EDRulebook: 9 Skills

GENERAL SKILLS

As noted in Choosing Beginning Skills, General Skills give your character certain abilities that allow him or her to perform certain actions. Your character might use Acrobatics Skill to give him an edge in combat, for example, or Conversation Skill to more easily worm vital information from someone. Characters in Earthdawn will often end up in situations where they might wish to use a General Skill—assuming, of course, that they have the time and money necessary to acquire it.

All General Skills take time and money to learn. Unless noted in the description of a specific skill, the training time to learn a skill is a number of weeks equal to the desired Skill Rank, plus practice time for an additional number of months equal to the desired rank. To go from, say, Rank 3 Acting Skill to Rank 4 Acting Skill would require 4 weeks of training followed by 4 months of practice. An average week of training costs 25 x the desired rank in silver pieces, and can cost more if a character wants individual training. Because of the costs involved, characters may choose not to acquire General Skills, or may have fewer General Skills than Knowledge Skills to use in the course of a game session.

General Skills are described in detail in the following pages. The Step Number given with each description tells you which of your character’s Attribute steps determine the step number when using the skill. For example, a character with Melee Weapons Skill adds his skill rank to his Dexterity step to find that skill’s step number. A character with Dexterity Step 6 and Rank 5 Melee Weapons Skill would therefore use Step 11 when using the Melee Weapons Skill. The Difficulty Number to use when making Skill Tests (also given as the specific skill name test, i.e., Acrobatics Test) is also listed in the following skill descriptions. [Acrobatics]

ACROBATICS

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity Step
Characters use Acrobatics Skill to perform flips, jumps, swings, or other physical maneuvers during movement. A character using Acrobatics Skill in a Combat Round may also make a Combat Movement in that round. In other words, a character can make an Acrobatics Test to use that skill and, for example, can also use a talent that requires an action in that same round. Using Acrobatics Skill in combat would make a character harder to hit. The character makes an Acrobatics Test against the highest Physical Defense Rating of any opponent able to attack him. A successful test increases the character’s Physical Defense by a number equal to his rank in Acrobatics. A failure results in a Knockdown, because it means something has gone wrong. Your character has made a faulty landing, or hit an obstacle, or tripped, and so on.

ACTING

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
The Acting Skill allows a character to act out other personalities and persuade an audience that he or she is someone else. Actors can portray emotions they do not feel, persuading listeners and watchers that the emotions are genuine. Though Acting Skill does not allow a character to physically alter his or her appearance (the character must have Disguise Skill to do that), the character can mimic voice and speech patterns, copy gestures and movements, and convey energy, attitudes, and mannerisms appropriate to his role. A character using Acting Skill makes an Acting Test against his target’s Social Defense. A successful test means the target believes the character to be the type of person he is portraying. If the character pretends to be a specific person whom the target knows, the character needs at least an Excellent success to convince the target of his authenticity.

When using Acting Skill in performance, the character makes an Acting Test against the average Social Defense Rating of the audience. The success level determines how much the audience enjoys the performance. Acting can be used as an Artisan Skill (see Artisan Skills). [Stubborn Mule]

ANIMAL HANDLING

Step Number: Rank + Willpower Step
The Animal Handling Skill allows a character to work with domesticated animals; he might, for example, be a rider commanding horses, a driver urging mules to move, or a character getting attack dogs to attack. Making an animal perform any action beyond its normal activities requires that the character make an Animal Handling Test against the animal’s Social Defense. A successful test means the animal performs the requested action. The Animal Handling Skill assumes the character has established a level of trust with the animal, because without that trust most animals will refuse to perform an action that puts them in mortal danger. Giving such a command breaks the bond of trust between the character and the animal, and the character cannot command that animal again until he reestablishes trust.

A character can use this skill against more than one animal at a time. To do so, the character makes his Animal Handling Test against the highest Social Defense Rating among the target animals, adding +1 for every additional animal.

ARTIST

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
Artists create works of art either by performing or producing a physical piece of art. To use the Artist Skill for performing arts, a character makes an Artist Test against the highest Social Defense of any observer of his or her work. The success level determines how much the observers enjoy the art. The higher the success level, the more the observers enjoy and remember the performance.

To use the Artist Skill for the fine arts, a character makes an Artist Test and records the test result. Later, an observer makes a Perception Test to determine how much meaning he gleans from the work of art. Increase the observer’s Perception step by the other character’s rank in the Artist Skill; better artists earn higher appreciation. Contrary to popular belief, an observer cannot get more out of a work of art than the artist put into it. Treat any Perception Test result that is higher than the result of the Artist Test as equal to the Artist Test result. Then compare the Perception Test result to the Social Defense of the observer character. The success level determines how well the character remembers the work of art. Higher success levels create a more memorable experience for the observer.

Vialaque is a Theran poet with a Rank 6 Artist Skill. Vialaque writes what he personally judges to be one of his best poems. When he finishes the poem, he makes an Artist Test with a result of 17.
Some time later, Poorht the thief acquires and reads the poem. To make his Perception Test, Poorht adds his Perception Step 6 to Vialaque’s Artist Rank, ending up with Step 12 (2D10 Action dice). Poorht rolls 2D10 to appreciate the poem. The result is 19, which is reduced to 17 because that is the “value” of the poem. Comparing 17 to Poorht’s Social Defense 5 shows an Extraordinary success. Poorht thinks Vialaque’s poem is the most moving composition he has ever read. He commits it to memory, and recites it often—far too often for his companions’ comfort.

Examples of the performing arts include musician (one instrument), singer, and storyteller. Examples of the fine arts include painting, poetry, sculpture, and writing. If he wishes, a character may acquire the Artist Skill multiple times to learn new types of art. The Artist Skill can be used as an Artisan Skill (see Artisan Skills).

BRIBERY

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
Though most societies publicly disapprove of bribes, those same societies harbor many members more than willing to take them. Bribery is the skill of discreetly buying favors. Characters who have this skill can use any number of successful methods to disguise the exchange. To use the skill, the character makes a Bribery Test against the Social Defense of the target. A successful test means the target will do the favor asked. Small favors require a small amount of cash, for example, 5 silver pieces or the equivalent of a few hours’ wages for the target. For large favors, the asking character must produce a bribe equal to a day’s earnings for the target. See Gamemastering Earthdawn for more on favors. A character willing to offer larger-than-necessary bribes may receive a bonus, at the gamemaster’s discretion.

CONVERSATION

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
Characters with Conversation Skill can hold their own in social conversations, using quips, timing, and other verbal abilities to make a favorable impression. The character makes a Conversation Test against the Social Defense of the target. If the test is successful, the attitude of the target character rises favorably by one degree, say, from Neutral to Friendly. This change in attitude lasts only for the duration of the conversation and for a number of minutes afterward equal to the character’s Conversation Rank. When trying to impress more than one person, the character makes a Conversation Test against the highest Social Defense among the group, adding +1 for each additional character.

CRAFTSMAN

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity Step
Characters use Craftsman Skills to make and/or repair everyday items. A character makes a Craftsman Test against the Difficulty of making or repairing the item. Ordinary items have a Difficulty Number of 6; unusual or exotic items have a Difficulty Number of 9 or more. A successful test means the character has successfully made or repaired the item. A Poor success or worse means the attempt failed completely, destroying the item beyond salvation. If the test is unsuccessful but the success level is better than Poor, the character can try again; the only thing the character has lost in the first attempt is time. Making or repairing simple, everyday items does not require a Craftsman Test. A person with Craftsman Skill is also assumed able to create or repair these items. The Craftsman Skill can be used as an Artisan Skill (see Artisan Skills ). Common crafts include Armorer (weapons and armor), Baker, Blacksmith, Cooper (barrel maker), Mason, Mechanic, Tailor, and Woodworker.

DISGUISE

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
The Disguise Skill allows a character to alter his facial features, skin, and hair color and texture to look like another being. Use of the Disguise Skill requires a disguise kit and half an hour to prepare the disguise. Effective disguises also often require a costume, though creative lying might explain the absence of some distinctive piece of clothing. Once disguised, the character makes a Disguise Test against the highest Social Defense of any viewer. A successful test result means the onlookers believe the disguise. If a character attempts to disguise himself as a specific person, the player must roll an Excellent success on the Disguise Test to fool onlookers who know the individual he is impersonating.

ETIQUETTE

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
Etiquette is the art of proper behavior in social situations. Etiquette is important; improper behavior may be punished by responses ranging from the scorn of nobles to a beheading at the hands of enraged ork scorchers. Characters should strive to avoid committing faux pas in the society of Barsaive. To use the Etiquette Skill, a character makes an Etiquette Test against the Difficulty of knowing the proper behavior for a given social situation. The base Difficulty Number is 5, with modifiers to that number per the Etiquette Table, below.

ETIQUETTE TABLE

Difficulty Modifier	Situation
+2	Current company of higher social class than character
+3	Current company of different race or culture than character
+4	Surrounding culture completely alien to character

Etiquette modifiers are cumulative. For example, a commoner character who attends a banquet for a noble of a different race being hosted by a someone from a completely alien culture suffers a +9 Difficulty Modifier (2 + 3 + 4 = 9).

The Etiquette Test success level alters the reaction of observers. An Average success means that observers believe that your character seems to possess the rudiments of proper behavior. A Good success means those same people fully approve of your character’s manners. An Excellent success so impresses observers with your character’s manners that their attitude improves 1 degree, to a maximum of Friendly (see Gamemastering Earthdawn).

FORGERY

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity Step
Forgers create false papers, legal documents, and correspondence. A character with Forgery Skill might even forge artwork if he or she also has the appropriate Artist Skill. A character with the Forgery and Artist (Painter) Skills could fake the work of a famous master. Creating a forgery takes two to five times as long to create as did the original; for example, a letter jotted hastily in a few minutes might take nearly an hour to forge. To use Forgery Skill, the character makes a Forgery Test and records the result. That number becomes the Difficulty Number for a Perception Test by any person trying to detect the forgery.

FISHING

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
Characters use Fishing Skill to find food in lakes, rivers, or seas. To use this skill, the character makes a Fishing Test against a Difficulty Number ranging from 3 to 10 (determined by the gamemaster; see Gamemastering Earthdawn ). Each use of the Fishing Skill takes 1 hour. The success level of the test determines the amount of food captured, measured in the amount of food it would take to feed 1 person for 1 day:

Average	1 day
Good	2 days
Excellent	5 days
Extraordinary	10 days

FLIRTING

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
A form of interaction with members of a character’s preferred sex, Flirting Skill combines elements of flattery, intense attention, and clever word-play to affect another person. Flirtatious behavior accents conversations with hints of romance. A character using Flirting Skill makes a Flirting Test against the Social Defense of the target character. An Average success intrigues the target; he or she spends time with your character, trying to learn more about him. A Good success completely occupies the target character’s attention; he or she spends almost all available time with your character, more or less ignoring anyone else who might be around. An Excellent success leaves a lasting impression on the target. He or she exhibits all the symptoms mentioned so far and will follow up on the relationship, seeking to continue and deepen it at a later time. An Extraordinary success smites the target with love. He or she has it bad; for 1 week after the Flirting Test the other character cannot get enough of yours. He or she thinks your character is the greatest. The effect fades when the week ends, but another successful Flirting Test could start it all over again.

HUNTING

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity Step
The Hunting Skill allows a character to hunt for food in wilderness areas. The Difficulty Number for hunting ranges from 5 to 12, determined by the gamemaster (see Gamemastering Earthdawn). Some barren areas may not support wildlife at all; a character cannot successfully hunt for food in a barren area. The success level determines the amount of food captured, measured in the amount of food it would take to feed 1 person for 1 day:

Average	1 day
Good	2 days
Excellent	5 days
Extraordinary	10 days

Each use of Hunting Skill takes 4 hours. A character may make up to 2 Hunting Tests a day.

[Picking a lock]

LOCK PICKING

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity Step
Unlike the Lock Pick talent, a character using the Lock Picking Skill does not conjure a pick; the character must provide his or her own equipment. To use the skill, the character makes a Lock Picking Test against the lock’s Difficulty Number. A successful test result opens the lock.

NAVIGATION

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
Navigators know how to read maps, chart courses, and use the stars to pinpoint their location on open water or land. In order to use the Navigation Skill, navigators must be able to see the night sky and must possess a set of navigator’s charts. A character must spend 1 hour using the Navigation Skill, then make a Navigation Test against a Difficulty Number ranging from 5 (a crystal-clear night sky) to 12 (heavy cloud cover). A character cannot use this skill during violent storms because he cannot make the necessary observations. The success level of the test result determines the accuracy of the Navigation Test. An Average success gives a navigator his position accurately to within 10 miles. A Good success means the Navigation Test is accurate to within 5 miles, an Excellent success is accurate to within 2, and an Extraordinary success places the navigator within 1 mile of his target.

PHYSICIAN

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
Physicians diagnose and prescribe treatments for injuries and diseases. To use this skill, the character makes a Physician Test against the Difficulty Number of the diagnosis. A successful test means the physician knows what the problem is and how to treat it. Following are suggested Difficulty Numbers for diagnosing common ailments, in order of seriousness:

Ailment	Difficulty Number
Common Cold	4
Wounds	5
Flu	6
Mild Poison	6
Broken Bones	8
Strong Poison	11
Black Death	15

It takes 30 minutes to make a diagnosis using the Physician Skill. A successful test also adds a number of steps equal to the diagnosing character’s rank in Physician to the next Recovery Test the patient makes.

Poorht, the windling Thief, took a Wound. Fortunately for him, a character with Rank 3 Physician Skill was in the area. This character successfully diagnosed Poorht, and so Poorht adds 3 steps to his next Recovery Test.

READ AND WRITE LANGUAGE

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
Each rank of the Read and Write Language Skill enables your character to learn 1 new language by spending at least 4 months studying with a teacher or literate native speaker. If your character has a rank of the Read and Write Language Skill available, he can learn the new language. The character makes a Read and Write Language Test against the Difficulty Number given for the language in question in the table below. These Difficulty Numbers indicate the effort required to learn the standard racial languages. If the character wants to learn a dialect, add +2 to the difficulty.

A successful test result means the character has learned to read and write the desired language, and can do so from now on without difficulty. Once assigned to a language, the rank cannot be used to learn any other language. Note which languages your character speaks and reads on the Character Record Sheet.

Language	Difficulty Number
Dwarven	5
Elvish (Sperethiel)	6
Human	6
Obsidimen	7
Ork	6
Troll	6
T'skrang	7
Windling	7

RESEARCH

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
The Research Skill allows characters to find information through study and investigation. This includes research at libraries and following up on rumors and legends. To use this skill, a character makes a Research Test against a Difficulty Number determined by the type of information being sought. The gamemaster may use the guidelines for creating Difficulty Numbers given in Gamemastering Earthdawn to assign the Difficulty Number, or he may use the numbers suggested below:

Type of Information	Difficulty Number
General Informationa	5
Detailed Information	7
Intricate Information	9
Obscure Information	11

The success level of the Research Test determines how much information a character obtains. Making a good dice roll often turns up more detailed information than the character had initially sought.

While at the library of Throal, Jerreck is studying the legend of Jalendale, an abandoned kaer rumored to be full of magical treasure. Based on the nature of the information he is seeking, the Difficulty Number for his Research Test is 7. Jerreck rolls a 15, giving him an Excellent success. Jerreck had only been searching for the kaer’s general location, but the gamemaster decides that an Excellent success earns a bonus. Jerreck learns not only the general location of the kaer, but also its specific location, and the fact that it lies near an area rumored to hold a tribe of ork scorchers.

SAILING

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity Step
The Sailing Skill enables a character to sail (or help sail) any watercraft, whether muscle-powered, wind-powered, or even fire-powered like the legendary t’skrang riverboats. To use this skill, the character makes a Sailing Test. The Difficulty of this test depends on the condition of the water (determined by the gamemaster). Sailing over a smooth lake has Difficulty Number of 3, a turbulent river has a Difficulty Number of 7, and sailing through fierce storms at sea has a Difficulty Number of 13. A successful test allows the character to sail the ship safely until the conditions change or until the ship docks.

SEDUCTION

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
Characters use Seduction Skill to convince members of their preferred sex to become romantically involved with them. In addition to making a successful Skill Test, seduction requires convincing roleplaying. A seduction has four stages: First Impression, Intriguing Conversation, Move to Intimacy, and the Suggestion. For each stage, the seducing character makes a Seduction Test against the target’s Social Defense. For each success level above that required for a successful test (see below), the character adds +3 steps to all Seduction Tests made during the next stage of the Seduction.

First Impression can be a glance, a striking outfit, a dramatic entrance, an opening line—all the pieces that fit together to make a first impression. To make a successful First Impression, a character needs an Average success.

Intriguing Conversation requires wit, flattery, a willingness to reveal hints about oneself, and the ability to pick up and respond to cues from the target. The object of Intriguing Conversation is to make the target feel special, like the most important and attractive person in the room, at the same time presenting your character as an attractive partner. To be successful, Intriguing Conversation requires a Good success. Achieving an Average success does not mean your character’s Intriguing Conversation failed to produce the desired effect; it just prolongs the process.

With Move to Intimacy, your character begins to get more personal with the target character, gradually altering tone of voice, body language, and the subjects of conversation to reveal even more about himself, learn more about the target, and develop a deeper rapport. A successful Move to Intimacy requires a Good success. As with Intriguing Conversation, achieving an Average success does not mean the attempt to Move to Intimacy failed, it just prolongs the process.

The Suggestion occurs when your character suggests to the target character just how your character would like this encounter to end. A successful Suggestion requires an Excellent success. Your character only gets one chance to make The Suggestion.

A successful seduction creates other effects beyond satisfying the immediate suggestion. The seduced character’s attitude toward your character improves by two degrees for the next 24 hours, and permanently improves by one degree as long as your character does not behave badly toward or betray the seduced character (see Gamemastering Earthdawn).

SPEAK LANGUAGE

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
The Speak Language Skill is similar to the talent, but harder to learn. To learn a language, the character must study with a teacher or hear native speakers for two uninterrupted months. Each rank of the skill entitles a character to learn 1 new language. If the character has a rank of Speak Language available, he can then learn the new language. The character makes a Speak Language Test against the Difficulty Number. A successful test means the character has learned to speak the language. The Difficulty Numbers listed below represent the effort required to learn the standard racial languages. Add +2 anytime a character attempts to learn a dialect.

Language	Difficulty Number
Dwarven	5
Elvish (Sperethiel)	6
Human	6
Obsidimen	7
Ork	6
Troll	6
T'skrang	7
Windling	7

Once a skill rank has been assigned to a language, it cannot be used to learn any other language. Record which language your character speaks on the Character Sheet. After a character learns a language, the Speak Language Skill allows the character to speak that language. When speaking, the character makes a Skill Test to determine how well he is communicating. The outcome determines the level of communication. Simple sentences or ideas, such as “Which way to the sheriff?” require a dice result of no more than 2 to communicate. Normal conversation that includes idioms or jargon requires a result of at least 6. Technical conversations or other discussions filled with specialized language require a result of at least 10. Conversations about philosophical topics or other abstract ideas require a result of at least 13. One use of Speak Language allows the character to successfully communicate for a number of minutes equal to the character’s Skill Rank.

STREETWISE

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
A character with Streetwise Skill knows the ins and outs of an urban environment, particularly the seedier side of cities. A successful Streetwise Test allows the character to seem to be an “insider” who can be trusted, at least a little, by another street character. Streetwise Skill also acts as a Knowledge Skill, giving a character knowledge of the current street culture. (See Knowledge Skills.)

To use the Streetwise Skill, the character makes a Streetwise Test against the Perception step of the target character(s). When dealing with more than one person, use the highest Perception step number among all the targets, adding +1 for each additional character. If the test is successful, the target trusts the character, who can then attempt an Interaction Test (see Gamemastering Earthdawn ). A character may make a Streetwise Test to ask about the location of the local black market or any other illegal operation; the Streetwise Skill can also allow the character to spot a con game or scam. To ask such questions, make Streetwise Tests against the Social Defense of the target character. When characters use Streetwise Skill to make Knowledge Tests, the gamemaster determines the Difficulty Number for the test (see Knowledge Skills earlier in this section).

[A Prince?]

TACTICS

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
The Tactics Skill enables a character to direct combat to the advantage of his fighters. The character using this skill makes a Tactics Test against the highest Social Defense of any opponent. If the test is successful, add the character’s Tactics Rank to the step number of all Attack Tests made by the “commander’s” troops. One character may command a number of characters equal to 5 x his Tactics Rank; for example, a character with Rank 4 Tactics can command up to 20 characters. In order for the “commander” character to effectively use Tactics Skill, the other characters must be loyal to him.

TRACKING

Step Number: Rank + Perception Step
A character uses the Tracking Skill to follow the trail left by animals or other characters. The quarry must have left physical traces of its passage in order for a character to use this skill. Tracking Tests most often use the Dexterity step of the quarry as the Difficulty Number. At his discretion, the gamemaster may modify the number based on the environment or the size and/or cunning of the quarry.

A character may also use the Tracking Skill to obscure his own trail. A character may travel at a speed up to his rate of Combat Movement and still use Tracking Skill to obscure his tracks. In this case, the dice result of the Tracking Test becomes the Difficulty Number for another character attempting to use the Tracking Skill to follow the first character.

TRADING

Step Number: Rank + Charisma Step
Merchants use Trading Skill to bargain for a better price for their goods. Trading may take place when buying or selling both legitimate and illegal goods. To use Trading Skill, the character makes a Trading Test against the Social Defense of the target character. If the test is successful, adjust the price of the product in the character’s favor by 5 percentage points of its cost. A character may continue to make subsequent Trading Tests as long as each new test succeeds, up to a number of tests equal to his or her Trading Rank. If a character makes an unsuccessful Trading Test, the opposing character adjusts the current bargained price by 5 percentage points to his advantage and ends the negotiations. Trading Skill can only be used for one transaction per day against any one character.

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL

Step Number: Rank + Perception Rank
The Wilderness Survival Skill allows a character to find or build shelter, start a fire, find water, and distinguish between edible and dangerous plants. This skill does not give a character any advantages for hunting, fishing, or tracking because other, specific skills allow characters to use these abilities. To use this skill, the character makes a Wilderness Survival Test against a Difficulty Number determined by the gamemaster, taking into account the weather and environment (see Adventuring in Earthdawn, p. 215). A successful test allows a character to find enough water for one day, and so on.