Dexterity Skills

Acrobatics
Ambidextrous
Armourer
Armour Mastery Light
Armour Mastery Medium
Armour Mastery Heavy
Armour Mastery Power
Blindfight
Bowyer
Clayshot
Climb
Cobbling
Concealment
Contortion
Crackshot
Dance
Drive Construction
Drive Car
Drive Chariot
Drive Motorbike
Drive Power Armour
Drive Pushbike
Drive Tank
Drive Train/Tram
Drive Truck
Drive Wagon
Engrave
Escapology
EVA
Evasion
Fast Cast
Fast Draw
Fast Load
Fast Shot
Fencing
Forgery
Hairdressing
HALO Parachute
Horse Archery
Joust
Juggle
Lightning Reflexes
Locksmith
Marksmanship
Mountaineer
Pick Locks
Pick Pockets
Pilot Airship
Pilot Balloon
Pilot Chronal Transport
Pilot Fixed Wing Glider/Propeller
Pilot Fixed Wing Jet
Pilot Marine Freighter
Pilot Marine Hovercraft
Pilot Marine Motorboat
Pilot Marine PWC
Pilot Marine Sailboat
Pilot Marine Submersible
Pilot Marine Warship
Pilot Orbital Shuttle
Pilot Planar Transport
Pilot Rotorwing
Pilot Space Fighter
Pilot Starcraft
Pilot System Spacecraft
Plumbing
Reflex Mastery
Ride Air Animal
Ride Land Animal
Ride Sea Animal
Rope Use
Safecrack
SCBA
SCUBA
Set/Remove Traps
Shield Mastery
Short Hand
Ski
Skinning
Skydive
Sleight of Hand
Somatic Concealment
Stealth
Stuntman Driving
Stuntman Fall
Surf/Skateboard
Swing
Tailor
Tightrope Walking
Trailing
Tree Walking
Typing
Unarmed Combat Aerial
Unarmed Combat Boxing
Unarmed Combat Martial Arts
Unarmed Combat Wrestling
Ventriloquism
Weapon, Bio-Emission
Weapon, Cape
Weapon Group Specialty
Weapon Offhand
Weapon Single Specialty
Weapon Specialisation
Weapon Twin Specialty
Weapon Two Handed Specialty
Weapon + Shield
Zero G Manoeuvre

Acrobatics - The character can flip, dive, roll, tumble and perform somersaults, handstands, flips, etc. Aside from entertaining, the character with tumbling proficiency can improve his Armour Class by 4 against attacks directed solely at him in any round of combat provided he has the initiative and foregoes all attacks that round. When in unarmed combat he can improve his attack roll by 2. On a successful proficiency check he suffers only one-half the normal damage from falls of 18 metres or less and none from falls of 3 metres or less. Falls from greater heights result in normal damage. He can also maintain his balance under difficult circumstances.

Ambidextrous - This character is equally skilled with the use of either hand. This trait carries over into training, so that the PC can use weapons, bear a shield, and perform acts of strength equally well with the right or left hand. The character is good at the two weapon fighting style, suffering no penalty for the first hand, and only a –2 penalty for off‑hand use.

Armourer - This character can make all of the types of armour given the proper materials and facilities. When making armour the proficiency check is rolled at the end of the normal construction time. The time required to make armour is equal to two weeks per level of AC below 10. For example a shield would require two weeks of work whereas a suit of full plate armour would require 18 weeks of work. If the proficiency check indicates failure but is within 4 of the amount needed for success the armourer has created usable, but flawed armour. Such armour functions as 1 AC worse than usual although it looks like the armour it was intended to be. Only a character with armourer proficiency can detect the flaws and this requires careful and detailed inspection. If the flawed armour is struck in melee combat with a natural die roll of 19 or 20 it breaks. The character's AC immediately worsens by 4 additional classes (although never above 10) and the broken armour hampers the character's movement. Until the character can remove the broken armour (a process requiring D4 rounds), the character moves at ½ of his normal rate and suffers a -4 penalty to all of his attack rolls.

Armour Mastery - The character gets +1 to his AC over his armour bonus when he specializes in one type of armour and may still use the armour as part of an attack. Also any penalties normally incurred while using armour are reduced by 1 or 10% for each time this skill is taken. This skill must be retaken for each of the four different types; Heavy, Light, Medium and Power.

 Light - Includes Ring, Padded, Leather and Studded Leather.

 Medium - Includes Brigandine, Hide, Scale, Chain, Banded and Splint.

 Heavy - Includes Plate, Bronze Plate, Field Plate and Full Plate.

 Power - Includes all forms of electronic and exo armour.

Blindfight - The skill of fighting in conditions of poor or no light. The character only suffers half the normal penalties for fighting in complete darkness or when blinded, and only suffers one quarter the normal penalties of blindness when fighting under starlight (characters without the skill normally only suffer half of the normal penalties). Also when dealing with invisible opponents the character only suffers half the normal penalties. To receive these benefits the player must roll under the blind fighting skill percentage. Also the character has a chance of detecting the presence of an invisible creature equal to half the skill proficiency. This proficiency is effective only against opponents or threats within melee distance of the character. Blind-fighting does not grant any special protection from missile fire or anything outside the immediate range of the character's melee weapon. Furthermore it does not enable the character to discover invisible creatures; he has only a general idea of their location and cannot target them exactly.

Bowyer - This character can make bows and arrows. The construction time for a long or short bow is one week, while composite bows require two weeks, and D6 arrows can be made in one day. When the construction time for the weapon is completed the player makes a proficiency check. If the check is successful the weapon is of fine quality and will last for many years of normal use without breaking. If the check fails the weapon is still usable but has a limited life span: An arrow breaks on the first shot; a bow breaks if the character using it rolls an unmodified 1 on his D20 attack roll.

Clayshot - With this skill the normal penalty for a small target doesn't apply, tiny targets are only -2, large are +5 and giant are +8.

Climb - The character can scale angled and uneven surfaces. Not only does he have a better climbing percentage than other characters he can also climb most surfaces without tools, ropes, or devices.

Cobbling - The character can fashion and repair shoes, boots, and sandals.

Concealment - This character can hide in either rural or urban environments almost perfectly using trees, undergrowth, doorways, fences, etc.

Contortion - The character has a unique ability to wriggle out of ropes, manacles, brackets, chains, and other bonds by twisting bones out of sockets. The bound character can make a Dexterity check when attempting to twist free of the bonds. Such an escape requires D6 rounds for each limb that is bound.

Crackshot - With this skill there is no penalty for shooting at or from moving mounts or vehicles.

Dance - The character knows many styles and varieties of dance, from folk dances to formal court balls.

Drive Car - This allows the character to drive all kinds of manual and automatic cars, four wheel drives, mini buses, utes and vans.

Drive Chariot - A character with proficiency in this skill is able to safely guide a chariot, over any type of terrain that can normally be negotiated, at a rate 1/3 faster than the normal movement rate for a chariot driven by a character without this proficiency. Note that this proficiency does not impart the ability to move a chariot over terrain that it cannot traverse; even the best charioteer in the world cannot take such a vehicle into the mountains.

Drive Construction - This enables the character to use the big farm equipment such as the combine and cotton picker, trucks with cranes, cherry pickers, bulldozers, backhoes, cement mixers, crane trucks or mobile cranes or truck-mounted cranes, dump trucks, forklifts and cranes.

Drive Motorbike - This character can drive all kinds of motorcycles, trikes and quads.

Drive Power Armour - Characters with this skill are taught the fundamentals of manoeuvring giant robots. These robot exoskeletons and vehicle type robots that require a pilot and crew. The training focuses on piloting, not combat thus, robot combat is a separate distinct skill (see Robot Combat Skills).

Drive Pushbike - This applies to any vehicle requiring manual power. The character can perform high speed turns, jumping ramps and doing stunts.

Drive Tank - This is the ability to drive cruiser, infantry, light, medium, heavy and engineering tanks.

Drive Train/Tram - This is the ability to drive passenger and freight trains, and trams.

Drive Truck - This covers both medium and heavy category vehicles. It includes platform trucks, flatbed trucks, buses, fire trucks, recreational vehicles or motor homes, ballast tractors, garbage trucks, log carriers, refrigerator trucks, semi-trailer trucks also known in Britain as "Artic" for 'articulated lorry', tank trucks or tankers or tanker lorries in Britain and heavy haulers.

Drive Wagon - This is the skill of driving teams of animals, such as for wagons or carriages. It includes the skills of being able to "hitch and drive" teams of creatures (mules, horses, oxen, reindeer, etc) pulling wheeled (sled in winter and certain climates) carriages. Includes the care and feeding of a variety of animals and knowing how much load his wagon can bare, as well as the skill to assess and negotiate fees, wages, and expenses for cargo hauling, and estimate the number of hours or days to make the trip.

Engrave - This skill allows one to lavishly decorate gemstones, objects, weapons and armour with intricate engravings.

Escapology - This allows a character to slip out of ropes and other types of bindings and restraints. When a character is bound or tied the GM assigns a penalty based on the type and circumstance of the binding.

EVA - This skill involves working outside a spacecraft while wearing a vacuum suit. The skill covers suit operation and repair, damage control, manoeuvring and knowing what to do when things go wrong.

Evasion - This proficiency allows the character to lose someone who is following him/her or keep a particular person from finding them in a public place.

Fast Cast - With this skill if you are a mage you can cast twice with both spells only counting as 1 attack. This skill can be taken multiple times adding 1 extra shot each time.

Fast Draw - The character can pull out a weapon without it counting as an action. This means you can draw and initiate combat as a single attack. 

Fast Load - This skill allows characters to quickly change clips, load one bullet into a revolver or shotgun, or cycle a new round in a bolt action rifle and fire in the same attack.

Fast Shot - With this skill you can fire twice with both shots only counting as 1 attack and only needing to roll to hit once. This skill can be taken multiple times adding 1 extra shot each time.

Fencing - This is a combat based sport, that focuses on three separate weapons, and on those weapons only; the Foil, the Sabre, and the Epee. Characters have proficiencies in all 3 weapons and also gain the following abilities:

Feint; The Feint is simply a fake attack. It is used to draw a parry or reaction out of the opponent. The exact method of attack the character fakes varies and can be any type of attack the character possesses. This is a Combination Move, used in conjunction with another attack. The character chooses what attack to fake and rolls on his Thac0. On a successful roll the false attack succeeds. The opponent can (and should) attempt to defend against the false attack. Whether they successfully defend against the fake attack or not, the attacker then moves into the second attack. The character is at +3 to Thac0 with second attack and the defender must use an attack to defend against it.

Riposte; The Riposte is simply an attack made directly after a parry. Essentially a Combination Parry/Attack, the speed of which this is accomplished with a fencing weapon is remarkable, even more so than their more lethal cousin, the rapier. It takes one attack and can be done as many times in a melee round as the character wishes. Parry bonuses are halved, but the character is at +3 to Thac0 on the Riposte and the defender must use an attack to defend against it.

Lunge; The Lunge is a fast attack used to close distance quickly. The Lunge basically is a standard attack that only works at Long Range and produces a Critical hit. Successful or unsuccessful, the Lunge requires a Maintain Balance roll to get back into a position of being able to move. This recovery takes an additional attack, making a total of two required for the move. Attacks and parries can still be made while in the lunge position, but are both at -3 and moving is impossible.

Disengage; The disengage is a fast move that brings the weapon underneath the opponent's weapon to attack in the opposite line. This is a defensive move that can only be done in response to an attack on the blade or weapon arm itself, such as an Arm Hold, Entangle, or direct damaging attack on the weapon. It uses the character's normal bonuses to parry, but grants the character +3 to Thac0 on the following attack due to the speed and ease of the "parry," as well as the opponent being slightly off-balance after the failed attack. This move can be combined with the Riposte, resulting in an additional +2 to Thac0.

Fleche; The Fleche is a surprise attack that starts out similar to a lunge, but the Fencer follows through with a full speed charge at his opponent. This attack must be made at the beginning of the melee and the attacker loses all ability to attack for the rest of the round, but can still evade (at half normal bonuses) and parry. The move closes distance rapidly, and regains that distance just as quickly as the fighter passesby the enemy. A failed Fleche results in the defender having to spend two actions closing the distance to the Fencer. The end result is a Critical hit. Should the defender know the Fleche is coming, they can use a Riposte or Combination Parry/Attack against it, to which the Fencer is at -4 to parry.

Binding the Blade; Binding the Blade is a defensive move made with the sword that traps the other person's arm or weapon in a position they can't attack from. Specifically, a Bind involves making contact with the opponent's weapon at two points along the blade/attacking surface. One contact is made with the blade, the other contact is made with the guard. This prevents the weapon from moving into a position it can attack from. In Fencing, this move is mainly used to set up another move or test to see what the opponent's reaction to it is. Typical moves made after a Bind include the Glide, attempts at a disarm, or one could just hold the weapon there to see what the opponent will try to get out of it with. Any action made during the Bind is at +3 and the defender cannot use their bound arm or weapon to defend against it. Escaping from a bind is fairly simple, just retreat or move your blade back and/or out. This leaves the defender able to parry with their weapon, but the defender loses initiative as he sets himself back up into an attacking or defensive posture.

Inquartata; Called the three point lunge in Modern Fencing (and an illegal move, too, since no part of the body except the feet can touch the strip), this move consists of throwing the rear leg back and dropping the whole body under an incoming attack. The non-weapon hand is placed flat on the ground to aid in balance. The weapon is thrust outward into the attack, one that the defender will have to struggle to defend against. This works just like a Combination Evade/Attack. The Fencer rolls to Evade at full bonuses, then rolls to Thac0 at no bonuses. The opponent must use an attack to defend against it, as Automatic Parry won't work. In addition, the character is at +3 to Maintain Balance after a successful Evade roll, regardless of the Thac0 Roll, until they rise back into the guard position. This move can only be used once per melee round.

Forgery - This proficiency indicates a skill at creating false documents, mimicking the handwriting of others and detecting forgeries. No check is required if the character is simply trying to duplicate a style of writing—the issuing of an anonymous military decree for example. Characters trying to duplicate the signatures of specific individuals must see those signatures; the GM rolls the proficiency checks secretly to see if the forgeries are successful. If a character writes a longer message in a specific hand the GM rolls the check with a –2 modifier. The GM should also roll the check if a character seeks to determine if another document is a forgery. On a 20 the character makes the wrong assumption whereas a failure with less than 20 means that the character is not sure of the truth or falsehood of the sample.

Hairdressing - The character can do the following with hair; cut and style, add and remove colour, create perms and advise on hair care. He can also trim and shape beards. A failed roll means the end result is not as desired (too short, not even, ugly, etc).

HALO Parachute - The skill of parachuting includes the methods, procedures and techniques of parachuting, packing the chute, skydiving techniques, precision landing, landing without injury, and practice of jumping from a high altitude aircraft. The advantage of parachuting is secrecy, since the trooper' insertion into enemy territory is silent and often goes unnoticed. The following three methods are the ones most commonly used by modern paratroopers:

High-Altitude-Low-Opening (HALO) operations also begin at 25,000 to 30,000 ft but the paratrooper does not pop the chute until an altitude of 4,000 ft, or even less. The jump takes place so rapidly that there is little chance for the paratroopers to be viewed after the chutes open.

Horse Archery - A character with this skill can not only fire a bow from the back of a moving horse or any other mount without penalty, but can do so without falling off.

Joust - This includes the combat skills necessary for a successful joust as well as the manners, behaviour and flair needed to impress an audience. To take this proficiency the character must first have a weapon specialisation in the jousting lance. A character with this proficiency modifies his attack rolls in a jousting match by +2. The use of this proficiency assumes the character has an adequate lance, shield and mount. Should a character win a match his stylish performance favourably impresses the audience. Audience members with a special interest in the match (such as royalty, gamblers, or potential paramours) who later encounter the jouster modify their reaction rolls by +2. If he wins several matches in a tournament, the bonus doesn't rise above +2. If he later loses a match or two in the same tournament he still earns the bonus.

Juggle - The ability to toss up a number of objects such as balls, clubs, knives, lit torches, and almost any small objects, and keep them continuously in the air with fast hand movements. It is used for the entertainment of others and to develop greater hand-eye coordination. He can juggle to one object/item per 3 DEX, plus one for every two levels of experience gained. Juggling also enables the character to attempt desperate moves. On a successful attack roll vs. AC 0 (not a proficiency check) the character can catch small items thrown to harm him. Thus the character could catch a dagger or a dart before it hits. If this attack roll fails however the character automatically suffers damage. The character is able to catch one missile per round (if at least one hand is free plus two additional missiles if he forgoes all attacks that round and has both hands free, whether he has initiative or not). If the skill is retaken the character may catch an additional missile for every slot spent. Alternately the character may take a +1 bonus on the attack rolls to catch the missiles for each slot spent.

Lightning Reflexes - This character has become so quick as to gain +1 initiative and +3 Thac0.

Locksmith - This is the specialized skill of making locks. The character can make and repair all kinds of mechanical locks. This also adds a +1 to the lockpicking skill.

Marksmanship - This skill is special training in long-range rifle or bow firing and marksmanship. The character must have the rifle or bow skill to which the Thac0 bonus of +2 is applied. The wind will deflect the projectiles at long ranges. You can measure it and adjust for it, but it will impact the flight. 
Calm (under 5 MPH) no modifier.
Light wind (5-10 MPH) –1 Thaco.
Windy (10-20 MPH) –2 Thaco.
Strong wind (over 25 MPH) –6 Thaco.
Gusty wind, assign an additional penalty of -2.
Note: The above modifiers assume a wind blowing 90 degrees to flight of bullet, adjust for other directions.

Mountaineer - A character with this proficiency can make difficult and dangerous climbs up steep slopes and cliffs with the aid of spikes, ropes, etc. If a character with mountaineering proficiency leads a party placing the pitons (spikes) and guiding the others, all in the party can gain the benefit of his knowledge. A mountaineer can guide a party up a cliff face it could not otherwise climb.

Pick Locks - The character can try to pick padlocks, finesse combination locks (if they exist), and solve puzzle locks (locks with sliding panels, hidden releases, and concealed keyholes). Picking a padlock requires tools. Using typical thief's tools grants normal chances for success. Using improvised tools (a bit of wire, a thin dirk, a stick, etc.) imposes a penalty on the character's chance for success. The GM sets the penalty based on the situation; penalties can range from -5 for an improvised but suitable tool, to -60 for an awkward and unsuitable item (like a stick). The amount of time required to pick a lock is D10 rounds. A thief can try to pick a particular lock only once per experience level. If the attempt fails, the lock is simply too difficult for the character until he learns more about picking locks (goes up a level).

Pick Pockets - A player uses this skill to pilfer small items from the pouches, pockets, belts, sleeves, packs, etc. of others. A failed attempt means the thief did not come away with an item, but it does not indicate he was caught in the act.

Pilot Airship - The ability to fly powered blimps and dirigibles. The character can pilot, steer, raise and lower, and land/dock all airships. He can also locate problems, sew up or glue torn fabric, repair control linkages (including pedal driven propellers), and attach ropes and rigging.

Pilot Balloon - The ability to fly hot-air and helium balloons. The character can pilot, steer, raise and lower, and land. He can also locate problems, sew up or glue torn fabric, repair control linkages (including pedal driven propellers), and attach ropes and rigging.

Pilot Chronal Transport - This covers all forms of time machines from base packs to military fighters.

Pilot Fixed Wing - A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air craft whose lift is generated not by wing motion relative to the aircraft but by forward motion through the air. The term is used to distinguish from rotary-wing aircraft where the movement of the wing surfaces relative to the aircraft generates lift. There are two different types to choose from; glider/propeller or jet.

Pilot Marine Freighter - This character can pilot all types of container ships, bulk carriers and tankers.

Pilot Marine Hovercraft - Any type under 80 feet that can be driven by one person. Larger vessels and those who don't have throttles at the touch of the pilot require Pilot Ships.

Pilot Marine Motorboat - These include any vessel propelled by an internal combustion engine driving a jet pump or a propeller under 80 feet that can be driven by one person.

Pilot Marine PWC - Sometimes mistakenly called Jet Ski (which is the brand name of a PWC manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries) this is the ability to pilot all types of Personal Water Craft.

Pilot Marine Sailboat - The character can sail sloops, cutters, catboats, ketches, yawls, schooners, catamarans and trimarans.

Pilot Marine Submersible - This skills includes the knowledge to pilot all types of submersibles including underwater sleds, mini-subs and most types of commercial submarines.

Pilot Marine Warship - This includes the ability to pilot all types of military surface vessels including aircraft carriers, battle cruisers, battleships, corvettes, cruisers, destroyers and frigates.

Pilot Orbital Shuttle - The ability to pilot standard shuttlecrafts including the current space shuttle.

Pilot Planar Transport - This covers all forms of dimensional machines.

Pilot Rotor Wing - A rotorcraft is a heavier-than-air flying machine that uses lift generated by wings that revolve around a mast called rotor blades. Several rotor blades mounted to a single mast is referred to as a rotor. Includes autogyros, gyrodynes, tiltrotors, and civilian, utility and observation helicopters.

Pilot Space Fighter - Typically one to three man fighter vehicles specifically designed for fighter to fighter, fighter to power armour, fighter to ship, or fighter to robot space combat. These vessels engage in reconnaissance, military support, close combat, dog-fights, surgical strikes, and rescue missions. Some resemble atmospheric jet fighters or shuttle crafts (and may have transatmospheric capabilities) while others may look like rockets, geometric shapes or resemble animals (typically fish) and insects.

Pilot Starcraft - These are the BIG intergalactic vessels which travel between stars; massive cargo ships, ore haulers, transports, battleships and other immense ships, usually with a crew and/or passengers that number into the hundreds or even thousands.

Pilot System Spacecraft - This covers space vehicles which can only travel within a local star system between planets.

Plumbing - Knowledge of how to fix blocked drains, leaky faucets, add tubing/plumbing to a network, and connect systems to main drains/local sewage systems. Also knows the basics of water management systems, desalinization plants, water pumps and water towers and so on.

Reflex Mastery - This skill confers several abilities; 
1) The character can read opponents’ moves, anticipating blows and striking where they will be rather than where they are. +1 to Initiative, and AC each time taken. The initiative roll also applies to attempting a second blow against someone who has just dodged your first one.
2) You can force your opponent into positions that leave them vulnerable to your attacks. The character makes a fake attack in order to throw his opponent off guard. This gives your enemies a -1 to Thaco and AC.
3) You are skilled at moving through a melee and striking foes as you go. Normal penalties don't apply.

Ride Air Animal - The character is trained in handling a flying mount. Unlike land-based riding, a character must have this proficiency (or ride with someone who does) to handle a flying mount. In addition, a proficient character can do the following:

1) Leap onto the saddle of the creature (when it is standing on the ground) and spur it airborne as a single action. This requires no proficiency check.

2) Leap from the back of the mount and drop 10 feet to the ground or onto the back of another mount (land-based or flying). Those with only light encumbrance can drop to the ground without a proficiency check. In all other situations, a proficiency check is required. A failed roll means the character takes normal falling damage (for falling flat on his face) or misses his target (perhaps taking large amounts of damage as a result). A character who is dropping to the ground can attempt an immediate melee attack, if his proficiency check is made with a -4 penalty to the ability roll. Failure has the consequences given above.

3) Spur his mount to greater speeds on a successful check, adding 1d4 to the movement rate of the mount. This speed can be maintained for four consecutive rounds. If the check fails, an attempt can be made again the next round. If two checks fail, no attempt can be made for a full turn. After the rounds of increased speed, its movement drops to 2/3 its normal rate and its Manoeuvrability Class (see Glossary) becomes one class worse. These conditions last until the mount lands and is allowed to rest for at least one hour.

4) The rider can guide the mount with his knees and feet, keeping his hands free. A proficiency check is made only after the character suffers damage. If the check is failed, the character is knocked from the saddle. A second check is allowed to see if the character manages to catch himself (thus hanging from the side by one hand or in some equally perilous position). If this fails, the rider falls. Of course a rider can strap himself into the saddle, although this could be a disadvantage if his mount is slain and plummets toward the ground.

Ride Land Animal - Those skilled in land riding are proficient in the art of riding and handling horses or other types of ground mounts. A character with riding proficiency can perform all of the following feats. Some of them are automatic, while others require a proficiency check for success.

1) The character can vault onto a saddle whenever the horse or other mount is standing still even when the character is wearing armour. This does not require a proficiency check. The character must make a check however if he wishes to get the mount moving during the same round in which he lands in its saddle. He must also make a proficiency check if he attempts to vault onto the saddle of a moving mount. Failure indicates that the character falls to the ground--presumably quite embarrassed.

2) The character can urge the mount to jump tall obstacles or leap across gaps. No check is required if the obstacle is less than three feet tall or the gap is less than 12 feet wide. If the character wants to roll a proficiency check, the mount can be urged to leap obstacles up to seven feet high, or jump across gaps up to 30 feet wide. Success means that the mount has made the jump. Failure indicates that it balks, and the character must make another proficiency check to see whether he retains his seat or falls to the ground.

3) The character can spur his steed on to great speeds, adding 6 feet per round to the animal's movement rate for up to four turns. This requires a proficiency check each turn to see if the mount can be pushed this hard. If the initial check fails, no further attempts may be made, but the mount can move normally. If the second or subsequent check fails, the mount immediately slows to a walk, and the character must dismount and lead the animal for a turn. In any event, after four turns of racing, the steed must be walked by its dismounted rider for one turn.

4) The character can guide his mount with his knees, enabling him to use weapons that require two hands (such as bows and two-handed swords) while mounted. This feat does not require a proficiency check unless the character takes damage while so riding. In this case, a check is required and failure means that the character falls to the ground and sustains an additional D6 points of damage.

5) The character can drop down and hang alongside the steed using it as a shield against attack. The character cannot make an attack or wear armour while performing this feat. The character's Armour Class is lowered by 6 while this manoeuvre is performed. Any attacks that would have struck the character's normal Armour Class are considered to have struck the mount instead. No proficiency check is required.

6) The character can leap from the back of his steed to the ground and make a melee attack against any character or creature within 10 feet. The player must roll a successful proficiency check with a -4 penalty to succeed. On a failed roll the character fails to land on his feet, falls clumsily to the ground and suffers D3 points of damage.

Ride Sea Animal - The character is trained in handling an aquatic mount. Unlike land-based riding, a character must have this proficiency (or ride with someone who does) to handle this mount. In addition a proficient character can do the following:

1) The character can vault onto a saddle whenever the mount is standing still even when the character is wearing armour. This does not require a proficiency check. The character must make a check however if he wishes to get the mount moving during the same round in which he lands in its saddle. He must also make a proficiency check if he attempts to vault onto the saddle of a moving mount.

2) The character can urge the mount to jump tall obstacles or leap across gaps. No check is required if the obstacle is less than three feet tall or the gap is less than 12 feet wide. If the character wants to roll a proficiency check, the mount can be urged to leap obstacles up to seven feet high, or jump across gaps up to 30 feet wide. Success means that the mount has made the jump. Failure indicates that it balks, and the character must make another proficiency check to see whether he retains his seat or falls.

3) The character can spur his steed on to great speeds, adding 6 feet per round to the animal's movement rate for up to four turns. This requires a proficiency check each turn to see if the mount can be pushed this hard. If the initial check fails no further attempts may be made, but the mount can move normally. If the second or subsequent check fails the mount immediately slows to a walk and the character must dismount and lead the animal for a turn. In any event after four turns of racing the steed must be walked by its dismounted rider for one turn.

4) The character can guide his mount with his knees, enabling him to use weapons that require two hands (such as bows and two-handed swords) while mounted. This feat does not require a proficiency check unless the character takes damage while so riding. In this case a check is required and failure means that the character falls to the ground and sustains an additional D6 points of damage.

5) The character can drop down and hang alongside the steed using it as a shield against attack. The character cannot make an attack or wear armour while performing this feat. The character's Armour Class is lowered by 6 while this manoeuvre is performed. Any attacks that would have struck the character's normal Armour Class are considered to have struck the mount instead. No proficiency check is required.

Rope Use - This proficiency enables a character to accomplish amazing feats with rope. A character with rope use proficiency is familiar with all sorts of knots and can tie knots that slip, hold tightly, slide slowly, or loosen with a quick tug. If the character's hands are bound and held with a knot he can roll a proficiency check (with a -6 penalty) to escape the bonds. This character gains a +2 bonus to all attacks made with a lasso. The character also receives a +1 bonus to all climbing checks made while he is using a rope, including attempts to belay (secure the end of a climbing rope) companions.

Safecrack - The ability to open all types of safes either by touch or explosives.

SCBA - The letters S.C.B.A. stands for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. This is special firefighting equipment used to deliver air to the firefighter through a full face mask and is worn to protect against smoke inhalation, toxic fumes, and super heated gasses. The character is skilled in its use and suffers no penalties to manoeuvrability.

SCUBA - The letters S.C.U.B.A. stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Characters learn the methods of skin diving and underwater swimming, and use of oxygen tanks/apparatus, mask and flippers.

Set/Remove Traps - The character is trained to find small traps and alarms. These include poisoned needles, spring blades, deadly gases, and warning bells. This skill is not effective for finding deadfall ceilings, crushing walls, or other large, mechanical traps. To find the trap he must be able to touch and inspect the trapped object. A player can check an item for traps once per experience level. Searching for a trap takes D10 rounds. Once a trap is found the player can try to remove it or disarm it. This also requires D10 rounds. If the dice roll indicates success the trap is disarmed. If the dice roll indicates failure the trap is beyond his current skill. He can try disarming the trap again when he advances to the next experience level. If the dice roll is 20 he accidentally triggers the trap and suffers the consequences.

Shield Mastery - This includes the use of bucklers, target shields, small shields, large shields, body shields and wall shields.
+1 to Thaco called shot parry at levels 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
+1 to Thaco for D4 damage at levels 4, 8, and 12.
Shields can be used in one hand with a weapon in the other. The character gets +1 to his AC over his shield bonus when he specializes in one type of shield and may still use the shield as part of an attack.

Short Hand - Shorthand is an abbreviated and/or symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. Many forms of shorthand exist. A typical shorthand system provides symbols or abbreviations for words and common phrases, which can allow someone well trained in the system to write as quickly as people speak. Abbreviation methods are alphabet-based and use different abbreviating approaches. Shorthand notes are typically temporary intended either for immediate use or for later transcription to longhand.

Ski - A character proficient in skiing is able to move over snowy ground much faster than a non proficient character. Depending on the conditions movement is at least 1.5 times that of walking, often more. During cold weather (-8 Centigrade or below) movement may be something like 15 (for characters with base 12), walking under these conditions is suggested to 6. Wet snow will lower this rate as far down as 6 (walking here will be about 2). This is cross-country skiing.

Skinning - This proficiency gives the character knowledge of the proper ways to skin and prepare an animal for food or for sale. Furs may be obtained with this skill as long as the proper type of knife is available. A successful proficiency check indicates the fur is acceptable to be sold or the animal is fit to be eaten. Failure indicates a damaged fur or improper cleaning of an animal. One small animal may be skinned in one hour. Medium sized animals may be skinned in two hours while large animals require four hours of time for proper skinning.

Skydive - The skill of parachuting includes the methods, procedures and techniques of parachuting, packing the chute, skydiving techniques, precision landing, landing without injury, and practice of jumping from a high altitude aircraft.

Sleight of Hand - The character is skilled at concealing or manipulating small items and familiar with such tricks as pulling a coin from a child’s ear, separating two joined rings, or causing a pigeon or rabbit to vanish. For the most part nothing more than manual dexterity and showmanship are required.

Somatic Concealment - Though any spell caster can mumble the verbal components of a spell and hide material components a character with this skill can conceal their movements, making smaller gestures and making them look like natural movement. Success means that no one knows that you were casting a spell. It cannot be used untrained.

Stealth - The character can move with a minimum of sound. Even creatures with the sharpest ears are no more likely to detect his presence than they are to hear a feather drop. The ability works equally well in icy mountains, heavily wooded forests, or any other type of wilderness terrain. Getting from place to place without being heard is only the most obvious application of this ability. Other uses include sneaking up on one or more opponents in order to surprise them. Examining the contents of a cart or a cabinet by removing the objects one by one then replacing them in silence. Change armour or clothes. Other actions the DM allows, such as restringing a bow, or cutting a slit in the back of a tent. He can move no faster than 1/3 his normal movement rate when moving silently. He continues to move silently until the terrain changes (for instance, if he enters an area of pebbles, shallow water, or dried leaves), or he attempts a new action that affects his ease of movement (such as carrying an unconscious companion or a large jug of sloshing water). Any such change requires a new roll.

Stuntman Driving - Stunt driving is being able to take a vehicle to the edge of losing control, while staying in control. Almost every action movie features some type of automotive stunt work. Whether it is a fully involved car chase with multiple vehicles, or a single car sliding to a stop on a specific mark, these manoeuvres are all executed by highly trained stunt performers. As out of control as some of these stunts may look, they are planned, choreographed, rehearsed, and performed with every precaution taken. Timing can be critical and if one driver is a little off their mark or just a few seconds too late or early, the shot can be ruined or worse, someone could be hurt.

Evasive Action: Fleeing or dodging another vehicle, obstacle, missile or some other attack by moving out of the way. Evasive action often involves weaving, zigzagging and sudden turns at high speeds. A successful roll means the pilot has successfully dodged out of the way. A failed roll means an ineffective evasive manoeuvre which, in turn, means the vehicle has been hit and/or the attacker is still hot on his tracks. Three consecutive successful evasion rolls means the pilot has completely lost the pursuer.

Stuntman Fall - This ability allows a variety of gymnastic type rolls, leaps, tumbles, falls, cartwheels, somersaults, and hand stand type exercises. The character can backflip (treat as +2 dodge) by quickly flipping out of harm's way or over one's opponent. He can bodyflip others causing them to lose their initiative and one attack that melee. He can also do a natural leap of 1.5 metres across + .1 metre per level, x 1.2 metres high + .1 metres per 2 levels. He can vault 2 metres high + .5 metres per level. Finally while falling he can attempt to continue to halt his fall by grasping at any nearby surface (if there is one) by rolling under his PP. If he hits the ground instead there is still a chance of survival as the character can reduce his fall damage by one third.

Surf/Skateboard - The character can ride a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave. This includes all the variations like bodysurfing, paddleboarding, sea kayaking, kite surfing and windsurfing. The balance learnt from riding a board also makes the character proficient in using a skateboard and the various tricks associated with it.
 

Swing - The character is proficient in using ropes, chains, webbing or anything similar to swing between objects (usually buildings) with great accuracy. He also gains +2 Thac0 with any attacks using this material or whips.

Tailor - The character can sew and design clothing. He can also do all kinds of embroidery and ornamental work. Although no proficiency check is required the character must have at least needle and thread to work.

Tightrope Walking - The character can attempt to walk narrow ropes or beams with greater than normal chances of success. He can negotiate any narrow surface not angled up or down greater than 45 degrees. Each round the character can walk 18 metres. One proficiency check is made every 18 metres (or part thereof) with failure indicating a fall. The check is made with a -10 penalty to the ability score if the surface is one inch or less in width (a rope), a -5 penalty if two inches to six inches wide, and unmodified if seven inches to 12 inches wide. Wider than one foot requires no check for proficient characters under normal circumstances. Every additional proficiency spent on tightrope walking reduces these penalties by 1. Use of a balancing rod reduces the penalties by 2. Winds or vibrations in the line increases the penalties by 2 to 6. The character can attempt to fight while on a tightrope, but he suffers a -5 penalty to his attack roll and must roll a successful proficiency check at the beginning of each round to avoid falling off. Since the character cannot manoeuvre, he gains no adjustments to his Armour Class for Dexterity. If he is struck while on the rope, he must roll an immediate proficiency check to retain his balance.

Trailing - Trailing is the talent of tailing someone, of keeping a certain distance or even catching up to them, though they may be attempting to blend into a crowd, or at least get lost in the confusion of a street full of people.

Tree Walking - The ability to stay aloft in trees, transferring from one tree to another and working and fighting from a sure branch. +1 to Climb trees with this skill.

Typing - The character can type at a speed of 10 words per minute per level with 98% accuracy.

Unarmed Combat Aerial - When the character fights while in mid air he gains the following benefits:
+1 Thac0 and Initiative while attempting to grab something while in mid air and then throwing it in a circular motion into something. This does +D6 damage +D6 per 10 kph of the victims speed based on the height and trajectory of the throw.

Unarmed Combat Boxing - When the character learns Boxing he gains the following benefits: +1 Thac0, +1 to all damage, +1 attack per combat round, +1 to evade an attack, +1 to roll with a hit halving its damage, and +2 to block an attack (must have at least 1 arm free). He may pull his attack and when he does so he can also refuse to do the +1 damage that Specialization gives him. He can knock an opponent out on a hit of 20. Each time this skill is retaken: +1 Thac0, +1 bonus to all damage, +1 to block, +1 to roll, and knockout drops by 1.

Unarmed Combat Martial Arts - When the character becomes a Martial Arts Specialist he gains the following benefits: +1 Thac0, +1 to all damage, +1 attack per combat round, +1 to block an attack (must have at least 1 arm free), +1 to evade an attack, +1 to roll with a hit halving its damage, and Kick attacks do +2 damage. He can bodyflip an opponent over him, and may pull his attack refusing to do the +1 damage the specialization gives him. Each time this skill is retaken: +1 Thac0, +1 bonus to all damage, +1 to block and +1 damage for kick attack. Alternatively the character can opt to use one of the many martial art forms here.

Unarmed Combat Wrestling - If a character spends one Weapon Proficiency Slot on Wrestling, and thus specializes with Wrestling, he gains the following benefits: +1 Thac0, +1 to all damage (all his manoeuvres will do 2 points of damage plus his Strength bonus and continued holds cause cumulatively 1 more point of damage for each round they are held), +2 to Strength only for maintaining a wrestling hold (i.e., a Strength 15 character rolls against Strength 17 when maintaining a wrestling hold but only for that purpose), and +2 STR when resisting a knockback. He can bodyflip an opponent over him at +1 STR and even take it further bodyslamming him for full STR damage. When he chooses to the character may also pull the +2 to damage granted by his specialization. Each time this skill is retaken: +1 Thac0, +1 bonus to all damage, and +1 vs knockback.

Ventriloquism - The character has learned the secrets of throwing his voice. Although not actually making sound come from somewhere else the character can deceive others into believing this to be so. When using ventriloquism the supposed source of the sound must be relatively close to the character. The nature of the speaking object and the intelligence of those watching can modify the character's chance of success. If the character makes an obviously inanimate object talk (a book, mug, etc.) a -5 penalty is applied to his ability score. If a believable source (a PC or NPC) is made to appear to speak, a +2 bonus is added to his ability score. The observer's intelligence modifies this as follows: less than 3 +6, 3-5 +4, 6-8 +2, 9-14 0, 15-16 -1, 17-18 -2, 19+ -4.

A successful proficiency check means the character has successfully deceived his audience. One check must be made for every sentence or response. The character is limited to sounds he could normally make (thus, the roar of a lion is somewhat beyond him). Since ventriloquism relies on deception, people's knowledge of speech, and assumptions about what should and shouldn't talk, it is effective only on intelligent creatures. Thus it has no effect on animals and the like.

Weapon, Bio-Emission - The character has put long hours of practice into limited and maintained emissions of energy generated from his body, with a greater degree of fine control. He gains +1 Thac0 when using his emission power, +1 every 2 levels. He does not need to retake this skill for each emission power, it is assumed he has practiced with all of them regardless of whether the beams are fired from his eyes, hands, etc. If taken again then the character gains several more abilities;

1) The penalty for shooting at or from moving mounts or vehicles no longer applies.

2) He can ricochet his shots off one surface and angle it in such a way that it hits a secondary target, doing only 1 point of damage to the first surface and full damage to the second. Energy emissions require a reflective surface though.

3) He can perform rolls or other acrobatic feats and continue firing his power with no penalty.

Weapon, Cape - This weapon proficiency focuses on combat manoeuvres based on the use of a cape, cloak or coat to baffle and entangle an opponent. Many historical characters and traditional superheroes will wear these garments but actually doing anything useful with them requires practice; an untrained fighter trying to swirl a cloak around in the middle of a melee is probably wasting dangerous amounts of time and energy to no good purpose. Characters may develop all sorts of tricks such as blinding foes by flicking the cloak in their eyes or wrapping it round their heads, or even confusing attackers with missile weapons into firing at the swirling cloak rather than the wearer. As a weapon, it can:
Be thrown over the opponent's head.
Entangle the opponent's weapon or arm.
Be snapped at the opponent's face.
Entangling the opponent's weapon or arm allows the cape wielder to retain his grip on the cape. If a melee weapon or arm is entangled, the defender must try to free it before he can use it again. Each such attempt counts as an action.
Snapping the cape in the opponent's face counts as a called shot. If
the attack is successful, the attacker may be blinded for a turn. Any
defence may be used against this attack. Critical success on the skill roll does one point of damage to one eye (roll randomly to determine which one), blinds the opponent for 1 second and stuns him.

Weapon Group Specialty - A Tight Weapons Group consists of a set of weapons that are very similar in the way they are wielded. It costs two Weapon Proficiency Slots to become proficient in an entire tight group. After paying those two slots the character will know how to use every weapon in that group without the usual –2 penalty for unfamiliarity. This includes the following groups;

Artillery: Mortars, howitzers, bazookas, infantry missiles and vehicle equivalents.

Axes: Battle, Great, Hand/throwing and Fu Axe. Footman's pick and Horseman's pick.

Blades, Fencing: Dagger/Dirk, Knife/Stiletto, Main-gauche, Rapier, Sabre and Shamshir.

Blades, Long: Bastard sword, Bagua Dao, Broad, Cutlass, Dao, Giau Tzu Jen, Jian, Katana, Khopesh, Long, Scimitar, Claymore, Two-handed sword and Wakizashi.

Blades, Short: Dagger/Dirk, Knife/Stiletto, Kris, Kodachi, Falchion, Main-gauche, Short sword/Drusus, Jitte, Lu Jiao Dao, Zhou Dao, Tanto, Shoto, Sai, Pahi, Parang, Emei Ci (stingers), Machete, Bat Cham Do and Hu Die Dao.

Bows: Composite long bow, Composite short bow, Daikyu, Long bow and Short bow.

Chain: Includes the use of ordinary Chains, Spiked Chains, Er Jie Gun, Ball and Chains, Shinobi-Zue, Goupillon Flails, Mace and Chains, Manriki Gusari, Kusari Fundo, Kusarigama, Kyoketsu-Shoge, Ryofundo, San Jie Gun, Sa Tjat Koens, Nunchaku and Flails. 

Clubs: Belaying pin, Bokken, Club, Chui, Dan Bong, Footman's mace, Hammer, Horseman's mace, Morning star, Tonfa, Maul, La'au Palau, Cudgel, Pipe and Warhammer.

Crossbows: Hand crossbow, Heavy crossbow and Light crossbow.

Flails: Scourge, Shao Tzu, Footman's flail and Horseman's flail.

Heavy: Includes large machineguns, bazookas, LAWS, and mortars.

Lances: Heavy horse lance, Light horse lance, Jousting lance and Medium horse lance.

Mouth: Includes blowpipes, mouth darts, and other weapons that depend on a person's lungs and aim out of the mouth.

Pistol: All modern military automatic pistols and revolvers.

Polearms: Awl pike, Bardiche, Ba Tou, Bec de corbin, Bill-guisarme, Bisento, Jutte, Fauchard, Fauchard-fork, Glaive, Glaive-guisarme, Guisarme, Guisarme-voulge, Gun (not the firearm), Guandao, Halberd, Hook fauchard, Lucern hammer, Mancatcher, Military fork, Naginata, Partisan, Ranseur, Spetum, Staff, Tetsubo, Voulge, Ko'oko'o, Pâhoa Ko'oko'o, Chigiriki, Nagimaki, Luk Dim Boon Gwun and Yagara Mogara.

Rifle: Includes all hunting and assault rifles like the M-16 and AK-47.

Siege: An understanding of the use and mechanics of siege weapons, including Balista, Catapult, Onager and Trebuchet.

Slings: Sling and Staff Sling.

Small Thrown: Dagger/Dirk, Dart, Hand/throwing axe, Knife/stiletto, Shuriken, Grenades, Katars, Boomerangs, Spears, Slingshots, and Spikes.

Spears: Harpoon, Javelin, Qiang, Pilum, Sibat, Spear, Fei Cha, Ihe, Yari, Hoe Lei-o-mano, Trident and 9 Dragon Trident.