SWN Ebook.indb - sup/tg

Character SkillsThe following list covers the more common skills found amongadventurers. The GM is always free to adjust this list, adding newfields or combining skills as desired. Some GMs may even prefer torun a game without skills, simply assigning bonuses to skill checksbased on the class and level of the characters.Some skills require specializations, such as the Combat, Vehicle,Tech, Culture, and Profession skills. A character can acquire morethan one specialization in a skill, but these skills must be advancedseparately. A sublime skill in Vehicle/Sea does little to help a characterpilot a spacecraft with Vehicle/Space.ArtistThe character is trained or gifted in a particular type of art. Thecharacter should select a specific medium when this skill is gained.AthleticsRunning, jumping, climbing, swimming, and other feats of athleticsor acrobatics are covered by this skill.BureaucracyA skilled bureaucrat knows how to deal with complex legal andadministrative systems, and how to find files or records quickly.BusinessThe character knows how to run a business and deal with otherentrepreneurs.Combat(Specialties)This skill is actually composed of several specialties, each one of whichmust be learned separately..Energy Weapons: Use of high-tech weaponry that relies on energyemissions such as lasers or plasma.Gunnery: Use of heavy vehicle-mounted weapons or fixed guns,whether on spacecraft or planetary vehicles.Primitive Weapons: Use of muscle-powered weapons such as knives,bows, or clubs, as well as thrown weapons such as grenades. Thisincludes high-tech versions of these weapons.Projectile Weapons: Use of mechanically-powered weaponry such ascrossbows, pistols, rifles, and the like.Psitech: Use of psitech weaponry. This skill is usually useless to nonpsychics,as almost all psitech weaponry requires some psionic talentto use.Unarmed: Weaponless combat techniques. Unlike other forms ofweaponry, a practitioner of unarmed combat can add their Combat/Unarmed skill to the damage roll as well as the hit roll. Characters withUnarmed-2 expertise are so good that they can even injure targets inpowered armor and other gear that would otherwise prevent effectiveUnarmed attacks.ComputerThe character is skilled at operating and programming computers, aswell as operating most advanced communications systems.Culture(Specialties)As with Combat, Culture is composed of numerous specialties, eachone of which must be learned separately.Alien: The character is familiar with a particular alien race, knowingtheir traditions, physiology, and psychology. They can also speak andunderstand the aliens’ language, assuming it is physically possible fora human to do so.Criminal: The character is familiar with criminal subcultures andthe protocols for dealing with black markets and undergroundorganizations.Spacer: The character knows the traditions and customs of interstellarspacefarers and deep-space colonists. They are comfortable in zero-genvironments, and can identify ships and astronautic equipment.Traveller: This skill is unique in that it can only be taken at level 0 andcannot be raised. It can substitute for any other planet’s Culture skill,however, and represents a casual, basic knowledge of many differentworlds. This skill is useless on worlds that have been completelycut off from interstellar contact. Traveller skill grants no linguisticproficiency.World: This specialty must be taken individually for each specificworld, and relates to knowledge of that world’s society, government,tech level, and laws. Level 0 in this skill also grants basic proficiencyin that world’s most common language if the character is not alreadyproficient in it.ExosuitThe character is trained in the use of powered exosuits. These forms ofheavy armor are often used in dangerous environments ranging fromasteroid mining to shock trooper assaults on enemy positions.GamblingThe character knows numerous games of chance and has a better thanusual chance of winning them.HistoryThe character has training in galactic history and can identify worlds,events, and people of historical importance.InstructorThe character knows how to teach the skills they possess. A psychicmust have at least level 3 in this skill in order to safely train anunskilled psychic, and must have received the special instructionrequired for a psionic mentor.LanguageThe character speaks additional languages. At each level, the characterlearns a number of new languages equal to the skill’s level plus one.Thus, at level 0, they learn one new language, at level 1, they learntwo new languages, and so forth.LeadershipThe character is trained in leading others in high-stress situations.Characters with this skill can keep the obedience of subordinates evenin dangerous situations or when giving hazardous orders.16