the relevant skill.

Modifiers: -10 or more for an unfamiliar programming language. The time modifiers under Time Spent will often apply. When writing a program that deals with a specialised field of knowledge, the GM may require a roll using the lower of Computer Programming and your skill in that field (e.g. a Mathematics speciality for a complex mathematical program, or the lower of Teaching skill and a "subject" skill for an expert system that will assist users with a particular subject).

Electrician/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Engineer (Electrical)-15

This is the skill of building, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems. Make a skill check to diagnose an electrical fault, wire a building or vehicle, etc. Adventuring uses include damage control in combat (e.g. to restore power to a damaged vehicle system) and cutting the power to a building prior to clandestine activities.

Note that electrical and electronic systems are not the same thing. The equivalent skill for electronics is Electronics Repair.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers.

Electronics Operation/TL† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Electronics Repair (same)-20, or Engineer (Electronics)-20
Defaults For: Electronics Repair, Photography

This skill lets you use all electronic equipment within a known speciality. Make a skill check in an emergency situation or for "abnormal" use of equipment – not for ordinary, everyday use. (Exception: Unskilled users must always attempt their default roll!)

You must specialise. Available specialities vary by game world, but might include:

Communications (Comm): All forms of electronic communications technology: radios, satellite uplinks, laser communicators, etc. Includes knowledge of any standard, current communications codes appropriate to your background. These do not require a skill check – although attempts to understand or use an unfamiliar code do require a roll. At TL5-7, this includes telegraphy: you can send or receive 2 words per minute (wpm) per point of skill at TL5, 3 wpm per point of skill at TL6-7.

Electronic Warfare (EW): All signals-intelligence and jamming equipment, including electronic countermeasures (ECM) and electronic counter-counter-measures (ECCM). In most game worlds, only intelligence agencies and the military teach this speciality – and only to individuals with suitable Military Rank or Security Clearance.

Force Shields: Portable, vehicular, base, and starship force shields and deflectors.

Matter Transmitters (MT): All matter transmitters and teleporters. Critical failures can be disastrous, especially when transmitting living beings!

Media: All forms of audio, film, and video editing equipment. If three-dimensional video ("holographics") or sensory recordings ("sensies") exist in the setting, this speciality includes the ability to operate the relevant equipment. Treat different media as mutually unfamiliar technologies.

Medical: All manner of electronic diagnostic and life-support equipment.

Parachronic: Technological means of travel between dimensions or timelines.

Psychotronics: Psionic technology, such as telepathic shields and amplifiers.

Scientific: Laboratory electronics and survey gear. You are automatically familiar with the equipment used with any scientific skill on which you have spent at least one point.

Security: Both operating and circumventing all forms of alarms, security sensors, and area-surveillance technology.

Sensors: Most forms of long-range detection gear, from air-defense radar to starship sensor suites. Highly specialised sensors (such as sonar) have their own specialities.

Sonar: All types of acoustic detection and ranging gear (normally used underwater).

Surveillance: All forms of concealable or remote surveillance gear: "bugs", hidden cameras, long-range microphones, wiretaps, etc.

Temporal: All manner of time machines. Critical failures can be disastrous for the time travelers! Make separate rolls to "lock onto" and transfer the travelers.

Engineer/TL† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Special
Defaults For: Architecture*, Armoury*, Electrician*, Electronics Operation, Electronics Repair, Mechanics
Prerequisites: Mathematics (Applied) at TL5+, plus others as noted.

This is the ability to design and build technological devices and systems. A successful roll lets you design a new system, diagnose a glitch, identify the purpose of a strange device, or improvise a gadget to solve a problem. Time required for each attempt is up to the GM.

Note that engineers are designers and inventors; they are not necessarily skilled at the routine operation or maintenance of the things they design! For instance, Engineer (Small Arms) lets you design a new assault rifle, but you need Armoury skill to maintain it and Guns skill to shoot it.

You must specialise. Possible fields include:

Artillery: Designing whatever passes for artillery at your TL, from trebuchets to smart missiles. Default: Armoury (Heavy Weapons)-30.

Civil: Planning highways, aqueducts, buildings, etc. Default: Architecture-30.

Clockwork: Designing wind-up gadgetry – watches, mechanical men, and the like. Default: Mechanic (Clockwork)-30.

Combat: Building or removing fortifications, trenches, etc. Default: Explosives (Demolition)-30.

Electrical: Designing electrical systems, such as power cells and transmission lines. Default: Electrician-30.

Electronics: Designing and building electronic apparatus, from computers to starship sensor arrays. (The specific technologies involved – vacuum tubes, transistors, photonics, etc. – will depend on the tech level.) Default: Electronics Repair (any)-30.

Materials: Concocting new structural materials. Prerequisites: Chemistry or Metallurgy. Defaults: Chemistry-30 or Metallurgy-30.

Microtechnology: Designing micromachines. Default: Mechanic (Micromachines)-30.

Mining: Designing underground structures. Defaults: Explosives (Demolition)-30 or Geology-30.

Nanotechnology: Designing nanomachines. Default: Mechanic (Nanomachines)-30.

Parachronic: Designing apparatus for crossing dimensions or timelines. Prerequisite: Physics. Default: Electronics Operation (Parachronic)-30, but there is no default if your society has not discovered dimensional travel.

Psychotronics: Designing psionic technology, such as telepathic shields and amplifiers. Default: Electronics Operation (Psychotronics)-30, but there is no default for individuals from backgrounds where psionics do not exist.

Robotics: Designing robotics and cybernetics. Default: Mechanic (Robotics)-30.

Small Arms: Designing personal firearms, such as guns and portable rocket launchers. Default: Armoury (Small Arms)-30.

Temporal: Designing time machines. Prerequisite: Physics. Default: Electronics Operation (Temporal)-30, but there is no default for individuals from backgrounds without time travel!

Lockpicking/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25

This is the ability to open locks without the key or combination. Each attempt requires one minute. If you make the roll and open the lock, each point by which you succeeded shaves five seconds off the required time. (Safecracking and similar challenges can take more time, at the GM’s discretion.)

Note that if the lock has a trap or alarm attached, you must make a separate Traps roll to circumvent it.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers; -25 if working by touch (e.g. in total darkness). Inside information gives a bonus at GM's discretion. If the GM requires a CORD-based roll (for instance, to work with a particularly delicate mechanism), modifiers for High Manual Dexterity or Ham-Fisted will apply.

Machinist/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Mechanic-25
Defaults For: Mechanic

This is the skill of making and modifying mechanical parts and tools. A successful skill check lets you build parts from raw materials, manufacture tools for use with another skill (such as Armoury or Lockpicking), or modify any simple mechanical device not explicitly covered by another skill. The GM may require an inventor to make one or more Machinist rolls before attempting an Engineer roll to assemble a gadget.

Materials and component size vary significantly with tech level. A TL5 machinist works mainly with brass and steel components that can be seen with the naked eye; a TL10 machinist might work with carbon nanotubes.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers.

Masonry - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-4

This is the ability to build things out of brick or stone.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers; -15 for simple engineering (erecting scaffolding, moving large blocks of stone, etc.) rather than masonry per se.

Mechanic/TL† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25, Engineer (same)-20 or Machinist-20
Defaults For: Machinist

This is the ability to diagnose and fix ordinary mechanical problems. A successful skill check will let you find or repair one problem.

You must pick a speciality from within one of these four categories:

Machine Type: Any one class of non-vehicular machine. Types include Micromachines (miniature machinery, invisible to the naked eye; TL9+), Nanomachines (molecular-scale machinery; TL10+), and Robotics (robots and automated factories; TL7+).

Motive System Type: Any one type of propulsion system, regardless of vehicle type. Types include Legged, Tracked, Wheeled, Rockets, and Reactionless Thrusters.

Power Plant Type: Any one type of power plant, no matter what it powers. Types include Clockwork, Steam Engine, Gasoline Engine, Diesel Engine, Gas Turbine, Fuel Cell, Fission Reactor, Fusion Reactor, and Antimatter Reactor.

Vehicle Type: The controls, hull, motive system, power plant, transmission, and even the paint job of one specific type of vehicle listed under a vehicle-operation skill such as Driving, Piloting, or Submarine.

Mechanic specialities default to one another at -20, although the GM may modify this for particularly close or distant specialities. The systems covered by each speciality vary by TL. For instance, Mechanic (Light Airplane) covers single-engine biplanes at early TL6, small private jets at TL7, and so forth.

Familiarity is very important here. For instance, Mechanic/TL7 (Light Airplane) covers both propeller-powered seaplanes and small private jets, but going from one to the other gives you -10 for an unfamiliar item (prop-powered plane to jet) and -10 for an unfamiliar implementation (seaplane to regular plane), for a net -20 to skill until you familiarise yourself with all the differences.

Modifiers: -10 for an unfamiliar item within your speciality (e.g. a barge when you’re used to battleships), or for an unfamiliar implementation (e.g. a powerboat engine when you're used to automobile engines); equipment modifiers.

Metallurgy/TL - INT/Hard

Defaults To: Chemistry-25, Jeweler-25, or Smith-25
Defaults From: None

This is the study of metals and their properties. A successful roll lets you identify metals or alloys, or solve a problem concerning metals, their use, mining, or refining.

Scrounging - INT/Easy

Defaults To: INT-20, Perception-15

This is the ability to find, salvage, or improvise useful items that others can't locate. Each attempt takes an hour. You do not necessarily steal your booty; you just locate it – somehow – and then acquire it by any means necessary. Note that if you find something that is "nailed down", you must decide how to try to get it (which might require another skill).

Modifiers: As the GM sees fit, for the rarity of the item sought.

Sewing/TL - CORD/Easy

Defaults To: CORD-20

This is the ability to work with fabric using the tools of your tech level. A successful skill roll lets you repair damaged clothing (or any other item made of cloth), modify garments (useful when you must wear another person's clothing, perhaps to impersonate him), or create new clothing or costumes from suitable materials.

Make an INT-based roll to design clothing, at +5 if you have Fashion Sense.

Before TL7, someone knows this skill in almost every household. At TL7+, it is rare for anyone but a professional seamstress or tailor to know Sewing – most people work at default (at +20 for a simple task like reattaching a button) and discard items that they cannot mend.

Modifiers: Equipment modifiers; modifiers for High Manual Dexterity or Ham-Fisted.

Smith/TL† - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 and Others
Defaults For:

This is the ability to work non-precious metals by hand. You must specialise:

Copper: Copper itself and its alloys, including brass and bronze. Traditionally, a smith who worked with these metals was called a "brownsmith". Default: Jeweler-20.

Iron: The skill of being a blacksmith. Also covers steel, at tech levels where it exists.

Lead and Tin: Any of the softer, "white" metals, including alloys such as pewter. The traditional name for such a smith was "whitesmith". Default: Jeweler-20.

These specialties default to one another at -20.

This skill is INT-based, but STR is important, and some tools have a "Minimum STR", just like weapons.

Traps/TL - INT/Average

Defaults To: INT-25 or Lockpicking-15. Also defaults to CORD-25 if you are disarming or resetting a trap, but not if you are detecting or building one.

This is the skill of building and nullifying traps. A successful Traps check will (among other things) detect a trap, disarm a trap once you have found it, reset it after you pass, or build a new trap (given suitable materials). Time required is as for Lockpicking.

Note that for the purposes of Traps skill, detection devices are "traps". Thus, this skill covers everything from covered pits to elaborate electronic security systems!

Modifiers: Infinitely variable. The more sophisticated the trap, the harder it will be to disarm, reset, build, or find – and a given trap might be (for instance) easy to find but hard to disarm. The GM should be creative! Equipment modifiers apply to most rolls to set or disarm traps. Bonuses for Acute Vision apply to rolls to detect traps (only).

Weird Science - INT/Very Hard

Defaults To: INT-35 (Trained Only)

This skill allows you to formulate astonishing new crackpot scientific theories that are far ahead of their time... or at least utterly different from the usual assumptions of your tech level. You may attempt a Weird Science roll whenever you work on a new invention or investigate an existing item of weird technology (e.g. a UFO).

On a success, you get +25 on an invention attempt (but only +5 if using the Gadgeteer advantage, since Gadgeteer already gives you favorable die rolls for thinking "outside the box"). If investigating weird technology, success gives +10 to any skill roll you make for this purpose – and the GM might even allow a default skill roll to operate the device!

On a critical success, you get these bonuses and some incredible insight into a totally different problem! Critical failures are always spectacular, although not necessarily fatal or even dangerous.

Vehicular Skills

Driving/TL† - CORD/Average

Defaults To: CORD-25 or INT-25
Defaults For: Bicycle

This is the ability to drive a specific type of ground vehicle.

Make an INT-based Driving roll for basic map reading, to diagnose simple malfunctions, or to recall rules of the road.

You must specialise:

Automobile: Any vehicle with three or more wheels that weighs less than 5 tons and does not move on rails. Defaults: Heavy Wheeled-10 or other Driving at -15.

Construction Equipment: Any kind of bulldozer, crane, plow, etc. Default: other Driving at -20.

Halftrack: Any vehicle that moves on tracks and either wheels or skids. Defaults: Tracked-10 or other Driving at -15.

Heavy Wheeled: Any vehicle with three or more wheels that weighs 5 tons or more and does not move on rails. Defaults: Automobile-10 or other Driving at -15.

Hovercraft: Any kind of air-cushion vehicle. Default: other Driving at -20.

Locomotive: Any vehicle that moves on conventional or maglev rails. Default: other Driving at -20.

Mecha: Any kind of legged, bouncing, rolling, or slithering vehicle. Defaults: Battlesuit-15 or other Driving at -20.

Motorcycle: Any powered one- or two-wheeled vehicle, including those with sidecars. Large motorcycles often have a Minimum STR, just like a weapon. Default: Bicycling-20.

Tracked: Any vehicle that moves on tracks. Defaults: Halftrack-10 or other Driving at -15.

Note that the ability to "drive" a team of animals is not Driving, but Teamster.

Modifiers: -10 or more for bad driving conditions; -10 or more for a vehicle in bad repair; -10 for an unfamiliar control system (e.g. a manual when you are used to an automatic); -20 or more for a vehicle of an unfamiliar type within your speciality (e.g. a race car when you are used to stock cars).

Piloting/TL† - CORD/Average

Defaults To: INT-30

This is the ability to operate a specific type of aircraft or spacecraft. The default is to INT, because it takes intelligence to figure out the controls in an emergency, but when you learn this skill, always base it on CORD.

Make a piloting check for takeoffs and landings, and in any hazardous situation. Failure by 5 indicates a rough job; failure by more indicates damage to the vehicle. A critical failure is a crash! If you have skill 75+, a critical failure requires an immediate second roll. Only if the second roll is a failure does a mishap occur. Otherwise, it was a “near thing,” averted by experience. Air combat requires frequent Piloting rolls as well.

Make an INT-based Piloting roll for basic map reading or practical meteorology, or to recall aviation laws and regulations.

Remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) use this skill if the pilot uses some form of telepresence to mimic actually being in the cockpit. Otherwise, make a CORD-based roll against the appropriate skill for the task the RPV is performing (e.g., Forward Observer for a surveillance drone).

You must specialise:

Aerospace: Any vehicle capable of atmospheric flight to and from orbit. Defaults: High-Performance Airplane-10 or other Piloting at -20.

Autogyro: Any rotor-equipped aircraft that uses its rotors for lift but not thrust. Defaults: Helicopter-15, any Airplane speciality at -20, or other Piloting at -25.

Contragravity: Any aircraft that relies on ultra-tech or magical levitation. Defaults: Vertol-15 or other Piloting at -25.

Flight Pack: Any “strap-on” aircraft. Defaults: Vertol-20 or other Piloting at -25.

Glider: Any kind of unpowered, winged aircraft. Defaults: Light Airplane or Ultralight at -10, or other Piloting at -20.

Heavy Airplane: Any winged aircraft weighing over 10 tons and flying at 600 mph or slower. Defaults: High-Performance Airplane or Light Airplane at -10, or other Piloting at -20.

Helicopter: Any aircraft that uses rotors for both lift and thrust. Defaults: Autogyro-10, Vertol-20, or other Piloting at -25.

High-Performance Airplane: Any winged aircraft capable of flying faster than 600 mph. Defaults: Aerospace, Heavy Airplane, or Light Airplane at -10, or other Piloting at -20.

High-Performance Spacecraft: Any space vehicle capable of accelerations of 0.1G or more. Defaults: Aerospace-20 or Low-Performance Spacecraft-10.

Light Airplane: Any winged aircraft weighing 10 tons or less and flying at 600 mph or slower. Defaults: Glider, Heavy Airplane, High-Performance Airplane, or Ultralight at -10, or other Piloting at -20.

Lighter-Than-Air: Any kind of airship or balloon. Default: other Piloting at -25.

Lightsail: Any spacecraft that uses a lightsail, regardless of thrust. Default: Low-Performance Spacecraft-20.

Low-G Wings: Muscle-powered strap-on wings used in a low-gravity environment with an atmosphere. Learn Flight for endurance flying. Default: Glider-4.

Low-Performance Spacecraft: Any space vehicle that accelerates at less than 0.1G. Defaults: Aerospace-20 or High-Performance Spacecraft-10.

Shiphandling/TL† - INT/Hard

Defaults To: INT-30 and Others
Defaults For:
Prerequisites: See Below

This is the ability to act as the master of a large vessel. It involves directing the crew in the tasks necessary to control the vehicle’s speed and direction. It also covers such duties as keeping the captain’s log and inspecting the crew. Someone with Shiphandling skill (at better than default!) should stand watch at all times when the vessel is underway. Roll vs. skill when encountering hazards or maneuvering for battle.

A failed check when encountering hazards means the vessel is damaged. This might mean anything from scratched paint to crippling damage that requires extensive repairs.

A failed check in battle means the vessel did not go exactly where intended. The details depend on the vessel, the tech level, and the GM’s judgment, but might include weapons being "masked" (unable to engage the enemy), a failed boarding attempt, or drifting out of formation with your fleet (which might deny you the benefits of area defenses, fire support, or tactical communications).

A critical failure under any circumstances means an appropriate disaster. Depending on the TL and situation, this could mean running aground, colliding with another vessel, being dismasted, losing your screws or rudder, or simply giving an order that your crew disregards. Whether they then save your ship for you, or mutiny and flee, is up to the GM.

You must specialise:

Airship: Blimps, zeppelins, and similar large airships. Prerequisites: Airshipman, Leadership, and Navigation (Air). Defaults: Airshipman-25 or Piloting (Lighter-Than-Air)-25.

Ship: Surface vessels, from tugboats to carriers. Prerequisites: Leadership, Navigation (Sea), and Seamanship. Defaults: Seamanship-25, or to Boating (Large Powerboat)-25 for ships with engines or Boating (Sailboat)-25 for tall ships.

Spaceship: Slower-than-light spacecraft. Prerequisites: Leadership, Navigation (Space), and Spacer. Defaults: Spacer-25 or any spaceship Piloting-25.

Starship: Faster-than-light spacecraft. Prerequisites: Leadership, Navigation (Hyperspace), and Spacer. Defaults: Spacer-25 or any spaceship Piloting-25.

Submarine: All forms of large submersibles. Prerequisites: Leadership, Navigation (Sea), and Submariner. Defaults: Submariner-25 or Submarine (Large Sub)-25.

Modifiers: -10 to master an unfamiliar vessel (e.g., an aircraft carrier when you're used to a battleship); -10 for an unfamiliar crew; -10 or more for a vehicle in bad repair.

Submarine/TL† - CORD/Average

Defaults To: INT-30

This is the ability to operate a specific type of underwater vehicle. As with Piloting, the default is to INT, but when you learn the skill, always base it on CORD.

Roll against Submarine to dive or to surface, to maneuver in underwater combat, or to negotiate hazardous waters. Failure can mean anything from a slight drift off course to a collision; critical failure may strand the vessel underwater!

Make an INT-based Submarine roll for basic chart reading or practical oceanography, or to recall nautical laws and regulations.

You must specialise:

Free-Flooding Sub: Any small, open submersible. The crew is exposed to the water, and must wear underwater breathing gear. Prerequisites: Diving Suit or Scuba. Defaults: Large Sub-25 or Mini-Sub-20.

Large Sub: Any crewed, long-duration submersible, including attack subs and missile subs. Defaults: Free-Flooding Sub-25 or Mini-Sub-20.

Mini-Sub: Any small, closed, shortduration submersible, typical of those used for scientific research. Defaults: Free-Flooding Sub-20 or Large Sub-20.

Modifiers: -10 for an unfamiliar submarine within your speciality (e.g. a diesel attack sub when you are used to a nuclear missile sub); -20 or more for a vessel in bad repair; -5 to -50 for navigational hazards.

Techniques

You (or your GM!) may want a way to improve your ability with a specific application of a skill without increasing the overall skill level. This is realistic – people do train at particular tasks to the exclusion of others – but allowing this in the game makes play (and character sheets) more complex. As a result, the following section is purely optional.

A “technique” is any feat that you can practice and perfect separately from the skill that allows you to perform that task. It is a specific action covered by the parent skill, studied on its own. It differs from an optional speciality, which covers a body of theory, not an action. Techniques work a lot like skills, but with a few important differences.

Buying and Improving Techniques

Buying a technique is a lot like buying a skill – point cost depends on difficulty and desired relative skill level – but there are two differences. You buy up a technique relative to its default, not relative to a controlling attribute, and you determine its point cost using the Technique Cost Table (below) instead of the Skill Cost Table.

To improve a technique, pay the difference in point cost between the desired level and your current level – exactly as for a skill. And just as skills increase for free when you raise attributes, techniques improve for free when you raise the skill on which they are based. For instance, if you have Unarmed Strike (Technical)-75 and Kicking-75, and raise Karate to 80, Kicking also goes to 80 at no extra charge!

You need not buy a technique to use it. If you have even one point in a skill, you may use all that skill’s techniques at default. To avoid a cluttered character sheet, though, only note techniques that you know at better than default level.

Using Techniques

A technique works just like a skill in play: make a roll plus your bonus for the technique. Unless noted otherwise, all general modifiers to a skill – for culture, language, equipment, tech level and so forth – apply to its techniques, as do any special critical success or failure results.

Sample Combat Techniques

Special moves in combat are by far the most common techniques, and can give warriors a "bag of tricks" similar to a wizard’s spells. If a combat technique has multiple defaults, you must specialise by prerequisite skill. For instance, learning a technique for Axe/Mace skill gives no special ability with the Broadsword version of that technique!

Techniques marked with a * are not particularly realistic. The GM may wish to restrict these “cinematic” techniques – even at default – to PCs with Trained By A Master or Weapon Master.

Techniques Index

Techniques marked with * are highly cinematic and may not be appropriate for realistic games. Under Difficulty, A means Average and H means Hard. Under Defaults, PS means any prerequisite skill.

Back Kick - Hard

Default: Unarmed Strike (Technical)-20
Prerequisites: Unarmed Strike (Technical)

This technique lets you attack someone behind you without changing facing. You must know that he is there! Roll using Back Kick to hit, but otherwise resolve this as a normal kick. After attempting a Back Kick, all your defenses are at -10 until next turn.

Choke Hold - Hard

Defaults: Grappling (Technical)-10 or Grappling (Brawling)-15
Prerequisites: Grappling (Brawling or Technical)

This technique lets you to "buy off" the basic -10 to Grappling (Technical) or -15 to Grappling (Brawling) when using the rules given under Choke Hold.

Disarming - Hard

Default: Prerequisite Skill-10
Prerequisite: Any unarmed combat or non-fencing Melee Weapon skill

If you know this technique above default, you may use it instead of the underlying skill whenever you attack to disarm (see Striking at Weapons).

Dual-Weapon Attack - Hard

Default: Prerequisite Skill-20
Prerequisite: Any one-handed Melee Weapon skill or Guns (Pistol)

Normally, you are at -20 to attack with two weapons at once unless you make an All-Out Attack. This technique lets you "buy off" that penalty. (Note that you must still learn Off-Hand Weapon Training to reduce the -20 for using the "off" hand!) For detailed rules, see Dual-Weapon Attacks.

Elbow Strike - Average

Defaults: Unarmed Strike (Brawling or Technical)-10
Prerequisites: Unarmed Strike (Brawling or Technical)

This technique lets you “buy off” the -2 penalty to strike with the elbow. See Elbow Strike (p. 404) for more information.

Finger Lock - Hard

Default: Grappling (Brawling or Technical)-15
Prerequisite: Grappling (Brawling or Technical)

This technique lets you grab fingers and twist them painfully. Use the rules for Arm Lock, except that all damage is to the hand – which is easier to cripple than the arm.

Ground Fighting - Hard

Default: Prerequisite Skill-20
Prerequisite: Any unarmed combat or Melee Weapon skill

This technique lets you "buy off" the -20 for attacking from your back. Roll using this technique instead of the prerequisite skill whenever you use that skill to attack from the ground. For instance, if you had Grappling (Brawling)-70 and Ground Fighting (Grappling (Brawling))-65, you could grapple from the ground at skill 65 instead of skill 50.

In addition, make a Ground Fighting check whenever you must defend yourself from your back. On a success, you defend at -5 instead of at -15.

Horse Archery - Hard

Default: Bow-20
Prerequisites: Bow and Riding

This technique lets you use a bow effectively from horseback. The modifiers for firing from horseback can never reduce your Bow skill below your Horse Archery level. (Other penalties apply normally.) For instance, if you had Bow-65 and Horse Archery-55, the penalties for archery from horseback would never reduce your skill below 55, before other modifiers.

Jump Kick - Hard

Default: Unarmed Strike (Technical)-20
Prerequisite: Unarmed Strike (Technial)

This technique lets you leap into the air and kick at full extension, increasing range and damage. It is a showy but dangerous move! Roll using Jump Kick to hit. Add one meter to reach and +2d10 to damage. Your target parries at -10. However, if you miss – or if your target successfully defends – you fall down unless you can make an Acrobatics-10 check. Hit or miss, a Jump Kick leaves you at -10 to your defenses until your next turn.

Kicking - Hard

Defaults: Unarmed Strike (Brawling or Technical)-10
Prerequisite: Unarmed Strike (Brawling or Technical)

This technique lets you improve your kicking ability. Use Kicking to hit. A kick does thrust/crushing damage based on STR. Use your Unarmed Strike (Brawling or Technical) skill – not your Kicking level – to determine your damage bonus, and use only the highest bonus. If you miss with a kick, make a Kicking check to avoid falling.

Knee Strike - Average

Defaults: Unarmed Strike (Brawling or Technical)-5
Prerequisite: Unarmed Strike (Brawling or Technical)

This technique lets you "buy off" the -5 penalty to strike with the knee – see Knee Strike.

Neck Snap - Hard

Default: STR-20

This brute-force attack consists of grabbing and suddenly twisting the victim’s head, with the intent of snapping the neck – see Neck Snap or Wrench Limb. Unlike most techniques, Neck Snap defaults to STR, not a skill. Grappling (Brawling) gives its usual skill-based STR bonus.

Off-Hand Weapon Training - Hard

Default: Prerequisite Skill-20
Prerequisite: Any Melee Weapon skill

This technique lets you "buy off" the -20 for using your “off” hand with one specific Melee Weapon skill. Use your level with this technique instead of the prerequisite skill whenever you use that skill to attack or parry with your off hand. For instance, if you had Rapier-70 and Off-Hand Weapon Training (Rapier)-70, you could attack and parry at full skill with your off hand.

With the GM's permission, you can learn this technique for any CORD-based skill that requires only one hand.

Sweep - Hard

Default: Prerequisite Skill-15
Prerequisites: Polearm, Spear or Staff

This technique lets you sweep your adversary's legs out from under him using a pole weapon. Use Sweep to hit. The target may defend normally. If he fails, roll a Quick Contest: your Sweep or STR vs. your victim’s STR or REF. Use the higher value in both cases. If the victim loses, they fall down unless they can make an Acrobatics-25 roll to somersault in the air and land safely.

Unarmed fighters call this technique "Sweeping Kick". It works exactly the same way, but uses a leg instead of a pole, and defaults to Grappling (Technical)-15, Unarmed Strike (Technical)-15, or Grappling (Forceful)-15.

Whirlwind Attack - Hard

Default: Prerequisite Skill-25
Prerequisites: Broadsword, Staff, or Two-Handed Sword

Whirlwind Attack is a special All-Out Attack that lets you attack every foe adjacent to you with lightning speed! If you use this technique, it is all you can do with that action, no matter how fast or skilled you are. Furthermore, since this is an All-Out Attack, you will have no defenses afterward – see All-Out Attack.

When you launch a Whirlwind Attack, you spin in place, attacking all adjacent foes within one yard. You must attack them in clockwise or anticlockwise order – your choice. All your attacks must be swung attacks, and you cannot combine a Whirlwind Attack with other techniques (such as Disarming) or with cinematic skills (such as Power Blow).

Determine a random hit location for each target, and then roll against Whirlwind Attack to hit, with the usual hit location penalties. You opponent may defend normally. Resolve each attack completely before moving on to the next one. If any of the attacks is a critical miss (or if any of your opponents critically succeeds on his defense), that attack and all remaining attacks are critical misses – roll on the Critical Miss Table once per attack!

You may end a Whirlwind Attack facing in any direction you wish.

Sample Non-Combat Techniques

Nearly any task that calls for a skill roll at a penalty could become a technique. The main purpose of such techniques is to buy off skill penalties, but the GM might wish to provide additional details.