Skills List
Dexterity
Archery
This skill covers the use of various �bow and arrow� type weapons, including simple and compound versions.
Dodge
This skill represents one�s ability to avoid hostile ranged attacks.
Firearms
This skill covers the use of personal scale, projectile based weaponry ranging from pistols to assault rifles. Gyrojets and flachette weapons are also included here.
Grenades
This skill covers the use of all size hand throw explosive devices. Raw distance is determined by a character�s strength, but a Grenades roll is made to determine accuracy. Throwing rocks or balls is included under here as well.
Lasers
This skill covers the use of personal scale, laser based weaponry ranging from pistols to rifles and blazers.
Melee Combat
This skill represents armed hand-to-hand fighting, such as will swords, knives, clubs, etc. Damage is influenced by the character�s strength.
Heavy Weapons
This skill covers the use of heavy personal scale weaponry including grenade launchers, missile launchers and the like.
Pick Pocket
This skill represents one�s ability to remove items from another character�s person without detection. Fairly self-explanatory.
Power Suit Gunnery
This skill covers the use of any and all weaponry mounted on a power suit or combat armor, regardless of scale.
Running
This skill represents one�s ability to move quickly. It is generally only used when a running character encounters difficult terrain.
Support Weapons
This skill covers the use of heavier, but still infantry operated weaponry such as heavy machine guns, support lasers, etc. These weapons generally require more than one person to operate and transport.
Thrown Weapons
This skill covers all manner of non-explosive hand-thrown weaponry including spears, throwing knives, ninja stars, etc. Damage and distance are determined by a character�s strength, but a Thrown Weapons roll is made to determine accuracy.
Zero-G Training
This skill represents one�s ability to function and fight in a zero G or low gravity environment.
Knowledge
Aerofighters
This skill represents the character�s knowledge of various aerospace fighter makes and models, including their capabilities, weaponry, manufacturer, etc.
Aerospace Tactics
This skill represents the character�s ability to deploy and maneuver aerofighter and dropship assets. It also entails responding to enemy movements of similar forces.
Alien Life
This skill represents the characters�s knowledge of alien life from planets other than his or her homeworld. Excluding that in Far Country, no sentient life other than humanity exists in the Battletech universe.
Battlemechs
This skill represents a character�s knowledge of various Battlemechs, including their variants, capabilities, weaponry, manufacturer, etc.
Blue Water Ships
This skill represents the character�s knowledge of various Blue Water ships and submarines, including their capabilities, weaponry, manufacturer, etc.
Blue Water Tactics
This skill represents the character�s ability to deploy and maneuver Blue Water assets. It also entails responding to enemy movements of similar forces.
Bureaucracy
This skill represents a character�s familiarity with bureaucracies and their procedures. It can be used to determine whether or not a character knows what to expect in a bureaucratic situation or to find out what information a bureaucracy has on file.
Business
This skill represents a character�s working knowledge of businesses and business procedures.
Cultures
This skill represents a character�s knowledge of various cultures and cultural forms. It can be used to determine how a character is expected to behave in a particular situation.
Dropships
This skill represents a character�s knowledge of various dropship makes and models, including their capabilities, weaponry, manufacturer, etc.
Ground Tactics
This skill represents the character�s ability to deploy and maneuver mech and vehicle assets. It also entails responding to enemy movements of similar forces.
Jumpships
This skill represents a character�s knowledge of various Jumpships, including their capabilities, weaponry, manufacturer, etc.
Languages
This skill is used to determine whether or not a character understands something in another language. For each full D put in Languages at character creation, the player may pick one additional language to be fluent in.
Law Enforcement
This skill represents a character�s familiarity with law enforcement techniques and procedures. It may be used in dealing with authorities or to determine if a character knows major laws and their underlying principles.
Naval Tactics
This skill represents a character�s ability to deploy and maneuver Jumpships and Warships. It also entails responding to enemy movements of similar forces.
Planetary Systems
This skill represents a character�s general knowledge of geography, weather, life-forms, trade products, settlements, government and other information about various planets and systems.
Scholar
This skill represents formal academic training or dedicated research in a particular field. It represents �book learning,� but depending on the character�s field of study, might grant small bonuses to other rolls, like Tactics. Scholar also covers teaching others. Higher skill levels can teach more students, more effectively, etc.
Scrounge
This skill represents a character�s ability to locate and acquire spare parts and supplies from unconventional sources. It also covers seeing potential uses for items that were not their intended function. Rummaging through a salvage yard would fall under
Scrounge.
Streetwise
This skill represents a character�s familiarity with underworld organizations and their operations. It can be used to contact criminal organizations, purchase illegal goods or services, or find someone to do something illegal.
Survival
This skill represents how much a character knows about surviving in hostile environments. It can be used to gain general knowledge about an environment or to see if the character knows how to handle a particular situation.
Value
This skill represents a character�s ability to gauge the fair market value of goods or services based on the local economy, availability, quality, etc. It can also be used to gauge specific capabilities of and modifications made to goods with regard to performance.
Vehicles
This skill represents a character�s knowledge of various vehicle makes and models, including their capabilities, weaponry, manufacturer, etc.
Warships
This skill represents a character�s knowledge of various Warships, including their capabilities, weaponry, manufacturer, etc.
Willpower
This skill represents a character�s strength of will and determination. It is used to resist Intimidation, Persuasion, Seduction, etc. It can also be used to drive oneself forward through sheer willpower if the character fails a Stamina roll.
Mechanical
Aerofighter Gunnery
This skill represents a character�s ability to use weaponry mounted on aerofighters, including lasers, missiles, autocannons, etc.
Aerofighter Piloting
This skill represents a character�s ability to fly aerofighters. It can be used to maneuver in close quarters or evade hostile fire.
Artillery
This skill represents a character�s ability to employ various forms of direct and indirect artillery. It can be used to spot artillery fire or for the actual firing of such weapons.
Battlemech Gunnery
This skill represents a character�s ability to use weaponry mounted on Battlemechs, including lasers, missiles, autocannons, etc.
Battlemech Piloting
This skill represents a character�s ability to pilot Battlemechs, including balance, physical attacks and jump jet maneuvers. It can also be used to attempt evasive maneuvers, though this usually has minimal effect.
Beast Riding
This skill represents a character�s ability to ride any live mount. Animals sometimes resist their riders, and Beast Riding is used to get the mount to do what the character wants.
Dropship Piloting
This skill represents a character�s ability to operate Dropships. It can be used to dock, land, take off or perform evasive maneuvers in a battle, though the best that can usually be hoped for in the latter case is spreading out hostile damage. Dropships are too large to effectively evade aerofighter or capital ship attacks.
Ground Vehicle Operation
This skill represents a character�s ability to drive tracked and wheeled vehicles. It can be used to maneuver in close quarters, through difficult terrain or attempt evasive maneuvers, though the latter usually has minimal effect.
Gunnery
This skill represents a character�s ability to use non-capital ships scale weaponry mounted in turrets, typically those on dropships, Jumpships and Warships.
Hover Vehicle Operation
This skill represents a character�s ability to drive ground effect vehicles (hovercraft). It can be use to maneuver in close quarters, through difficult terrain or attempt evasive maneuvers, though the latter often has minimal effect.
Jump Pack Operation
This skill represents a character�s ability to use various infantry jump packs. Battle armor jump jets are not covered here.
Naval Sensors
This skill represents a character�s ability to operate sensors found on dropships, Jumpships and Warships, as well as interpret their readings.
Personal Sensors
This skill represents a character�s ability to operate infantry scale sensors, as well as interpret their readings.
Power Suit Operation
This skill represents a character�s ability to maneuver various forms a Battle Armor. It can be used to swarm attack a mech, employ jump jets or attempt evasive maneuvers, though the later often has minimal effect.
Remote Naval Gunnery
This skill represents a character�s ability to use and manage capital ship weapons systems. A gunnery officer on a Warships would use this skill.
Sensors
This skill represents a character�s ability to operate sensors on vehicles, battlemechs and aerofighters, as well as interpret their readings.
Vehicle Weapons
This skill represent a character�s ability to use weaponry mounted on vehicles, including lasers, missiles, autocannons, etc. Both turret and hull mounted systems are covered here.
Perception
Bargain
This skill represents a character�s ability to haggle over prices for goods or services they wish to buy or sell.
Command
This skill is a measure of a character�s ability to direct other characters, particularly subordinates in a miliary hierarchy. Command can be used to convince others to do things they would rather not (soldiers to �hold the line� against an advancing, superior force) or to provide bonuses to group tasks (a supervisor overseeing a repair party).
Con
This skill represents a character�s ability to trick and deceive others into doing something that is not in their best interest.
Forgery
This skill represents a character�s ability to falsify documents, electronic or otherwise. It can also be used to detect such forgery.
Gambling
This skill represents a character�s aptitude for various games of chance. It does not affect completely random games, only those that require a degree of strategy. Gambling can also be used to detect if another player is cheating.
Hide
This skill represents a character�s ability to conceal objects from view, be it on their person, in a room, within luggage, etc. It does not cover a character hiding from view, that is included under Sneak.
Intimidation
This skill represents a character�s ability to scare or frighten others to force them to obey commands or reveal information they wish to deep hidden.
Investigation
This skill represents a character�s ability to find and gather information regarding someone else�s activities and draw conclusions about what the target has done or where he or she has gone.
Negotiation
This skill represents a character�s ability to mediate disputes between other parties. It can be used to break up a fight or broker a business deal.
Persuasion
This skill represents a character�s ability to convince others to go along with them, though not by trickery (Con) or by payment (Bargain).
Search
This skill represents a character�s ability to spot hidden objects, individuals or things out of the ordinary.
Seduction
Take a wild guess.
Sneak
This skill represents a character�s ability to move silently, hide from view and otherwise creep around without being noticed. It covers only the character, not objects on their person (which would be the Hide skill).
Tracking
This skill represents a character�s ability to follow the movements or interpret the actions of a character, animal, etc. from signs left on the ground, on vegetation or even scent.
Strength
Brawling
This skill represents unarmed fighting of the more brute force nature.
Climbing/Jumping
This skill represents a character�s ability to negotiate chasms or surfaces too steep for walking. Examples include climbing a tree, leaping over a wide gap or scaling a cliff.
Lifting
This skill represents a character�s ability to lift heavy objects or carry them for a long time.
Stamina
This skill represents a character�s ability to push his or her physical limits. Characters running or lifting for prolonged periods of time may be required to make a Stamina roll.
Swimming
This skill represents a characters ability to move or stay afloat in aquatic environments.
Technical
Aerofighter Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix aerofighters and their systems.
Astrogation
This skill represents a character�s ability to navigate in space, as well as plot jumps for Jumpships and Warships.
Battlemech Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix Battlemechs and their systems.
Blue Water Ship Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix Blue Water ships and their systems.
Computer Repair/Programming
This skill represents a character�s ability to fix, modify or program computers. It also covers hacking.
Conventional Communications
This skill represents a character�s ability to fix, modify and maintain dedicated communications gear. It can also be used to attempt to negate or reduce the effects of jamming or other interference.
Demolitions
This skill represents a character�s ability to set explosives for maximum effect or to accomplish specific effects.
Dropship Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix dropships and their systems.
First Aid
This skill represents a character�s ability to perform emergency life saving procedures in the field.
Ground Vehicle Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix tracked, wheeled or hover vehicles and their systems.
HPG Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify, fix and maintain HyperPulse Generators.
Hyper Pulse Communications
This skill represents a character�s working knowledge of hyperpulse communications including message transmission and receival.
Jumpship Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix Jumpships and their systems, particularly the K-F drive.
Navigation
This skill represents a character�s ability to determine their location or plot movement routes when on a planet. This includes mechs, vehicles, Blue Water ships and aerofighters inside an atmosphere.
Personal Armor Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix personal armor.
Personal Weapons Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix personal weapons.
Power Suit Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix Battle Armor and their systems.
Security
This skill represents a character�s working knowledge of physical security systems including locks, alarms and other detection devices. It can be used to bypass such systems or to install them.
Warship Repair
This skill represents a character�s ability to modify or fix Warships and their systems.
Advanced Skills:
Aerofighter Engineering
Armor Engineering
Drophsip Engineering
Genetic Engineering
Jumpship Engineering
Mech Engineering
Medicine
Vehicle Engineering
Warship Engineering
Weapons Engineering
Specializations for Common Skills
Battlemech Piloting
Light
Medium
Heavy
Assault
Jump Jet Operation
Physical Attacks
Battlemech Gunnery
Lasers
Autocannons
Gauss Rifles
LRMs
SRMs
PPCs
Artillery
Anti-Personnel (A-Pods, Flamers, Machine Guns)
Repair Skills (mech, fighter, vehicle, naval)
Weapons
Armor
Cockpit
Cooling Systems
Fusion Engines
ICE Engines (vehicles)
Propulsion (dropships, warships, fighters)
K-F Drives (jumpships, warships)
Internal Structure
Myomer/Actuators (mechs, power suits)
Sensors
You may only purchase specializations in these broader categories. If your background or IC game play gives you sufficient experience in a specific model of mech, you may EARN (not purchase) a further specialization in that specific mech. That does not apply to the weapon ones. You cannot get an extra specialization in, say, large lasers. All lasers (with the possible exception of the Bombast) work the same. Damage and range are all that differ. Same thing with LRMs. An LRM is an LRM is an LRM, regardless of the pack it comes in. You can argue manufacturer and specialty warheads, but we are not going to get into that.
Do not custom tailor your character around a specific mech just so you �earn� its specialization. I may just give bigger bonuses for the class specializations than those for individual mechs. Along those lines, the general specializations work better for Clanners while specific mech ones would be better for a merc or spheroid who grew up with his mech, had it handed down through his family, etc., etc.
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