Choosing Skills
It's also when you create your Role Playing Game that the difficult choice of Skills will occur. However, it'll be more easy if you have an idea of which type of universe your RPG will be. The real problem is if you forget Skills after creating your RPG because it may involve a revision of your rules (After one year of Playing I realized that I had forgotten the skill "Lockpicking" in Aventures Arcanes). The skills written in red are the skills that we consider you must ban from your RPG. Because of it's complexity, this page will evolve with the next versions of this site.
The Number of Skills
The number of Skills depends on many factors ::
8 Skills or less
It means that your RPG will be an ambient and Roleplay RPG. The real problem is that Characters will be very similar, almost clones even with experience.
8 to 20 Skills
Standard number of Skills in many RPGs. It's ideal to avoid very light sheet and, on the other hands, sheets where it takes you 10 minutes to find a Skill.
40 Skills or more
Unless sorted, the only advantage of having 40 or more Skills is realism. Avoid such Skills if you are an inexeprienced Game Master. Such a number means that it'll be long to create the Character sheet.
Choosing Skills
More easy than choosing Characteristics, choosing Skills depends on the Universe you created or adapted. Just be logical! We'll try to help you by proposing the standard skills.
General Skills
General Skills are used by most Role Playing Games. So let's have look unless the Characters are deformed monsters.
Moving
Running
This Skill allow to determine the speed of the Character, but also it's capacity to manage his physical effort during a long run, like in a marathon. As a reference, a normal Being runs at a speed of 20 to 25 km/h.
Jumping
This Skills allow to know how long or how high a Character may jump. Running up factors may modify these values. As a reference, a normal human, without run up, may jump 2,00 to 3,00 m in lenght and up to 2,50 m high (hands, not feet!).
Climbing
This Skill is clear. Climbing isn't only for mountains, but also for trees, walls, buildings and so on. Bonus and Malus may be added for special surfaces and also for the climbing equipment of the Character.
Swimming
This Skill allows a Character to swim. However, it is used in special cases of Swimming, like dangerous swim or very long apnea or very long distance. The GM will have to assess the Malus and Bonus to give.
Acrobatics / Falling
This skills isn't only for capers or saltos. It's also used to diminish or suppress the damages linked to falling from building, car, horse...
Contortion
This Skill is used to go through tight holes or to free the Character from shackles (rope shackles, not metal shackles) or binding.
Athletics
This Skill is an alternative to all previous Moving Skills.VYou may replace "Running" and "Jumping" by "Athletics" and let the other Skills. You've got the choice!
Furtivite and Sharp Practices
Concealing
This Skill is used to cencela from other eyes or to move silently.
Ambush
This Skill is used to allow the Character to conceal and find the better position to attack an enemy. It can't be used when the combat is engaged.
Shadowing
Slightly different from "Concealing", this Skill is used to follow a Character or an animal. It's a conceal and a perception in the same time. Concealing for hiding from the followed creature and Perception not to lose it's track. Notice that Shadowing is for a Character or a group of Characters together. The other peoples see the Shadowing Character normally!
Stealth / Discretion
This Skill is an alternative to "Shadowing", "Ambush" and "Concealing". EThese Skills are grouped to avoid too much Skills on the Character Sheet. Using this Skill is however less realistic.
Pickpocket
This the art of picking money in the purse of an innocent, but also keys, maps ans so on... Be careful, if the target success a Perception roll, you will be caught.
Shoplifting
Very different from Pickpocket, this Skill allow the Character to steal something while running.
Disguise
Explicit name and obvious goal!
Imitation
This Skill is used to counterfeit the voice so as to imitate an animal or somebody. With "Disguise" it allows to try to take the place of someone.
Conjuring
Not for Magic Trick but above all to make vanish a little thing and to steal it.
Lockpicking
This Skill is used to open locked doors. Notice that you need a special intrument to perform this. Impossible to lockpick a door with your nails!
Knowledges
A long list should be presented here. You can do only a Skill called "Science" but you can itemize with the Skills "Physics"; "Biology", "Biochemistry", "Geology", "Archeology" etc... We have no preference. It's as you want! Don't forget geographical Skills connected to your universe.
Weapon Handlings
Hand to Hand
The used Skills in brawls! It's rare that a Hand-to-Hand fight kills someone, unless an inhuman strength! Combat Claws are used with this Skill.
Armed Combat
It's the bar fight and not fighting with a fire weapon. This Skill is used to fight with a knife, a piece of broken bottle (in french : "tesson" which means the bottom of the bottle) or a piece of table or chair.
Martial Art
The hard version of Hand-to-Hand combat which can harm or kill somebody!
Other Skills
Perception
It's important to see, hear, smell, touch or taste. This Skill is used to watch the surrounding world. Perception is also used to counter Concealment, Pickpocket, Ambush and so on. Remember that using Perception as a Characteristic is a very bad idea. Riddle : Which sense has the better memory. It's the sense of smell. You never forget an odor!
Search
Different from Perception. You may think that's stupid, but searching needs specific technics. It's the art to guess where things could be hidden, but also the art to find as fast as possible things you want.
Medicine
Nothing is better than Medicine to cure your wounds after a good brawl. It allows it's user to heal some light wounds and regains few Hit Points. However, Medicine is less efficient than Magic. To be realistic, it should be the same thing, but Magic would be instantaneous. Otherwise, you guess what Medicine is used for. Don't try to cure a big problem on the battlefield, Medicine, during an adventure, is just a support and nothing else.
Orientation
This Skill is used to find it's way. Don't forget that without reference, no orientation possible. You need at list stars except if you create a Race with an absolute orientation sense.
Horse-Riding
It's the art to ride horse but also to manage it to avoid it's death after running with it. If your universe has many mounts species, you can create several "creature"-Riding.
Navigation
The art to navigate through hurricanes, lead a ship or manoeuvre it through reefs.
Estimate
C'est savoir estimer la juste valeur d'un objet, d'une denrée ou d'une quelconque marchandise pour éviter de se faire arnaquer par le premier venu.
Lifting
It's the art to increase the ratio between weight/strength/power so as to lift very heavy things without hurting.
Awake
This Skill is usedto manage sleep and to watch without falling asleep during the night. It can also be used instead of "Perception" if a sleeping Character is surrounded by someone.
Pack Heroic-Fantasy
Heroic-Fantasy style RPGs require a proper set of Skills. Here is a list of useful Skills in those universes.
Weapon Handlings
Many options are available. You may gather the different type of weapons or detail them. Here's a list by category but you should use, for instance, "Long Sword" and "Short Sword" separately.
Cutting Weapons
This category includes :
_ Swords (Scimitars, long swords, short swords etc...)
_ Daggers
_ Sabers
_ Foils
_ Axes
_ Whips and Lashes
Blunt Weapons
This category includes :
_ Hammers and Mallets
_ Morning Stars
_ Blackjack (Bludgeons) and Cudgels
Two-Handed Weapons
This category includes :
_ Two-Handed Swords
_ Two-Handed Hammers
_ Sledgehammers
_ Pickaxes and Shovels
Projectiles Weapons
This category includes :
_ Bows
_ Crossbows
_ Blowguns
_ Slings and catapults
Throwing Weapons
This category includes :
_ Throwing Daggers and Knives
_ Throwing Axes
_ Shurikens
_ Boomerangs
_ Bolas
_ Nets
_ Spears and Javelins
Shaft Weapons
This category includes :
_ Staves
_ Flails
_ Tridents
_ Halberds
_ Spears
_ Scythe
Other Skills
You can create Skills linked to Magic but we won't treat of it here.
Heraldry
This Skill allows the Character to identify the Blazons, Banners and Coat of Arms and to know whose family or realm they belong to.
Tracking
This Skill is used to identify tracks, to date them and eventually to know the weight of the creature who let this track. In the desert, tracks disappears quickly and in temperate climates the rain make them vanish.
Trap Setting/Defusing
Explicit name and goal!
Juggling
Explicit name and goal!
Herbalist Knowledge
This Skill allows to identify plants, vegetables and fruits and to know their properties.
Forge
This Skill is used to create metal armors and weapons and to keep and repair them.
Fancy-Leather Works
This Skill is used to create leather armors and to keep and repair them.
Playing anInstrument
Explicit name and goal! Don't forget that the Character buy a specific intrument. If he want to play the piano and the flute, he'll have to buy it twice (one for each instrument!).
Enchantment
This Skill is used to enchant weapons, armors, rings, staves and so on. Totally optional.
Pack Contemporary / Anticipation / Space-Opera
Space-Opera style RPGs require a proper set of Skills. Here is a list of useful Skills in those universes.
Weapon Handlings
As for Heroic-Fantasy weapons, futuristic worlds may require specific Skills. You can gather them in several categories or used separate Skills. If you use modern swords (such as laser sword), don't forget to include the connected Skill into your Roleplaying Game!
Fire Weapons
This category includes :
_ Pistolets and Sci-Fi affiliated
_ Revolvers
_ Gauss effect Pistols
(The Gauss effect is a great acceleration provided to a projectile by submitting him to an intense magnetic field generated by an induction-coil! These weapons are really under study!)
Rifles
This category includes :
_ Rifles
_ Sawguns
_ Sporting-guns
Heavy Weapons
Cette catégorie comprend :
_ Rotary Canons
_ Flame-Throwers
_ Bazookas
_ Heavy Laser Weapons
_ Heavy Energy Weapons
Laser Weapons
This Skill allows a Character to use a Laser Weapon
Energy Weapons
This Skill allows a Character to use a Energy Weapon. Be creative for your Sci-Fi weapons!
Pilotages
When we're talking about pilotage, it doesn't consist in driving to the closest supermarket! These Skills are used for extreme condition like chasing a car on a highway, or driving fast on icy streets. So, don't make your Players roll the dices for piloting in normal conditions!
Car Piloting
Explicit Name!
Truck Piloting
Explicit Name!
Moto Piloting
Explicit Name!
Aircraft Piloting
Explicit Name!
Aerostat Piloting
Explicit Name!
Helicopter Piloting
Explicit Name!
Hovercraft / Hydroplane Piloting
Explicit Name!
Boat Piloting
Explicit Name!
Submarine Piloting
Explicit Name!
Light Spaceshift Piloting
This Skill gathers light spacecrafts and spacefighters. You can separate them in different Skills.
Heavy Spaceshift Piloting
This Skill gathers heavy spacecrafts, destroyers, transporters and space battleships. You can separate them in different Skills.
Landspeeder Piloting
The Landspeeder is a magnetic vehicle which "flies" at two or three meters above the ground (like inStar Wars, the Fifth Element and other Science-fiction films!). The Landspeeders size vary from a moto to a truck. You can separate this Skills as many time you make a division.
Other Skills
Informatics
Explicit Name! You can program a computer, break the security systems etc...
Electronics
Explicit Name! This Skill allows the "Lockpicking" of the doors of the future (protected by retinal, dermal or genetic scanners!) but for a true lock you'll need the true Skill "Lockpicking". This Skill is also used to repair electronic compounds.
Cybernetics
It allows to have knowledges and eventually to create, maintain or repair an artificial limb on humans (cyborgs) and androids. Notice that it's a misuse of this word for RPGs, because in fact Cybernetics is the science which studies the mechanism of communication and regulation among animals and machines.
Biotechnology
Biotechnologies are used as "Medicine" for cyborgs because it allows a perfect understanding of the cohesion between the machine and the flesh. Another RPG misuse : in fact, biotechnologies are the technics which allow to transform an organic compound into another.
Mechanics
Explicit Name!
Planetary/Stellar Cartography
This Skill is used to determine a route into space and the trajectories to enter a Planet. Its also used to define the better hyperspace routes.
Hyperspace
This Skill is used to travel by Hyperspace, to calculate the appropriate points of "jump" and to arrive safely somewhere.
Astrogation
This Skill is an alternative to Stellar Cartography and Hyperspace.
Skills to Proscribe
Try to ban from your sheet every Skills of Roleplay. They might be used as corrective informations, but never sacrifice the Roleplay to a Skill!!! It's an "heresy". These Skills may be used only by beginners and children. The others can't use them. You'll see that it'll improve your games and your Roleplaying Game will feel better. Here's a little list as examples :
Bargaining / Barter
Patter
Swindle
Seduction
Crowds Influence
Speech
Other questions about Skills? Send us an e-mail!
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