Editing Ogre:CharacterCodex:Introduction (section)

==Skill Mechanics==
Since every action is resolved using a skill, this is the core of the game mechanics. There are two types of skills, but they mostly work the same way. Character attributes are the essential skills that all character has. Normal skills are developed as a character grows and is different from one character to another.

All skills have a value that is used as a modifier to your skill checks. The higher the value, the better are your chance of success. A skill value is calculated as follow: base ranks + ability modifier + racial modifier + armor modifier + item modifier + miscellaneous modifier.

'''Base rank'''
This represents your character knowledge and experience with the skill. Those ranks are bought with experience points (See Character Evolution).

'''Ability modifier'''
All skills are linked to an ability. Abilities represent the raw capacity of your body and your mind. The outcome of an action is always influence by one of the six primary abilities. (See [[Ogre:CharacterCodex:Attributes#Ability|Character Attributes]])

'''Racial Modifier'''
Racial modifiers have an impact on character attributes, but some races may gives modifier to normal skill. (See Races)

'''Armor Modifier'''
Wearing protection is often necessary to survive an adventure. Unfortunately, most armor is encumbering a can gives penalties to your skill.

'''Item modifier'''
Having the right tool for the right task help you succeed with your skill, but on the other side, bad tools might give you penalties.

'''Miscellaneous modifier'''
There are a lot of other things that can influence a skill like disabilities or special talents.
===Skill systems===
Depending on the level of complexity you want for your games, the skill system will be different. We will start with the most general and simpler skill system and will add more complex, but specific element. The first level of complexity is using aptitudes only
====Aptitude only system====
Aptitudes describe a broad range of general capabilities of your character that cover many possible actions. When using an aptitude, the ability modifier that you use is different depending on the action you are doing. Choose the ability that best match the action you are doing. While you do not use skills, they can be used as a guideline for choosing the appropriate ability modifier. They can also be used to know what are the possible actions made with a particular aptitude.
For example, in a fight, you are using your Combat aptitude to attack an enemy. You have 3 ranks in your Combat aptitude, a +2 Strength modifier and a +1 Dexterity modifier. If you are striking with a melee weapon, you add your Strength modifier to your aptitude. You have a +5 bonus to your roll (3 Combat + 2 Strength). But if you are firing an arrow, you use your Dexterity modifier. You have a +4 bonus to your roll (3 Combat + 1 Dexterity).
====Aptitudes and Skills====
With this system, aptitudes still represent your general capabilities in a domain, but you never check for aptitudes. Instead, each aptitude is separated in different skills that represent specific action your character can do. When resolving an action, you use your skills to make the checks. Your skill check is done as usual, but you add the related aptitude value to your skill.
For example, you have 3 ranks in your Combat aptitude. You also have 3 ranks in your Melee skill and 2 ranks in your Range skill. When fighting with a melee weapon, you have a +6 bonus to your roll (3 Combat + 3 Melee) and while fighting with range weapon, you have a +5 bonus to your roll (3 Combat + 2 Range).
====Feats system====
Even if two people are as skilled in an activity, they may have learned different things or different ways to do the same thing. A feat describes a particular technique you have developed through a skill. Feats can be developed and become better with time.
Feats are gain when you have a certain number of base ranks in a skill. Aptitude ranks never allow you to access a feat, only skill ranks.
====Proficiency system====
Proficiencies are specialization in a very specific domain of a skill. You do not make proficiency check, they only serve as a bonus for your skills when your proficiency is used. Each skill has a list of proficiency that you must learn to be able to use efficiently your skill under certain condition. You receive a number of Proficiency Points (PP) equal to your skill base ranks. You have a modifier to your check depending of your degree of proficiency you have.

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="text-align: left"
|-
! Proficiency Level
! Modifier
! PP Cost
! PP Total Cost
|-
| Not proficient
| -4
| 0
| 0
|-
| Proficient
| 0
| 1
| 1
|-
| Specialist
| +1
| 2
| 3
|-
| Expert
| +2
| 3
| 6
|-
| Master
| +4
| 4
| 10
|}


====Which system to choose====
The system you want to use depends of many factors and personal preferences. Using aptitudes only make it for generally fast pace action resolution and allow more time to role-play your character. If you use the full system, this make a game flow a lot slower, but allows more strategy when resolving action, particularly combat. Choose the system that most players and the Gamemaster will feel comfortable with.

===Modifiers===

====Favorable and Unfavorable Conditions====
Some situations may make a skill easier or harder to use, resulting in a bonus or penalty to the skill. A modifier can affect your skill roll or the DC of the task to be done. Modifiers are always describe in four parts, for example, a +2 insight bonus to Spot check. 

* The first part (+2) is the value you add or subtract from a skill check or a DC.
* The second part (insight) is the type of modifier that you receive. As a general rules, modifier of the same type do not stack, you take only the best bonus or the worse penalty.
* The third part (bonus) explains if the modifier is advantageous for the player or not. A bonus is always advantageous for a character while a penalty always hinders the character. 
:''For example a +2 circumstance penalty to Climb DC makes the DC of a check higher and more difficult to do.''
* The last part (Spot check) gives the skill that the modifier affect and if it is applied to the skill check or to the skill DC.

====Skill Modifier vs. DC modifier====
Both modifiers influence your chance of success when using a skill, but there is one important difference between a modifier to a check and to a DC. The DC modifier only affects your chance of success, while a skill modifier also changes your chance of doing a Total Failure. For example, with a -4 penalty to a check, you have more chance of having a check that fall below 0 while a +4 penalty to DC do not increase the probability of having a check below 0. While DC penalty make an action harder to make, a skill modifier also make the action more risky. When giving modifiers, the Gamemaster should always think if the action is only more difficult (DC modifier) or if it is also more dangerous (Skill modifier).

====Modifier Types====
Here is a list of the different modifier your character can have.
=====Ability Modifier=====
The bonus or penalty associated with a particular ability score. Ability modifiers apply to die rolls for character actions involving the corresponding abilities. 
=====Circumstance Modifier=====
A circumstance bonus (or penalty) arises from specific conditional factors impacting the success of the task at hand. Circumstance bonuses stack with all other bonuses, including other circumstance bonuses, unless they arise from essentially the same source. 
=====Deflection Bonus=====
A deflection bonus affects Defense Resistance and is granted by an effect that makes attacks veer off harmlessly. Deflection bonuses stack with all other bonuses to Defense except other deflection bonuses.
=====Dodge Bonus=====
A dodge bonus improves Defense Resistance resulting from physical skill at avoiding blows and other ill effects. Any situation or effect (except wearing armor) that negates a character's Dexterity bonus also negates any dodge bonuses the character may have. Dodge bonuses stack with all other bonuses to Defense, even other dodge bonuses.
=====Enhancement Bonus=====
An enhancement bonus represents an increase in the sturdiness and/or effectiveness of armor or natural armor, or the effectiveness of a weapon, or a general bonus to an ability score. Multiple enhancement bonuses on the same object (in the case of armor and weapons), creature (in the case of natural armor), or ability score do not stack. Only the highest enhancement bonus applies. 
=====Insight Bonus=====
An insight bonus improves performance of a given activity by granting the character an almost precognitive knowledge of what might occur. Multiple insight bonuses on the same character or object do not stack. Only the highest insight bonus applies. 
=====Luck Modifier=====
A luck modifier represents good (or bad) fortune. Multiple luck bonuses on the same character or object do not stack. Only the highest luck bonus applies. 
=====Morale Modifier=====
A morale bonus represents the effects of greater hope, courage, and determination (or hopelessness, cowardice, and despair in the case of a morale penalty). Multiple morale bonuses on the same character do not stack. Only the highest morale bonus applies. Non-intelligent creatures (creatures with an Intelligence of 0 or no Intelligence at all) cannot benefit from morale bonuses. 
=====Pain Penalty=====
Some wounds are so painful that you cannot act without causing yourself more pains resulting in a penalty to all actions. Pain penalty from different wounds does not stack, but pain penalty provided by a single attack does stack.
=====Profane Modifier=====
A profane bonus (or penalty) stems from the power of evil. Multiple profane bonuses on the same character or object do not stack. Only the highest profane bonus applies. 
=====Racial Modifier=====
Races have different capabilities resulting in modifiers from most attributes. 
=====Sacred Modifier=====
A sacred bonus (or penalty) stems from the power of good. Multiple sacred bonuses on the same character or object do not stack. Only the highest sacred bonus applies. 
=====Size Modifier=====
A size bonus or penalty is derived from a creature's size category.