Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Dec 25, 2005 1:58:07 GMT -5
It occurs to me that people may have been loathe to do skills since they didn't understand the system. Simply put: Skill values go in 150% brackets.
1-150%: Normal or Tier 1
151-300%: Legendary or Tier 2
301-450%: Forbidden or Tier 3
451-600%: Forbidden 2, Transgressive or Tier 4
601-750%: Forbidden 3, Cosmic or Tier 5
(It is rumored that there are those with skills that approximate Tier 6 ability, but since the Old Guard themselves rarely use Omnipotent abilities, no one knows. It might proceed further into Tier 7 or Tier 8.)
Anything beyond 600% (Forbidden 2) is sealed off for the moment, and even 600% is only for rare cases.
Skills are distinct from Abilities in that they aggregate an array of knowledge and are distinct from Merits in that they are enumerated rather than simply in Tier terms, are checked or rolled under (typically various actions will subtract or add chances; unless someone has various Merits, even a remainder of 100% leaves a failure chance of 1-5, 200% only 1, and 300% automatic.)
One can "take 50" or "take 100". In certain non-stressful actions, I tend to assume a moderate level of success, around the roll of a 50 on a D100. If that is sufficient to meet the challenge, fine. If not, rolls are required. Sometimes even during stressful situations someone can take 50, but I will make this opportunity clear. (I can also assume "take 50" if I don't have dice around or want to not have to be turning to the dice frequently.) If someone has the time, they can emulate a roll of 100. If even that perfect roll does not get close enough to success chances, then that skill is simply beyond the players' ability at the moment.
Skills can overlap. Chemistry and Poison-Making obviously do. Further, skills can be specialized or generalized. One can take Mechanics generally, thus being a generally good mechanic, or specialize, taking Automotive, Electrical, etc. in turn. Some examples of skills include:
Accounting
Alchemy
Analytical Chemistry
Anthropology
Appraise
Archaeology
Armor Use
Art
Art of Evasion (Ninja Innate)
Art of Hiding (Ninja Innate)
Assassination Techniques
Astrology
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Automotive Mechanics
Axe
Ballet
Barter [also known as Haggle]
Biology (a requirement for Living Anatomy)
Bluff
Botany
Brewing
Business
Business Management
Camouflage
Caravanning
Card Divination
Carpentry
Chemistry
Chess
Computer Hacking
Computer Operation
Computer Programming
Concealment
Cooking
Construction
Cryptography
Dagger
Dancing
Demolitions
Demolitions Disposal
Detect Concealment
Detect Traps
Diplomacy
Disarm Traps
Economics
Electronic
Energy Pistols
Energy Rifles
Energy Weapons
Entomology
Entrepreneurship
Espionage
Ethics
Feng Shui (important class skill for Feng Shih, Wu Shih and Tao Shih)
Fieldcraft [Espionage fieldcraft]
Finance
Financial Derivatives
Find Contraband
First Aid
Fishing
Flamethrower
Forced March
Forensic Medicine
Forensic Science
Forgery
Gambling
Gather Information
Geology
Geometry
Geography
Grenade Launcher
Grenades
Guitar
Gymnastics
Hammer
Hand to Hand: Commando
Heavy Energy Weapon
Heavy Weapons
Hide
History
Horsemanship
Horsemanship: Cowboy
Horsemanship: Exotic
Horsemanship: Knight
I Ching Reading
Intelligence
Interrogation
Intimidation
Karate
Kenpo Karate
Kickboxing
Klingon
Knife
Knowledge: Animals
Knowledge: Local
Knowledge: Martial Arts
Knowledge: Old Guard
Knowledge: Religion
Kris
Lajatang
Land Navigation
Languages (note these even for those with Omniglot Merit, as there are situations where Omniglot doesn't cover and it's important to have a record of what the player did know; Demongogian, Dragonese/Elvish, English, Technocan,)
Lightsaber
Listen
Lockpicking
Lore: Buddhist
Lore: Chinese, Taoist/Confucian
Lore: Chi
Lore: Demon
Lore: Dragons
Lore: Fae
Lore: Gods
Lore: Japanese/Onmyodo
Lore: Magic
Lore: Monsters
Lore: Plane
Lore: Psionics
Lore: Spirits
Lore: Undead
Medical Doctor
Mentalics
Meteorology
Military Etiquette
Mixed Army Combatives
Mixed Martial Arts
Naval History
Naval Tactics
Navigation
Net
Neurosurgery
Ninjutsu
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Warfare
Onmyodo
Organizational Analysis
Painting
Palming
Parachuting
Paramedic
Perception
Philosophy
Piano
Pick Lock
Pickpocketing
Pilot Aircraft Carrier
Pilot Airplane
Pilot Automobile
Pilot Construction Vehicles
Pilot Freight Vessel (Naval)
Pilot Mecha / Robot
Pilot Motorcycle
Pilot Power Armor
Pilot Snowmobile
Pilot Spaceship
Pilot Spaceship: Bomber
Pilot Spaceship: Fighter
Pilot Spaceship: Fighter-Bomber
Pilot Spaceship: Flagship
Pilot Spaceship: Space Freighter
Pilot Yacht
Pilot: Improbability Drive
Pilot: Perpetual Acceleration Drive
Pilot: Warp Drive
Plasma Mechanics
Podiatry
Polearm
Power Armor Combat
Project Management
Prowl
Psychiatry
Psychohistory (anywhere above 100% requires Psychohistorian Class)
Psychology
Quantum Mechanics
Research
Robot Mechanics
Robotics
Robopsychology
Roping
Safecracking
SCUBA
Sculpting
Scythe
Search
Seduction
Semaphore
Sense Motive
Singing
Sniping
Sociology
Space Combat
Spear
Spirit Negotiation
Spot
Staff
Stock Market Analysis and Investing
Strategy
Streetwise
Sword
Tae Kwon Do
Tactics
Terraforming Principles
Tracking
Tracking: Animal Specialty
Tracking: People Specialty
Trap-making
Trident
Underwater Demolitions
Venture Capital
Whittling
Wilderness Navigation
Wilderness Survival
Xenobiology
Xenology
1-150%: Normal or Tier 1
151-300%: Legendary or Tier 2
301-450%: Forbidden or Tier 3
451-600%: Forbidden 2, Transgressive or Tier 4
601-750%: Forbidden 3, Cosmic or Tier 5
(It is rumored that there are those with skills that approximate Tier 6 ability, but since the Old Guard themselves rarely use Omnipotent abilities, no one knows. It might proceed further into Tier 7 or Tier 8.)
Anything beyond 600% (Forbidden 2) is sealed off for the moment, and even 600% is only for rare cases.
Skills are distinct from Abilities in that they aggregate an array of knowledge and are distinct from Merits in that they are enumerated rather than simply in Tier terms, are checked or rolled under (typically various actions will subtract or add chances; unless someone has various Merits, even a remainder of 100% leaves a failure chance of 1-5, 200% only 1, and 300% automatic.)
One can "take 50" or "take 100". In certain non-stressful actions, I tend to assume a moderate level of success, around the roll of a 50 on a D100. If that is sufficient to meet the challenge, fine. If not, rolls are required. Sometimes even during stressful situations someone can take 50, but I will make this opportunity clear. (I can also assume "take 50" if I don't have dice around or want to not have to be turning to the dice frequently.) If someone has the time, they can emulate a roll of 100. If even that perfect roll does not get close enough to success chances, then that skill is simply beyond the players' ability at the moment.
Skills can overlap. Chemistry and Poison-Making obviously do. Further, skills can be specialized or generalized. One can take Mechanics generally, thus being a generally good mechanic, or specialize, taking Automotive, Electrical, etc. in turn. Some examples of skills include:
Accounting
Alchemy
Analytical Chemistry
Anthropology
Appraise
Archaeology
Armor Use
Art
Art of Evasion (Ninja Innate)
Art of Hiding (Ninja Innate)
Assassination Techniques
Astrology
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Automotive Mechanics
Axe
Ballet
Barter [also known as Haggle]
Biology (a requirement for Living Anatomy)
Bluff
Botany
Brewing
Business
Business Management
Camouflage
Caravanning
Card Divination
Carpentry
Chemistry
Chess
Computer Hacking
Computer Operation
Computer Programming
Concealment
Cooking
Construction
Cryptography
Dagger
Dancing
Demolitions
Demolitions Disposal
Detect Concealment
Detect Traps
Diplomacy
Disarm Traps
Economics
Electronic
Energy Pistols
Energy Rifles
Energy Weapons
Entomology
Entrepreneurship
Espionage
Ethics
Feng Shui (important class skill for Feng Shih, Wu Shih and Tao Shih)
Fieldcraft [Espionage fieldcraft]
Finance
Financial Derivatives
Find Contraband
First Aid
Fishing
Flamethrower
Forced March
Forensic Medicine
Forensic Science
Forgery
Gambling
Gather Information
Geology
Geometry
Geography
Grenade Launcher
Grenades
Guitar
Gymnastics
Hammer
Hand to Hand: Commando
Heavy Energy Weapon
Heavy Weapons
Hide
History
Horsemanship
Horsemanship: Cowboy
Horsemanship: Exotic
Horsemanship: Knight
I Ching Reading
Intelligence
Interrogation
Intimidation
Karate
Kenpo Karate
Kickboxing
Klingon
Knife
Knowledge: Animals
Knowledge: Local
Knowledge: Martial Arts
Knowledge: Old Guard
Knowledge: Religion
Kris
Lajatang
Land Navigation
Languages (note these even for those with Omniglot Merit, as there are situations where Omniglot doesn't cover and it's important to have a record of what the player did know; Demongogian, Dragonese/Elvish, English, Technocan,)
Lightsaber
Listen
Lockpicking
Lore: Buddhist
Lore: Chinese, Taoist/Confucian
Lore: Chi
Lore: Demon
Lore: Dragons
Lore: Fae
Lore: Gods
Lore: Japanese/Onmyodo
Lore: Magic
Lore: Monsters
Lore: Plane
Lore: Psionics
Lore: Spirits
Lore: Undead
Medical Doctor
Mentalics
Meteorology
Military Etiquette
Mixed Army Combatives
Mixed Martial Arts
Naval History
Naval Tactics
Navigation
Net
Neurosurgery
Ninjutsu
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Warfare
Onmyodo
Organizational Analysis
Painting
Palming
Parachuting
Paramedic
Perception
Philosophy
Piano
Pick Lock
Pickpocketing
Pilot Aircraft Carrier
Pilot Airplane
Pilot Automobile
Pilot Construction Vehicles
Pilot Freight Vessel (Naval)
Pilot Mecha / Robot
Pilot Motorcycle
Pilot Power Armor
Pilot Snowmobile
Pilot Spaceship
Pilot Spaceship: Bomber
Pilot Spaceship: Fighter
Pilot Spaceship: Fighter-Bomber
Pilot Spaceship: Flagship
Pilot Spaceship: Space Freighter
Pilot Yacht
Pilot: Improbability Drive
Pilot: Perpetual Acceleration Drive
Pilot: Warp Drive
Plasma Mechanics
Podiatry
Polearm
Power Armor Combat
Project Management
Prowl
Psychiatry
Psychohistory (anywhere above 100% requires Psychohistorian Class)
Psychology
Quantum Mechanics
Research
Robot Mechanics
Robotics
Robopsychology
Roping
Safecracking
SCUBA
Sculpting
Scythe
Search
Seduction
Semaphore
Sense Motive
Singing
Sniping
Sociology
Space Combat
Spear
Spirit Negotiation
Spot
Staff
Stock Market Analysis and Investing
Strategy
Streetwise
Sword
Tae Kwon Do
Tactics
Terraforming Principles
Tracking
Tracking: Animal Specialty
Tracking: People Specialty
Trap-making
Trident
Underwater Demolitions
Venture Capital
Whittling
Wilderness Navigation
Wilderness Survival
Xenobiology
Xenology