Skills
Skills are what a character needs to do anything, from fighting to negotiating a deal. When you pick a skill, you will pick a specialty within that skill that gains a one-point drop in the success roll (i.e. 4 instead of 5 will result in a success).
The specialties listed below are only a partial list, to get the general idea; you can pick any narrow section of the skill (with GMs approval).
Characters start with 99 points to pick skills; the cost of each level of skill is listed below.
SKILL COSTS
Skill Level: Cost
1st: 3
2nd: 9
3rd: 18
4th: 30
5th: 45
6th: 63
7th: 84
8th: 108
9th: 135
10th: 165
To increase a skill, you subtract the cost of your current level from the next level (to go from 3rd to forth costs 12 xp)
Physical Skills
Blades: (AGL) The ability to use swords properly in combat.
Specialties: one weapon of this type.
Bows: (AGL) The ability to use bows and crossbows properly in combat.
Specialties: one weapon of this type.
Brawling: (RES) The ability to fight unarmed.
Specialties: Punch, kick, eye gouge, knee.
Climbing: (STR) The ability to scale up a vertical surface.
Specialties: Trees, mountaineering, walls.
Close Quarter Weapons: (AGL) The ability to use small melee-style weapons properly in combat.
Specialties: one weapon of this type.
Dodge: (AGL) This is the ability to get out of the way of an attack.
Specialties: A weapon group, type of armor.
Drive (Type): (AGL) This is the ability to drive/pilot a vehicle; examples include: chariot, wagon, car, tank, etc.
Specialties: Tight turns, high speed, maneuvering, combat use.
Flexible Weapons: (AGL) The ability to use weapons with a handle and flexible chain or leather cord properly in combat.
Specialties: one weapon of this type.
Hafted weapons: (STR) The ability to use weapon with a handle properly in combat.
Specialties: one weapon of this type.
Jongleur: (AGL) The ability to perform all the tricks of acrobatics.
Specialties: Juggling, Tightrope Walking, Tumbling, Jumping.
Profession (TYPE): (VARIES) This is a catchall skill for any rare profession not listed here; examples include: Barrister, Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker. Just pick the profession and choose a specialty; if there are at least three other large categories in the skill that aren’t covered by your specialty then you have a valid specialty.
Riding (Type): (AGL) The ability to keep your butt on the back of a riding animal.
Specialties: A certain type of animal, speed, tricks.
Sailor: (RES) The ability to operate a boat or work on a ship.
Specialties: Work sails, steer, navigate, row.
Sleight of Hand: (AGL) The ability to palm objects, misdirect the eye, and other things that require adroit digits.
Specialties: Pick Pockets, Palm Object, Misdirect, Prestidigitation.
Smith: (STR) The ability to make things from metal.
Specialties: Armorsmith, Weaponsmith, blacksmith.
Standoff Weapons: (STR) The ability to use long shafted weapons properly in combat.
Specialties: one weapon of this type.
Stealth: (AGL) The ability to move about quietly, also to keep yourself and other things hidden.
Specialties: Woods, urban, camouflage, concealment.
Strength Feat: (STR) The ability to do amazing feats of physical power.
Specialties: Dead lift, Bend metal, Break objects, Crushing Grip
Talent (TYPE): (VARIES) This is a catchall skill, this gives you the opportunity to pick anything that you have thought of (with GM’s permission) and make it a skill; this includes specialties from any of the other skills (to further focus it). Write down the new skill, determine the appropriate base Aspect, and choose a specialty; if there are at least three other large categories in the skill that aren’t covered by your specialty then you have a valid specialty.
Wright: (STR) The ability to make useful, durable things from wood.
Specialties: wainwright, cooper, wheelwright, carpenter.
Mental Skills
Alchemist: (LOG) The ability to make potions, philters, and other types of items; the ultimate goal is the philosopher’s stone.
Specialties: medicines, poisons, powders, potions.
Area Knowledge (Location): (LOG) The knowledge of an area’s geography, and layout.
Specialties: natural features, cities’ layouts, culture, governments.
Artist (Type): (INT) The ability to create something of beauty, in a certain medium. Types include: sculpting, writing, paint/draw, cosmetology, etc.
Specialties: Pottery, stone, metal, wood (for sculpting); poetry, epics, plays (for writing); etc.
Current Affairs: (LOG) The knowledge of what important events are presently occurring in the world.
Specialties: Politics, entertainment, science, wars.
Education: (LOG) This is a basic classical education; it gives you knowledge of philosophers and their works, history, great writers and their works, mathematics, geography, ethics, basic sciences, etc. Note: This doesn’t make you literate, you could have been taught all of it without reading it yourself.
Specialties: One of the various fields.
Escapology: (WIS) This is the ability get out of bonds, escape prison cells, or wriggle free of someone’s grasp.
Specialties: Ropes, chains, pick locks, squeeze through openings.
Healer: (INT) The ability to cure a person or animal from injury or illness.
Specialties: a certain animal, illnesses, wounds, first aid.
Language (CHOOSE): (INT) The ability to speak another language.
Specialties: Certain subjects, a certain dialect, slang.
Law: (LOG) The knowledge of the law, what it covers, and its limitations on various locations.
Specialties: Crime & punishment, property laws, minor violations.
Lore (TYPE): (LOG) This is a catchall knowledge skill, pick a subject and then pick a specialty; if there are at least three other large categories in the skill that aren’t covered by your specialty then you have a valid specialty.
Profession (TYPE): (VARIES) This is a catchall skill for any rare profession not listed here; examples include: Barrister, Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker. Just pick the profession and choose a specialty; if there are at least three other large categories in the skill that aren’t covered by your specialty then you have a valid specialty.
Stewardship: (WIS) The ability to run an organization efficiently, improve and expand it.
Specialties: Manor, small business, park.
Streetwise: (WIS) The knowledge of the criminal side of things.
Specialties: Fence items, black market, bawd.
Survival (Environment): (INT) The ability to live off the land in a certain chosen environment.
Specialties: hunting, fire building, shelter building, foraging.
Tactics: (INT) The ability to employ planning and combat disposition to your advantage.
Specialties: Skirmish, ambush, siege, strategy.
Talent (TYPE): (VARIES) This is a catchall skill, this gives you the opportunity to pick anything that you have thought of (with GM’s permission) and make it a skill; this includes specialties from any of the other skills (to further focus it). Write down the new skill, determine the appropriate base Aspect, and choose a specialty; if there are at least three other large categories in the skill that aren’t covered by your specialty then you have a valid specialty.
Tournament: (LOG) The knowledge of how to go about being enrolled in, and improving your chance of winning, in a tournament or courtly contest.
Specialties: A certain event, heraldry, sizing up the competition.
Spiritual Skills
Animal Trainer: (WIL) The ability to train an animal for riding, war or tricks.
Specialties: A certain type of animal, riding, combat, perform.
Barter: (CHA) The ability to sell things for a high price, or buy things for a low price.
Specialties: A certain type of goods or services, trade, appraisal.
Burglar: (AWR) The ability to rob a house, business, or castle of its wealth.
Specialties: A type of building, picking locks, searching for valuables.
Courtier: (CHA) The ability to act properly in court, and to function properly in court.
Specialties: Intrigue, gossip, etiquette, codes of behavior.
Detection: (AWR) This is the ability to check an area for clues, determine the thoughts of people involved, observe a situation, and discover what happened in that area.
Specialties: Observation, read people, interrogation, forensics.
Diplomacy: (CHA) The ability to deal with others, to negotiate deals, and create an open discourse between peoples.
“ Diplomacy is the ability to tell someone to ‘go to Hell’ in such a way that makes them look forward to the trip!”
Specialties: Orate, Convince, Conversation, negotiate.
Divinate: (AWR) The ability to see the possible futures, or to see distant locations.
Specialties: Scrying, astrology, a certain type of divination medium (animal entrails, fire, water, etc).
Intimidate: (WIL) The ability to make someone do what you want through fear.
Specialties: Interrogation, brow beat, extortion.
Meditation: (WIL) The ability to achieve a meditative state, to slow down the body functions, and focus the mental faculties.
Specialties: Concentration, feign death, recuperation.
Occult: (AWR) This gives you knowledge of all things supernatural, you still cannot cast magic but you know all about it.
Specialties: Daemonology, magic, necromancy, angels.
Performer: (CHA) The ability to dance, sing, act, and entertain an audience.
Specialties: dancing, singing acting.
Profession (TYPE): (VARIES) This is a catchall skill for any rare profession not listed here; examples include: Barrister, Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker. Just pick the profession and choose a specialty; if there are at least three other large categories in the skill that aren’t covered by your specialty then you have a valid specialty.
Ritual: (WIL) The ability to do the ceremonies of your religion; also assumes knowledge of their meanings and reasons.
Specialties: Marriages, coming of age, funerary rites, exorcisms.
Scout: (AWR) The ability to map out a land, learn the locations of hostiles, and find useable resources. Note: Survival and Area Knowledge would be useful skills to take.
Specialties: Recon, cartography, resources.
Spy: (AWR) This is the ability to infiltrate a location to discover plans, politics, troubles, or anything else that might prove useful against an enemy.
Specialties: Eavesdrop, search, conversation, intrigue, bluff.
Talent (TYPE): (VARIES) This is a catchall skill, this gives you the opportunity to pick anything that you have thought of (with GM’s permission) and make it a skill; this includes specialties from any of the other skills (to further focus it). Write down the new skill, determine the appropriate base Aspect, and choose a specialty; if there are at least three other large categories in the skill that aren’t covered by your specialty then you have a valid specialty.