GURPS - Basic Set 3r..

SCIENTIFIC SKILLSProspecting/TL (Mental/Average) Defaults to IQ-5or Geology-4This is applied geology: the skill of finding valuable minerals byon-site examination. Prospecting from a distance, by instrument ormap readings and extrapolation, requires Geology skill. A prospectorwill be at -1 in a new area of familiar type, -2 or more in anunfamiliar type of area, until he has been there long enough (amonth of work) to gain familiarity.A successful Prospecting roll will also tell good ore or mineralsfrom a small sample, and judge their commercial value.In the field, a prospector can try to find water by using an "eyefor country" as under Survival (p. 57).Psychology (Mental/Hard)Defaults to IQ-6This is the study of behavior. A psychologist deals with thehuman mind (and perhaps other types as well). A successfulPsychology roll can predict, in general, the behavior of an individualor small group in a defined situation, especially a situation of stress.Modifiers: +3 if the psychologist knows the subject well; +3 if thepsychologist has the Empathy advantage and meets the subject; +3 ifthe subject is of a known deviant personality type - i.e., suffers froma phobia or other mental problem.SOCIAL SKILLSActing (Mental/Average) Defaults to IQ-5, Bard-5or Performance-2This is the ability to counterfeit moods, emotions .and voices,and to lie convincingly over a period of time. It is not the same asDisguise or Performance. A successful Acting roll will let you pretendto think or feel something that you do not feel. The GM mayrequire an Acting roll whenever you try to fool someone, lie tothem, etc. Modifiers: +1 for every point of IQ you have over theperson you are trying to fool (or the smartest one in the group), and -1for every point of IQ if your victim is smarter than you.Impersonation of a particular person is a special type of acting.To mimic a particular person, you must first successfully disguiseyourself (see Disguise, p. 65) - unless, of course, your victims cannotsee you! Modifiers for any mimicry: -5 if you are not wellacquaintedwith your subject; -5 if the people you want to fool areacquaintances of the original; and -10 if they are well-acquainted.Administration (Mental/Average) Defaults to IQ-6or Merchant-3This is the skill of running a large organization. Primarily usefulfor earning money or qualifying for high rank. A trainedAdministrator (skill 15+) would also get a +2 reaction bonus whendealing with a bureaucrat, and (on a successful roll) could predictthe best way to go about dealing with a bureaucracy.Area Knowledge (Mental/Easy)Defaults to IQ-4**A default roll is allowed only for an Area Knowledge rollbased on a place where you live or once lived. See the last paragraph.This is the skill of familiarity with the people, politics and geographyof a given area. Normally, a character will have AreaKnowledge only for the area he considers his own "home base,"whether that's a single farm or a solar system. If information aboutResearch (Mental/Average) Defaults to IQ-5or Writing-3Also defaults to any scientific skill-2 if you are researchingmaterial connected with that skill. Research is the general ability todo library and file research. A successful Research roll in an appropriateplace of research will let you find some useful piece of data, ifthat information is to be found.Research skill requires either Literacy or Computer Operations(in a high-tech campaign world).Theology (Mental/Hard)Defaults to IQ-6This is the study of religion. A theologist knows about ancientand modern religious beliefs, history of religion, etc. If your characteris a priest or holy man, you should consider taking this skill,specializing in your own particular religion.Zoology/TL (Mental/Hard) Defaults to IQ-6or any Animal skill-6This is the study of animals. A zoologist can identify animals;make a good guess about their natural diet, habits and habitat; andpredict their behavior.other areas is available, the GM may allow characters to study AreaKnowledge for other places. Spies, for instance, will try to acquiredetailed Area Knowledge of their target areas before going there.The GM should not require an Area Knowledge roll for ordinarysituations - finding the blacksmith, tavern or your own home. Buthe could require a roll to locate a smith to shoe your horse at 3 a.m., orto find the best ambush location along a stretch of road. "Secret" orvery obscure information will carry a penalty, or may not beavailable through Area Knowledge at all. For instance, AreaKnowledge of Washington will give you the location of the RussianEmbassy, but not the KGB's current safe-house.The things that can be known with Area Knowledge overlapStreetwise, Navigation, Naturalist, Politics and more. The differenceis that Area Knowledge works for a single area; you know thehabits of this tiger or gang boss, but this does not give you generalinsight into the species.Area Knowledge can be bought for any sort of area. The largerthe territory, the less "personal" and more general your knowledgebecomes. Almost every character will have Area Knowledge ofsome type. Some examples (the GM may add more for his particularcampaign):