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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 |