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  Skill Basics

Gaining Skills

A character gets a certain number of skill 'ranks' per level, which you can place in different skills. The number of ranks you get to place are based on your ability scores. You get a number of ranks in dexterity-based skills every level equal to your Dexterity score, a number of strength-based skills every level equal to your Strength score, etc.. So, an average human (who has 3 in every ability) gets three dexterity based skills, three strength skills, three endurance skills, three intelligence skills, and three spirit skills every level. This means that almost without exception, every character will get 15 skill ranks per level, split up amongst the different abilities

For most skills, every rank you have in a skill boosts your skill modifier in that skill by +1. Your skill modifier is what you use to make skill checks  so if you are making an Acrobatics check to jump two metres (with a DC of 6), and you've placed two ranks in Acrobatics (giving you a modifier of +2) when you make your check you get a +2 bonus to your die roll. A character with no ranks would have to roll a 6, whereas you, with your two ranks only need to roll a 4 (because 4 + 2 = 6, the DC).

Some skills have a …staggered‚ skill rate. This means that as you put ranks in, you get techniques and an increase in the skill bonus alternately. The first rank you put in gives you a technique, the second increases your modifier by one, the third grants you another technique, etc.. The end result is that at every odd-numbered rank you can select a technique and every even-numbered grants a +1 modifier. A staggered skill represents one in which learning is either slow, or which is so chancy that a professional (that is, a character with high ranks) does not have as big of an advantage over a novice compared to most skills. The majority of combat-related skills, and skills in which opposed checks are frequently made, are staggered.  

You may not have more ranks in any one skill than your level.

Only your base abilities determine skills per level, not ability boosts (even from permanent racial bonuses), drains, or temporary modifications.

Bonus Ranks at Higher Levels

At every level divisible by three (level 3, 6, 9, 12, etc.) you gain a single extra skill rank that can be placed in a skill of any ability. This rank is in addition to the normal number of ranks that you gain every level. This placement must follow the other usual restrictions (a maximum number of ranks equal to your level). This allows your character to branch out into a few new skills at higher levels that he would normally be prevented from.

Skill Techniques

Techniques are special abilities that you learn as a reward for training in a skill. Every rank you put in a skill (if it is Skill Rate: Fast) or every odd-numbered rank (if it is Skill Rate: Staggered), you permanently receive one technique from the list. Some techniques have requirements, which are listed in [Italics and square brackets] . You must meet the requirements to learn a technique. Techniques are extremely varied in their effects, some of them are underlined , and can be added to an attack combo. Others are Italicised , meaning they can be added to a spell. Some confer a special ability, others just give you a passive bonus to something. Read the individual descriptions for specific details. Unless otherwise specified, a technique can only be taken once.

Active, Opposed and Passive Checks

There are three kinds of skill checks that can be made: active, opposed, and passive. An active check is one in which you roll a die, add your bonus, and compare it to a fixed DC. If you meet or beat the DC, you are successful. A passive check is one in which someone or something else rolls a die and adds their bonus, and your skill determines the DC ƒ in this case, the DC is almost always equal to 4 + your skill modifier. Passive skill checks occur generally when your character is not directly acting, or does not necessarily have knowledge about what is happening. An opposed skill check is when two characters make active skill checks, and the one with the higher result wins. In the event of a tie, unless otherwise specified, both characters reroll.

Critical Success

When the DC is higher than the character can even manage, and if he is really lucky, he can pull off a Critical Success. If he rolls a six on his skill check and still fails, he can roll again using the same bonuses, but with a +2 luck bonus. If that is still not enough for him to succeed, then the DC is out of his ability. Skill checks made on dice larger than a d6 (such as with a focus skill) cannot have an improbable success ƒ they are already improbable as it is.

Focus Skill

At character creation and again at every level increase, a player may designate one skill as her character's "Focus Skill." A character can only have one focus skill at a time, so if a new one is designated the old one becomes a normal skills. Skill checks made with that skill roll a d8 instead of a d6.

Need Help Deciding?

There are a bewildering array of skills listed in this chapter, and sometimes it can be hard to decide which to take. On the following page is a brief description of all skills listed, but even then some assistance might be helpful.

If you want to play a...

Fighter: Take weapon skill, weapon proficiencies, combat expertise, armour, block, and fortitude. Consider combat arts, reflex, ride, and wrestle as well.

Wizard: Take magic skill, magic power, arcana, and spell repertoire, unarmoured, and reflex. Arcana in particular lets you customize how exactly your character casts spells.

Thief: Take stealth, reflexes, armour or unarmoured, acrobatics, and engineering (sabotage). Consider charisma, weapon or ranged skill, as well as combat expertise and a weapon proficiency or two

Cleric: Take magic skill, spell repertoire, medicine, faith, and charisma. Consider some combat skills or humanities as well.

Bard: Take charisma, contacts, and perform, as well as some fighting abilities.

Scientist: Take feebleness, frailty, unarmoured, science, ingenuity, and contacts.

Doctor: Take medicine, unarmoured, science (biology), ingenuity, and charisma.

If you have skill points left over...

Anyone can benefit from fortitude, perception, discipline, and reflexes.


Ability

Skill Name

Skill Rate

Used for

Strength

Athletics

Staggered

Running, jumping, climbing, and swimming

Combat Arts

Fast

Various combat-related techniques for any fighting style

Weapon Skill

Staggered

Melee combat and parry defence rolls

Wrestle

Staggered

Wrestling, tripping, and throwing

Feebleness

Staggered

Appearing harmless so as to be underestimated

Dexterity

Drive/Pilot

Staggered

Driving and piloting all manner of vehicles

Acrobatics

Staggered

Jumping and tumbling

Reflex

Staggered

Dodge defence rolls and initiative

Ranged Skill

Staggered

Ranged combat

Stealth

Fast

Avoiding being seen or heard, as well as pick-pocketing and theft

Timing

Fast

Having unnaturally good timing through luck and skill

Endurance

Shield Use

Fast

Block defence rolls and shield bash attacks

Armour

Staggered

Getting the most out of worn armour

Unarmoured

Staggered

Enhancing toughness and target without armour

Frailty

Staggered

Appearing frail so as to be underestimated

Fortitude

Staggered

Resisting poison, disease, exhaustion, etc.

Ride

Staggered

Riding horses and other animals

Intelligence

Combat Expertise

Fast

Learning new combos

Weapon Proficiencies

Fast

Becoming proficient with new weapons. Without proficiency, you take a -1/-1 penalty to attack rolls

Magic Skill

Staggered

Casting more complicated spells, spell attack rolls

Arcana

Fast

Various magic-enhancing techniques, and knowledge of magic

Spell Repertoire

Fast

Learning new spells

Perception

Fast

Seeing, hearing, feeling, and smelling hidden creatures and objects

Science

Fast

Knowledge of science-related concepts (such as physics and chemistry)

Humanities

Fast

Knowledge of concepts and information in the Humanities fields (such as history and law)

Engineering

Fast

Hands-on construction, lock picking, and trap disarming

Medicine

Fast

Treatment of wounds and diseases

Ingenuity

Fast

Being extremely cunning

Spirit

Magic Power

Staggered

Casting more powerful spells

Heroics

Staggered

Gaining a daily pool of action points that you can spend for bonuses to die rolls

Luck

Staggered

Gaining a daily pool of luck rerolls that you can spend to reroll checks

Discipline

Fast

Teamwork and dealing with your own morale issues

Intimidate

Staggered

Interrogating and terrifying your enemies

Faith

Staggered

Smiting unholy creatures, casting divine magic, performing exorcisms, and other uses

Berserk

Staggered

Flying into a mad rage to increase melee combat abilities and toughness

Charisma

Staggered

Charming, inspiring, and leading others; as well as deception and disguise

Contacts

Fast

Gaining a network of NPC contacts for assistance

Animal Backup

Fast

Gaining a trustworthy animal companion

Perform

Staggered

Playing music, including powerful magical melodies

Shapeshift

Staggered

Transforming yourself into an animal temporarily



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