Specialty Skills

Skills

Taking 5

Rather than rolling a check, you can choose to take 5. Calculate your resultas if you had rolled a 5 on the die. You can do this even under the most stressful circumstances.

Specialty Skills

For Craft, Knowledgeand Profession skills, you gain 2 ranks to spend on its specialties for each skill point spent, although the maximum ranks in a specialty are still capped normally.

Forgeries

This isn't a separate skill. Use the mechanics described within it to represent forgeries, but use the appropriate relevant skill (Computer Use for computer forgery, Craft: Graphic Arts for art forgery, etc.).

Skill Challenges

You can take a skill challenge by increasing the DC of the skill check by 5.

General skill challenges include:

Fast: You can reduce the time required for a skill by one action type (full to standard to move to free), or reduce the time for longer actions by 25% (or 50% if two challenges are taken).

Set-Up: When making two closely-related skill actions in a row, you can accept a penalty on one to gain an equal bonus on the other.

Simultaneous: You may attempt two skills at the same time by accepting a challenge against both.

Superior Assist: You add an additional +1 bonus when assisting others for each challenge you take on the normal DC 10 check.

Skill or situation-dependent challenges include:

Acrobatics Challenges: You may move up to your normal speed for one move action while balancing or tumbling (one check per move action), maintain you dodge bonus to Defense while balancing, or shake/disturb the precarious surface to impose an equal penalty on anyone else trying to Balance on it.

Athletics Challenges: You can climb faster (at ½ speed for 1 challenge, or full speed for 2), maintain your dodge bonus while climbing, or brace yourself while climbing so you don't need to make a check if damaged. You may treat any threatened squares that you jump through or over as unthreatened but if your check fails, they are threatened and you suffer attacks of opportunity as normal. You may increase your swim speed by ¼ per challenge.

Bluff Challenges: You can make a durable lie that extends the duration by 1 round per challenge, or an outrageous lie that leaves the target sputtering and dazed for a round (but not in combat situations).

Disable Device Challenges: You can disguise the tampering, requiring anyone to make a relevant skill check against your total to notice the problem.

Disguise Challenges: You can craft a disguise to blend into a crowd, so casual observers don't get a chance to detect the disguise.

Intimidate Challenges: You can intimidate more than one person at a time. In this case, the DM makes a single check to resist using the best resistance bonus for each group of targets, while you suffer a –2 penalty for each opponent beyond the first.

Investigation Challenges: You focus on discrete investigations, so you don't leave any clues about what you are seeking.

Listen Challenges: A successful challenge can tell you the exact square (or squares) the target occupies.

Stealth Challenges: You can move your normal speed for a move action, making a challenge check each action. If attacking a foe who is unaware of you, you can make a Stealth check as part of an attack action against him, at -5 if attacking from beyond 10m, or -10 if within 10m. Your foe opposes this check with either a Spotor a base attack check. If you succeed, your opponent does not identify where the attack came from, remaining unaware of you for 1 round. If attempted multiple times in a row, the penalty increases by an additional -5 each time.

Skills

Acrobatics *Dex

Used for dexterity-based physical activities, such as balance, tumbling, and maneuvering in tight spaces. You can use this skill to escape from grapples and restraints, wriggle through tight spaces, land softly when you fall, or tumble past opponents.

(Combines Balance, Escape Artist and Tumble)

Athletics *Str

Used for strength-based physical activites, such as climbing, jumping and swimming.

House Rule: Based on D&D 3.5 Jump skill, the DCs for a running jump are the distance (in feet) x 1 for a long jump, or x4 for a high jump. Without a running start, double the DCs.

(Combines Climb, Jump and Swim)

AwarenessWis

This skill represents your awareness of your environment. It is used to hear someone sneaking up behind you or overhear a conversation, make out a distant sign, or notice something out of place.

(Combines Listen and Spot)

Craft (Specialty Skill)Int

The skill is used to create, repair and maintain crafted objects. Specialties include:

Architecture, Armor, Computers, Demolitions, Droids, Graphic Arts, Electronics, Medical, Sculpture, Starships, Vehicles, Weapons (Heavy), Weapons (Modern), and Weapons (Primitive).

Note that the Demolitions specialty includes creating explosives, as well as knowing how to set an explosive device for maximum effect, and disabling explosives.

InvestigationWis

Use this skill to discover hidden or obscure information, swiftly find information in an archive, locate and analyze clues at a crime scene, interview suspects, or search an area for lost or hidden items. It can be used to make contacts in an area, find out local gossip and rumors, and investigate public or restricted information.

(Combines Search and most of Gather Information)

Jury-RigInt

You are skilled at fixing, disabling or modifying devices. You can make quick repairs to devices and vehicles in the field, as well as disable them. This skill can be used to disarm a security device, defeat a mechanical lock or trap, or rig a device to fail when used. It can also be used to disarm an explosive, although not as easily as someone with Craft (Demolitions).

(Combines Disable Device and Repair)

Knowledge (Specialty Skill)Int

Specialties include:

Appraise – identify and estimate value of objects

Archeology – study of material remains

Astrogate – calculate hyperspace travel routes

Astronomy – study of celestial physics

Biology – study of living organisms and processes

Bureaucracy – bureaucratic procedures and how to circumvent them

Business – business procedures, profit and loss, supply and demand

Chemistry – composition, structure and properties of substances

Computer Use – used for computer programming (not general use), complex data searches, and hacking

Engineering – the application of matter and energy, industrial processes

Forensics – evidence gathering and analysis

Geology – study of the physical makeup and natural processes of a planet

History – past events important to the development of galactic society

Languages – each rank in languages provides basic fluency in one language; in addition, when you encounter an unfamiliar language you may make a check to determine how much (if any) of the content you can make out. DC is typically 10 for major trade languages, 20 for minor trade languages, and 30 or more for very rare or exotic languages. If successful, you get the most basic intent, while exceeding the DC by 5 or more provides increasing clarity.

Lore – expertise in a body of knowledge relating to a specific group (Jedi Lore, Sith Lore, Spacer Lore, etc.), culture (Human Lore, Wookie Lore, etc.) or location (Coruscant, Tatooine, Bespin, etc.)

Medicine – the scientific study of health and the prevention, alleviation or cure of disease

Physics – the interaction of matter and energy

Politics – governmental institutions, processes, policies and important figures

Streetwise – ability to survive and successfully interact in an urban environment

Tactics – identifying, creating and implementing combat maneuvers

Technology – cutting edge devices and electronic systems

LarcenyDex

This skill represents thievery in various forms, ranging from picking pockets and sleight of hand to picking mechanical and electronic locks and disabling security systems.

(Combines Sleight of Hand with many aspects of Disable Device)

PerformanceCha

You know how to put on a performance, and may also be skilled in some types of artistic expression. It includes everything from rousing public speeches, dramatic acting, engaging storytelling, fast-talking con artistry, verbal misdirection, simple prevarication and misleading through body language. A successful performance means the target believes what you said, or you trick him into doing something for a short time (for combat bluffs, typically 1 round). The check is heavily modified by the believability and circumstances (danger to the subject, etc.).

House Rule: There is a base DC equal to the target's Wisdom score, modified by the circumstances defined in the book (-5 if wants to believe, +5 if it will put him at risk, +10 for significant risk, or +20 for unbelievable risk). The target may also make a resistance roll using his Performance or Presence check.

(Combines Bluff, Disguise, and Entertainment)

PilotDex

The ability to operate a vehicle, whether it performs in land, sea, air or space. As a rule of thumb, basic maneuvers like low-speed turns do not require checks, but stunts and complicated maneuvers require a check. The check is subject to familiarity penalties when using unfamiliar vehicles.

PresenceCha

Presence covers the character’s leadership, force of personality, and projection of authority. A character might achieve a powerful presence by being feared, respected or loved, but regardless of the methods, this skill represents how well he does so. Presence can be used to intimidate enemies as well as to inspire allies, and is the key ability in interrogations or getting someone to do something he doesn’t want to do through use of imposing body language, force of will, verbal threats, and similar methods.

House Rule: Any use of the Presence skill must meet or exceed a base DC equal to 10 plus one half the target's level (round down), modified by circumstance bonuses (-5 if he wants to do it, +5 for some risk, +10 for significant risk, and +20 for unbelievable risk). In addition, it must also beat the target's resistance check, which is rolled using either his Will save or Presence check. Any bonuses to resist fear are added to the resistance check.

(Combines Intimidate with some elements of Diplomacy)

Profession (Specialty Skill)Int

You are trained in a livelihood or a service role, such as bartender, cook, moisture farmer, herbalist, etc.

SocializeCha

This skill represents your ability to interact with others in positive ways, including most forms of social grace, etiquette, long-term persuasion, and negotiation. It also includes your ability to determine the mood, mental state, and motivations of the people around you by reading the body language, speech habits, and mannerisms of others. It can be used to persuade a target to perform an act, negotiate terms in a transaction, or generally improve the target’s attitude towards you. It can also be used to make contacts in an area, find out local gossip, and learn or spread rumors.

When attempting to improve the target's attitude, a successful check moves it one step better. The circumstance modifiers for the base DC are +20 for hostile foes, +10 for unfriendly, and +5 for indifferent. If the check fails to meet the base DC by 10 or more, the target's attitude may get one step worse.

(Combines Diplomacy and Sense Motive, plus some elements of Gather Information)

Stealth *Dex

This skill is used to avoid being noticed, and to hide or camouflage objects. Your check is opposed by the Awareness of the targets.

(Combines Hide and Move Silently)

Use the Force*

This skill is used to make any die checks regarding Force powers and feats. See the section on Force Powers for details.

Wilderness LoreWis

This skill includes all aspects of wilderness survival, allowing you to hunt wild game, guide a party safely through frozen wastelands, identify signs that wampas live nearby, or avoid quicksand and other natural hazards. It also includes caring for, riding, and training animals If you have the Track feat, you will also use this skill to make Track checks.

(Combines Handle Animal, Ride and Survival)

Treat InjuryWis

This skill is used to treat characters that have been hurt by damage, poison or disease.

Force Powers

Force abilities, called powers, are dependent upon the character taking four feats (Force Sensitive, Alter, Control, and Sense), plus putting ranks into one skill (Use the Force). You must have the Force Sensitive feat to put any ranks in the Use the Force skill, or to take any Force-based feats. With just the Force Sensitive feat and Use the Force, the character has access to a few limited Force powers. The feats Alter, Control and Sense open up access to additional powers.

Force Attunement Modifier

The “Use the Force” skill does not get an ability modifier from any of the standard six abilities. Instead, it gains a modifier that is dependent on your Force attunement. Characters with the Force Sensitive feat have a starting Force Attunement modifier of +0. Characters gain a +1 Attunement modifier when they learn their next Force feat (whether Alter, Control or Sense), and another +1 when they have learned all three of them. Characters gain an additional +1 for every 7 levels in a Force-based class, and the “Strong in the Force” feat can also increase the modifier.

Selecting Powers

Each time you buy a rank of Use the Force, you gain one “pick” for each Force feat you have (Force Sensitive, Alter, Control and Sense) at that point, including any feats gained that level.

Gaining a rank in a power costs 1 pick for each feat it requires as a prerequisite, so learning a rank of Move Object (requires Alter only) takes a single pick, while learning a rank of Affect Mind (which requires Alter and Control) takes two picks, and learning a rank of Battle Meditation (Alter, Control and Sense) would take three picks.

Power Ranks and Checks

Each power has three ranks, so can be purchased three times. The first rank in a power lets you make checks for that power using one half your Use the Force check. The second rank in a power lets you make the checks for that power using three quarters the Use the Force check. The third rank in a power lets you make the check using your full Use the Force check.

Maintaining Powers

Unless described as a passive ability, all Force powers with a duration require some concentration to maintain. Effectively, they require you to spend a free action each round. If you are dazed or unable to make a free action, the ability is ended. Any Vitality Point cost for the power must be paid once for each duration, but a new skill check is usually not required. The GM may allow the Force power to last longer (up to a scene) in non-stressful situations for just the initial Vitality cost.

Standard Charts

Standard Check Bonus / Penalty

Check / Bonus / Penalty
0-14 / +1 / -1
15-19 / +2 / -2
20-24 / +3 / -3
25-29 / +4 / -4
30+ / +5 / -5
/

Standard Save DC

Check / Save DC
0-9 / 10
10-19 / 15
20-29 / 20
30+ / 25
/

Standard Passive Bonus

Power Bonus / Bonus
0-4 / +1
5-9 / +2
10-14 / +3
15-19 / +4
20+ / +5

Common Force Powers

Affect MindAlter, Control (2 picks/rank)

The classic “Jedi mind trick”, you can use the Force to alter the target’s perceptions or make hypnotic suggestions. You can create simple false sensory stimuli, like a brief sound, or an image, lasting no more than a singe round. Alternatively, you can make a verbal suggestion that seems completely acceptable to the target, and the target won’t realize later that what he did was unreasonable or coerced. In either case, the target receives a Will save against the standard save DC. If you attempt to use this ability against the same target multiple times in a short period, like a single scene, he receives a +5 bonus for each additional save. If you attempt to affect multiple people simultaneously, the DC of your power check increases by +2 per additional target.

Cost:3 VP

Time:Full round action

AnticipationForce Sensitive (1 pick/rank)

Through the Force, you sense things a split second before they happen, which provides a number of benefits. You may add one half the power’s standard passive bonus [Foresight] to your Reflex saving throws, and as a dodge bonus to Defense. You may add the power’s full standard passive bonus [Foresight] to all initiative rolls and Awareness checks to avoid surprise. Once per round, you may add the power’s full standard passive bonus [Foresight] to any one skill check made to avoid sudden or unexpected danger, such as piloting checks to avoid hazards, or opposed skill checks where knowing your opponent’s actions in advance would be beneficial. This is a passive power that is always on.