A WORK IN PROGRESS - Skills are largely complete, but Careers are still very much under construction . . .
Skills For Richard's Cepheus Engine (CE) GameNOTE 1: To ensure that each player character has basic competence as a Traveller, all player characters begin play with level-0 in the following Core Skills: Athletics, Common Knowledge, Fighting, Linguistics, Notice, Persuasion, Shooting and Stealth.
NOTE 2: The "Taunt" skill (see below) has been added simply because I think it works so well with the basic concept of play-by-post.
NOTE 3: Many skills below are listed with the notation such as "Combines X, Y and Z" or "Replaces X." Both entries means that - for all instances in which the listed skill(s) is mentioned in the base CE rules - use the skill from this list instead.
NOTE 4: A few skills are noted with "Half-Point Skill." These are considered (by me the GM) to be background or hobby skills, which will seldom have direct influence on play. Therefore, when purchased these skills cost only one-half of a skill point.
NOTE 5: Three [3] skills - Faith, Focus and Weird Science - are noted as "Double-Point Skill." These skills proffer quite asymmetrical (relative to normal culture/society/technology) threats and are therefore priced accordingly.
NOTE 6: Some skills (particularly those dealing with hardware and vehicles) are noted as "Cascade Skill." These skills are a combination of several skills, all of which are fairly closely related to one another. When a character takes a level in the overall skill, he must specify in which of the skill's Cascades he now has at this full level. He is then considered to have that level at -1 in all the other listed cascades. In the case of the Vehicle skill (only), each cascade is further broken down into specialties (see Vehicle below). While this is not particularly believable in real world terms - especially in the context of an ATV driver automatically knowing the basics of operating a submarine as well - it does support a "Star Wars" space opera type of game realism.
NOTE 7: Some skills are noted as "LIMITED." For certain uses of these skills, the maximum effective level is limited to the level possessed by the character in a related skill. For example, when repairing or modifying an electronic device, a character uses either Electronics or Repair skill, whichever is LOWER.
SKILL LISTAcademics - Half-Point Skill; replaces the Social cascade of Science; normally modified by either Intelligence or Education.
Reflects knowledge of the liberal arts, social sciences, literature, history, archaeology, and similar fields. If a Traveller wants to remember the current date according to the Old High Vilani calendar or cite an applicable line from Macbeth, this is the skill to use.
Animals - As per the base rulebook, except as noted below; Cascade Skill; normally modified by Dexterity (Riding) or Education/Intelligence (Veterinary).
Cascades: Ride, Veterinary. Allows the character to care for and mount/control/ride beasts and beast-drawn vehicles. The skill can be optionally subdivided into the Riding and Veterinary specialities, with the character receiving a +1 to effective skill in the specialty thus chosen.
Veterinary Bonus: This skill's Veterinary cascade shares enough commonality with Healing and Science (Life) that skill-1 or greater in that half of this skill confers skill-0 in those other two skills.
NOT Survival: Contrary to the base rulebook, this skill does NOT include Survival as a cascade - Survival is a separate skill with its own cascades, as noted later in this list. It also does NOT include Farming, which appears as a cascade of Science, also as noted later in this list.
Athletics - Combines Athletics and Zero-G; normally modified by Dexterity (but see below).
Combines an individual’s natural coordination [e.g. Dexterity] with learned skills to enable such practices as balancing, biking, catching, climbing, jumping, skiing, swimming, throwing, wrestling and movement in non-standard gravity (especially microgravity).
Brute Force And Inelegance: Those characters who rely more upon physical power than upon coordination can take the Brute Edge to have this skill normally modified by Strength instead of Dexterity.
Battle - Combines Battle Dress, Leadership, and Tactics, plus the evaluation portion of Recon; normally modified by Intelligence.
Cascades: Battle Dress, Small Unit, Spacecraft. Battle is comprehensive command of the ability to think strategically as well as tactically. It also reflects training in the mechanical aspects of wearing high-tech Battle Dress.
Coordinating Efforts: When a given task requires more than one character to combine expertise [e.g. Aiding Another on page 6 of the base rulebook], a character with Battle may make a roll and on a success gains a pool of points equal to the Effect (minimum 1 point), which he may distribute as bonuses to those participating in the attempt at Aid.
Improving Initiative: Battle may also be used to increase another character's dynamic Initiative, so long as the character with Battle can communicate with the target character. The character with Battle makes a roll (which counts as a significant action) and with a success the target character's Initiative is increased by the roll's Effect (minimum +1).
Common Knowledge - Combines Advocate, Bribery, and Broker; normally modified by Education or Intelligence.
Characters roll Common Knowledge to know facts and rumors about the people, places, and things of the game world, including astrography, contacts, culture, customs, etiquette, geography, etc.
NOTE: In many instances, Intimidation or Persuasion might be more applicable for replacing the above listed skills. But since Common Knowledge is being given to every character as a free level-0 skill, it's applicability here enhances the viability of non-specialized Travellers.
Computer - As per the base rulebook, except as detailed below; normally modified by Education or Intelligence.
Used to create programs and [let's face it, its default use . . .] “hack” secure computer systems. Use of this skill always requires a computer or digital interface of some sort. Note that common computer-related tasks such as logging into a local DataNet, sending and receiving message through such, searching such for non-classified information, retrieving publicly-available data files, etc does not require Computer skill; Common Knowledge skill will suffice, in the rare event that a skill roll is needed. Computer skill is only required for non-standard computer-related tasks, such as creating or breaking data encryption; mining uncorrelated data for detailed and immediately-useful results; create/break data/network security, etc. The amount of time required for all tasks is determined by the GM; this might be anything from a single combat action to hours, days, or even months. It all depends upon the complexity of the project. Success means the attempt works as desired, while an Exceptional Success halves the time required. Failure usually just means the character must try again, but Exceptional Failure may mean the system locks the user out, issues an alarm, or enacts other countermeasures.
Electronics - Combines Comms, Electronics and Navigation; Cascade Skill; normally modified by Education or Intelligence.
Cascades; Comms, Electronic Countermeasures (ECM), Navigation, Shields. Allows a Traveller to use complex devices such as the control panels of industrial machines or the sensor systems of spaceships. It also enables use of both normal and jump space course calculation programs required by spaceship computers. Commonplace electronic devices [such as cellular phones, hand computers, portable sensors, radios, etc] don’t actually require Electronics skill to operate; Common Knowledge suffices for such devices, if a roll is required at all.
LIMITED: Repair or modification of devices is limited by the character's level in the Repair skill.
Faith - Double-Point Skill; no equivalent; normally modified by Endurance.
Faith is the skill required for use of the Arcane Background (Celestial Sun Cleric); this Edge will be described in a future post.
Fighting - Combines all the various "Melee Combat" skills; normally modified by Dexterity.
Covers all hand-to-hand attacks, whether performed using fists, axes, laser swords or martial arts. While this is NOT a Cascade Skill (as per the relevant Note above), a player has the OPTION of noting that his character specializes in a particular basic type of melee weapon [Bludgeoning, Natural, Piercing or Slashing]. Should this option be exercised, the character gets skill+1 in the chosen specialty and base skill in the remaining types.
NOTE: Only characters with actual Natural Weapons (as per the Edge of that name) can specialize with such; this [un]naturally includes cyborgs.
Focus - Double-Point Skill; the base rulebook's Psionic Talents are considered Cascades of this skill (as per the relevant Note above); normally modified by Endurance.
Focus is the arcane skill for Arcane Background [Psionics], it's the skill that “psions” or “psis” use to activate and control their talents. Purchase of this Edge (e.g. granting access to the rules on pages 39 through 44 of the base rulebook) is necessary. Once made, it allows the player to spend character generation statistics points on the Psi stat during character generation, as if it were any other stat. However, the player has no more creation points to spend on stats than players of non-psionic characters (e.g. a psion will be necessary weaker overall in his normal stats than most other characters). Each psion/psi must choose a specific Talent [Cascade] - of the five listed on page 39 - in which to specialize.
Gambling - As per the base rulebook; normally modified by Intelligence or Endurance (for marathon games).
Healing - Combines "Medicine" and the "Life Sciences" cascade of "Science;" normally modified by Education or Intelligence.
Multiple vital uses, from treating wounds to diagnosing diseases/toxins to analyzing forensic evidence.
Forensics: Analyzing evidence related to anatomical trauma, including cause and time of death, type of weapon used, angle of attack, and similar matters. Success provides basic information, while an Exceptional Success elaborates upon the details uncovered.
Intimidation - No equivalent but shares elements of Advocate, Bribery and Streetwise; normally modified by Endurance or Strength.
This skill simulates the art of frightening an opponent so that he backs down, reveals information, or flees. Intimidation is an opposed roll resisted by the opponent’s Endurance. In combat, a success generally applies either a +1 to the winner's next attack roll against that opponent or a -1 against said opponent's next roll against the winner (winner's choice); on an Exceptional Success, this modifier increases to +2/-2. Out of combat, Success means the foe backs down for the moment, reveals some important information, or slinks away when the opportunity next presents itself. An Exceptional Success might mean he backs down for the remainder of the current scene, spills all the beans, or runs away as fast as he can. In or out of combat, a Failure generally has no effect, but an Exceptional Failure means the target is immune to this character’s Intimidation attempts for the remainder of the current scene!
Networking: See Streetwise (below) for how to use this skill to aid informal information gathering.
Jack-of-all-Trades (JoaT) - This is not a skill, but an Edge. It's benefit is to give a character Level-0 in every skill listed here; e.g. the character never suffers from the Untrained penalty. NOTE: There are no "levels" to JoaT and therefore no benefit to taking it more than once.
Linguistics - Half-point skill; as per the base rulebook, except as detailed below; normally modified by Education or Intelligence.
As per the preface to this post, Linguistics is one of this game's core skills, meaning all characters start with level-0 in it. In the case of this skill, level-0 means that the character can read, write and speak a selection of common words and phrases in each of the game's normally-encountered languages (e.g. enough to order in a restaurant or ask for directions on the street, without ending up with something inedible/poisonous or at the city dump). Possession of actual skill in Linguistics has a varying effect, depending upon the level possessed, as per the following table:
Level Ability 1 The character can carry on a prolonged but occasionally halting conversation in all normally-encountered languages.
2 The character can speak all normally-encountered languages fluently.
3 The character can mimic popular dialects in one [1] chosen language plus carry on a conversation in one [1] obscure language.
4 The character can skillfully recite important literary/oral works in the above one [1] chosen language *plus* possesses level-3 mastery in one [1] each additional chosen/obscure languages.
LIMITED: Use whichever skill is lowest when performing an action that requires knowledge of a particular language. Intimidation (if verbal), Persuasion, Research, Taunt, etc., are all limited by the character’s Language skill.
Notice - Replaces the detection portion of Recon; normally modified by Intelligence (or occasionally Education).
This skill represents a Traveller’s general awareness and alertness (thus it's status as a Core Skill). It's used to sense sights, sounds, tastes, and smells, spot non-obvious clues, detect potential ambushes, spot hidden weapons on a foe, tell if someone is frightened/happy/lying, etc. Success conveys basic information — the character hears faint sounds of movement in the forest, smells a whiff of distant smoke, or senses someone isn’t being completely truthful. An Exceptional Success grants more detail; the direction of the sound, the quality of the odor (fresh, stale, cooked meat, etc), what topic a person is avoiding, etc.
Occult - Half-Point Skill; no equivalent; normally modified by Education or Intelligence (or Endurance for extended and/or Opposed rituals).
Occult reflects knowledge and experience with the paranormal, a realm which most of those without this skill (or indeed anyone who does not adhere to the tenets of the Church of the Celestial Sun) do not even believe exists. The skill applies to entities and phenomenon reputed to exist both within and without Imperial Space. Please note that the occult does *not* include psionic effects/powers, as these are "merely" on the extreme fringe of normal science. It also does not include true knowledge of the Ancients or their strange technology (for that, see Weird Science below). However, Occult *does* include knowledge of the various ceremonies and rituals of the Church of the Celestial Sun (both canonical and heretical), much to the annoyance and chagrin of adherents; it does not however confer any ability to use these ceremonies and rituals (*that* requires the Faith skill as well as the Arcane Background [Celestial Sun Cleric] Edge). Occult is used to decipher strange pictograms, recall information about "supernatural" creatures, remember cures for "monstrous" maladies like lycanthropy or vampirism, perform rituals to bribe/placate occult entities and similar such uses.
Researching The Occult: Normally, finding information in a library, newspaper morgue, old tome, the local DataNet, etc. uses the Research skill (see below). As noted there, however, if the investigator’s Occult skill is higher and the information she seeks falls within that realm, she may use Occult instead.
NOT a Double-
Point Skill: This skill should not be mistaken for Faith, Focus or Weird Science - *those* skills cost what they do because they confer substantial esoteric power, whereas Occult is the ability to (at best) slightly influence the game through esoteric means (e.g. it's "real" magic versus comic/fantasy magic).
Performance - Half-point skill; no equivalent; normally modified by Endurance (or occasionally Education/Intelligence).
A good entertainer can lift the spirits, rally a crowd to action, or simply earn a few credits from the locals. Specifics depend on the situation, setting, and how well the character is known in the area. Performance covers acting, playing an instrument, singing, telling jokes and similar tasks that require an audience to appreciate.
Raising Funds: The amount of money a character can raise by performing is extremely subjective, but as a general rule a successful performance is attended by 5 x Effect sophonts and raises Cr10 x attendance, while an Exceptional Success is attended by 50 x Effect attendees and raises Cr50 x attendance. The GM can multiply this amount by two, three or even more, depending upon how well the performer is able to promote the event in advance.
Deception: Performance can be used instead of Persuasion (see below) if the character is attempting to deceive, bluff, or disguise herself and the GM agrees it makes sense in the context of the situation.
Persuasion - Replaces "Admin," "Advocate," "Bribery," "Broker," "Carousing," "Liaison," and "Steward;" Cascade Skill; normally modified by Endurance or sometimes by Education/Intelligence.
Cascades: Admin, Advocate, Bribery, Broker, Carousing, Liaison, Steward. This is the ability to convince others to do what you want through reason, cajoling, deception, rewards, or other friendly means. Persuasion isn’t mind control. It can change someone’s attitude but not their goals. A bandit may let you keep a sentimental piece of jewelry with a good Persuasion roll but still takes all your other goods. Using Persuasion generally involves an Opposed roll, with the target's roll modified by his Endurance (e.g. willpower). The GM will modify the roll(s) based on roleplaying, any pertinent Edges or Hindrances that affect the conversation, and the circumstances. How much a target is willing to cooperate depends largely on their attitude toward whoever’s talking to them. The GM decides how NPCs initially feel toward the character based upon the circumstances/setting or may roll on the Reaction Table (see below) for an initial attitude if he has no particular notion. Success improves the target’s initial attitude by one (1) level, while an Exceptional Success improves by two (2) levels. Further levels of Effect aren’t generally possible in the same encounter — it takes individuals a little time to adjust their biases. Failure means the target won’t change his mind this scene or until the situation changes in some important way, while an Exceptional Failure reduces the target’s initial attitude by two (2) levels. Only one skill roll is normally allowed per encounter, unless new information is revealed, a substantial reward is offered, etc.
Networking: See Streetwise (below) for how Persuasion can be used as a “macro skill,” simulating a few hours or an evening’s time hobnobbing and socializing to gain favors or information.
REACTION TABLE2D6 INITIAL REACTION 2
Hostile: The target is openly hostile. He may attack, betray, report upon, or hinder the party at the first opportunity. He doesn’t help without an overwhelming reward or threat of some kind.
3
Unfriendly: The character isn’t interested in helping unless he has little choice and/or is offered a substantial payment or reward.
4–5
Uncooperative: The target isn’t interested in getting involved unless there’s a significant advantage to himself.
6–8 Neutral: The character has no particular attitude toward the group. He expects fair payment for any sort of favor or information.
9–10 Cooperative: The character is generally sympathetic. He helps if he can for a small fee, favor, or kindness.
11 Friendly: The individual goes out of his way for the Traveller. He likely does simple tasks for very little, and is willing to do more dangerous tasks for fair pay or other favors.
12 Helpful: The target is anxious to help the Traveller and probably does so for little or no reward.
Piloting - As per the base rulebook; Cascade Skill; normally modified by Dexterity (or occasionally Education/Intelligence).
Cascades: Grav, Rotor, Spacecraft, Winged. The character has training and experience in the operation of vehicles which can travel through and beyond planetary atmospheres. Piloting expertise is necessary to handle such craft, although a roll is usually made only when circumstances become challenging, such as due to rough atmospheric conditions or hostile action.
Innate Flight: A being with the innate ability to fly (one from a race with functional wings, for example) gains +1 to use this skill, but only if he has levels in it (e.g. the bonus does not apply to a level-0 cascade or if he is Untrained).
Repair - Combines Demolitions, Engineer, Gravitics and Mechanic; limits Electronics as used for repairs; usually modified by Education or Intelligence.
Cascades: Demolitions, Electronics, Jump, Maneuver, Power, Vehicles. Repair is the ability to disassemble, fix and reassemble mechanical gadgets, vehicles, weapons, and simple electrical devices. It also covers the appropriate/controlled use of demolitions and explosives. How long a Repair roll takes is up to the GM and the complexity of the task. Fixing a Critical Hit to an ATV up to a Traveller-acceptable level might take an hour. Fixing the same critical hit to the same vehicle up to a locally-acceptable level might take all day, as the finished repair must use [factory-spec parts and also be re-painted, re-glossed, polished, etc. Success means that the item is
rendered functional, while an Exceptional Success halves the time required.
Tools: Characters suffer a minor penalty (−1 to −2) to the roll if they don’t have access to basic tools, or a major penalty (−3 to −4) if the repair requires specialized equipment which the character must improvise.
LIMITED: Repair can be used to repair electronic devices, but is limited by the Traveller’s Electronics skill; use whichever skill is lowest.
Research - Half-Point Skill; no equivalent; usually modified by Education or Intelligence.
A character skilled in Research knows how to make good use of libraries, newspaper morgues, the local DataNet, or other common sources of information. The amount of time this takes is up to the GM and the situation. Finding something on a DataNet or locating a specific passage in a book/tablet might be possible in a single combat round, while looking through shelves of books in a library, searching the DataNet for peer-reviewed data on a complex topic, or digging up background information on a specific individual takes at least an hour per attempt. Success finds basic information and an Exceptional Success provides more detail. Failure means the researcher doesn’t find what she’s looking for. An Exceptional Failure might mean the researcher finds plausible but incorrect information, triggers the notice of some opposed entity or faction, reads something “Humaniti Was Not Meant to Know” and suffers a mental illness of some sort (a Minor Phobia, Quirk, etc.), or she might even accidentally destroy the source. The GM is encouraged to be creative when such a mishap occurs, perhaps forcing the party to approach the situation in a different way.
Data Not Solutions: Research only provides information. Putting clues together from this information is up to the players.
Related Skills: If a character has a skill that relates directly to the subject he’s researching, he can use that instead of Research. An explorer with Occult-3 and Research-1, for example, gets +3 when investigating vampire lore at a forgotten library. If he later goes to search for the deed to a house where the vampires are rumored to lair, he gets only his normal +1 from Research instead.
Science - Replaces Science (except for the original Social cascade); Cascade Skill; normally modified by Intelligence or Education.
Cascades: Life, Physical, Space. Those with this skill have studied the various "hard" sciences such as biology, xenobiology, chemistry, geology, engineering, and so forth [the "soft" sciences - those dealing with sophonts and their cultures - are covered by Academics]. As is the usual case, a successful roll reveals basic information about a specific topic, while an Exceptional Success grants more detail.
Prospecting: This money-making [sometimes . . .] activity uses the Physical cascade of Science, as well as - when practiced upon asteroids and similar celestial bodies - the Space cascade plus the microgravity movement experience portion of Athletics.
Shooting - Replaces Gun Combat and Gunnery; Cascade Skill; usually modified by Dexterity.
Cascades: Archery, Bay, Energy, Heavy, Slug, Spinal, Turret. Shooting covers all attempts to hit a target with a ranged weapon, whether this be a bow, a pistol, or a rocket launcher (except that thrown weapons use Athletics).
Stealth - Replaces the deceptive portion of Recon; normally modified by Dexterity or Intelligence.
This is the ability to hide and move quietly. A simple success on a Stealth roll means the character avoids detection if enemies aren’t particularly alert. If the character fails the initial roll, the enemy realizes something is amiss
and begins to actively search for whatever roused them. Once foes are alerted and active, Stealth is opposed by Notice. The GM should apply any circumstantial penalties for darkness, cover, noise, distractions, and any bonus due to the target's size (e.g. all the modifiers that would apply to a Shooting roll made in the same circumstances). Some modifiers may affect the Stealth roll, others the Notice roll, but the same modifier will generally *not* apply to both rolls. Sneaking through dry leaves might subtract 2 from the Stealth roll, for example, while spotting someone on a cloudy, starless night in the wild outback would subtract -4 from Notice.
Sneak Attack: Sneaking up close enough to make a melee attack always requires an opposed Stealth roll versus the target’s Notice, whether the guard is actively looking for trouble or not. With a success, the attacker receives an automatic 12 on their Initiative roll, while an Exceptional Success also grants them an additional Initiative bonus equal to the Effect.
Movement: In combat, characters roll Stealth each turn as a free action at the end of their move or following any action the GM thinks might draw attention. Out of combat, the distance moved depends entirely on the situation. The GM might want a roll every minute if the group is sneaking around the perimeter of a defensive position, or every few miles if they’re trying to quietly follow an animal path through a dark forest without alerting the creatures that live there.
Streetwise - As per the the base rulebook, except as detailed below; normally modified by Education or Intelligence.
A character with the Streetwise skill understands the elements common to informal (e.g. criminal) subcultures and power structures across Charted Space. She knows where to go for information, how to approach strangers for help without offending them and who might be best able to handle which borderline (or over the border) illicit activity.
Networking: If using the Streetwise skill to work the corridors/streets/tunnels in search of information (see Streetwise below), either Persuasion (through cajoling and praise) OR Intimidation (through physical demonstrations and threats) can be used to support his/her efforts to gather information. Roll the chosen supporting skill first (modified as if being used alone), then apply the number of points of Effect (points above 8, minimum 1 point) as a positive die modifier to the Streetwise roll. Essentially this is a limited, special-case version of Battle skill; the character is "leading" others to help her succeed.
Changing Tactics: It is not generally possible to re-roll a failed Streetwise roll using Intimidation in place of Persuasion as the supporting skill, yet the opposite case (replacing Persuasion with Intimidation) *is* normally possible. E.g. sophonts whom you've threatened with bodily harm are not generally amenable to being gently cajoled, but the opposite situation is quite possible.
Survival - As per the the base rulebook, except as detailed below; Cascade Skill; normally modified by Education/Intelligence (but sometime by Endurance).
Cascades: Food/Water, Plants, Predator/Prey, Shelter, Tracking, This skill allows a character to find food and water in hostile environments, as well as find or create suitable shelter, navigate in wilderness environments, figure out which plants are likely to be poisonous and how, deduce the likely behavior of predators in a given situation, start a fire in a downpour and so on. A successful Survival roll provides enough food and water for one person for one day; or five people for one day with an Exceptional Success. See the "Extremes of Temperature," "Poisons" and "Starvation and Dehydration" rules on page 121 of the base rulebook.
Tracking: Survival (or rather its Tracking cascade) can also be used to detect and follow tracks. Each roll generally covers following the tracks for two kilometers, but the GM should adjust this as needed for specific circumstances. The Game Master should assign a bonus or penalty based on the target, environment, and the amount of time that has passed since the tracks were laid down. Tracking a large group that recently passed through a snow-covered area might grant a bonus of +4, while following a single person over rocks and streams after more than a day incurs a −4 penalty.
Taunt - No equivalent; normally modified by Intelligence.
Taunt attempts attack a person’s pride through ridicule, cruel jests, or oneupmanship. Taunt is an opposed roll resisted by the opponent’s Intelligence (and Taunt if possessed - those who can Taunt best know how to resist being Taunted). In combat, a successful Taunt imposes a -1 on attacks by the Taunted target against the Taunting character until the Taunting character's next Initiative, while an Exceptional Success increases this penalty to -2. Out of combat, a successful Taunt means the target backs down, slinks away, or starts a fight, while an Exceptional Success might leave the target cowed for the remainder of the scene, or make her storm out of the area crying/fuming, or attack her tormentor recklessly (such as by using Panic Fire or by neglecting to Dodge/Parry). A failed Taunt has no effect, while an Exceptionally Failed Taunt leaves the target immune to
this character’s Taunts for the remainder of the current scene.
Thievery - No direct equivalent (although see the note under LIMITED); Cascade Skill; normally modified by Dexterity.
Cascades: Lockpick, Pick Pocket, Sabotage, Safecrack, Set/Disable Trap, Sleight-of-Hand, Subterfuge. If used to pick a lock, crack a safe, disable a trap, or perform a simple unopposed action, a success opens or disables the device, while an Exceptional Success does it in less time, without tripping an alarm or with whatever other added benefit the GM feels is appropriate. Sleight of hand, hiding or planting an item, or picking a pocket normally require only a simple success. But if someone is actively watching the character, attempts at such actions are opposed by the watcher's Notice. The Game Master should assign penalties for particularly difficult circumstances: picking a finely-made, sophisticated padlock suffers a −4 penalty, while hiding a revolver in bulky winter clothing gets a +1 bonus. Failure typically means the character is spotted or the failed attempt took too much time (after which the character can try again should circumstances permit). An Exceptional Failure typically sets off the trap, alerts the victim, or jams the device so that it must be opened or interacted with in a different way.
LIMITED: Using Thievery on an electronic device - such as a digital keypad - is limited by the thief’s Electronics skill; use the LOWER of the two skills.
Vehicle - As per the base rulebook, except as detailed below; Special Cascade Skill; normally modified by Dexterity.
Cascades: Ground [ATV, Mole, Tracked, Wheeled], Water [Motor, Ocean, Sail, Submarine]. The character has full skill with one general type of vehicle (Ground or Water) and -1 to this level with the other general type. Within each general type, the character must further choose a particular specialty; he has the previously noted skill level for that general type with his specialty and -1 from this level with the remainder of the specialties. For example, a character with one (1) level of skill in Vehicle might choose Ground as his general type, then ATV as his specialty within that type. This would mean that he would note Vehicle (ATV)-1 on his chracter sheet, but would also possess level-0 in EVERY other Vehicle specialty . . . such is the nature of being a Traveller! Characters with this skill also know how to handle common tasks associated with crewing vehicles, such as pre/post-trip inspections, changing lubricants, finding/following currents, replacing flat tires/thrown tracks, rigging sails, tying knots, etc. Normal Vehicle operations seldom require a skill roll, so skill-0 is normally sufficient to enable use. It's only in dangerous situations [e.g. during the typical adventure!] that skill rolls are normally required.
Air Vehicles: Grav, Rotor and Winged vehicles are covered under Piloting.
Weird Science - No equivalent; normally modified by Intelligence.
This is the skill associated with Arcane Background (Ancients Expert); this Edge will be expanded upon in a future post.
CareersAs per my initial post above, all PCs are allowed to enter the career(s) which their Qualification stat allows, serving a total of five (5) terms among them. Each PC is also assumed to make all Advancement, Aging, Commission, Re-Enlistment and Survival rolls as well (unless a particular player wishes to specify otherwise for character background purposes). The Cepheus Engine Rules As Written provide that characters in careers with formal Ranks receive two (2) skill rolls per term, rather than the base one. For the purposes of this game, I am taking this as the model for all characters. Therefore,
all player characters potentially start play with ten (10) skill levels. However, as all careers allow spending some of these levels on stat increases, player characters may actually start play fewer positive skill levels. As previously noted, the only random part of character generation for this game will be reception of mustering out benefits; for this reason, please keep track of career(s) chosen, number of terms spent in each and final rank(s) "achieved" in each (if applicable).
Core Skills: All player characters are assumed to have gained certain Level-0 skills, in anticipation of eventually "retiring" into Traveller-hood. These Level-0 skills are: Athletics, Common Knowledge, Fighting, Linguistics, Notice, Persuasion, Shooting and Stealth.
Background Skills: Characters are assumed to have gained certain Level-0 skills from various experiences growing up (wherever it was this took place for them). Some of these skills are covered as part of the Core Skills listed above. The number of
additional Level 0 Background Skills possessed by each character equals their
initial Education DM (before spending skill levels gained through a career on bumping up this stat). The available additional Level-0 skills are: Animals-0, Computer-0, Electronics-0, Healing-0, Repair-0, Science-0, Streetwise-0, Survival-0 and Vehicle-0. NOTE: Each player should create a suitable backstory that reflects how their PC came to acquire the skills chosen.
Basic Training: Certain Level 0 skills are acquired upon first entering each career. Among the "Available Skills" listed under each Career below, these will appear in
italic font. The full assortment is received only if that career is the PC's initial choice. When switching careers, each PC receives one (1) of these skills at Level 0. Skills already gained at Level 0 - either as the result of Background Skill choice or taking the Jack-of-all-Trades Edge - are not affected in any way by this rule (e.g. characters can't gain actual positive skill levels in anything through Basic Training).
Advanced Education: Some skills require a character to also possess a minimum Education 8+. These appear in
bold font among the "Available Skills" of each Career below. Since we are assigning rather that rolling skill and stat increases, in cases where initial Education is lower than 8 that character simply needs to have Education 8+ once generation is finished.
Connection Skills: With the other player's cooperation, each player also has the option to form a pre-game connection - as an Ally or as a Rival (Frenemy) - between his/her PC and the PC(s) of other players. Such a connection grants each PC in it an additional skill, said skill to be linked somehow to the gaining of that connection. If the Rival option is chosen, remember that these PCs are assumed to form the crew of a very small ship, so the rivalry involved should be a matter of snide remarks and cutting rejoinders rather that fisticuffs and duels! [Credit to Perilous Dreamer:] Like athletic rivals on the same team, al[ways] pushing each other to be the best, while trying to always be the best; not best friends, but two alpha's with common goals always trying to one-up the other. [End Credit] Or two fighter jocks who were Numbers 2 and 3 out of their service academies' graduation class that year. Or a pair of Gunners, one from the Marines and one from the Army who happened to serve on the same troop transport during the Late War, always trash talking each other about who got which kill in "money lane."
Career List
