SKILLS

There are 13 different skills that a player character can learn. These 13 skills are organized into three Primary Skill Areas (PSAs): Military, Technological and Biosocial.

Military skills deal with combat. There are seven different Military skills: Beam Weapons, Demolitions, Gyrojet Weapons, Martial Arts, Melee Weapons, Projectile Weapons and Thrown Weapons.

Technological skills deal with various types of machines. There are three different Technological skills: Computer skill, Robotics and Technician.

Biosocial skills deal with the intelligent races and their surroundings. There are three different Biosocial skills: Environmental, Medical and Psycho-Social.

At the start of the game, each character must choose one Primary Skill Area as his career. The player then chooses two skills for his character. One skill must be from the character's PSA, but the other can be from any PSA. The character starts with Level 1 experience in both skills.

Learning Skills

To learn new or higher-level skills, characters must spend experience points. The experience point cost depends on the skill's level and PSA. The Skill Cost Table shows the costs for each level of skill in the different PSAs. If the skill is from the character's Primary Skill Area, the cost is the number in the column. A character can learn skills from other PSAs, but must pay twice as many experience points for them. Doubled costs are shown in parentheses.

SKILL COST TABLE

A character can learn only one skill level at a time. Skipping levels is not allowed, even if the character has enough experience points to do so.

EXAMPLE: Brango O'Bourke, a Human, has accumulated 10 experience points on adventures. The player decides to spend these experience points to increase Brango's Gyrojet Weapons skill from level 2 to level 3. Brango's Primary Skill Area is Military, so the new level costs him 9 experience points. The player increases Brango's Gyrojet Weapons skill level from 2 to 3 on the character sheet, and subtracts 9 from his experience point total. Brango has 1 experience point left.

Training. When characters learn new skills or increase a skill level, they must be trained somehow. Three methods are described below.

HYPNO-TRAINING. Hypno-training is a teaching system that involves hypnotism, memorization and the use of drugs that improve the mind's ability to learn. A character with enough experience points can learn a new skill or skill level at a hypno-training center in five days (100 hours) for 100 Cr.

TEACHERS. A character with enough experience points can learn a new skill or skill level from another character. The teacher's skill level must be at least two levels higher than the pupil's. A character can learn a new skill or skill level from a teacher in one month.

PRACTICE. Characters with enough experience points can learn new skills or skill levels simply by practicing. This is not always possible, however, especially with skills that require special equipment.

All three of these methods are optional. Some referees may want to ignore this rule, and simply allow players to pick new skills when their characters have earned enough experience points. Training is more realistic, but also more complicated.

Using Skills

Each skill is divided into subskills. Subskills define exactly what types of things a skill lets a character do. For example, Demolitions skill has two subskills: set charges and defuse charges. This means a character with Demolitions skill can set and defuse explosive charges according to the rules listed under those subskills. When a character learns a skill, he automatically learns all of its subskills.

Success Rates. Each subskill has a success rate. The success rate consists of a basic chance to succeed, plus modifiers for the character's skill level. If the success rate for a subskill is "40% + skill level," then the character's chance to use the subskill successfully is 40% plus 10 x his/her skill level.

Some success rates have a second modifier, such as ''60% + skill level - robot level." A character's chance to use this subskill successfully is 60% plus 10 x his/her skill level, minus 10 x the level of the robot he is working on.

Repair

Computer, Robotics and Technician skills allow characters to repair damaged equipment. The success rates vary depending on what is being repaired, but the procedure is the same for all three skills.

If the damaged equipment is repaired in a shop, there is no chance it will break down again on its own. When a repair is made away from a shop ("in the field") with a personal toolkit, there is a chance that the device will break down again. This chance accumulates from day to day; a device has a 10% chance to break down in the first 20 hours, 20% in the second 20 hours, 30% in the third, and so on. When something breaks down, the referee must decide whether the damage is minor, major or total. A minor repair takes 1 d10 minutes, a major repair takes 1d10 hours and a total repair takes 1d10 x 10 hours.



This message was last edited by the GM at 12:33, Thu 02 Sept 2021.

MILITARY SKILLS

There are seven different Military skills. Five of them involve the use of weapons. Demolitions covers the use of explosives, and Martial Arts covers fighting without weapons or with melee weapons.

Weapon Skills

Success rate: 1/2 DEX + skill level

All weapons skills work the same way. Each level of skill adds 10% to the character's chance to hit with that type of weapon. A roll of 96-00 always misses, however, no matter what the character's modified chance to hit is. Each type of weapon has its own skill, and characters must increase their scores separately in each. When a character uses experience points to increase one weapon skill, his other weapon skills are not affected.

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BEAM WEAPONS skill applies to electrostunners, heavy lasers, laser pistols, laser rifles, sonic devastators, sonic disruptors and sonic stunners.

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GYROJET WEAPONS skill applies to gyrojet pistols, gyrojet rifles, grenade rifles, grenade mortars and rocket launchers.

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MELEE WEAPONS skill applies to axes, brass knuckles, chains, clubs, swords, electric swords, sonic swords, knives, sonic knives, vibroknives, nightsticks, polearms, shock gloves, spears, stunsticks and whips.

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PROJECTILE WEAPONS skill applies to automatic pistols and rifles, bows, muskets, needler pistols and rifles, machine guns and recoilless rifles.

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THROWN WEAPONS skill applies to all grenades and thrown axes, knives and spears.

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Demolitions Skill

There are two subskills to the demolitions skill: set charge and defuse charge. Only a character with demolitions skill can legally buy or use explosives or detonators. Tornadium D-19, sometimes called kaboomite, is the standard explosive.

SETTING CHARGES

Success Rate: 30% + skill level

Only characters with demolitions skill can set charges. The number of turns needed to set a charge is the character's skill level subtracted from seven. At 1st level, a character needs six turns to set a charge, but at 6th level he needs only one turn.

If a character fails the skill check to set and detonate the charge, the charge has not exploded and must be re-set. The referee should feel free to have the charge explode prematurely or late.

Charges can be detonated by timer, radio signal or weapon fire. A timer lets the character set a time when the charge will explode. The timer can be adjusted to delay from 1 second to 60 hours. If a chronocom or subspace radio is available, charges can be set to explode when a particular signal is beamed at them. The chance to explode a charge with a radio beam is 10% less than normal. Demolitions experts also can set off a charge with a laser. If the expert hits the charge, it explodes.

DEFUSING CHARGES

Success Rate: 50% + [diffuser's] skill level - [setter's] skill level

A demolitions expert can try to defuse a charge that was set by another expert. Defusing a charge takes one turn, no matter what level the expert is. The expert's chance to succeed is modified by subtracting 10 x the skill level of the person that set the charge. A character can defuse one of his own charges automatically.

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Martial Arts

Success Rate: 1/2 DEX or 1/2 STR + skill level

Martial Arts skill makes a character a better fighter in melee. A character with Martial Arts skill can add 10% per level to his basic chance to hit with his bare hands in melee. The skill also increases the damage caused by a successful bare-hands attack, adding one point of damage per level.

Martial Arts skill also gives the character three subskills: tumbling, defensive throws and nerve combat. Tumbling reduces damage from falling by -1 point of damage per skill level. Defensive throwing lets the character inflict damage when breaking out of a hold. When a character with Martial Arts skill breaks out of a hold, he automatically knocks his opponent down, causing damage equal to his punching score. Nerve combat increases the character's chance to knock out his opponent. The opponent must be one of the four major races. The attacker gains a +1% chance to knock out the opponent per skill level on each attack. Thus, a character with 4th level skill in unarmed combat and a Dexterity score of 40 would knock his opponent unconscious on a roll of 01-06, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60.

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TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS

There are three Technological skills: Computer skill, Robotics and Technician.

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Computer Skill

There are eight separate subskills to Computer skill: Operate Computer, Write Programs, Defeat Security, Bypass Security, Display Information, Manipulate Programs, Interface Computers and Repair Computers.

Computer programs have levels from 1 to 6, depending on their complexity. Computers also have levels from 1 to 6, depending on what programs they hold. These levels are explained in the descriptions of computers in the Equipment section.

Computer specialists get only one chance to try a subskill on a computer. Success is automatic for some subskills under certain conditions. If the computer was built by aliens (not Dralasites Humans, Vrusk or Yazirians) the success rates for the subskills are modified by -20%.

OPERATING COMPUTERS

Success Rate: 100% + skill level - computer level

Before he can use any other subskill, the computer specialist must be able to operate the particular type of computer he is working on. The chance to successfully operate a particular type of computer is 100% plus 10 x the expert's level, minus 10 x the computer's level. A roll of 96-00 is not automatic failure. Once a specialist has operated a computer successfully, he can operate that computer anytime, unless it is modified.

WRITING PROGRAMS

Success Rate: special

Computer specialists learn to write their own programs. For every skill level the specialist gains, he learns how to write one computer program. The player should pick a program from the list of programs in the Equipment section. When a specialist writes a program, its level is the same as his current level, no matter when he learned the program. For example, a computer specialist that learned the Installation Security program at 1st level can write a 4th level Installation Security program when he reaches the 4th skill level. A specialist can continue learning new programs after he reaches 6th level; each additional program costs 4 experience points to learn.

A specialist that knows how to write a particular program can buy that program at half-price for his own computer. He gains a 20% bonus when trying to manipulate that program or detect security on it in any computer.

DEFEATING SECURITY

Success Rate: 60% + skill level - program level

If a computer has a Computer Security program, characters must break or bypass this program before they can perform any other subskill except repair. Defeating a security program involves a decoding process that can take a long time. Characters trying to break security must spend 1-10 hours working at the computer.

Also, before a specialist tries to manipulate a program, he must find out whether the program itself has any security overrides. A security override will sound an alarm if anyone tries to run, alter or purge the program without first defeating or bypassing the security override. A security override is the same level as the computer's security program. The referee should make the roll to detect a security override secretly, since many programs have no overrides on them.

BYPASSING SECURITY

Success Rate: 30% + skill level - program level

A computer specialist can bypass a security program manually by rewiring the computer. This takes only 1dl0 minutes, but has several disadvantages: the chance for success is lower, it requires a robcomkit, and failing the roll will set off every alarm the computer has.

DISPLAYING INFORMATION

Success Rate: 80% + skill level - computer level

A specialist can use this skill to display any information in the computer's memory. It is especially useful for getting lists of programs that are stored in the computer, personal records, and raw, unprocessed data that is loaded and waiting to be fed into a program. A specialist gets a +20 modifier if he is trying to display information about a program he knows. He can automatically display information about programs he wrote in the computer. If a specialist displays an item successfully, he never needs to roll to display it again.

MANIPULATING PROGRAMS

Success Rate: 50% + skill level - program level

A computer specialist has a chance to successfully run a program, change it or purge it from the computer. The normal chance of success is 50% plus 10 x the character's level, minus 10 x the program's level. If the program is one that the character has learned, he gets a +20% bonus.

A specialist can run a program automatically if it is one he programmed into the computer himself, or if he has run it successfully in this computer before.

A specialist may want to alter a program before running it. For example, a life support program will not let someone shut down the life support system or release a poison into the air. The program could be altered, however, so it would let the operator do either of those things. The referee should note that a character usually must run the program successfully after altering it before the changes will have any effect.

This subskill also lets a specialist try to wipe out a program from a computer's memory, either to destroy the program or to make room for a different program. A character can purge a program automatically if he wrote it in the computer.

INTERFACING COMPUTERS

Success Rate: 30% + skill level - computer level

This subskill lets a character try to link two computers together, either by connecting them with wires or through some communication system such as phone lines or a radio link. Once the two computers are linked, the computer specialist can perform all subskills (except bypass security and repair) from either computer. The chance to successfully interface two computers is 30% plus 10 x the specialist's level, minus 10 x the highest of the two computers' levels.

REPAIRING COMPUTERS

Success Rate. 40% + skill level

When computers break down or are damaged, they can be repaired only by a computer specialist. The level of the computer does not affect the specialist's chance to repair it. Computers are repaired according to the standard repair rule.

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Robotics Skill

A robotics expert specializes in robots. Robots are complex. mobile machines that are designed to perform specific jobs. Many types of robots are available. Eight common types are described in the Equipment section. The referee can create new types if he wants them.

The robotics skill has nine subskills: Identify, Add Equipment, Repair, Activate/Deactivate, Remove Security Lock, List Functions, Alter Function and Alter Mission.

If the robot is an alien design, then the robotics expert has a -20% modifier on his rolls to perform these subskills. A character must have a robcomkit to work on a robot.

Robot Levels. There are six levels of robots. A robot's level indicates how complex it is. High-level robots can perform more complicated jobs.

Level 1 robots can do only simple jobs. They have been pre-programmed for some specific job and usually can not do any other job. They can not communicate, and often are nothing more than moving, self-operated appliances. An example of a level 1 robot is a maintenance robot that washes and waxes the floors of a building each night.

Level 2 robots can handle several simple jobs. They can receive and follow radio commands in binary machine language sent from some other machine, such as a robot brain or a computer. An example of a level 2 robot is a heavy machine that digs into and smashes up rock, then separates out flecks of gold.

Level 3 robots can do more complicated jobs. In addition, all robots that arc level 3 or higher can talk and follow verbal instructions. If these instructions disagree with the robot s programming, it will ignore the orders.

Level 4 robots can act semi-independently. Their programs are flexible, letting the robot accomplish specific goals using different methods. When asked, "How do I get to the starport?" one level 4 service robot might give verbal directions, while another might photocopy a city map and mark the proper route on it.

Level 5 robots can act independently and give orders to other robots (level 6 robots can do this also). For example, a level 5 security robot might decide to stop chasing a criminal because the criminal left victims tied up in a burning house. The robot could organize a rescue mission of other robots.

Level 6 robots are self-programming. They can change the methods they use and even their goals to account for changing conditions. They are almost, but not quite, living machines. A robot brain that runs an automated manufacturing plant and alters the manufacturing process in response to changing economic conditions is an example of a level 6 robot.

Missions. All robots have a mission. A mission is a set of rules that tell the robot what its job is. A robot's mission is the most important order it has, and overrides any orders that conflict with it.

Functions. All robots have several functions that tell them how to accomplish their mission. Low-level robots cannot make decisions, so their functions must be very specific statements. Higher-level robots can make decisions for themselves, so their functions can be more general statements.

For example, a level 3 security robot might have the mission: "Stop all unauthorized personnel from entering this building." Its functions could define "stop" as giving intruders a warning, then using the Restrain program to keep them from entering. "All unauthorized personnel" could be defined as any person or machine that is not wearing a special badge. The robot must be given a function that defines "this building," and another that tells it what areas it must patrol to look for intruders. Another function could instruct it to call the police and report the break-in after an intruder has been restrained.

IDENTIFICATION

Success Rate: 100% + skill level - robot level

A robotics expert has a chance to determine a robot's type and level simply by looking at the robot. The chance is 100% plus the specialist's level x 10, minus the robot's level x 10. Once a robot has been successfully identified, the expert can always identify that robot (unless its appearance is changed).

ADDING EQUIPMENT

Success Rate: 100%

A robotics expert can install new equipment on a robot himself and save the 10% installation fee.

REPAIRING ROBOTS

Success Rate 40% + skill level - robot level

Only robotics experts can repair robots. Robots are repaired according to the standard repair rules.

ACTIVATE/DEACTIVATE

Success Rate: 100%

A robotics expert can deactivate (turn off) a robot regardless of its level. The expert also can activate robots that have been deactivated.

However, before a robotics specialist can deactivate the robot, list its functions, remove its security lock or alter its functions or mission, he must get at the robot's internal circuitry. This requires removing a protective plate, which takes one turn. (The plate can be removed in one turn even if the robot is fighting the character, but the character probably will take damage before he gets the plate off.) Once the plate is off, the robot can be deactivated in one turn.

REMOVING SECURITY LOCKS

Success Rate: 70% + skill level - robot level

If a robot has a security lock, the lock must be removed before someone can list the robot's functions or alter its functions or mission. A robot can be deactivated before the security lock is removed. Once a security lock has been removed it can not be used again.

LISTING FUNCTIONS

Success Rate: 90% + skill level - robot level

A robotics expert can learn a robot's exact mission and functions, as well as get a list of all the programs in the robot, by using this subskill.Once a character has successfully listed the robot's function's, he can always list that robot's functions.

ALTERING FUNCTIONS

Success Rate: 60% + skill level - robot level

A robotics expert can change one of a robot's functions at a time. The character must roll separately for each function altered. Changing an altered function back to the original also requires a new roll. Changing a function takes 1 d10 minutes. If the new function violates the robot's mission or requires programs the robot does not have, the robot will ignore the new function.

ALTERING MISSION

Success Rate: 50% + skill level - robot level

A robotics expert can try to alter a robot's mission. This takes 1d10 minutes plus the robot's level. Changing the robot's mission does not affect its functions; these must be altered individually. Once a mission has been changed, changing it back to the original mission requires another roll. If the new mission requires programs the robot does not have, the robot will still try to follow its new mission however it can.

MALFUNCTIONS

If a character fails a roll to remove a security lock or alter a robot's function or mission, the robot can malfunction. When this happens, the referee should roll d100 on the Malfunction Table.

MALFUNCTION TABLE Die Roll Effect
01 - 25 No Malfunction
26 - 50 Program Destroyed
51 - 75 Short Circuit
76 - 90 Haywire
91 - 00 Explosion

No Malfunction -- The robot continues to function normally.

Program Destroyed -- One of the robot's programs (picked randomly by the referee) has been destroyed. The robot can not perform any functions requiring that program. If all The programs in a robot are destroyed, the robot shuts itself off.

Short Circuit -- The robot is still operating, but has been damaged. For example, a robot with a short circuit might stop suddenly every other turn, or rattle and spark while it works.

Haywire -- The robot is completely out of control. It might attack at random, spin in circles, recite the Gettysburg Address, or do anything else the referee thinks fits the situation.

Explosion -- The robot's parabattery explodes, causing 2d10 points of damage multiplied by the parabattery's type to the robotics expert.

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Technician Skill

There are five Technician subskills: Operate Machinery, Repair, Detect Alarm/Defense, Deactivate Alarm/Defense and Open Locks. A techkit is needed for all these subskills except Operate Machinery.

OPERATING MACHINERY

Success Rate: 50% + skill level

Operating a vehicle includes starting it, driving it and using it to do anything it was designed to do. The chance to succeed includes the possibility that the technician may need to bypass a locked ignition to start the vehicle. Obviously, if the vehicle is damaged or out of fuel, it will not start until it is repaired or refueled.

A technician gets one chance to operate an unfamiliar vehicle. If the technician has driven this type of machine before, he can start it and drive it automatically. A technician can try to operate any ground or water vehicle, regardless of his level. At 2nd level he can fly a jetcopter. At 4th level he can fly an aircar, and at 6th level he can operate rocket-powered machines.

REPAIRING MACHINERY

Success Rate: 40% + skill level

Technicians can repair vehicles, large and small machines, and electrical equipment (including video and communication devices). They can not repair computers or robots. Technicians use the standard repair rule.

Besides repairing vehicles that have been damaged in combat, the referee can include mechanical breakdowns on random encounter tables. This is recommended if the characters are on a long cross-country journey, where a breakdown is likely and the nearest repair shop is several hundred kilometers (or light-years) away. When a vehicle breaks down, roll 2d10 on the following table to determine what has happened:

VEHICLE BREAKDOWNS Dice Roll Problem
2 broken axle or hoverfan*
3-5 broken driveshaft or transmission*
6-10 minor engine failure
11-15 minor drive train failure
16-17 broken suspension
18-19 major engine failure, repairable*
20 blown engine, unrepairable**
* This breakdown takes twice as long to repair as a normal breakdown.
**
A blown engine can not be repaired in the field. In a shop, it takes
four times longer to repair than a normal breakdown.

DETECTING ALARMS/DEFENSES

Success Rate: 60% + skill level - alarm level

Technicians have a chance to detect security alarms and defenses. The following table lists the types of alarms and traps and their levels. This same table is used with the Open Lock and Deactivate Alarm/ Defense subskills.


DEACTIVATING ALARMS/DEFENSES

Success Rate: 40% + skill level - alarm level

Once a technician has detected an alarm or defense, he can try to deactivate it. If the character fails, the referee must decide whether the alarm goes off; if the roll was missed by only a small amount, the alarm might not have been triggered.

OPENING LOCKS

Success Rate: 50% + skill level - lock level

A technician can try to open locks without the necessary "key." The level of a lock usually is the same as the level of any nearby security devices, but the referee may change this. The referee should reduce the chance to succeed if the lock is on a safe or security vault.

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BIOSOCIAL SKILLS

Biosocial skills involve the sciences, life and health. There are three Biosocial skills: Environmental, Medical and Psycho-Social.

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Environmental Skill

Environmental Skill deals with relationships between intelligent life and nature. An environmental specialist has training in astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology and geology. There are nine Environmental subskills: Analyze Samples, Analyze Ecosystem, Find Direction, Survival, Make Tools/Weapons, Tracking, Stealth, Concealment and Naming.

When an environmentalist is dealing with an alien or unknown environment, he has a -20 modifier on his rolls to analyze samples or the ecosystem, find direction, track or use survival.

ANALYZE SAMPLES

Success Rate: 50% + skill level

An environmental specialist can analyze atmospheric, biological or geological samples.

An environmental specialist can use a vaporscanner to analyze atmospheric samples. If the analysis succeeds, the vaporscanner will indicate whether the air is breathable or poisonous, and what gases. are present.

The specialist needs a bioscanner to analyze a biological sample. If the analysis succeeds, the bioscanner will indicate what type of plant or animal the sample was, and whether it is edible or poisonous.

A geoscanner can be used to analyze geological samples. If the analysis succeeds, the geoscanner indicates what minerals are present in the sample and the possibility of finding rich ore or gas in the area.

ANALYZING ECOSYSTEMS

Success Rate: 30% + skill level

An ecosystem is the combination of all the plants and animals that make up the local environment, and their relationships to each other. If an ecosystem is upset or thrown out of balance, entire species can become extinct and whole regions devastated by floods, droughts or other natural disasters. One of the environmental specialist's jobs is to analyze local ecosystems and determine whether they are balanced and, if not, to determine what can be done to restore balance. An environmentalist must spend at least 200 hours studying the area to use this subskill.

FINDING DIRECTIONS

Success Rate: 50% + skill level

An environmental specialist can try to find directions in a wilderness without a compass or other aid. If the specialist makes a map or marks a trail (by cutting notches in trees or lining up rocks), his chance to find a direction on that path is increased 30%.

SURVIVAL

Success Rate: 40% + skill level

This subskill gives a specialist a chance to do several things related to survival: find food or water (if any is available in the area), find or improvise shelter, and set or avoid traps. If a trap is set in a built-up area (city, farm community, etc.), there is a 50% chance it will be noticed. This subskill also lets the environmental specialist make a special Intuition check to predict natural disasters.

MAKING TOOLS/WEAPONS

Success Rate: 100% if materials are available

An environmental specialist can make tools and weapons out of stones, sticks, cords, and other natural materials. Only bows, axes, clubs, knives and spears can be made. Only the spear can be balanced well enough to use as a thrown weapon. The referee may allow an environmentalist to improvise tools and weapons from wreckage and scrap parts.

TRACKING

Success Rate: 30% + skill level

An environmental specialist has a chance to follow a creature, person or machine by watching for its trail. This skill works only in the wilderness, not in settled areas. The specialist also can use this subskill to cover his own tracks.

STEALTH

Success Rate: 20% + skill level

Stealth is the ability to move without being seen or heard. This ability is useful for stalking animals, but also can be used to sneak up on guards of follow suspects.

CONCEALMENT

Success Rate: 10% + skill level

Concealment is the art of hiding in natural cover. Once concealed there is an 80% chance the specialist will not be seen as long as he does not move or make noise.

NAMING

Success Rate: 100%

One of the benefits of being an environmental specialist is that when he discovers a new plant, animal, mountain range, sea, etc., he is allowed to name the new discovery.

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Medical Skill

A character that has Medical skill is called a medic. Medics need a medkit to use their skill. Medics diagnose ailments, heal wounds, control infections, neutralize poisons, cure diseases, wake up unconscious individuals and prevent tissue deterioration.

There are nine Medical subskills: Administer Drugs, Diagnosis, First Aid, Minor Surgery, Major Surgery, Control Infection, Cure Disease, Neutralize Toxins and Activate Freeze Field.

If a patient is treated in a hospital or sick bay all Success Rates are increased 20%. If the patient is an animal or an unfamiliar alien, all Success Rates are reduced 20%. These two modifiers are cumulative, so the chance to perform major surgery on an unfamiliar alien at a hospital is normal.

ADMINISTERING DRUGS

Success Rate: 100%

Three drugs are covered under this subskill: stimdose, staydose and telol.

A medic can use one dose of stimdose to wake up an unconscious or stunned character, or to restore 10 Stamina points to a character that was poisoned or contracted a disease or infection. Stimdose can only be given by a medic. If more than one dose is given in a 20-hour period, the second dose has no effect.

A medic can use one dose of staydose to place an individual in a state of arrested animation. A character whose Stamina has been reduced to 0, but not below -30, will be brought back to life by the drug if it is injected within one minute (10 turns) after death. The staydose slows down the character's heartbeat and breathing so he can survive with no Stamina points. If the character's Stamina is brought back above 0 within 24 hours, he will live. If not, the character dies. Only one dose of staydose can be given to a character, until his Stamina is raised above 0.

Telol is a truth drug. Only a medic can administer it correctly. There is an 80% chance the telol will work. If it does, the injected character will answer up to five simple questions, using simple answers. An injected character passes out for 1d10 hours, whether the drug works or not.

DIAGNOSIS

Success Rate: 60% + skill level

A medscanner will give a medic a brief diagnosis. This diagnosis will outline the patient's general symptoms and will identify the ailment as a wound, a disease, a poison or an infection.

Once the medic has a general diagnosis, he can use this subskill to get a specific diagnosis. If he passes the skill check, the medic knows exactly what the ailment is. With this information, the medic can use one of his other subskills to heal the wound, control the infection, cure the disease or neutralize the toxin.

Without a specific diagnosis, a medic can not use a subskill to treat a victim. However, the medic can use the medscanner's general diagnosis as a guide to which drug the victim needs. After the medic gives the injection, the victim must roll his current Stamina or less on d100 to overcome the effect of the poison, disease or infection. If the victim fails this roll, the drug has no effect. A second dose given within 20 hours automatically has no effect.

FIRST AID

Success Rate: 100%

A medic can heal 10 points of wound damage automatically by using one dose of biocort plus any appropriate items from the medkit (local anesthetics, plastiflesh spray, etc.) Only one shot of biocort can be given to a character in a 20-hour period. If a second shot is given within 20 hours, it has no effect. If a character suffered more than 10 points of damage, the medic must use major or minor surgery to heal him completely. Biocort has no effect on poisons, infections or diseases.

MINOR SURGERY

Success Rate: 40% + skill level

Minor surgery can heal up to 20 points of damage. This is in addition to the 10 points that can be healed with first aid. For every 10 points of damage (or fraction of 10 points) that is healed, an additional dose of biocort is required. Minor surgery also uses one dose of anesthetic. If the surgery fails, the patient does not recover any Stamina points and one dose of biocort is used.

MAJOR SURGERY

Success Rate: 20% + skill level

Major surgery can heal any amount of damage to a character. For every 10 points of damage (or fraction of 10 points) healed, a dose of biocort is used. The only limit to the amount of damage that can be healed is the patient's original Stamina and the supply of biocort. If the operation fails, the patient does not recover any Stamina points and one dose of biocort is used up. The medic can try minor surgery on the same patient, if he has not already. Major surgery also requires one dose of anesthetic.Major and minor surgery are effective only on wounds. They can not be used to heal damage from infections, diseases or poisons.

CONTROLLING INFECTION

Success Rate: 50% skill level

Controlling infection requires a dose of omnimycin. If the attempt fails, the omnimycin is used up and the infection is out of control. Infections are rated by their infection strength (S) and duration (D). The infection causes a specific amount of damage every 10 hours. For example, an S6/D8 infection causes six points of damage every 10 hours for 80 hours if it is not controlled.

CURING DISEASES

Success Rate: 40% + skill level

Curing a disease requires a dose of antibody plus. If the attempt fails, the antibody plus has been used up and the disease has not been cured. Diseases are rated according to how they modify ability checks, how long the modification lasts and whether the disease is fatal. The modifier is a negative number and the duration is in 10-hour periods. If the duration is followed by an exclamation mark, the disease will kill anyone it has infected after that length of time unless the disease is treated at a hospital. For example, a -10/D10! disease modifies every ability check the character makes by -10 for 100 hours. The victim will die after 100 hours unless he is treated successfully at a hospital.

NEUTRALIZING TOXINS

Success Rate: 30% + skill level

Neutralizing a poison inside a victim's body requires a dose of antitox. Poisons are rated like infections, according to how much damage they cause and for how long. Poison damage is inflicted every turn instead of every 10 hours, and the duration is in turns. An S7/T9 poison will cause 7 points of damage every turn for 9 turns. Neutralizing a poison stops the poison from causing any more damage, but does not heal damage the poison caused on earlier turns

ACTIVATING FREEZE FIELDS

Success Rate: 30% + skill level

A freeze field is a device that places a body in stasis and preserves it until it can be revived. Only a medic can activate a freeze field correctly. A freeze field must be activated within two minutes (20 turns) after death, or the body can not be revived. Activating the field takes five turns. The process can be interrupted, as long as the field is completely activated within the two-minute time limit. If the medic does not pass his skill check and there is at least one minute left in the time limit, he has two options: he can make a second attempt to activate the field, or he can inject the body with staydose. If the second attempt to activate the field fails, the body can not be revived.

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Psycho-Social Skill

Psycho-Social skill gives a character an advantage when dealing with individuals or groups of intelligent beings. The skill can be used when dealing with any of the major races as well as any other intelligent species the character encounters.

T here are five Psycho-Social subskills: empathy, persuasion, communication, hypnosis, and psycho-pathology. Racial Bonuses. Because Vrusk have the racial ability of Comprehension, they gain +5% on all rolls involving Psycho-Social skill. Dralasites get a bonus of +10 when using empathy, because of their racial ability to detect lies. These modifiers apply only if the character has Psycho-Social skill.

EMPATHY

Success rate: 10% + skill level

Empathy allows a character to get a general impression of the mood and intentions of individuals or groups. In order to use this skill, the specialist must be able to see or hear the individual or group.

The information that a character gains by using this skill is very vague and non-specific. The referee should use descriptions like hostile, curious, cautious, helpful, neutral, etc.

Empathy can be used by a character only once per encounter. If two characters in the group have Psycho-Social skill, each can try to use their empathy subskill.

PERSUASION

Success rate: 10% + skill level

Persuasion lets a character try to convince a person or group to follow a reasonable course of action suggested by the character. The character must explain his plan to the group or person being persuaded. If the character must use a translator, he has a -10% modifier.

A character can try to persuade a group or individual only once. If the character misses his roll by 50 points or more, his audience will get mad and might try to do something that is the opposite of what the character wanted.

COMMUNICATION

Success rate: 40% + skill level

This subskill can be used when a character must communicate with a creature whose language he does not speak or understand. If the character uses this subskill successfully, he can communicate using very simple messages. The referee might force players to use simple messages by restricting them to two-word phrases.

HYPNOSIS

Success rate: 15% + skill level

In order to hypnotize a character, the hypnotist must be able to speak to the subject in a common language without a translator.

If the person being hypnotized is willing, this is the only requirement. If the subject does not realize he is being hypnotized, he gets to make an Intuition check. If he passes the check, the subject realizes what is happening and can not be hypnotized. If he fails the check, he can be hypnotized normally. No one can be hypnotized against his will if he realizes he is being hypnotized.

A character may try to hypnotize only one subject at a time. Hypnotizing someone takes 1d10 minutes. The hypnotist can try to hypnotize a willing subject a second time if the first attempt fails. If the subject is unwilling, the hypnotist gets only one chance to hypnotize him. If the attempt fails, the subject gets to make another Intuition check to realize what has happened.

Hypnosis can be used to give a character a +10 modifier on all rolls to hit in melee. This effect lasts one hour, and can be used on a character only once every 20 hours.

Hypnosis also can be used as an anesthetic. A wounded character that is hypnotized can ignore the wound modifier in combat. This effect lasts 1d10 hours and can be used on a character only once every 20 hours.

A hypnotist's most powerful ability is suggestion. A hypnotized subject will believe almost anything the hypnotist tells him. The hypnotized character will not do something that is against his moral code or religion, but he can be tricked into doing things he would not normally do. The hypnotist must give the subject a good reason to do something unusual, or convince him that the situation is not exactly as it seems. For example, a hypnotized guard will not let unauthorized persons into a restricted area. If the hypnotist tells the guard that he is authorized but has forgotten his pass, the guard will let him in.

PSYCHO-PATHOLOGY

Success Rate: 30% + skill level

Psycho-pathology subskill lets the specialist try to help characters or creatures that are psychologically disturbed. Extreme fright, isolation, or even unusual air and food chemistry can seriously affect an explorer's mental condition. A psycho-pathologist can help characters recover their confidence or forget their traumatic experiences. The specialist also can determine what will reassure or frighten an alien or primitive.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:47, Sat 08 May 2021.

EXTRA SKILLS - MISCELLANEOUS 

APPRAISALS
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level

This skill allows a character to appraise with worth of rare and valuable items (artwork, antiques, books, exotic weapons, etc.) to within 10% of their normal cost.

BLUFF
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level

A bluff is loosely defined as a lie, evasion, or convincing someone that you are something or someone you are not. Any character attempting a bluff who does not have this skill uses Level /0 through Level -X. The more difficult the bluff, the lower the column. A character with this skill is smoother and more confident in his bluff if the bluff is plausible. For example, an Ifshnit saying he is really a magically transformed Osakar is just plain silly. But an adventurer telling a member of a secret society that he is also a member of the society may work. The referee should modify the bluff based on other factors (unknown information, passwords, etc.).

CHEF
Success Rate: Automatic

A character who selects this skill has an unusual knowledge of fine cuisine and how to prepare it. If he desires, the player can roll 1d100 (ignore anything under 20 and over 90) to rank himself against other galactic chefs. Not only can this character how cook a gourmet meal, providing him with a good alternate source of income, but he can also estimate the worth of culinary rarities (spices, cooking utensils, cookbooks, exotic foods, etc.) within 10% of their retail costs.

CLIMBING
Success Rate: Automatic

This skill increases a character's climbing ability (page 20 of the Expanded Rules).  The character now climbs a rope at a rate of 3 meters/turn and vertical surfaces at a rate of 2 meters/turn.  Ifshnits can only move half this distance due to their size.  The character can also use the proper equipment to climb and rappel like a mountain climber.  A character with this skill also learns to use such-sets.

DISGUISE
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level
Pr: Bluff skill of at least the same level

This skill teaches the character the proper use of disguise for the purposes of bluffing. When bluffing while using a disguise, use the Disguise success rate. The level of the Disguise skill for this purpose cannot exceed that of the Bluff skill. For example, a Star Lawman is trying to pass himself off as a hood to gain the confidence of a known felon. He has Bluff Level 3 and Disguise Level 2, therefore he uses the Disguise Level 2 as his success rate to bluff. If he had a Bluff Level 2 and a Disguise Level 3, he still would use a Disguise Level 2 success rate, because you cannot disguise yourself to bluff higher than the Bluff skill. Only when both the Bluff and Disguise Levels are 3 can the character use the Skill Level 4 (Level + 1 Column Shift) success rate.  The Disguise skill includes the proper use of makeup, artificial hair, prostheses, and costumes.

DRAMATICS
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level
Pr: Bluff and Disguise skills of at least the same level

The use of the Dramatics skill is similar to that of the Disguise skill. A character with Dramatics, combined with the Bluff and Disguise skills of at least the same level as the Dramatics skill, can increase his chance of bluffing another character or a group into believing he is someone else. When attempting this type of bluff, the character will use the Dramatics skill success rate. Furthermore, if the character also has a Persuasion skill of at least the same level as his Dramatics skill, he uses a success rate of Dramatics
Skill Level +3 Column Shift.

ENTERTAINING
Success Rate: Special
Note: 1d100 roll establishes character's entertainment level

Each time this skill is taken it allows a character to either learn one entertainment skill (singing, dancing, playing a musical instruments, juggling, etc.) or improve a skill he has already selected.  When an entertainment skill is first selected, the character must roll 1d100 (ignore any rolls below 10 or above 90). This is his proficiency with this form of entertainment. One-tenth of this proficiency (rounded down) is his entertainment level. The entertainment level is used for comparison with other entertainers in the same field, for deciding how much the performer is paid, and as a skill level to distract others (if the entertainment level check is made, the characters are distracted, if only for a moment).  Entertainment skills can be used as cover identities for characters. If the player is good enough, it can also provide him with optional employment.   Certain entertainment skills can have other benefits as well:

     Acrobatics skills help characters form human ladders, walk tightropes, and perform dangerous movements (as entertainment level).
     Tumbling skills increase a character's ability to jump, leap, or vault (distances are increased by 50%).
     Escape Artistry skills help a character slip out of ropes, a straightjacket, handcuffs, or even a cell (as entertainment level). Sometimes a
     Security: Open Locks skill is also needed.
     Sleight of Hand skills (making coins disappear and reappear in someone's pocket, etc.) help a character "palm" and item or pick another
     character's pocket (as entertainment level).
     Storytelling skills are very popular on the civilized worlds (the more languages the character speaks the better). The entertainment level of
     storytelling is used as the success rate when a character is checking on lore (infamous gangster or pirate treasure transported
     somewhere, legendary monsters of a planet, and so forth).
     Gambling is also a form of entertainment, but is using this in a campaign is left to the referee's discretion, as is its use for increasing an
     individual character's income by winning at card, games of chance, etc. Some alien civilizations might even bet credits on the outcome of
     a chess game. In this fashion other games can be used in a STAR FRONTIERS campaign.

If the initial proficiency roll does not provide an entertainment level as high as the player would like it, he can choose the same entertainment skill again and again. Each time the skill is chosen it increases the entertainment skill level by one. Each time the skill is chosen after the initial choice it should be treated as the second level, third level, fourth level, up to a maximum of eighth level, for purposes of skill costs.

FINANCE
Success Rate: Level 5 (60%)

This one-time skill selection gives the character a chance to know the past and present history of mega-corps, their subsidiaries and holdings, to be able to read and prepare financial records and credit ratings, to know how to manipulate credit and financial investments. If the character does not know the information himself, he knows where he can do research to find out, though this can do research to find out, though this can sometimes take months of study. This information includes knowledge of mega-crop bigwigs, underlings, and what private company policies exist.

FORGERY
Success Rate: to forge = 10 % per Skill Level; to detect forgery = 10 % per Skill Level +2 Column Shift
Pr: To forge requires proper tools and materials.

This skill gives a character a chance both to forge passports, signatures, and documents, and detect forgeries. If this skill is combined with the Finance skill, the character also adds currency and stocks and bonds to the list. If this skill is combined with an Entertainment-Artist skill, the character also adds artwork to the list.

GEMOLOGY
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level

This skill allows a character to appraise the worth of rare and valuable gems (which are often used for currency in uncivilized areas) to within 10% of their normal cost. He also is able to trace veins and locations of gems, plus identify their origins by their type and cut.

HAGGLING
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level

This skill gives a character a chance to haggle the price of an item or service down if he is buying or up if he is selling. The normal cost increase or decrease is 10%. If 01-02 is rolled, the increase or decrease is 20%. If 98-00 is rolled, the haggling has exactly the opposite result and the price goes against the character by 20%.

LAW
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level

This skill gives the character complete knowledge of the laws of the planet on which he lives. It also allows him a skill check on all civilized planets to know their laws. Characters who are members of Star Law are completely briefed on planetary laws before they are sent on a mission. Law Level 4 or higher allows the character to legally represent himself or other characters in a UPF court of law.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Success Rate: 20 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Any character can use photographic and holo-vid equipment, but when a difficult shot is needed this skill is a must. It includes knowledge of most types of photographic equipment: film, lenses, filters, lights, etc., how to care for and clean the equipment, and how to set up remote and timed shots. Difficult photographic shots are not just made by reporters tracking down celebrities, they are also made by private investigators and Star Lawmen who need photographic evidence. Any character who wants to be a reporter needs this skill, as most federation and frontier reporting is in a visual medium.

POLITICS
Success Rate: Level 6 (70%)

This one-time skill selection gives the character a chance to know the history and due process of federation and planetary politics. This includes knowledge of political bigwigs, their aids, and how honest they all are. It also gives knowledge of the finer arts of political maneuvering, the basics of speech making, and allows the character a skill check on local politics after he has spent at least one day on a planet.

PUMPING FEDERANIUM
Success Rate: Automatic

This skill increases the amount of weight (in kilograms) a character can carry to one and one-half times his Strength score. If the weight a character is carrying is more than his normal Strength Score, he is encumbered. The movement rate of an encumbered character is cut in half in all terrain. A character with this skill can pick up an object that weighs up to triple his Strength in kg, but can carry it only a few meters. A character who has been pumping federanium (the densest element known) is quite developed and may have trouble fitting into suits and equipment normally designed for his race. This skill must be renewed (as a first-level skill) every six months, as if the character kept in training.

RIDE MOUNT
Success Rate :10 % + 10 % per Skill Level

This skill allows a character to ride a tamed animal trained to carry a rider. The only time a skill check is needed is when a character first tries to mount a new species, when a difficult maneuver is performed, or when a mount is spooked or feels endangered. A character gets two chances to ride a new species of mount. Once his skill check is successful, the character can ride any mount of that species any time. If a character fails both checks, he must wait at least a year or campaign time before he can try to ride that species again.   If a mount is frightened or is directed in a path that if feels is threatening (jumping a chasm, narrow ledge of a canyon, etc.), the rider may have to make a check to maintain control over it. The result area needed by the check depends on the circumstances and is at the discretion of the referee.

RUNNING
Success Rate: Automatic

This skill increases the endurance of a character, who can now run at top speed for a number of minutes equal to his Strength score divided by 5, rounded up. The character then must rest for five minutes before running again. This skill must be renewed (as a first level skill) every six months, as if the character kept training.

SOCIETY
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level

This one-time skill selection gives the character a chance to know the social elite on a federation, planetary, or local scale. This includes knowledge of the rich and famous (including celebrities), what their status in society is, where they are located, what their interests and backgrounds are, social graces and maneuvering, and major social activities. The skill can be invaluable when working undercover or on a specific case. The skill must be taken for every different society, except for the player character's own society, which is Level +X when he first takes the skill. The referee may also decide that it can be a positive column shift modifier when bluffing.

THEOLOGY
Success Rate: 20% + 10 % per Skill Level

This skill gives a character detailed information on one of the thousands of religions and beliefs practiced in the federation and on the frontier.  This includes knowledge of gods and pantheons, taboos, clerical organizations, and the type of structures they use for worship, if any. This skill might add a positive modifier to an attempt to bluff.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:39, Sat 15 May 2021.

EXTRA SKILLS - MILITARY

BODY SPEAK
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level + 40%

This skill allows a character to use exaggerated body movement as a form of communication with others possessing this skill. It is most useful when the characters wish to communicate while keeping completely silent (as in laying an ambush) or at a distance where even shouting cannot be heard but radio silence is desirable. Simple phrases can be used, like "go... city... fetch... doctor." Only characters with Body Speak can understand it. Since body speak uses universal symbols, anyone with the skill can understand anyone else using it. It is sometimes used in diplomatic exchanges until a proper translator can be found.

CONCEALMENT
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level + 40%

Concealment is the art of hiding in natural cover and is usually used outdoors. If, however, the referee decides that, due to unusual structure, decor, lighting, or other factors, the inside of a structure offers enough places for concealment, the character can try to use this skill inside. If a character does not move or make noise once he is concealed, the skill check to remain concealed every turn following is at Level +X.

WEAPONS: POWERED ASSAULT ARMOR
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level + 40%

A character with this skill can use powered assault armor with complete control. P.A.A. will be explained in greater detail in future editions of Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space.

WEAPONS: REPAIR
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level
Pr: Must have the weapon skill before being able to repair it, proper tools

This skill allows a character to maintain and repair a weapon that he knows how to use (has a skill level with that weapon). Since many of the new weapons are technological marvels, their repair may require tools, materials, and time that are not readily available. This depends on the amount and type of damage that was done to the weapon and is left to the referee's discretion.

ENGINEER: MILITARY
Success Rate: 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics Level 2, proper materials, tools, and facilities

This skill gives the character a chance to design and build a new type of weapon. The time, material, and financial requirements, along with the statistics of the weapon (range, damage, energy usage, etc.), are left to the referee. Some other skills may be necessary to use with this skill for certain weapons (Acoustics for sonic weapons, Optics for laser, etc.)

CAMOFLAGE
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  Camouflage is the art of concealing a large area, structure, or vehicles outside in natural cover. A vehicle painted a camouflage coloration pattern can be very difficult to see. A structure that is covered with vegetation and shaded correctly is almost invisible until you get close to it. The use of Tracking to cover tracks leading to the structure or vehicle is sometimes necessary to complete the camouflage. If the skill check is made, then there is no chance for an observer who is far away for flying above to see the camouflaged item or structure. The referee may modify this as he wishes for type of optics used, distance, etc. Any characters inside a camouflaged structure or vehicle are considered concealed. The referee should note that what is camouflage for one terrain type might draw attention in another. The skill check for Camouflage is secretly rolled by the referee. This is because the character will not know if he is successful until someone else spots or misses the camouflaged structure or item.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:52, Sat 15 May 2021.

EXTRA SKILLS - TECHNOLOGICAL

ACOUSTICS
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics, techkit or proper tools and facilities

This skill allows the character to build and repair white noise generators, noise insulators and bafflers, and sonic-protection gear (headphones, helmet liners, and so forth). No more than one item can be constructed per week, but the price in materials is 10% less than the normal item cost. When repairing acoustic devices use the standard repair rule.

COMMUNICATION DEVICES: OPERATE
Success Rate: 20 % + 10 % per Skill Level

Any character can operate a chronocom, radiophone, poly-vox, or progit-linked communication device. This skill allows the character to identify and operate the larger audio communication devices, such as subspace radios, space beacons, and broadcast stations. Operating a comm-device includes turning it on and using it to do anything it was designed to do. It also gives the character knowledge of standard signal codes and jargon used by professional communications men. The chance to succeed includes the possibility that the character may need to bypass a locked power switch. Obviously, if the machine is damaged or unpowered it will not start until it is repaired or repowered.

COMMUNICATION DEVICES: REPAIR
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Communication Devices: Operate, techkit

This skill allows a character to repair all communication devices. This kill does not allow for the repair of vehicles, computers, robots, or machines that are not communications related. The skill is used with the standard repair rule.

COMPUTERS: PROGRAM BODYCOMP
Success Rate: 20 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Computers: Access & Operate, robocomkit

A character with this skill can use the progit re-programmer device to alter or purge a progit. Since progit programs are relatively simple, both the manipulating and writing abilities have been combined into one skill. Once a progit has been purged, a new program can be written into it by the progit re-programmer using another already established progit. It is left to the referee's discretion as to the content and time it would take to write a new progit program. It should not be more complex than any progit already listed. A progit can be erased in one hour.

COMPUTERS: REPAIR BODYCOMP
uccess Rate: 20 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Computers: Access & Operate, robocomkit

When a bodycomp computer or a bodycomp's processor pack breaks down or is damaged, it can only be repaired by a character with this skill.  The size of the bodycomp or processor pack does not affect the character's chance to repair it. Both are repaired according to the standard repair rule.

COMPUTERS: REPAIR MAINFRAME
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level -10 % per computer level)
Pr: Computers: Access & Operate, robocomkit

When a mainframe computer breaks down or is damaged, it can only be repaired by a character with this skill. Mainframes are repaired according to the standard repair rule.

COMPUTERS: REPAIR SPECIALIZED
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Computers: Access & Operate, robocomkit

When a specialized computer breaks down or is damaged, it can only be repaired by a character with this skill. Specialized computers are repaired according to the standard repair rule. 

CRYPTOGRAPHY
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: If a language code or cipher is used, character must know the language it is in.

This skill allows a character the chance to decode an unknown cipher or code. If the code is a specific language, then the character must know the language before attempting to break the code. Almost all of the civilized systems use the same mathematical system for ease of trading and manufacturing, so mathematical codes (which are the most common) are easier to decipher.

ENGINEER: ALTERNATE ENERGY
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics Level 2, proper materials, tools, and facilities

A character with this skill has knowledge of solar, wind, hydro, chemical, fossil fuel, electrical, and planetary thermal generators and plants. This knowledge includes how to use them, how and why they break down, how to repair them, and how to design new generators and power supplies.

ENGINEER: ARCHITECTURAL
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics Level 2, Engineer: Civil

A character with this skill has knowledge of most normal architectural and construction practices, including the location of plumbing, wiring, ventilation shafts, etc. This skill also allows a character to design buildings.

ENGINEER: CIVIL
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics Level 1, proper materials, tools, and facilities

A character with this skill has knowledge of most major methods of road, sewage, canal, dam, harbor, and bridge construction including pipe and sewer layouts and passages.

ENGINEER: HYDRAULIC
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics Level 1, proper materials, tools, and facilities

A character with this skill has knowledge of fluid mechanics and theories, including how to use hydraulic machinery, how and why there are hydraulic leaks, how to repair them, and the how to design hydraulic generators, machines, and power supplies. The time, material, and financial requirements, along with the statistics of a hydraulic machine (use, fluid usage, etc.), are left to the referee.

ENGINEER: MECHANICAL
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics Level 2, proper materials, tools, and facilities

This skill gives the character a chance to design and build normal machinery not covered by other skills. The time, material, and inancial requirements, along with the statistics of the machine (use, energy usage, etc.), are left to the referee.

ENGINEER: NUCLEAR
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Physics Level 3, proper materials, tools, and facilities

A character with this skill has knowledge of nuclear reactors and plants, including how to operate them, how and why there are radiation leaks, how to repair them, and how to design nuclear generators and power supplies. The time, material, and financial requirements, along with the statistics of the nuclear device (use, energy usage, etc.), are left to the referee. 

MATTER TRANSFERAL DEVICES
Success Rate: 20 % + 10 % per Skill Level

A character with this skill has a chance to operate bap bins. Bap bins are matter transferal devices that are relatively new creations. This sound they make when "beaming" cargo or creatures is similar to "bap," hence the name. They act instantaneously, but the character knows he has been bapped. The transferal requires a bin to be at both the departure and arrival point to work. The current maximum range between bins is 5000 km.   The cost of bapping is extremely high, about 10,000 Cr for a one-way trip for a single character.   Techexes who operate these devices for a living must have Matter Transferal Devices skill level 9. A White result on a skill check means that the transferal did not work at all, but the character is safe. It is only on a roll of 98-00 that the item or character being transferred was molecularly scrambled and lost forever.

OPTICS
Success Rate: Skill Level
Pr: Physics, techkit, or proper tools and facilities

This skill enables a character to build and repair optical equipment (scopes, visual aids, etc.). No more than one item per week can be constructed, but the price in materials is 10% less than the normal item cost. When repairing damaged optical devices use the standard repair rule. 

PHYSICS
Success Rate: 30 % + 10 % per Skill Level

A character with this skill is schooled in the science dealing with the properties, changes, interactions, etc. of matter in any form (gas, liquid, solid, and plasma) and energy (electricity, heat, optics, mechanics, etc.) and atomic, nuclear, and solid-state physics.  This also includes knowledge of momentum, velocity, reflection, refraction, and gravity.  Only a physicist can use an Electro-CAS or a Magnetic-CAS.  Physics is a prerequisite skill for other fields of knowledge (Acoustics, Optics, etc.).  In addition, this skill also allows the character to inspect a damaged character, structure, or ground and determine what kind of physical force cased the damage (heat from flamethrower, laser damage, sonic disruption, etc.).

POWER READ
Success Rate: Automatic
Pr: Power read gauge

A character with this skill can check microdiscs, powercylinders, powerclips, and parabatteries for leakage and wear. Using a power read gauge, the character can tell how much energy is left in a power container and translate that information in either minutes of use left if it is powering a device or the number of shots left if it is powering a weapon. The skill also allows a character to use a power recharging device, cutting the cost for recharging by 20%.

ROBOTICS: ROBOPSYCHOLOGIST
Success Rate: 10 % + 10 % per Skill Level
Pr: Robotics: Alter Functions and Robotics: Alter Mission, of at least the same level as this skill

This skill allows a character with Robotics: Alter Functions and Robotics: Alter Mission to use those skills verbally when dealing with the higher levels of robots that can speak, listen, and think. The success rate is that of this skill, but it cannot exceed the level of the Alter Functions or Mission skills. For example, a character with Robotics: Alter Functions Level 2, Robotics: Alter Mission Level 1, and Robotics: Robopsychologist Level 3 would have a chance to verbally later a robot's functions as Skill Level 2 or alter its mission as Skill Level 1 because those are the lowest skill levels for those tasks, even though the character is a third-level robopsychologist. Robopsychology allows the character to speak and argue with a robot and try to tap its memory and learn information from it or get it to change its programmed way of thinking. The robot and character must be able to hear each other and the robot must not be attacked during the conversation. This can sometimes be very dangerous for the character, especially if one of the robot's functions is to eliminate organic lifeforms, capture a robotics expert, etc. On the other hand, some of the higher security robots require so much time taking their progit security plates off and removing security locks that the risk may well be warranted.  A robopsychologist can also detect by conversation if a robot's programming has gone awry or been tampered with. 

EXTRA SKILLS - BIOSOCIAL

ANALYZE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level

  A character with this skill can, if given four turns of observation, make an analysis of whether an animal is aggressive or harmless. Further observations, for 1d10 hours, can also inform the character of whether an animal's den or lair is nearby and what its eating, drinking, and other habits are. For a complete analysis of a creature and how it fits into its surrounding environment, the character would have to use the Analyze Ecosystems skill.

ANIMAL TAMING
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  This skill gives a character the chance to tame a wild animal. Once tamed the animal can only be used as a beast of burden or herd animal, unless the Animal Training skill is used to make it a pet or companion. Some types of creatures are more difficult to train than others. The following creatures have a -1 Column Shift modifier to the skill check: all tiny creatures, giant herbivores, all insectivores, large omnivores and carnivores. Giant omnivores and carnivores require a -2 Column Shift. Monsters, particularly vicious creatures, or Sathar-developed creatures, cannot be tamed. Examples of monsters would be sand sharks, queequeg, and slither, all included in the Star Frontiers Expanded Rules.
Taming a creature can be time consuming and dangerous. The time required depends on its size and type and is left to the referee's discretion.  If a character fails the skill check he must roll 1d100, 01-25 means that the creature attacks the character attempting to tame it.  A character failing a skill check may try again on the same creature after a suitable period of time has elapsed, with a +1 Column Shift bonus (-1 Column Shift if the creature tried to attack the character). Once three skill checks have been missed on the same creature, it is considered untamable.
Taming a creature requires the character with the Animal Taming skill to work with the animal day after day. If he misses more than two days of taming time, the creature returns to its original state. Once tamed, however, an animal remains so unless abandoned. Just because a creature is tamed does not mean it does not require a cage, pen, or corral, it simply means that the creature will not attack unless unusually provoked.

ANIMAL TRAINING (Pr: Animal Taming Level 2, animal to be trained must be tamed)
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  A character making a successful check with this skill can train a tamed animal. Training includes teaching an animal to carry a rider and obey riding commands, to guard a location and only allow known characters to pass, or to follow a command word. Commands are simple instructions such as "fetch," "attack," "return," etc. and simple nouns, like weapon, Vrusk, box, etc. Teaching an animal requires days, sometimes weeks, of work. The time required depends on the intelligence of the animal and what is being taught. 

ARCHAEOLOGY
Success Rate: 10% + 10% per Skill Level

This skill is the scientific study of the life and culture of ancient peoples, through examination of excavations of ancient cities, relics, and artifacts.  A successful skill check allows a character to tell the approximate age of an item, what its use might have been, and what the race was like who used it. This is all subject to varying factors, of course, such as the alienness of the item to the character or cases of extreme antiquity. If an entire site is being studied, a number of successful checks over a long period of time must be made to get an overall picture.

BIOLOGY (Pr: Minimum of Botany Level 2, Zoology Level 2)
Success Rate: Skill levels of Botany and Zoology

  A character who is a botanist and a zoologist can use these skills as a foundation for becoming a biologist (at least two levels in each is required).  A  Biology skill allows for the integration of the two sciences and is an introductory skill of other skills, such as Exobiology and Analyzing Ecosystems.  Furthermore, a biologist will be able to discern information in the following areas from a specimen: organ functions, effects of glands and hormones, chemical makeup, vitamins and proteins, life functions, and parasites. This last ability, parasitology allows the character a skill check to identify parasite, know what kind of animals the will infest, know what diseases they carry, and determine the best way to eradicate them.  Biology Level 2 allows the character to remove glands and sacks from dangerous plants or animals, thus safely retrieving poison or acid.  Biologists of the third level can join the Federation Biological Society, a large and powerful group of scispecs who fund many explorations on known and newly discovered planets.

BIONICS  (Pr: Robotics: Modifications Level 2, Medical Level 3, Medical Treatment: Infection, proper equipment and facilities)
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  A surgeon with this skill can attach a bionic part to a living organism. The most common uses of bionics are as replacements for lost limbs or organs. The time required to heal from such an operation and learn how to use a bionic limb is weeks, sometimes months (referee's discretion).  Both Bionics and Cybernetics will be covered in further editions of Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space. 

BOTANY
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level

  A character with this skill is schooled in the science of plants, their life, structure, growth, classification, etc. Only a character with Botany can name a new plant life form or use a Flora-CAS to analyze a botanical sample.  A successful Botany analysis indicates the type of plant the sample is and whether it is edible or poisonous. A botanist making a successful skill check when inquiring about a plant's potential medicinal or poisonous properties is told which of these uses the plant may have. Any facet of the campaign dealing with plant life should be handled by a botanist or biologist.

CHEMISTRY
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level

  A character with this skill is schooled in the science dealing with the composition and properties of substances, and with the reactions by which substances are produced from and converted into other substances. Only a character with Chemistry can name a new chemical element or synthesis or use a vaporscanner or Atmospheric-CAS to analyze atmospheric samples. A successful atmospheric analysis (skill check) can indicate whether the air is breathable or poisonous, and what gases are present. A chemist making a successful skill check when inquiring about a synthetic medicine, poison, or acid is fully informed on the appropriate properties of the sample and what potential uses they may have.  Any facet of a campaign that deals with chemistry should be handled by a chemist.

COMMUNICATION
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  This skill can be used when a character must communicate with a creature whose language he neither speaks nor understands. If the character uses this skill successfully, he can communicate using very simple messages. The referee might force players to use simple messages by restricting them to two-word phrases. Vrusk possessing this skill receive an additional +10% when using it.

MEDICAL DEVICES  (Pr: Medical Diagnosis)
Success Rate: 10% + 10% per Skill Level 

  This skill allows the character to operate the larger and more complex medical devices like a freeze field, body-jump box, body-gene box, CAT and ultrasound scanners, organ bypass machines, electron microscopes, and so forth.   A freeze field is a device that places a body in stasis and preserves it until it can be revived in a place where proper medical care can be administered. It is the last hope of many a dead character. Only a character with this skill can operate it correctly. A freeze field must be activated within two minutes (20 turns) after death, or the body cannot be revived. Activating the field takes five turns. The process can be interrupted, as long as the field is completely activated within the two minute time limit. If the character does not pass his skill check and there is at least one minute left in the time limit, he has two options: he can make a second attempt to activate the field, of he can inject the body with staydose. If the second attempt to activate the field fails, the body can only be revived through a body-jump box.  A body-jump box comes in many forms, from huge cambers in city hospitals to the small portable units that are carried into the field. A body-jump box is wired to various nerve points of the victim's body and head. When activated, beta particles are forced through the body. If the skill check is made, the "resurrects," though it may have been dead for up to 10 hours. If the skill check is missed, the body could not stand the beta ray bombardment and is completely destroyed.   Damaged medical may be repaired by characters with the Machinery: Repair skill.

CYBERNETICS  (Pr: Bionics Level 3)
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  This skill is quite advanced and is used when a character has enough experience to start building cyborgs (cybernetic organisms). Cyborgs will be detailed in later editions of Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space. 

EXOBIOLOGY  (Pr: Biologist Level 3)
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  A character who is an exobiologist is schooled in the science of totally alien living organisms, that is, life forms that do not resemble known animal or vegetable life forms. Only a character with Exobiology can identify and name an alien life form or use a bioscanner, Flora-CAS or Fauna-CAS to analyze an alien sample. A successful analysis (skill check) will indicate if the alien life form is edible or poisonous and whether it is dangerous to members of the known races. Any facet of a campaign that deals with completely alien biology should be handled by an exobiologist. 

FORENSIC MEDICINE  (Pr: Medical Treatment: All, Biology, Chemistry)
Success Rate: Level +X or Level /0

  This skill allows a character to perform an autopsy on a deceased character or animal and determine what was the cause of death. This information, along with being able to interpret any other signs of violence on the corpse, what the victim ate the day of his death, and determining how long the victim has been dead, can be used as evidence in a court of law. If the character or animal was an unknown alien, then the skill level is reduced to Level /0 and the information may not be accepted as evidence, unless the character is also an exobiologist, in which case his full Forensic abilities would apply.

GENETICS  (Pr: Biology Level 5)
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  A character with this skill is schooled in the branch of biology that deals with heredity and variations in similar or related animals or plants. A geneticist who creates the proper environment and spends an adequate amount of time can cross-breed two similar plants or creatures to create a new plant or creature (like a tiger and a lion forming a liger); the time and environment required is at the referee's discretion. After the fulfillment of the required time, the player must make a skill check to succeed with his experiments.  Even if the experiments work, there is a 10% chance that the creature or plant has an aberration (deformity, psychological instability, etc.) Only a character with Genetics can create a new life form this way and name it. This skill is also necessary in a character specializing in a medical background who wishes to do work on virus research and immunology. Bioengineering, that is genetically "improving" or altering characters or future characters for the purpose of creating a "super soldier," is illegal. It is known that the Sathar have perfected an improved, bioengineered "super Sathar." Any facet of a campaign that deals with genetics should be handled by a geneticist.

GEOLOGY
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level

  A character with this skill is schooled in the science dealing with the physical nature and history of most types of planets, including the structure and development of their crust, the composition of their interiors, individual rock types, the forms of life found in fossils, etc. Only a character with Geology can name a new planet or mineral or use a geoscanner or Geo-CAS to analyze a geological sample. A successful geoscanner analysis (skill check) indicates what minerals are present in the sample and the possibility of finding rich ore or gas deposits in the area. Any facet of a campaign that deals with geology or mineral lifeforms should be handled by a geologist.

GEOPHYSICS
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level

  A character with this skill is schooled in the science that deals with the physics of a planet, including weather, winds, tides, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. and their effects on the planet. Only a character with Geophysics can name a new weather type found on an alien world or use equipment for the purpose of measuring and predicting the weather, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. Any facet of a campaign that deals with geophysics (potential natural hazards, a planet breaking up, etc.) should be handled by a geophysicist.

MEDICAL TREATMENT: VETERINARY  (Pr: Medical Diagnosis)
Success Rate: 40% + 10% per Skill Level

  This skill is identical to Medical Treatment: Wounds I, but is designed for use with animals, not characters. If the player wishes to advance his character's knowledge of veterinary medicine, he can do so by taking the identical skills for medical treatment of characters (Infections, Wounds II, III, & IV, etc.) and switch them to veterinary treatment. Once a medical skill has been designated veterinary it cannot be used to treat characters. The success rates and prerequisites are identical.

MEDICAL TREATMENT: WOUNDS IV  (Pr: Medical Level 1, medkit or proper medical facilities)
Success Rate: 10% per Skill Level

  This skill is the equivalent of surgery and is absolutely necessary for the treatment of broken bones, massive lacerations, ruptured organs, tumor removals, amputations, etc. All of this is left to the referee's discretion and these occurrences should be rare, but when they do happen the character must receive surgery or die. Wounds II or III can set a broken limb and minor surgery can be put off for a while, but in many cases, especially those dealing with internal injuries, major surgery is required within a few hours.  Wounds IV brings the character up to a surgeon's level of expertise and is required for some other skills, such as Bionics and Cybernetics.

STABLE MOUNTS  (Pr: Ride Mount)
Success Rate: Automatic

  A character with this skill knows the proper case, feeding, and stabling of mounts. In addition, he knows the best way to hobble or protect mounts during times of sudden danger (dust storms, thunderstorms, blizzards, etc.).

ZOOLOGY
Success Rate: 20% + 10% per Skill Level

  A character with this skill is schooled in the science of animals, their lives, structure, growth, classification, etc. Only a character with Zoology can name a new animal life form or use a bioscanner or Fauna-CAS to analyze a zoological sample. A successful bioscanner analysis (skill check) indicates the type of animal and whether it is edible or poisonous. A zoologist making a successful skill check when inquiring about an animal's potential medicinal or poisonous properties can tell which of these properties the animal may have. If the medicinal or poisonous properties lie in a gland or sac within the animal, only a character with Biology Level 2 can safely remove them. Any facet of a campaign that deals with animal life should be handled by a zoologist or biologist.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:16, Wed 23 Mar 2022.