Sweetheart Skills

TESTS AND SKILLS

Most simple tests are roll-under a given attribute. There are sixteen categories of tests that are connected to “skills, which a given character is either proficient or not proficient it. If a character is not proficient, simply have them roll under the specified attribute and select the outcome. If they are proficient, they add their level to the attribute. More difficult tasks can modify the attribute in a negative way, but a standard skill roll is no modifier— remember, they’re inherently harder than simple tests. Three skills— logistics, expertise, and craft— are not tied to an attribute. Instead, use the listed values on the table below. The first listed number is for characters who are not proficient; the second for characters who are. Three skills— perform, craft, and expertise— require a specification when they are taken. Examples are listed in the skill explanation below. A character can be proficient in these skills multiple times, each time with a different specification.

Many skills in other systems are not represented as skills here. Such tasks as swimming, perception, and detecting lies should either be represented by simple attribute tests or player skill. It is possible for abilities to give a character proficiency in special skills that are not on this list.

Daniel Romanovsky

Table X: Standard Skills

Perform (cha)	Implicature (int)	Stealth (dex)	Survivalism (wis)
Craft (5/15 trained)	Logistics (5/10 trained)	Expertise (5/15 trained)	Bolt (dex)
Acrobatics (dex)	Diligence (wis)	Rumor (cha)	Library Science (int)
Nonverbals (cha)	Sleight (dex)	Spellcraft (int)	Psychology (wis)

Acrobatics (dex)

• Feat: If you succeed, you complete the attempted feat capably. If you fail, pick one. For every five you fail by, pick another one: end up prone, drop something, you are fatigued, you take strain.

Bolt (dex)

• Run: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: you don’t end up where you intended, you are fatigued, or you left something important behind. Can be opposed. Worse roll takes an additional pick.

Craft (5/10) (e.g. alchemy, smithing, woodworking, stonecutting, jewelry)

• Create: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: the item is created quickly, created cheaply, has intricate details.
• Appraisal: ask a question about the item. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The answer is precise, expansive, or quick.
• Dismantle: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. You are quick, you make progress in dismantling the item, you don’t damage any pieces, you are quiet.

Diligence (wis)

• Practice a trick: spend a commensurate amount of time practicing. If you do, test on diligence instead of another skill for that one attempt.
• checking in with allies: They are heartened, they take you into their confidence, ask a hypothetical about what they would do in a certain circumstance. If the target is a PC or significant NPC, they pick.
• Enduring tedium or pain: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. Your resolve is strengthened, your attitude is positive, you are stable.

Expertise (5/15) (e.g. heraldry, surveying, theology, nature, streetwise, myth, liberal arts)

• Ask a question. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The answer is precise, expansive, or quick.

Implicature (int)

• Bargain: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. They don’t demand immediate payment, they must deal honestly, ask a question about their intentions, they keep the deal confidential, they don’t know exactly what they’ve agreed to. Can be opposed. May negotiate picks for a bonus to the roll.
• Appraise rhetoric: ask a question about the artifact. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The answer is precise, expansive, or quick.
• Cyphering: Obscure text so that it is difficult to decode. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. Deciphering is ambiguous, deciphering is arduous, or its difficult to tell what is part of the code.

Library Science (int)

• Ask a question. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: the library is quickly navigated, it has a deep investigation of the topic, it has multiple different views on the topic.

Logistics (5/10)

• Organize a project: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The project is under budget, effectively directed, meets its deadline.

Nonverbals (cha)

• Act: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. People are willing to help you out, you seem like you belong, you evoke strong emotions.

• Nonverbal communication: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick two. The target gets the gist of your message, any observers fail to get the gist of your message. This skill can communicate simple messages even to animals.

Perform (cha) [e.g. strings, singing, poetry, painting, sculpture, dance, wind)

• Performance: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. People are willing to help you out, you seem like you belong, you evoke strong emotions.

Psychology (wis)

• Analyze: ƒIf you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: they are heartened or disheartened, they don’t notice your inquiry, you evoke strong emotions, you get an answer to your question.
• Predict: If you succeed by less than five, pick one at random. If you succeed by 5+, pick three at random or pick one and another at random: ask what someone is going to do, what they want to do, what what they’ve decided not to do.

Rumor (cha)

• Gossip: ƒIf you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: you get answers to your questions, you’re sure no one witnessed your inquiries, you don’t answer any of their questions, people start talking about something of your choice.

Sleight (dex)

• Conceal: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: the item is hidden quickly, it is especially out of the way, it is easy to draw out quickly.

Spellcraft (int)

• Tweak: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: there is no unintended feedback, there is no diminished effect, it is not more difficult to cast.
• Design: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: it doesn’t cost much, it is straightforward, it doesn’t take much time.

Stealth (dex)

• Hide: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: behind cover, silent, traceless, good vantage point

Survivalism (wis)

• Jaunt: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: know where you’re going, find food and water, find warmth and shelter.
• Overland travel: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: arrive exactly where you intend to, with some provisions to spare, not fatigued.