Skill Descriptions

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Fortitude

Fortitude measures your physical health and strength. Skills that are in the Fortitude group relate to your ability to use your strength in bursts or over time.

Athletics is your ability to surpass obstacles you encounter in the environment while climbing, jumping, running or swimming. For example, the GM might call for an Athletics check when you try to accomplish the following tasks:

Climbing or clinging to a sheer or slippery surface
Jumping an unusually long distance or jumping a series of obstacles in short sequence
Running in a marathon
Sprinting to escape something chasing you
Swimming or staying afloat in turbulent water

Destruction is your ability to break objects with your physical strength as well as your knowledge of how to destroy things using tools or devices. You will make Destruction checks when attempting to damage another creature’s equipment, break objects or obstacles in your environment with brute force, or place explosive devices.

Endurance is your ability to exert yourself over a long period of time. Best represented as mind over matter, Endurance measures how long you can concentrate on a task even when experiencing pain, ailments, boredom, or exhaustion.

Might is your ability to wield and use weapons that require physical strength to use correctly. Melee weapons, thrown weapons, blasters, and some bows are all examples of weapons that require Might.

Overpower is your ability to exert yourself beyond your normal limits of strength as well as your ability to physically overcome other creatures. You will roll Overpower when performing a feat of strength that is beyond your ability score derivatives or when grappling or knocking back another creature.

Dexterity

Dexterity measures your reflexes and agility. Skills that are in the Dexterity group relate to your ability to keep your balance or move specific parts of your body with precision.

Accuracy is your ability to wield and use weapons that require remarkable precision to aim and hit targets with them. Ranged weapons including bows, handguns, rifles, and sniper rifles are all examples of weapons that require Accuracy.

Acrobatics is your ability to stay on your feet when performing acrobatic stunts and maneuvers. For example, the GM may call for an Acrobatics check when you try to accomplish the following tasks:

Balancing on a tightrope
Squeezing through a narrow space
Staying upright on a moving vehicle
Wiggle free from a restraint
Performing a stunt such as a flip, dive, roll, or somersault

Assembly is your ability to construct and deconstruct an object without damaging its components. You will make Assembly checks when building a piece of equipment or when taking apart a device to study it or to disable it (such as a door lock, a trap, or a bomb).

Sleight of Hand is your ability to quickly move and utilize your hands. You will make Sleight of Hand checks when attempting to plant an object on a person or to swipe something without anyone noticing. You also make Sleight of Hand checks to safely pilot vehicles or operate any other machinery that requires hand-eye coordination.

Stealth is your ability to conceal yourself from enemies. Stealth is required to make yourself hidden from vision or to make your movements silent. You will also make Stealth checks to sneak pass or trick different sensors and reconnaissance devices.

Intelligence

Intelligence measures your reasoning and ability to retain facts. Skills that are in the Intelligence group measure your knowledge of specific subject areas and are generally acquired through careful study and reading of a subject.

Cosmology is your knowledge of astral space, the material plane, and other planes of existence. You will make Cosmology checks when remembering facts relating to the geography, composition, and location of fragments. Additionally, you will use Cosmology when identifying planar effects or outsiders.

Database is your knowledge of how information is stored, retrieved, and secured. You will make Database checks when looking up and retrieving information from archives, information networks and databases. You also make Technology checks to perform shortcodes in virtual combat.

Hacking is your knowledge of infiltrating and virtually attacking a terminal or network. You will make Hacking checks when attempting to use a terminal or device that you are not authorized to access. You also make Hacking checks to determine the effectiveness of your programs to attack a network’s defenses in virtual combat.

History is your knowledge of historical events both recent and ancient (before the Fragmentation). You will make History checks when remembering facts about newsworthy events, legendary people, past military conflicts, and lost civilizations.

Science is your knowledge of chemistry, mathematics, medicine and physics. You will make Science checks when trying to solve equations, identify substances, use medical devices, or diagnose a medical issue.

Technology is your knowledge of networking, programming, and machinery. You will make Technology checks when writing a program, designing a machine, building a terminal, or studying a piece of experimental technology. You will also make Database checks to determine the armor class of your programs in virtual combat.

Wisdom

Wisdom measures your awareness and ability to learn from past experience. Skills that are in the Wisdom group measure your knowledge of dealing with certain situations, people, or encounters and are normally acquired through first-hand life experience and practice.

Corporate is your knowledge of bureaucracies and nuances to working within one. You will make Corporate checks when trying to professionally interact with bureaucrats, businessmen, executives found in megacorporations and in government offices. Additionally, you will make Corporate checks when recalling information on corporate hierarchies, business contracts, and commercial transactions.

High Society is your knowledge of higher society. You will make High Society checks when interacting with the rich, famous and the well-to-do. You will also make High Society checks when recalling information about etiquette, aristocratic customs, and luxury items.

Perception is your ability to focus your senses in order to spot, hear or otherwise detect the presence of something hidden. You will make Perception checks when you are trying to investigate something that your Awareness has detected. For example, you may use Perception to identify a voice you heard, to study something suspicious on a creature’s person, to study how an object works, or to determine the ingredients in a meal you are eating.

Secret Society is your knowledge of underground and criminal organizations. You will make Secret Society checks when recalling information about religious cults, terrorist cells, or warlocks. Additionally, you will make Secret Society checks when trying to decipher coded messages, interpret a religious ritual, or assess highly illegal services.

Streetwise is your knowledge of common life and how ordinary people navigate it. You will make Streetwise checks any time you try to successfully interact with the daily life of commoners or the impoverished whether it is riding public transit, exploring homes or neighborhoods, or trying to purchase illicit drugs or blackmarket materials. You will also make Streetwise checks when encountering gangs and syndicates.

Survival is your knowledge of how to live and survive in nature. You will make Survival checks when recalling information about the natural world and how to survive within it, including how to track or hunt animals, gather supplies, prepare food or shelter, predict weather, and guide others through difficult terrain.

Charisma

Charisma measures the force of your personality and soul. Skills that are in the Charisma emphasize your ability to influence other creatures and the world around you.

Charm is your ability to socially connect with someone and elicit positive emotions (e.g. hope, joy, pride, or relief). You will make Charm checks when you are trying to build a rapport with another creature or motivate them to do something for you through complimenting or inspiring them. You will also make Charm checks when trying to flirt or seduce another creature. The difficulty of a Charm check is dependent on a creature’s Presence.

Deception is your ability to convincingly hide the truth, either verbally or through your actions. You will make Deception checks when you try to mislead others whether through outright lying or obscuring the truth through ambiguity. The difficulty of a Deception check is dependent on a creature’s Insight.

Instigation is your ability to offend or bully someone in order to elicit negative emotions (e.g. anger, disgust, fear, or shame). You will make Instigation checks any time you try to influence someone through insults, overt threats, or hostile actions. You will also use Instigation when torturing an individual for information. The difficulty of an Instigation check is dependent on a creature’s Presence.

Negotiation is your ability to persuade someone through logic and diplomacy.. You will make Negotiation checks to arrange deals or convince a creature to do something using evidence and proper arguments. Additionally, you will use Negotiation when haggling or bartering prices. Negotiation checks can only be rolled if you are acting in good faith. The difficulty of a Negotiation check is dependent on a creature’s Insight.

Performance is your ability to present yourself to an audience. You will make Performance checks when attempting a public speech or when trying to delight an audience through a form of entertainment (e.g. acting, dance, music, or storytelling). You will also use Performance for when operating in disguises or acting out a role or an identity other than your own.

Planar Walking is your ability to remain aligned with your soul and the material plane. You will make Planar Walking checks any time you try to operate normally within a planar anomaly or an outer plane of existence. A successful Planar Walking check will allow you to suppress or ignore the innate and soul-altering effects of a plane or a powerful outsider.