What are Skills?
If approaches tell you how your character does things, skills tell you what things your character actually knows; Skills are the useful things that your character has learned to do. Skills are rated at one of three levels, and work in conjunction with your character's approaches:
- Skilled: if your character is Skilled at something, roll 4dF plus the Approach.
- Very Skilled: if your character is Very Skilled at something, roll 4dF+1 plus the Approach.
- Extremely Skilled: if your character is Extremely Skilled at something, roll 4dF+2 plus the Approach.
Example: Agent Smith has Forceful at +2 (Great) and Brawling at +1 (Very Skilled). He's planning to punch out a foe who is fighting him. He rolls plus, minus, minus, and blank (-1) and adds +3 for a total of +2 (Great).
Example: Tim the Enchanter has Clever at +1 (Good) and Fast Talk at 0 (Skilled). He's been caught in a compromising position, and needs to talk his way out of it. He rolls plus, minus, plus, plus (+2) and adds +1 for a total of +3 (Superb) .
There is a fourth skill level which is used in play but does not need to be recorded on the character sheet. It is Unskilled; if your character is Unskilled at something, they will roll 4dF-2 plus the Approach.
Example: Tim the Enchanter is has Quick at +1 (Good) and is -2 (Unskilled) at Auto Mechanics. He needs to hotwire a getaway car and escape the scene. He rolls plus, plus, blank, blank (+2) and adds -2 for a total of 0. Had he possessed a 0 (Skilled) in Auto Mechanics, his total roll would have been +2.
There is no definitive skill list. Skills related to Supernormal Powers (explained later) will be specific and individualized, however, mundane skills can use the following list as a sample guide:
- Athletics
- Burglary
- Crafting
- Deceiving
- Driving
- Fighting
- Gambling
- Healing
- Intimidating
- Investigating
- Noticing
- Persuading
- Taunting
- Tracking
- Shooting
- Sneaking
Feel free to add to, and remove from, this list; your character can have whatever skills you want, subject to GM approval.
Using Skills
Skills work in conjunction with Approaches; the Skill defines what your character is going to do, whereas the Approach says how your character is going to do it. Depending on the narrative of the game, a character may take time to line up a shot on their opponent before they fire; this would be an example of Careful Shooting. On the other hand, a character may be running from an angry mob, trying to get off as many shots as possible; this would be an example of Quick Shooting.
Sometimes, more than one Approach may be applicable. This is perfectly acceptable, and the player should be able to pick the more advantageous of the two. A character may be hidden in a tree, their sniper rifle at the ready, waiting unseen for their opponent to come into range; this could either be an example of Careful Shooting, or of Sneaky Shooting.
Tools of the Trade
Power Fudge does not track gear or armor or weapons; what a character has on-hand is largely dictated by their skills. If a character has a Shooting skill, it's assumed they have a gun of some sort. A Swordplay skill would assume a sword, and a Shieldblocking skill would assume some sort of shield.
Should a character temporarily find themselves without the tools of their trade - a Physician without a medical bag, for instance - all skill rolls are made as if they were Unskilled (-2). Of course, once the tools of the trade are returned to the character, they make skill rolls at their normal level.
