Communication Skills
Communication Skills
Barter: A skill at bargaining with merchants, businessmen, thieves, traders and other characters to get a fair price or fair exchange of trade goods or services. Depending on the character’s point of view and effort at bartering, he can raise the amount he gets or lower the price he pays by 3D6 +2%, not applicable to rare items and alien technology. Generally, if haggler rolls under his bartering skills percentage, he gets the discount when buying or the better price when he is the one doing the selling or trading. If the price is disputed, the two bartering characters can each make rolls on percentile dice, the highest roll wins and get their price and not a penny less or nickel more. Base Skill: 30%+4% per level of experience. Restrictions: Available only to Adventurer and scholar O.C.C.s.. Mathematics and Literary are not required but helpful, with each adding a +2% bonus to Barter.
Creative Writing: The ability to write prose/stories, poems, and journalistic reports, studies, news, and otherwise entertaining text (including songs at -15%). Taking the skill twice indicates a professional quality and gets a bonus of +10%. Selecting it once indicates a talented amateur. A failed roll means an awkward and poorly written work that is boring and difficult to understand. Try again. Base Skill: 25%+5% per level of experience. Requires: Literacy. This skill does not provide a character with the ability to recite his or her written words with any level of charm. See Public Speaking for that.
Cryptography. Skill in recognizing, designing, and cracking secret codes and messages. The character must study the code for two hours to attempt to break it successfully. A failed roll means the individual must study the code for an additional two hours before he can try to break it again. The character may attempt to break the code sooner, after only 10 minutes of study, but suffers a penalty of -30%. Base Skill: 25%+5% per level of experience. Requires: Literacy.
Electronic Countermeasures. The ability to shield, encrypt and protect electronic transmissions, as well as jamming, scrambling, coding and decoding radio, video and wireless transmissions. This skill also includes knowledge in the use of technology to locate electronic bugs/listening devices and deactivate, undermine and otherwise circumvent them. The use of electronic masking, scrambling and unscrambling equipment, as well as codes to help foil the detection, interception and interpretation of radio and wireless transmissions is all part of this skill. A radio operator who makes a successful scramble roll can transmit coded or scrambled messages without fear that the enemy will intercept or understand his transmission.
Jamming military or police communications can cause unit confusion and disrupt communications. Military organizations breaks down, causing loss of effectiveness to all but the best units. Just about any high powered radio can be used for jamming. Armed with a radio, a small guerrilla unit can completely disrupt the maneuvers of large enemy groups. This skill also enables the radio operator to “follow” the enemy’s attempted transmissions over jammed frequencies to trace their location or direction of travel. This tactic is extremely useful in finding and eliminating bugs, transmission units, surveillance teams on a stakeout, small squads and enemies in distress. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. Requires: Radio: Basic.
Language: Native Tongue: The character has a very good to excellent understanding of his native language. It is not, however, and absolute and total understanding, because there are always words, scientific terms, slang and fancy or outdated words and terms a character may not know. Thus, the necessity for dictionaries, thesauruses, grammar guides and computer spelling programs. Base Skill: 88%+1% per level of experience. Note: An O.C.C. skill bonus usually applies to “other” languages and communication skills, not the Native Tongue.
Language: Other: The character can understand and speak in a language other than his own. Language is one of the few skills that can be selected repeatedly in order to speak several different languages. Each selection gives the character knowledge of one different language, but each language counts as one skill selection. Base Skill: 50%+3% per level of experience.
There are nine major languages in the world of Rifts, and they include:
American (English, the universal language of the American continents).
Techno-Can (Basic but modified American/English used as a universal computer/techno-language in high-tech computer and communications systems. It is NOT a spoken language, but as specialized tech-language developed for technical journal and as a universal computer language.)
Spanish (the second major tongue of the Americas).
Japanese (language of the Japanese Islands and the New Japanese Republic).
Chinese (a language spoken widely across Asia, even well beyond the Celestial kingdom’s traditional borders).
Euro (a blend of Russian, German, and Polish spoken by virtually all humans between England and China).
Dragonese/Elven (the most widely spoken of the “magical tongues,” and a universal language for all magic users).
Gobblely (spoken by all sorts of loathsome and barbaric creatures such as Goblins, Hob-Goblins, Orcs, and Ogres, among others).
Faerie Speak (the universal tongue of all Faeries, though one can communicate with Faeries using Dragonese or Gobblely at -10%).
Across the world there are dozens of additional languages, but they tend to be limited to isolated regions and are much less common than the Big Nine. Demongogian is the language of Gargoyles, Brodkil, Daemonix, Deevils, demons and supernatural beings of all kinds as wall as the minions of Wormwood. In Russia and Eastern Europe, Russian is seeing a huge upsurge and is displacing the use of Euro in many areas. Likewise, in parts of Asia, Mongolian is spoken as well as several dialects of traditional Chinese. There may be a number of dialects in any given geographic area where a language is spoken. The G. M. may apply a -10% to a -20% modifier to one’s Language ability depending on what kind of dialect the character is up against. In the Deep South of North America, the Outback of Australia, and throughout China, for example, regional dialects are practically their own language.
Laser communications: This skill provides the character with an in depth knowledge of advanced electronics, laser communication systems and fiber optic communications. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. Requires: Radio: Basic, Electrical Engineer, and Computer Operation skills.
Literacy: Native Language: The character can read and write the language of his culture. This is usually the common language where he was born and grew up (or had lived most of his life). For example, most of us born in America speak, read and write American English, complete with contemporary slang. English is our predominant language, even if our ethnic heritage has roots in another country (Mexico, Poland, Russia, Cuba, etc.). Reading and writing means the character can read and comprehend the written word, read written instructions, printed books, etc. This skill has no bearing on creative writing. Base Skill: 40%+5% per level of experience. Note: The ability to read and write is a rare and valuable commodity on Rifts Earth. The majority of the world’s population cannot read. Ill-literacy is encourages by the Coalition States (and other Kingdoms) as means of keeping the secrets of the past for themselves, and their people ignorant and under their control. Within the CS, only scientist, engineers, military leaders and the elite aristocracy are literate (typically in American only). Outsiders who can read are looked upon with suspicion or as dangerous freethinkers.
Literacy: Other. The character may read and write one or more different languages, but each language counts as a separate skill selection. American English is the official written language of the Coalition State and North America in general. Note that just because a character can “read” a foreign language does NOT mean he can speak it or understand others speaking it (has only the most basic understanding of the spoken language, catching one or two words out of ten). Usually, only the Rogue Scholar, Rogue Scientist and practitioners of magic can read even one language let alone two or more. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. Note: If a character fails his attempt to read a book (such as a character with Literacy: Dragonese/Elven at 50%), it means the book is currently too difficult for his skill level. The character may again attempt to read the book when his Literacy score changes, such as when it goes up an experience level and gains a +5% bonus.
Optic Systems. Provides expert training in the use of special optical enhancement equipment such as telescopic lenses, laser targeting, thermal imagers, passive light intensifiers, infrared and ultraviolet systems, polarization, light filters, optical scanners, video and digital cameras, holograms and related services. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. Adds a special onetime bonus of +5% to the T.V./Video skill if both are selected.
Performance. The methods and fundamentals used by actors, entertainers, politicians and other public figures to impress and sway the public. A character with this skill knows how to do things with flair. If a skill roll is successful, it works like an attempt to charm, captivate, impress, intimidate, or incense (or motivate) the audience. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level. Bonus: +5% to the Undercover Ops and Impersonation skills. Note: Obvious lies, inconsistencies and evidence to the contrary may ruin the effectiveness of the best performance. G.M.s, use your discretion.
Public Speaking. Training in the quality of sound, tone, pitch, enunciation, clarity, and pacing when speaking to the public. The character speaks loudly, distinctly and in a pleasing manner. Also includes the practice of good, enticing storytelling, dramatic pauses and composition of the spoken word. A successful roll indicates the overall quality and charisma of the speaker and the spoken word; people are enjoying listening to the character. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. This skill adds a +5% to the Performance skill.
Radio: Basic. The rudimentary knowledge of the operation and maintenance of all sorts of radio equipment, including military radio systems, field radios and walkie-talkies, audio recording devices, wire laying, installation, radio procedure, communication security and Morse code. It does not include the ability to make repairs nor operate video equipment. Base Skill. 45%+5% per level of experience.
Radio: Scramblers. Replaced by Electronic Countermeasures, above.
Sensory Equipment: Individuals with this training can operate maintain, understand, and “read” or interpret sensory data from all types of conventional, military, medical and scientific equipment, scanners, and sensory devices. These devices include radar, sonar, motion detectors, surveillance equipment, optical enhancements, industrial gauges, instrument panels, medical monitors (EKGs, CAT scans, etc.), life support systems, and so on. Note that characters without this skill cannot understand or operate advanced aircraft, medical equipment or sensor/detection equipment.
[u]Radar & Sonar Note:[u]The character can expertly use radar equipment (radio echo bounces) and sonar (underwater sound echo bounces) and correctly read the information to precisely locate and track aircraft, ships and submarines, as the case may be. In submarines (and with radar for warships and fighter aircraft) there are two methods or types of operations, passive and active. To use active sonar, the sub must give a pulse of sound to bounce off any nearby ships or objects. This is very dangerous since it immediately gives away the position of the submersible itself. Most vessels will not use active sonar unless absolutely necessary, most rely on passive sonar systems. This is much more difficult since the sonar operator must sift through the background noise to find any enemy targets. Sometimes they will not be able to distinguish the location of a ship from the background static. Despite this fact, passive sonar is used because it does not give away the location of the vessel. -15% skill penalty when using passive sonar or radar. Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience.
Sign Language. This skill is either, a) the universal sign language of the deaf, or b) the military sign language of hand signals used to indicate action, response and combat positions in the field when verbal or radio communication would alert the enemy. Both require line of sight (i.e., one must be able to see the signer). Signing for the hearing impaired required the sender to do a skill check per every 20 words “signed” to successfully transmit his message. Likewise, the interpreter must roll to interpret every batch of 20 words. A failed roll means a misunderstanding to no idea of what has been said. Base Skill: 25%+5% per level of experience.
Sing. The simple ability to read music and carry a pleasant tune. Base Skill: 35%+5% per level of experience.
Surveillance. The use and deployment of bugs and spy equipment, tailing and stakeouts. The character understands the methods, operation, techniques, tools and devices used in surveillance operations. Includes motion detectors, simple and complex alarm systems, audio/visual recording and display equipment, recording methods, amplified sound systems, miniature listening devices (bugs, line tapping, parabolic electronic ears, etc.) miniature “hidden” cameras, and optical enhancement systems specifically as they relate to camera lenses and spy devices.
A failed roll in the use of surveillance equipment means that the equipment does not function as desired, impairing or preventing surveillance; i.e., the bug does not transmit, recording or sound transmissions are garbled, surveillance film is blurred or failed to record, etc.
A failed roll when hiding surveillance devices means the bug does not function and is easily discovered through the course of casual activity.
Tailing, or following someone without their knowledge, is another form of surveillance. This also includes stakeout procedures. A failed surveillance roll indicates that the subject has spotted “the tail” and is aware that he is being followed/observed.
Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. Requires: Basic Electronics or Electrical Engineering, Computer Operation and Literacy (the latter two are needed only for complex, high-tech systems).
TV/Video. In depth training in the use of video, digital and audio recording equipment as well as filming, editing, dubbing, title making, duplication, and transmission. Includes the use of field equipment; i.e., portable video or digital camera and studio equipment. Base Skill: 25%+5% per level of experience.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:28, Wed 22 Feb 2012.
