Cortex Fantasy

Attributes

Physical, Mental, Social, Magical

Skills

Skills are broad areas of ability that characters have and are rated by die size. Skills start at d4 unless they are a highlighted skill. Characters have nine points to spend on highlighted skills. One point and the skill starts at d6, two points and it starts at d8, three points and it starts at d10. four points and it starts at d12. You must start with at least three highlighted skills.

Once highlighted skills are selected, you have another nine points to distribute among all your skills. Raising a skill from d4 to d6 at this stage costs two points. Raising a skill already at d6 or higher one step at this stage only costs one point.

Below are the list of game skills.

• Craft - Covers all instances of making things.
• Drive/Ride - Covers driving animal drawn land vehicles and riding trained mounts.
• Fight - Covers all instances of physically attacking another being with fists, feet, or melee weapons or touching someone who might not be willing (hugs, handshakes, etc)
• Fire/Throw - For using ranged mechanical or hand propelled weapons and tools.
• Fix - Covers repairs of all kinds.
• Focus - Covers instances where concentration is more important than the skill you're concentrating on. Often used to resist social, mental, or magical Influence or trickery.
• Influence - To persuade another to believe or do a thing.
• Know - Used to put together information or to check character knowledge of a thing
• Labor - Covers general muscling/sweating/activitying, etc
• Move - To get from point A to point B. Usually in a timely manner, but also when the way is dangerous or uncertain.
• Notice - Covers seeing/hearing or otherwise . . . noticing . . . something you otherwise might not. Often used as a counter to Sneak.
• Perform - The use of grace, acting, dancing, playing, etc to influence or impress an audience
• Sneak - Covers doing things unseen/heard
• Survive - Covers physical survival, usually of the elements
• Treat - Covers treatment of wounds, poisons, or psychological conditions
• Trick - Covers any kind of deception

Knacks

Knacks are narrow areas of specialization under a broad skill. Knacks are completely player defined and rated at d6. Knacks can only be assigned to skills rated d6 or higher. So if your Fight skill is d6 or higher you might select Swords or Axes as a knack. Any tie you are rolling your fight die and using a sword you can add the die for that knack as well.

Each player starts with five knacks. Additionally, if your Know skill is rated d6 or higher, you get one free knack under that skill.