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Chapter 3: Skills
Chapter 3: Skills
A character’s Attributes measure his innate physical, mental and social
qualities — how strong he is, how quick he thinks on his feet, and how well
he interacts with other people. The different ways in which a character can
apply these Attributes are determined by his Skills. A character’s Skills re-
flect the education and training he’s acquired over the course of his life, and
are a reflection of his origins and interests. Skills can be acquired in any num-
ber of ways, from institutionalized learning to hard, hands-on experience. A
young recruit at the police academy is trained to use a handgun, while a
gangbanger learns to shoot as a matter of survival.
Like Attributes, Skills are broken down into three general categories:
Mental, Physical and Social. A character’s initial Skills are purchased during
character creation and are prioritized in the same manner as Attributes, with
11 points to allocate among primary Skills, seven points to allocate among
secondary Skills, and four points to allocate among tertiary Skills. Skill dots
Time and again, foul can then be increased further using experience points (both at the conclu-
Time and again, foul
things attacked me, sion of character creation if the Storyteller allows it, and later during play).
things attacked me,
lurking and stalking, but Or new Skills can be purchased during a chronicle at the player’s discretion.
lurking and stalking, but I
I lashed out, For more information on selecting Skills for starting characters, see p. 34.
lashed out,
gave as good as I got
gave as good as I got with
with my sword.
my sword.
My flesh was not Skill Dots
My flesh was not for
for feasting on,
feasting on, Skills are rated from 1 to 5, with each score suggesting your
there would be no character’s relative level of proficiency and knowledge in that area.
there would be no mon-
monsters gnawing and Dots Proficiency Level
sters gnawing and gloating
gloating • Novice. Basic knowledge and/or techniques.
over their banquet at the
over their banquet at •• Practitioner. Solid working knowledge and/or
bottom of the sea.
the bottom of the sea. techniques.
— Beowulf, translated by
— Beowulf, translated ••• Professional. Broad, detailed knowledge and/or
by Seamus Heaney techniques.
Seamus Heaney
•••• Expert. Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or
techniques.
••••• Master. Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or
techniques. A leader in the field.
Skill Specialties
Skills represent broad bases of knowledge and physical training in a given
subject. An auto mechanic doesn’t just know about fixing engines, for ex-
ample, but is versed in repairing tires, replacing windows and painting the
body. In addition to this broad foundation of knowledge, characters can spe-
cialize in a particular aspect of a Skill, giving them an edge in a particular
application due to their increased focus. There’s no limit to the number of
Specialties that your character can have in a single Skill. You choose three
Specialties at character creation. Any more must be purchased during play
with experience points. Rolls involving a Skill Specialty gain a +1 modifier
over and above any other situational modifiers. So, if your character has Crafts,
but also has a Specialty in Automobiles, you gain a +1 bonus when he works
on cars.
You are limited only by your imagination when devising your character’s
Skill Specialties, although their focus should be fairly specific. A character
possessing the Drive Skill might focus on sports cars, trucks, off-road or high-
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Chapter 3- SKILLS
