Revision as of 17:47, 14 July 2008

So, this is where we're going to talk about skills.

Skill Basics

Every skill has a rank. This is not a rank in the traditional d20 use of the term, so pay attention.

Every skill has a die associated with it. If you do have no training in the skill, you do not get any dice (some skills can be used untrained; in this case, use the dice for whatever other attributes the skill is tied to, when you try to use it). When you train the skill, you gain a dice pool for that skill.

The first rank towards a skill grants you 1d4. For each rank thereafter, the dice pool improves, based upon the standard Journey dice pool progression (1d4 => 1d6 => 1d8 => 1d10 => 1d12 => 2d6 => 2d8 => 2d10 => 2d12 => 2d12+1d4 => and so on).

Actually noting rank is not necessary, but you may want to do so for ease of math when improving your skills later on (so if you know that 1d8 is rank 3, you won't need to look that up; if you don't know that off-hand, then you will).

Skills

Skills are broken down into a few different categories, for now. Because I'm like that.

Some definitions.

• Base Attribute: This is the attribute the skill is tied to. If, for instance, you want to use your Open Lock skill, you should note that Open Lock is based on Dex; when you attempt to use your Open Lock skill, you take the dice pool from your Open Lock skill, and your dice pool from your Dexterity attribute, and roll that total pool of dice as your skill check.

Example: Let's say you have Open Lock at 1d6+2, and your Dexterity is 1d8+4. When you attempt to open a lock, you roll 1d8+1d6+6.

• Cost/Rank: This indicates how much XP you must spend to improve the skill. Each skill has this denoted as "# + #/rank." Whenever you put a rank into the skill, you must pay this much XP. The "#/rank" indicates that, if you have previously put ranks into the skill, you must pay that many additional points for each previous rank you have.

Example: Let's say your Melee combat skill is at 1d8+5, and you want to improve it to 1d10+5. You must spend 3 points, plus an additional 2 points per rank you have (4, in this case). Thus, you need to spend 11 XP to improve your Melee skill by one die.

• Cost/Modifier: This indicates how much XP you must spend to gain a modifier to the dice pool for this skill. Each skill has this denoted as "#/bonus." Whenever you wish to increase the bonus, you must pay this much XP per point of bonus you wish to have; note that you cannot skip bonuses (so you cannot go from a +2 to a +4). Also, the maximum bonus on a skill is equal to your Potential.

Example: Let's say your Defense combat skill is at 1d4+1, and you want to improve it to 1d4+3. You must spend 2 points per plus, so to increase it to +2 requires 4 points, then to +3 requires 6 points, for a total of 10 XP.

Things to Track for your Skills

When you gain a skill, there are three things you need to note, aside from the dice pool and modifier it has: the minimum, average, and maximum roll you can make with it.

Minimum and maximum are relatively easy. Find the total roll you can possibly make with the skill (including base attribute!), and that is the maximum. Find the lowest roll you can possibly make, and that is the minimum.

For average, take the maximum and minimum, add them together, and divide by 2. If the result is not a whole number, round down.

Combat Skills

Because of how the combat system works, combat skills do not have associated ability scores or base attributes.

TABLE: COMBAT SKILLS
Melee
Archery
Firearms
Parry
Dodge
Block

Skill Descriptions

Melee
  Base Attribute: Strength
  Cost/Rank: 3 + 2/rank
  Cost/Modifier: 2/rank

  This skill is a measure of your ability to strike creatures with a melee attack, such as swords, fists, and other close-combat
  weaponry.

  Task: Melee Attack [Opposed]
    Action Cost: 10
    Action Type: Attack (Melee)
    Target: One creature
    Dice Pool: This + Strength
    Opposed By: Dodge, Parry, or Block
    Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / No / No

    You make a single attack against a creature. If you successfully overcome the opposed roll, and your skill result is higher
    than your target's Armor value, you deal damage to the target (see the Proficiency skill).

Archery
  Base Attribute: n/a
  Cost/Rank: 3 + 2/rank
  Cost/Modifier: 2/bonus

  This skill is a measure of your ability to strike creatures with an archery attack, such as bows, slings, and other ranged weapons
  that require skill.

Firearms
  Base Attribute: n/a
  Cost/Rank: 3 + 2/rank
  Cost/Modifier: 2/bonus

  This skill is a measure of your ability to strike creatures with a firearm attack, such as crossbows, guns, and other ranged
  weapons that require less skill.

Parry
  Base Attribute: n/a
  Cost/Rank: 3 + 2/rank
  Cost/Modifier: 2/bonus

  This skill is a measure of your ability to defend yourself by means of a held weapon.

  Task: Parry [Opposed]
    Action Cost: 2
    Action Type: Reaction
    Trigger: Attacked by a melee attack
    Dice Pool: This + Strength
    Opposed By: Attack action
    Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / No / No

    You must be wielding a melee weapon in order to perform this task.

    You can attempt to parry a melee attack made against you. If you successfully overcome the opposed roll, the attack is resolved
    against your weapon. The damage your weapon takes is reduced by the amount by which you overcome the opposed roll.

Dodge
  Base Attribute: n/a
  Cost/Rank: 3 + 2/rank
  Cost/Modifier: 2/bonus

  This skill is a measure of your ability to defend yourself by means of getting out of the way.

  Task: Dodge [Opposed]
    Action Cost: 4
    Action Type: Reaction
    Trigger: Attacked by any attack
    Dice Pool: This + Dexterity
    Opposed By: Attack action
    Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / No / No

    You can attempt to dodge any attack made against you. If you successfully overcome the opposed roll, the attack misses you.

Block
  Base Attribute: n/a
  Cost/Rank: 3 + 2/rank
  Cost/Modifier: 2/bonus

  This skill is a measure of your ability to defend yourself by means of interposing a shield.

  Task: Block [Opposed]
    Action Cost: 2
    Action Type: Reaction
    Trigger: Attacked by a melee or archery attack
    Dice Pool: This + Constitution
    Opposed By: Attack action
    Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / No / No

    You must be wielding a shield in order to perform this task.

    You can attempt to block a melee or archery attack made against you. If you successfully overcome the opposed roll, the attack
    is resolved against your shield. The damage your shield takes is reduced by the amount by which you overcome the opposed roll.

Arcana
  Base Attribute: Intelligence (Int)
  Cost/Rank: 2 + 2/rank
  Cost/Modifier: 3/bonus

  This skill is a measure of your knowledge regarding magic, in its various forms.

  Task: Draw Mana [Static]
    Prerequisites - Talent: Mage, Skill: Arcana (1d6).
    Action Cost: 5 (see text)
    Action Type: Skill
    Dice Pool: This + Intelligence
    Base TN: 5
    Take Min/Avg/Max?: No / No / No

    You can attempt to rapidly accumulate magical energy, though doing so can be dangerous.

    You gain mana tokens equal to your skill result for this task minus 5. The action cost for this task increases by 1 for each
    mana token you accumulate. If you do not overcome the base TN of this task, you lose mana tokens equal to the amount by which
    you fail.

    If you accumulate more mana tokens than your maximum mana token pool, you suffer arcane damage equal to the number of excess
    mana tokens, which are then lost.

Old Crap that Doesn't Matter Much Now

Some ideas about skills.

Acrobatics (Dex)
Athletics (Str)
Awareness (Per)
Craft (Int) <1>
Dungeoneering (Wis)
Endurance (Con)
Heal (Wis)
History (Int)
Initiative (Dex)
Insight (Wis)
Language (Int)
Lore <1>
Mechanics (Int)
Nature (Int)
Pilot (Dex)
Religion (Int)
Stealth (Dex)
Streetwise (Cha)
Thievery (Dex)

1 When you take this skill, you must choose a specialization.

Or maybe...

Acrobatics (Dex)
Athletics (Str)
Awareness (Per)
Craft (Int) <1>
Dungeoneering (Wis)
Endurance (Con)
Heal (Wis)
Initiative (Dex)
Insight (Wis)
Knowledge (Int) <1>
Language (Int)
Lore <1>
Mechanics (Int)
Pilot (Dex)
Stealth (Dex)
Streetwise (Cha)
Thievery (Dex)

1 When you take this skill, you must choose a specialization.