Dark Fantasy Core Set/Skills

Skills The number of initial skills is based on Knowledge. Skills may be of three varieties: Apprentice, basic, or proficiencies. Names and descriptions of skills, and the level of detail involved, may be modified to suit the character. Apprentice skills and proficiencies may further be specialised, with one level or +3 to the area of expertise granted for one level or -5 for the non-specialised areas of knowledge. Non-skilled use suffers a -5 penalty, if the attempt is even possible. A further -3 familiarity penalty may be applied, as it is for unskilled use of ranged weapons. Anyone may learn any skill in the Dark Fantasy Core Set, if one can find a teacher.

/Apprentice skills/ are known at apprentice, journeyman, or master levels.

/Basic skills/ are either known fully, or not known at all.

/Proficiencies/ have an open-ended number of levels. The base number to roll for most skills is 11 or higher. Character classes may be rolled as proficiencies, as each is something of an over-large skill suite. Levels I to III are equal to apprentice, IV to VIII are equivalent to journeyman, and levels IX and higher are equal to master. Non-martial proficiencies are associated with an attribute that modifies the roll: Social skills: +1 for every point above 10, -1 for every point below Technical skills: +1 for every two full points above 10, -1 for every two points below Mystic skills: +1 for every three full points above 10, -2 for every point below

The listed attribute may be substituted for another if appropriate to the situation. Some skills may be contested. Roll the appropriate skill versus the contesting one or against the roll of an attribute check. As with attribute challenges, the higher successful roll wins. The maximum starting value of an apprentice skill is journeyman; the maximum starting for proficiencies is III.

Sample Skill Suites
Artist: Calligraphy, Cartography, Drawing, Engraving, Forgery, Painting, 7 skills & 1500 hours--reduced to 4 skills & 1300 hours

Clerical: Administration, Literacy, Mathematics, 3 skills & 2100 hours--reduced to 2 skills & 1800 hours

Courier: Eavesdropping, Heraldry, Horsemanship: Basic, Land Navigation, Packing, 5 skills & 1280 hours--reduced to 3 skills & 1000 hours Holistic Healing: Described below under Proficiencies

Master Scribe: Clerical Suite, Arcane Symbols, Bookbinding, Calligraphy, Drawing, Forgery, Lunaruen, Runes, Speed Reading, The Art of the Deal, 10 skills & 3820 hours--reduced to 6 skills & 3000 hours

Political Science: Administration, Appropriate history skill, Boasting, Con-artistry, Conversational Dominance, Diplomacy, Etiquette, Heraldry, Operations, Public Speaking, 10 skills & 2200 hours--reduced to 7 skills & 1800 hours