Torg Player Rules

Perception
Perception measures several abilities; how quick a character is
mentally, how observant she is, and how effectively she can use
learned knowledge. Characters with a high Perception have excellent
memories and notice minor details others miss. Characters with a
low Perception tend to forget things and often overlook important
information without realizing it.
Perception-Related Skills
Air Vehicles
Use: Unskilled use penalized. May be used as a macro skill.
Sample specializations: Gliders, airplanes, helicopters, VTOL
craft, jumbo jets, hot-air balloons, zeppelins
Axiom: Tech 16; a magically-operated air vehicle requires
Magic 10
This skill reflects a
character’s ability to operate,
pilot and make minor repairs
to aircraft of all types. The
pilot must make an air vehicles
skill check whenever taking
off and landing as well as
when attempting any type of
unusual maneuver, such as
flying through storm turbulence
and maneuvers made during
combat. The difficulty of a task
is determined by the gamemaster
using the Difficulty Number
Scale.
Routine take-offs and
landings have an Easy difficulty.
The consequences of failing a skill
check on take-offs or landings
should depend on how much the
character missed by; missing it
by one point should not result in
a catastrophic crash except under
extreme conditions.
The air vehicles skill is also
used to increase a vehicle’s speed
beyond its normal capabilities. This
is accomplished with a speed push
similar to the type characters can do
with their own movement rates. All
vehicles have a speed value that is
essentially the same as a character’s
limit value. It is not the maximum
possible speed of the vehicle, just the maximum speed possible
without putting stress on the vehicle’s engine and/or structure.
The rules for speed pushes can be found in Chapter Four. The
macro use of this skill is handled with the same rules that apply
to the macro movements of characters in the “Timed Movement”
sidebar.
In aerial combat, a pilot’s air vehicles skill is used in place of
combat skills such as dodge and maneuver. In the unlikely (but not
impossible) case of a vehicle being attacked in flight by someone
using melee weapons or unarmed combat the pilot’s air vehicles
skill substitutes for the normal defensive skill values.
Alteration Magic
Use: Cannot be used unskilled.
Sample specializations: None
Axiom: Magic 7
Chapter Three: Attributes and Skills
Alteration magic is magic that uses existing matter and energy
and changes it into a form or condition more desirable to the
caster. A spell that changes a character’s Strength attribute is an
example of alteration magic, it “alters” the pre-existing Strength of
the spell’s recipient. A spell that changes a character into stone is
another example of alteration magic; the matter that makes up the
character’s body is altered into a different substance. Teleportation
spells are another type of alteration magic, which work by altering
the target’s physical location rather than altering an attribute or
quality possessed by the target.
The alteration magic skill is
used to cast alteration spells.
Specializations are not allowed
because this is already covered by
the magic system through the use of
arcane knowledges. Detailed rules
for using alteration magic and the
other magic skills can be found in
Chapter Ten.
Camouflage
Use: Macro skill
Sample specializations:
Using natural cover, using
man-made tools, by terrain
type (arctic, desert, jungle,
urban, etc.)
The camouflage skill
allows characters to conceal
large structures and objects
from distant observers. Land
vehicles, grounded air vehicles
and even small buildings can
be concealed using this
skill. This skill does not
apply to a character’s ability
to conceal her, which is
covered by the stealth skill.
Think of camouflage as
stealth or possibly disguise
for anything other than
the character. Camouflage
can be used to conceal
other characters from
observation.
When attempting to camouflage an object, the character generates
a skill total. This value becomes the difficulty number for anyone
trying to locate the concealed object with a Perception or find skill
check. The gamemaster can apply modifiers to this difficulty number
based on the surrounding terrain, the size of the object and the type
and availability of materials used to conceal the object. Some of the
modifiers listed under the stealth skill may also be appropriate. If
the find total exceeds the camouflage total used to hide the object,
the observer sees the object.
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