A skill in Starslinger
(TM) is a specific field of expertise. You add your skill proficiency to DCs and rolls that use skills, in addition to your attribute modifier.
SKILL LIST
| Attribute | List of Skills |
|---|
| Charisma | Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Eminence, Presence |
| Dexterity | Acrobatics, Finesse, Marksmanship, Piloting, Stealth |
| Intelligence | Alchemy, Cipher, Civilization, Investigation, Mechanics, Physics |
| Strength | Athletics, Brawn, Guard, Melee |
| Wisdom | Insight, Medicine, Mysticism, Nature, Perception, Survival |
SPECIALTIES
A skill specialty represents a specific field of expertise that may encompass up to three other skills but only for specific uses. When you create a specialty, you must select 3 skills it can apply to an it must be appropriate for the setting.
For example, you could have Specialty (Firearms) in a high fantasy setting which would function as Alchemy, Marksmanship, and Mechanics proficiency but only for the purposes of working with firearms and ammunition for firearms. This would not work in a futuristic setting where firearms are the primary method of weaponry everywhere, but choosing something like Specialty (Shotguns) or Specialty (Slugthrowers) might work instead.
Specialties never stack with other skills, you simply use whichever is best.
GENERAL SKILL USES
Many actions can use different skills based on circumstances. Some common general skill uses are listed here.
Assist
When you want to assist another character, you can spend the same number of actions they need to perform the task and roll the same skill. If it requires only 1 action, you can do this as a reaction to help them. You can only help someone you're in melee with.
- Critical Success: They gain advantage on the check and a +2 bonus.
- Success: They gain advantage on the check.
- Failure: Nothing.
- Critical Failure: They suffer disadvantage. And if they fail, it's somehow probably all your fault.
Attack
You must be wielding an appropriate weapon to make an attack with the chosen skill. Most physical weapons require Brawn, Finesse, Marksmanship, or Melee but some special tools or magical devices may use other skills.
- Make a check vs. the defense DC of the target (usually Dexterity)
- Critical Success: As a success but automatically maximum damage and condition +1 tier.
- Success: The suffers the damage of your weapon + base condition it inflicts.
- Failure: Nothing.
- Critical Failure: Drop weapon or randomly hit wrong target in range (new attack roll). GM rolls randomly.
Crafting
You can craft to "earn income" but instead of gaining cash you get the value as targeted items are crafted or repaired. If it's not enough value to complete the item, you can make multiple checks until it is complete. Once the item is finished you can attempt to sell it.
- Simple Item: DC10
- Complex: DC15
- Magical or Hi-tech: +5
- Critical Success: Gain twice the normal value.
- Success: Gain check result in value.
- Failure: Gain no progress.
- Critical Failure: Lose all progress on the item and start over.
*If an item has abilities embedded in it, add the sum of all tiers of them together (tier 0 = 1/2) and add this to the DC.
Repair: A broken item's value drops to half. Repairing it simply requires you to craft the remaining value back to full.
Haggle
Normally, merchants pay only 50% of an item's full price but you can use Deception or Diplomacy to haggle.
- Make a check vs. DC10 + merchant's Wisdom save or skill bonus (whichever is higher).
- Failure: The merchant pays 2% less per point you failed by (minimum 1%).
- Success: The merchant pays 2% more per point you beat the DC by.
Haggling represents already having made a deal, so attempting to reneg is the same as stealing something after already having sold it.
Income
You can declare working 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month straight without adventuring or other interruptions (other than eating, sleeping, resting, etc.) and then make an Income check with a skill you can use as a profession.
- 1 day: check result * level = copper earned (1 copper = 1 credit)
- 1 week: check result * level = silver earned
- 1 month: check result * level = gold earned
Initiative
You usually roll Wisdom (Perception) to join initiative to spot a foe before they spot you. However, in circumstances where you're already sneaking up on a foe before you get close, you can roll Dexterity (Stealth) instead. If combat interrupts a social scene, you roll Wisdom (Insight) or Charisma (Deception) instead.
Knowledge
You can use any INT or WIS based skill to make a knowledge check based on the topic. GM rolls secretly. This is a single action when you first encounter something but requires 1 day of research thereafter to affect the same target.
- Success = 1 piece of relevant info + 1 more per 5 points beat DC.
- Failure = no information + 1 piece of false/bad info per 5 points you failed.
- Also gain circumstance bonus/penalty equal to # of pieces of info vs. target to all opposed d20 rolls for remainder of the scene. Each time you make opposed d20 roll against target, this mod drops by 1 to a minimum of 0.
Push/Pull Heavy Object
You can easily lift an object in your hands up to your light load (half that in one hand). You can wield weapons up to half this weight. If you want to push/pull/knock over heavier objects, you make a Strength (Brawn) check. (check result)
2 * 2 is the heaviest you're able to budge. Double this if it has wheels or something else to smoothen its movement.
Operate
You attempt to examine, repair, steer, tinker, or otherwise operate a device or mount or examine or treat a creature. This is a 2-action activity unless noted otherwise. Which skill you use varies based on what you're doing.
- Critical Success: As a success but you gain a critical benefit from it.
- Success: You succeed in basic operations of the device or counter an existing effect.
- Failure: Nothing.
- Critical Failure: You suffer a random critical failure effect.
Traverse
Some skills can allow you to traverse certain obstacles and access certain things you otherwise couldn't This could be nearly anything such as balancing across a tight rope, barreling through a blocked doorway, picking a lock, hacking a computer network, schmoozing with the guards to let you backstage, or slipping past foes unnoticed. Depending on the task it may simple requiring only 1 or 2 successes or it could be complex requiring 3 or more successes.
- Critical Success: You progress 2 stages towards success.
- Success: You progress 1 stage towards success.
- Failure: No progress and you suffer a minor mishap.
- Critical Failure: You regress 1 stage from success and suffer a major mishap.
*Mishaps are like conjured creatures, spells, traps, or other hazards that occur as a result of failure. The CR of a minor mishap is typically 2 lower than the obstacle. A major is equal to the obstacle. Some mishaps may destroy the location, relationship, or access point you're using, making the task impossible until you find a new one. Typically 3 mishaps in a row automatically does this.
Most skills are used for skill checks or attack rolls but some can allow you to make a saving throw in with them instead of a normal save.
Example:
You can use Wisdom (Perception) instead of a Wisdom save against Illusion effects and a Dexterity (Acrobatics) instead of a Dexterity save against obstacles and traps you trigger as a result of your movement. Your GM determines which skills you can use and they are usually the same attribute anyway.
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This message was last edited by the GM at 18:26, Fri 09 Feb.
