Skills

## How They Work

Most skills add a number of dice to the relevant rolls equal to the value of the skill. The "Profession" and "Specialty" skills add a flat bonus instead, but have a higher maximum value. All skills start at 0, normal skills have a maximum value of 6 and Professions and Specialties have a maximum value of 20. Players begin play with 6 skill points to spend, and may not start with any skill above level 3 except for Professions or Specialties, which may be up to level 6. It is not necessary to list skills your character does not have on their character sheet.

Skills which have empty () parenthesis after them require the player to fill them in, and it is possible to have them listed repeatedly on a character sheet, I.E., a character could have both Trade (Programming) and Trade (Carpentry).

When a character uses a skill, they usually add their skill level to a relevant attribute score and roll that many dice. For example, if a character with 2 AGI and 2 Sneaking were to sneak, they would roll 4d6. Usually, Melee, Archery and Throwing attacks are rolled with Physique, while Ranged attacks and Dodging are rolled with Agility. In some cases this may change, but this will always be noted. As a general rule, all other skills are rolled using INT unless otherwise stated.

Some skills may have special rules, which will be described underneath their entry in bullet points.

## Combat Skills

### Melee

Determines a character's overall combat ability with unarmed attacks and melee weapons.

### Ranged

Determines a character's overall combat ability with firearms, crossbows, and any other ranged weapon with a trigger.

### Archery

Determines a character's overall combat ability with bows. Uncommon in the 24th century. Unlike other weapons, bows cannot be used without training and have no Specialty; however, archers add their AGI score as a flat bonus to Archery attacks.

### Throwing

Determines a character's overall combat ability with weapons thrown by hand as well as with throwing devices. This includes throwing knives, javelins, bolas, grenades, any other thrown object, and weapons like slings or atlatls. Thrown weapons have a basic Range of 20', increased by another 5' for each point of Physique and each rank in Throwing you have.

### Dodging

Determines a character's ability to evade an enemy's attacks. Dodging skill only applies to defense rolls made with the Agility attribute.

### Specialty ()

Adds a flat bonus to attacks made with specific types of weapons and has a higher cap than other skills. Input your character's weapon Specialty in parenthesis. Characters may take any number of weapon Specialties, but may only choose from the following categories:

*Unarmed* - Covers any attack made using a part of one's body and includes fist weapons such as brass knuckles or stun gloves, as well as any prosthetic weapon that functions like a limb.

*Knives* - Covers attacks made with short edged weapons. This also includes makeshift weapons of similar size, such as shivs or pairs of scissors.

*Swords* - Covers attacks made with long edged weapons. Fairly uncommon, but used for Vibroblades.

*Clubs -* Covers attacks made with blunt weapons. This also Includes improvised bludgeoning weapons such as metal pipes, rifle butt-stocks or wooden planks.

*Axes* - Covers attacks made with top-heavy, weighted edged weapons and includes any short, hafted weapon with a sharp weighted head, such as pickaxes or shovels. Adds a flat bonus to attack rolls.

*Polearms* - Covers attacks made using long, hafted weapons. This also includes improvised polearms, such as broomsticks or pitchforks.

*Handguns* - Covers attacks made with pistols, small machine-pistols and hand crossbows.

*Submachineguns* - Covers attacks made with two-handed, short-barreled pistol-caliber firearms.

*Shotguns* - Covers attacks made using any type of shotshell.

*Rifles* - Covers attacks made using any rifle caliber **and** attacks made with long-barreled pistol-caliber firearms, such as some carbines. This also includes full-size, two-handed crossbows, sniper rifles and light or general purpose machineguns.

*Heavy Weapons* - Covers attacks made using any weapon with a trigger that could not be considered a 'small arm,' such as grenade launchers, rocket launchers, flamethrowers, manned weapon emplacements and mortars or any other crew-served weapon. Heavy Weapons specialization does not apply to weapons fired using a vehicle's controls.

## General Skills

### Profession ()

A catch-all skill that determines competency at tasks and duties related to one's occupation. Input your character's occupation in parenthesis. A character may have any number of Professions, but will benefit far more from focusing on one.

* The Profession skill adds a **flat** bonus to relevant skill rolls, but never to combat rolls. For example, a soldier would have a bonus to deducing the type of weapon an enemy is using by listening to the sound it makes, but not to shooting at them.

### Medicine

Determines a character's ability to diagnose and treat syndromes, illnesses and injuries. Medicine skill is used to heal damaged body parts, treat toxins and most Conditions, and to utilize most medical equipment, but can not be used on prosthetics. Medicine skill is used for all medical rolls *except* surgery.

* **Healing** someone with Regenerative Biogel heals a single body part for an amount equal to the result of a Medicine roll. If you would heal a body part past its maximum hit points, the extra healing is lost.
* **Stabilizing** someone who is in Critical Condition requires you to make a Medicine roll opposed by their number of Critical Wounds and consumes a splint. If you succeed, they are immediately brought out of Critical Condition.

### Surgery

Determines a character's ability to perform cautious surgery and utilize specialized surgical equipment. Surgery is used to install new prosthetics and to treat Critical Wounds, among other things. Any character with at least 1 point in Surgery skill can attempt a surgery, though they will still need the necessary equipment and have to roll to complete them successfully. Generally, the tools required are a Surgical Kit, an operating table and anesthetic. Performing surgery with less or makeshift tools or without anesthetic will inflict stacking dice penalties.

* **Surgery** rolls determine their Roll Difficulty by rolling a number of six-sided dice equal to the number of Critical Wounds on the patient. Prosthetic parts have static Roll Difficulty for installation listed on their stat sheets. Other surgeries which are uncommon in-game, such as liposuction or facial alterations have their Roll Difficulty decided by the Game Master.
* **Succeeding** at a surgery roll removes 1 Critical Wound from the patient.
* **Failing** at a surgery roll adds 1 Critical Wound to the patient and causes them to start **Bleeding.**

### Performance ()

Determines a character's expertise at a certain type of art. Input your character's type of art in parenthesis. It does not strictly have to be a performance art, but can also include things like writing, painting, or sculpting. The Performance skill is often used to earn Credits, and can also be handy in certain niche situations. Most Performance rolls will use the INT attribute, but physical performers like dancers or acrobats will find themselves using the AGI attribute instead. The Roll Difficulty of most Performance rolls is determined by the Game Master.

### Engineering

Determines a character's depth of practical knowledge and experience with electrical and mechanical engineering. The Engineering skill is used for a wide variety of tasks, including vehicle repairs and modifications, repairs to cybernetics, building and modifying structures, understanding of space ship subsystems, and much more. Stacks with Trade when used for applicable crafting tasks. Note that no matter how good you are at Engineering, you will still need the required tools to complete a task; you can't weld without a welder, or screw without a screwdriver. Most commonly needed tools are included in the Toolkit, but spaceship engineers will also need a Spaceship Engineering Kit. Engineering rolls come in many flavors depending on their use.

* **Repairing** vehicles, cybernetic body parts, structures, items and starships requires the use of a hand welder and necessary materials. When you make repairs, you roll an Engineering skill roll and declare the target hit zone of your repairs. The target regains an amount of HP equal to the result of your roll. Doing consumes 1 Scrap Metal, 1 Spare Parts and 1 hour of time for each dice you roll. If you do not have enough time or materials or wish to be conservative, you can always choose to roll less dice.
* **Salvaging** an object, vehicle or structure requires the use of a full toolkit and preferably specialized salvaging tools. When you attempt to salvage something, you roll an Engineering skill roll. You gain an amount of material equal to the results of your roll if using proper salvaging equipment, or half the result rounded down if using makeshift gear. If you are not salvaging for a specific material, but instead looking for *all* usable or valuable materials, you divide the result of your roll by the number of different materials you search for. Salvaging takes a number of hours equal to the result of your skill roll, but you may choose to spend less time and gain less material if you wish; however, remember that things can only be salvaged once.
* **Crafting**, **Building** and **Modifying** Engineering objects, vehicles and structures usually does not require an Engineering skill roll. As long as you meet the minimum requirements and have tools and materials available, you can craft, build and modify to your heart's content. The only exception is when trying to perform difficult crafting tasks under duress or with subpar ingredients, which will have the Roll Difficulty determined by the Game Master. The skill requirements for crafting and the materials needed can be found on the Crafting section of the Equipment page.
* **Operating** specialized machinery, especially aboard space ships, will require you to meet a minimum skill rank. If you do not meet the minimum, you will have to make an Engineering Skill roll when attempting to operate certain objects. Items that are available on the Equipment page have their skill requirements listed. Generic items that might show up in a campaign have the following skill requirements:
	+ Heavy industrial equipment, such as cranes and remote lifts require a minimum skill rank of 1.
	+ Non-nuclear power generators, complex scientific tools, high-tech mainframes, manually adjusted sensors and atmospheric equipment all require a minimum skill rank of 2.
	+ Nuclear power generators and super-scale industrial equipment such as autofabricators require a minimum skill rank of 3.
	+ Negaton Drives require a minimum skill rank of 4.

### Hacking

Determines a character's skill at breaking into computer systems using both technological and social means. For example, the Hacking skill applies whether you're writing malicious code to steal someone's password with a keylogger or trying to convince a technician over the phone that you're the system administrator. Plainly, using the Hacking skill requires access to a compute terminal of some sort, usually a Pocket Computer. The Hacking skill does *not* substitute for Trade (Programming), and cannot be used to create or modify software for any other purpose than to hack... Unless you're a wizard or something.

* The Roll Difficulty of most Hacking rolls is decided by the Game Master based on Confounding Factors - except in the case of head to head hack-offs, which uses opposed Hacking rolls.

### Piloting ()

Determines a character's skill at piloting a specific type of vehicle. Input the vehicle your character pilots in parenthesis. Piloting skill applies to both Attack and Defense rolls made by the piloted vehicle and may substitute for Engineering in some cases, such as when performing routine maintenance tasks that any Pilot would know how to do.

* Some vehicles can be piloted without the skill, while others require it. If you attempt to pilot a vehicle that requires skill to use and do not have the skill, you will have to make a Piloting roll to succeed without crashing or skidding to a halt. The following types of vehicles are applicable:
	+ **Cars**, **Trucks**, **Motorbikes** and **Semi-trailers** do not require any skill to pilot.
	+ **Tanks**, **IFVs** and **SPGs** require piloting skill to pilot.
	+ **SAVs** and **SAUVs** do not require any skill to pilot in hover mode, but *do* require piloting skill to pilot in flight mode.
	+ **Turbocopters**, **Gunships**, **Dropships** and **Commercial Turboliners** all require piloting skill to pilot.
	+ **Tiny Mechs**, **Light Mechs**, **Medium Mechs** and **Heavy Mechs** all require piloting skill to pilot manually, but can be made to walk forward or backward on autopilot, even remotely.
	+ **Very Small**, **Small**, **Medium**, **Large** and **Very Large** **Space Ships** all require piloting skill to pilot manually, but also come equipped with an autopilot mode that can navigate itself from place to place and automatically avoid obstacles and known dangerous routes. Without a pilot, Space Ships are restricted to docking in large, commercial space ports, where traffic controllers are able to influence the autopilot to perform safe and precise docking maneuvers.

### Thievery

Determines a character's skill at lockpicking, sleight of hand, pickpocketing and other, similarly nefarious activities. In some cases, the Thievery skill can substitute for Engineering - such as when breaking and entering using a prybar. Although it is possible to pick locks without them, actual lockpicks are greatly beneficial to the aspiring burglar or catthief. The Thievery skill can only be used to pick *physical*locks, not electronic locks. Digital and biometric locks are picked using Hacking, while electromechanical locks, such as airlocks and blast-doors, are picked using Engineering.

* **Lockpicking** and **Breaking and Entering** have their Roll Difficulty decided by the Game Master based on Confounding Factors.
* **Pickpocketing** requires you to make a Thievery roll against the target's static Perception score. If the roll does not exceed their Perception score, you are caught.

### Sneaking

Determines a character's ability to hide and move silently. A character must be concealed or in cover to use Sneaking. A simple, but essential skill.

* **Unlike most skills, Sneaking rolls use the AGI attribute.**

* **Hiding** and **Moving Silently** requires a character to compare the result of their Sneaking roll to the Perception score of surrounding characters. If the Perception score of another character is equal to or higher than the Sneaking roll, then the character spots you. Certain items, such as ghillie suits and camouflage bodypaint, will greatly improve a characters Sneaking. In most cases, a character only has to make a Sneaking roll once for each person they try to sneak past. If another character comes near a Sneaking character, they must roll again or be spotted.

### Investigation

Determines a character's skill at sleuthing, tracking and research. Investigation is used for any type of in-character knowledge gathering, even interrogation.

* **Sleuthing** for information has its Roll Difficulty decided by the Game Master based on Confounding Factors, and may also sometimes require other rolls, such as Persuasion or Intimidation if you wish to succeed.
* **Tracking** a target requires the tracked character or creature to make a Sneaking roll opposed by the investigator's Investigation roll. If the Investigation roll is equal to or higher than the Sneaking roll, the tracking is successful.

### Animal Handling ()

Determines a character's ability to handle, train and care for a specific type of animal. Input the animal your character handles in parenthesis.

* Rolls using this skill are usually made to control a creature that is not already tame or docile, such as when attempting to calm a raging bull or break a horse, and are opposed by the animal's Insight.

## Athletic Skills

### Running

Represents a character's ability to jog, run and sprint. Increases stamina by 2 per skill point and movement speed by 5' for every 2 skill points in Running.

* Unlike most skills, Running is not associated with any dice rolls.

### Jumping

Represents a character's ability to leap high or far. Adds bonus dice to Jumping rolls.

* Unlike most skills, Jumping rolls use the PHY attribute.
* The Roll Difficulty of most Jumping rolls is decided by the Game Master.

### Climbing

Represents a character's ability to scale vertical surfaces. Adds bonus dice to Climbing rolls.

* Unlike most skills, Climbing rolls use the PHY attribute.
* The Roll Difficulty of most Jumping rolls is decided by the Game Master.

### Swimming

Represents a character's ability to swim above or below water. Increases stamina by 2 per skill point and increases swim speed by 5' for every 2 skill points in Swimming.

* Unlike most skills, Swimming is not associated with any dice rolls.
* Without any Swimming skill, swim speed is half of a character's Speed.

### Flying

Represents a character's ability to fly using natural means, whether with or without wings. Increases stamina by 2 per skill point and increases flight speed by 5' for every 2 skill points in Flying.

* Unlike most skills, Flying is not associated with any dice rolls.
* Flying Skill is only useful for characters who have a mutation or cybernetic augmentation that allows them to fly under their own power.

## Social Skills

### Persuasion

Determines a character's ability to influence others through dialogue.

* Both the relevant Attribute and the Roll Difficulty of most Persuasion rolls is decided by the Game Master.
* When a Persuasion attempt is made, the Game Master will tell you what Attribute to roll.

### Intimidation

Determines a character's ability to frighten others into capitulation.

* Both the relevant Attribute and the Roll Difficulty of most Intimidation rolls is decided by the Game Master.
* When an Intimidation attempt is made, the Game Master will tell you what Attribute to roll.

### Subterfuge

Determines a character's ability to lie, fool, and act. Subterfuge rolls are opposed to the target's Insight roll.

* Unlike most skills, Subterfuge rolls use the CUN attribute.

### Insight

Determines a character's ability to detect when others are lying, fooling, or acting. Insight rolls are opposed to the target's Subterfuge roll.

* Unlike most skills, Insight rolls use the AUR attribute.

## Knowledge Skills

### Trade ()

Represents a character's understanding of a specific trade's theories, as well as their skill at practical application. Input your character's trade skill in parenthesis. This can be anything from gunsmithing to programming. The Trade skill is used for crafting and modifying nearly everything that can be found in Sol.

* **Crafting**, **Building** and **Modifying** things related to your Trade usually does not require a Trade skill roll. As long as you meet the minimum requirements and have tools and materials available, you can craft, build and modify to your heart's content. The only exception is when trying to perform difficult crafting tasks under duress or with subpar ingredients, which will have the Roll Difficulty determined by the Game Master. The skill requirements for crafting and the materials needed can be found on the Crafting section of the Equipment page. When you attempt to use your Trade skill with something that is not listed, the Game Master decides how high your skill needs to be.

### Academics ()

Represents a character's depth of scholarly knowledge concerning a particular academic subject. Input your character's learned subject in parenthesis. This can be anything from physics to criminal justice. The Academics skills has various niche applications, but is mainly used to gain information from the GM.

* The Roll Difficulty of most Academics rolls is decided by the Game Master.

### Survival

Represents a character's comprehension of techniques used to sustain life in any type of natural or built environment, as well as their skill at applying them. This includes knowing how to provide for the basic necessities of human life, such as water, food, and shelter, as well as the ability to craft rudimentary tools and weapons. Survival rolls are normally made to gain information from the Game Master related to specific hazards, or to craft basic tools and weapons made from natural materials like wood and stone.

* The Roll Difficulty of Survival rolls made to gain information from the Game Master is decided by the Game Master based on Confounding Factors.
* **Crafting**, **Building** and **Modifying** simple survival objects does not require a Survival roll or any tools. Common, natural materials are assumed to always be available unless the Game Master says otherwise. All Survival Crafting tasks take 4 hours to complete except for making bandages, which takes only 6 seconds or one round in Action Mode. The following survival items are available based on your Survival Skill Ranks:
	+ **1 Rank**: You can create makeshift bandages to stem bleeding, as well as simple weapons such as wooden spears or stone clubs. These weapons function as their normal, purchasable variants do, but come with the Low Quality applied property and cannot have any other properties or modifications.
	+ **2 Ranks**: You can create makeshift tools, such as wood and stone axes or hammers, fishing rods, shovels and sewing needles, as well as simple hunting traps like snares. You can also create makeshift splints and crutches to help deal with crippling injuries.
	+ **3 Ranks**: You can build a small, makeshift shelter out of straw and reeds, wood and vines or other natural substances. You know how to supplement your shelter by digging a well and outhouse. You can also create a natural healing poultice which heals a target body part for 1 HP per rank the user has in their Medicine Skill. Healing poultices can only heal a given body part once in between full nights rests.
	+ **4 Ranks**: You can create makeshift adhesives and solvents from naturally available plant alkaloids and animal parts. You can also create lacquer from the same sources, which allows you to modify your shelters to keep out the elements.
	+ **5 Ranks**: You can create pain killing drugs and venomous, debilitating toxins from natural sources like plant alkaloids and animal poison. They are only half as effective as commercially produced chemicals, and so last only half as long.
	+ **6 Ranks**: You are a master survivalist and are capable of living on your own in the wilderness for nearly any amount of time. You can craft any and all basic goods required for comfortable living, such as furniture, toiletries, kitchenware, and more, as long as they are made from natural materials.