Class Skills represent specialized expertise unique to a character’s profession. Unlike General Skills, which represent common knowledge, Class Skills are specialized disciplines that must be taught by a mentor or institution.
- Martial Skills: Weapon Mastery, Tactics, and Martial Arts used by Fighters and Mystics.
- Guild Skills: Guild-sanctioned abilities like picking locks or hiding in shadows.
- Prayers & Motes: Divine invocations (Clerics/Druids) or arcane manipulations (Magic-Users).
- Racial Skills: Innate talents unique to Demi-humans, such as Elven Perceptions or Dwarvish Engineering.
Learning & Improvement #
The mastery of Class Skills is governed by strict training protocols:
- Mandatory Instruction: Class Skills cannot be self-taught. Learning requires a teacher and carries a risk of failure. This usually necessitates membership in a Guild, School, Church, or Brotherhood.
- General Skill Elevation: Certain General Skills can be permanently improved by dedicating a Class Skill slot to them. Once elevated, that skill is treated as a Class Skill and must follow all specialized training and failure rules.
Trading Skill Slots
Characters may customize their progression by exchanging their available skill slots:
- General to Class: Any character may trade a General Skill slot to gain an additional Class Skill slot.
- Class to General: This trade is not permitted (though some General Skills are naturally gained as side effects of Class Skill mastery).
- Class to Combat: Spending a Class Skill slot is the only way to increase a character’s base Hit Roll (HR) or Force Rating (FR).
- Class to Saves: Saving Throws do not scale automatically with level. Characters must expend Class Skill slots (or Racial Skill slots) to purchase improved Save values.
Cross-Class & Advanced Access #
While skills are categorized by profession, certain paths allow for overlap:
- Universal Combat: All classes have access to Weapon Mastery and specific Combat Maneuvers, though some maneuvers remain class-restricted.
- The Thieves’ Guild: Any class can learn a Thief Ability by trading two Class Skill slots and joining a Guild. This grants the “Basic” level; further advancement returns to a standard 1-for-1 slot cost.
- Note: Mystics and Hin may initiate this training by trading only one slot.
- The Divine Path: Upon reaching 9th level, Fighters may begin trading Martial Skill slots for Prayers, representing their transition into Paladins, Avengers, or Holy Knights.
Skill & Rank Classifications #
Skill Categories
| Skill Type | Includes |
|---|---|
| Martial Skills | Weapon Mastery, Combat Manuevers, Martial Arts |
| Guild Skills | Thief Abilities, Assassin Skills, Bard Abilities, Rake Abilities, Merchant Abilities |
| Prayers & Motes | Skill Masteries, Spell Masteries, Turning Undead, and special class-based abilities |
| Racial Skills | Dwarvish Engineering, Elven Perceptions, Hin Hiding, and special race-based abilities |
Demi-human Class Skills
| Rank | Dwarf/Hin Title | Elf Title |
|---|---|---|
| BS | Veteran | Veteran |
| SK | Weapon Master | Conjurer |
| EX | Hero | Enchanter |
| MS | Champion | Sorcerer |
| GM | Dwarven Lord / Sheriff | Wizard-Lord / Lady |
