Skills

## Academics

Academics represents subjects of study your character might be studying or that they might pursue as hobbies, and reflect areas of knowledge that you might have. Note that while the skill is listed as "Academics" here, you will want to list the specific area of Academics that your character is specialized in when choosing this. This can be any area of expertise, but some suggestions are below:

* **Arcana**: The study of the theory of magic and the ecology of fey creatures.
* **Arts**: The study of traditional arts and crafts, aesthetics, and art history
* **Humanities**: The study of literature, history, or anthropology. Despite the name, this category might also include the study of fairy culture as well.
* **Machinery**: The study of traditional machinery, including computers.
* **Math**: The study of various forms of math and of physics.
* **Music**: The study of music, dance, and the history of either.
* **Science**: The study of traditional sciences such as chemistry and biology.

Academics skills are important because they will be used in Discovery sessions and might be used in the creation of magical artifacts. Many forms of Magic often key off of the practitioner's knowledge of one branch of academics or another.

## Athletics

Athletics stands for your character's agility. It will determine your ability when running, dodging, climbing, etc.

Actions

## Burglary

Burglary describes your rogue-like capabilities like lock-picking, trap avoidance, sleight of hand, and of course stealing.

Actions

## Combat

Combat is the catch-all physical fighting skill. You use Combat mostly just for trying to smash, cut, skewer, or shoot things.

Actions

## Contacts

Contacts is all about networking. A high skill in Contacts means you're likely to know someone who might be able to help you in various situations.

Contacts differs from Rapport in that Rapport helps with trying to get a specific NPC (or PC) on your side, or to win someone over to your side with a heartfelt argument, whereas Contacts represents networks of people who you are able to win over and get help from.

Actions

## Deceive

The ability to pass off fiction as truth, through lying, acting, or disguise. It might also be used for things like combat feints and traps.

Actions

## Discipline

Your discipline is your character's mental fortitude and their ability to resist temptation or to take the easy path. This skill affects the length of your Mental Stress track

Actions

## Empathy

Used for getting inside the mental state of another living creature. Can be used to determine emotions or moods, to detect lies, and can even be used to figure out the names of another character's Aspects if they're about that character's psychology. Often used when defending against Deceive checks.

Actions
Against PCs or NPCs with pre-existing aspects, it can reveal those aspects to you--granting a free invoke just like it would have if you had created the aspect.

## Perception

Perception is like the quick and dirty equivalent of Investigate. Perception is all about your perception, and doing quick scans of your surroundings. When someone's trying to sneak up on you, Perception will be your defense against that. When some little, useful object is around that you might be able to make use of, Perception will let you spot it.

Actions

## Physique

Physique is your strength and your endurance. A character with high skills in Athletics could run a 50 meter dash, whereas a character with high Physique could run a marathon.

Physique also gives you **additional Physical Stress boxes** at higher levels. You get a third Physical Stress box at +1 or +2 stress, and a fourth at +3 or +4 stress.

Actions

## Pluck

Pluck represents bravery, confidence, and determination. Pluck is also used to determine the Morale stress track of Knights.

Actions

## Provoke

Provoke represents the ability to provoke or intimidate other creatures. It can be used to deal Mental Stress directly, or it can be used to alter another character's behavior with Advantages placed on them related to fear or anger or manipulation.

There's some overlap with Rapport in the category of manipulation, but think of it this way--Rapport is about getting someone to do something through positive reinforcement. Provoke is about doing so through negative reinforcement. A character affected by your trolling is not likely going to like you afterward, whereas a person you manipulate with Rapport is likely to consider you a friend.

Actions

## Rapport

Rapport is about communicating your emotions and winning people over to your way of thinking. It's great for negotiation, debates, charm, and seduction. Rapport can also represent performances or art when the goal is to communicate or impress.

Actions

## Resources

Resources is often used to represent wealth, but could also be used to represent the sort of person who is prone to finding objects that can be put to use later. When making Resources checks, what you're really checking is your resourcefulness--did I think to pack (X ITEM)? Do I have another item I can use in place of (X ITEM)? Do I have the money to buy (X ITEM)?

Actions

## Stealth

The ability to become or remain undetected. Pretty straight forward, you just hide, or move silently, or mask your presence in some other way. If a character's Notice check can't beat your Stealth roll, you're generally undetected.

Actions