Skills

Skills Description
Skills measure a character’s ability to perform various actions in the world, and are the main mechanism by which characters take shape. Players and Game Masters should strive to resolve all challenges through contests of skills. There are two essential categories of skill which have different restrictions on when they are most appropriate: Combat Skills are mostly used when a player is fighting in Combat, whereas Adventure Skills are used when a player is exploring the world - generally speaking, the rest of the time. A player can use a skill to attempt solving a problem (example: making an Athletics check to jump a chasm, or making a Melee Attack to hit an opponent). When skills are used appropriately, characters may gain experience in that skill. With sufficient experience, a character can also increase their aptitude in that skill.

Combat Skills
These four skills are the primary way in which players can deal damage and defeat their opponents. A successful Attack Skill check, opposed by their adversary’s Defense skill, results in damage being dealt to their adversary, reducing their health pool. The damage dealt is equal to the attack’s associated attribute (for example, a character who inflicted a Melee Attack would check their Body score to see how much damage they dealt to their opponent). These skills are difficult to master, and gain experience pips ONLY when successful rolls are made in combat.

Magic (Mind)               Allows you to conjure magical blasts to smite your opponents. Magic attacks can target opponents up to 4 squares away. Magic users need a staff to channel their attacks.

Melee (Body)               Allows you to use all martial weapons to strike your enemies from up close. This is an aggressive type of attack, as you gain an advantage by closing the gap on enemies, forcing them to engage you. Melee brawlers need melee weapons, such as swords, to attack effectively.

Ranged (Senses)          Allows you to use bolts and arrows to take down your foes from up to 8 squares away. Take care when using a ranged weapon too close to a melee opponent, for they can close the gap, preventing you from fleeing or attacking them with ranged weapons. Anyone who wields a bow or slings javelins can make ranged attacks.

Defense (Body)           Governs your ability to resist attacks made against you, whether magical or mundane. Defense only gains experience pips if it was previously prepared (see PHASES: Combat Phase: Prep Action).

Adventure Skills
These skills are the essential flavors that enhance the player’s experience in the world. Are you a knowledgeable scholar, or an Olympic athlete? A tactful thief, or a perceptive guard? With sufficient training, these skills allow you to define your character’s strengths and role within your group. As a character uses these skills, they will gain experience and gradually improve.

Athletics (Body)           Governs your ability to run, jump, climb, ride horses, and endure physical trials. Generally, involves muscles and physical fitness.

Crafting (Body)            Governs all forging of new weapons, armours, and tools. Measures skill at creating the extraordinary from the mundane.

Alchemy (Mind)           Governs all attempts to create magical potions and balms. Represents your ability to understand the chemical properties of most matter.

Speech (Mind)             Governs social interactions: barter, persuasion, intimidation, and lying. In some, this can manifest as an innate ability to shape the will of others.

Knowledge (Mind)       Represents your education about the world, in lore, history, etc. Also, your understanding of the fundamental energies that pervade the world.

Perception (Senses)    Governs sensing deception, searching, or perceiving a weakness. This skill is for those with a keen eye for detail.

Skulduggery (Senses) Governs thievery, stealth, sleight of hand, and lockpicking. The deceiver often has use for tricks of illusion or invisibility.

Survival (Senses)         Governs the use of wilderness survival, and trap-making. A survivalist is an expert of the outdoors.

As mentioned earlier, Adventure Skills are most often used in between scenes of combat. Though these can be used in combat, players may only gain experience in these skills when they are in the Adventure Phase. In addition to their mundane use, all Adventure Skills can all be channelled magically to produce spells. In addition, the Defense Skill is the only Combat Skill that can be channelled in this way.