Skills

This chapter lists the standard skills that characters may use to accomplish things during a game.

Default Skill Rating

Most skills have a default rating, which corresponds to a character’s natural or instinctive ability score in that skill. This is specified as two characteristics, such as INT / CHA. Add the two characteristics’ ratings (not their ability score) to get the skill’s default. A few skills’ defaults are calculated with only one characteristic, in which case the second characteristic is listed as zero (00).

When making an ability roll against a skill, use the greater of the current skill rating and the skill’s default. The current skill rating is 0% if no points have ever been allocated to that skill.

Improvement from Default

Experience, training, or study allow improving a skill’s rating (see Downtime). If this is the first time the skill is improved, the improvement is added to the skill’s default. If the skill default changes, the skill rating stays the same, although if the default is greater, it can be used for ability rolls.

Specialized Skills

Some skills need to be specialized. They are designated with a specialization name in parenthesis, such as “Lore (domain)”. By default, each specialization is a separate skill that must be started from default if the character needs to know more than one. However, if the specialization name is followed by an asterisk (*), then the specializations are transferable, forming a family of skills inside which significant transfer of competence is possible. In that case, the default rating in a specialization is equal to the usual default, or the best skill rating at –40%, whichever is better. Improvement from default (see above) uses this score.

Skill Alternatives

Some skills may be used in place of another in some situations. For example, knowing a lot about the Kingdom of Tarsh should give a character a fair idea of the customs of the Orlanthi, who represent the majority culture in Tarsh. So Area Knowledge (Tarsh) may be usable in place of Customs (Orlanthi).

In these cases, the gamemaster should apply a –20% or –40% modifier to the roll, to indicate that the skill is used outside of its core competency or main purpose. A skill should always be better than its alternatives, so these alternatives should always have a penalty. However, the gamemaster should encourage players to come up with interesting uses for their skills!

Skill Descriptions

Administration (INT / CHA)

This is the skill for managing holdings, dealing with servants and peers, and doing paperwork. Nobles use it for navigating bureaucracy, merchants for checking inventory, and crafters for filing construction permits.

Area Knowledge (area) (INT / INT)

Area Knowledge represents how much a character knows about a place. This includes its geography, the current political and social situation, and any notable recent events. The specialization for the skill must be a place no larger than a week of travel across on foot.

More specific or localized knowledge may require a negative modifier to the roll: –20% or –40% for questions about a minor city or lesser populated region inside the skill’s area, or about a small town or isolated region, respectively.

The Area Knowledge skill gives some insight into the people who live there: it may be used as an alternative to Customs (culture) at –20% for the dominant culture in the area, or at –40% for one of the largest minorities.

Art & Craft (form) (Var.)

This is the skill for various forms of art or craft. Both involve the process of creation, but art often involves an element of public performance. On the other hand, crafting is more often done for utilitarian reasons.

When applicable, the Art & Craft skill is used for both performance (e.g. acting, singing, dancing) and creation (e.g. writing, composition, choreography). It can also be used for evaluating a piece’s value and authenticity, judging or recognizing another artist or crafter’s technique, and choose and maintaining the tools of the trade.

The default rating for the Art skill varies based on the form:

Art Forms	Default
Dancing	DEX / CHA
Musical instrument	DEX / CHA
Painting	DEX / INT
Poetry	INT / CHA
Sculpture	DEX / INT
Singing	DEX / CHA

The default rating for the Craft skill also depends on the form:

Craft Forms	Default
Brewery	INT / INT
Carpentry	DEX / INT
Jewelry	DEX / INT
Leather-working	DEX / INT
Masonry	DEX / STR
Pottery	DEX / INT
Red-Smithing (bronze) or Black-Smithing (iron)	DEX / STR
Weaving	DEX / INT

Athletics (DEX / STR)

This skill includes different types of physical activity, from jumping or crawling to tumbling or balancing. Use this skill to run across obstacles, move at full speed over unstable ground, walk a tightrope, leap across a chasm, climb a wall, or perform acrobatics.

Awareness (INT / INT)

Awareness is the skill for noticing what is going on around the character. It is used to anticipate an ambush in the forest, hear a guard coming up, note the exits in a building, or smell the presence of a troll. It encompasses all senses.

This is skill is often opposed to Stealth, for noticing enemies sneaking around, thieves picking pockets, or criminals hiding stolen goods on them.

Battlefield (INT / CHA)

Soldiers, militia members, and skirmishers use the Battlefield skill to follow orders, navigate the chaos of battle, understand what’s going on, and seize opportunities.

See Battles (page XX) for more information.

Boating (INT / CON

Piloting and maintaining a boat is covered by this skill, along with being part of a crew on a larger ship.

Brawl (DEX / STR)

Brawl is the skill for unarmed combat, using the character’s natural weapons. For humans and most humanoids, this means punching, kicking, biting, and so on. Damage is 1D4 plus damage modifier.

See the Encounters chapter for more information.

Cult Rituals (cult) (CHA / POW)

This is the skill for knowledge of a given cult’s practices, ceremonies, and secrets. It is usually only possible to get this skill by joining the cult as an initiate. However, membership in a given cult gives some insight into an associated cult (see the Cults chapter), so the character’s Cult Ritual skill may be used at –40% in that case.

Customs (culture) (INT / CHA)

The Customs skill determines the character’s knowledge with the ways of a given culture or place. This includes familiarity with their social practices, political systems, food, art, and more. It generally doesn’t provide knowledge of current events in that place but it helps: Customs may be used in place of Area Knowledge at –20% for the capital or heartland of that culture, or –40% for a secondary well-known location.

Devise (INT / DEX)

Characters can use the Devise skill to creating contraptions, understanding how they work, or disabling them. This is the skill for building traps, picking locks, repairing a broken axle, or sabotaging a ship’s sail. Use Devise for relatively quick builds and fixes that require at most a few minutes of work. Use Craft (form) instead for big projects and proper fixes that need to last longer than a few hours or a few days.

Dodge (DEX / DEX)

A common skill during combat encounters, Dodge lets a character get out of harm’s way. See the Encounters chapter for more information.

The Dodge skill may also be used for avoiding a trap suddenly opening under the character, or for quickly squeezing through a crowded marketplace without bumping into anybody.

Driving (DEX / DEX)

This is the skill for driving a chariot, cart, or other such vehicle. No ability roll is needed for routine driving. This skill would however be used during a race or a trip where urgency is critical, to go through treacherous terrain, to keep the horses from being spooked.

The Driving skill may be used at –20% for small repairs, instead of Devise, or for caring for the animals pulling the vehicle, instead of Lore (Animals).

Healing (INT / INT)

This skill is for healing wounds, poisons, and illnesses using mundane means (i.e. without magic). The Healing skill involves handling and changing bandages, diagnosing conditions, and caring for the sick.

In some cases, it overlaps with certain domains of the Lore skill, such as Lore (plants) in the case of looking for medicinal plants. The gamemaster may allow a Healing roll at -20% or -40% in these cases if deemed appropriate.

See the Damage and Injury chapter for healing rules.

Insight (race*) (INT / CHA)

The Insight skill lets a character identify the motivations and emotions of others. In particular, it pinpoints whether someone is lying, afraid, or pursues ulterior goals. The Insight skill is specialized on race, such as Human, Aldryami, Uz, Newtling, and so on.

Intrigue (area) (INT / CHA)

This is the skill for spies, informants, and ambitious politicians. It involves maintaining a network of people who feed the character secrets, or provide access to those who can. The Intrigue skill must be specialized for a given area no bigger than a week’s travel across on foot.

Intrigue may be used just as much to learn about a piece of gossip than to spread it. It may be used to know about scandalous affairs and secret passages, or to use codes and clandestine hand-overs.

To some degree, Intrigue requires identifying people’s true motivations, so Intrigue may be used instead of Insight at –20%.

Investigate (INT / INT)

This skill is for observing people, things, or locations, and using information obtained this way in order to answer questions. It includes spotting details and hidden things, and reasoning about them to reach a conclusion. A character using the Investigate skill may reconstruct what recently happened at a given place, or spot a hidden door from marks on the floor.

Lore (domain) (INT / INT)

The Lore skill is a catch-all for all sorts of knowledge-based skills. It is specialized by domain such as:

• Alchemy: The science of purifying and transforming materials. It may be used to analyze and create potions. See the Treasure chapter.
• Animals / Elder Races / Dragons: Academic knowledge about animals, Elder Races excluding the Dragonewts (Aldryami, Mostali, Uz, etc.), or anything draconic (Dragonewts, True Dragons, Dream Dragons, etc.)
• Astrology: Knowledge about the sky, and the stars and planets that move within it. This skill includes prediction of astrological movements, and recognizing anomalies therein. It may be used to augment Ritual Preparation (see page XX) for cults and deities with a presence in the celestial realms.
• (Cult): Each cult may be studied for its history, myths, figures, and so on. This skill may be used at –40% for associated cults.
• History: Knowledge of historical facts, events, and people from centuries past. This skill may be used for instance to recognize the origins of ruins, and the kind of ghosts and magic found inside. At –20%, it may be used to superficially read or understand old languages.
• Mathematics: The knowledge of both abstract and applied mathematics, which may help with optimizing business strategies, drawing architectural plans, or predicting astrological phenomena.
• Minerals: The ability to recognize types of rocks, metals, gems, other geological elements.
• Philosophy: The knowledge and practice of epistemiology, ethics, metaphysics, and other general reasoning.
• Plants: The ability to recognize types of plants, fruits, herbs, and more. It may be used to analyze and create poultices and salves.
• Spirit World: Relates to all kinds of knowledge about the Spirit World and its inhabitants.

Martial Leadership (INT / CHA)

Military leaders use this skill to plan pitched battles, conduct skirmishes, and choose appropriate strategic goals. Unit leaders use it to communicate orders or improvise new tactics.

Meditate (CHA / 00)

This skill is used when a character wants to enter a state of meditation, for the purposes of introspection, deep prayer spiritual trance, or other higher state of thought. While it is often used for static or passive poses, it may also be used for dynamic activities such as ecstatic dancing.

Melee Weapon (weapon*) (DEX / STR)

This is the skill for handling melee weapons. It includes the following specializations: Axe, Dagger, Mace, Shield, Spear, and Sword. See the Wealth and Equipment chapter for weapon descriptions, and the Encounters chapter for combat.

The Melee Weapon skill is used for fighting in melee, maintaining equipment, or evaluating new weapons to purchase.

Occupation (work) (Var.)

The Occupation skill encompasses most of the knowledge and practice for a given type of work. It covers several facets of the job, and inventive players can find ways to apply it in other situations.

• Herding (CHA / CON): Leading a herd of animals between pen and pastures. Animals are generally sheep or cows, but troll characters would, for instance, herd giant insects. The skill also covers basic animal care.
• Farming (STR / CON): Sowing, plowing, and harvesting of agricultural lands. This often includes using oxen, horses, or other animals, so it includes basic care for them.
• Fishing (DEX / DEX): Catching fish in rivers, lakes, or at sea. Depending on the home area, the skill may include some basic boating experience.

Persuasion (method*) (Var.)

This skill encompasses various types of persuasion, each with a different default score, and different outcomes on success or failure:

• Charm (CHA / CHA): Used by con-artists to gain the trust of a target, courtesans to put clients at ease, and nobles cajoling followers and potential allies.
• Fast-Talk (CHA / CHA): Used by con-artists, thieves, and other types of liars to temporarily confuse or convince someone.
• Intimidation (STR / CHA): Used by bandits, thugs, soldiers, and many others in order to coerce someone.
• Negotiation (INT / CHA): Used by merchants for bargaining over price or discussing contracts, or by nobles for establishing trade agreements or resolving feuds.

Ranged Weapon (weapon*) (DEX / STR)

This is the skill for ranged weapons. It includes the following specializations: Bow, Sling, and Thrown (such as javelins and throwing knives). See the Wealth and Equipment chapter for weapon descriptions, and the Encounters chapter for combat.

The Ranged Weapon skill is used for fighting, maintaining equipment, or evaluating new weapons to purchase.

Read/Write (language) (INT / 00)

The Read/Write skill allows characters to read and write texts in a given language. This includes create or understanding puns, double-entendres, and other advanced literary techniques. The skill may also be used for poetry, quality penmanship, or recognizing someone’s handwriting.

The game’s setting should define the languages available. Old forms of a language, or closely related languages in the same family (such as most local dialects) are at -20% or -40% from each other. Other languages are entirely new skills.

Ride (mount*) (DEX / DEX)

This is the skill for riding animals such as horses. It includes base care for the animal, and may replace Lore (Animals) at -20%. It also allows evaluating animals for purchase, or recognizing an animal’s tracks similarly to the Track skill at -20%.

Speak (language) (INT / 00)

This skill allows speaking a given language. It includes creating or understanding puns, implied meanings, and other subtleties. The skill may also be used for poetry or public speeches.

The game’s setting should define the languages available. Old forms of a language, or closely related languages in the same family (such as most local dialects) are at -20% or -40% from each other. Other languages are entirely new skills.

Spirit Combat (POW / CHA)

This is the skill for fighting entities of the Spirit World with one’s mind. See the Encounters chapter for spirit combats.

Stealth (DEX / INT)

The Stealth skill allows a character to hide, move quietly, and otherwise act undetected. This is the skill for pickpockets, charlatans, and tricksters.

Survival (environment*) (INT / CON)

This skill covers the knowledge and ability to survive without many resources in a given environment. It allows a character to find food, water, and shelter, if possible, or at least manage resources appropriately. A character with the Survival skill also recognizes the environment’s dangers such as toxic plants or poisonous wildlife.

Swim (DEX / CON)

This is the skill for swimming. It can replace a CON roll when a character needs to hold their breath, or other breathing control situations.

Track (INT / INT)

The Track skill lets a character find evidence of presence or passage of animals or people, recognize who or what they are, and follow their path.