Skill Groups

Characters begin the game as one of four Professions or with a set of Practical Skills.  The four professions are Military, Natural Sciences, Classical Education or Medical.  The Practical skills cover all of the other trades, hobbies, languages etc available in this time period.

Throughout the game all characters will be able to learn skills from any group provided you have the per-requisites, X Points, a teacher or some other means to develop the skill, perhaps through trial and error, books, practical experience etc.

Professional Characters

A Professional character begins the game with 3 professional skills, 2 of these skills must be from their profession, the third skill can be from any of the four professions.

Professional characters also begin the game with 1 vocational or hobby skill and 1 language skill.

Each Profession also has automatic skills that charcaters begin with, depending on their Profession as outlined below.

Practical Characters

Non-professional characters begin the game with 1 professional skill and two level 2 practical skills (Vocational or Hobby) as well as two level one vocational, hobby or language skills.  Practical characters must have at least one Hobby skill and one Vocational skill (1st or 2nd level).

Due to the physical demands of living as a commoner in this day and age, all Practical Characters gain an additional 5 points on their Strength or Stamina.

Languages

All characters begin the game with a native language however they will only be literate (reading & writing) if they also choose the literacy language skill.

Professional Skills

The four Professions are Military, Natural Sciences, Classical Education or Medical.
Each of these skills cost 2 X points per skill level to learn if it is part of your profession or 4 points per level if it is not your profession.

Military characters automatically start with MELEE WEAPONS Level 1
Natural Sciences characters automatically start with FINDING DIRECTIONS & NAMING Skills
Classical Education characters automatically start with LITERACY and SOCIETY Level 1 Skills
Medical characters automatically start with ADMINISTERING DRUGS & DIAGNOSIS Skills level 1

Military Skills

Success rate: 1/2 DEX + 10%/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.

MUSKETRY - PISTOLS skill applies to all types of pistols.

MUSKETRY - RIFLES skill applies to all types of rifles and shotguns.

ARCHERY skill applies to all types of bows and crossbows.

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

MELEE WEAPONS skill applies to axes, brass knuckles, chains, clubs, swords, knives, nightsticks, pistol and rifle butts, bayonets, spears and whips.

Success rate: 1/2 DEX or 1/2 STR whichever is greater + 10%/skill level

DEMOLITIONS SKILL

There are two subskills to the demolitions skill: set charge and defuse charge. Only a character with demolitions skill can use explosives or detonators. Blackpowder is the standard explosive.

SETTING CHARGES

Success Rate: 30% + 10%/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 a fuse or weapon fire. A fuse lets the character set a time when the charge will explode. The fuse can be adjusted to burn from 1 second to 60 seconds. Demolitions experts also can set off a charge with a rifle. If the expert hits the charge, it explodes.

DEFUSING CHARGES

Success Rate: 50% + [diffuser's] 10%/skill level - [setter's] 10%/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.

MARTIAL ARTS

Success Rate: 1/2 DEX or 1/2 STR + 10%/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.

Classical Education

Classical Education gives a character an advantage when dealing with individuals or groups of intelligent people. These skills can be used when dealing with any nationality the character encounters.

EMPATHY: Success rate: 40% + 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 Classical Education skill, each can try to use their empathy skill.

PERSUASION: Success rate: 40% + 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 -20% 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% + 10%/skill level

This skill can be used when a character must communicate with someone whose language he does not speak or understand. 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.

BLUFF: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/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 has a base chance of 5-20%. The more difficult the bluff, the lower the chance. A character with this skill is smoother and more confident in his bluff if the bluff is plausible. 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)

HYPNOSIS: Success rate: 20% + 10%/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.

LITERACY: Success Rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

Literacy. A character with this skill can read and write any language he can speak, including Indian languages. The referee can require a skill check in cases where the written material is complicated or the character doesn’t get much practice.  A character with this skill begins the game with 1 book per skill level.

SOCIETY: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level + 20% for Home Town/City

This skill gives the character a chance to know the social elite in a city, town, or village.  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 20% higher. The referee may also decide that it can be a positive modifier when bluffing.

POLITICS: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

This skill gives the character a chance to know the history and due process of various jurisdictions. 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 they has spent at least one month in a city or country.

LAW: Success rate: 60% + 10%/skill level

This skill gives the character complete knowledge of the laws of the land in which they live.  It also allows them a skill check on all civilized lands to know their laws.  Characters who are members of law enforcement or Diplomats are completely briefed on local laws before they are sent on a mission.  A character with this skill is trained to serve as both lawyers and judges. A skill check can serve to determine whether the character knows the legalities of a situation, whether he can adequately defend or prosecute a suspect, or pass a judgement that is both fair and satisfactory to the crowd.

FINANCE: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

This skill gives the character a chance to know the past and present history of corporations, 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 them-self, they know where they can do research to find out, though this can sometimes take months of study. This information includes knowledge of corporation bigwigs, underlings, and what private company policies exist.
A character with this skill can work as a bank clerk, accountant, store clerk, railroad ticket agent, stock broker or in another position that involves using math and handling money.  He has a fair amount of business sense.

Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences Skill deals with relationships between intelligent life and nature. An Natural Sciences specialist has training in astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology or geology.

When a Natural Scientist is dealing with an 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% + ski10%/skill level

A Natural Scientist can analyze atmospheric, biological or geological samples. An environmental specialist can use a variety of scientific equipment to analyze samples. Canaries for gases in mines.  Microscopes to examine biological samples. If the analysis succeeds, it can indicate what type of plant or animal the sample was, perhaps whether it is edible or poisonous.  For geological samples, if the analysis succeeds, it indicates what minerals are present in the sample and the possibility of finding rich ore in the area.

ANALYZING ECOSYSTEMS: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/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 skill.

BIOLOGY:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisites: Botanist 2 & Zoologist 2

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 Analysing 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 Biological Society, a large and powerful group of scientists who fund many explorations to known and newly discovered lands.

BOTANY:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisite: Literacy

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 analyse 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.

CARTOGRAPHY: Success Rate: 50% + half LOG
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisite: Literacy

The job of surveying and mapping is both vital (via the railroad and telegraph) and dangerous (since the areas being surveyed were generally pretty wild). A skill check determines the accuracy of the character’s mapping or survey measurements.

FINDING DIRECTIONS: Success Rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

A Natural Scientist 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% + 10%/skill level

This skill 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 skill also lets the environmental specialist make a special Intuition check to predict natural disasters.

MAKING TOOLS/WEAPONS: Success Rate: 80% + 10%/skill level if materials are available

A Natural Scientist 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.

NAMING: Success Rate: 100%

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

ZOOLOGY: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisite: Literacy

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. 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.

CHEMISTRY: Success Rate: 40% + half LOG
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-requisite: Literacy

This character is educated in the chemical sciences, including pharmacy. They can mix and identify simple chemicals (bicarbonate of soda) automatically. More complicated procedures require a skill check. In any case, the character cannot produce any chemical without the proper ingredients. Even with this skill, no one can make gunpowder from cotton balls and wood shavings. However, in an emergency the referee may allow a skill.

GEOLOGY: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisite: Literacy

A character with this skill is schooled in the science dealing with the physical nature and history of the land, including the structure and development of the terrain, the composition of the landscape, individual rock types, the forms of life found in fossils, etc. Only a character with Geology can name a new mineral or analyze a geological sample. A successful 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 minerals should be handled by a geologist.


Medical Skill

A character that has Medical skill is called a doctor, nurse, medic or corpsman. Medics need a medical kit 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 skills: Administer Drugs, Diagnosis, First Aid, Minor Surgery, Major Surgery, Control Infection, Cure Disease, Neutralize Toxins and Medical Research.

If a patient is treated in a hospital or sick bay all Success Rates are increased 20% for Minor Surgery and 10% for Major Surgery. If the patient is an animal or an unfamiliar alien, all Success Rates are reduced 20%. These two modifiers are cumulative.

Natural healing in this medieval society is not great, 1 point recovered every 2 days of rest.

ADMINISTERING DRUGS: Success Rate: 100%

The drugs that are covered under this skill include: ether, smelling salts, laudanum, alcohol and antiseptics.

A medic can use one dose of smelling salts to wake up an unconscious or stunned character, or other remedies to restore 10 Stamina points to a character that was poisoned or contracted a disease or infection. A medic can use one dose of ether to place an individual in a state of unconsciousness.

DIAGNOSIS: Success Rate: 60% + 10%/skill level

This skill 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, they can use this skill to get a specific diagnosis. If they pass the skill check, the medic knows exactly what the ailment is. With this information, the medic can use one of their other skills to heal the wound, control the infection, cure the disease or neutralize the toxin.

Without a specific diagnosis, a medic can not use a skill to treat a victim. However, the medic can use the general diagnosis as a guide to which drug the victim needs. After the medic gives the injection, the victim must roll their 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 appropriate items from their medical kit (local anesthetics, bandages, splints etc.) FIRST AID can only be given to a character once. If a second attempt is made, 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. After being treated with First Aid a character will naturally heal 1 point per day.

MINOR SURGERY: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

Minor surgery can heal up to 20 points of damage and can be performed in the field. This is in addition to the 10 points that can be healed with first aid. Minor surgery also uses one dose of anesthetic.  If the surgery succeeds, the patient heals an additional 10 points per week for 2 weeks (total of 20 points).  If the surgery fails, the patient does not recover these additional Stamina points.

MAJOR SURGERY: Success Rate: 20% + 10%/skill level

Major surgery can heal up to 50 points of damage to a character however it cannot be performed in the field, only indoors with access to facilities i.e. hot water, operating table, instruments and assistants.  For every extra 10 points of damage (or fraction of 10 points) healed, in addition to natural healing of 1 point per day, a week of rest is required.  If the operation fails, the patient does not recover any additional Stamina points.  The medic can try minor surgery on the same patient, if they have 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% 10%/skill level

Controlling Infection checks may be required after any patient has been exposed to unsafe environments including Surgery in unsanitary conditions (not a hospital or aid station), wounds inflicted by infectious weapons, or failed surgery attempts.

Controlling infection may require a dose of penicillin, use of clean bandages and boiled instruments or combinations of these techniques.  If the attempt fails, the consumables are 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% + 10%/skill level

Curing a disease requires a dose of the vaccine. If the attempt fails, the vaccine 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% + 10%/skill level

Neutralizing a poison inside a victim's body requires the correct anti-venom. 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

MEDICAL RESEARCH:  Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level

Anything from developing prosthetic limbs to researching cures, vaccines and new medical treatments.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:47, Mon 25 Oct 2021.

VOCATIONAL, HOBBY & LANGUAGE SKILLS

To learn additional Vocational, Hobby or Language skills or levels costs 1 X Point skill level and requires a teacher or other means to learn the skill i.e. practical experience, books etc.

Characters with Vocational or Hobby skills begin the game with up to three tools relating to their skills i.e. a carpenter may begin with a hammer, a hand saw and an auger.  A bricklayer may have a trowel or a Chef a carving knife a ladle and a cooking pot.

VOCATIONAL SKILLS

BAKER: Success Rate: 60% + half INT
Training Time: 3 months

This character is qualified to work as a baker. With a skill of 80 or higher, they could work as a desert chef in a restaurant or hotel.

BAR/SHOP KEEPER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 month,  Pre-requisite: Literacy

This character is skilled at all the various aspects of tending bar, from the simple (pouring a shot of whiskey without spilling) to the complex (telling some lout what his problem is without making him
mad). They know how to make a wide variety of mixed drinks, judge good whiskey from bad, and make bad-tempered men happy.
Shop Keepers know all there is to know about running a general store, maintaining stock levels, keeping abreast of the latest goods available within their area/society and offering customer service.

BLACKSMITH: EQUINES: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

This skill is used to make and fit horseshoes and to make stirrups, bits and horseshoe nails.

BLACKSMITH: MAKE TOOLS: Success Rate: 70% + 10%/skill level

The smith was a multi-faceted craftsman, whose responsibilities ran far beyond shoeing horses. In remote areas he could be called upon to fix or manufacture almost anything from metal: horseshoes, ploughs, knives, buttons, shovels, hammers, hinges, bathtubs, and barber chairs. A skill check determines whether an item can be repaired, and whether the work turns out properly.

BLACKSMITH: MAKE/REPAIR MELEE WEAPONS: Success Rate: 70% + 10%/skill level

Swords, maces, axes and knives are among the weapons a blacksmith can make or repair in a fully outfitted smithy with a furnace, anvil, tongs and other tools and materials needed for the art of blacksmithing.  The time required to make or repair these items will depend on the complexity of the item and the level of the Blacksmith.

BOAT BUILDER: Success Rate: 40% + half DEX
Training Time: 3 months

The boat building skill allows a character to construct all sorts of watercraft, up to a maximum size of 60 feet long. Larger vessels require the skills of a character with a skill level of 4 or more.  The time period required to build a boat depends on its size. As a general guide, the boat requires one week of construction time per foot of length. Two characters with boat building skill cut this time in half; three reduce it to one third, etc. A maximum of one Boat wright per five-foot length of the boat can work on the vessel simultaneously.  The basic boat includes the hull, masts, deck, and benches as required. Additional features such as a cabin or sealed hold add about a week apiece to the construction time. Characters without boat building skill can aid the Boat wright in construction, but it takes two such characters to equal the time savings that one additional skilled Boat wright would provide.

BREWER: Success Rate: 80%
Training Time: 3 months

A brewer or wine maker can make a passable ale or wine with the right ingredients and facilities.  A skill check is required to brew a high quality draught of beer or wine.  A failed skill check of 95-00 means the end product is over-proof, potentially even poisonous.

BRICK LAYER/STONE MASON: Success Rate: 40% + half STR
Training Time: 3 months

A character with this skill is able to build structures from brick or stone in such a fashion that they last for many years. The stones are often, but not always, mortared together. A stonemason equipped with chisels, hammers, wedges, and a block and tackle can build a section of wall one foot thick, 10 feet
long, and five feet high in a day.  On larger projects, several skill checks should be made, one for each stage of the work. When building a house, for example, one check could be made to determine whether the foundation was laid correctly, a second to check the walls are straight and vertical, and a third for the roofing. Failure does not necessarily mean that the whole job is flawed, but some part of it probably needs to be done over.

CARPENTER: Success Rate: 40% + half DEX
Training Time: 3 months

This character is trained to build wooden buildings, furniture, toys, and equipment. If the character tries to build something small, a single skill check at the end determines whether it turned out right (on a bad roll, for example, the lid of a chest might not fit quite right). On larger projects, several skill checks should be made, one for each stage of the work. When building a house, for example, one check could be made to determine whether the frame went up all right, a second to check the exterior appearance, and a third for the interior finishing. Failure does not necessarily mean that the whole job is flawed, but some part of it probably needs to be done over. A carpenter can also repair wooden items that have been damaged.

CHARCOAL MAKER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

With this skill a character can build and use a kiln to dry and burn the impurities from hardwood to produce charcoal which can then be used as fuel for various types of furnaces.

CHEF: Success Rate: 60% + half INT
Training Time: 3 months

This character is qualified to work as a trail cook or short-order cook. With a skill of 80 or higher, they could work as a chef in a restaurant or hotel.

COOPER (Barrel Maker): Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

With this skill a character can make wooden casks, barrels, vats, buckets, tubs, troughs and other similar containers from timber staves that are usually heated or steamed to make them pliable.  Journeymen coopers also make wooden implements, such as rakes and wooden-bladed shovels.  In addition to wood, other materials, such as iron, are used in the manufacturing process.

COWBOY: Success Rate: 50% + half DEX
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-requisite: Ride Mount

Herding, cutting out, branding, and rounding up are all among the skills essential to cow punchers. This skill can be used in a specific case where something needs to be done with one or more cattle. It can also be used in a general way, once every two or three days on a cattle drive, to determine whether a cowhand does something foolish, embarrassing, or dangerous.

FARMER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

This character probably was raised on a farm. He knows about planting, harvesting, and tending crops, as well as raising cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, or any other farm animals the player chooses.

FINANCE/BANKER: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level

A character with this skill can work as a bank clerk, accountant, store clerk, railroad ticket agent, stock broker or in another position that involves using math and handling money.  He has a fair amount of business sense.  This skill also gives the character a chance to know the past and present history of corporations, 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 themself, they know where they can do research to find out, though this can sometimes take months of study.

FISHER: Success Rate: Half INT +10%/skill level
Training Time: 1 months

The character with this skill is proficient in the art of fishing, both with a hook and line and with a net. For each hour that the character spends fishing, he can make a skill check. Failure means that no fish are caught. A successful check means that at least one fish is caught. To determine the number of fish, roll percentiles. 01-40 = 1 fish, 41-80 = 2 fish, 81-00 = 3 fish.  One fish provides 1/2 of the daily rations needed to feed a single character. The referee can modify this amount to reflect the sizes and types of fish that are caught. Of course, if an area contains no fish then none are caught, regardless of the character’s rolls.  The referee can also modify the time required for the skill checks to reflect how many fish are in the area. The check might be made every turn, for example, in a crowded pool, while it might only be allowed after six hours of fishing in an area where the fish are few and far between.

GLASS BLOWER: Half DEX + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months

With this skill a glass blower can creates designs ranging from simple to complex, using molten glass. Glass jars and vases, jewellery, art work, and figurines all may emerge from the end of a narrow tube, the skill and tools of the glass blower determining the final shape of the glass.  Basic items such as jars and vases can be produced by any trained glass blower however more complex items and artwork require a successful skill check.

HUNTER/TRAPPER: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level

This skill allows a character to hunt or trap wild game for food.  They can make and set snares for smaller creatures, dig concealed pits with stakes for larger creatures or use baits and animal traps for either.  A successful skill check will usually produce enough food for a hunter and up a dozen or more people per day.  A character can make a skill check twice per day, morning and afternoon.

IRON WORKER: Success rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

A character with this proficiency can operate a smelter, which is essentially an extremely hot forge. Using this forge and the occasional application of certain liquids, including water and acids, the smelter separates the metal from the rocky ore with which it is usually mined. The amount of ore that can be processed is more a function of the size of the smelter than the character's working rate. A small smelter can process ore as fast as four miners can produce it. A medium smelter can process the ore excavated by up to 20 miners. A large smelter can process the ore excavated by up to 100 miners

LEATHER WORKER: Success rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

This proficiency allows a character to tan and treat leather, and to make clothing and other leather objects. The character can make leather armour, as well as backpacks, saddlebags, saddles, and all sorts of harnesses.

LUMBERJACK: Success rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

A lumberjack can cut, fell and transport trees to sawmills for processing or unprocessed logs can be used for fortifications, log cabins and other structures.  A lumberjack can also assist with the design and operation of a sawmill.

MILLER: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level

This skill allows a character to build and operate a mill for the purpose of grinding wheat to flour.  The character will understand the ratio of wheel size and millstone to power their mill, the best location along a stream or river to construct a mill and the preferred stone for carving a millstone.  If no water course is available to power the mill, the character will also know how to design a mill using manual labour or even steam power.

MINING/PROSPECTING: Success rate: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level

A character with this skill is needed to find a site for a mine, and to supervise the operations of the mine This skill is required to locate oil, iron, copper, gold, or other valuable minerals and recover them safely. Skill checks can determine whether a mine shaft was dug safely, whether anything is found in the mine (modified, of course, by whether there’s anything there in the first place), and whether the character even recognizes something of value when he sees it.  If a character is operating a mine, a weekly skill check determines whether their work is paying off.  Again, the size of the payoff is up to the referee, based on the richness of the area.

PRINTER/JOURNALIST/WRITER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-requisite: Literacy

This character knows every aspect of the publishing trade, from writing to editing to typesetting to printing. They are qualified to run a newspaper of their own, file stories to a paper, or even write dime westerns. Skill checks can be used to determine whether a story was gripping and compelling, whether the character can get all the information they need for a story, and as a general guide to how good a writer the character is.

SAILOR: Success Rate: Half DEX + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months

A character with this skill has learned how to handle small water craft-those that ply rivers and lakes and remain close to shore when on seas. These include canoes, rafts, hide boats, rowboats, and the like. In addition, the character can build a reliable raft from local materials (should they ever be stranded on a river island, for example). At 2nd level they can handle such craft on the open waters of the ocean.  At 3rd level the character is skilled and knowing of sea-going vessels, these include junks, sampans, galleys, sailing ships and steam ships and they can serve as a sailor on these. At 4th level the character has learned the art of navigating by the stars, studying currents and watching for tell-tale signs of land, reefs, and hidden dangers. This is not a particularly effective skill on land. At sea, a successful die roll by the navigator reduces the chance of getting lost by 20%.

TAILOR: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months

Anyone who was anyone at this time wore tailor-made clothes. Clothes bought off the rack came complete with sharp creases, which were a dead giveaway of either cheapness or lack of funds. Tailor-mades, on the other hand, were always fashionably rumpled. A tailor can make, fit and alter clothing of any style, as well as recognize the value (and possibly even the region of manufacture) of a piece of clothing or an outfit.

THEOLOGY/PREACHING: Success Rate: 40% + half PER
Training Time: 3 months

This skill is essential to the stump-riding circuit preacher as well as to the selfless missionary. Successful skill checks can bring people into worship services or hold them enthralled with the power of the word. Preachers, ordained and otherwise, were always in demand, to minister to the faithful, read over the dead and dying, and grant blessings on endeavours of every kind. Literacy is not a prerequisite for this skill but it is highly recommended.

HOBBY SKILLS

ANIMAL TAMING: Success Rate: Half PER +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months

Characters trained in animal taming are skilled in the care and taming of animals. This includes dogs, wild cats, small birds, and other animals commonly trained for work or amusement.  Wild animals can be tamed only when they are young. Taming requires one month of work with the creature (although the character can also undertake other activities during this time). At the end of the month, a die roll is made. If it is passed, the creature is tamed and suitable for training. If the die roll fails, the creature still retains enough of its wild behaviour to make it unsuitable for training. Such creatures can still be kept, although they have to be constantly caged or chained.  Skill in this area enables a character to exercise a greater-than-normal degree of control over pack animals and beasts of burden. A successful skill check indicates that the character has succeeded in calming an excited or agitated animal; in contrast, a character without this skill has only a 20% chance of succeeding in the attempt.

ANIMAL TRAINING: Success Rate: Half PER +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months

  Tame creatures can be trained to perform simple tasks; fetching, hunting for their master, herding sheep,
etc. Each task takes from 1d10+2 weeks of training. Again, the character can engage in other activities during this time. Furthermore, the referee can rule that the training takes a greater than normal time if they feel the task is difficult or can divide the task into several smaller tasks. At the end of the training, the success is checked for. If the attempt is a failure, the creature cannot be trained in that task. Each creature can learn 1d5 different tasks. Once trained, the creature must be regularly exercised in those tasks it knows, using them at least once a week. Failure to do so results in the creature losing the ability to do that task.
  A character with this skill must declare what type of creature he will specialize in at the time the proficiency is first gained. Common examples include horses, dogs, falcons, pigeons, or elephants. A character can select a more exotic species if they wish.  Additional skill levels gained add another type of animal that the character is able to train.
  An animal trainer can have up to six animals in training - at a given time. Typical roles include guarding and attack (for dogs), riding (for horses), and heavy labour (for elephants). Such training grants a +10 modifier to the character’s Proficiency Check at the end of the training period.  Animals that have been trained in their typical areas can occasionally be given additional training to increase the number of functions that they can perform. Such additional training requires another 1d10+2 weeks of training, and an animal trainer can work with no more than three animals during this type of training. Examples of additional training include training elephants, horses, or dogs for war, and training falcons to retrieve specific objects. The referee must decide the chance of success if a character attempts to train an animal to perform a task at the very limits of possibility.  After the advanced training period is over, the character must make an unmodified skill check for each animal trained. Success means that the animal can perform the advanced tasks it has been taught.

APPRAISALS: Success Rate: 20% + 10%/skill level

This skill lets a character assess the value of gold, gems, and other minerals.  They are qualified to work in a government or private assaying office. They can identify fool’s gold automatically, and a skill check
will let them identify a metal or mineral, spot a counterfeit coin (if they handle it), or judge the value of cut or uncut gems.

BLUFF: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level

As described above.

CLIMBING: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 month

This skill increases a character's climbing ability.  The character now climbs a rope at a rate of 3 meters/turn and vertical surfaces at a rate of 2 meters/turn.  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.

CLOCK/WATCHMAKER: Success Rate: 40% + Half DEX

With this skill a character can make and repair clocks and watches if they have access to the appropriate tools and materials.  Simple repairs can be completed within a day however carving a wooden clock from scratch could take a craftsman up to a week and a pocket watch several weeks or more.

CONCEALMENT: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 1 week/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.

DISGUISE: Success Rate:  Half PER +10%/skill level

The character is trained in the art of disguise and can make themself look like any general class of person of about the same height, weight, and age as themself. This is useful for appearing as a merchant, peasant, or other harmless character. They can also try to disguise themself as a member of the opposite sex, although his chance of success is reduced by half. In addition, a character can disguise themself as a specific person and pose as them. Once a character fails to impersonate a specific person, they can never succeed at impersonating that person. The chance to impersonate a specific person is one-half the normal disguise percentage. If the character can closely observe the character they intend to impersonate for at least one month, however, the chance of success is normal.

DRAMATICS: Success Rate: 40% + Half PER
Training Time: 3 months

This character has at least some talent and/or experience as an actor. Their skill score gives a measure of their general worth in this regard, as well as their chance to deliver a pleasing and convincing performance.

ENTERTAINER: Success Rate: 40% + half PER
Training Time: 3 months

This character has some talent at singing and dancing. Or, if the player prefers, the character could be a stage magician, a comic, a storyteller, a puppeteer, or any other sort of entertainer (except an actor, which is covered by Dramatics skill). The skill score is a general indicator of the character’s ability to keep an audience entertained. A successful skill check means the audience likes the show, an unsuccessful check means things could get ugly.

FORGERY: Success Rate: Half DEX +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-requisite: Literacy

Forgery requires writing materials appropriate to the document being forged, enough light or sufficient visual acuity to see the details of what you’re writing, wax for seals (if appropriate), and some time. To forge a document on which the handwriting is not specific to a person (military orders, a government decree, a business ledger, or the like), you need only to have seen a similar document before, and you gain a +25% bonus on your check. To forge a signature, you need an autograph of that person to copy, and you gain a +10% bonus on the check. To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large sample of that person’s handwriting is needed.
The Forgery check is made secretly, so that you’re not sure how good your forgery is. As with Disguise, you don’t even need to make a check until someone examines the work. Your Forgery check is opposed by the Forgery check of the person who examines the document to check its authenticity. The examiner gains modifiers on his or her check if any of the conditions on the table below exist.
A document that contradicts procedure, orders, or previous knowledge, or one that requires sacrifice on the part of the person checking the document can increase that character’s suspicion (and thus create favourable circumstances for the checker’s opposing Forgery check).

GAMBLING: Success Rate: 40% + half INT
Training Time: 3 months

When characters sit down to gamble, a character with Gambling skill has a significant edge. They also have the option to cheat with a decent chance of avoiding detection. Gambling skill can also be used to detect whether another player is cheating.

GEMMOLOGY: Success Rate: 20% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/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. They are also able to trace veins and locations of gems, plus identify their origins by their type and cut.

HAGGLING: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 1 week/level

This skill gives a character a chance to haggle the price of an item or service down if they are buying, or up if they are 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%.

PUMPING IRON: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 week

This skill increases the amount of weight (in kilograms) a character can carry to one and one-half times their Strength score. If the weight a character is carrying is more than his normal Strength Score, they are 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 their Strength in kg, but can carry it only a few meters. A character who has been pumping iron is quite developed and may have trouble fitting into suits of armour 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: 60% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 1 week/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 their skill check is successful, the character can ride any mount of that species any time. If a character fails both checks, they must wait at least a year of campaign time before they 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. A character with "Cowboy" as a Vocation gets an additional +5%

ROPE USE: Success Rate: 40% + half DEX (minus range mods)
Training Time: 1 week

A character with this skill can make a lasso and catch something with it. A single skill check is all that’s required in most cases. In combat, throwing a lasso is the equivalent of firing a careful shot, except the character’s Roping skill is his chance to hit. If the throw misses, reeling the rope back in takes at least six seconds (one combat turn). If a character is lassoed, they get one chance to escape by making either a STR or DEX check. If the ability check fails, the character’s arms are pinned at their sides (or their legs are tangled, depending on the lassoer’s target). A lasso’s short, long, and extreme ranges are 2, 5, and 10 yards.
A character with this skill also has extraordinary knowledge in the use of rope, pertaining to the tying and releasing of knots. If the construction of a temporary shelter involves the use of rope (which is almost always the case), a character with skill in rope use can erect or take down the shelter in half the length of time that a normal character would require. Such a shelter erected by a character with this skill is half as likely to be adversely affected by inclement weather (high winds, heavy rain or snow) as a shelter erected by a normal character.  If a proficient character has their hands bound and tied with a rope or a cord, they can escape the bonds by making a successful skill check. This check is made with a +20% modifier to the die roll if the character’s hands are tied in front of their body, or with a +10% modifier if the character’s hands are tied behind their back.  They also receives a 10% bonus on all climbing checks made while using a rope, including attempts to belay companions.

RUNNING: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 week

This skill increases the endurance of a character, who can now run at top speed for a number of minutes equal to their 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.

STEALTH: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 1 month

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.

SWIMMING: Success Rate: 50% + half DEX
Training Time: 1 month

Surprisingly few people of this era actually knew how to swim. Anyone with this skill can swim automatically under normal circumstances, but must make a skill check in turbulent water or rapids, if seriously wounded, or if weighted down with heavy clothing, guns, gold, etc. Characters without this skill must make a skill check against one-half their Strength score, rounded up, anytime they get dunked. If this roll fails, they are going down. Success means they drag themselves to the bank, half drowned. Failure means they can’t get out without help, and will drown in 30 seconds (five turns) unless rescued.

TRACKING: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level

A Natural Scientist has a chance to follow a creature, person or vehicle by watching for its trail. This skill works only in the wilderness, not in settled areas. The specialist also can use this skill to cover his own tracks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:51, Mon 25 Oct 2021.