Business

This broad skill provides a basic knowledge of the theories of

production, distribution, supply and demand, advertising, inventory

control, and business planning. Skill checks are called for when a

character wants to play the stock market, apply his business know-how

to conclude a trade, attempt an illegal business transaction,

determine the value of goods in his own society, locate commodity

marketplaces, and compute the local fair market value of goods and

services.

The Gamemaster will assign modifiers to the situation die, taking into

account the circumstances that exist when a skill check is called for.

If a character uses some aspect of the Business skill to haggle with

someone over the buying or selling of a commodity, the other party’’s

Intelligence resistance modifier is applied to the situation die. If

the other party also has Business skill, the Gamemaster may elect to

handle the confrontation as a “Character vs. Character” situation; see

page 63.

Optionally, in such a case the Business skill can be treated as an

[encounter

skill](/core-mechanics/characters-in-action/#encounter-scene). If the

use of this skill results in a target’’s attitude being changed to

Friendly or better, this can provide a bonus on any subsequent skill

check to get the other party to cooperate.

A situation die penalty will usually apply when a character tries to

deal in exotic, rare, or unfamiliar goods; tries to make an illegal

transaction; or tries to close a deal with a member of an unfamiliar

culture. Any of these penalties can be Ordinary, Good, or Amazing,

depending on the specific situation.

A bonus to the situation die would apply if the character has inside

information that gives him an advantage in making a transaction, or if

he is dealing with a familiar commodity or culture.

Corporate

This specialty skill enables a character to improve his ability to

function in the realm of large-scale trade and commerce, and to

deal with stock markets, mergers, corporate acquisitions,

speculative business, and the businesspeople who operate in these

circles. It also provides a character with an understanding of how

big businesses and corporations operate. Corporate presidents and

trade lords who move goods and services on a global or galactic

scale use this skill to determine the success of their business

activities.

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Illicit business

This specialty skill allows a character to improve his ability to

function in the underside of the business world. Extortion,

smuggling, fencing stolen goods, and dealing with the black market

are among the questionable trade practices this skill provides

knowledge in. Purchasing ranks in this skill doesn’’t necessarily

lead to a successful criminal career; it merely provides the

character with the knowledge to interact with the wrong side of

the law. This is the skill used by the white-collar criminal—the

embezzler, the insider trader, the corporate spy, and so forth.

In addition, having this skill reduces the penalty for attempting

an illegal transaction (see the Business skill description above),

depending on the skill rank achieved. When this skill is first

purchased, any illegal transaction penalty is reduced by -1 step.

Rank Progression

⊗ Increased Effect: As a character achieves higher ranks in illicit business, he or she is able to disregard more severe penalties: At rank 4 the penalty reduction is -2 steps; at rank 7 it is -3 steps; and at rank 10 it becomes —4 steps. This benefit only reduces or eliminates a penalty; it never provides a bonus.

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Small business

This specialty skill allows a character to improve his ability to

function in the pursuit of small-scale trade and commerce.

Small-business owners and merchants use this skill to determine

the success of their business activities. This skill improves a

character’’s ability to haggle on the consumer level, determine the

value of goods and services, and find buyers and sellers in a

specific area.

In addition, this skill provides a situation die bonus when a

character attempts to make deals, haggle, or otherwise bargain in

the pursuit of small-business finance. The bonus starts at -1 step

when a character purchases this skill.

Rank Progression

⊗ Increased Effect: As a character achieves higher ranks in small business, he or she receives a greater situation die bonus: -2 steps at rank 4, -3 steps at rank 8, and -4 steps at rank 12.

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