Acrobatics

This broad skill provides a character with basic training in

acrobatics. It is used when a character wants to vault over a fence or

other obstacle, dodge out of the way of an immediate danger, or try to

land safely after a fall.

Vaulting

Vaulting is a vertical leap enhanced by assistance (springing off an

object or using a pole). A character may use either Athletics—jump or

Acrobatics.

• Both skills: Increase distance by 1 meter.

• Using a pole: Increase distance by 2 meters.

Aerobatics

This specialty skill represents a character’’s mastery of complex

maneuvers during personal flight, whether through natural wings,

specialized jump-packs, or gravitic personal flight devices

(GADS). While basic locomotion is covered by the Acrobatics broad

skill, Aerobatics is required for high-speed turns, precise

landing, evasive maneuvers, and aerial acrobatics. At Rank 4

in Armor Operation—Propulsion Systems, this skill can also be

used for complex maneuvers using a powered suit’’s integrated

thrusters.

Note: This skill covers personal locomotion and complex

maneuvers. Operating a larger vehicle through the air or space

requires [Vehicle

Operation—air](/skills/vehicle-operation/#air-vehicle) or [Vehicle

Operation—space](/skills/vehicle-operation/#space-vehicle).

Results

• Critical Failure: Loss of control, potential stall or collision.

• Ordinary: Basic controlled flight; can perform simple maneuvers.

• Good: Increased control; can perform evasive maneuvers.

• Amazing: Perfect control; can perform complex aerial or orbital acrobatics.

Rank Progression

⊗ Rank 4 (Stealthy Descent): When using a jump-pack or GADS, the character can descend with minimal noise, receiving a -2 step bonus to Stealth checks.

⊗ Rank 6 (Endurance Flight): When using natural or cybernetic wings, the character can fly for extended periods, receiving a -2 step bonus to Stamina checks for long-distance travel.

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Daredevil

This specialty skill enables a character to perform high-risk

activities such as skydiving, scuba diving, hang gliding, surfing,

bungee jumping, and whitewater rafting.

Results

• Critical Failure: The action fails and the character could suffer stun or wound damage (equipment failure).

• Failure: The action doesn’’t succeed, but the character does not necessarily suffer damage (e.g., landing off course).

• Ordinary: The character performs the action but with minimal control.

• Good: The character has limited control and executes the action well.

• Amazing: Everything goes right; the action is executed perfectly without damage.

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Dodge

This specialty skill allows a character to use acrobatics as a

defense in combat situations. It’’s also used when a character

dives for cover or hits the deck when an area-effect attack

targets him. Dodge lets a character tumble, roll, duck, dive, or

spring out of the way of an attack.

One skill check (requiring an action) is made at the beginning of

the first phase in which the character can act. The result lasts

for all subsequent phases in the round. Any additional actions

taken in the round receive a +1 penalty.

Adjustments to Strength/Dexterity Resistance Modifiers

• Critical Failure: -2 steps

• Failure: none

• Ordinary: +1 step

• Good: +2 steps

• Amazing: +3 steps

Rank Progression

▶ Rank 3 [Action Benefit]: Dodge and perform an action in the same phase (+2 penalty on the action), this only uses up 1 of the character actions.

⊗ Rank 4, 8, 12 [Resistance Modifier]: The character’s Dexterity resistance modifier improves by +1 at each of these ranks.

▶ Rank 7 [Reaction Dodge]: Perform a reaction dodge, allowing the character to defend earlier in the round. In a round when a character makes a reaction dodge, he can only dodge; all other actions are lost for the round.

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Fall

This specialty skill allows a character to improve his ability to

survive a fall by twisting his body, catching nearby protrusions,

or otherwise slowing his descent, thereby decreasing the damage he

sustains from an impact.

A character with the fall specialty skill adds his rank in the

specialty to his Acrobatics score and uses that number to make the

skill check, with a +d0 base situation die.

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Zero-g Training

A character with the zero-g training skill can function in

weightless or near-weightless conditions better than someone who

doesn’’t have this skill. An untrained character has a +3 step

penalty in zero gravity and a +1 step penalty in light gravity.

Purchasing this skill immediately reduces the zero-g penalty to +2

steps and eliminates the penalty for light gravity.

Rank Progression

⊗ Rank 4: Zero-g penalty is reduced to +1 step, and light gravity actions receive a -1 step bonus.

⊗ Rank 7: Zero-g penalty is eliminated.

⊗ Rank 10: Physical actions in zero-g receive a -1 step bonus. (Light gravity bonus never improves beyond -1 step.)

Sesheyan Advantage

Sesheyan characters without the zero-g training skill function as

though they have it at rank 1. If a sesheyan purchases this skill,

penalties are reduced by 1 step and bonuses are improved by the

same amount (max bonus -2 in light gravity).

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