Muscle: This skill is experience with heavy lifting and hard labor. The character can direct groups of laborers so that their efforts are the most effective possible. This character understands the use of simple machinery such as wedges, pulleys, and levers. With a successful skill check, the character receives a + 2 bonus on Strength rolls for tasks such as opening doors.
💪 Racial Variants #
| Variant | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarven | Low-Center Anchor | Dwarves are built like boulders. When performing a task that requires them to hold a weight (like keeping a portcullis open), they can brace their legs to ignore the first two rounds of Endurance penalties. |
| Gnomish | Force Multiplication | Gnomes treat Muscle as a physics problem. They gain a +4 bonus (instead of +2) when they have access to at least one tool (a crowbar, a rope, or a pipe) to act as a lever or pulley. |
| Orc | Explosive Kinesis | Orcs focus on the “shove.” If they fail a Strength roll to break or move an object, they can immediately reroll by “taxing” their body, taking 1hp of subdual damage to represent the sheer strain on their muscles. |
🗺️ Regional Variants #
- The Quarry-Master (Mountain/Stonecutting)
Trained in the brutal work of moving massive slabs of granite.
- Specialty: Stone-Sense. They are experts at moving unyielding objects. When using a wedge to split or move stone, they gain a +4 bonus to their Muscle check. They can also identify the “balance point” of any boulder or statue.
- The Great-Port Stevedore (Coastal/Trade Hub)
Trained to move heavy, awkward crates and barrels on swaying, unstable docks.
- Specialty: Momentum Shifting. They are masters of using an object’s own weight to keep it moving. They ignore the penalty for moving heavy objects over “uneven or unstable” ground (like a sandy beach or a rocking ship).
- The Imperial Siege-Engineer (Metropolitan/Military)
Trained to assemble massive war machines and move heavy batteries into position.
- Specialty: Team Synchronization. When directing a group of NPCs to perform a task (like pushing a ram), the group can perform the task in half the time if the character makes a successful Muscle check.
- The Deep-Jungle “Trail-Blazer” (Wilderness/Tropical)
Trained to clear massive fallen trees and move wagons through thick mud.
- Specialty: Mud-Wedge Logic. They are experts at un-sticking things. They gain a +4 bonus to Muscle checks made to free a trapped vehicle or creature from muck, quicksand, or debris.
⚙️ The “Strength Bonus” Mechanic #
As per the rules, a successful check grants a +2 bonus to Strength rolls for specific tasks (like opening doors).
- The “Structural Analysis” Rule: Before attempting a Strength roll to break something, the character can make a Muscle check. If they succeed, they don’t just get the +2; they also learn if the object has a hidden weakness (like a rusted hinge or a hollow core).
- Directing Labor: When commanding others, a successful Muscle check allows the character to coordinate up to 10 NPCs to move an object that would normally require twice that many people.
⚖️ Synergy with Other Skills #
- Muscle + Engineering: The character can build “improvised cranes” in the field, allowing the party to lift weights that would normally require a giant or a magical spell.
- Muscle + Endurance: The character can perform “Heavy Labor” for twice as long as a normal character before needing to make an Endurance check.
