Geos:Fate-Fudge Rules:Characters:Skills

Skills

Skills are restricted by the 'skill pyramid', i.e., every skill level N greater than 1 must have more skills of level N-1. So if a character has 3 skills at level 2, that character must have at least 4 skills at level 1.

For simplicity, 'default' skill is 0. Some skills may have no default for certain characters: no peasant would get a default in Humanities, though a baron might.

Variable Skills

Variable skills are really families of thematically related skills with little or no overlap. Profession (Brewer), for example, has very little in common with Profession (Shipwright). Therefore, when selecting a variable skill, a subskill must be selected. Subskills are treated as skills in their own right, and may have extensions and specializations.

Specialties and Extensions

A specialty is a chosen within a skill or subskill. Spending one point on a specialty does not improve the main skill, bu adds 2 skill levels within that subdomain. One can have a specialty in a skill without taking the base skill.

An extension is an area related to but not included in a skill or subskill. For example, Alchemy, Chiurgy and Natural Science don't cover the study of poisons very well – they might help to create a poison, but wouldn't tell you about how to deliver one. To have skill in poisons specifically, take one of these skills and spend a skill point for an extension. (An extension always has the same value as the skill it's attached to, unless it is also a specialty.)

When evaluating the skill pyramid, look at the number of points spent on a skill, not its level. In other words, extensions and specializations count.

Familiarity

A character doesn't necessarily know everything covered by their skills. Someone with Profession (Brewer) may, for example, have never had experience with fermenting strawberries. It only costs a Fate point to have familiarity with a minor subtopic within a skill, or the character could simply practice that subtopic for a while in play and acquire it for free.

Skill List

Combat Skills

A character may specialize in a specific weapon only if the skill it includes two or more weapons. Any skill covering a throwable weapon can be extended to include throwing that weapon. Weapon skills that overlap are not cumulative, e.g., Simple Weapons +1 and Polearms +2 does not give a character +3 when using a quarterstaff.

Simple Weapons: Dagger, quarterstaff, club

Polearms: Spear, pike, halberd, glaive, ranseur, quarterstaff

Sword, one-handed: Dagger, short sword, long sword

Sword, two-handed: Bastard sword, greatsword

Club: Club, mace, sap, quarterstaff

Axe: Hand axe, throwing axe, great axe

Flail: Flail, morning star

Missile: Throwing dagger, throwing axe, javelin, shortbow, sling

Bow: Shortbow, longbow

Crossbow: Light crossbow, heavy crossbow

Shield: Buckler, Shield, Tower Shield. A character with Shield skill reduces the penalty for multiple attackers by one when using a shield.

Mounted: Lance. This skill limits weapon skill when attacking from astride a mount.

Two Weapon Combat (varies): Varies by offhand weapon. A character using a second weapon in lieu of a shield may use their skill in that weapon limited by Two Weapon Combat. If a character using a secondary weapon has any skill in Two Weapon Combat, the penalty to defense for facing multiple attackers is reduced by one.

A character can instead opt to use the second weapon to attack. Usually, this is only done if the opponent leaves himself open. If a character has not used the second weapon for defense gains spin (success by 3 or more) on an attack, she may take another strike with the off-hand weapon. Doing so forgoes using the second weapon in defense for that round.

Brawling: The skill of simply beating on another with one's bare hands. A character can choose to use this skill for using an improvised weapon, or the skill of the weapon that the improvised weapon most resembles.

Wrestling: Using Wrestling is an attempt to immobilize an opponent. Doing so forgoes all active defenses (i.e., the character's skill in defense is considered 0, plus his armour modifier, but not shield.) Conditions inflicted on the defender affect all actions and defenses (except wrestling), and are fragile. If the margin of success of the success is 3+, the condition inflicted is sticky, and also affects Wrestling skill. A sticky condition may only be broken if the defender succeeds by 3+, or successfully defends twice in a row.

Academic Skills

Religion (variable): Knowledge of a specific religion. High skill (or an appropriate specialization) may indicate a knowledge of theology.

Humanities: The study of the arts and literature, along with mathematics and geometry. Specialization is optional. Specializations include Mathematics, Literature and Poetry, the Classics, Rhetoric, and Ethical Philosophy.

Natural Philosophy: The study of the natural (nonmagical) world. Specialization is optional. Specialties include Mechanics, Zoology, Herbology, Physics of Esoteric Phenomena, and Chemistry.

Metaphysics: The study of what defines reality: this world and others. Specialization is optional. Specialties include World Travel, Heaven, Hell, the Ether, and the Nature of Thauma.

History (variable): Knowledge of a specific culture's written or oral history. Note that this skill sometimes overlaps with Group Knowledge.

Area Knowledge (variable): Knowledge of (not necessarily firsthand) an area or a type of area. Examples: A specific city, county, or country, Mountains (in general), Magical Places.

Group Knowledge (variable): Requires specialization in a specific group of people (or creatures.) Often modifies social skill rolls when interacting with that group. Examples: Nobility, the Demimonde, Fae of the Greenwood, sailors.

Magical Skills

Magic Theory (varies): Knowledge of a specific theory of magic. This skill is vital for magical research of any kind. Magic Theory (Imperial) is the dominant theory, at least among humans; Magic Theory (Rhydian) can also be found amongst the druids of Notton.

Alchemy: Practical and theoretical knowledge of alchemy, i.e., the production of magically active substances from inactive substances. Almost all alchemy is of the Imperial/Doi tradition.

Scientia Magia

There are ten scientia in the Imperial traditio of magic, each a broad and formalized area of magical knowledge. These were described together for the first time in Plonius' Formus Thauma, written about 30 A.D. Older texts describe scientia, though without the cohesiveness or reach of Plonius' work.

Animál: Deals with any creature that has no soul or intelligent mind. Animál also deals with many kinds of faeries. Possible specialties: any specific kind of animal.

Aquam: Though originally Aquam dealt exclusively with water, later research added ice and all other liquids. Phenomena like fog and clouds are split between Aquam and Auram, while cold is shared with Ignem. Possible specialties: water, cold, weather, any specific kind of liquid.

Auram: Deals with air and all its phenomena, like scents and wind, plus lightning and weather. Smoke is part of both Auram and Ignem. Possible specialties: winds, weather, lightning, scents.

Corpus: Corpus covers the human body (or that of any other intelligent being.) Any spell that affects another intelligent being may be limited by Corpus. Possible specialties: disease, healing, personal transformations, specific organs or systems.

Herbam: All plants are affects by Herbam, as well as non-living vegetable substances. Possible specialties: wood, trees, herbs, crops.

Ignem: Ignem deals with fire, heat (and its absence), light, and energy. It also has something to do with raw creativity, destruction and rejuvenation. Possible specialties: heat, cold, light, flame

Imáginem: This scientia deals with images, not the imagination (which is part of Mentem.) Many Imáginem spells concern illusions. Spells concerning perception, information and knowledge may be limited by Imáginem. Imáginem combined with Ignem can potentially create ideas of genius. Possible specialties: any specific sense, or type of image

Mentem: Mentem deals with all magic affecting the mind or persona (the collection of memories, attitudes and beliefs built upon the foundation of the soul.) It also affects dreams, the ethereal world, and ghosts. One can control emotions with Mentem, but this is limited by Corpus, since emotions are expressed in the body as humours. Possible specialties: enhancement, memory, mind control, emotion control

Terram: Dealing literally with earth, Terram also covers minerals and metals. It overlaps with Vim when dealing with inherently magical metals (like gold) and with Ignem when affecting magma. Possible specialties: stone, metal, shaping, mining

Vim: Vim (literally 'power') is the scientia of magic itself. All magic that directly affects other magic is part of Vim. Vim overlaps with Ignem when dealing with raw energy. Possible specialties: wards, enhancement, investigation.

Tractii Magia

(sing. Tractus Magia) Though the Imperial theory of magic was created and developed from about 100 B.E. To 50 A.D., many wizards have worked to extend it. The Imperial theory has been comprehensive enough to subsume many of these extensions (or tractii, as they are called), but others remain outstanding. As a result, the Imperial theory is inarguably incomplete, and will remain so until a complete revision of the art as it is known is completed.

Tractii are supplemental fields of study available to the Imperial wizard. Casting a spell always requires at least one level in the correct scientia; one cannot cast a spell with a tractus alone. A wizard usually only studies the basics of a tractus; having a tractus (of any level) that is relevant to the spell being cast grants a +1. (Only one tractus can be used to get a +1 bonus with a specific spell, though other effects do combine.) At higher levels, many tractii have other implications for the spellcaster, but being underdeveloped branches of knowledge the consequences of further study aren't clear.

Elicio: The art of conjuration, bringing forth something from another world or the imagination.

Creo: The study of raw creation of matter from nothing. With Creo, raw materials may be produced permanently without the use of static thauma.

Intellego: The tractus of understanding and awareness; deals with creating new senses or comprehension.

Augurio: Divination – the production of knowledge from nothing, or where knowledge would not be possible.

Adduco: The study of visible physical movement. Does not cover teleportation, which is part of Elicio.

Transfiguro: The art of changing the shape of something.

Muto: Mutation; changing the substance of something into another substance.

Perdo: Raw destruction or disintegration of a thing, or a property of that thing.

Aether: The study of the ether and dreams. Overlaps with Mentem, but Mentem is inadequate for many spells that deal directly with the ether.

Animus Spiritus: The study of the soul. This tractus is very limited, as the soul is impossible to change, but it is absolutely necessary to deal with the soul directly.

Mortalis: The art of death, not just of the body, but of the metaphysical process itself.

Thaumatropia: The art of introducing entropy into magic, or of destroying meaning. Enhances counterspells.

Perpator: The study of making a spell endure with or without static thauma. Knowing Perpator reduces the difficulty of making a spell permanent by 1, and can thus be combined with other tractii.

Physical Skills

Athletics: The ability to sprint, jump, swim and climb. Also covers dodging.

Endurance: The ability to resist fatigue. It does not cover resistance to disease or injury, but does cover marathon running. Endurance often limits other skills on long tasks.

Social Skills

Charisma: The ability to be respected or feared. Characters with high Charisma skill are often confident or self-possessed.

Charm: The ability to be liked or desired. Characters with high Charm are at ease in many social situations and have a knack for saying what people want to hear.

Empathy: A measure of the degree to which one understands people – both others and oneself.

Deceit: The ability to feign emotions and lie convincingly.

Entertain (varies): The ability to amuse or entertain others. Covers every job that specifically requires a performance; subskills include Stage Acting, Jongleur, Musician, and Storyteller. A character may specialize in a more specific area, e.g., Entertain (Musician)/Singing.

Language Skills

Languages usually require two full skill points for mastery: one point for rudimentary fluency, and two for complete fluency; one additional point is required for literacy in that language. Some languages are particularly difficult, and may require more skill points to learn.

All languages require a teacher, and some languages can't be learned by mortals at all (e.g., Aleph, Beth and maybe Gimmel.)

Some languages are better equipped for specific magical tasks. To cast a spell in an ancient language, one must have fully mastered that language and be literate in it. Note that the following languages assume the spell being cast is of the Imperial/Doi tradition: casting a spell directly from an ancient Mehluki tablet would not use these rules.

Ancient Doi: Spellcasting in Ancient Doi adds one to a spellcaster's attempts to deal with souls, the dead, or to change one thing into another. Ancient Doi cannot be used to create or destroy anything directly. Permanently enchanting something requires one less measure of thauma than normal.

Ancient Mehluki: Casting a spell in Ancient Mehluki adds two to any attempt to conjure or destroy something. Ancient Mehluki cannot directly affect the mind, body or soul of humans other than the caster, nor can it create anything except fire. No spell can be made permanent without an anchor object (i.e., a magic item must be created) not can Mehluki magic affect magic itself. Spells and enchanted objects in Mehluki are always obvious, and are two levels more difficult to dispel, control or alter. (They may be countered normally, though.)

Ancient Wazari: Using Ancient Wazari adds one to any attempt to control or alter a living being. Wazari magic cannot affect magic itself, and cannot create anything except the raw elements. Wazari spells are also one level more difficult to dispel, control or alter.

Awareness Skills

Observation: The ability to recognize the important details among the mass of information supplied by the senses, and to note their relevance.

Perception: The ability to find (or notice the absence of) a detail you are looking for.

Wilderness Skills

Survival: Finding food, shelter and water in a hostile environment. A character may specialize in a specific type of environment.

Riding: The ability to control a mount. Riding limits weapon skill when attacking from a mount.

Boating: Boating ability allows one to operate and command a small watercraft. It does not cover seagoing vessels; take Profession (Sailor) for that.

Deception Skills

Disguise: The skill of changing and obscuring your appearance. Stage makeup is also covered by this skill, and it is possible to specialize.

Forgery: The ability to falsify objects and documents. Forgery is often modified by a corresponding Craft subskill, such as Craft (Jeweller) and Craft (Glassworker) when trying to create a fake gemstone.

Sleight of Hand: Sleight of Hand is the skill of deceiving with one's fingers: pickpocketing, palming coins, cheating at dice, etc. Also includes the ability to conceal an object on one's person, and can often be applied to any task requiring manual dexterity.

Stealth: The Stealth skill allows one to both move quietly and hide effectively.

Trade Skills

Craft (varies): The ability to create an object of a specified type. Craft is a variable skill because individual subskills do not overlap; Craft (Blacksmithing) helps very little with Craft (Painting).

This skill covers quality only; true artistic merit requires both Craft and use of a creativity-related aspect.

Profession (varies): A catchall skill, covering every type of profession that does not involve creating a performance or finished product. It also covers secondary tasks, e.g., someone with Profession (Weaver) at a high level would also be able to judge the quality of a dye, run a small shop, and know how to find suppliers.

Chirurgy: Knowledge of medicine and healing. Advanced skill may indicate that the character knows some of the secrets of Doi medicine.

Law (varies): Knowledge of a specific legal code and its application. A character may specialize in a specific subclass of that legal code as well.

Administration: The skill of running an organization. This does not include the ability to lead (which is a function of the Charisma skill.) A character may choose to specialize in a specific type of organization.