[Note: This page is in alpha. Many of the details of how skills work are open to change.]

Skills in Underspire, alongside Attributes, are the two most important defining feature of a character's capabilities.

Your level in a skill is indicated by its alphabetical level, with A being the highest and U (Untested) being the lowest. Under the hood, this translates to a 1-100 range.

Most all skill uses/rolls are influenced by 2 or more of the six attributes. These influences aren't identical across skills; some rely on attributes more than others. See the list below for some guidance as to which skills use which attributes.

STARTER SKILLS#

In chargen, you will pick one primary skill and two secondary skills to define your character, but note this doesn't keep you from training other skills at any point in play.

Your primary skill will start at Kludgy (K) and your secondary skills at Oafish (O). This sounds low, but you'll be able to do basic starter tasks for your character's career off the bat, and skill progression is pretty quick and easy.

IMPROVING SKILLS#

Speaking of skill progression: skills are trained not by use but by XP investment. You can keep raising a skill as often as you like, as long as yuo still have XP to spend. See help @xp for more information on the commands/process, or the Quick Guide to Play.

THE DEPTH POOL#

A character can raise/train as many skills as they want, but only to Kludgy (K). You have a limited number of points available for skills above this rank - your depth pool. Every PC gets one 'Master' skill (i.e., a skill that can go as high as they want); beyond that, a PC's depth pool have a number of additional ranks that depends on your Intellect and Presence.

For example, most characters will have around 140 points in their depth pool - i.e., a total of 140 ranks above Kludgy. A character who wants to be a diver might choose Systems to be their Master slot, so they can raise it as high as they want. If they truly wanted to be the best diver around, they could raise Security up to Master-level at A too, but that'd take up a lot of their depth pool. They'd still be able to have workable professional levels in three or four other skills, though - they just wouldn't be among the best of the best.

On the other hand, someone who wants to be a jack-of-all-trades combat type might be able to get reasonably proficient with every weapon under the sun. They won't ever be able to rival the specialist in their chosen field, but sometimes versatility is a benefit of its own!

SKILL LIST#

Combat#

Blades: Swords, knives, and axes. You need quick reflexes and to be precise with the blade.
Bludgeons: Hammers, clubs, and other blunt weapons. You need strength to hit hard and quick reflexes to land the hit.
Unarmed: Unarmed: Fighting with your fists, plus throws and holds. You need strength and quick reflexes.
Sidearms: Pistols and revolvers at close range. You need fast reflexes to draw and good eyesight to hit what you aim at.
Longarms: Rifles, shotguns, and other long guns. You need steady hands and the reflexes to fire the moment you have a shot.
Gunnery: Heavy guns, vehicle turrets, and mounted weapons. You need technical know-how to run the gun and fast reactions to aim it at a moving target.
Dodge: Getting out of the way of attacks. You need quick reflexes to move and a good eye to see the hit coming.
Conditioning: Stamina, endurance, and how well you recover from injury. It comes down to physical toughness and a good sense of how your body is holding up.

Technical#

Sneaking: Moving quietly and staying out of sight. You need good senses to spot trouble and quick reflexes to duck out of view.
Sleight of Hand: Picking pockets, and hiding or swapping small items without anyone noticing. You need delicate hands and a good eye for the moment the other person looks away.
Systems: Moving around the Matrix, writing code, and other computer work. You need technical know-how, a sharp mind, and a good eye for the small flaw in a system.
Security: Cracking digital locks, and getting past or fighting off the systems that guard them. You need technical know-how and a good eye for hidden traps.
Driving: Driving cars, trucks, and other ground vehicles, even under pressure. You need quick reflexes behind the wheel and a good eye on the road.
Piloting: Flying aircraft, helicopters, and drones. You need fast reflexes and the technical know-how to run the controls.
Forensics: Examining crime scenes, physical evidence, and what killed someone. You work out what happened from small details, which takes reasoning and a good eye.

Craft#

Weaponsmithing: Forging, modifying, and repairing weapons. Steady hands for the small parts, and strength at the forge.
Armorsmithing: Making, fitting, and repairing armor. You need strength to shape heavy plates and careful handiwork to fit them right.
Mechanics: Fixing engines, vehicles, and other machines. Steady hands for the small work, and strength for the heavy parts.
Electronics: Wiring circuits, soldering, and fixing electronics. You need technical know-how and steady hands.
Medicine: First aid, treating serious injuries, and giving drugs. You need medical knowledge and steady hands when things go wrong.
Cyber Surgery: Installing, fixing, and removing cyberware. Takes very steady hands and a lot of technical know-how.
Cooking: Preparing food and meals. You need steady hands with a knife and a good sense of taste and smell.
Brewing: Making drinks by fermenting and distilling. You need technical know-how to run the process, and a good sense of taste and smell to judge the batch.
Alchemy: Mixing chemicals and making drugs. You need technical know-how to follow the recipes, and precision when measuring.
Perfumery: Making scents and blending perfumes. You need technical know-how and a feel for style, so the scent suits whoever wears it.
Jewelcraft: Cutting gemstones and setting fine jewelry. You need delicate hands and a good feel for style, so the finished piece looks right.
Glasswork: Blowing, shaping, and cutting glass. You need physical endurance to work beside a hot furnace, and delicate hands to shape the glass.
Woodwork: Carpentry, carving, and joining wood. Strength for the heavy work, and steady hands for clean cuts.
Tailoring: Cutting patterns and sewing clothes. You need delicate handiwork with a needle, and a personal style to stand out.
Artistry: Painting, sculpture, and decorative crafts. You need a style of your own to stand out, with steady hands to carry it out.

Lore: History, occult knowledge, and forgotten secrets. You need book learning and a good memory, and the presence to make people believe you.
Ritual: Carving runes and carrying out rituals. You need a strong will to see them through, and study to know what you are doing.
Trade: Working out what things are worth, haggling over a price, and buying and selling for profit. You need a strong personality to stand your ground on a price and a good eye for the person across the table.
Performance: Playing music, singing, and entertaining a crowd. You need a strong personality to win people over and good technique to play or sing well.
Subterfuge: Lying, wearing disguises, and keeping up a false identity. You need a strong personality to make people believe you, and a good memory to keep your story straight.

Survival#

Scavenging: Stripping wrecks, finding scrap, and butchering game. You need a good eye for what is worth taking, and strength to haul it away.
Mining: Digging out stone and ore. Takes strength to haul rocks and a good eye to follow the veins of ore.
Cultivation: Farming, tending crops, and harvesting. You need a good eye for how the plants are doing, and careful hands so you don't damage the harvest.
Husbandry: Handling, breeding, and trapping animals. You need a calm, confident presence around them and a good eye for how they are behaving.
Tracking: Following tracks to find where someone went and what left them. You need a good eye to find the marks and reasoning to work out what they mean.