Chapter Three:  Skills






     Whenever a character attempts to perform a specific task (such as shoot 
his Colt .44, pick a lock, convince a lady after a romantic interlude to give 
you information), he uses one of his skills.  These skills have either been 
learned in training or gained through experience.

     A character's personality will evolve over time as he takes part in 
adventures and receives Skill Points, which may be used to acquire new skills 
and to raise the Skill Bonus of skills the character already possesses.  The 
use of Skill Points is explained in Chapter 6.  The bonus to which you can 
raise a skill is limited by the characteristic(s) on which the skill is based.  
The maximum Skill Bonus can be no higher then the characteristic value used 
for that skill.  For example, if a character has a Agility of 11 and possesses 
the Hand Guns skill, the Skill Bonus can be a maximum of 11.  Likewise, a 
skill bases on two characteristics uses the higher value to determine the 
maximum Skill Bonus for that skill.  New skills cannot be gained unless the 
character has had prior experience with the skill, Example, trying to pick a 
lock without the Lockpicking/Safecracking skill.  The character can now buy 
the skill.

     Whenever you character attempts a task which falls under the domain of 
one of the skills, either you or the GM will resolve the attempt with a D100 
dice roll.  The GM will roll the dice in secret for tasks in which the 
information that is revealed is more than the character would have in that 
situation.  For example, if a player rolls dice to determine the success of a 
Stealth task and the result is a failure, he will not play his character the 
same way as if the result had been a success; the player knows more about the 
situation - that the character has been seen or heard.  In all other 
circumstances where information does not need to be kept secret from the 
players, the dice rolls are performed by the players.

     The player explains to the GM what he wants his character to do, and the 
GM decides under which skill (or characteristic) the task falls.  If the task 
involves several actions - for instance, firing a gun while climbing a 
mountain - each action is resolved as a separate task.  Thus, for firing while 
climbing, the GM would resolve the Climbing task first and, if it is 
successful, would then resolve the Hand Guns (or Rifles and Shotguns) task.  
The difficulty for each task would be modified appropriately.  A character 
using two skills in one round would have a 10% penalty added to his difficulty 
for each task.  Using three skill has a 20% penalty added to his difficulty 
for each task, and so on.   A task may be interrupted by unexpected 
circumstances - such as an NPC firing at a character as he climbs the 
mountain.  In this case, the Climbing attempt has succeeded but the climb is 
interrupted (the GM will indicate at which point in the climb the interruption 
occurs) to resolve the Hand Guns (or Rifles and Shotguns) task; another 
Climbing attempt would have to be made if the character suffers damage (if he 
is wounded, no new roll needs to be made).  If a combination of skill and 
characteristic is used in a task - say, carrying a body while climbing - the 
task would be resolved under the skill but with a Static Action modifier 
applied to account for the extra difficulty involved.  

     Each skill has its own formula (see below) which is used to determine the 
Roll Modifier when using that skill.  A skill is based on one or two 
characteristics, the value of which is then added to the dice roll to 
increase the chances of success for the task.  In cases where a skill is based 
on two characteristics, such as Stealth or Survival, add the two 
characteristic values together and divide by two (all fractions are rounded 
down).

     Copy the Skill Bonus, other penalties or bonuses, and the Roll Modifier 
onto the Character Record Sheet for easy reference.  As the characteristics or 
Skill Bonuses rise over time, enter these new values on the Character Record 
Sheet, and recompute the Roll Modifier.

Skills and Skill Formulas:

Skill:                                   Formula:

Agriculture              [(Intelligence + Concentration)/2]+Skill Bonus
Ambidexterity            Agility + Skill Bonus
Archery                  [(Agility + Strength)/2]+Skill Bonus                      
Black Smithing           [(Strength + Agility)/2]+Skill Bonus
Climbing                 Agility + Skill Bonus
Con                      [(Charisma + Concentration)/2]+Skill Bonus           
Cow Hand                 [(Intelligence + Agility)/2]+Skill Bonus
Demolitions              Intelligence + Skill Bonus
First Aid                Intelligence + Skill bonus                                     
Gambling                 Intelligence + Skill Bonus
Hand Guns                Agility + Skill Bonus
Hand-to-Hand Combat      Strength + Skill Bonus                                        
Horsemanship             [(Intelligence + Agility)/2]+Skill Bonus
Horse Riding             Agility + Skill Bonus
Indian Customs           Intelligence + Skill Bonus                                    
Law                      Intelligence + Skill Bonus
Leadership               [(Charisma + Intelligence)/2]+Skill Bonus
Lockpicking/Safecracking [(Intelligence + Agility)/2]+Skill Bonus                   
Perception               [(Intelligence + Concentration)/2]+Skill Bonus
Quick Draw               Agility + Skill Bonus
Reading and Writing      Intelligence + Skill Bonus                                   
Rifles and Shotguns      Agility + Skill Bonus
Seduction                [(Charisma + Intelligence)/2]+Skill Bonus
Stealth                  [(Agility + Concentration)/2]+Skill Bonus               
Survival                 [(Concentration + Intelligence)/2]+Skill Bonus
Swimming                 Agility + Skill Bonus
Teamster                 [(Agility + Intelligence)/2]+Skill Bonus                  
Tracking                 Intelligence + Skill Bonus
     
     Most tasks may be attempted only once (exceptions include Hand Guns and 
the like).  If the dice result is a failure, that task may not be attempted 
again until circumstances have changed - you character has increased his Skill 
Bonus, he has obtained new equipment, and the like.

     Note:  Each time a character attempts to use a skill, he will be 
attempting a task.  In concert with the player, you will define exactly what 
boundaries that task involves, and then you will assign any particular Static 
Action modifiers you feel are appropriate.  Most tasks attempted in the game 
begin at a difficulty of 70% (or Hard) and are modified up or down from that 
point.
     
     Your character may also attempt tasks using skills which he does not yet 
have.  In such cases, refer back to the skill formula to learn what 
characteristic(s) the skill is based on.  There will be no Skill Bonus added 
to the characteristic(s) value, and your GM will apply a -30 Static Action 
modifier in addition to any other modifiers which would normally apply.

     Whenever your character is attempting a task that cannot be logically 
applied to the domain of any particular skill, your GM will decide which 
characteristic value would most apply to the task.  The characteristic value 
then becomes the Roll Modifier.  The difficulty begins at 70% (or Hard) and is 
modified normally by the GM as appropriate.

     When characteristics are used in this way, you can say you are "trying 
to make an Hard Strength roll."  That is, you roll the dice and add your 
character's characteristic value for Strength.  If the roll is equal to or 
greater than the difficulty the GM gave, then the task was a success.



Roll Difficulties

Cinch:                         10%
Very Easy:                     20%
Easy:                          30%
Routine:                       40%
Average:                       50%
Moderate:                      60%
Hard:                          70%
Very Hard:                     80%
Difficult:                     90%
Very Difficult:               100%
Inconceivable:                110%
Near Impossible:              120%
Impossible:                   130%


     Each of the skills a character may possess is described in detail below.  
The description also explains how and when the skill will be called into play.  
Static Action modifiers will be included in the skill descriptions, however, 
the examples given will not even come close to covering all the possible 
situations which would merit a modifier.  They are simply roadsigns to help 
find ways of creating and applying modifiers.  The GM will have the final say 
as to how modifiers are applied to tasks.

Agriculture
     These tasks involve your character's ability to understand the procedures 
in the farming of different agriculture.  It allows the character to be able 
to harvest the produce and also understand the differences in grains.  It also 
allows the character to understand the different factors involved to grow a 
particular produce.

Modifiers can include +2 if the character already knows about a similar 
produce, to a -2 if the character has never seen this type of produce before.

Ambidexterity
     This task allows your character to use his other hand as well as his 
normal hand.  To use this skill the GM assigns a difficulty, then the roll is 
made.  If the roll was a failure, then subtract the roll from the difficulty.  
This difference is then added to the difficulty of the task that is to be 
performed with the other hand.  If the roll was a success then there is no 
penalty to the task that is to be performed with the other hand.

Modifiers could include +2 for simple applications such as Hand-to-Hand 
Combat, to -2 for very delicate applications such as trying to use First Aid 
on the Character's normal arm.

Archery
     This task allows the character to be able to use a bow and arrow with 
ease. Refer to Chapter 4, Combat and Healing, for details about combat and 
modifiers.

Black Smith
     This task allows the character to use a black smith forge, and to be able 
to make repairs to damaged weapons.  A successful roll means that the 
character has mended a damaged weapon, or has made something.  This task also 
allows the character to make horse shoes.

Modifiers can include a +2 for making or repairing a knife or horse shoes, to 
a -4 for trying to make a firearm.



Climbing
     This task allows your character to scale vertical surfaces.  A successful 
role means that your character has climbed or descended 50 feet.  If the roll 
was a failure, your character must make a Hard difficulty Agility roll to save 
himself.  If your character falls, he will incur damage based on the length of 
the fall:  0-10 feet, no damage; 11-20 feet, 1D; 21-60 feet, 3D; 60-150 feet, 
5D; 151-250 feet, 7D; over 250 feet, the character meets his maker.

Modifiers could include a +2 for using a rope or other climbing gear, or the 
surface is not that steep, to a -2 for a truly vertical surface with nothing 
to hang onto except tiny cracks.

Con
     A character uses this task to persuade an NPC to do something that isn't 
in the NPC's best interests.  Con can involve reasoned argument and false 
logic, or simply throwing up a verbal smokescreen to get the target to 
hesitate.  Sometimes it can take the form of a bargain - "do this for me and 
I'll do that for you" - but in a con, the conner has no intention of 
fulfilling his part of the bargain.

Modifiers could include +4 for conning you own grandmother, +2 conning a naive
teenager, -2 conning a government official, -4 conning a bounty hunter who's 
after you.

Cow Hand
     This task allows your character to understand the fundamentals of being a 
cow hand.  How to round up cattle on a cattle drive, how to give birth to a 
calf, knowing what to do when there is a sick cow, how to breed a bull to a 
cow, how to milk a cow, how to brand a cow, how to dehorn a bull, how to make 
a steer, how to use a rope, ETC.....  This skill is used to throw a rope in 
combat.

Modifiers could include +2 for milking a cow, to -2 for riding a bull.

Demolitions
     This skill covers all tasks involving the use of explosives.

Modifiers could include +4 for blowing a wooden door, -2 for blowing a strong 
box, -4 for blowing a bank safe.

First Aid
     This skill allows the character to bandage wounds to stop bleeding.  A
successful roll means that the character has successfully stopped the bleeding 
on himself or another character (and the -1 damage point per round).

Modifiers could include -4 for trying to bandage a bullet hole in you 
characters head, to a +2 for bandaging a knife wound on a fellow character.

Gambling
     These tasks allow characters to play games of chance, but without the 
players needing cards or other paraphernalia.  See Chapter 5, Gambling, for 
details on how to use these games.

Hand Guns
     These tasks allow the characters to use hand guns.  This does not include
throwing the weapon at the target during combat, that falls under hand to hand
combat.  See Chapter 4, Combat and Healing, for details on how to use Hand 
Guns in combat.

Hand-to-Hand Combat
     These tasks involve combat using fists, swords, knives, or any weapon 
that is not a projectile weapon.  All thrown weapons are under this skill.  If 
your character wishes to use a weapon that is not included among those 
described in Chapter 7, the GM will assign it a Damage Code and a Range, and 
you character may then throw it.  See Chapter 4, Combat and Healing, for the 
details of Hand-to-Hand Combat.

Horsemanship
     These tasks allow the character to perform basic veterinary applications 
on a horse, to groom a horse, evaluate a horses condition and price, to shoe 
a horse, and anything else that pertains to a horse.

Modifiers could include a -2 for trying to groom a horse that has a bad 
disposition.



Horse Riding
     These tasks involve the control, direction, and speed of a horse your 
character rides during a chase.  Also it may be used to calm down any excited 
horse your character encounters.  Your GM may call this skill into play if 
your character is attempting something while riding a horse that he feels 
needs a dice roll to resolve.

Modifiers could include -4 for trying to jump a gorge.

Indian Customs
     These tasks allow the character how to perform in front of Indians, to 
know the basics of different indian cultures and customs.

Modifiers could include +2 for knowing about a tribe you have been around all 
of your life, to a -2 for never even hearing of this particular tribe.


Law
     These tasks include having knowledge of the local laws governing 
citizens in a state or township.  Also knowing the standard police 
procedures and legal systems, including crimes and punishments.

Modifiers could include +2 for knowledge in your home town, to a -2 for 
knowledge in a town in another state that you have never heard of.

Leadership
     These tasks involve making an NPC do what the character wants - by 
ordering him in a persuasive and authentic tone.  When successful, the target 
snaps to and does as ordered.  To look at it another way, a character with a 
high Leadership skill can take charge of a situation when leadership is 
needed, and get other characters to cooperate without debate or question.

Modifiers could include +4, NPCs have every reason to obey; +2, NPCs have some
reasons to obey; -2, NPCs are skeptical or suspicious; -4, NPCs have every 
reason to be suspicious.

Lockpicking/Safecracking
     These tasks involve attempts to open locked doors or safes with tools 
designed for that purpose.

Modifiers could include +2 to unlock a door; -2 to unlock a bank safe.

Perception
     These tasks involve the use of primary senses.  The GM will have the 
player make this roll if something happens in the game that a character could 
miss, and the GM wants to determine whether the character notices it or not.

Modifiers could include +2, seeing a naked guy walk into a saloon, to -2, 
seeing a trained Indian scout, who has made a successful Stealth roll, sneak 
up behind you.

Quick Draw
     These tasks involve the drawing of a weapon during a show down.  When 
this skill his used all parties involved roll the dice, the player who has the 
highest roll, shoots first, with the other party not getting to shoot if he 
his dead.

Modifiers include the QD penalties or bonuses on the weapon, and could include 
any other possibilities, including, -2 for having to draw the weapon out of 
your boot or your jacket.


Reading and Writing
     These tasks involve understanding of the writing language.  A successful 
roll means that the character is able to read or write something.

Modifiers could include +2 for his native language, to -4 for an obscure 
language.

Rifles and Shotguns
     These tasks allow the character to use of a rifle or shotgun.  See 
Chapter 4, Combat and Healing, for details on how to use Rifles and Shotguns 
in combat.

Seduction
     Such a task involves your character attempting to form an intimate 
romantic relationship with an NPC.  A successful attempt may alter the NPC's 
reaction to your character, possibly resulting in a more beneficial working 
relationship.  The GM will secretly determine the reaction of the NPC to a 
Seduction attempt and will role-play the result.  The reaction roll is a 
Concentration roll of 50% (Average).

Modifiers include -2, attempting a Seduction on an NPC who has already 
successfully resisted; +2, the NPC is male and the player character is female; 
-1, the player character's charisma is less then 6; +2, the player character's 
charisma is greater than 10; +3, the player character's charisma is 15.

Stealth
     These tasks involve attempts by your character to move silently and in a
fashion designed to make him as visually inconspicuous as possible.  As he 
moves, your character will not always be aware whether or not his movements 
have been noticed until an observer reacts to him.

     This skill does not allow your character to move as if he were invisible.
Rather, it allows movement to and from concealable positions.  If your 
character moves directly into the line of sight of an observer, he will be 
seen even if you do make the roll.  By using cover, your character can time 
his moves for when the observer is distracted or looking in another direction.  
Travel is 100 feet for each successful roll.

Modifiers will be based on factors in the environment (darkness, rain, fog,
camouflage, distraction, and so forth) as the GM sees fit.

Survival
     These tasks involves knowing how to survive in hostile environments - 
deserts, jungles, oceans, etc.  It can be used in three ways.

     First, it can be used like any other knowledge skill when a player asks 
for information about some element of the natural world.


     Second, when a character is threatened by nature, you can make a skill 
roll to see whether he immediately makes the right move - runs upwind of a 
forest fire, whatever.

     Third, when a character is in a hostile environment without adequate
protection, he may use the skill to find the necessities of life.

Modifiers will be based on how much experience the character has in the
environment.  +4, character is intimately familiar; +2, character is familiar; 
-2, character is unfamiliar; -4, character is completely unfamiliar.


Swimming
     These tasks involve a character when he swims.  On a failed roll the 
character begins to drown.  Roll an Average dexterity roll every round.  On a 
failed roll, the character drowns.  Another character may make a rescue 
attempt.  He must make to Swimming rolls, one to swim himself, the other to 
rescue the drowner.  Because he is using two skill rolls, his difficulty is 
increased 10% for each roll.  The difficulty for the second roll is 70% 
(hard).

Modifiers include +4, swimming in a lake on a good day in a calm area; +2, 
swimming in the ocean on a good day in a calm area; -2, swimming in a storm; 
-4, swimming in a gale - huge waves, sheeting rain.

Teamster
     These tasks involve the control, speed, and direction of a team pulled 
wagon in a chase.  The GM may require a roll if your character is attempting 
something while driving a wagon that may need a dice roll to resolve.

Modifiers could include anything from the weather to some trick maneuver the
character is attempting.

Tracking
     These tasks involve the following of a trail left by someone or 
something such as foot prints, broken branches, crushed grass, hanging pieces 
of cloth, etc.  Also detailed information about the tracks can be obtained, 
such as type of animal, age of tracks, weight of animal, speed animal is 
moving, back tracking, etc.

Modifiers will be based on environmental conditions, experience with the type 
of animal that is being tracked, if the person being tracked is taking 
precautions of hiding his tracks, etc.
