Mental Skills

Detailed Skill descriptions:

Note that these descriptions all assume Natural Essence.

Academics: broad knowledge of all kinds, such as philosophy, history, and literature.

A word first:

The player and the character are two completely different people, so they know different things. For example, a PC whose player is a computer expert may be, in the game, a boxer who is good at fighting. A player's own computer knowledge may slip into the game, which doesn't fit the character.

In this situation, some STs encourage players to use their own experience to solve problems, while others want PCs to roleplay as close to the character's knowledge as possible. Most STs are somewhere in between. Players and the ST must settle this together.

Common uses and Specialties:

Deciphering documents:

Deciphering documents: INT + Academics (Deciphering)

This Skill lets you work out the meaning of codes, the writing on treasure maps, mysterious murals, hieroglyphs, and ancient texts.

Action: depends on how long the document is.

Use: deciphering hidden information.

The character can try to decipher information written in a script they don't know at all, a code written in a known script, or fill in incomplete information.

Document	DC	Change	DC adjustment
Simple message	DC 4	Has the matching Language Feat at level 5	DC -1
Difficult message	DC 6	No matching Language Feat	DC +2
Complex, strange message	DC 8	Document 10% damaged or blurred	DC +1
		Document 20% damaged or blurred	DC +3
		Document 30% damaged or blurred	DC +6
		And so on	And so on

In this roll, each success means 1 round spent deciphering. If the character doesn't reach the DC, the deciphering fails, but the time is still spent.

If the character fails with fewer successes than half the DC (rounded down), they may misunderstand the document. (The ST decides.)

Knowledge:

Knowledge: INT + Academics (matching field of knowledge)

Knowledge is the study of a field of learning. Because Science exists separately, every Specialty under Academics is a humanities field.

Action: knowledge rolls usually take no action.

Use: learning some information about the field.

For example:

Geography: soil, geology, terrain, climate, peoples, animals, seasons, and so on.

History: royalty, mythology, religion, wars, colonization, dynasties, martial arts, and so on.

Players can learn some information through knowledge rolls.

This is an active roll, and the player must have the Specialty for that field to make it.

That is, a character without the "Geography" Specialty cannot make an INT + Academics (Geography) roll to learn anything about geography.

Question	DC
Simple question (common knowledge)	DC 2
Ordinary question (basics)	DC 3
Difficult question (quite hard)	DC 4
Obscure question (specialist knowledge)	DC 6

If your knowledge roll fails, you cannot make another knowledge roll about the same matter.

Monsters

Knowledge: INT + Academics (Monsters)

This Skill helps a character know about monsters from myths and movies.

Action: knowledge rolls usually take no action.

Use: the character can use Academics to identify monsters commonly found in movies and myths, and learn their special abilities or weaknesses.

To do so, the DC equals the square of the monster's Rank (D 1, C 2, B 3, A 4, S 5, SS 6).

If the PC succeeds, they learn something about the monster: perhaps a weakness, a trait, a habit (behavior pattern), its Attributes, or its background.

For every additional set of successes equal to the monster's Rank number above the DC, the character learns one more piece of information.

For example: for a C-Rank monster with 10 successes, the base DC is 4 and there are 6 extra successes, so the character learns 3 more pieces of information.

Computer: knowledge of freely using the most advanced modern computers, and their related systems, software, and so on.

Common uses and Specialties:

Hacking:

Hacking: INT + Computer (Hacking)

This Skill helps a character break into other targets' electronic devices.

Note: because of differences between versions, "intrusion" in the rules and resources means the same as "hacking".

Action: unless stated otherwise, this is an extended opposed roll with a 15-minute interval, and both sides must maintain concentration throughout.

Use: breaking into someone else's computer to achieve certain effects.

Using this Specialty means using a computer to break into another electronic device, to interfere with or influence it: to shut it down, monitor it, take control of it, and so on.

To hack an electronic device, the two devices must be connected by wire or wirelessly; otherwise hacking is impossible.

Ordinary electronic devices come with a firewall. Unless stated otherwise, the firewall rating equals the square of (its Rank + 1).

When you make a hacking roll, the target device's user may make an INT + Computer (Firewall) roll.

If your successes are more than double the target's, the target does not notice your intrusion.

If your successes exceed the target's but are not more than double, add the target's successes to the firewall to determine whether your intrusion succeeds.

Once the target notices your intrusion, whether or not it succeeded, the target can immediately make an INT + Computer (Hacking) roll to break into you, following the rules above. This is called counter-hacking.

Hacking and counter-hacking rolls can happen at the same time.

Note: since electronic devices usually have a power supply and a switch, if a device simply shuts down, the hacking or counter-hacking is cut off immediately; the ST decides the final result.

Firewall:

Firewall: INT + Computer (Firewall)

This Skill stops other characters from breaking into your electronic devices.

See "Hacking" for how this Skill is used. It has one other use as well.

Building a firewall:

You can use this Skill to build a firewall for your electronic device.

Make an INT + Computer (Firewall) roll; its successes replace the device's original firewall rating as the new firewall rating.

Each success on this roll takes 1 day.

You must build a firewall separately for each of your electronic devices.

Gaming:

Gaming: INT + Computer (Video Games)

This Skill helps you beat video games, or defeat opponents in PvP video games.

Action: each game has its own play time.

Single-player games: most single-player games have a fixed DC set by the ST; a successful roll beats the game. Each failure costs one play time.

PvP games: both sides make opposed INT + Computer (Video Games) rolls. The winner wins the game. On a tie, it's a draw.

For multiplayer games, add up the successes of everyone on each side and compare.

Using computers (programming, controlling electronic devices, and so on):

Programming: INT + Computer (Computer Use)

This Skill lets you use electronic devices.

How this Skill is used is usually explained separately for each device, and is not covered in detail here.

Crafts: the character knows a craft, trade, or art, such as alchemy, armorsmithing, weaponsmithing, gem cutting, or vehicle building.

Common uses and Specialties:

Crafts is a Skill with sub-skills, and the sub-skills don't affect each other. Because Crafts is special, abilities like "all Specialties" cannot affect it.

When making a Crafts roll, if you don't have the matching sub-skill, you cannot roll Crafts at all, unless stated otherwise.

When you learn Crafts, you must choose one sub-skill at the same time before you can raise it.

It is written as Crafts - sub-skill.

When raising it, you raise the matching Crafts sub-skill, and when using it, you use the matching sub-skill.

For example: a character can have Crafts - Tech Ranged Weapons 2 and Crafts - Tech Armor 5. When the character makes Technological Essence armor, they roll Crafts - Tech Armor 5; when making Technological Essence weapons, they roll Crafts - Tech Weapons 2.

If a roll calls only for "Crafts" without naming a sub-skill, use your highest Crafts sub-skill.

Making technological items:

Making technological items: INT + Crafts - matching sub-skill

For the rolls, see the Crafting Rules.

Sub-skills:

Technological ranged weapons: sub-skill Tech Ranged Weapons (technological weapons for ranged Firearms, artillery, Archery, and concealed weapons)

Technological melee weapons: sub-skill Tech Melee Weapons (technological melee weapons)

Technological armor: sub-skill Tech Armor (technological light or heavy armor)

Technological shields: sub-skill Tech Shields (technological shields)

Technological devices: sub-skill Tech Devices (technological items classed as devices)

Technological items: sub-skill Tech Items (technological items not classed as devices: helmets, cloaks, and so on)

Technological explosives: sub-skill Tech Explosives (technological explosives; ammunition is also made with this)

Technological drugs: sub-skill Tech Drugs (technological drugs, potions, and similar items)

Technological light vehicles: sub-skill Tech Light Vehicles (technological light vehicles)

Technological heavy vehicles: sub-skill Tech Heavy Vehicles (technological heavy vehicles)

Technological combat robots: sub-skill Tech Combat Robots (technological combat robots)

Technological food: sub-skill Cooking (dishes and food of Technological or Natural Essence)

Technological item augmentations: sub-skill Tech Item Augmentation (item augmentations)

Note: when an item has 2 categories or 2 traits, roll the lower of the 2 Skills.

Note: you can make upgradable items, and later upgrades can also be made using the rules for self-made items.

Note: items classed as systems cannot be made.

Note: biological vehicles cannot be made.

Note: when an item needs repair, use the sub-skill for that type of item to repair it.

Note: material augmentations with special materials need no special sub-skill, but you can only make Technological Essence material augmentations.

Note: self-made vehicles lose the [Unlimited Ammo] tag and track ammunition normally.

Some special Natural Essence Specialties, such as Crafts - Gardening or Crafts - Cooking, have their rolls explained where relevant; if not, the ST decides.

Special Specialties:

The following sub-skills cannot be gained naturally; they can only be bought after buying certain special abilities.

Making magical items:

Making magical items: INT + Crafts - matching sub-skill

The rules for making magical items are the same as for technological items, except for the two sub-skills "Elixir Crafting" and "Immortal Artifice".

Specialties:

Magical Essence ranged weapons: sub-skill Magic Ranged Weapons (ranged firearms and artillery)

Magical melee weapons: sub-skill Magic Melee Weapons (magical melee weapons)

Magical armor: sub-skill Magic Armor (magical light or heavy armor)

Magical shields: sub-skill Magic Shields (magical shields)

Magical foci: sub-skill Magic Foci (magical items classed as foci)

Magical items: sub-skill Magic Items (magical items not classed as foci: shoes, belts, props, and so on)

Magical jewelry: sub-skill Magic Gem Cutting (magical rings, amulets, and necklaces)

Magical potions: sub-skill Alchemy (magical potions, oils, and poisons)

Magical light vehicles: sub-skill Magic Light Vehicles (magical light vehicles)

Magical heavy vehicles: sub-skill Magic Heavy Vehicles (magical heavy vehicles)

Magical combat robots: sub-skill Magic Combat Robots (magical combat robots)

Magical enchantments: sub-skill Magic Enchanting (Magical Essence enchantments)

Note: when an item has 2 categories or 2 traits, roll the lower of the 2 Skills.

Note: you can make the lowest level of an upgradable item, but later upgrades must be bought as normal.

Note: items with the [Divine Weapon] tag cannot be made, unless stated otherwise.

Note: conceptual weapons cannot be made.

Note: biological vehicles cannot be made.

Note: when an item needs repair, use the sub-skill for that type of item to repair it.

Note: material augmentations with special materials need no special sub-skill; you can make Magical Essence material augmentations.

Elixir crafting:

Elixir Crafting: INT + Crafts - Elixir Crafting

This Specialty is used to make elixirs. See the elixir crafting rules.

Immortal artifice:

Immortal Artifice: INT + Crafts - Immortal Artifice

This Specialty is used to make magic treasures. See the immortal artifice rules.

Investigation: spotting clues others easily miss, and finding more information than others in the same things.

Common uses and Specialties:

Searching:

Searching: INT + Investigation (Searching)

This Skill lets you find items, gather clues, and uncover hidden treasure, secret rooms, or other hidden "things".

Action: each 2 cubic meters or 2 square meters searched counts as a full-round action.

The advantage of searching is that if you fail, you can keep searching the area until you give up.

Searching usually involves both hands and feet, so you can generally only search within your reach.

Searching is not an extended roll; you must reach the DC in one roll to succeed.

Searching for	DC	Circumstance	DC
A specific item in a box of junk	DC 1	Size under 1	DC +2
A specific item in a trash bin	DC 2	Size 1-3	Normal
A simple trap	DC 4+	Size 4-6	DC -1
A hidden secret door	DC 5+	Size 7-9	DC -2
A well-made trap	DC 7+	And so on	And so on
A well-made secret door	DC 8+

Note: all entries marked "+" are up to the ST; these are only the usual minimum DCs.

Listening:

Listening: PER + Investigation (Listening)

This Skill lets you hear faint sounds, notice footsteps, eavesdrop on conversations, and pick up strange noises.

Action: passive listening usually takes no action: something makes a noise and you hear it. But actively listening, such as pressing an ear to a door to eavesdrop, takes a move action.

The sound must come from within your approximate range, and the character must be able to hear to make this roll.

Each tinnitus point the character has costs 1 success on the result.

The DC depends on how loud the sound is. Generally, beating the DC means you hear the sound.

But if the sound is a conversation, your successes must be at least double the DC to make out what is being said.

There are fixed DCs and opposed DCs.

Fixed DCs:

Sound	DC	Circumstance	DC adjustment
Combat	DC -2	Every 15 meters from the source	DC +1
Normal conversation	DC 0	Through an ordinary door	DC +1
Movement	DC 1	Through a vault door	DC +3
A cat walking	DC 3	Listener is asleep	DC +5
An owl swooping	DC 6

When the source of the sound tries to hide it, such as whispering or slowly sneaking, the source's roll is opposed by your PER + Investigation (Listening), and the source gains the matching circumstance adjustment.

Spotting:

Spotting: PER + Investigation (Spotting)

This Skill lets you spot distant enemies and hidden targets, see through disguises, and notice monsters in the shadows.

Action: passive spotting usually takes no action: something changes in the environment and you notice it. But carefully surveying your surroundings takes a move action.

You can only spot what is within your approximate range, and you need a means of spotting it. If you are blind, you can't spot distant things by sight.

Generally, spotting a particular target or situation needs only 1 success. The bigger the target, the easier it is to notice (see the sensory range rules).

But there are some DC adjustments:

Circumstance	DC adjustment
Many targets similar to the one you're looking for are around it	DC +2
Every 15 meters between you and the target	DC +1

If the target is deliberately evading you, see the Detection and Locating rules.

Lip reading

Lip reading: PER + Investigation (Lip Reading)

This Skill lets you tell what a target is saying without hearing it.

Action: you must first concentrate for a full minute, then make a Spotting roll. During that minute you can't take any other action (except moving at up to half speed).

To understand someone by lip reading, the speaker must be within your sensory range, you must be able to see and must see them speaking, and you must know their language. (This use of the Skill depends on language.) The base DC is 3, but complex sentences or mumbling speakers raise the DC (as the ST decides). You must keep line of sight to the speaker's lips.

Medicine: all knowledge of the human body, from first aid to surgery.

Special: note that Medicine rolls can only treat normal living bodies. Unless stated otherwise, no abnormal creature (such as undead, dark creatures, light creatures, swarm creatures, spirits, incorporeal beings, constructs, elementals, or plants) benefits from any Medicine roll.

Also, because medicine needs professional equipment and instruments, the environment affects Medicine rolls:

Next-generation hospital: Medicine rolls gain an 8 DP circumstance bonus.

Hospital clean room: Medicine rolls gain a 4 DP circumstance bonus.

An ordinary street outdoors: no bonus or penalty.

Jungle wilderness: Medicine rolls suffer a 4 DP circumstance penalty.

A mud pit with who knows how many germs: Medicine rolls suffer an 8 DP circumstance penalty.

Common uses and Specialties:

First aid:

First aid: DEX + Medicine (First Aid)

This Skill stops a target's injuries from getting worse and saves them from dying.

Action: first aid is usually a standard action.

The target of first aid is usually someone with no healthy Health left, whose worst damage is aggravated damage, and whose injuries are still getting worse.

They must be within your reach. You first make a touch attack roll against them (not needed if they are unconscious). If it succeeds, make a DEX + Medicine (First Aid) roll. With even 1 success, the target's injuries stop getting worse, unless the target takes damage again later.

Besides this, first aid can also treat bleeding, the same way. The difference is that each success removes 1 point of bleeding.

Long-term care: (also called nursing)

Long-term care: INT + Medicine (Long-Term Care)

This Skill speeds up a target's natural recovery.

Action: this is an extended roll with an interval of one hour. During the interval, neither the patient (the target) nor you can take any other action.

Long-term care boosts the target's own healing, and counts as natural recovery.

It can be used on each patient only once every 24 hours.

For long-term care, before rolling you choose one of these 2 goals for this treatment:

When accumulated successes reach 5, convert 1 point of the target's Health in the L state to B.
When accumulated successes reach 10, convert 1 point of the target's Health in the A state to L.

Surgery:

The Surgery Specialty is unusual.

It normally isn't used.

It is a Specialty used only in certain situations or by certain resources.

How it is used and what it requires is explained in those resources or situations; here it is only listed as a separate Specialty.

Its specific uses are not described here.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis: INT + Medicine (Diagnosis)

This Skill tells you about a target's physical condition.

Action: you must first concentrate for a full minute, then make a Diagnosis roll. During that minute you can't take any other action.

Diagnosis is generally used to assess a target's physical condition. You can only diagnose targets within your sensory range.

If you can't touch the target but can see, you lose half your successes.

If you can touch the target but can't see, you lose half your successes.

If you can neither touch nor see the target, you can't make this roll.

The DC for diagnosing injuries is usually 1.

Unharmed: the creature is not injured.
Lightly injured: all the creature's damage, converted to bashing damage (1 lethal = 2 bashing, 1 aggravated = 3), does not exceed its Health.
Moderately injured: all the creature's damage, converted to bashing damage (1 lethal = 2 bashing, 1 aggravated = 3), does not exceed twice its Health.
Seriously injured: all the creature's damage, converted to bashing damage (1 lethal = 2 bashing, 1 aggravated = 3), does not exceed three times its Health.
Dead: the creature is dead.

The DC for diagnosing poisons and diseases is the square of (their Rank + 1). On a success, you learn everything about the poison or disease: its effects, its save, the save DC, and how to cure it (if possible).

Treatment:

Treatment: INT + Medicine (Treatment)

This Skill lets you help a target fight off disease and poison and regain their health.

Action: this is a special roll. Its action usually depends on the disease's or poison's onset interval: you must spend at least half of each interval to make this roll. (If the interval is 1 round, it takes a standard action.)

Make a Treatment roll. On the target's next save or opposed roll against the disease or poison when it next takes effect, they gain an enhancement bonus equal to your successes.

Occult: knowledge of curses, magic, legends, the dark world, and the like (whether true or not).

Common uses and Specialties:

Spellcasting roll: INT + Occult (matching Specialty)

See the combat chapter for details, and the spell overview chapter for the matching Specialties.

Note that if a spell requires several Specialties, all must be met; otherwise you take the no-Specialty penalty.

If a spell has no Specialty, there is no no-Specialty penalty.

Some other spellcasting abilities let you use other Attributes for spellcasting rolls.

Spell identification:

Spell identification: INT + Occult (Spellcraft)

This Skill lets you identify spells being cast or already in effect, and their effects.

Action: there are two uses. Identifying a spell as it is cast takes no action. Examining a spell already in effect takes one minute.

To identify a spell being cast, the target must be within your sensory range and you must be able to observe it normally.

To examine a spell in effect, the target must be within your reach. You can examine magic scrolls, potions, magic items, a ward, and so on.

If you fail to identify a spell being cast, you can't roll again.

If you fail to identify a spell in effect, you can roll again, but it takes the same time again.

If the spell you are identifying involves a spellcasting Specialty you don't have, you lose half your successes.

The DC to identify a spell being cast is the square of the spell's original Rank + its current heightened level.

Example: a spell originally C-Rank, heightened to B-Rank: 2 squared + 3 = 7.

The DC to identify a spell in effect is the square of (the spell's original Rank + 1) + its current heightened level.

Example: a spell originally C-Rank, not heightened: (2 + 1) squared + 2 = 11.

Taoist arts:

The Taoist Arts Specialty is unusual.

All Eastern Taoist spells require the "Taoist Arts" Specialty by default, and some specific resources also require it.

How it is used and what it requires is explained in those resources or situations; here it is only listed as a separate Specialty.

For Taoist spellcasting rolls, see the spellcasting roll under this Skill.

Prerequisites for reading Magical Essence blueprints:

Since reading blueprints requires a number of Specialties in the key Skill, we list some of those Specialties. Besides counting as key Specialties for reading blueprints, they have their own uses, which are not all listed here; the ST decides:

Enchantment: itself a spellcasting Specialty.

Creation: itself a spellcasting Specialty.

Astrology: besides counting as a prerequisite, can tell the time, date, and direction from the stars.

Alchemy: can make rolls about what plants do, such as their magical effects or whether they are harmful.

Taoist Arts: required for reading Eastern blueprints; see the "Taoist Arts" Specialty.

Smithing: can make rolls about what metals do, such as their quality, how to smelt them, their magical effects, Hardness, and so on.

Jewelry: can make rolls about what gems do, such as their quality, magical effects, Hardness, and so on.

Spellcraft: see the "Spell identification" Specialty.

Science: knowing physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and other sciences, and knowing how to apply them.

A word first:

Common uses and Specialties:

Knowledge:

Knowledge: INT + Science (matching scientific field)

Science is the study of a natural science. Because Academics exists separately, every Specialty under Science is a science field.

Action: knowledge rolls usually take no action.

Use: learning some information about the field.

For example:

Classical physics: also called physics. Covers only the simplest mechanics, optics, and similar fields.

Optics: spectroscopy specifically.

Mechanics: mechanics specifically, including buoyancy, gravity, gravitation, and so on.

Quantum physics: the physics of the microscopic world.

Chemistry: the composition, structure, changes, and uses of matter.

Biology: the kinds, structure, behavior, function, and origins of living things.

Mathematics: the study of quantity, structure, change, and similar concepts.

Most sciences have their own sub-fields under each main field, not detailed here.

Players can learn some information through knowledge rolls.

This is an active roll, and the player must have the Specialty for that field to make it.

That is, a character without the "Mathematics" Specialty cannot make an INT + Science (Mathematics) roll to learn anything about mathematics.

Question	DC
Simple question (common knowledge)	DC 2
Ordinary question (basics)	DC 3
Difficult question (quite hard)	DC 4
Obscure question (specialist knowledge)	DC 6

If your knowledge roll fails, you cannot make another knowledge roll about the same matter.

Reading blueprints:

Reading blueprints: INT + Science (matching scientific field)

For the rolls, see the reading blueprints part of the Crafting Rules.