Character Skills

Skills are extended Character properties. In contrast to abilities they reflect knowledge or skills that can be learned or are natural skills. Skills have conditions that have to be met before the skill can be learned or used. These conditions vary for different proficiency level. Some skills have no proficiency levels and are only about knowing it or not. Like Abilities a Skill can become better by using it but unlike Abilities a Skill can become better by learning from appropriate data sources. Skills that are Natural Skills can not be learned and the character.

In most situations actions require more than one Skill or Ability to be carried out. The player has the possibility to join the forces of two or more characters to achieve the needed requirements. For example you can try to manipulate a complex security system. For this task you need a high knowledge of Electronics and Crafting. One character is now proficient enough in Crafting but lacks enough Electronics and the other character happens to have a high enough Electronics Skill but lacks the needed Crafting Ability. Now those two characters can join forces to carry out the task together although both of them alone would not have all the required skills. Thus a player can achieve tasks even if none of his characters does have the full requirements fullfilled. Those Skills or Abilities are called Sharable. Not all Skills are sharable and the task at hand describes possible combinations.

Skills Listing

Name	Description
Technics	The Techinics Skill is a natural born skill determining the ability of the character to use technical devices. At the lowest level he can operate only very simple devices like light switches or devices with a small number of well labeled buttons. With raising proficiency he can operate more complex devices successfully.
Electronics	The Electronics Skill describes a character's understanding of electronic devices. With enough high Crafting Ability the character can build, repair or modify electronical devices. At the lowest level he has only knowledge about simple electronical devices. He can work with more complex devices but the successrate is rather small and time needed to carry out the task is long. The better the proficiency is the more complex devices the character can work with.
Security Systems	Security Systems are a subset of electronical devices which need a more profound knowledge of security algorithms and intrusion prevention. Characters knowing this Skill can bypass Security Systems. At the lowest level the character can bypass simple security systems without running the danger of setting off alerts or traps. He can also try to breach more complex systems but the successrate is much lower, the time needed is longer and the risk of setting off alerts or traps is dramatically higher. Hacking Devices can help to reduce the risk and allows to take on more difficult systems than your skills would allow.
Lock-Picking	Lock-Picking describes the ability of the character to pick open mechanical door or chest locks. At the lowest level the character can pick open simple locks. He can try to pick more complex locks but the successrate is much smaller and the time needed is longer. With raising knowledge the character can pick more complex locks successfully. There exist special lock-picks that greatly help in the process of lock-picking but they are not easy to come by.
Hacking	Characters with Hacking Skills have a good knowledge about computers and knows how they can intrude into computer networks and different computer systems. At low levels the character knows how to intrude into computer systems with simple security facilities without triggering security traps. He can also try taking better secured computer systems but the successrate is much smaller, the time needed to hack is longer and security traps are more easily triggered. Hacking Software helps to reduce the dangers of hacking and allows to take on better protected computer systems.
Chemistry	Characters with good chemistry knowledge are able to locate usefull substances in objects and can use them to produce new materials or effects. This Skill is a must for all little MacGyvers out there. At the lowest level the character knows only the basic chemistry rules and can work with a few materials. He can try to work with more complex materials but the successrate is smaller and the danger of causing an accident is higher. There exist different possibilities to increase the knowledge of chemistry through written sources or even computer applications.
Flying	Flying is a natural skill and only owned by characters able to fly by nature like dragons. This skill is a own or not Skill having no proficiency levels. The flying abilities and possible maneouvers to use are determined by the Agility and Strength abilities.
Close Combat	Characters with the Close Combat Skill are very proficient at fighting at closed range using any kind of closed range weapon. With raising level the character can use closed range weapons more efficiently. The Strength ability determines the force of the attack and the Agility ability determine the speed of the attack.