PmWiki | VeryDifferentPlaces / BasicSkills

Skill name	Base stat(s)	Notes	Description
Alertness	PR,MR	Improvise at +0	The ability to make oneself pay attention to details even when tired or in a noisy environment. At least one rank is highly recommended for player characters. (Instinct)
Artillery	MA,MR	None	The ability to effectively use large weapons, such as mortars, ship cannons and bombs. Compared to ranged combat, this is a skill that depends less on reflexes and more on precision.
Artist	EA,MR	Needs spec	Any artistic endeavour.
Athletics	PA,PR	None	Any sort of physical effort that requires endurance and discipline; running other than a quick sprint, climbing a wall or cliff, and so on.
Business	MA,ER	None	Any financial or organisational work.
Close Combat	PA,PR	Improvise at +0	Being formally trained in a martial art can be advantageous, but there's something to be said for the school of hard knocks. Most everyone has at least some brawling experience, as well as biological instinct. Brawling also covers Improvised weapons. This skill can be specialized into a wide variety of martial arts.
Command	EA,ER	Improvise at +0	The ability to give effective orders to underlings, as well as the ability to motivate them.
Detection	PR,MR	None	Knowledge of where to look for small details, clues and so on.
First Aid	MR,ER	None	Emergency treatment, the setting of bones, the stabilization of people who are bleeding out and so on.
Gambling	MA,ER	None	The ability to know when to hold'em and when to fold'em.
Info Tech	MA,MR	None	The ability to tell configurable machines what to do. This doesn't necessarily mean only solid-state electronics computers!
Linguistics	MA,ER	Improvise at -1	Having one rank in this skill allows speaking one extra base language. For more languages, a specialization is required.
Manipulation	EA,ER	Improvise at -1	The social equivalent of sleight of hand, used in the same way. A show of strength can intimidate, a show of strength in just the right way will be that much more effective. Manipulation covers bluffing and using logical fallacies, rather than legitimate persuasion, and should always be roleplayed to some degree.
Mechanics	MA,PR	None	Mechanics covers most forms of practical engineering, in addition to being handy with dealing with a recalcitrant engine.
Medicine	MA,MR	None	Off-the-field healing, diagnosing of parasite infestations and diseases, and the knowledge of how to counteract poison. Most general practitioners have surgical cross-training.
Melee Weapon	PA,PR	None	All close range non-projectile weapons
Navigation	MA,MR	None	Knowing where you are and where you're going
Performance	EA,MR	Needs spec	Dancing, playing an instrument professionally, and so on require great synergy between body and mind; specialization is necessary, otherwise this skill is fairly meaningless.
Piloting	MA,MR	None	Knowing how to operate a vehicle. Higher ranks allow sailing in adverse weather, piloting an airplane in settings where it's not common, and so on.
Psychology	EA,MR	None	Use to spot lies, calm people, etc.
Ranged Combat	MR,PR	None	Expertise in both the use of ranged weapons, and how to defend against them (by the use of cover and so on).
Riding	PR,ER	None	Being able to hold on to a living creature in a way that gives some say about where the creature is going. Surprisingly, there isn't much difference between ground and air mounts.
Scholar	MA,MR	Needs spec	Detailed knowledge of Scholar/2 related fields (round UP)
Science	MA,MR	Needs spec	It's unlikely that player characters will master any one field of science (mastering more than one is an incredible feat in real life in much safer environments!). However, a basic knowledge of physics or chemistry or even agricultural science can prove useful in many cases.
Sleight of hand	PR,MR	None	Useful to the entertainer, the debunker, and the pickpocket... or just in a game of keepaway.
Stealth	PA,EA	Risk of being seen	The ability to move, or just to occupy a space, without being seen or heard. If a caution roll is failed, the most likely consequence is having gotten caught.
Strategy	MA,MR	None	The ability to see the big picture in a prolonged engagement, be it a war or a caper. (Grand strategy is going to need to be roleplayed, obviously).
Swimming	PA,PR	None	The ability to stay afloat in a liquid, hopefully some sort of water.
Tactics	MA,ER	None	The ability to quickly understand the flow of a fight and its relation to the environment. Close-combat and aerial tactics are different, but there are some common principles. Tactics is also used in team sports and coordinated hunting.
Thief	PA,EA	Risk of being seen	Pick pockets, locksmith, forgery, etc.while looking nonchalant. If a caution roll is failed, the most likely consequence is having gotten caught.