Skills (Action)

Heroic Action Role-Play

Skills in Action are used for almost all actions, including Stunts and combat rolls. The skills are wide and not very many, each encompassing a wide field of ability, with Schticks used as enablers to let you do more specialized things.

Besides covering wide fields, each skill also has multiple uses; in particular the Knowledge and Contacts elements of skills can do unexpected things.

Each skill has the following elements; a data block describing how the skill can be used.

Attribute

Each skill is linked to an Attribute. This does not affect the skill value of a trained skill in any way, but when using an untrained skill, a character can use his attribute to substitute for skill value. This is also the default Soak Attribute and the outcome needed for a setback on a stunt directed against the skill.

Unskilled Use

This is what everyone can do in the field the skill covers, using the Attribute of the skill as the value. In many cases unskilled use is just Use in Action somewhat toned down, but sometimes there are fields of a skill that cannot be used at all unless you are skilled, and that is described here.

Use in Action

This is a general description of what the skill is good for and what you can do with it when you are trained. This is less specific than Stunts below and foes not contain specific rules as much as a general description to base new stunts off.

Knowledge

In Action each skill has a knowledge element; things you know because they are a part of the lore of the skill. Even without training in Know, a character will know a lot of things relating to his fields of experience; you don't go to a scholar to ask about gang colors if you have a street fighter on your team. Knowledge rolls are important because they give a character a background and makes them a part of the world. They should be heavily modified based on background, and the information gained should be colored to the source.

A fencer making a Melee roll to know the fighting style of a street gang would be able to gauge their approximate skill and perhaps anticipate some tricks, while a street fighter making the same roll has a lower difficulty and might learn details about what gangs they belong to, who leads the gang, if they fight fair, and might get some hints on how to impress them.

By the same token, any Schticks that opens up new fields of experience in a skill also opens up the corresponding knowledge element.

The difficulty of knowledge rolls can vary depending on the GMs whim and the needs of the story, but the following is a rough guideline.

Roll	Knowledge
5	Common knowledge
10	General context and background
15	Detailed knowledge
20	Detailed context, background, and motivations

Contacts

No character is an island. Each of us has a background full of old friends, allies, mentors, and antagonists. In Action, this is represented trough the Contacts element of skills.

You can make a skill roll to find an ally, informant, or source of gear. The result of the roll indicates the quality of help you find; an exceptional roll has a larger impact on the plot than a mediocre one. Looking for contacts generally takes some time, hours or more, but if you are in a setting where your peers gather it might only be a matter of minutes.

Low contacts rolls result in information; similar to what you get from a Knowledge element roll, but generally more and specific to the locale. On a slightly better roll, you find allies willing to provide material help; lend you the tools of the trade, offer you a ride and a place to crash. Depending on your background and wealth, they may do so for free or demand money or favors for their trouble - which can be a great plot hook for a later time. A really good roll gets you direct help; characters willing to take on side tasks or in exceptional cases even help you take on the main enemy.

Roll	Allies
5	Source of rumors and general information
10	Detailed information, basic gear and assistance
15	Exotic gear, minor favors, low-risk tasks
20	Major favors, great risk

The contacts element of a skill also lets you talk the talk and walk the walk; it can be used as a social skill against your peers in the profession. Opposed skill rolls lets you impress others with your skill and professionalism.

Stunts

Stunts are specific examples of how to Use the skill in Action. Each is described as if it was a Schtick and has detailed rules. These stunts are only examples of typical situations; it is always possible to invent more stunts.

Schticks

Each skill has a list of Schticks associated with it; tricks and signature moves you have to learn as well as fields of knowledge that can expand the scope of the skill. You must learn a Schtick before you can use it and you must be trained is a skill before you can learn Schticks based on it. If you lack a particular schtick when a good opportunity comes up, the GM will often let you improvise at a penalty or by spending a Fortune point or even spend saved experience points to pick it up during play.

Powers

Like Schticks, Powers must be learned before they can be used, and learning powers is more complex, requiring a Traditions and Forms to use. You must be trained is a skill before you can learn Powers based on it

Skill List

This is the skill list of Action. It is rather short and each skill is rather narrow, but various tricks can greatly expand what the various skills can do.

Charm

The ability to influence by wit, charm, and deceit.

Create

The ability to create, repair, and design objects.

Dodge

The ability to avoid attacks.

Impress

The ability to make an impression, scare, and awe others.

Know

All skills have knowledge elements; the Know skill signifies the deeper knowledge of human and social sciences.

Maneuver

The ability to do complex body maneuvers, climb, balance, sneak and so on.

Melee

The ability to fight effectively at close range.

Ride

The ability to ride vehicles and animals, to navigate, and to use movement powers.

Shoot

The ability to hit others at range.

Spot

Perceptiveness, intuition, and the ability to understand what you see.