Athletes are physically-focused characters that excel at physical exertion and achievement. Sports stars, supernatural champions, swashbucklers, warriors, and expert animal handlers can all be made using this class.

 

 

 

Athletic Abilities

Standard athlete characters get any four abilities from the following list.

 

Ability Summaries

Athletic Styles

• Sports Star: You are exceptionally good at one sport and can use your talent for it in creative ways.
• Fast Runner: You are an unusually fast runner.
• Strong as an Ox: You are extremely strong and are prepared to use any Strength Skill.
• Dexterous: You are extremely dexterous and are prepared to use any Dexterity Skill.
• Charismatic: You have a talent for social interaction and are prepared to use any Social Skill.
• Alert: You are prepared to use Perception Skills to notice subtle things about the people and places around you.

Supernatural Powers

• Supernatural Warrior: You are filled with a supernatural power which allows you to exceed the boundaries of ordinary possibility with your combat skills.
• Supernatural Brawn: You are filled with a supernatural power which enhances your strength and endurance so that you can do extraordinary things.
• Supernatural Agility: You are filled with a supernatural power which allows you to exceed the boundaries of ordinary possibility with your dexterity skills.
• Magical Weapon: You have a one-of-a-kind, magical weapon that grants you two special advantages.

Daring Talents

• Derring-do: You are prepared to take risky actions.
• Swashbuckling: When you succeed at doing something risky, the results are legendary.
• Flamboyant: You do risky things with so much style that it influences others.

Animal Abilities

• Mounted Expertise: You are an expert rider that is prepared to perform difficult maneuvers while riding.
• Pockets Full of Treats: Your pockets or pouches are full of treats for a wide range of animals.
• Animal Companion: You have formed a strong bond with an animal that performs useful roles.

Martial Styles

• Nonlethal Training: You have been trained in nonlethal fighting techniques and know how to avoid causing unintentional harm.
• Nonlethal Expertise: You are skilled at using a wide range of nonlethal techniques for gaining combat advantage and incapacitating opponents.
• Trick Archery: You are a skilled archer who is practiced at doing improbable things.
• Improvised Weapon Training: You are trained to use everyday objects as improvised weapons and can always find something to use.
• Improvised Weapon Expertise: You are skilled at using everyday objects as improvised weapons and are prepared to create and use them.
• Dirty Fighting: You are an expert at using dishonorable fighting techniques to give yourself an advantage during combat.
• Rage Warrior: You can use anger to enhance your success with combat and strength skills.
• Combat Prowess: You have extensive combat training and are prepared to use any Combat Skill.

Specific Occupations

• Profession: You are trained in a profession and, in many circumstances, can perform the tasks of your profession without risk of failure.
• Hobby: In a calm environment with the necessary tools and materials, you are prepared on rolls to do the activities of your hobby.

Flexible Enhancements

• Specialty: You are so good at doing one specific thing that you are always prepared to do it.
• Skill Expert: You are an expert in one skill and rarely fail.
• Physical Intuition: You have an intuitive, physical understanding of a mental skill that makes it possible for you to do it as if it was a physical skill.
• Balanced Expertise: You are especially good at one body and one mind skill and are prepared to do either of them.
• Beginner’s Luck: You are unusually successful when you try new things.
• Skillful: You know more skills than most people.
• Extra Species Trait: You have manifested an additional species trait.

 

 

Ability Descriptions

Athletic Styles

Sports Star: You are exceptionally good at one sport and can use your talent for it in creative ways. Choose your sport. You have all the equipment needed to play this sport and are always considered prepared to play it. In addition, three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use one of the activities involved in your sport to creatively solve a problem. For example, you could flip a switch by hitting it with a ball, knock something away with a racket, intimidate someone by lifting a heavy weight, impress a crowd with a dramatic entrance, or coordinate a team action.

Sports Star: You are exceptionally good at one sport and can use your talent for it in creative ways. Choose your sport. You have all the equipment needed to play this sport and are always considered prepared to play it. In addition, three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use one of the activities involved in your sport to creatively solve a problem. For example, you could flip a switch by hitting it with a ball, knock something away with a racket, intimidate someone by lifting a heavy weight, impress a crowd with a dramatic entrance, or coordinate a team action.

 

Fast Runner: You are an unusually fast runner. Because of this, you are prepared on all physical skill rolls that significantly benefit from running quickly. For example, you are prepared to race to a goal, chase a fleeing adversary, or outrun a pursuer.

 

Strong as an Ox: You are extremely strong and are prepared to use any Strength Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Athletics, Climbing, Flying, Riding, or Swimming skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Dexterous: You are extremely dexterous and are prepared to use any Dexterity Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Manual Dexterity, Mobility, or Stealth skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Charismatic: You have a talent for social interaction and are prepared to use any Social Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Communicating with Animals, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Performance skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Alert: You are prepared to use Perception Skills to notice subtle things about the people and places around you. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Insight, Perception, or Survival skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

 

Supernatural Powers

Supernatural Warrior: You are filled with a supernatural power which allows you to exceed the boundaries of ordinary possibility with your combat skills. Any time you are taking an action using the Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, or Unarmed Fighting skills, you may call on this power to use your skills on targets that would otherwise be unaffected by them. For example, you can trip a creature that has no legs, grab an incorporeal creature, punch through armor, wrestle a surprisingly large opponent, and pin a shadow creature to the ground with an arrow. This is a magical ability, so it will go awry on failed rolls.

Decide what the source of this power is. For example, it could be a gift from a deity, a connection to a powerful entity, an inherited trait from an unusual ancestor, or an artifact that you have. The nature of this source will influence how this ability is role-played, as well as the side effects of failures and partial successes.

 

Supernatural Brawn: You are filled with a supernatural power which enhances your strength and endurance so that you can do extraordinary things. Any time you are taking an action using the Athletics, Climbing, Flying, Riding, or Swimming skills, you may call on this power to exceed the bounds of ordinary possibility. For example, you can outrun a greyhound, lift a portcullis, jump from the ground to the roof of a one-story building, climb a rock face in seconds, fly through a hurricane, and swim so powerfully that you can tow a ship. This is a magical ability, so it will go awry on failed rolls.

Decide what the source of this power is. For example, it could be a gift from a deity, a connection to a powerful entity, an inherited trait from an unusual ancestor, or an artifact that you have. The nature of this source will influence how this ability is role-played, as well as the side effects of failures and partial successes.

 

Supernatural Agility: You are filled with a supernatural power which allows you to exceed the boundaries of ordinary possibility with your dexterity skills. Any time you are taking an action using the Acrobatics, Manual Dexterity, Mobility, or Stealth skills, you may call on this power to use your skills in situations where it would not ordinarily be possible. For example, you can swing from an object that isn’t capable of holding your weight, dodge your way through a solid wall of brambles, tumble safely over a patch of quicksand, pick a lock without proper tools, squeeze through an opening that should be too small for you, hide in improbable places, and walk silently over a patch of crunchy, dry leaves. This is a magical ability, so it will go awry on failed rolls.

Decide what the source of this power is. For example, it could be a gift from a deity, a connection to a powerful entity, an inherited trait from an unusual ancestor, or an artifact that you have. The nature of this source will influence how this ability is role-played, as well as the side effects of failures and partial successes.

 

Magical Weapon: You have a one-of-a-kind, magical weapon that grants you two special advantages.

Choose what this weapon is. Your options include ordinary weapons, like swords, unusual weapons, like tridents, and prototypes, like magic-powered firearms.

Your weapon is made of a special, magic-infused material that can’t be damaged by ordinary means (either physical or magical). It comes with any applicable ammunition, parts, or maintenance tools. You are trained in using your weapon, even if you are not trained in the Martial Skill that would normally apply to it.

Choose two advantages for your weapon off the following list.

• Less Physically Taxing: This weapon has a special design that makes it less physically taxing to use. Your character can use this weapon by rolling mind.
• Cuts/Breaks Stone: This weapon is made of a special material that is so hard and/or sharp that it can cut/break hard substances like ordinary stone and metal.
• Tool: Your weapon can be use as a tool for up to three skills. For example, a bullwhip can be used as a tool for Acrobatics, Athletics, and Climbing.
• Skill Bonus: Your weapon has been designed in a way that is helpful for a single non-combat skill. Three times a day, you may use this weapon to be prepared when using that skill. Examples include a ceremonial sword that helps with Diplomacy, a creepy weapon that assists with Intimidation, a hidden weapon that is easier to draw with Slight of Hand, and a utility knife that is useful for Survival.
• Ethereal: This weapon is infused with magic which allows it, or any projectiles that it fires, to interact with incorporeal things as if they were solid. An incorporeal thing is a being or object that lacks physical substance, but that is present in some way. For example, ghosts, shadow beings, illusions, and half-present magical landscapes are all incorporeal.
• Returning: Your weapon has been enchanted so that it always returns to you. Once drawn, the returning magic is activated and any time this weapon leaves your hand (or whatever appendage you drew the weapon with), it returns after a brief pause. Sheathing or stowing this weapon deactivates the returning magic.
• Comes When Called: Your weapon has been magically bonded to you so that it comes to your hand any time you speak or sign a magic word.
• Nonlethal: Your weapon has been enchanted for nonlethal combat. A command word or gesture is used to activate and deactivate this magic. When activated, the magic prevents this weapon from causing harm to yourself or others. This means that this weapon can only be used for nonlethal fighting (combat actions intended to gain an advantage over an opponent without physically harming them), and that it won’t cause harm even on failed actions.
• Create your own: Work with your game manager to create a unique advantage for your weapon.

 

 

Daring Talents

Derring-do: You are prepared to take risky actions. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you attempt a daring maneuver with the Acrobatics, Athletics, Climbing, Flying, Mobility, Riding, or Swimming skills. A daring maneuver is an action that is reckless, bold, or risky. Attempting a daring maneuver is a significant risk, and, as a result, the consequences of failure are more severe. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Swashbuckling: When you succeed at doing something risky, the results are legendary. You are an expert at using bold and daring maneuvers. Any time you get a full success (two successes) when doing a daring action, the results are larger-than-life. This means that the outcome is more dramatic than it would otherwise be, granting you an additional benefit. In essence, this ability turns a full success into an outstanding success (three successes). A daring action is any action that is reckless, bold, or risky. Attempting a daring action is a significant risk, and, as a result, the consequences of failure are more severe.

 

Flamboyant: You do risky things with so much style that it influences others. When you successfully pull off a daring action (two or three successes), you impress onlookers. This means that you count as prepared when you use the Communicating with Animals, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Performance skills with someone who observed your daring maneuver. Note that this ability only applies when the social roll takes place in the same scene as the daring action. A daring action is any action that is reckless, bold, or risky. Attempting a daring action is a significant risk, and, as a result, the consequences of failure are more severe.

 

 

Animal Abilities

Mounted Expertise: You are an expert rider that is prepared to perform difficult maneuvers while riding. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Athletics, Melee Combat, Mobility, Ranged Combat, Riding, or Stealth skills while riding a mount. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Pockets Full of Treats: Your pockets or pouches are full of treats for a wide range of animals. Any time that you are interacting with an animal, you may take out a treat and offer it to them. If the animal is calm enough to be interested in the treat (this is decided based on the situation), then you are considered prepared for using the Communicating with Animals and Riding skills with that animal.

You can choose between having these treats easily accessible, or having them wrapped up in packages and jars. If the treats are easily accessible, then you can get them out quickly, but you smell like animal food and are constantly attracting both domesticated and wild animals. If the treats are in packages and jars, it takes more time to get them out, but you don’t attract animals. It takes half an hour to swap between these two different ways of carrying the treats.

 

Animal Companion: You have formed a strong bond with an animal that performs useful roles. This is your Animal Companion. As long as you treat them well, this animal is loyal to you, follows your instructions, and accompanies you on your adventures. You have experience communicating with them and can use any method they can perceive, such as touch, sound, and gesture.

Animal companions have limited independence and they look to you for guidance. Because of your special bond, this animal is as trainable as an average dog, and can follow the basic commands taught in dog obedience schools, such as sit, stay, and come. In addition, they are trained to perform two roles, such as guard, tracker, performer, or racer, which are chosen below.

When in doubt, treat your animal companion as having the same understanding and mental capabilities as an average dog. You can get your animal companion to take actions outside of the basic commands and trained roles they know, but you must make a Communicating with Animals skill roll to do so. Your bond with your companion makes you prepared on this roll.

Dice rolls for an animal companion’s actions are handled separately from the actions of player characters. Animal Companions make their own dice rolls using their body or mind numbers and any applicable training, preparation, or help that they have.

Design your animal companion by following these seven steps.

Step 1: Choose which animal your companion is. They can be small, medium, or large—up to the size of an elephant. For example, they could be a domesticated animal like a camel, cat, dog, donkey, goat, or horse. They could also be a wild animal like a badger, bear, crocodile, deer, dolphin, elephant, hawk, kangaroo, leopard, lion, otter, owl, porcupine, raccoon, raven, snake, shark, tiger, wolf, or zebra. You have all of the equipment to care for your companion’s needs, including saddle and tack, if applicable.

Step 2: Decide what their body and mind numbers are. Their highest number is the thing they are best at. The three options are Body 5 with Mind 3, Body 4 with Mind 4, and Body 3 with Mind 5.

Step 3: For their protection, select one type of physical defense and one type of mental defense. If logical for their species, these defenses can be part of their body, such as a porcupine’s quills acting as armor.

Step 4: Choose five skills that your animal companion is trained in. These skills represent their main capabilities. Your animal companion doesn’t need tools for any skills that are natural behaviors of their species. For example, cats, monkeys, and goats all have bodies designed for climbing, so they don’t need climbing gear.

Step 5: Select two roles off the following list that your animal companion is trained to do.

• Guard: When guarding, this animal watches alertly for signs of danger. Any time they are awake and guarding a person, vehicle, or location, they are prepared on Perception skill rolls to detect signs of danger, such as the sounds of a stealthily approaching creature or the unnatural chill caused by a magical entity.
• Defender: When defending, this animal protects one person or animal from physical harm. Any time the person they are defending would need to protect themselves by rolling their physical defense, roll this animal companion’s defense instead. Because this animal is directly engaging the danger, they will take the consequences of failures and partial successes, rather than the person they are defending. As a result, this animal may be injured or rendered unconscious. However they will not be killed without the permission of the player.
• Rescuer: When rescuing, this animal finds imperiled people and animals and moves them out of harm’s way. They are always prepared on Perception skill rolls to find trapped or injured people and animals. In addition, when imperiled people and animals are their size or smaller, this animal is prepared on all physical skill rolls to move their rescuee to safety. They can also move people and animals larger than themselves, but they don’t get the die for being prepared.
• Calming Presence: When acting as a calming presence, this animal companion helps calm upset people and animals. They are prepared on Insight skill rolls to calm people and Communicating with Animals skill rolls to calm animals, unless that person or animal is has a particular fear or anger toward them or their species. When the people or animals do have a particular fear or anger, this companion can still make a roll to calm them, but they don’t get the die for being prepared.
  • If this companion gets a full success (2 successes) on calming a person, your character is prepared on the first social roll they make to interact with that person.
  • If this companion gets a full success (2 successes) on calming an animal, the calmed animal will cooperate with your character. If your companion stays with the calmed animal, that animal will continue to cooperate with you through the first upsetting thing that happens, such as being startled by a loud noise, with no roll needed.
• Racer: When moving, this animal companion is unusually quick. Choose a form of movement that they are especially good at, such as running, climbing, hopping, flying, slithering, or swimming. This animal is always prepared on physical skill rolls that significantly benefit from moving quickly using this chosen form of movement.
• Action Mount: When you are riding this animal, your strong bond combined with a specially designed saddle, enhance your ability to work together. When you are riding this mount with your special saddle, you are prepared on Riding skill rolls to do difficult things, like stand up on their back and hang off the side of the saddle to grab something from the ground. At the same time, your mount is prepared on Strength skill (Athletics, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming) and Dexterity skill rolls (Acrobatics, or Mobility) to get past physical obstacles.
• Draft Animal: This animal can pull heavy loads. They are always prepared on Strength Skill rolls (Athletics, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming) to pull large or heavy objects. In addition, you have the harness, sturdy ropes, and other equipment needed to hitch them to a wide variety of objects.
• Forager: This animal can easily find food in any normal, wild or semi-wild environment. When you take the time to forage with your animal companion, they help you find food. Decide whether you find enough ordinary food to feed a small group or enough special food to make a good gift. As long as it is something they can eat, giving a food gift makes you prepared for the rest of the scene on all Social Skill rolls (Communicating with Animals, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Performance) that you make to interact with the recipient.
  • Depending on the season and location, predators could find wild honey, fish, shellfish, waterfowl, landfowl, deer, other large game, rabbits, and other small game. Meanwhile, herbivores could find seeds, nuts, berries, fruit, mushrooms, roots, leafy greens, herbs, and flowers. Omnivores could find either type of food.
• Tracker: When tracking, this animal uses their strong sense of smell to follow a trail. They are prepared on all Survival skill rolls to track and can track over a range of terrains, including stagnant and slow moving water.
• Detector: When detecting, this animal uses their strong sense of smell to figure out whether something is present or not. Decide what type of thing this animal is trained to detect and what signal they give when they find it. For example, they could detect animal predators, ghosts, poison, or a specific type of magic, and when they detect their thing they could go into a pointing stance, paw at it, whine, stamp their foot, or bark. Any time this animal is actively searching for their thing, no roll is needed for them to detect it if it is nearby. In addition, if you have a sample of a substance that isn’t their usual thing, they are prepared on Survival skill rolls made to detect that substance.
• Retriever: When retrieving, this animal brings a chosen object to you. To do this, you, your animal companion, and the object need to all be close enough that you can communicate to your companion what you want them to get. While retrieving, your companion is prepared on all rolls to get to and bring back unattended objects up to half their size and weight. You companion can also retrieve larger objects and objects that are held by others, but they aren’t prepared on these rolls.
• Herder: When herding, this animal uses posturing, swoops, lunges, and other forms of intimidation to move people and animals in the direction you want them to go. This animal is prepared on all Intimidation and Communicating with Animals skill rolls made to move non-aggressive people and animals in a direction that appears safe. Most animals, including predators, are non-aggressive unless they are trapped, protecting their young, or desperately hungry. This animal can also herd aggressive people and animals, but they don’t get the die for being prepared.
• Performer: When performing, this animal has a captivating stage presence. Your companion must be trained in the Performance skill in order to take on this role. Any time the two of you are performing together, your character can make a Performance skill roll to entertain your audience. Your companion adds the help die to this roll. If the roll results in a full or outstanding success, the two of you hold the complete attention of your audience, plus any onlookers that aren’t actively engaged in something important. Onlookers engaged in an important activity get distracted, taking a one die penalty to all actions, but continue their activity.
• Intimidator: When being intimidating, this animal knows how to frighten people and animals by making themselves physically imposing. This means that they can use their body number when using the Intimidation skill to frighten people or using the Communicating with Animals skill to frighten animals. In addition, they are prepared on rolls to intimidate any person or animal that doesn’t want to fight. Keep in mind that most animals, even predators, don’t want to fight unless they are protecting their young or desperately hungry.
• Nonlethal Fighter: When fighting, this animal knows how to nonlethally restrain or incapacitate people and animals. They are prepared on any Combat Skill roll (Unarmed Fighting, Melee Combat, or Ranged Combat), made to restrain or incapacitate a person or animal without causing harm.
• Skills Specialist: When learning skills, this animal was able to acquire two additional ones. Choose two additional skills that this animal is trained in.
• Skill Helper: When working with you, your animal companion can sometimes share their skill with you. Three times a day, when your animal companion is physically present with you, they can make a dice roll using one of their trained skills for both of you. This roll uses their body or mind number, training, and bonuses, and its results affect both of you.

Step 6: If this animal companion is an assistive animal for a disabled character, choose an additional support role the animal is trained to do. For example, they could guide, manipulate objects, increase mobility, alert deaf handlers to important sounds, help people with autism perform the activities of daily living, provide emotional support, interrupt problem behaviors, assist people with psychiatric disabilities, signal impending medical problems, and respond to medical emergencies.

Step 7: Give your animal companion the final touches by naming them and deciding what their personality is like. What is their usual mood? How is the majority of their time spent? What do they love and what do they hate? How do they react to new things? If they have a disability, what is it and how does it affect them?

Taking this Ability Multiple Times: Each additional time you take this ability, choose between getting an additional animal companion and adding two roles to an existing animal companion.

 

 

Martial Styles

Nonlethal Training: You have been trained in nonlethal fighting techniques and know how to avoid causing unintentional harm. Any time that you are fighting an opponent in a nonlethal manner, any combat action that you fail will not cause significant harm to that opponent.

Fighting in a nonlethal manner covers any combat action intended to gain an advantage over an opponent without physically harming them. Examples of nonlethal fighting are disarming a combatant, pinning clothing to a solid object, damaging armor, knocking a foe down, restricting an opponent’s range of motion, pushing an opponent into a less advantageous position, and putting someone into a wresting hold or pin.

When you take this ability you gain training in one additional Combat Skill. Choose that skill.

 

Nonlethal Expertise: You are skilled at using a wide range of nonlethal techniques for gaining combat advantage and incapacitating opponents. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Athletics, Flying, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Swimming, or Unarmed Fighting skills for an action that is intended to gain a combat advantage over an opponent without physically harming them. Examples of nonlethal actions are disarming a combatant, pinning clothing to a solid object, damaging armor, knocking a foe down, restricting an opponent’s range of motion, pushing an opponent into a less advantageous position, and putting someone into a wresting hold or pin. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Trick Archery: You are a skilled archer who is practiced at doing improbable things. Three times a day, you may reroll a Ranged Combat roll for a challenging archery task, like splitting an arrow in two, firing accurately while doing acrobatic stunts, and shooting projectiles out of the air. This reroll must happen before the results have been revealed and you must take the new result, even if it is lower.

 

Improvised Weapon Training: You are trained to use everyday objects as improvised weapons and can always find something to use. This means that you are considered trained when you use the Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, and Athletics skills for an improvised weapon, even if you are not trained in the skill you are using. Examples of improvised weapons include using Athletics to push a bookshelf onto an opponent, using Ranged Combat to throw plates at a foe, and using Melee Combat to wield a chair. You may use Improvised Weapon Training to cause harm to opponents, or in a nonlethal manner to control space and hinder foes.

In addition, you can find improvised weapons in any environment. In unusually barren environments, like jail cells or the open ocean, it will take some time and effort to acquire an improvised weapon. In all other environments, improvised weapons come readily to hand.

 

Improvised Weapon Expertise: You are skilled at using everyday objects as improvised weapons and are prepared to create and use them. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Athletics, Manual Dexterity, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Riding, and Stealth skills to create or use an improvised weapon. Examples include acrobatically dodging through tree branches that snag your foes, shoving a table into an opponent, wielding a frying pan, throwing rocks, ramming a combatant with a log your mount is dragging, pulling a large wrench out of your bag without anyone noticing, and sneaking around a corner while holding a broom at the ready. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Dirty Fighting: You are an expert at using dishonorable fighting techniques to give yourself an advantage during combat. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Athletics, Manual Dexterity, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Stealth, or Unarmed Fighting skills for a sneaky, dishonorable, or unfair combat action. For example, you can attack with a hidden weapon, knee a foe in the groin, sneak up on an opponent, pull a combatant’s pants down, knock over nearby objects, and throw dust in someone’s eyes. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Rage Warrior: You can use anger to enhance your success with combat and strength skills. Three times a day, you can choose to enter a magical rage state. Each rage state lasts up to one scene, but you can choose to end it early. While you are in this magical rage, the results of full success (two successes) with Combat or Strength skills become more dramatic, granting you an additional benefit. In essence, this ability turns a full success into an outstanding success (three successes). However, while you are in this state, you cannot use any mind-based skills or abilities. Combat skills are Unarmed Fighting, Melee Combat, and Ranged Combat. Strength skills are Athletics, Climbing, Flying, Riding, and Swimming.

 

Combat Prowess: You have extensive combat training and are prepared to use any Combat Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, and Unarmed Fighting skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

 

Specific Occupations

Profession: You have been trained in a specific profession and, in many circumstances, can perform the tasks of your profession without risk of failure. Choose a profession for your character. This profession should be more specific than a skill, but it is possible for the activities involved to span multiple skills.

• Example Professions: Some possible professions are baker, blacksmith, brewer, carpenter, cook, farmer, gardener, goldsmith, herbalist, herder, historian, hunter, locksmith, mason, mechanic, merchant, miner, plumber, potter, physician, sailor, scholar (choose a subject), scribe, shoemaker, tailor, teacher (choose a subject), and weaver.
• Tools and Materials: You own the tools and/or materials needed to carry out your profession.
• When to Roll: When performing a task of average difficulty in a calm environment with the necessary tools and materials, you can perform the skills of your profession without needing to roll for it. Because this is your profession, situations that would have a significant chance of failure for a character trained in a broad skill do not have a significant chance of failure for you. As long as you have your tools and materials, rolls are only needed when you are in a dangerous environment, performing an unusually difficult task, rushing, or trying to create something extraordinary.
• What to Roll: Each time you do an activity that is part of your profession in a situation where a dice roll is needed, use the skill associated with that specific activity for the roll. Because you are trained in your profession, you are considered trained for this roll, even if you are not trained in the skill you are using. For example, if a locksmith is trying to unlock a door quickly, their player will make a roll using the Manual Dexterity skill. The locksmith is considered trained for this roll, even if they are not trained in the Manual Dexterity skill. Note that if you have any other abilities that apply to the skill being rolled, you can use them.

 

Hobby: You have a hobby that you enthusiastically pursue. This hobby should be more specific than a skill, but it is possible for the activities involved in a hobby to span multiple skills. If your hobby requires tools or materials, you own them. Any time you are in a calm environment with all the necessary tools and materials, you are considered prepared to do the activities involved in your hobby. For example, your hobby could be baking, brewing, carpentry, cooking, gardening, herbalism, hunting, inventing, mechanical repair, pottery, sailing, scholarship (choose a subject), sewing, smithing, or weaving.

 

 

Flexible Enhancements

Specialty: You are so good at doing one specific thing that you are always prepared to do it. Choose an area of focus for a skill or ability that you already have. This is your specialty. You are particularly good at this specialty and are always considered prepared when using it. This specialty needs to be significantly more specific than the skill or ability it is based on. For example, a character with the Acrobatics skill could have a specialty in leaping, or a character with the Transportation Magic ability could have a specialty in casting flying spells.

 

Skill Expert: You are an expert in one skill and rarely fail. Choose a skill. Three times per day, you may turn a failed dice roll (zero successes) for this skill into a partial success (one success). This ability must be used before the consequences of failure are revealed.

 

Physical Intuition: You have an intuitive, physical understanding of a mental skill that makes it possible for you to do it as if it was a physical skill. Choose one mind based skill or ability. You can now use this skill or ability by rolling body.

 

Balanced Expertise: You are especially good at one body and one mind skill and are prepared to do either of them. Choose one mind skill and one body skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use either of these two skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire, choosing either the same or different skills.

 

Beginner’s Luck: You are unusually successful when you try new things. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when using a skill that you are not trained in.

 

Skillful: You know more skills than most people. Choose two additional skills off the Skills List. You are trained in these skills. There is no limit on how many times you may choose this ability.

 

Extra Species Trait: You have manifested an additional species trait. Choose an additional species trait off the Species Trait List. There is no limit on how many times you may choose this ability.