Skills: Usage and Improvement
Table of Contents
- Skill Usage
- Critical Success and Failure
- Unskilled Usage
- Maximum Skill Level
- Skill Improvement Through Experience
- Skill Improvement Through Training
- Learning New Skills
- Improving Attributes
Related Rules
- Character Generation Rules
- Psionics
- Languages of the Empire
- Complete List of Skills
- Description of Skills
Skill Usage
Skill usage is straight forward. Unless otherwise specified, simply roll a d20 add your relevant skill and attribute bonus. Compare this total to the difficulty number. Rolls in excess of the difficulty number (sometimes called the target number) are successful. Rolls below the target number are failures. If you roll exactly the target number, it is technically a failure however the GM may allow for a partial success at his discretion.
The difficulty is determined by the GM based on the situation and what is being attempted. The difficulties and their definitions are:
- Automatic - This represents a task so easy that any level of training will result in success. An example might be piloting a shuttle in empty space.
- Simple - Virtually any level of training will succeed at this task but there is some chance of failure for the very low skilled. An example might be landing a shuttle at a star port.
- Routine - Now things become more challenging. Even still, most people with even moderate skill have a high likelihood of success. For example, piloting a shuttle through a busy port.
- Difficult - At this level, low skilled people are likely to fail. Moderate skilled people have a reasonable shot. An example of this level could be evading attacking fighters in a shuttle.
- Challenging - Only exceptionally skilled and talented people will succeed at this level. Piloting a shuttle into an asteroid field.
- Formidable - A very difficult task at which few will succeed. An example would be piloting a fighter into an meteor swarm while in combat.
- Heroic - A task so hard only one of heroic and legendary skill can succeed. Piloting a cargo ship into an asteroid field while being pursued by enemy fighters and warships.
This tables shows the target numbers associated with each difficulty level. Note the difficulty levels and examples are guidelines. The GM has final say on the difficulty of a task in any given situation. Moreover, the GM may choose to adjust the target numbers to any value that he deems appropriate for the situation.
| Difficulty | Modifier | Difficulty | Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic | 0 | Simple | 5 |
| Routine | 10 | Difficult | 15 |
| Challenging | 20 | Formidable | 25 |
| Heroic | 30 |
Each skill has an attribute associated with it. This attribute is used to generate a bonus when using the skill. The bonus is equal to INT((Attribute_Value - 7) / 2). For example, If the attribute in question has a value of 12, the bonus would be (12 - 7) / 2 = 2.5. Taking just the integer part = 2. A attribute of 4 would yield (4 - 7) / 2 = -1.5 or -1.
In some cases, the target of a skill may be able to resist. In those cases, their resistance value is subtracted from your roll before success is determined. For example, if you throw a rock at some one who attempts to dodge, their dodge is a "resistance" to your attempt to hit them and reduces your roll, making it harder for you to be successful.
Critical Success and Critical Failure
If a player misses his target number by 10 or more points, the GM may declare that a critical failure. Similarly, any roll with a chance of failure that is made by 10 or more may be declared a critical success. Note that any roll that the player can't fail is not eligible for critical success. When a critical failure or success is rolled, the GM may add extra effects. For example, a critical failure on a repair roll my cause additional damage or injure the character. A critical success may (temporarily) increase the performance of the system or reduce the time to do the repairs.
Unskilled use
Some skills are marked as suitable for unskilled use. These skills may be used without actually having a skill level. Success is determined by rolling a d10 and adding your attribute bonus. Unskilled rolls may suffer critical failures but can never earn critical success.
Maximum Skill Level
Every skill has an associated attribute, as mentioned above. The current value of the attribute is used to calculate the skill bonus. The maximum potential of the attribute is used to determine the maximum skill value that can be attained. Note that if through aging or injury, the maximum potential for an attribute is reduced, no skill is lost. However, any skills that are above the new maximum can no longer be improved.
Skill Improvement (Experience)
Skills can be improved through either experience or training. At the end of a gaming session, experience or skill points will be awarded. These points can be applied to any skill used during the gaming session.
The cost to improve a skill is equal to it's next value. In other words, to raise a skill from level 1 to level 2 costs 2 skill point. To go from level 2 to level 3 costs 3 skill points and so forth. If the player does not have enough skill points to improve a skill, note the number of points allocated until enough are accumulated over multiple sessions.
The number of points earned per gaming session will be decided by the GM and should be based on the length of the gaming session and the amount of progress made. A short session or one with little or no progress may only earn 1 or even 0 points. An average session would earn 2 - 3 points. A long or highly productive session might get 3 or 4 points or rarely even 5 points.
Additionally, a GM can award a bonus point to a character that significantly helps the game play, role plays well, or otherwise plays and behaves in a manner that facilitates good game play. Bonus awards should rarely exceed 1 point, 2 in extreme cases.
Skill Improvement (Training)
Characters can also train in a skill. Characters can have a good bit of down time (especially while in transit between stars - jump). That time can be used to improve their skills. A player must inform the GM of their intent to train. They must identify how they are going to find time and have access to suitable materials for study and practice. Finally the player must show they are dedicated to their study by making a point of having the character study or practice (instead of going out on the town for example).
At the end of the game session, the GM will inform the player if enough time has passed and if they've shown adequate commitment to their study. If so, they will earn a bonus skill point for that specific skill in addition to their regularly earned experience. If the players have a significant amount of down time, the GM may indicate that the player has studied enough to earn their skill point and may return to their normal routine.
In general, one training skill point can be earned per gaming session. If the session is particularly long (or a significant amount of game time has elapsed) the GM may allow for 2 training points. These should be uncommon.
Learning New Skills
Unskilled use skills are the easiest to learn. A skill point can be earned using either training or experience. It costs 1 skill point to learn the new skill. The new skill will be at level 1.
All other skills can only be learned through training. Follow the training rules from above. It costs 1 skill point to learn the new skill. The new skill will be at level 0. Once the skill is known to level 0, it can be improved or trained like any other skill.
Improving Attributes
Attributes are improved in the same way as skills. Experience or training can be used to earn skill points. Earned skill points can only be applied to attributes used directly in the play session or those that govern skills used in the session.
The only difference between attributes and skills is attributes are harder to improve. This is reflected in that they cost twice as much to improve. So to raise your Strength from 7 to an 8 would require 14 skill points (7 x 2).