Learned Capabilities

Rather than depend upon the Core Capabilities for all stage business that might need to be checked with a dice roll Learned Capabilities offer a more nuanced and detailed skill set to a character.   A LC will allow a character to specialize in an arc of action wider than merely relying on core capabilities stats.

The LC mechanic does add complexity to character generation and advancement, it will make up for that by opening options to the player and the DN.

To achieve success in a specific Learned Capability (LC) the LC value or less is rolled on a 20d.  When a roll is required is up to the DN.  It may be that a simple task will be accomplished as long as the LC is in the player’s profile and the associated took kit is on their person.

Details for Learned Capability

There is a minimum requirement for any learned capability (those listed here or invented by DN).  The LC must be at least 12.  Thus, to access the LC for Skullduggery the Skullduggery derived value must be 12 or more.  That means that the value of the two Core Capabilities that generated the score must total at least 24.

An LC starts at Level 1.  The LC Check Value  increases one point per LC level.    If a cast member chooses 2 different LC in their profile, then at each level increase they may pick only 1 to advance.

The DN may award LC Tokens for exceptional effort in a specific LC so that a player may advance faster in their LC then their general level.

One can always score higher than 12 (12 = a 60% chance of capability success).  But must be at least 12 to begin a Learned Capability.  One can have more than one learned Capability.  However, advancement in any LC is specific to only one LC per level. (DN may change that to reflect LC dramatic usage.)

It is also required that a LC kit specific to the LC be carried.  A LC kit takes up 4 slots (any combination of quick or stored slots) and includes what might logically be expected to be carried around to assist in the capability.  For Skullduggery it would include lock picks, grapple hook, face black, leather sap, loaded dice, marked cards, two headed coin, impression wax, etc.

A Hunter’s Kit might include flint and tinder, twine for snare, skinning knife, cooking tin, hand hatchet, fishing line & hook, sack for foraging, green face paint.  The LC list given is basic and other Learned Capabilities are certainly possible subject to the location, milieu and focus of the play as determined by the DN.

Skullduggery

Open to any cast member with Skullduggery value of 12 or better.  Requires a thief, Kit.

Actions taken include but not limited to the following: Open Lock, Disarm Trap, Pick Pocket, Stealth, sap attack (KO non-lethal), Bushwhack. (Back Attack), scaling.

Mendacity is the ability to lie convincingly enough for the target to believe what you say is true.  Enabled by the perceptive understanding of what the Target wants to hear and lack of regard for truth.

Bushwhack can be made even if the target is not pinned or held.  It can be made with melee and ranged attack.  Like any back attack it adds +4 to attack value (or minus from the die if you like).  But it also adds to the damage given.  Plus 2 damage for every level gained in the LC.

Stealth is an improved version of basic sneak.  Movement is not reduced.  Only 1/2 armor DAR is added to the die roll (round down).  Stealth cannot be used in full view, but if deep shadows or cover is available Stealth may offer a chance to get much closer than normal sneaking would allow.  Success is rolled at the end of movement and before enemy phase.  You do not know if you succeeded until you don’t.

Scaling is technical climbing and is more than merely finding hand holds, which anyone can do.  It requires special tools and skill.  An attempt may made on rock faces, buildings, or stone walls. Once the way is set by scaling others may be able to follow the route if they have the agility.  Scaling might not be silent since it may require using anchors or pitons hammered home.  The roll is made every 10 feet of vertical distance.

Huntsman

Open to any cast member with Huntsman value of 12 or better.  Requires a hunter kit.

Actions taken include but not limited to the following: Tracking, Forage, Snare small animal, Survivalism, know prints, know plants, off trail orientation.

Tracking assumes there are tracks.  Obvious tracks might be seen by anyone but only a tracker knows the number direction and time frame of the tracks in question.  They can also tell what normal animal made them.  However, they may not know tracks of an unfamiliar monster the first time they are discovered.

Tracker has a chance at success even if target has attempted to cover tracks.  Tracker can be the DN hint mode if players begin to stray from the path.  Under the tracking rubric is the ability to detect out door traps and snares.  Also, the ability to detect the subtle signs of an ambush or approaching danger.

Snare allows the player to create a snare to trap an animal or monster.  The snare is checked at 8-hour intervals.  A successful roll indicates the desired animal is trapped. Mostly used to get small game or creatures man size or less.

Orientation allows the player to know the way they came and the direction they wish to go.  It doesn’t tell them they are going in the right direction to find their goal, only that they are where they think they are. Never lost in the wilderness.

Hunter’s Stealth works out of doors and like other stealth does not work in plain view but if there is cover the hunter can approach within 1/2 missile range of the target and gets two shots in 1st missile phase. May have to check for stealth.

Battle Master

Battle Cry: May attempt to cause morale check in adjacent foe. A successful check means all adjacent foe must check morale.  Melee or Battle Cry

Battle Chant: Will enhance focus and subtract 1 from Melee strike die. Duration 2-12 Moments.  Chant or Move in movement phase.

Resist Fear:  A fear effect that would result from magic or events will allow the player to check their LV value to avoid fear.  (Get saving throw vs fear).

Exploit Weakness: Melee Phase. +1 damage to target per LC level.

Second Wind: Once per day a player may move up to 3 hexes after making a successful Melee strike then strike again.

Scholarship

Open to any cast member with Scholarship value of 12 or better.  Requires a Scholar kit.

Actions taken include but not limited to the following: Read Common, Decipher Ancient, Understand Language, Arcane Lore, General History.

Rhetoric is the ability to bring person to your point of view.  It is a primary feature of the academic whose intellect offers insight into how to best use language to convince. +1 person per LC level.

Arcane Lore: Chance to discover nature and information in arcane inscriptions, writings, symbols.

General History: Chance to remember reading/hear a story that relates to the history of the area or location where the party is at present or plans to travel.

Decipher/Deduce: Chance to understand the import of clues and deduce important facts that pertain to their goals.  This does not mean they have a better chance to find the clue but have a chance to understand any clues found by themselves or others.

Use & Value: The chance to determine value of any item and what it might be used for.  Things such as ancient artifacts and art as well as unfamiliar weapons and tools.  May include magical items mentioned in tomes and scrolls.

Healing Arts

Open to any cast member with Healing Arts value of 12 or better.  Requires a Healer kit.  Healing Actions are 6th Phase actions, after movement and combat.

Actions taken include but not limited to the following: Stop bleeding, resuscitate, accelerate recovery.

Field Dressing:  Stops a Bleed Effect.  Restores 1-6 LF. Normal healing by rest must be proceeded by Field Dressing.  (8 hours rest will restore 4 LF).  Must be adjacent. +1 per level of LC.

Accelerate Recovery: Rather than the standard 4 LF per eight hours rest accelerate to 8 LF in 8 hours by using Healer Kit supplies.

Resuscitate: raise to conscious (1-6 LF) someone who has fallen below 0 LF but not yet reached -10.

Cure disease:  With healer kit disease may be removed during an 8 hour rest period.

Remove Poison: With healer kit may attempt to purge poison.  Must be adjacent.

Leadership

Open to any cast member with Leadership value of 12 or better.  (Does not require a Kit).

Determines the number of hirelings, henchmen and companions a cast member can control.  Leadership value may modify NPC morale.

Sway Group is the ability to foster a favorable opinion of one’s self or one’s group in those within hearing. It is the use of persuasion on a large scale. Affect 5 individuals per level of LC Leadership.

Hire Mercenaries: At 1st level Leadership one can hire 2 hireling (if available). At each level advanced in leadership double the number of hirelings: Level 2 = 4, Level 3 = 8, Level 4 =16, Level 5 = 32.

Encourage Troops: Hirelings & Party members within 1 hex of the leader will get +2 to Strike Value.  The range is one hex per level of the LC (At LC level 3 area of effect is 3 hexes.)

Rally Troops: The broken hirelings must be able to see and hear the leader.  Roll the leadership value or less to determine if the hireling will rally and return to the battle and accept commands.

Craftsmanship

Invent Device: By consultation with the DN a new device or improvement on existing device might be attempted. Roll for success.  Requires a workshop and 1-6 days of effort. If roll fails, may try again every month of campaign time.

Build Device: With either an invention blueprint or a found blueprint the craftsman may attempt to build the device.  Roll for success. Requires a workshop and 1-6 days of effort.  If roll fails, may try again every month of campaign time.

Repair Device: The craftsman may attempt to repair an existing device or object.  Roll for success.  A failure means the object/device is beyond repair.

Reverse Engineer:  The craftsman may attempt to create a blueprint from a found object/device in order to build the object or device.  Roll for Success.  If roll fails, may try again every month of campaign time.

Showmanship

Open to any cast member with Showmanship value of 12 or better.  Requires a performance, Kit.  May be used off stage or on stage in encounter space.  Off stage to make coin, on stage to create distraction. Showmanship actions are performed in the 1st phase of a moment for an encounter, or off stage.

Showmanship determines if the performer can gather an audience.  Determines how long a performer can hold audience attention.  Determines how much silver can be generated by a performance.

Hypnotic Eloquence: The ability to captivate an individual and convince them of anything you want, true or false.  Can suggest individual take an action that is to your benefit not including self-harm. 1 Target per LC level.

Impersonate: The ability to appear as someone you are not.  To assume a role.  An actor may try to pass as a noble or a solider.  Might even attempt to pass for a specific person rather than just a type of person subject to DN judgement.

Gather Audience: A successful roll will mean all those within sight and hearing of performer will draw closer to see what is going on.  The number and type of audience will be determined by the location and the DN but may even include potentially hostile NPC who have not yet trigged aggression.

Hold The Audience Attention: Once an audience is gathered, they will focus attention on the performer for one turn (10 Moments).  After which a roll must be made to maintain attention.  Thus, a good performance might hold the attention of a crowd long enough for others to slip by guards or other potentially hostile NPCs.

Pass the Hat: This is a shortcut for making coin from ones art.  While the amount of coin would naturally depend on the size and wealth of the audience, this is a quick rule of thumb to which the DN is encouraged to add their own flavor. Assumes a 1-hour performance (6 Moments).  Hamlet (2-12 copper), Village (3-18 copper), Town (2-12 silver), Large Town (3-18 silver), City (4-24 silver), Metropolis (6-36 silver).

Summary

The DN is encouraged to use the Learned Capabilities mechanic to enhance character development and action options for encounters.  The provided listing and skills may be augmented by the DN as desired.  LC progression could be decoupled from character level progression by awarding special LC tokens for creative use of the LC during encounters.

A character may have as many LC as they qualify for.  Basic advancement is only one LC advanced per character level, however a DN who does not mind paper work might increase LC by character usage. Thus, a player may advance in several LC areas during one session by effectively and dramatically using their LC to the party advantage.  It could even be a full secondary advancement system for those who revel in tracking stats.

Core Capabilities List

  • Might: Checks for Strength, affects weapon and armor use.
  • Agility: Check for Balance, affect weapon use and armor bonus
  • Magic: Check for Arcane Knowledge, affect Magic use.
  • Perception: Check for discovery, affects missile combat
  • Intellect: Check for understanding, affects Magic
  • Persuasion: Check for social engineering, parley,
  • Vitality: Check for shocks to the system, affects Life Force.
  • Durability: Check for things that cause special damage, affects Life Force.

Derived Capabilities List (May be modified by increase in Level, magical items, or spell effects)

  • Life Force = Vitality + Durability (Damage taken before “hors de combat”)
  • Magic Quanta Pool = Magic + Vitality (Number of magic quanta available to use)
  • Detect Danger = Perception + Intelligence (Chance to foil ambush or sense danger)
  • Missile Strike = Perception + Agility/2 (Chance to strike distant target)
  • Melee Strike = Might + Agility/2 (Chance to strike adjacent target)
  • Magic Strike = Magic + Intellect/2 (Chance at successful incantation)

Core Capability Bonuses

As a Core Capability increased over a value of 12 special bonus are received.

  • Missile Damage Bonus
    For every 1 point over 12 of the CC for Agility the ranged damage is increased by +1
  • Melee Damage Bonus
    For every 1 point over 12 of the CC for Might the melee damage is increased by +1
  • Magic Strike Bonus
    For every 2 point over 12 of the CC for Intellect derived Magic Strike is increased by 1.
  • Defense Bonus
    For every 2 points over 12 of the CC for Agility the DAR value is increased by +1.
  • Fast Talk Bonus
    For every 2 point over 12 of the CC for Persuasion +1 moment to continue parley and stall hostile reaction.
  • Sixth Sense Bonus
    For every 2 point over 12 of the CC for Perception Detect Danger increased by +1.
  • Quanta Pool Bonus
    For every 1 point over 12 of the CC for Magic the quanta pool is increased by +2
  • Life Force Bonus
    For every 1 point over 12 of the CC for Durability the Life Force is increased by +2

Learned Capabilities List (May be modified by Level, magical items, equipment quality.)

  • Skullduggery = Perception + Agility/2 (jimmy door, pick lock, stealth etc.)
  • Huntsman = Durability + Perception/2 (Track, snare, survival, scout etc.)
  • Weapons Master = Might + Agility/2 (Special Attacks, Strike Bonus, etc.)
  • Scholarship = Intellect + Perception/2 (Decipher, Deduce, Discover etc.)
  • Healer = Intellect + Magic/2 (Field Dressing, Non-magical healing etc.)
  • Leadership = Might + Persuasion/2 (Number, morale, and loyalty of hired help)
  • Craftsmanship = Intellect + Agility/2 (Invent, build, repair, non-magic items)
  • Showmanship = Persuasion + Agility /2 (Duration and value of performance arts)

Damage by weapon weight class (Melee & Missile)

Weight Very Light Lite Medium Med Heavy Heavy Very Heavy
Damage 1-6 1-6 +2 2-12 2-12 +3 3 d6 4 d6

Melee Weapons Examples (Damage varies by weight and range is adjacent hex.)

  • Very Lite: (No Might Min)
    Fists, Claws, dagger, cane, rock
  • Lite: (No Might Min)
    shillelagh, small club, long knife (seax), hatchet
  • Medium: (Might Min 10)
    Short sword, hunting spear, studded club, woodsman axe.
  • Medium Heavy: (Might Min 12)
    Long sword, Bastard sword, Mace, Battle Axe, Pole Arm
  • Heavy: (Might Min 14)
    Zwei hander, Great Maul, Footman’s Great hammer, Glave, Military Flail
  • Very Heavy: (Might Min 18 or more)
    Giant monster sized weapon. Ogre club, Giant’s axe etc.

Missile Weapons Examples (Minimum range is 1 hex) No missile attack on adjacent target.

  • Very Lite: (No Agility Minimum) Range: 4 hexes
    Dagger, dart, rock, Flask/bottle, grenade
  • Lite: (Agility Min 8) Range: 14 hexes
    Sling, Short bow, hunting crossbow
  • Medium: (Agility Min 10) Range: 16 hexes
    Long Bow, Lever Crossbow, staff sling,
  • Medium Heavy: (Agility Min 12 + Might Min 12) Range: 18 hexes
    War Bow, Stirrup Crossbow,
  • Heavy: (Agility Min 14 + Min Might 12) Range: 20 hexes
    Composite Bow, Windless Crossbow (takes a round to load)
  • Very Heavy: (Agility Min 16 + Min Might 16) Range : 24 hexes
    Siege Crossbow (takes 2 rounds to load)