Knowledge
This broad skill represents a character’’s ability to know at least a
little bit about any particular subject. With just the broad skill, a
character isn’’t considered an expert, but it represents the ability to
logically recall a class he took, an article he read, or a documentary
he saw on the topic in question.
Knowledge skill checks are usually made in secret so the players don’’t
even know the check is being made. Once a character is determined to
have knowledge concerning a particular topic, a note can be made on
the
character sheet.
Table P24: Knowledge Categories
For a Knowledge skill check, the Gamemaster determines which category
the information sought belongs to:
| Category | Modifier | Complexity |
| :— | :— | :— |
| Trivial | +1 step | Marginal |
| General | None | Ordinary |
| Specific | +2 steps | Good |
| Expert | +3 steps | Amazing |
-
Trivial: Simple, obvious, or readily available information.
-
General: Key features of a topic, not details or particulars.
-
Specific: Special features of a topic, details known to someone
intimate with the topic.
- Expert: A level of detail usually only acquired through
experience, research, or training.
Language, Specific Skill
This specialty skill gives a character a certain amount of fluency
in a
specific language. Every character begins with Rank 3 in his
or her
native language. Lower ranks indicate a crude familiarity; higher
ranks
improve the character’’s vocabulary and comprehension of obscure or
complicated passages.
Rank Benefits
⊗ Improved Communication: As a character achieves higher skill ranks
in a specific language, he or she gets better at employing other
skills
that involve language use (such as encounter skills and some
Creativity
specialties). This benefit provides a reduction to situation die
penalties: 1 step at rank 4, 2 steps at rank 8, and **3
steps at
rank 12**. This benefit only reduces a penalty; it never provides
a
bonus.
Psionics
This skill gives a character a working knowledge of psionic
abilities,
perhaps even beyond what the character’’s culture understands as a
whole.
The degree of success achieved on a skill check relates to the
quality or
quantity of information that is available to or understood by the
character.
Computer Operation
This specialty skill allows a character to improve his ability to
make
computers perform, specifically his ability to get the most out of
the
software (including the operating system) that is installed in a
computer. The degree of success relates to the quality or quantity
of
information accessed or retrieved, or the speed with which the
operator
is able to perform a task.
Deduce
With this specialty skill, a character can hone his abilities to
use
reason and logic to reach a conclusion. Deduce is used by
detectives and
investigators to piece together clues, or by scientists and
engineers to
discover the answer to a skill-related problem.
⊗ Resistance Modifier: At higher ranks, the deduce skill provides an
improvement to a character’’s Intelligence resistance modifier,
which
makes it more difficult for opponents to successfully use
encounter
skills to deceive the character. The modifier improves by **+1 at
Rank
4**, +1 at Rank 8, and +1 at Rank 12.
First Aid
This specialty skill represents basic training in first aid
techniques,
including the use of trauma packs, first aid kits, and other
general-use
medical items. It doesn’’t provide a character with the ability to
use
specialized surgical tools or advanced medical gear.
Heal Stun Damage
A character can use first aid to remove stun damage from himself
or
someone else. A successful skill check restores **2, 3, or 4 stun
points**
depending on success (Ordinary, Good, or Amazing). This only works
on
someone who is conscious.
Knockout Recovery
A knockout occurs when a character’’s stun points are used up. A
successful
skill check brings a character back to consciousness and restores
**1, 2,
or 3 stun points**, depending on the degree of success.
Heal Wound Damage
The first aid skill can be used to heal wounds, though a first aid
kit or
trauma pack is required.
- First Aid Kit: A complex skill check of Good complexity is
required (1 wound healed on completion).
- Trauma Pack: A complex skill check of Ordinary complexity is
required (2 wounds healed on completion).
- Critical Failure: If a trauma pack is used, the patient suffers 1
wound instead of having any wounds healed, and the pack is ruined.
Dying
A character with any amount of mortal damage is considered to be
dying. A
character who uses either a first aid kit or a trauma pack and
makes a
successful first aid skill check can stabilize mortal damage,
removing the need for the character to make a Stamina–endurance
check at
the end of the current scene. (Note: surgery is still necessary to
restore a dying character to health).
Rank Benefits
⊗ Improved First Aid: As a character achieves higher skill ranks, he
becomes more proficient at providing aid to injured patients. This
reduces the situation die penalty by 1 step at rank 4, **2
steps at
rank 8**, and 3 steps at rank 12.
Research
The research specialty covers the techniques used to find, verify,
and
organize information from diverse sources, including physical
archives,
electronic databanks, and the Grid. It is also used to represent a
character’’s ability to learn and improve skills through study and
mentorship.
Mentorship and Learning
A character can use research to assist another character (or
himself) in
learning a new skill or improving an existing one. A successful
research
check provides a bonus to the learning time required:
-
Ordinary: half the learning time required.
-
Good: one-quarter the learning time required.
-
Amazing: one-eighth the learning time required.
⊗ Efficient Investigation: As a character achieves higher ranks in
this specialty, he becomes more efficient at digging through data.
He
receives a -1 step bonus to research checks at rank 3,
**-2 at
rank 6**, -3 at rank 9, and -4 at rank 12.