Abilities

Sub-categories of attributes are called abilities or skills. There are also specific skills that you may learn as part of your discipline. These are called feats.

Other abilities not listed may come up during the game. Depending on the ability, the GM may decide to lump them in with a similar ability or just use the base attribute.
A character may attempt to use any ability, whether or not he or she has it listed on her character sheet. Feats, however, may not be attempted unless known.
Sub-categories of abilities may be learned and are referred to as specialties. For example, a character may be a scholar in a particular area like music. This is written as Scholar: Music. Specialties may be learned quicker than the corresponding general ability.

Knowledge

Brilliance -defense skill, automatically given
Botany
Bureaucracy
Business
Politics
Religion
Scholar
Streetwise
Survival
Tactics
Sailing
Crafting
First Aid
Tracking
Society
Animal Training
Other Profession (specify)

Perception

Clarity -defense skill, automatically given
Charisma
Intimidate
Con
Hide/Sneak
Persuasion
Search
Forge

Strength

Endurance -defense skill, automatically given
Lifting
Climbing
Swimming
Jumping
Grappling

Dexterity

Agility -defense skill, automatically given
Khirka
Bow
Slash Blade
Pierce Blade
Polearm
Club/Mace
Staff
Blowgun
Throwing
Whip/Flail
Unarmed
Pick Pocket
Riding

Will

Resolve -defense skill, automatically given
Control Pain
Resist Poison
Resist Illness
Resist Fear
Mindfulness
Maintain Sanity
Focus

Mysticism

Mediation -defense skill, automatically given
Commune
see Feats

Clarifications

Defense Skills are automatically given to all characters and do not need to be purchased in character creation. They may be upgraded as with other abilities. There is one defense skill for each attribute

Focus: Using the focus ability signifies concentrating with all your will on a single action. Those using focus that turn may not dodge or take multiple actions. The following turn, they apply a +1D bonus to their action roll. The type of action they are focusing on must be specified in advance (ie the turn where the focus is rolled rather than the turn where the action is rolled).

Tactics: If a situation has anything the player believes would give them a tactical advantage, the player rolls their tactics ability. If successful they receive a bonus of x to their next 1D+2 rolls (treated as a buff, although not removable by any debuff). The x to be added is determined by the gm’s view of the group’s degree of advantage and is figured based on the seldom-used middle section of the difficulties and damage chart: the modifiers. They are as follows:

Modifiers

Degree of advantage Dots Dice

Slight Advantage 1-5 1D

Decent Advantage 6-10 2D

Solid Advantage 11-13 3D

Decisive Advantage 14-16 4D

Overwhelming Advantage 16+ 5D

Note however, that it is not +1D to the party’s rolls if it is determined that they have a slight advantage, but rather the player rolling tactics rolls 1D. That number is added on to the rolls of those the player directs for the duration of the buff. In order for the buff to apply to others, they must be directed by the person using the tactics ability. Others may choose to ignore the tactical advice and do as they will, but will thus not receive the buff. Rolling tactics constitutes a regular action.

Unarmed: The damage done by unarmed is the strength of the character the player is rolling for, with a limit of 4D+2, unbuffed, for non-monster characters.