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Chapter 4: Skills
Using Skills
Trained and Untrained Skills
Each character has a select number of Skill Categories, as determined by their Ancient Sign and Social Class. All of the skills contained in the character’s Skill Categories are considered trained. The skills in non-selected Skill Categories are considered untrained.
Trained Skill Bonuses
A character gains the following bonus when using a trained skill: Their current level, +4, plus the applicable attribute modifier (Strength based skills use the Strength modifier, etc.). See the Trained Skill Bonuses by Level Table below.
A person who has a skill also gains a general competency when using that skill, so sometimes a roll is not needed for straightforward situations.
Trained Skill Points
If a character uses a Skill Point on a trained skill, they add 1d8 to the roll. The Skill Point can be added after the initial roll result, but before the GM declares an outcome (if the Player thinks they might need to add a Skill Point, they should have the die at the ready).
Untrained Skill Bonuses
A character gains the following bonus when using an untrained Skill: Half their current level, plus the applicable attribute modifier.
Untrained Skill Points
If a character uses a skill Point on an untrained skill, they add 1d4 to the roll. The Skill Point can be added after the initial roll result before the GM declares an outcome.
Unusable Untrained Skills
Skills that give passive bonuses can’t be used untrained: Strength Training 1, Melee Smash, Strength Training 2, Physical Training 1, Running, Awake, Physical Training 2, Poison Resistance, Resist Elements and Melee Slash.
Using Skills Untrained
Most active skills can be used untrained (although it could be foolish to do so at times). For example, if a character is trying to kick in a door, they can use the Open Skill regardless of whether or not they are trained in that skill. If the character is low level, their bonus will be quite small. If they are higher level, their life experience helps, even if they have never formally learnt the skill. In either case, a trained individual will have an easier time and expose themselves to less danger.
| Trained Skill Bonuses by Level Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| Level | Trained Skill Bonus |
Untrained Skill Bonus |
| 1 | +5 | +0 |
| 2 | +6 | +1 |
| 3 | +7 | +1 |
| 4 | +8 | +2 |
| 5 | +9 | +2 |
| 6 | +10 | +3 |
| 7 | +11 | +3 |
| 8 | +12 | +4 |
| 9 | +13 | +4 |
| 10 | +14 | +5 |
| 11 | +15 | +5 |
| 12 | +16 | +6 |
| 13 | +17 | +6 |
| 14 | +18 | +7 |
| 15 | +19 | +7 |
| 16 | +20 | +8 |
| 17 | +21 | +8 |
| 18 | +22 | +9 |
| 19 | +23 | +9 |
| 20 | +24 | +10 |
| Plus the applicable attribute modifier and a Skill point (if spent). |
||
Improving Skills
Bonus Skill Category: At levels 5, 10, and 15 characters gain one new Skill Category. It may be any Basic Skill Category, or any Advanced Skill Category which the player has the Basic Skill Category for.
In addition, characters also gain 1 bonus Skill Point at levels 5, 10, and 15. For many characters, these few additional SP boosts will not be adequate. Characters may gain additional Skill Points by selecting the feat Increased Skill Points. Characters gain 1 new feat per level.
See Skill and Magic Advancement Table
Skill Point Exception
Free: Characters get to use a free Skill Point on Listen and Spot checks any time a Listen and Spot check is requested from the GM. Trained characters add 1d8, untrained add 1d4.
The reason for this is that most GM’s will ask for Spot and Listen checks both when there is something to see and when nothing's around, just to keep the Players on their toes. It would be unfair for Players to spend all of their Skill Points on these quick and frequent checks.
Character Creation Option (Skills)
This optional character creation step makes skills ever-so-slightly more realistic. It also adds a Skill Point.
Under the standard rules, if a character selects a Skill Category, they gain all of the skills within that category. If there are skills within that category that do not fit with a character concept, the Player can choose either not to use those skills, or trade them away using this option.
Rules: Remove 2 skills permanently (make a note that they are now considered untrained). The skills do not have to come from the same Skill Category. Add 1 Skill Point. They only way to recover a skill is by using the Recover Lost Feat. This Character Creation Option (Skills) may be preformed once or twice, adding either 1 or 2 Skill Points by making 2 or 4 known skills untrained.
Up Next: Chapter 5: Magic Spells
