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| ==CHAPTER 3: SKILLS== | | ==CHAPTER 3: SKILLS== |
| ===Skill Basics=== | | ===Skill Basics=== |
− | Skills are learned abilities acquired through a combination of training (the | + | * How Skills Work |
− | skill) and natural talent (an ability score). Each skill has a rank, used as a
| + | * Untrained Skill Checks |
− | bonus to the die roll when using the skill. To use a skill roll:
| + | * Interaction Skills |
− | d20 + skill rank + ability modifier +
| + | * Manipulation Skills |
− | miscellaneous modifiers
| + | * Specialty Skills |
− | The higher the roll, the better the result. You’re usually looking for a total
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− | that equals or exceeds a particular Difficulty Class (DC) or another character’s
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− | check total.
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− | • Skill Rank: Your rank in a skill is based on the number of points you
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− | have invested in skills. If you have ranks in a skill you’re considered
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− | trained in that skill. You can use some skills even if you don’t have
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− | any ranks in them, known as using a skill untrained.
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− | • Ability Modifier: Each skill has a key ability, the ability modifier
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− | applied to the skill’s checks. Each skill’s key ability is noted in its
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− | description and on the Skills table (see page 41).
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− | • Miscellaneous Modifiers: Miscellaneous modifiers to skill checks
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− | include situational modifiers for favorable or unfavorable conditions,
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− | bonuses from feats or powers, or penalties for not having proper
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− | tools, among others.
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− | ACQUIRING SKILLS
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− | Characters gain skill ranks by spending power points: 4 skill ranks per
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− | power point. Skill ranks do not all need to be assigned to the same skill.
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− | Characters can perform some tasks without any training, using only raw
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− | talent (as defined by their ability scores), but skilled characters are better
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− | at such things. Characters with the right skills and feats (see Chapter 4)
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− | can even hold their own against super-powered opponents.
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− | Skill Cost = 1 power point per 4 skill ranks.
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− | ===HOW SKILLS WORK===
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− | When you use a skill, make a skill check to see how you do. Based on the
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− | circumstances, your result must match or beat a particular number to use
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− | the skill successfully. The harder the task, the higher the number you need
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− | to roll. (See Checks, page 9, for more information.)
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− | UNTRAINED SKILL CHECKS
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− | Generally, if you attempt a task requiring a skill you don’t have, you make
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− | a skill check as normal. Your skill modifier doesn’t have a skill rank added
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− | in because you don’t have any ranks in the skill. You do get other modifiers,
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− | though, such as the ability modifier for the skill’s key ability.
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− | Many skills can only be used if you are trained in the skill. Skills that
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− | cannot be used untrained are marked with a “No” in the “Untrained” column
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− | on the Skills table and listed as “Trained Only” in their descriptions.
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− | Attempts to use these skills untrained automatically fail.
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− | INTERACTION SKILLS
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− | Certain skills, called interaction skills, are aimed at dealing with others
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− | through social interaction. Interaction skills allow you to influence
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− | the attitudes of others and get them to cooperate with you in one way
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− | or another. Since interaction skills are intended for dealing with others
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− | socially, they have certain requirements.
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− | First, you must be able to interact with the subjects of the skill. The
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− | subjects must be aware of you and able to understand you. If you don’t
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− | speak the same language, or they can’t hear you for some reason, that’s
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− | the same as working without the proper tools, a –4 on your skill check.
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− | Interaction skills work best on intelligent subjects, ones with an Int
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− | score of 3 or better. You can use them on creatures with Int 1-2, but with
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− | a –8 penalty; they’re just too dumb to get the subtleties of your point. You
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− | can’t use interaction skills at all on subjects lacking one or more mental
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− | ability scores. (Try convincing a rock to be your friend—or to be afraid of
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− | you—sometime.) The Immunity power (see page 89) can also render some
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− | characters immune to interaction skills.
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− | You can use interaction skills on groups of subjects at once, but only to
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− | achieve the same result for all. So you can attempt to use Bluff or Diplomacy to
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− | convince a group of something, or Intimidate to cow a crowd, for example, but
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− | you can’t try to convince some individuals of one thing and the rest of another,
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− | or to intimidate some people and not others. The GM decides if a particular
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− | use of an interaction skill is effective against a group, and may apply modifiers
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− | depending on the situation. The general rules for interaction still apply: everyone
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− | in the group must be able to hear and understand you, for example, or you
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− | suffer a –4 on your skill check against them. Mindless subjects are unaffected.
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− | | |
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− | ===SKILL BENCHMARKS===
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− | As a general guideline, 1-4 ranks in a skill is a basic level of training, familiarity with the basics of the skill. A character with 5-8 ranks has a professional
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− | level of training, sufficient for someone using the skill in their primary profession. Someone with 9-12 ranks is an expert; the character is recognized and
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− | likely known as an expert in the skill, while 13-15 ranks represent virtual mastery of the skill. More than 15 ranks is such an amazing level of skill that
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− | the character is recognized as being among the best-trained people in the world!
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− | These guidelines apply to attack and defense bonus as well if you substitute skill level for “combat skill level.” So a hero with attack +7 has a
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− | “professional” level of training, while someone with a +15 bonus is a true master of combat skills.
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− | UNDER THE HOOD: CHOOSING SKILLS
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− | There are a number of factors to consider when choosing skills for your
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− | character.
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− | TRAINING VS. TALENT
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− | In game terms there’s no difference between a character who has
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− | ranks in a skill because of extensive training and another whose skill
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− | ranks represent a natural “knack” or aptitude for the skill. Both are
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− | considered “trained” in the skill. For example, one character might have
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− | a high Diplomacy skill based on the character’s extensive training in
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− | negotiation, debate, and management. Another character’s Diplomacy
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− | skill may stem more from personal attractiveness or a talent for getting
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− | others to cooperate, while a third character may have a combination of
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− | the two. Feel free to decide for yourself what mix of training and talent
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− | your character’s skill ranks represent.
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− | LIFE SKILLS
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− | When allocating skill ranks for your character consider not just the
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− | character’s role as a hero but also the various other skills the character may
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− | have picked up in day-to-day life. For example, most adults have some sort
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− | of Craft or Profession skill as their occupation with at least 3 to 5 ranks
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− | (more if they’re especially good at their job). Some people pick up ranks in
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− | Notice, although most get by using the skill untrained. Characters working
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− | with technology may have the Computers or Craft skills even if they don’t
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− | apply to their powers. A particularly well-educated person may have various
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− | Knowledge skills. These additional skills help round out a character and
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− | provide some background color and—who knows?—they may turn out to
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− | be useful in an adventure at some point.
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− | ADVENTURING SKILLS
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− | Also give some thought to the skills your character needs to be effective
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− | in game play. Some are obvious, especially if they’re part of your character
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− | concept. A scientist is going to have Knowledge skills, and possibly
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− | Computers or Craft. A pilot should have Pilot, while a doctor should have
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− | Medicine and Profession (physician). Beyond the obvious and background
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− | skills of your character consider “utility skills” like Concentration, Notice,
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− | Search, Sense Motive, and Stealth, which many characters find useful. A
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− | few ranks in such skills may be a smart investment.
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− | MANIPULATION SKILLS
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− | Some skills, called manipulation skills, require a degree of fine physical
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− | manipulation. You need prehensile limbs and a Strength score or some
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− | suitable substitute (such as Precise Telekinesis) to use manipulation skills
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− | effectively. Characters lacking the ability to use manipulation skills can
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− | still have ranks in them and use them to oversee the work of others (granting
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− | an aid bonus, for example, see Aid, page 154).
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− | SPECIALTY SKILLS
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− | Some skills cover a wide range of knowledge or techniques. These skills
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− | are actually groups of similar skills, called specialty skills. When putting
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− | ranks into one of these skills, you must choose a specialty, a particular
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− | aspect of the skill your character knows. For example, you might choose
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− | the physical sciences specialty of Knowledge or the mechanical specialty
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− | of Craft. Skill ranks in one specialty of a skill do not imply training in the
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− | skill’s other specialties.
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| ===[[Skill Descriptions]]=== | | ===[[Skill Descriptions]]=== |
| Heroes can sneak into the well-guarded lairs of criminal masterminds, infiltrate alien computer systems, and create devices beyond the understanding of modern science. They can piece together clues to a villain’s latest plot, run along tightropes, and pilot vehicles through obstacle courses. They do so through the use of various skills, described in this chapter. | | Heroes can sneak into the well-guarded lairs of criminal masterminds, infiltrate alien computer systems, and create devices beyond the understanding of modern science. They can piece together clues to a villain’s latest plot, run along tightropes, and pilot vehicles through obstacle courses. They do so through the use of various skills, described in this chapter. |
− | * This section describes the skills available to Mutants & Masterminds characters,
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− | including their common uses and modifiers. Characters may be
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− | able to use skills for tasks other than those given here. The GM sets the
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− | DC and decides the results in those cases.
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− | The format for skill descriptions is given here. Items that do not apply
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− | are omitted from the skill’s description.
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− | NAME KEY ABILITY, INTERACTION, MANIPULATION, SPECIALTY, TRAINED ONLY, REQUIRES TOOLS
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− | The skill name line contains the following information:
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− | • Skill Name: What the skill is called. GMs may feel free to change the
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− | names of some skills to better suit the style of their game.
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− | • Key Ability: The ability modifier applied to the skill check.
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− | • Interaction: If “Interaction” is included next to the skill’s name, it is
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− | an interaction skill.
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− | • Manipulation: If “Manipulation” is included next to the skill’s name,
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− | it is a manipulation skill.
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− | • Specialty: If “Specialty” is included next to the skill’s name, you
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− | must choose a specialty for the skill.
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− | • Trained Only: If “Trained Only” is next to the skill’s name, you must
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− | have at least 1 rank in the skill in order to use it. If “Trained Only” is
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− | absent, untrained characters (those with 0 ranks in the skill) may use
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− | it.
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− | • Requires Tools: If “Requires Tools” is included next to the skill’s
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− | name, you need to have the proper tools to use the skill. Not having
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− | the proper tools results in a –4 penalty to the skill check. See
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− | Chapter 7 for more details on tools.
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− | The skill name line is followed by a brief description of the skill and four
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− | other categories:
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− | • Check: How to make a check for the skill, what the results are, and
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− | the basic Difficulty Class.
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− | • Try Again: Conditions on retrying a check with the skill. If this section
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− | is omitted, the skill can be retried an unlimited number of times.
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− | • Action: The type of action required to use the skill, how long it takes.
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− | As a general rule, if a skill takes a minute or longer to use, you can
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− | halve the time required by taking a –5 penalty on the check.
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− | • Special: Any extra information about the skill or its use.
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