Skills

Heroes sneak into the closely guarded lairs of criminal masterminds, infiltrate alien computer systems, and build devices beyond the understanding of modern science. They can piece together obscure clues to a villain’s latest plot, run along tightropes, and pilot vehicles through obstacle courses, all in a day’s work. In this game they do so through the use of various skills.

SKILL BASICS

Skills are learned abilities, a combination of training (the skill) and natural talent (an ability rank). Each skill has a rank, used as a bonus to the die roll when using the skill. To make a skill check, roll:

d20 + skill rank + ability modifier + miscellaneous modifiers

SKILL RANK[]

Your rank in a skill, based on the points you have invested in that skill. If you have ranks in a skill you’re considered trained in that skill. You can use some skills even if you don’t have any ranks in them, known as using a skill untrained. Some skills may not be used untrained.

ABILITY MODIFIER[]

Each skill has an ability modifier applied to the skill’s checks. Each skill’s ability modifier is noted in its description and on Table: Skills. If you use a skill untrained, the ability modifier still applies to the skill check.

MISCELLANEOUS MODIFIERS[]

Miscellaneous modifiers to skill checks include modifiers for circumstances, and bonuses from advantages or powers, among others.

The higher the total, the better the result. You’re usually looking for a total that equals or exceeds a particular difficulty class (DC), which may be based on another character’s traits.

CRITICAL SUCCESS[]

If you roll a 20 on the die when making a check you’ve scored a critical success. Determine the degree of success normally and then increase it by one degree. This can turn a low-level success into something more significant, but more importantly, it can turn a failure into a full-fledged success!

ACQUIRING SKILLS[]

Give your hero skill ranks by spending character points: 2 skill ranks per character point. Skill ranks do not all need to be assigned to the same skill. You can split them between different skills. Characters can perform some tasks without any training, using only raw talent (as defined by their ability ranks), but skilled characters are better at such things. Those with the right combinations of skills and advantages can even hold their own against super-powered opponents.

Skill Cost = 1 character point per 2 skill ranks.

HOW SKILLS WORK

When you use a skill, make a skill check to see how you do. Based on the circumstances, your result must match or beat a particular number to use the skill successfully. The harder the task, the higher the number you need to roll.

UNTRAINED SKILL CHECKS[]

Generally, if you attempt a task requiring a skill you don’t have, you make a skill check as normal. Skill rank doesn’t apply because you don’t have any ranks in the skill. You do get other modifiers, however, such as the skill’s ability modifier.

Many skills can only be used if you are trained in them. Skills that cannot be used untrained are marked with a “No” in the “Untrained” column on Table: Skills and listed as “Trained Only” in their descriptions. Attempts to use these skills untrained automatically fail. In some cases, a skill may have both trained and untrained aspects; if you do not have any ranks in that skill, you can only use the untrained ones.

INTERACTION SKILLS[]

Certain skills, called interaction skills, are aimed at dealing with others through social interaction. Interaction skills allow you to influence the attitudes of others and get them to cooperate with you in one way or another. Since interaction skills are intended for dealing with others socially, they have certain requirements.

First, you must be able to interact with the subject(s) of the skill. They must be aware of you and able to understand you. If they can’t hear or understand you for some reason, you have a –5 circumstance penalty to your skill check.

Interaction skills work best on intelligent subjects, ones with an Intellect rank of –4 or better. You can use them on creatures with Int –5, but again with a –5 circumstance penalty; they’re just too dumb to get the subtleties of your point. You can’t use interaction skills at all on subjects lacking one or more mental abilities. (Try convincing a rock to be your friend—or afraid of you—sometime.) The Immunity effect can also render characters immune to interaction skills.

You can use interaction skills on groups of subjects at once, but only to achieve the same result for everyone. So you can attempt to use Deception or Persuasion to convince a group of something, or Intimidation to cow a crowd, for example, but you can’t convince some individuals of one thing and the rest of another, or intimidate some and not others. The GM decides if a particular use of an interaction skill is effective against a group, and may apply modifiers depending on the situation. The general rules for interaction still apply: everyone in the group must be able to hear and understand you, for example, or you suffer a –5 on your skill check against them. Mindless subjects are unaffected, as usual.

MANIPULATION SKILLS[]

Some skills, called manipulation skills, require a degree of fine physical manipulation. You need prehensile limbs and a Strength rank or some suitable Precise power effect to use manipulation skills effectively. If your physical manipulation capabilities are impaired in some fashion (such as having your hands tied or full use of only one hand), the GM may impose a circumstance modifier based on the severity of the impairment. Characters lacking the ability to use manipulation skills can still have ranks in them and use them to oversee or assist the work of others.

SKILL BENCHMARKS[]

You can get a general idea of just how good a particular character’s skill bonus is using the general difficulty class guidelines given in The Basics along with the rules for routine checks .

For example, a +5 total skill modifier means the character can routinely achieve a result of 15 (a tough task). Safe to say the character is a pro, able to routinely handle tasks that would prove too much for someone less skilled. A character with a +10 skill modifier achieve a DC 20 (challenging task) on a routine basis, a real level of expertise, while a +15 modifier can routinely complete DC 25 (formidable) tasks. At the high end, a +30 skill modifier can routinely accomplishing the nigh impossible (DC 40 tasks)!

FINDING THE SKILL YOU WANT[]

If you don’t find a particular skill on the list, like climbing, bluffing, or search, remember that each skill covers a lot of ground. So, you’ll find climbing isn’t its own skill, but is listed as part of Athletics, while bluffing and search are under Deception and Investigation, respectively. When in doubt, read through the skill you think is most similar to what you’re looking for.

Interaction: If “Interaction” is included on the line below the skill’s name, it is an interaction skill.
Manipulation: If “Manipulation” is included on the line below the skill’s name, it is a manipulation skill.
Requires Tools: If “Requires Tools” is included on the line below the skill’s name, you need to have the proper tools to use the skill. Not having the proper tools is a –5 circumstance penalty to the skill check.

The skill name line is followed by a description of the skill and how it is used.

Under the Hood: Choosing Skills

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing skills for your character.

TRAINING VS. TALENT[]

In game terms there’s no difference between a character who has ranks in a skill because of extensive training and another whose skill ranks represent a natural talent or aptitude for the skill. Both are considered “trained” in the skill in game terms. For example, one character might have a high Persuasion skill based on the character’s extensive training in negotiation, debate, and management. Another character’s Persuasion skill may stem more from personal attractiveness or a knack for getting others to cooperate, while a third character may have a combination of the two. Feel free to decide for yourself what mix of training and talent your character’s skill ranks represent.

LIFE SKILLS[]

When allocating skill ranks for your character consider not just the character’s role as a hero but also the various other skills the character may have picked up in day-to-day life. For example, most adults have some sort of Expertise skill as their occupation with at least 3 to 5 ranks (more if they’re especially good at their job). Some people pick up ranks in Perception, although most get by using the skill untrained. Characters working with technology may have the Technology skill even if it doesn’t apply to their powers. A particularly welleducated person may have various Expertise skills for jobs they don’t even hold. These additional skills help round out a character and provide some background color and—who knows?—they may turn out to be useful in an adventure at some point!

ADVENTURING SKILLS[]

Also give some thought to the skills your character needs to be effective in game play. Some are obvious, especially if they’re part of your character concept. A scientist is likely to have ranks in Technology. A pilot should have Vehicles, while a doctor should have Treatment in addition to Expertise: Physician. Beyond the obvious and life skills of your character consider “utility skills” like Insight, Perception, and Stealth, which many characters find useful. A few ranks in such skills may be a smart investment.