Knowledge

This broad skill represents a character’s ability to know at least a little bit about any particular subject. With just the broad skill, a character isn’t considered an expert, but it represents the ability to logically recall a class he took, an article he read, or a documentary he saw on the topic in question. Knowledge skill checks are usually made in secret so the players don’t even know the check is being made. Once a character is determined to have knowledge concerning a particular topic, a note can be made on the character sheet.

Knowledge Categories

Language, Specific Skill

This specialty skill gives a character a certain amount of fluency in a specific language. Every character begins with Rank 3 in his or her native language. Lower ranks indicate a crude familiarity; higher ranks improve the character’s vocabulary and comprehension of obscure or complicated passages.

Rank Benefits

⊗ Rank 4, 8, 12 [Improved Communication] As a character achieves higher skill ranks in a specific language, he or she gets better at employing other skills that involve language use (such as encounter skills and some Creativity specialties). This benefit provides a reduction to situation die penalties: 1 step at rank 4, 2 steps at rank 8, and 3 steps at rank 12. This benefit only reduces a penalty; it never provides a bonus.

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Psionics

This skill gives a character a working knowledge of psionic abilities, perhaps even beyond what the character’’s culture understands as a whole. The degree of success achieved on a skill check relates to the quality or quantity of information that is available to or understood by the character.

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Computer Operation

This specialty skill allows a character to improve his ability to make computers perform, specifically his ability to get the most out of the software (including the operating system) that is installed in a computer. The degree of success relates to the quality or quantity of information accessed or retrieved, or the speed with which the operator is able to perform a task.

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Deduce

With this specialty skill, a character can hone his abilities to use reason and logic to reach a conclusion. Deduce is used by detectives and investigators to piece together clues, or by scientists and engineers to discover the answer to a skill-related problem.

Rank Benefits

⊗ Rank 4, 8, 12 [Resistance Modifier] At higher ranks, the deduce skill provides an improvement to a character’s Intelligence resistance modifier, which makes it more difficult for opponents to successfully use encounter skills to deceive the character. The modifier improves by +1 at Rank 4, +1 at Rank 8, and +1 at Rank 12.

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First Aid

This specialty skill represents basic training in first aid techniques, including the use of trauma packs, first aid kits, and other general-use medical items. It doesn’’t provide a character with the ability to use specialized surgical tools or advanced medical gear.

Heal Stun Damage

A character can use first aid to remove stun damage from himself or someone else. A successful skill check restores 2, 3, or 4 stun points depending on success (Ordinary, Good, or Amazing). This only works on someone who is conscious.

Knockout Recovery

A knockout occurs when a character’’s stun points are used up. A successful skill check brings a character back to consciousness and restores 1, 2, or 3 stun points, depending on the degree of success.

Heal Wound Damage

The first aid skill can be used to heal wounds, though a first aid kit or trauma pack is required.

• First Aid Kit: A complex skill check of Good complexity is required (1 wound healed on completion).
• Trauma Pack: A complex skill check of Ordinary complexity is required (2 wounds healed on completion).
• Critical Failure: If a trauma pack is used, the patient suffers 1 wound instead of having any wounds healed, and the pack is ruined.

Dying

A character with any amount of mortal damage is considered to be dying. A character who uses either a first aid kit or a trauma pack and makes a successful first aid skill check can stabilize mortal damage, removing the need for the character to make a Stamina–endurance check at the end of the current scene. (Note: surgery is still necessary to restore a dying character to health).

Rank Benefits

⊗ Rank 4, 8, 12 [Improved First Aid] As a character achieves higher skill ranks, he becomes more proficient at providing aid to injured patients. This reduces the situation die penalty by 1 step at rank 4, 2 steps at rank 8, and 3 steps at rank 12.

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Research

The research specialty covers the techniques used to find, verify, and organize information from diverse sources, including physical archives, electronic databanks, and the Grid. It is also used to represent a character’s ability to learn and improve skills through study and mentorship.

Mentorship and Learning

A character can use research to assist another character (or himself) in learning a new skill or improving an existing one. A successful research check provides a bonus to the learning time required:

• Ordinary: half the learning time required.
• Good: one-quarter the learning time required.
• Amazing: one-eighth the learning time required.

Rank Benefits

⊗ Rank 3, 6, 9, 12 [Efficient Research] As a character achieves higher ranks in this specialty, he becomes more efficient at digging through data. He receives a -1 step bonus to research checks at rank 3, -2 at rank 6, -3 at rank 9, and -4 at rank 12.

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