TEXT: STEVEN S. LONG
  SKILL
  SKILL
  
  Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.
  Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  The Ultimate Skill © 2006 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Western Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. 
  d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, 
  electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by 
  any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the 
  Publisher:  DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102.
  Printed in Canada. First printing July 2006
  Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
  Stock Number:  DOJHERO116 • ISBN Number:  1-58366-098-4
  http://www.herogames.com
  An Ultimate Book for the HERO System
  Author: Steven S. Long
  Editing and Developing: Darren Watts
  Layout & Graphic Design:  Andy Mathews
  Cover Illustration: Brendan and Brian Fraim
  Interior Illustration:  Brett Barkley, Nate Barnes, Storn Cook, 
  Robert Cram Jr., Andrew Cremeans, Keith Curtis, Jonathan 
  Davenport, Brendan and Brian Fraim, Malcolm Harrison, 
  Erich Von Hase, Nick Ingeneri, Sam Kennedy, Eric Lofgren, 
  Roberto Marchesi, Cara Mitten, Terry Pavlet, John Ridley, 
  Scott Ruggles, Klaus Scherwinski, Greg Smith, Chris Stevens, 
  Derrick Thomas, Frank Walls
  SPECIAL THANKS
  First of all, special thanks to the “Skill Squad” — Hero fans with knowl-
  edge of various subjects covered in this book who chipped in their own 
  learning, experiences, and ideas to make it as good as possible:  Gordon 
  “Cell Phone Man” Feiner; W. Scott “Navigating Forgery” Field; Robert P. 
  Gorham; Scott “Dr. Anomaly” Gray; Brian Hatch; Daniel “Ionizing Radia-
  tion Scans” Kassiday; Randy “The Paramedic” Madden; Tom McCarthy; 
  Jennifer “Mistress Of Disguise” McCollom; A. Mark “The Engineering 
  Guy” Ratner; and Jason “JmOz” Wedel.
  Second, we’d like to thank all the fans who took the time to visit the “Ulti-
  mate Skill” message boards and post their comments, suggestions, and 
  ideas. We appreciate your willingness to help make this book even better!
  SKILL
  SKILL
  
  INTRODUCTION ............................................. 4
  CHAPTER ONE:  SKILL RULES
  BUYING SKILLS ............................................. 6
  SKILL COST STRUCTURES ............................ 6
  SKILL COST CALCULATIONS ......................... 6
  Changing Skill Costs .................................. 6
  COMBINING SKILLS ...................................... 9
  SKILL PERIOD ............................................ 10
  SKILL ROLLS ............................................... 11
  STANDARD SKILL ROLLS ............................ 11
  Altering The Skill Roll ............................... 12
  Smoothing The Skill Roll Curve ................. 14
  SUCCESS AND FAILURE .............................. 15
  Successful Skill Rolls ............................... 15
  Failed Skill Rolls ...................................... 17
  Hiding Skill Roll Results ............................ 18
  UNTRAINED SKILL USE ............................... 18
  SKILL VERSUS SKILL CONTESTS ................. 20
  COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS .......................... 21
  SKILL SPECIALIZATIONS ............................. 22
  EXTRAORDINARY SKILL ROLLS ................... 23
  BASE TIMES ............................................... 23
  LEARNING SKILLS ...................................... 26
  How To Learn A Skill ................................ 26
  Time To Learn A Skill ............................... 27
  Improving Existing Skills ........................... 29
  Skill Atrophy ............................................ 29
  SKILL MODIFIERS ........................................ 31
  GENERAL MODIFIERS .....................................
  MODIFIERS FOR SKILL CATEGORIES ............ 36
  Agility Skill Modiﬁers ................................ 36
  Intellect Skill Modiﬁers ............................. 37
  Interaction Skill Modiﬁers ......................... 37
  Perceptive Skill Modiﬁers ......................... 39
  Technological Skill Modiﬁers .................... 39
  EVERYMAN SKILLS ...................................... 41
  CREATING EVERYMAN SKILL LISTS ............. 42
  EVERYMAN SKILL LISTS BY GENRE ............. 43
  SKILL ENHANCERS ...................................... 46
  THE ENHANCERS ....................................... 46
  Other Skill Enhancers .............................. 47
  Universal “Enhancers” .............................. 47
  Other Ways To Buy Lots Of  
  Background Skills ................................. 51
  OTHER GAME ELEMENTS ............................ 53
  PERKS ....................................................... 53
  TALENTS ................................................... 54
  POWERS ................................................... 54
  POWER ADVANTAGES ................................ 56
  POWER LIMITATIONS .................................. 57
  POWER FRAMEWORKS .............................. 59
  CHAPTER TWO:  THE SKILLS
  SKILL CATEGORIES ...................................... 62
  Agility Skills ............................................. 62
  Background Skills .................................... 62
  Combat Skills .......................................... 63
  Intellect Skills .......................................... 64
  Interaction Skills ...................................... 64
  Other Skill Categories .............................. 67
  THE SKILLS ................................................. 68
  ACROBATICS ............................................. 69
  ACTING ..................................................... 73
  ANALYZE ................................................... 76
  ANIMAL HANDLER ..................................... 81
  AUTOFIRE SKILLS ....................................... 85
  BREAKFALL ............................................... 87
  BRIBERY .................................................... 91
  BUGGING ................................................... 94
  BUREAUCRATICS ...................................... 105
  CLIMBING ................................................ 109
  COMBAT DRIVING .................................... 112
  COMBAT PILOTING ................................... 115
  COMBAT SKILL LEVELS ............................ 117
  COMPUTER PROGRAMMING ..................... 126
  CONCEALMENT ....................................... 132
  CONTORTIONIST ...................................... 138
  CONVERSATION ....................................... 142
  CRAMMING ............................................. 144
  CRIMINOLOGY ......................................... 146
  CRYPTOGRAPHY ...................................... 160
  DEDUCTION ............................................. 166
  DEFENSE MANEUVER ............................... 168
  DEMOLITIONS .......................................... 170
  DISGUISE ................................................. 173
  ELECTRONICS .......................................... 176
  FAST DRAW ............................................. 179
  FORENSIC MEDICINE ................................ 181
  FORGERY ................................................. 188
  GAMBLING .............................................. 196
  HIGH SOCIETY .......................................... 200
  INTERROGATION ...................................... 203
  INVENTOR ............................................... 206
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL .................................. 209
  LANGUAGE .............................................. 213
  LIPREADING ............................................. 224
  LOCKPICKING .......................................... 226
  MARTIAL ARTS ......................................... 231
  MECHANICS ............................................ 232
  MIMICRY ................................................. 235
  NAVIGATION ............................................. 237
  ORATORY ................................................ 243
  PARAMEDICS ........................................... 245
  PENALTY SKILL LEVELS ............................ 248
  PERSUASION ........................................... 250
  POWER ................................................... 251
  PROFESSIONAL SKILL .............................. 253
  RAPID ATTACK ......................................... 255
  RIDING .................................................... 256
  SCIENCE SKILL ........................................ 258
  SECURITY SYSTEMS ................................. 268
  SEDUCTION ............................................. 293
  SHADOWING ............................................ 295
  SKILL LEVELS .......................................... 301
  SLEIGHT OF HAND ................................... 303
  STEALTH ................................................. 306
  STREETWISE ............................................ 309
  SURVIVAL ................................................ 312
  SYSTEMS OPERATION .............................. 320
  TACTICS .................................................. 330
  TEAMWORK ............................................. 333
  TRACKING ............................................... 335
  TRADING ................................................. 339
  TRANSPORT FAMILIARITY ......................... 342
  TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING .......................... 345
  VENTRILOQUISM ...................................... 347
  WEAPON FAMILIARITY .............................. 348
  WEAPONSMITH ........................................ 351
  NEW SKILLS .............................................. 354
  ARMORSMITH .......................................... 354
  DIVINATION .............................................. 355
  FEINT ...................................................... 360
  HOIST ...................................................... 361
  INSTRUCTOR ........................................... 362
  MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FAMILIARITY ......... 362
  PARACHUTING ......................................... 364
  POISONING .............................................. 367
  RESEARCH .............................................. 371
  CHAPTER THREE:  
  SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT
  SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT ........................... 374
  AUTOMATONS ......................................... 374
  COMPUTERS ............................................ 374
  VEHICLES ................................................ 375
  BASES ..................................................... 379
  Laboratories .......................................... 379
  SKILL GEAR ............................................... 385
  CHAPTER FOUR:   
  ADVENTURING WITH SKILLS
  SKILLS IN COMBAT ................................... 390
  ENTERING COMBAT ................................. 390
  FIGHTING ................................................. 390
  ENVIRONMENTS ........................................ 392
  GRAVITY .................................................. 392
  UNDERWATER .......................................... 392
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  S
  ince the earliest days of the HERO 
  System, the Skills have been one of the 
  most important parts of the rulebook. 
  Skills factor into every single genre — 
  particularly the Heroic genres, where they may 
  form the bulk of the characters’ abilities. After 
  all, one of the ways gamers and fans of adventure 
  fiction tend to define “hero” is “a person of great 
  skill and competence.” Think about how many 
  characters are described as being superb shots 
  with a gun, the world’s best cat burglar, tops in 
  the field of demolitions/security/computers/
  whatever, and so on. All of those abilities are rep-
  resented, in HERO System terms, with Skills.
  Despite this, Skills have received relatively little 
  attention in published products. The Hero genre 
  books and a few other supplements have touched 
  on the application of given Skills in speciﬁc situa-
  tions or settings, but no book has talked about the 
  subject of Skills in general.
  The Ultimate Skill was written to make up 
  for this lack. It examines the subject of Skills from 
  numerous perspectives. It addresses Skills not only 
  in general terms — as a major game element within 
  the HERO System as a whole — but speciﬁcally, on 
  a Skill-by-Skill basis, with new information and 
  rules about every Skill (and several new optional 
  Skills). As always, all the new and expanded rules in 
  this book are strictly optional. Check with your GM 
  before using them to create characters.
  Chapter One, Skill Rules, provides general rules for 
  Skills in the HERO System. It reviews all aspects of 
  Skills — buying them, making Skill Rolls, Comple-
  mentary and Extraordinary rolls, Skill Modiﬁers, 
  and more — in detail, providing not only more 
  information about them but expanded or variant 
  rules for the GM’s consideration.
  Chapter Two, The Skills, contains the bulk of the 
  book. It discusses the HERO System Skills one by 
  one, providing detailed information about what 
  characters can do with them, speciﬁc modiﬁers 
  that apply to them, and how they work in various 
  genres. After reviewing the existing Skills, Chapter 
  Two provides several optional new Skills that play-
  ers and GMs may want to use in their games.
  Chapter Three, Skills And Equipment, covers the 
  topic of how Skills apply to and are bought for/by 
  equipment such as Vehicles, Bases, and Automa-
  tons. It includes a section on laboratories and some 
  examples of equipment that improve a character’s 
  chances to use various Skills. (You can also ﬁnd 
  equipment pertaining to some Skills in those Skills’ 
  sections of Chapter Two.) Chapter Four, Adventuring 
  With Skills, concludes the book with some informa-
  tion on how characters use Skills in combat and 
  similar situations.
  The text of The Ultimate Skill includes all 
  the text from pages 42-77 of the HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised rulebook. Usually the text has 
  been expanded or rewritten to the point where 
  it’s eﬀectively new, but in places where no further 
  elaboration was necessary or desireable, the text 
  is reprinted as-is so that all the information about 
  Skills in the HERO System is in one easily-refer-
  enced volume.
  INTRODUCTION
  4 ■ Introduction
  
  chapter one:
  chapter one:
  SKILL RULES
  
  6 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  S
  kills are abilities characters have learned 
  or were trained to perform; in some 
  cases, characters may be born with them. 
  Examples of Skills include lockpicking, 
  spaceship piloting, knowing all about politics, 
  and fencing. While all characters possess basic 
  knowledge of the world around them (they can 
  speak their native language, do simple arithme-
  tic, and so forth; see Everyman Skills, page 41), 
  they do not all have the ability to pick locks or 
  fire a gun. They must purchase such Skills with 
  Character Points — the same Character Points 
  used to buy Characteristics and Powers.
  A character may obtain a Skill by paying the 
  Character Point cost listed (usually 3 points). Once 
  a character has bought a Skill, he may use that Skill 
  over and over without paying any more Character 
  Points. However, improving the character’s ability 
  in the Skill costs more points.
  The HERO System groups Skills into five cat-
  egories for ease of reference when creating char-
  acters. The categories are: Agility Skills (Skills 
  based on DEX); Background Skills; Combat 
  Skills; Intellect Skills (Skills based on INT); and 
  Interaction Skills (Skills based on PRE). These 
  categories are discussed further beginning on 
  page 62. Characters may have Skills from any or 
  all categories. Skill Enhancers (see page 46) lower 
  the cost of certain Skills.
  SKILL COST STRUCTURES
  The HERO System has five cost structures 
  for Skills. 
  Standard Characteristic-Based Skills
  The most common is the standard Character-
  istic-based Skill model:  for 3 Character points, you 
  get a base roll of (9+(CHAR/5)) or less; +1 to the 
  roll costs +2 Character Points.
  Categorized Characteristic-Based Skills
  Characters buy some types of Characteris-
  tic-based Skills, such as Forgery, Gambling, and 
  Survival, by limited categories. These Skills cost 2 
  Character points for a base roll of (9+(CHAR/5)) 
  or less with one category, or 1 Character Point for 
  that roll with a speciﬁc subcategory; subsequent 
  categories also cost 2 Character Points. Improving 
  the roll by +1 with all categories costs +2 Character 
  Points. Three Skills (Animal Handler, Navigation, 
  and Weaponsmith) diﬀer slightly — the ﬁrst cate-
  gory costs 2 Character Points, and each subsequent 
  category costs 1 Character Point.
  Background Skills
  Background Skills such as Knowledge Skill, 
  Professional Skill, and Science Skill cost 2 Char-
  acter Points for a base 11- roll. Characters can 
  “upgrade” the base to a Characteristic Roll (typi-
  cally an INT-Based roll) for +1 Character Point. 
  Improving the roll by +1 costs +1 Character Point.
  Weapon And Transport Familiarities
  Weapon Familiarity and Transport Familiar-
  ity have a slightly diﬀerent cost structure. The 
  ability to use one subcategory (such as Blades or 
  Camels) costs 1 Character Point. Knowing how to 
  use an entire category of weapons or vehicles (such 
  as Common Melee Weapons or Riding Animals) 
  costs 2 Character Points... assuming characters are 
  allowed to buy entire categories at once.
  Set Cost Skills
  Lastly, some Skills, such as Combat Skill 
  Levels, Cramming, and Two-Weapon Fighting, have 
  a set cost. These Skills typically don’t have rolls.
  SKILL COST  
  CALCULATIONS
  Most Skills consist of three components a 
  character pays for:  the base roll (9- in most cases); 
  the bonus from the related Characteristic (typically 
  CHAR/5); and the cost for increasing the roll (+1 to 
  the roll for +2 Character Points for most Skills). By 
  altering the cost and/or method of calculation for 
  a Skill (or for Skills in general), you can make them 
  more (or less) easy for characters to use, more (or 
  less) common in the campaign, and so forth.
  Changing Skill Costs
  The existing Skill costs set forth in the stan-
  dard rules are generally the best way to buy Skills, 
  but not necessarily the only way. For some games 
  the GM adjusts the cost structure to better repre-
  sent the nature of the campaign setting, the GM’s 
  or players’ preferences regarding Skill purchase and 
  use, or other factors. (See also the discussion on 
  page 12 of Altering The Skill Roll, including discon-
  necting Skill Rolls from Characteristics, and the 
  sections on unifying and/or subdividing Skills in 
  each Skill’s description in Chapter Two.)
  NO SUBDIVIDED SKILLS
  One of the anomalies in the current Skills cost 
  structure is the existence of several Characteristic-
  Based Skills that characters must purchase by cat-
  egory:  Animal Handler, Fast Draw, Forgery, Gam-
  BUYING SKILLS
  ODDS ON 3D6
  As you evaluate the 
  various options for Skill 
  costs and calculations, 
  it may help you to con-
  sider the odds of rolling 
  a certain number or less 
  on 3d6:
   Roll 
  Odds on 3d6
   
  3 
  0.46%
   
  4 
  1.85%
   
  5 
  4.63%
   
  6 
  9.26%
   
  7 
  16.20%
   
  8 
  25.93%
   
  9 
  37.50%
   
  10 
  50.00%
   
  11 
  62.50%
   
  12 
  74.07%
   
  13 
  83.80%
   
  14 
  90.74%
   
  15 
  95.37%
   
  16 
  98.15%
   
  17 
  99.54%
   
  18 
  100.00%
  In the HERO System, 
  a roll of 3 always suc-
  ceeds, and a roll of 18 
  always fails, unless the 
  GM rules otherwise, or a 
  speciﬁc rule indicates a 
  diﬀerent result. See also 
  the Modiﬁer Eﬀects table 
  on page 32.
  
  7 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  bling, Navigation, Survival, and Weaponsmith. This 
  represents a trade-oﬀ between “realism”/logic (for 
  example, “Why should someone who knows how to 
  survive in the arctic have any inkling about how to 
  survive in the Sahara?”) and the general “dramatic 
  action” focus of the HERO System.
  For games that want to emphasize dramatic 
  action or de-emphasize precise Skill use, this sort of 
  “subdivision” of Skills may be unnecessary. In that 
  case, the GM can simply rule that all those Skills 
  are ordinary Characteristic-Based Skills, giving a 
  character who buys them full access to all listed 
  “categories” for the standard base cost of 3 Charac-
  ter Points.
  ALL SUBDIVIDED SKILLS
  Conversely, in campaigns that want to empha-
  size “realism” and heighten the distinctions between 
  Skill-based characters, GMs may want to subdivide 
  more Characteristic-Based Skills, if not all of them, 
  so that they’re bought and used like Gambling, 
  Navigation, or Survival. Alternately, some GMs may 
  ﬁnd it worthwhile to split a single broad Skill into 
  two or more Skills; for example, a GM could divide 
  Security Systems into two Skills, Find Traps and 
  Disarm Traps. The individual Skill descriptions in 
  Chapter Two provide suggestions for “categorizing” 
  or “splitting” most Skills.
  NORMAL SKILL MAXIMA
  In some campaigns GMs confront the problem 
  of “Skill inﬂation” — of characters buying high Skill 
  Rolls so that they rarely fail, thus skewing the game 
  and making it diﬃcult to “realistically” challenge 
  them. To avoid or diminish this problem, some 
  GMs use Normal Skill Maxima rules.
  Similar to Normal Characteristic Maxima, the 
  Normal Skill Maxima places an upper limit on the 
  level of ability a character can have with a Skill. The 
  GM sets the upper limit; in most campaigns it’s 13-. 
  To raise a Skill Roll above the limit requires twice 
  as many points as normal (and GM approval). For 
  example, suppose Desdimona, an elegant and well-
  spoken chatelaine from a noble family, wants to 
  raise her Conversation from 13- to 14-. This costs 4 
  points, rather than the normal 2.
  If a character has a Characteristic that’s so high 
  that he acquires a roll of 14- or higher by paying 
  the standard Skill Cost, the cost of the Skill remains 
  unchanged. However, if he wants to improve the 
  Skill Roll, the Normal Skill Maxima rule applies.
  Skill Levels
  Since they would provide an inexpensive 
  work-around for Normal Skill Maxima, characters 
  in a campaign that uses Normal Skill Maxima may 
  not buy Skill Levels unless the GM speciﬁcally per-
  mits them (which he rarely should). The exception 
  is equipment that provides Skill Levels, such as a set 
  of ﬁnely crafted lockpicking tools (+2 to Lockpick-
  ing rolls with the Focus Limitation).
  Penalty Skill Levels
  In the absence of Skill Levels, and with the 
  increased cost of raising a Skill above 13-, Penalty 
  Skill Levels become an important way for a charac-
  ter to improve his ability with a Skill (assuming the 
  GM uses the optional rule that allows characters to 
  buy PSLs to counteract negative Skill Modiﬁers). 
  They allow a character to learn how to use a Skill 
  in certain situations that ordinarily hinder people. 
  (See page 248 for more information.)
  Spending Experience Points
  During the course of a campaign, a player may 
  spend Experience Points on one of his Character-
  istics and as a result increase his Skill Roll. In this 
  case, Normal Skill Maxima still applies, and the 
  player must spend twice as many points to raise the 
  Skill above 13-. Points previously spent on the Skill 
  are not lost; they simply don’t raise the roll until the 
  total points spent raises it as per the rules above.
  Example:  Sylarin has DEX 17 and Lockpick-
  ing 13- — he spent 3 Character Points on 
  Lockpicking, and another +2 points to increase 
  the roll by 1, to 13-. After a few adventures, 
  he spends 3 Experience Points to increase his 
  DEX to 18. That’s enough to increase his base 
  DEX Roll to 13-, and his base Lockpicking roll 
  to 13- as well. Since his base roll is now at the 
  Normal Skill Maxima, the +2 Character Points 
  previously spent to increase his Lockpicking roll 
  now have no eﬀect — he still only has a 13- roll 
  with Lockpicking. To raise it to 14-, he’ll have to 
  spend another +2 points (for a total of 4 points), 
  per the Normal Skill Maxima rules.
  Increasing Skill Diﬃculty
  You can also apply Normal Skill Maxima 
  rules, or something like them, to make it harder for 
  characters to learn Skills with high rolls, reﬂecting 
  the fact that acquiring basic knowledge of a Skill 
  is fairly easy, but the more advanced one’s study 
  becomes the harder picking up new abilities can 
  get. For example, maybe buying a Skill to 13- or less 
  has the normal cost. Paying to increase the roll to 
  14- or 15- costs 3 Character Points per +1; increas-
  ing it to 16- or 17- costs 4 Character Points per 
  +1; and any increase beyond 17- costs 5 Character 
  Points per +1.
  SKILL COSTS BY GENRE
  In some cases, the GM may want to alter the 
  cost of Skills according to the genre or setting of 
  the campaign. In other words, he makes some 
  Skills (the ones most appropriate or relevant to the 
  genre/setting) cheaper so characters are more likely 
  to buy them, and makes inappropriate Skills more 
  expensive to discourage characters from purchas-
  ing them. In some ways you can think of this as 
  a Package Deal or Skill Enhancer that provides a 
  savings for buying genre-/setting-appropriate Skills. 
  For example, in a Dark Champions game where the 
  GM wants to encourage a lot of fast-paced gunplay, 
  he might reduce the cost of Autoﬁre Skills, Fast 
  Draw, Rapid Attack, and Two-Weapon Fighting.
  Alternately, if the GM thinks that some Skills 
  are unusually useful in a particular genre or set-
  ting, he might want to increase the cost of those 
  Skills to balance out their eﬀectiveness. This could 
  involve a direct cost increase (such as “all Combat 
  Skills cost double”), or it could mean imposing 
  a Normal Skill Maxima (see above) on certain 
  
  8 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SKILL COMBINATIONS
  Name 
  Skills
  Actor 
  Acting, Disguise, Mimicry
  Animal Trainer Animal Handler (7 points’ worth), 
  Riding
  Athletics 
  Acrobatics, Breakfall, Climbing
  Cat Burglar 
  Climbing, Lockpicking, Security 
  Systems
  Commander 
  Oratory, Tactics, WF (4 points’ 
  worth) (add Riding in Fantasy and 
  other appropriate genres)
  Con Artist 
  Conversation, High Society,  
  Persuasion, Seduction
  Crime 
  Bribery, Forgery (3 points’ worth), 
  Gambling (3 points’ worth), Streetwise
  Detective Work Criminology, Deduction, Forensic 
  Medicine, Interrogation
  Dilettante 
  Gambling (3 points’ worth),  
  High Society, Knowledge Skills  
  (6 points’ worth)
  Doctor 
  Paramedics, SS: Medicine (INT 
  Roll), SS: Surgery (INT Roll)
  Electronics Wiz Computer Programming, Electronics, 
  Inventor, Systems Operation
  Finesse 
  Climbing, Contortionist, Sleight 
  Of Hand
  Grease Monkey Inventor, Mechanics
  Gunﬁghter 
  Fast Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting 
  (Ranged), WF (Small Arms)
  Hacker 
  Computer Programming, Cryptogra-
  phy, Electronics, Systems Operation
  Hunter 
  Navigation (Land), Stealth, Survival  
  (2 points’ worth), WF (2 points’ worth)
  Inﬁltration 
  Lockpicking, Security Systems, 
  Stealth
  Pilot 
  Combat Piloting, Navigation (Air), 
  Systems Operation, TF (5 points’ 
  worth of Air Vehicles)
  Politician 
  Bureaucratics, Oratory, Persuasion
  Sage 
  20 points’ worth of Knowledge 
  Skills lumped into one Skill with 
  an appropriate title (for example, a 
  character with an extensive knowl-
  edge of history might buy Sage and 
  change the name to Historian).
  Sailor 
  Navigation (Sea), TF (10 points’ 
  worth — all the watercraft)
  Scientiﬁc Genius 20 points’ worth of Science Skills 
  lumped into one Skill with an appro-
  priate title (for example, a character 
  with an extensive knowledge of the 
  biological sciences might buy Scien-
  tiﬁc Genius and change the name to 
  Biologist or Biology Genius).
  Spy 
  Cryptography, Lockpicking, Security 
  Systems, TF (2 points’ worth),  
  WF (2 points’ worth)
  Surveillance 
  Bugging, Concealment, Shadowing
  Wheelman 
  Combat Driving, Navigation 
  (Land), Shadowing (only in vehi-
  cles), TF (7 points’ worth — all of 
  the Motorized Ground Vehicles)
  
  9 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Skills. In this case, less useful or eﬀective Skills 
  might also become cheaper. For example, in a Fan-
  tasy campaign where the characters mostly sneak 
  around in underground caverns killing monsters 
  and taking their treasure, the GM might make 
  combat-, magic-, and stealth-oriented Skills cost 
  more, but reduce the cost of the much-less-often-
  used social and artistic Skills.
  COMBINING SKILLS
  In games where Skills aren’t an important ele-
  ment of play, or where the GM wants to simplify 
  the options players have to learn to create a charac-
  ter, you can consider combining two or more Skills 
  into one single Skill (a “meta-Skill,” if you will). 
  These are called Skill Combinations. In some ways 
  you can think of them as similar to a Package Deal, 
  since they typically relate to a speciﬁc profession, 
  pursuit, or activity.
  The accompanying table includes some sug-
  gested Skill Combinations, but many others are 
  certainly possible. Some of them indicate that a 
  character must pick a certain number of points’ 
  worth of something (such as Weapon Familiarities 
  or Knowledge Skills). The character must make 
  these choices when he takes the Skill, and they indi-
  cate the limits of his knowledge or abilities within 
  the Skill Combination.
  Some Skills appear in more than one combina-
  tion. If a character buys two or more Skill Com-
  binations containing the same Skill, that doesn’t 
  change the price of the Skills or improve his roll 
  with that Skill.
  In some cases the GM may want to include 
  X points’ worth of Background Skills (typically 
  KSs and PSs) with every Skill Combination to 
  represent the broad and detailed knowledge a 
  Skill Combination tends to represent. For exam-
  ple, a character with the Actor Skill Combination 
  would have KSs and PSs related to show business 
  and the craft of acting — who’s who in Holly-
  wood, how to behave at an audition (and where 
  to find audition listings), basic set design and 
  construction skills, and so forth.
  The GM has to determine the cost of Skill 
  Combinations in his game. One possibility is to 
  make the cost equal the cost of the Skills bought 
  separately, but that may not simplify things very 
  much if simplicity is your goal. The other possibil-
  ity is to establish ﬂat costs — either one ﬂat cost for 
  any Skill Combination (such as 5 Character Points 
  or 10 Character Points), or two or more ﬂat costs 
  (so the GM can group Skill Combinations and 
  make the more useful ones more expensive). The 
  Skill Combinations in the accompanying table are 
  arranged so that they typically have 9-12 points’ 
  worth of Skills; the easiest thing to do in a cam-
  paign is charge 10 Character Points each for them.
  The GM must also decide what it costs to 
  improve a Skill Roll with a Skill Combination. Usu-
  ally this depends on the base price of the Combina-
  tion — the cost to improve the roll is approximately 
  half of the base cost. For example, if the base cost 
  is 10 Character Points, improving the roll typically 
  costs 5 Character Points; if the base cost is 5 points, 
  improving the roll usually costs 3 points. But the 
  ﬁnal decision is up to the GM. The Skill Combina-
  tions in the accompanying table cost 5 Character 
  Points for each +1 to the roll.
  In some cases, the GM may want to vary Skill 
  Combination packages by genre. For example, as 
  noted in the table, the Commander Skill Combina-
  tion should have Riding in Fantasy Hero games.
  COMBINING SKILLS VIA SKILL ENHANCERS
  Rather than reworking the Skill system to 
  create Skill Combinations, the GM can accomplish 
  the same end by devising appropriate new Skill 
  Enhancers. Each Skill Enhancer would be like the 
  Expert Skill Enhancer described on page 47, but 
  characters could use them to buy Skills other than 
  Background Skills.
  The Skill Combinations Table provides you 
  with a good list of Skill Enhancer names you can 
  use. For example, the GM could create a Skill 
  Enhancer called Con Artist. Characters could use 
  it to buy any of the following Skills:  Conversa-
  tion, High Society, Persuasion, Seduction, and any 
  Background Skills related to being a con artist, 
  grifter, scam operator, or the like. The character 
  would receive a -1 point cost reduction for each 
  Skill bought through Con Artist. Similarly, an Inﬁl-
  tration Skill Enhancer would save 1 point on each 
  Skill bought from this list:  Lockpicking, Security 
  Systems, Stealth, and any Background Skill related 
  to breaking and entering.
  COMBINING SKILLS VIA PROFESSIONAL 
  SKILLS
  Another way to achieve the Skill Combina-
  tion eﬀect without making any changes to the rules 
  is to rely heavily on Professional Skills. Instead of 
  spending a lot of points on Cryptography, Forgery, 
  Lockpicking, Security Systems, and other espio-
  nage-related Skills, a character could simply buy PS: 
  Spy with an extremely high roll — at least 20-, and 
  quite possibly more. Then you use the Extraordi-
  nary Skill Rolls rules to govern any use of the Skill. 
  Even though the character probably suﬀers signiﬁ-
  cant penalties for using such a broad PS for some 
  of the precision work normally done with Skills like 
  Lockpicking, with such a high roll the odds are the 
  character will often make the roll, and to spare.
  SKILL  
  PREREQUISITES
  With a few exceptions 
  (such as Inventor, which 
  only works in conjunc-
  tion with some other 
  Technological Skill), the 
  HERO System doesn’t 
  require characters to 
  buy any particular abil-
  ity before buying a Skill. 
  There’s no rule that says, 
  for example, that “only 
  characters with INT 
  15 or higher can buy 
  Demolitions” or “to buy 
  Computer Program-
  ming, a character must 
  ﬁrst have Electronics 
  with at least a 13- roll.” 
  However, there’s no 
  reason a GM couldn’t 
  create “Skill Prerequi-
  site” rules for his own 
  campaign if he wants to. 
  For example, in a world 
  with computers similar 
  to those of early twenty-
  ﬁrst century Earth, but 
  where literacy is far less 
  common, the GM might 
  rule that characters 
  cannot buy Computer 
  Programming until they 
  buy Literacy in at least 
  one language.
  
  10 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SKILL PERIOD
  The GM should decide which Skills characters 
  in his campaign can buy. Not all Skills are appropri-
  ate for all genres (genre books published by Hero 
  Games provide suggestions regarding Skill avail-
  ability). For example, characters in most Fantasy 
  campaigns can’t learn Computer Programming; 
  that Skill depends upon modern electronics and 
  other technologies not available in pre-indus-
  trial or early industrial settings. The GM can also 
  alter the names of Skills to match the campaign. 
  For instance, in a Fantasy campaign Paramedics 
  becomes Healing (or Chirurgy) and High Society 
  becomes Courtier.
  The Skill Table on page 69 assigns all Skills 
  to one or more of three time periods:  Fantasy, 
  Modern, or Future. “Fantasy” includes most 
  pre-industrial societies, such as found in the 
  typical Fantasy campaign. They usually involve 
  little or no use of technology, and often little or 
  no understanding of basic principles or science 
  behind the Skill (if any).
  “Modern” signifies Skills appropriate for 
  campaigns set circa the years 1850-2020 on 
  Earth. In many respects, the Modern period also 
  includes near-future times, and even some prior 
  industrial periods (such as the early Western/
  Victorian era). On the other hand, sometimes 
  the wild and unexplored regions of the world are 
  more like the Fantasy period, even in the twenti-
  eth and twenty-first centuries.
  “Future” includes far-future settings such as 
  those featured in most Science Fiction campaigns. 
  Depending on the nature of the campaign, a Cyber-
  punk game may be “Modern” or “Science Fiction.”
  These periods serve as guidelines for which 
  Skills are appropriate for which types of cam-
  paigns. The GM may alter the list, create more 
  complex period lists, or allow exemptions for 
  specific characters based on conception. For 
  example, a time-traveling wizard from a Fantasy 
  campaign might learn Electronics, or a Science 
  Fiction campaign featuring lots of strange alien 
  creatures might use Riding.
  See the Skill Period section under Skill Modi-
  ﬁers, page 34, for information on how period/genre 
  can modify Skill Rolls.
  Varying Capabilities By Skill Period
  Gamemasters should remember that Skill 
  capabilities vary from period to period and 
  genre to genre. For example, characters from 
  any time period can purchase Criminology, 
  but not until the early Modern period can they 
  take advantage of fingerprinting techniques. 
  A Babylonian priest and a twenty-first century 
  physician might both have Paramedics, but the 
  modern doctor has a lot more knowledge, medi-
  cal techniques, medicines, and medical equip-
  ment available to him than the priest (even if 
  the priest’s roll is much higher).
  As a rough guideline, the GM can assume 
  that a Modern-era Skill provides a character with 
  a minimum of twice as much knowledge and 
  ability as a Fantasy-era Skill (assuming they have 
  roughly the same Skill Rolls), and a Future-era 
  Skill a minimum of twice as much knowledge 
  and ability as a Modern-era Skill. This doesn’t 
  necessarily have any game effect (other than, 
  perhaps, the Skill Modifiers discussed on page 
  34), but it provides a convenient yardstick for 
  comparing characters. Genre books from Hero 
  Games, and where appropriate the “Genre By 
  Genre” sections of the Skill descriptions in Chap-
  ter Two, discuss Skill applications appropriate for 
  specific periods and genres.
  Expanded Skill Periods
  If you want greater “realism” or precision 
  in your campaign, you can expand the Skill 
  periods from the three broad and basic ones 
  described above to the ten discussed on page 34. 
  In that case, the GM should adjust the Skill List 
  as appropriate, though typically Age Of Reason/
  Piracy/Sail falls into “Fantasy,” and Western/Vic-
  torian and Pulp into “Modern.”
  
  11 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  SKILL ROLL
  T
  he HERO System rates most Skills with a 
  number that indicates how well the char-
  acter knows it — the higher the number, 
  the better he is at the Skill. In general, a 
  character with an 11- is fairly good at a Skill, while 
  any Skill over 14- is remarkable. See the Skill Roll 
  Table for general information about what level of 
  competence each Skill Roll indicates (though of 
  course this may vary from campaign to campaign; 
  check with your GM to learn more).
  To use a Skill successfully, a character must roll 
  less than or equal to his Skill Roll on three six-sided 
  dice (3d6). If the roll exceeds his Skill Roll, he has 
  failed. Sometimes the GM applies Skill Modiﬁers 
  (see page 31) that increase or decrease a character’s 
  chances to succeed with a Skill Roll. All Skill Modi-
  ﬁers change the number the character needs to roll, 
  not the dice roll itself (thus, a positive modiﬁer, like 
  +2, is good because it increases a character’s Skill 
  Roll; a negative modiﬁer, like -3, is bad because it 
  reduces the roll). This also applies to the character’s 
  Skill Levels and any Complementary Skills.
  WHEN NOT TO ROLL
  In ordinary situations, when a character’s under 
  no stress or pressure and has suﬃcient time to per-
  form a task correctly, he doesn’t have to make a Skill 
  Roll (or Perception Roll) — the GM can assume suc-
  cess for ease of game play. The same applies to any 
  situation where the facts involved are so commonly 
  known, the knowledge required so basic, or the task 
  being performed so elementary that it strains believ-
  ability to think that someone could know the Skill 
  but not know that fact or be able to perform that task 
  easily. Characters must make Skill Rolls whenever 
  they attempt to use a Skill in diﬃcult or dangerous 
  situations, when under pressure, when success is cru-
  cial or unlikely, when in combat, or the like.
  In short:  Skill Rolls are a part of the game to add 
  dramatic tension and fun, not in deﬁance of common 
  sense and dramatic sense. The GM shouldn’t bother 
  to have a character make a roll unless there’s a good 
  reason why the character should — why his success 
  or failure might be in doubt and might signiﬁcantly 
  impact the events of the story being created.
  TIME REQUIRED TO ROLL
  Typically, making a Skill Roll constitutes a 
  Half Phase Action, but this can vary depending on 
  the Skill used, the task attempted, and the circum-
  stances. Sometimes making a Skill Roll requires 
  hours of eﬀort or no time at all. The Base Times 
  section under each Skill’s writeup in Chapter Two 
  provides more information about how long it takes 
  to perform speciﬁc tasks (or types of tasks) using 
  that Skill; see also page 35.
  STANDARD SKILL ROLLS
  The base Skill Roll for most Intellect, Agility, or 
  Interaction Skills (also called Characteristic-Based 
  Skills), and some Background Skills, is calculated 
  by the following formula:
  Base Skill Roll = 9 + (Characteristic/5) or less
  Thus, the base Skill Roll for an Intellect Skill is 
  9 + (INT/5) or less (standard rounding rules apply). 
  Most Background Skills have a base 11- roll.
  Improving the Skill Roll for standard Char-
  acteristic-Based Skills costs +2 Character Points 
  for each +1 to the roll. Background and Combat 
  Skills, and a few special Skills, have different 
  costs, explained in their individual descrip-
  tions. Characters may apply Limitations to these 
  straightforward improvements to individual 
  Skill Rolls, unless the GM rules otherwise. For 
  example, a sneaky wilderness scout might buy +4 
  to his Stealth roll with the -½ Limitation Only In 
  Wilderness Environments.
  Characters can also improve Skill Rolls by pur-
  chasing Skill Levels. Every Skill Level adds +1 to the 
  base roll of the Skills it applies to. The cost of a Skill 
  Level depends on the number of diﬀerent Skills to 
  which it applies (see Skill Levels, page 301).
  SKILL ROLLS BASED ON ALTERNATE  
  CHARACTERISTICS
  When characters use Characteristic-Based 
  Skills, sometimes the GM will want them to make 
  a Skill Roll based on an alternate Characteristic 
  because of the way they’re employing the Skill. This 
  most often occurs when characters use technology-
  oriented Skills (which are usually based on INT but 
  involve the use of the hands), or when they need to 
  remember some fact pertaining to a Skill not based 
  on INT. For example:
  ■ A character has Demolitions and wants to 
  disarm a bomb. Given the way the GM described 
  the bomb, the disarming procedure involves cut-
  ting two difficult-to-reach wires... and failure 
  may trigger the explosion! The GM decides the 
  character must make his Demolitions roll based 
  on DEX, not INT.
  ■ A character has Security Systems and needs to 
  bypass an alarm. This requires some split-second 
  timing to splice two wires together while the 
  alarm system cycles through a two-second “rest 
  period.” The GM rules that to do the job, the 
  character has to make his Security Systems roll 
  based on DEX, not INT.
  SKILLS AND 
  ENDURANCE
  Skills do not ordinar-
  ily cost END to use. 
  However, “realistically” 
  some of them, such as 
  Climbing, could be con-
  sidered tiring activities. 
  Therefore GMs running 
  “realistic” campaigns 
  may choose to charge 
  characters END for 
  them. Typically this 
  means END for the 
  STR used (perhaps with 
  some minimum cost, 
  such as 2 END  
  per Phase, and subject 
  to the usual rule that 
  a character only pays 
  END once per Phase for 
  all his uses of STR).
  Even if the GM charges 
  END for some Skills, 
  characters cannot  
  Push them.
  
  12 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ■ A character with Acrobatics needs to remember the 
  name of a famous acrobat. The GM rules that he has 
  to make his Acrobatics roll based on INT, not DEX.
  Even when the GM requires a character to use 
  an alternate Characteristic to make a Skill Roll, a 
  character may still apply any bonuses or Skill Levels 
  bought to aﬀect that Skill. This includes Skill Levels 
  with “all Skills based on a particular Characteristic” 
  when the “particular Characteristic” is either the 
  one normally used for the Skill or the alternate one. 
  For instance, in the Demolitions example above, if 
  the character had bought a 3-point Skill Level with 
  Bugging, Computer Programming, and Demoli-
  tions, he could apply it to his roll. He could also 
  apply a Skill Level with All Intellect Skills (since 
  Demolitions is ordinarily an Intellect Skill) or with 
  All Agility Skills (since the GM’s currently requir-
  ing him to make his roll based on DEX). However, 
  if a character has 5-point Skill Levels with both cat-
  egories of Skill (the one the Skill normally belongs 
  to and the one he’s currently using it as) he may not 
  apply both — he has to decide which one to apply.
  FAMILIARITIES
  As noted on the Skill Roll Table, a character 
  may buy a Familiarity with any Characteristic-
  Based, Knowledge, Science, or Professional Skill. 
  Familiarity with a Skill costs 1 Character Point and 
  gives the character a basic knowledge of the abil-
  ity described. The Skill Roll is an 8- for any Skill 
  with which the character has a Familiarity, whether 
  or not the Skill is Characteristic-Based. (In other 
  words, the character has an 8- roll with the Skill; his 
  Characteristics do not modify this.)
  For Skills like Animal Handler, Forgery, Gam-
  bling, Navigation, and Survival, which cost 2 points 
  for a Characteristic-based roll with a category and 
  have 1-point subcategories of those categories, a 
  character who pays for a Familiarity may choose to 
  be Familiar with either a 2-point category or a 1-
  point subcategory. However, to preserve game bal-
  ance, the GM should forbid characters to purchase 
  multiple Familiarities with the same Skill, again and 
  again, to obtain two or more 2-point categories for 
  1 point each.
  No Skill Levels (not even Overall Skill Levels) 
  add to the 8- chance to perform a Skill a character’s 
  Familiar with, since the character doesn’t under-
  stand the Skill well enough to use his expertise. 
  However, Skill Modiﬁers may apply to make using 
  a Familiarity easier (or more diﬃcult). For example, 
  taking several Turns should make being stealthy an 
  easier task. A Familiarity can serve as a Comple-
  mentary Skill (see below).
  The 1 point spent for the Familiarity counts 
  toward the cost of the Skill if the character later 
  buys the full 3-point Skill. Thus, if Andarra buys 
  Familiarity with Contortionist for 1 point and later 
  decides to buy Contortionist, which costs 3 points, 
  she need only spend 2 additional Character Points.
  If a character buys a Familiarity with a Skill on 
  a Focus, he gets the normal 8- Familiarity roll, not 
  the standard 9- roll for a Skill on a Focus.
  See below regarding expanding the concept of 
  Familiarities.
  Altering The Skill Roll
  One way to change how Skills impact your 
  game is to alter the Skill Roll characters obtain by 
  buying a Skill.
  ALTERING THE BASE ROLL
  The base roll — 9- for Characteristic-Based 
  Skills — is the foundation upon which most 
  Skills are built. If the cost of the Skill remains 
  constant, increasing the base roll makes Skills 
  more powerful and easy for characters to use, 
  while decreasing it makes Skills weaker and more 
  difficult for characters to use. On the other hand, 
  a change that’s matched by a corresponding 
  change in Character Point cost — or balanced 
  by changes in the Characteristic bonus or cost of 
  increasing the roll — may result in no significant 
  net effect in most cases.
  For example, suppose you change Skills in 
  your game so that the base roll is 8- — or even 7-. 
  Unless you also make them cheaper in some way, or 
  alter the Characteristic bonus, Skills just got harder 
  for characters to use. The odds of succeeding with a 
  typical Skill Roll drop considerably, and characters 
  who want to depend primarily on their Skills have 
  to allot more points for buying increases to the roll.
  On the other hand, suppose you increase the 
  base roll to 10- or 11-. Suddenly characters are 
  likely to have a much easier time succeeding with 
  Skill rolls — the typical Skill starts out in the 12- to 
  SKILL ROLL TABLE
  Characteristic Value 
  Skill Roll 
  Description
  N/A 
  8- 
  A Familiarity — very basic knowledge. See page 
  12 regarding Familiarities.
  2 or less 
  9-
  3, 4, 5, 6, 7 
  10-
  8, 9, 10, 11, 12 
  11- 
  Competent:  The character can perform rou-
  tine tasks easily, and diﬃcult tasks with a little 
  eﬀort. He’s qualiﬁed to get a job using the Skill.
  13, 14, 15, 16, 17 
  12- 
  Skilled:  The character is well-versed in the 
  Skill; he can perform even diﬃcult tasks with-
  out too much eﬀort. He’s qualiﬁed to manage or 
  assist less-skilled workers as they use the Skill.
  18, 19, 20, 21, 22 
  13-
  23, 24, 25, 26, 27 
  14- 
  Very Skilled:  The character is a master with the 
  Skill. He can perform more diﬃcult or unusual 
  tasks without too much trouble.
  28, 29, 30, 31, 32 
  15-
  33, 34, 35, 36, 37 
  16- 
  Highly Skilled:  The character is one of the very 
  best people in the world with that Skill. He often 
  works on cutting-edge applications of the Skill.
  38, 39, 40, 41, 42 
  17-
  43, 44, 45, 46, 47 
  18- 
  Extremely Skilled:  The character is one of the 
  greatest masters of the Skill in history. He 
  develops new uses for the Skill and “pushes the 
  envelope” of what it can do.
  48, 49, 50, 51, 52 
  19-
  53, 54, 55, 56, 57 
  20- 
  Incredibly Skilled:  The character amazes even 
  other skilled practitioners. He’s perhaps the 
  greatest master of the Skill in history.
  ...and so on.
  Characters can also improve a Skill Roll by paying more Character Points for the Skill, as 
  listed in the text. Having a high Characteristic isn’t the only way to get a high Skill roll.
  
  13 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  14- range (or 13- to 15- for a base 11-), rather than 
  11- to 13- as with the standard rules.
  If you increase the base roll, you may want to 
  consider allowing characters to buy the base roll 
  sort of like a Familiarity with an ordinary Skill:  for 
  a ﬂat, relatively cheap cost, a character can buy a 
  base roll with the Skill that he cannot increase with 
  Skill Levels or the like.
  The Cost Of A Base Roll
  Instead of changing the base roll, the GM 
  might instead want to consider changing what 
  Skills cost. For example, instead of charging 3 
  Character Points for a Characteristic-Based roll, 
  the GM might charge 2 points. For purposes of 
  game balance, that typically has about the same 
  effect as increasing the base roll — the character 
  gets more effectiveness for his points. On the 
  other hand, increasing the cost to 4 or 5 Charac-
  ter Points reduces the number of Skills charac-
  ters can afford to buy.
  ALTERING THE CHARACTERISTIC BONUS
  The standard Characteristic bonus — the 
  Characteristic divided by 5, or CHAR/5 — is a 
  fundamental part of the HERO System; it fac-
  tors into Characteristic Rolls, Perception Rolls, 
  and various other rules in addition to Skill Rolls. 
  Therefore, you should consider the implications 
  carefully before deciding to change it (particu-
  larly if you don’t alter some other aspect of the 
  Skill, or change the cost, to compensate). For 
  example, if you change the calculation for Skills, 
  should you also change it for Characteristic Rolls 
  and PER Rolls? Do you need to alter the value of 
  the Requires A Skill Roll Limitation?
  The smaller you make the divisor used to 
  determine the bonus, the more powerful and rela-
  tively cheap you make Skills. For example, CHAR/4 
  or CHAR/3 tend to give characters higher Skill 
  Rolls than the standard CHAR/5, making them 
  better at their Skills and thus more likely to accom-
  plish their goals when using them. Conversely, 
  changing the bonus calculation to CHAR/6, or 
  CHAR/8, or even CHAR/10 puts greater emphasis 
  on the base roll and makes it harder for characters 
  to succeed when using Skills.
  One beneﬁt to changing the Characteristic 
  bonus calculation is that it can serve as a way to 
  steer players away from buying Characteristics just 
  in values that end in 3 and 8 (i.e., 13, 15, 18, 23, and 
  so on). A calculation of CHAR/4 or CHAR/3 sud-
  denly makes Primary Characteristic totals like 12, 
  14, and 17 interesting choices for players concerned 
  with “points eﬃciency.”
  Changing the way the Characteristic bonus is 
  calculated may not work well in Superheroic games. 
  In Heroic campaigns, where Primary Characteris-
  tics usually stay in the 10-20 range (only rarely get-
  ting as high as 25), it’s easy to determine the eﬀects 
  of a diﬀerent calculation. In Superheroic games, 
  where Primary Characteristics can easily reach 30 
  or more, alternate Skill Roll calculations may cause 
  game balance problems by making Skill Rolls rise 
  too quickly.
  
  14 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  No Characteristic-Based Skills
  In some campaigns the GM may want to 
  separate all Skills from Characteristics entirely. 
  In this case, for the existing Characteristic-
  Based Skills, a character buys a flat 11- roll for 3 
  Character Points, and can increase the roll from 
  that point for the standard cost of +2 Character 
  Points for each +1 to the roll.
  While the standard Characteristic-Based Skill 
  rules work well for simulating dramatic action in 
  most genres and settings, for some campaigns they 
  don’t function as eﬀectively. In a more “realistic” 
  game, the relationship between Characteristics 
  and Skills may come into question. Just because 
  a character’s more agile and dexterous shouldn’t 
  necessarily make him any better at piloting, picking 
  locks, or moving stealthily — those abilities depend 
  primarily on training, not inherent aptitude. Thus, 
  a character’s devotion to learning and perfecting a 
  Skill (in game terms, how many Character Points 
  he’s willing to spend on a Skill) is the only thing 
  that dictates his level of ability.
  Making this change has several implications for 
  your game. First, it means characters have to pay more 
  Character Points to get the same Skill Rolls they’d 
  have under the standard rules, which means a greater 
  percentage of their overall Character Point allotment 
  may go to Skills. Second, since Characteristics now 
  have no impact on Skills, characters may spend fewer 
  points on them (perhaps putting the saved points 
  directly into Skills), or buy them in amounts that don’t 
  divide favorably by 5. Third, characters may spend 
  more points on Skill Levels, particularly those for 
  given categories of Skills (which you can still use as 
  convenient organizational tools even if the Skills in a 
  category are no longer based on the same Character-
  istic). Fourth, if characters don’t spend the points to 
  obtain the same Skill Rolls they’d have under the stan-
  dard rules, they’ll be less competent, and thus more 
  likely to fail Skill Rolls during adventures. This may 
  impact everyone’s enjoyment of the game.
  All Characteristic-Based Skills
  On the other hand, some GMs might want to 
  base all (or nearly all) Skills on some sort of Charac-
  teristic Roll. This may involve making some changes 
  to the way those Skills work. See the individual Skill 
  descriptions in Chapter Two for some suggestions.
  ALTERING THE ROLL INCREASE
  Most Characteristic-Based Skills cost +2 Char-
  acter Points for each +1 to the Skill (Background 
  Skills cost +1 point per +1 to the roll). A change to 
  this calculation can serve to balance a change made 
  to the other factors.
  To make Skills easier for characters to use suc-
  cessfully, you could make Characteristic-Based Skill 
  bonuses cost the same as for Background Skills — 
  +1 Character Point for +1 to the roll. If you adopt 
  this method, you may want to change Background 
  Skills to +1 point for +2 to the roll, but you could 
  just leave them all the same.
  On the other hand, increasing the cost for 
  each +1 makes Skills harder for characters to use 
  successfully, and tends to emphasize the base roll 
  and/or Characteristic bonus. A cost of +3 or +5 
  Character Points per +1 to the Skill roll deﬁnitely 
  makes it more diﬃcult for characters to buy their 
  Skills to really high levels.
  ALTERING FAMILIARITY 
  Another way you can change the general 
  scheme of Skill costs is to expand the rules regard-
  ing Familiarities.
  Diﬀerent Roll
  Instead of starting Familiarity at 8-, the GM 
  might consider using a diﬀerent base roll. (This 
  may depend on whether the Untrained Skill Use 
  rules, page 18, are used in the campaign.) For 
  example, the GM might lower the Familiarity roll 
  to 6- or 7-, or raise it to 9- (equivalent to the base 
  9- for most Characteristic-Based Skills without the 
  Characteristic bonus). This can have the eﬀect of 
  increasing or decreasing the “curve” of Skill acquisi-
  tion (see below).
  Advanced Familiarities
  Instead of restricting Familiarities to 1 point 
  for an 8- roll, the GM could allow characters to buy 
  a ﬂat 11- roll with a Skill — an Advanced Familiar-
  ity — for 2 Character Points. As with a normal 
  Familiarity, characters cannot use any type of Skill 
  Level to improve this roll, but the GM could assign 
  appropriate Skill Modiﬁers.
  Of course, an 11- roll for Advanced Familiari-
  ties isn’t the only possibility. As indicated on the 
  table on page 6, an 11- roll means a 62.5% chance 
  to succeed with a Skill Roll (assuming no modi-
  ﬁers apply) — signiﬁcantly more than half. If an 
  Advanced Familiarity only provided a 10- roll, that 
  would reduce the chance to a ﬂat 50% (double the 
  chance of an 8-), and a 9- to 37.5%. Both of those 
  might suit the concept of “Familiarity” with a Skill 
  better; on the other hand, they may not seem like a 
  worthwhile investment for many characters.
  Smoothing The  
  Skill Roll Curve
  To one degree or another, many of the 
  optional rules above about changing how Skill 
  Rolls are derived and what Skills cost are intended 
  to “smooth out” the Skill Roll curve for games 
  that desire greater precision. The standard HERO 
  System rules primarily allow for rolls of 8-, 11-, and 
  based on a Characteristic (usually meaning 12- or 
  more). For 1 Character Point, characters can buy an 
  8- roll (a 26% chance of success, roughly speaking). 
  For 2 points, if it’s a Background Skill or you use 
  the Advanced Familiarity rules, he can buy an 11- 
  roll — a 62.5% chance of success, or a 36.5% jump 
  for a single Character Point. For 3 points, he can 
  increase that roll to, typically, 12- to 14- (74-91% 
  chance of success).
  For some campaigns, particularly those where 
  Skills are important and most of the PCs rely on them 
  extensively, those three stages are too extreme — they 
  provide too much beneﬁt for too little cost. To some 
  extent this is an unavoidable byproduct of the bell 
  curve that comes from rolling 3d6 for Skill Rolls, but 
  it’s possible to mitigate the eﬀects. To compensate for 
  
  15 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  it, the GM changes how Skill Rolls are derived and/or 
  what Skills cost, thus allowing for more options and a 
  smoother advancement curve.
  Here are some examples of alternate rules that 
  address this concern. Most of them are primarily 
  appropriate for Heroic campaigns; in Superheroic 
  games where Primary Characteristics can easily 
  reach 30 or more, alternate Skill Roll calculations 
  may cause game balance problems.
  ■ for 1 Character Point, characters can buy an 
  8- roll with a Skill (26% chance of success); for 
  2 Character Points, they can buy a 10- roll with 
  a Background Skill or as an Advanced Familiar-
  ity with other Skills (50% chance of success); for 
  3 Character Points they can buy a standard (9 + 
  (CHAR/5)) Skill Roll (giving a character with a 
  Primary Characteristic of 10 an 11- roll, or 62.5% 
  chance of success, and one with a 20 a 13- roll, or 
  83.8% chance of success).
  ■ for 1 Character Point, characters can buy an 
  8- roll with a Skill (26% chance of success); for 
  2 Character Points, they can buy a 9- roll with a 
  Background Skill or as an Advanced Familiarity 
  with other Skills (37.5% chance of success); for 3 
  Character Points they can buy a Skill Roll calcu-
  lated as (5 + (CHAR/2)) Skill Roll (giving a charac-
  ter with a Primary Characteristic of 10 a 10- roll, or 
  50% chance of success, and one with a 20 a 15- roll, 
  or 95.4% chance of success).
  ■ for 1 Character Point, characters can buy an 
  8- roll with a Skill (26% chance of success); for 2 
  Character Points, they can buy a Skill Roll calcu-
  lated as (8 + (CHAR/6)) (giving a character with 
  a Primary Characteristic of 10 a 10- roll, or 50% 
  chance of success); for 3 Character Points they can 
  buy a standard (9 + (CHAR/5)) Skill Roll (giving 
  a character with a Primary Characteristic of 10 an 
  11- roll, or 62.5% chance of success, and one with a 
  20 a 13- roll, or 83.8% chance of success).
  ■ for 1 Character Point, characters can buy a 7- roll 
  with a Skill (16% chance of success); for 2 Character 
  Points, they can buy a 9- roll with a Background Skill 
  or as an Advanced Familiarity with other Skills (37.5% 
  chance of success); for 3 Character Points, they can 
  buy a Skill Roll calculated as (8 + (CHAR/4)) (giving a 
  character with a Primary Characteristic of 10 an 11- 
  roll, or 62.5% chance of success, and one with a 20 a 
  13- roll, or 83.8% chance of success).
  ■ for 1 Character Point, characters can buy a 7- roll 
  with a Skill (16% chance of success); for 2 Charac-
  ter Points, they can buy a 9- roll with a Background 
  Skill or as an Advanced Familiarity with other 
  Skills (37.5% chance of success); for 3 Character 
  Points, they can buy a Skill Roll calculated as (7 
  + (CHAR/3)) (giving a character with a Primary 
  Characteristic of 10 a 10- roll, or 50% chance of 
  success, and one with a 20 a 14- roll, or 90.7% 
  chance of success).
  ■ change the rules pertaining to Skill Levels and 
  Familiarities slightly. Instead of banning the applica-
  tion of Skill Levels to Familiarities altogether, allow 
  characters to apply Skill Levels to a Familiarity if 
  those Skill Levels are bought only for that particular 
  Skill or for a tight group of Skills (i.e., only 2- and 3-
  point Skill Levels could apply to a Familiarity, not 5- 
  or 8-point Levels). That allows characters to smooth 
  out the Skill Roll curves for particular Skills if they 
  really want to. For example, a character with three 
  Familiarities and three 3-point Skill Levels for them 
  would be spending 12 Character Points for three 11- 
  rolls (as opposed for four discrete Skills, each with a 
  Characteristic-Based roll). The GM could choose to 
  allow some or all of the more expensive Skill Levels 
  to apply, but that may cause game balance problems 
  in some campaigns.
  SUCCESS AND FAILURE
  The most basic issues pertaining to any Skill 
  Roll are these:  what does it take to succeed with 
  the roll... and what does success (and, likewise, fail-
  ure) mean?
  Successful Skill Rolls
  If the character rolls less than or equal to his 
  Skill Roll, taking all modiﬁers into account, he suc-
  ceeds. The more he makes the roll by, the greater his 
  degree of success.
  Example:  Two characters — Garrett Starbow, 
  with Computer Programming 14-, and Alacar 
  West, with Computer Programming 12- — both 
  try to reprogram an enemy computer system 
  to open a door. Garrett rolls a 12, and Alacar 
  rolls a 7. Even though Alacar knows less about 
  computers in general than Garrett does, he did 
  much better at this task than Garrett did — he 
  made his roll by 5, whereas Garrett only made 
  his roll by 2. Apparently Alacar knows some-
  thing about automatic door programming that 
  Garrett doesn’t — or maybe he just got lucky.
  DEGREE OF SUCCESS
  As noted above, the more a character makes 
  his Skill Roll by, the greater his “degree of success.” 
  In general this doesn’t have any impact unless the 
  character’s trying to overcome a penalty or win a 
  Skill Versus Skill Contest. However, some GMs like 
  to assign additional eﬀect to a greater degree of 
  success to reward the character for his better-than-
  normal performance. In this case, the character 
  achieves some bonus proportional to his degree of 
  success. Examples include:
  ■ if the Skill Roll provides a bonus to CV (or the 
  like), the amount of the bonus depends on the 
  degree of success. If the character succeeds exactly, 
  he gets a +1 bonus; for each additional point by 
  which he succeeds, he gets another +1.
  If this system seems too likely to give characters 
  large bonuses, the GM can alter the impact of a high 
  degree of success by increasing the amount of success 
  needed for an additional +1 (for example, to +1 for 
  every 2 points the character makes his Skill Roll by). 
  Another possibility is a sliding scale:  for an additional 
  +1, the character has to make the roll by 2; for the next 
  +1, by 4; for the next +1, by 8; and so on.
  
  16 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ■ for every point the character makes the Skill Roll 
  by, he receives a +2 (or greater) bonus on all related 
  and appropriate Presence Attacks made that Phase 
  — he’s performed so impressively that it’s easier to 
  awe or frighten other people.
  ■ if the Skill Roll is used to operate a power with 
  the Requires A Skill Roll Limitation, for every 
  point the character makes the roll by, he can (if 
  he chooses) increase the eﬀectiveness of (i.e., 
  Active Points in) the power by 10% (or some other 
  amount). The character must pay the extra END for 
  the bonus Active Points used.
  ■ if the task takes a long time to perform (1 Turn or 
  more), the character performs it more quickly. The 
  amount of time saved is up to the GM, but typically 
  1 Segment or 1 Phase per point the roll succeeds by 
  is appropriate. The GM can also invoke the rules on 
  page 35 and rule that for each full 3 points the Skill 
  Roll succeeds by, the character performs the Skill 
  one step up the Time Chart more quickly. However, 
  the character cannot reduce the time as much as a 
  Critical Success would; see below. And of course, 
  if a character takes extra time to get a bonus to 
  his Skill Roll, that deﬁnes how long the task takes 
  regardless of how well he rolls.
  Critical Success
  A result of 3 on a Skill Roll always indicates 
  a spectacular success, known as a Critical Success 
  in game terms. When a character achieves a Crit-
  ical Success, the GM decides exactly what hap-
  pens. When deciding, he should devise results to 
  suit the situation and lend color or conflict to an 
  encounter. If used correctly, a Critical Success is 
  more than just a really good roll — it’s also a way 
  to add a twist, or at the very least some flavor, to 
  the action in the game.
  Here are some examples and guidelines for 
  Critical Successes. In general, a Critical Success 
  has a lasting impact (whereas a normal result for 
  a Skill Roll usually doesn’t have an eﬀect beyond 
  the immediate moment) that the character or his 
  comrades beneﬁts from. In other words, he doesn’t 
  simply succeed and move on — the Critical Success 
  has repercussions that make their eﬀects known at 
  a later date.
  ■ The character is so successful, he receives a bonus 
  of +2 to his next use of the Skill, either because he’s 
  so conﬁdent or has gained some insight into gen-
  eral use of the Skill.
  ■ The character performs the task much more 
  quickly than normal — in other words, he com-
  pletes the task earlier than expected. Move the 
  time required to complete the task up two steps (or 
  more) on the Time Chart. (Compare the amount 
  the Critical Success makes the roll by to the rules 
  on page 35 as a guideline.) The diﬀerence in the 
  time he needed should be dramatic — for instance, 
  the character announces it will take him an hour or 
  so, and he ﬁnishes ﬁve minutes later.
  ■ If the situation requires multiple uses of the Skill, 
  the Critical Success renders additional Skill Rolls 
  unnecesary.
  
  17 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Failed Skill Rolls
  A failed Skill Roll means the character can’t 
  perform the chosen action (such as picking a par-
  ticular lock) or receives no beneﬁt from the Skill. 
  The more he fails the roll by, the greater his degree 
  of failure (see below). 
  A character who fails his Skill Roll is still more 
  proﬁcient at a given Skill than a character without 
  the Skill. The GM shouldn’t assume that failing a 
  Skill Roll is worse than not having the Skill at all. 
  However, characters are better oﬀ not trying to use 
  certain Skills — like Demolitions — unless they’re 
  reasonably proﬁcient with them.
  The GM may want to make some Skill Rolls 
  himself, just to keep the characters guessing. In this 
  case, he can tell them “You think the bomb is rigged 
  properly” or “You’re not sure they believed your 
  disguise,” according to the roll. If a character misses 
  a roll by a signiﬁcant amount, the GM can tell the 
  player it seemed successful even though it wasn’t 
  (leading to complications). (See page 18 for more 
  information.)
  See the individual Skill descriptions in Chapter 
  Two for more speciﬁc Skill-by-Skill discussion of 
  the consequences of failed Skill Rolls.
  RETRYING SKILL ROLLS
  After a character fails a Skill Roll, in most 
  cases he can try again, subject to one major 
  restriction:  he cannot retry the Skill on the same 
  subject or roll again until the situation changes 
  in his favor. A “change in favor” means he must 
  somehow obtain at least a +1 modifier to the 
  Skill Roll, which can be as simple as taking more 
  time (see Skill Modifiers, page 31). Of course, 
  retrying the roll typically means taking the Base 
  Time again (or longer, to obtain a bonus for 
  doing that if desired), making the preparations 
  all over again, and so forth — and of course 
  the character he must make and succeed with 
  another Skill Roll to achieve his objective.
  If a character fails a Skill Roll badly (by 4 or 
  more) the GM may rule that retrying the Skill is 
  not possible at that time. The GM may also cap 
  the number of repeated attempts to use a Skill for 
  a speciﬁc task (typically at 3-4 attempts), on the 
  grounds that at some point that many failures in 
  a row indicate the character just can’t do what he 
  wants to do no matter how hard he tries.
  DEGREE OF FAILURE
  As noted above, the more a character fails 
  a Skill Roll by, the greater his “degree of failure.” 
  For most failures, this doesn’t have any special 
  impact or effect. However, if a character fails 
  his Skill roll by a large enough amount, he may 
  suffer additional negative effects. The exact 
  threshold for this varies a little from Skill to 
  Skill, as discussed in the individual Skill descrip-
  tions in Chapter Two. Typically a failure by 1 to 
  3 points is “ordinary,” but failure by 4 or more 
  points creates further complications for a charac-
  ter. For example, failing a Lockpicking roll by 1-3 
  just means the character can’t pick the lock; he 
  can try again after obtaining at least a +1 bonus 
  (see above). But if he fails by 4 or more, the GM 
  should impose an additional negative effect:  a 
  jammed lock, an alarm going off, a broken lock-
  pick, or the like.
  Some examples of “generic” failures not depen-
  dent on the Skill involved include:
  ■ if the Skill Roll was intended to provide a bonus 
  to CV (or the like), the character suﬀers a corre-
  sponding penalty (or a penalty that gets worse the 
  greater the degree of failure) in his next Phase.
  ■ for every point the character fails the Skill Roll 
  by, he suﬀers a -2 (or greater) penalty on all related 
  and appropriate Presence Attacks made that Phase 
  — he’s performed so poorly that he can’t impress or 
  frighten people as well.
  ■ if the Skill Roll is used to operate a power with 
  the Requires A Skill Roll Limitation, for every point 
  the character fails the roll by, the eﬀectiveness of 
  (i.e., Active Points in) the power are reduced by 
  10% (or some other amount). However, the char-
  acter must pay the full END cost for the power’s 
  normal total Active Points.
  ■ a follow-up attempt to use the Skill, or to correct 
  the problem caused by the failure, takes 50% (or 
  greater) more time than normal.
  Critical Failure
  A result of 18 on a Skill Roll always indicates 
  a spectacular failure, known as a Critical Failure. 
  When a character achieves a Critical Failure, the 
  GM decides exactly what happens. He should devise 
  results to suit the situation and lend color or conﬂict 
  to an encounter. If used correctly, a Critical Failure 
  is more than just a really bad roll — it’s also a way to 
  add a dangerous twist to the game or really worsen 
  the character’s situation in a challenging way.
  Here are some examples and guidelines for 
  Critical Failures. In general, a Critical Failure has a 
  lasting impact (whereas a normal result for a Skill 
  Roll usually doesn’t have an eﬀect beyond the imme-
  diate moment) that the character or his comrades 
  suﬀers from. In other words, he doesn’t simply fail 
  and move on — the Critical Failure has repercus-
  sions that make their eﬀects known at a later date.
  ■ The character fails so badly he receives a penalty 
  of -2 to his next use of the Skill because his conﬁ-
  dence in his ability is shaken.
  ■ The character fails so badly no other PC can 
  attempt the same task (nor can the character cor-
  rect the results of his failure). For example, the 
  character breaks his lockpick in the lock, and 
  none of his comrades can try to pick the lock now 
  because he’s jammed the lock beyond repair.
  ■ For Interaction Skills, the character fails so badly 
  his target believes the worst possible thing — worst, 
  in this case, meaning whatever makes the PC’s life 
  more diﬃcult. For example, suppose a PC attempts 
  to use Persuasion to convince a guardsman he 
  didn’t rob the merchant. The PC fumbles, and the 
  guardsman believes the PC not only robbed the 
  merchant, but is also the murderer who killed the 
  Prince’s second cousin last night.
  HALF ROLLS
  Some Skills provide 
  additional beneﬁts or 
  bonuses if a character 
  makes a “half roll.” This 
  means his roll has to 
  be equal to or less than 
  half of his modiﬁed Skill 
  Roll (standard round-
  ing rules apply). For 
  example, if a character’s 
  Skill Roll, after applying 
  all modiﬁers, is 12- or 
  11-, then a half roll is 
  any roll of 6 or less. If 
  his roll is 16- or 15-, a 
  half roll is 8 or less.
  
  18 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ■ Someone witnessed the PC’s failure, embellished 
  the story, and told all his friends. For the next few 
  days, wherever the PC goes he hears people snick-
  ering about him. He may suﬀer penalties on rel-
  evant Presence Attacks.
  ■ If the situation requires multiple uses of the Skill, 
  the Critical Failure means the entire task fails, so 
  the character isn’t even allowed to make the other 
  Skill Rolls. Similarly, if the Critical Failure occurred 
  with a Complementary Skill Roll, the failure makes 
  it impossible for the character to succeed with the 
  base Skill’s roll.
  Hiding Skill Roll Results
  Sometimes the GM may not want a charac-
  ter to know whether he’s succeeded or failed at a 
  Skill Roll. In many cases a character knows right 
  away what’s happened:  the bomb does or does not 
  explode; he does or does not succeed with making a 
  “bootlegger reverse” while driving; he does or does 
  not get his weapon out quickly with Fast Draw. But 
  in other cases success or failure aren’t immediately 
  apparent. A character may think he’s properly set a 
  bomb to explode at a certain time in a certain way, 
  but he could be wrong. He may think he’s found the 
  information he needs, when in fact he’s overlooked 
  something important. He may think he’s properly 
  analyzed the objects he’s found or the nature of the 
  current situation, when he’s actually made a crucial 
  mistake. He may think he’s persuaded someone to 
  agree with him... but can he be sure?
  In situations where the GM (a) thinks that a 
  character’s ability to evaluate the outcome of a Skill 
  Roll would be in doubt, and (b) where that doubt 
  could add fun to the game, the GM should conceal 
  the outcome of the Skill Roll from the player. The 
  easiest way to do this is for the GM himself to make 
  the Skill Roll; if the player strongly prefers to roll 
  his own dice, the GM should have him roll them 
  so that only the GM can see the result. He then 
  provides whatever information seems most appro-
  priate:  “You think you set the detonation charge 
  properly”; “You think you’ve convinced her you’re 
  right”; “You’ve been through every book and map 
  you can ﬁnd and you’re pretty sure you know how 
  to ﬁnd the Dark Lord’s Tomb.”
  Of course, even with a system of “Skill out-
  come uncertainty,” characters should usually be 
  able to ﬁgure out if they’ve succeeded or failed. Part 
  of being adept with a particular Skill means being 
  able to evaluate how good a job you’ve done. But 
  in some cases, particularly marginal success and 
  dismal failure, the “special eﬀect” of the Skill Roll 
  may be that the character mistakenly judges the 
  results of his work.
  UNTRAINED SKILL USE
  Sometimes a character wants to attempt an 
  action for which he doesn’t know the appropriate 
  Skill — not even as an Everyman Skill. For example, 
  he might want to bribe a guard even though he 
  doesn’t have Bribery, defuse a bomb even though 
  he knows nothing about Demolitions, or wants to 
  ﬁnd his way through the wilderness even though he 
  lacks the Navigation Skill. The HERO System refers 
  to this as Untrained Skill Use.
  When a character tries to use a Skill he does 
  not have (i.e., which he has not paid Character 
  Points for), he has a ﬂat 6- roll (or about a 10% 
  chance of success). He cannot apply any Skill Levels 
  of any type to improve this roll, but at the GM’s 
  option Skill Modiﬁers (both positive and negative) 
  may apply. Additionally, the GM may allow the 
  character to make a relevant Characteristic Roll as 
  a Complementary Skill Roll to improve his chances; 
  that way, characters with high Characteristics are 
  likely to be better at Untrained Skill Use than low-
  Characteristic characters, which makes a certain 
  amount of sense.
  The GM may want to cap Untrained Skill rolls 
  at 8- regardless of bonuses. Otherwise, characters 
  who pay for Familiarities may feel they’ve wasted 
  their points. However, if the GM lets characters 
  who pay for Familiarities make Charateristic Rolls 
  as Complementary Skills, as described above, then 
  Familiarities remain a reasonable purchase and 
  there’s no reason to cap Untrained rolls. Alternately, 
  the GM may think that 6- is too high for Untrained 
  Skill Use; if so, reduce the roll to 5- (about a 5% 
  chance of success).
  The Untrained Skill Use rules are optional; 
  the GM doesn’t have to let characters use them, 
  or can choose to use them only some of the time. 
  For example, Knowledge Skills of obscure subjects 
  probably shouldn’t be subjected to the Untrained 
  Skill Use rules. It’s not conducive to game balance 
  to give characters a shot at knowing just about 
  anything; only if a subject could reasonably be 
  considered as potentially falling within the realm of 
  “general knowledge” should the Untrained Skill Use 
  rules apply to most Background Skills.
  UNTRAINED SKILL USE AND  
  EVERYMAN SKILLS
  If the GM decides to use the Untrained Skill 
  Use rules, he may want to get rid of Everyman 
  Skills, since every character will already have some 
  chance to perform any Skill anyway. If he wants to 
  retain the concept of Everyman Skills, he could as 
  a default give all characters a +2 bonus with those 
  Skills, thus making their Untrained roll an 8-.
  DEFAULTING FROM CHARACTERISTIC 
  ROLLS
  Another possible way to handle the concept of 
  untrained Skill use is to let characters use Charac-
  teristic Rolls in some way. Two possible ways to do 
  this include:
  
  19 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Characteristic-Based Untrained Skill Rolls
  First, the GM can make Untrained Skill Use 
  rolls a Characteristic-Based Roll. For example, 
  when a character tries to use a Skill he does not 
  have (i.e., which he has not paid Character Points 
  for), perhaps he receives a roll equal to (2 + 
  (CHAR/5)) or less (all other standard Untrained 
  Skill Use rules apply). Thus, a character with PRE 
  10 who tries to bribe a guard (use Bribery) has to 
  roll a 4- to succeed; one with PRE 20 has to roll 6-; 
  and one with PRE 30 has to roll 8-.
  If the GM uses this rule, he may want to 
  redefine what a Familiarity is. Rather than simply 
  giving a character a flat 8- roll, a Familiarity 
  should also grant a Characteristic-Based Roll 
  — one sufficiently higher than an Untrained roll 
  to justify the cost. A roll of (4 + (CHAR/5)) or 
  less would probably work well
  In either case, the GM should determine the 
  roll calculations based on how important he wants 
  Skills to be in the game, and how competent he 
  wants characters to be generally. See pages 11-15 
  regarding the nature of Skill Rolls and the implica-
  tions of changing their diﬀerent components.
  Characteristic Rolls With Penalties
  Second, you can simply let characters make 
  Characteristic Rolls at signiﬁcant penalties to use a 
  Skill untrained. At a minimum, the penalty should 
  be -5, and -8 or more isn’t out of the question.
  RELATED SKILLS
  In some cases a character may not have 
  the specific Skill needed for a particular task, 
  but he has a Skill that’s similar in some way. For 
  example a character might have Acrobatics but 
  not Breakfall, or Electronics but not Computer 
  Programming for the purposes of building com-
  puters. If the GM considers it appropriate, he can 
  let a character use a “related Skill” as a substitute 
  for the right Skill at a penalty of -4 (or worse, 
  depending on just how closely related they are). 
  However, the roll for a related Skill should not 
  sink below 7-, thus ensuring it’s always at least a 
  little better than Untrained Skill use.
  
  20 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SKILL VERSUS  
  SKILL CONTESTS
  Sometimes characters use their Skills in oppo-
  sition, such as when one character tries to conceal 
  something while another character tries to ﬁnd it. 
  The HERO System refers to this as a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest and uses the following rules for it.
  In any Skill Versus Skill situation, the char-
  acter taking action makes his roll first. If he suc-
  ceeds, the character who reacts takes a negative 
  modifier based on the first character’s degree of 
  success (see below). For example, the character 
  setting a bomb makes a Demolitions roll. The 
  character trying to defuse the bomb suffers a 
  modifier based on how well the first character 
  succeeded with his Demolitions roll.
  If the ﬁrst character fails his Skill Roll, the 
  opposing character doesn’t have to make a Skill 
  Roll to undo the ﬁrst character’s eﬀorts — he can 
  undo them automatically. If the ﬁrst character suc-
  ceeds with his Skill Roll, the opposing character 
  must (a) have the appropriate Skill and (b) succeed 
  with a Skill Roll at -1 for every 1 point by which the 
  ﬁrst character makes his Skill Roll. In other words, 
  the second character must succeed by the same or a 
  greater margin as the ﬁrst.
  Example: Andarra has Computer Program-
  ming on a 12-. She knows a hacker plans to 
  steal valuable information from her computer. 
  She decides to set up defensive programs, and 
  rolls a 14 (failing her roll by 2). Andarra has 
  not set up a valid program. She tries again, 
  taking more time in this attempt, so the GM 
  gives her a +1 modiﬁer to her Skill Roll. 
  Andarra now needs to roll a 13 or less. She 
  rolls a 9, succeeding by 4. Her data is now pro-
  tected from casual access. Anyone trying to get 
  to the data must make a Computer Program-
  ming roll at a -4 penalty.
  Some of the Skill-speciﬁc rules in Chapter 
  Two specify that some factor is determined by 
  how much the winner wins a Skill Versus Skill 
  Contest by. (For example, look at some of the rules 
  for negotiating prices with Trading.) This means 
  that the amount the loser’s roll succeeded by is 
  subtracted from the amount the winner succeeded 
  by, with the result determining the outcome. If the 
  loser failed the roll altogether, the winner subtracts 
  zero from his roll.
  Example:  Aljhar the Merchant and Hwasim 
  the Smuggler are negotiating the price for some 
  spices using the Trading rules for diﬀering start-
  ing prices (page 339). Aljhar (the buyer) makes 
  his roll by 4 and Hwasim (the seller) makes his 
  by 6, so Aljhar must raise his oﬀer by ((6-4) x 
  10% =) 20% of his initial oﬀer. If Aljhar had 
  failed his roll, Hwasim would subtract 0 from 
  his success, meaning Aljhar would have to raise 
  his oﬀer by ((6-0) x 10% =) 60% (to a maxi-
  mum of Hwasim’s asking price).
  Resist the temptation to overuse the Skill 
  Versus Skill system — in obvious situations, there’s 
  no need to make Skill Rolls. For instance, if the ﬁrst 
  character conceals an object in a drawer, and the 
  opposing character searches that very drawer, he’ll 
  ﬁnd the object. Roleplaying these situations reduces 
  the need to make die rolls.
  ALTERNATE SKILL CONTESTS
  For most situations and campaigns the Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest rules work very well. However, in 
  some cases the GM may want to make things harder 
  on one of the participants in the Contest. To do so, 
  he only has to alter the ease with which the opposing 
  character can undo the initiating character’s eﬀorts. 
  To make the Contest easier for the initiating character 
  to win, the opponent must succeed with his roll by 
  2 points for every 1 point the initiating character’s 
  roll succeeded by. To make the Contest easier for the 
  opposing character to win, he only has to succeed 
  with his roll by 1 point for every 2 points by which the 
  initiating character’s roll succeeded. In either case, the 
  GM can set the amount higher, if desired.
  PERCEPTION ROLLS IN SKILL CONTESTS
  Most Skills work directly against the same 
  Skill. However, some Skills, such as Stealth, work 
  against a Perception (PER) Roll:  the ﬁrst character 
  makes a Stealth roll, and characters attempting to 
  spot him make PER Rolls. In some situations and 
  campaigns, this may not seem entirely fair — a 
  character who’s paid Character Points for a Skill 
  can be opposed and defeated by a character using a 
  free ability. If the GM agrees with this assessment, 
  he can impose a -1 (or greater) penalty on PER 
  Rolls in Skill Versus Skill Contests.
  
  21 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS
  Sometimes a character has two (or more) Skills 
  that apply to the problem at hand. In such situations, 
  the GM determines which Skill is the primary Skill, 
  and then decides what other Skill(s) are Complemen-
  tary to the task. The character then attempts a Skill 
  Roll for the Complementary Skill(s). For every 2 
  points by which the character makes his Complemen-
  tary Skill Roll(s), he adds +1 to his chance to perform 
  the primary Skill. For example, if a character makes a 
  Complementary Skill Roll by 0, 1, or 2, he gets a +1 to 
  the primary Skill Roll; if he makes the roll by 3 or 4, he 
  gets +2 to the primary Skill Roll; and so forth.
  The Complementary Skill rule also applies if 
  another character helps the character perform the Skill. 
  For example, two characters with Electronics could 
  team up to build a gadget. The one with the lower roll 
  makes his Skill Roll as Complementary to the other 
  character, thus increasing their overall chance of suc-
  cess. A character cannot provide Complementary 
  Skill help to another character via a Mind Link, radio 
  communications, or the like unless the GM speciﬁ-
  cally permits this (as he might with, for example, some 
  Knowledge Skills where the character’s simply trying 
  to remember a fact that can easily be discussed).
  Gamemasters who want to improve characters’ 
  chances of success should allow many Complemen-
  tary Skills; GMs who want to make things diﬃcult 
  should permit only one (at most). If a character 
  has a large number of potentially Complementary 
  Skills, the GM may wish to speed game play by 
  having him make the single most Complementary 
  Skill’s roll, then provide a bonus to that roll for each 
  additional Complementary Skill available (such as 
  +1 per additional Complementary Skill, or per +2 
  additional Complementary Skills).
  Characters can use Familiarities as Comple-
  mentary Skills. In appropriate circumstances, Char-
  acteristic Rolls or PER Rolls can act as Comple-
  mentary Skill Rolls.
  Example: Randall Irons tries to get some infor-
  mation from a young woman; he believes she 
  knows the whereabouts of the Aztec artifact 
  stolen from his hotel room. Randall has both 
  Conversation 12- and Seduction 13-. Since 
  Randall wants to gain information, the GM 
  rules that Conversation is the primary Skill, 
  and Seduction is Complementary. Randall rolls 
  a 10 on his Seduction roll, making it by 3. The 
  charming Randall gets a +2 to his Conversa-
  tion roll for this discussion, thus improving his 
  chance to ﬁnd out any useful information the 
  woman knows.
  Typically failing a Complementary Skill Roll 
  doesn’t inﬂict any penalty on the character’s Skill 
  Roll (whether he’s the one making the Complemen-
  tary Skill Roll, or another character is). However, 
  the GM can impose a penalty if he considers that 
  appropriate (for example, if the Complementary 
  Skill Roll suﬀers a Critical Failure).
  DEGREES OF COMPLEMENTARINESS
  The standard Complementary Skill rules don’t 
  diﬀerentiate between Complementary Skills that 
  are closely related to the task at hand, and those 
  that are less relevant — any Skill that qualiﬁes as 
  Complementary can provide a bonus. This may 
  not suit some GMs, particularly those running 
  campaigns where Skill use is an important aspect 
  of adventures. For those games, the GM can use 
  the degree of complementariness rules so that some 
  Complementary Skills are better than others.
  
  22 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  As detailed in the accompanying table, the 
  degrees of complementariness rules assign Com-
  plementary Skills to one of ﬁve categories. From 
  best to worst, these are Extremely, Very, Average, 
  Low, and Poorly Complementary. The greater 
  the degree of complementariness, the greater the 
  maximum bonus the Complementary Skill can 
  provide. Furthermore, some highly Complemen-
  tary Skills can, at the GM’s option, provide an 
  automatic bonus to the base Skill Roll, even if the 
  Complementary Skill roll fails (provided the failure 
  isn’t by 4 or more, or a Critical Failure). The auto-
  matic bonus is part of, not in addition to, the rolled 
  bonus. For example, if a character has an Extremely 
  Complementary Skill (+2 automatic bonus) and 
  makes his roll by 8 (for a +4 bonus), he grants a +4 
  bonus to the base Skill Roll (not +6).
  The GM determines what degree of comple-
  mentariness a Complementary Skill has based on 
  the situation, the special eﬀects involved (if any), 
  common sense, dramatic sense, and considerations 
  of game balance. Most Complementary Skills tend 
  to be Average Complementary; only a truly closely-
  related Skill should qualify as Very or Extremely 
  Complementary. This is most appropriate when a 
  character has a tightly-focused Background Skill 
  directly related to the task.
  TEAM SKILL USE
  As the Complementary Skill rules note, 
  another character can make a Complementary 
  Skill roll to aid the primary character perform-
  ing a task. This works ﬁne when there are just two 
  characters involved, but if two or more characters 
  want to make Complementary Skill rolls to help the 
  primary character, the situation can become tricky, 
  time-consuming, and potentially unbalancing.
  In this case the GM may want to simplify 
  things by having only one secondary character 
  make a Complementary Skill Roll, with a bonus 
  provided to represent having a “team” of additional 
  characters who are assisting the primary character. 
  The bonus may be an automatic one (+1 for every 
  additional character, or additional two characters, 
  or the like), or it may depend on which characters 
  make their Complementary Skill rolls (each addi-
  tional secondary character who succeeds with his 
  Complementary Skill roll provides a +1 bonus to 
  the main secondary character’s roll; failure by 4 or 
  more, or a Critical Failure, imposes a -1 penalty).
  To keep the team Skill use rules from becom-
  ing too beneﬁcial, the GM may rule that the main 
  Complementary Skill Roll has to be made by the 
  team member with the worst Skill Roll. That way 
  a character beneﬁts from having a team of highly-
  skilled individuals instead of just one skilled indi-
  vidual and a bunch of mediocre ones.
  The “team Skill use” rolls work particularly 
  well when the PCs have access to a large number of 
  NPCs who possess similar Skills. For example, sup-
  pose the heroes are the bridge oﬃcers of a starship, 
  with a whole crew of lesser oﬃcers and enlisted 
  men at their command. In that situation they 
  could easily assign a large number of personnel 
  to a speciﬁc task (such as ordering the Engineer-
  ing Department crew to repair damage to the ship 
  or get the engines working again). This may also 
  involve using the Extended Task rules (see page 23).
  Getting Work Done More Quickly
  At the GM’s option, team Skill use can also 
  reduce the amount of time required to complete a 
  task. When ﬁguring the time required (using the 
  Base Time rules for the Skill in question), divide 
  by the number of people working on the project. If 
  this cuts the time down too much, the GM can arti-
  ﬁcially “reduce” the number of people involved for 
  purposes of dividing the time.
  SKILL SPECIALIZATIONS
  Sometimes characters want to be particularly 
  skilled with some aspect of a Skill. While they want 
  to have a general grounding in the Skill as a whole, 
  they want to be even better at some speciﬁc task or 
  use of that Skill. For example, a ranger in a Fantasy 
  Hero game might want to be stealthy (i.e., have the 
  Stealth Skill), but particularly stealthy in woodland 
  environments; a character with Forgery (Money) 
  might want to have an especially high degree of 
  skill at creating false euro notes. This is called a Skill 
  Specialization. There are two ways a character can 
  have a Specialization in the HERO System.
  COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS
  First, the Complementary Skill rules allow 
  characters to “specialize” some Skills by buying 
  related Background Skills. For example, a char-
  acter with Forgery (Art Objects) might want 
  to have a special talent for forging Rembrandt 
  paintings. He could buy KS: Rembrandt or PS: 
  Forge Rembrandts, and then use those as Com-
  plementary Skills for his Forgery rolls when he 
  tries to forge a Rembrandt painting. A character 
  should get the GM’s permission before buying a 
  “Complementary Specialization,” since the GM 
  may not consider all Skills appropriate for this 
  form of Specialization. For example, it doesn’t 
  always work well for physical Skills, like Acrobat-
  ics and Contortionist.
  This form of Specialization also allows GMs 
  to individualize certain Skills for his campaign. 
  All he has to do is require characters to buy par-
  ticular Background Skills when they buy related 
  Skills. For example, in a Science Fiction cam-
  paign where the characters all serve the Galactic 
  Federation, when a character buys Computer 
  Programming the GM could require him to also 
  buy PS: Use Galactic Federation Computers to 
  reflect the character’s more advanced training 
  with that type of computer.
  DEGREE OF COMPLEMENTARINESS TABLE
  Degree Of Complementariness 
  Automatic Bonus 
  Maximum Bonus
  Extremely Complementary 
  +2 
  +5
  Very Complementary 
  +1 
  +4
  Average Complementary 
  None 
  +3
  Low Complementary 
  None 
  +2
  Poorly Complementary 
  None 
  +1
  
  23 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  LIMITED BONUSES
  Second, the character can buy an increase 
  to his Skill Roll with a Limitation reﬂecting the 
  circumstances under which he’s more skilled. For 
  example, the ranger described above could buy:  +3 
  to Stealth (6 Active Points); Only In Woodlands 
  (-1) (total cost:  3 points). Since these are ordinary 
  increases to the Skill Roll bought as part of the 
  Skill, not Skill Levels, characters can apply Limita-
  tions to them normally. (If the character wants to 
  have three or more Skills he’s better at in the same 
  way, buying Skill Levels with a Limitation is more 
  eﬃcient.) This method works well for Skills involv-
  ing physical activity, such as Stealth or Shadowing, 
  but may not simulate knowledge-oriented Special-
  izations as well as a Complementary Skill.
  EXTRAORDINARY  
  SKILL ROLLS
  As an optional rule, a character can attempt an 
  incredible feat with a Skill if he has a Skill Roll of 18- 
  or better. This is known as an Extraordinary Skill Roll. 
  Any incredible feat takes a -10 penalty (or more) to 
  begin with, and the GM can assign other modiﬁers as 
  he sees ﬁt. For example, a character could use Break-
  fall to land on his feet and take no damage after a fall 
  from an airplane, or a character with Persuasion could 
  convince a target of a patent untruth (“Are you going 
  to believe me or your own eyes?”).
  Because the Extraordinary Skill Roll rules use 
  a typical penalty of -10, most individual modiﬁers 
  listed in this book are capped at -9. However, there 
  are a few exceptions, such as the expanded rules 
  for Knowledge Skills in Chapter Two. If the GM 
  routinely ﬁnds that characters in his games are suf-
  fering single (or even multiple) Skill Roll penalties 
  close to -10, he should consider raising the thresh-
  old for what constitutes Extraordinary Skill use to 
  -15 or worse.
  CINEMATIC SKILL SUBSTITUTES
  The Extraordinary Skill rules allow a GM 
  to run a more fantastic or cinematic campaign 
  with amazing feats not possible in the real world 
  or even most adventure fiction. With the GM’s 
  permission, a character can also use them as a 
  quick-and-dirty way to buy the equivalent of 
  several Skills as a single Skill. As discussed above 
  under Combining Skills, characters usually do 
  this with Professional Skills. For example, rather 
  than buying numerous Skills to represent the fact 
  that he’s a cinematic spy (Combat Driving Cryp-
  tography, Forgery, Lockpicking, Security Systems, 
  Shadowing, Stealth, Systems Operation...), a 
  character could buy a Skill like PS: Spy or PS: 
  Tradecraft with an 18- or higher roll (usually at 
  least 20-, if not more), then rely on the Extraor-
  dinary Skill Roll rules to let him perform just 
  about any espionage activity. This isn’t appropri-
  ate for games stressing “realism” or precise Skill 
  purchases and use, but it can work well for some 
  cinematic campaigns.
  BASE TIMES
  As noted on page 11, making a Skill Roll usu-
  ally requires a Half Phase Action, but this can vary 
  tremendously. Each Skill in Chapter Two has a Base 
  Time section that describes the minimum time 
  necessary to perform various tasks with that Skill. 
  The GM can use that information as a guideline to 
  determine Base Times for other uses of the Skill.
  DETERMINING THE BASE TIME
  Typically the Base Time for a Skill depends 
  on simple common sense and real-world experi-
  ence, leavened by the “dramatic action” emphasis 
  of the HERO System rules. For example, a little bit 
  of research makes it apparent that hacking into 
  a secured computer is, “realistically” speaking, a 
  complex, time-consuming task. At a minimum 
  it’s likely to take an hour, and it could take days, 
  weeks, months, or even years. But in adventure ﬁc-
  tion and movies, computer-savvy characters often 
  seem to hack systems much more quickly than that. 
  To simulate this, the GM might set the Base Time 
  for using Computer Programming to hack into a 
  system as 1 Minute or 5 Minutes for a computer 
  with basic/simple security, and when necessary 
  increase the Base Time to represent stronger types 
  of security. A GM in a more “realistic” game might 
  start with a Base Time of 1 Hour and go from there.
  REDUCING THE BASE TIME
  As discussed on page 35, a character can obtain a 
  bonus to his Skill Roll for taking longer than the Base 
  Time to perform it. Similarly, he can perform a Skill 
  more quickly than normal if he makes his Skill Roll 
  at a -3 penalty per step up the Time Chart. If the GM 
  uses the Degrees Of Success rules on page 15, a suc-
  cessful Skill Roll can reduce the time required slightly; 
  a Critical Success can reduce it signiﬁcantly. Of course, 
  if a character takes extra time to get a bonus to his 
  Skill Roll, that deﬁnes how long the task takes regard-
  less of how well he rolls.
  EXTENDED TASKS
  Some tasks are so enormous or so complex 
  that they could easily take weeks or months. Exam-
  ples include building a new starship from scratch, 
  curing an epidemic, or ﬁghting a war. If you view 
  them in the abstract, you could simply resolve them 
  as a single Skill Roll with a large Base Time and 
  various modiﬁers — but that’s not necessarily much 
  fun, and it doesn’t allow individual characters to 
  shine or to apply diﬀerent Skills to diﬀerent aspects 
  of the situation.
  As an optional rule, the GM can treat this sort 
  of situation as an Extended Task. To perform an 
  Extended Task, the GM divides the overall task into 
  “sections” and assigns each one an appropriate Skill 
  (and Skill Modiﬁers, if any) and Base Time. The 
  characters involved have to succeed with each section 
  before moving on to the next, and in the process they 
  may make their job easier (or harder) and quicker (or 
  slower) depending on how well they succeed (or fail). 
  This works particularly well when the characters have 
  a deadline to meet for the Extended Task.
  
  24 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  For each section of the Extended Task, the 
  primary character involved makes the Skill Roll 
  chosen by the GM. The Complementary Skill rules 
  apply, particularly in terms of other characters 
  helping out (the Team Skill Use rules, page 22, may 
  also come into play). The GM can use the Degrees 
  Of Success/Failure rules to allow the characters to 
  shave time oﬀ the work (and thus reduce the over-
  all time needed to complete the Extended Task). 
  Characters can deliberately push themselves to 
  work faster by accepting the -3 penalty per step up 
  the Time Chart, or if necessary can take extra time 
  to get a bonus to the Skill Roll (but at the risk of 
  missing their deadline to ﬁnish the Extended Task).
  As the characters work on an Extended Task, 
  the GM should interpret their success or failure in 
  a dramatically appropriate way. Don’t just let them 
  make rolls and move on; explain what the rolls 
  mean in setting terms and give them an impact 
  beyond mere success or failure.
  Example:  Prince Wolfgang and his friends (the 
  PCs) need to build some fortiﬁcations quickly so 
  they can stem an invasion of Thurgandia. They 
  have a small army, plenty of tools, and a nearby 
  forest to supply raw materials. The invading 
  dwarven army will arrive in ﬁve days. The GM 
  rules that building the best possible fortiﬁca-
  tions (given the resources available) will take 
  1 Week and require a Tactics roll. (He chooses 
  Tactics because several PCs have this Skill, and 
  none have a more directly relevant Skill like PS: 
  Castle Design, PS: Build Fortiﬁcations, or PS: 
  Combat Engineer. He assumes at least a few 
  NPCs have Skills like that, though.)
  The GM decides to use the Extended Task rules 
  to handle this situation, since that will empha-
  size the drama of trying to get the fortiﬁcations 
  ready in ﬁve days instead of seven. He divides 
  the work into four sections:  clear and prepare 
  the land; obtain and prepare raw materials; 
  build basic fortiﬁcations; build advanced for-
  tiﬁcations. Each takes about a day and a half 
  to two days, give or take; the PCs will have to 
  work hard to do all the tasks in just ﬁve days.
  First, the heroes and their army clear and prepare 
  the land — they remove trees, dig the outlines of 
  moats, pits, and other obstacles, and pile up a 
  mound of dirt to give their fortress some elevation. 
  The GM has Wolfgang make a Tactics roll. First 
  two other PCs make theirs (one fails, one succeeds 
  by 1) and one NPC makes his PS: Combat Engi-
  neer roll (succeeding by 2). The Complementary 
  Skill rolls give Wolfgang a total +2 bonus. He rolls 
  well, succeeding by 3. This is enough to save some 
  time, so the GM rules that the whole job takes 
  only a day, rather than a day-plus.
  Second, the characters must obtain the raw mate-
  rials — mostly tree trunks and large stones — they 
  need. They head oﬀ into the forest with their army 
  and a lot of axes and saws. The GM decides that 
  one PC, who has PS: Woodcutter because he used 
  to help his father with that job, is the primary 
  character for this section of the Extended Task. 
  None of the other PCs has any relevant Skill, so 
  the character rolls. He succeeds exactly. The heroes 
  have their supplies, but it took a day and a half to 
  get them. The dwarven army arrives in two and 
  a half days....
  
  25 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Third, the heroes have to build the basic forti-
  ﬁcations — lay out and erect the log palisades 
  and so forth. Wolfgang makes a Tactics roll 
  with a +1 bonus from Complementary Skills; 
  unfortunately, the NPC with PS: Combat Engi-
  neer failed his roll badly (-4), so the GM rules 
  that he was badly hurt in an accident and can 
  no longer help. Wolfgang’s roll succeeds exactly, 
  so the job is ﬁnished in a day and a half. One 
  more day and battle will be joined.
  Fourth and last, the heroes and their army need 
  to put the ﬁnishing touches on the fort, ﬁnalize 
  the moat and other trenches, and prepare the 
  rest of the obstacles to slow down the dwarves. 
  Wolfgang makes another Tactics roll, with a 
  +2 bonus from Complementary Skill rolls. 
  He succeeds by 6! The GM rules that with an 
  inspirational speech and setting an example by 
  working hard himself, Prince Wolfgang inspires 
  the men to work extra hard so that they ﬁnish 
  the fortiﬁcations in less than a day. Now they 
  can snatch a few hours’ rest before the dwarven 
  army reaches the fort.
  Task Diﬃculty
  Alternately, the GM can handle extended tasks 
  and similar challenges by assigning them a Task 
  Diﬃculty rating. The character makes one roll for 
  each Base Time period that passes, and the amount 
  he makes the roll by subtracts from the Task Dif-
  ﬁculty. When the Task Diﬃculty reaches zero, the 
  character has completed the task.
  Using the standard “Ease Of Task” categories 
  on page 31, a Routine task usually has a Task Dif-
  ﬁculty of 0-2; an Easy task usually has a Task Dif-
  ﬁculty of 3-4; an Average task usually has a Task 
  Diﬃculty of 5-10; a Diﬃcult task usually has a Task 
  Diﬃculty of 11-20; an Extremely Diﬃcult task usu-
  ally has a Task Diﬃculty of 21-40; and a Sheer Folly 
  task usually has a Task Diﬃculty of 41 or higher. 
  Since the Ease Of Task sets the Task Diﬃculty, 
  characters do not also get the Ease Of Task modi-
  ﬁer to their Skill Rolls.
  If a character fails a roll while using the Task 
  Diﬃculty system, it usually means he accomplished 
  nothing during that time period. If he fails badly 
  (by 4 or more) the amount he failed by adds to the 
  Task Diﬃculty — he’s made things harder on him-
  self. For a Critical Failure, the GM might increase 
  the Task Diﬃculty even more.
  Example:  Smooth-talking troubador Whis-
  tler tries to persuade an innkeeper to give him 
  room and board for the night in exchange for 
  playing and singing in the inn’s common room 
  for several hours. The innkeeper is stubborn 
  and miserly, so the GM decides to use the Task 
  Diﬃculty system. He rules that the Base Time 
  for this Persuasion task is 1 Turn and that it’s 
  a Diﬃcult task with a Task Diﬃculty of 15. 
  Whistler wheedles and persuades for 1 Turn 
  using his Persuasion 14- and makes his ﬁrst 
  roll. He rolls a 10, making it by 4, thus reduc-
  ing the Task Diﬃculty from 15 to 11. He talks 
  for another Turn, making his roll by 1; the Task 
  Diﬃculty becomes 10. A third Turn of talk-
  ing yields a great roll, 8, so the Task Diﬃculty 
  falls to 4 — the innkeeper’s wavering! But then 
  Whistler says something that strikes the inn-
  keeper the wrong way — he rolls an 18! Since 
  this means failure by 4 or more, the GM adds 
  the amount failed by (4) to the Task Diﬃculty, 
  bumping it back up to 8. It takes Whistler three 
  more rolls — for a ﬁnal total of seven Turns, or 
  nearly a minute and a half, of talking to get the 
  Task Diﬃculty to 0 so he can have a room and 
  meal for the price of a few songs.
  You can also use the Task Difficulty rules to 
  create “dramatic tension” with tasks that have to 
  be accomplished by a specific deadline (such as 
  “disarm this bomb in four minutes or the build-
  ing goes up in a mushroom cloud” or “better 
  fix the engine in the next two minutes or we’re 
  gonna crash!”). The GM sets a Task Difficulty, 
  and if the character doesn’t get the work done in 
  time, bad things happen....
  For Skill Versus Skill Contests, the GM can 
  set a Task Diﬃculty as a target number to indicate 
  when the character initiating the Contest wins it 
  (if ever). In this case, the Task Diﬃculty is reduced 
  only by the amount the initiating character’s roll 
  exceeds the defending character’s — and if the 
  defender wins, the Task Diﬃculty increases by the 
  amount he won the Contest by.
  Example:  Take the same example above, but 
  the GM lets the innkeeper use his EGO Roll 
  12- to resist Whistler’s Persuasion 14- in a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest. For the ﬁrst roll, Whistler 
  rolls a 10 and the innkeeper rolls a 13, failing 
  by 1. Whistler won the Contest by 5, so the Task 
  Diﬃculty decreases to 10. In the next Turn, 
  Whistler rolls a 13 but the innkeeper rolls a 10, 
  so the innkeeper wins by 1 and thus the Task 
  Diﬃculty increases to 11. The Contest proceeds 
  until Whistler wins, Whistler gives up in dis-
  gust, or the innkeeper refuses to discuss the 
  matter anymore.
  Alternately, if the Skill Versus Skill Contest 
  is less a matter of “two characters opposing each 
  other” than it is “two characters competing to com-
  plete a task ﬁrst,” the GM may set a Task Diﬃculty 
  for them and let each of them make his Skill Rolls. 
  The ﬁrst one to reduce the Task Diﬃculty to 0 gets 
  the job done ﬁrst and wins.
  
  26 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  LEARNING SKILLS
  The standard HERO System rules don’t have 
  any speciﬁc information on how characters learn 
  Skills, how long the learning process takes, or the 
  like, since this can vary wildly from genre to genre. 
  For example, in some of the more cinematic genres, 
  such as superheroes, it’s not uncommon for char-
  acters to learn new Skills quickly — a few panels or 
  frames of “training scenes” are all that’s needed for a 
  character to master some new ability. (Or he might 
  even learn it instantly via magic or psionic implan-
  tation.) On the other hand, in more “realistic” 
  genres, such as Low Fantasy or some types of Dark 
  Champions games, it may take a character weeks or 
  months just to learn the rudiments of a Skill.
  Gamemasters who want to incorporate the 
  learning of Skills (and related matters) into their 
  games can use the following optional rules. The 
  rules primarily refer to Characteristic-Based Skills. 
  To use them for other Skills (like Defense Maneu-
  ver, Language, and Weapon Familiarity), simply 
  adjust the time required based on the cost ratio. 
  For example, where the rules refer to spending “3 
  Character Points” on a Skill, it would take one-third 
  the time to spend 1 Character Point on a Language, 
  two-thirds the time to buy WF: Common Melee 
  Weapons, and ﬁve-thirds (or 66% longer) to learn 
  Defense Maneuver II.
  How To Learn A Skill
  To learn a Skill, a character must have access to 
  a source of information about it. Usually this means 
  a teacher, but sometimes characters learn a Skill on 
  their own.
  TEACHERS
  The easiest and most common way to learn a 
  Skill is from someone who already knows it — a 
  teacher, in other words. Any character who knows 
  a Skill can teach it to another character. However, 
  unless the teacher has the Instructor Skill (page 
  362), he cannot teach the student to use it with a 
  higher roll than the teacher himself has, even if 
  the student has a higher relevant Characteristic 
  than the teacher does. For Skills that don’t involve 
  rolls, characters lacking Instructor can only teach 
  as much of the Skill as they know (i.e., for as many 
  points’ worth of ability as they have).
  After spending his full 3 Character Points on 
  the Skill, the student has a roll equal to the teacher’s 
  or his own Characteristic-based roll, whichever is 
  less. If his roll is less than what his Characteristic 
  gives him, then he can improve it on his own. He 
  must spend 1d6 weeks away from the teacher using 
  the Skill at least once per week. At the end of this 
  period, his roll rises to Characteristic-based. (The 
  GM may change this period if he wishes; another 
  option is for the character to make 1d6+1 legiti-
  mate uses of the Skill during game sessions.)
  Example:  Chang Li (DEX 23) wants to learn 
  how to tumble and ﬂip like an acrobat. He goes 
  to Master Po (DEX 15, Acrobatics 12-) and asks 
  to be taught the Acrobatics Skill. After receiving 
  the generous gifts Chang Li brought, Master Po 
  agrees to instruct him.
  Master Po teaches Chang Li diligently and 
  well. However, because Po only has Acrobat-
  ics 12- and does not have the Instructor Skill, 
  after spending 3 Character Points on the Skill 
  Chang Li also has only a 12- roll with it, even 
  though his DEX would normally provide him a 
  14- roll. The GM rolls 1d6 and gets a 3. So, after 
  Chang Li’s period of instruction concludes, he 
  must spend 3 weeks using Acrobatics and prac-
  ticing his moves; then his roll rises to 14-.
  If a teacher has Instructor, then he can teach 
  the Skill to any level of ability (i.e., any Skill Roll), 
  even if that roll is better than his own roll in the 
  Skill — he knows how to bring out the best in 
  his students. For Skills that don’t involve rolls, a 
  character with Instructor can teach the Skill in any 
  amount or value. For example, a character with 
  Defense Maneuver II and Instructor could teach 
  another character any level of Defense Maneuver, 
  even up to III or IV. (The GM may forbid this, if 
  appropriate and desireable.)
  Learning from a teacher takes the normal 
  amount of time for learning Skills in the game (see 
  below). At the GM’s option, the use of Instructor 
  may reduce or increase the time needed to learn a 
  Skill; see below.
  SELF-TEACHING
  A character may not always have access to a 
  teacher for a Skill he wants to learn. In that case 
  he has to resort to teaching himself from books, 
  scrolls, instructional videos, friendly ghosts living 
  in crystal balls, computer ﬁles, or any other source 
  of information available to him.
  With self-teaching, the main issue for the GM 
  to resolve is the accuracy and completeness of the 
  source(s) of information the character has access 
  to. A character with a well-stocked library about, 
  say, Lockpicking can learn just about all the tricks 
  of the trade; one with just a book or two may only 
  be able to learn a small part of the information and 
  abilities the Skill covers. The table on page 28 ranks 
  sources of information by quality, indicating the 
  maximum roll the character can acquire via self-
  teaching and how long it takes him.
  If a character has multiple sources of informa-
  tion, the GM should apply a quality rating to them 
  as a whole, not rank each source individually. How-
  ever, the worst rating a “library” can have is that of 
  the best book in it; a large number of Poor quality 
  sources of information don’t render a High quality 
  source less helpful.
  As with learning from a teacher who doesn’t 
  have the Instructor Skill, a character who self-
  teaches himself from a low-quality source may not 
  be able to acquire the full roll he would normally 
  get based on his applicable Characteristic. For 
  example, a character with DEX 20 who teaches 
  
  27 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  himself Contortionist from an Average quality 
  book can only gain an 11- roll, even though his 
  DEX would indicate a 13- roll. In this case, after 
  spending his full 3 Character Points on the Skill, 
  the character still has some learning to do. He must 
  spend 1d6 months using and practicing the Skill 
  on at least a weekly basis; at the end of this period, 
  his roll rises to Characteristic-based. (The GM may 
  change this period if he wishes; another option is 
  for the character to make 2d6 legitimate uses of the 
  Skill during game sessions.)
  INTELLIGENCE ROLLS
  The rules for learning Skills set forth above 
  don’t require any rolls on the part of the charac-
  ter doing the learning — since he’s spending the 
  Character/Experience Points for the Skill, he’s 
  going to acquire it one way or another. Game-
  masters desiring greater “realism” may want to 
  factor a character’s learning ability into play. 
  Whenever a character wants to learn a Skill, 
  have him make an INT Roll. If the roll succeeds, 
  he learns the Skill in the normal time set by the 
  rules and the GM. (If he succeeds by a large 
  margin, particularly a Critical Success, the GM 
  may reduce the time appropriately.) If he fails, 
  increase all times listed in the rules (or set by the 
  GM) by 10% per point the roll failed by.
  Time To Learn A Skill
  Of even more importance to many characters 
  is how long it takes them to learn a Skill. Some-
  times this becomes a factor in an adventure or 
  campaign — can a character learn a particular Skill 
  quickly enough to use it to thwart his enemy?
  In game terms, the time to learn a Skill boils 
  down to how frequently characters can spend 
  Experience Points on a Skill, and how many points 
  they can spend at a single time.
  BASIC LEARNING TIME RULES
  The GM has to establish the basic time 
  required to learn Skills in the campaign, based 
  on how “realistic” he wants to be. In campaigns 
  with a more cinematic or fantastic bent, the GM 
  should set low periods for how often characters 
  can spend Experience Points on a given Skill. 
  (During character creation, when characters 
  spend Character Points, it’s assumed the expen-
  diture represents time and effort spent training 
  prior to the beginning of the campaign, so these 
  rules only refer to Experience Points.) Some pos-
  sibilities include:
  Once Per Adventure Or Game Session
  Rather than keep track of the passage of 
  time in the campaign, the GM can simply rule 
  that characters can spend Experience Points on a 
  given Skill once per game session — or perhaps 
  once per adventure, if the characters’ escapades 
  usually require two or more game sessions to com-
  plete. This is a simple rule, easily remembered and 
  applied, but its artiﬁciality may prove frustrating. 
  Why should it take characters longer to learn a 
  
  28 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Skill during a game session that covers two weeks 
  of campaign time than in one when the adventure 
  only takes one day of game time?
  If the GM chooses this option, he should 
  also indicate when characters can spend Expe-
  rience Points. He may want all expenditures 
  to take place at the end of the game session or 
  adventure, at the same time when characters 
  earn Experience Points. Or he may let characters 
  spend Experience Points at the beginning of 
  game sessions or adventures, so they have access 
  to the Skill during the game. Some GMs may 
  even allow characters to spend Experience Points 
  at any time during an adventure — even, if nec-
  essary, in mid-scene!
  Once Per Day
  Some GMs restrict characters to spending 
  Experience Points on a given Skill once per day 
  (campaign time, not real world time). This is more 
  “realistic” than the once-per-game-session method, 
  but not so restrictive that characters can’t pick up 
  new Skills fairly quickly.
  Once Per Week, Once Per Month
  For GMs who ﬁnd that “once per day” results 
  in characters learning Skills too quickly to suit the 
  campaign, once per week may work better (again, 
  this is campaign time, not real world time). If even 
  that’s too much, once per month may do the trick. 
  Longer time periods are likely to result in so much 
  player frustration that they’re not worth it.
  Per Amount Of Training
  Rather than establish rigid time period 
  requirements, some GMs prefer to base char-
  acters’ ability to spend Experience Points on a 
  given Skill on how much training time they put 
  in. In this case, the GM establishes a number 
  of hours (or days) of training required before a 
  character can spend points on a particular Skill. 
  The character can perform this training in large 
  blocks of time, or in one-hour increments here 
  and there as his adventures allow. That way a 
  character who really immerses himself in study-
  ing can pick up a new Skill pretty quickly com-
  pared to one who studies it as a hobby or in his 
  spare time.
  Example:  The GM in a Pulp Hero campaign 
  might rule that characters can only spend 
  Experience Points on a Skill after spending 6 
  hours in training. Randall Irons wants to learn 
  Tracking, a Skill he’s found himself in need of 
  on several wilderness adventures. Meanwhile, 
  his friend and sometime rival Hamilton Cross 
  decides to study art history.
  Irons contacts some hunter friends of his and 
  asks them to teach him the basics of follow-
  ing and reading tracks. They head out into the 
  woods, and after a grueling six-hour day, Irons 
  knows enough to spend Experience Points on 
  Tracking.
  Cross, on the other hand, doesn’t have a big 
  chunk of time to devote to his studies; he’s got 
  people to meet, places to go, and things to do. 
  He can only spend one hour a day reading 
  about art history. Therefore it takes him nearly 
  a week to accumulate the six hours of train-
  ing he needs to be eligible to spend Experience 
  Points on KS: Art History.
  To make things less predictable, the GM may 
  introduce a random element into the training time 
  calculation. For example, maybe a character has to 
  spend 1d6+3 hours of training to spend Experience 
  Points on a Skill. The GM would roll once for each 
  Skill a character wanted to learn, reﬂecting the fact 
  that the character picks up some abilities quicker 
  than others based on innate talent, aptitude, and 
  the like.
  AMOUNT OF POINTS SPENT
  Related to the issue of how often characters 
  can spend Experience Points to learn Skills is how 
  many points they can spend at once on a given 
  Skill. Being able to spend three or more points on 
  a Skill means characters can often acquire a full-
  blown Skill “instantly”; being able to spend only 
  one or two points at a time means the learning 
  process takes much longer. Typically the longer 
  the period of time between opportunities to spend 
  points, the more points characters can spend at 
  once, but this doesn’t always hold true.
  Some possibilities include:
  1 Experience Point At A Time
  The slowest rate is 1 Experience Point at a 
  time. This ensures that characters learn Skills slowly 
  but steadily, which may seem properly “realistic” for 
  many campaigns because it reﬂects a gradual learn-
  ing process.
  For example, suppose a character wants to 
  learn Computer Programming. The ﬁrst time he 
  gets to spend Experience Points on it, he spends 
  1 point; that means he now has a Familiarity (an 
  8- roll) with the Skill. After he spends the second 
  point, the GM might invoke the optional rule on 
  page 14 and give the character an 11- Advanced 
  Familiarity with Computer Programming. When 
  he spends that third and ﬁnal point, he has the full 
  INT-Based roll for the Skill.
  2 Experience Points At A Time
  This rate allows characters to advance more 
  quickly than one at a time — but still prevents a 
  SELF-TEACHING
  Quality/Accuracy Of Information 
  Maximum Roll 
  Learning Time
  Extremely High 
  16- 
  x0.8
  Very High 
  14- 
  x1
  High 
  12- 
  x1
  Average 
  11- 
  x1
  Poor 
  10- 
  x1.3
  Very Poor 
  8- 
  x1.5
  Extremely Poor 
  6- 
  x2
  Maximum Roll:  After self-teaching himself a Skill, the character acquires this roll or 
  the roll derived from his relevant Characteristic, whichever is less. See the text for 
  further information.
  Learning Time:  This multiplier applies to the time the GM establishes for learning 
  Skills; see the text. For example, if the GM rules it takes 1d6 months to learn a Char-
  acteristic-Based Skill and he rolls a 3 (three months), then a character who teaches 
  himselrf from a Poor quality source of information takes (3 x 1.3 =) 3.9 months to 
  learn the Skill.
  
  29 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  character from learning a Characteristic-Based 
  Skill all at once. Instead, he has to spend 2 Experi-
  ence Points one time, and 1 point later on, to have 
  the full roll.
  3 Experience Points At A Time
  At this rate, characters can buy an entire Char-
  acteristic-Based Skill at one time. This makes a lot 
  of sense in campaigns where the GM requires long 
  periods of time between opportunities to spend 
  points, and even for some “dramatic” games that 
  use shorter periods. But it may not be appropriate 
  for more “realistic” games.
  More Than 3 Experience Points At A Time
  In some truly fantastic, over-the-top cam-
  paigns, GMs let characters spend four, ﬁve, or more 
  Experience Points on a given Skill at once. This 
  usually leads to rapid Skill advancement (possibly 
  even to characters buying all-new Skills in mid-
  game), and may cause game balance problems in 
  some campaigns.
  SKILL LEARNING CATEGORIES
  Instead of establishing one blanket rule for 
  all Skills, the GM could assign Skills to diﬀerent 
  categories — Easy, Moderate, and Diﬃcult to learn 
  — and vary the time required to spend Experience 
  Points, and/or the amount of points characters can 
  spend at once, for each category. The accompany-
  ing table provides an example of such a system, but 
  GMs are free to change it to suit their particular 
  preferences, campaigns, or settings.
  THE INSTRUCTOR SKILL
  If the GM uses the Instructor Skill (page 
  362) in the campaign, it affects how quickly char-
  acters learn Skills.
  Instructor And Learning Time Period
  For every point by which a teacher with 
  Instructor succeeds with his Skill Roll, the time 
  period for the student (i.e., the character who wants 
  to spend Experience Points to learn a Skill) to 
  spend points on the Skill is reduced by ten percent 
  (10%), with a maximum reduction of ﬁfty percent 
  (50%) of the normal time required. For example, if 
  the GM only allows characters to spend Experience 
  Points on a given Skill once per week, and a char-
  acter’s Instructor makes his roll by 3, he reduces the 
  time period by 30% — to a little less than ﬁve days.
  On the other hand, poor teaching can make 
  it harder to learn. For every point by which the 
  teacher fails his Instructor roll, increase the learn-
  ing time by ten percent (10%).
  Instructor And Experience Point Expenditure
  Alternately, or in addition, Instructor may 
  increase or decrease the amount of Experience 
  Points a character can spend at once. For every 3 
  full points by which the character with Instruc-
  tor makes his roll, increase the number of points 
  the character can spend by 1 (thus, +1 Experience 
  Point if the teacher makes his roll by 3-5, +2 if by 
  6-8, and so on). On the other hand, for each 3 full 
  points by which the teacher misses the roll, reduce 
  the number of Experience Points the student can 
  spend by 1 (usually to a minimum of 1 point).
  Improving Existing Skills
  Although the rules for learning Skills only 
  refer to learning new Skills, they also apply to 
  improving existing Skills — spending Experience 
  Points to buy up a roll or adding to the categories 
  the character can aﬀect with his Skill, for example.
  The GM may impose other restrictions on 
  improving known Skills if he wishes. For example, 
  he might rule that a character cannot spend points 
  to improve his roll with a Skill until the charac-
  ter legitimately uses that Skill in a game session. 
  “Legitimately” means during an adventure for the 
  purpose of moving the adventure forward; the GM 
  should not let a character concoct a half-baked 
  excuse for using a particular Skill just so he can 
  spend Experience Points to improve it.
  Skill Atrophy
  The opposite of learning a new Skill is letting 
  Skills the character already knows deteriorate from 
  lack of use — Skill atrophy. Gamemasters interested 
  in maintaining a “realistic” feel to their campaigns 
  may want to adopt these optional rules to reﬂect 
  the fact that a character forgets things and becomes 
  less adept at his learned abilities if he doesn’t prac-
  tice and “keep his hand in.”
  For every six months (two Seasons) that a 
  character does not make use of a Skill, he loses 
  1 Character Point of eﬀect from it.  If he’s spent 
  points to improve the Skill’s roll, he loses those 
  SKILL LEARNING  
  CATEGORIES
  Easy: Breakfall, Bureaucratics, Climbing, Concealment, 
  Conversation, Fast Draw, Interrogation, Knowledge 
  Skill, Language, Lipreading, Rapid Attack, Riding, 
  Stealth, Teamwork, Transport Familiarity
  Moderate: Acrobatics, Acting, Animal Handler, Auto-
  ﬁre Skills, Bribery, Bugging, Combat Driving, Combat 
  Piloting, Contortionist, Cramming, Deduction, Gam-
  bling, High Society, Mimicry, Navigation, Oratory, 
  Paramedics, Persuasion, Power, Professional Skill, 
  Science Skill, Seduction, Shadowing, Sleight Of Hand, 
  Streetwise, Survival, Tactics, Tracking, Trading, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Ventriloquism, Weapon Familiarity
  Difﬁcult: Analyze, Combat Skill Levels, Computer 
  Programming, Criminology, Cryptography, Defense 
  Maneuver, Demolitions, Disguise, Electronics, Forensic 
  Medicine, Forgery, Inventor, Lockpicking, Martial Arts, 
  Mechanics, Penalty Skill Levels, Security Systems, Skill 
  Levels, Systems Operation, Weaponsmith
  Easy:  Characters may spend 1 Experience Point 
  per day or per game session (whichever is less) on 
  these Skills
  Moderate:  Characters may spend 1 Experience 
  Point per week on these Skills
  Difficult:  Characters may spend 1 Experience 
  Point per two weeks on these Skills
  LEARNING  
  MULTIPLE  
  SKILLS AT ONCE
  The rules in this sec-
  tion apply only to “a 
  given Skill,” meaning 
  to one particular Skill 
  that a character wants 
  to learn. But unless 
  the GM rules other-
  wise, there’s no reason 
  a character can’t try 
  to learn two or more 
  Skills at once — assum-
  ing he has the Experi-
  ence Points and time to 
  spend. Thus, a charac-
  ter who has 4 Experi-
  ence Points to spend 
  could put 1 point in 
  each of four Skills 
  during a given learning 
  period, 2 points each 
  in two Skills, or any 
  other combination that 
  follows the GM’s rules 
  about the number of 
  points a character can 
  spend on a given Skill 
  at a time and during a 
  given time period.
  
  30 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  points ﬁrst, until he has just a plain Characteristic-
  bsased roll. When he loses points from a 3-point 
  Skill, it becomes an Advanced Familiarity (page 
  14) at 2 points, then a Familiarity at 1 point (even 
  if it’s an Everyman Skill). When he has 0 points in 
  it, he can only use the Untrained Skill Use rules 
  (page 18) with that Skill. For Skills bought in incre-
  ments without rolls, such as Combat Skill Levels, 
  Cramming, Defense Maneuver, or Martial Arts, a 
  character has to lose an entire increment’s worth of 
  points before losing all use of that part of the Skill. 
  The character may choose which part or incre-
  ment of the Skill he loses ﬁrst, unless logic dictates 
  otherwise (for example, with Defense Maneuver, a 
  character should always ﬁrst lose the highest level 
  he currently knows).
  “Keeping in practice” means the character 
  must spend at least one uninterrupted day per 
  month studying and practicing with his Skill. In 
  most cases, proper study and practice requires the 
  character to have access to a laboratory, research 
  library, practice room, or like facility with a roll 
  equal to or greater than his own in the Skill he 
  wants to maintain, but the GM may waive this 
  requirement if appropriate. Frequent use of the 
  Skill “in the ﬁeld” (i.e., during adventures) can take 
  the place of practice; the GM decides what consti-
  tutes “frequent use.”
  Regaining Atrophied Points
  The loss of one or more points from a Skill 
  isn’t necessarily permanent. To regain a lost point, 
  a character must spend time intensively re-train-
  ing himself back to peak ability. This requires one 
  uninterrupted week per point lost. The character 
  must do this within two years of losing the point. If 
  he does not, the loss becomes permanent; after that, 
  the only way to regain the lost point is to spend an 
  Experience Point to make up for it.
  
  31 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  S
  kill Modiﬁers are bonuses or penalties 
  imposed by the GM on a Skill Roll. They 
  reﬂect the ease of the task being attempted, 
  the equipment available to the character, 
  the time taken to perform the Skill, the circum-
  stances, and many other factors. All Skill Modiﬁers 
  change the number the character needs to roll, not 
  the dice roll itself (thus, a positive modiﬁer, like 
  +2, is good because it increases a character’s Skill 
  Roll; a negative modiﬁer, like -3, is bad because it 
  reduces the roll; this also applies to the character’s 
  Skill Levels and any Complementary Skills). The 
  GM should provide modiﬁers to deal with each 
  situation that comes up in the course of the game. 
  Most Skills are very general — they cover a variety 
  of situations — so the circumstances can aﬀect the 
  chance of success tremendously.
  Modiﬁers are important not only for the 
  game-based beneﬁts they provide, but because 
  they help players visualize the situation their 
  characters are in. “Okay, the door is locked, make a 
  Lockpicking roll to get in” is a rather dull descrip-
  tion of what is going on in the game. It’s a lot 
  more exciting and visual to say, “All right, the door 
  has a magnetic lock on it. It looks tough. There’s 
  a -4 to your Lockpicking roll to get inside.” By 
  determining what modiﬁer he wants to apply and 
  describing the scene accordingly, or by thinking 
  about what the scene looks like in advance and 
  determining what modiﬁers it entails, the GM can 
  provide more detail about his world and the game, 
  making it more fun for everyone.
  THE EFFECTS OF SKILL MODIFIERS
  Before you assign a Skill Modiﬁer, you should 
  be aware of how severely it may aﬀect a character’s 
  Skill Roll. Due to the bell curve nature of the HERO 
  System task resolution system (see page 6), even a 
  small modiﬁer can signiﬁcantly change a charac-
  ter’s percentage chance to succeed or fail, particu-
  larly if the base roll is at or near the midpoint of 
  the curve (i.e., 11-). Conversely, for characters with 
  really high or really low Skill Rolls, even a large 
  modiﬁer may not reduce their chance to succeed or 
  fail very much. The accompanying tables show the 
  eﬀects of modiﬁers on a character’s chance to suc-
  ceed with a Skill Roll.
  ROLEPLAYING AND SKILL MODIFIERS
  Additionally, Skill Modifiers can encourage 
  creativity and good roleplaying on the part of the 
  players. Players sometimes go through a lot to 
  earn a positive Skill Roll modifier. For example, 
  roleplaying a character’s efforts to obtain better 
  lockpicking equipment makes a great scene in 
  a game — or might even be the goal behind an 
  entire scenario. A character who doesn’t want to 
  suffer a negative modifier can get very creative 
  in his attempts to overcome it. For example, he 
  might take apart his watch to obtain a few tiny 
  pieces of wire to replace the lockpicks his captors 
  just took from him. 
  Any player can just amble through the game 
  by saying, “Oh, okay, it’s a lock, I’ll use my Lockpick-
  ing Skill, are there any modiﬁers?” This lackadaisi-
  cal approach means the player misses out on a lot 
  of fun and doesn’t contribute to the game as much 
  as he could. Players who take an active role, who 
  describe what their characters do with their Skills 
  and how they try to overcome negative modiﬁers, 
  should be rewarded for enhancing the game — they 
  should get positive modiﬁers or more opportunities 
  to surmount poor circumstances.
  AMOUNT OF MODIFIER
  Because the Extraordinary Skill rules use a 
  -10 penalty as the deﬁnition for “Extraordinary” 
  Skill use, most GMs (and most of the rules in this 
  book) cap the value of any single Skill Modiﬁer 
  at -9 (though multiple modiﬁers that all apply to 
  a Skill at once can exceed -9). However, in a few 
  exceptional cases modiﬁers greater than -9 are 
  allowed; in this case, the GM may want to change 
  the Extraordinary Skill modiﬁer for that Skill to 
  make it at least 2 points worse than the largest 
  single modiﬁer described for that Skill.
  SKILL  
  MODIFIERS
  SKILL MODIFIERS
   Modiﬁer 
  Circumstance
   +3 to +5 
  Routine
   +1 to +3 
  Easy
   -1 to -3 
  Diﬃcult
   -3 to -5 
  Extremely Diﬃcult
   -5 or more Sheer Folly
   See text 
  Preparing for extra time
   +1 to +3 
  Character has extensive knowledge of  
  the object of the Skill Roll
   +1 to +3 
  Character roleplays the use of the  
  Skill well
   +1 to +3 
  Character uses good equipment in  
  connection with the Skill Roll
   +1 to +3 
  Excellent conditions for performing  
  the Skill
   -1 to -5 
  Poor conditions for performing the Skill
   -1 to -5 
  Extremely strange or weird object to  
  perform the Skill on
   -1 to -5 
  Character uses poor equipment, or lacks 
  the proper equipment (if appropriate)
   -1 to -3 
  Combat conditions, for Skills not  
  normally used in combat
  
  32 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  GENERAL MODIFIERS
  You can apply general Skill Modifiers to any 
  Skill that has a roll (though certain Skills may 
  not use some of these modifiers). They include 
  the following:
  EASE OF THE TASK
  Some tasks are 
  easy, others are nearly 
  impossible, and the 
  GM should use posi-
  tive and negative mod-
  iﬁers to reﬂect this. 
  Most tasks are “aver-
  age,” meaning there’s 
  no modiﬁer at all, but 
  during an adventure, 
  circumstances often 
  arise that are far from 
  average. In some 
  cases, a more precise 
  type of Skill Modiﬁer 
  (e.g., broken or lost 
  equipment) covers the 
  speciﬁc type of dif-
  ﬁculty in a situation, 
  so you should use that 
  modiﬁer instead; “ease 
  of the task” modiﬁers 
  are the most general 
  and vague type of Skill 
  Modiﬁer the GM can 
  apply.
  The descriptions 
  of the Skills in Chap-
  ter Two of this book 
  provide examples of 
  tasks characters might 
  attempt with each 
  Skill, with appropri-
  ate modiﬁers you can 
  analogize to the “ease 
  of the task” modiﬁers presented here. However, 
  no list of circumstances can cover everything that 
  might occur during a game, so the GM must make 
  the ﬁnal determination of how easily a character 
  can perform a particular task.
  GENERAL CONDITIONS
  The general conditions under which a charac-
  ter uses a Skill can also aﬀect his chances of success. 
  The GM assesses the general conditions, then con-
  sults the accompanying table for the appropriate 
  modiﬁer. As with ease of the task, these are general 
  and vague modiﬁers that may be replaced by more 
  precise modiﬁers when appropriate... but they’re 
  more likely to be cumulative with other modiﬁers 
  than ease modiﬁers are.
  Excellent And Poor Conditions
  Depending on the Skill, “Excellent Conditions” 
  may include things like very good weather, having 
  plenty of time, being in a comfortable situation, 
  and so forth. “Poor Conditions” are the opposite 
  — lousy weather, discomfort, being pressured/sub-
  jected to stress, and the like.
  Strange Or Weird Subject
  Performing Skills upon objects or subjects 
  that are extremely strange, weird, or unusual 
  EASE OF TASK MODIFIERS
  Difﬁculty Category 
  Modiﬁer
  Routine 
  +3 to +5
  Easy 
  +1 to +3
  Average 
  +0
  Diﬃcult 
  -1 to -3
  Extremely Diﬃcult 
  -3 to -5
  Sheer Folly 
  -5 to -10 (or more)
  In the case of “Routine” and “Easy” tasks, don’t 
  forget that in ordinary situations, when a character’s 
  under no stress or pressure and has suﬃcient time 
  to perform a task correctly, there’s no need to make 
  a Skill Roll — just assume he succeeds. See page 11 
  for further discussion.
  MODIFIER EFFECTS
   
  Roll 
  -4 
  -3 
  -2 
  -1 
  +0 
  +1 
  +2 
  +3 
  +4
   
  3 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  1.85% 
  4.63% 
  9.26% 
  16.20%
   
  4 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  1.85% 
  4.63% 
  9.26% 
  16.20% 
  25.93%
   
  5 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  1.85% 
  4.63% 
  9.26% 
  16.20% 
  25.93% 
  37.50%
   
  6 
  0.46% 
  0.46% 
  1.85% 
  4.63% 
  9.26% 
  16.20% 
  25.93% 
  37.50% 
  50.00%
   
  7 
  0.46% 
  1.85% 
  4.63% 
  9.26% 
  16.20% 
  25.93% 
  37.50% 
  50.00% 
  62.50%
   
  8 
  1.85% 
  4.63% 
  9.26% 
  16.20% 
  25.93% 
  37.50% 
  50.00% 
  62.50% 
  74.07%
   
  9 
  4.63% 
  9.26% 
  16.20% 
  25.93% 
  37.50% 
  50.00% 
  62.50% 
  74.07% 
  83.80%
   
  10 
  9.26% 
  16.20% 
  25.93% 
  37.50% 
  50.00% 
  62.50% 
  74.07% 
  83.80% 
  90.74%
   
  11 
  16.20% 
  25.93% 
  37.50% 
  50.00% 
  62.50% 
  74.07% 
  83.80% 
  90.74% 
  95.37%
   
  12 
  25.93% 
  37.50% 
  50.00% 
  62.50% 
  74.07% 
  83.80% 
  90.74% 
  95.37% 
  98.15%
   
  13 
  37.50% 
  50.00% 
  62.50% 
  74.07% 
  83.80% 
  90.74% 
  95.37% 
  98.15% 
  99.54%
   
  14 
  50.00% 
  62.50% 
  74.07% 
  83.80% 
  90.74% 
  95.37% 
  98.15% 
  99.54% 
  100.00%
   
  15 
  62.50% 
  74.07% 
  83.80% 
  90.74% 
  95.37% 
  98.15% 
  99.54% 
  100.00% 100.00%
   
  16 
  74.07% 
  83.80% 
  90.74% 
  95.37% 
  98.15% 
  99.54% 
  100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
   
  17 
  83.80% 
  90.74% 
  95.37% 
  98.15% 
  99.54% 
  100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
   
  18 
  90.74% 
  95.37% 
  98.15% 
  99.54% 
  100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
  The “+0” column indicates the chance to succeed with an unmodiﬁed roll. Remember that in the HERO System, a 
  roll of 3 always succeeds, and a roll of 18 always fails, unless the GM rules otherwise, or a speciﬁc rule indicates a 
  diﬀerent result.
  
  33 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  imposes penalties of -1 to -5 to the Skill Roll. See 
  page 39 for more specific rules regarding unusual 
  technologies, and the Paramedics description in 
  Chapter Two about using that Skill on someone 
  of another species.
  Extensive Knowledge
  Characters who have “extensive knowledge” 
  of the object or subject of their Skill Roll receive 
  a positive modiﬁer. A good example would be a 
  group of commandos sent to defuse a terrorist’s 
  bomb. Experts have briefed them in advance on the 
  type of bomb the terrorist usually uses and how to 
  defuse it. If the experts’ information is correct, the 
  commandos receive a bonus for having extensive 
  knowledge of the situation. The GM should not 
  grant an extensive knowledge bonus because a 
  character knows a lot of related or similar Skills; 
  that’s what the Complementary Skill rules are for. 
  (However, in some situations a character may use 
  Cramming to obtain an obscure Knowledge Skill 
  solely for the purposes of reﬂecting “extensive 
  knowledge,” and this is perfectly appropriate.)
  Combat Conditions; Time/Deadline Pressure
  In some cases, trying to use a Skill in combat 
  conditions, or other high-stress crisis situations, 
  imposes a -1 to -3 penalty on the Skill Roll.
  The following Skills are intended for use 
  in combat conditions, or can be used in combat 
  with no penalty, and therefore characters receive 
  no negative modiﬁers for using them in combat:  
  Accurate Sprayﬁre, Acrobatics, Analyzes related to 
  combat situations (Analyze Style, Analyze Combat 
  Technique, and the like), Breakfall, Combat Driv-
  ing, Combat Piloting, Concentrated Sprayﬁre, 
  Fast Draw, Rapid Attack, Rapid Autoﬁre, Skipover 
  Sprayﬁre, Stealth, Tactics, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  and Weapon Familiarity. All other Skills are not 
  normally used in combat conditions — even Skills 
  often associated with combat situations, such as 
  Demolitions, typically aren’t intended for use when 
  the character is under attack. Characters using 
  those Skills in combat suﬀer a negative modiﬁer 
  determined by the GM. Characters may buy the 
  Talent Combat-Ready (see page 54) for a Skill to 
  eliminate any combat conditions penalties.
  Similarly, characters who are under some sort 
  of time or deadline pressure or similar forms of 
  stress (the bomb is going to explode in six seconds, 
  only have one hour to write a 5,000-word story) 
  suﬀer a negative modiﬁer to their Skill Rolls.
  Stealthy Skill Use
  Characters have trouble performing Skills if 
  they try to be stealthy while doing so. Characters 
  may not be able to use some Skills in a stealthy 
  fashion at all; the GM determines this on a case-by-
  case basis. If stealthy use is possible, the character 
  must make a Stealth roll at -2 (or worse, at the GM’s 
  discretion) to perform the task stealthfully. If he 
  fails the roll he can still attempt to use the Skill, but 
  others can perceive him doing so as usual.
  DAMAGE TO SUBJECT
  If the object the character is using his Skill 
  — a lock he’s trying to open with Lockpicking, and 
  engine he’s trying to ﬁx with Mechanics, a broken 
  radio he’s trying to make a last-ditch Systems 
  Operation roll with — has suﬀered damage, it’s 
  harder for him to succeed. (The same applies with 
  Paramedics and similar Skills based on the subject’s 
  degree of injury.) The accompanying table lists the 
  standard modiﬁers in this situation.
  “Signiﬁcant” damage is damage to a speciﬁc 
  part of the subject, or a speciﬁc type of damage, 
  that the GM deems particularly relevant or nec-
  essary for the Skill used or task attempted. For 
  example, if a character has to pick a lock, and parts 
  of the lock have been fused together by ﬁre damage, 
  the GM might consider that “signiﬁcant” damage 
  and tack on an additional -2 penalty to the roll. Sig-
  niﬁcant damage penalties are cumulative with other 
  damage modiﬁers.
  At the GM’s option, damage to the subject may 
  not aﬀect some Skills or Skill uses. For example, 
  damage to parts of a radio might not penalize 
  a character who wants to use that radio to jam 
  another radio’s signal. Similarly, they may not apply 
  to attempts to repair the damage.
  EQUIPMENT
  Many Skills, like Lockpicking and Demoli-
  tions, almost always require some type of equip-
  ment to perform. With the right, or right type of, 
  equipment, a character may ﬁnd his task easier 
  to perform (or at least possible to perform). On 
  the other hand, using poor-quality, improvised, 
  or damaged equipment probably makes his job 
  tougher, if not impossible. The accompanying table 
  has suggested modiﬁers for equipment quality. As 
  noted in some of the individual Skill descriptions 
  in Chapter Two, equipment modiﬁers diﬀer slightly 
  for some Skills (for example, equipment modiﬁers 
  are changed a little for Climbing; see page 109). 
  Chapter Three has more information on equipment 
  for Skills.
  “Improvised” equipment includes makeshift, 
  jury-rigged, and other less-than-perfect forms of 
  equipment used when nothing better is available. 
  Determining which types of equipment are Poor, 
  Very Good, and so forth is left to the GM’s discre-
  GENERAL CONDITIONS MODIFIERS
  Condition 
  Modiﬁer
  Excellent Conditions 
  +1 to +3
  Poor Conditions 
  -1 to -5
  Extremely Strange/Weird Subject of Skill 
  -1 to -5
  Extensive Knowledge of Subject of Skill 
  +1 to +3
  Combat conditions 
  -1 to -3
  Time/deadline pressure 
  -1 to -2
  Being stealthy 
  Requires Stealth roll at -2 or worse
  DAMAGE TO SUBJECT  
  MODIFIERS
  Damage 
  Modiﬁer
  Less than 1/3 BODY 
  -0
  1/3 to 2/3 BODY 
  -2
  More than 2/3 BODY 
  -4
  Signiﬁcant damage 
  Additional -1 to -3
  
  34 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  tion — unless, of course, the character has paid 
  Character Points for better-than-average equip-
  ment, in which case he’s entitled to the bonuses he 
  paid for. You can use the guidelines in this table 
  when deciding how to build quality equipment. For 
  example, if a character wants “very good” lockpicks, 
  he should buy them as a +3 (or greater) bonus to 
  Lockpicking. (See Skill Kit on page 385.)
  Buying Equipment
  If a Skill requires equipment, unless stated other-
  wise in the Skill’s writeup it’s not necessarily assumed 
  that the character gets the needed equipment for 
  “free,” because he may have to pay money for it in the 
  game or the like. But he doesn’t have to pay a separate 
  Character Point cost for the equipment (unless, as 
  noted above, he’s buying a particularly good form of 
  equipment deﬁned in rules terms).
  In some cases a character may want “con-
  cealed” versions of standard equipment, such as a 
  set of lockpicks built into what looks like a ball-
  point pen, or a listening device that looks like a 
  coin. Generally, there’s no need to pay Character 
  Points for this sort of equipment — it’s something 
  the GM allows as part of the campaign that char-
  acters can purchase with money. However, conceal-
  able equipment may cost much more than ordinary 
  equipment since it’s usually harder to manufacture, 
  illegal to own, or the like. If the GM absolutely 
  insists on having characters pay Character Points 
  for concealable/disguised standard equipment, buy 
  it this way:  Relevant Skill 8- (1 Active Point); IAF 
  (-½) (total cost:  1 point) (alternately, a character 
  can buy a Concealment Skill for his equipment). 
  The character uses his own Skill Roll, not that of 
  the gear; the “roll” simply indicates which Skill the 
  equipment is intended for.
  INJURY
  At the GM’s option, it’s harder for a character 
  to perform most Skills when he’s hurt. The penalties 
  in the Injury Modiﬁers table reﬂect this. This modi-
  ﬁer works best in more “realistic” games, like some 
  Dark Champions or Low Fantasy games; it’s usually 
  not appropriate (or at most applies to some lesser 
  degree) in more cinematic campaigns.
  A “signiﬁcant” injury is one to any part of the 
  body, or a speciﬁc type of wound, that the GM deems 
  particularly necessary for the Skill used or task 
  attempted. For example, a character who’s received an 
  injury to his hand may suﬀer additional penalties to 
  Skills such as Lockpicking and Demolitions, and in 
  some cases an injury caused by, say, acid may aﬀect a 
  character more strongly than a wound from a punch 
  or knife. Signiﬁcant injury penalties are cumulative 
  with other injury modiﬁers.
  At the GM’s option, injuries may not aﬀect 
  some Skills. For example, Knowledge Skills and 
  uses of other Skills that simply reﬂect knowing 
  something often ignore injury penalties (unless the 
  injury is to the head).
  MOVEMENT
  At the GM’s option, characters in motion 
  — who move during the same Segment when they 
  want to use a Skill — have a more diﬃcult time 
  performing many Skills, whether they’re moving 
  under their own power or are in a moving vehicle, 
  as indicated by the Movement Modiﬁers table. 
  Generally this only applies to Skills that require 
  rolls; it doesn’t aﬀect a character’s ability to allocate 
  his Combat Skill Levels, Penalty Skill Levels, or Skill 
  Levels, shout a command in a learned Language, 
  to use Rapid Attack or Two-Weapon Fighting, or 
  the like. At the GM’s option, it also does not apply, 
  or applies at a lesser level, to Skills that inherently 
  involve some movement, such as Breakfall or Acro-
  batics. (See Stealth for speciﬁc rules for that Skill.)
  SKILL PERIOD
  As discussed on page 10, the Skill Table assigns 
  every Skill to one or more Skill Periods, which deﬁne 
  the genres and eras for which those Skills are appro-
  priate (roughly speaking). Characters are typically 
  trained in how to use a Skill based on their native 
  period/genre; if they try to use a Skill as it would be 
  used in an earlier or later period, they suﬀer penalties. 
  This most often applies to technology-oriented Skills; 
  the same problems may apply to non-technical Skills, 
  but this is less common. (See also the Technology 
  modiﬁers, described below.)
  A Fantasy-era character who has the oppor-
  tunity to use Skills from later periods often suﬀers 
  a Skill Roll penalty of -3 to -5 for dealing with 
  Modern situations, -5 to -8 for Future.
  A Modern character trying to use his Skills in 
  Fantasy era situations (for example, to use Security 
  Systems, which he learned to defeat electronic bur-
  glar alarms, to neutralize a trapdoor), or in Future 
  eras where he may not completely understand 
  EQUIPMENT MODIFIERS
  Type Of Equipment 
  Modiﬁer
  None  
  Cannot perform Skill
  Very Poor 
  -4 to -6 or more
  Very Damaged 
  -4 to -6 or more
  Poor and Improvised 
  -4 to -6 or more
  Poor, Improvised, or Damaged -1 to -3
  Average 
  +0
  Good  
  +1 to +2
  Very Good  
  +3 to +4
  Extremely Good  
  +5 or more
  INJURY MODIFIERS
  Degree Of Injury 
  Modiﬁer
  Less than ⅓ BODY 
  -0
  ⅓ to ⅔ BODY 
  -2
  More than ⅔ BODY 
  -4
  Signiﬁcant injury 
  Additional -1 to -3
   MOVEMENT MODIFIERS
  Movement This Phase 
  Modiﬁer
  Half Move (under own power) 
  -2
  Full Move (under own power) 
  Cannot perform any Skills unless permitted by GM
  In smooth-riding vehicle/mount 
  -1 to -2
  In rough-riding vehicle/mount 
  -2 to -5
  In campaigns that stress “realism,” the GM may want to signiﬁcantly increase these 
  penalties (say, by another -2 to -4 each).
  
  35 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  what’s going on, suﬀers Skill Roll penalties of -2 to 
  -4. On the other hand, a Modern character apply-
  ing Modern knowledge, techniques, and perhaps 
  even technology to a Fantasy-era problem (perhaps 
  because he’s traveled back in time) may receive a +2 
  to +4 bonus to reﬂect his more expansive abilities 
  — thanks to his greater knowledge, he can easily 
  resolve problems that frustrate Fantasy characters.
  Future characters trying to use their Skills 
  in Modern settings or with Modern technolo-
  gies may suﬀer Skill Roll penalties of -2 to -4; the 
  penalty increases to -5 or greater in Fantasy eras. 
  These penalties may instead become bonuses if the 
  character applies his Science Fiction knowledge, 
  techniques, and perhaps even technology to earlier-
  period problems that would baﬄe the people of 
  that time due to lack of knowledge or the like.
  Expanding Skill Period Modiﬁers
  For some campaigns (such as time traveling 
  games, or games where the characters frequently 
  explore ancient ruins), the GM may want greater 
  granularity in the Skill Period rules. The accompa-
  nying table lists ten time periods, deﬁned roughly 
  by genre, organized in descending order from earli-
  est to latest (sort of like a “Time Chart for history”). 
  For every step up or down the chart from a charac-
  ter’s native period (i.e., every step backward or for-
  ward in time), he suﬀers a cumulative -2 penalty on 
  Skill use. (As noted above, when a character applies 
  his Skill to problems from an earlier time period, 
  sometimes the GM may convert this into a bonus 
  instead if a character’s greater degree of knowledge 
  would prove unusually helpful.)
  Using these rules may make things much 
  more difficult for the PCs. For example, a charac-
  ter trained in how to set up and defuse modern-
  day security systems may have a lot of trouble 
  trying to disarm a collapsing pit trap from Baby-
  lonian times — it’s not nearly as much within his 
  field of knowledge.
  The GM can increase this to -3 per step for 
  greater “realism,” or decrease it to -1 for more cin-
  ematic games. Similarly, he can alter the penalty 
  for more sophisticated technology (i.e., technology 
  from periods down the chart from what the charac-
  ter’s used to) if he thinks the increased “user friend-
  liness” of the advanced tech would help the char-
  acter. And in some cases he may want to decrease 
  the penalty generally; sometimes the gulf of time 
  doesn’t matter much if a problem involves relatively 
  simple equipment or can be solved through careful 
  application of reason and logic.
  (Note:  The Skill descriptions in Chapter Two 
  often include period-by-period notes on applica-
  tions and restrictions on the Skill. These notes usu-
  ally just refer to the broad periods of “Fantasy” and 
  “Science Fiction” instead of breaking those catego-
  ries down as this table does.)
  ROLEPLAYING
  When a player roleplays the use or perfor-
  mance of a Skill well, his character should receive a 
  +1 to +3 bonus to his Skill Roll.
  TIME
  Taking more or less time than normal can 
  aﬀect Skill Rolls.
  Taking Extra Time
  First, and most commonly, a character who 
  takes extra time to perform a Skill gets a positive 
  modiﬁer. This is because he’s taking his time, being 
  extra careful, analyzing the situation thoroughly, 
  and so forth. For every step down on the Time 
  Chart beyond the Base Time for the Skill, the char-
  acter gets +1 to his Skill Roll. (See page 23, and each 
  Skill’s description in Chapter Two, regarding Base 
  Times for Skills.)
  Example:  The Base Time for using Acrobatics 
  is, at most, a Half Phase. Nighthawk wants to 
  attempt a particularly diﬃcult leap-ﬂip-grab 
  the ledge maneuver so he can sneak into Green 
  Dragon’s hideout without being seen. Because 
  it’s a diﬃcult maneuver, the GM rules that 
  Nighthawk suﬀers a negative modiﬁer of -2 to 
  his Acrobatics roll. Nighthawk spends 1 Minute 
  studying the layout of the location, his approach, 
  and other factors. By spending this extra time (1 
  Minute is two steps down on the Time Chart 
  from 1 Phase, the closest Base Time on the Time 
  Chart), Nighthawk gets a +2 positive modiﬁer 
  to his Skill Roll, eﬀectively negating the penalty 
  for the diﬃculty of the maneuver.
  Example:  The Base Time for performing Para-
  medics is 1 Turn. Drago has been hurt in 
  combat and Freda decides to use Healing (the 
  Fantasy Hero form of Paramedics) to prevent 
  the wound from getting worse. She spends 1 
  Minute cleaning the wound, applying ban-
  dages, and so forth. Because 1 Minute is one 
  step down the Time Chart from the Skill’s Base 
  Time of 1 Turn, Freda gets a +1 to her Para-
  medics roll to determine if she successfully helps 
  Drago’s wound heal properly.
  Performing Skills More Quickly Than Normal
  Second, characters can try to perform a Skill 
  more quickly than normal — either to impress 
  onlookers, or because there’s some sort of deadline 
  involved (“You’ve only got ten seconds to defuse 
  the bomb, McCarrigan. No pressure, buddy”). For 
  each step up on the Time Chart beyond the Base 
  Time for the Skill, the character suﬀers a -3 penalty 
  to his Skill Roll. (At the GM’s option, if a Skill takes 
  a Full Phase to perform, a character can perform 
  EXPANDED SKILL  
  PERIOD MODIFIERS
  Fantasy — Ancient (up to 500 AD)
  Fantasy — Medieval (501-1399)
  Fantasy — Renaissance (1400-1599)
  Age Of Reason/Piracy/Sail (1600-1849)
  Western/Victorian (1850-1913)
  Pulp (1914-1939)
  Modern-Day (1940-2020)
  Science Fiction — Near Future (2021-2299)
  Science Fiction — Far Future (2300-2699)
  Science Fiction — Very Far Future (2700 and later)
  
  36 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  it in a Half Phase at a -3 penalty [and possibly as 
  a Zero Phase Action at a -6 penalty]; a Skill that 
  normally takes a Half Phase can, with the GM’s 
  permission, be performed as a Zero Phase Action 
  for a -3 penalty. However, in no case can a character 
  use a Skill against another character in any way as a 
  Zero Phase Action.)
  Example:  McCarrigan has to defuse a booby-
  trapped bomb before it explodes — and the 
  timer says there’s only ten seconds left! Unfor-
  tunately, the GM rules that defusing a bomb 
  with a booby trap of this complexity would 
  normally require 20 Minutes. McCarrigan only 
  has a Turn (ten seconds is a little less than a full 
  Turn, but it’s close enough for the GM). 1 Turn 
  is three steps above 20 Minutes on the Time 
  Chart, so McCarrigan’s going to suﬀer a -9 pen-
  alty to his Demolitions roll. Good luck....
  To overcome this problem, a character can 
  buy Skill Levels for the speciﬁc purposes of coun-
  teracting this penalty. The Rapid Tasks ability on 
  page 104 of The Ultimate Speedster (or page 207 of 
  The UNTIL Superpowers Database) is an example, 
  though you may want to alter the type of Skill Level 
  purchased if you’re building a more speciﬁc power. 
  If the GM considers this cost-prohibitive, he may 
  want to reduce the penalty for performing Skills 
  more quickly than normal (to, say, -2 per step up 
  the Time Chart), or he could let any character use 
  the Rapid Tasks power for free if he succeeds with 
  a Speedster Tricks roll (or other appropriate Power 
  Skill roll).
  In “realistic” campaigns, characters who try to 
  perform tasks at high speed may run into a prob-
  lem:  the equipment they need to use the Skill, or 
  the medium upon which they practice the Skill, 
  can’t withstand the force of their speed! This is par-
  ticularly likely to happen to comic-book speedsters 
  in Champions campaigns. For example, it doesn’t 
  matter how fast a speedster can type commands 
  into a computer if the keyboard breaks after just 
  a few seconds of ultra-fast keying. Speedsters may 
  also have problems with equipment that’s delib-
  erately designed to slow people down, such as 
  anti-hacking computer software that only allows 
  the input of so many possible passwords in a given 
  amount of time. The GM can simulate these diﬃ-
  culties by imposing additional penalties on the Skill 
  Roll, having the speedster’s powers automatically 
  do a certain amount of damage to equipment he 
  uses, or the like.
  MODIFIERS FOR  
  SKILL CATEGORIES
  The following modiﬁers apply to Skills of a 
  particular category, such as Agility Skills or Interac-
  tion Skills.
  Agility Skill Modiﬁers
  The following modiﬁers apply to all Agility 
  (i.e., DEX-based) Skills.
  ARMOR
  In campaigns where characters frequently 
  wear “realistic” armor (e.g., Fantasy Hero games), 
  some GMs prefer to impose speciﬁc penalties for 
  wearing armor instead of counting the armor as 
  part of the character’s overall load for Encum-
  brance purposes. Fantasy Hero discusses this on 
  pages 196-97.
  ENCUMBRANCE AND BULKINESS
  It’s much harder to perform Agility Skills when 
  the character carries more than he comfortably can. 
  Consult the Encumbrance Table on page 379 of 
  the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised and apply the 
  listed “DEX Roll” penalty to all Agility Skills.
  Furthermore, particularly bulky or awkward 
  burdens might impose additional penalties. A 
  “Bulky” load — including any Focus with the Bulky 
  Limitation, a large television set or appliance, pieces 
  of furniture, and the like — would impose another 
  -1 penalty. A “Very Bulky” load — especially bulky 
  or awkward loads, such as an injured or uncon-
  scious person or a keg of ale — entails an addi-
  tional -2 penalty.
  NOT USING HANDS
  Agility Skills normally require the use of the 
  hands — but sometimes a character can’t use his 
  hands for some reason (they’re tied up, broken, 
  can’t reach the object to be manipulated, or the 
  like). A character can attempt to perform an Agility 
  Skill with his mouth at a -5 penalty, or his feet/toes 
  at a -8 penalty. The GM may adjust these penalties 
  based on the situation. A character who buys his 
  legs and/or mouth as Extra Limbs suﬀers no penal-
  ties for performing Agility Skills with them.
  TIME CHART 
  (EXPANDED)
  Time Period/Duration
  1 Segment
  1 Phase
  1 Turn (Post-Segment 12)
  1 Minute
  5 Minutes
  20 Minutes
  1 Hour
  6 Hours
  1 Day
  1 Week
  1 Month
  1 Season (3 months)
  1 Year
  5 Years
  25 Years
  1 Century
  5 Centuries
  2,500 Years
  10,000 Years
  50,000 Years
  250,000 Years
  1 Million Years
  5 Million Years
  25 Million Years
  100 Million Years
  500 Million Years
  2.5 Billion Years
  10 Billion Years
  50 Billion Years
  
  37 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Intellect Skill Modiﬁers
  The following modiﬁers apply to all Intellect 
  (i.e., INT-based) Skills. See also Perceptive Skills, 
  below, since many Intellect Skills require a charac-
  ter to perceive something.
  REFERENCE MATERIALS
  For many Intellect Skills, one of the most 
  useful pieces of equipment a character can have is 
  reference materials — books, pamphlets, computer 
  databases, and other sources of information char-
  acters can look to for the details. For example, even 
  the most most competent user of Mechanics can’t 
  remember every single one of the literally tens of 
  thousands pieces and spare parts he might need 
  to use. He’s an expert not only because he knows 
  about more of them than the average mechanic, but 
  because he knows when and where to look up more 
  information in a technical manual or parts catalog.
  You can use the Equipment modiﬁers (see 
  above) to represent the quality of the reference 
  materials available to a character when he’s using a 
  Skill. Alternately, characters can buy a particularly 
  useful reference source as a bonus to a Skill on a 
  Focus; a library of reference materials might qualify 
  as a “laboratory” in a Base instead, allowing char-
  acters to use its Skills as Complementary Skills (see 
  Chapter Three).
  Interaction Skill Modiﬁers
  The following modiﬁers apply to all Interac-
  tion (i.e., PRE-based) Skills.
  ALIENNESS
  In some settings, characters of one species (or 
  race) have diﬃculty interacting with characters of 
  any other species — something about the “alien” 
  nature of other species makes it hard to relate to 
  them. Sometimes this phenomenon depends on 
  “classes” of aliens; a mammalian species might 
  relate just ﬁne to any other mammalian species, but 
  reptilian or ichthyoid species give it the willies. This 
  trait is most common in Low Science Fiction, Low 
  Fantasy, or “realistic” settings; it almost never exists 
  in Space Opera Science Fiction, Pulp Science Fic-
  tion, or High Fantasy, where dozens of alien species 
  or fantastic races mingle freely together.
  To reﬂect this discomfort, GMs can impose 
  a penalty on all Interaction Skill rolls between 
  members of two diﬀerent species:  -2 for relatively 
  similar species; -4 for dissimilar species; and -8 (or 
  more) for greatly diﬀerent species (like a physical 
  being and an energy being).
  APPROPRIATENESS
  Interaction Skills are particularly limited by 
  the appropriateness of the situation. Trying to use 
  Persuasion on an enemy in the middle of a battle, 
  bribe someone while lots of people are watching, 
  or the like is almost certainly doomed to failure. It’s 
  not necessarily impossible — after all, the HERO 
  System is about dramatic action, and sometimes 
  heroes can do some bizarre and spectacular things 
  
  38 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  if fortune favors them — but it’s diﬃcult (-4 or 
  greater penalty, typically).
  On the other hand, sometimes a particular 
  Interaction Skill is especially appropriate for the 
  situation at hand. Usually this doesn’t merit any 
  bonus, but sometimes the GM provides a small one 
  (+1 or +2).
  EFFECTIVE COMELINESS
  As noted on page 48 of the HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised rulebook, characters can some-
  times make COM Rolls as Complementary Skill 
  Rolls for Interaction Skills. However, in some 
  instances it may be easier to apply a ﬂat modi-
  ﬁer based on the eﬀective COM of the character. 
  “Eﬀective” COM means the character’s COM in the 
  particular situation involved, based on the GM’s 
  evaluation of the factors involved. For example, a 
  rather plain or ugly character (COM 6) may look 
  a lot better if he’s cleaned up and wearing a tuxedo 
  (giving him an eﬀective COM of 8). A character 
  may ordinarily be rather beautiful (COM 18) but 
  be particularly dishevelled or unattractive in a par-
  ticular situation. Or he could have some feature the 
  subject of the Interaction Skill ﬁnds particularly 
  unappealing (e.g., big, puﬀy, collagen-enhanced 
  lips), thus reducing the character’s eﬀective COM. 
  The accompanying table lists the modiﬁers.
  PRESENCE ATTACKS
  In many cases the GM can use appropriate 
  modiﬁers listed under Presence Attacks in the main 
  rulebook as modiﬁers to Interaction Skill rolls by 
  converting the number of dice into a penalty. For 
  example, a +2d6 modiﬁer equals a +2 Skill Roll 
  modiﬁer (or a -2 EGO Roll modiﬁer). (But see 
  below regarding Psychological Limitations.)
  Alternately, the GM can allow a character to 
  make a Presence Attack as a sort of “Complemen-
  tary Skill Roll” to an Interaction Skill. The GM 
  determines what level of Presence Attack a char-
  acter would have to achieve to get the results the 
  character wants from using his Interaction Skill. 
  He then makes a Presence Attack, roleplaying it if 
  appropriate (and perhaps to obtain bonus dice!). 
  For every 5 points by which the roll exceeds the 
  target number, the character gets a +1 bonus on his 
  Interaction Skill roll.
  PSYCHOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS
  A character’s ability to use Interaction Skills 
  successfully on a target depends in part on the tar-
  get’s Psychological Limitations. Some Psychological 
  Limitations make one or more Interaction Skills 
  easier to use on a target; some make it harder. For 
  example, a character who is Greedy may be more 
  susceptible to Bribery. A character who’s a Skirt-
  chaser or Lustful probably gives in to Seduction and 
  similar Skills quicker than one who’s taken a Vow 
  Of Chastity. Modiﬁers from Psychological Limita-
  tions depend on the intensity of the Disadvantage, 
  as indicated by the accompanying table.
  Caveat:  the Interaction Skill Eﬀects Table on 
  page 65 uses Psychological Limitation values as 
  a “benchmark” indicating how much a character 
  must make an Interation Skill Roll by to aﬀect the 
  target. If the GM uses that rule, he should not also 
  apply Psychological Limitation modiﬁers unless he 
  feels it’s particularly appropriate to do so.
  RESISTANCE AND REPUTATION
  The Reputation Perk and Resistance Talents, 
  on pages 83-84 and 90, respectively, of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, Revised, can provide direct 
  bonuses or penalties to Interaction Skills gener-
  ally (or to a speciﬁc Interaction Skill in the case of 
  Resistance and its kin).
  ROLEPLAYING
  More than any other type of Skill, Interaction 
  Skills can beneﬁt from good roleplaying... or suﬀer 
  from bad roleplaying. The GM should consider grant-
  ing an extra bonus of +1 to +3 for good roleplaying of 
  an Interaction Skill, or a similar penalty if the charac-
  ter doesn’t try to roleplay it at all or does so badly.
  Of course, “good” or “bad” roleplaying can be a 
  relative thing, and in general GMs shouldn’t penal-
  ize characters because their players aren’t as good at 
  something as the character himself should be. Players 
  don’t have to be crack marksmen to buy Combat Skill 
  Levels, martial artists to buy Martial Arts, or pilots 
  to buy TF: Small Planes for their characters, so they 
  shouldn’t have to be socially adept or sophisticated 
  to buy and use Interaction Skills. But since any player 
  can talk and act, as long as a player makes at least 
  some reasonable eﬀort to roleplay what his character 
  does, that should suﬃce to at least prevent a penalty 
  (even if it’s not enough to get a bonus).
  EFFECTIVE COMELINESS 
  MODIFIERS
   Effective COM 
  Modiﬁer
   
  23+ 
  +3
   
  18 to 22 
  +2
   
  13 to 17 
  +1
   
  8 to 12 
  +0
   
  3 to 7 
  -1
   
  2 to -2* 
  -2
   
  -3 to -7 
  -3
   
  -8 to -12 
  -4
   
  -13 to -17 
  -5
   -18 or worse 
  -6
  *:  Penalties for negative COM may convert to corre-
  sponding bonuses when a character’s use of an Interac-
  tion Skill involves fear or intimidation.
  PSYCHOLOGICAL  
  LIMITATION MODIFIERS
  Intensity And Nature Of Disadvantage 
  Modiﬁer
  Moderate, in favor of Skill use 
  +1
  Moderate, opposed to Skill use 
  -1
  Strong, in favor of Skill use 
  +2
  Strong, opposed to Skill use 
  -2
  Total, in favor of Skill use 
  +3
  Total, opposed to Skill use 
  -3
  
  39 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Perceptive Skill Modiﬁers
  The Perception Roll modiﬁers on pages 353-54 
  of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised apply to 
  “Perceptive Skills” — that is, Skills involving per-
  ception or analysis of phenomena, such as Crimi-
  nology, some aspects of Bugging and Mechanics, 
  Lipreading, or Tracking. Typically this means per-
  ception with Sight, but in some cases other Senses 
  may be involved.
  For example, if a Skill requires a character to 
  read or observe something (a book or scroll, a radar 
  screen, a speaker’s lips...), then the modiﬁers for 
  darkness, shadow, and lighting apply to the Skill 
  Roll. After all, it’s kind of diﬃcult to read a book in 
  pitch-black conditions! The same applies to trying 
  to see something over a long distance (i.e., in game 
  terms, the Range Modiﬁer applies) or hear some-
  thing in a noisy room.
  If it’s impossible for a character to use a par-
  ticular Sense (usually because Darkness or a Flash 
  have “blinded” him or block his Sense entirely), he 
  cannot use Perceptive Skills based on that Sense.
  Technological Skill Modiﬁers
  “Technological Skills” refers to Skills that 
  involve working with particular types of equip-
  ment. Examples including Computer Program-
  ming, Demolitions, Electronics, Lockpicking, 
  Mechanics, Security Systems, and Systems Opera-
  tion. The Skill Modiﬁers for equipment almost 
  always apply to these Skills (many of which cannot 
  be performed without the right tools or gear).
  Rather than use the general Skill Period 
  rules discussed above, technology-heavy games 
  may prefer a more precise system of Skill modi-
  fiers based on technological advancement and 
  compatability.
  Gamemasters who establish a system of “tech-
  nology levels” may use it to determine Skill Roll pen-
  alties. Star Hero discusses the concept of tech levels 
  in detail on pages 142-47 (the use of “tech levels” 
  is assumed in the discussion below). The following 
  rules are taken from that text, but GMs may want to 
  refer to Star Hero for further information on estab-
  lishing a system of tech levels for their games.
  OBSOLETE AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
  Often technologies introduced at an earlier 
  tech level remain in use for long periods. Humans 
  in the early twenty-ﬁrst century still use automatic 
  pistols designed before 1900 (and still manufac-
  ture some, with minor improvements). Axes and 
  hammers are among the earliest known tools, and 
  are still available at the hardware store. In general, 
  characters suﬀer no penalty using (relatively) 
  simple equipment from an earlier tech level, par-
  ticularly if that equipment is still generally in use 
  in their society or is highly similar to common 
  technology. There are exceptions to this:  some 
  technologies become so obsolete that characters 
  accustomed to a more advanced tech landscape are 
  completely unfamiliar with them. Firemaking is a 
  good example — until the invention of matches just 
  about everyone could kindle a ﬁre with ﬂint and 
  steel; now it’s something to study in wilderness-sur-
  vival courses or historical reenactment workshops. 
  Forgotten tech imposes a minimum -3 Skill Roll 
  penalty, or the GM may not allow the character to 
  make a roll at all. (For more cinematic games, the 
  GM can reduce the penalty to -2 or -1.)
  Advanced technology is much harder to use. 
  The standard skill penalty is -3 for each Tech Level 
  beyond that with which the character is familiar. 
  (If you’re not using a Tech Level system, assume 
  a -3 penalty for each step down on the Expanded 
  Skill Periods Modiﬁer table.) But this applies only 
  to equipment based on understandable principles 
  — an Industrial-Age steam engineer trying to 
  ﬁx an Atomic Age chemical rocket motor, for 
  example. If the technology involves new concepts 
  unknown to the low-tech person, there’s an addi-
  tional -5 penalty (though the GM may wish to cap 
  the overall penalty for technological unfamiliar-
  ity at -10). Thus, a steam engineer would be at -8 
  to ﬁx a nuclear power plant, because the whole 
  phenomenon of nuclear ﬁssion is outside his 
  worldview. Characters can use the Cramming Skill 
  
  40 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  to quickly familiarize themselves with local tech-
  nology. (If appropriate, the GM can reduce these 
  penalties for cinematic campaigns.)
  The modiﬁers work in reverse when characters 
  use high-tech skills and knowledge against low-
  tech equipment — like a computer hacker break-
  ing into an obsolete system or a weapon oﬃcer 
  on a modern warship trying to hit a target with 
  old-fashioned countermeasures. Advanced tech 
  gets a +3 bonus per Tech Level of diﬀerence, with 
  an additional +5 if the high-tech equipment uses 
  principles unknown to the builders of the low-tech 
  target. (Of course, these bonuses don’t apply if the 
  high-tech character is trying to use older tech he’s 
  not familiar with; see above.)
  ALIEN TECHNOLOGIES
  Characters may also run into tech level-
  related problems when they encounter technol-
  ogy that’s highly different from what they’re 
  used to. Typically this means technology from 
  other worlds or dimensions, but in some time 
  periods and places it’s possible this could apply 
  between two groups of humans from wildly dif-
  ferent societies. In a Fantasy campaign it might 
  involve the technologies used by two differ-
  ent humanoid races. Maybe the alien devices 
  and systems require a different size, type, or 
  arrangement of hands than the character’s, 
  involve senses the character lacks, or are simply 
  so different that the character can’t fully or 
  properly comprehend them.
  At the GM’s discretion, a character dealing 
  with suﬃciently alien technology suﬀers a -1 to 
  -5 Skill Roll penalty. Over time, this penalty may 
  diminish for a speciﬁc character as he becomes 
  accustomed to the odd tech, or a character can 
  eliminate the penalty altogether by having a KS or 
  PS in the alien technology on at least an 11- roll.
  What constitutes “sufficiently alien” is up to 
  the GM. In a setting that mixes and mingles a 
  wide variety of sentient humanoid species, they 
  may all be able to use each other’s technology 
  (or the tech may automatically adapt itself to the 
  species of the user). Large galactic federations 
  and empires automatically spread technologi-
  cal knowledge among their citizens (unless they 
  want to keep them ignorant for purposes of 
  repression). On the other hand, a secretive alien 
  species may refuse to teach anyone about its tech.
  TECHNOLOGY COMPATABILITY
  Gamemasters and characters may also have to 
  deal with situations where technology created by 
  diﬀerent species doesn’t work together well. If the 
  PCs’ ship has a Human-built hyperdrive thruster, a 
  D-coil manufactured by the Perseids may not quite 
  ﬁt or work right. A group of characters could easily 
  ﬁnd itself in the frustrating situation of having 
  access to plenty of spare parts... that don’t work 
  with their equipment!
  In this situation, GMs have to decide on the 
  relative compatability of two species’ technology, 
  using the following classiﬁcations:
  Fully Compatible:  The two species’s tech is totally 
  compatible; it works together automatically, with-
  out the need for Skill Rolls.
  Mostly Compatible:  The two species’s tech is 
  largely, but not entirely, compatible. Typically 
  characters have to make an appropriate Skill 
  Roll at -2 to get the two types of tech to func-
  tion together properly. Even then, there may be 
  a loss of 2-12% efficiency (measured in terms of 
  dice/points of effect, Active Points, or the like, as 
  chosen by the GM).
  Partly Compatible:  The two species’s tech is 
  sometimes compatible, sometimes not. Typically 
  characters have to make an appropriate Skill 
  Roll at -4 to get the two types of tech to function 
  together properly. Even then, there is definitely a 
  loss of 4-24% efficiency, and possibly as much as 
  10-60% efficiency.
  Barely Compatible:  The two species’s tech works 
  together properly only on rare occasions. Typi-
  cally characters have to make an appropriate Skill 
  Roll at -8 to get the two types of tech to function 
  together properly. Even then, there is definitely a 
  loss of 10-60% efficiency, and possibly as much 
  as 40-90% efficiency.
  Incompatible:  The two species’s tech is not com-
  patible in any way, and cannot be made to work 
  together at all (or, at best, could only work together 
  for a short period of time if the character makes an 
  Extraordinary Skill roll).
  ADVANCED, OBSOLETE,  
  AND ALIEN TECH MODIFIERS
  Skill Roll Modiﬁer 
  Situation
  -3 per Tech Level diﬀerence 
  Working with Advanced Tech
  -5  
  Working with advanced tech using unknown principles
  -3 
  Working with forgotten tech
  +3 per Tech Level diﬀerence For high tech versus low tech contests
  +5 
  For high tech with new principles versus low tech contests
  -1 to -5 
  Working with suﬃciently alien technology
  As always, the GM can alter any of these modifiers based on the situation, the 
  type of technology involved, the task being attempted, or to make the rules more 
  “realistic” or “cinematic.”
  
  41 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  E
  veryman Skills are Skills every character 
  knows, typically on an 8-. They vary by 
  genre, and sometimes also by other consid-
  erations (culture, religion, and the like), as 
  discussed below. The GM must determine what the 
  Everyman Skills are for the game he intends to run; 
  the lists below provide suggestions, but the GM 
  should alter them to suit his own particular cam-
  paign, setting, and preferences.
  All the lists below, no matter what the genre, 
  include Acting, Climbing, Concealment, Conversa-
  tion, Deduction, an AK, two KSs, a native Language, 
  Paramedics, Persuasion, one PS, Shadowing, and 
  Stealth; most have one TF as well. These repre-
  sent abilities every character possesses to some 
  degree. Although they’re not listed, if necessary 
  you can assume that every character also has CuK: 
  Character’s Native Culture, KS: General Knowledge, 
  and PS: Perform Basic Chores And Menial Tasks as 
  Everyman Skills on an 11- each.
  SELLING BACK EVERYMAN SKILLS
  Sometimes a player conceives of a charac-
  ter who should have fewer Everyman Skills than 
  normal, or even no Everyman Skills at all. For 
  example, a “boy raised by wolves” in a modern-day 
  campaign might not have Conversation, Paramed-
  ics, Persuasion, TF, or a Native Language. In game 
  terms, such a character sells back some of his 
  Everyman Skills, just like a lame character would 
  sell back some of his base 6” of Running. Each 
  Everyman Skill sold back is worth 1 point (even the 
  KS and PS on an 11-).
  If a character sells back an Everyman Skill, 
  he can later buy that Skill, but with a restric-
  tion. The intent of the “selling back” rule for 
  Everyman Skills, generally speaking, is that the 
  character isn’t ever going to have that Skill. If he 
  later decides he wants it, he must pay the stan-
  dard cost for the Skill, plus 1 Character Point 
  to balance out the point savings he previously 
  acquired. Otherwise he could acquire the Skill 
  for a net cost of 2 Character Points.
  PURCHASING EVERYMAN SKILLS
  If a character wishes to purchase a Skill 
  he already has as an Everyman Skill (such as 
  Stealth), he must pay the full point cost for the 
  Skill — he doesn’t get a 1-point savings because 
  he already knows the Skill on an 8- as an Every-
  man Skill. The GM may, at his discretion, change 
  this rule so characters do receive the 1-point 
  savings (a particularly appropriate “house rule” 
  for campaigns in which characters are built on a 
  small number of points).
  EVERYMAN SKILLS, SKILL LEVELS, AND 
  SKILL MODIFIERS
  Since Everyman Skills are Familiarities, char-
  acters cannot apply Skill Levels (including Overall 
  Skill Levels) to increase the roll. The exceptions to 
  this are the KS and PS at 11-, to which characters 
  can apply Skill Levels as appropriate. Additionally, 
  if the character buys bonuses to a Skill with a Limi-
  tation (such as +2 to Stealth, Only In Woodland 
  Environments), he may apply those bonuses to his 
  Everyman Skill unless the GM rules otherwise, 
  since they’re not Skill Levels per se.
  Everyman Skill rolls can be modiﬁed, just like 
  a purchased Skill’s roll can be. For example, a char-
  acter using his Everyman Skill in Climbing to climb 
  a tree receives a bonus to his roll if the tree has lots 
  of branches that make it easy to climb.
  SUBDIVIDING LANGUAGE
  Every Everyman Skill group includes the char-
  acter’s native Language at the 4-point level (idiom-
  atic, native accent). But some characters grow up or 
  live in places or homes where they could conceiv-
  ably learn to speak more than one Language, such 
  as a bilingual household or a nation with three or 
  four oﬃcial languages. At the GM’s option, instead 
  of taking all 4 Character Points’ worth of his Every-
  man Language in one Language, a character can 
  split them up among two to four Languages (pos-
  sibly more, if the GM uses the “Basic Words” level 
  of ﬂuency; see page 213). For example, a Fantasy 
  character with a Human mother and Elven father 
  might put 2 points in Vestrian (his mother’s Human 
  language) and 2 in Elvish; a character growing up 
  in Switzerland might put 2 points in German, 1 
  point in French, and 1 point in Italian; a Quebecois 
  character might split his points between French 
  and English.
  EVERYMAN 
  SKILLS
  
  42 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CREATING EVERYMAN 
  SKILL LISTS
  For ease of campaign creation and play, GMs 
  may wish to use the generic Everyman Skills lists 
  provided below. But creating one or more cam-
  paign-speciﬁc lists of Everyman Skills can enhance 
  the individuality of the campaign, and may even 
  allow the GM to better diﬀerentiate characters from 
  diﬀerent backgrounds.
  The question then becomes:  on what basis 
  should the GM construct an Everyman Skill list? 
  Should a list depend on where a character was 
  raised, or by whom, or on some other factor? Some 
  possibilities include:
  Culture:  Since culture can vary tremendously even 
  within a given race or region, some GMs may want 
  to devise Everyman Skill lists based on cultural types. 
  Using this method, the GM establishes a framework 
  of universal Everyman Skills that every character has, 
  plus lists of additions or changes based on speciﬁc cul-
  tures. Thus, people who come from a Riding Nomad 
  culture would have Riding or TF: Horses as an Every-
  man Skill, while those who come from a people 
  dependent upon ﬁshing, water trade, or the like would 
  have a TF in some type of watercraft. (For example, a 
  modern-day inhabitant of Venice might not have TF: 
  Small Motorized Ground Vehicles; instead, he might 
  have TF: Small Motorized Boats.) If the cultural dif-
  ferences aren’t great, the GM can simply raise this 
  issue if someone wants to create a character from an 
  unusual culture. If the diﬀerences between major cul-
  tures are signiﬁcant, as in some Fantasy Hero games, 
  the GM should generate a list of Everyman Skills for 
  each culture before the game begins.
  Kingdom Or Nation:  If the nations, kingdoms, or 
  other governmental entities in a setting are suf-
  ﬁciently distinct, the subjects/citizens of each one 
  may have their own Everyman Skill lists (though 
  again, some Everyman Skills, like Stealth, would 
  occur everywhere). Residents of the Free City 
  of Tavrosel might have Survival (Urban), while 
  the subjects of the mountainous realm of Valicia 
  have Survival (Mountains), and the subjects of 
  the Hargeshite Empire of Vashkhor all learn KS: 
  Hargeshite Religious Doctrine during childhood.
  Race Or Species:  A popular choice for many Fan-
  tasy Hero campaigns is to base Everyman Skills on 
  race, eﬀectively making them Everydwarf, Everyelf, 
  and Everygoblin Skill lists (though some Skills, 
  such as Deduction, occur in every race’s list). Simi-
  larly, in Star Hero games, each sentient species may 
  have its own list (Everymartian Skills, for example).
  The Race/Species approach works par-
  ticularly well in games where each race follows 
  distinct, well-defined stereotypes. Thus, dwarves 
  might all have PS: Blacksmith, PS: Stonecraft, and 
  Survival (Mountains), while all elves have Sur-
  vival (Temperate/Subtropical Forests) and Track-
  ing. A character raised by a race other than his 
  own would take that race’s Everyman Skill list. 
  For example, a dwarf raised by humans wouldn’t 
  have Blacksmith as an Everyman Skill.
  Region:  Since kingdoms and nations can be big 
  or small, some GMs prefer to create Everyman 
  Skill lists based on region or geography instead. 
  Coastal peoples have TF: Small Wind-Powered 
  Boats, arctic ones have TF: Skiing, peoples living 
  in inhospitable regions have an appropriate Sur-
  vival Skill, and so forth.
  
  43 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Religion:  If religion plays a dominant role in the 
  campaign world, adherents of diﬀerent religions 
  may have distinct Everyman Skill lists. At the very 
  least, the GM should add KS: [Religion’s] Doctrines 
  And Practices to the Everyman Skill list, allowing 
  characters to deﬁne exactly which religion they 
  grew up in.
  CATEGORIZED SKILLS AS EVERYMAN SKILLS
  In some campaigns or settings, the GM may 
  want to make a Skill like Animal Handler, Forgery, 
  or Survival — a Skill bought in categories, in other 
  words — an Everyman Skill. In this case, each char-
  acter receives an 8- roll with one category worth 
  up to 2 Character Points (such as Card Games for 
  Gambling, or Equines for Animal Handler). He can 
  choose a 1-point subcategory if he prefers.
  EVERYMAN SKILL  
  LISTS BY GENRE
  Here are suggested Everyman Skills for the 
  major genres (and, if appropriate, their subgenres).
  CYBERPUNK/NEAR FUTURE
  Acting; Climbing; Computer Programming; Conceal-
  ment; Conversation; Deduction; AK:  Home City or 
  Cyberspace; KS of player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s 
  choice 8-; Native Language (4 points’ worth; includes 
  literacy); Paramedics; Persuasion; one PS at 11- (job, 
  hobby, or other area of interest); Shadowing; Stealth; 
  TF:  Small Motorized Ground Vehicles
  DARK CHAMPIONS
  You can apply this list to modern-day games 
  in general.
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK: Home country or region; KS of 
  player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native 
  Language (4 points’ worth, with literacy); Para-
  medics; Persuasion; one PS at 11- (representing 
  the character’s job, hobby, or the like); Shadowing; 
  Stealth; TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles
  FANTASY
  Fantasy is a suﬃciently broad genre that the pos-
  sibility exists for multiple Everyman Skill lists, based 
  on the type or nature of the campaign. You can always 
  default to the Generic Fantasy list if you prefer.
  Generic Fantasy
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK:  Home country or region; KS of 
  player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native 
  Language (4 points’ worth, no literacy); Paramedics 
  (Healing); Persuasion; one PS at 11- (a character’s 
  job, hobby, or the like); Shadowing; Stealth
  Viking/Northern European Fantasy
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK: Viking Lands; KS of player’s choice 
  11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native Language (4 
  points’ worth, no literacy); Paramedics (Healing); 
  Persuasion; one PS at 11- (representing the charac-
  ter’s job, hobby, or the like); Shadowing; Stealth; TF: 
  Large Rowed Boats (or other appropriate 1-point 
  TF, such as Chariots for an Irish-style campaign)
  Cloudrider Fantasy
  This Everyman Skill list is for a Fantasy culture 
  in which the inhabitants live in giant airships or on 
  gigantic ﬂying beasts of some kind.
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation;  
  Deduction; AK: The World; KS of player’s choice 
  11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native Language (4 
  points’ worth, no literacy); Navigation (Air); Para-
  medics (Healing); Persuasion; one PS at 11- (rep-
  resenting the character’s job, hobby, or the like); 
  Shadowing; Stealth; TF: Airships (or other appro-
  priate 1-point TF)
  High Fantasy
  This Everyman Skill list is for a Fantasy setting 
  in which magic is so common that all characters 
  know about it to some degree; as an option the GM 
  might add a Magic Skill roll and/or a few points’ 
  worth of general utility spells.
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK:  Home country or region; KS of 
  player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; KS: Magic 
  8-; Native Language (4 points’ worth, no literacy); 
  Paramedics (Healing); Persuasion; one PS at 11- (a 
  character’s job, hobby, or the like); Shadowing; Stealth
  MARTIAL ARTS
  The Everyman Skill list for a Ninja Hero 
  campaign usually depends on the game’s setting 
  and time period. A game taking place in medi-
  eval China would use a Fantasy list, whereas 
  one set in the modern day would use the Dark 
  Champions list. In some martial arts campaigns, 
  where it seems that literally everyone has fight-
  ing skills, the Everyman Skill list might even 
  include a few points’ worth of Martial Maneuvers 
  (if so, this constitutes an exception to the normal 
  rule that a character has to buy a minimum of 10 
  points’ worth of Martial Arts).
  POST-APOCALYPTIC
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK:  Home City or Region; KS of play-
  er’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native Lan-
  guage (4 points’ worth; no literacy); Paramedics (or 
  Healing); Persuasion; one PS at 11- (job, hobby, or 
  other area of interest); Shadowing; Stealth; Survival; 
  TF:  Small Motorized Ground Vehicles or Riding 
  Animals (choose one 1-point subcategory)
  PULP
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK: Home country or region; KS of 
  player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native 
  Language (4 points’ worth, with literacy); Para-
  medics; Persuasion; one PS at 11- (representing 
  the character’s job, hobby, or the like); Shadowing; 
  Stealth; TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles 
  (at the GM’s option, characters growing up in rural 
  areas may substitute some other appropriate vehicle 
  or riding animal instead)
  
  44 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SCIENCE FICTION
  Diﬀerent styles of Science Fiction campaigns 
  have diﬀerent Everyman Skill sets. Listed below are 
  suggested Skill sets for various types of Star Hero 
  campaigns; see that book for more information 
  about each type of Science Fiction (and see above 
  for Cyberpunk campaigns).
  Hard SF
  Acting; Climbing; Computer Programming; Con-
  cealment; Conversation; Deduction; AK:  Home 
  Planet; KS of player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s 
  choice 8-; Native Language (4 points’ worth; 
  includes literacy); Paramedics; Persuasion; one 
  PS at 11- (job, hobby, or other area of interest); 
  Shadowing; Stealth; TF:  Small Motorized Ground 
  Vehicles or Hovercraft or Personal-Use Spacecraft
  Low SF
  Acting; Climbing; Computer Programming; Con-
  cealment; Conversation; Deduction; AK:  Home 
  Planet; KS of player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s 
  choice 8-; Native Language (4 points’ worth; 
  includes literacy); Paramedics; Persuasion; one 
  PS at 11- (job, hobby, or other area of interest); 
  Shadowing; Stealth; TF:  Small Motorized Ground 
  Vehicles
  Military SF
  Acting; Climbing; Computer Programming; Con-
  cealment; Conversation; Deduction; AK:  Home 
  Planet; KS of player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s 
  choice 8-; Native Language (4 points’ worth; 
  includes literacy); Paramedics; Persuasion; one 
  PS at 11- (job, hobby, or other area of interest); 
  Shadowing; Stealth; TF:  Small Motorized Ground 
  Vehicles or Hovercraft or Personal-Use Spacecraft
  Space Opera 
  Acting; Climbing; Computer Programming; Con-
  cealment; Conversation; Deduction; AK:  Home 
  Planet, Star System, or Sector; KS of player’s choice 
  11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native Language (4 
  points’ worth; includes literacy); Paramedics; Per-
  suasion; one PS at 11- (job, hobby, or other area of 
  interest); Shadowing; Stealth; TF:  Hovercraft or 
  Personal-Use Spacecraft
  SUPERHEROES
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK: Home country or region; KS of 
  player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native 
  Language (4 points’ worth, with literacy); Para-
  medics; Persuasion; one PS at 11- (representing 
  the character’s job, hobby, or the like); Shadowing; 
  Stealth; TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles
  WESTERN
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK: Home country or region; KS of 
  player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native 
  Language (4 points’ worth, no literacy); Paramedics 
  (possibly Healing for Indian characters); Persua-
  sion; one PS at 11- (representing the character’s job, 
  hobby, or the like); Shadowing; Stealth; TF: Horses
  VICTORIAN
  Acting; Climbing; Concealment; Conversation; 
  Deduction; AK: Home country or region; KS of 
  player’s choice 11-; KS of player’s choice 8-; Native 
  Language (4 points’ worth, with literacy); Para-
  medics; Persuasion; one PS at 11- (representing 
  the character’s job, hobby, or the like); Shadowing; 
  Stealth; TF: choose a 1-point TF appropriate to 
  character’s background or upbringing
  EVERYCREATURE SKILLS
  Just like human characters have Everyman 
  Skills, animals have Everycreature Skills — the basic 
  Skills that just about every animal needs to survive 
  and thrive. Every animal has a Familiarity (8- roll) 
  with the following Skills:
  Analyze Animal; Concealment (to hide self only); 
  Language (see text); Shadowing; Stealth; Survival 
  (home environment); AK: home territory or region; 
  PS: [Speciﬁc Animal] Abilities.
  Analyze Animal represents an animal’s instinc-
  tive capacity for judging the strength of other 
  animals relative to itself. For example, this Skill tells 
  a young male wolf when it’s time to challenge the 
  alpha male of the pack for domination, and when 
  the leader remains too strong for it to defeat.
  Concealment typically represents an animal’s 
  ability to hide itself, not other objects, so it often 
  has the Self Only (-½) Limitation (though some 
  animals do have a normal Concealment Skill). Some 
  animal abilities, like camouﬂage, may be simulated 
  with bonuses to Concealment or Stealth; if so, the 
  animal may apply those bonuses to its 8- Familiar-
  ity roll if it doesn’t have the full Skill.
  The Language ability listed represents the 
  animal’s capacity to communicate with others of 
  its own kind. Among some animals, such as apes 
  or whales, this Language is fairly sophisticated 
  (enough for humans to perceive and study), but 
  among most species it’s a very basic, simplistic, and 
  even instinctual thing. Of course, in some Fantasy 
  Hero campaigns and other games, some animals 
  can speak normal languages; if so, they buy that 
  ability with Character Points.
  The PS: [Speciﬁc Animal] Abilities Skill repre-
  sents various minor or lesser abilities all members 
  of a given species possesses. Examples include 
  some ﬁshes’ ability to return to the place they were 
  born to spawn, some birds’ instinct to ﬂy south for 
  the winter without getting lost, or a raccoon’s ability 
  to use its dexterous paws to open simple containers.
  Additionally, some animals have Everycreature 
  Skills speciﬁc to their species. For example, some 
  humaniform creatures, such as apes, have Climbing 
  as an Everycreature Skill.
  
  45 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  EVERYMONSTER SKILLS
  Intelligent monsters may have Everymon-
  ster Skill lists of their own. Everymonster Skill 
  lists tend to be significantly shorter than those 
  for PCs. The GM may, in his discretion, give 
  monsters a broader selection of Everyman Skills, 
  but only allow them to use those Skills on their 
  home planes, among their own kind, and the like. 
  Similarly, sentient humanoid monsters (like orcs, 
  ogres, and trolls) may have Everymonster lists 
  roughly the same as those for humans living in 
  the same region.
  Here are a few example Everymonster Skill lists:
  Everydemon Skills
  Concealment; Deduction; AK: Hell; Native Lan-
  guage (4 points’ worth, with literacy); Stealth
  Everydragon Skills
  Deduction; AK: Home Region; Native Language  
  (4 points’ worth, with literacy); PS: Appraise; 
  Stealth; Survival (home environment)
  Everyelemental Skills
  Deduction; AK: Home Plane; Native Language  
  (4 points’ worth, no literacy)
  
  46 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  S
  kill Enhancers reduce the cost of cer-
  tain Skills or Perks. Each Skill Enhancer 
  costs 3 Character Points, can only be 
  purchased once, and cannot be increased 
  beyond the basic level. Characters may not pur-
  chase Skill Enhancers with Advantages or Limi-
  tations (but see below).
  The minimum cost of any Background Skill 
  learned through a Skill Enhancer is 1 Character 
  Point, but for that 1 point the character receives 
  an 11- roll. (At the GM’s option, a character can 
  instead purchase two 8- Familiarities for 1 Char-
  acter Point.)
  THE ENHANCERS
  Here’s what each of the Skill Enhancers rep-
  resents.
  JACK OF ALL TRADES
  A character with Jack Of All Trades (“JOT”) 
  picks up trades, crafts, and similar Skills extremely 
  easily. He learns new Professional Skills at -1 Char-
  acter Point to the cost.
  At the GM’s option, a character with JOT may 
  generally have a knack for working with his hands 
  and the like. If he tries to perform such a Skill 
  untrained, he has a 7- roll instead of the usual 6-.
  LINGUIST
  This Skill Enhancer allows the character 
  to learn new Languages more easily. Linguist 
  decreases the cost of each Language Skill a char-
  acter buys by 1 point. The minimum cost of a Lan-
  guage is still 1 point, but for 1 point the character 
  can speak a Language at the “ﬂuent conversation” 
  level (which usually costs 2 points).
  If a campaign uses the Language Familiarity 
  Chart, its eﬀects are cumulative with the Linguist 
  Skill Enhancer. For example, a character who has 
  Danish as a native Language (4 points’ worth) and 
  Linguist has 3 Character Points’ worth of Swedish 
  and Norwegian for free, instead of the normal 2 
  points, because the Skill Enhancer eﬀectively gives 
  him another point in each of those Languages for 
  free. The GM may change this rule if appropriate 
  for the campaign or a particular situation.
  At the GM’s option, a character with Linguist 
  is generally better than average at ﬁguring out 
  what’s being said, even in Languages he doesn’t 
  understand. In situations where the GM allows 
  characters an INT Roll or the like to understand 
  what’s being said or the meaning of some form of 
  communication, a character with Linguist gets +1 
  to his roll. The GM may also grant this bonus to 
  Universal Translator rolls.
  SCHOLAR
  The character learns Knowledge Skills easily, 
  at -1 Character Point to the cost, though Scholar 
  doesn’t help the character learn AKs, CKs, or CuKs 
  (see Traveler). The GM may, in his discretion, forbid 
  characters to buy similar KSs through Scholar 
  (perhaps because they’re so unusual, esoteric, rarely 
  taught, or diﬃcult to learn).
  At the GM’s option, a character with Scholar is 
  generally more learned than the average character. 
  His Everyman Skill with KS: General Knowledge 
  becomes an INT-Based Roll rather than an 11-.
  SCIENTIST
  The character learns Science Skills easily, at 
  -1 Character Point to the cost. The GM may, in 
  his discretion, forbid characters to buy certain 
  SSs through Scientist (perhaps because they’re so 
  unusual, esoteric, rarely taught, or diﬃcult to learn). 
  For example, in a campaign setting where SS: 
  Hyperdrive Engineering is so new that only one or 
  two researchers know it, the GM might rule that all 
  characters have to buy it outside their Scientist Skill 
  Enhancer. If and when they’re allowed to move that 
  Skill into the Enhancer, if they’ve spent more than 
  2 Character Points on it they can, if desired, “sell 
  back” one point so their roll remains the same.
  TRAVELER
  A character with Traveler is adept at learning 
  about new locations and cultures. He learns new 
  Area Knowledges, City Knowledges, and Cultural 
  Knowledge Skills easily, at -1 Character Point to 
  the cost. However, the character must acquire the 
  knowledge through hands-on experience (i.e., he 
  must actually visit the location).
  At the GM’s option, a character with Traveler 
  is generally better able to ﬁgure out directions and 
  cultural information even for places and cultures 
  he hasn’t been thoroughly exposed to. If the GM 
  allows characters an INT Roll or the like to resolve 
  some question regarding these subjects, a character 
  with Traveler receives a +1 bonus.
  SKILL  
  ENHANCERS
  SKILL ENHANCERS TABLE
  Skill Enhancer 
  Affects Skill 
  Cost
  Jack of All Trades 
  Professional Skills 
  3/-
  Linguist 
  Languages 
  3/-
  Scholar 
  Knowledge Skills 
  3/-
  Scientist 
  Sciences 
  3/-
  Traveler 
  AKs, CKs, and CuKs 
  3/-
  Well-Connected 
  Contacts, Favors 
  3/-
  
  47 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  WELL-CONNECTED
  This Skill Enhancer aﬀects the cost of certain 
  Perks, rather than Skills. The character is extremely 
  skilled at making friends and earning favors. He 
  makes Contacts easily, at -1 Character Point to the 
  cost. Characters with Well Connected may also 
  purchase two Favors for only 1 point (thereby halv-
  ing the cost).
  LIMITED SKILL ENHANCERS
  Generally a character cannot buy Skill 
  Enhancers with Limitations, so that in eﬀect he 
  receives an increase in the relevant Skill Rolls only 
  in the circumstances deﬁned by the Limitation. 
  However, the GM can permit this if that seems 
  appropriate to him based on common sense, dra-
  matic sense, special eﬀects, and considerations of 
  game balance.
  The GM can also permit a character to buy a 
  more tightly-defined form of some Skill Enhanc-
  ers, such as JOT, for only 2 Character Points. This 
  type of Enhancer would only allow the character 
  to buy the relevant type of Background Skill 
  within a narrow field or defined subject. For 
  example, instead of having JOT, which allows 
  him to buy any sort of PS at -1 point cost, a char-
  acter might have Construction Worker (which 
  only allows him to buy PSs related to construc-
  tion work) or Musician (which only allows him 
  to buy PSs related to playing instruments, sing-
  ing, and the like). Similarly, instead of having 
  Scientist, a character might have Engineer, which 
  only allows him to buy SSs classified under 
  “Engineering” (see Chapter Two).
  Other Skill Enhancers
  Here are some additional optional Skill 
  Enhancers GMs can use if desired.
  EXPERT 
  Whereas the standard Skill Enhancers are all 
  restricted by the type of Skill(s) characters can 
  buy through them, Expert is restricted by subject. 
  A character can buy any Language, KS, PS, or 
  SS through Expert, provided they all relate to a 
  subject about which he is an expert or for which 
  he has an innate talent. Examples might include 
  Russia (Language: Russian, KS: Russian History 
  And Culture, AK: Russia, KS: Russian Art And 
  Literature), Serial Killers (KS: Serial Killers And 
  Serial Killing, SS: Psychology/Criminal Psychol-
  ogy, PS: Criminal Profiling), or Electrician (KS: 
  Electrical Systems, PS: Electrician, SS: Electrical 
  Engineering).
  Expert costs 3 Character Points and has the 
  same effect as other Skill Enhancers:  it reduces 
  the cost of all Skills bought through it by -1 
  Character Point (minimum cost of 1 point, as 
  always). However, to prevent abuse, the GM may 
  want to require characters to buy a minimum of 
  three Skills through Expert; with fewer than that, 
  it’s difficult for a character to argue that he has 
  a thorough, “expert” grasp of all the facets and 
  complexities of a subject.
  Expert does not “stack” with other Skill 
  Enhancers, giving two Enhancer cost reduc-
  tions to a single Skill. If a character buys a Back-
  ground Skill that could go in more than one Skill 
  Enhancer, he must pick one Skill Enhancer to put 
  a given Skill under, and that’s the only one it gets 
  a cost break for.
  The GM should examine any purchase of 
  Expert carefully to make sure it fits the charac-
  ter, is properly defined, and won’t unbalance the 
  game. Characters should use it to define rela-
  tively narrow subjects in which they’re extremely 
  well-versed, not treat it as an excuse to save 
  points on any Background Skill they want to 
  have and can loosely link together.
  PILOT
  A character with Pilot is adept at learning 
  how to drive or pilot vehicles of all sorts:  air, sea, 
  and land, even riding animals. He buys Transport 
  Familiarities for -1 point, thus allowing him to buy 
  a 2-point TF category for only 1 Character Point. 
  He may also purchase two 1-point TFs for only 1 
  point (thereby halving the cost).
  Universal “Enhancers” 
  One Talent — Universal Translator — could 
  be considered as a sort of “Skill Enhancer,” since in 
  eﬀect it lets a character know all the Languages (at 
  least to some degree). Therefore it, and some related 
  optional abilities, are considered here rather than 
  in the Talents section. All of them should be con-
  sidered “Stop Sign” abilities, since they can cause 
  signiﬁcant game balance problems in the campaign. 
  They’re most suited for cinematic games where the 
  GM wants characters to be broadly competent and 
  not have to worry about having every little Back-
  ground Skill for every possible situation. In games 
  desiring greater “realism” or precise deﬁnition of 
  characters, the GM should forbid them.
  UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR
  A character with this Talent can understand 
  any form of communication — from verbal speech, 
  to gestures and body language used as part of a 
  deliberate process of speaking (such as sign lan-
  guage), to written text — and communicate back in 
  a crude fashion.
  Using Universal Translator
  To use Universal Translator, a character must 
  make an INT Roll. If the INT Roll succeeds, he 
  comprehends what he hears or reads. The GM 
  should impose negative modiﬁers (-1 to -3) if 
  the language the character tries to understand is 
  extremely diﬀerent from known forms of commu-
  nication. Conversely, if he tries to understand a lan-
  guage similar to others he’s previously encountered, 
  he gets a bonus (+1 to +3). He can improve his INT 
  Roll by spending more time, as with a Skill Roll.
  The Limits Of Universal Translator
  Universal Translator allows a character not 
  only to understand speech and speak back, but to 
  write and read as well. But remember, it’s a form of 
  
  48 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  communication, not “know all languages for free.” If 
  the character isn’t involved in some sort of process 
  of communicating, generally the GM should not 
  allow him to use Universal Translator. This Talent 
  lets a character “understand any form of commu-
  nication,” but the GM should apply any restrictions 
  necessary in the interest of common sense, dra-
  matic sense, and preserving game balance.
  In particular, a character with Universal Trans-
  lator generally cannot:
  ■ Read/understand encrypted or encoded docu-
  ments or transmissions (he might understand the 
  literal meaning of the words of a code [as opposed 
  to a cipher], but wouldn’t know what they signiﬁed) 
  ■ understand or speak to animals (unless animals can 
  routinely speak to humans in the campaign setting)
  ■ understand or “read” mathematical equations
  ■ perceive lies or emotions by “reading” body lan-
  guage
  ■ provide cultural context (for example, the char-
  acter won’t know if a particular word or gesture is 
  considered a gross insult, a proposal of marriage, a 
  combat challenge, or the like in a given culture or 
  society)
  ■ read or understand symbols, runes, logos, ﬂags, 
  and the like (except to the extent the GM believes 
  those things are intended to “communicate” a spe-
  ciﬁc word or meaning)
  ■ understand or “read” the sounds made by a 
  modem or like device
  Universal Translator isn’t restricted to writ-
  ten or spoken languages. It could comprehend 
  (and, in appropriate circumstances, allow the 
  character to respond to) semaphore signals, signal 
  ﬁres or drums, and the like (assuming they’re not 
  encrypted or encoded).
  Universal Translator only allows a character to 
  understand the current communication; it doesn’t 
  automatically allow him to communicate back 
  unless he has the proper physical attributes. For 
  example, if the Butterﬂy People of Altair “talk” by 
  reﬂecting sunlight oﬀ their wings, a human transla-
  tor could understand them but couldn’t talk back. 
  In addition, Universal Translator only allows a 
  character to translate what he hears or reads, and 
  to make a reasonable response; he doesn’t know 
  the language. He always has to make his Universal 
  Translator roll (even for the simplest words), and 
  always has an obvious accent.
  Ordinarily, Universal Translator works on lan-
  guages from all planets, dimensions, and places. If a 
  character’s form of Universal Translator only works 
  on certain groups or types of languages (for exam-
  ple, a computerized translation device programmed 
  with all Earth languages, but no languages from 
  other planets), then he may buy Universal Transla-
  tor with a Limitation (usually -½ to -1).
  ■ Universal Translator Cost: 20 Character Points for 
  INT Roll, +1 to roll for 1 Character Point (Detect 
  Meaning Of Speech [10 Character Points] + Detect 
  Meaning Of Text [10 Character Points])
  
  49 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  OTHER “UNIVERSALS”
  It’s possible to think of Universal Translator 
  as roughly equivalent to Linguist and 17 Charac-
  ter Points’ worth of Languages — which, if chosen 
  properly, would let a character communicate with 
  the vast majority of humanity. The rest of the Lan-
  guages, which a character will rarely (if ever) need, are 
  “thrown in” for the sake of drama and fun game play.
  Taken one step further, that logic can justify 
  the creation of other “Universals” that apply to 
  other types of Background Skills. The GM should 
  consider them carefully before allowing them into 
  his campaign. Since they grant a character access to 
  an enormous body of knowledge, they could easily 
  unbalance some games. Even if the GM allows 
  them in appropriate games — such as a Pulp Hero 
  campaign where all the characters are supposed to 
  be universally competent — he may want to restrict 
  them so that each one can only be purchased by 
  one PC. That way having a Universal is a distinctive 
  thing, one of the character’s “shticks,” not some-
  thing everybody and his brother has.
  If for some reason a character has both a Uni-
  versal and a Skill Enhancer that pertain to the same 
  type of Skill, their bonuses are not cumulative.
  True Jack Of All Trades
  A character with this Talent can perform vir-
  tually any trade, craft, or other Professional Skill 
  competently, whether it involves building a sky-
  scraper, playing chess, painting a portrait, catching 
  dogs, installing electrical wiring, or anything else.
  True Jack Of All Trades costs 20 Character 
  Points. For that cost, the character is assumed to 
  have a roll of 11- in any Professional Skill (though 
  the GM can forbid him to perform certain tasks, 
  or reduce the roll, if appropriate). In some cases 
  the GM may require the character to succeed with 
  an INT Roll, or spend a signiﬁcant amount of time 
  practicing, before he’s qualiﬁed to make an unpe-
  nalized roll with a speciﬁc Professional Skill.
  At the GM’s option, a character with True Jack 
  Of All Trades can improve his roll at a cost of +1 
  Character Point for each +1 to the roll. The only 
  Skill Levels that apply to True Jack Of All Trades 
  rolls are Overall Skill Levels and 5-point Skill 
  Levels with All Professional Skills, but the GM can 
  permit other Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  Skill Modiﬁers, including taking extra time 
  to perform a task, apply normally to True Jack Of 
  All Trades rolls unless the GM rules otherwise. In 
  particular, the GM should impose negative modi-
  ﬁers (-1 to -3) if the PS the character tries to use is 
  extremely diﬀerent from other types of work he’s 
  done. Conversely, if he tries to perform a task that’s 
  similar to others he’s already performed, he gets a 
  bonus (+1 to +3).
  Universal Connections
  A character with this Talent has friends 
  everywhere — literally. No matter where he goes 
  or what sort of help he needs, he always seems to 
  know “just the right person” to turn to for infor-
  mation or assistance.
  Universal Connections costs 20 Character 
  Points. For that cost, the character can make a Con-
  tact roll of 11- any time he needs help or informa-
  tion. If the roll succeeds, he knows someone who 
  can help him out; if it fails, he doesn’t know anyone 
  (or not the right sort of person), he cannot contact 
  the person he seeks, or his friend can’t help him for 
  some reason. The GM should interpret the results 
  for maximum drama and fun.
  At the GM’s option, a character with Uni-
  versal Connections can improve his roll at a cost 
  of +1 Character Point for each +1 to the roll. The 
  only Skill Levels that apply to Universal Connec-
  tions rolls are Overall Skill Levels, but the GM can 
  permit other Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  The Contacts met via Universal Connections 
  are standard 11- Contacts; the character doesn’t 
  have any special relationship with or hold over 
  them, and they rarely possess signiﬁcant resources, 
  Contacts, or Skills of their own. However, the GM 
  can create the character’s Contacts to suit himself, 
  the adventure, and the campaign, so it’s possible the 
  character might know some very inﬂuential and 
  powerful people indeed.
  Universal Pilot
  A character with this Talent knows how to 
  drive or pilot any vehicle. Whether it’s a sportscar, 
  submarine, hovercar, airplane, time machine, heli-
  copter, tank, or Class 7-Alpha starship, somehow he 
  instinctively, or through long experience with vehi-
  cles of every sort, knows how to start the vehicle, 
  operate its equipment, and steer it.
  Universal Pilot costs 20 Character Points. For 
  that cost, a character’s considered to have every 
  Transport Familiarity possible in the campaign 
  (though the GM may choose to exclude Riding 
  Animals, and any other category so rare and 
  unusual that he thinks it shouldn’t be included). As 
  with Transport Familiarity, the character has an 8- 
  roll for performing dangerous maneuvers (jumps, 
  screeching turns, and so forth), but doesn’t have 
  to make rolls to operate a vehicle normally. At the 
  GM’s option, a character with Universal Pilot can 
  improve his roll at a cost of +1 Character Point for 
  each +1 to the roll (though the GM should establish 
  some maximum, such as 11-, so Combat Driving, 
  Combat Piloting, and Riding remain viable Skills). 
  No Skill Levels (not even Overall Levels) apply to 
  Universal Pilot rolls unless the GM rules otherwise.
  Universal Scholar
  A character with this Talent knows something 
  about pretty much everything. His grasp of obscure 
  topics may not be as good as that of someone who’s 
  spent a signiﬁcant amount of time studying them, 
  but he’s surprisingly well-informed about even 
  unusual subjects.
  Universal Scholar costs 20 Character Points. 
  For that cost, the character has an INT Roll with 
  any Knowledge Skill  of the “Average” category (see 
  the Knowledge Skill Category Table on page 21). 
  For every step up or down the table, he suﬀers a -2 
  penalty to his INT Roll to know a fact associated 
  with a KS of that category (for example, for a KS 
  pertaining to an Incredibly Broad category, he’d 
  make his INT Roll at -8; for a KS of an Unimagin-
  ably Precise category, he’d make an INT Roll at -12). 
  
  50 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Of course, the GM can always rule that some facts 
  are so well-known that the character automati-
  cally knows them or suﬀers a lesser penalty, or so 
  obscure and unknowable that a character has to 
  buy a speciﬁc KS to know them.
  At the GM’s option, a character with Uni-
  versal Scholar can improve his roll at a cost of +1 
  Character Point for each +1 to the roll. The only 
  Skill Levels that apply to Universal Scholar rolls are 
  Overall Skill Levels and 5-point Skill Levels with 
  All Knowledge Skills, but the GM can permit other 
  Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  Skill Modiﬁers, including taking extra time to 
  perform a task, apply normally to Universal Scholar 
  rolls unless the GM rules otherwise. In particular, 
  the GM should impose negative modiﬁers (-1 to -3) 
  if the KS the character tries to use has no signiﬁ-
  cant relation to subjects he’s previously studied or 
  shown great knowledge of. Conversely, if he tries to 
  answer a question that relates to topics he’s already 
  shown knowledge of, he gets a bonus (+1 to +3).
  Universal Scientist
  A character with this Talent is intimately 
  familiar with the entire realm of Science. His grasp 
  of obscure sciences may not be as good as that of 
  someone who’s spent a signiﬁcant amount of time 
  studying them, but he’s surprisingly well-informed 
  about even unusual subjects.
  Universal Scientist costs 20 Character Points. 
  For that cost, the character has an INT Roll with any 
  Science Skill of the “Field” category (see the Science 
  Skills Table on page 260). For each step right on the 
  table (Discipline, then Subdiscipline, then Specialty) 
  he suﬀers a -2 penalty on his INT Roll. Thus, answer-
  ing a question or performing an experiment that falls 
  into a basic, broad ﬁeld (such as Biology, Chemistry, 
  Engineering, or Physics) is relatively easy, and one 
  in a discipline (such as Zoology, Nuclear Chemistry, 
  Mechanical Engineering, or Astronomy/Astrophysics) 
  not too diﬃcult (only a -2 penalty). Once a character 
  seeks answers in a subdiscipline (such as Entomology 
  for Zoology) or specialty (such as Apiology or Myr-
  mecology for Entomology), using Universal Scientist 
  becomes harder (-4 and -6, respectively), though by 
  no means impossible. Of course, the GM can always 
  rule that some scientiﬁc facts are so well-known that 
  the character automatically knows them or suﬀers a 
  lesser penalty, or so obscure and unknowable that a 
  character has to buy a speciﬁc SS to know them.
  At the GM’s option, a character with Universal 
  Scientist can improve his roll at a cost of +1 Char-
  acter Point for each +1 to the roll. The only Skill 
  Levels that apply to Universal Scientist rolls are 
  Overall Skill Levels and 5-point Skill Levels with 
  All Science Skills, but the GM can permit other 
  Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  Skill Modiﬁers, including taking extra time to 
  perform a task, apply normally to Universal Scien-
  tist rolls unless the GM rules otherwise. In particu-
  lar, the GM should impose negative modiﬁers (-1 to 
  -3) if the SS the character tries to use has no signiﬁ-
  cant relation to subjects he’s previously studied or 
  shown great knowledge of. Conversely, if he tries to 
  answer a question that relates to topics he’s already 
  shown knowledge of, he gets a bonus (+1 to +3).
  
  51 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  Other Ways To Buy Lots  
  Of Background Skills
  If Skill Enhancers and Universals still aren’t 
  quite what your campaign’s looking for, consider 
  these options.
  BACKGROUND SKILL MULTIPLIERS
  In campaigns where GMs like characters to 
  have a lot of Background Skills as a way of diﬀer-
  entiating themselves or covering a lot of areas of 
  knowledge within the PC group, Skill Enhancers 
  may not go far enough. Even with the point savings 
  they provide, buying a lot of Background Skills may 
  become prohibitively expensive. This is particularly 
  true if a lot of the Skills are bought mainly to help 
  deﬁne the character and will probably never be 
  used — few games require a lot of SS: Evolutionary 
  Biology rolls, after all.
  One possible solution for this is to treat Skill 
  Enhancers as “Skill Multipliers.” Instead of making 
  the rolls for Background Skills cheaper, a Skill Mul-
  tiplier lets a character buy a lot of particular type 
  of Background Skill for a low cost. The accompany-
  ing table indicates the cost of Skill Multiplier for 
  both an 11- roll or an INT Roll with each Skill (or 
  basic conversation and ﬂuent conversation with 
  Languages). Use the same categories and names 
  for Skill Multipliers as for Skill Enhancers (e.g., 
  the Jack Of All Trades Skill Multiplier for PSs; the 
  Scholar Skill Multiplier for KSs).
  If a character wants to reduce the roll with 
  a particular Background Skill, he can do so (this 
  doesn’t count as “selling back” a Skill or provide 
  him with any point savings; it’s just a way of better 
  deﬁning the character). If a character wants to 
  improve the roll with a speciﬁc Background Skill, 
  he can do so by paying the usual cost. If he wants 
  to improve the roll with a group of the Background 
  Skills he’s bought, he should buy Skill Levels.
  The GM should carefully monitor the use 
  of Skill Multipliers. They’re intended to provide 
  a cost-eﬀective way for characters to buy a lot of 
  obscure Background Skills to better deﬁne their 
  non-combat abilities, or in settings and genres 
  where it’s appropriate for characters to know lots of 
  Background Skills (like some Pulp Hero games). In 
  campaigns where obscure SSs, KSs, and PSs tend to 
  come into play frequently, the GM should increase 
  the cost of Skill Multipliers until they’re balanced 
  for the utility they provide.
  BACKGROUND SKILL TABLES
  Several of the Background Skills — par-
  ticularly Knowledge Skills, Languages, and Sci-
  ence Skills — have detailed rules in Chapter Two 
  that show how one body of knowledge relates to 
  another, or how much a character with Skill X 
  knows about Skill Y. For KS and SS this is done 
  by charting the types of Skills available and then 
  establishing rules for Skill Roll penalties for related 
  or specialized forms of a given Skill; Languages use 
  the Language Familiarity Table.
  One way to make Background Skills cheaper 
  is to emphasize the use of these tables and charts 
  by making them easier to use. For example, if you 
  reduce the penalty for taking steps on the Knowl-
  edge Skill Categories Table and the Science Skills 
  Table to -1 per step (instead of the standard -2) 
  it becomes much easier for a character to know 
  obscure facts without having to buy a separate 
  Background Skill. For example, by buying just three 
  or four SSs with rolls of 14- (say, Biology, Chemis-
  try, Earth Sciences, and Physics), a character has a 
  50-90% chance (a 10- to 14- roll) to know the vast 
  majority of scientiﬁc facts, even in obscure special-
  ties like Apiology or Micropaleontology. Similarly, 
  the GM can heighten the relationship between 
  Languages so that purchasing just a few gives char-
  acters free points or INT Rolls in many others.
  BUYING BACKGROUND SKILLS IN  
  MID-GAME
  Rather than requiring a character to buy and 
  list every Background Skill he should know (based 
  on his character’s history, origin, prior life experi-
  ences, and so forth), the GM simply requires him 
  to have a well-deﬁned background that states, in 
  part, the sorts of Background Skills the character 
  has. During character creation, the character pays 
  Character Points for at least a few of these Skills 
  — the ones most central to his character concept, 
  or which the player or GM think are likely to be 
  used in the game frequently. The player then makes 
  sure to always have a few unspent Character Points 
  or Experience Points on hand. During the course 
  of the game, if he encounters a situation where he 
  needs one of the obscure Background Skills that 
  are noted as being “within his character concept” 
  but that he hasn’t paid for, he can immediately use 
  his saved points to buy it. After all, according to his 
  character concept he’s actually known that Back-
  ground Skill all along — it’s just that until this point 
  in the campaign, there’s been no use for it and thus 
  no reason to spend points on it.
  In short:  if the GM’s willing to trust the play-
  ers not to abuse the privilege, until a Background 
  Skill actually matters for the game, there’s no reason 
  to make a character pay points for it. As soon as it 
  does matter, the character should pay for it if he 
  wants to use it.
  VARIABLE POWER POOL
  The ultimate way to buy a lot of Background 
  Skills for a minimal point cost is for the GM to 
  allow characters to buy Variable Power Pools for 
  Background Skills. With even a 10-point Pool, a 
  SKILL MULTIPLIERS TABLE
   
  Cost 
  Cost
   (11- roll) 
  (INT Roll) Number Of Background Skills
   
  2 
  3 
  1
   
  4 
  6 
  2-3
   
  6 
  9 
  3-4
   
  8 
  12 
  5-8
   
  10 
  15 
  9-16
   
  12 
  18 
  17-32
   
  14 
  21 
  33-64
   
  16 
  24 
  65-125
  ...and so on
  
  52 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  character can have a lot of 
  Background Skills active at 
  once for even fewer Char-
  acter Points than a Univer-
  sal. The downside to this 
  method is that a character 
  may not have access one 
  day to a Background Skill 
  he knew yesterday, which 
  makes no sense.
  COMPREHENSIVE  
  BACKGROUND SKILLS
  For games that tend to de-
  emphasize Background Skills, 
  but where characters would 
  like to have a lot of obscure 
  bits and pieces of knowledge at 
  their command for character 
  deﬁnition purposes, one pos-
  sible solution is to use a single 
  broadly-deﬁned Background 
  Skill bought with a high roll 
  and the Extraordinary Skill 
  rules (see Combining Skills Via 
  Professional Skills, page 9). For 
  example, a character could buy 
  KS: Everything My Character 
  Should Reasonably Know 
  21- and PS: Everything My 
  Character Should Reasonably 
  Be Able To Do 21-. This gives 
  him an at least an 11- roll to 
  know all sorts of information 
  pertinent to his background no 
  matter how obscure.
  FREE BACKGROUND 
  SKILLS
  Lastly, the GM can 
  simply give characters Back-
  ground Skills for free if those 
  Skills are intended primarily 
  for “ﬂavor” and to explain a 
  character’s history and train-
  ing but are highly unlikely 
  to have any signiﬁcant use 
  in the game. For example, if 
  a character wants to be an 
  expert on, say, Ming porcelain 
  or Neanderthal culture, what 
  can it hurt to let him have KS: 
  Ming Porcelain 11- or KS: 
  Neanderthal Culture 11- for 
  free? Unless the GM expects 
  the PCs to have to deal with 
  matters pertaining to Chinese 
  pottery or prehistoric life-
  styles on a regular basis, those 
  Skills don’t provide any game 
  beneﬁt to the character at all. 
  They’re just “window dress-
  ing” to make the character 
  more fun for the player, so let 
  him have them at no cost.
  
  53 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  W
  hile Skills are an important part of the 
  HERO System, they’re not the only 
  element used to create characters and 
  abilities. As one piece of a greater whole, 
  Skills frequently interact with the other elements of 
  the rules, such as Powers and Disadvantages.
  PERKS
  Some Perks complement Skills, or in eﬀect 
  replace them in limited circumstances. Access and 
  Computer Link allow a character to accomplish 
  some tasks without using Skills like Lockpicking, 
  Security Systems, Stealth, or Computer Program-
  ming. A Contact or two are usually easier to use 
  than High Society or Streetwise (and possibly safer 
  as well). A Deep Cover takes the place of Disguise 
  in some respects, and Reputation provides a bonus 
  to some Interaction Skill rolls. Players building 
  Skill-based characters should keep these sorts of 
  Perks in mind as a way of diﬀerentiating a charac-
  ter or expanding his capabilities.
  ACCESS
  A character who looks for a means of Access 
  in the right place can ﬁnd it by succeeding with a 
  Concealment roll. In some cases other Skills, such 
  as SS: Architecture, may function as Complemen-
  tary Skills; characters generally can’t ﬁnd a means 
  of Access with an ordinary PER Roll (or if the 
  GM does allow this, the PER Roll suﬀers a -3 or 
  greater penalty). As noted in the Perk’s description, 
  a character who purchases Access can make it even 
  harder to ﬁnd by paying a greater cost.
  COMPUTER LINK
  Unless a character has another Perk or ability 
  that explains how he got it (such as Membership: 
  FBI for a Computer Link to the FBI’s NCIC com-
  puter system), GMs in “realistic” campaigns might 
  rule that a character has to have a minimum level 
  of competence in Computer Programming to buy 
  this Perk. Typically the minimum level equals 10 + 
  the amount of Character Points spent on Computer 
  Link. Thus, if a character wants to buy a Computer 
  Link to a highly-secured military database (costs 
  6 points) he has to have Computer Programming 
  with a 16- or better roll.
  CONTACT
  If a character has a Contact who may be able 
  to help him with some Skill-related task — such as 
  providing information or resources the character 
  currently lacks — the GM may let the character use 
  the Contact roll as a Complementary “Skill” Roll. 
  If the Contact roll provides a bonus, it means the 
  character was able to get in touch with the Contact 
  and that the Contact was able to provide assistance. 
  If it doesn’t, either the character couldn’t get in 
  touch with the Contact, or the Contact can’t help 
  him for some reason.
  MONEY
  In some cases a character can make it easier to 
  perform a task or resolve a problem by “throwing 
  money at it” — in other words, by spending extrava-
  gantly on the best parts, a legion of assistants, copious 
  bribes, or whatever else is necessary for what he’s 
  doing. At the GM’s option, a character with Money 
  can obtain a +1 bonus to a single Skill Roll for each 
  1 point of Money he “throws” at the problem. This 
  represents a fraction of his annual income equal to 
  the fraction of his points of Money he spends, so it’s 
  not an idle sacriﬁce. For example, if a character with 
  10 Character Points in Money spends 2 points of his 
  Money to get a +2 bonus on a single Skill Roll, that 
  represents 20% of his income for that year; if a char-
  acter with 15 points of Money spends 5 points of it on 
  a single Skill Roll, he get a +3 bonus on that roll at the 
  cost of 33% of his annual income.
  The GM should only allow a character to throw 
  Money at a Skill Roll if doing so will signiﬁcantly 
  inconvenience that character for that year. If the cam-
  paign doesn’t focus much on Money, or characters’ 
  ﬁnancial lives never seem to be part of the game, the 
  GM shouldn’t allow characters to use this rule. On 
  the other hand, if the nature of the campaign is such 
  that the GM can make the character feel the ﬁnancial 
  pinch of throwing Money at a Skill it’s a good way to 
  let a character prove just how much succeeding with a 
  speciﬁc roll means to him.
  On the other hand, too little money may cause 
  real problems with a project. For every 10% below 
  the calculated expenses that the character spends, 
  he suﬀers a -2 on relevant rolls. In “realistic cam-
  paigns,” the project is simply impossible below half 
  the appropriate cost. In cinematic games, a suﬃ-
  ciently clever inventor can improvise and scrounge 
  with no money at all.
  VEHICLES AND BASES
  See Chapter Three regarding Skills and 
  Vehicles/Bases, including expanded information 
  on laboratories.
  OTHER GAME 
  ELEMENTS
  
  54 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  TALENTS
  Many Talents resemble Skills in some ways (albeit 
  in an improved form), or interact directly with Skills 
  on a regular basis. For example, Bump Of Direction is 
  similar to some applications of Navigation, but gener-
  ally has no chance to fail; Double-Jointed provides a 
  speciﬁc modiﬁer for Contortionist rolls; having Perfect 
  Pitch makes it easier to use music-related Skills.
  A Talent might reﬂect a character’s high degree 
  of competence with a particular Skill. For example, 
  a character who’s especially skilled at balancing on 
  narrow objects and ledges might have the Supreme 
  Balance form of Environmental Movement in addi-
  tion to the Breakfall Skill.
  Here are several new Talents that relate to 
  Skills and Skill use:
  COMBAT-READY
  A character with this Talent is particularly adept 
  at using a Skill in combat or crisis conditions — he 
  can focus past the distraction and the danger and 
  get the job done. He suﬀers no penalty for combat or 
  crisis conditions (see page 33). The character chooses 
  which Skill this Talent applies to when he buys the 
  Talent, and cannot change it thereafter.
  At the GM’s option, characters can use Combat-
  Ready as a model for designing more Talents to coun-
  teract other common Skill Modiﬁers. For example, a 
  Grace Under Pressure Talent might reduce or elimi-
  nate the penalty for time/deadline stress.
  ■ Combat-Ready Cost:  2 Character Points 
  (bought as +3 with a specific Skill with the Limi-
  tation Only To Counteract Combat/Crisis Condi-
  tion Penalties (-2)).
  EXPERTISE
  The character is such an expert at using a cer-
  tain Skill that conditions which hinder or hamper 
  most characters don’t aﬀect him, or aﬀect him to a 
  lesser degree. In game terms, this Talent functions 
  as a +1, +2, or +3 bonus the character can only use 
  to counteract or negate Skill Roll penalties; the 
  amount of the bonus depends on how many points 
  the character pays for the Talent. 
  The character chooses which Skill this Talent 
  applies to when he buys the Talent, and cannot 
  change it thereafter. 
  ■ Expertise Cost:  1, 2, or 3 Character Points (bought 
  as +1 to +3 with a speciﬁc Skill with the Limitation 
  Only To Counteract Skill Roll Penalties (-1))
  SKILL MASTER
  The character has developed a high level of 
  proﬁciency with a single Characteristic-Based Skill, 
  such as Climbing, Deduction, Navigation, or Stealth. 
  He chooses one Skill when he buys this Talent, and 
  receives a +3 bonus for all uses of that Skill.
  Some characters have even greater mastery 
  of Skills. They can apply the same +3 bonus to all 
  Skills based on a single Characteristic.
  ■ Skill Master Cost:  6 Character Points (bought as 
  +3 with one Skill) or 15 Character Points (bought 
  as +3 with all Skills based on DEX, INT, or PRE 
  [choose one])
  POWERS
  In some campaigns, characters who are par-
  ticularly skilled at some sort of task or ability buy 
  a Limited Power to represent that instead of a 
  Skill. These abilities are usually known as “Super-
  Skills” or “Heroic Talents.” They’re similar in many 
  respects to Talents, and you can ﬁnd dozens of 
  them written up in genre books like Dark Champi-
  ons and Pulp Hero. Additionally, most of the Skill 
  descriptions in Chapter Two include a section that 
  discusses how that Skill interacts with Powers, and 
  in some cases what Powers characters might use as 
  a “substitute” for that Skill.
  ADJUSTMENT POWERS
  As stated on page 105 of The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised, characters can only use Adjust-
  ment Powers to aﬀect Skills with the GM’s permis-
  sion. Because Skills are so inexpensive (compared 
  to Powers), Adjustment Powers could easily be 
  unbalancingly eﬀective when used on or against 
  them. An average roll on just two to three dice of 
  Drain would be enough to wipe out even a costly 
  Skill, whereas a similar Aid would provide a +5 
  bonus to a Characteristic-Based Skill! If the GM 
  wants to leave open the possibility of Adjusting 
  Skills, he should consider treating them as if they 
  were Defense Powers:  Adjustment Powers only 
  have half eﬀect on them.
  MENTAL POWERS
  If the campaign uses the rules for Negative 
  Skill Levels, characters can buy Negative Skill 
  Levels to apply to a victim’s chance of making a 
  Breakout Roll. A character may use an Overall 
  Level, or any other Skill Level that can apply to 
  EGO Rolls, to improve his chances of making a 
  Breakout Roll.
  CHANGE ENVIRONMENT
  Change Environment provides a convenient 
  way for a character to impose a Skill Roll penalty 
  on another character. Per the Combat Eﬀects 
  Table on page 136 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised, the cost for a -1 penalty on a speciﬁc Skill’s 
  roll (including the ability to force the victim to 
  make a Skill Roll, if appropriate) costs 3 Character 
  Points for each additional -1 beyond the initial 
  “free” combat eﬀect. At the GM’s option, characters 
  can buy a -1 penalty to all Skills of a given category 
  (Agility Skills, Intellect Skills, Interaction Skills, 
  Knowledge Skills, Professional Skills, or Science 
  Skills) for 5 Character Points. For this purpose the 
  rolls needed to perform “stunts” with a Transport 
  Familiarity count as an Agility Skill.
  DISPEL
  The rules about using Adjustment Powers on 
  Skills also apply to Dispel.
  ENHANCED SENSES
  Enhanced Perception is a Power, not a Skill. 
  Therefore characters may put Limitations on any type 
  of Enhanced Perception bonus; the rule forbidding 
  characters to Limit 2-point Skill Levels does not apply.
  
  55 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  A character cannot use Transmit by itself to 
  transmit “false signals,” misleading information, or 
  the like — any more than an untrained person can 
  use his voice to precisely make the sound of a car 
  engine. To transmit false or misleading information 
  a character needs either (a) a properly-constructed 
  Images power that aﬀects the appropriate Sense 
  Groups, or (b) a relevant Skill based on the Sense 
  Groups involved (such as Mimicry, Ventriloquism, 
  Systems Operation, or perhaps Power). At the GM’s 
  option, any character can try to Transmit false or 
  misleading information at any time. However, any 
  attempt to see through the subterfuge gets a +3 
  or greater PER Roll bonus. If the character uses a 
  relevant Skill (as described above) and fails the roll, 
  the same rule applies — but if he makes the roll, the 
  PER Roll gets no bonus and must win a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest against the Skill Roll.
  LEAPING
  A character can buy Penalty Skill Levels to 
  oﬀset the Range Modiﬁer as it applies to Leaping 
  unless the GM rules otherwise.
  MIND CONTROL
  Characters can often use Mind Control to 
  make Interaction Skills more likely to succeed. For 
  each level of Mind Control achieved (greater than 
  EGO, EGO +10, and so on) a character usually 
  receives a +2 (or greater) bonus to his Interaction 
  Skill Roll. However, he usually also has to achieve 
  the +10 “target will remember actions and think 
  they were natural” modiﬁer, or the eventual suc-
  cess of a Breakout Roll may also ruin the eﬀect he 
  wanted to achieve with the Skill.
  MIND SCAN
  The rules for Mind Scan specify that bonuses to 
  the ECV Attack Roll can be bought as an Adder. How-
  ever, that does not prevent a character from buying 
  ordinary Combat Skill Levels, either with Mind Scan 
  alone or all Mental Powers, to improve his ECV with 
  Mind Scan. Either or both ways of improving ECV 
  can be applied to the same Mind Scan power.
  MISSILE DEFLECTION AND REFLECTION
  Sometimes the situation arises where a charac-
  ter buys Missile Deﬂection through a Focus (such 
  as a sword), and he has 3-point or more expensive 
  Combat Skill Levels with that Focus. Generally 
  speaking, he cannot apply those CSLs to improve 
  his Missile Deﬂection roll — a character should 
  buy CSLs speciﬁcally for Missile Deﬂection if he 
  wants to improve his roll, as described under the 
  power. However, the GM can allow some broader 
  Levels (and of course any Overall Levels) to apply 
  to the roll as he sees ﬁt.
  With the GM’s permission a character can buy 
  3-point Combat Skill Levels that apply to improve 
  OCV with both Missile Deﬂection and Reﬂection.
  With the GM’s permission, a character can buy 
  Penalty Skill Levels to counteract the Missile Deﬂec-
  tion penalty for multiple deﬂections. However, the 
  PSLs can only cancel successive Deﬂection penalties; 
  otherwise the character should buy straightforward 
  OCV bonuses as prescribed for the Power.
  SKILLS
  As discussed elsewhere in this book, including 
  the expanded Skill descriptions in Chapter Two, 
  there are many intriguing abilities characters can 
  create by applying Limitations (and sometimes 
  Advantages) to Skills. Among other things, this is 
  
  56 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  a good way to “specialize” a Skill — buy bonuses to 
  the Skill Roll that only apply in certain situations.
  TELEPATHY
  If a character uses a Skill when a person with 
  Telepathy tries to read his mind, the knowledge 
  imparted by the Skill counts as a “surface thought.” 
  If the character’s not using a Skill, the knowledge it 
  imparts counts as a “deep, hidden thought” (or pos-
  sibly as a “memory” if the character hasn’t used that 
  aspect of the Skill for a long time). In some cases, a 
  Skill that hasn’t been used for a long time (such as 
  one that’s suﬀering atrophy, as described on page 
  29) would qualify as a “memory.”
  TELEPORTATION
  The Attack Roll to appear in a speciﬁc hex is 
  an ordinary Attack Roll in Ranged Combat and 
  can be modiﬁed by any sort of appropriate Combat 
  Skill Level (such as 2-point CSLs with Teleporta-
  tion or 5-point CSLs with Ranged Combat).
  TRANSFORM
  Using a Mental Transform to remove a Skill 
  from a character requires a Major Transform. So 
  does giving a person a Skill (the rules for adding 
  abilities to characters with Transform apply).
  POWER ADVANTAGES
  Characters rarely buy Skills as Powers with 
  Advantages, but it is possible (though you should 
  check with your GM to make sure he permits it). 
  Except as noted below or if the GM rules otherwise, 
  generally Advantages work the same for Skills as 
  for any other Power (though many of them, such 
  as Armor Piercing, Autoﬁre, AVLD/NND, Damage 
  Shield, MegaScale, and Penetrating, aren’t really 
  appropriate for Skills).
  If a character applies an Advantage to a Skill, 
  he must apply it to the entire cost of the Skill 
  — both the base cost and any increases to the roll 
  he purchases. He can’t just apply it to the base 
  cost. However, with the GM’s permission a char-
  acter could buy a partially-Advantaged Skill (for 
  example, by applying an Advantage to a purchased 
  increase to the Skill Roll so that only the increase 
  works better or has some additional functionality).
  BASED ON EGO COMBAT VALUE
  Since Skills typically don’t involve Attack Rolls 
  or work at Range, generally characters shouldn’t 
  apply BOECV to them. However, the GM might 
  rule that applying BOECV (at the +1 value) to a 
  Characteristic-Based Skill means the character 
  calculates that Skill’s roll from EGO rather than the 
  Characteristic normally associated with that Skill. 
  For example, Seduction, BOECV would have a (9 + 
  (EGO/5)) roll rather than a (9 + (PRE/5)) roll.
  DOES KNOCKBACK
  If a GM permits a character to apply Does 
  Knockback to a Skill, he must decide how to cal-
  culate the Knockback. One possibility is to link the 
  amount of Knockback to the character’s degree of 
  success. For example, if the roll succeeds exactly, he 
  does 1” KB; for each additional point the roll suc-
  ceeds by, the Skill does +1” KB (or whatever mul-
  tiplier the GM prefers — perhaps +2” per point, or 
  +1” per 2 points).
  INVISIBLE POWER EFFECTS
  Generally the use of Skills is perceivable by 
  at least three Sense Groups, like many Powers 
  — other characters can see a character using a 
  Skill, hear the noises he makes using it, and so 
  forth. And they usually remain that way; making 
  them non-perceivable isn’t logical or sensible. 
  However, in some cases, such as some “super-
  skill” abilities, GMs might let characters apply 
  Invisible Power Effects to a Skill. For example, 
  Interrogation might have IPE so a character 
  could torture people without leaving any visible 
  signs of the abuse without having to make the 
  Skill Roll at a penalty (see page 204).
  USABLE ON OTHERS
  Generally, characters shouldn’t make Skills 
  Usable By Other/Usable Simultaneously, though the 
  GM can permit it if he feels that would be appro-
  priate. For example, a character might create a spell 
  that would allow him to temporarily grant a Skill 
  (or a bonus to a particular Skill) to another charac-
  ter via UBO.
  If a character wants to apply a Skill to an 
  object — for example, grant Lockpicking to a 
  lock to make it harder to pick (by giving it a 
  high roll for Skill Versus Skill Contests) — that 
  requires Usable As Attack. Objects aren’t “other 
  people” to whom a character can grant powers. 
  (That might change if the object were a Com-
  puter, or controlled by a Computer, since then 
  there’s a “being” to whom the character can grant 
  the power.) And of course, a character could use 
  his own Skill (whether a normal Skill, or one 
  obtained via a power, spell, device, or the like) 
  to affect the object in the usual way, with his roll 
  becoming the “target” for Skill Versus Skill Con-
  tests. For example, a “Spell Of Locking” might not 
  involve Lockpicking Usable As Attack to “grant” 
  the lock a Lockpicking roll, it would simply give 
  the character himself Lockpicking, thus allowing 
  him to make a roll to lock doors. When he makes 
  a Skill Roll, the amount he makes it by becomes 
  the modifier for the Skill Versus Skill Contest.
  
  57 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  POWER LIMITATIONS
  Limitations on Skills are much more common 
  than Advantages, the Translation Only (-½) Limi-
  tation for Cryptography being just one example. 
  Many of the Skill descriptions in Chapter Two 
  suggest possible ways to Limit those Skills. For 
  example, look at the “Subdividing” section of the 
  descriptions, which discusses ways to split the 
  Skill into two or more Skills for greater diﬀerentia-
  tion between characters. Even if you don’t want 
  to subdivide a Skill, any of the suggested divisions 
  could become ways to “specialize” the Skill with 
  Limitations. For example, the text suggests splitting 
  Demolitions into Setting Explosives and Disarming 
  Explosives. Instead of doing that, you could have 
  a character who’s particularly adept at disarming 
  explosive devices buy +4 with Demolitions, Only 
  To Disarm Explosives (-½).
  CONCENTRATION
  Characters generally shouldn’t take this Limi-
  tation for Skills. If a Skill requires a particularly 
  high degree of concentration (either all the time, or 
  for some speciﬁc uses), the GM should impose the 
  appropriate restrictions on movement, DCV, and 
  the like as situational modiﬁers.
  FOCUS
  Chapter Three shows that there are lots of 
  ways to buy Skills (or bonuses to Skills) as Foci. As 
  noted on page 220 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised, if a character buys a Characteristic-Based 
  Skill through a Focus, then the appropriate Charac-
  teristic is assumed to be 0. For example, a high-tech 
  tool with the Skill Lockpicking would have a 0 DEX, 
  and the base Skill Roll would be 9 + DEX/5 = 9-. (A 
  character who buys a Background Skill on a Focus 
  gets the standard 11- roll for 2 Character Points, 
  but Background Skills bought as Powers do not get 
  any beneﬁt from Skill Enhancers the character has.)
  GESTURES; INCANTATIONS
  Most Skills involve using the hands to some 
  degree. This does not entitle a Skill to take the Ges-
  tures Limitation (or Restrainable), which characters 
  can only apply to Skills with the GM’s permission. 
  Similiarly, Skills often require a character to com-
  municate verbally with someone; this does not 
  qualify for the Incantations Limitation.
  LINKED
  In general, there’s nothing wrong with Linking 
  a Skill to an ability, unless the GM forbids it. How-
  ever, Linking Skill Levels (of any type) to an ability 
  is more likely to cause game balance problems than 
  Linking a Characteristic-Based Skill. Characters 
  cannot Link Skill Levels to the attack or ability 
  with which they’re meant to be used; by deﬁnition, 
  they only work with that ability. However, it might 
  
  58 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  be reasonable in some circumstances to Link Skill 
  Levels with a completely unrelated ability — for 
  example, Skill Levels with all Agility Skills that Link 
  to a character’s Change Environment. Of course, 
  the GM can forbid any such abilities if the Link 
  doesn’t make sense to him or he’s concerned it may 
  cause other problems.
  The rules for using Combat Skill Levels with 
  multiple-power attacks (The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised, page 359) also apply to Linked attacks.
  REQUIRES A SKILL ROLL
  Obviously, this Limitation interacts with 
  Skills in important ways — not because char-
  acters apply it to Skills, but because it requires 
  the use of a Skill. Here are some additional rules 
  for Requires A Skill Roll (“RSR”) to supplement 
  those on pages 304-05 of The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised.
  Even if a character has bought a Skill Roll 
  up to so high a level that he’s unlikely to ever fail 
  the roll (even taking the Active Point penalty into 
  account), that does not change the value of the 
  Requires A Skill Roll Limitation. A character in that 
  situation paid a signiﬁcant number of Character 
  Points to buy his Skill Roll that high, so he should 
  get the value of what he paid for. If the GM’s con-
  cerned about this, he can handle the problem by 
  forbidding characters to buy their Skill Rolls above 
  a certain threshold or instituting Normal Skill 
  Maxima rules.
  As noted in the main rules, if a character has 
  two Characteristic-Based Skills for Required Skill 
  Rolls for a single power, he takes a -¾ Limitation. If 
  the two Skills are a Characteristic-Based Skill and 
  a Background Skill/Characteristic Roll, or if both 
  of the Skills are Background Skills/Characteristic 
  Rolls, reduce the Limitation to -½.
  With the GM’s permission, a character can 
  have a Required Skill Roll that takes longer than 
  a Zero Phase Action by applying the Extra Time 
  Limitation and noting how it applies. In that 
  case, the Extra Time adds to the time needed 
  to use the power normally. For example, if the 
  Required Skill Roll takes a Half Phase, and it’s 
  applied to an Attack Power (which normally 
  requires a Half Phase/Attack Action to use), 
  then the power requires a Full Phase to use (Half 
  Phase + Half Phase).
  If a character deﬁnes a Required Skill Roll as 
  an Attack Roll, making that roll does not require a 
  separate Attack Action.
  If a character has Requires A Skill Roll on 
  every slot of a Multipower, he gets to apply the 
  Limitation to the reserve cost (even if the slots 
  don’t use the same Skill for their RSR). That does 
  not mean he has to make two Skill Rolls to use a 
  slot; he only has to make one. If the RSR Limita-
  tions have diﬀerent values, the reserve uses the 
  lowest value.
  Since a character only has to make a Required 
  Skill Roll at the start of using a power, technically 
  he could make one roll at the beginning of the day 
  to activate a Persistent Power (such as Damage 
  Reduction) and then have the power remain in 
  eﬀect indeﬁnitely. However, most GMs forbid 
  this, since it can cause game balance problems 
  and tends to ﬂout the rules of common sense and 
  dramatic sense. If necessary, the GM can establish 
  a rule for how often a character has to make a 
  Required Skill Roll to maintain a Persistent Power 
  (such as once per combat, or per Turn of combat, 
  once per Hour, or whatever seems most appropri-
  ate), but this should be signiﬁcantly less than once 
  per Phase.
  If a character Pushes or Haymakers a power 
  with Requires A Skill Roll, the Active Point penalty 
  does not increase. Actions like using Haymaker 
  (or other Combat/Martial Maneuvers) or Pushing 
  don’t increase the Active Points in a power.
  Naked Advantages
  If a character takes Requires A Skill Roll as a 
  Limitation for a naked Advantage, he calculates the 
  Active Point penalty to the Skill Roll based only 
  on the points in the naked Advantage (not on the 
  Active Points of the power plus the naked Advan-
  tage). The same rule applies in reverse:  a naked 
  Advantage is a separate ability, and thus doesn’t 
  factor into the calculation of the Required Skill Roll 
  penalty for the power the naked Advantage works 
  with unless the naked Advantage itself has RSR 
  (which it probably should, if it’s intended to apply 
  to an ability that has RSR). In that case, use the rule 
  on pages 304-05 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised regarding activating two powers with the 
  same RSR at the same time.
  If a character applies Requires A Skill Roll to 
  a naked Advantage, he only has to make the roll 
  when he uses the Advantage — if he just uses the 
  power without the Advantage, he doesn’t have to 
  make the roll, because the base power itself isn’t 
  Limited that way. However, since naked Advantages 
  are by default Instant Powers, maintaining a naked 
  Advantage with RSR typically requires one roll 
  per Phase. If a character only wants to have to roll 
  once to activate the naked Advantage, then have it 
  remain in eﬀect until he changes the Advantage (or 
  the like), he should apply Continuous (+1) to the 
  naked Advantage to make it a Constant Power.
  
  59 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  POWER FRAMEWORKS
  It’s unusual, but not unheard of, for characters 
  to buy Skills as slots in a Power Framework (usu-
  ally a Multipower or Variable Power Pool). Skills 
  is a Special Power, so characters can only buy it 
  through a Framework with the GM’s permission.
  VARIABLE POWER POOLS
  Characters sometimes want to buy Power Pools 
  for Skills, sometimes as a way of representing a special 
  power like “reﬂex memory” (see below), and some-
  times as a way of buying lots of Skills at once without 
  having to pay for each of them individually (see page 
  51). This requires the GM’s permission. If the GM 
  grants permission, the Skills  typically get the standard 
  9 + CHAR/5 roll. If a character buys a Skill through 
  a VPP, he’s generally buying it using the Skills Power, 
  and it’s subject to all rules pertaining to that Power. 
  Nothing in those rules makes all Skills subject to a 
  rule that pertains only to Focused Skills.
  VPP Skill Rolls
  Here are some additional rules and clariﬁca-
  tions regarding the Skill Roll needed to change the 
  slots in a Variable Power Pool.
  If a character has the Character Has No Choice 
  Regarding How Powers Change Limitation for his 
  Variable Power Pool, he still needs a Skill Roll; he 
  makes the roll to determine when the slots change 
  (he just can’t dictate what they change into). If he 
  has the Character Has No Choice Regarding When 
  Or How Powers Change Limitation, he cannot have 
  a Skill to control the VPP, but he doesn’t have to 
  apply the No Skill Roll Required Advantage. By deﬁ-
  nition he has no control at all, and that Advantage 
  indicates a high degree of control.
  Even though changing the slots in a Variable 
  Power Pool is a Zero Phase Action, a character 
  cannot change two slots individually as a way of 
  minimizing the Skill Roll penalty on each one. 
  Unless the GM rules otherwise, a character should 
  make only one Skill Roll to change his VPP each 
  Phase, with the penalty to the roll based on the total 
  Active Points of all slots being changed.
  With the GM’s permission a character can 
  use a Background Skill roll (Characteristic Roll) to 
  change his Variable Power Pool. This requires a +¼ 
  Advantage on the VPP’s control cost since increas-
  ing a Background Skill’s roll is so inexpensive.
  If a character buys a Variable Power Pool with 
  the Advantage that he doesn’t need a Skill Roll to 
  change the Pool, he can still apply the Requires A 
  Skill Roll Limitation to an individual slot, if desired.
  Example Skill VPPs
  Here are three Skill-oriented Variable Power 
  Pools:
  I Can Do Anything:  The character literally can do 
  anything and knows everything. Since he can’t 
  aﬀord to pay for that many Skills individually, he 
  buys a Variable Power Pool for Skills with the GM’s 
  permission. Of course, he can’t have all his Skills 
  “available” at once, which may not make sense in 
  setting terms, but he can change the VPP pretty 
  quickly if necessary.
  I Can Do Anything:  Variable Power Pool (Skill 
  Pool), 22 base + 11 control cost, Powers Can Be 
  Changed As A Zero Phase Action (+1), No Skill 
  Roll Required (+1); Only For Skills (-½). Total 
  cost 44 points.
  Knowledge Sharing:  The character can share knowl-
  edge — either granting what he knows to others 
  temporarily, or gaining the use of another person’s 
  memories and information. In game terms, this 
  rather broad eﬀect is deﬁned as a Variable Power 
  Pool. The Pool can do two things:  ﬁrst, the char-
  acter can use it to apply the Usable Simultaneously 
  Advantage to any of the character’s Knowledge 
  Skills (an exception to the general rule against 
  buying naked Advantages in Power Frameworks); 
  second, the character can use it to buy a Knowledge 
  Skill that another character has (an exception to the 
  general rule about not buying Skills through Power 
  Frameworks). In either case, he must touch the 
  character to/from whom he transfers a Knowledge 
  Skill. (At the GM’s option, this ability might apply 
  to Skills other than Knowledge Skills that involving 
  knowing things, such as Languages or some aspects 
  of Computer Programming.) The Skills remain in 
  the character’s mind, or the mind of the person to 
  whom he transferred them, only as long as he keeps 
  the Power Pool assigned to the appropriate abili-
  ties. Changing the allocation of the Pool means the 
  knowledge shared fades away instantly. If a char-
  acter wants to gain a Knowledge Skill permanently 
  through psionic sharing, he has to buy the Skill 
  with Character/Experience Points.
  Knowledge Sharing:  Variable Power Pool 
  (Knowledge Sharing Pool), 20 base + 10 control 
  cost; Only For Sharing Knowledge (see text; -1). 
  Total cost 25 points.
  Reﬂex Memory:  The character can copy, mimic, or 
  otherwise use the physical skills and abilities of 
  any person, provided he observes the target using 
  them. Once he’s copied them into his own “reﬂex 
  memory,” he can use them again whenever he 
  wants (assuming he allocates Variable Power Pool 
  points to them). “Physical skills” include, but are 
  not necessarily limited to, the following:
  ■ Skills such as Acrobatics, Breakfall, Climb-
  ing, Combat Skill Levels, Contortionist, Defense 
  Maneuver, Fast Draw, Martial Arts, Skill Levels with 
  Agility Skills, Sleight Of Hand, and Two-Weapon 
  Fighting
  ■ Powers and abilities deﬁned as “super-skills” or 
  “enhanced physical training,” such as an Energy 
  Blast or RKA deﬁned as “super-accurate throwing” 
  or a Hand-To-Hand Attack deﬁned as a secret mar-
  tial arts maneuver.
  Note that this does not necessarily include 
  any Skill with a physical component. The character 
  couldn’t copy Lockpicking, for example, because it 
  requires more than just deft physical movements 
  — it requires knowledge the character can’t acquire 
  just by watching a locksmith at work. The GM 
  determines whether the character can copy a par-
  ticular Skill or ability. If appropriate, the GM may 
  
  60 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  allow the character to substitute a related Profes-
  sional Skill. For example, Reﬂex Memory won’t let a 
  character copy Computer Programming by watch-
  ing a programmer type, but the GM might let him 
  “copy” PS: Typing instead.
  This power requires the GM’s permission for 
  two reasons. First, it involves putting Skills (includ-
  ing Combat Skill Levels) in a Power Framework, 
  something normally forbidden by the rules. Second, 
  it has a signiﬁcant potential to unbalance a cam-
  paign, since it lets a character have a wide variety 
  of Skills and skill-like abilities without paying for 
  them individually. The GM may eventually decide 
  that the character has copied so many abilities that 
  the Only For Physical Skills Limitation no longer 
  really restricts or hinder him, in which case he may 
  require the character to pay Experience Points to 
  buy the value of the Limitation down to -0.
  Reﬂex Memory:  Variable Power Pool (Reﬂex 
  Memory Pool), 30 base + 15 control cost; Only 
  For Physical Skills The Character Observes In 
  Use (-½). Total cost:  30 + 10 = 40 points.
  
  chapter two:
  chapter two:
  THE SKILLS
  
  62 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  The HERO System rules group Skills into 
  five categories:
  Agility Skills
  Background Skills
  Combat Skills
  Intellect Skills
  Interaction Skills
  The only Skill that doesn’t fall into one of those 
  categories is Skill Levels, which lets a character 
  improve his Skill Roll with several Skills. Characters 
  may have Skills from any or all categories. Some 
  additional categories based on how Skills function 
  are discussed below.
  For Skill Modifiers specific to each cat-
  egory of Skills, see pages 36-40. Generally each 
  category of Skills, as a whole, works the same 
  from genre to genre and setting to setting, unless 
  noted otherwise below.
  Agility Skills
  Agility Skills are based on DEX. They cost 3 
  Character Points for a base (9 + DEX/5) or less roll; 
  a +1 to any Agility Skill costs 2 Character Points. 
  Modiﬁers for them, including Encumbrance, are 
  discussed on page 36. The Agility Skills are:
  Acrobatics
  Breakfall
  Climbing
  Contortionist
  Combat Driving
  Combat Piloting
  Fast Draw
  Lockpicking
  Riding
  Sleight Of Hand
  Stealth
  Teamwork
  Background Skills
  Background Skills represent diﬀerent kinds of 
  information or knowledge a character possesses. 
  Typically, characters acquire them by growing up 
  in a certain society, studying under a teacher, or 
  through various life experiences. Background Skills 
  help ﬂesh out a character and can prove crucial in 
  non-combat situations. The cost for Background 
  Skills varies according to type. They are:
  Knowledge Skill (KS)
  Languages
  Professional Skill (PS)
  Science Skill (SS)
  Transport Familiarity
  At the GM’s option, Knowledge Skills and Sci-
  ence Skills may sometimes be considered Intellect 
  Skills if they have an INT-Based Roll.
  BUYING BACKGROUND SKILLS
  Many Background Skills, such as KSs and PSs, 
  cost 2 Character Points for an 11- roll, 3 points for 
  a Characteristic-Based Roll (typically using INT), 
  +1 to the roll for +1 Character Point. A character 
  automatically gets the 11- roll for 2 Character Point 
  even if his INT is so low that his INT Roll is 10- or 
  worse; each +1 Character Point spent thereafter 
  increases the roll by 1 as usual (to 12-, 13-, and so 
  on). Similarly, if a character has an INT Roll of 11-, 
  he gets the base 11- roll for 2 Character Points, and 
  can increase it at a cost of 1 Character Point per 
  +1 to the roll; he doesn’t have to spent 3 Character 
  Points to get the 11- roll.
  If a Vehicle or Base buys a Background Skill 
  (typically to deﬁne or create a laboratory) for 2 
  Character Points, the Vehicle/Base (lab) starts with 
  a base Skill Roll of 11-, not the 9- that’s standard for 
  Characteristic-Based Skills for Vehicles/Bases. (Of 
  course, the Vehicle/Base could buy an 8- Familiarity 
  with a Background Skill for only 1 Character Point 
  if it wished.)
  DISTINGUISHING KNOWLEDGE, 
  PROFESSIONAL, AND SCIENCE SKILLS
  Players should be careful to diﬀerentiate 
  between Knowledge Skills, Professional Skills (PSs), 
  and Science Skills (SSs):
  Knowledge Skills provide a character with 
  knowledge of what something is, how it works, 
  who’s involved with it, and related subjects. They do 
  not provide a character with any physical abilities. 
  In a sense they represent “theoretical” knowledge, 
  though that’s misleading in some respects because 
  they have many practical and useful applications.
  Professional Skills give the character the abil-
  ity to do things or perform certain tasks — though 
  a KS may be required for the character to have 
  in-depth knowledge of how he’s about to exercise 
  those physical skills. In a sense they represent the 
  “practical” abilities associated with a particular ﬁeld 
  or subject.
  Science Skills are a sort of cross between KSs 
  and PSs for certain scientiﬁc or technical ﬁelds of 
  knowledge. They include both theoretical knowl-
  edge of the subject and the ability to perform 
  experiments and use equipment associated with 
  that subject.
  SKILL  
  CATEGORIES
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  63 
  For example, a character might have KS: Elec-
  trical Systems. This provides him with knowledge 
  of how diﬀerent electrical systems and devices 
  work, the history of electrical systems, how (theo-
  retically) to install them, who installs them, and so 
  on. But it doesn’t give him the physical skills to do 
  the actual installation work himself; that requires 
  PS: Electrician. A character with PS: Electrician 
  may not be able to tell you all the theoretical and 
  technical details about what he installs, but he 
  knows how to install electrical systems, tune them, 
  repair them, and replace them. He also knows how 
  to use all the types of equipment associated with 
  electricians’ work, what electricians tend to get paid, 
  how to make money as an electrician, and so forth. 
  Neither of these characters can actually design an 
  electrical system, though — that requires SS: Elec-
  tronic Engineering.
  See the individual discussions of each of these 
  Skills later in this chapter for more information.
  Combining Background Skills 
  For some campaigns, the distinction between 
  KS, PS, and SS may may seem too artiﬁcial or too 
  counterproductive for enjoyable game play. In that 
  case, the GM can simply combine KSs, PSs, and SSs 
  into one Background Skill simply called “Universal 
  Knowledge Skill” (UKS). A character who buys a 
  UKS (for either a non-scientiﬁc or scientiﬁc sub-
  ject) gains both theoretical and practical knowledge 
  of the subject. Thus, a character with UKS: Electri-
  cal Systems not only knows all about electronic 
  systems, he knows how to install them, work with 
  them, and design them, as well as knowing all about 
  the working conditions of electricians.
  The trade-oﬀ for this simplicity is potential 
  game balance problems. Giving characters access to 
  so much knowledge, information, and abilities so 
  cheaply could easily cause problems in a campaign. 
  If necessary, the GM can increase the cost of Uni-
  versal Knowledge Skill (to, for example, 4 Character 
  Points for an 11- roll, 5 points for an INT-Based 
  roll) to balance out the increased eﬀectiveness.
  If the GM doesn’t want to take the step of cre-
  ating UKSs, another possible solution is to assume 
  that a KS with at least an 11- roll automatically pro-
  vides an 8- roll with the related PS (or possibly even 
  PSs), when relevant and appropriate. The reverse 
  also applies:  a PS of 11- or more automatically pro-
  vides an 8- with the related KS. This system doesn’t 
  apply with most academic KSs, such as CuK: Asian 
  Culture or KS: History. It also usually doesn’t apply 
  where there’s a signiﬁcant “gap” between the KS and 
  the PS. For example, it’s entirely possible for some-
  one to know a lot about rock and roll music (KS: 
  Rock Music 14-) but have no ability whatsoever to 
  sing (PS: Singing). But it works well for Background 
  Skills that could represent a mix of physical skills 
  and theoretical knowledge, such as KS: Electrical 
  Systems or KS: Plumbing.
  BACKGROUND SKILLS BY GENRE
  Background Skills work the same in all genres, 
  though each genre has Background Skills particularly 
  appropriate to it. For example, characters in many 
  Dark Champions campaigns often buy KS: The Espio-
  nage World, whereas few characters in Western Hero 
  campaigns would even consider buying that Skill. See 
  the individual descriptions of each of these Skills later 
  in this chapter for more information.
  Science Fiction
  Star Hero characters often buy KSs, PSs, and 
  SSs with the preﬁxes “xeno-“ or “exo-,” such as SS: 
  Exobiology, SS: Xenoarchaeology, or KS: Xeno-Art 
  History. Both preﬁxes mean “foreign” or “alien,” 
  and refer to a character’s knowledge of the subject 
  in question as it pertains to species other than his 
  own. A Human with SS: Exobiology might know 
  a lot about Denebian biology, whereas a Denebian 
  with the same Skill would known about Human 
  biology instead.
  In a setting featuring few alien species, a 
  Xeno/Exo Background Skill is easier to use, because 
  there’s less to know, and therefore the Skill Roll 
  penalties are likely to be smaller. In settings featur-
  ing dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of alien 
  species, a general Xeno/Exo knowledge may not 
  help the character much — he’d be better oﬀ buying 
  Background Skills relating to particular species he 
  knows about.
  Technically, a Xeno/Exo Skill provides a char-
  acter with knowledge of the subject as it pertains 
  to any species besides his own. However, this may 
  entail some hefty penalties; GMs can adapt the 
  Knowledge Skill Categories (page 210) if necessary 
  (see also the notes for the Science Skills Table, page 
  260). For better results and/or greater realism, char-
  acters should buy Background Skills by species.
  Combat Skills
  Combat Skills help the character ﬁght eﬀec-
  tively. Typically they do not require a Skill Roll. 
  They are:
  Autoﬁre Skills
  Combat Skill Levels
  Defense Maneuver
  Martial Arts
  Penalty Skill Levels
  Rapid Attack
  Two-Weapon Fighting
  Weapon Familiarity
  OPTIONAL COMBAT MANEUVERS AS SKILLS
  One of the eﬀects of Two-Weapon Fighting is 
  to grant characters the ability to use the Optional 
  Combat Maneuvers Rapid Fire or Sweep (albeit in 
  a restricted fashion) even in campaigns that don’t 
  ordinarily allow characters to use them. If appropri-
  ate, the GM might allow characters to buy other 
  Optional Combat Maneuvers as Skills even if charac-
  ters cannot otherwise use them. In eﬀect this makes 
  Optional Combat Maneuvers into something akin 
  to Martial Maneuvers. The GM may, if desired, apply 
  the “characters must buy a minimum of 10 Character 
  Points’ worth of maneuvers” rule from Martial Arts 
  to Optional Combat Maneuvers. (Alternately, maybe 
  characters must spend 10 Character Points overall on 
  some combination of Martial Maneuvers, Optional 
  Combat Maneuvers, or both.)
  
  64 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  The accompanying table lists the suggested 
  Character Point costs for various Optional Combat 
  Maneuvers as Skills. Unless the GM rules other-
  wise, Optional Combat Maneuvers as Skills work 
  just like normal Optional Combat Maneuvers that 
  characters can use for free.
  Intellect Skills
  Intellect Skills are abilities based largely on 
  learned information, technical data and training, and 
  the like. As noted on page 11, they’re good candidates 
  for the alternate Characteristic rules when characters 
  try to use them for tasks involving manual dexterity 
  or the like. At the GM’s option, Knowledge Skills and 
  Science Skills may sometimes be considered Intellect 
  Skills if they have an INT-Based Roll.
  Intellect Skills are based on INT. They cost 3 
  Character Points for a base (9 + INT/5) or less roll; 
  a +1 to the roll of any Intellect Skill costs 2 Char-
  acter Points. (Cramming is an exception to this; it 
  has a ﬂat cost and no roll.) Modiﬁers for them are 
  discussed on page 37. The Intellect Skills are:
  Analyze
  Bugging
  Computer Programming
  Concealment
  Cramming
  Criminology
  Cryptography
  Deduction
  Demolitions
  Disguise
  Electronics
  Forensic Medicine
  Forgery
  Gambling
  Inventor
  Lipreading
  Mechanics
  Mimicry
  Navigation
  Paramedics
  Security Systems
  Shadowing
  Survival
  Systems Operation
  Tactics
  Tracking
  Ventriloquism
  Weaponsmith
  Interaction Skills
  Interaction Skills are based on PRE. They cost 
  3 Character Points for a base (9 + PRE/5) or less 
  roll. A +1 to any Interaction Skill costs 2 Character 
  Points. Modiﬁers for them, including the eﬀects of 
  Comeliness, are discussed on page 37. The Interac-
  tion Skills are:
  Acting
  Animal Handler
  Bribery
  Bureaucratics
  Conversation
  High Society
  Interrogation
  Oratory
  Persuasion
  Seduction
  Streetwise
  Trading
  OPTIONAL COMBAT  
  MANEUVERS COST
  Optional Combat Maneuver  
  Cost
  Blazing Away 
  3 Character Points
  Club Weapon 
  3 Character Points
  Cover 
  3 Character Points
  Dive For Cover 
  5 Character Points
  Hipshot 
  3 Character Points
  Hurry 
  3 Character Points
  Pulling A Punch 
  3 Character Points
  Roll With A Punch 
  3 Character Points
  Snap Shot 
  4 Character Points
  Suppression Fire 
  4 Character Points
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  65 
  INTERACTION SKILLS IN THE CAMPAIGN
  Because they represent social relationships and 
  methods by which characters interact — intangible 
  things not easily reduced to numbers and rules 
  — Interaction Skills pose some diﬃculties in the 
  game. The issues they raise that the GM should 
  consider include:
  Aﬀect On Player Characters
  First, to what extent, if any, can Interaction 
  Skills aﬀect PCs?
  On one end of the spectrum, some GMs rule 
  that PCs are just as susceptible to Interaction Skills 
  as NPCs. As these GMs see it, in the interest of 
  fairness, all characters should be aﬀected the same 
  way. Furthermore, unless the GM wants to give per-
  suasive, seductive, or clever NPCs Mind Control-
  based abilities, Interaction Skills are the only way 
  to represent some characters’ ability to make other 
  people do what they want or see things their way 
  — a common ability in the ﬁction and movies that 
  inspire RPGs and RPG characters.
  At the other end of the spectrum, some GMs 
  rule that PCs are never aﬀected by Interaction Skills. 
  People who subscribe to this viewpoint believe the 
  player alone decides how his character reacts to any 
  given situation. Dice rolls and rules should never dic-
  tate a PC’s actions unless the rules represent a power, 
  like Mind Control, that can be “forced” on a PC. Aside 
  from that, in the realm of human interactions only 
  the player can determine how his character acts. Thus, 
  Interaction Skills are useless against PCs.
  Taking the middle ground are GMs who 
  think that Interaction Skills can affect PCs (at 
  least to some degree) but that give the PC a 
  chance to resist them in a Skill Versus Skill Con-
  test or by other means. Typically these rules also 
  apply to NPCs, which sometimes makes it dif-
  ficult for PCs to use Interaction Skills on them. 
  Resisting Interaction Skills, below, discusses some 
  possible methods for this.
  None of these approaches is necessarily “right” or 
  “wrong” for everyone. It’s a question of how each GM 
  prefers to run his game, how each group prefers to 
  play the HERO System, and the needs and demands of 
  a given genre or setting. In some campaigns it may be 
  appropriate, or even desireable, for PCs to suﬀer the 
  eﬀects of Interaction Skills, while in others that might 
  be utterly anathema. For most groups, the middle 
  approach — Interaction Skills can aﬀect PCs, but they 
  have a chance to resist them — works well.
  Eﬀectiveness Of Interaction Skills
  Second, how eﬀective can Interaction Skills be? 
  To put it another way, how strong an aﬀect can an 
  Interaction Skill have on a character? In some cases 
  (such as certain uses of Animal Handler or High 
  Society) these questions aren’t usually relevant, but 
  for Interaction Skills like Conversation, Persuasion, 
  Seduction, and Trading — all of which can direct, 
  to some extent, a character’s actions (see above) 
  — they’re important issues.
  The accompanying table lists suggested 
  guidelines for determining the effects of Interac-
  tion Skills when the Skill might affect or dictate 
  a character’s actions. Some of the examples rely 
  on characters’ Psychological Limitations (which 
  may instead factor in as a modifier to the roll, 
  see page 38), but the presence or absence of a 
  Psychological Limitation isn’t the only determi-
  nant — a character can be strongly opposed to 
  or in favor of something without having taken a 
  Psychological Limitation to reflect that. The GM 
  can adjust these as he sees fit to make Interaction 
  Skills easier or harder to lose, or alter them to 
  suit specific Interaction Skills better.
  By comparison, an Extraordinary Skill Roll 
  or Critical Success with an Interaction Skill is 
  necessary to get a character to do something he’s 
  “strongly opposed” to — roughly equivalent to an 
  EGO +20 roll with Mind Control in most circum-
  stances. Greater eﬀects, such as those achieved 
  with EGO +30 Mind Control, generally cannot be 
  achieved with Interaction Skills. (One exception:  
  sometimes a character using Persuasion or the like 
  can convince someone to believe a baldfaced lie 
  that contradicts reality under direct observation. 
  Normally this requires an EGO +30 Mind Control 
  eﬀect but it’s speciﬁcally mentioned under the 
  Extraordinary Skill rules.)
  INTERACTION SKILL EFFECTS TABLE
  Skill Roll Made By... 
  Effect
  0 (exactly) 
  Target will go along with suggestions he’s inclined 
  to accept anyway (i.e., against which he has no 
  Psychological Limitations and which don’t seem 
  likely to contradict his self-interest)
   
  Target believes any statement that doesn’t contra-
  dict prior knowledge or direct observation and 
  which seems plausible or accurate
  1-2 
  Target will go along with suggestions he’s neutral 
  about (e.g., which he’s neither in favor of nor 
  opposed to and which don’t seem likely to contra-
  dict his self-interest)
   
  Target will believe any statement that doesn’t con-
  tradict prior knowledge or direct observation, even 
  if it seems somewhat implausible or inaccurate
  3-5 
  Target will go along with suggestions he’s mildly 
  opposed to (e.g., which he’s somewhat opposed to 
  or has a Moderate Psychological Limitation against, 
  or which might contradict his self-interest)
   
  Target will believe any statement that doesn’t contra-
  dict prior knowledge or direct observation, even if it 
  deﬁnitely seems implausible or inaccurate
  6-9 
  Target will go along with suggestions he’s opposed 
  to (e.g., which he’s somewhat opposed to or has a 
  Strong Psychological Limitation against, or which 
  are likely to contradict his self-interest)
   
  Target will believe any statement that doesn’t 
  contradict prior knowledge or direct observation, 
  even if it seems highly implausible or inaccurate
  10 or more; Critical Success 
  Target will go along with suggestions he’s strongly 
  opposed to (e.g., against which he has a Total 
  Psychological Limitation — a nun gives in to a 
  Seduction attempt, a miser makes a really bad deal 
  using Trading)
   
  Target will believe patent untruths (“Are you 
  going to believe me or your own eyes?”, “The 
  Emperor is wearing new clothes.”)
  
  66 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Duration Of Eﬀect
  Third, how long do the eﬀects of an 
  Interaction Skill roll last? For example, if 
  Kozar the Dark Mage successfully uses 
  Seduction to sweep the Princess Hallea 
  oﬀ her feet, will she always be infatuated 
  with him and/or susceptible to his blan-
  dishments, or will she come to her senses 
  sooner or later?
  In some cases, the resolution of this 
  issue depends on the circumstances, what 
  the victim has been made to do or believe, or 
  the conduct of the character using the Inter-
  action Skill. When Randall Irons uses Acting 
  to feign an injury and lure Dr. Fang in close, 
  Dr. Fang realizes he was tricked as soon as 
  Randall springs his surprise attack. When 
  Kozar betrays Princess Hallea, she discovers 
  he was just toying with her aﬀections to get 
  what he wanted. When the mob has time 
  to calm down, its members come to under-
  stand they gave in to someone’s Oratory roll.
  In other situations, the exact duration 
  of an Interaction Skill’s eﬀects may be a 
  crucial factor in the adventure. For exam-
  ple, a thief’s con job using Acting and 
  Persuasion has to hold up long enough for 
  him to get away with the loot. In this situ-
  ation the ﬁnal determination depends on 
  the GM, but he should consider the fol-
  lowing factors:
  ■ Is the character still in the presence of 
  the victim “maintaining” the eﬀects of 
  the Interaction Skill? Usually an Interac-
  tion Skill remains in eﬀect as long as the 
  character takes steps to “maintain” it and 
  nothing occurs to make the victim ques-
  tion things. Sooner or later, though, even 
  the cleverest story or most charming 
  manner tends to wear thin. Conversely, if 
  the character does nothing to “maintain” 
  the Interaction Skill’s eﬀects, it’s likely the 
  character will realize he’s been tricked or 
  “played” much sooner.
  ■ Have the events of the adventure or the 
  information available to the victim caused 
  him to question the eﬀects of the Inter-
  action Skill? For example, if a character 
  successfully uses Bureaucratics on a low-
  level bureaucrat, and while doing the task 
  the victim is confronted by his boss, the 
  victim may very well change his mind and 
  stop helping the character.
  ■ If the victim failed a roll to resist the 
  Interaction Skill’s eﬀects (see below) but 
  only by a little (say, 1-2), he’s more likely 
  to shake oﬀ the Skill’s eﬀects (or at least 
  question them) than someone who fails by 
  a greater degree.
  ■ How “outrageous” was the initial eﬀect? 
  The more the character asks of the victim, 
  the sooner the victim’s likely to realize he’s 
  being manipulated.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  67 
  As a good rule of thumb, the GM should 
  establish a Base Time for the eﬀects of an Interac-
  tion Skill to last in a give situation (such as 1 Turn, 
  1 Minute, 1 Hour, or 1 Day). For every point the 
  Skill Roll succeeds by, add +1 increment (or some 
  fraction thereof). For example, in many cases 1 
  Hour makes a good Base Time for the duration of 
  an Interaction Skill’s eﬀects; in that case, a character 
  whose roll succeeded by 2 would cause eﬀects last-
  ing (1 + 2 =) 3 hours.
  Related to the “duration” of an Interaction Skill 
  is the issue of when, if ever, the victim of an Inter-
  action Skill realizes what’s happened to him. With 
  some Skills (such as Interrogation) this is immedi-
  ately obvious, and in most cases once the eﬀects of 
  an Interaction Skill fade the victim is aware he was 
  manipulated (assuming he even cares). But some-
  times, as with some uses of Conversation or High 
  Society, a character who’s fallen prey to an Interac-
  tion Skill may never know what was done to him.
  Resisting Interaction Skills
  Fourth, how can characters resist Interaction 
  Skills used against them? In meta-game terms, the 
  target of an Interaction Skill isn’t going to meekly 
  comply with what his “attacker” wants. At the most 
  basic level, the character has to succeed with his 
  Interaction Skill roll before he has any chance of 
  getting what he wants. But that’s not necessarily the 
  end of the story.
  Because Interaction Skills can directly or 
  indirectly dictate a character’s actions, usually to 
  his detriment, most GMs won’t allow a character 
  to succeed in using one with just a single Skill Roll. 
  Instead, the target has a chance to resist. Usually 
  this takes the form of a countervailing roll against 
  the “attacker’s’ Interaction Skill roll in a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest. In most cases the “resistance roll” is 
  an EGO Roll, but it could be a PRE Roll, a roll with 
  an appropriate Skill, a PER Roll, or the like. The 
  modiﬁers for Interaction Skills (pages 37-39) can 
  apply to either roll, as the GM sees ﬁt. For example, 
  if the target of an Interaction Skill roll has a Strong 
  Psychological Limitation opposed to the Interac-
  tion Skill, the GM could apply the modiﬁer listed 
  on page 38 as a penalty to the Interaction Skill roll 
  or a bonus to the resistance roll. Modiﬁers from the 
  Talent Resistance and its kin also apply.
  Other factors may also aﬀect the roll. For 
  example, in a Star Hero campaign, some alien spe-
  cies may be incapable of lying, and, believing others 
  to be the same, be very gullible (thus granting a 
  bonus to others’ Persuasion rolls, or a penalty to 
  their own EGO Rolls to resist).
  Typically a character only gets to make one 
  roll to resist an Interaction Skill. However, if the 
  eﬀects of the Skill last for a long time (see above), 
  the GM might allow additional rolls, perhaps at 
  a cumulative penalty similar to that for Breakout 
  Rolls versus Mental Powers.
  If the target of an Interaction Skill roll suc-
  ceeds in resisting the Skill, it means not only that 
  the Interaction Skill failed, but usually that the 
  target realizes the other character was trying to use 
  an Interaction Skill on him (if it isn’t already obvi-
  ous). That could color his reaction to the character, 
  leading to a humiliating incident, a ﬁght, penalties 
  on the character’s future attempts to use Interaction 
  Skills on that person, or the like.
  Finally, in some cases, such as Trading, the 
  rules speciﬁcally note that any person can “resist” 
  them by removing himself from the situation or 
  refusing to interact with the character using the 
  Skill any further.
  Other Skill Categories
  Besides the ﬁve standard Skill categories, you 
  can also classify Skills by how they function.
  PERCEPTIVE SKILLS
  “Perceptive Skills” are Skills involving the 
  perception or analysis of phenomena. While 
  many Skills may involve having to look at or 
  listen to something, Perceptive Skills depend on 
  that ability. Examples include Lipreading, Track-
  ing, and some aspects of Criminology and just 
  about any Technological Skill. Typically Percep-
  tive Skills depend on Sight, but in some cases 
  other Senses may be involved.
  As noted on page 39, modifiers to Percep-
  tion Rolls, particularly the Range Modifier, 
  also apply to Perceptive Skill rolls. Characters 
  may be able to use their spells, superpowers, 
  or other abilities creatively to obtain bonuses. 
  For example, a character who can Shrink may 
  have an easier time finding trace evidence with 
  Criminology or tracks with Tracking because at 
  his tiny size, even a small clue looks much larger 
  than it does to a normal-sized person. A charac-
  ter with certain Enhanced Senses may also find it 
  easier to use these Skills; for instance, a character 
  whose N-Ray Vision lets him see inside a gadget 
  may be able to fix it or modify it more easily 
  than a character who only has ordinary eyesight.
  TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS
  Technological Skills involve working with 
  particular types of equipment or technology. While 
  many Skills require the use of equipment, or are 
  easier to perform with equipment, Technological 
  Skills are Skills that let a character work with or on 
  types of equipment. Technological Skills are usu-
  ally dependent (to some degree) on using tools and 
  other gear (i.e., equipment Skill Modiﬁers apply), 
  and are subject to the rules regarding obsolete and 
  advanced technology (page 39). The Technological 
  Skills are:
  Bugging
  Computer Programming
  Demolitions
  Electronics
  Inventor
  Lockpicking
  Mechanics
  Security Systems
  Systems Operation
  Weaponsmith
  
  68 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  T
  he remainder of this chapter provides 
  detailed descriptions of the 67 Skills listed 
  on the Skills Table on page 47 of The 
  HERO System 5th Edition, Revised (and 
  reprinted here for your convenience). In most 
  cases, the Skill descriptions use roughly the same 
  order and manner of presentation for the sake of 
  consistency and ease of use.
  Basic Information:  The ﬁrst sections of a Skill’s 
  writeup discuss the basics:  what the Skill allows 
  a character to do and what knowledge it imparts 
  to him. This is followed by a discussion, often a 
  lengthy and detailed one, of speciﬁc uses of the 
  Skill and how they work, including relevant modi-
  ﬁers. If appropriate there’s a modiﬁers table for that 
  particular Skill.
  Equipment:  If the Skill requires (or can beneﬁt 
  from) particular types of equipment, that’s dis-
  cussed here. For some Skills, such as Bugging and 
  Security Systems, this section includes HERO 
  System writeups of numerous devices.
  Powers And The Skill:  If appropriate, a Skill’s 
  description discusses how Powers interact with 
  that Skill. This may include information on which 
  Powers can replace the Skill (or make it unneces-
  sary), and which ones characters can use to build 
  “super-skill” abilities to take the Skill’s place.
  Consequences Of Failure:  In situations where it’s 
  not discussed in the basic information, a Skill’s 
  writeup includes a section discussing what happens 
  when a character fails his Skill Roll.
  Base Times:  If they’re not listed elsewhere, this sec-
  tion describes the Base Times for common tasks 
  performed with the Skill.
  Unifying/Subdividing The Skill:  In some games, a 
  standard Skill may not provide enough detail or 
  may cover too many tasks; in others, it may be too 
  precise or subdivided for the campaign. This sec-
  tion discusses how to expand the Skill to make it 
  more detailed, or “compact” it so it’s broader (and 
  thus easier to buy and use, even if not as “realistic”).
  The Skill By Genre:  This section reviews how the 
  Skill works in various popular genres, including 
  Cyberpunk, Dark Champions, Fantasy, Pulp, Sci-
  ence Fiction, Superheroes, and sometimes more. 
  If necessary it provides genre-speciﬁc information 
  and rules to supplement the rules described in the 
  main text above. Of course, in some cases all that 
  needs to be said is that a Skill functions the same in 
  every genre.
   THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS
  The Skill descriptions in this chapter are 
  detailed, often very detailed, compared to the ones 
  in the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised rulebook. 
  For example, the Security Systems description 
  in  this book is 150 times as long as the one in the 
  main rulebook. While that level of detail is neces-
  sary in an Ultimate book, and is useful for many 
  types of campaigns, it may not be needed in some 
  campaigns. For example, in many Pulp Hero games 
  the emphasis on cinematic action, fast-paced hero-
  ics, and competent heroes mean you can handle 
  most situations with a simple die roll. Minutely 
  examining the ways to use a Skill and applying 
  lots of modiﬁers not only isn’t necessary, it might 
  even detract from the feel of the game. So, in short:  
  use the detailed information when it’s helpful and 
  appropriate, ignore it when it’s not. The GM is 
  always free to discard (or expand upon) anything 
  in this book to suit himself and his campaign.
  THE SKILLS
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  69 
  ACROBATICS
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill allows a character to perform ﬂips, 
  jumps, and rolls like a circus acrobat. Acrobatics 
  enables a character to jump from one moving vehi-
  cle to another safely, swing from ﬂagpoles, bounce 
  oﬀ awnings, and execute other tricky moves. A 
  character with Acrobatics could jump and ﬂip 
  over an obstacle and land on his feet ready to ﬁght. 
  Lastly, characters with Acrobatics typically possess 
  knowledge of their craft — they can identify diﬀer-
  ent acrobatic maneuvers by name (if appropriate), 
  know the identities and accomplishment of famous 
  acrobats, and so forth — though the GM may rule 
  this doesn’t apply to characters who buy the Skill to 
  represent an innate or intuitive ability rather than 
  something learned through training.
  Acrobatics does not allow a character to bal-
  ance on narrow ledges or tightropes, quickly stand 
  up from a prone position, diminish the eﬀects of 
  falls, or keep his footing on slick surface. Those 
  abilities are functions of Breakfall (page 87).
  Functions Of Acrobatics
  The most common uses for Acrobatics, or situ-
  ations in which characters need to use it, include:
  BOUNCING
  A character with Acrobatics has a lot of 
  opportunities to interact with his environment in 
  creative ways. Most commonly, he can ﬁnd ﬂex-
  ible surfaces to bounce oﬀ to gain more altitude, 
  hurtle back at a villain in a surprise maneuver, and 
  so forth. You can represent this as a bonus to the 
  character’s Leaping when he makes an Acrobatics 
  roll under speciﬁc circumstances. A character who 
  intelligently and correctly uses “bouncing” can 
  move faster and farther than normally expected, 
  sometimes allowing him to go what would have 
  been a Full Move’s worth of distance and then still 
  take a combat action, or permitting him to close 
  the distance to a target or rescuee before the bad 
  guys realize what he’s doing.
  In any such situation, the GM decides whether 
  there are ﬂexible surfaces in the hero’s vicinity, what 
  directions they can launch a character, and so forth.
  To use them, a character must make a successful 
  Acrobatics roll for each bounce. Each bounce gives 
  the character additional inches of Leaping. Some 
  surfaces are diﬃcult to use this way and impose 
  penalties to the Acrobatics rolls. (See the accompa-
  nying table for details.)
  The “Direction of Movement” column is only 
  a general indicator of direction. Someone leap-
  ing onto a diving board, for instance, can bounce 
  straight up, up and forward, up and backward, up 
  and to the side, and so on.
  THE SKILL LIST
  Skill 
  Type 
  Base Roll 
  Base/+1 Cost 
  Period
  Acrobatics 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Acting 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Analyze 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Animal Handler 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  2/2 
  All
  Autoﬁre Skills 
  Combat 
  — 
  Varies 
  Modern, Future
  Breakfall 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Bribery 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Bugging 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Bureaucratics 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Climbing 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Combat Driving 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Combat Piloting 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Combat Skill Levels 
  Combat 
  — 
  Varies 
  All
  Computer Programming Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Concealment 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Contortionist 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Conversation 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Cramming 
  Intellect 
  — 
  5/— 
  All
  Criminology 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Cryptography 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Deduction 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Defense Maneuver 
  Combat 
  — 
  Varies 
  All
  Demolitions 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Disguise 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Electronics 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Fast Draw 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Forensic Medicine 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Forgery 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  2/2 
  All
  Gambling 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  2/2 
  All
  High Society 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Interrogation 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Inventor 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Knowledge Skill 
  Background 
  11* 
  2/1* 
  All
  Language 
  Background 
  — 
  1/1 
  All
  Lipreading 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Lockpicking 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Martial Arts 
  Combat 
  Varies 
  Varies 
  All
  Mechanics 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Mimicry 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Navigation 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  2/2 
  All
  Oratory 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Paramedics 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Penalty Skill Levels 
  Combat 
  — 
  Varies 
  All
  Persuasion 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Power 
  Varies  
  9+(CHAR/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Professional Skill 
  Background 
  11* 
  2/1* 
  All
  Rapid Attack 
  Combat 
  — 
  5/— 
  All
  Riding 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  Fantasy, Modern
  Science Skill 
  Background 
  11* 
  2/1* 
  All
  Security Systems 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Seduction 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Shadowing 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Skill Levels 
  — 
  — 
  Varies 
  All
  Sleight Of Hand 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Stealth 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Streetwise 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Survival 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  2/2 
  All
  Systems Operation 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  Modern, Future
  Tactics 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Teamwork 
  Agility 
  9+(DEX/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Tracking 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Trading 
  Interaction 
  9+(PRE/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Transport Familiarity 
  Background 
  — 
  Varies 
  All
  Two-Weapon Fighting 
  Combat 
  — 
  10/— 
  All
  Ventriloquism 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  3/2 
  All
  Weapon Familiarity 
  Combat 
  — 
  Varies 
  All
  Weaponsmith 
  Intellect 
  9+(INT/5) 
  2/2 
  All
  *:  Characters can base these Skills on a Characteristic (usually INT).
  
  70 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Example:  Freedom Fighter is in combat with 
  Splatter, a knife-wielding villain, who’s chasing 
  him all over downtown.
  Freedom Fighter (Leaping 18”) announces, 
  “I’m going to delay my next movement so it 
  takes place at almost exactly the same time as 
  his, giving him the opportunity to pursue me 
  at almost hand-to-hand distance. I’m going to 
  head toward the nearest set of telephone poles 
  on the ground, leap up into the air at the wires, 
  and try to bounce oﬀ the wires right back into 
  Splatter’s face as a Surprise Move.”
  The GM says that’s possible on this Phase. He 
  has Freedom Fighter make his Acrobatics roll 
  at the -4 penalty for using the telephone wires; 
  even with the penalty, Freedom Fighter makes it 
  by 2. The GM then makes Splatter’s PER Roll to 
  see if Splatter detects or anticipates the surprise 
  maneuver; he gives him a -2 penalty (because 
  Freedom Fighter has an excellent Acrobatics 
  roll) and another -2 (because Splatter is indeed 
  following Freedom Fighter too closely to react 
  well). Splatter misses his roll.
  Freedom Fighter bounds to the wire, bounces 
  up to them, inverts, hits it with his feet, and 
  bounces straight back at Splatter. His move-
  ment rate is 22” (18” for his Superleap, +4” for 
  the bonus from the wire), giving him +7d6 to 
  his Move Through.
  The GM can use any method he chooses to 
  determine whether there are flexible surfaces 
  in the hero’s vicinity. Typically, downtown city 
  buildings have at least one or two flagpoles and 
  awnings each, and other city areas also often 
  plenty of resources for bouncing; outside city 
  areas, bouncing may become more difficult due 
  to lack of opportunity. He can have the character 
  make a Luck roll to determine whether a particu-
  lar building has any flexible features (or more 
  than normal), with results other than a 6 indicat-
  ing the pickings are pretty sparse.
  Characters who like to use these bouncing 
  rules may tend to ask for incredible amounts of 
  information about local architectural details when 
  they’re in combat. It’s best to settle the question 
  of whether there are ﬂexible surfaces nearby very 
  quickly, such as with a Luck roll.
  COMBAT
  Acrobatics doesn’t just impress bystanders — 
  it’s useful in combat. An acrobat can often gain +1 
  to +3 to his OCV by surprising his opponent with 
  an acrobatic maneuver (the GM determines this 
  bonus; see Surprise Move on page 381 of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, Revised). In situations where the 
  GM believes a Surprise Move bonus should apply, 
  a good rule of thumb is +1 OCV for every 3 full 
  points by which the Acrobatics roll succeeds (i.e., 
  +1 if the character makes his roll by 3-5, +2 if he 
  makes it by 6-8, and +3 if he makes it by 9 or more). 
  (The GM may alter this bonus as he sees ﬁt.) This 
  bonus applies to the character’s next attack against 
  that foe, which must occur in the Phase in which 
  he made the roll. If he doesn’t attack that foe that 
  Phase (for whatever reason), he loses the bonus.
  Similarly, in some cases a character’s prowess 
  as an acrobat allows him to dodge attacks more 
  easily than others can. Typically characters who 
  want this ability have to buy it as DCV Combat 
  Skill Levels with the Requires An Acrobatics Roll 
  (-½) Limitation. However, in some cases the GM 
  may allow a character who’s performing a Dodge 
  or Martial Dodge to make an Acrobatics roll and 
  gain a bonus to his DCV equal to the OCV bonus 
  described above.
  If the GM uses either of these rules, a badly 
  failed roll — by 4 or more — may, at his option, 
  subject the character to corresponding OCV or 
  DCV penalties.
  NEGATING COMBAT PENALTIES
  Characters can use Acrobatics to negate some 
  OCV and DCV penalties.
  Being Bound
  A character with Acrobatics can negate the 
  eﬀects of being bound for each Phase he succeeds 
  with a Skill Roll. If the character’s hands are bound 
  in front, he receives a -1 to Acrobatics; if his hands 
  are bound in back, he receives a -3; if his feet are 
  bound apart, he receives a -2; if his feet are bound 
  together, he receives a -5; and combinations of the 
  above are cumulative (i.e., hands bound in back 
  and feet bound together mean a -8). Each Phase 
  the character must make his Acrobatics roll at the 
  listed penalties; if the roll succeeds, he can ignore 
  the OCV and DCV penalties normally imposed by 
  being bound during that Phase.
  Being Prone
  A character who hasn’t been able to keep his 
  feet for some reason — typically because he’s been 
  thrown, Knocked Back/Down, or the like — can 
  BOUNCING
  Surface 
  Leaping Direction 
  Acrobatics Where
   
  Bonus 
  of Movement 
  Penalty 
  Found
  Awning 
  +2” 
  Upward 
  +0 
  Downtown, residential, shopping malls
  Banner (Huge) 
  +2” 
  Out From Face 
  -2 
  Shopping malls, parade routes
  Billboard 
  +2” 
  Out From Face 
  +0 
  Everywhere
  Diving Board 
  +4” 
  Upward 
  +0 
  Swimming pools
  Flagpole 
  +3” 
  Opposite Angle of Approach 
  -2 
  Downtown, government buildings, some homes
  Power/Phone Line 
  +4” 
  Opposite Angle of Approach 
  -4 
  Everywhere
  Tent 
  +2” 
  Upward 
  -2 
  Campgrounds, fairgrounds
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  71 
  use Acrobatics to keep himself from becoming 
  vulnerable while prone. Once he’s prone, if he can 
  succeed with an Acrobatics roll by half, he has his 
  full DCV (instead of the normal ½ DCV for being 
  prone). If he fails his half-roll, he suﬀers the normal 
  ½ DCV penalty for being prone. But on his next 
  Phase, he can attempt another Acrobatics roll; if 
  he succeeds normally (not by half), he has his full 
  DCV even while remaining prone.
  RIDING AND VEHICLES
  Skilled equestrians often know how to per-
  form stunts while on horseback (or griﬃnback, 
  whaleback, or what have you). They can perform 
  handstands and other maneuvers on a fast-moving 
  mount, lean out of the saddle and pick things up 
  oﬀ the ground without falling oﬀ or damaging the 
  object, and so forth. They use Acrobatics to per-
  form these tricks. If a character can only perform 
  such stunts while on a mount, he takes a -1 Limita-
  tion, Only While Riding, on the Skill.
  With the GM’s permission, an agile, fast-
  moving ﬂying Vehicle could redeﬁne Acrobatics as 
  Aerobatics and use it to perform barrels rolls and 
  other aerial “stunts.” In that case, the GM should 
  restrict Combat Piloting to aerial maneuvers that 
  impose no more than a -3 penalty on the Skill 
  roll; more diﬃcult maneuvers require Aerobat-
  ics. (Characters using Aerobatics still suﬀer the 
  penalty, though possibly at a reduced level; it’s just 
  that having the Skill is necessary even to attempt 
  them.) Alternately, Aerobatics can simply serve as 
  a Complementary Skill for Combat Piloting for 
  Vehicle Maneuvers (see The Ultimate Vehicle) in 
  some cases.
  BEING THROWN
  A character can use Acrobatics to resist being 
  thrown by any Combat Maneuver that’s supposed 
  to throw him to the ground (including both Martial 
  Maneuvers with the “Throw” element and the good 
  old Grab and Throw combination). With a suc-
  cessful Acrobatics roll at a -3 penalty, the character 
  keeps his feet and is not thrown down. This means 
  he doesn’t suﬀer the DCV or “initiative” penalties 
  for being thrown.
  However, this doesn’t keep him from taking 
  damage from the Throw maneuver. Some Throws 
  are ﬁst-strikes hard enough to take a character 
  oﬀ his feet; others are leg-sweeps where some of 
  the damage comes from the attacker’s blow to the 
  backs of the character’s legs; the standard Grab and 
  Throw slams a character hard onto the ground, 
  even if he makes his Acrobatics roll and keeps his 
  feet. Therefore, even if the character succeeds with 
  his Acrobatics roll at -3 and keeps his feet, the char-
  acter takes full damage from the Throw maneuver.
  Characters can also use Breakfall to avoid 
  some effects of Throws (see page 71). However, a 
  character cannot perform a Breakfall roll and an 
  Acrobatics roll in the same Phase both to resist 
  being thrown and to reduce the damage from 
  being thrown — he can only use one of them 
  against a given throw attack. However, the char-
  acter could make one Acrobatics or Breakfall roll 
  
  72 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  to avoid some of the effects of the Throw, and 
  then make a separate Breakfall roll to regain his 
  feet instantly (without taking a Half Phase). The 
  character could make an additional Breakfall roll 
  by half in the same Phase to overcome the effect 
  that the attacker (the person who threw the char-
  acter) automatically gets to act first (regardless 
  of relative DEX) if he and the attacker have their 
  next Phases in the same Segment.
  TUMBLING
  A character can use Acrobatics to move by 
  tumbling and rolling along the ground. This has the 
  advantage of allowing him to move while remain-
  ing behind low cover, to move through openings he 
  couldn’t ﬁt through while standing up, and so on.
  To tumble in crisis conditions (such as 
  combat), a character must make an Acrobatics roll. 
  If the roll succeeds he can tumble at half his Run-
  ning speed (i.e., half his normal Combat Movement 
  of Running constitutes a Full Move, one-fourth of 
  his normal Combat Movement of Running consti-
  tutes a Half Move). For every 2 points by which the 
  roll succeeds, add +1” to the Running speed from 
  which you calculate his tumbling move (up to a 
  maximum of his normal inches of Combat Move-
  ment with Running). While tumbling a character 
  is not considered to be prone and has his normal 
  DCV; in some cases the GM may even grant a small 
  (no more than +2) bonus to a tumbling character’s 
  DCV. If the roll fails, the character has wasted a 
  Half Phase Action and ends up prone in the hex he 
  started tumbling in.
  RUNNING UP WALLS
  Characters can use Acrobatics to execute the 
  common martial arts movie stunt of running a 
  short distance up a wall and then backflipping 
  off to land behind a pursuing foe. To do this a 
  character has to make a Half Move up to a wall 
  (i.e., he has to Run at least 1” up to the wall) and 
  make an Acrobatics roll. If the roll succeeds, he 
  “runs” up the wall no more than 2” and then 
  makes the flip, landing up to 3” away from the 
  wall (his choice of where to land) and facing it. 
  If the roll fails, he runs into the wall (but doesn’t 
  hurt himself), fails to land properly after the flip, 
  slips and falls while “running” up the wall, or 
  the like. If it fails badly (by 4 or more), the GM 
  should roll on the Failed Acrobatics Rolls table
  Alternately, a character doesn’t need to back-
  ﬂip oﬀ the wall at all — he can simply use Acro-
  batics to “run” up to 2” up a wall. (At the GM’s 
  option, you can increase this by +1” for every 2 
  points by which the Acrobatics roll succeeds.) This 
  allows him to get to low rooftops, high windows, 
  overhangs, and the like. (The GM may require the 
  character to make a DEX Roll to grab hold of these 
  objects or “hit” his “target.”) However, if the char-
  acter hasn’t reached a safe surface or something he 
  can grab hold of by the end of the “run,” he falls to 
  the ground.
  Other Information
  MOVEMENT
  No use of Acrobatics inherently involves 
  taking, or gaining the beneﬁts of, a Half Move or 
  Full Move. Of course, a character can choose to 
  make a Half Move prior to using Acrobatics (and 
  often after doing so, since many uses of Acrobatics 
  are Actions that take no time).
  EQUIPMENT
  Acrobatics doesn’t involve or require any 
  equipment; it’s purely a personal Skill.
  POWERS AND ACROBATICS
  Acrobatics interacts with several of the Powers 
  in unusual ways.
  Characters with some forms of Flight can 
  sometimes use their power to mimic certain aspects 
  of Acrobatics. For example, maybe they could turn 
  themselves in mid-air in such a way as to make some 
  observers think they were performing acrobatic ﬂips. 
  With the GM’s permission, a ﬂying character can 
  make an Acrobatics roll to reduce his Turn Mode with 
  Flight. This is a Zero Phase Action performed right 
  before moving and costs 1 END. For every 2 points by 
  which he makes his Acrobatics roll, he can reduce his 
  Turn Mode by 1 (to a minimum of 1”). For example, 
  suppose a character has Acrobatics 13- and a Turn 
  Mode of 5”. If he rolls an 11 or 10, he can reduce his 
  Turn Mode to 4”; if he rolls a 9 or 8, he reduces it to 3”, 
  and so on. A character cannot reduce his Turn Mode 
  below 1” using Acrobatics.
  In many genres, particularly Martial Arts, 
  characters often buy extra inches of Leaping with 
  the Requires An Acrobatics Roll (-½) Limitation. 
  This reflects their ability to use their acrobatic 
  prowess to improve their momentum when 
  FAILED ACROBATICS ROLLS
   Roll 1d6 Result
   
  1 
  Embarrassment:  The character looks so 
  foolish that he suﬀers -2d6 on all Presence 
  Attacks against anyone who saw him for 
  the next Turn.
   
  2-3 
  Sprains And Strains:  The character sprains, 
  twists, or otherwise injures part of his 
  body; he suﬀers a Drain DEX or Running 
  (GM’s choice, or may substitute some other 
  appropriate ability) 2d6 with a Delayed 
  Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 
  per 20 Minutes).
   
  4-5 
  Minor Injury:  The character lands badly, 
  smacks into something solid, or the like. He 
  takes 1d6 of d6 of Normal Damage against 
  which only his natural PD and any other 
  innate defenses (i.e., not Force Fields, worn 
  armor, or the like) apply.
   
  6 
  Serious Injury:  The character may have 
  broken a bone, torn a ligament, or other-
  wise seriously hurt himself. He takes ½d6 
  of d6 of Killing Damage against which 
  only his natural PD and any other innate 
  defenses (i.e., not Force Fields, worn armor, 
  or the like) apply.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  73 
  jumping, and perhaps to put a little extra “spring” 
  in their leg muscles. (This may also apply to 
  other powers, such as Missile Deflection defined 
  as “super-dodging.”)
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically a failed Acrobatics roll simply means 
  the character’s attempt to perform a particular 
  acrobatic maneuver fails. He may look foolish or 
  inept, but that’s the worst that occurs. But some-
  times failure can have dire consequences. If the 
  character fails an Acrobatics roll to, for example, 
  jump from one moving vehicle to another or ﬂip 
  and catch hold of a trapeze, failure may mean a 
  long and deadly fall. Failure when using Acrobat-
  ics in combat to obtain OCV or DCV bonuses can 
  result in penalties instead, as described above.
  If a character fails an Acrobatics roll badly (by 
  4 or more) then he may, at the GM’s option, hurt or 
  hinder himself. The GM can use the accompany-
  ing table to randomly determine what happens, or 
  simply choose a result (in the latter case, the worse 
  the failure, the worse the result is likely to be).
  BASE TIMES
  Most uses of Acrobatics, such as performing 
  a maneuver to gain combat bonuses or to bounce 
  oﬀ ﬂexible surfaces, are Actions that take no time 
  (or, at worst, Zero Phase Actions). If the character 
  performs an activity that requires ongoing eﬀort or 
  concentration (such as tumbling along the ground), 
  the GM might consider the use of Acrobatics as a 
  Half Phase Action, but even in those cases it’s usu-
  ally only a Zero Phase Action.
  SUBDIVIDING ACROBATICS
  If you think that Acrobatics provides too many 
  beneﬁts to be a single Agility Skill, you can split it up 
  into three Agility Skills:  Bouncing (which allows char-
  acters to “bounce” oﬀ ﬂexible surfaces, as described 
  above); Combat Acrobatics (which provides combat 
  bonuses and ability to negate combat penalties); and 
  Acrobatics (which includes all other uses of this Skill).
  ACROBATICS BY GENRE
  Acrobatics works the same in all genres. It’s 
  not particularly common in some genres (such as 
  Western), but functions the same regardless.
  Pulp
  In campaigns that emphasize Air Adventure, 
  the GM should strongly consider using the optional 
  Aerobatics form of Acrobatics (see above).
  Superheroes
  Some metamorphs can change form so rapidly 
  they can easily avoid obstacles others characters have 
  to face. Acrobatics might not let them actually do 
  a ﬂip, but it allows them to rearrange their bodies 
  quickly enough to accomplish the same result. While 
  a circus acrobat swings from a ﬂagpole using a tether, 
  a metamorph might just extend a body part and wrap 
  it around the ﬂagpole. In combat, a metamorph might 
  use Acrobatics to represent the way his malleable 
  limbs let him attack in unexpected ways (i.e., obtain a 
  Surprise Move bonus).
  ACTING
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Interaction Skill enables a character to 
  alter his physical mannerisms and speech patterns 
  to seem to be another person, to fool someone, 
  or to fake moods and emotions. Characters can 
  use it to hide their true identity or to imperson-
  ate another individual. However, it doesn’t allow 
  a character to alter his appearance (that requires 
  Disguise) or to imitate another person’s voice (that 
  requires Mimicry). Area Knowledge, Mimicry, and 
  Disguise can all help the character impersonate 
  someone, or even act as Complementary Skills for 
  Acting, depending on the circumstances.
  If a character has received formal acting train-
  ing, Acting also imparts some knowledge of related 
  subjects:  techniques and styles of acting (such as 
  the Method school); famous thespians; the busi-
  ness of acting; and so forth. If the Skill represents 
  an innate talent for acting, then he may not know 
  these things.
  Acting is an Everyman Skill for all genres.
  IMPERSONATING OTHERS
  The ﬁrst, most basic use of Acting is to act 
  like someone else — either to impersonate a spe-
  ciﬁc individual, or to change the character’s own 
  personal mannerisms so he can adopt an alternate 
  identity, hide from pursuers, or the like. A success-
  ful Acting roll allows him to do this. Many modi-
  ﬁers can apply to this roll; see the Acting Modiﬁers 
  table for examples.
  Detecting Acting
  Of course, even if a character succeeds with 
  his Acting roll, he may not always fool other people. 
  When a character uses Acting and other people 
  have reason to suspect he’s Acting, they may use 
  their INT Rolls (or Acting, if they have it and prefer 
  to use it) in a Skill Versus Skill Contest to deter-
  mine that his mannerisms aren’t natural. In some 
  circumstances the GM may even let a character try 
  to “detect Acting” when someone isn’t literally using 
  Acting but is not “acting right” — for example, 
  when that person has been possessed by a spirit, 
  subjected to Mind Control, or replaced by a mon-
  ster that’s imitating his shape.
  FAKING EMOTIONS
  A character can also use Acting to make it 
  seem that he’s experiencing emotions he doesn’t 
  really feel — for example, to fake grief at the death 
  of someone he doesn’t really care about. The more 
  extreme the emotion, the harder it is to fake, as 
  indicated on the Acting Modiﬁers table. Addition-
  ally, the longer the character has to maintain the 
  false emotional state, the harder it is to do so.
  Fooling Telepathy
  An exceptionally skilled actor may be able to fool 
  Telepathy that does not dig past surface thoughts. To 
  do this a character needs at least 1 Minute of prepara-
  tion time to “get into character”; if he has less than 
  
  74 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  that, he suﬀers a -2 or greater penalty to his Acting 
  roll. When he’s attacked with Telepathy, he must make 
  an Acting roll at -4 (plus any other applicable penal-
  ties). If he succeeds, a reading of his surface thoughts 
  shows him to be the individual he’s impersonating 
  (deeper probes reveal who he really is; Acting can’t 
  alter deep, hidden thoughts or memories). If he fails, 
  the character using Telepathy can (a) read his true 
  surface thoughts, and (b) realizes the character was 
  trying to trick him with Acting.
  FAKING INJURIES
  A character can use Acting to simulate a 
  greater injury than he’s actually received. This may 
  make his opponent overconﬁdent and allow the 
  character to make a Surprise Move attack. This 
  requires a Skill Versus Skill Contest pitting the 
  character’s Acting against the target’s PER Roll. 
  The GM decides, based on how clever he feels the 
  ploy is and how likely the target is to believe it 
  (the Overconﬁdence Psychological Limitation usu-
  ally comes into play here), what modiﬁers (if any) 
  apply to the character’s Acting roll. If the ploy isn’t 
  really clever, the target knows the character fakes 
  injuries frequently, or the target makes his PER 
  Roll by more than the character makes his Acting 
  roll, the character gets no OCV bonus. (In fact, the 
  GM may give the target an OCV bonus, since the 
  Acting character probably has to reduce his mobil-
  ity [and hence his DCV] to make a fake injury look 
  convincing.)
  If the character wins the Contest, the GM has 
  to decide how much of a Surprise Move bonus to 
  award him. This depends on how much he won the 
  Contest by (usually a +1 bonus for every two full 
  points by which he wins, with a minimum of +1 
  and a maximum of +3), how clever the GM judges 
  the ploy to be, and so forth.
  Some animals have this as an Everycreature 
  Skill to reﬂect their ability to seem ﬁercer than they 
  are, fake an injury to lure a predator away from 
  their nests, and so forth.
  FAKING SKILLS
  In some situations, a character may be able to 
  use Acting to convince people he has another Skill 
  he doesn’t really have (or that he’s better at a Skill 
  he does have than he really is). This won’t work 
  with Skills a character uses directly against another 
  person (Combat Skill Levels, Conversation, Persua-
  sion, and so on); typically it works best with High 
  Society and various Technological Skills. Faking a 
  Skill can never give a character any actual ability 
  in a Skill beyond what he already has (if any). He 
  just makes it look to other characters as if he knows 
  (and can do) more than he really does.
  If the character’s Acting roll succeeds, other 
  people think he’s good enough to have a roll of 
  about 11- in the Skill (in other words, he could use 
  it professionally). For every 2 points by which the 
  Acting roll succeeds, increase the character’s per-
  ceived level of ability by +1 to the Skill roll. If the 
  roll fails, the character exposes himself as a fraud; if 
  it fails badly (by 4 or more) his pretend actions may 
  cause some real harm.
  EQUIPMENT
  Acting doesn’t involve or require any equip-
  ment; it’s purely a personal Skill.
  POWERS AND ACTING
  Various Mental Powers may help a character 
  use Acting, or render it unnecessary. A little bit 
  of Mind Control may make a target more likely 
  to believe the character’s not acting. A touch of 
  Telepathy can pull details about someone from a 
  target’s mind, making it easy to impersonate that 
  person to the target. In either case, the character 
  has to achieve the +20 “victim does not know his 
  mind is being read” level of effect, or else he’ll tip 
  off the subject.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Failing an Acting Roll usually means the acting 
  was not convincing and the viewers saw through the 
  impersonation. However, in some cases, it may just 
  make the viewers suspicious or distrustful of the char-
  acter. A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) exposes the 
  character to signiﬁcant distrust and/or embarrassment.
  ACTING MODIFIERS
  These modiﬁers apply to a character’s Acting roll, not to 
  any INT Rolls or other rolls to detect that he’s acting.
  GENERAL MODIFIERS
   Modiﬁer Length Of Acting
   
   
  Character maintains impersonation/false 
  emotion/fake Skill for a long time
   
  -1 
  Up to 1 Hour
   
  -2 
  1.1 to 6 Hours
   
  -3 
  6.1 Hours to 1 Day
   
  -4 
  1.1 Days to 1 Week
   ...and so on
  DETECTING ACTING
  Modiﬁer 
  Circumstances
   
   
  Character has studied person being imper-
  sonated...
   
  +1 
  ...for at least 6 Hours 
   
  +2 
  ...for at least 1 Day
   
  +3 
  ...for at least 1 Week
   
  +4 
  ...for at least 1 Month
   ...and so on
   
  Impersonating a speciﬁc person
   
  +2 
  Person being impersonated is completely 
  unknown to onlooker
   
  +1 
  Onlooker has heard of person being imper-
  sonated
   
  +0 
  Person being impersonated is vaguely 
  known by onlooker
   
  -1 
  Person being impersonated is an acquain-
  tance of onlooker
   
  -2 
  Person being impersonated is known to 
  onlooker
   
  -3 
  Person being impersonated is well known to 
  onlooker
  FAKING EMOTIONS
   Modiﬁer Strength Of Emotion
   
  +0 
  Mild
   
  -1 
  Strong:  anger; happiness
   
  -2 
  Intense:  rage; sadness to the point of crying
   
  -3 
  Very Intense:  berserk fury; profound grief 
  or depression
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  75 
  BASE TIMES
  Acting is a fairly time-intensive task — to 
  convincingly impersonate another individual, or a 
  false emotion, the character may have to use Acting 
  for a long period of time. Even something simple, 
  like faking an injury, requires a minimum of a Half 
  Phase Action.
  A more important question is now often the 
  character has to make Acting rolls to maintain his 
  portrayal. For a short-term task, such as faking an 
  injury, or faking an emotion long enough to trick 
  someone into leaving the room, one Acting roll 
  suﬃces. For a long-term task, such as adopting 
  an alternate identity for several hours or days, the 
  GM needs to establish a reasonable time period for 
  rolls. One roll per Hour may be a good guideline in 
  many cases. Additionally, if the character imperson-
  ates another character, the GM may also require 
  him to make rolls whenever he encounters some-
  one who knows the person being impersonated.
  SUBDIVIDING ACTING
  Acting is a fairly restricted Skill and so probably 
  doesn’t need to be split into multiple Skills for most 
  campaigns. In games where acting and impersonation 
  are key elements, GMs may want to divide it into two 
  Interaction Skills:  Impersonation (used to imitate 
  other people and emotions, and to act in general) and 
  Combat Acting (for faking injuries and Skills).
  ACTING BY GENRE
  Generally speaking, Acting works the same in 
  all genres, but special considerations apply in a few.
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy worlds featuring unusual non-
  Human races, the rules described below for aliens 
  in Science Fiction settings may apply. It may not be 
  any easier for a character to impersonate one of the 
  Dragon-Lords of Tarkine than to impersonate an 
  Arcturan bog-being.
  Martial Arts
  Characters can use Acting to imitate another 
  character’s personal ﬁghting style. This ability 
  doesn’t necessarily have much use in combat, but 
  may crop up in other situations. For example, sup-
  pose a villain with Acting wants to frame a PC for 
  a crime. He could Disguise himself as the PC, then 
  perform some heinous crime before witnesses who 
  swear it was the hero — they didn’t just recognize 
  his face, they recognized his moves. This requires a 
  Skill Versus Skill Contest pitting the villain’s Acting 
  against the INT Rolls of onlookers familiar with the 
  real person. To do this, the actor must know at least 
  two Martial Maneuvers in the same style as the 
  person he’s mimicking. If the actor is a karateka and 
  wants to imitate a jujutsuka, but he doesn’t have any 
  Jujutsu maneuvers, he’s out of luck. A Knowledge 
  Skill of the imitated character’s style serves as a 
  Complementary Skill Roll to both the Acting roll 
  and the INT Roll to perceive the trickery.
  Science Fiction
  Characters may have diﬃculty acting like 
  members of another species, since aliens are, well, 
  alien. When a character impersonates a member 
  of a species other than his own to a character who 
  knows what members of that species are like, he 
  suﬀers a -2 to -5 penalty to his Acting roll. He can 
  eliminate this penalty by buying bonuses to Acting 
  Only To Impersonate [Species] (-1), or by succeed-
  ing with a KS: [Species] roll. Gamemasters may 
  also wish to impose some of the penalties from the 
  Disguise Modiﬁers Table (page 174) on Acting rolls.
  
  76 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ANALYZE
  Type:  
   Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill allows a character to analyze 
  another character’s abilities or skills to determine 
  the other character’s level of power or degree of 
  competence. The character must specify what he 
  can analyze using this Skill when he buys it; the text 
  below discusses several examples.
  You should take care not to let Analyze take 
  the place of other Skills. If a Skill already allows 
  a character to compare two or more things or to 
  conduct an analysis of something to reach a con-
  clusion, there may be no need for a related form 
  of Analyze. For example, the Skill Analyze Crime 
  Scene Evidence isn’t really needed for anything 
  (except maybe Complementary Skill rolls) because 
  the Criminology Skill already allows characters to 
  analyze trace evidence that way.
  BASIC ANALYZE RULES
  Using Analyze typically requires a mini-
  mum of a Half Phase Action, though it can take 
  longer, and some specialized forms of Analyze 
  indicate a longer Base Time (such as the 1 Turn 
  for Analyze Style). See Base Times, below, for 
  further discussion.
  After sufficient observation of the target the 
  character can make his Skill Roll. If the Analyze 
  roll succeeds exactly, the character has a general 
  idea of how skilled or powerful the target is in 
  comparison to him (“He’s better than me,” “I 
  could do better than him easily”). If he makes his 
  Analyze roll by 1 or 2, he knows where, how, and 
  by whom the target was trained or manufactured 
  (if applicable). If he makes his Analyze roll by 
  3 or more, he can discover distinctive manner-
  isms about the target which grant him +1 DCV 
  against any attacks (or -1 on Skill Versus Skill 
  rolls) made by the target. If the character makes 
  his Analyze roll by half or more he gains +2 for 
  all relevant rolls against the target (this bonus is 
  equivalent to two Overall Skill Levels; the char-
  acter may assign the bonus as he sees fit from 
  Phase to Phase). An appropriate Knowledge Skill 
  may serve as a Complementary Skill roll.
  In some cases, characters can use Analyze 
  to identify the ability an opponent is using. For 
  example, as discussed under Analyze Magic 
  below, with a successful roll a spellcaster who 
  watches a spell being cast can identify the spell 
  and knows its effects.
  Analyze in its various forms often works as a 
  Complementary Skill (and in fact some characters 
  buy it primarily for that purpose). For example, 
  Analyze Style might be Complementary to Gam-
  bling when a character bets on boxing, and Analyze 
  Vehicle would help with Mechanics when the char-
  acter works on a car or airplane.
  Characters can buy Lack Of Weakness to pro-
  tect against Analyze. Every -1 to all Analyze rolls 
  costs 1 Character Point. See below regarding Ana-
  lyze and Find Weakness.
  Duration Of Eﬀects; Successive Rolls
  The bonuses and exact knowledge gained by 
  using Analyze last only for the encounter in which 
  Analyze was used. They do not “carry over” to 
  future encounters. The character may retain the 
  general knowledge (like “I’m better than him” or 
  “Master Po trained him”) — but never any bonuses. 
  However, at the GM’s option, a character who’s suc-
  ceeded with an Analyze roll against a target previ-
  ously may receive a +1 or greater bonus to Analyze 
  rolls made against that same target in later encoun-
  ters — his familiarity with the target’s techniques, 
  nature, or abilities makes it easier to analyze him/it.
  A character cannot make successive Analyze rolls 
  against the same character in the same encounter. He 
  only gets one try per target per encounter.
  Requires A Skill Roll
  Characters often use Analyze for Required 
  Skill Rolls. In that case, if the character succeeds 
  with his Analyze roll to activate the ability, he does 
  not also get the standard bonuses and beneﬁts of 
  Analyze. Activating the ability is all he does.
  EXPANDING ANALYZE
  The GM can expand Analyze to allow a 
  character to analyze and evaluate just about any 
  object — buildings, technology (or specific types 
  of technology, like computers), you name it. This 
  allows the character to determine (a) how well-
  built the object is, and (b) the object’s capabilities 
  in relation to similar items he knows about. In 
  this case, Analyze becomes a particularly useful 
  Complementary Skill — it grants a +1 bonus 
  to related Skill Rolls (including Find Weakness 
  rolls) for every 1 point by which the character 
  makes his Analyze roll.
  See Analyze Large Objects and Analyze Tech-
  nology, below, for examples of this type of Analyze.
  BASIC ANALYZE EFFECTS
  Makes Roll By 
  Information Gained
  0 (exactly) 
  The character has a general idea of 
  how skilled or powerful the target is 
  in comparison to him (“He’s better 
  than me,” “I could do better than 
  him easily”)
  1 or 2 
  The character knows where, how, 
  and by whom the target was trained 
  or manufactured (if applicable)
  3 or more 
  The character can discover distinc-
  tive mannerisms about the target 
  which grant him +1 DCV against 
  any attacks (or +1 on Skill Versus 
  Skill rolls) made by the target
  Half or better 
  The character gains +2 for all relevant 
  rolls against the target (see text)
  This table summarizes the general rules for Analyze. 
  Speciﬁc types of Analyze discussed elsewhere in this 
  section may have their own specialized rules for what a 
  successful Analyze roll means.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  77 
  Examples Of Analyze
  Here are several examples of speciﬁc forms 
  of Analyze. Unless indicated otherwise below, any 
  beneﬁts or abilities listed for these Analyzes are in 
  addition to the basic Analyze abilities described 
  above, and a character obtains them all with one 
  roll. For example, if a character makes his Analyze 
  Style by half, he both (a) knows the location of the 
  target’s open Gate (as speciﬁed for Analyze Style) 
  and (b) gains +2 for all relevant rolls against the 
  target (as speciﬁed in the basic Analyze rules). 
  The GM can change this, or reduce some of the 
  bonuses, if he sees ﬁt.
  ANALYZE COMBAT TECHNIQUE
  Analyze Combat Technique is similar to Ana-
  lyze Style (see below), but applies to ﬁghting skills, 
  combat tactics, and related abilities that don’t rise to 
  the level of a “formal” ﬁghting art like Kung Fu or 
  Aikido. Analyze Combat Technique functions as a 
  Complementary Skill to Tactics in some situations 
  (and vice-versa).
  The accompanying table describes the sort of 
  information characters typically gain from an Ana-
  lyze Combat Technique roll, though the ﬁnal results 
  are up to the GM. These results follow the general 
  pattern for the Skill as described above, but unlike 
  Analyze Style are not in addition to those results.
  ANALYZE COMBAT  
  TECHNIQUE
  Makes Roll By Information Gained
  0 (exactly) 
  The character has general idea of how 
  good his opponent is in relation to 
  himself (“He’s fair/good/excellent,” 
  “He’s better/worse then me,” “I can’t 
  beat him unless I get lucky”)
  1 or 2 
  The character knows where/how 
  opponent was trained (has been in the 
  Green Berets; has had marksman or 
  sharpshooter training; or the like). If 
  the foe has not had any recognizable 
  training, the character cannot ﬁnd 
  anything out about him this way.
  3 or 4 
  The character can discover distinctive 
  mannerisms about the opponent which 
  allow the character +1 DCV against that 
  foe’s attacks (foe tends to ﬁre to the left; 
  foe has a hard time hitting targets more 
  than 10” away, or the like)
  Half or better The character can ﬁgure out so much 
  about the opponent’s ﬁghting tactics 
  that he gets a +2 CV against the foe. 
  This is equivalent to two 8-point 
  Combat Skill Levels, and can apply to 
  OCV or DCV, at the character’s option.
  
  78 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ANALYZE LARGE OBJECTS
  Super-strong characters in Champions and 
  other high-powered genres (“bricks”) sometimes 
  learn how to apply their STR more eﬀectively 
  — either to lift a large object without breaking it, or 
  to destroy a large object more easily. The accompa-
  nying table describes some general parameters for 
  the use of Analyze pertaining to large, inanimate 
  objects; see the Hoist Skill, page 361, for an explana-
  tion of “damage prevention points.”
  For characters who don’t need to lift things 
  you could convert this Skill into, for example, Ana-
  lyze Construction. That Skill would allow a charac-
  ter to ﬁgure out the best way to damage or blow up 
  buildings (and perhaps other large manufactured 
  objects). Among other things, it would serve as a 
  Complementary Skill for certain Demolitions rolls.
  ANALYZE MAGIC
  Analyze Magic is a valuable Skill in campaigns 
  that feature lots of magic, such as most Fantasy 
  Hero games and some Champions games. It allows 
  a character to evaluate the magical abilities and 
  powers of a spellcasting character. Usually wizards 
  are the only ones who know it, but it’s possible for 
  priests, rogues, or anyone else to learn to use it 
  through direct observation.
  Analyze Magic has several uses. First, a char-
  acter who sees another character cast a spell can 
  make an Analyze Magic roll to identify the spell 
  in question and its effects (this is an Action that 
  takes no time). The GM may impose a penalty on 
  the roll if the character doesn’t have an appropri-
  ate KS of the style of magic being used or hasn’t 
  in some way been exposed to that type of magic. 
  Even if the character can’t identify the spell and 
  its effects precisely, he can figure out what a spell 
  does generally (if it isn’t immediately obvious). 
  For example, an occult investigator could tell that 
  a cult ritual is meant to summon a demon, or a 
  sorcerer could recognize that a supposed blessing 
  is actually a spell to influence the target’s mind. 
  The GM may impose a penalty on the roll if the 
  character lacks an appropriate KS of the style of 
  magic being used, or otherwise lacks experience 
  with that type of magic.
  Second, a character who can cast spells or use 
  magic himself can employ Analyze Magic in the 
  basic way described above:  to evaluate the other 
  character’s power relative to his own, deduce who 
  trained him, and perhaps to gain a tactical advan-
  tage over him. With a successful Analyze Magic roll, 
  a character might identify a spellcaster’s mentor or 
  school (“Only students of the Five Elements Temple 
  cast ﬁreballs using that particular gesture”), his 
  knowledge and raw power (“He says the words so 
  sloppily! He is not trained well, for all his power...”), 
  and perhaps even deduce secret aspects of the 
  magic or gain a tactical advantage (“He couldn’t 
  cast such spells without a demon’s help — which 
  tells me just how to ﬁght him!”)
  Analyze Magic does not allow a character to 
  design a new spell, or operate an unfamiliar magic 
  item; for such feats, see Spell Research (under 
  Inventor) and Power:  Magic Skill. Analyze Magic 
  may, however, act as a Complementary Skill for 
  such attempts. For instance, a mystic trying to 
  reconstruct a spell he saw another mystic use has 
  a better chance of success if he Analyzed the spell 
  when he saw it cast.
  Other Forms Of “Analyze Power”
  You can use the rules for Analyze Magic to 
  create other “Analyze Power” Skills. For example, 
  mentalists with Analyze Psionics can determine 
  the type of Mental Power another character’s 
  using, figure out who trained him (or the nature 
  or source of his powers), evaluate the target’s 
  power relative to his own, and perhaps even 
  obtain a tactical advantage over that mentalist. 
  (In this case, the +1 DCV for making the roll by 
  3 or more becomes +1 DECV.) In a Champions 
  campaign, an expert on superhumans might 
  have Analyze Superhuman Powers. Astrobiolo-
  gists or xenologists who study lots of different 
  alien beings with weird powers can learn Analyze 
  Alien Powers — a tremendous help when dealing 
  with unknown creatures and strange abilities.
  ANALYZE MOTIVE
  With the GM’s permission, characters can buy 
  Analyze as Analyze Motive, the ability to evaluate 
  another person’s actions and determine his true 
  intentions. Typically this applies when the charac-
  ter tries to discern whether (a) another character 
  is lying, or (b) another character is using a subtle 
  Interaction Skill on him (such as Acting, Conversa-
  tion, or some uses of Persuasion and Seduction). 
  The accompanying table lists the eﬀects of a suc-
  cessful Analyze Motive roll.
  ANALYZING LARGE OBJECTS
  Made Roll By 
  Results
  Exactly 
  Character’s lifting capacity increases by 
  10% for purposes of lifting, or causing 
  damage to, the object at this time; any 
  damage prevention points the charac-
  ter gains are increased by 10%
  1-2 
  Character’s lifting capacity increases by 
  20% for purposes of lifting, or causing 
  damage to, the object at this time; any 
  damage prevention points the character 
  gains are increased by 20%
  3 or more 
  Character’s lifting capacity increases by 
  30% for purposes of lifting, or causing 
  damage to, the object at this time; any 
  damage prevention points the character 
  gains are increased by 30%
  Half or better Character’s lifting capacity increases by 
  40% for purposes of lifting, or causing 
  damage to, the object at this time; any 
  damage prevention points the character 
  gains are increased by 40%
  
  79 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  ANALYZE SKILLS
  Characters can buy Analyze to evaluate 
  another character’s Skills. They have to buy it by 
  Skill category or speciﬁc Skill:  Analyze Agility 
  Skills, Analyze Interaction Skills, Analyze Knowl-
  edge Skills, Analyze Demolitions, and so on. The 
  basic rules for Analyze apply, though the GM 
  should adjust them as appropriate. For example, the 
  +1 DCV for making the roll by 3 or more becomes 
  a +1 to the character’s roll in Skill for Skill Versus 
  Skill Contests against the target. In some cases, 
  determining where or how a character learned a 
  particular Skill may not be possible; not every Skill 
  involves distinctive mannerisms or opinions a char-
  acter might pick up from a teacher or school.
  ANALYZE STYLE
  Analyze Style allows a character to assess an 
  enemy’s ﬁghting skills (i.e., his Martial Arts and 
  related abilities). He may only use it after watching 
  the enemy ﬁght — he must observe his target ﬁght-
  ing for at least one full Turn before he can make 
  a Skill Roll. The information the character gains 
  from an Analyze Style roll depends on how well he 
  succeeds, as indicated in the accompanying table. 
  A character with Analyze Style gets a +2 to his Skill 
  Roll if his target possesses a Style Distinctive Fea-
  ture (see The Ultimate Martial Artist, page 135).
  Analyze Style also allows a martial artist 
  to take advantage of an opponent’s consistency. 
  Some characters tend to favor one or two attack 
  maneuvers, usually because they oﬀer high damage 
  capabilities or some advantageous combination of 
  CV bonuses. In this situation, a character can make 
  an Analyze Style roll to prepare himself for this 
  favored attack. If he succeeds with the roll, he gets 
  +2 DCV against that maneuver in this particular 
  ﬁght. (With the GM’s permission, characters can 
  also use KS: Speciﬁc Martial Art this way.)
  ANALYZE TECHNOLOGY
  Gadgeteers, engineers, technicians, and other 
  characters who work with technology can buy an 
  Analyze Skill to suit their talents:  either Analyze 
  Technology (which would cover any sort of tech-
  nological device, but suﬀer penalties when dealing 
  with more specialized forms of technology), or spe-
  cialized versions like Analyze Computer, Analyze 
  Vehicle, Analyze Robot, Analyze Alien Technology, 
  or Analyze Weapon. Technology-based Analyzes 
  allow a character to evaluate and determine the 
  capabilities (and perhaps weaknesses or vulner-
  abilities) of the relevant technological devices. For 
  example, a successful Analyze Vehicles roll would 
  tell a character which of two cars was faster; an 
  Analyze Computer roll would reveal which of two 
  computer had faster processing speed (in game 
  terms, a higher SPD). In both cases it’s not hard for 
  anyone to look that information up, but a character 
  with the Skill doesn’t need reference materials; his 
  knowledge of and/or experience with the technol-
  ogy lets him make the correct evaluation without 
  any outside help.
  The Analyze Technology table rewrites the 
  Basic Analyze Eﬀects table to apply to objects. The 
  eﬀects it lists aren’t cumulative with the eﬀects on 
  the Basic Analyze Eﬀects table.
  ANALYZE MOTIVE
  Makes Roll By Information Gained
  0 (exactly) 
  The character realizes the other 
  person has some motive or agenda 
  beyond what he claims or what’s 
  immediately apparent.
  1 or 2 
  The character knows that the other 
  person is using an Interaction Skill on 
  him (if, in fact, he is), but not neces-
  sarily which one. He gains a +1 on any 
  rolls to resist the Interaction Skill.
  3 or more 
  The character can identify the Interac-
  tion Skill used on him; if the other 
  person is lying, the character knows 
  this (but that doesn’t mean he knows 
  what the truth is, only that a lie’s being 
  told). He gains a +2 on any rolls to 
  resist the Interaction Skill.
  Half or better The character gains +3 on any rolls to 
  resist the Interaction Skill.
  ANALYZE STYLE
  Makes Roll By 
  Information Gained
  0 (exactly) 
  The character knows whether the 
  target is a poor, medium, good, or 
  master-level ﬁghter.
  1 or 2 
  The character knows how the target 
  compares to the character in terms 
  of ﬁghting prowess (“I’m far superior 
  to him,” “It would be a close thing but 
  I think I’d win,” “It’s anybody’s guess 
  who would win,” “He has the edge 
  over me,” or “I don’t stand a chance.”)
  3 or 4 
  The character knows certain Physical 
  Limitations and Vulnerabilities pos-
  sessed by the target (the GM decides 
  which Limitations the Skill can detect; 
  Lame would be, while 2 x BODY from 
  Poisons would not be, for example).
  Half or better The character knows the location of 
  the target’s open Gate (if target has 
  the Breath Control power described 
  under Damage Resistance on page 
  122 of The Ultimate Martial Artist.)
  
  80 ■ Skill Rules
  Hero System 5th Edition
  EQUIPMENT
  Generally Analyze doesn’t require or involve 
  equipment — it’s a purely personal ability. In some 
  settings advanced sensors could be deﬁned with 
  Analyze to represent their capacity for compar-
  ing and evaluating certain objects or people. For 
  example, a character using Analyze Construction to 
  ﬁnd the “weak points” in a building so he can blow 
  it up more easily might use ultrasound scanners, 
  magnetic imaging, or ground-penetrating radar 
  to examine the structure in ways he can’t with the 
  naked eye.
  POWERS AND ANALYZE
  If he feels it won’t unbalance the game, the 
  GM can allow a character to make an Analyze 
  roll as a Complementary Skill Roll to a Find 
  Weakness roll. Since Analyze is so much cheaper 
  than Find Weakness, GMs should be wary of 
  allowing this (or should restrict the amount of 
  bonus to the roll that Analyze can provide), but 
  in some circumstances it works.
  Of course, an Analyze roll can only Comple-
  ment a Find Weakness roll if it applies to whatever 
  the character’s trying to Find Weakness against. 
  Analyze Style and Analyze Combat Technique, the 
  two most common forms of Analyze in most cam-
  paigns, should never Complement Find Weakness; 
  they involve analyzing something intangible. Ana-
  lyze Vehicle wouldn’t help a character make Find 
  Weakness rolls against an enemy’s powered armor 
  or a building wall, but would Complement a roll to 
  Find Weakness in a car, plane, or train.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically a failed Analyze roll simply means 
  the character can’t learn anything about the target. 
  A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) may put the char-
  acter in a disadvantageous position:  he accidentally 
  decides the target is better or stronger than he is; 
  or perhaps he suﬀers a -1 DCV penalty for the rest 
  of the ﬁght because he mistook the nature of the 
  target’s martial arts skills.
  BASE TIMES
  Using Analyze typically requires a minimum 
  of a Half Phase Action (and often longer) during 
  which the character must observe the target. If the 
  Analyze involves a particular type of ability (such 
  as Analyze Magic or Analyze Style), the character 
  must observe the target using that ability; just 
  watching the target in general doesn’t work. In 
  some cases the GM may allow a character to make 
  an Analyze roll as a Zero Phase Action. In other 
  cases he may rule that a character has to spend a 
  long time (many Phases, a Turn, 30 Segments, 1 
  Minute, or even longer) observing the target before 
  he can make a roll — 1 Turn is a good guideline in 
  these situations. Some of the examples of Analyze 
  described above require speciﬁc periods of obser-
  vation; for example, to use Analyze Style a character 
  must watch the target ﬁght using his Martial Arts 
  for at least one full Turn.
  SUBDIVIDING ANALYZE
  In eﬀect Analyze is already “subdivided,” since 
  a character has to specify what he can Analyze 
  when he buys the Skill and can’t change it thereaf-
  ter. If the GM wants to make Analyze less broadly 
  useful, he should require characters to designate the 
  type of Analyze they have more precisely:  Analyze 
  Asian Martial Arts instead of Analyze Style; Ana-
  lyze Fighter Jets instead of Analyze Vehicles; Ana-
  lyze Skyscrapers instead of Analyze Construction.
  ANALYZE BY GENRE
  Analyze works the same in all genres, but the 
  types of Analyze a character can buy may vary 
  from genre to genre. Analyze Magic only works in 
  Fantasy Hero games and other campaigns featuring 
  magic, for example, and Analyze Computer is much 
  more common in Cyber Hero and other genres that 
  feature computers as a major element.
  ANALYZE TECHNOLOGY
  Makes Roll By Information Gained
  0 (exactly) 
  The character has a general idea of 
  how skilled or powerful a techno-
  logical device is compared to other 
  such devices (“That plane is more 
  maneuverable,” “That weapon is more 
  accurate”). If it’s a device he doesn’t 
  already know about (such as a weird 
  form of alien technology, or a Mad 
  Science device), he knows what the 
  device is used for in general terms 
  (“This is a weapon,” “This is a tool for 
  working on starship engines”).
  1 or 2 
  The character knows where, how, and 
  by whom the target was manufactured, 
  modiﬁed, or the like (if this isn’t already 
  obvious). If appropriate, he knows 
  exactly what the device is used for 
  (“This is a weapon that ﬁres a pulson 
  energy beam tuned for special eﬀective-
  ness against isokinetic force shields”).
  3 or more 
  The character can discover distinctive 
  features about the device that grant him 
  a +1 on Skill Rolls to use or aﬀect it
  Half or better The character gains +2 for all relevant 
  rolls involving the target device
  
  81 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter One
  ANIMAL HANDLER
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base roll with one 
  category (or 1 Character Point for a base 
  roll with a speciﬁc subcategory); each 
  additional category or subcategory costs 
  1 Character Point; +1 to the roll with all 
  categories and subcategories known per 
  +2 Character Points
  This Interaction Skill allows a character to manage 
  and train — “handle” — animals of various sorts. 
  A character with Animal Handler knows about the 
  animals he’s skilled at handling (their types and 
  species, common behavior patterns, abilities, and 
  so forth), the types of tricks an animal can learn, 
  the best ways to teach those tricks to the animal, 
  how to give commands to a trained animal, how 
  to calm down a potentially dangerous animal, and 
  so forth. However, Animal Handler does not allow 
  a character to ride an animal; that requires Riding 
  (page 256).
  Complementary Skills for Animal Handler 
  typically include appropriate KSs, and sometimes 
  Riding. In a few situations Seduction (representing 
  the character’s friendly personality and winning 
  ways) may also help.
  CATEGORIES OF ANIMALS
  Characters must buy Animal Handler by cate-
  gory — a person who knows how to train and work 
  with dogs doesn’t necessarily have any skill with 
  bears, dragons, cats, insects, or birds. (But see Cross-
  Category Compatability, below.) The accompanying 
  table lists the categories for easy reference. The 
  GM may add more categories if he wants to; this is 
  particularly appropriate for campaigns taking place 
  in unusual environments (such as many Fantasy 
  games, and Science Fiction campaigns involving a 
  lot of planetary exploration).
  Using Animal Handler
  The typical uses for Animal Handler include 
  training animals, getting trained animals to perform 
  tricks, and calming down ferocious or vicious beasts.
  TRAINING ANIMALS
  The most common use for Animal Handler 
  is to train animals — to teach them obedience, 
  speciﬁc behavior patterns, or the like (collectively 
  referred to as “tricks”). When characters want to use 
  this ability, the GM should consider several factors.
  Time Required; Animal Intellect
  First, he must determine the time required to 
  teach a trick to the animal. This depends on two 
  things:  the animal’s intellect and the complexity of 
  the trick. Other modiﬁers may also apply.
  As described on page 19 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary, in the HERO System creature 
  intellect is deﬁned by the Limited Intellect Physi-
  cal Limitation, which comes in four categories:  
  Near-Human, Animal, Instinctual, and Machine. 
  Tricks also come in categories:  Simple, Moder-
  ANIMAL  
  INFORMATION
  If you want more infor-
  mation about speciﬁc 
  animals for your cam-
  paign, The HERO System 
  Bestiary has hundreds of 
  them, and rules for cre-
  ating more if you want 
  to; many of the rules 
  printed here are also 
  printed in that book. 
  Monsters, Minions, And 
  Marauders, the Asian 
  Bestiary, Vols. I-II, and 
  The Celtic Bestiary also 
  have monstrous beasts 
  suitable for Fantasy 
  campaigns.
  ANIMAL HANDLER  
  CATEGORIES
  Category 
  Example Subcategories
  Aquatic Animals 
  Cetaceans (dolphins, whales)
   
  Fish (freshwater and saltwater, 
  excluding sharks)
   
  Jellyﬁsh
   
  Octopi and Squid
   
  Seals, Walruses, and Manatees
   
  Sharks
  Bats 
  N/A
  Birds 
  Ostriches and Emus
   
  Seabirds
   
  Songbirds
   
  Tropical Birds (parrots, toucans, 
  and so forth)
   
  Waterfowl
   
  (This category does not include 
  Raptors.)
  Bovines 
  Cattle (domesticated and wild)
   
  Bison
  Camels 
  N/A
  Canines 
  Dogs
   
  Foxes
   
  Hyenas
   
  Wolves
  Deer 
  Antelopes
   
  Caribou
   
  Deer
   
  Elks
   
  Llamas and Alpacas
   
  Moose
   
  Wild Sheep (bighorns, mountain 
  goats, and the like)
  Dragons 
  Dragons
   
  Hydrae
   
  Wyrms
   
  Wyverns
  Elephants 
  Elephants
   
  Mammoths
   
  Mastodons
  Equines 
  Horses
   
  Donkeys
   
  Mules
   
  Pegasi
   
  Unicorns
  Felines 
  Housecats
   
  Great Cats (cheetahs, jaguars, 
  leopards, lions, tigers, and so 
  forth)
  Insects And 
  Arthropods 
  Ants
   
  Bees
   
  Beetles
   
  Butterﬂies and Moths
   
  Flies
   
  Scorpions
   
  Spiders
   
  Termites
   
  Wasps and Hornets
  Continued on next page
  
  82 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ate, and Complex (see below). The accompany-
  ing table provides the Base Time (in hours or 
  days) required to teach a trick, and the maximum 
  number of tricks the animal can learn (the GM 
  may, at his option, increase or decrease this 
  number for speciﬁc animals or species).
  Often the more skilled the character is, the 
  quicker he can train an animal. For every two 
  points by which the character makes his Skill Roll, 
  he can reduce the time unit needed to teach the 
  trick by one step up the Time Chart. However, the 
  GM may, if he wishes, establish a minimum time 
  required for any given trick. Typically Simple tricks 
  have a minimum time of two minutes, Moderate 
  tricks ten minutes, and Complex tricks one hour.
  Example:  Marcus Flint, an intrepid explorer with 
  Animal Handler (Canines, Equines, Felines) 14-, 
  tries to teach a dog how to retrieve/fetch. The dog 
  has Animal Intelligence, and the GM rules that 
  retrieve/fetch is a Moderate trick, so this will take 
  Marcus 1-2 days (the GM says 1 day). If Marcus 
  makes his roll by 2, he reduces that time to six 
  hours. If he makes it by 6, he reduces it to 20 Min-
  utes! However, the GM rules that two hours is the 
  minimum time required.
  If the character fails his Skill Roll, he may try 
  again using the standard rules for failed Skill Rolls 
  (page 17). Each attempt requires the same number 
  of hours or days as the ﬁrst attempt.
  If a trick would require an animal to buy oﬀ a 
  Disadvantage or Limitation, the animal must do this 
  with its own Experience Points (or unspent Character 
  Points). Until the animal does so, the Disadvantage or 
  Limitation imposes appropriate penalties on training 
  rolls, and the animal suﬀers similar penalties on its 
  trick rolls (see below) even if a character trains it.
  Animal Handler does not work on creatures 
  without the Limited Intellect Physical Limitation. 
  Such beings are too intelligent or uncontrollable for 
  characters to train in this manner.
  Training Modiﬁers
  Second, the GM should consider any potential 
  modiﬁers to the training roll. The accompanying 
  table indicates some common modiﬁers to Animal 
  Handler Skill Rolls to train creatures.
  Types Of Tricks
  Tricks fall into one of three categories:  Simple; 
  Moderate; and Complex. Here are some of the 
  tricks most commonly taught to animals and their 
  categories:
  Attack (Complex):  The animal attacks targets (or a 
  speciﬁc target) when commanded to do so or when 
  a speciﬁed condition occurs.
  Domesticate (Moderate):  The character “breaks” the 
  animal, converting it from a wild beast to a trained 
  animal that can be kept on a ranch or farm, in a home, 
  or the like. (This isn’t a “trick,” exactly, but the training 
  involved can be similar so the same rules apply.) This 
  doesn’t necessarily mean the animal isn’t dangerous at 
  all — its wild instincts may surface from time to time 
  if it’s mistreated — but it’s much less dangerous to 
  humans than it was when wild.
  ANIMAL HANDLER  
  CATEGORIES (CONT’D)
  Category 
  Example Subcategories
  Lagomorphs 
  Hares
   
  Rabbits
  Monstrous Hybrids Griﬃns
   
  Hippogriﬀs
   
  Manticores
  Pigs 
  Pigs (domesticated and wild)
   
  Peccaries
   
  Warthogs
  Primates 
  Apes
   
  Chimpanzees
   
  Monkeys
  Raptors 
  Eagles
   
  Falcons
   
  Hawks
   
  Kites
   
  Vultures and Buzzards
  Reptiles And 
  Amphibians 
  Dinosaurs
   
  Frogs and Toads
   
  Lizards
   
  Salamanders
   
  Snakes
   
  Turtles
  Rodents 
  Beavers
   
  Gophers
   
  Rats and Mice
   
  Squirrels and Chipmunks
  Ursines 
  Bears
  Weasels 
  Badgers
   
  Ferrets
   
  Minks
   
  Otters
   
  Skunks
   
  Weasels and Stoats
   
  Wolverines
  ANIMAL TRAINING TIMES
   
  Type Of Trick
  Intelligence 
  Simple 
  Moderate 
  Complex 
  Maximum Number Of Tricks
  Near-Human 
  1 hour 
  2-4 hours 
  1-2 days 
  10
  Animal 
  1-2 hours 1-2 days 
  3-5 days 
  5
  Instinctual 
  1-3 days 
  4-10 days 
  11-21 days 
  2
  Machine 
  .5-1 hour 2-3 hours 
  4-8 hours 
  10
  ANIMAL HANDLER  
  MODIFIERS
  Circumstance 
  Modiﬁer
  Animal’s age
     Very young 
  +1 to +3
     Very old 
  -1 to -5
  Animal’s nature
     Placid 
  +1 to +2
     Fierce 
  -2 to -4
     Skittish 
  -1 to -2
     Temperamental 
  -1 to -3
  Enhanced incentives (better than normal  
  food/treats, conditions, and so on) 
  +1-2
  Use of pain/torture 
  +2-4
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  83 
  Entertain (Simple):  The animal knows various cute 
  or entertaining stunts or tricks, such as playing 
  dead, rolling over, shaking hands, or saying some-
  thing clever (if it can mimic human speech).
  General obedience (Simple):  The animal doesn’t 
  jump on the furniture when it’s not supposed to, is 
  housebroken, comes to the character on command, 
  sits when told to, and so forth.
  Guard (Complex):  The animal knows how to guard 
  a particular place or person, and how to respond 
  if that place or person is imperiled (usually the 
  proper response is to attack, which requires the 
  Attack trick).
  Herd (Moderate):  The animal can herd other ani-
  mals (typically sheep or cattle).
  Retrieve/fetch (Moderate):  The animal knows how 
  to retrieve or fetch speciﬁc objects, such as a dead 
  duck or a thrown ball, without hurting them. If the 
  animal only knows how to fetch thrown balls or the 
  like, the GM may reduce this to a Simple trick.
  Stay (Moderate):  The animal has been trained to 
  stand or sit still when told to (a common abil-
  ity for, among others, horses in the Wild West). 
  Unless spooked (through a Presence Attack or 
  like phenomena) or physically attacked or moved, 
  the animal remains where it was told to stay until 
  hunger and thirst get the better of it.
  Stop attacking (Moderate):  The animal instantly 
  stops attacking or ﬁghting upon command.
  To indicate that an animal knows a trick, write 
  it as an 11- Professional Skill on its character sheet 
  (e.g., PS: Retrieve/Fetch 11-). This costs the animal 
  2 Character Points, and it has to spend points to 
  improve the roll.
  PERFORMING TRICKS
  A character should make an Animal Handler 
  roll whenever he wants a trained animal to per-
  form a trick or otherwise do something unusual. 
  The character’s roll acts as a Complementary 
  Skill Roll to the animal’s Professional Skill roll 
  with its trick. If the animal’s roll succeeds, it 
  comprehends and obeys the command; if it fails, 
  it’s too confused to act or does something wrong. 
  If it fails badly (by 4 or more) it may attack the 
  character, run away, or do something else dan-
  gerous or extremely inconvenient.
  Example:  Marcus Flint has trained his dog 
  with the Attack trick. He can order the dog 
  to attack an enemy in combat with a normal 
  Animal Handler roll. If he wanted the dog 
  to attack one specific person in a crowd, he 
  would have to succeed with an Animal Han-
  dler roll at a penalty based on the crowd’s 
  size. For every 2 points he makes the roll by, 
  the dog gets a +1 bonus to its PS: Attack 11- 
  roll; for every 2 points he fails the roll by, the 
  dog suffers a -1 penalty. After Marcus rolls, 
  the dog has to make its PS: Attack roll to per-
  form the trick properly.
  CALMING FEROCIOUS BEASTS
  A character can also use Animal Handler to calm 
  down wild animals and ferocious beasts belonging to 
  any category he knows how to handle, and to accom-
  plish similar tasks like domesticating a wild animal. 
  This usually requires him to succeed with a roll at a -2 
  or greater penalty, depending upon the type of animal 
  and its intent — getting a stubborn wildebeest to 
  move out of the road is easier than breaking a buck-
  ing bronco, which in turn is easier than preventing a 
  charging guard dog from attacking. (See the accom-
  panying table for suggested tasks and modiﬁers.) In 
  this sense characters can even use Animal Handler to 
  represent a quasi-mystic “rapport” between a charac-
  ter and all wild creatures.
  UNDERSTANDING ANIMAL  
  COMMUNICATION
  At the GM’s option, a character can make an 
  Animal Handler roll to understand what an animal 
  in any category he knows is trying to communicate 
  to him. “Realistically” this is a pretty limited method 
  of “talking” — at most the character can comprehend 
  simple “statements” such as:  come here; follow me; 
  that guy’s trouble; there’s danger; I’m hungry; let’s 
  play fetch; there are a lot of them; I don’t like your 
  girlfriend. But not all genres are “realistic.” In some 
  cinematic games a character may be able to learn 
  signiﬁcant amounts of information from a friendly 
  animal or animal companion (“Rrruﬀ!” “What’s that, 
  girl? Timmy fell down a well? Let’s go save him!”).
  CROSS-CATEGORY COMPATABILITY
  Some of the information and abilities 
  imparted by training one category of animals may 
  extend to other types of creatures. At the GM’s 
  option, a character with any category of Animal 
  Handler may use the Skill on animals from another 
  category at a -4 penalty. If the character has bought 
  three or more categories, the GM may reduce 
  this penalty to -3 to reﬂect the character’s greater 
  understanding of a wide variety of animals. The 
  GM may also alter the penalty (up or down) to 
  reﬂect the situation, common and dramatic sense, 
  and other factors. For example, in many adventures 
  letting a character use Animal Handler to calm 
  down or frighten oﬀ a wild beast would make the 
  game more fun, so the GM might allow this at only 
  a -1 or -2 penalty even for animals in categories the 
  character hasn’t speciﬁcally learned to handle.
  ANIMAL  
  FOLLOWERS
  Characters do not have 
  to use Animal Handler 
  to calm down animals 
  bought as Followers; 
  those creatures are 
  automatically friendly 
  to the character. Typi-
  cally, animal Followers 
  are built with tricks 
  they already know, 
  and/or a Language 
  allowing them to com-
  municate easily with 
  the character, so that 
  the character doesn’t 
  need Animal Handler 
  to work with them.
  CALMING FEROCIOUS BEASTS
  Task 
  Animal Handler Modiﬁer
  Get large herbivore to move out of the way 
  -2
  Make wild animal run away
     Herbivore 
  -2
     Hungry, dangerous carnivore 
  -3
  Calm down wild animal so it doesn’t run away 
  -3
  Stop wild animal from attacking 
  -4
  Stop trained guard animal from attacking 
  -5
  Make wild animal “friendly” for a short time 
  -6
  Make trained guard animal “friendly” for a short time 
  -7
  These examples are only guidelines; the GM can modify them as he sees ﬁt to represent 
  the situation.
  
  84 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  EQUIPMENT
  Animal Handler usually doesn’t involve or 
  require any equipment; it’s a purely personal Skill. 
  However, some trainers do use equipment — whips, 
  shock-prods, food dispensers that respond to spe-
  ciﬁc behaviors, special types of harnesses or leads 
  — as part of the training process. The GM can treat 
  this as a modiﬁer to appropriate Skill Rolls (usu-
  ally positive, but possibly negative; not all animals 
  respond to the lash well).
  POWERS AND ANIMAL HANDLER
  A character with Mind Control or Telepathy 
  that aﬀects the Animal class of minds may ﬁnd 
  it easier to use them instead of Animal Handler 
  to communicate with and/or control animals. At 
  the GM’s option, using these powers as part of the 
  training process can reduce training time and/or 
  negative modiﬁers by as much as half.
  Characters don’t have to use Animal Handler 
  to control Summoned animals if the Summon has 
  the Amicable Advantage. If the creature is neutral 
  or hostile to its Summoner, then Animal Handler 
  might be one method used to make it do what the 
  Summoner wants.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Failure when teaching an animal a trick usu-
  ally means the animal simply didn’t learn the trick; 
  the character can try again, as discussed above. 
  A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) may cause the 
  animal to turn on the character and attack him, 
  attempt to escape, or the like. It could also mean the 
  animal simply can’t ever learn that particular trick. 
  Failure when trying to get an animal to perform a 
  trick is discussed above.
  Failure when trying to calm an animal down 
  (or the like) means the animal remains hostile. 
  A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) may cause the 
  animal to think the character is weak or vulnerable, 
  and thus to attack immediately.
  Failure when trying to communicate with an 
  animal means the character doesn’t understand 
  what the animal’s trying to “say.” A badly-failed roll 
  (by 4 or more) may mean the character misunder-
  stands the animal’s communication, which may 
  lead to all sorts of trouble.
  BASE TIMES
  The Animal Training Times table provides 
  the Base Times for teaching an animal a trick. Get-
  ting an animal to perform a trick it knows usually 
  requires a Half Phase Action. Trying to communi-
  cate with an animal usually takes a Full Phase, but 
  for some simple “talks” the GM may reduce this to a 
  Half Phase Action.
  The Base Time required to calm a ferocious 
  beast (or perform a similar task) varies. In combat 
  or crisis conditions typically it takes a Full Phase, 
  but in some cases the GM may rule that it takes 
  longer, or that more than one successful roll is nec-
  essary (the Task Diﬃculty rules from page 32 may 
  apply in that situation).
  UNIFYING/SUBDIVIDING  
  ANIMAL HANDLER
  In some cinematic campaigns, such as some 
  Fantasy Hero campaigns or high-powered Pulp 
  Hero games, splitting Animal Handler into catego-
  ries may not work well. In those games, GMs can 
  allow characters to buy Animal Handler as a typical 
  Interaction Skill (3 Character Points for a PRE-
  Based Roll, +1 to the roll for each +2 Character 
  Points) and apply it to any type of animal.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  85 
  On the other hand, campaigns that feature a lot 
  of human-animal interaction may want to create even 
  more categories for Animal Handler. At the extreme, 
  a character might have to buy Animal Handler by 
  individual species rather than by groups — the ﬁrst 
  species costs 2 Character Points for the PRE-Based 
  Roll, each additional species costs +1 Character Point. 
  In this sort of campaign, Animal Handler (Bullfrogs) 
  wouldn’t help a character work with cane toads or 
  poison-arrow frogs — each of those amphibians 
  would require its own Skill.
  ANIMAL HANDLER BY GENRE
  Animal Handler works the same in all 
  genres. It’s particularly common in some genres 
  (such as Fantasy and Western), but functions the 
  same regardless.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  In most Cyberpunk campaigns, Animal Han-
  dler is almost unheard of (except for Canines, for 
  guard dogs). Many Cyberpunk characters go their 
  entire lives without seeing animals other than rats, 
  pigeons, and other urban vermin.
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy Hero campaigns, GMs may want 
  to expand the categories this Skill applies to so it 
  covers various types of “monsters.” The Animal 
  Handler Categories table already lists dragons, 
  pegasi, and unicorns; other possibilities might 
  include Aquatic Monsters (kraken, sea serpents, 
  monstrous ﬁsh), Basilisks, Oozes, and Monstrous 
  Hybrids (griﬃns, hippogriﬀs, manticores, and the 
  like). If appropriate, an Animal Handler includes 
  gigantic or monstrous versions of listed creatures; 
  for example, giant wolves fall into the Canines cat-
  egory, and rocs into Raptors.
  Lycanthropes and other zoomorphs (charac-
  ters who can change into animal shapes) often have 
  the ability to relate well with (or even speak to or 
  summon) the type of animal(s) they can change shape 
  into. One way to represent this is with a high Animal 
  Handler roll in the appropriate category(ies). Animal 
  Handler doesn’t work on lycanthropes, since they’re 
  self-willed; if they’re not sentient in their animal form, 
  Animal Handler would work on them then, but at the 
  standard penalty for “ﬁerce” animals.
  Science Fiction
  In realistic Hard SF campaigns, alien animals 
  are all completely diﬀerent from any terrestrial 
  species. Each planet has its own menu of animal 
  categories, and knowing how to deal with crea-
  tures native to one world doesn’t help on a new 
  or strange planet (though the GM might allow an 
  Animal Handler roll at -3).
  In a more cinematic setting, such as a Pulp Sci-
  Fi or Space Opera campaign, alien animals may well 
  look and act like Terran creatures. If it has wings and 
  feathers, it’s a bird, even if it comes from a planet 
  orbiting Epsilon Eridani. Characters should still suﬀer 
  a Skill Roll penalty of -2 for working with alien crea-
  tures in a group they know how to handle — at least 
  until they’ve spent a game session or two learning 
  about those animals’ habits and instincts.
  AUTOFIRE SKILLS
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  5 Character Points for each Autoﬁre Skill
  These seven Combat Skills let characters use 
  Autoﬁre attacks more eﬃciently. They’re most 
  common in Dark Champions campaigns and other 
  games where characters frequently use Autoﬁre 
  weapons like submachine guns, but characters can 
  buy them for innate Autoﬁre powers if desired.
  BUYING AUTOFIRE SKILLS
  Each Autoﬁre Skill costs 5 Character Points. 
  Characters must purchase each one separately 
  for the full price; they don’t receive a “savings” for 
  buying more multiple Autoﬁre Skills.
  If the GM wants to encourage lots of gunﬁre 
  and fast-paced gunplay in the campaign, one way to 
  do that is to reduce the cost of the Autoﬁre Skills. If 
  they cost, say, 3 Character Points apiece instead of 
  5, more characters will buy and use them.
  USING AUTOFIRE SKILLS
  Using any Autoﬁre Skill takes a Full Phase and 
  halves a character’s DCV (this penalty is not cumu-
  lative if a character uses two or more Autoﬁre Skills 
  at once, nor does the time required add together 
  — a character can use any number of Autoﬁre Skills 
  together as a Full Phase Action at half DCV). An 
  Autoﬁre Skill applies to any and all Autoﬁre attacks 
  a character has or uses; he doesn’t have to buy it 
  separately for each Autoﬁre attack. (If a character 
  can only use an Autoﬁre Skill with one of several 
  Autoﬁre attacks, the GM may allow a Limitation, 
  but usually this is worth -0 to -½ at the most.) Since 
  each Autoﬁre Skill is a separate Skill, Advantages 
  and Limitations (if any) should be applied to them 
  individually, not as a group added together.
  Characters can “stack” two or more Autoﬁre 
  Skills together to, for example, execute Accurate, 
  Concentrated, Skipover Sprayﬁre. When “stacking” in 
  this fashion, a character takes the total of all the OCV 
  penalties for the Skills used; the “combined” Skill takes 
  a Full Phase Action to use and halves the character’s 
  DCV, as described above. Except as noted under each 
  Skill, standard Autoﬁre rules apply.
  Generally, a character may not use his Autoﬁre 
  Skills with a Base’s or Vehicle’s weapons, unless 
  those weapons have the Uses Character OCV Not 
  Vehicle OCV Power Modiﬁer from The Ultimate 
  Vehicle, page 181. However, the GM may allow a 
  character to buy these Skills speciﬁcally for use 
  with base/vehicular weapons, in which case they 
  would apply only to Base/Vehicle weapons and not 
  to personal Autoﬁre weapons/attacks.
  CONCENTRATED 
  SPRAYFIRE  
  EXAMPLE
    Renegade (CV 7) wants 
  to use his H&K MP5 
  submachine gun (5-
  shot Autoﬁre) to shoot 
  three thugs standing in 
  adjacent hexes. Using 
  normal Autoﬁre, he 
  could only hit each thug 
  once. However, using 
  Concentrated Sprayﬁre, 
  he ﬁres all 5 shots and 
  hits Thug #1 twice, Thug 
  #2 twice, and Thug #3 
  once. He suﬀers a -3 
  OCV penalty for ﬁring 
  Autoﬁre into 3 hexes, 
  plus another -1 OCV for 
  Concentrated Sprayﬁre, 
  giving him OCV 3. He’d 
  better hit them, since 
  using Concentrated 
  Sprayﬁre reduces his 
  DCV to 4.
  RAPID AUTOFIRE 
  EXAMPLE  
  Magnum (OCV 10) car-
  ries a fully-loaded Uzi 
  submachine gun (5-shot 
  Autoﬁre). He attacks 
  three ninja (DCV 5) 
  armed with swords. 
  Since he’d rather not be 
  ﬁlleted, he uses Rapid 
  Autoﬁre to shoot each 
  of them once with a 
  three-round burst (thus 
  expending a total of 
  nine bullets). He suﬀers 
  a -4 OCV to all shots 
  he takes, so he needs 
  a 12- to hit. He rolls 
  an 8 against the ﬁrst 
  ninja, hitting him three 
  times. Then he rolls a 
  13 against the second 
  ninja and misses. Since 
  he missed Ninja #2, he 
  automatically misses 
  Ninja #3.
  
  86 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  The Autoﬁre Skills
  ACCURATE SPRAYFIRE
  The character can use Autoﬁre against multiple 
  targets with great accuracy. He suﬀers only a ﬂat -1 
  OCV penalty (instead of the usual -1 OCV per hex 
  ﬁred into penalty). Accurate Sprayﬁre bonuses also 
  apply when characters use Suppression Fire against 
  multiple hex lines.
   CONCENTRATED SPRAYFIRE
  When using Autoﬁre against multiple targets, 
  the character can concentrate his attack to ﬁre mul-
  tiple shots at a particular target, instead of the stan-
  dard one shot per target. He incurs a -1 OCV pen-
  alty (in addition to standard Autoﬁre modiﬁers).
  DEADLY SPRAYFIRE 
  When a character with this Autoﬁre Skill uses 
  an Autoﬁre attack against a single target, he rolls 
  damage diﬀerently to reﬂect his deadly accuracy 
  and control. Instead of rolling a separate damage 
  roll for each attack that hits, the character makes 
  just one roll:  he takes the base damage of the attack 
  and increases it by +1 Damage Class for each addi-
  tional attack that hit.
  The GM should evaluate this Autofire 
  Skill carefully before allowing it in the game. It 
  reflects the “realistic” chance that multiple hits 
  from an Autofire attack will inflict serious injury 
  or death. But because of the way the HERO 
  System damage-versus-defenses rules work, it 
  also makes it more likely that a heavily-armored 
  character can be hurt by a low-powered attack. 
  The larger damage roll also makes it more likely 
  the attack will Stun the target.
  PRECISE SPRAYFIRE I
  The character can use Autoﬁre against a single 
  target with great accuracy. For every full two shots 
  ﬁred at a single target, he receives a +1 OCV bonus. 
  (Thus, 2-3 shots means +1 OCV; 4-5 shots +2 OCV; 
  6-7 shots +3 OCV; and so on.) However, since the 
  number of Autoﬁre hits depends on how well he 
  makes his Attack Roll, a character using Precise 
  Autoﬁre I can only hit the target one time — he 
  trades the possibility of multiple hits for a greater 
  chance to hit once. The GM may cap the Precise 
  Autoﬁre I bonus at some level, if necessary.
  PRECISE SPRAYFIRE II 
  The character can use Autoﬁre against a single 
  target with great accuracy. Instead of hitting with 
  one shot for every 2 points he makes his Attack Roll 
  by, he hits with one shot for every 1 point he makes 
  the roll by.  The GM may cap the number of hits at 
  some level (such as half the overall number of shots 
  ﬁred), if necessary.
  RAPID AUTOFIRE
  A character with this Skill may use Autoﬁre 
  attacks with the Combat Maneuver Rapid Fire (see 
  page 396 of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised). 
  He must ﬁre the same number of shots in each 
  burst of Rapid Autoﬁre (i.e., if he ﬁres 3 shots at his 
  ﬁrst target, he must ﬁre 3 shots at all targets, even 
  if his Autoﬁre could ﬁre up to 5 shots). He suﬀers 
  Rapid Fire’s cumulative -2 OCV penalty for each 
  burst of Autoﬁre ﬁred after the ﬁrst, in addition to 
  any standard Autoﬁre penalties.
  If the campaign features characters with Auto-
  ﬁre HTH attacks, the GM can allow characters to 
  buy an alternate version of this Skill, Rapid HTH 
  Autoﬁre. It works just like Rapid Autoﬁre, but for 
  the Combat Maneuver Sweep instead of Rapid Fire.
  SKIPOVER SPRAYFIRE
  When firing at multiple targets, a charac-
  ter with Skipover Sprayfire can fire Autofire 
  attacks in small bursts at nonadjacent hexes, so 
  he doesn’t waste Charges or energy firing into 
  empty hexes. He only has to fire into the hexes 
  he wants to fire into (i.e., those with targets in 
  them), instead of into each hex counted in the 
  hex line between targets. He incurs the standard 
  -1 OCV penalty for each hex he tracks his attack 
  across (even if he doesn’t fire an attack into that 
  hex), and can track his attack across a number of 
  hexes no greater than the number of shots he can 
  fire. Skipover Sprayfire attacks are at -1 OCV (in 
  addition to Autofire penalties).
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT; POWERS
  Although Autoﬁre Skills are most often used 
  with Autoﬁre weapons, they don’t actually require 
  any equipment — they’re a purely personal Skill. 
  For example, a superhero with an Autoﬁre Energy 
  Blast power could buy some Autoﬁre Skills to use 
  with it.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Since the Autoﬁre Skills don’t have rolls, they 
  can’t “fail” in the conventional sense (though a 
  character could fail his Attack Roll while using one, 
  of course).
  BASE TIMES
  Using any Autoﬁre Skill, or combination of 
  Autoﬁre Skills, takes a Full Phase.
  AUTOFIRE SKILLS BY GENRE
  Autoﬁre Skills work the same in all genres, 
  but they’re usually only found in genres and set-
  tings where Autoﬁre weapons are common:  Dark 
  Champions, Cyber Hero, “Military Science Fiction” 
  Star Hero campaigns, and the like. They’re generally 
  inapplicable (or at least inappropriate) in most Fan-
  tasy games (which usually lack Autoﬁre weapons), 
  but the GM might allow a character to buy them 
  for use with an Autoﬁre spell or enchanted weapon. 
  For example, a magic bow might provide a char-
  acter with the power to ﬁre up to four arrows at 
  once (Autoﬁre) and with great accuracy (Accurate 
  Sprayﬁre, Precise Sprayﬁre I).
  SKIPOVER 
  SPRAYFIRE  
  EXAMPLE  
  Renegade (CV 7) attacks 
  four more thugs who’ve 
  spread themselves out 
  so that there’s an empty 
  hex between them 
  (thus, they occupy a 
  total of seven hexes). 
  Unfortunately for them, 
  Renegade has Skipover 
  Sprayﬁre, so he won’t 
  waste any bullets on 
  the empty hexes. Since 
  Renegade’s gun has an 
  Autoﬁre rate of 5, he can 
  track his attack across 
  5 hexes — so he can’t 
  attack all four thugs. He 
  attacks the ﬁrst three on 
  his left. Using Skipover 
  Sprayﬁre and Concen-
  trated Sprayﬁre, he ﬁres 
  two shots at Thug #1, 
  two at Thug #2, and one 
  at Thug #3. He suﬀers 
  a -5 OCV for track-
  ing Autoﬁre across ﬁve 
  hexes, -1 OCV for Con-
  centrated Sprayﬁre, and 
  -1 OCV for Skipover 
  Sprayﬁre, making his 
  OCV 0. Good luck.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  87 
  BREAKFALL
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill allows a character to roll out from 
  a fall and stand up instantly, protect himself from 
  the eﬀects of falls, and perform related tasks. It has 
  four primary uses:
  ■ it allows a character to stand up from a prone 
  position without taking a Half Phase
  ■ it allows a character to reduce the damage caused 
  by (and sometimes other eﬀects of) a fall or from 
  being thrown
  ■ it allows a character to land on his feet when 
  Knocked Back, Knocked Down, or otherwise 
  knocked oﬀ of his feet
  ■ it allows a character to maintain his balance 
  and/or footing on narrow, slippery, or shaky 
  surfaces (such as a slender ledge, ice, a bobbing 
  rowboat, a tightrope, rain-slicked pavement, or 
  the like)
  STANDING UP FROM PRONE
  Normally, a character must use a Half Phase 
  Action to get on his feet from a prone position. A 
  successful Breakfall roll allows a character to regain 
  his feet as a Zero Phase Action. Usually this roll is 
  unmodiﬁed, but if the character’s Encumbered, or 
  the surface he attempts to stand up from is espe-
  cially slippery or uneven, the GM may impose a 
  negative modiﬁer as he sees ﬁt.
  Standing from a prone position applies to 
  being prone for any reason. This includes lying on 
  the ground after falling or being thrown, landing 
  on the ground after taking Knockback, sleeping in 
  a bed, resting on a ﬂoor, and so forth. However, a 
  character cannot use Breakfall to instantly stand 
  up after using a Combat or Martial Maneuver that 
  automatically makes him fall or become prone 
  (such as a Sacriﬁce Throw). But he can use Break-
  fall in a subsequent Phase to get to his feet without 
  taking a Half Phase Action (or possibly even in 
  a subsequent Segment, if the GM allows him to 
  Abort to get to his feet to eliminate the DCV pen-
  alty for being prone).
  REDUCING FALL AND THROW DAMAGE
  A character who makes a Breakfall roll only 
  takes half damage from a fall, or no damage if he 
  makes his roll by half or more. However, there’s 
  a -1 penalty to the roll for every 2” fallen, so 
  characters shouldn’t expect to use Breakfall to 
  walk away from major falls. (At the GM’s option, 
  making an Extraordinary Skill Roll with Break-
  fall would allow a character to survive a fall 
  from virtually any height... maybe only barely, 
  but survive nonetheless.) See page 434 of The 
  HERO System 5th Edition, Revised for rules about 
  falling damage.
  Similarly, a character can use Breakfall to 
  reduce the damage he takes from any attack that 
  throws him to the ground (such as a Martial 
  Throw or Takedown maneuver). With a success-
  ful Breakfall roll, the character only takes half 
  damage from the attack; if he makes his roll by 
  half or more, he takes no damage. He suffers a 
  -1 penalty to his roll for every 2d6 damage in 
  the attack. For instance, if a Martial Throw does 
  6d6 damage, the character suffers a -3 penalty to 
  his Breakfall roll to halve or avoid that damage. 
  If he makes it, he only takes 3d6 damage (or no 
  damage if he makes the roll by half or more). 
  If he fails, he takes all 6d6. In addition to the 
  damage modifier, the hardness and evenness of 
  the surface the character’s thrown onto modify 
  the roll (see the Breakfall Modifiers table).
  Breakfall’s ability to reduce Throw damage 
  works even if the attack that throws the character 
  is defined as, for example, a punch strong enough 
  to knock the character down. Some of the 
  damage comes from the punch, but some comes 
  from being knocked or thrown to the ground. A 
  successful use of Breakfall eliminates the half of 
  the damage that comes from hitting the ground; 
  however, it cannot eliminate the damage from 
  the punch. In these situations, the GM should 
  determine what part of the damage, if any, a 
  character can avoid with Breakfall.
  A single Breakfall roll lets a character either 
  halve the damage from a Throw or retain his foot-
  ing (see below); he can’t do both with one roll. 
  However, the GM may allow a character to make 
  two rolls to do both.
  Going First In The Next Common Phase
  Throws (including both Grab and Throw and 
  any Martial Maneuver with the “Throw” element) 
  have the eﬀect that the attacker (the person who 
  made the Throw) automatically gets to act ﬁrst 
  (regardless of relative DEX) if he and the victim 
  have their next Phases in the same Segment. At 
  the GM’s option, if the thrown character makes 
  a Breakfall roll by half, he avoids this eﬀect, and 
  the characters act on their DEXs like normal. This 
  Breakfall roll is in addition to any others made to 
  avoid Throw damage or stand up from being prone. 
  Thus, to avoid throwing damage, avoid the “initia-
  tive penalty,” and get to his feet instantly, a character 
  has to succeed with three Breakfall rolls (and must 
  succeed with the one to eliminate the initiative 
  penalty by half).
  BREAKFALL MODIFIERS
  Surface Hardness 
  Modiﬁer 
  Example
     Extremely Soft  
  +1 to +3 
  Pillows
     Soft  
  -0 to +1 
  Water, a cushion or mat, extremely soft earth
     Average  
  -1 
  Carpeted ﬂoor, average earth or sand
     Hard  
  -2 
  Wooden or tile ﬂoor, packed earth
     Extremely Hard  
  -3 
  Cement or asphalt, metal
  Evenness
     Smooth or even surface  
  -0 
  Floor, most sidewalks
     Sloped surface  
  -0 to -1 
  Hillside, ramp
     Bumpy, uneven surface 
  -1 
  Stairs
     Cluttered surface  
  -1 
  Trash-strewn alley, rocky ground
  These penalties are cumulative; an extremely hard, uneven surface (say, a side-
  walk with a lot of broken bricks and trash lying around) will impose a -4 to the 
  target’s Breakfall roll. 
  
  88 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Acrobatics And Throw Damage
  Characters can also use Acrobatics to avoid 
  some eﬀects of throws (see page 71). A character 
  cannot perform both a Breakfall roll and an Acro-
  batics roll in the same Phase to resist being thrown 
  and to reduce the damage from being thrown:  he 
  can only use one of them against a given Throw 
  attack. However, the character could make one 
  Acrobatics or Breakfall roll to avoid some of the 
  eﬀects of the Throw, and then make a separate 
  Breakfall roll to regain his feet instantly (without 
  taking a Half Phase). He could make an additional 
  Breakfall roll by half in the same Phase to negate 
  the “initiative penalty” (see above).
  Riding Animals And Vehicles
  A character riding on an animal or in a vehicle 
  may use Breakfall to avoid damage if he’s thrown 
  oﬀ or out of his conveyance.
  Diving
  Related to the concept of avoiding falling 
  damage is diving. A character who wants to dive 
  into the water safely from a great height may make 
  a Breakfall roll to do so (and an Acrobatics roll, if 
  he wants to look graceful while diving). Standard 
  height modiﬁers apply. If the character dives into 
  shallow water, rocky water, or the like, the GM can 
  impose a “hardness” or “evenness” penalty from the 
  Breakfall Modiﬁers Table to simulate the diﬃculty 
  this imposes on the dive.
  AVOIDING THE EFFECTS OF KNOCKBACK
  Whenever a character suﬀers Knock Down, 
  Knockback, or any similar eﬀect that knocks him 
  oﬀ of his feet, he can make a Breakfall roll to land 
  on his feet, provided the eﬀect only knocks him 
  into the ground, not into a wall or object (see 
  below). This is an Action that takes no time. If the 
  roll succeeds, the character takes no damage from 
  the Knock Down or Knockback (and doesn’t have 
  to spend any time getting back on his feet). The 
  roll suﬀers a -1 penalty for every 2” of Knockback 
  taken, in addition to any general modiﬁers that 
  apply (thus, a character who suﬀers only Knock-
  down or 1” of Knockback suﬀers no penalty to his 
  Breakfall roll to keep his feet). The character still 
  “takes” the Knockback — he still gets moved back 
  that number of inches — but he keeps his foot-
  ing and avoids taking any damage from hitting 
  the ground. Since the character’s attempting to 
  retain his footing (in other words, to avoid being 
  knocked oﬀ his feet), not to avoid damage from 
  landing on a surface, modiﬁers for the hardness 
  of the surface do not apply to this type of Break-
  fall roll.
  If a character fails his Breakfall roll to keep his 
  footing and avoid Knockback damage, he takes the 
  inches of Knockback, suﬀers any damage, and ends 
  up prone. On his next Phase he can make a Break-
  fall roll to stand up as a Zero Phase Action. (The 
  GM may even let him do this on a later Segment by 
  Aborting to get to his feet and thus negate the DCV 
  penalty for being prone.) Failing the damage-avoid-
  ance roll doesn’t preclude a later roll to stand up 
  from being prone.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  89 
  Knockback Into Objects
  Breakfall does not apply to avoid any of the 
  effects of Knockback if the character is knocked 
  into a wall, tree, vehicle, or other object. Nor is 
  it going to reduce the effect the character suf-
  fers if Knockback knocks him off a cliff, into a 
  lava pit, or the like. It only applies if the char-
  acter is knocked to the ground. If a character is 
  Knocked Back into an object, he becomes prone 
  and cannot immediately make a Breakfall roll to 
  land on/get to his feet. However, he may make 
  a Breakfall roll to instantly get to his feet on his 
  next Phase (or sometimes the next Segment, 
  by Aborting), per the usual rules. Whether the 
  object breaks or not has no effect on this rule.
  MAINTAINING FOOTING
  When a character stands on a slippery, slick, 
  shaky, or diﬃcult ground, Breakfall is the Skill he 
  uses to try to keep his footing (if appropriate, the 
  GM may allow characters without Breakfall to do 
  this using just a DEX Roll, but with a -1 or greater 
  penalty in addition to any applicable negative 
  modiﬁers). Examples include ice or icy ground, wet 
  ﬂoors, swampy or muddy ground, or standing in 
  the middle of a stream or river. When a character 
  attempts to move on such ground in a stressful 
  situation (i.e., in combat), he must make a Breakfall 
  roll to retain his footing. The modiﬁers listed in the 
  accompanying Footing Table apply.
  Additionally, per page 379 of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, Revised, a character is at -1 DCV 
  and -1 DC from all attacks made while on slippery 
  ground unless he succeeds with a Breakfall roll. 
  Similarly, he suﬀers a -2 DCV and -2 DCs while on 
  narrow surfaces such as branches, tightropes, and 
  building ledges unless he succeeds with a Breakfall 
  roll. In both cases this is a normal roll, unmodiﬁed 
  by the penalties in the Footing Table.
  Balancing
  Similarly, a character can use Breakfall to 
  retain his balance when walking on narrow or dif-
  ﬁcult surfaces, such as tiny mountain ledges, tree 
  branches, the edges of buildings, or tightropes (if 
  appropriate, the GM may allow characters without 
  Breakfall to do this using just a DEX Roll, but with 
  a -3 or greater penalty in addition to any applicable 
  negative modiﬁers). The GM should assign modi-
  ﬁers according to the nature of the surface and the 
  diﬃculty of the situation (see the Balancing Table 
  and Footing Table for some suggestions). In easy 
  situations — such as walking on top of a balance 
  beam for practice, or creeping along a wide ledge 
  under excellent conditions — there’s probably no 
  need to even make the character roll. But in a crisis 
  or under stressful or poor conditions, the GM 
  should require a character to make a Breakfall roll 
  to retain his balance.
  At the GM’s option, if two characters use 
  Breakfall to walk on the same narrow, flexible 
  surface (such as a tightrope), as a Full Phase 
  Action they can engage in a Skill Versus Skill 
  Contest to try to make the task more difficult for 
  the other person. After you determine who wins 
  the contest, the character who lost must make 
  another Breakfall roll to keep his footing on the 
  surface. In addition to other standard modi-
  fiers for the surface, he suffers a penalty of -1 
  per point by which the other character won the 
  Contest. If the roll fails, he falls off the surface 
  (though the GM may allow him a DEX Roll to 
  grab hold of it as he falls, or the like).
  OTHER USES FOR BREAKFALL
  At the GM’s option, a character can make a 
  Breakfall roll as a Complementary Skill Roll to 
  Stealth to represent the fact that he can walk easily 
  on his tip-toes and keep his balance while not step-
  ping on objects that might make noise. The charac-
  ter must make the roll each Phase he uses Stealth; 
  a bad failure (by 4 or more) may completely ruin 
  the character’s chance to remain stealthy, even if 
  his Stealth roll succeeds. (Alternately, the character 
  may have to make his Stealth roll by more than he 
  failed his Breakfall roll to keep quiet.)
  If the GM uses the optional new Feint Skill 
  (page 360), he may allow a character to use Break-
  fall as a Complementary Skill to the roll he makes 
  to avoid the eﬀects of an attacker’s feint. Part of 
  feinting involves balance and positioning of the 
  feet, and a character with Breakfall knows how to 
  judge these factors and determine how they’ll aﬀect 
  his attacker’s action.
  FOOTING TABLE
  Slipperiness  
  Modiﬁer 
  Example
  Dry 
  -0
  Slippery 
  -1 
  Wet pavement or ﬂoor 
  Very Slippery 
  -2 
  Muddy ground; midstream; waxed/soapy ﬂoor
  Extremely Slippery 
  -4 
  Ice; icy pavement or ﬂoor
  Steadiness 
  Modiﬁer 
  Example
  Steady 
  -0 
  Ordinary ﬂoor
  Unsteady 
  -1 
  Rocking boat, trampoline
  Very Unsteady 
  -2 
  Boat in a storm
  These modifiers are cumulative; an unsteady, slippery floor is worse than a 
  steady, slippery one.
  BALANCING TABLE
  Narrowness Of Surface Modiﬁer 
  Example
  Very broad 
  +3 
  3.1 or more times the width of a human foot, 
  such as an easy mountain pathway
  Broad 
  +1 
  1.6 to 3 times the width of a human foot, such as 
  a broad building ledge or thick tree branch
  Narrow 
  -2 
  Up to 1.5 times the width of a human foot, such 
  as a balance beam or a narrow building ledge
  Very narrow 
  -4 
  Tightrope
  Other Conditions 
  Modiﬁer
  Using balance pole
     Short 
  +0 to +1
     Medium 
  +2
     Long 
  +3
  Winds
     Strong winds 
  -2
     Very strong winds 
  -4
  Character is barefoot 
  +1
  Slack tightrope 
  -2
  Modiﬁers from the Footing Table also apply to attempts to maintain balance.
  
  90 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  EQUIPMENT
  Breakfall doesn’t involve or require any equip-
  ment; it’s a purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND BREAKFALL
  Characters with some forms of Flight can 
  sometimes use their power to mimic certain 
  aspects of Breakfall. For example, they could “ﬂy” 
  while walking along a narrow ledge (and thus 
  appear to have perfect balance), or perhaps appear 
  to “fall” but then land gently at the last second. 
  Gliding often makes it unnecessary to use Breakfall 
  to avoid the eﬀects of long falls; the character can 
  simply glide to the ground. Characters with Cling-
  ing can “stick” to narrow ledges, slippery ﬂoors, and 
  similar surfaces with no risk of falling under ordi-
  nary circumstances.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically, failing a Breakfall roll simply means 
  the character didn’t accomplish what he wanted to 
  — he didn’t stand up from prone quickly (and now 
  has to take a Half Phase to do so if he wants to get 
  up), failed to keep his footing, took damage from a 
  fall or throw, suﬀered DCV and DC penalties, or the 
  like. At the GM’s option, badly failing a Breakfall roll 
  (by 4 or more) to avoid damage from a fall, throw, or 
  Knockback/Knockdown may cause the character to 
  take an additional 1-2 DCs of damage from the attack 
  because he landed so poorly. The GM could also use 
  the Failed Acrobatics Rolls table on page 72 to deter-
  mine what happens to the character.
  BASE TIMES
  Typically making a Breakfall roll is an Action 
  that takes no time, but typically a character can 
  only make one Breakfall roll to do a speciﬁc thing 
  per Phase. For example, even though it takes no 
  time to make a Breakfall roll to get to one’s feet as 
  a Zero Phase Action, a character can only try to do 
  that once per Phase.
  SUBDIVIDING BREAKFALL
  If you think that Breakfall provides too many 
  beneﬁts to be a single Agility Skill, you can split 
  it up into three Agility Skills:  Prevent Fall (which 
  reduces the damage caused by long falls); Combat 
  Breakfall (which characters use to resist the eﬀects 
  of being thrown or taking Knockback, and to stand 
  up instantly from a prone position); and Balancing 
  (which characters use to balance on narrow or slip-
  pery surfaces).
  BREAKFALL BY GENRE
  Breakfall works the same in all genres, though 
  it’s more common in some (such as Martial Arts 
  and Superheroes) than in others.
  Science Fiction
  Breakfall gets easier in low gravity and 
  harder in high gravity. (These rules replace the 
  more general ones in Chapter Four.) Apply a 
  Skill Roll penalty of -1 for every 20% increase 
  above 1.0 G. For example, on a planet with a sur-
  face gravity of 1.6 G, the Breakfall penalty is -3. 
  On the other hand, low gravity gives a +1 Skill 
  Roll bonus at anything between 0.3 and 0.6 G, 
  and +2 for gravity below 0.3 G.
  It may seem odd, but Breakfall is a useful Skill 
  to have in zero gravity! Characters can use Break-
  fall to cushion the impact when they bounce oﬀ a 
  wall in free fall. They receive a +2 bonus to the roll 
  for this purpose.
  Superheroes
  Breakfall is most often associated with martial 
  artists and other agile characters. But it’s not neces-
  sarily out of line for a super-strong or super-touch 
  character (a “brick”) even if he has a very low DEX. 
  Since characters can use Breakfall to diminish the 
  damage from falls and Knockback, bricks could 
  take the Skill for that purpose alone — it represents 
  their ability to withstand injury, not the fact that 
  they’re fast on their feet. If appropriate, a brick 
  could even take a -½ Limitation, Only To Reduce/
  Avoid Damage From Falls And Knockback, to reﬂect 
  how Breakfall works for him. This means he can’t 
  use the Skill to stay on his feet or get to his feet as 
  a Zero Phase Action; he can only use the damage-
  resisting aspects of the Skill. For example, if he took 
  Knockback and succeeded with his Breakfall roll, 
  he’d still fall to the ground, but he wouldn’t take any 
  Knockback damage.
  For shapechanging characters, you can simu-
  late some aspects of the ability to rapidly change 
  form with Breakfall. For example, while a cat-like 
  character always lands on his feet, a metamorph 
  might simply create feet and legs pointing toward 
  the ground and then reform his body to match. 
  For particularly elastic characters, Breakfall could 
  represent the ability to “soften” the area nearest the 
  ground so it cushions the force of impact. A meta-
  morph might be able to easily balance on the nar-
  rowest or slipperiest surfaces by contorting limbs 
  for more stability, increasing foot size, or growing 
  spikes to stick in slippery surfaces. 
  ANIMALS AND 
  BREAKFALL
  Few creatures have 
  Breakfall; for most, a fall 
  (or its consequences) 
  can be fatal. Only ani-
  mals that do a lot of 
  climbing — such as 
  primates, cats, or squir-
  rels — tend to know this 
  Skill. Some ﬂying crea-
  tures, including mythical 
  or fantastic ones, may 
  know it as well.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  91 
  BRIBERY
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Interaction Skill knows about 
  the ancient art of greasing palms to get things — 
  often illegal things — done. Speciﬁcally, he knows:
  ■ what to bribe someone with
  ■ how to approach a bribee
  ■ how much to oﬀer
  Complementary Skills for Bribery can include 
  Conversation, Persuasion, Seduction, and Area or 
  Culture Knowledges. The right language also helps 
  immensely (see the Bribery Modiﬁers table).
  Characters should roleplay bribery attempts as 
  much as possible, with the GM allowing a character 
  to make Bribery rolls at crucial points in the bar-
  gaining to determine how much to oﬀer, how subtle 
  to be, and so on.
  WHAT TO BRIBE SOMEONE WITH
  The ﬁrst issue a character has to consider 
  when using Bribery is what to oﬀer the prospective 
  bribee. Call it baksheesh, a tax, tea money, mordida, 
  a “special assessment,” a ﬁne, or what have you, the 
  best thing to oﬀer in most situations is money. It 
  makes the world go ’round, after all, and in the right 
  amounts given to the right person it can certainly 
  ease a character’s way through Customs while car-
  rying contraband goods or get him oﬀ the hook for 
  a crime.
  But in some situations, non-cash bribes 
  — food, liquor, cigarettes, use of a vehicle, the per-
  formance of a special service, or the like — work 
  better. The prospective bribee may have a direct 
  need for something other than money, or perhaps 
  he’s in a setting where cash isn’t as useful as it nor-
  mally is (such as prison).
  If appropriate, a character can make a Bribery 
  roll to judge what a potential bribee will accept as 
  a bribe; this usually requires at least 1 Minute of 
  observing the subject. If the roll succeeds, it func-
  tions as a Complementary Skill roll for the later 
  attempt to make the bribe. If it fails, the character 
  gains no useful information; if it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more) he suﬀers a -2 penalty on the later attempt to 
  make the bribe.
  The GM must determine what the prospective 
  bribee will accept as a bribe. As noted on the Brib-
  ery Modiﬁers table, the closer the character’s oﬀer 
  comes to what the bribee wants, the more likely it is 
  that the Bribery roll succeeds. As a default, the stan-
  dard local currency constitutes “what the bribee 
  will accept.”
  APPROACHING THE BRIBEE
  A character planning to use Bribery also has to 
  consider his approach to the potential bribee.
  In most cases, bribery is illegal, or at best part 
  of the underground economy, so the character 
  has to approach the bribee subtly. He can’t simply 
  walk up to him and oﬀer to pay him in exchange 
  
  92 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  for some favor; that will only get him (and perhaps 
  the target of the bribe attempt) arrested. Instead, 
  once he comes into contact with the bribee, he has 
  to covertly indicate his willingness to oﬀer a bribe. 
  The classic examples in the movies involve hiding 
  money in documents or containers the bribee must 
  inspect, slipping the bribee money under a counter 
  or table, or giving the bribee folded paper money 
  while shaking hands with him. If appropriate, the 
  GM may have the character make a Bribery roll 
  based on DEX rather than PRE to simulate the 
  proper hiding and transfer of the bribe.
  In cultures where bribery is accepted or 
  expected, the character’s task may be much simpler. 
  In that case, all he has to do is follow the accepted 
  protocol — which may involve spending a few 
  moment conversing with the bribee, or engaging 
  in some other social ritual — while negotiating 
  the speciﬁcs and making the payoﬀ. Appropriate 
  Knowledge Skills, such as Cultural Knowledges, 
  may help the character signiﬁcantly in these situ-
  ations, but having the Bribery Skill alone indicates 
  the character has the ability and judgment to deal 
  with most such situations successfully.
  One easy way to determine a subject’s suscep-
  tibility to bribery is if he opens the negotiations 
  himself. If a character is arrested by a law enforce-
  ment oﬃcer who oﬀers to “ﬁnd a way to work 
  things out” (or to let the character pay his ﬁne on 
  the spot!), or a bureaucrat who mentions “special 
  application fees that smooth the approval process,” 
  the problem of making the approach is solved.
  HOW MUCH TO OFFER
  Perhaps the most diﬃcult thing for a character 
  using Bribery to evaluate is how much to oﬀer. Too 
  little, and he risks being rejected (or, worse, arrested 
  for attempting to bribe someone); too much, and he 
  may excite suspicion or mark himself as a sucker.
  Before a character oﬀers a bribe, he can make 
  a Bribery roll to determine what he thinks is a good 
  oﬀer. The GM should modify this roll based on the 
  character’s familiarity with the situation, the cul-
  ture, and the people involved (but remember, any 
  character who has Bribery has at least some ability 
  to evaluate bribery attempts, so even total igno-
  rance of the situation shouldn’t impose too hefty a 
  penalty). If appropriate, the character should make 
  the roll where only the GM can see it, or the GM 
  should make it for him; that way the player won’t 
  know if he failed.
  If the roll succeeds exactly, the character 
  knows generally how much to oﬀer, plus or minus 
  about ten percent (10%). For every point by which 
  the character makes the roll, the GM should reduce 
  the margin of error by three to ﬁve percent; if the 
  character succeeds by three or more, he knows 
  exactly how much he should oﬀer. If the roll fails, 
  the character typically oﬀers too much (10-20% 
  more per point of failure), which either (a) causes 
  problems, (b) costs him money he didn’t need to 
  spend, or (c) both.
  The GM, playing the part of the NPC who’s 
  the target of the bribery attempt, also has to decide 
  the minimum amount he’ll accept (if any). He 
  then compares the character’s oﬀer to that amount. 
  The Bribery Modiﬁers table lists suggested modi-
  ﬁers based on the diﬀerence between the bribee’s 
  minimal accepted amount and what the character 
  oﬀers. Note that oﬀering more helps... but only to 
  a point. Too much money may make the bribee 
  leery or suspicious. But as always, the GM should 
  adjust these modiﬁers to account for speciﬁc cir-
  BRIBERY MODIFIERS
  GENERAL MODIFIERS
  Modiﬁer 
  Circumstance
  Illegality
  -0 to -1 
  Character asks bribee to overlook/cover up a 
  mildly illegal act (a speeding ticket, disturb-
  ing the peace)
  -2 
  Character asks bribee to overlook/cover up 
  an illegal act (smuggling of non-dangerous 
  goods, assault and battery)
  -4 
  Character asks bribee to overlook/cover up 
  a seriously illegal act (smuggling dangerous 
  goods, murder or manslaughter, assault with 
  intent to kill, rape)
  Language
  -1 
  Character and bribee speak similar, but not 
  identical, languages
  -3 
  Character and bribee speak dissimilar lan-
  guages and/or have similar diﬃculty com-
  municating
  Target’s Susceptibility To Bribery
   
  Bribee has Psychological Limitation in favor 
  of being bribed (e.g., Greedy, Amoral, Looks 
  Out For Number One)
  +1 
     Moderate
  +2 
     Strong
  +3 
     Total
   
  Bribee has Psychological Limitation 
  opposed to being bribed (e.g., Incorruptible, 
  Scrupulously Honest, Devoted To His Duty)
  -1 
     Moderate
  -2 
     Strong
  -3 
     Total
  TYPE OF BRIBE
  Modiﬁer 
  Bribe Character Offers Is...
  +0 
  Identical to what bribee wants:  US dollars 
  when he wants US dollars
  -1 
  Similar to what bribee wants:  US dollars 
  when he wants British pounds
  -2 
  Dissimilar to what bribee wants:  raw dia-
  monds when he wants currency
  -4 
  Not at all similar to what bribee wants:  food 
  when he wants currency
  AMOUNT OF BRIBE
  Modiﬁer 
  Amount Of Bribe Is...
  +2 
  Exactly what the bribee will accept
   
  More than what bribee will accept
  +3 
     1-19% more
  +4 
     20-39% more
  -2 
     40-59% more
  -4 
     60%+ more
   
  Less than what the bribee will accept
  -2 
     1-19% less
  -4 
     20-39% less
  -6 
     40-59% less
  -8 
     60%+ less
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  93 
  cumstances. For example, if the bribee has the Psy-
  chological Limitation Greedy, or is positive he can 
  get away with accepting more money, the negative 
  modiﬁers may not apply.
  MAKING THE BRIBERY ROLL
  After the GM determines and applies all the 
  relevant modiﬁers (including ones based on prior 
  Bribery rolls, as described above), the character 
  makes his ﬁnal roll to bribe the target successfully. 
  Even in situations where the character suﬀers sig-
  niﬁcant negative modiﬁers, he may still succeed, 
  meaning what he oﬀered, how he oﬀered it, or who 
  he oﬀered it to somehow convinced the bribee to 
  take the bribe despite the poor circumstances. On 
  the other hand, even in the best situation the char-
  acter may ﬂub the oﬀer or run into someone who’s 
  incorruptible (see Consequences Of Failure, below).
  EQUIPMENT
  Bribery doesn’t involve or require any equip-
  ment; it’s a purely personal Skill. However, unless 
  the bribe involves an exchange of services, the 
  character needs something to bribe the subject with 
  — money, trade goods, or the like.
  POWERS AND BRIBERY
  Various Mental Powers may help a bribery 
  attempt, or render it unnecessary. For example, 
  Telepathy can discover the subject’s susceptibility to 
  bribery and how much he’d want (but the character 
  has to achieve the +20 “victim does not know his 
  mind is being read” level of eﬀect or else he’ll tip oﬀ 
  the subject). Even better is Mind Control; a suﬃ-
  ciently high Eﬀect Roll with Mind Control removes 
  the need for a bribe. If the character is concerned 
  he can’t achieve a high enough roll, he can instead 
  try for a subtler eﬀect, such as EGO +10 to make 
  the subject “do something he wouldn’t mind doing” 
  — that would be enough to convince a corruptible, 
  but nervous, oﬃcial to go ahead and take a bribe.
  EFFECTS OF SUCCESS
  Succeeding with a Bribery roll usually means a 
  character has accomplished three things. First, he’s 
  gotten the target to accept the bribe. Second, the 
  target of the bribe will do what the character wants. 
  Third, the bribee won’t betray the character, alert 
  the authorities to his activities, or the like.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically, a failed Bribery attempt results in a 
  refusal to take the bribe, perhaps accompanied by a 
  pointed question (“Are you trying to bribe me, sir?”). 
  If the Bribery attempt fails badly (by 4 or more) or if 
  the character attempts to bribe an incorruptible target, 
  the potential bribee may call his superior or the police, 
  arrest the character, or threaten him with a weapon. 
  Also, just because a character has bribed someone 
  doesn’t mean that person will stay bribed....
  BASE TIMES
  Typically an attempt to use Bribery requires 
  at least a Full Phase Action — the time needed to 
  make the oﬀer and have it accepted. But depending 
  on the circumstances, the character may have to 
  spend a lot more time than that engaging in social 
  give-and-take as a way of “negotiating” the bribe, 
  sizing up the prospective bribee in advance, or ﬁll-
  ing out the paperwork to hide whatever it is the 
  bribee is helping him conceal.
  SUBDIVIDING BRIBERY
  In campaigns involving a lot of social interac-
  tion, the GM may want to require characters to 
  buy Bribery by culture or region. Thus, a character 
  skilled at passing bribes in China might not know 
  anything about it in America (though the GM 
  might let him make a roll to bribe Americans at a 
  penalty of -3 or more). Typically the ﬁrst culture 
  or region costs 2 Character Points for a PRE-Based 
  roll; each +1 culture/region costs +1 Character 
  Point.
  BRIBERY BY GENRE
  Generally speaking, Bribery works the same in 
  all genres — the only things that tend to diﬀer are 
  what the character oﬀers as a bribe, and how much.
  Science Fiction
  In post-economic settings, where there’s no 
  money or money exists solely as electronic “cur-
  rency,” Bribery may become more difficult. After 
  all, when every transaction can easily be traced, 
  hiding illicit payments (if, in fact, they’re consid-
  ered illicit) becomes difficult or impossible. In 
  that case, bribes may have to consist of goods or 
  services instead of money.
  
  94 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  BUGGING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Intellect Skill know how to 
  work with and use listening, visual, and other 
  covert sensing devices (“bugs”), wiretaps, and 
  related equipment properly. Among other things, 
  they can:
  ■ plant bugs for best reception and transmission
  ■ operate bugs for maximum eﬀect and eﬃciency, 
  using them to watch or listen to someone (or some 
  place) from a distance
  ■ operate listening or tracking devices designed 
  to be worn by a person and/or placed in or on a 
  moving object (such as a car)  
  ■ “sweep” (search physically or with detectors) for 
  bugs that other persons have planted
  ■ disable or counteract bugs planted and used by 
  other persons
  ■ create bugs (assuming they have the proper 
  equipment and supplies to do so)
  A character with Bugging knows about the 
  different types of bugs (and related equipment) 
  available, how they work (and under what condi-
  tions they won’t work, or work less effectively), 
  and which ones tend to be most effective for 
  which types of tasks. He knows the common 
  (and uncommon) hiding places for bugs, and 
  which work best given the different types of 
  bugs, environmental conditions, and so forth. 
  He knows about various types of bug detect-
  ing equipment — how to operate them, their 
  strengths and limitations, and so forth.
  Additionally, a character with Bugging knows 
  how telephones, telephone lines, and telephone sys-
  tems operate. Many Bugging tasks involve placing 
  “wiretaps” or similar devices into telephones, and 
  these devices often won’t function well (or at all) 
  if not properly installed. A character with Bugging 
  knows how to determine which phone lines feed 
  into which buildings or rooms (sometimes from 
  blocks away), how telephone system equipment 
  works, and the like. (This does not include knowl-
  edge of, or the ability to work with, cellular phones 
  or telephone networks as a whole; that’s a function 
  of Systems Operation.)
  Although Bugging often involves the use or 
  monitoring of electronic equipment, it isn’t the 
  same thing as Systems Operation. Bugging focuses 
  on a very narrow and speciﬁc type of electronic 
  covert sensing equipment, whereas Systems Opera-
  tion covers a wide range of electronic communica-
  tions and sensing equipment.
  PLANTING BUGS
  The most common task performed with Bug-
  ging is to “plant” a bug or like device in a location 
  so the character can observe that location sur-
  reptitiously. As noted below under “Equipment,” 
  where you can ﬁnd game information about a wide 
  variety of bugging gear, characters with Bugging 
  are assumed to start out with a small supply of bugs 
  and related equipment.
  Planting Standard Bugs
  To plant a standard bug, a character needs access 
  to the location where the bug is to be located, of 
  course. This may require some breaking and entering 
  work on the character’s part, or the use of wits, forged 
  documents, or other forms of subterfuge. This can be 
  an adventure in and of itself!
  Once in the proper location, the character 
  makes a Bugging roll to determine the best place 
  to put the bug; the GM applies a modiﬁer from 
  the Bugging Modiﬁers table to represent the ease 
  or diﬃculty of the task. The modiﬁer reﬂects the 
  general conditions of the location. Some areas are 
  good for Bugging because they have lots of places 
  to conceal bugs, good acoustics, and the like, while 
  others are diﬃcult to bug because they have the 
  opposite qualities.
  This Bugging roll takes into account ﬁnding the 
  best places to get sound and/or video reception for 
  a bug, determining the optimum places for a bug to 
  transmit what it “sees,” and placing a bug so that it’s 
  not readily apparent to persons in the room (but not 
  hiding it; see below). If the roll succeeds, the char-
  acter has chosen the optimum location for the bug, 
  given the prevailing circumstances; the bug func-
  tions eﬀectively and provides clear sound and/or 
  pictures (or as clear as possible given the situation).
  If the roll to place a bug fails, the character 
  placed the bug poorly. This may have one or more 
  negative implications, such as:
  ■ poor pickup:  the bug isn’t positioned to get the 
  best “view” of the location (or whatever it is the 
  character wants to see or hear). The user of the 
  bugging equipment must make PER Rolls each 
  Phase (or some other time interval) to determine 
  what’s being seen or heard. If the roll fails badly 
  (by 4 or more), it may mean the bug cannot pick 
  anything up (either it’s malfunctioned, or it’s hor-
  ribly placed).
  ■ poor transmission:  the bug isn’t positioned well 
  for transmitting; something interferes with its abil-
  ity to send information. The results are the same as 
  for poor pickup.
  ■ easily found:  anyone searching for the bug 
  receives a +2 (or greater) bonus to locate it.
  Properly placing a bug doesn’t necessarily 
  mean hiding the bug. Bugging by itself doesn’t 
  allow characters to hide bugs; that requires Con-
  cealment, with Bugging serving as a Comple-
  mentary Skill. (Of course, the GM can instead 
  describe the location and let the characters state 
  where they hide the bug, thus dispensing with 
  rolls in favor of roleplaying.) A bug placed with 
  a successful Bugging roll but not Concealment 
  isn’t readily apparent — the average person in 
  the location won’t ever notice it — but it can 
  quickly be found with a search, and it’s possible 
  for someone to stumble across it accidentally.
  Characters often want to plant bugs so they 
  can run oﬀ the electricity at the location, rather 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  95 
  than their own batteries. That way the bug can keep 
  operating indeﬁnitely. If this is possible, doing it 
  entails a -1 penalty on the Bugging roll.
  Characters can sometimes plant bugs that 
  use some normal, non-grounded, metallic feature 
  of the environment — a curtain rod, aluminum 
  siding, springs inside a piece of furniture, the 
  wire hanger for a picture frame, a metal filing 
  cabinet, or the like — as an antenna for the bug. 
  Trying to do this imposes a -3 penalty on the 
  Bugging roll. If the roll succeeds, PER Rolls to 
  make out what the bug transmits are at +1, and 
  efforts to find the bug are at -1. If the roll fails, 
  the bug still works, but there may be PER Roll 
  penalties to understand what it transmits.
  Another way to hide a bug is called “snug-
  gling.” This involves placing and setting the bug so 
  that it broadcasts near some other, normal, signal in 
  the spectrum (for example, the sound portion of a 
  television broadcast), making it hard to perceive. If 
  this is possible in a given location, the character has 
  to make a Bugging roll at -3. If he succeeds, there’s 
  a -3 (or greater) penalty when others try to ﬁnd the 
  bug with Bug Detectors or similar equipment. If he 
  fails, there’s no penalty for trying to ﬁnd the bug 
  electronically (and if he fails by 4 or more, there 
  may even be a small bonus to ﬁnd them).
  Planting Wiretaps
  Characters with Bugging also know how to 
  plant wiretaps. A skilled Bugging expert can some-
  times tap into a phone line without going to the 
  precise location where the phone to be tapped is 
  located. Instead, he can ﬁnd the right line outside 
  the building, nearby, or sometimes even blocks 
  away at a junction point or bridging box (a “down-
  line tap”). The Bugging Modiﬁers table lists the 
  penalties for trying to wiretap from a long distance 
  away, but the GM may in some cases rule that it’s 
  impossible without inside information from the 
  telephone company about which wires are the ones 
  the character needs to tap.
  Tapping a ﬁber-optic phone cable instead of 
  a metallic one may be even harder, and/or require 
  more sophisticated (and more expensive!) equip-
  ment. The GM may assign modiﬁers of -2 to -5 
  to reﬂect this. Even if the character can tap a ﬁber 
  optic line properly, separating out the one conver-
  sation he wants to overhear from the many carried 
  on that one line may be virtually impossible.
  Planting Mobile Bugs
  Of course, not all bugs are used in static loca-
  tions. Characters use some to track vehicles, per-
  sons in transit, nomadic animals, and other moving 
  things. In this case, the character needs access to 
  the moving object rather than a speciﬁc location. 
  Depending on how closely guarded or watched the 
  object is, this may not be any easier than having to 
  inﬁltrate a location.
  Transmitters On People
  A character with Bugging also knows how to 
  “install” and use concealed microphones designed 
  for undercover police operatives and the like. He 
  knows what factors to take into account (ease of 
  reception and transmission, possibility of discovery, 
  possibility of damage to the unit, and so on) when 
  selecting the right concealed microphone for the 
  job, how best to attach it to the undercover opera-
  tive’s body, and so forth.
  
  96 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  OPERATING BUGS
  In most situations, operating a bug — listen-
  ing to and/or watching what it broadcasts, in other 
  words — requires no Skill Rolls or the like, just a 
  lot of time and attention. However, as noted above, 
  if a bug isn’t well placed, the reception from it may 
  be of poor quality, requiring PER Rolls to compre-
  hend. In some circumstances, the character may 
  be able to improve the reception slightly from a 
  distance; this requires a Bugging roll at -3 (Systems 
  Operation serves as a Complementary Skill).
  SWEEPING FOR BUGS
  Another common Bugging task is to “sweep” 
  a room — to search for bugs other people have 
  planted. Usually a character does this so he can 
  remove, disable, or destroy the bugs, but sometimes 
  he just wants to know where they are so he can feed 
  false (or tailored) information to whoever’s operat-
  ing them. There are two ways to ﬁnd a bug:  without 
  equipment, and with.
  Without Equipment
  The simplest way to sweep for bugs is with 
  the eyes and hands — feeling under tables, look-
  ing in potted plants, and otherwise trying to ﬁnd 
  where a suspected bug is hidden. This requires a 
  Concealment roll, with Bugging as a Complemen-
  tary Skill. (If the character doesn’t have Conceal-
  ment, he can make a Bugging roll at -2 to ﬁnd 
  the bug.) The Bugging Modiﬁers table lists the 
  modiﬁers based on the frequency and quality of 
  potential hiding places. The GM may also impose 
  a modiﬁer based on the size of the bug (but since 
  the HERO System doesn’t have rules for the size 
  of devices, beware of characters who constantly 
  claim their bugs are “extremely tiny” to minimize 
  the chance of detection). See Concealment later in 
  this chapter for more information.
  The above paragraph assumes the use of non-
  disguised bugs. If disguised bugs, or bugs hidden 
  inside objects where they’re not readily accessible 
  (for example, inside a radio, the stuﬃng of a chair 
  arm, or a smoke detector), then the character suf-
  fers an additional -2 to -5 penalty to ﬁnd the bug 
  — the GM determines the exact penalty based on 
  how well-hidden he thinks the bug is, and what 
  actions the character takes. In this case the GM 
  may wish to have the character make a Bugging 
  roll with Concealment as a Complementary Skill to 
  reﬂect his specialized knowledge of how to use and 
  hide bugs.
  With Equipment
  An easier way to locate bugs is with equipment 
  speciﬁcally designed to ﬁnd them by tracking the 
  radio waves they emit. See the Equipment section, 
  below, for game information about bug detectors.
  In a pinch, a character may be able to use a 
  radio to detect a bug by hearing the distortion in 
  its sound when it gets too close to a bug. If the GM 
  rules this is possible, it requires a Bugging roll at -4.
  Success And Failure
  Success on a roll to sweep for bugs means the 
  character has found a bug (if there’s one to ﬁnd) or 
  knows there are no bugs present (if not). The char-
  acter must decide what to do with any found bugs 
  — destroy them, disable them, generate nuisance 
  sounds to make them useless, feed false informa-
  tion to whoever’s listening, or the like. (If the bug 
  is a visual one, the person using it may be aware 
  that it’s been found, since he can see the character 
  searching for it.)
  Failure on a sweeping roll means the character 
  didn’t locate any bugs that are in the area he swept. 
  He thinks the area is bug-free (or at least can’t 
  verify his suspicions that it’s bugged). If he fails the 
  roll badly (by 4 or more), he may be absolutely con-
  vinced there are no bugs even when some exist.
  DISABLING AND COUNTERACTING BUGS
  The simplest thing for a character to do when 
  he ﬁnds a bug is to rip it out and/or destroy it. Of 
  course, this alerts the person who planted it that 
  his bug has been discovered (or at least that some-
  thing’s gone wrong). But other options exist.
  First, the character can attempt to disable the 
  bug in such a way that the person who planted it 
  thinks it’s malfunctioned — it stops working, only 
  broadcasts static, or the like. This requires a Bug-
  ging roll at -2 (or Electronics roll at -4). The person 
  who planted the bug can, when he examines the 
  bug, make a Bugging roll in a Skill Versus Skill 
  Contest against the character’s result to determine 
  that his bug’s been tampered with.
  Second, the character can generate noise to 
  make the bug useless, and/or conduct his activities 
  so the bug can’t perceive him. Basic methods for 
  doing this include things like turning up a radio, 
  or turning on showers and water faucets, and then 
  speaking in whispers. This requires an unmodiﬁed 
  Bugging roll. If the roll succeeds, the person listen-
  ing to or watching the bug’s broadcasts cannot per-
  ceive anything useful (or must make PER Rolls to 
  do so at a penalty equal to the amount by which the 
  character made his Bugging roll). If it fails, he can 
  listen or watch as normal.
  Characters may have equipment that counteracts 
  bugs with ease. For example, the white noise genera-
  tor (see below) broadcasts low-level sound that won’t 
  disrupt the character’s conversations or activities but 
  makes it virtually impossible for a person listening to 
  a bug in the room to hear anything.
  CREATING BUGS
  Given a lot of time, expensive components, 
  and even more expensive tools, characters with 
  Bugging can create bugs like the ones described 
  under Equipment, below. This requires an unmodi-
  ﬁed Bugging roll and a Base Time of 3 Hours 
  (often longer). In a pinch, they can also jury-rig a 
  primitive audio bug out of equipment such as wire-
  less microphones, some types of radios, hearing 
  aids, cellular phones, cordless phones, and the like. 
  This requires a Bugging roll at -2 (or worse) and a 
  minimum of 1 Hour — and unless the character 
  succeeds with his roll by 3 or more, the reception 
  on the bug is poor (listeners must make PER Rolls 
  at -2 [or worse] every Phase to understand what’s 
  heard). In either case, Electronics usually serves as 
  a Complementary Skill.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  97 
  Equipment
  Except for the Fantasy application (Eavesdrop-
  ping) described below, characters cannot perform 
  Bugging without equipment:  the hidden micro-
  phones, concealable miniature cameras, and the 
  other “bugs” from which the Skill takes its name.
  OBTAINING BUGGING EQUIPMENT
  Generally, characters with Bugging have access 
  to a small supply of bugs and bugging equipment 
  of average quality. Speciﬁcally, a character who buys 
  a full INT-Based Roll for Bugging has three bugs, 
  chosen from the following (which are described 
  below):  Standard Audio Bug, Standard Visual Bug, 
  Wiretap, Lineman’s Telephone, Phone Call Rerouter. 
  The character also has the monitors and other equip-
  ment needed to use these bugs once they’re planted. 
  (If a character buys a Familiarity with Bugging, he has 
  either one such device or none, at the GM’s option.)
  If the GM prefers not to give characters Bug-
  ging equipment for free, or if characters want more 
  or better equipment, they can obtain it by buying the 
  devices with Character Points (or, in Heroic cam-
  paigns, with money). In this case, characters may 
  apply the “5 Character Points doubles the number of a 
  piece of equipment the character has” rule to his free 
  bugs (for example, if a character chose a Wiretap as 
  one of his free bugs, by paying 5 Character Points, he 
  could have a second Wiretap; by paying 10 Character 
  Points, he could have four Wiretaps). Note that the 
  authorities monitor the sale of many types of Bugging 
  equipment; some Bugging gear is only available to 
  licensed telephone or security personnel.
  GENERAL BUGS
  STANDARD VISUAL BUG
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Sight Group)
  Target/Area Affected:  Special
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  800”
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge
  Breakability:  7 DEF
  Description:  This is the typical sort of device used 
  for visual electronic surveillance of a ﬁxed location. 
  It broadcasts what it “sees” over a range of one mile. 
  Unless there’s a direct wire connection between 
  the bug and the reception equipment (which is 
  unlikely), anything that interferes with radio trans-
  missions can disrupt the bug’s transmission tem-
  porarily or permanently. Because it’s an Obvious 
  Focus, a character has to use his Concealment Skill 
  (with Bugging as a Complementary Skill) to hide it.
  This bug has an internal battery able to power 
  it for up to one week (the longer the bug’s range, the 
  larger its batteries have to be, and thus the larger 
  it has to be). If the character makes his Bugging 
  roll at the appropriate penalty (see above), he can 
  connect the bug to the power at the location being 
  surveilled so it runs indeﬁnitely.
  Real-world bug designers have to take many 
  diﬀerent factors into account. Crystal-controlled 
  bugs have better sound quality, but the technology 
  costs more. FM bugs have better sound quality than 
  AM ones, but AM bugs have longer range for the 
  same power. Spread spectrum technology makes 
  bugs harder to ﬁnd, but more expensive. For the 
  most part, these factors don’t aﬀect the game too 
  much, but players and GMs may want to keep them 
  in mind for roleplaying purposes.
  The larger a bug, the larger the batteries it can 
  have to power it... but the easier it is to detect. Some 
  visual bugs are extremely small (for example, pin-
  hole lenses about 1/8 inch across), but most are at 
  least a little larger than that.
  Game Information:  Clairsentience (Sight Group), 
  8x Range (800”, or 1 mile), 1 Continuing Fuel 
  Charge (battery, Easy to obtain; 1 Week; +¾) (61 
  Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (character 
  must place bug at perception point before he can 
  use the power; -½), Aﬀected As Radio Group As 
  Well As Sight Group (-¼). Total cost:  22 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Powered Bug:  Increase to 16x Range 
  (1,600”). 70 Active Points; total cost 25 points.
  2)  Low-Powered Bug:  Decrease to 2x Range (200”). 
  44 Active Points; total cost 16 points.
  3)  Standard Audio Bug:  This is the same sort of bug, 
  but it picks up and transmits sound rather than 
  visual images. Some of them are as small as pencil 
  erasers. Change to Clairsentience (Hearing Group). 
  61 Active Points; total cost 22 points.
  4)  Standard Visual And Audio Bug:  This bug picks 
  up and transmits both visual images and sound. 
  Change to Clairsentience (Sight and Hearing 
  Groups). 79 Active Points; total cost 29 points.
  BUGGING MODIFIERS
  Planting Bugs 
  Modiﬁer
  General Modiﬁers
     Excellent location 
  +2
     Good location 
  +1
     Average location 
  +0
     Poor location 
  -1
     Very poor location 
  -2
  Installing bug to run oﬀ of  
  power at the bugged locale  
  -1
  Find and use a natural antenna 
  -3
  Snuggling 
  -3
  Planting Wiretaps
  Planting wiretap in...
     Telephone set, or room where set is located 
  +2
     Line in same building 
  +0
     Line outside but within 1 city block of building -2
     Line 1-3 city blocks away 
  -4
     Line over 3 city blocks away 
  -6
  Fiber optic cable 
  -2 to -5
  Operating Bugs
  Improving poor reception (if possible at all) 
  -3
  Sweeping For Bugs
  Amount/quality of hiding places
     Exceptional capacity for hiding bugs 
  -4
     Good capacity for hiding bugs 
  -2
     Average capacity for hiding bugs 
  -0
     Poor capacity for hiding bugs 
  +2
     Very poor capacity for hiding bugs 
  +4
  Disguised bug 
  -2 to -5
  THE RANGE  
  OF BUGS
  Given ideal conditions 
  — the best equipment, 
  lots of power, the right 
  transmitting frequency, 
  the right antennae, lack 
  of obstacles, optimum 
  environmental condi-
  tions — some bugs can 
  have a range of miles. 
  However, perfect condi-
  tions rarely occur, and 
  in some situations the 
  range of a bug may be as 
  little as a few hundred 
  feet. Thus, in the inter-
  ests of dramatic sense 
  or “realism,” the GM 
  should adjust the range 
  of the bugs described in 
  the text as he sees ﬁt.
  
  98 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  5)  Landline Connection:  This bug has a direct, wired 
  connection between itself and the unit that receives 
  the image it transmits, making it much more dif-
  ﬁcult to disrupt the transmission. Remove Aﬀected 
  As Radio Group As Well As Sight Group (-¼). Total 
  cost:  24 points.
  6)  Disguised Bug:  This form of the Standard Bug 
  is built into, or made to look like, an everyday 
  object — a radio, a clock, a smoke detector, or just 
  about anything else you can think of. Someone 
  who examines the bug closely or takes it apart will 
  soon realize what it is (or at least that it’s not what it 
  looks like). Change OAF (-1) to IAF (-½):
  27 
  Standard Visual
  27 
  Standard Audio
  35  
  Standard Visual And Audio
  7)  Hard-To-Find Bug:  This bug’s transmissions 
  are particularly difficult to find with bug detec-
  tors. This includes:
  ■ bugs built with spread spectrum technology 
  (which “spreads” a signal over a larger portion of 
  the radio spectrum, making it harder for an eaves-
  dropper to pick it all up, and giving it a longer 
  broadcast range to boot);
  ■ bugs built with burst-transmission technology 
  (which “save” what they receive and periodically 
  broadcast it in very short bursts, instead of broad-
  casting continuously);
  ■ visible light microphones (which attach a mike to 
  a lightbulb, such as the one in a lamp; as the mike 
  picks up sounds, it channels them into a circuit that 
  varies the brightness of the bulb; the variation of 
  the bulb isn’t visible to people in the room, but is 
  visible with the viewing equipment trained on it);
  ■ bugs that broadcast via microwaves or infrared light 
  (which limits where they and their receivers can be 
  placed, since they broadcast in a straight line); and
  ■ bugs that broadcast on the low-frequency AM 
  bands that many bug detectors don’t tune to.
  Usually bugs like these are a little larger than 
  normal, and thus harder to hide and easier to ﬁnd 
  than a normal bug. Add Concealed (-6 to PER Rolls 
  with Detect Bugs).
  26 
  Standard Visual:  72 Active Points
  26 
  Standard Audio:  72 Active Points
  32 
  Standard Visual And Audio:  89 Active Points
  32 
  Disguised Standard Visual:  72 Active Points
  32 
  Disguised Standard Audio:  72 Active Points
  39 
  Disguised Standard Visual And Audio:   
  89 Active Points
  8)  Undercover Agent Audio Bug:  This “bug” is a listen-
  ing device worn by an undercover police oﬃcer (or 
  the like). Concealed under the clothes, it transmits 
  voices and noises in the wearer’s vicinity to a nearby 
  receiver. To the Standard Audio Bug, add Mobile Per-
  ception Point. 70 Active Points; total cost 25 points 
  (for an OAF version) or 31 points (for an IAF version 
  disguised as a pen, a calculator, a watch, or the like).
  CONCEALED TAPE RECORDER
  Effect:  Eidetic Memory, Audio Only
  Target/Area Affected:  Special
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Special
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  This device is a small tape recorder 
  designed to record all noises in its vicinity (some 
  types are noise-activated and record anything they 
  “hear”; other types have to be turned on and oﬀ 
  remotely). Although it’s meant to be hidden in the 
  area to be “bugged,” the device is obviously a tape 
  recorder when viewed or examined. The batteries 
  and tape have a lifespan of approximately 10 hours.
  Concealed tape recorders have one big advan-
  tage compared to broadcasting bugs:  since they 
  broadcast no signals, they can’t be found by most 
  bug detectors, which detect such signals. But they 
  suﬀer from one major drawback:  after inﬁltrating 
  the area to be bugged and hiding the recorder, the 
  user has to sneak back in to retrieve full tapes and 
  replace them with fresh ones.
  Game Information:  Eidetic Memory (5 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Audio Only (-1), 1 Continu-
  ing Fuel Charge (batteries and tapes, Easy to 
  obtain; 10 Hours; -0). Total cost:  2 points.
  Options:
  1)  Disguised Tape Recorder:  This form of the device 
  isn’t meant to be hidden; instead, it looks like some 
  ordinary object (such as a lamp, clock radio, or 
  smoke detector). Change OAF (-1) to IAF (-½). 
  Total cost:  2 points.
  2)  Wearable Tape Recorder:  This Concealed Tape 
  Recorder is meant to be worn by an undercover 
  police oﬃcer or the like. It’s much smaller and more 
  easily hidden, but also has a shorter tape and bat-
  tery life. Change to 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (bat-
  teries and tapes, Easy to obtain; 2 Hours; -0). Total 
  cost:  2 points.
  3)  Keyboard Recorder:  This tiny device attaches to 
  a computer keyboard, where it records up to 1,000 
  keystrokes. If placed right before someone starts up 
  the computer, it’s possible it will capture passwords, 
  screen names, account numbers, and other useful 
  data before becoming full. Change Audio Only (-1) 
  to 1,000 Keystrokes Only (-2). Total cost:  1 point.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  99 
  CONTACT MICROPHONE
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Hearing Group)  
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  No Range (see text)
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge
  Breakability:  4 DEF
  Description:  Often called a “spike mike,” this device 
  is a microphone on the end of a nail or spike. The 
  user gets on the outside of the wall he wants to hear 
  through and hammers or forces the spike into the 
  wall so that the microphone touches, but does not 
  penetrate, the wall’s inner side. Then he can hear 
  noises and voices in that room.
  Game Information:  Clairsentience (Hear-
  ing Group) (20 Active Points); OAF (-1), No 
  Range (Clairsentience can only be used to hear 
  through the wall the microphone is placed in; 
  -½), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (battery, Easy to 
  obtain; 1 Hour; -0). Total cost:  8 points.
  LASER MICROPHONE
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Hearing Group)
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  100”
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge
  Breakability:  4 DEF
  Description:  This ingenious device, which is pow-
  ered by batteries or being plugged into an electrical 
  socket, reﬂects a laser beam oﬀ a window (or simi-
  lar piece of glass) to record the vibrations in the 
  glass made by speakers (and other sources of noise) 
  inside the room, then determines what’s being said 
  by analysing the pattern of the vibrations.
  While it’s very useful in many situations, the 
  Laser Microphone suﬀers from some signiﬁcant 
  drawbacks. First, it only works if there’s a window 
  to listen “through.” Second, it has to be placed so 
  the laser beam strikes the window at a 90 degree 
  angle (or nearly so), so that the telescope that 
  picks up the return beam and focuses it on the 
  circuit works properly. This requires a Bugging 
  roll, and the GM may rule that it’s impossible 
  based on the layout of the land. (Alternately, there 
  can be a separate receiver set up to receive the 
  laser as it bounces oﬀ the glass at an angle, but this 
  requires more work and entails more risk of expo-
  sure.) Third, conditions that interfere with laser 
  beams (fog, snow, and so on) may stop the device 
  from working, or at least signiﬁcantly lessen the 
  quality of the audio reception. Fourth, the laser 
  makes a visible “dot” on the window. Fifth, and 
  worst of all, any other vibrations aﬀecting the 
  window make it harder (or impossible) to listen to 
  conversations. For example, a Laser Microphone 
  won’t work on windows near busy roads, and the 
  simple expedient of turning on a fan or a radio 
  and placing it next to the window defeats a Laser 
  Mike altogether. Similarly, drawing the curtains 
  or otherwise shielding the window from interior 
  vibrations may stop the device from working or 
  make the reception much worse.
  Game Information:  Clairsentience (Hearing 
  Group) (20 Active Points); OAF (-1), Requires 
  A Bugging Roll (-½), Only Works Via Windows 
  (see text; -1), Will Not Work Around Strong 
  Vibrations (see text; -1), 1 Continuing Fuel 
  Charge (battery, Easy to obtain; 1 Hour; -0). 
  Total cost:  4 points.
  Options:
  1)  Short-Range Laser Microphone:  This less eﬃcient 
  form of Laser Mike only works over a much shorter 
  range. Add Limited Range (30”; -¼). Total cost:  4 
  points.
  2)  Microwave Microphone:  This device works 
  similarly, but it uses a broadcast microwave beam 
  instead of a laser. This has some beneﬁts (such as 
  the laser “dot” not being visible on the window), but 
  is otherwise largely the same. 20 Active Points; total 
  cost 4 points.
  TELEPHONE BUGS AND RELATED DEVICES
  WIRETAP
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Hearing Group), Only For Deﬁned 
  Phones
  Target/Area Affected:  Deﬁned phone(s)
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  800” (see text)
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge
  Breakability:  7 DEF
  Description:  This bug is installed in a telephone (or, 
  in some cases, on a telephone trunk line leading to 
  an entire oﬃce, entire building, or the like; see the 
  main text). It picks up and transmits all conversa-
  tion that takes place over that phone, but doesn’t 
  hear other sounds.
  Game Information:  Clairsentience (Hearing 
  Group), 8x Range (800”, or 1 mile), 1 Con-
  tinuing Fuel Charge (battery, Easy to obtain; 
  1 Week; +¾) (61 Active Points); OAF (-1), No 
  Range (character must place bug at perception 
  point before he can use the power; -½), Can 
  Only Hear Sound From Speciﬁc Telephone(s) 
  (-1), Aﬀected As Radio Group As Well As Sight 
  Group (-¼). Total cost:  16 points.
  Options:
  1)  Strong Wiretap:  Increase to 16x Range (1,600”). 
  70 Active Points; total cost 19 points.
  2)  Weak Wiretap:  Decrease to 2x Range (200”). 44 
  Active Points; total cost 12 points.
  3)  Fax Tap:  Similar devices exist to monitor and 
  capture information coming through fax machine 
  phone lines. Change to Clairsentience (Radio 
  Group). Total cost:  16 points.
  
  100 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  LINEMAN’S TELEPHONE
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Hearing Group)
  Target/Area Affected:  Special
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  800” (see text)
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  10 DEF
  Description:  Although not exactly a bug, this 
  device is a must-have for characters who often 
  need to listen in on phone conversations. It’s the 
  type of telephone carried by telephone repairmen 
  — it connects via alligator clips to the red and 
  green wires of any telephone line and lets the user 
  listen to conversations on that line. The “tap” is 
  not detectable by the persons using the line. Some 
  newer versions can access ﬁber optic lines, though 
  they cannot separate out one conversation among 
  the many on a single strand of cable.
  Game Information:  Clairsentience (Hearing 
  Group), 8x Range (800”, or 1 mile), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) (52 Active Points); 
  OAF (-1), Only To Listen To Conversations On 
  Accessible Phone Lines (-½), Aﬀected As Radio 
  Group As Well As Sight Group (-¼). Total cost:  
  19 points.
  Options:
  1)  Strong Lineman’s Telephone:  Increase to 16x Range 
  (1,600”). 60 Active Points; total cost 22 points.
  2)  Weak Lineman’s Telephone:  Decrease to 2x 
  Range (200”). 37 Active Points; total cost 13 points.
  PHONE CALL REROUTER
  Effect:  Change Environment (reroute phone calls)
  Target/Area Affected:  1” Radius (see text)
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  No Range (see text)
  Charges:  1 Continuing Charge
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  When installed in a telephone, this 
  device reroutes all calls made from that phone to 
  a designated receiver of the character’s choice. The 
  character must specify the “destination phone” 
  when he installs the Rerouter, but when a call 
  comes in to the destination phone he can choose to 
  let it go on to its intended number instead of taking 
  it himself. (In that case he cannot listen in on the 
  call; for that he needs to install a Standard Audio 
  Bug as well.)
  Game Information:  Change Environment 
  1” radius (reroute phone call to designated 
  receiver), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (bat-
  tery, Easy to obtain; 1 Week; +¾) (9 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), No Range (character must 
  place Rerouter in target phone before he can 
  use the power; -½), Only Aﬀects Single Desig-
  nated Phone Within Radius (-¼). Total cost:  3 
  points.
  PHONE DISABLER
  Effect:  Darkness to Radio Group
  Target/Area Affected:  4” Radius (see text)
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  No Range (see text)
  Charges:  1 Continuing Charge
  Breakability:  4 DEF
  Description:  This device blocks all incoming and 
  outgoing calls to the target phone(s). It’s typically 
  placed on a speciﬁc phone, but could be placed on, 
  for example, the main phone line leading into a 
  building to cut oﬀ that entire building. (For game 
  purposes, the 4” radius of the power is considered 
  suﬃcient to disable phone service to any building, 
  unless the GM prefers to rule otherwise for dra-
  matic purposes.)
  Alternately, characters can use this device 
  simply to frustrate and annoy the target. Instead of 
  setting it up to route calls to a speciﬁc number, they 
  set it up so that every time a number is dialed from 
  the target phone, it connects to a wrong number.
  Game Information:  Darkness to Radio 
  Group 4” radius, 1 Continuing Fuel Charge 
  (battery, Easy to obtain; 1 Week; +¾) (35 
  Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (char-
  acter must place Disabler in target phone 
  before he can use the power; -½), Only To 
  Block Calls To/From Designated Phone(s) 
  (-¼). Total cost:  13 points.
  Options:
  1) One-Way Phone Disabler I:  This more insidious 
  form of Phone Disabler is used for corporate espio-
  nage and like purposes. It allows the target phone 
  to make calls out normally — but not to receive 
  them. Anyone who calls that phone will hear it 
  ringing, but the phone will not actually ring, so the 
  person being called won’t know he’s receiving a call. 
  Add Personal Immunity (eﬀect as described above; 
  +¼). 40 Active Points; total cost 14 points.
  2)  One-Way Phone Disabler II:  This device functions 
  like One-Way Phone Disabler I, but with an added 
  twist — anyone calling the target phone hears a 
  message that the phone has been disconnected! 
  Character also buys:  Images to Hearing Group 1” 
  radius, 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (battery, Easy to 
  obtain; 1 Week; +¾) (9 Active Points); OAF (-1), 
  No Range (character must place Disabler in target 
  phone before he can use the power; -½), Set Eﬀect 
  (disconnected phone message; -1). Total cost:  2 
  points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  101 
  TELEPHONE MICROPHONE
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Hearing Group)
  Target/Area Affected:  Special
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  Planetary (see text)
  Charges:  1 Continuing Charge
  Breakability:  25 DEF
  Description:  This ingenious device, also known as 
  an “inﬁnity transmitter” or “harmonica bug,” turns 
  a telephone into a “microphone” through which 
  the character can listen to conversations and other 
  sounds near the phone after it’s been hung up (or 
  in some cases, before it’s ever picked up, by using a 
  broadcast tone to activate the device but not cause 
  the phone to ring). After calling the phone to which 
  the Telephone Mike is attached, the character only 
  has to let the target hang up ﬁrst. Until the char-
  acter himself hangs up, the other phone acts as a 
  microphone, picking up the sounds near it (in the 
  same room, typically).
  Game Information:  Clairsentience (Hearing 
  Group), 200,000x Range (suﬃcient for installa-
  tion in any phone on Earth), 1 Continuing Fuel 
  Charge (battery, Easy to obtain; 1 Week; +¾) 
  (192 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (char-
  acter must place bug at perception point before 
  he can use the power; -½), Aﬀected As Radio 
  Group As Well As Sight Group (-¼). Total cost:  
  70 points.
  Options:
  1)  Telephone Hold Microphone:  A variant on this 
  device is the Telephone Hold Microphone, which 
  the character installs in his own telephone. When 
  someone calls him, he puts the caller on hold and 
  activates the device, which then allows him to listen 
  to conversations and sounds at the caller’s position. 
  Remove No Range (-½). Total cost:  55 points.
  TELEPHONE RECORDER
  Effect:  Eidetic Memory, Only For Deﬁned Phones
  Target/Area Affected:  Deﬁned phone(s)
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Continuing Charge
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  This device is essentially a miniatur-
  ized tape recorder that records up to eight hours 
  of conversation on the phone lines it’s wired into. 
  It’s activated by voice, so no tape is wasted. Since it 
  doesn’t broadcast what it tapes, the character has 
  to re-enter the premises and physically recover it 
  before he can listen to what it recorded.
  Game Information:  Eidetic Memory (5 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Only For Memorizing Con-
  versations On Deﬁned Phone(s) (-2), 1 Con-
  tinuing Fuel Charge (tape, Easy to obtain; 8 
  Hours; -0). Total cost:  1 point.
  
  102 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Options:
  1)  Strong Recorder:  Increase Fuel Charge to 12 
  Hours’ duration. Total cost:  1 point.
  2)  Weak Recorder:  Decrease Fuel Charge to 6 
  Hours’ duration. Total cost:  1 point.
  3)  Telephone Log:  This form of the Telephone 
  Recorder doesn’t record conversations. Instead, it 
  keeps a record of all incoming/outgoing calls to/
  from the phone it’s attached to, noting the numbers 
  involved, the time of the call, the length of the call, 
  and other pertinent information. Change Only 
  For Memorizing Conversations (-2) to Only For 
  Recording Incoming/Outgoing Call Information 
  For Deﬁned Phone(s) (-3). Total cost:  1 point.
  VOICE ALTERER
  Effect:  Mimicry 20-, Only To Alter Character’s Speech
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  5 DEF
  Description:  This device attaches to the character’s 
  phone. It allows him to alter the sound of his voice. 
  He can change the pitch and tone of his speech so 
  that he sounds older, younger, of a diﬀerent gender, 
  or simply diﬀerent. He cannot, however, make his 
  voice sound like that of a speciﬁc other person.
  Game Information:  Mimicry 20- (25 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Only To Alter Character’s 
  Speech (see text; -1). Total cost:  8 points.
  Options:
  1)  Strong Voice Alterer:  Increase to Mimicry 24-. 33 
  Active Points; total cost 11 points.
  2)  Weak Voice Alterer I:  Decrease to Mimicry 16-. 
  17 Active Points; total cost 6 points.
  3)  Weak Voice Alterer II:  Some cruder types of 
  Voice Alterers change the user’s voice so that it’s not 
  identiﬁable, but is obviously altered or disguised. 
  Change Only To Alter Character’s Speech (-1) to 
  Only To Alter Character’s Speech Into Obvious 
  Alteration (-1½). Total cost:  7 points.
  4)  Variant Voice Alterer:  Change to Shape Shift 
  (Hearing Group; any humanoid voice) (15 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Only To Alter Character’s Speech 
  (see text; -1). Total cost:  5 points.
  TRACKING BUGS
  TRACKING BUG
  Effect:  Images to Radio Group, +4 to PER Rolls
  Target/Area Affected:  32” Radius
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  RBS
  Charges:  1 Continuing Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  15 DEF
  Description:  This is a device characters can attach 
  to cars and other moving objects to follow them. 
  It emits a distinctive radio signal that denotes the 
  bug’s location. Tracking the beacon requires any 
  specialized Radio-perceiving device (one such 
  device is assumed to come with the Tracking Bug 
  when the character buys it, but he could also use 
  other radio equipment if necessary).
  The Tracking Bug can reliably be “picked up” 
  on tracking equipment primarily within a 32” 
  radius. However, much like a character can see the 
  beam from a ﬂashlight from far away without being 
  inside the beam, characters outside the 32” radius 
  may still be able to track the Tracer, if the GM so 
  permits:  from 33-64”, the Image is at only +2 to 
  PER Rolls; from 65-125”, it’s at +0; from 126-250” 
  it’s at -2; beyond that it would require an Extraordi-
  nary Skill Roll to locate it.
  Game Information:  Images to Radio Group, +4 
  to PER Rolls, Increased Size (32” radius; +1¼), 
  Usable As Attack (allows character to “stick” the 
  Image to a target; +1), Range Based On STR 
  (+¼),1 Continuing Recoverable Charge lasting 
  1 Week (stops functioning if it gets wet or expe-
  riences severe radio interference; +1) (76 Active 
  Points); IAF (-½), Set Eﬀect (detectable signal; 
  -1), Image Only Perceivable On Special Radio 
  Frequencies (-0). Total cost:  30 points.
  Options:
  1)  Strong Bug:  Increase to +6 to PER Rolls. 103 
  Active Points; total cost 41 points.
  2)  Weak Bug:  Decrease to +2 to PER Rolls. 49 
  Active Points; total cost 20 points.
  3)  Broad-Signal Bug:  Increase to Increased Size (125” 
  radius; +1¾). 85 Active Points; total cost 34 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  103 
  OTHER SURVEILLANCE DEVICES
  TEMPEST GEAR
  Effect:  Detect Computer Radio Emissions 14- 
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Special
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  TEMPEST stands for “Transient 
  Electromagnetic Pulse Emanation STandard.” It 
  refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation 
  given oﬀ by various types of computer equipment 
  (monitors, cables, motherboards, and so forth). 
  Using what’s known as “van Eck” technology (after 
  the scientist who developed the process), TEM-
  PEST gear can monitor and record everything that 
  passes across a computer’s screen by perceiving 
  and “reading” the electromagnetic radiation. This 
  won’t necessarily work over long distances (the 
  normal rule for how the Range Modiﬁer aﬀects 
  PER Rolls applies), and anything that provides the 
  computer with Power Defense automatically blocks 
  TEMPEST reading (so will placing a sheet of metal 
  between the computer and the TEMPEST gear).
  Game Information:  Detect Computer Radio 
  Emissions 14- (Radio Group) (10 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Blocked By Power Defense 
  (-½), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (batteries, Easy 
  to obtain; 10 Hours; -0). Total cost:  4 points.
  Options:
  1)  Longer-Range TEMPEST Gear:  Add Telescopic 
  (+4 versus Range Modiﬁer for TEMPEST Gear). 12 
  Active Points; total cost 5 points.
  BUG DETECTORS AND DISRUPTORS
  BUG DETECTOR
  Effect:  Detect Bugs 16-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  10”
  Charges:  1 Continuing Charge
  Breakability:  4 DEF
  Description:  This devices detects bugs by perceiving 
  the radio waves they generate. This means it only 
  detects “active” bugs — bugs transmitting while the 
  Detector is in use. Bugs that are turned oﬀ or inac-
  tive cannot be detected (and some types of bugs are 
  harder to detect than others), nor can bugs using 
  infrared light or media other than radio waves. Its 
  batteries provide enough power for a total of one 
  hour of operation.
  Game Information:  Detect Active Bugs 16- 
  (Radio Group), Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (360 Degrees) (17 Active Points); OAF (-1), 
  Aﬀected As Sight Group As Well As Radio 
  Group (-½), Limited Range (10”; -¼), 1 Con-
  tinuing Charge (Easy to replace batteries, 1 
  Hour; -0). Total cost:  6 points.
  Options:
  1)  Strong Bug Detector:  Increase to Detect Active 
  Bugs 20-. 21 Active Points; total cost 8 points.
  2)  Weak Bug Detector:  Decrease to Detect Active 
  Bugs 13-. 14 Active Points; total cost 5 points.
  3)  Nonlinear Junction Detector:  This form of bug 
  detector can ﬁnd bugs even when they’re turned 
  oﬀ by broadcasting microwaves that detect the har-
  monics from the transistors used in bugs. However, 
  it won’t work against bugs shielded inside metal 
  cases. Change to Detect Bugs 16- (Radio Group) 
  and add Cannot Perceive Properly-Shielded Bugs 
  (-¼). Total cost:  6 points.
  4)  Microwave Bug Detector:  This device detects 
  microwave bugs and microphones by perceiving 
  the microwaves they give oﬀ. Change to Detect 
  Microwaves 16- (Radio Group). 17 Active Points; 
  total cost 6 points.
  5)  Tape Recorder Detector:  This device detects the 
  bias (ultrasonic sound) given oﬀ by most tape record-
  ers. Change to Detect Tape Recorder 16- (Hearing 
  Group). 17 Active Points; total cost 6 points.
  6)  Microphone Detector:  This device emits ultra-
  sonic sound that causes microphones in the area 
  to oscillate. This not only jams the microphone, 
  it causes some types of mikes to emit a whistling 
  sound by which they can be detected. It does not 
  work on all microphones; carbon mikes and the 
  mikes in some tape recorders won’t respond to this 
  device. Change to Detect Microphone 16- (Hearing 
  Group) (17 Active Points; total cost 6 points) and 
  also buy a White Noise Generator (see below). Total 
  cost:  25 points.
  WHITE NOISE GENERATOR
  Effect:  Change Environment (-10 to Hearing Group PER 
  Rolls), Only Versus Audio Bugs
  Target/Area Affected:  8” Radius
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Continuing Charge
  Breakability:  9 DEF
  Description:  This device generates “white noise” 
  — low-level ultrasonic sound that doesn’t interfere 
  with normal conversation, watching television, or 
  the like, but which makes bugs useless.
  Game Information:  Change Environment 
  8” radius (generate white noise that makes 
  it difficult to use hearing devices), -10 to 
  Hearing Group PER Rolls (47 Active Points); 
  OAF (-1), No Range (-½), 1 Continuing Fuel 
  Charge (Easy to replace batteries, 1 Hour; 
  -0). Total cost:  19 points.
  Options:
  1)  Strong White Noise Generator:  Increase to -12 to 
  Hearing Group PER Rolls. 53 Active Points; total 
  cost 21 points.
  2)  Weak White Noise Generator:  Decrease to -8 to 
  Hearing Group PER Rolls. 41 Active Points; total 
  cost 16 points.
  
  104 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Other Information
  POWERS AND BUGGING
  Most of the bugs described above are built 
  with Clairsentience or some Enhanced Sense. 
  Characters who naturally possess those Senses, 
  such as some Champions superheroes, may have no 
  need for bugs. Powers like Invisibility, Telekinesis, 
  and Teleportation may make it much easier to place 
  and retrieve bugs.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Unsuccessful Bugging rolls can mean the char-
  acter used the wrong bug for the job, his equipment 
  broke, he improperly placed the bug, environmen-
  tal noise (or the like) makes the bug useless, and so 
  forth. In short, he can’t observe the location where 
  the bug was planted as he planned. The eﬀects of 
  failure for speciﬁc tasks are described above.
  If a character fails a Bugging roll badly (by 4 or 
  more), additional negative consequences result. The 
  bug may be so obvious to everyone but him that 
  it’s easily discovered, he causes some damage at the 
  scene that he can’t ﬁx, he breaks the bug or a tool, 
  or the like.
  BASE TIMES
  Here are the typical minimum Base Times for 
  Bugging (tasks may sometimes take signiﬁcantly 
  longer, depending on the genre and the situation):
  ■ planting bugs:  1 Minute (often longer)
  ■ operating bugs:  varies, depending on how long 
  the character wants to listen and/or watch, whether 
  he has recording equipment set up, and so forth.
  ■ sweeping for bugs physically:  1 Minute for an 
  Average room no larger than 3” x 3” (the larger the 
  room, and the better the amount/quality of hiding 
  places, the longer it takes; the smaller or worse the 
  room, the less time it takes)
  ■ sweeping for bugs with bug detector:  1 Turn for an 
  Average room no larger than 3” x 3” (again, the size 
  and quality of the room can aﬀect the time required)
  ■ disable/counteract bug:  1 Turn
  ■ create bug:  1 Hour or more, depending on 
  sophistication of bug, tools available, and the like 
  (see text)
  SUBDIVIDING BUGGING
  In campaigns where characters use Bugging 
  a lot, the GM may want to split it into four Intel-
  lect Skills:  Place/Use Bugs (does not allow wire-
  tapping); Counterbugging (finding, disabling, 
  and fooling bugs); Wiretapping; and Create 
  Bugs. Alternately, creating bugs might fold into 
  Electronics, with any of the other three Skills as 
  Complementary.
  BUGGING BY GENRE
  Bugging functions the same in the modern-
  day and future genres (though the type and 
  sophistication of equipment used may increase 
  in Cyberpunk and Science Fiction settings). 
  Changes in communication and sensor technol-
  ogy may alter the way a character uses Bugging, 
  but the basic nature of the tasks involved typi-
  cally remains the same.
  Fantasy
  At the GM’s option, Fantasy characters can 
  interpret Bugging as Eavesdropping, the ability to 
  ﬁnd the best places from which to spy on and over-
  hear people. In this case, Eavesdropping acts as a 
  Complementary Skill for the character’s PER Roll 
  when he attempts to overhear or spy on someone. 
  Eavesdropping may also Complement the Shadow-
  ing Skill in some situations.
  Pulp
  Audio and visual bugs are available in the Pulp 
  era; wiretapping is also possible. However, these 
  devices aren’t nearly as small and concealable as 
  they are in the modern day. The GM may want to 
  impose penalties of -2 (or more) on Bugging (and 
  related Concealment) rolls to reﬂect the poorer, 
  more obvious technology.
  Science Fiction
  On twenty-ﬁrst century Earth, surveillance 
  devices are already fantastically small and easy 
  to conceal, and future advances in nanotechnol-
  ogy will only make them harder to ﬁnd. Advanced 
  bugs may actually be tiny robot insects, capable of 
  crawling into a room to eavesdrop. The technologi-
  cal arms race is particularly intense in bugging 
  — obsolete bugs or countermeasures suﬀer from 
  large penalties. See Obsolete And Advanced Technol-
  ogy, page 39.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  105 
  BUREAUCRATICS
  Type:   
  Interaction (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Interaction Skill can deal 
  with bureaucrats, cut through red tape, and 
  extract information from bureaucracies and 
  similar organizations. Similarly, he knows how 
  to make a bureaucracy or like organization take 
  action on his behalf. He also knows the right 
  people to talk to (for just about anything) and 
  how to reach them (or can easily find out who 
  they are). Bureaucratics comes in handy when 
  characters need travel papers in a foreign coun-
  try, must go through Customs, have to arrange an 
  appointment, and so on.
  Characters should roleplay the use of Bureau-
  cratics as much as possible, with the GM allowing 
  a character to make rolls at crucial points in the 
  scene to determine the character’s rate of progress 
  or degree of success. If the roll is part of a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest and one of the characters 
  doesn’t have Bureaucratics, the GM can allow him 
  to make a PRE Roll at -3 instead.
  Complementary Skills
  Like many other Interaction Skills, Bureau-
  cratics often benefits heavily from Complemen-
  tary Skills. Some of the most commonly-used 
  ones include:
  ■ Bribery (in some cultures, giving a bureaucrat 
  a bribe may be expected, necessary, and not even 
  looked upon as corrupt; in others it’s just a good 
  way to take advantage of an oﬃcial’s venality)
  ■ Conversation (when the character needs to obtain 
  information from a bureaucrat or oﬃcial)
  ■ High Society (a crucial Complementary Skill in 
  settings where bureaucrats and oﬃcials are high-
  ranking members of society, or in cultures like 
  medieval Japan where knowing how to talk to some-
  one is as important as knowing who to talk to)
  ■ Knowledge Skills (of the bureaucracy/organiza-
  tion in question, the locale, or the local culture, 
  as appropriate)
  ■ Persuasion and Seduction (when the charac-
  ter interacts directly with a bureaucrat or oﬃcial 
  whom he can inﬂuence with his charms)
  ■ Science Skill (of a Science that’s relevant to a 
  technical request of some sort)
  ■ Contact (if the character has a Contact within 
  the organization, the GM may want to treat the 
  Contact roll as Complementary to Bureaucratics 
  to determine if the Contact can help the character, 
  and if so how well)
  ■ Membership (if a character has Membership in 
  the organization whose bureaucracy he’s trying to 
  manipulate or control, the GM might provide a 
  bonus to Bureaucratics equal to the points of Mem-
  bership the character has [or half those points, or 
  some other percentage])
  BUREAUCRATICS TASKS
  The following are some of the tasks characters 
  can perform with Bureaucratics. Don’t forget to 
  apply the modiﬁers from the Bureaucratics Modi-
  ﬁers table, if appropriate.
  Obtain/Hide Information
  Perhaps the most common thing characters do 
  with Bureaucratics is to obtain information. They 
  might want to get a look at an NPC’s personnel ﬁle, 
  obtain a copy of the architectural plans for a partic-
  ular building, learn who’s in charge of a particular 
  mission, or the like.
  The primary modiﬁer for this task is the 
  nature of the information in question — the more 
  conﬁdential, sensitive, or secret it is, the harder a 
  time the character have ﬁnding it out. (In some 
  cases, a character must have a Security Clearance 
  Fringe Beneﬁt to access classiﬁed information; 
  without one, Bureaucratics may not help him much, 
  if at all.) The Bureaucratic Information table lists 
  some suggested modiﬁer values.
  Typically a request for information has a Base 
  Time of 1 Hour; this assumes the need for some 
  searching through records, research, and/or waiting 
  for a bureaucrat to bring the character the neces-
  sary ﬁles. But some requests, particularly for access 
  to publicly-available records, take much less time 
  — even as little as 1-5 Minutes. If a character wants 
  to rush the process (perhaps so he gets the infor-
  mation before someone else does), apply Imme-
  diacy modiﬁers.
  Similar to obtaining information is hiding 
  information within the bureaucracy so others can’t 
  ﬁnd it. The character misﬁles documents, changes 
  computer ﬁle names, and otherwise “misplaces” 
  information without destroying it or getting rid of 
  it. Usually this is done by a member of the organi-
  zation who’s trying to cover his tracks, thwart rivals 
  within the group, conceal evidence of a crime, 
  or the like. The character makes a Bureaucrat-
  ics roll, and if he succeeds the GM records how 
  much he made it by. This becomes the target for a 
  Skill Versus Skill Contest when someone else uses 
  Bureaucratics to ﬁnd the information.
  Obtain/Deny Permission, Approval, Or “Papers”
  Bureaucracies usually have jurisdiction over 
  a wide variety of subjects. They issue permits 
  that allow work to be done, grant approval for 
  many different projects and jobs, and so forth. 
  Examples include city planners’ offices approv-
  ing construction projects and rezoning requests, 
  or a school board having to give permission for 
  a child to change schools. In many times and 
  places bureaucrats are also responsible for pro-
   BUREAUCRATIC INFORMATION
  Type Of Information Modiﬁer Examples/Notes
  Public 
  +2 
  Deeds, non-sealed court ﬁlings, adults’ criminal records
  Non-Public 
  -0 
  Sealed court records, juvenile criminal records
  Conﬁdential/Sensitive -2 
  Building security plans, personnel ﬁles, medical records
  Classiﬁed 
  -4 
  Security Clearance (1+) required
  Secret 
  -6 
  Security Clearance (5+) required
  Top Secret 
  -8 
  Security Clearance (7+) required
  
  106 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  viding people with identity cards, travel papers, 
  ration cards, permission slips, passports, and 
  other such official documentation.
  Characters who need any of these things can 
  make a Bureaucratics roll to get them. The GM 
  should be sure to apply Diﬃculty modiﬁers; the 
  more unusual or suspect a request, the harder it 
  is for the character to get what he wants. The Base 
  Time for getting permission, approval, or papers 
  is usually 1 Day to 1 Week — the more out of the 
  ordinary the request, the longer it takes. Sometimes 
  the character may have to resort to Bribery, Forgery, 
  or other Skills to avoid the bureaucratic hassles.
  In some cases, a character may want to pull 
  strings to make it more diﬃcult for someone to 
  get permission, approval, or papers. In this case, he 
  makes a Bureaucratics roll in a Skill Versus Skill 
  Contest against the person making the request.
  Know Who’s Who
  A character can make a Bureaucratics roll to 
  determine who’s who within a bureaucracy or like 
  organization. He can ﬁnd out who he has to talk to 
  about a particular subject or area of concern (and 
  how to contact that person). He also knows gener-
  ally how the organization is structured — who has 
  authority over whom, which bureaucrat has juris-
  diction over which decisions, and so forth.
  Of course, this knowledge doesn’t spring 
  full-blown into the character’s head as if by magic. 
  Unless he has a KS of the organization, typically he 
  has to consult publicly-available sources of infor-
  mation, make a few phone calls, and so forth. This 
  may take as much as 1 Hour, but often less.
  Arrange/Deny Appointments And Meetings
  Once the character knows who’s in charge 
  of what, he can use Bureaucratics to arrange an 
  appointment or meeting with someone he needs to 
  speak to. The GM should always apply the Mem-
  bership modiﬁer from the Bureaucratics Modiﬁers 
  table to “obtain meeting” rolls; the more important 
  someone is, the harder it tends to be to get his 
  attention.  (The character’s own Membership in the 
  organization, if any, may partially or fully compen-
  sate for this by providing a bonus.) The character 
  might be able to obtain some positive modiﬁers 
  by misrepresenting what he’s after, claiming an 
  equal rank in a similar organization, sweet-talking 
  the oﬃcial’s secretary (Persuasion or Seduction as 
  Complementary Skill Rolls), or pretending to have 
  something the target really, really wants.
  In some cases, a character may want to pre-
  vent someone from arranging an appointment. In 
  this case, he makes a Bureaucratics roll in a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest against the person making the 
  request.
  Use Organizational Resources
  Most bureaucracies and like organizations have 
  a lot of resources at their disposal. These range from 
  mundane oﬃce equipment (computers, envelopes, 
  telephones), to slush funds, to vehicles, to the police 
  evidence locker, to hotel rooms or residences — it all 
  depends on the nature, importance, and wealth of the 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  107 
  organization. With a Bureaucratics roll and a Base 
  Time of 1 Hour to process the request, a character 
  can obtain access to these resources and make use 
  of them. Diﬃculty modiﬁers deﬁnitely apply; it’s one 
  thing to convince a bureaucrat to let you make a call 
  from his phone, but quite another to get free use of the 
  company jet for a week.
  Prompt/Delay Organizational Action
  Obtaining approval or an appointment is 
  tricky enough, but sometimes a character may 
  need to spur an entire bureaucratic organization 
  to action! For example, a character who belongs to 
  an intelligence agency may want to convince the 
  agency to use its inﬂuence and resources to free a 
  particular political prisoner, while one who works 
  for a corporation may want to get it to invest in and 
  support a particular deal. This requires a Bureau-
  cratics roll (with standard modiﬁers) and usually 
  has a long Base Time — at least 1 Day, but often 1 
  Week or more. The same applies to eﬀorts to delay 
  or misdirect organizational action.
  Media Manipulation
  At the GM’s option, characters may also be able 
  to use Bureaucratics to manipulate the media. After 
  all, media organizations are organizations like any 
  other, and thus susceptible to deft and knowledgeable 
  manipulation. A Bureaucratics roll would let a char-
  acter know which reporter he should leak a story to, 
  how to wheedle information out of a reporter before 
  it becomes public, how to time the release of infor-
  mation to take advantage of the media’s news cycle, 
  how to talk with reporters, and so forth. The bigger 
  or more important a story, the stronger the modiﬁers 
  applied (positive if the character’s using the story as 
  a carrot to manipulate the organization or a reporter, 
  negative if the character’s trying to uncover the story 
  before it breaks). (If the GM prefers not to assign this 
  talent to Bureaucratics, characters can instead buy PS: 
  Manipulate Media to do these things.)
  EQUIPMENT
  Bureaucratics doesn’t involve or require any 
  equipment; it’s a purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND BUREAUCRATICS
  Various Mental Powers may help a Bureaucrat-
  ics attempt, or render it unnecessary. For example, 
  Telepathy can discover what might persuade a 
  bureaucrat to help the character (but the charac-
  ter has to achieve the +20 “victim does not know 
  his mind is being read” level of eﬀect, or else he’ll 
  tip oﬀ the subject). Even better is Mind Control; 
  a suﬃciently high Eﬀect Roll with Mind Control 
  removes the need for Bureaucratics. If the character 
  is concerned he can’t achieve a high enough roll, 
  he can instead try for a subtler eﬀect, such as EGO 
  +10 to make the subject “do something he wouldn’t 
  mind doing” — that would be enough to convince 
  a bored bureaucrat to help the character with a task 
  that’s not too far out of the ordinary.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Unsuccessful Bureaucratics rolls typically result 
  in the character’s request being turned down — or 
  worse, stalled forever in red tape. A badly-failed roll 
  (by 4 or more) may cause the bureaucracy to report 
  the character’s request to the authorities, blacklist him, 
  or create other inconveniences for him.
  BASE TIMES
  Bureaucratic procedures usually take time, from 
  several hours to several days. 1 Hour is usually the 
  minimum; the text above lists some times for speciﬁc 
  tasks. A character can get quicker action with a better 
  Bureaucratics roll — use the Immediacy rules above 
  (for every 3 full points a character makes his roll 
  BUREAUCRATICS MODIFIERS
  Complexity Of Organization 
  Modiﬁer
  Small and/or Simple 
  -0
  Large and/or Complex 
  -1
  Very Large and/or Very Complex 
  -2
  Extremely Large and/or Extremely Complex 
  -4
  Difﬁculty Of Request/Task 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  +2
  Simple 
  +1
  Average 
  -0
  Diﬃcult 
  -2
  Very Diﬃcult 
  -4
  Immediacy Of Request/Task 
  Modiﬁer
  Each step up Time Chart 
  -3 per step
  Membership 
  -1 per point
  Other Circumstances 
  Modiﬁers
  Character wants to hide his actions 
  -3
  Character wants to make it look as if someone  
  else is responsible for his actions 
  -5
  Character wants the results of his actions to go  
  unnoticed by the organization 
  -3
  Character wants the results of his actions to  
  appear to be something else to the
       organization 
  -5
  Request violates departmental policy 
  -2 or more
  Request accords with departmental policy +1 or more
  Character has Membership in
       organization 
  +1 per point
  Complexity:  Generally, the larger and/or more complex 
  a bureaucracy or like organization is, the harder it is to 
  work with or manipulate. For some rolls, such as hiding 
  information, the Complexity modiﬁer may change 
  from negative to positive.
  Diﬃculty:  The diﬃculty of a request/task may reﬂect not 
  just now hard it is to accomplish, but how outrageous it 
  is. Getting a police clerk to quickly look up a license plate 
  number is one thing (Diﬃcult task); asking him to let 
  the character spend a few minutes alone in the Evidence 
  Room is another thing altogether (Very Diﬃcult task).
  Immediacy:  These modiﬁers are the same as the gen-
  eral modiﬁers for performing a task more quickly than 
  normal. However, the GM may increase the modiﬁer 
  (to represent the diﬃculty of getting a large organiza-
  tion to act with dispatch) and/or decrease the reduction 
  in time.
  Membership:  For many requests, such as arranging an 
  appointment, manipulating a particular bureaucrat, 
  and the like, the target’s power within the organization 
  inﬂuences Bureaucratics rolls. The more powerful he 
  is (i.e., the more points he’s spent on the Membership 
  Fringe Beneﬁt, or any like Perk such as Governmental 
  Rank), the harder he can be to work with. On the other 
  hand, the character’s own Membership rank (if any) 
  provides a bonus.
  
  108 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  by, reduce the time by one step up the Time Chart). 
  Alternately, for every point by which he makes his roll, 
  the GM should reduce the required time by 5-10% 
  (maximum reduction of 50%, or half the normal time, 
  in most circumstances).
  SUBDIVIDING BUREAUCRATICS
  In some campaigns, GMs may prefer that char-
  acters buy Bureaucratics by categories, since one 
  bureaucracy isn’t necessarily anything like another. 
  Some possible categorization schemes include:
  ■ by type of bureaucracy (see the accompanying table)
  ■ by culture, region, or nation (Asian Bureaucracies, 
  American Bureaucracies, European Bureaucracies...)
  ■ by individual bureaucracy
  ■ some combination of two or more of these 
  (such as type of bureaucracy and culture/region/
  nation, so that characters have to purchase, for 
  example, American Business Bureaucracies, Chi-
  nese Military Bureaucracies, or African Public 
  Services Bureaucracies)
  In any of these schemes a character could typi-
  cally use Bureaucratics on a bureaucracy he hasn’t 
  purchased at a -2 or greater penalty to all rolls.
  BUREAUCRATICS BY GENRE
  Bureaucratics works the same in all genres, 
  although it’s most useful in modern-day or future 
  campaigns where large bureaucratic organizations 
  are commonplace.
  Fantasy
  While most people associate Bureaucratics 
  with modern government agencies and similar 
  institutions, many Fantasy-era organizations could 
  be equally complex. Ancient Rome had a bureau-
  cracy as Byzantine as any in history (and the word 
  “Byzantine” didn’t enter the English language by 
  accident); the size and power of the early Chinese 
  bureaucracy is well-known. Thus, this Skill is per-
  fectly appropriate for Fantasy characters (though, as 
  discussed under Pulp, below, it may function more 
  slowly than in the modern day).
  If a setting features a hierarchical spirit world 
  where every god and demon bears speciﬁc zones of 
  power and fealty, mystics may need Bureaucratics 
  to gain favors from spirits. (The Chinese pantheon 
  is a particularly good example.) A character who 
  belongs to a large mystical order, such as a spell-
  casting priesthood or a magical university, can use 
  Bureaucratics to negotiate the “oﬃce politics” of 
  that organization.
  Martial Arts
  Most martial arts action heroes have no use 
  for bureaucrats, and with good reason:  they prefer 
  to resolve problems the direct way, with their ﬁsts. 
  In some campaigns, however, a little knowledge 
  of how to handle bureaucracy can be a great help. 
  For example, in a campaign taking place in period 
  China, Bureaucratics is almost a requirement, 
  especially if the characters have to interact with 
  the Imperial government in any manner. The same 
  is true for games set in feudal Japan. On the other 
  hand, modern-day characters, such as police oﬃ-
  cers in Cinematic campaigns, tend to ignore local 
  laws and associated bureaucratic entanglements 
  with impunity.
  Pulp
  When adjudicating the eﬀects of Bureau-
  cratics (and related Skills like Research), the GM 
  should remember that the Pulp era is a slower age 
  with slower communications, one that’s much less 
  technologically oriented. Characters can’t run a 
  quick search of the county records on a computer 
  — they’ve got to thumb laboriously through them, 
  using whatever indices or other organizational 
  tools are available. Getting information to or from 
  a distant colonial oﬃce or outpost may take days, 
  weeks, or months. In these situations, knowing 
  the right person (Contacts) or ﬂattering the right 
  bureaucrat the right way (which may require other 
  Interaction Skills) can really speed things up... but 
  only so much.
  Science Fiction
  Depending on the nature and quality of com-
  munications technology and the size of interstel-
  lar empires, Star Hero characters may suﬀer from 
  the same sort of “lag” that Pulp Hero characters 
  do when using Bureaucratics. If hyperradio takes 
  a week to send a message to Aldebaran, it doesn’t 
  matter how much a character makes his Bureau-
  cratics roll by to get information from the govern-
  ment there — he can’t make the process take less 
  than two weeks (one week to send the message, and 
  one to get a reply).
  CATEGORIZED  
  BUREAUCRATICS
  Here’s an example of how Bureaucratics might func-
  tion if subdivided into categories by type of bureau-
  cracy. Each category costs 2 Character Points for a 
  PRE-Based Roll (if a character only wants to know a 
  subcategory, that costs 1 Character Point), +1 to the 
  roll with all categories the character knows for each 
  +2 Character Points. A character can use Bureaucrat-
  ics on a bureaucracy he hasn’t purchased at a -2 or 
  greater penalty to all rolls.
  Business Bureaucracies (subcategories are by type of 
  industry):
  Financial Bureaucracies
  Heavy Industry Bureaucracies
  Light Industry Bureaucracies
  Software Bureaucracies
  Civilian Government Bureaucracies
  Foreign Relations Bureaucracies
  Judicial System Bureaucracies
  Public Services Bureaucracies
  Public Utilities Bureaucracies
  Regulatory Agency Bureaucracies
  School System Bureaucracies
  Military Bureaucracies
  Air Force Bureaucracies
  Army Bureaucracies
  Marines Bureaucracies
  Military Contracting Bureaucracies
  Navy Bureaucracies
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  109 
  CLIMBING
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Climbing allows characters to climb mountains, 
  trees, buildings, and similar objects, typically at a 
  rate of 1” per Phase (or less).
  Climbing is primarily a physical Skill. How-
  ever, it grants the character knowledge of the fol-
  lowing subjects:  climbing methods and equipment; 
  famous climbing sites and climbers. It also grants 
  the characters the following abilities:  knot-tying 
  (though the knot-tying ability granted by Climbing 
  is not as comprehensive as that granted by Contor-
  tionist or PS: Knot-Tying); use of ropes to ascend, 
  rappel, and so forth; ability to perceive/ﬁnd safe 
  climbing routes; ability to judge the weight-holding 
  capacity of a ledge, outcropping, or length of rope.
  The Climbing roll is modiﬁed by:  the type of 
  surface being climbed; the type of equipment being 
  used; the way the equipment is used; the load the 
  character is carrying (if any); and injuries the char-
  acter has sustained (if any). Climbing is an Every-
  man Skill for all genres.
  CLIMBING SURFACE
  Characters usually only have to make Climb-
  ing rolls if a surface is steeper than 45 degrees. If a 
  surface has plenty of easy handholds or is otherwise 
  easily climbable, characters may be able to ascend 
  surfaces of up to 60 degrees without Climbing.
  The accompanying Climbing Modiﬁers table 
  lists modiﬁers to the Climbing roll based on the 
  surface being climbed. All modiﬁers are cumulative. 
  For example, scaling the outside wall of a glass sky-
  scraper, a 90-degree extremely slippery surface with 
  almost no handholds, would be -12 to the Climbing 
  roll. If it began to rain and the glass became wet, 
  this would increase to -14. (The GM may cap the 
  possible negative modiﬁer at -9 so it doesn’t exceed 
  the Extraordinary Skill modiﬁer, but keep in mind 
  that characters usually use equipment to negate a 
  lot of Climbing penalties.)
  EQUIPMENT
  The Climbing Skill assumes a character is “free 
  climbing” — climbing with no equipment (or only 
  with equipment for safety purposes, rather than 
  equipment that actually makes climbing easier). But 
  for most diﬃcult climbs and related activities, climb-
  ers use ropes (either regular rope or ropes made 
  especially for climbing), and sometimes advanced 
  equipment such as special climbing shoes or boots 
  (provide increased traction), clawlike devices (such as 
  the ashiko and shuko used by ninja), pitons (climbing 
  pegs), nylon webbing, crampons (boot spikes), carabi-
  ners (climbing rings for sliding rope through), climb-
  ing rigs and harnesses, ice screws, belaying devices 
  (used to hold a rope to stop a falling climber), protec-
  tion devices (metal wedges, chocks, or spring-loaded 
  camming devices the climber can wedge into crevices 
  to obtain additional support), ascending/descending 
  devices, and so forth.
  Unlike many Skills, Climbing does not suﬀer a 
  penalty for using bad equipment — since the rules 
  assume free climbing, any equipment can help (or 
  at least not hurt). However, the drawback to using 
  equipment of poor quality is that if a Climbing roll 
  fails, the odds of a fall are much greater (see Conse-
  quences Of Failure, below).
  Rapelling
  Most use of Climbing equipment does not 
  require a roll. However, rappeling (also called 
  abseiling) — the rapid descent of a surface by 
  use of a rope — requires not only the use of 
  equipment (a harness, rope, and an anchor point 
  for the rope) but a Skill Roll. Basic rappeling, 
  which involves descending horizontally with 
  the climber’s feet toward the climbing surface, 
  requires a Climbing roll at -0. This allows the 
  character to descend at the rate of 4” per Phase; 
  if the character wishes to descend more quickly 
  than that, impose a modifier of -1 to the roll 
  for every additional 2” descended. Australian 
  rappeling, in which the character descends 
  rapidly face-first with a quick reversal at the 
  bottom to land on his feet (used by Australian 
  commandos to exit helicopters quickly, hence 
  the name), requires a roll at -4. A character can 
  descend up to 6” per Phase without penalty 
  while Australian rappeling, -1 per additional 2”. 
  Basic and Advanced Equipment modifiers do 
  not apply to Climbing rolls to rappel, since rap-
  peling assumes the use of some equipment; Very 
  Advanced Equipment adds +2 to the roll.
  CLIMBING MODIFIERS
  Incline Of Surface 
  Modiﬁer 
  Example/Notes
  45-60 degree incline 
  -0 
  Steep hill, average mountainside
  61-75 degree incline 
  -1 
  Steep mountainside
  76-90 degree incline 
  -2 
  Tree, building, very steep mountainside
  91-105 degree incline 
  -4 
   
  106-120 degree incline 
  -6
  121 or greater degree incline -8 
  (if climbable at all)
  Slipperiness Of Surface
  Slippery surface 
  -2 
  Wet rocks
  Very slippery surface 
  -4 
  Ice-covered rocks
  Extremely slippery surface 
  -6 
  Glass skyscraper wall
  Incredibly slippery surface 
  -8 
  Wet or icy glass skyscraper wall
  Handholds
  Numerous handholds 
  +4 
  Tree with lots of branches, knotted rope
  Many handholds 
  +2 
   
  Average handholds 
  -0 
  Tree with a few branches, unknotted rope
  Few handholds 
  -2
  No/Almost no handholds 
  -4 
  Flagpole
  Equipment 
  Modiﬁer 
  Example/Notes
  None (“free climbing”) 
  -0 
  (or worse than Basic equipment)
  Basic equipment 
  +3 
  Rope, grapnel 
  Advanced equipment 
  +6 
  Rope, carabiners, belaying rings, and so forth
  Very Advanced equipment 
  +12 
  Advanced climbing rigs, ropes, and so forth
  Climbing footwear 
  +1 
  Cumulative with other equipment bonuses
  Climbing claws 
  +1 
  Ashiko, shuko, crampons; foot-worn claws  
   
   
   
  (shuko, crampons) are not cumulative with   
   
   
  Climbing Footwear bonuses
  Use Of Equipment 
  Modiﬁer
  Basic rappeling  
  -0 for up to 10” descended, -1/+2”
  Australian rappeling 
  -4 for up to 6” descended, -1/+2”
  
  110 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CLIMBING SPEED
  The typical speed for Climbing is 1” per Phase, 
  and that assumes a relatively simple, easily-climbed 
  surface. For more diﬃcult surfaces, including any 
  surface where characters constantly need to use lots 
  of equipment like pitons, the rate drops to 1” per 
  Turn, per Minute, or even slower.
  To some extent the limits on Climbing speed 
  depend on the body size of the character — most 
  characters are one hex tall. At the GM’s option a taller 
  character, such as one using Growth (or who’s bought 
  similar abilities to represent being gigantic all the 
  time) may be able to climb at the rate of his height per 
  Phase (or at least at a rate greater than 1” per Phase). 
  On the other hand, short or small characters (such as 
  dwarves or characters using Shrinking) may climb 
  proportionately more slowly... but a small character 
  may be able to use hand- and footholds that normal-
  sized and larger characters cannot.
  CLIMBING AND COMBAT
  While climbing, a character is at half OCV 
  and DCV if he has any freedom of movement (for 
  example, while climbing a tree which he can hold 
  onto with his legs, leaving his arms/upper body 
  free to move), and 0 OCV and DCV if he has no 
  freedom of movement (for example, while scaling a 
  sheer cliﬀ barehanded).
  A character who fights while involved in an 
  easy climb (such as up a ladder) suffers a 
  -1 DCV. Character involved in more strenuous 
  climbs suffer the higher OCVand DCV penal-
  ties described above. Additionally, a character 
  involved in a strenuous climb must subtract 
  2 DCs from all attacks he makes (both HTH 
  and Ranged), and may not be able to use some 
  Combat or Martial Maneuvers (for example, it’s 
  hard to kick when a character needs to keep both 
  his feet firmly planted on a ledge, and hard to 
  punch if he’s holding onto a rope).
  If a character is involved in a ﬁght and is 
  knocked oﬀ a ledge due to Knockback or the like, 
  with the GM’s permission he may make a DEX Roll 
  (or Climbing roll) to grab onto the ledge, a rope, or 
  something else so that he’s hanging on and doesn’t 
  fall. (The GM might not allow this if, for example, 
  the character takes so much Knockback that he’d 
  have no real chance to grab onto the ledge.) He 
  may then, as a Full Phase Action, make a STR Roll 
  or Climbing roll (GM’s choice) to pull himself back 
  up on top of the ledge (but of course, his oppo-
  nent may not let him try to climb back up unhin-
  dered...). While holding on for dear life and pulling 
  himself back up on top of the ledge, a character is 
  at ½ OCV, ½ DCV.
  POWERS AND CLIMBING
  Many Movement Powers, such as Flight and 
  Teleportation, render Climbing unnecessary. 
  Similarly, Clinging allows characters to ascend 
  sheer walls without having to worry about hand-
  holds or ropes. Characters may buy Clinging 
  with Requires A Climbing Roll (-½) and Cannot 
  Resist Knockback (-¼) to represent a “super-Skill” 
  at climbing. Clinging as a super-Skill is also how 
  characters can buy the ability to climb at a faster 
  rate than 1” per Phase.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  In most cases, a failed Climbing roll indicates 
  the climber has reached an impasse — due to lack 
  of handholds or some other reason, he cannot 
  climb any higher. (Standard “repeat attempt” rules 
  apply if the character wants to try to ﬁnd a way 
  around the impasse or another route he can take.) 
  If it’s possible to do so, he may make a Climbing 
  roll at +2 to descend the surface, and then another 
  Climbing roll to ﬁnd another route up the surface. 
  The GM may impose negative modiﬁers on this roll 
  if the alternate route would be particularly hard 
  to ﬁnd, or may rule that it cannot be made at all 
  because there is no other route.
  However, in some situations, particularly those 
  where the character fails the roll badly (typically 
  -4 or more in most situations, -3 or more in situa-
  tions with especially diﬃcult surfaces or where the 
  character uses poor-quality equipment, but GM’s 
  discretion always prevails), he falls. If the charac-
  ter is using climbing equipment, that equipment 
  probably prevents him from falling very far, and 
  thus from taking any damage. However, the GM 
  may require an additional, unmodiﬁed, Climbing 
  roll to determine whether the character set up his 
  ROPES AND CARABINERS
  The equipment most commonly associated with 
  Climbing is rope and carabiners.
  Depending on its type and thickness, rope used for 
  climbing typically has a breaking strength of 500-
  2,500 kg (1,100-5,500 pounds). Of course, characters 
  may ﬁnd themselves in situations where they have to 
  use weaker rope — rope not made for climbing, rope 
  that’s old or worn out, rope that’s been frayed or cut 
  partway through. And in some genres they may have 
  access to magical or high-tech ropes that are far stur-
  dier than normal.
  Carabiners are metal rings, usually oval- or D-shaped, 
  with a “gate” (a spring-loaded section that opens) on 
  one long side. Depending on type and metal, carabin-
  ers typically have a breaking strength of 1,770-5,000 
  kg (3,890-11,000 pounds), and sometimes more.
  If a character puts more weight on a rope or cara-
  biner than it can hold, the GM determines the STR 
  necessary to lift the total amount of weight and uses 
  that STR to apply Normal Damage to the rope (if the 
  rope’s rubbing against a sharp ledge or the like, the 
  GM may use the equivalent DCs of Killing Damage 
  instead). Most rope has 2 DEF and 2-4 BODY per 
  8” of length, but this can vary slightly; a carabiner 
  typically has 4 DEF, 3 BODY. If a rope’s or carabiner’s 
  BODY drops to 0 as a result of damage, it breaks.
  In most cases a character can make an unmodiﬁed 
  Climbing roll to gauge the weight-holding capacity of 
  a piece of climbing gear. If he succeeds his estimate 
  is correct within +/-10% (or perfectly accurate if he 
  succeeds by 3 or more); if he fails he’s mis-estimated 
  by 10% per point of failure. (The same rule applies 
  to evaluating the weight-holding capacity of ledges, 
  outcroppings, and the like.) This task has a Base Time 
  of a Full Phase.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  111 
  equipment correctly. If this roll fails, the equipment 
  breaks, separates from the surface, comes apart, or 
  otherwise doesn’t work properly, and the charac-
  ter falls. In the event of a fall, a character may use 
  Breakfall to stop the fall partway down (if this is 
  possible, in the GM’s discretion) or to reduce the 
  damage taken from the fall. See Breakfall (page 87) 
  and pages 434-37 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised for more information on falling damage 
  and how to prevent it.
  BASE TIMES
  Characters can climb most surfaces at the 
  rate of 1” per Phase as a Full Phase Action (or, at 
  the GM’s discretion, ½” as a Half Phase Action). 
  The GM may alter this rate of movement if 
  he prefers, or perhaps provide an inch or two 
  “bonus” in a Phase when a character makes his 
  roll by half or more (and perhaps even a little 
  faster for a Critical Success).
  Related to the Base Time is the issue of 
  how frequently characters should have to make 
  Climbing rolls. For short climbs (say, 10” or less) 
  under relatively easy conditions, a single roll 
  is probably enough. For feats like scaling the 
  Matterhorn, one roll per hour or per day may 
  be plenty to maintain the dramatic tension. For 
  climbs between those two extremes, the GM 
  should set a time parameter based on common 
  sense and dramatic sense, perhaps with the 
  number of rolls in mind. For example, if the GM 
  thinks that a climb should involve five Climbing 
  rolls, he can divide the climb into five equal time 
  increments and call for a roll in each one.
  SUBDIVIDING CLIMBING
  Climbing is already a fairly limited Skill, so in 
  most campaigns the GM won’t need to subdivide. 
  If characters do a lot of climbing, the GM might 
  want to split it into categories based on the surface 
  climbed (Raw Stone, Worked Stone, Worked Metal, 
  Glass, and so on). In that case, a character can still 
  use Climbing on a surface he hasn’t bought as a 
  category, but at a -2 or greater penalty to all rolls.
  CLIMBING BY GENRE
  Climbing works the same in all genres, but the 
  type of equipment available varies.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  In the near future, all types of equipment listed 
  above are available, and even more advanced equip-
  ment may make climbing even easier and safer.
  Dark Champions
  All types of Climbing equipment are available 
  in this genre.
  Fantasy
  In this genre, only Basic climbing equipment is 
  available — ropes, grapnels, and the like. Advanced 
  and Very Advanced equipment, such as climbing 
  harnesses, is not available. However, in Oriental 
  Fantasy games, or games which take place in espe-
  cially advanced Fantasy societies, additional tools 
  such as climbing claws or collapsible ladders may 
  be used; see The Ultimate Martial Artist, pages 97-
  89, 209, 219.
  In many Fantasy settings, magic may turn 
  climbing into an easy task. Enchanted ropes and 
  Spells of Spider-Walking make ascending even the 
  sheerest rock face simple.
  
  112 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Martial Arts
  All types of equipment are available if the 
  game takes place in a modern-day setting; in Fan-
  tasy/historical settings, refer to Fantasy, above.
  Pulp
  Advanced climbing equipment is available in 
  this genre, but not Very Advanced equipment.
  Science Fiction
  In this genre, climbing equipment may be 
  rendered unnecessary (except for recreational 
  purposes) by the advent of personal anti-gravity 
  packs and similar devices. Climbing equipment as 
  advanced as Cyberpunk/Near Future remains avail-
  able for characters who want it, though.
  Superheroes
  All types of equipment are available, and 
  super-technology may even create better types 
  of equipment than are available in the real world 
  (such as “cling-grips” that make climbing sky-
  scraper walls easy).
  Super-strong characters (“bricks”) often climb 
  cliﬀs, walls, and the like by smashing handholds 
  into the surface. You can represent this in several 
  ways. First, the GM can have the brick roll his STR 
  dice for each Phase of climbing, and if he does 
  BODY damage to the surface, he’s made handholds 
  and can keep climbing (this limits the brick to a 
  climbing speed of about one body length per Phase, 
  at most; see above). Second, the character can buy 
  Climbing with the Limitation Side Eﬀects (always 
  causes relatively minor damage to the environment 
  [the surface being climbed]; -0). Third, the charac-
  ter could buy Clinging with the same Limitation.
  Western/Victorian
  In these genres, only Basic climbing equip-
  ment is available — ropes, grapnels, and the like. 
  Advanced and Very Advanced equipment, such as 
  climbing harnesses, is not available.
  COMBAT DRIVING
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Agility Skill can drive and 
  control ground or surface water vehicles in diﬃcult 
  situations. It applies to all vehicles that operate in 
  two dimensions, from carts and chariots, to auto-
  mobiles, to surface boats and ships.
  A character with Combat Driving knows gen-
  erally how to operate any of the vehicles to which 
  Combat Driving applies — how to turn them on 
  (if necessary), the controls used to steer them, how 
  to turn and maneuver, and so forth. He also knows 
  about the diﬀerent types of vehicles he can operate 
  and can evaluate their relative capabilities in gen-
  eral terms. For example, he knows that Sportscar X 
  is faster than Sportscar Y, but Sportscar Y handles 
  better or has some other feature that might compen-
  sate for its relative slowness in certain conditions. 
  (However, the character isn’t as good at comparing 
  vehicles as a character with Analyze Vehicles or a 
  specialized Knowledge Skill like KS: Automobiles.) 
  He can also perform very basic maintenance on the 
  vehicles he can operate, though nothing requiring a 
  roll with the Electronics or Mechanics Skills.
  A character with Combat Driving knows how 
  to read a map, but would have diﬃculty determin-
  ing his location in unfamiliar territory or after 
  becoming lost (that requires Navigation (Land)).
  See The Ultimate Vehicle for extensive rules about 
  operating and using vehicles in the HERO System.
  USING COMBAT DRIVING
  To use Combat Driving, the character must 
  know how to operate the vehicle (see Transport 
  Familiarity, page 342). Characters with this Skill 
  automatically have Familiarity with one 1-point 
  class of vehicles that operate in two dimensions. 
  (Typically this would be the class of vehicles 
  the character first learned to drive in, meaning 
  Small Motorized Ground Vehicles, Small Wind-
  Powered Boats, or Small Motorized Boats, but it 
  depends on the character, the setting, and the cir-
  cumstances.) Characters who want to know how 
  to operate more than one class of vehicle should 
  purchase Transport Familiarity. (Unless the GM 
  permits otherwise, a character cannot “upgrade” 
  his free 1-point TF to a 2-point TF category by 
  paying just 1 Character Point; he has to pay the 
  full 2 Character Point cost.) At the GM’s option, 
  a character who wants to use his Combat Driving 
  with a type of vehicle for which he has no TF can 
  do so, but at a -4 penalty on all rolls.
  Characters use Combat Driving to operate 
  ground and water surface vehicles during crisis 
  conditions or stressful situations. Primarily this 
  means combat, but it also includes making Control 
  Rolls (see below) if there’s a possibility of losing 
  control of the vehicle. They don’t have to make 
  Combat Driving rolls to operate a vehicle nor-
  mally under ordinary conditions unless something 
  unusual happens — someone attacks the vehicle, 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  113 
  road conditions suddenly worsen, an obstacle sud-
  denly presents itself, or the like.
  In battle or other crisis conditions, Combat 
  Driving has three main uses:
  ■ it allows the character to operate the vehicle at 
  its full DCV when moving at Combat Movement 
  velocities (vehicles operated by characters without 
  Combat Driving are automatically at ½ DCV). This 
  doesn’t require a roll; it’s an automatic beneﬁt of 
  having Combat Driving. Negative modiﬁers, such 
  as the vehicle’s Size or moving at Noncombat Veloc-
  ity, still apply.
  ■ it allows the character to make Control Rolls to 
  keep his vehicle under control whenever there’s a 
  chance he might lose control (such as if the vehicle 
  suﬀers damage or he tries to avoid an obstacle). See 
  The Ultimate Vehicle, pages 169-71, for complete 
  details on and modiﬁers for Control Rolls.
  ■ it allows the character to perform Vehicle Maneu-
  vers in combat. See The Ultimate Vehicle, pages 178-
  80, for complete details on Vehicle Maneuvers.
  Chapter Eight of The Ultimate Vehicle has 
  extensive rules for vehicular combat, including 
  Actions, crews, Hit Location tables, and more. It’s 
  an invaluable resource for characters who want to 
  use Combat Driving extensively.
  CATEGORIZED  
  COMBAT DRIVING
  Each of these categories costs 2 Character Points for 
  a DEX-Based Roll (if a character only wants to know 
  a subcategory, that costs 1 Character Point), +1 to the 
  roll with all categories the character knows for each 
  +2 Character Points.
  Muscle-Powered Ground Vehicles
  Carts & Carriages
  Chariots
  One-Wheeled Muscle-Powered Ground Vehicles 
  Two-Wheeled Muscle-Powered Ground Vehicles
  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles
  Small Motorized Ground Vehicles
  Large Motorized Ground Vehicles
  Uncommon Motorized Ground Vehicles
  Construction & Agricultural Vehicles
  Railed Vehicles
  Tracked Military Vehicles
  Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles
  Wheeled Military Vehicles
  Cold-Weather Vehicles
  Bobsleds
  Sleds
  Snowmobiles
  Water Surface Vehicles
  Small Military Ships
  Large Military Ships
  Small Motorized Boats
  Large Motorized Boats
  Rafts
  Small Rowed Boats
  Large Rowed Boats
  Small Wind-Powered Boats
  Large Wind-Powered Boats
  
  114 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  EQUIPMENT
  Obviously Combat Driving requires equip-
  ment — a vehicle to drive. Beyond that, it’s a purely 
  personal Skill; it rarely beneﬁts from any equip-
  ment that’s not installed as part of the vehicle itself. 
  For example, some vehicles have special suspen-
  sions, tires, or navigation computers that make 
  Combat Driving rolls easier. These are bought as 
  bonuses to Combat Driving that are limited to 
  speciﬁc situations. For example, a car that handles 
  really well at high speeds might have +4 to Combat 
  Driving, Only For Making Handling Rolls At High 
  Speeds (-1) (total cost:  4 points). (If the bonuses 
  are just to counteract a speciﬁc type of penalty to 
  Control Rolls, Vehicles should buy that as a form 
  of Penalty Skill Level, as discussed in The Ultimate 
  Vehicle, page 19.)
  It’s not unheard of for a vehicle’s operator 
  to leave the driving to an autopilot or onboard 
  computer while he does something else (such as 
  operate a weapons system). A Vehicle with one 
  of these Skills can drive itself while the operator 
  takes another action. It can also make a Skill Roll 
  as a Complementary Roll to assist the opera-
  tor with his driving; this requires a Half Phase 
  Action by the Vehicle.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  As discussed in greater detail on pages 169-71 
  of The Ultimate Vehicle, a failed Combat Driving 
  roll usually means the character has lost control of 
  his vehicle. This can lead to skidding, crashes, and 
  other unpleasantness.
  BASE TIMES
  Most uses of Combat Driving are Zero Phase 
  Actions (or even Actions which take no time). In a 
  few instances they may take longer, as discussed in 
  The Ultimate Vehicle.
  SUBDIVIDING COMBAT DRIVING
  As noted in the HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised, Combat Driving applies to all vehicles that 
  move in two dimensions, such as ground vehicles 
  and surface ships. In vehicle-oriented campaigns, 
  GMs may want to divide Combat Driving into 
  multiple Agility Skills based on the type of vehicle 
  involved:  Combat Driving (cars, trucks, and the 
  like); Combat Sailing (all watercraft); Combat 
  Teamstering (most towed ground or water surface 
  vehicles); Combat Sledding (all winter ground 
  vehicles); and so forth.
  The GM could get even more detailed if 
  desired, requiring characters to buy Combat Driv-
  ing by category of vehicles deﬁned in the Transport 
  Familiarity Table. See the accompanying table for 
  an example.
  COMBAT DRIVING BY GENRE
  Combat Driving generally works the same in all 
  genres. The issue is not how the Skill functions, but 
  the types of vehicles available for characters to drive.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  In Cyber Hero campaigns, animal-towed 
  vehicles like coaches might be so rare (or even non-
  existent) that GMs remove them from the ambit of 
  Combat Driving. A character who wants to learn 
  how to operate those vehicles in crisis conditions 
  would have to buy Combat Teamstering as a sepa-
  rate Agility Skill (or possibly PS: Drive Animal-
  Towed Vehicles, to make it less expensive).
  Fantasy
  While Fantasy lacks cars for characters to 
  drive, you can recast this Skill in several diﬀerent 
  ways to make it applicable to the genre.
  The ﬁrst is Teamster, the ability to drive wagons, 
  coaches, stagecoaches, and like vehicles (and manage 
  the teams of animals that pull them) during crisis 
  conditions. Since this rarely requires any sort of 
  combat application, the GM may just let characters 
  buy the appropriate TFs and use DEX Rolls to handle 
  high-speed chases if they ever occur.
  The second is Charioteering, the ability to 
  steer a chariot and handle the animals pulling it in 
  combat. An important Skill for many ancient cul-
  tures (such as the Romans and the Irish), it could 
  easily become a part of many Fantasy worlds.
  The third is Combat Sailing. See The Ultimate 
  Vehicle, page 55, for more information on this Skill.
  The fourth is Sledding, the ability to drive 
  sleds, sleighs, and similar cold-weather vehicles in 
  combat conditions.
  Science Fiction
  The rule suggested above for Cyberpunk/Near 
  Future games might also apply in Science Fiction, 
  where entire campaigns can take place in space 
  without characters even having the chance to 
  smell a horse or sled dog, much less drive a pulled 
  vehicle. On the other hand, some Science Fiction 
  settings may involve lower technology (at least 
  in some areas) or a lot of planetside adventures 
  where draft animals (albeit weird alien ones) are a 
  common fact of life.
  Western/Victorian
  Aside from its uses with wagons and stage-
  coaches (discussed above under Fantasy), Combat 
  Driving becomes applicable to drive actual cars late 
  in the Victorian period.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  115 
  COMBAT PILOTING
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Agility Skill can pilot and 
  control vehicles that operate in three dimensions 
  in diﬃcult situations. It applies to all vehicles that 
  operate in three dimensions, from airplanes and 
  helicopters, to submarines, to spacecraft.
  A character with Combat Piloting knows 
  generally how to operate any of the vehicles to 
  which Combat Piloting applies — how to turn 
  them on (if necessary), the controls used to steer 
  and them, how to take off and land, how to turn 
  and maneuver, and so forth. He also knows about 
  the different types of vehicles he can operate and 
  can evaluate their relative capabilities in general 
  terms. For example, he knows that Jet X is faster 
  than Jet Y, but Jet Y handles better or has some 
  other feature that might compensate for its rela-
  tive slowness in certain conditions. (However, the 
  character isn’t as good at comparing vehicles as a 
  character with Analyze Vehicles or a specialized 
  Knowledge Skill like KS: Aircraft.) He can also 
  perform very basic maintenance on the vehicles 
  he can operate, though nothing requiring a roll 
  with the Electronics or Mechanics Skills.
  A character with Combat Piloting knows how 
  to read a map, but would have diﬃculty determin-
  ing his location in unfamiliar territory or after 
  becoming lost (that requires Navigation (Air) or 
  the like).
  See The Ultimate Vehicle for extensive rules about 
  operating and using vehicles in the HERO System.
  USING COMBAT PILOTING
  To use Combat Piloting, the character must 
  know how to operate the vehicle (see Transport 
  Familiarity, page 342). Characters with this Skill 
  automatically have Familiarity with one 1-point 
  class of vehicles that operate in three dimensions. 
  (Typically this would be the class of vehicles the 
  character ﬁrst learned to pilot in, meaning Small 
  Planes, Helicopters, or Personal-Use Spacecraft, 
  but it depends on the character, the setting, and the 
  circumstances.) Characters who want to know how 
  to operate more than one class of vehicle should 
  purchase Transport Familiarity. (Unless the GM 
  permits otherwise, a character cannot “upgrade” 
  his free 1-point TF to a 2-point TF category by 
  paying just 1 Character Point; he has to pay the full 
  2 Character Point cost.) At the GM’s option, a char-
  acter who wants to use his Combat Piloting with a 
  type of vehicle for which he has no TF can do so, 
  but at a -4 penalty on every roll.
  Characters use Combat Piloting to operate 
  vehicles during crisis conditions or stressful situ-
  ations. Primarily this means combat, but it can 
  also include landing on or taking oﬀ from rough 
  ground, or ﬂying during storms or other severe 
  weather. They don’t have to make Combat Pilot-
  ing rolls to operate a vehicle normally under 
  ordinary conditions (including a standard landing 
  at an airport) unless something unusual happens 
  — someone attacks the vehicle, weather conditions 
  suddenly worsen, an obstacle uexpectedly arises, or 
  the like.
  In battle or other crisis conditions, Combat 
  Piloting has three main uses:
  ■ it allows a character to operate the vehicle at its 
  full DCV when moving at Combat Movement 
  velocities (vehicles operated by characters without 
  Combat Piloting are automatically at ½ DCV). This 
  doesn’t require a roll; it’s an automatic beneﬁt of 
  having Combat Piloting. Negative modiﬁers, such 
  as the vehicle’s Size or moving at Noncombat Veloc-
  ity, still apply.
  ■ it allows a character to make Control Rolls to 
  keep his vehicle under control whenever there’s a 
  chance he might lose control (such as if the vehicle 
  suﬀers damage or he tries to avoid an obstacle). See 
  The Ultimate Vehicle, pages 169-71, for complete 
  details on and modiﬁers for Control Rolls.
  ■ it allows a character to perform Vehicle Maneu-
  vers in combat. See The Ultimate Vehicle, pages 178-
  80, for complete details on Vehicle Maneuvers.
  Chapter Eight of The Ultimate Vehicle has 
  extensive rules for vehicular combat, including 
  Actions, crews, Hit Location tables, and more. It’s 
  an invaluable resource for characters who want to 
  use Combat Piloting extensively.
  EQUIPMENT
  Obviously Combat Piloting requires equip-
  ment — a vehicle to pilot. Beyond that, it’s a purely 
  personal Skill; it rarely beneﬁts from any equip-
  ment that’s not installed as part of the vehicle itself. 
  For example, some vehicles have special control 
  surfaces, engine modiﬁcations, or autopilots that 
  make Combat Piloting rolls easier. These are 
  bought as bonuses to Combat Piloting that are 
  limited to speciﬁc situations. For example, a plane 
  that handles really well at high speeds might have 
  +4 to Combat Piloting, Only For Making Handling 
  Rolls At High Speeds (-1) (total cost:  4 points). (If 
  the bonuses are just to counteract a speciﬁc type of 
  penalty to Control Rolls, Vehicles should buy that 
  as a form of Penalty Skill Level, as discussed in The 
  Ultimate Vehicle, page 19.)
  It’s not unheard of for a vehicle’s operator 
  to leave the piloting to an autopilot or onboard 
  computer while he does something else (such as 
  operate a weapons system). A Vehicle with one 
  of these Skills can pilot itself while the operator 
  takes another action. It can also make a Skill Roll 
  as a Complementary Roll to assist the opera-
  tor with his Piloting; this requires a Half Phase 
  Action by the Vehicle.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  As discussed in greater detail on pages 169-71 
  of The Ultimate Vehicle, a failed Combat Piloting 
  roll usually means the character has lost control of 
  his vehicle. This can lead to stalling, crashes, and 
  other unpleasantness.
  
  116 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  BASE TIMES
  Most uses of Combat Piloting are Zero Phase 
  Actions (or even Actions which take no time). In a 
  few instances they may take longer, as discussed in 
  The Ultimate Vehicle.
  SUBDIVIDING COMBAT PILOTING
  As noted in the HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised, Combat Piloting applies to all vehicles 
  that move in three dimensions, such as aircraft, 
  spacecraft, and submarines. In vehicle-oriented 
  campaigns, GMs may want to divide Combat Pilot-
  ing into multiple Agility Skills based on the type 
  of vehicle involved:  Combat Piloting (airplanes); 
  Combat Helicoptering (helicopters); Combat Sub-
  marining (submarines); Combat Spacecraft (space- 
  and starships); and so forth.
  The GM could get even more detailed if 
  desired, requiring characters to buy Combat Pilot-
  ing by category of vehicles deﬁned in the Transport 
  Familiarity Table. See the accompanying table for 
  an example.
  COMBAT PILOTING BY GENRE
  Combat Piloting generally works the same in all 
  genres, though it’s usually only available in Modern 
  and Future cultures (ones advanced enough to have 
  aircraft and submarines, if not spacecraft). The issue is 
  not how the Skill functions, but the types of vehicles 
  available for characters to drive.
  Fantasy
  Some Fantasy settings feature ﬂying ships, 
  ﬂying carpets, magical wind-riding ships, and other 
  aerial vehicles. In those games, characters would 
  use Combat Piloting to operate and steer such 
  vessels. Otherwise this Skill has no application in 
  Fantasy games.
  CATEGORIZED  
  COMBAT PILOTING
  Each of these categories costs 2 Character Points for 
  a DEX-Based Roll (if a character only wants to know 
  a subcategory, that costs 1 Character Point), +1 to the 
  roll with all categories the character knows for each +2 
  Character Points.
  Air Vehicles
  Balloons & Zeppelins
  Small Planes
  Large Planes
  Combat Aircraft
  Helicopters
  Subsurface Water Vehicles
  Submarines
  Science Fiction & Space Vehicles
  Early Spacecraft
  Spaceplanes
  Grav Vehicles/Hovercraft
  Personal-Use Spacecraft
  Commercial Spacecraft & Space Yachts
  Industrial & Exploratory Spacecraft
  Military Spacecraft
  Mobile Space Stations
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  117 
  COMBAT SKILL LEVELS
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  1-8 Character Points per Level (see text)
  Once a character knows how to use an attack, he 
  can improve his ability to use it by buying Combat 
  Skill Levels — bonuses characters purchase for 
  particular attacks. There are seven types of Combat 
  Skill Levels (or eight, if you include Overall Skill 
  Levels). Each is described below. They’re one of the 
  most ﬂexible and helpful elements in the HERO 
  System, since they allow a player to customize what 
  his character’s best at in battle. That means a better-
  deﬁned character more precisely embodying the 
  player’s vision of his PC.
  Due to their ﬂexibility, “CSLs” require some 
  detailed rules governing their purchase and use to 
  preserve game balance. The rules on pages 53-55 of 
  The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised discuss and 
  describe Combat Skill Levels generally. This section 
  expands on that discussion and oﬀers some new 
  rules for CSLs. As always, these rules are subject to 
  the GM’s approval; each individual GM can choose 
  to use (or not use) them however, and to whatever 
  degree, he wants. If you prefer to use the standard 
  2-, 3-, 5-, and 8-point Levels system from the core 
  rulebook instead of the more detailed system pre-
  sented here, the accompanying sidebar has some 
  guidelines for how to apply these rules.
  Buying Combat Skill Levels
  Gamemasters should examine the Combat 
  Skill Levels a character purchases carefully to 
  make sure they’re not abusive or likely to unbal-
  ance the game.
  In particular, GMs should forbid characters to 
  buy “restricted” types of CSLs when the restrictions 
  don’t really apply to them. For example, look at the 
  following types of 3-point CSLs:
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  all the Martial Maneuvers in a single Martial Arts 
  style (regardless of the number of Maneuvers) per-
  formed barehanded
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  Firearms with Shoot (a type of Strike)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  HTH Combat Weapons with the Combat Maneu-
  ver Strike
  The restrictions on these CSLs — only per-
  formed barehanded, only with Shoot, and only 
  with the Combat Maneuver Strike — presuppose 
  the character could use the Level for something else 
  during the normal course of play. For example, he 
  might have Weapon Elements that allow him to use 
  his Martial Maneuvers with weapons (something he 
  frequently does), Ranged Martial Arts maneuvers 
  that work with Firearms, or other Maneuvers he can 
  use with HTH Combat Weapons, respectively. If 
  that’s not the case — if the only thing the character’s 
  likely to do with his Martial Maneuvers is attack 
  barehanded, if he almost always uses Shoot with his 
  Firearms, or if he rarely does anything but use Strike 
  with HTH weapons — then the GM should require 
  him to buy 4-point CSLs instead. The “restriction” in 
  this case doesn’t restrict the character in any mean-
  ingful way, so the GM shouldn’t allow him to buy 
  the CSLs for the cheaper cost.
  Combat Skill Levels bought as Powers (i.e., 
  which have Advantages and/or Limitations) cannot 
  be bought as a slot, or part of a slot, in a Power 
  Framework unless the GM speciﬁcally permits 
  it. Under the standard HERO System rules, only 
  5-point and more expensive CSLs can have Limita-
  tions (and, with the GM’s permission, Advantages). 
  Alternately, the GM can allow any type of CSL 
  to have Advantages or Limitations (see below for 
  more information).
  COMBAT SKILL LEVELS WITH MIXED 
  TYPES OF ATTACKS
  A character might want to buy a 3-point 
  or more expensive Combat Skill Level for use 
  with multiple attacks, powers, and/or weapons, 
  some of which are HTH and some of which are 
  Ranged. This is allowed, provided the GM con-
  siders all the attacks, powers, and/or weapons 
  sufficiently closely related.
  ADVANTAGES
  Characters may not buy Advantages for 
  Combat Skill Levels without the GM’s permission.
  LIMITATIONS
  Ordinarily, characters may only apply Limita-
  tions to 5-point or more expensive Combat Skill 
  Levels. This rule is intended to maintain game bal-
  ance by keeping characters from acquiring enormous 
  OCV bonuses for very few points. However, it may 
  result in some illogical conclusions or in-equities. In 
  some cases, a character could even end up paying 
  more points for a Limited 5-point CSL than he 
  would have if he’d simply bought the same number 
  of less expensive CSLs without Limitations. That’s 
  something to avoid; it tends to make gamers focus on 
  “gamethink” rather than “roleplaying.” To prevent this 
  problem from occurring, GMs can consider the fol-
  lowing solutions, and implement them if appropriate.
  First, the GM can allow characters to put 
  Limitations on 3- and 2-point CSLs, if doing so is 
  appropriate for the character’s special eﬀects, com-
  plies with common sense and dramatic sense, and 
  won’t unbalance the game. This solution works well 
  when the player requesting an exemption from the 
  normal rules is responsible enough not to abuse 
  the privilege, and the cost disparity between regular 
  CSLs and Limited 5-point CSLs is enough to dis-
  courage him from creating an interesting, fun abil-
  ity for his character.
  Second, the GM can allow characters to put 
  Limitations on 3- and 2-point CSLs, but only for a 
  -0 Limitation value. That way the character doesn’t 
  get an unbalancing point break on the cost of the 
  ability, but still saves points compared to a Limited 
  5-point CSL. This allows characters to bring cool 
  abilities and gadgets into play without automati-
  cally creating game balance problems.
  STANDARD COMBAT 
  SKILL LEVELS
  The rules presented here 
  deal with a detailed, 
  complex subject in a 
  detailed, complex way 
  that may not be suitable 
  for every campaign. If 
  you prefer to use just 
  the standard 2-, 3-, 5-, 
  and 8-point Combat 
  Skill Levels, the follow-
  ing guidelines gener-
  ally apply if you want 
  to adapt The Ultimate 
  Skill’s rules to them.
  Information and rules 
  about 1- and 2-point 
  CSLs typically applies to 
  standard 2-point CSLs.
  Information and rules 
  about 3- and 4-point 
  CSLs typically applies 
  to standard 3-point 
  CSLs. Alternately, the 
  GM may want to treat 
  some 4-point CSLs as 
  5-point CSLs with a -¼ 
  Limitation.
  Information and rules 
  about 5- and 6-point 
  CSLs typically applies 
  to standard 5-point 
  CSLs. Alternately, the 
  GM may want to treat 
  some 6-point CSLs as 
  8-point CSLs with a -¼ 
  Limitation.
  
  118 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Combat Skill Levels bought with Limitations 
  are a form of the Skills Power, making them a Spe-
  cial Power and a Constant Power (the GM may also 
  consider them an Attack Power). They can only 
  increase the user’s OCV unless the GM gives spe-
  cial permission otherwise.
  Example:  Harbinger wants to create a riﬂe 
  that has gyroscopic balancers and a laser-spot-
  ting scope so he can hit almost anything at any 
  range. He buys the attack as an RKA on an 
  Obvious Accessible Focus. Harbinger then adds 
  +4 OCV to the gun. Since the smallest CSL a 
  character can Limit is the 5-point Level, the +4 
  OCV costs him 20 points (reduced to 10 by the 
  OAF Limitation). Whenever Harbinger uses 
  the gun, he receives a +4 to his OCV.
  Characters cannot buy any type of Combat 
  Skill Levels “as powers” without putting Limitations 
  on them.
  Negative Combat Skill Levels
  Certain powers or abilities, such as some 
  curses in Fantasy games, involve making a charac-
  ter less capable in combat — in short, they apply 
  negative CSLs to him. At the GM’s discretion, a 
  character may buy Negative Combat Skill Levels as 
  a Power. Each -1 OCV or -1 DCV imposed on the 
  target costs 5 Character Points; the character must 
  choose what the Negative CSLs apply to when he 
  buys them, and cannot change them thereafter. A 
  character can, if desired, purchase a single power 
  that imposes Negative CSLs on both OCV and 
  DCV (for example, “-2 OCV and -3 DCV” for 25 
  Character Points).
  The OCV reduction imposed by Negative 
  Combat Skill Levels applies to all of the victim’s 
  attacks, regardless of their type or who he makes 
  them against. The DCV reduction imposed by 
  Negative Combat Skill Levels applies to any attack 
  made against the victim, regardless of who makes 
  it. In short, Negative CSLs don’t just help the char-
  acter who uses them as an attack; they help every-
  one opposed to the victim.
  The Negative Combat Skill Levels Power is No 
  Range, Constant, and costs END. Using it requires 
  an Attack Roll and an Attack Action. Like Suppress, 
  a character has to “maintain” them by spending 
  END every Phase to keep them in eﬀect; if he stops 
  paying END, the Negative CSLs immediately cease 
  to eﬀect the target. (The GM should apply the rules 
  for 0 END Suppresses to 0 END NCSLs.)
  Characters may not buy Advantages such as 
  AVLD, NND, or Penetrating for Negative Combat 
  Skill Levels.
  The defense against Negative Combat Skill 
  Levels is Power Defense. Each point of Power 
  Defense negates one Negative CSL, Negative Pen-
  alty Skill Level, or Negative Skill Level.
  COMBAT SKILL LEVEL TABLE
  Cost 
  Application
  1 
  +1 OCV with a single, specific type of 
  attack or weapon used with a single, specific 
  manner of attack
  2 
  One single, speciﬁc type of attack or weapon 
  used with any manner of attack (or a deﬁned 
  group of manners of attack)
   
  A closely-defined category of types of 
  attacks or weapons used with a single, spe-
  cific manner of attack.
  3 
  +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with a 
  closely-deﬁned category of types of attacks or 
  weapons used with any manner of attack (or a 
  deﬁned group of manners of attack)
   
  +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage 
  with a broadly-defined category of types of 
  attacks or weapons used with a single, spe-
  cific manner of attack
   
  +1 OCV with a very broad category of attacks 
  or abilities in a restricted situation
   
  +1 DCV versus a very broad category of 
  attacks or abilities in a restricted situation
   
  +1 OECV or +1 DECV or increase damage 
  with a closely-deﬁned category of types of 
  Mental attacks used with any manner of attack 
  (or a deﬁned group of manners of attack)
  4 
  +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with a 
  broadly-deﬁned category of types of attacks or 
  weapons used with any manner of attack (or a 
  deﬁned group of manners of attack)
   
  +1 DCV versus HTH attacks or Ranged attacks
   
  +1 DECV versus all Mental Powers and attacks
  5 
  +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  all HTH Combat attacks, used or performed in 
  any way (but not including Mental Powers or 
  Mental Combat attacks)
   
  +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  all Ranged Combat attacks, used or performed 
  in any way (but not including Mental Powers 
  or Mental Combat attacks)
   
  +1 OCV or +1 DCV or +1 OECV or +1 DECV 
  or increase damage with all Mental Powers 
  and Mental Combat attacks (both HTH and 
  Ranged), used or performed in any way
   
  +1 DCV versus all attacks, HTH or Ranged 
  (but not Mental)
  6 
  +1 OCV or +1 DCV or +1 OECV or +1 DECV 
  or increase damage with any two of these cate-
  gories:  HTH Combat attacks; Ranged Combat 
  attacks; Mental Powers and attacks
  8 
  +1 with All Combat
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  119 
  Allocating Combat  
  Skill Levels
  Combat Skill Levels (CSLs) have several 
  potential uses (see below). However, a character can 
  only use a given CSL for one thing at a time.
  A character allocates his Combat Skill Levels 
  as a Zero Phase Action. Likewise, he can change the 
  allocation of previously-allocated CSLs as a Zero 
  Phase Action. However, unless the GM permits 
  otherwise, a character can only allocate or change 
  the allocation of his CSLs once per Phase.
  After a character attacks, his Combat Skill 
  Levels remain allocated as they are until he has 
  another Phase and decides to change them as a 
  Zero Phase Action, or he Aborts to a defensive 
  Action. Aborting allows him to assign any appli-
  cable CSLs to DCV, if he wants to.
  Example:  Pierre (DEX 20, SPD 4, 3 CSLs with 
  Fencing) and Severin (DEX 18, SPD 4, 2 CSLs 
  with Fencing) are squaring oﬀ to duel with their 
  swords. Combat begins in Segment 12 as usual, 
  when both characters have Phases. Since Pierre 
  has the higher DEX, his Phase occurs ﬁrst in 
  the Segment, and he can apply his CSLs as a 
  Zero Phase Action at that time (or after per-
  forming a Half Phase Action). Since Severin’s 
  Phase has not yet occurred, he cannot assign 
  his CSLs yet, and gets no beneﬁt from them 
  against Pierre’s ﬁrst attack. He could, however, 
  Abort his Phase, and in doing so assign his 
  Fencing CSLs to DCV.
  If characters are in a situation where they 
  expect a ﬁght to occur, or think they’re about to be 
  attacked, they can, with the GM’s permission, allo-
  cate their Combat Skill Levels even though combat 
  hasn’t begun and no one has had a Phase yet. But 
  as noted below, CSLs applicable to DCV aren’t Per-
  sistent and can’t be assigned to increase DCV “at all 
  times”; characters can only assign CSLs in advance 
  of combat if they have a reasonable expectation of 
  combat or danger, as judged by the GM.
  A character can use one or more Overall Skill 
  Levels (page 301) as Combat Skill Levels. If so, he 
  cannot apply any Overall Levels used as CSLs to 
  anything else that Phase.
  Example:  Renegade has four 8-point CSLs 
  with All Combat. When his turn comes to act 
  in Phase 8 (he is DEX 25), he assigns 2 Levels 
  to OCV and 2 to DCV. His CSLs stay that way 
  until he acts in Phase 10 (again, on DEX 25), at 
  which point he can decide to leave them as they 
  are or rearrange them.
  Example:  Pulsar has a 5-point CSL with 
  Ranged Combat. On his Phase in Segment 4, he 
  assigns it to OCV so he has a greater chance of 
  hitting his target with his Energy Blast power. 
  In Segment 5, a policeman shoots at him with 
  a gun. Because Pulsar doesn’t have a Phase 
  in Segment 5, his CSL remains assigned to 
  OCV. He can’t assign his CSL to DCV unless 
  he decides to Abort his Phase in Segment 6, in 
  which case he could apply the CSL to increase 
  his DCV against Ranged attacks.
  Example:  Space Ranger Trelayne Alpha-7 has 
  four CSLs:  one 8-point CSL with All Combat, 
  one 5-point CSL with Ranged Combat, one 2-
  point CSL with Laser Pistols (using the Shoot 
  maneuver); and one 10-point Overall Skill 
  Level. In his Phase in Segment 4, he wants to 
  ﬁre his laser pistol at a Xenovore who’s attack-
  ing him. His 2-point CSL applies to improve his 
  OCV; that’s all he can do with it. He decides to 
  assign the 8-point CSL to DCV and the 5-point 
  CSL and 10-point Overall Level to OCV. Thus, 
  he has +3 OCV, +1 DCV due to the assignment 
  of his CSLs.
  In Segment 6, the Xenovore shoots its gauss riﬂe 
  and injures Trelayne badly. Realizing he can’t 
  risk taking any more damage, on his Phase in 
  Segment 8 the intrepid Space Ranger keeps his 
  2-point CSL in OCV (again, because that’s all 
  it can do), but allocates all the other CSLs to 
  DCV. He now has +1 OCV, +3 DCV against 
  the Xenovore.
  Fortunately, the Xenovore’s attack in Seg-
  ment 9 misses. In Segment 12, Trelayne goes 
  first. Hoping to put the Xenovore down for 
  good, he re-allocates his CSLs as follows:  the 
  2- and 5-point CSLs to OCV, and the 8- and 
  10-point CSLs to increase the damage his 
  laser pistol does.
  In each of his Phases described above, Tre-
  layne used his 10-point Overall Skill Level to 
  increase OCV or DCV. Since it was allocated 
  to that purpose, he could not also use it for 
  non-combat purposes in those Phases, such as 
  improving his Stealth roll.
  Because allocating Combat Skill Levels 
  requires a Zero Phase Action, a character can only 
  allocate them as part of one of his Phases (unless 
  he Aborts and has a CSL he can and wants to apply 
  to DCV; see above). Among other things, this can 
  cause problems for a character who is Stunned. His 
  CSLs, not being Persistent, turn oﬀ at the end of 
  the Segment in which he was Stunned. Thus, when 
  he recovers from being Stunned, his CSLs aren’t 
  allocated at all and he has to wait for his next Phase 
  (or Abort) to allocate them. Additional restrictions 
  exist about assigning CSLs to DCV; see below.
  
  120 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Uses of Combat Skill Levels
  Characters can use Combat Skill Levels in four 
  possible ways:  improve OCV; improve DCV; improve 
  damage in Heroic campaigns; improve damage in 
  Superheroic campaigns. Not all ways of using them 
  apply to all types of CSLs. CSLs are not Persistent.
  ACCURACY (OCV)
  A character can allocate one CSL to give 
  himself +1 OCV with any attack to which the CSL 
  applies. This is the only way to use a 1-point or 2-
  point CSL; they cannot apply to DCV, damage, or 
  anything else.
  DEFENSE (DCV)
  A character can allocate one CSL costing 
  3 or more Character Points to give himself +1 
  DCV against the same types of attacks (HTH, 
  Ranged, or Mental) for which the CSL can 
  increase OCV. For example, a CSL with a sword-
  fighting martial art could increase DCV in HTH 
  Combat against any type of HTH attack, but 
  would not increase the character’s DCV against 
  any type of Ranged Combat attack. (However, 
  some GMs make an exception to this rule if the 
  CSL applies to Dodge, Martial Dodge, Dive For 
  Cover, or the like; see sidebar, page 121.) Char-
  acters can buy CSLs costing 5 points to add +1 
  DCV against all types of attacks.
  Except when Aborting, a character can only 
  allocate a CSL to DCV in a Phase when he uses the 
  attack (or type of attack) to which the CSL can apply 
  to increase OCV. For example, suppose a character has 
  5-point CSLs with Ranged Combat. If he’s ﬁghting in 
  HTH Combat, he cannot use his 5-point CSLs with 
  Ranged Combat to increase his DCV against Ranged 
  attacks, because he’s not using a Ranged attack in 
  that Phase. (The GM can, of course, waive this rule if 
  appropriate to the situation.)
  Example:  Lt. Barrett has a 5-point CSL with 
  Ranged Combat. In his Phase in Segment 3, he 
  uses his Commando Training Martial Arts to 
  attack an enemy soldier. That means he’s ﬁght-
  ing in HTH Combat, so he can’t use his CSL 
  with Ranged Combat to improve his OCV 
  — none of his Martial Maneuvers are Ranged 
  attacks. Therefore, he also cannot use his CSL 
  with Ranged Combat to improve his DCV.
  A Combat Skill Level (of any cost) applied to 
  DCV is not Persistent. The character must specify 
  when he uses the CSL (he cannot specify that he 
  uses it “at all times”). A character can only make 
  CSLs applied to DCV Persistent if he buys the Skill 
  Defense Maneuver at level IV; see page 168.
  DAMAGE IN HEROIC CAMPAIGNS
  A Heroic character can use two Combat Skill 
  Levels costing 3 or more Character Points to increase 
  the damage done by a HTH or Ranged attack by one 
  Damage Class (up to a maximum of twice the attack’s 
  base DCs) (see pages 405-09 of The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised for more information).
  For example, a 1d6+1 Killing Damage weapon 
  does 1½d6 if a character uses two CSLs to increase 
  its damage; four CSLs would raise its damage to 
  2d6, and so on. Similarly, a 4d6 Normal Damage 
  club would do 6d6 if a character used four CSLs to 
  increase the damage. Only Heroic campaigns use 
  these rules.
  COMBAT SKILL 
  LEVELS AND 
  STRENGTH- 
  BOOSTING  
  MANEUVERS
  Characters who have 
  Combat Skill Levels that 
  can apply to Grab or 
  other Combat/Martial 
  Maneuvers that increase 
  the character’s STR 
  for some purpose (i.e., 
  maneuvers built using 
  the Exert basis from 
  The Ultimate Martial 
  Artist) cannot use CSLs 
  to increase the STR used 
  with the Maneuver. (If 
  the Maneuver allows 
  the character to inﬂict 
  damage — for example, 
  to Squeeze or Throw a 
  Grabbed enemy — see 
  page 390 for rules about 
  what types of CSLs can 
  apply to increase the 
  damage.)
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  121 
  At the GM’s option, a character in a Heroic 
  campaign can use 2 CSLs to add +½d6 of damage 
  to an NND or AVLD attack. Also at the GM’s 
  option, the rule regarding CSLs adding to Entan-
  gles, Mental Powers, and the like in Superheroic 
  campaigns can also apply to Heroic campaigns.
  DAMAGE IN SUPERHEROIC CAMPAIGNS
  A Superheroic character can use two CSLs 
  costing 3 or more Character Points to add damage 
  as follows:
  ■ +1 BODY to the damage done by a HTH or 
  Ranged Killing Damage attack; or +1 point of 
  damage caused by unusual damaging attack forms 
  such as Ego Attacks, Drains, and NNDs; or +1 to 
  the Eﬀect Roll of a Mental Power; or
  ■ +3 STUN to the damage done by a HTH or 
  Ranged Normal Damage attack.
  The added damage applies to the entire 
  damage rolled; it does not apply to each die rolled. 
  The damage the character does cannot exceed the 
  normal maximum for the attack. Only Superheroic 
  campaigns use these rules.
  Example:  If a superhero has a KA 1d6 weapon 
  and uses two CSLs to add +1 BODY to the 
  damage, the possible damages rolled on the d6 
  would be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6 (that’s 1d6+1 with a 
  maximum of 6 BODY).
  Non-Damaging Attacks
  Characters may have Combat Skill Levels 
  that can apply to Entangle, Flash, Transform, and 
  other attacks that don’t literally cause “injury” or 
  “damage” the way Killing Attacks, Normal Damage 
  attacks, Drains, and the like do. As a default rule, 
  they cannot apply CSLs to increase the eﬀect of 
  these attacks. If the GM wants to allow this anyway, 
  in either Heroic or Superheroic campaigns, two 
  CSLs add “1 BODY” damage (or +1 to an Eﬀect 
  Roll) to them.
  Multiple Attacks
  If a character uses a Combat Skill Level to 
  increase the damage done by an Autoﬁre attack, or 
  an attack that’s Rapid Fired or Swept, as a default 
  the increase to the damage applies to every “shot.” 
  If the GM ﬁnds this unbalancing (because of player 
  abuse of the rule or other reasons), he should 
  change it to only the ﬁrst shot, only the ﬁrst two 
  shots, or the like.
  OTHER RULES
  The following additional rules apply to how 
  characters allocate their Combat Skill Levels.
  Combat Skill Levels And Weapons
  If a character has Combat Skill Levels that 
  apply solely or primarily to a particular weapon (or 
  class of weapons), typically he cannot apply those 
  CSLs for any purpose unless he has the weapon 
  drawn and ready for use. However, the GM should 
  alter this rule if appropriate in light of game bal-
  ance, special eﬀects, common sense, and dramatic 
  sense. Whether characters have their weapons 
  drawn isn’t necessarily the proper deciding factor 
  for every situation.
  Combat Skill Levels And Power Frameworks
  If a character buys Combat Skill Levels that 
  can apply to multiple Power Framework slots, or all 
  slots in a Power Framework, generally he can only 
  apply those CSLs to the Attack Powers (and pos-
  sibly some related Powers) contained in the Frame-
  work. They shouldn’t apply to, for example, Missile 
  Deﬂection.
  If a character buys a 3-point or more expen-
  sive Combat Skill Level for use with multiple Power 
  Framework slots, he may choose to apply them to 
  a mix of CV- and ECV-based powers. In this case, 
  when he uses an ECV-based power, the CSLs can 
  increase his OECV or DECV, as appropriate, rather 
  than OCV/DCV.
  Thrown HTH Attacks; Ranged Combat At HTH 
  Distances; No Range Attacks
  Characters cannot apply Combat Skill Levels 
  with HTH Combat, or with a speciﬁc HTH attack, 
  to HTH attacks which are thrown (such as a 
  thrown dagger), unless the GM rules otherwise. 
  On the other hand, characters can apply CSLs with 
  Ranged attacks to Ranged attacks used against tar-
  gets within HTH Combat distance — the amount 
  of Range (the distance) to the target is irrelevant, 
  what matters is the type of attack. Similarly, a 
  character can apply a Ranged Combat CSL with a 
  thrown HTH Combat weapon, even though they 
  wouldn’t apply if the character wielded the weapon 
  in HTH ﬁghting.
  If an attack is deﬁned as having No Range, 
  whether inherently or because the character has 
  taken the No Range Limitation for it, 5-point 
  Combat Skill Levels with Ranged Combat don’t 
  apply to it — 5-point CSLs with HTH Combat do.
  Type Of Attack And 
  Manner Of Attack
  When characters buy and use Combat Skill 
  Levels, you should keep in mind two related but 
  distinct phenomena:  the type of attack (the power, 
  weapon, or Maneuver used to attack) and the 
  manner of attack (how the character uses it).
  For example, if a character buys a CSL with 
  Swords, the type of attack is “sword” (or HKA 
  on a Focus, in technical terms). The manner of 
  attack would be a Combat Maneuver, either a 
  Strike or some sort of Martial Maneuver (if the 
  character has purchased those). If a character 
  buys a CSL with Punch (a type of Strike), then 
  “Punch” is the type of attack, and the manner of 
  attack could be barehanded, armed, with Hay-
  maker, or the like. If a character buys a CSL with 
  Haymaker, then “Haymaker” is the type of attack, 
  and the manner of attack is the Power or weapon 
  used to perform the Haymaker.
  Since the HERO System rules often allow a 
  character to use a single type of attack in multiple 
  manners, or multiple types of attack in a single 
  manner, this aﬀects how characters buy and allocate 
  Combat Skill Levels. See the Combat Skill Level 
  Table and the text below for more information.
   DCV BONUSES
  As the text notes, most 
  Combat Skill Levels 
  that can provide DCV 
  bonuses only do so 
  against the same types 
  of attacks for which 
  the Level can provide 
  an OCV bonus. Some 
  GMs prefer to ignore 
  this rule and allow DCV 
  from a 3-point (or more 
  expensive) CSL to apply 
  to any attack, or to apply 
  to any attack when used 
  to improve a defensive 
  maneuver like Block 
  or Martial Dodge. That 
  makes CSLs, particularly 
  3-point Levels, much 
  more eﬀective, but sim-
  pliﬁes game play.
  As an optional rule, the 
  GM can distinguish 
  between a character’s 
  DCV against HTH 
  attacks and his DCV 
  against Ranged attacks. 
  In this case, a character 
  cannot use a CSL to 
  provide a DCV bonus 
  against Ranged attacks 
  unless it’s an 8- or 10-
  point CSL that applies 
  to All Combat. Fur-
  thermore, a character 
  with a CSL that applies 
  speciﬁcally to a Ranged 
  attack or class of Ranged 
  attacks can never use 
  the Level to improve 
  his DCV. This optional 
  rule reﬂects the fact that 
  it’s diﬃcult to dodge a 
  bullet or arrow, regard-
  less of your expertise 
  at shooting bullets or 
  arrows. The GM should 
  always use it when char-
  acters buy CSLs with 
  Limitations (an accurate 
  gun doesn’t make its 
  user harder to hit, for 
  instance).
  
  122 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  1-Point Combat Skill Levels
  Combat Skill Levels costing 1 Character 
  Point apiece grant a character +1 OCV with a 
  single, specific type of attack or weapon in com-
  bination with a single, specific manner of attack. 
  Examples include:
  ■ +1 OCV with Martial Block barehanded
  ■ +1 OCV with Punch (a type of Strike) bare-
  handed
  ■ +1 OCV with Sword Slash (a type of Strike) with 
  Longswords
  ■ +1 OCV with Shoot (a type of Strike) with 
  M1911A Pistols
  ■ +1 OCV with Rapid Fire with Flame Bolt (a spe-
  ciﬁc type of Energy Blast)
  USING 1-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS
  Characters cannot use 1-point CSLs to 
  improve DCV or damage. They only improve OCV.
  1-point CSLs are obviously very narrow 
  in application; they represent a character who’s 
  trained extensively with one precise type of attack. 
  As with other types of CSLs, if they pose game 
  balance problems for a campaign, the GM should 
  restrict or forbid their use.
  2-Point Combat Skill Levels
  Combat Skill Levels costing 2 Character Points 
  apiece can grant a character +1 OCV with one of 
  the following, chosen and deﬁned when the charac-
  ter buys the CSL:
  1.  A single, speciﬁc type of attack or weapon used 
  with any manner of attack (or a deﬁned group of 
  manners of attack). Examples include:
  ■ +1 OCV with Martial Block performed in any 
  way (barehanded, with a weapon, with a chair...)
  ■ +1 OCV with Punch performed in any way 
  (barehanded, with a weapon, with a chair, with a 
  Haymaker...)
  ■ +1 OCV with Sweep performed in any way (bare-
  handed, with any Combat or Martial Maneuver, 
  with a weapon, with a chair...)
  ■ +1 OCV with Longswords with any Combat or 
  Martial Maneuver
  ■ +1 OCV with M1911A Pistols with any Combat 
  or Martial Maneuver
  ■ +1 OCV with Flame Bolt (a speciﬁc type of Energy 
  Blast) with any Combat or Martial Maneuver
  ■ +1 OCV with Longswords with up to three spe-
  ciﬁc Combat or Martial Maneuvers
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 OECV with one Mental Power or 
  Mental Combat attack (e.g., Mind Control)
  2.  A closely-deﬁned category of types of attacks 
  or weapons used with a single, speciﬁc manner of 
  attack. Examples include:
  ■ +1 OCV with Blocks (normal, Martial, Defensive, 
  and so on) performed barehanded
  ■ +1 OCV with the Combat Maneuver Strike (how-
  ever deﬁned) performed while armed
  ■ +1 OCV with the Combat Maneuver Strike (how-
  ever deﬁned) performed while unarmed
  ■ +1 OCV with Swords (long, broad, bastard...) 
  with Sword Slash (a type of Strike)
  ■ +1 OCV with Pistols (any type) with Shoot (a 
  type of Strike)
  ■ +1 OCV with Energy Blasts (of any type) with 
  Haymaker
  USING 2-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS
  Characters cannot use 2-point CSLs to 
  improve DCV or damage. They only improve OCV. 
  Therefore, characters cannot purchase 2-point CSLs 
  for Maneuvers like Dodge.
  2-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS  
  WITH WEAPONS
  A 2-point Combat Skill Level, if bought to 
  apply to a weapon or like attack, applies to all weap-
  ons of that type, not just one single example of that 
  type of weapon. For example, +1 OCV with Broad-
  swords applies to all Broadswords, not just a par-
  ticular broadsword the character owns. But there’s 
  an important caveat to this rule:  if the weapon 
  has multiple forms of attack (perhaps because it’s 
  bought as a Multipower), a 2-point CSL does not 
  increase the character’s OCV with all of those 
  forms of attack. Instead, the character must choose 
  one of the attacks when he buys the CSL, and it 
  applies only to increase his OCV with that attack. 
  (This also applies to 1-point CSLs.)
  2-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS WITH 
  MOVEMENT
  Characters can also buy 2-point Skill Levels 
  with Movement. Although nominally Skill Levels, 
  not CSLs, they can aﬀect OCV and DCV and so 
  deserve mention here. See page 301 for more infor-
  mation and optional rules.
  3-Point Combat Skill Levels
  Combat Skill Levels costing 3 Character Points 
  apiece can apply in various ways.
  3-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS FOR ANY 
  PURPOSE
  Combat Skill Levels costing 3 Character Points 
  apiece can grant a character +1 OCV or +1 DCV or 
  increase damage with one of the following, chosen 
  and deﬁned when the character buys the CSL:
  THE COMBAT 
  MANEUVER STRIKE
  The Combat Maneuver 
  Strike interacts with 
  Combat Skill Levels in 
  an unusual way. Because 
  a Strike can be deﬁned 
  in many ways — a 
  punch, a kick, a knee-
  strike, a blow from a 
  weapon, a shot from a 
  Ranged attack, and so 
  on — considering it a 
  single Combat Maneu-
  ver could create some 
  game balance problems.
  The Combat Maneu-
  ver Strike counts as a 
  closely-deﬁned group of 
  attacks when characters 
  buy CSLs for it. How-
  ever, it can be broken 
  down into “barehanded” 
  and “armed” for these 
  purposes, since doing 
  so diminishes what a 
  character can apply 
  the Levels to — armed 
  Strikes become a diﬀer-
  ent thing from punches 
  and kicks. A 2-point 
  CSL can be bought to 
  increase OCV with 
  armed Strikes or with 
  unarmed Strikes; a 
  3-point CSL can be 
  bought to increase just 
  OCV (or just DCV) 
  with any type of Strike 
  (armed or unarmed).
  The term “Strike” used 
  in this way refers only 
  to the speciﬁc Combat 
  Maneuver Strike, 
  described on pages 
  384 and 392 of The 
  HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised rulebook. 
  It does not refer to all 
  maneuvers with the 
  word “Strike” in their 
  names (for example, 
  these rules don’t apply 
  to Martial Strike or 
  Oﬀensive Strike, which 
  are each a speciﬁc type 
  of attack).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  123 
  1.  A closely-defined category of types of 
  attacks or weapons used with any manner 
  of attack (or a defined group of manners of 
  attack). Examples include:
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV with Blocks (normal, Mar-
  tial, Defensive, and so on) performed in any way 
  (barehanded, with a weapon, with a chair...)
  ■ +1 OCV or DCV or increase damage with up to 
  three Combat or Martial Maneuvers performed in 
  any way (barehanded, with a weapon, with a chair, 
  with a Haymaker...)
  ■ +1 OCV or DCV or increase damage with up to 
  three slots in a Power Framework used in any way 
  (barehanded, with a weapon, with a chair, with a 
  Haymaker...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  Swords (long, broad, bastard...) with any Combat or 
  Martial Maneuver
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  Pistols (of any type) with any Combat or Martial 
  Maneuver
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  Energy Blasts (of any type) with any Combat or 
  Martial Maneuver
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  a single type of attack or weapon (e.g., Punches, 
  Longswords) used in any way (barehanded, with a 
  weapon, with a chair, with a Haymaker...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or +1 OECV or +1 DECV or 
  increase damage with up to three Mental Powers or 
  Mental Combat attacks performed in any way
  2.  A broadly-deﬁned category of types of attacks 
  or weapons used with a single, speciﬁc manner of 
  attack. Examples include:
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with up 
  to six Combat or Martial Maneuvers performed 
  barehanded
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with up 
  to six Combat or Martial Maneuvers with Long-
  swords
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  all the Martial Maneuvers in a single Martial Arts 
  style (regardless of the number of Maneuvers) per-
  formed barehanded
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with the 
  Combat Maneuver Strike (however deﬁned) per-
  formed barehanded
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with the 
  Combat Maneuver Strike (however deﬁned) per-
  formed while armed
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  all slots in a Power Framework with the Combat 
  Maneuver Strike (however deﬁned)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with all 
  Firearms with Shoot (a type of Strike)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  all HTH Combat Weapons with the Combat 
  Maneuver Strike
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  Energy Attack Powers (as deﬁned by the player and 
  GM) with Haymaker
  USING 3-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS
  As stated, characters can use these 3-point 
  CSLs for any of the following purposes:
  1.  To increase OCV.
  2.  To increase DCV.
  3.  To increase damage.
  3-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS FOR A 
  RESTRICTED PURPOSE
  Characters can also buy Combat Skill Levels 
  costing 3 Character Points apiece for more restricted 
  uses — to apply only to OCV or to DCV with a larger 
  group of attacks than those described above.
  First, a character can buy Combat Skill Levels cost-
  ing 3 Character Points apiece only to increase OCV 
  (not DCV or damage) with a very broad category 
  of attacks or abilities, or in a restricted situation. 
  Examples include:
  ■ +1 OCV with the Combat Maneuver Strike (how-
  ever deﬁned) performed in any way
  ■ +1 OCV with up to six Combat or Martial 
  Maneuvers performed in any way (barehanded, 
  with a weapon, with a chair...)
  Second, a character can buy Combat Skill Levels 
  costing 3 Character Points apiece only to increase 
  DCV (not OCV or damage) with a very broad cat-
  egory of attacks or abilities, or in a restricted situa-
  tion. Examples include:
  ■ +1 DCV with the Combat Maneuver Strike (how-
  ever deﬁned) performed in any way
  ■ +1 DCV with up to six Combat or Martial 
  Maneuvers performed in any way (barehanded, 
  with a weapon, with a chair...)
  ■ +1 DCV while wearing armor (i.e., to counteract 
  negative DCV penalties imposed by armor)
  ■ +1 DCV while using a particular Skill (such as 
  Stealth or WF: Oﬀ Hand)
  In eﬀect, these restricted types of 3-point Combat 
  Skill Level are like 5-point CSLs with a -½ Limitation.
  MARTIAL ARTS
  If a character has bought 3-point CSLs with a 
  single martial art (say, Karate), and has purchased a 
  Weapons Element for that art (for example, to use 
  Karate Weapons with the Karate maneuvers), the 
  character can use those CSLs with weapons used with 
  his Martial Maneuvers (unless the GM rules other-
  wise). However, if he buys maneuvers from outside 
  his art (say, a Kenjutsu sword maneuver), he cannot 
  use the 3-point CSLs with his original art with the 
  “outside” maneuvers. Nor can he use the CSLs with 
  weapons he doesn’t have a Weapon Element for.
  In general, characters do better if they buy 5-
  point CSLs with HTH Combat, since such Levels 
  apply to the Martial Maneuvers, other maneuvers 
  bought outside the character’s style, ordinary 
  HERO System Combat Maneuvers, and weapons 
  not used within the character’s style.
  
  124 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  4-Point Combat Skill Levels
  Combat Skill Levels costing 4 Character Points 
  apiece can grant a character +1 OCV or +1 DCV or 
  increase damage with a group of attacks or weap-
  ons broader than what’s covered by a 3-point CSL, 
  but less broad than what’s covered by a 5-point 
  CSL. Speciﬁcally, it can apply to a broadly-deﬁned 
  category of types of attacks or weapons used with 
  any manner of attack (or a deﬁned group of man-
  ners of attack) or a very broad category of types 
  of attacks or weapons used with a single, speciﬁc 
  manner of attack. Examples include:
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  up to six Combat or Martial Maneuvers per-
  formed in any way (barehanded, with a weapon, 
  with a chair...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  all the Martial Maneuvers in a single Martial Arts 
  style (regardless of the number of Maneuvers) 
  performed in any way (barehanded, with a weapon, 
  with a chair...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  the Combat Maneuver Strike (however deﬁned) 
  performed in any way (barehanded, with a weapon, 
  with a chair...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with all 
  slots in a Power Framework used in any way (bare-
  handed, with a weapon, with a chair...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  Firearms used in any way (barehanded, with any 
  Combat or Martial Maneuver...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  HTH Combat Weapons used in any way (bare-
  handed, with any Combat or Martial Maneuver...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with 
  Energy Attack Powers (as deﬁned by the player 
  and GM) used in any way (barehanded, with any 
  Combat or Martial Maneuver...)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or +1 OECV or +1 DECV or 
  increase damage with up to six Mental Powers or 
  Mental Combat attacks performed in any way
  ■ +1 DCV against HTH Combat attacks (but not 
  Ranged attacks)
  ■ +1 DECV against all Mental Powers or Mental 
  Combat attacks
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with all 
  HTH Combat attacks barehanded
  USING 4-POINT COMBAT SKILL LEVELS
  Characters can use 4-point CSLs for any of 
  the purposes listed for standard 3-point CSLs; the 
  same rules apply regarding what the DCV bonus 
  can apply to.
  In eﬀect, a 4-point Combat Skill Level is like a 
  5-point CSL with a -¼ Limitation.
  5-Point Combat Skill Levels
  Combat Skill Levels costing 5 Character 
  Points apiece can be bought to grant a character 
  the following:
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with all 
  HTH Combat attacks, used or performed in any 
  way (but not including Mental Powers or Mental 
  Combat attacks)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or increase damage with all 
  Ranged Combat attacks, used or performed in any 
  way (but not including Mental Powers or Mental 
  Combat attacks)
  ■ +1 OCV or +1 DCV or +1 OECV or +1 DECV 
  or increase damage with all Mental Powers and 
  Mental Combat attacks (both HTH and Ranged), 
  used or performed in any way
  ■ +1 DCV with all attacks, HTH or Ranged (but 
  not Mental)
  At the GM’s option, a character could also 
  buy a 5-point CSL to apply to a discrete group of 
  attacks mixing both HTH and Ranged attacks. For 
  example, a character could buy a 5-point CSL for 
  “All Weapons,” or with “all of my spells” (where the 
  character’s spells involve both HTH and Ranged 
  attacks). However, this type of 5-point CSL can only 
  apply to DCV against attacks falling into that same 
  category. For example a 5-point CSL with All Weap-
  ons could improve a character’s DCV (or DECV) 
  against weapon attacks (be they HTH, Ranged, 
  or Mental weapons), but not against an unarmed 
  attack or an attack based on an innate power or 
  ability not involving a weapon. 
  Five-point “DCV Levels” increase a character’s 
  DCV against all types of attacks, no matter of what 
  type or how many are made against him in a given 
  Segment. They do not, however, increase his DECV.
  6-Point Combat Skill Levels
  Combat Skill Levels costing 6 Character Points 
  apiece can grant a character +1 OCV or +1 DCV or 
  increase damage with all attacks in any two of the 
  categories listed for 5-point CSLs (HTH, Ranged, or 
  Mental), used or performed in any way.
  In eﬀect, a 6-point Combat Skill Level is like an 
  8-point CSL with a -¼ Limitation. As such, a character 
  can use one for all types of attacks or powers used 
  with a single, speciﬁc manner of attack.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  125 
  8-Point Combat Skill Levels
  The 8-point Combat Skill Level applies to 
  all types and forms of combat — HTH, Ranged, 
  Mental, and anything else the GM thinks up. It can 
  increase OCV, DCV, OECV, DECV, or damage as 
  the character wishes.
  At the GM’s option, a character could take 
  an 8-point Combat Skill Level to apply to any 
  related group of attacks and Skills. The Level 
  would provide a +1 OCV, +1 DCV, increase 
  damage, or add +1 to a Skill Roll within that 
  discrete group of abilities. Examples include 
  All Magic, All Psychic Powers And Skills, or All 
  Vehicles. An 8-point CSL with All Magic could 
  apply to +1 OCV with a magical attack of some 
  sort, +1 DCV against magical attacks, or +1 to 
  the roll with KS: Arcane And Occult Lore, Power: 
  Magic, or a similar magic-oriented Skill.
  10-Point Overall Skill Levels
  Characters can use Overall Skill Levels as if 
  they were 8-point Combat Skill Levels, if desired.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Combat Skill Levels don’t require equipment; 
  they’re a purely personal Skill.
  BASE TIMES
  Combat Skill Levels don’t take any time to 
  “use” per se. As noted above a character has to use 
  a Zero Phase Action to change the allocation of his 
  Skill Levels.
  SKILL LEVELS BY GENRE
  Combat Skill Levels work the same in all 
  genres and eras.
  
  126 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  COMPUTER  
  PROGRAMMING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Intellect Skill can program 
  and operate computers. This includes knowledge of, 
  and the ability to use, hardware, software, operat-
  ing systems, and the like. Among other things, he 
  knows how to:
  ■ use computer systems and related devices
  ■ build, maintain, and repair computer hardware
  ■ evaluate the relative merits of computer systems 
  and software (though he can’t do this as well as 
  someone with Analyze Computers could)
  ■ write, modify, erase, copy, or replace programs and 
  other software using various computer languages
  ■ penetrate computer security (usually known 
  to the lay public as “hacking,” but more correctly 
  referred to as “cracking”)
  ■ search for secured or hidden information
  ■ retrieve computer records after others have tried 
  to delete or destroy them
  ■ do the work of a systems administrator, techni-
  cal support specialist, computer security specialist, 
  computer programmer, computer engineer, soft-
  ware engineer, or similar computer professional 
  (ideally he also has one or more relevant PSs or SSs 
  to serve as Complementary Skills)
  Characters with Computer Programming 
  know about computer systems and software 
  generally, the history of computing machines, 
  famous computer designers and programmers, 
  and other related facts. Given the prevalence of 
  computers in modern life, Computer Program-
  ming is an important Skill in many Modern- and 
  Future-era campaigns.
  Cryptography often acts as a Complementary 
  Skill to Computer Programming rolls. So do Elec-
  tronics, Security Systems, SS: Mathematics, and 
  various other Skills in appropriate circumstances.
  A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPUTING
  The history of computers and computing 
  is so extensive that it can easily fill books larger 
  than this one. Here’s a brief, simple timeline of 
  major events in the history of computers and 
  computing to provide a frame of reference for 
  characters in historical campaigns or who find 
  themselves traveling back in time.
  1623:  William Schickard builds the ﬁrst mechani-
  cal calculator based on John Napier’s description of 
  “Napier’s bones,” a calculating device.
  1801:  Joseph-Marie Jacquard invents a loom con-
  trolled by punched cards.
  c. 1820:  Charles Xavier Thomas de Colmar cre-
  ates the first successful mass-produced mechani-
  cal calculator.
  1822:  Charles Babbage ﬁrst describes his “diﬀer-
  ence engine” for calculating polynomial functions. 
  He obtains funding to build a device eight feet tall, 
  weighing ﬁfteen tons, with 25,000 parts, but fails to 
  complete it.
  1833:  Charles Babbage begins work on designs for 
  his “Analytical Engine,” a general-purpose comput-
  ing device that could be programmed with punched 
  cards. He continued to work on this project until his 
  death in 1871 but never completes it or builds the 
  Engine due to his constant tinkering and desire to 
  reﬁne his design and add more features. Mathemati-
  cian Ada Lovelace writes a program that would have 
  allowed the theoretical device to calculate Bernoulli 
  numbers, making her the world’s ﬁrst computer pro-
  grammer in the eyes of some scholars.
  1890:  The US Census Bureau uses sorting technol-
  ogy and punched cards to manage the census data.
  Early 1900s:  Inventors redesign existing calculating 
  devices to use electricity. By the 1930s mechanical 
  desktop calculators become common, and by the 
  late 1940s begin to shrink in size and become ever 
  more sophisticated. (See 1961.)
  1927:  Vannevar Bush and several colleagues at 
  MIT invent the Diﬀerential Analyzer, which can 
  solve diﬀerential equations. In other words, it’s the 
  ﬁrst electromechanical analog computer. (Some 
  sources date this invention to 1930.) Developments 
  in analog computers continue through the Thirties, 
  Forties, and Fifties; hybrid analog computers with 
  digital electronics come into use from the Forties 
  through the Sixties.
  1936:  In Germany, Konrad Zuse begins building a 
  primitive digital computer using parts from what 
  amounts to an Erector Set. In 1939 he receives 
  funding from the Third Reich for further work, 
  and continues developing his Z-series computers 
  throughout World War II and beyond.
  Also in this year, Alan Turing publishes his 
  paper describing the theoretical “Turing machine,” 
  an inﬂuential concept in computer science.
  1937:  John Atanasoﬀ begins work on the ﬁrst elec-
  tronic computer, completing his prototype in Octo-
  ber, 1939 and an operational version (the ABC) in 
  1942. Also in this year, Claude Shannon publishes 
  his master’s thesis, which leads to practical design 
  of digital circuits.
  1938:  The Atanasoﬀ-Berry Computer is invented; 
  although not programmable, it’s the ﬁrst computer 
  to use electronic circuits and binary math.
  1940:  George Stibitz of Bell Labs demonstrates the 
  Complex Number Calculator and shows that he 
  can send it commands by teletype, making it the 
  ﬁrst computer used remotely over a telephone line.
  1940s:  First-generation computers such as 
  Colossus (the first totally electronic computer, 
  developed by the British to help with cryptol-
  ogy) and the Atanasoff-Berry Computer using 
  vacuum tubes and punchcards come into use. 
  Temporary storage (memory) uses acoustic delay 
  lines or Williams tubes.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  127 
  1941:  Development begins on ENIAC (Electronic 
  Number Integrator And Computer) begins and 
  lasts through 1945. Its electronics (including 
  vacuum tubes) make it extremely fast, but pro-
  gramming it involves rewiring it.
  1947:  Shockley, Bardeen, and Brattain invent the 
  ﬁrst practical point-contact transistor.
  1948:  The ﬁrst Von Neumann machine (a com-
  puter that stores instructions and data in a single 
  unit) is built at the University of Manchester.
  1950:  Europe’s ﬁrst universally programmable com-
  puter, MESM, becomes operational in Kiev, USSR.
  1951:  Great Britain’s LEO I computer becomes the 
  world’s ﬁrst routine oﬃce computer for J. Lyons & Co.
  Also in this year, the US Census Bureau begins 
  using UNIVAC I, which has a metal tape input 
  system rather than punchcards. It’s the world’s ﬁrst 
  mass-produced computer with 46 units sold by 
  Remington Rand.
  1954:  Magnetic core memory becomes the most 
  common form of computer memory, and remains 
  so until the mid-Seventies.
  1958:  The integrated circuit is invented.
  Late 1950s, early 1960s:  Second-generation com-
  puters using transistors and printed circuits, such 
  as the IBM 1620, come into use.
  1961:  Sumlock Comptometer produces the Anita 
  C/VII, the ﬁrst desktop electronic calculator.
  Mid-1960s:  Third-generation computers using 
  integrated circuits come into use. Large “main-
  frame” computers become common and increase 
  computing power and storage capabilities, while 
  “minicomputers” make it possible for more people 
  to use computers.
  1969:  The ﬁrst ARPANET link, predecessor to the 
  Internet, is established. Developments in packet 
  switching and related technologies continue into 
  the Seventies.
  1971:  Intel produces the 4004, the ﬁrst commercial 
  microprocessor, making fourth-generation comput-
  ers possible. Soon microcomputers and supercom-
  puters appear on the market.
  1973:  The Xerox Alto is the ﬁrst personal computer, 
  and the ﬁrst to use a mouse, a graphic user interface 
  (GUI), and the “desktop” metaphor.
  1975:  The MITS Altair, the ﬁrst mass-manufac-
  tured home computer appears on the January cover 
  of Popular Electronics magazine. It’s built with a kit 
  and uses the Intel 8080 processor.
  Also in this year, Bill Gates and Paul Allen 
  found Microsoft.
  1976:  Seymour Cray produces the Cray-1 super-
  computer. Also in this year, standards for X.25, the 
  ﬁrst computer network allowing for public access, 
  are approved.
  1977:  Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak produce the 
  Apple II personal computer. The TRS-80 and 
  Commodore PET are also released this year, but 
  prove far less popular, in part because the VisiCalc 
  spreadsheet program is a “killer app” for business 
  use of the Apple.
  1979:  Compuserve becomes the ﬁrst service to 
  oﬀer e-mail capabilities to subscribers.
  Late 1970s:  Local area networks (LANs), including 
  Ethernet, are developed. At around this time, bulletin 
  board systems (BBSes) and networks like FidoNet and 
  UseNet begin to become more popular.
  1981:  IBM enters the personal computer market 
  with the IBM PC. Later designs improve upon 
  it signiﬁcantly in all respects. Beginning in 1986 
  Intel microprocessors allow a market of secondary 
  manufacturers to evolve, so that IBM-style personal 
  computers come to dominate the market instead of 
  Apple computers.
  1982:  Commodore releases the Commodore 64, 
  said to be the best-selling single model of personal 
  computer ever. Also in this year, Microsoft releases 
  its ﬁrst version of DOS (PC-DOS 1.1).
  1983:  TCP/IP protocols become the only approved 
  protocols on ARPANET. They are soon adopted in 
  other regions of the world. Also in this year, Micro-
  soft releases MS-DOS 2.0.
  1984:  Apple Computers releases the Macintosh.
  1985:  Microsoft releases Windows 1.0. Windows 
  2.0 follows in 1987, Windows 3.0 in 1990 (the ﬁrst 
  version to achieve signiﬁcant commercial success), 
  and Windows 95 in 1995.
  Mid-1980s:  ARPANET and NSFNet begin to 
  merge. The term “Internet” is ﬁrst used.
  Late 1980s:  The ﬁrst Internet Service Provider 
  (ISP) companies arrive.
  1990:  Microsoft Windows 3.0 is released. Apple 
  Computers begins to decline, but its fortunes revive 
  somewhat when Jobs returns to the company in 
  1997 and introduces innovations such as the iMac 
  and Mac OS X.
  Mid-1990s:  Microsoft Windows and related 
  products come to dominate the world of software, 
  relegating DOS-based programs to the dustbin of 
  computer history.
  1991:  The World Wide Web becomes publicly 
  available. Explosive growth follows over the coming 
  decade, leading to, among other things, the “dot-
  com” boom and bust. As of 2006 the Web is an inte-
  gral part of world society and commerce.
  2000s:  Server farms and storage area networks 
  relegate mainframes to specialized uses. Comput-
  ers become ubiquitous in all walks of life in First 
  World societies, and common even in some Third 
  World nations.
  
  128 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Using Computer  
  Programming
  Because computer technology advances and 
  changes so swiftly, the rules in this section of The 
  Ultimate Skill are written “generically.” In other 
  words, they don’t refer to any specific type of 
  computer system, software, or standards. If they 
  did, they’d run the risk of becoming obsolete 
  — computer technology develops and changes 
  at such startling speeds that trying to define it 
  more precisely for game purposes is folly, since 
  most campaigns don’t need anything close to that 
  level of detail for the Skill. Instead, these rules 
  require the GM to describe a computer system or 
  database with generic terms that establish modi-
  fiers for working with that system. The intent is 
  to allow for “dramatic” or “cinematic” computer 
  use, not to provide “realistic” rules for how com-
  puter systems are built and used. Gamemasters 
  who consider themselves knowledgeable in the 
  subject can devise more complex rules using 
  technologies available as of game time and/or in 
  their campaign settings, if desired.
  SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION
  Perhaps the most common use of Computer 
  Programming is to search for information within 
  a computer system or database. In the case of pub-
  licly-available information, such as anything posted 
  on the Internet or World Wide Web, characters 
  probably don’t even need to make Computer Pro-
  gramming rolls — in that situation, the Research 
  Skill (page 371) serves them better, if there’s any 
  need to roll the dice at all.
  On the other hand, getting information kept in 
  a secured database or otherwise considered “secret” 
  typically requires Computer Programming. Before 
  a character can search for such information, he may 
  have to use Computer Programming to penetrate 
  (“hack into”) the system where the information’s 
  kept (see below). Once a character has access to the 
  system, he can make a Computer Programming 
  roll, using the modiﬁers from the accompanying 
  table. Skills like Research may serve as Comple-
  mentary Skills.
  Searching for information may require only a 
  few Phases, or it may take hours — it all depends 
  on how diﬃcult it is to ﬁnd the information, how 
  much of it there is, the quality of the computer the 
  character uses, how cinematic the campaign is, and 
  so forth. The GM should set a time to perform the 
  task based on the Time Chart (a minimum of 1 
  Turn and a maximum of 1 Day are good parame-
  ters for most tasks). For each full 3 points by which 
  the character makes his roll (e.g., rolling an 8 when 
  the character has an 11- Skill Roll), reduce the time 
  required by one step up the Time Chart.
  PENETRATING SECURED  
  COMPUTER SYSTEMS
  Penetrating secured, restricted, or otherwise 
  non-public computer systems and databases is one 
  of characters’ most valuable uses for Computer 
  Programming. This is commonly known as “hack-
  ing,” and people who do it as “hackers.” (Many 
  computer specialists prefer the term “cracking” and 
  “cracker,” despite how odd they sound to outsiders.) 
  By penetrating a computer system a character can 
  gain access to and enemy’s computers to seize con-
  trol or interfere with their use, invade databanks to 
  search for valuable information, conduct informa-
  tion warfare, and even engage in information theft 
  if he’s larcenously inclined.
  In game terms, hacking typically involves 
  either a Computer Programming roll made by the 
  character at a penalty, or a Skill Versus Skill roll pit-
  ting the character’s Computer Progamming against 
  the Computer Programming roll of the person or 
  system he’s trying to defeat. (In either case, Security 
  Systems may function as a Complementary Skill, 
  at the GM’s option; this is particularly appropriate 
  if the character takes the Only Versus Computer 
  Security Systems version of that Skill [see page 291]; 
  Cryptography may also serve as Complementary). 
  The Computer Programming Modiﬁers table lists 
  the penalty, and the corresponding roll if you prefer 
  that method, for computer systems with various 
  levels of security.
  Attempting to penetrate computer security 
  typically requires at least 1 Hour, and may in fact 
  take days, weeks, or months of laborious checking 
  of possible passwords, eﬀorts to bypass prelimi-
  nary security software or ﬁnd “back doors” into 
  COMPUTER PROGRAMMING MODIFIERS
  SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION
  Type Of Information 
  Modiﬁer
  Not hidden 
  +2
  Poorly hidden 
  +1
  Hidden 
  +0
  Well hidden 
  -2
  Very well hidden 
  -4
  PENETRATING COMPUTER SYSTEMS
  Type Of System 
  Modiﬁer 
  Skill Roll 
  Example
  Unsecured 
  +2 or better 
  None 
  Typical home computer
  Poorly secured 
  +1 
  8- 
  Typical business computer
  Secured 
  +0 
  9- to 11- 
  Low-end government, law enforce-
  ment, and corporate computers
  Well secured 
  -1 to -3 
  12- to 14- 
  Average government, law enforce-
  ment, and corporate computers
  Very well secured 
  -4 to -6 
  15- to 17- 
  High-end government, law enforce-
  ment, and corporate computers
  Extremely well secured -7 to -9 18- or better Military computers
  Other Circumstances 
  Modiﬁer
  Character has some information or clues regarding system passwords +0 or better
  Character has found exploitable ﬂaws in the same or similar software 
  +0 or better
  Computer system is...
  Much less advanced than what the character’s used to 
  +6 or better
  Less advanced than what the character’s used to 
  +1 to +5
  More advanced than what the character’s used to 
  -1 to -5
  Much more advanced than what the character’s used to 
  -6 or worse
  “Other Circumstances” penalties are cumulative with Type Of System penalties, but 
  in most cases the maximum penalty the GM should impose is -10 (equivalent to an 
  Extraordinary Skill roll).
  The “computer system” modiﬁers are a specialized form of the Advanced And 
  Obsolete Technology rules from page 39; the GM may substitute the standard rules 
  instead if he prefers.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  129 
  the system, and so forth. The GM should set a Base 
  Time to perform the task based on the Time Chart. 
  For each full 3 points by which the character makes 
  his roll (e.g., rolling an 8 when the character has an 
  11- Skill Roll), reduce the time required by one step 
  up the Time Chart. For dramatic purposes, the GM 
  can condense the time further as he sees ﬁt — char-
  acters in movies and on television sometimes seem 
  to penetrate computer security and ﬁnd just the 
  information they need in remarkably short periods 
  of time. In a Champions game, it’s possible that a 
  super-intelligent hacker could ﬁnd a way to pen-
  etrate a computer’s security in a matter of Phases 
  during a battle!
  After Penetrating Security
  After a character bypasses system security and 
  penetrates a computer system to gain access to that 
  computer, he may have to make one or more addi-
  tional Computer Programming rolls to do whatever 
  he wants to do in that system. If he’s just searching 
  for (and perhaps stealing) information, use the 
  “Searching For Information” modiﬁers in the Com-
  puter Programming Modiﬁers table. If the char-
  acter wants to interfere with the system in some 
  way — take control of it, plant secret programs in 
  it, interfere with others’ ability to use it, cause it to 
  crash, or the like — apply the “Type Of System” 
  modiﬁers to his roll, but halve them.
  Cracking Access
  In most cases, characters can access computer 
  systems remotely, since the systems are hooked up 
  to the Internet (or Cybernet) in some way. One way 
  of increasing the security of a computer is not to 
  connect it to any other system at all — to make it a 
  “standalone.” That means the character has to gain 
  physical access to the computer before he can try to 
  crack its security and ﬁnd the data he needs... and 
  just getting to it may be an adventure!
  Eliminating Traces
  A savvy computer cracker knows he has to 
  conceal the traces of his work — where he logged 
  in from and other information that might allow the 
  authorities to track him down. Doing this requires 
  a separate Computer Programming roll for use in 
  Skill Versus Skill Contests with computer security 
  specialists who might come after him.
  Phreaking
  Phreaking (an outdated term in some respects) 
  refers to manipulating the telephone system, often 
  for illegal purposes such as making free long-dis-
  tance calls. Some scholars regard phreaking as the 
  earliest form of computer cracking. The GM can 
  allow characters to phreak using Computer Pro-
  gramming and the rules for penetrating computer 
  security; Bugging (given its use to wiretap) and 
  Skills like KS: Telephone System serve as Comple-
  mentary Skills.
  Phreaking is easier on older analog telephone 
  systems, which use pulse dialing (such as old-fash-
  ioned rotary-dial phones). More modern digital 
  phone systems use DTMF (dual tone multi-fre-
  quency), making them much harder to phreak (-2 
  or worse penalties to rolls).
  PROGRAMMING
  A character with Computer Programming 
  can write, modify, erase, copy, or replace programs 
  using various computer languages (but see Soft-
  ware, below). Although a simple program can be 
  
  130 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  created in just a few minutes, typically the Base 
  Time for creating or making major modiﬁcations 
  to a program is 1 Hour or longer (see the Program-
  ming Table). Erasing, copying, or replacing pro-
  grams usually takes much less time — perhaps as 
  little as a few seconds, but usually at least 1 Turn. In 
  a dramatic sense, the character often succeeds just 
  in time to avoid detection or make his escape.
  RETRIEVING COMPUTER RECORDS
  Characters can also use Computer Program-
  ming to retrieve computer records and ﬁles. Ordi-
  narily this doesn’t even require a roll; the character 
  just has to search for what he wants (usually with 
  the help of searching software). However, some-
  times people delete ﬁles from their systems, or even 
  damage or destroy the hard drives or other physical 
  media on which the ﬁles are stored. Recovering that 
  data requires more eﬀort.
  Retrieving or recovering a ﬁle that’s just gone 
  through the basic deletion process requires a roll, 
  usually with a bonus (+2 or more), or at least no 
  penalty. If someone knows what they’re doing and 
  takes signiﬁcant steps to remove a ﬁle, the character 
  typically has to engage in a Skill Versus Skill Con-
  test using Computer Programming to defeat their 
  handiwork (or make his roll at a signiﬁcant penalty, 
  such as -3 or greater). This may require specialized 
  software or equipment. However, if a character has 
  the specialized resources he needs, keeping him 
  from recovering a “deleted” ﬁle is very, very diﬃcult 
  — even the US military’s extensive protocols for fully 
  deleting data (which involve ﬁlling the storage media 
  with meaningless data and completely erasing it 
  more than forty times) aren’t actually guaranteed to 
  work. With the right equipment, a character can use 
  Computer Programming to recover data even from 
  broken or fragmented physical media, though the 
  worse the condition of the physical media the harder 
  it is to work with (impose penalties of -3 or greater).  
  The only way to ensure that a properly-equipped 
  character can’t recover deleted ﬁles is to literally 
  grind the physical media into powder.
  Retrieving deleted or lost ﬁles typically takes 
  5-20 Minutes for data that hasn’t been subjected to 
  thorough attempts to delete it. If such attempts have 
  been made, or the physical media is damaged, the 
  Base Time rises to 1 Hour (or even much longer).
  Other Rules
  SOFTWARE
  In games where characters do a lot of Com-
  puter Programming work, the GM may want to add 
  ﬂavor to the campaign and keep characters from 
  unbalancing the game by restricting the use of the 
  Skill based on software. In the modern day there 
  are dozens of programming languages and major 
  software packages, and just because a character 
  knows how to use one doesn’t mean he can use 
  the others with equal ﬂuency. (In Future-era cam-
  paigns, this problem may still exist, or all computer 
  programming may have been streamlined to a 
  single uber-language that runs all software.)
  In game terms, for each Character Point 
  spent on Computer Programming a character may 
  choose one computer programming language, 
  major software package/product, or the like that he 
  knows how to use. (Thus, a character who spends 
  the standard 3 Character Points for Computer Pro-
  gramming knows three languages/software pack-
  ages.) A character can buy more languages/software 
  packages without increasing his Computer Pro-
  gramming roll at the rate of ½ Character Point per 
  language/software package. (Since the minimum 
  cost of anything is 1 Character Point, this is only 
  relevant if the character buys two, four, or some 
  other even number of languages/software packages; 
  otherwise the odd one gets rounded up to a cost of 
  1 Character Point.)
  Example:  Marcus V, a character in a Dark 
  Champions campaign set in the early twenty-
  ﬁrst century, spends 5 Character Points to buy 
  Computer Programming with +1 to the INT-
  Based Roll. Therefore he gets to choose 5 pro-
  gramming languages or software packages that 
  he knows how to use. He chooses C++, Java, 
  UNIX, Microsoft Windows, and the Adobe 
  suite of desktop publishing products.
  EQUIPMENT
  By deﬁnition, Computer Programming 
  requires equipment:  a computer to work on or 
  with. Lacking that, a character at best has knowl-
  edge he can’t apply to anything.
  POWERS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
  Cyberkinetic powers, such as those 
  described in The UNTIL Superpowers Databases, 
  are specifically designed to let a character inter-
  face with and manipulate computers without 
  having to use Computer Programming. Many 
  of them are built as Mental Powers that work 
  against the Machine class of minds.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  With most Computer Programming tasks, a 
  failed roll simply means the character didn’t accom-
  plish his task:  the computer he built or repaired won’t 
  work; the program he wrote won’t run (or won’t do 
  what he wants it to); he can’t ﬁnd the information 
  he needs; he can’t penetrate the computer’s security. 
  But a badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) may have dire 
  PROGRAMMING TABLE
  Complexity Of Program 
  Minimum Base Time
  Incredibly Complex 
  1 Season or longer
  Highly Complex 
  1 Month
  Very Complex 
  1 Week
  Complex 
  1 Day
  Average 
  1 Hour
  Simple 
  20 Minutes
  Very Simple 
  5 Minutes
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  131 
  consequences. For example, it could mean he crashes 
  the system or his program degrades his computer’s 
  performance. If he’s trying to crack computer secu-
  rity, he could set oﬀ an alarm, leave a trail that points 
  investigators right to him, get caught in some sort of 
  software “trap,” or (in Cyberpunk games) trigger secu-
  rity programs that burn out his brain.
  BASE TIMES
  Determining the Base Time for a Computer 
  Programming task depends partly on the “real-
  ism” level of the campaign. Realistically, many 
  of the most common uses of Computer Pro-
  gramming, such as hacking into computers and 
  writing complex programs, take hours, days, or 
  months. But in novels, movies, and television, 
  characters often seem to perform these tasks 
  with great speed (since a show or movie featur-
  ing nothing but hours of someone typing in 
  passwords to try to access a secured computer 
  wouldn’t exactly be entertaining). Therefore the 
  GM should set the Base Times for Computer 
  Programming depending on how “cinematic” 
  he wants to be — though even in a cinematic 
  game, major acts of hacking usually take minutes 
  or hours. See the text above for suggested Base 
  Times for various Computer Programming tasks.
  SUBDIVIDING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
  In a campaign that emphasizes information 
  warfare and the like, having a single Computer 
  Programming Skill may not work — GMs and 
  players may want to take technical diﬀerences into 
  account. One of the easiest ways to do this (besides 
  the Skill Roll penalties suggested in the Computer 
  Programming Modiﬁers table) is to split Computer 
  Programming up into various categories (just like 
  Gambling and Survival). The accompanying box 
  has a sample list of subcategories, but the GM can 
  change or add to it as he sees ﬁt. Characters can 
  learn any one category for 2 Character Points for 
  a (9 + (INT/5)) roll; each additional category costs 
  +2 Character Points, or each additional subcategory 
  +1 Character Point; improving the roll for all cate-
  gories and subcategories known costs +2 Character 
  Points for each +1 to the roll. At the GM’s option, 
  a character can make rolls pertaining to types of 
  computers he hasn’t paid Character Points for, but 
  at a -3 (or greater) penalty to all rolls.
  COMPUTER PROGRAMMING BY GENRE
  Cyberpunk/Near Future; Dark Champions
  The use of computers (and related forms of 
  high technology) practically deﬁnes some aspects 
  of this genre — it’s where the “Cyber” in Cyber-
  punk comes from. In a Cyberpunk-era game, GMs 
  should not only consider subdividing Computer 
  Programming, they may want to reﬁne the catego-
  ries even more, right down to speciﬁc manufac-
  turers and years. After all, programming an IBM 
  computer running a Microsoft operating system in 
  1992 is very diﬀerent from doing the same thing in 
  2006. In Cyberpunk minute imbalances in techno-
  logical capability and skill can mean the diﬀerence 
  between life and death.
  This same advice applies to computer-heavy 
  modern-day action-adventure games.
  Fantasy
  Generally speaking, Fantasy characters can’t 
  purchase Computer Programming; it has no 
  application whatsoever in the typical Fantasy Hero 
  campaign. However, if you think of it not strictly 
  as Computer Programming but “Information Sys-
  tems Use,” it might be a Skill that wizards in High 
  Fantasy campaigns use to manipulate information-
  storing mystic crystals and the like.
  And of course, not all Fantasy campaigns take 
  place in alternate worlds of dragons and sorcerers. 
  Urban Fantasy games could easily feature computers 
  and Computer Programming. Perhaps the Internet is 
  really a thing of magic that uses computers to interact 
  with the outside world. “Cybermancers” might use 
  spells to manipulate computers, or computers as a way 
  to cast their spells, or both. Sorcerers might refer to 
  what they do as “running subroutines” instead of “cast-
  ing spells,” even though the end result is the same.
  Pulp
  Generally, this Skill is inapplicable to Pulp 
  Hero games; computers as they’re known in the 
  modern era don’t exist. The only characters who 
  might buy it are scientists like Vannevar Bush who 
  are trying to create “diﬀerential analyzers” and simi-
  lar calculating devices.
  Science Fiction
  Except for a few Low SF settings such as Frank 
  Herbert’s Dune, computers are omnipresent in Sci-
  ence Fiction. From massive, hyperintelligent super-
  computers capable of running entire civilizations, 
  to bio-computers able to catch true “viruses,” to 
  hand-held computers containing many thousands 
  of times the processing power and storage capacity 
  EXPANDED COMPUTER  
  PROGRAMMING
  Personal Computers
  Handheld Computers
  Portable Computers
  Desktop Computers
  Computer Networks And Servers
  Local Networks
  The Internet
  Cyberspace (if appropriate to the campaign)
  Mainframe Computers And Supercomputers
  Hacking And Computer Security
  Inﬁltration/Penetration
  Defense
  Military And Government Computers
  Government Computers
  Law Enforcement Computers
  Military Computers
  Artiﬁcial Intelligence (if appropriate to the campaign)
  In a technology-oriented game, such as a Cyber Hero 
  campaign, the GM may reﬁne the categories even more 
  to specify manufacturers and/or years of manufacture. 
  For example, programming an IBM computer running 
  a Microsoft operating system in 1996 is diﬀerent from 
  doing the same thing in 2006.
  
  132 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  of the computers of twenty-ﬁrst century Earth, they 
  crop up in Star Hero games all the time. That makes 
  the Computer Programming Skill especially useful 
  in Science Fiction campaigns.
  Paradoxically, computers become both more 
  and less complex in Science Fiction. On the one 
  hand, ease-of-use and user-friendly features 
  improve to the point where most characters can 
  “perform” complex computing tasks simply by 
  telling the computer what they want to do — they 
  never have to press a key or control panel. Thus, 
  Computer Programming as a Skill may die out 
  among large segments of the population. It would 
  be replaced by, if anything, a PS: Use Computer 
  Skill. On the other hand, the internal workings of 
  computers become more and more sophisticated, 
  meaning engineers, scientists, and hard-core com-
  puter users still need Computer Programming to 
  build, repair, and get full beneﬁt from their com-
  puters. Characters may need a Fringe Beneﬁt like 
  Galactic Computernet Access Card to use certain 
  networks or computer systems, in much the same 
  way that people on modern Earth subscribe to 
  Internet service providers.
  In some settings, computers diversify incred-
  ibly, making the ability to use or program one type 
  of computer virtually useless when the character 
  encounters another type of computer. You can 
  simulate this with a -1 to -5 penalty to Computer 
  Programming rolls, depending on the degree of 
  diﬀerence between the systems, or you could use 
  an expanded version of the subdivided Computer 
  Programming described above. (Again, ease-of-
  use features may compensate for much of this.) 
  But in a Space Opera or Pulp-oriented Star Hero 
  campaign, having a single Computer Programming 
  Skill suﬃces; there’s no point getting bogged down 
  in technical details or imposing penalties for using 
  unusual systems.
  Superheroes
  In a Superhero setting, computers can range 
  from everyday varieties, to weird bio-comput-
  ers, to ultra-intelligent but warped AIs who want 
  to take over the world and either eradicate or 
  enslave humanity. Computer Programming is 
  often a crucial Skill, and some superheroes are 
  so good at it that they can hack into systems in 
  the blink of an eye. Cyberkinetic characters (see 
  above) can manipulate computers with the power 
  of their minds!
  Western/Victorian
  The timeline above provides brief information 
  about the types of “computers” available during this 
  period. The only characters who’d buy the Skill are 
  experimental scientists like Charles Babbage who 
  are on the frontiers of technological innovation.
  CONCEALMENT
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill represents a character’s abil-
  ity to hide things and to find things others have 
  hidden — important papers, weapons, jewels, 
  artifacts, drugs, and so forth. A character with 
  Concealment knows how to hide things (or find 
  hidden or concealed things), and how to make 
  hiding places for things (such as a fake book 
  that’s really a miniature safe) given the proper 
  tools, materials, and time. Concealment adds the 
  most enjoyment to the game when the GM actu-
  ally describes the situation, and the character 
  then describes exactly where he hides the object 
  (or where he searches for a hidden object).
  Concealment is an Everyman Skill for all genres.
  CONCEALMENT BASICS
  When a character hides something and some-
  one else tries to ﬁnd it, you use their Concealment 
  Skills in a Skill Versus Skill Contest. If the searcher 
  doesn’t have Concealment, he can make a PER Roll, 
  but the GM should apply at least a minor penalty 
  — -2 to -3, if not more. Otherwise there’s not as 
  much incentive for characters to buy Concealment.
  Several common modifiers apply to Con-
  cealment rolls. The first is how cluttered an area 
  is — or put more generically, how many good 
  hiding places it offers. (See the Concealment 
  Modifiers table.) The second, and generally more 
  important, factor is the size of the object in com-
  parison to the space in which it’s hidden (see the 
  Objects And Hiding Places table). The third is 
  how thoroughly a character searches; this applies 
  to areas (rather than people) and affects both the 
  Skill Roll and the time required.
  HIDING AND FINDING THINGS
  Each object a character might want to hide 
  has a Perception Modifier (“PER Mod”) that 
  roughly indicates its size and shape. Items and 
  places in which characters commonly try to hide 
  things — briefcases, articles of clothing, and so 
  on — have a PER Mod rating as a hiding place, 
  indicating how easy it is to conceal something 
  beneath or inside them.
  If the object’s PER Mod is less than or equal to 
  the PER Mod rating of the hiding place, the object 
  is hidden from view. Other characters can only ﬁnd 
  it in one of two ways. First, they might ﬁnd it with 
  a search (see below) and successful Concealment 
  Versus Concealment (or PER Roll) Contest. The 
  character trying to ﬁnd the object suﬀers a -1 penalty 
  to his Concealment or PER Roll for each point of 
  PER Mod the object is smaller than its hiding place. 
  Second, a character who has reason to be suspicious 
  of the character and looks at him closely might get 
  a roll to see that he’s hiding something. For example, 
  if a character looks at someone and asks speciﬁcally, 
  “Is he carrying something under his jacket?”, he can 
  make a Concealment or PER Roll to check. In this 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  133 
  case, the character suﬀers a -1 penalty to his Con-
  cealment or PER Roll for each point of PER Mod the 
  object is smaller than its hiding place. (Obviously, the 
  GM should only allow this if there’s a realistic chance 
  the character could see some evidence of the hidden 
  object; tiny items don’t cause noticeable bulges or 
  other indications of their presence.)
  Example:  “Bull” Robinson is carrying an AMT 
  Backup pistol (PER Mod +1) under his surf 
  jacket (PER Mod 2). Casual observers won’t 
  notice the gun; anyone speciﬁcally looking for it 
  will take a -1 on his Concealment or PER Roll 
  to ﬁnd it.
  If object’s PER Mod is larger than the PER Mod 
  rating of the hiding place, then the object might be 
  spotted — anyone has a chance to notice it, since it 
  causes an unsightly bulge in the person’s clothing 
  or otherwise won’t ﬁt into the hiding place properly. 
  Anyone the character deals with notices the bulge (or 
  other indications of a hidden object) with a successful 
  Concealment or PER Roll. At the GM’s option, the roll 
  to notice the object receives a bonus equal to (Object’s 
  PER Mod - Hiding Place’s PER Mod).
  Example:  Bull later decides to carry a Llama 
  Super Comanche .44 magnum revolver (PER 
  Mod +3) under his jacket. Because the gun is 
  bigger than the jacket’s PER Mod rating (2), 
  casual observers can notice it. People are start-
  ing to talk about Bull.
  Example:  Valdorus the assassin is trying to 
  sneak a crossbow (PER Mod +6) through town 
  by concealing it underneath his cloak (PER 
  Mod 5). At the GM’s option, anyone who tries 
  to make a Concealment or PER Roll to notice 
  that he’s hiding something receives a (6 - 5 =) 
  +1 bonus to the roll.
  A successful Concealment or PER Roll tells a 
  character that the person he’s examining is carry-
  ing a hidden object, but not what the object is. As 
  long as clothing (or the like) still covers an object, 
  the object’s exact identity remains unknown. How-
  ever, the character might learn something from the 
  nature of the hiding place, shape of the bulge, or 
  the like. For example, if he notices a bulge under a 
  person’s left armpit, it’s probably a gun in a shoulder 
  holster — but he won’t know exactly what type of 
  gun until it comes out into view.
  Some objects are so large they can’t be hidden 
  in an area. If a hiding place’s PER Mod is 2 or more 
  points smaller than the object’s PER Mod, typically 
  the object is not considered hidden; anyone who’s 
  close enough can notice it without even having to 
  make a PER Roll. In other words, don’t even try 
  hiding a +7 PER Mod machine gun under your hat.
  The Objects And Hiding Places table lists the 
  most common concealment spots for objects, and 
  the PER Mods of various items. If the table doesn’t 
  include an item, use the listed objects as guidelines 
  to determine an appropriate PER Mod.
  The PER Mod rating of the jackets and coats 
  in the table represents them buttoned up. If such 
  an article of clothing is left unbuttoned, the PER 
  Mod rating of its hiding spaces increases by 1. 
  But when a character moves with an unbuttoned 
  jacket, there’s a chance of 1 on 1d6 (1 or 2 if he’s 
  running) for the jacket to open and reveal any 
  objects hidden under it.
  If a character has clothing speciﬁcally tailored 
  for one piece of equipment or weapon, the PER 
  Mod rating goes up by 1. A suit jacket speciﬁcally 
  designed to hold a Colt Anaconda (PER Mod +3) 
  OBJECTS AND  
  HIDING PLACES
  HIDING PLACES
  Location/Item* 
  PER Mod
  Body Cavities
  Mouth 
  +0
  Nose 
  -2
  Rectum 
  -1
  Stomach (swallowed item) 
  +1
  Teeth, false/hollow 
  -3
  Vagina 
  +0
  Clothing
  Armor 
  +1
  Bandage, underneath 
  -3 to +0
  Belt, money 
  +0
  Boots  
  +1
  Buckle, belt, hollow 
  -3
  Button, hollow 
  -3
  Cast, inside 
  -1 to +3
  Cloak 
  +5
  Coat (heavy, long jacket) 
  +4
  Cuﬀ, rolled-up 
  +1
  Diapers, baby’s 
  +1
  Eyeglasses, hollow stems 
  -2
  Hat  
  +1
  Hearing aid, hollow 
  -2
  Jacket, men’s suit 
  +2
  Jacket, windbreaker  
  +3
  Jewelry, hollow 
  -3 to +0
  Lapel, underneath 
  -2
  Limb, false 
  +1 to +3
  Lining of clothing 
  -2
  Overcoat (trenchcoat) 
  +5
  Shirt, blouse, tunic, tabard 
  +1
  Skirt, dress, or robes 
  +1
  Sleeve 
  +1
  Tie, in knot of 
  -2
  Watch, inside back 
  -3
  Wig, underneath 
  +1
  Containers
  Briefcase, backpack 
  +4
  Camera case 
  +2
  Chest 
  +4 to +7
  Handbag, large  
  +3
  Handbag, small  
  +1
  Lipstick tube 
  -1
  Saddlebags 
  +3
  Trunk 
  +8 to +10
  *:  For hiding places not related to a person or things 
  he wears/carries, the GM should compare the size of 
  the hiding place to one of the objects on the table and 
  assign it an appropriate PER Mod rating. For example, 
  a hollowed-out cavity at the top of a newel post might 
  have a PER Mod of 1-2, a fake muﬄer on a car might 
  have a PER Mod of 2-3, the hollow handlebars of 
  a bike or motorcycle might have a PER Mod of -1 to 1.
  Continued on next page
  
  134 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  would have a PER Mod rating of 3 and just barely 
  hide the gun.
  A character can use Concealment to hide most 
  objects with PER Mod +0 or lower on his person 
  (i.e., behind his belt buckle, in a specially hollowed-
  out shoe heel, inside a specially-tailored pocket, or 
  the like). Other persons can’t ﬁnd such objects visu-
  ally, only with an appropriate search (often a Strip 
  Search, or even x-raying the subject in the case of 
  swallowed items) and a Concealment Versus Con-
  cealment Contest. However, the GM may need to 
  invoke the rule of common sense — some items, no 
  matter what their PER Mod rating, are simply too 
  large to ﬁt inside some body cavities or the like. On 
  the other hand, despite an object’s overall size, its 
  shape may make it possible to ﬁt into some places 
  similarly-sized objects cannot (such as hiding a 
  wand up one’s sleeve).
  Hidden Compartments
  Some Vehicles, Bases, and the like have con-
  cealed compartments where people can hide things. 
  You can buy this as Concealment with the Self 
  Only and Partial Coverage Limitations. The Partial 
  Coverage deﬁnes the size of the space (and thus 
  what can ﬁt within it). Designers must take care not 
  to make “hideyholes” too large, for the larger they 
  are, the easier they usually are to detect (the unac-
  counted-for space tips oﬀ searchers). If a character 
  wants multiple compartments for his Vehicle, he 
  can apply the standard “+5 Character Points dou-
  bles the number of items of equipment” rule.
  Because a hidden compartment is “separate” 
  from the rest of the Vehicle or Base, it’s usually best 
  to buy it as a distinct use of Concealment, rather 
  than simply buying bonuses to an overall Conceal-
  ment roll. Similarly, GMs may rule that some types 
  of Skill Levels don’t apply to the Concealment roll 
  for hidden compartments.
  Searching A Person
  Whenever a character gets captured, his cap-
  tors will probably search him. Characters with 
  Concealment know how to perform a search of a 
  person properly. There are three kinds of searches: 
  a Fast Patdown; a Thorough Patdown; and a Strip 
  Search. All three use the basic Concealment Versus 
  Concealment (or PER Roll) system.
  A Fast Patdown only takes a Full Phase and 
  will ﬁnd most large items hidden on a character’s 
  torso. The searcher rolls his Concealment or PER 
  Roll, using the PER Mod of any hidden object a 
  searchee is carrying on his torso; he must make one 
  roll per item, and ﬁnds one item for each roll that 
  succeeds. The odds are he’ll ﬁnd a gun or a knife, 
  but there’s a small chance he’ll miss one.
  A Thorough Patdown takes a full Turn and 
  can ﬁnd most large items hidden anywhere on 
  a character’s body. The searcher must make one 
  Concealment or PER Roll for each hidden item, 
  with the object’s PER Mod as a bonus and also a +1 
  bonus for taking extra time. Each roll that succeeds 
  indicates a found item.
  A Strip Search is exactly what it sounds 
  like. It takes at least 1 Minute, and often 5-10 
  Minutes or more. The searcher removes all 
  of the subject’s clothing, jewelry, and carried 
  objects and searches them, sometimes even 
  systematically destroying each item to make 
  sure everything hidden in it is found. A char-
  acter performing a Strip Search automatically 
  finds any item not hidden with the Concealment 
  Skill without having to roll. For objects hidden 
  using Concealment, he must win a Concealment 
  Versus Concealment Contest, but he receives 
  the object’s PER Mod as a bonus, plus also a +5 
  bonus for taking plenty of time and being thor-
  ough. Each roll that succeeds indicates a found 
  item. After searching the clothing, the searcher 
  turns his attention to the subject and searches 
  him thoroughly, right down to his body cavities; 
  hiding anything is almost impossible. If the GM 
  even rules that rolls are necessary, the same rules 
  apply as for the clothing, and he may want to 
  apply additional bonuses.
  OBJECTS AND  
  HIDING PLACES
  HIDDEN OBJECTS
  Item 
  PER Mod
  Assault riﬂe 
  +5 to +7
  Bag/purse of coins 
  +1 to +3
  Binoculars 
  +2 to +3
  Book, notebook, papers 
  +1 to +3
  Bow, long 
  +4 to +7
  Bow, short 
  +3 to +5
  Bullet 
  -1 to 0
  Cash, roll of 
  +1
  Coin 
  -1 to +0
  Computer chip 
  -2 to -1
  Crossbow 
  +4 to +7
  Dagger 
  +2 to +3
  Derringer 
  +0 to +1
  Drugs, plastic bag of 
  +0 to +1
  Earring 
  -3 to +0
  Film, roll of 
  +0
  Gemstone 
  +0
  Grenade 
  +2
  HumanInfant/Toddler 
  +3 to +5
  Child 
  +6 to +9 
  Adolescent 
  +10 to +12
  Adult 
  +12 or more
  Knife (large) 
  +1
  Knife (small), shuriken 
  +1
  Laptop computer 
  +3
  Microﬁlm, roll of 
  -3 to +0
  Pen or pencil 
  +1
  Pill 
  -2
  Pistol 
  +2 to +4
  Pocket watch 
  +1
  Riﬂe, shotgun 
  +4 to +7
  Ring 
  -1
  Spear, polearm 
  +5 to +8
  Staﬀ 
  +4 to +7
  Submachine gun 
  +3 to +5
  Sword, broad/bastard 
  +4 to +6
  Sword, short 
  +2 to +4
  Wand 
  +2
  Watch 
  +0
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  135 
  Searching An Area
  When characters decide to search an area, 
  they should indicate how thoroughly they want 
  to search it. Area searches fall into four categories:  
  Perfunctory; Average; Thorough; and Very Thor-
  ough. As indicated in the Search Times table, these 
  four categories govern how long a search takes and 
  what modiﬁers apply.
  Other Skills
  Characters can also use Concealment to 
  hide and find things associated with other Skills 
  — bugs (Bugging), traps and security devices 
  (Security Systems), and so forth. Any Skill 
  directly connected with the object being hidden 
  (like Demolitions when hiding a bomb) acts as a 
  Complementary Skill.
  HIDING ONE’S SELF
  A character may hide himself from a search 
  using Concealment (for example, Andarra could 
  wedge herself behind a console to hide from the 
  Denebian Secret Police search team). A character 
  should use Stealth for any active concealment, 
  such as when he tries to move silently; only use 
  Concealment when nonmoving persons try to hide 
  themselves for a long period of time (more than a 
  Turn). For shorter periods of time, a character can 
  hide himself using either Concealment or Stealth 
  (his choice), and with the GM’s permission he can 
  use the other Skill (if he has it) as Complementary. 
  (At the GM’s option, for simplicity’s sake any of a 
  character’s eﬀorts to hide or conceal himself use 
  Stealth; in this case Concealment becomes a Skill 
  just for hiding and ﬁnding objects and the like.)
  When a character hides himself using Conceal-
  ment, pit his Concealment roll against the searcher’s 
  Concealment or PER Roll in a Skill Versus Skill Con-
  test. Standard Concealment modiﬁers apply.
  MANUFACTURING HIDING PLACES
  Characters with Concealment know how to 
  manufacture hiding places. This includes things 
  like building secret or concealed compartments 
  into furniture or walls, creating false bottoms 
  in luggage or other containers, sewing hidden 
  pockets into clothing, hollowing out books, and 
  so forth. However, unless a character possesses a 
  relevant PS with which to actually do the work, 
  such as PS: Carpentry or Sewing, he’s not likely 
  to do a very good job of it. His relatively poor 
  craftsmanship may even provide bonuses for 
  Concealment rolls to find the hiding spot.
  CONCEALMENT MODIFIERS
  Finding Hidden Objects 
  Modiﬁer 
  Amount/quality of hiding places
  Exceptional capacity for hiding things 
  -4
  Good capacity for hiding things 
  -2 to -3
  Average capacity for hiding things 
  -0 to -1
  Poor capacity for hiding things 
  +1 to +2
  Very poor capacity for hiding things 
  +3 to +4
  
  136 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
  Concealment generally only applies to Sight 
  (and often just to Normal Sight — Infrared Per-
  ception can often easily ﬁnding hidden objects, 
  concealed compartments, and the like). The GM 
  and players must apply some common sense to 
  resolve diﬃcult situations. For example, ordinar-
  ily it wouldn’t be diﬃcult for an animal to ﬁnd a 
  Concealed person via Smell — but if the person’s 
  hidden inside an airtight area or compartment of 
  some sort, obviously that’s not going to be so easy. 
  Similarly, an object might not have any scent to 
  speak of, making it diﬃcult to detect with Smell.
  Whether “just being out of sight” conceals 
  someone or something from a Detect depends on 
  how the Detect is built and deﬁned. If it’s part of 
  the Sight Group, then blocking sight would block 
  the Detect. If it’s part of some other Sense Group, or 
  no Sense Group, maybe not — for example, people 
  can sometimes smell or hear things they can’t see. 
  Apply common and dramatic sense when problems 
  arise, and you should be able to resolve most dif-
  ﬁculties to everyone’s satisfaction.
  Concealment is an Everycreature Skill for ani-
  mals. As such, it represents only their ability to hide 
  themselves, not to hide other objects (a -½ Limita-
  tion). Animals skilled at caching food for later con-
  sumption, or at hiding other objects, buy this Skill 
  normally. Animals with camouﬂage buy bonuses to 
  Concealment, but usually apply a Limitation rep-
  resenting the nature of their protective coloration 
  (see the Camouﬂage template on page 22 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary for some examples).
  Some Vehicles are designed to blend in well 
  with the terrain they operate in — they’re cam-
  ouflaged, in other words. Vehicles can buy this as 
  Concealment with the Limitations Self Only (-½) 
  and Only In Specific Environments/Situations (-1; 
  possibly less if terrain occurs frequently). If the 
  Vehicle can change coloration (or the like) to 
  adapt to a wide variety of environments or set-
  tings, the latter Limitation doesn’t apply, though 
  Costs Endurance might.
  In some cases the GM can even allow char-
  acters to use Concealment to represent acute 
  powers of observation — a sensitivity to small 
  cues and clues that tells the character some-
  thing’s amiss. For instance, a successful Conceal-
  ment roll might let a mystic notice the runes 
  hidden in the design of a mosaic floor, or spot 
  the vampire in a group of people.
  EQUIPMENT
  Most uses of Concealment don’t involve 
  equipment — ﬁrst and foremost the Skill repre-
  sents a character’s personal ability to hide things 
  or ﬁnd hidden objects. But when personal ability 
  isn’t enough, characters can use all sorts of sensory 
  devices to make the job of ﬁnding hidden things 
  easier. Infrared scanners, x-ray scanners, radars, 
  and any number of high-tech sensors from Science 
  Fiction campaigns can all make searching much 
  easier. On the other hand, camouﬂage garb may 
  make it easier for a person to hide himself or large 
  objects in some situations.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  137 
  POWERS AND CONCEALMENT
  Enhanced Senses can take the place of the sen-
  sors described above, making Concealment unnec-
  essary in many instances. Invisibility and Images 
  make it easier for a character to hide himself (or 
  sometimes objects), though maintaining them for 
  long periods of time may pose a problem. Darkness 
  and other Sense-Aﬀecting Powers can prevent a 
  character from using Enhanced Senses, forcing him 
  to fall back on old-fashioned searching.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Failing a Concealment roll to hide something 
  (or someone) usually means one of two things:
  1. The object isn’t really hidden properly — it’s 
  out in the open where anyone can easily perceive 
  or find it.
  2. The object is nominally hidden, but it’s in a 
  location a searcher can (and almost certainly 
  will) check easily.
  But a failed Concealment roll doesn’t necessar-
  ily mean someone will ﬁnd the object. Just because 
  an object’s in an open, obvious place doesn’t mean 
  someone will ﬁnd it — remember Poe’s story The 
  Purloined Letter? It’s just as possible a searcher will 
  miss his PER Roll or Concealment roll and over-
  look something, even if it seems glaringly obvious 
  to someone else. (This is an exception to the normal 
  Skill Versus Skill Contest rules.) 
  Failing a Concealment roll to ﬁnd something 
  just means the character didn’t ﬁnd it. A badly-
  failed roll (by 4 or more) means the character’s con-
  vinced the object isn’t hidden where he searched 
  (and possibly that it couldn’t be hidden there).
  BASE TIMES
  Hiding an object can take as little as 1 Phase, 
  but 1 Turn is probably a more average time. If 
  the character wants to go to great lengths to hide 
  something (for example, to take apart a piece of 
  furniture to hide something in a hollow leg), it can 
  take 20 Minutes or more, depending on just how 
  elaborate and thorough the character is.
  The Base Times for searching a person are 
  listed above:  one Phase for a Fast Patdown; 1 Turn 
  for a Thorough Patdown; 1 Minute or more for a 
  Strip Search. The time required to search a location 
  depends on (a) the size of the location, and (b) how 
  thorough the searchers want to be. The accompany-
  ing Search Times table lists some suggested Base 
  Time parameters.
  SUBDIVIDING CONCEALMENT
  If appropriate, the GM can divide Conceal-
  ment into two Intellect Skills:  Find and Hide. The 
  former’s used to ﬁnd hidden objects and people, the 
  latter to hide them (and to build concealed com-
  partments and the like). Splitting Concealment this 
  way isn’t necessarily logical, but it makes it easier 
  for a character to be highly skilled at one aspect of 
  Concealment but not at the other.
  CONCEALMENT BY GENRE
  Concealment works the same in all genres. In 
  genres where characters have access to high-tech 
  searching devices or divinatory magic, it’s possible 
  that ﬁnding things may become much easier, but 
  hiding them usually remains basically the same.
  SEARCH TIMES
   
  Perfunctory 
  Average 
  Thorough 
  Very Thorough
  Location 
  Search 
  Search 
  Search 
  Search
  One hex 
  1 Segment 
  1 Phase 
  1 Turn 
  1 Minute
  Apartment 
  1 Minute 
  10 Minutes 
  30 Minutes 
  1 Hour
  Car, single room 
  1 Turn 
  1 Minute 
  10 Minutes 
  20+ Minutes
  House, Large 
  1 Hour 
  6 Hours 
  1 Day 
  2+ Days
  House, Medium 
  30 Minutes 
  1 Hour 
  6 Hours 
  1 Day
  House, Small 
  10 Minutes 
  30 Minutes 
  1 Hour 
  6 Hours
  Motorcycle 
  1 Turn 
  1 Minute 
  5 Minutes 
  10 Minutes
  Tractor-Trailer 
  5 Minutes 
  20 Minutes 
  1 Hour 
  6 Hours
  Thoroughness Of Search 
  Skill Roll Modiﬁer 
  Base Time Modiﬁer
  Perfunctory 
  -2 or -3 
  x0.25 to x0.50
  Average 
  +0 
  x1
  Thorough 
  +1 
  x2
  Very Thorough 
  +2 
  x3
  For other areas, the GM can use the listed examples as guidelines. For example, search-
  ing the interior of a merchant’s starship might be the equivalent of searching a Large 
  House (or maybe several Large Houses).
  The Base Time Modiﬁer listed under “Thoroughness Of Search” does not apply to the 
  locations listed in the Search Times table, since they already factor into the listed times; 
  they’re provided as a guideline for the GM if necessary.
  
  138 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CONTORTIONIST
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  N/A 9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill, sometimes known as Escape 
  Artist, gives a character the ability to manipu-
  late his body so he can get out of ropes, bonds, 
  and other constraints (including Grabs and 
  Entangles). Contortionist also allows a character 
  to contort his body so he can fit into spaces he’s 
  normally too big for. This is ideal for escaping 
  from collapsed mine shafts, hiding in small cup-
  boards, and the like. Contortionist isn’t a mysti-
  cal way to escape bonds — some reasonable way 
  for the character to escape must exist.
  Characters with Contortionist have knowl-
  edge of knots, restraint systems, methods of 
  escaping from bonds, famous escapes and escape 
  artists, and related subjects. They are able to tie 
  and untie knots, squeeze their bodies into small 
  spaces, and so forth.
  ESCAPING RESTRAINTS
  The best-known and most common use of 
  Contortionist is to allow a character to contort 
  his body so he can extricate himself from bonds, 
  handcuffs, and similar restraints. Characters with 
  Contortionist also know how to tie knots and 
  apply restraints in such a way as to make escape 
  less likely.
  The Skill Roll to escape restraints is modi-
  fied by the type of restraint used and how well 
  the character has been restrained (see the 
  Restraints Table). Restraints are applied “well” if 
  put on the character by someone who knows how 
  to do it properly (i.e., has Contortionist or PS: 
  Knot-Tying himself) and does so. (Alternately 
  the GM can use the “Average” rating and have the 
  two characters engage in a Skill Versus Skill Con-
  test to determine whether the Average modifier 
  is increased or decreased based on who wins the 
  Contest.) Restraints are applied in an “average” 
  fashion when put on the character by someone 
  without special skills or experience, but who 
  takes his time, pays attention to what he’s doing, 
  and does his best. Restraints are applied “poorly” 
  if put on the character by someone who has no 
  idea how to put them on, does not pay attention 
  to the task, or otherwise does it improperly.
  If a character’s hands are bound behind his 
  back, he can make an unmodiﬁed Contortionist 
  roll to change “hands bound in back” to “hands 
  bound in front” by contorting his bound wrists 
  under his legs.
  Beneﬁcial Modiﬁers
  Not all modifiers to the Contortionist roll 
  to escape restraints are negative. The use of 
  lubricants (such as oils, soap, butter, or even the 
  character’s own blood) can add +1 to +3 to the 
  roll, depending upon the type of restraint and 
  the quality of the lubricant. Of course, lubricants 
  will not help the character escape some restraints 
  (such as straitjackets).
  If a character “puﬀs up” (expands his stomach 
  and chest while being tied), restraints such as ropes, 
  chains, and wire will have some slack in them when 
  he returns his stomach and chest to normal size. 
  This provides a bonus of +1 to +2, and/or may 
  mean the restraints are “poorly” applied. Someone 
  restraining the character notices an attempt to “puﬀ 
  up” if he makes a PER Roll at -2 (Contortionist acts 
  as a Complementary Skill). If the character being 
  tied up has Acting, a successful Acting roll imposes 
  a -2 penalty to the roll to detect puﬃng up.
  Characters with Contortionist on at least 
  a 14- roll also know how to dislocate limbs and 
  joints (typically the shoulder, elbow, and finger 
  joints) so they can more easily escape restraints. 
  Deliberately dislocating a joint requires a suc-
  cessful EGO Roll, followed by a successful 
  Contortionist roll. If the rolls succeed, the char-
  acter takes 2d6 STUN damage (no defense) and 
  receives a +3 bonus to all Contortionist rolls 
  involving that limb (or hand) until he relocates 
  the joint. If either of the rolls fail, the joint is 
  not dislocated, and the character takes no STUN 
  and receives no Contortionist bonuses; further 
  attempts to dislocate that same joint are at -2 to 
  both rolls per failed attempt. Relocating the joint 
  requires an EGO Roll and causes another 2d6 
  STUN damage to the character. Until the char-
  acter relocates the joint, he cannot use that limb 
  or appendage in any way (or, at the GM’s option, 
  must make a DEX Roll at -4 each Phase to do 
  so). Attacks which strike the dislocated joint or 
  limb cause an extra +1 STUN Modifier (or +2d6 
  STUN for Normal damage attacks).
  RESTRAINTS TABLE
   
  How Well Applied
  Type Of Restraint 
  Poorly Average 
  Well*
  Chains, strong/thick 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Chains, weak/thin 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4
  Handcuﬀs, ﬂexible 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Handcuﬀs, rigid 
  -4 
  -5 
  -6
  Hand restraint systems 
  -6 
  -7 
  -8
  Legcuﬀs  
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Plasticuﬀs 
  -4 
  -5 
  -6
  Rope, thin cord or plastic 
  -0 
  -1 
  -2
  Rope, normal 
  +1 
  -0 
  -1
  Straitjacket 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Thumbcuﬀs 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Wire 
  -3 
  -3 
  -4
  *:  Rather than use this modifier when the charac-
  ter applying the restraints also knows Contortion-
  ist, PS: Knot-Tying, or a similar Skill, the GM can 
  have him and the victim engage in a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest (see text).
  OTHER CONTORTIONIST 
  MODIFIERS
  Situation 
  Modiﬁer
  Using lubricant (oil, soap, butter, blood) 
  +1 to +3
  Puﬃng up the chest 
  +1 to +2
  Dislocating limbs (see text) 
  +3
  Injuries from previous attempts 
  -1 to -2
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  139 
  Breaking Bonds
  In situations where a character prefers to 
  break his bonds rather than slip out of them, 
  Contortionist still helps him. For every 2 points 
  by which his Contortionist roll succeeds he may 
  add +1d6 to his STR (either normal STR, or STR 
  from a Martial Escape maneuver) for purposes of 
  breaking the bonds.
  Example:  Xiu Kwan, a lin kuei assassin, has 
  Contortionist 14-. A group of South China Sea 
  pirates has captured him and tied him up with 
  ropes. He decides to impress them by breaking 
  his bonds. His STR is 20. He rolls his Contor-
  tionist roll and gets an 8. Since he made his roll 
  by 6, he may add +3d6, so he rolls 7d6 to break 
  the ropes.
  Injuries While Escaping
  In some situations, such as when a character 
  is tied up with wire or tight cords, the character 
  may cut himself or rub his wrists or ankles raw 
  while trying to escape. The GM must decide if 
  this occurs, though it’s most likely to happen if the 
  character fails a Contortionist roll. In some situ-
  ations, this type of injury could cause 1 point of 
  BODY damage, but usually it’s just painful without 
  doing BODY damage. Such injuries impose a -1 to 
  -2 modiﬁer to further attempts to use Contortionist 
  until they heal. However, as noted above, the blood 
  may act as a lubricant that provides bonuses to the 
  character’s attempt to slip out of his restraints.
  Locked Restraints
  In some situations, a character’s ability to 
  contort his body is not, by itself, enough to let him 
  escape — the retraint may have locks he cannot 
  break or that are impossible to slip out of. Some 
  handcuﬀs (particularly rigid varieties) and plas-
  ticuﬀs ﬁt this description. In this situation, the 
  character either (a) has to get the key somehow; 
  (b) use Lockpicking on the lock (Contortionist can 
  help him reach the lock, but he may suﬀer negative 
  modiﬁers for positioning, lack of lockpicking tools, 
  and so forth); and/or (c) cut the restraint somehow. 
  Plasticuﬀs are fairly easy to cut with any knife or 
  similar sharp objects, and some ropes can be worn 
  through or cut through by rubbing them against 
  rocks or reasonably sharp objects. Handcuﬀs and 
  straitjackets, on the other hand, may be diﬃcult or 
  impossible to cut through.
  Escaping From Grabs
  A character with Contortionist can also try 
  to escape constraints — Grabs, in other words 
  — during combat. Any Phase after an opponent 
  Grabs a character with this Skill, he can use Con-
  tortionist to help himself break out. When he tries 
  to break free, he should make a Contortionist roll. 
  If the roll succeeds, he adds +1d6 to his STR dice 
  for every 1 point by which the roll succeeds (if he 
  makes the roll exactly, at the GM’s option he still 
  may add 1d6 to his STR). Thus, a character who 
  made his Contortionist roll by 4 would get to add 
  4d6 to his STR dice, only for the purpose of escap-
  ing the Grab. Using Contortionist this way takes no 
  time (the character may take more time to improve 
  his chances), but the character may only attempt it 
  once per Phase.
  
  140 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Example:  Ogre Grabs the superhero Zigzag 
  during a battle. Knowing his puny 10 STR will 
  never overcome Ogre’s might, Zigzag uses his 
  Contortionist skill. He rolls a 9, making the roll 
  by 6. He can now roll 2d6 (for STR) + 6d6 (for 
  Contortionist) = 8d6. Ogre, with a 60 STR, rolls 
  12d6. The dice are thrown; Zigzag gets 8 BODY 
  and Ogre gets 11. Pity.
  FITTING INTO NARROW AREAS
  The other major use for Contortionist is to 
  ﬁt into small, narrow, and/or cramped spaces that 
  ordinary humans cannot ﬁt into — everything 
  from small steamer trunks, to cracks between tim-
  bers in a collapsed mineshaft, to kitchen cabinets, 
  to squeezing between jailbars. The accompanying 
  text box lists the modiﬁer for any attempt to ﬁt into 
  a small space.
  If a character with Contortionist is in a col-
  lapsing structure (such as a building or mineshaft 
  after an explosion), he may use Contortionist to 
  ﬁnd and ﬁt into a protected area between portions 
  of collapsing debris (for example, a pocket of air 
  created by two beams that collapsed against each 
  other and prop up other debris). It’s up to the GM 
  whether the character takes any damage while get-
  ting into this “safe zone,” and what modiﬁers, if any, 
  apply to his Contortionist roll.
  Similarly, Contortionist can allow a character 
  to reach an area or object most persons cannot.  
  The character could ﬁt his arm through a tiny 
  grating to reach something on the other side, for 
  example, or could contort his tied-up body to 
  reach the lock on the back side of the straitjacket 
  he’s been put in (though he needs Lockpicking to 
  open the lock). Modiﬁers in this situation should 
  be determined by the GM; they will usually range 
  from +0 to -3. 
  REMAINING STILL
  Sometimes a character needs to remain abso-
  lutely still for long periods of time. Perhaps he’s 
  lying in wait for game animals (or to ambush an 
  enemy) and doesn’t want to give away his position, 
  or maybe he’s just found himself trapped in a mon-
  ster’s lair where the least little noise will wake the 
  creature up. To remain absolutely still for 1 Turn 
  requires an unmodiﬁed Contortionist roll; for each 
  step down the Time Chart impose a -2 penalty. 
  While remaining still a character can perform no 
  other physical Actions (not even speaking), but he 
  can still think, use Mental Powers, or the like.
  EQUIPMENT
  Contortionist doesn’t involve or require any 
  equipment; it’s purely a personal Skill.
  POWERS AND CONTORTIONIST
  Several Powers interact with Contortionist in 
  unusual ways.
  Body-Altering Powers
  A character who can change his shape or size 
  via Growth, Multiform, Shape Shift, Shrinking, or 
  the like may be able to use that Power to escape 
  restraints, Entangles, and the like without the need 
  for Contortionist.
  Entangle
  The basic HERO System rules assume a char-
  acter cannot use Contortionist to escape from 
  an Entangle. This represents Entangles like glue 
  bombs, ice blocks, sticky webbing, and magi-
  cal energy fetters — no matter how a character 
  squirms and contorts his body, he cannot get out 
  of them by agility alone. His only resort is to try to 
  smash out of them using STR, a Martial Maneuver 
  with the Exert element devoted to “escape,” or an 
  appropriate attack. (Contortionist can add to his 
  STR for these purposes, as described above.)
  Characters can use Contortionist to escape 
  Entangles with other special effects — rope, 
  chains, handcuffs, wireguns, and the like 
  — though it might be difficult. You can represent 
  this with a Limitation, Escapable With Con-
  tortionist.  For a -1 Limitation, a character can 
  escape an Entangle by making a normal Con-
  tortionist roll. This might represent poorly-tied 
  ropes, weak wireguns, or the like.
  For a -½ Limitation, a character can escape 
  an Entangle by making a Contortionist roll at a -1 
  to -3 penalty (the GM determines the appropriate 
  penalty, based on special eﬀects and the circum-
  stances). This might represent normal handcuﬀs 
  (see the example in the sidebar on page 168 of The 
  HERO System 5th Edition, Revised rulebook), an 
  average-quality wiregun, typical chains, or the like.
  For a -¼ Limitation, a character can escape 
  an Entangle by making a Contortionist roll at a -4 
  to -6 penalty (the GM determines the appropriate 
  penalty, based on special eﬀects and the circum-
  stances). This might represent high-tech handcuﬀs, 
  a quality wiregun, some limited or poor-quality 
  types of glue bombs or ice blocks, tight and well-
  made chains, and the like.
  In any case, using Contortionist to escape an 
  Entangle normally requires a Full Phase. For ¼ more 
  Limitation, this only requires a Half-Phase Action. For 
  each ¼ less Limitation (or ¼ more Advantage), the 
  character buying the Entangle can extend the time it 
  normally takes to contort out of it by one step down 
  the Time Chart (1 Turn, 1 Minute, and so forth). 
  However, these are average times; the GM may modify 
  them based on special eﬀects, how much the character 
  makes his roll by, the circumstances, common sense, 
  dramatic sense, and other factors.
  Characters can also escape some types of 
  Entangles, such as chains, with Lockpicking rather 
  than Contortionist (assuming the character can 
  NARROW AREAS TABLE
  Size Of Area 
  Modiﬁer 
  Example
  91+% of character’s size 
  +1 
  Small wardrobe
  75-90% of character’s size 
  +0 
  Steamer trunk, large
  65-75% of character’s size 
  -1 
  Steamer trunk, average/small
  50-64% of character’s size 
  -2 
  Kitchen cabinet, average
  40-49% of character’s size 
  -4 
  Kitchen cabinet, small
  33-40% of character’s size 
  -8 
  Jailbars
  Smaller than 33% of character’s size 
  Impossible
  The examples assume a human-sized character.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  141 
  reach the lock and has an appropriate tool or power 
  to do the job). If so, simply change the Limitation’s 
  name to Escapable With Lockpicking. If a character 
  can escape an Entangle with both Lockpicking and 
  Contortionist (as with handcuﬀs), simply include 
  both Skills in the Limitation’s name; the Entangle 
  doesn’t get an additional Limitation because of this.
  Stretching
  As with the body-altering powers described 
  above, Stretching (or Powers bought with the spe-
  cial eﬀect of “stretchable, malleable body”) may 
  make Contortionist unnecessary. Indeed, a mal-
  leable body could be considered the ultimate form 
  of contortionism — it’s easy to get out of restraints 
  or ﬁt into small areas when one’s body is as ﬂexible 
  as a rubber band!
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically, a failed Contortionist roll means the 
  character cannot free himself or ﬁt himself inside 
  a narrow area. A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) 
  may indicate that the character has injured himself 
  — sprained or dislocated some part of his body, for 
  example. (The GM can roll on the Failed Acrobatics 
  Rolls table on page 72 to determine what happens, 
  if desired, but should generally cap the possible 
  result at “Minor Injury.”)
  BASE TIMES
  To escape from a Grab, Entangle, or other 
  restraint used in combat requires a minimum of a 
  Half Phase. The GM may require the character to 
  take an entire Phase or more. If the character escapes 
  from the restraint in a Half Phase, he of course has a 
  Half Phase left in which to act. (See also the rules for 
  Entangle, above.) If the character uses Contortionist 
  to break his bonds, rather than simply slipping free 
  from them, apply the standard rule on actions left to 
  the character after breaking free (HERO System 5th 
  Edition Rulebook, Revised, page 423).
  For non-combat uses, such as escaping from 
  handcuﬀs or other extensive restraints, or ﬁtting 
  inside small, narrow spaces, the Base Time is 1 
  Turn. At the GM’s discretion, this may be increased 
  for especially diﬃcult feats.
  SUBDIVIDING CONTORTIONIST
  If appropriate, the GM can split Contor-
  tionist into two distinct Agility Skills:  Escape 
  Artist (used to escape from restraints and fit into 
  narrow areas) and Rope Use (used to tie knots 
  and perform other tasks with rope; often a Com-
  plementary Skill for Climbing).
  CONTORTIONIST BY GENRE
  Contortionist works the same in all genres.
  Martial Arts
  In Japan, the art of contorting the body is known 
  as tonjutsu. When used by ninja or those trained by 
  them, the ability to tie knots for maximum strength 
  and so as to prevent escape, which can also be bought 
  as PS: Knot Tying, is called terinawajutsu or hojojutsu.
  Superheroes
  Even characters with only minor metamor-
  phosis powers sometimes have signiﬁcant manipu-
  latory control over their bodies. The Contortionist 
  Skill can simulate this ability to slightly alter the 
  bodies to ﬁt into small spaces, dislocate various 
  joints, and generally conform to whatever shape 
  they wish without changing their actual form.
  
  142 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CONVERSATION
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Interaction Skill allows a character to extract 
  information from people with careful conversation, 
  and/or to be an entertaining conversationalist. In 
  some contexts it has more specialized applications, 
  such as conducting interviews.
  Conversation is an Everyman Skill for all genres.
  USING CONVERSATION
  Using Conversation requires time (see Base 
  Times, below) and a certain amount of attention 
  and effort. Typically characters use Conversation 
  to subtly “pump” a target for information with-
  out the target realizing what’s going on. In other 
  words, the character uses his skill at personal 
  interaction and discussion to steer the conversa-
  tion where he wants it to go, make the target feel 
  “at ease” with him so he’ll be more inclined to 
  reveal confidences, and so forth.
  For the standard use of Conversation — trying to 
  get information out of someone without his knowing 
  it — a successful roll indicates the character has done 
  just that. Through a combination of deft wordplay, 
  getting close to the target, and the like, he’s learned 
  what he wants to know. Furthermore, in most cases 
  success in this situation means the victim doesn’t even 
  know he’s divulged anything. He knows what he said, 
  of course, but he doesn’t realize he shouldn’t have said 
  it or that the character was actually trying to get him 
  to reveal that information. (But sometimes the target 
  of Conversation is using his own Conversation to get 
  information, too....)
  Some other uses of Conversation include:
  Witty Conversationalist
  In ordinary social situations a character can 
  make a Conversation roll to be a particularly witty, 
  intriguing, and sparkling conversationalist. Failure 
  doesn’t make him a bad conversationalist, just an 
  average one (though a bad [-4 or worse] or Critical 
  Failure might make the character look foolish or 
  uninformed).
  Although successful Conversation rolls indi-
  cate that a character presents himself well in con-
  versation, in general you shouldn’t substitute this 
  Skill for roleplaying. If a character makes clever or 
  stupid statements, the GM should apply modiﬁers 
  to the roll. You should roleplay most conversations 
  without using Conversation rolls.
  Pushing Emotional Buttons
  At the GM’s option, after a character speaks 
  with a person for a while, if he succeeds with a 
  Conversation roll he can determine what topics 
  the target would prefer to avoid or cause him emo-
  tional discomfort. Characters typically do this so 
  they can then steer the conversation that way, put-
  ting the target at a disadvantage.
  Interviews And Cross-Examination
  The target of Conversation doesn’t have to be 
  aware that he’s being subtly “grilled” for informa-
  tion. He may be perfectly aware that the character 
  wants him to reveal something but determined 
  not to reveal it. In that case the character’s goal is 
  to trick or persuade the target to spill the informa-
  tion. This most commonly occurs in two situations:  
  interviews and cross-examination.
  Some interviews are perfectly innocent and 
  legitimate attempts to gather information the inter-
  viewee doesn’t mind revealing (in which case no roll is 
  needed, except perhaps a PS: Reporter roll or the like 
  to ensure that the character remembers to ask all the 
  right questions). In other cases the interviewer wants 
  to elicit information the interviewee prefers to keep 
  secret or otherwise wants to “ambush” the interviewee 
  with an embarrassing revelation or the like. In this case, 
  the interviewer makes an Conversation roll and the 
  target attempts to resist (see page 67). If the interviewer 
  succeeds and the target fails, the interviewer convinces 
  or tricks the interviewee to reveal private information 
  or to put himself at some sort of disadvantage. If the 
  interviewer fails or the interviewee resists, the inter-
  viewee sees what’s coming and successfully avoids the 
  “trap” or refuses to disclose the secret.
  When an attorney cross-examines a witness on 
  the stand, the attorney makes a Conversation roll and 
  the target attempts to resist (see page 67). If the attor-
  ney succeeds and the target fails, the attorney causes 
  the target to either (a) reveal the information even 
  though he didn’t want to (perhaps by angering him 
  into revealing something, or catching him in a logic 
  trap), or (b) reveal that he knows something relevant 
  (at which point the judge can compel the witness to 
  say what it is). If the attorney fails or the target resists, 
  the target gets the best of the attorney and doesn’t say 
  anything damaging. (Outside of the courtroom this 
  use of Conversation may not be as successful since 
  there’s no way to “force” the target to talk once he real-
  izes the character’s gotten the better of him verbally.)
  MODIFIERS
  A character must know a language in common 
  with his target or he cannot use Conversation on that 
  person at all. If the two share only “basic conversation” 
  level of ﬂuency, impose a -3 or -2 penalty on the Con-
  versation roll; for “ﬂuent conversation” the penalty is 
  -1; for any higher level of ﬂuency there’s no penalty.
  Additionally, the character and his target have to 
  be able to hear one another clearly or Conversation 
  becomes much more diﬃcult. The GM imposes any 
  Hearing PER Roll penalties on the Conversation roll. 
  In short, a quiet coﬀee bar is a better place to use Con-
  versation than a loud nightclub or party.
  The main question for the GM to consider when 
  evaluating an attempted use of Conversation is how 
  concealed, secret, or personal the requested informa-
  tion is. Getting someone to divulge his name is usually 
  pretty easy... unless he’s on the run from the law and 
  desperate to conceal his true identity. And attempts to 
  get spies and government oﬃcials to reveal top secret 
  information to someone they’ve just met are almost 
  certainly doomed to failure. The Conversation Modi-
  ﬁers table has guidelines for “secrecy penalties” to 
  Conversation rolls.
  The GM should also consider the number 
  of targets involved. Ordinarily a character uses 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  143 
  Conversation against a single target at a time, 
  but sometimes he has to talk to people in groups. 
  Usually this imposes a negative modiﬁer on the 
  Conversation roll — a cumulative -1 penalty for 
  every x2 persons (see the Conversation Modiﬁers 
  table) — because if any member of the group starts 
  to give something away, another member realizes 
  what’s going on and stops him. However, in some 
  circumstances being in a group of “friends” may 
  make the targets (or at least some of them) more 
  socially comfortable and willing to talk, in which 
  case the GM can convert the penalty into a bonus.
  Complementary Skills often help with Conversa-
  tion. If the character wants information that pertains 
  to another Skill, such as trying to get an engineer to 
  reveal details of a secret electronics project, that Skill 
  serves as a Complementary Roll — the character’s 
  knowledge of the subject helps to convince the target 
  he knows what he’s talking about, and the character’s 
  background in the subject tells him what questions to 
  ask or topics to raise. Other Interaction Skills, particu-
  larly High Society and Streetwise (when dealing with 
  the upper class and the criminal class, respectively), 
  can also be Complementary. Persuasion and Seduc-
  tion are almost always Complementary, since they 
  predispose the target to like the character and/or go 
  along with what he seems to want (even if the target 
  does so subconsciously). 
  EQUIPMENT
  Conversation doesn’t involve equipment; it’s 
  a purely personal Skill. But buying the subject an 
  alcoholic beverage or giving him small gifts (such 
  as a cigarette) may make him more inclined to talk.
  POWERS AND CONVERSATION
  Careful use of Telepathy with the +20 “target 
  doesn’t realize character is reading is mind” modi-
  ﬁer to the Eﬀect Roll can eliminate the need for 
  Conversation, or form the basis of a Conversation-
  style “super-skill.” Similarly, a deft touch of Mind 
  Control might make the target of Conversation 
  more inclined to open up and reveal secrets.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  If a character fails a typical Conversation roll, 
  the target usually realizes the character is subtly 
  “pumping” him for information — so he stops 
  talking. If the character fails the roll badly (by 4 
  or more), the target may realize what’s going on in 
  time to feed the character false information, or per-
  haps to get a bonus to his own Conversation roll to 
  turn the tables on the character and surreptitiously 
  learn something from him.
  However, that’s not the only possible outcome 
  for a failed Conversation roll. As with any Interac-
  tion Skill, the GM can interpret the failed roll in 
  dramatically appropriate ways to represent the 
  nature of the social situation involved. Some pos-
  sible other outcomes include:
  ■ the character horribly embarrasses himself by 
  making some sort of conversational faux pas 
  (possibly resulting in penalties to some Presence 
  Attacks against the target, the acquisition of a mild 
  Reputation Disadvantage, or the like)
  ■ the character’s conversation is so poor that he 
  sours a friend, makes a Contact less willing to help 
  him, or the like. To put it another way, he puts him-
  self at a short-term temporary social disadvantage 
  with the target (and perhaps the target’s friends).
  ■ the character says something that deeply oﬀends 
  one or more of the people he’s talking to (with the 
  same results as “embarrasses himself,” above, but 
  possibly of worse or longer-lasting eﬀect)
  BASE TIMES
  Using Conversation takes time, since even a 
  casual conversation tends to last longer than combat. 
  In most cases a Base Time of 1 Turn or 1 Minute 
  would be the absolute minimum, and 5 Minutes or 
  longer isn’t out of the question if the character needs 
  to explore a broad topic or wants to get information 
  the target strongly prefers not to reveal.
  SUBDIVIDING CONVERSATION
  Conversation already has a fairly limited scope 
  and thus probably doesn’t need subdividing. How-
  ever, GMs in campaigns featuring lots of reporters 
  or lawyers might want to turn Interviewing and 
  Cross-Examination into one or two separate Inter-
  action Skills. Conversely, in games with little social 
  interaction, GMs could combine Conversation, Per-
  suasion, and Seduction into one Skill.
  CONVERSATION BY GENRE
  Conversation works the same in all genres.
  Fantasy
  A mystic with Conversation might notice 
  details of speech and body language that indicate 
  someone is possessed, driven mad by forbidden 
  lore, or otherwise not himself anymore. Creatures 
  that impersonate human form may also give them-
  selves away through subtle conversational clues.
  CONVERSATION MODIFIERS
  Circumstance 
  Modiﬁer
  Secrecy/Conﬁdentiality Of Information Sought
  Public/Nonconﬁdential 
  +0
  Non-Public/Personal 
  -1
  Conﬁdential/Sensitive/Highly Personal 
  -2
  Classiﬁed (Security Clearance (1+)) 
  -4
  Secret (Security Clearance (5+)) 
  -6 
  Top Secret (Security Clearance (7+)) 
  -8
  Language
  Character/target do not have a Language in common 
  Cannot use Conversation
  Character/target speak a common Language with “basic conversation” 
  -2 to -3
  Character/target speak a common Language with “ﬂuent conversation” 
  -1
  Multiple targets
  1 target 
  -0
  2-3 targets 
  -1/+1
  4-7 targets 
  -2/+2
  8-15 targets 
  -3/+3
  ...and so on
  
  144 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CRAMMING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  N/A [see text])
  Cost:   
  5 Character Points; may be purchased 
  multiple times (see text)
  This Skill allows a character to acquire a basic 
  understanding of a non-combat Skill quickly. It’s 
  classiﬁed as an Intellect Skill, but doesn’t feature 
  an INT-Based Roll. It costs 5 Character Points for 
  the ability to Cram one Skill at a time, as described 
  below; a character may buy it multiple times so he 
  can Cram two or more Skills simultaneously.
  To use Cramming, a character needs two 
  things:  time to study the Skill; and access to 
  learning resources.
  TIME TO STUDY
  First, a character needs time to study the Skill 
  in question — usually several hours, and possibly 
  more. At a minimum this typically means ½d6+1 
  hours, but it depends on the complexity of the 
  subject, as indicated in the Cramming Study Time 
  table. The GM may adjust the suggested Base Times 
  as he sees ﬁt to reﬂect study conditions, the nature 
  of the subject, and other factors.
  Speed Reading, Eidetic Memory
  The Talents Eidetic Memory and Speed Reading 
  may reduce the time it takes to Cram a Skill, but 
  this depends on the Skill the character’s trying to 
  Cram and the learning resources he has. Assuming 
  book study (or the like) is the method of Cram-
  ming, a character with Speed Reading can typically 
  cut his Cramming time at least in half, and possibly 
  by more (but with a minimum study time of one-
  fourth the listed Base Time, unless the GM rules 
  otherwise). Eidetic Memory isn’t quite that helpful 
  — it can only reduce the needed time by as much 
  as about 25% (say, 4d6%). But Eidetic Memory is 
  an excellent justiﬁcation for the character spend-
  ing Experience Points to buy the Crammed Skill 
  permanently, if he wants to. (The GM might even 
  choose to allow the character to spend saved Expe-
  rience Points in mid-game to do this.)
  The Research Skill
  If a character succeeds with a roll using the 
  optional new Research Skill (page 371), he reduces 
  the time needed to Cram a subject by 10% per 
  point the roll succeeds by (to a maximum of 50%, 
  or half the time). If the character also has Speed 
  Reading or Eidetic Memory, the Research reduction 
  applies after those reductions are applied. If the roll 
  fails; he receives no reduction; if it fails badly (by 4 
  or more), increase the time required to use Cram-
  ming by 50% or more.
  At the GM’s option, if a character with 
  Research succeeds with his roll by 3 or more, he 
  can increase his roll with the Crammed Skill by +1 
  (though Skill Levels still cannot apply). For a Criti-
  cal Success (or perhaps even success by half), he 
  can increase it by +2. If the roll fails, the character 
  doesn’t gain any boost to his Crammed Skill; if it 
  fails badly (by 4 or more), reduce his Crammed 
  Skill’s roll to 7-.
  ACCESS TO LEARNING RESOURCES
  The character also needs something to learn 
  from. Normally this means a library, computer data-
  ﬁles, or another person who knows the Skill and 
  gives the character a crash course in it. Depending 
  on the complexity of the subject, a single textbook 
  might suﬃce, or the character might need access to a 
  very advanced library or highly-qualiﬁed instructor 
  (i.e., someone who not only knows the Skill but has 
  the Skill Instructor [page 362]).
  USING CRAMMING
  After using Cramming to study his chosen 
  subject, a character acquires a Familiarity (an 8- 
  roll) with the Skill, or basic conversation (1 point) 
  in a Language, or any 1-point Skill (such as a TF, 
  or with the GM’s permission a WF). (Skill Enhanc-
  ers do not aﬀect this, or increase the roll, nor does 
  knowing a Language via Cramming gain the char-
  acter any other Languages through the Language 
  Familiarity Table.) He can use that Skill for the 
  duration of the adventure. He cannot increase his 
  8- roll with it in any way (not even Overall Skill 
  Levels, though the GM can apply modiﬁers if 
  desired) and he forgets what he’s learned once the 
  adventure ends. (Of course, a character who wants 
  to acquire the learned Skill permanently may spend 
  Experience Points to do so.)
  Typically characters use Cramming during 
  an adventure to acquire highly-specialized 
  knowledge or information they need. For exam-
  ple, if a group of commando PCs plans to raid a 
  building owned by terrorists, one of them who 
  has Cramming could use it to learn KS: Terror-
  ist Building Floorplans 8- so he won’t get lost 
  during the raid. With the GM’s permission, a 
  character can begin a game session with a Skill 
  already Crammed.
  A character isn’t necessarily limited to using 
  Cramming only once per adventure or game ses-
  sion. Assuming suﬃcient time to study and access 
  to the appropriate learning resources, a character 
  could Cram a particular Skill, use it for part of the 
  adventure, and then Cram some diﬀerent Skill for 
  use later in the adventure. (Of course, if he does 
  this, Cramming the second Skill automatically 
  causes him to forget the ﬁrst Crammed Skill.) As 
  mentioned above, characters can purchase Cram-
  ming multiple times, allowing them to Cram for 
  more than one Skill per adventure and use both of 
  them at the same time (each has to be studied sepa-
  rately, though).
  CRAMMING STUDY TIME
  Complexity Of Subect Base Time 
  Examples
  Very Complex 
  2d6+1 Days 
  Galactic history; quantum physics
  Complex 
  1 Day 
  World history; basics of a complex language
  Average 
  ½d6+1 hours 
  History of a major nation (e.g., the US, Great 
  Britain); basic physics; basics of most languages
  Simple 
  1 Hour 
  History of a minor or young nation
  Very Simple 
  20 Minutes 
  History of a single year
  Speed Reading, Eidetic Memory, and the Research Skill may modify the listed Base 
  Times, as discussed in the text.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  145 
  Cramming is particularly useful in conjunc-
  tion with Disguise because it can add a dimension 
  of believability to a disguise. The character can 
  choose a subject the disguise identity should know 
  about and Cram that subject so he can make con-
  versation about it if someone questions him. This is 
  particularly useful when the character is attempting 
  to imitate some real person so he can inﬁltrate an 
  organization or base.
  CONVERTING CRAMMING TO A STAN-
  DARD INTELLECT SKILL
  Cramming has an unusual cost structure, and 
  that may not suit some GMs. If you desire greater 
  uniformity, you can convert Cramming into a 
  standard Intellect Skill:  for 3 Character Points, 
  characters buy an INT-Based Roll in it, and every 
  +2 Character Points buys a +1 to the roll. To use this 
  form of Cramming a character has to succeed with a 
  Skill Roll; if he fails, he hasn’t Crammed the desired 
  Skill and can’t use it. Repeated attempts to Cram a 
  Skill are possible, subject to the standard rules for 
  repeated use of a Skill. At the GM’s option, if a char-
  acter scores a Critical Success on his Cramming roll, 
  he Crams the desired Skill with a 9- roll instead of 8-.
  OPTIONAL EXPANDED  
  CRAMMING RULES 
  The following optional rules expand the scope 
  and usefulness of Cramming, primarily by allowing 
  for rolls greater than 8- (which some players con-
  sider a dissatisfyingly low roll for use in the game). 
  The GM should evaluate them carefully before 
  using them in the campaign, since they may pose a 
  signiﬁcant threat to game balance.
  Using these rules, a character can buy the 
  ability to Cram a Skill at a much higher level of 
  proﬁciency (though this requires more time). The 
  accompanying Optional Cramming Table lists the 
  cost, the highest possible roll the character can 
  acquire with a studied Skill, and the study time 
  required to learn the Skill to that level.
  Other standard Cramming rules apply when 
  appropriate. For example, a character using these 
  rules can only learn non-combat Skills, cannot 
  increase his roll in any way, and forgets the learned 
  Skill at the end of the adventure.
  A character using these rules can choose not 
  to learn a Skill as thoroughly as he possibly could 
  — perhaps because he’s pressed for time and can 
  only learn so much. For example, a character who’s 
  paid 20 Character Points for Cramming (13- pos-
  sible maximum roll) could choose to Cram a Skill 
  only to 11-, using the time listed for that level in the 
  table. This does not allow him to Cram a second 
  Skill at the same time, but at the GM’s option if the 
  character has more time to study later on, he can 
  improve his 11- roll to 12- or 13-.
  Optional Application Of Skill Levels
  Alternately, instead of altering the cost struc-
  ture of Cramming to allow for higher rolls, the GM 
  can let characters apply Skill Levels to Crammed 
  Skills. The GM needs to consider two things.
  First, he has to decide what types of Skill Levels 
  can add to a Crammed Skill. Some possibilities 
  include:  only 10-point Overall Skill Levels; only Over-
  all Skill Levels and 8-point “All Noncombat Skills” 
  Levels; any appropriate type of Skill Level; only special 
  Cramming Skill Levels that cost 5 Character Points 
  each and only add to Crammed Skills. The more types 
  of Skill Levels that can apply, the cheaper it becomes 
  for characters to easily gain access to high-roll Skills 
  — and often Skills speciﬁcally chosen for their high 
  degree of usefulness in a particular adventure.
  Second, he must determine what limits, if any, 
  exist on increasing Crammed Skills’ rolls. In other 
  words, is there an upper limit to the Skill Roll a 
  character can achieve with a Crammed Skill this 
  way? “No limit” is a possibility, especially if buying 
  Skill Levels for Crammed Skills is expensive; oth-
  erwise 10-, 11-, and 12- are all good choices for a 
  “ceiling” on Crammed Skill rolls.
  EQUIPMENT
  Cramming doesn’t involve or require any 
  equipment (other than learning resources, per-
  haps); it’s a purely personal Skill. However, it’s 
  often used to build equipment. Computers and 
  similar devices that have the capacity to input 
  and then access data might buy Cramming to 
  represent that ability.
  BASE TIMES
  The time required to Cram a Skill is indi-
  cated in the Cramming Study Time table. The 
  time required to use a Crammed Skill depends 
  on the Skill.
  SUBDIVIDING CRAMMING
  Cramming has such a limited purpose that 
  splitting it up into multiple Skills probably isn’t 
  necessary. If the GM’s worried about potential 
  abuse, he should consider making characters by 
  Cramming by type of Skill (i.e., KS, PS, SS, Lan-
  guage, Other). That way a character with Cram-
  ming (Language) can’t learn a KS or PS; all he can 
  Cram is Languages.
  CRAMMING BY GENRE
  Cramming works the same in all genres.
  OPTIONAL CRAMMING TABLE
   Cost 
  Maximum Effect 
   
  Base Time
   
  5 
  8- roll 
   
  Base Time from Cramming Study Table
   
   
  1 point with a Language
   
   
  Any 1-point Skill (such as a TF)
   
  8 
  9- roll 
   
  1.5 times Base Time
   11 
  10- roll 
   
  2 times Base Time
   14 
  11- roll 
   
  3 times Base Time
   
   
  2 points with a Language
   
   
  Any 2-point Skill (such as a TF)
   17 
  12- roll 
   
  4 times Base Time
   20 
  13- roll 
   
  5 times Base Time
   
   
  3 points with a Language
   13- or 3 points in a Language is the maximum eﬀect a character can obtain using this rule.
  
  146 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CRIMINOLOGY
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Intellect Skill knows how 
  to look for clues, dust for ﬁngerprints, analyze 
  evidence, examine criminal records and ﬁles, do 
  ballistics tests, and otherwise investigate crimes 
  and crime scenes (and the evidence left at them). 
  In short, he’s capable of doing all sorts of “detective 
  work” — both the type done in the ﬁeld and the 
  type done in the crime laboratory. (Though he can’t 
  examine and autopsy bodies; that requires Forensic 
  Medicine.) The procedures he performs and inves-
  tigations he conducts can tell him which gun ﬁred 
  the bullet that killed someone, where dirt on a tire 
  came from, and who touched the murder weapon. 
  The character can discern many other details of a 
  person’s identity, origin, habits, and recent where-
  abouts, as discussed below.
  A character with Criminology knows about 
  and can perform the many tests associated with 
  criminalistic analysis and the scientiﬁc principles 
  behind them (he doesn’t have a full Science Skill 
  in any ﬁeld, though he often buys SSs for use as 
  Complementary Skill rolls and to indicate the 
  depth and breadth of his knowledge). He can iden-
  tify and use equipment commonly found in a crime 
  lab. He knows how to preserve a crime scene and 
  evidence, preserve evidence for later analysis, and 
  keep records regarding evidence. He knows other 
  people in his ﬁeld, particularly famous ones and 
  what they’re known for.
  Characters with Criminology also know 
  something about the behavior patterns and modus 
  operandi of criminals, criminal psychology, and so 
  forth (this is criminology in the classic sense of the 
  word; gathering and processing evidence is more 
  properly referred to as criminalistics). They can pre-
  pare simple criminal proﬁles, compare the methods 
  and habits shown at one crime scene to another, 
  and so forth. Again, this isn’t equivalent to a Science 
  Skill (much less Streetwise), but for gaming pur-
  poses it’s often close enough.
  Complementary Skills play a big role in Crimi-
  nology. In addition to the specialized ones listed 
  in the sections below, Skills like Bureaucratics are 
  Complementary for tasks that involve examining 
  records and the like. Area or City Knowledge and 
  some Sciences (such as Pharmacology or Geol-
  ogy) act as Complementary Skills for certain facts. 
  Deduction, Streetwise, and Science Skills like Psy-
  chology may be Complementary when characters 
  use Criminology to analyze a criminal’s behavior, 
  methods, and purposes.
  Criminology Subﬁelds
  Here are some of the types of evidence charac-
  ters can gather and analyze with Criminology and 
  what they can learn with the Skill.
  ARCHAEOLOGY
  At old crime scenes, sometimes archaeological 
  procedures and techniques are useful to recover 
  and preserve evidence. Forensic archaeological 
  investigations may involve forensic anthropology 
  (see page 182) as well, since bones are often the 
  only remains of the victim. SS: Archaeology is a 
  Complementary Skill to Criminology for purposes 
  of ﬁnding evidence at older crime scenes.
  ARSON AND EXPLOSIONS
  Characters may often ﬁnd themselves investi-
  gating suspicious ﬁres or explosions.
  Arson
  Criminalists and ﬁre marshals must some-
  times investigate a ﬁre to determine its cause and 
  origin — in other words, to discover if someone 
  deliberately set it (usually as a form of insurance 
  fraud, or as an attack on the property’s owner). SS: 
  Arson/Explosion Investigation covers this ﬁeld and 
  serves as a Complementary Skill to Criminalistics.
  Characters should examine an arson scene as 
  soon as possible after the ﬁre is extinguished. First 
  they must locate the ﬁre’s point of origin. Fire tends 
  to move upwards, so the investigation usually starts 
  at the lowest point at which there’s evidence of 
  burning. Factors such as the wind and building col-
  lapse can alter the usual pattern of burning. A series 
  of random ﬁres throughout a building, or evidence 
  of accelerants (substances such as kerosene used 
  to spread a ﬁre), also known as “streamers,” often 
  indicate arson.
  Once the character locates the ﬁre’s point of 
  origin, he protects it and photographs it. An elec-
  tronic “sniﬀer” can detect the residue of any accel-
  erants, since such chemicals usually do not burn up 
  completely. The character can then use a gas chro-
  matograph to identify the accelerant. Normally, not 
  even intense ﬁreﬁghting eﬀorts obliterate all useful 
  forensic evidence, but at the GM’s discretion, they 
  could impose a -1 to -3 penalty on a character’s 
  Criminology roll. Similar penalties result if a char-
  acter waits too long to investigate a ﬁre.
  Inexperienced arsonists often burn themselves 
  badly. A quick call to the local emergency rooms 
  may help locate such an arsonist.
  Explosions
  Investigating explosions is similar to investi-
  gating arson. Demolitions and SS: Arson/Explosion 
  Investigation are Complementary Skills for investi-
  gating explosions.
  Explosives are classified as “low” or “high” 
  explosives; the distinction depends on the 
  speed at which the substance “decomposes” (i.e., 
  explodes). Black powder and smokeless powder 
  are a low explosives; dynamite, TNT, and RDX 
  (plastic explosive) are high explosives. Low 
  explosives are usually set off by a flame; high 
  explosives by a primer (a small, ultrasensitive 
  THE LATEST DATA
  The information in this 
  chapter comes from var-
  ious sources available to 
  the general public as of 
  mid-2006, and is current 
  as of that time. However, 
  the ﬁeld of criminalistics 
  often advances rapidly, 
  so it’s possible that some 
  of this information will 
  become outdated or 
  invalidated as time goes 
  on. Players and GMs 
  who are interested in 
  being as accurate as pos-
  sible are encouraged to 
  do their own research.
  LOCARD’S 
  EXCHANGE  
  PRINCIPLE
  Much of criminalistics is 
  based on a scientiﬁc law 
  called Locard’s Exchange 
  Principle, which states 
  that “whenever two 
  objects come into con-
  tact, a transfer of materi-
  als occurs.” This transfer 
  may be minute, but with 
  proper equipment and 
  training a criminalist 
  can ﬁnd the transferred 
  materials, analyze them, 
  and derive information 
  from them.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  147 
  explosive device) contained in a blasting cap and 
  triggered by an electric charge.
  The investigator should examine the scene 
  of an explosion as soon as possible, before the 
  evidence is obliterated. Bombing investigations 
  generally focus on four separate areas. The ﬁrst 
  is to examine the components of and residues 
  left by the bomb and try to link them to the 
  person(s) who built the bomb. Explosives almost 
  always leave traceable residues in the crater and 
  surrounding areas. Microscopic examination of 
  materials from the scene lets characters ﬁnd these 
  unexploded particles, which they can then iden-
  tify with a chemical color test. Explosions also 
  leave distinctive marks, called pitting and crater-
  ing, in metals; and the direction and type of soot 
  on the walls is likewise important. Remnants of 
  the materials used to construct the bomb (such 
  as the metal fragments created by a pipe bomb) 
  are another type of explosion evidence. Also, the 
  faster (stronger) an explosive is, the more damage 
  it does, so the extent of the damage can tell inves-
  tigators what type of explosive was used.
  Second, investigators can compare the bomb-
  er’s “signature” to known signatures. Each bomber 
  tends to have his own particular method or style 
  of making bombs. Even if they know other ways 
  to make bombs, they usually keep using certain 
  techniques that they favor. SS: Psychology/Crimi-
  nal Psychology can act as a Complementary Skill 
  to Criminology for purposes of determining a 
  bomber’s “signature” and what it might mean. (Of 
  course, a highly-skilled bomber in an adventure 
  story might vary the types of bombs he uses, just to 
  confuse the characters.)
  Third, investigators look for evidence of items 
  associated with a bomb, such as the vehicle or pack-
  age it was carried in, and try to link those with the 
  bomber. They also interview witnesses, since the 
  color and shape of an explosion can provide clues.
  Fourth, investigators look into the motive for 
  the bombing. They try to ﬁnd out who had a reason 
  to set oﬀ a bomb in this particular place, be it a 
  disgruntled neighbor, a business enemy, a fanatical 
  terrorist, or someone else.
  BLOOD
  Blood samples and stains can be extremely 
  important clues. They can help identify murderers 
  and show what happened at a murder scene. The 
  study of blood (and other body ﬂuids) is known as 
  Serology. SS: Serology serves as a Complementary 
  Skill to Criminalistics.
  The basic steps in a blood investigation are these:
  ■ is it blood?
  ■ if so, is it human blood?
  ■ if so, what are its characteristics (i.e., whose blood 
  is it)?
  Special chemical tests provide the answers to 
  these questions.
  Characters should gather blood samples while 
  the blood remains as fresh and pure as possible. As 
  blood dries and ages, it gradually becomes more 
  and more diﬃcult to determine its characteristics, 
  because the red blood cells rupture. Impurities 
  can also occur when blood mixes with other sub-
  stances, such as dirty water. However, in some situ-
  ations the age or purity of blood is less important 
  (for example, the precipitin test, described below).
  Characters can detect “occult” blood stains 
  — those which are hidden, too small to be seen by the 
  naked eye, or have been cleaned up — with chemi-
  cals such as luminol and ﬂuorescein. Luminol reacts 
  to blood by creating a blue-white to yellowish-green 
  light for about 30 seconds after exposure; this light is 
  visible to the naked eye and should be photographed 
  before it fades. Fluorescein works similarly, but is only 
  visible under ultraviolet light. Even well-cleaned crime 
  scenes usually retains microscopic traces of blood 
  which become very visible when treated with these 
  substances — luminol, for example, can detect blood 
  in dilutions as small as 1 in ten million.
  Identifying Blood
  Determining that a sample is in fact blood 
  is usually a simple matter — the examiner uses a 
  chemical test, such as a catalytic color test. In game 
  terms, this requires a Criminology roll, usually with 
  a +1 to +3 bonus. The GM may reduce the bonus to 
  +0 if the sample is contaminated, aged/putrefying, 
  or otherwise diﬃcult to work with.
  After identifying a sample as blood, the exam-
  iner has to conﬁrm that it’s human blood and not 
  animal blood. Several diﬀerent tests, including the 
  precipitin test, can provide this information. Unlike 
  the catalytic color test, the precipitin test gener-
  ally isn’t aﬀected by the age or purity of the blood 
  sample, so a Criminology roll at +1 to +3 is enough 
  to perform it properly.
  Blood Characteristics
  Scientists identify blood by its “type.” The most 
  common blood typing system is the A-B-O system, 
  but more than 15 others, such as ADA, M-N, and 
  Rh, are also used. Serologists can also identify cer-
  tain enzymes and proteins, known collectively as 
  “genetic markers,” which exist in blood; these are 
  much more reliable than simple blood types. Blood 
  cannot as yet be “ﬁngerprinted,” i.e., matched to 
  a speciﬁc individual, except through DNA typing 
  (see page 148). But by determining a blood sample’s 
  type in each of the classiﬁcation systems, and iden-
  tifying the genetic markers, a serologist can estab-
  lish what percentage of the population has that 
  speciﬁc blood type. If a suspect has that type, that 
  fact is of some evidentiary value — the lower the 
  percentage, the greater the likelihood that the sus-
  pect is the perpetrator. (Theoretically, if all genetic 
  markers were present and could be positively iden-
  tiﬁed, the odds of two people having the exact same 
  “proﬁle” of blood characteristics would be about 
  one in 1.3 billion; however, many characteristics 
  are obscured or destroyed as blood ages and dries 
  out.) Another way to further individualize a blood 
  sample is to analyze the blood enzymes in it; this 
  method can identify the blood by racial type. 
  
  148 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Sometimes a criminalist won’t have a blood 
  sample, but will have a sample of some other body 
  ﬂuid (for example, saliva left on the rim of a glass or 
  in a bite mark on the victim). If a person is a “secretor,” 
  then an analyst can determine his blood type from his 
  other bodily ﬂuids, such as saliva and semen. Approxi-
  mately 80% of the populace are secretors. (The GM 
  should assume all characters are secretors unless he 
  has reason to rule otherwise.)
  As mentioned above, the fresher and purer 
  a blood sample, the easier it is to work with. Red 
  blood cells rupture as blood dries and ages, making 
  analysis more diﬃcult; impurities in a blood sample 
  can also cause problems. In some situations, char-
  acters can use a technique known as electrophore-
  sis on dried blood to separate it into its component 
  parts (including DNA) for analysis. Additionally, 
  a test called the absorption-elution technique can 
  type blood samples up to eleven years old, but it’s 
  more complicated and diﬃcult than standard tests. 
  Depending upon the age and purity of a blood 
  sample and the equipment available to a character, 
  the GM should assign a -1 to -5 penalty to a char-
  acter’s Criminology roll to analyze it.
  Transfusions sometimes obscure blood test 
  results. If a suspect from whom a blood sample 
  is taken has had a blood transfusion within the 
  60-day period prior to the taking of the sample, 
  obtaining a valid sample is not possible. A clever 
  Dark Champions criminal might use this fact to 
  his benefit.
  Blood Splatters
  Besides its capacity to help identify an 
  oﬀender, blood can also provide information based 
  on the way it stains and splatters the crime scene. 
  For example, a large pool of blood at the crime 
  scene often indicates the victim was alive for some 
  time after the wound was inﬂicted, since after death 
  the heart stops pumping blood through the body 
  (and out of the wound). On the other hand, some 
  fatal wounds may cause little or no blood to leak 
  out of the body.
  The size and shape of a blood pattern can 
  indicate which direction the blood came from, 
  what angle it hit the surface at, where the attacker 
  stood and what hand he wielded the weapon 
  with, and other information that helps a criminal-
  ist reconstruct the events of a crime. Analysis of 
  blood patterns is an extremely complex process; 
  at his option, the GM should assess Criminology 
  roll penalties of -3 to -6 unless a character has SS: 
  Bloodstain Interpretation as a Skill (which also 
  serves as a Complementary Skill).
  Blood Tests
  In some cases, characters can test a person’s 
  blood to determine if he’s taken drugs or was 
  poisoned. Tests can detect amounts of foreign sub-
  stances as small as one nanogram (one billionth of 
  a gram) per milliliter of blood, depending on the 
  substance and the test used.
  COMPUTER FORENSICS
  Computer forensics involves obtaining lost, 
  encrypted, or deleted data from intact computer 
  storage media (such as hard drives and CD-ROMs), 
  or retrieving any sort of data from broken or dam-
  aged storage media. It’s a function of the Computer 
  Programming Skill, not Criminology; see page 126.
  DNA “FINGERPRINTING”
  DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, exists in the 
  nuclei of living cells. Even a tiny sample of tissue 
  (for example, a drop of blood, the root of a hair, 
  sweat, saliva left on the back of a stamp or other 
  object that’s been licked, or even excrement) con-
  tains DNA. Each person’s DNA is unique (unless he 
  has an identical twin) — and unlike blood charac-
  teristics, DNA does not deteriorate with age unless 
  it’s exposed to radiation (such as sunlight). This 
  provides forensic scientists with an important tool.
  Modern science has not yet reached the 
  point where it can quickly and easily identify each 
  person’s DNA with absolute accuracy, but it can 
  determine the frequency with which a particular 
  sample of DNA occurs in the population with such 
  accuracy (such as one in one hundred million per-
  sons) that it suﬃces for the purposes of forensics. 
  The FBI has a database, CODIS (Combined DNA 
  Index System), that lets scientists compare DNA 
  samples from crime scenes to samples from known 
  sex oﬀenders and other violent criminals. Analy-
  sis of DNA can also sometimes reveal its general 
  ancestry (e.g., European, Asian, or African-Ameri-
  can). Researchers hope to develop systems that can 
  determine hair color, and perhaps even facial char-
  acteristics, from DNA.
  There are several major methods of DNA 
  typing. The ﬁrst is restriction fragment length poly-
  morphism (RFLP), which requires a fairly large and 
  fresh sample to analyze. In this process, a technician 
  uses restriction enzymes to cut chromosomes into 
  hundreds of DNA fragments, some of which con-
  tain “tandem repeats” (sections of DNA in which 
  the bases that form DNA repeat many times). He 
  then sorts the fragments through electrophoresis 
  and transfers them onto membranes. Treating the 
  membranes with radioactive “probes” allows him 
  to identify the fragments. By using multiple probes, 
  the technician can reduce the frequency of occur-
  rence of the sample to the point where it occurs 
  in frequencies estimated to range from one in one 
  hundred million people to one in 30 billion people. 
  But while highly accurate, the process can take as 
  much as three to twelve weeks.
  Another major technique is polymerase chain 
  reaction (PCR). PCR works on very small samples 
  (as small as one-billionth of a gram of DNA, such 
  as might be obtained from the saliva on a cigarette 
  NON-SECRETOR
  A character who wants to be a non-secretor regardless 
  of the GM’s general ruling can pay Character Points for 
  the privilege:
  Invisibility to Detect Blood Type, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼) 
  (22 Active Points); Always On (-½), Only Applies 
  When Someone Tries To Detect Blood Type From 
  Other Bodily Fluids (-1). Total cost:  9 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  149 
  butt or envelope), and on samples years (even 
  decades) old. The technique makes the small pieces 
  of DNA found as part of crime-scene evidence 
  replicate until they create millions of copies of the 
  original DNA molecule, which a technician can 
  then compare to a sample taken from the suspect. 
  However, this technique produces a frequency of 
  occurrences far greater than that of RFLP; the best 
  results obtainable can only narrow the occurrence 
  down to one person in one thousand. But although 
  it’s not as accurate, the PCR technique only requires 
  a few hours to perform.
  Mitochondrial DNA testing (mtDNA), or DNA 
  sequencing, types DNA by analyzing DNA located 
  outside the nucleus of the cell. These procedures 
  allow scientists to obtain DNA from samples that 
  aren’t necessarily susceptible to genomic DNA test-
  ing, such as hair shafts, bones, teeth, and extremely 
  old tissue. Additionally, because mtDNA is mater-
  nally inherited, every person in the same maternal 
  lineage should have an identical mtDNA sequence. 
  Scientists thus can use it to evaluate the relatedness 
  of two persons, and can gather comparison samples 
  from any of a suspect’s maternal relatives.
  Scientists are working to develop other DNA 
  typing methods and technology. Some anticipate 
  the day when criminalists in the ﬁeld can use suit-
  case-sized, or even computer chip-sized, DNA test-
  ing equipment to cheaply and easily analyze even 
  the tiniest samples of DNA within minutes and 
  with great accuracy.
  DOCUMENTS
  Criminalists analyze documents to determine 
  who wrote them, whether they’re authentic or have 
  been altered, and so forth. Characters who have the 
  Skill Forgery (Documents) can use it as a Comple-
  mentary Skill when working with documents, or 
  they can buy SS: Document Analysis.
  With handwritten documents, Criminology 
  allows a character to determine if a particular 
  individual wrote that document, provided he has 
  two sufficiently lengthy writing samples available 
  for comparison. He can identify typewriting as 
  coming from a particular typewriter by compar-
  ing the wear and tear on the typewriter’s letters 
  with that shown by the typed letter. Text printed 
  out by a computer printer can often be identified 
  by printer type, but not necessarily as coming 
  from a specific printer. Examination of photo-
  copies and comparison of them to a particular 
  photocopier sometimes allows the examiner to 
  determine if the copy was made on that machine, 
  or on a specific model or class of machines.
  Scientists can examine documents which have 
  been altered or erased for microscopic traces of 
  such activity. Two diﬀerent pens will leave diﬀerent 
  striae (microscopic uninked lines) on the paper. If a 
  forger uses another type of ink (to alter or blot out 
  part of the document), an analyst can identify and 
  read the diﬀerent inks via infrared or ultraviolet 
  photography or by determining the chemical com-
  position of the diﬀerent inks. Infrared photography 
  
  150 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  can sometimes also be used to determine what’s 
  written on burned document fragments, and there 
  are many other techniques criminalists can employ 
  to restore/read crumpled or damaged paper or 
  obliterated inks.
  Depending on the state of examined documents, 
  characters may receive modiﬁers to Criminology rolls. 
  Reasonably intact documents may provide bonuses 
  of +0 to +2, while trying to read burned document 
  fragments or restore a badly-damaged piece of paper 
  might entail a -2 to -5 penalty.
  The Page Beneath
  Forensic scientists have several techniques for 
  determining what was written on a sheet of paper 
  by examining the indentations left on the piece of 
  paper below the written-on sheet. Television detec-
  tives usually do this by shading the piece of paper 
  with a pencil, but in the real world this method is 
  more likely to destroy evidence than gather useful 
  information. Proper methods include photograph-
  ing the paper under oblique light or using an 
  electrostatic detection apparatus (ESDA). ESDA 
  can sometimes recover indentations from four or 
  more pages below the page that was written on, 
  but doesn’t work with thick cardboard, paper that’s 
  been soaked with ﬂuid, or papers examined for ﬁn-
  gerprints in certain ways.
  In game terms, have a character using ESDA 
  make a Criminology roll at -1 per page below the 
  page written on to recover usable indentations; for 
  oblique-light photography, apply a -2 (or greater) 
  penalty, but this only works for the ﬁrst page below 
  the page written on. The low-tech “shade the piece 
  of paper with a pencil” method requires a Crimi-
  nology roll at -3; it only works on the ﬁrst page 
  below the page written on, and if the roll fails it’s 
  not possible to recover the indentation evidence 
  using other methods.
  Forensic Linguistics And Graphology
  Two disciplines related to document analysis 
  are forensic linguistics and graphology.
  Forensic linguistics is the science of deter-
  mining information about someone based on the 
  structure and word choice of a written document 
  (such as a ransom note). A trained examiner can 
  often determine the writer’s age, gender, race, reli-
  gion, level of education, and nationality this way, 
  and sometimes his profession or other background 
  details (such as whether he has been in the mili-
  tary). SS: Forensic Linguistics serves as a Comple-
  mentary Skill (some GMs may require characters to 
  have this SS before even attempting such a task).
  Graphology, or handwriting analysis, is the sci-
  ence of determining information about someone by 
  interpreting their handwriting. Based on the size, 
  shape, slant, spacing, placement, and other charac-
  teristics of the letters in someone’s handwriting, a 
  graphologist can make determinations about the 
  writer’s personality and mental state. More concrete 
  information, such as age, race, and gender, cannot 
  be determined from handwriting, however. Char-
  acters must buy SS: Graphology if they want to be 
  able to interpret handwriting; Criminology does 
  not provide this ability.
  DRUG IDENTIFICATION 
  Criminalists can identify drugs by means 
  of simple chemical color tests (SS: Chemistry or 
  SS: Pharmacology are Complementary Skills). 
  For example, certain chemicals turn purple when 
  exposed to heroin or orange-brown when exposed 
  to amphetamines, turn marijuana purple, or change 
  colors three times when exposed to cocaine. Police 
  oﬃcers can perform some of these tests in the ﬁeld 
  using kits. Scientists can use other techniques, such 
  as microcrystalline tests and chromatography, in 
  the laboratory to conﬁrm these identiﬁcations.
  Law enforcement agencies also have access 
  to databases and computer programs that give 
  them the capacity to match the chemical compo-
  sition of cocaine shipments so they can identify 
  their country of origin and determine that sev-
  eral other batches of cocaine came from the same 
  shipment. For example, this technology could 
  analyze the composition of a kilogram of cocaine 
  seized in Hudson City and determine that it 
  matched a kilo of cocaine seized in Chicago, thus 
  alerting investigators to a common sources for 
  both batches of cocaine.
  FIBERS AND HAIRS
  Fiber and hair evidence appears at many crime 
  scenes. Characters who want to be experts at hair and 
  ﬁber identiﬁcation can take SS: Fiber/Hair Analysis 
  for use as a Complementary Skill with Criminology.
  Fibers
  Investigators often ﬁnd animal, vegetable, 
  mineral, and synthetic ﬁbers at crime scenes. These 
  include clothing ﬁbers, carpet ﬁbers, and the like. 
  Criminalists usually distinguish between natural 
  ﬁbers (such as wool) and man-made ﬁbers (such as 
  polyester, dacron, and spandex), and can identify 
  them the same way they identify hairs (see below).
  A criminalist examines man-made ﬁbers 
  under a microscope to determine such character-
  istics as cross-sectional shape, striations, color and 
  dye composition, chemical composition, environ-
  mental and handling eﬀects (fading, wear and tear, 
  and the like), and ﬁber type and subtype. Fibers are 
  most useful when an examiner can deﬁnitely match 
  them with ﬁbers clearly connected to the criminal; 
  otherwise, a particular batch of a certain ﬁber may 
  be so large that connecting it with any one owner 
  may prove impossible. Dye formulas may be par-
  ticularly helpful in this case — since they’re trade 
  secrets, color and dye composition are often crucial 
  to identifying the manufacturer of a ﬁber.
  Hair
  Hair is most often found at crime scenes when 
  the crime is a violent one like murder or rape. At 
  present, hair is not “ﬁngerprintable” — criminalists 
  cannot deﬁnitely match a particular hair to an indi-
  vidual. Nor can they determine the age or gender 
  of the person who left the hair. However, hair does 
  contain small amounts of DNA, and if a hair is 
  fresh enough, it can be used for DNA typing. If the 
  root is attached to the hair (such as when it’s been 
  violently pulled out of the scalp), DNA analysis of 
  the root tissue may be possible.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  151 
  What criminalists can determine about a hair 
  is the following:
  ■ what part of the body it is from (for example, 
  scalp hair versus beard hair)
  ■ the race (caucasian, mongoloid, negroid) of the 
  person whose hair it is (though it is diﬃcult to be 
  certain about any such identiﬁcation)
  ■ whether the hair fell out, was cut oﬀ, or was 
  pulled out
  ■ whether the hair is human or animal hair
  The best criminalists can do to match a hair 
  to a particular person is to compare a hair’s color 
  and structure to that of control samples taken from 
  the suspect. As with blood typing, the more com-
  parisons an analyst can ﬁnd, the smaller the group 
  of potential suspects becomes, and the more likely 
  that hair came from the suspect.
  Another useful trait of hair is that it chemi-
  cally “reﬂects” the substances a person has ingested 
  in the past several days. This can provide clues 
  regarding a person’s diet or lifestyle. For example, 
  the fact that a person had taken drugs or ingested 
  poison could be told from his hair — traces of most 
  common illegal drugs linger in hair for up to 90 
  days, which for most drugs is months longer than 
  such traces remain in urine.
  Hair and ﬁbers are usually recovered from a 
  crime scene with special vacuums, or by scraping 
  items or objects and collecting the ﬁbers that are 
  knocked oﬀ. At the GM’s option, it may require a 
  Criminology roll at +1 to -3 (depending upon the 
  amount and size of the evidence present) to ﬁnd 
  hair and ﬁber evidence.
  FINGERNAIL SCRAPINGS
  Fingernail scrapings or cuttings are commonly 
  referred to in comic books, detective ﬁction, and 
  “cop movies” as a source of evidence, particularly in 
  some rape and murder cases where a female victim 
  is thought to have scratched her assailant. The 
  theory is that sample’s of the criminal’s skin and/or 
  ﬂesh will be found underneath the victim’s ﬁnger-
  nails. Unlike ﬁction, in real life ﬁngernail scrapings 
  rarely provide useful evidence. Depending upon 
  how realistic the GM wants to be, he could impose 
  penalties of -3 or more to the character’s Criminol-
  ogy roll, or could require the character to make a 
  Luck roll to determine if any evidence is present at 
  all. If present, scrapings evidence can be used for 
  DNA typing of the perpetrator; it may also contain 
  hair or ﬁbers.
  FINGERPRINTS
  The best-known type of evidence analyzed 
  by criminalists is ﬁngerprints. The study of ﬁn-
  gerprints, which are formed by the ridges of skin 
  on the tips of the ﬁngers, is formally known as 
  dactyloscopy. SS: Fingerprint Analysis (or SS: 
  Dactyloscopy) covers all aspects of the study and 
  examination of ﬁngerprints and acts as a Comple-
  mentary Skill; PS: Crime Scene Technician is also a 
  Complementary Skill for purposes of locating and 
  preserving ﬁngerprints at crime scenes.
  Fingerprints are extremely useful for identify-
  ing criminals, for two reasons. First, ﬁngerprints are 
  completely individualized — every person’s ﬁnger-
  prints are unique to him (even identical twins have 
  unique prints). Each ﬁngerprint has ridge charac-
  teristics (also referred to as minutiae) such as ridge 
  endings, bifurcations, short ridges, ridge crossings, 
  and enclosures. Ridge characteristics form whorls, 
  arches, and loops that are easily identiﬁable from a 
  suﬃciently clear print. A ﬁngerprint’s loops, arches, 
  and whorls provide a basis for classifying the print 
  by type and subtype for analysis and categorization 
  using various systems (such as the Henry system in 
  the United States). Fingerprint records are collected 
  into electronic databases known as AFIS (auto-
  mated ﬁngerprint identiﬁcation systems).
  Second, a person’s ﬁngerprints never change 
  during his lifetime. They always remain the same. 
  Some criminals have tried to obliterate or alter 
  their ﬁngerprints, without success. It’s possible to 
  wound the ﬁngertips so deeply that scars cover the 
  ﬁngerprints, but such scars are themselves easily 
  identiﬁable. Fingerprints can also be obtained from 
  the dermis (the second layer of skin) if the top layer 
  has been burned or destroyed in some other way.
  Fingerprints are only useful for identifying a 
  speciﬁc individual, however. They do not tell inves-
  tigators the age, gender, health, occupation, or race 
  of the person who left them. Nor do they bear any 
  correspondence to ﬁngerprints of close relatives.
  Finding Fingerprints
  Complete ﬁngerprints are not always available, 
  but sometimes even a partial print is enough for a 
  positive identiﬁcation. Depending upon how much 
  of a print is present, the GM may impose a  -1 to -3 
  penalty to a character’s Criminology roll; a failed 
  roll means the character cannot recover an identiﬁ-
  able print. Similarly, with visible prints (see below), 
  the substance that makes up the print may have 
  adhered to the ﬁngers in unusual ways, or collected 
  in the furrows between the ridges of skin that com-
  prise the ﬁngerprint, making collection and identi-
  ﬁcation of the print harder; a -1 to -2 penalty to the 
  character’s Criminology roll may be appropriate.
  Fingerprints aren’t always easy to see. Visible 
  prints (left by someone whose ﬁngers have been 
  dipped in a visible substance, like blood or oil) and 
  plastic prints (those left by pressing a ﬁngertip into 
  a malleable substance, such as clay) are visible to 
  the naked eye. But latent prints, those made up only 
  of the oils and perspiration of the ﬁngertip itself, 
  are usually “invisible.” Criminalists can detect them 
  in several ways; the method varies depending upon 
  the type of surface the print is on. An investigator 
  can dust hard and/or nonabsorbent materials (such 
  as metal or glass) for prints:  he applies a special 
  type of dust, which adheres to the oily deposits left 
  by the ﬁngertip and reveals the print. The color of 
  the surface dictates the color of powder used (for 
  best contrast); evidence collection specialists can 
  also use magnetic and ﬂuorescent powders if neces-
  sary. A related method involves spraying the print 
  with a chemical called ninhydrin. Prints on soft 
  and/or porous materials (such a paper or cloth) are 
  treated with chemicals, such as by iodine or cya-
  
  152 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  noacrylate fuming, but are often harder to discover 
  (particularly on cloth, since the weave obscures 
  print details and the ﬁbers absorb the oils that 
  make the print). Criminalists can also use lasers to 
  detect latent ﬁngerprints on many types of surfaces.
  Some surfaces are harder to get prints from than 
  others. Human skin, for example, absorbs the oils that 
  create ﬁngerprints, making it diﬃcult (but not neces-
  sarily impossible) to obtain prints from (for example, 
  it’s possible to leave a ﬁngerprint on a corpse; the skin 
  stops absorbing ﬁngerprint oils after death). It’s also 
  harder to get prints oﬀ of rough surfaces (such as the 
  checkered grip of a gun or a cinderblock). Depend-
  ing on the surface and the equipment available to the 
  character, the GM might assign a Criminology roll 
  modiﬁer of +2 to -6 (or worse) to ﬁnd a usable print.
  Latent print recovery methods are limited by 
  time — the older a print is, the less likely it is that 
  investigators can ﬁnd it. Prints on porous surfaces 
  last longer, as do those in damp weather or condi-
  tions. Fingerprints on nonglossy paper may last 
  until the paper itself is destroyed — investigators 
  have lifted ﬁngerprints oﬀ Egyptian papyri thou-
  sands of years old. In addition to older methods 
  involving the use of ﬁngerprint powders, new 
  methods using chemicals, lasers, or “alternate 
  light sources” (such as quartz arc or xenon lights) 
  can sometimes detect ﬁngerprints which are 15-
  40 years old on some surfaces. (However, prints 
  cannot, by themselves, be dated; nothing in the 
  print indicates how long it’s been there.) Depending 
  upon the age of a ﬁngerprint and the equipment 
  available to analyze it, the GM might assign a -1 to 
  -4 penalty to a character’s Criminology roll.
  Analyzing Fingerprints
  Once a character has a ﬁngerprint, he can try 
  to match it to a suspect’s print. This is relatively 
  simple if the character has a suspect from which he 
  can get a print sample; typically this only requires a 
  Criminology roll at +1 or better. It’s more diﬃcult if 
  the character only has a print and tries to use it to 
  come up with a suspect. Decades ago, this involved 
  manually comparing the print to other prints on 
  record, a time-consuming and tedious task. Today 
  it’s done with computers which often make the task 
  quicker and simpler — but even then, a proper 
  identiﬁcation can take days. In either case, if the 
  print is incomplete or vague, analyzing and com-
  paring it may prove diﬃcult; a Criminology roll 
  penalty of -1 to -4 (or worse) may be appropriate.
  Surprisingly, no uniform standards exist for 
  the matching of ﬁngerprints. Each police depart-
  ment, law enforcement agency, and/or nation tends 
  to have its own guidelines for how many points of 
  comparison are needed for a “match”; then it’s up 
  to the district attorney to justify the criminalist’s 
  methods and procedures in court when he tries to 
  prove the validity of the ﬁngerprint evidence.
  Other Identiﬁers
  Fingerprints are not the only parts of the body 
  that display unique markings which criminalists 
  can use to identify an individual. Other possibili-
  ties include ear prints and lip prints, though these 
  haven’t yet been accepted in court.
  FIREARMS AND BULLETS
  Characters can recover a lot of informa-
  tion from guns, bullet fragments, bulletholes, and 
  powder residue with Criminology. SS: Firearm Bal-
  listics and Weaponsmith (Firearms) are Comple-
  mentary Skills.
  Bullets
  When someone ﬁres a gun, the grooves 
  which line the barrel leave markings on the bullet. 
  These markings are sort of the gun’s “ﬁngerprint.” 
  If investigators recover enough of the bullet, a 
  technician can test-ﬁre the gun and compare the 
  two bullets using a comparison microscope. This 
  method can positively identify which gun ﬁred the 
  bullet. (Shotguns, which have no grooves in their 
  barrels, do not leave marks on the projectiles that 
  are ﬁred through them.)
  Matching bullets this way isn’t always easy. 
  Riﬂing marks do not transfer well to some bul-
  lets (Teﬂon-coated armor-piercing rounds, for 
  example), and a new barrel that’s been carefully 
  lapped (polished) may not create useful marks on a 
  bullet until it’s become worn through use. The gun’s 
  owner may deliberately mar or destroy the inside of 
  the barrel after the bullet was ﬁred (by, for example, 
  scratching it with metal ﬁles or pouring acid down 
  it) in an eﬀort to prevent this sort of identiﬁcation. 
  Similarly, if the bullet is badly damaged by contact 
  with its target, it may not be possible to compare 
  the markings on it to a test bullet. The GM may 
  assign Criminology penalties of -1 to -3 to reﬂect 
  these diﬃculties, if appropriate.
  Since criminalists have databases of the size, 
  spacing, and direction and angle of twist for the 
  lands and grooves of each commercially-produced 
  weapon, they can often determine the type and 
  make of gun that ﬁred a bullet from the groove 
  marks before the gun is ever recovered. The bullet 
  casing may also have markings from the ﬁring pin, 
  breechblock, and/or shell extractor which will iden-
  tify the gun (shotgun shells also have these mark-
  ings, but caseless rounds have no case to mark). 
  Revolver shell casings have diﬀerent markings than 
  shell casings used in semi-automatics.
  The chemical composition of bullets varies 
  from manufacturer to manufacturer and batch 
  to batch, so criminalists may be able to “match” a 
  bullet found at a crime scene with unﬁred bullets 
  still in the perpetrator’s possession by analyzing 
  their chemical content. Similarly, by analyzing the 
  chemical composition of a gunpowder sample, a 
  criminalist can usually identify the type of bullet, 
  and sometimes even the speciﬁc lot of bullets it 
  came from. (See below for more information on 
  gunpowder residue.)
  In most cases, a criminalist can easily deter-
  mine the caliber of a bullet if the bullet remains in 
  the body, though it may be more diﬃcult if impact 
  with the victim’s body has signiﬁcantly deformed 
  the bullet (a -1 to -2 penalty to Criminology). 
  Bullet caliber is less easily determined solely from 
  the size of the bullet wound, due to the plasticity of 
  ﬂesh and the fact that bullet wound channels can 
  close after the bullet passes through them (the GM 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  153 
  can apply a -2 to -5 penalty to Forensic Medicine 
  rolls, if appropriate). However, bullet caliber does 
  not always prove what type of gun was used to ﬁre 
  the bullet — it’s sometimes possible to wrap paper 
  around a smaller bullet to make it ﬁt into the cham-
  ber of a larger gun, thus fooling the investigator. 
  To assist with the analysis and identiﬁcation 
  of bullet evidence, characters in law enforcement 
  can use the IBIS (Integrated Ballistics Identiﬁcation 
  System) database.
  Gunpowder Residue
  Gunpowder residue on a victim’s body can also 
  provide important clues. The amount of residue left 
  on the victim’s clothing or skin tells the criminalist 
  how far apart the shooter and the victim were — a 
  calculation known as muzzle to ﬁrst surface distance 
  (MFSD). Basically, the more powder residue, the 
  closer together the shooter and target were:
  ■ If the muzzle of the gun is placed directly on 
  bare skin over bone, in addition to the gunpowder 
  residue there will be a star-shaped rupture of the 
  skin, caused when the gases emitted from the barrel 
  of the gun expand beneath the skin and tear it. A 
  contact gunshot may also leave an abrasion collar 
  or muzzle stamp (the imprint of the barrel caused 
  by pressing it against the skin), and if the shot is 
  through cloth, the heat of the shot will melt bits of 
  cloth and ﬁber around the edges of the bullethole. 
  An investigator may ﬁnd bits of blood, ﬂesh, or 
  cloth in the barrel of a gun ﬁred at such close range; 
  this is known as “blowback.”
  ■ At very close ranges (one inch or less) there will 
  be a burn ring around the bullet’s entrance hole 
  caused by the ﬂame emitted from the gun barrel.
  ■ At close ranges (usually about one to twelve 
  inches), in addition to the bullet hole there will be 
  traces of smoke and soot. These can be wiped oﬀ. 
  The more soot residue there is, the shorter the dis-
  tance between gun and victim.
  ■ At close to intermediate ranges (up to 36 inches 
  for some riﬂes, or about 24 inches for most 
  handguns), there may be “tattooing” of bare skin  
  — projected particles of gunpowder that become 
  permanently embedded in the skin. These particles 
  cannot be washed or wiped oﬀ.
  ■ If the shooter and victim are farther apart than 
  three feet or so, the only traces will be a “bullet 
  wipe” (lead, carbon, and lubricant residues) in the 
  edges of the entrance wound.
  Of course, many things can aﬀect powder 
  residue — the weather (wind or rain, for example), 
  the temperature, the angle of the shot, barrel length, 
  caliber, bullet type, and so on. The GM may assign 
  a penalty of -1 to -3 to a roll to determine the dis-
  tance between shooter and victim to indicate the 
  diﬃculty of gaining useful data. 
  Shotgun pellets spread about one inch per 
  yard. This gives the investigator some indication of 
  the distance between shooter and target.
  Determining the distance between shooter and 
  victim is a function of the Forensic Medicine Skill, 
  not Criminology.
  Gunshot Residue
  Based on the design and condition of a gun, 
  the length of the barrel, and the type of ammuni-
  tion used, residue of the gunpowder and primer 
  may be blown back to land on the shooter’s hands 
  or face. This “gunshot residue” (GSR) shows that 
  a suspect recently ﬁred a gun, and based on the 
  powder composition used by various bullet manu-
  facturers, may even tell the examiner what type of 
  bullet the suspect shot.
  To detect these traces, a criminalist must use a 
  relatively sensitive test. All the test proves is that the 
  subject recently ﬁred a gun (the test can’t identify 
  the speciﬁc gun). However, if the analyst has certain 
  types of spectrometers or energy-dispersive x-ray 
  diﬀraction equipment available, he can determine 
  the chemical composition of the residue, allowing 
  him to “type” it and thus perhaps to link it to a par-
  ticular type of bullet.
  Unfortunately, GSR does not remain on the 
  hands very long, and can be easily washed oﬀ.
  The Gun Itself
  Examination of a gun sometimes yields useful 
  evidence. First, if a gun is ﬁred close to the target, 
  the “blowback” (the vacuum created by ﬁring the 
  gun) may suck hairs, blood, or bits of ﬂesh and 
  cloth into the gunbarrel. A criminalist can match 
  this evidence to the victim.
  Second, forensic science can restore obliterated 
  serial numbers. Criminals often attempt to remove 
  the serial numbers on guns (and on other items) to 
  prevent them from being identiﬁed. If the criminal 
  does a poor job of removing the number, a crimi-
  nalist can apply an etching reagent to bring out the 
  patterns below the surface of the metal where the 
  number was stamped into the gun. If the criminal 
  knows what he’s doing and obliterates all traces of 
  the number, it can’t be restored.
  Characters should not pick up guns by put-
  ting something in the barrel, as this could remove 
  powder deposits or make marks that will hinder 
  ballistics tests (if a gun has been picked up this 
  way, the GM can impose a -1 to -2 penalty on the 
  Criminology roll). The best way to pick up the gun 
  is by the trigger guard or by the checkered portion 
  of the grip, since these areas are the least likely to 
  have usable ﬁngerprints on them. 
  GLASS 
  Glass fragments from the crime scene and 
  the criminal may fit together like a jigsaw puzzle 
  for a quick identification. In other cases, a piece 
  of glass’s chemical composition, density, and 
  refractive index may help to match it to a par-
  ticular piece. After the criminalist determines the 
  appropriate characteristics of a sample, he can 
  compare it to an FBI database to find out how 
  common that type of glass is. This tells him how 
  likely it is the sample came from the crime scene.
  Fractures in broken glass can also provide 
  useful information. For example, bullet holes in 
  glass are always wider on the exit side, indicating 
  which direction a shot came from — but some 
  types of damage, such as that caused by thrown 
  stones, may be indistinguishable from bullet holes. 
  
  154 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Stress marks on glass also show the direction from 
  which force was applied to the glass — but some 
  types of glass, such as the tempered glass used in 
  the side and rear windows of cars, does not form 
  the proper fracture lines for some types of analysis. 
  Analysis of fracture lines may show which fracture 
  occurred ﬁrst, since a fracture always terminates 
  when it meets another fracture line.
  Because of glass’s elastic properties, fragments 
  of it will be thrown back in the direction from 
  which a projectile (such as a bullet) came. This 
  “blowback” may reach as far as 18 feet (2.75”). The 
  small fragments of glass may then become attached 
  to the person who broke the window, where inves-
  tigators can later recover them and match them to 
  the window.
  SS: Glass Analysis is a Complementary Skill 
  for studying glass fragments. The GM can apply 
  negative modiﬁers of -1 to -3 based on how the 
  glass was broken, the size and amount of fragments 
  available for study, and the type of glass involved.
  OIL AND GASOLINE
  After being added to an engine, oils become 
  contaminated with various substances, additives 
  may be mixed in with them, and they can otherwise 
  change. This sometimes makes it possible to “type” 
  an oil sample to an individual car, provided the car 
  hasn’t been driven too far between the time oil is 
  left at the crime scene and a test sample is taken 
  from the car itself.
  Because gasoline includes so many additives, 
  and each gasoline producer has a diﬀerent mix of 
  additives, scientists can type gasoline to the reﬁn-
  ery that produced it. This can assist, among others, 
  arson investigators — though some gasoline addi-
  tives might burn oﬀ in the ﬁre started with that 
  gasoline, making identiﬁcation of the gas more 
  diﬃcult (a -1 to -3 penalty to the Criminology roll 
  may be appropriate). Furthermore, oil company 
  practices of selling surplus gasoline to other oil 
  companies may complicate the process of tracking 
  the gasoline back to its source (though it may also 
  create a unique “blend” that a criminalist can easily 
  match to a speciﬁc gas station or dealer during a 
  speciﬁc time period).
  PAINT 
  Paint residues are important evidence in hit 
  and run automobile accidents, burglaries, and other 
  cases. The criminalist compares paint chips under 
  a microscope, looking at color, color layers, surface 
  texture, and other characteristics to match the two 
  samples. Examiners can also test paint chips with 
  scanning electron microscopes or energy-disper-
  sive x-ray analysis to determine their chemical 
  composition. If the paint chips are large enough, it 
  may be possible to ﬁt them together and obtain a 
  deﬁnite match.
  Analyzing the chemicals in a paint can tell a 
  criminalist the timeframe in which it was used. This 
  may be crucial evidence in, for example, art forgery 
  cases — if the paint used contains materials that 
  did not exist when the painter lived, he could not 
  have painted it.
  PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOS
  Technicians can use digital imaging to enlarge, 
  magnify, and “correct” photographs and videos, 
  thus eliminating blurs, poorly focused images, 
  and other problems with the ﬁlm. Not only can 
  this make seemingly unusable ﬁlm usable, it can 
  improve small or background images to the point 
  where they, too, can be clearly seen. This often pro-
  vides crucial evidence — license plate numbers, a 
  clear photo of a suspect, readable print from books 
  or documents in the background of the picture, and 
  the like. Photo and video analysts are also experts 
  at restoring and obtaining images from damaged 
  ﬁlms, photos, and videos.
  With special equipment, an examiner can 
  use a technique called warping (or “rubber sheet-
  ing”) to change the perspective of a photo and/or 
  eliminate distortion. Thus, for example, a photo 
  which shows a shoeprint in the corner of a room 
  can be “warped” with computer imaging so that an 
  orthographic (viewed from above) picture of the 
  shoeprint is obtained.
  Through a technique known as photogramme-
  try, an analyst can determine the height of a person 
  or object in a photograph. This requires the exam-
  iner to know the exact size of at least one other 
  object in the photograph. Once a character has that 
  information in hand, a Criminology roll allows him 
  to know the height of anything else in the image 
  within about one inch.
  By analyzing the shadows in some photo-
  graphs, examiners may be able to determine the 
  date and time when the photo was taken. This 
  requires SS: Shadow Analysis (a Skill also used by 
  the military to make determinations about objects 
  seen in aerial reconnaissance photos).
  Depending upon the quality of a photo being 
  analyzed, or the amount of damage it has suﬀered, 
  the GM may impose penalties of -1 to -5 to the 
  examiner’s Criminology roll to determine useful 
  details and/or obtain usable images. PS: Photogra-
  phy and SS: Photo/Video Analysis act as Comple-
  mentary Skills to Criminology for purposes of 
  analyzing photographs and videos.
  PRINTS, IMPRESSIONS, AND TOOLMARKS
  Fingers are not the only things that leave 
  prints. Tools, shoes, tires, teeth, and other things 
  can leave prints, marks, and impressions in or on 
  various substances, and these marks can provide 
  clues to the knowledgeable character.
  Tools can usually be identiﬁed by comparing 
  them to the impression and looking for distinc-
  tive nicks, marks, scoring, or other distinguishing 
  features (though most often these features are 
  microscopic; at the microscopic level, every tool is 
  distinct). However, an investigator should never “ﬁt” 
  the tool into the impression in an attempt to match 
  them, since this may alter the mark and ruin the 
  evidence. Depending on the nature of the toolmark, 
  an expert may also be able to determine what sort 
  of tool made the mark. 
  Other impressions or tracks can be made by 
  things like shoes, cloth, and tires. When they appre-
  hend a suspect, investigators can compare the print 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  155 
  in question with the object that might have made 
  it (for example, they can compare a footprint to the 
  suspect’s shoes). If a good enough print is obtained, 
  it may also be possible to compare it to a data-
  base of known prints and identify it by type (for 
  example, as a Brand X tire rather than a Brand Y 
  tire). Footprints may also tell a trained investigator 
  whether the subject was walking or running, how 
  tall he is, and similar facts.
  In appropriate instances, Tracking may 
  serve as a Complementary Skill when a character 
  attempts to determine who or what created a print 
  or track on the ground. SS: Print And Impression 
  Identiﬁcation is also a Complementary Skill.
  SOIL (FORENSIC GEOLOGY) 
  Forensic scientists try to identify soil as 
  coming from a particular location, thereby link-
  ing soil samples found at a crime scene to soil 
  found in another location. The more unique 
  a soil sample is, the easier it is to identify it as 
  coming from a particular place. Criminalists 
  examine soil characteristics such as color, min-
  eral content, the size of the soil grains, soil den-
  sity, and soil components (foreign matter). They 
  can also examine objects manufactured from 
  minerals or soil, such as bricks, plaster, concrete, 
  and some types of insulation. The most common 
  test for comparing soil samples is the density-
  gradient tube technique, but other tests are avail-
  able and they are all best used in combination.
  Unfortunately, relatively little data is available 
  to indicate how likely it would be to ﬁnd two basi-
  cally indistinguishable soil samples from diﬀerent 
  areas. Some studies indicate that, at least in some 
  areas, soil samples are relatively unique (thus allow-
  ing the criminalist to easily identify the area where 
  a sample comes from). Characters who need to 
  make extensive use of soil evidence may want to 
  invest some points in studying a particularly area to 
  determine soil variability (bought as KS: [Area] Soil 
  Variability, for use as a Complementary Skill).
  SS: Geology is a Complementary Skill when 
  analyzing soil. City Knowledge or Area Knowledge 
  may also help identify the origin of soil samples.
  TAPE
  Criminals frequently use tape, particularly 
  duct tape, in crimes — to bind victims, to blind-
  fold them, to hold the parts of a bomb together. By 
  comparing tape found at a crime scene to known 
  samples, and by comparing torn or cut tape ends to 
  see if they ﬁt together, the criminalist can uncover 
  valuable clues. Tape is also a good source of ﬁnger-
  prints and ﬁber evidence.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  While some uses of Criminology (such as 
  gathering evidence, analyzing suspects’ motives 
  and behavior, and so on) don’t require any equip-
  ment (or at best minimal equipment), analyzing 
  evidence is diﬀerent. To properly analyze most 
  
  156 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  forms of evidence a character needs a crime labora-
  tory equipped with microscopes, chemistry sup-
  plies, ﬁngerprinting materials, and other tools, plus 
  access to reference materials.
  Contents Of A Crime Laboratory
  Here’s a brief description of some of the equip-
  ment a character might have in his criminalistics 
  laboratory. If a character cannot obtain some of the 
  equipment described below, the GM can impose a 
  negative modiﬁer on Criminology rolls made when 
  using the lab, or can simply rule that the character 
  cannot perform some of the tests described above.
  Chromatograph:  A chromatograph separates 
  and identiﬁes chemical compounds. The substance 
  to be identiﬁed is placed in a stationary medium. 
  A moving medium passes over or through the 
  stationary medium, and separates the various sub-
  stances in the sample. The chromatograph cannot 
  by itself identify the tested sample, but when linked 
  with a mass spectrometer it can provide unques-
  tionable identiﬁcations of thousands of substances.
  Criminalists use both gas and thin-layer chro-
  matographs — the former to identify gases and 
  vaporized materials, the latter to identify liquid 
  mixtures or dissolved solids. A third type, high-per-
  formance liquid chromatography, can be performed 
  at room temperature (the samples do not have to be 
  vaporized or heated), and so is used when charac-
  ters must analyze explosives and other heat-sensi-
  tive substances.
  Microscopes:  No crime laboratory would be 
  complete without several diﬀerent types of micro-
  scopes. Besides the standard compound micro-
  scope, criminalists also use the comparison micro-
  scope (which allows a side-by-side comparison of 
  two objects for identifying marks), the stereoscopic 
  microscope (a low-powered microscope which 
  provides a three-dimensional image of the viewed 
  object, good for viewing bulky items), and the scan-
  ning electron microscope (which uses electrons to 
  display images of very tiny objects). Microspectro-
  photometers combine a microscope and a spectro-
  photometer.
  Neutron Activation Analysis:  Another tech-
  nique for identifying substances is neutron activa-
  tion analysis. This process involves bombarding a 
  sample with neutrons so a scientist can measure 
  the resultant gamma ray radioactivity and identify 
  the sample. Unlike chromatography, this process 
  doesn’t destroy the sample.
  Neutron activation analysis works on minute 
  quantities of a substance. Modern equipment is so 
  sensitive it can identify substances from even the 
  tiniest traces. Some types can identify a substance 
  from only a 100-nanogram sample.
  Spectrophotometer:  A spectrophotometer 
  measures the “absorption spectrum” of a substance 
  — the quantity of light it absorbs. Each substance’s 
  absorption spectrum is distinctive and identiﬁable. 
  Once a readout is obtained, it is compared to a vast 
  library of known readouts to identify the tested 
  substance. Similarly, characters can use emission 
  spectrographs and atomoic absorption spectropho-
  tometers to analyze the light selectively absorbed 
  and emitted by the various elements.  Spectropho-
  tometers can work with ultraviolet, visible, or infra-
  red light. Miniaturized versions (weighing about 70 
  pounds) can even be used in the ﬁeld.
  Lie Detectors
  While devices designed to detect whether 
  someone’s telling the truth aren’t exactly criminal-
  istic tools, characters might use them to investigate 
  and solve crimes.
  The polygraph, or lie detector, has been avail-
  able since the 1920s. It works by measuring emo-
  tional responses such as breath rate, heart rate, 
  sweatiness, and blood pressure that tend to indicate 
  the subject is being deceptive. Unfortunately, that 
  means a nervous person who’s telling the truth may 
  register false positives, while a cool-as-a-cucumber 
  liar could appear honest. Thus, while polygraphs 
  may prove helpful in some cases, their results are 
  not reliable enough to be admitted as evidence in 
  most courts in most situations.
  Scientists have developed a technique they 
  think will prove more accurate:  “brain ﬁngerprint-
  ing.” This devices “reads” the subject’s mind, regis-
  tering signals that the brain emits when it perceives 
  things it’s familiar with. If a subject’s mind doesn’t 
  indicate familiarity with the circumstances, envi-
  ronment, and objects related to a crime, it’s prob-
  able he didn’t commit that crime. The results of the 
  device have been admitted in some courts.
  POWERS AND CRIMINOLOGY
  In games involving superpowered characters, 
  the use of superpowers can leave distinctive foren-
  sic traces. Sometimes these traces are obvious, such 
  as the claw marks that would be left by villains like 
  Scorpia, which would look bestial but probably 
  would have been made in a pattern suggesting a 
  bipedal attacker. But in some cases superpowers’ 
  trace evidence is faint or diﬃcult to discover. For 
  example, many types of energy powers might leave 
  identiﬁable “energy patterns,” but the average police 
  department may not have the sophisticated equip-
  ment needed to detect them. Superpowered heroes, 
  on the other hand, would likely be prepared for 
  this sort of thing, giving the police and the heroes a 
  good reason to work together. 
  Here are a few examples of possible forensic 
  traces left by superpowers:
  ■ The use of ice- or cold-based powers would 
  probably generate a lot of excess water from con-
  densation or melting. Whether the water causes a 
  ﬂooding eﬀect or simply soaks into the grounds 
  and disappears depends on the locale. Other types 
  of energy attacks may have their own “side eﬀects” 
  (ﬂame blasts char and melt things, radiation blasts 
  irradiate the area, sonic or vibratory blasts may 
  leave microfractures in solid objects in the vicinity, 
  and so forth).
  ■ Criminalists can detect the use of super-strength 
  by running pressure and stress tests on the aﬀected 
  material. The amount of pressure generated by a 
  “brick” character’s ﬁngertips when he’s ripping the 
  door oﬀ of a vault, picking up a car to smash some-
  one with, or throwing a dumpster is enormous 
  — so enormous that it’s usually a dead giveaway. 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  157 
  Patterns of tearing or ripping may also indicate the 
  use of super-strength. SS: Material Science or simi-
  lar Skills would be Complementary to Criminology 
  in this case. 
  ■ Some types of comic-book weapons might be 
  so well-made or eﬃcient that they would leave 
  very few traces, which in itself might be a clue. For 
  example, if a character with a Questionite blade 
  used it to murder someone, the super-hard metal 
  might even cut clean through the bones in a way 
  that would make it obvious no normal cutting 
  weapon was used.
  ■ Magic in its various forms would probably leave 
  an “energy signature” markedly diﬀerent from sci-
  entiﬁc energies — one so diﬀerent that maybe char-
  acters would need magical spells to detect it. Some 
  types of attack spells would leave forensic traces 
  resembling the spell’s nearest scientiﬁc equivalent 
  (i.e., a mystically-created lightning bolt would have 
  the same eﬀect on a person as a large blast of elec-
  tricity generated by a high-voltage line).
  Ultraviolet Perception
  Besides helping characters see at night, 
  Ultraviolet Perception can also help them in their 
  investigative work. Many types of trace evidence 
  are visible under UV light even when they are not 
  visible to the naked eye. For example, Ultraviolet 
  Perception can detect tiny metal ﬁlings, places 
  where blood was spilled but then cleaned up, ﬁn-
  gerprints, old injuries, footprints and other tracks, 
  and many other types of evidence. In some cases 
  additional chemicals are needed, but characters 
  with Criminology or Forensic Medicine have access 
  to such things.
  Infrared Perception and Microscopic Percep-
  tion can also be very helpful when examining crime 
  scenes (as can the ability to Shrink to so small a 
  size that tiny trace evidence seems much “larger” 
  and thus easier to ﬁnd). Remember, however, that 
  regardless of the Senses he has (or has access to 
  through equipment), a character still needs Crimi-
  nology to correctly interpret what he perceives.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  In most cases, a failed Criminology roll yields 
  a result of “inconclusive.” In other words, the char-
  acter cannot conclusively connect a piece of evi-
  dence to a given suspect, can’t reason out a suspect’s 
  modus operandi, or otherwise ﬁnds himself baﬄed. 
  However, a badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) typi-
  cally means the character obtained an incorrect 
  result — he made so bad a mistake that he’s misled 
  himself. Typically this means he concludes that the 
  real criminal didn’t do it, but sometimes he may 
  wrongly suspect an innocent person.
  See the Criminology Subﬁelds sections, above, 
  for more speciﬁc information about some failed 
  Criminology rolls.
  BASE TIMES
  Here are some suggested times Base Times 
  for various Criminology tasks. As always, the GM 
  should alter these as he sees ﬁt. In some campaigns 
  and genres it’s perfectly appropriate for characters 
  to glean a lot of information with Criminology in 
  a short period of time; in more “realistic” games 
  using the Skill may take even longer.
  Examining A Crime Scene; Gathering Evidence
  The time required to examine a crime scene 
  and gather evidence depends on three factors:  
  the size of the scene; the complexity of the scene; 
  and the thoroughness of the search. Start with the 
  Search Times table for Concealment on page 137; 
  it accounts for size and thoroughness. Then apply 
  additional modiﬁers based on the complexity of 
  the scene. Some crime scenes are simple — a single 
  body on a sidewalk with little in the way of trace 
  evidence around it. Others, including scenes with 
  extensive blood splatters or multiple victims, make 
  a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle look like child’s play 
  by comparison. The Crime Scene Complexity table 
  lists suggested modiﬁers.
  Analyzing Evidence
  In some cases a character can analyze evi-
  dence and draw simple yet helpful conclusions by 
  examining it with the naked eye (or any inherent 
  sensory abilities he has); this typically takes a Full 
  Phase, perhaps two or even as much as 1 Turn for a 
  complicated piece of evidence. But most evidence 
  analysis takes place in a crime lab, requires equip-
  ment (see above), and takes a minimum of 1 Hour. 
  Longer Base Times, such as 6 Hours or 1 Day, aren’t 
  unheard of.
  Criminological Evaluation
  Studying the behavior and other characteris-
  tics of a criminal, preparing a criminal proﬁle, or 
  the like involves a Base Time of 1 Hour. Of course, 
  to perform this sort of task the character needs 
  plenty of information to work with, such as crime 
  reports and crime lab test results, which he may 
  have to wait for.
  SUBDIVIDING CRIMINOLOGY
  In a campaign where characters do a lot of 
  criminalistics work, the GM might want to divide 
  Criminology into a dozen or more Intellect Skills 
  based on the subﬁelds described above. Thus, 
  instead of Criminology characters would buy 
  Arson/Explosion Investigation, Forensic Geology, 
  Fingerprint Analysis, Firearms Analysis, and the 
  like. That way each of the investigator PCs could 
  distinguish himself by being particularly skilled at 
  some types of forensics work, but not so knowl-
  edgeable about other ﬁelds.
  CRIME SCENE COMPLEXITY
  Complexity 
  Base Time Modiﬁer
  Very Complex 
  x4 or more
  Complex 
  x2
  Average 
  x1
  Simple 
  x0.50
  Very Simple 
  x0.25
  If a search using Criminology has a Base Time 
  Modifier both for complexity and for the thor-
  oughness of the search, apply the “complexity” 
  multiplier first, then apply the “thoroughness” 
  multiplier separately to the result.
  
  158 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CRIMINOLOGY BY GENRE
  Criminology is most appropriate for Modern 
  (including near-modern) and Future settings. 
  Fingerprinting and other scientiﬁc techniques, for 
  example, have been used in crimeﬁghting for only 
  about a century (see Pulp, below, for a few details). 
  Specialized applications may be appropriate for 
  some genres.
  Dark Champions
  Criminology tends to be more useful in Dark 
  Champions, with its frequent emphasis on modern-
  day crimeﬁghting, than in any other genre. It’s for 
  this sort of game that the GM’s most likely to con-
  sider subdividing the Skill.
  Fantasy
  Criminology has some applications in typi-
  cal Fantasy settings, where it’s sometimes renamed 
  Inquisition. It’s more of an observational Skill, 
  akin to Deduction and Interrogation, but includes 
  knowledge of criminal behavior and the ability to 
  skillfully interview witnesses and gather whatever 
  clues the society has the technological capability to 
  analyze. In an unusual “Fantasy Crime Scene Inves-
  tigations” campaign where the heroes are detectives 
  who use magic to do what modern criminalists do 
  with science, or in an Urban Fantasy game where 
  investigators use both magic and science, Criminol-
  ogy may function in its usual fashion. In fact, magic 
  may make it even easier to use, removing most of 
  the possibility of misidentiﬁcation/doubtful identi-
  ﬁcation of suspects.
  Pulp
  In the pulps, a “criminologist” could be just 
  about anyone who was particularly adept at solving 
  crimes; Pulp writers didn’t use the term with preci-
  sion. In many ways this Skill, which incorporates 
  both the ability to analyze forensic trace evidence 
  and various other investigation techniques, ﬁts the 
  loose Pulp usage quite well. It’s perfectly appropri-
  ate for Pulp detectives and cops, but it isn’t quite as 
  advanced as in the modern day. Criminalists of the 
  era have a lot of scientiﬁc tools at their disposal, but 
  still lack many of the ones most commonly used by 
  their twenty-ﬁrst century descendants. (This applies 
  to Forensic Medicine as well.) For Example:
  Ballistics:  New York had and used a large collec-
  tion of forensic ballistic data by the early Twenties, 
  and other agencies and governments can likewise 
  analyze bullets, ﬁring pin marks, and other ballistic 
  evidence during the Pulp era.
  Blood Analysis:  Karl Landsteiner discovered the 
  four basic blood types in 1901, but blood typing 
  isn’t a common criminalistic tool in the Pulp era. 
  A few investigators and agencies, mostly in Europe, 
  used it as early as the mid-Twenties. American law 
  enforcement didn’t start establishing signiﬁcant 
  crime laboratories that can perform blood typing 
  work until the mid-to-late Thirties. However, just 
  about any police department in the Pulp era can 
  perform the precipitin test to distinguish animal 
  blood from human, and early studies of blood 
  splatter evidence are available for investigators 
  trying to puzzle out the events of a crime.
  DNA:  DNA “ﬁngerprinting” doesn’t exist in the Pulp 
  era. DNA hasn’t even been discovered yet.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  159 
  Fingerprinting:  Fingerprinting was developed as a 
  criminal investigation technique in the late 1800s, 
  and by the Pulp era was commonly used all over 
  the world. Characters had best beware leaving their 
  prints all over crime scenes; it’s likely that if the 
  cops arrest them for anything, they’ll get printed.
  But even when cops or characters have ﬁnger-
  print evidence, using it isn’t easy. Matching a spe-
  ciﬁc ﬁngerprint to a speciﬁc suspect poses no dif-
  ﬁculties, but searching through ﬁngerprint records 
  to ﬁnd a match to an unknown print is a laborious, 
  time-consuming chore. Not all police agencies even 
  maintain collections of ﬁngerprints yet. The FBI 
  and most large metropolitan departments do, but 
  they don’t share information and there’s no way to 
  access their collections remotely.
  Forging fingerprints is a favorite Pulp fiction 
  plot device. Villains and clever crooks use skin 
  taken from the hands of a dead man, specially-
  molded plastic prostheses worn on the fingers, 
  and similar devices to make it look like someone 
  else did the dastardly deed, forcing the hero to 
  fall back on methods other than fingerprinting 
  to solve the crime.
  Other Techniques:  Most other forensic tech-
  niques are available to Pulp-era characters, even 
  if they’re not widely used or as well-understood 
  as they are today; indeed, many are referred to, 
  in simple fashion, in the Sherlock Holmes sto-
  ries of the Victorian era. Characters can analyze 
  soil samples, cigar or cigarette ashes, hair, dental 
  records, handwriting, laundry marks, and the like 
  to make comparisons and thus connect the sus-
  pect to the scene of the crime. 
  Criminalistic Tools:  Investigators have a whole slew 
  of tools available for forensics work. Microscopes 
  and cameras work much better than in previous 
  times, enhancing characters’ ability to provide valid 
  evidence. The spectroscope, used for identifying 
  chemicals and other substances, has been invented. 
  Criminalists know how to use X-rays and ultravio-
  let light to ﬁnd evidence invisible to the naked eye. 
  At the GM’s option, characters suﬀer penalties of -1 
  (or worse) to Criminology rolls involving technol-
  ogy because Pulp-era devices tend to work poorly 
  and less eﬃciently than modern ones.
  Weird Tech:  Of course, the Weird tech of the pulps 
  can change anything said above. Technical Detec-
  tives and other characters sometimes used far-out 
  gadgets that even modern forensic scientists would 
  envy to gather evidence, unravel mysteries, and 
  unmask killers.
  Science Fiction
  At higher tech levels, the amount of informa-
  tion a forensic scientist can squeeze out of a corpse 
  or a crime scene is astounding. Even on modern 
  Earth, a fragment of hair or skin can provide iden-
  tifying DNA. In near-future campaigns, that DNA 
  could be decoded to create a genetic model of the 
  suspect or an unidentiﬁed body, in eﬀect making a 
  “virtual clone” for identiﬁcation purposes. Crimi-
  nals will have to develop equally sophisticated 
  methods to avoid leaving trace evidence (or to 
  destroy whatever they do leave behind).
  Superheroes
  Most Champions campaigns feature at least 
  one PC (or major NPC) who’s an expert detective 
  skilled in forensic matters. While super-technology 
  may make his job easier (by providing him with 
  micro-miniaturized but ultra-accurate crime lab 
  equipment, for example), superpowers may compli-
  cate it even more. Solving a murder mystery can be 
  tough enough in the real world; imagine what it’s 
  like in a setting where characters have Powers like 
  Desolidiﬁcation, Drain BODY, Flight, Telekinesis, 
  and Teleportation. See Powers And Criminology, 
  above, for further discussion.
   Western/Victorian
  See Pulp, above, for some general information 
  about the history of criminalistics.
  
  160 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CRYPTOGRAPHY
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill allows a character to decrypt 
  (solve or “break”) ciphers and codes, encrypt or 
  encode messages, hide messages in ordinary text, 
  and perform similar tasks. Decrypting a cipher or 
  code without the key is known as cryptanalysis.
  A character with Cryptography knows about 
  the standard methods used to encode and decode 
  messages, including the history of cryptology, cryp-
  tological technology, and the like. Science Skills 
  (like Mathematics) and Computer Programming 
  are usually Complementary to Cryptography. In 
  some cases, linguistic Skills may also be Comple-
  mentary; see Language, below.
  Success And Failure
  If you use this section’s optional rules for 
  Cryptography, you have to change one basic HERO 
  System rule about Skills:  a roll of 3 on 3d6 does not 
  always succeed when a character makes a Cryp-
  tography roll. If that were the case, there’d be no 
  such thing as a secure code, since on the average a 
  character could break any code with no more than 
  216 rolls. In some cases automatic success on a 3 
  is possible — maybe a character, while working on 
  a relatively simple code, has a ﬂash of insight and 
  instantly knows how to break the code — but in 
  many cases, particularly with regard to computer-
  ized cryptography, that rule deﬁes both common 
  and dramatic sense.
  Types Of Codes  
  And Encryption
  For game purposes, codes are split into three 
  groups:  pre-machine codes; codes created by 
  cipher machines; and computerized cryptography.
  All references to modiﬁers for “deciphering” 
  or “decrypting” assume the character lacks the key 
  to the code and tries to “break” it. If he has the key, 
  decoding a message is so simple a task it rarely even 
  requires a roll.
  PRE-MACHINE CODES
  Long before the existence of cipher machines 
  and computers, people created codes by hand or 
  using simple tools. It’s in this period that the termi-
  nology and methodology of cryptography devel-
  oped. Broadly speaking, one can divide encryption 
  into two types:  codes and ciphers.
  A code is a system of encryption in which 
  specific symbols, words, or phrases stand for 
  other words or phrases. For example, “blue 
  bonnet” might mean “artillery,” and “barnyard” 
  might stand for “Paris, France.” The string of 
  code-words may be utterly meaningless, but the 
  cleverest codes involve placing the seemingly 
  innocent code-words in the midst of innocuous 
  text. Determining the true meaning of a code 
  is virtually impossible unless the decoder has 
  access to the codebook (in which case it’s child’s 
  play) or enough messages with enough context to 
  make it possible to determine correlations.
  A cipher is a method of encryption in which 
  each letter in the original message is replaced by 
  some other letter, number, symbol, or what have 
  you. The system for enciphering the message is 
  known as the key. Unlike codes, which are rigid and 
  unchangeable, most ciphers are ﬂexible (sometimes 
  enormously so). The key allows for changes or 
  forms of variation that make the decipherer’s job 
  much more diﬃcult.
  Substitution And Transposition Ciphers
  All ciphers fall into one (or both) of two catego-
  ries:  substitution ciphers and transposition ciphers.
  Substitution Cipher:  The most basic of ciphers, in 
  which each letter is replaced by another letter or 
  number according to the key, but doesn’t change its 
  position within the word. A simple child’s cipher, 
  such as A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, and so on, is an example 
  of a substitution cipher. Many of the other types of 
  ciphers listed below are, fundamentally, just elabo-
  rate variations on the substitution cipher.
  Even if he lacks a cipher’s key, a cryptanalyst 
  can often solve a substitution cipher via frequency 
  analysis — determining the frequency with which 
  letters appear in a given language, and then applying 
  that information to the cipher’s symbols to make it 
  statistically simpler to guess what each one stands 
  for. The use of nulls — additional, meaningless char-
  acters scattered throughout the message — partly 
  counteracts this, as does deliberate misspelling; it also 
  works better on long messages than short ones.
  Substitution ciphers fall into two general 
  categories:  monoalphabetic, in which the cipher 
  remains the same throughout the message (e.g., 
  the homophonic substitution cipher); and poly-
  alphabetic, in which the cipher changes one or 
  more times throughout the message (e.g., the 
  VigenPre cipher).
  A simple substitution cipher counts as a Very 
  Simple code (modiﬁer of +2 or better). More elab-
  orate ones are Simple, Average, or Complex.
  Transposition Cipher:  This form of encoding 
  involves changing the position of a letter or word 
  within a message, but not the letter’s or word’s 
  meaning. The transposition takes place according 
  to the key, so that the recipient of the message can 
  easily decipher it. For example, in a transposition 
  cipher in which every two letters are reversed, 
  “river” becomes “irevr.” A transposition cipher 
  counts as a Very Simple or Simple code (modiﬁer 
  of +0 or better).
  Speciﬁc Types Of Codes And Ciphers
  Some speciﬁc types of codes and ciphers 
  include:
  Auto-key Generation Code:  In this form of substi-
  tution cipher, the letter used to stand for the true 
  letter depends on the letter preceding it. For exam-
  ple, suppose a character wants to encrypt the word 
  “river.” The R is in plain text. R is the 18th letter in 
  the Latin alphabet. The next letter to encrypt is I, so 
  the encoder counts 18 letters from I, yielding Z. Z 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  161 
  is the 26th letter in the alphabet, and 26 letters from 
  V is U. Thus, “river” ends up as RZUZQ. An auto-
  key generation code cipher counts as a Simple code 
  (modiﬁer of +0 or +1).
  Book Cipher:  A cipher in which a book, portion 
  of a book, or some other piece of text provides 
  the key. A book cipher counts as a Very Complex 
  code (modifier of -5 or worse), but the GM may 
  reduce the penalty if the character has clues 
  regarding which book or document is the key 
  (e.g., he has access to the encoder’s library, he 
  makes a Deduction roll after learning some rel-
  evant facts, or the like).
  Caesar-Shift Substitution Cipher:  A substitu-
  tion cipher in which each letter of the message 
  is replaced with the letter x places down in the 
  alphabet; x is a number between 1 and 25. The 
  classic example uses x = 3, so that “river” becomes 
  “ulyhu.” A Caesar-shift cipher counts as a Very 
  Simple or Simple code (modiﬁer of +0 or better).
  Homophonic Substitution Cipher:  A form of sub-
  stitution cipher in which each plaintext letter has 
  several possible substitutions (the number usu-
  ally varies based on the frequency of the letter). A 
  homophonic substitution cipher counts as an Aver-
  age code (modiﬁer of -2).
  Keyword Code:  A keyword code (or, more accu-
  rately, keyword cipher) uses a word or phrase with 
  ten letters or words, none of which repeat. The 
  letters or word represent the numerals 1 through 
  9 and 0. The letters or words can be used to write 
  phone numbers, letters of the alphabet (via a 
  simple substitution cipher), and the like, though to 
  the uninitiated they look like meaningless strings 
  of letters. Keyword codes are popular among crim-
  inals, since they’re easy to remember. A keyword 
  cipher counts as a Very Simple or Simple code 
  (modiﬁer of +0 or better).
  Nomenclator:  A system of encoding that relies 
  mainly on ciphering, but with some codewords 
  involved as well. A nomenclator counts as an Aver-
  age code (modiﬁer of -1 or -2).
  Onetime Pad Cipher:  Toward the end of the First 
  World War, American cryptographers found ways 
  to restore the VigenPre cipher (see below) to useful-
  ness by making the key structureless and extending 
  its length to the length of the message. The keys are 
  meaningless strings of letters listed on sheets on a 
  pad. The key on each sheet is unique and used only 
  once. Both sender and receiver have a copy of the 
  pad. After encrypting and decrypting a message 
  with the key on the ﬁrst piece of paper on the pad, 
  the sender and receiver both destroy that sheet. The 
  randomness of the key makes it mathematically 
  impossible to decipher the code via cryptanalysis. In 
  fact, the possibility exists that anyone trying brute-
  force cryptanalysis will actually “read” a seemingly 
  true message in the encrypted text that isn’t there! 
  However, the onetime pad cipher system suffers 
  from practical difﬁculties — logistical problems 
  relating to manufacturing and distribution, vulner-
  ability to the loss or theft of the pad — so it was 
  hardly ever actually used. Only in situations where 
  the risks are acceptable and the logistical difﬁculties 
  easily overcome can a onetime pad cipher function 
  effectively. For example, one is (or has been) used 
  in secure communications between the presidents of 
  the United States and the Soviet Union. A onetime 
  pad cipher counts as a Very Complex code; creating 
  one requires a Cryptography roll at -5 (or worse); 
  deciphering one is impossible.
  Pigpen Cipher:  A monoalphabetic substitution 
  cipher that uses tic-tac-toe and X-shaped grids to 
  generate symbols to replace letters. It’s been used 
  for centuries; for example, the Freemasons of the 
  1700s employed it to keep their records secure. A 
  pigpen cipher counts as a Very Simple or Simple 
  code (modiﬁer of +0 or better).
  Playfair Cipher:  A relatively simple substitution 
  cipher that uses a keyword, a ﬁve-by-ﬁve square 
  of letters, and a system of breaking messages into 
  digraphs (two-letter combinations). A Playfair 
  cipher counts as a Very Simple or Simple code 
  (modiﬁer of +0 or better).
  Rail Fence Transposition Cipher:  A cipher in which 
  the alternating letters of a message are written on 
  two lines, one above the other, and then the two 
  lines of gibberish are joined into one long line of 
  gibberish. Decoding it is simply a matter of know-
  ing or deducing where the two lines join. A rail 
  fence transposition cipher counts as a Very Simple 
  or Simple code (modiﬁer of +0 or better).
  Superencipherment:  Double ciphering, i.e., run-
  ning a cipher through another cipher algorithm. 
  Performing a superencipherment requires a Cryp-
  tography roll with the combined modiﬁers for the 
  two types of ciphers used; deciphering one requires 
  a Cryptography roll with the combined penalties of 
  the two types of ciphers used, plus an additional -2.
  Vigenère cipher:  Invented around the year 1560, 
  the VigenPre cipher is a series of 26 separate 
  cipher alphabets, each one Caesar-shifted. A key-
  word determines which cipher alphabet is used to 
  encode/decode each letter of the message, making 
  cryptanalysis by frequency analysis impossible. 
  VigenPre ciphers remained unbreakable until 1854, 
  when Charles Babbage devised a way to crack 
  them (though he didn’t publish it, so it became 
  known as the Kasiski Test after the man who did 
  in 1863). A VigenPre cipher counts as a Very Com-
  plex code (modiﬁer of -5 or worse).
  Rules For Pre-Machine Codes
  In most cases, you can resolve attempts to 
  encrypt or decrypt a “handmade” code or cipher 
  using the normal Skill Versus Skill Contest rules 
  and the modiﬁers outlined above. See below 
  regarding base times.
  Language
  Of course, breaking a code doesn’t confer 
  knowledge of the language in which the plaintext 
  is written. In fact, if the cryptanalyst cannot speak 
  and read the plaintext language, he may have 
  trouble deciphering the cipher, since awareness of 
  linguistic structure and the like may provide clues 
  to cracking the code.
  
  162 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  For that matter, a language itself, if untrans-
  lateable by others, can serve as a foolproof code. 
  The Navajo “code talkers” who helped America 
  with battleﬁeld communications in World War II 
  are a perfect example. The Axis powers had no 
  way to translate the complex Navajo language, 
  making it an ideal method for passing secret mes-
  sages; it was never “broken.”
  CIPHER MACHINES
  Cryptologists eventually learned to use 
  machines to aid in the cryptographic process. 
  The earliest known machine is a form of cipher 
  disk, two metal disks with the alphabet inscribed 
  around the edge of each, invented in fifteenth 
  century Italy. Cipher disks were used in many 
  situations and conflicts, including the American 
  Civil War (and in the twentieth century for chil-
  drens’ “decoder ring” toys).
  The Enigma Machine
  In 1919 the German Arthur Scherbuis 
  invented the Enigma machine, a sort of highly-
  advanced electronic form of the cipher disk, and 
  revolutionized cryptology. (Inventors in the Neth-
  erlands, Sweden, and the United States all invented 
  similar machines in the 1919-27 period, but like 
  Enigma they were all commercial failures with the 
  business community.) The device, which wasn’t 
  much larger than a typewriter, had over 10 quadril-
  lion possible keys, making brute-force cryptanalysis 
  eﬀectively impossible. All Enigma required for use 
  was that both the sender and receiver have one of 
  the machines and a codebook indicating the initial 
  scrambler setting. Thanks to Enigma, the German 
  military, which had been cryptologically backward 
  during World War I, had the most secure cryptog-
  raphy in the world during much of the Pulp era... 
  ...until a disaffected German sold the plans 
  for building an Enigma machine to the French 
  in 1931. France’s ally Poland employed a bril-
  liant mathematician named Marian Rejewski, 
  who found a way to determine the day and mes-
  sage settings the Germans used. His efforts were 
  negated in 1938 when the Germans complicated 
  the workings of Enigma and once again rendered 
  it secure. But in the summer of 1939, the Poles 
  supplied their methods and breakthroughs to 
  the French and British so the work of once again 
  defeating Enigma could continue.
  At the newly-formed Government Code & 
  Cypher School at Bletchley Park, the British set to 
  work to break Enigma a second time. With more 
  resources and manpower than the Poles, they were 
  soon able to do so by building on the Poles’ accom-
  plishments. Although the Germans advanced the 
  sophistication of Enigma throughout the war, the 
  British, whose codebreakers included the likes of 
  Alan Turing, kept pace with them. The transpar-
  ency of German communications due to the eﬀorts 
  of Bletchley Park was one of the decisive factors in 
  the Allied victory.
  The Allies had their own cipher machines, 
  which the Germans did not break. The diﬀerence 
  is that the Germans used their machines in ways 
  which gave cryptanalysts clues that enabled them 
  to break the code, whereas the British and Ameri-
  cans didn’t make such mistakes. Enigma could 
  easily have been unbreakable... if used with full and 
  proper security protocols.
  Cipher Machine Rules
  To operate a simple cipher machine, such as 
  an early cipher disk, a character need only make 
  a Cryptography roll (if a roll is necessary at all). 
  Operating a complex cipher machine like Enigma 
  requires a dedicated Professional Skill (e.g., PS: Use 
  Enigma Machine).
  A cipher machine’s strength and sophistica-
  tion is rated by its Cryptography roll. If the person 
  doing the encoding uses the machine properly, the 
  penalty listed in the Cipher Machine Cryptography 
  table applies to attempts to decrypt the message 
  without the key. If he fails, the listed penalty still 
  applies, but is reduced by the number of points 
  he failed the roll by. For example, ordinarily an 
  advanced cipher machine (21-) imposes a penalty 
  of -16 on decryption attempts. If the operator fails 
  his roll by three, then the penalty becomes only -13.
  When someone tries to decrypt a message 
  enciphered by a cipher machine, he engages in 
  a Skill Versus Skill Contest against the results 
  of the machine’s roll; the machine’s “strength of 
  encryption” penalty modiﬁes his roll. For example, 
  suppose that the Nichtwahr cipher machine has 
  Cryptography 18-. The operator makes his PS: Use 
  Nichtwahr Machine roll, so he then rolls 3d6 for 
  the machine, getting a result of 11. The machine 
  has made its roll by 7, and due to the strength of 
  its encryption imposes a base -8 penalty. Therefore 
  someone who wants to break the cipher without 
  the key has to make his own Cryptography roll... at 
  a -15 penalty (the base -8, plus 7 for the amount the 
  roll succeeded by).
  Unlike computers (see below), cipher 
  machines generally can only encrypt messages. 
  They can, of course, decrypt messages they create 
  CRYPTOGRAPHY  
  MODIFIERS TABLE
  Amount Of Text 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Small (a few words) 
  -8
  Small (a few lines) 
  -4
  Average (a page) 
  +0
  Large (several pages) 
  +2
  Very Large (a book) 
  +4
  Complexity Of Code 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  +1 or worse
  Simple 
  +0
  Average 
  -1 to -2
  Complex 
  -3 to -4
  Very Complex 
  -5 to -8
  Incredibly Complex See text re: cipher machines and 
   
   computerized cryptography
  Extremely Complex See text re: cipher machines and 
   
   computerized cryptography
  Astoundingly Complex See text re: cipher machines 
    
  and computerized cryptography
  Other Modiﬁers 
  Modiﬁer
  Cryptanalyst does not know the  
  language the plaintext is written in -2
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  163 
  themselves, and in fact are necessary for that 
  purpose (for example, until its encryption was 
  “broken,” the only way to read a message from 
  one Enigma machine was to feed it into another, 
  properly-conﬁgured Enigma machine). Characters 
  cannot simply enter any encoded message into a 
  cipher machine and have the machine try to deci-
  pher the text.
  COMPUTERIZED CRYPTOGRAPHY
  The ﬁrst use of what are now called “comput-
  ers” in the ﬁeld of cryptology was during World 
  War II (the British machine Colossus, used to 
  decipher the Lorenz cipher with which Hitler com-
  municated with his generals). Once computers 
  got involved with breaking ciphers, it wasn’t long 
  before they were involved in making them. Soon 
  any serious cryptography was done with comput-
  ers, not pencil and paper or even machines like 
  Enigma; the modern cryptographer relies almost 
  wholly on computers.
  Computers have three distinct benefits 
  over cipher machines. First, cipher machines are 
  limited by the practical constraints of what can 
  be built, whereas a computer can easily mimic 
  a machine with hundreds of scrambling dials 
  — and it can make them turn in different direc-
  tions, appear and disappear, rotate at different 
  speeds, and so forth. Second, computers oper-
  ate far faster than mechanical machines. Third, 
  the binary language of 1s and 0s that computers 
  “speak in” offers enormous possibilities for both 
  substitution and transposition.
  Modern computer encryption depends on 
  two concepts. The first is that of the asymmetric 
  key cipher, a method of encoding a message in 
  which the key for enciphering it differs from the 
  key to decipher it. Prior to the 1970s, all ciphers 
  were symmetric, meaning the keys had to be the 
  same, but the rise of computers made asymmet-
  ric encoding possible. The second is public key 
  cryptography, which uses a system in which one 
  person publicly distributes the key to encrypt 
  messages sent to him, but keeps secret the asym-
  metric key that decrypts them. The values of 
  the numbers chosen for the keys are so high as 
  to make the encryption effectively unbreakable. 
  The best-known form of public key cryptography 
  is PGP (Pretty Good Privacy), a free computer 
  program. According to one authority, even if 
  every personal computer in the world were put 
  to the task of trying to crack a single message 
  encrypted with PGP, it would take approximately 
  12 times the age of the universe to succeed.
  Computer Cryptography Rules
  In game terms, you can resolve attempts to 
  encrypt and decrypt messages protected by com-
  puterized cryptography using the two computers’ 
  Cryptography rolls (with their operators’ rolls as 
  Complementary, if appropriate) in a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest. (In some cases Computer Pro-
  gramming or SS: Mathematics may be Comple-
  mentary Skills.) But the truly important factor is 
  the power and sophistication of the computer’s 
  cryptography software.
  The strength of computer encryption depends 
  on the key length, or number of bits in the keys 
  used to encipher and decipher a message — 16 
  bits, 32 bits, 64 bits, and so on. The number of bits 
  equals a negative modiﬁer to attempts to decrypt 
  the message without a key. For example, trying to 
  crack a message encrypted with 256 bit encryption 
  entails a -256 penalty! The accompanying table 
  provides suggested guidelines for the strength of 
  a computer’s cryptographic software, based on its 
  Cryptography roll.
  Cryptographic software also provides a bonus 
  for decrypting messages; the bonus equals half of 
  its encryption penalty. For example, a computer 
  with Cryptography 16- can encrypt messages 
  so well that attempts to break them incur a -128 
  penalty; if it tries to decrypt a message without 
  the key, it receives a +64 bonus. As a result, in 
  most cases a character has no hope of breaking a 
  cipher encoded by computers as powerful or more 
  powerful than the ones he has access to, but some 
  chance to break encryption created by weaker or 
  less sophisticated computers.
  The bonuses and penalties for computerized 
  Cryptography apply only to ciphers created by 
  computers. When used to crack a cipher gener-
  ated by hand, the computer uses its standard 
  Cryptography roll. However, the GM may, in his 
  discretion, allow characters to apply some or all of a 
  computer’s Cryptography bonus to non-computer-
  ized codes — for example, perhaps they could enter 
  a handwritten substitution cipher into a computer 
  and use the computer’s power to break the code in 
  just a few seconds by running through all possible 
  substitutions. As always, common sense, dramatic 
  sense, and considerations of game balance should 
  be the deciding factors.
  Of course, it’s entirely possible that someone 
  will come up with a way to easily break computer-
  ized cryptography (this was the central plot device 
  driving the movie Sneakers, for example). The 
  codebreakers having caught up to the codemakers, 
  the race will start again with further attempts to 
  create inviolable codes... followed by attempts to 
  decrypt them.
  CIPHER MACHINE  
  CRYPTOGRAPHY
   Cryptography Roll 
  Strength Of Encryption
   
  8- 
  -1 penalty
   
  9- to 11- 
  -2 penalty
   
  12- to 15- 
  -4 penalty
   
  16- to 20- 
  -8 penalty
   
  21- to 25- 
  -16 penalty
   
  ...and so on
  
  164 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Steganography
  Also falling within the purview of the Cryp-
  tography Skill is steganography, the practice of 
  secretly communicating messages not by encoding 
  them, but by hiding them. Anyone who ﬁnds the 
  message can read it... but ﬁrst he has to ﬁnd it!
  In ancient times, people used many clever but 
  (by modern standards) low-tech methods to hide 
  messages. Examples include:
  ■ scraping the wax oﬀ a tablet, writing a message 
  on the board, and pouring wax back on top so the 
  object looks like an ordinary, blank tablet
  ■ shaving a slave’s head, writing the message on his 
  scalp, and then letting his hair regrow to hide the 
  message
  ■ writing the message on silk, crumpling the silk 
  into a tiny ball, coating the ball with wax, having 
  the messenger swallow the wax ball, then retrieving 
  the wax ball from his feces
  ■ the use of invisible ink — inks that only show up 
  when treated in speciﬁc ways
  As technology became more advanced, so 
  did steganography. For example, during World 
  War II and the Cold War, nations could use 
  microdots — a page of text shrunk down to the 
  size of a period on a printed page — to convey 
  information. Modern cryptographers use com-
  puterized steganography to hide all sorts of data 
  in seemingly innocent graphics.
  Of course, it’s possible to use both encryp-
  tion and steganography on a single message. 
  That provides two levels of secrecy to protect 
  the message.
  Translation
  In some campaigns, Cryptography can also 
  represent a character’s knowledge of ancient, 
  obscure, and dead languages. While the character 
  cannot speak these languages, or read them easily, 
  he can, given suﬃcient time and reference materi-
  als, translate them — thus providing a way to read 
  the grimoires of long-dead wizards, the instruc-
  tions on treasure maps from empires that fell mil-
  lennia ago, and so forth. If a character can only use 
  Cryptography this way (i.e., he cannot decode and 
  encode messages), he can buy it with a -½ Limita-
  tion, Translation Only.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  As discussed in detail above, for thousands 
  of years Cryptography generally involved no 
  technology beyond that necessary to write. But 
  once cipher machines are developed, technol-
  ogy rapidly comes to play a more and more 
  important part in cryptology. By the time of 
  the Enigma machine and, later, computers, 
  reliable Cryptography virtually requires equip-
  ment; without it, a character lacks the means 
  to securely encrypt messages or the means to 
  decrypt enemy messages.
  POWERS AND CRYPTOGRAPHY
  Characters may be able to use some Powers to 
  overcome the need for Cryptography. For example, 
  Retrocognition or the ability to read the “psychic 
  traces” left in the message by the encoder (Detect 
  True Meaning Of Message, or the like) might 
  render the most complex, secure code transparent 
  to the character. For this reason, the GM may want 
  to forbid or restrict the use of such powers; they’re 
  likely to spoil the mystery and fun of deciphering a 
  message “the old-fashioned way.”
  Similarly, some Powers may help charac-
  ters encode messages. An Uncontrolled, 0 END 
  form of Images could be applied to a message to 
  “encode” it, for example — and possibly even be 
  “programmed” to change appearance every few 
  minutes so that a cryptanalyst can’t possibly have 
  the time to decode it.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  When a character encrypts a message, fail-
  ure usually means improper coding, leading to a 
  garbled message. A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) 
  may even communicate the wrong message.
  When a character tries to decode a message 
  (or ﬁnd a steganographically hidden message), fail-
  ure typically means the character can’t break the 
  code. A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) may mean 
  he thinks he’s broken it, but in fact he’s mistaken 
  and has incorrectly “translated” it.
  COMPUTERIZED CRYPTOGRAPHY
  Cryptography Roll 
  Bits Of Encryption 
  Bonus To Decrypt
  8- 
  8 (-8 penalty to decrypt) 
  +4
  9- to 11- 
  16 (-16 penalty to decrypt) 
  +8
  12-, 13- 
  32 (-32 penalty to decrypt) 
  +16
  14-, 15- 
  64 (-64 penalty to decrypt) 
  +32
  16-, 17- 
  128 (-128 penalty to decrypt) 
  +64
  18- to 20- 
  256 (-256 penalty to decrypt) 
  +128
  21- to 25- 
  512 (-512 penalty to decrypt) 
  +256
  26- to 30- 
  1,024 (-1,024 penalty to decrypt) 
  +512
  31- to 35- 
  2,048 (-2,048 penalty to decrypt) 
  +1,024
  ...and so on
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  165 
  BASE TIMES
  Except in the cases of the simplest handwrit-
  ten ciphers and the most advanced decryption tech-
  nology, encoding or decoding a message is usually 
  a time-consuming and laborious process. Several 
  factors inﬂuence the time involved.
  The ﬁrst is the length of the message — the 
  longer it is, the longer it takes to encode. On the 
  other hand, as noted in the Cryptography Modi-
  ﬁers table, the longer the message the greater the 
  chances of cryptanalyzing it successfully.
  The second is the complexity of the code. A 
  simple substitution cipher can sometimes be writ-
  ten nearly as quickly as normal writing; creating 
  and writing a message in a VigenPre cipher could 
  take days. Superencipherment, steganography, and 
  the like only increase the time.
  The Cryptography Base Times table provides 
  suggested guidelines for the time needed to encode 
  and decode messages. The GM should alter these 
  as he sees ﬁt.
  SUBDIVIDING CRYPTOGRAPHY
  In campaigns involving a lot of cryptology 
  work, the GM might want to change Cryptography 
  into three Intellect Skills:  Encryption (the ability to 
  create codes and write messages in code); Decryp-
  tion (codebreaking); and Steganography. This divi-
  sion isn’t entirely logical, but does allow characters 
  to specialize in one aspect of Cryptography easily.
  CRYPTOGRAPHY BY GENRE
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  It’s possible that by the Cyberpunk era, man-
  kind will have invented quantum computers or 
  other such super-fast computing devices. These 
  are computers so fast that they can run through 
  the calculations needed to crack computerized 
  encryption swiftly enough to render such encryp-
  tion worthless. But of course, forms of encryption 
  are likely to advance as well, creating practical 
  quantum cryptography. Therefore, you’re probably 
  safe in adapting the rules outlined above for com-
  puterized cryptography and using them with a few 
  changes in terminology and the like.
  As noted above, cryptography tends to be very 
  technology-sensitive. You may want to apply the 
  “technology levels” modiﬁer discussed on page 39 
  in addition to the modiﬁers in the Computer Cryp-
  tography Table — though those modiﬁers are, in 
  eﬀect, just a speciﬁc elaboration of the general rules 
  for varying types of technology.
  Dark Champions
  Computerized cryptography is firmly 
  entrenched by the standard Dark Champions 
  time period (late twentieth/early twenty-first 
  centuries). In fact, the ease with which essen-
  tially unbreakable cryptography is available to 
  the public significantly hinders the ability of law 
  enforcement — and vigilantes — to read infor-
  mation intercepted from criminals and terrorists 
  via wiretapping and the like.
  Fantasy
  In the Fantasy era, most ciphers fall into 
  the Very Simple, Simple, or Average categories... 
  but then again, so does the knowledge of how to 
  decrypt them. Simple steganography is also popu-
  lar. But in a Fantasy setting, characters may have 
  to contend with magical cryptography. Boadlane’s 
  Lens Of Enlightenment and Boadlane’s Spell Of 
  The Secret Script (The Fantasy Hero Grimoire, pages 
  220-21) are two examples of spells that could per-
  form a cryptographic function, but many others are 
  possible. Instead of pitting the encoders’ ingenuity 
  computers against the cryptanalyst’s ingenuity and 
  computers, cryptology in a Fantasy setting may be a 
  matter of magical power and insight.
  If an otherwise mundane code or cipher 
  involves magic (such as coded writing that periodi-
  cally changes form), a character suﬀers a stiﬀ pen-
  alty to decode it (at least -3, and often more; decod-
  ing the text may be impossible without the magical 
  command word).
  The Translation Only form of Cryptogra-
  phy also crops up as a way for characters to read 
  ancient, obscure, or dead languages. A wizard may 
  buy it so he can read old grimoires and scrolls, 
  while a tombrobber may learn it so he can decipher 
  inscriptions on crypts and directions on ancient 
  treasure maps. Occult texts are often written in 
  actual code as well. (Occultists actually wrote some 
  of the ﬁrst studies of cryptography.) Kabbalists can 
  use Cryptography as a Complementary Skill to ﬁnd 
  hidden numerological meanings in sacred texts. 
  Martial Arts
  The use of Cryptography in a Ninja Hero cam-
  paign depends primarily on the time period the 
  campaign’s set in — a modern-day campaign would 
  be like Dark Champions, while one set in ancient 
  China would take after Fantasy Hero.
  CRYPTOGRAPHY BASE TIMES
  Encoding Time* 
  Complexity Of Cipher 
  Decoding Time*
  5 Minutes 
  Very Simple 
  1d6 x 5 Minutes
  20 Minutes 
  Simple 
  1d6 Hours
  1 Hour 
  Average 
  1d6 Days
  6 Hours 
  Complex 
  1d6 Weeks
  1 Day 
  Very Complex 
  1d6 Months
  1 Week 
  Incredibly Complex 
  1d6 Years
  1 Month 
  Extremely Complex 
  1d6 Centuries
  1 Season 
  Astoundingly Complex 
  1d6 Millennia
  Length Of Message 
  Encoding Time Modiﬁer†
  Word 
  x.01
  Sentence 
  x.10
  Paragraph 
  x.33
  1 Page 
  x1
  2-3 Pages 
  x1.5
  4-7 Pages 
  x2
  8-15 Pages 
  x3
  16-31 Pages 
  x4
  ...and so on
  *:  The use of a cipher machine or computerized cryptography can reduce these times 
  drastically, often to a matter of minutes or seconds.
  †:  Apply this multiplier to the listed Encoding Time to determine the time required to 
  encrypt a message.
  
  166 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Pulp
  In the Pulp era, codes and ciphers weren’t 
  nigh-unbreakable things created by computers, 
  they were still primarily the product of human 
  minds and (relatively) simple devices. This makes 
  Cryptography a useful Skill for characters involved 
  in espionage and military matters:  by sitting down 
  with some paper and pencils and working hard, 
  there’s a chance they can actually crack a cipher. 
  Breaking a code probably means an adventure to 
  steal the enemy’s codebook, but what’s life without 
  a little adventure? 
  Of course, the Pulp era is the time of the 
  Enigma machine and the first truly high-tech 
  advances in cryptography (see above). Pulp PCs 
  could easily become involved in attempts to 
  steal (or recover) an Enigma machine or similar 
  device, or try to use modern decryption methods 
  to translate archaeological enscriptions that lead 
  to treasure.
  The Translation Only form of Cryptography 
  is perfect for archaeologists, treasure-seekers, and 
  other characters who like to read ancient languages 
  or decipher treasure maps.
  Science Fiction
  What was said above regarding Cyberpunk-
  era Cryptography applies here as well. Additionally, 
  some forms of Science Fiction open up the pos-
  sibility of things like psionic codes, codes based on 
  technologies not yet even conceived by man, alien 
  encryption, and so on.
  Superheroes
  Cryptography in a Champions setting is usu-
  ally the same as that of Dark Champions — but 
  with the additional factor of super-technology. 
  Thanks to the brilliance of “mad scientist” heroes 
  and villains, some people of the twenty-ﬁrst cen-
  tury may have encryption technology that’s as 
  advanced as that of Science Fiction times!
  Western/Victorian
  Some of the first modern cryptography 
  advances (and related espionage techniques) 
  took place during the American Civil War and 
  might factor into campaigns taking place in this 
  time period. In addition to using simple cipher 
  machines, Civil War spies could tap into tele-
  graph lines to overhear enemy messages (see 
  Systems Operation for more information.) They 
  even learned how to identify a sender’s distinc-
  tive “fist” (method of sending), which sometimes 
  allowed them to trace troop movements via 
  primitive traffic analysis.
  DEDUCTION
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Deduction represents the ability to take several 
  facts and leap to an inobvious (or at least not 
  immediately obvious) conclusion — the classic 
  detective’s talent. It’s a key Skill in games focus-
  ing on mysteries and investigations, and an 
  Everyman Skill for all genres.
  Deduction requires facts — a character can’t 
  deduce a correct end result without at least a few 
  relevant pieces of information. Sometimes the GM 
  supplies this information during the game in the 
  form of clues, rumors about NPCs, and the like. 
  In other cases the character relies upon his Skills 
  to help him. Characters frequently use Comple-
  mentary Skills with Deduction. Just about any Skill 
  directly connected with the problem confronting 
  the character can Complement Deduction; exam-
  ples include Bureaucratics (for a mystery revolving 
  around paperwork), Demolitions (for a mystery 
  with a bomb as a key element), Interrogation (when 
  the mystery revolves around grilling suspects 
  and comparing their stories), or Streetwise (when 
  reaching the right conclusion involves knowing 
  who’s who in the underworld).
  When a character makes a Deduction roll, the 
  GM should consider applying modiﬁers based on 
  three criteria:  how complex the problem the char-
  acter’s trying to solve is; how many discrete clues 
  or pieces of information the character has (he typi-
  cally needs at least two, and the more, the better); 
  and the value of that information. A character who 
  has a lot of data to work with usually has an easier 
  time making a correct deduction than one with 
  only a few, but a character who knows one or two 
  important clues may be ahead of a character with a 
  dozen less meaningful tidbits of information. The 
  accompanying table lists suggested modiﬁers.
  GAMEMASTERING DEDUCTION
  Deduction is a ﬂexible and powerful Skill that 
  the GM needs to handle carefully. On the one hand, 
  characters should get the beneﬁt of the Skills they 
  pay for. This is particularly true when the character 
  is supposed to be smarter and more deductive than 
  the person playing him. Players want to build and 
  play characters who are deductive geniuses — it’s 
  impossible to escape the inﬂuence of Sherlock 
  Holmes. It stands to reason that many PCs would 
  be far better at deducing the meaning of clues than 
  the players who play them are, and one of the rea-
  sons the HERO System has Deduction is to make 
  it possible to play such characters. That means the 
  Skill should oﬀer a signiﬁcant beneﬁt in the game 
  at appropriate times.
  On the other hand, solving a mystery or 
  deducing crucial information on the basis of a Skill 
  Roll can be boring and diminish the fun of the 
  game:  “OK, I talk to everyone for a few minutes 
  and read the crime scene reports. Now I want to 
  make a Deduction roll to ﬁgure out who the killer 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  167 
  is.” That’s no fun for anyone. Ideally, the players 
  should ﬁgure out what the clues mean and make 
  the deductions themselves. The sense of accom-
  plishment that brings adds an enormous amount of 
  fun to the campaign.
  Fortunately, there are ways around this dilemma:
  ■ Instead of interpreting “successful Deduction 
  roll” as “character immediately ﬁgures out all the 
  answers,” think of it as “character gains a little bit of 
  insight toward the ultimate goal of solving the mys-
  tery.” In other words, when a PC succeeds with a 
  Deduction roll, give him an extra tidbit of informa-
  tion or a little help toward ﬁguring out the answer, 
  not the whole solution on a silver platter. The more 
  he makes the roll by, the more information you give 
  him (or the more important a hint you oﬀer). For 
  example, suppose the PCs are trying to ﬁgure out 
  a riddle Anagram left behind. The answer is “Iron 
  Curtain.” If a PC makes his Deduction roll exactly, 
  maybe the hint you provide is “Winston Churchill” 
  (who coined the term). If he makes it by 1-3, maybe 
  the hint is “Soviets” or “Warsaw Pact.” If he makes 
  it by 4 or more, maybe you tell him “steel drapes” 
  or the like. In short — Deduction should help 
  the players ﬁgure out the answer, not provide the 
  answer for them directly.
  Similarly, Deduction provides a rationale for 
  the GM to help the players out if they get stumped. 
  If a character succeeds with a Deduction roll, the 
  GM can provide a gentle hint or an additional clue 
  — something to get the players’ minds working on 
  a diﬀerent, and hopefully more productive, track.
  ■ Look at each PC’s Knowledge Skills. If a PC has 
  a Knowledge Skill that’s related to the clue, let him 
  use the KS as a Complementary Skill. If the Deduc-
  tion roll succeeds, provide more information than 
  you otherwise would — the PC knows more about 
  the subject, so it stands to reason he ought to have 
  more insight on the problem.
  ■ Prepare for the use of Deduction in advance. If 
  you expect the PCs to investigate a clue, prepare a 
  list of potential answers. For each PC who makes 
  a Deduction roll, give the players one randomly-
  chosen item from the list (if a character makes his 
  roll by 4 or more, maybe he gets two items). Then 
  let the players analyze the items they’ve got and 
  ﬁgure out the right one (even if they have to check 
  out every location on the list in person, or ﬁnd 
  every object listed). It’s a lot easier to work from a 
  list of possibilities than it is to try to pull one right 
  answer out of the ether.
  ■ In the comics, television, and movies, it often 
  seems that once a character hits on the right 
  answer to a mystery, he instinctively knows he’s 
  right. A group of players, on the other hand, can 
  spend hours debating the possible meaning of a 
  clue, even if one of the ideas they had five min-
  utes into the discussion was the right answer. To 
  keep this from happening, try to hint at which 
  answer is correct... or you could even go so far 
  as to say, “Bob’s suggestion sounds like a pretty 
  good one — it seems right to you.”
  Looking at it another way, a successful Deduc-
  tion roll doesn’t necessarily mean a character’s sud-
  denly realized what the right answer is, or what’s 
  going on. It could just mean that he realizes one of 
  the possible answers couldn’t be the right one. In 
  other words, Deduction helps him narrow down 
  the possibilities (so the character’s player can even-
  tually reach the right conclusion) rather than giving 
  him the right answer in deus ex machina fashion.
  The GM may also want to consider secretly 
  making characters’ Deduction rolls himself (as 
  discussed on page 18), then providing them with 
  information tailored to account for the success 
  or failure of a role. A character may think he’s 
  right when he deduces the answer to a problem, 
  but he can’t necessarily know he’s right (espe-
  cially if he defines his Deduction as “I make 
  intuitive leaps of thought that I can’t explain” or 
  some similar special effect). Keeping the results 
  of the roll hidden lets the GM create that effect 
  of uncertainty if he wants it.
  EQUIPMENT
  Deduction doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill. However, the gathering of 
  information on which to base a Deduction roll may 
  involve equipment (such as the devices used to col-
  lect trace evidence from a crime scene).
  POWERS AND DEDUCTION
  Powers normally interact with Deduction by 
  providing even more ways for a character to gather 
  the information he needs to make a roll. Clairsen-
  tience, Enhanced Senses, Mind Control, Mind Scan, 
  and Telepathy, to name just a few, could all make a 
  character’s ability to acquire information, and thus 
  succeed with Deduction rolls, much easier.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  In most cases, a failed Deduction roll indi-
  cates that the character can’t think of an answer 
  — he just doesn’t have enough clues yet to put two 
  and two together to get four. If a character fails 
  a Deduction roll badly (by 4 or more) it usually 
  DEDUCTION  
  MODIFIERS TABLE
  Complexity Of Problem 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  +2
  Simple 
  +1
  Average 
  +0
  Complex 
  -2
  Very Complex 
  -4
  Extremely Complex 
  -6
  Amount Of Information 
  Modiﬁer
  1 clue/piece of information 
  -5 or worse 
  (if roll allowed at all)
  2-3 clues/pieces of information 
  -1
  4-6 clues/pieces of information 
  +0
  7-9 clues/pieces of information 
  +1
  10+ clues/pieces of information 
  +2
  Importance Of Information 
  Modiﬁer
  1 pieces of information is important/crucial 
  +1
  2-3 pieces of information are important/crucial +2
  4+ pieces of information are important/crucial +3
  
  168 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  means an incorrect Deduction:  the character has 
  reached a conclusion, but it’s wrong... and of course 
  that often means trouble.
  BASE TIMES
  A ﬂash of insight or logic that provides the 
  answer to a mystery can come in a split-second 
  — but what really matters is how long it took the 
  character to get to the point where he consciously 
  or subconsciously had enough facts from which 
  to make that intuitive leap. First, a character has to 
  gather those facts; that may take a long time or a 
  little, there’s no way to predict beforehand. Second, 
  once he has them, a character has to consider the 
  facts before him, analyze them, let them roll around 
  in his mind before he can deduce their meaning. 
  Typically a character can do this for a Very Simple 
  problem in 1 Minute or less; for a Simple problem, 
  5-20 minutes; for an Average problem, 1-5 Hours; 
  for a Very Complex problem, 6 Hours to 1 Day; for 
  an Extremely Complex problem, 1 Day or longer.
  DEDUCTION BY GENRE
  Deduction works the same in all genres.
  DEFENSE MANEUVER
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  3-10 Character Points (see text)
  A character with this Combat Skill is an expert 
  at moving while in combat. He never allows an 
  attacker a clear shot at his back. Defense Maneu-
  ver’s eﬀectiveness depends on how many Character 
  Points a character spends on it (see below).
  USING DEFENSE MANEUVER
  Defense Maneuver requires a Half Phase 
  Action to use (unless the character buys it up to 
  level IV). A character can also make a Half Move or 
  attack in the same Phase he uses Defense Maneu-
  ver, for instance.
  When performed, Defense Maneuver oﬀers 
  several beneﬁts, depending upon how many points 
  the character spent on it (see below). Characters 
  must buy the levels of Defense Maneuver in order; 
  for example, they cannot buy Defense Maneuver 
  III without ﬁrst buying levels I and II. Thus, full 
  Defense Maneuver costs 10 Character Points.
  Defense Maneuver I (3 Character Points)
  At this level of Defense Maneuver, no attacker 
  is considered to be attacking “from behind.”
  Defense Maneuver II (+2 Character Points)  
  This level of Defense Maneuver eliminates the 
  Multiple Attacker Bonuses as to attackers the char-
  acter can perceive.
  Defense Maneuver III (+3 Character Points)
  This level of Defense Maneuver eliminates 
  Multiple Attacker Bonuses to all attackers, even 
  those which the character cannot perceive. How-
  ever, Defense Maneuver III does not allow a char-
  acter to perceive said attackers — it simply means 
  that the way he moves in combat, no one can get 
  a clear shot at his back, regardless of whether he 
  knows they’re there. For example, he’d still suﬀer 
  the reduced DCV that comes from being attacked 
  by a foe he couldn’t perceive with a Targeting 
  Sense, but that foe wouldn’t get a Multiple Attackers 
  Bonus or bonus for attacking him “from behind.”
  Defense Maneuver IV (+2 Character Points)  
  At this level, Defense Maneuver functions as a 
  “Sense” — in other words, a character doesn’t have 
  to spend a Half Phase to use his Defense Maneuver 
  (using it takes no time).
  Defense Maneuver IV also means that any 
  Combat Skill Levels that improve the character’s 
  DCV are considered Persistent for this purpose. 
  This primarily refers to CSLs bought only to 
  improve DCV (“DCV Levels”), but it also applies to 
  other types of CSLs that the character currently has 
  assigned to DCV. If the CSLs are already assigned 
  to OCV or something other than DCV, they do not, 
  under any circumstances, also apply to the charac-
  ter’s DCV, because they’ve been assigned elsewhere. 
  And of course no CSLs apply when a character is 
  asleep, unconscious, or the like.
  Defense Maneuver IV does not negate the 
  penalties for being unable to perceive an Invisible 
  attacker. The character has the normal DCV he’d 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  169 
  have against an Invisible attacker. However, the 
  Invisible person cannot get any further bonuses for 
  attacking from behind (assuming the GM would 
  bother to grant any anyway).
  Neither Defense Maneuver IV nor any other 
  level of the Skill makes Combat Luck Persistent.
  EQUIPMENT
  Defense Maneuver doesn’t involve any equip-
  ment; it’s a purely personal Skill. However, in some 
  instances the GM might consider buying it for 
  some types of equipment. For example, an agile or 
  highly-maneuverable Vehicle might take this Skill, 
  perhaps with the Requires A Combat Driving/Pilot-
  ing Roll Limitation. This represents the fact that 
  they’re designed and built so that they have no 
  clearly deﬁnable “back,” making this Skill appropri-
  ate without any such Limitation, or can maneuver 
  so easily that getting a Surprise Move bonus for 
  attacking them from behind is diﬃcult.
  POWERS AND DEFENSE MANEUVER
  Defense Maneuver is a good purchase for 
  characters whose powers allow them to “change 
  facing” easily or the like. For example, a teleporting 
  character might have the power to change his ori-
  entation so quickly and subconsciously that attack-
  ers can’t take him at a disadvantage.
  Similarly, a metamorph with a ﬂuid body type, 
  or the ability to sprout extra eyes or limbs in vari-
  ous directions, might buy Defense Maneuver to 
  represent how he uses those abilities in combat. 
  For example, if an attacker slams a shapechanging 
  metamorph up against a wall, rather than taking 
  time to turn around he may simply change shape 
  so that what was in front is now in back, and vice-
  versa — thus denying other attackers the ability to 
  hit him “from behind.” In eﬀect, the character has 
  no “behind” to attack because of the way he can 
  alter his form.
  BASE TIMES
  The standard time for using Defense Maneu-
  ver is a Half Phase, as described above. Characters 
  with Defense Maneuver IV can use it without 
  taking any time.
  UNIFYING DEFENSE MANEUVER
  For some campaigns, the odd cost structure 
  of Defense Maneuver may not work well. As an 
  alternative, you can convert it into a standard Agil-
  ity Skill with a 9 + (DEX/5) roll. Using Defense 
  Maneuver I requires a standard Skill Roll (the roll 
  itself takes no time, but the Skill still requires a 
  Half Phase to use). To use Defense Maneuver II, 
  the character must make his roll at a -2 penalty; for 
  Defense Maneuver III at a -4 penalty; for Defense 
  Maneuver IV at a -6 penalty. This form of Defense 
  Maneuver IV can only make DCV Levels Persistent 
  for 1 Hour (or some other timeframe chosen by 
  the GM); to extend the eﬀect beyond that time the 
  character has to make another roll.
  DEFENSE MANEUVER BY GENRE
  Defense Maneuver works the same in all 
  genres. It’s more common in genres where charac-
  ters engage in a lot of HTH Combat and can expect 
  to face a lot of lower-powered foes on occasion, 
  such as martial arts or swashbuckling.
  
  170 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  DEMOLITIONS
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with Demolitions can use explosives 
  (and incendiary devices and other related devices) 
  properly. He can handle explosives safely, create 
  explosive devices, set them, arm them, and if neces-
  sary defuse/disarm them. He can examine a bomb 
  for “booby traps” or other countermeasures, and if 
  he ﬁnds them can remove or bypass them as part of 
  the overall disarming process (though the GM may 
  sometimes require him to use Security Systems 
  instead or in addition).
  Demolitions grants a character knowledge of the 
  diﬀerent types of explosives, their properties, how to 
  use them, and what sorts of jobs they’re best for. He 
  can gauge the type and amount of explosives neces-
  sary to destroy a structure (or accomplish some other 
  purpose appropriate to the use of explosives). He 
  knows where to plant explosives for maximum eﬀect.
  COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS
  Characters with Demolitions often use 
  Complementary Skills — after all, the results of 
  failure can be lethal (see below). For creating 
  bombs, Electronics, Mechanics, SS: Chemistry, 
  and Security Systems could all be Complemen-
  tary depending on exactly what the character 
  wants to do. If a character wants to include a 
  booby trap with a bomb he can benefit from 
  using Security Systems as Complementary; if he 
  wants to develop a whole new type of explosive 
  SS: Chemistry helps a lot. (And of course he has 
  to have Inventor.) Knowledge Skill: Explosives 
  would almost always be Complementary.
  If a character wants to use a bomb to destroy 
  or damage a particular type of device, a Skill 
  related to that device may be Complementary. 
  Analyze Construction (or the like) makes it 
  easier to blow up a building; Security Systems 
  gives a character greater insight on how to 
  destroy an alarm with an explosive.
  TYPES OF EXPLOSIVES
  The type of explosive or incendiary a character 
  uses is the primary modiﬁer to the Skill Roll, as sum-
  marized in the accompanying table. Some explosives 
  are more sensitive or otherwise harder to work 
  with; others, such as plastic explosives and TNT, are 
  designed for stability and relative ease of use.
  You can ﬁnd descriptions of the substances 
  and devices listed in the Demolitions Modiﬁers 
  table, including how much damage they typically 
  do, on pages 256-61 of Dark Champions or pages 
  120-25 of The HERO System Equipment Guide.
  CREATING AND SETTING EXPLOSIVE 
  DEVICES
  An explosive device can generally be described 
  as having four parts. One Skill Roll usually encom-
  passes putting together all the parts, but the GM 
  might require a character to make two or more 
  rolls if appropriate. First, there’s a detonator, which 
  attaches to the igniter. When activated, the deto-
  nator triggers the igniter, which in turn lights a 
  fuse or sends electricity into the initiating device, 
  a small amount of powerful explosive that sets oﬀ 
  the main explosive. Blasting caps and detonator 
  cord are examples of initiating devices. Depend-
  ing on the type of bomb used, the detonator could 
  be a plunger attached to wires, a clock or sensor 
  that activates the igniter when a certain condition 
  occurs, or the like.
  Generally speaking, creating a basic explosive 
  device is easy if the character has the materials and 
  tools required (pliers, a knife, and so on). In many 
  cases the GM shouldn’t even require a roll. Only if 
  the character’s trying to prepare a bomb without 
  the right tools, when in combat or other stressful 
  conditions, or when using a sensitive explosive 
  should he have to make a roll.
  In many ways, the trick to creating and setting 
  explosives is not setting the charge (a task that in 
  many cases a person can do with just a few minutes’ 
  training at most) — it’s getting the desired result 
  from the explosion. A character who doesn’t do the 
  DEMOLITIONS MODIFIERS
  Explosive 
  Modiﬁer
  Black powder 
  +1 to +3
  Ammonium picrate 
  -0
  ANFO 
  -0
  Dynamite (TNT; q.v.) 
  +1 to +2
  Foam explosive 
  -0
  HMX 
  +1 to +2
  Initiating devices
     Blasting cap 
  -3
     Detonating cord 
  +1
  Lead azide 
  -0
  Mercury fulminate 
  -2
  Nitroglycerin 
  -3
  PETN 
  -1
  RDX 
  +1 to +2
     Plastique (C4, Semtex) 
  +1 to +2
  TNT 
  +1 to +2
     Amatol 
  +1 to +2
     Cyclotol 
  +1 to +2
     Pentolite 
  +1 to +2
     Picrotol 
  +1 to +2
     Tetrytol 
  +1 to +2
     Torpex 
  +1 to +2
  Incendiary 
  Modiﬁer
  Fire bottle/Molotov cocktail 
  No roll required
  Gelled gasoline 
  -1
  Incendiary brick 
  -0
  Magnesium 
  -0
  Napalm 
  -0
  Paraﬃn-Sawdust 
  -0
  Thermite 
  -0
  Thermate 
  -0
  White Phosphorus 
  -2
  Other Circumstances 
  Modiﬁer
  Simple fuse 
  +1
  Complex fuse 
  -1 to -4
  Note:  nuclear bombs are beyond the capabilities 
  of Demolitions to build and disarm (they require 
  speciﬁc Science Skills and the like), but the initiating 
  explosion that triggers a nuclear bomb can be built 
  and disarmed with Demolitions.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  171 
  job right could have too weak an explosion (and 
  thus fail to achieve his objective) or too strong an 
  explosion (causing unintended collateral damage). 
  See Consequences Of Failure, below, for details.
  Enhancing Explosives
  At the GM’s option, a character who succeeds 
  with his Demolitions roll can improve the perfor-
  mance of the explosives he uses. For example, the 
  GM might rule that for every point the character 
  makes the roll by, he can add 1 Damage Class to 
  the force of the explosion. If the character makes a 
  particularly good roll, say by 5 or more, the bomb 
  might become Armor Piercing. The GM decides 
  whether to allow such bonuses, and if so how 
  they’re obtained and how they work.
  DISARMING EXPLOSIVE DEVICES
  For many characters, the primary use of 
  Demolitions is to disarm bombs and other explo-
  sive devices. This often involves deft work with 
  the hands as much as knowledge of the device. At 
  the GM’s option, a character may (or may have 
  to) make his Demolitions roll based on DEX 
  rather than INT when it comes to doing things 
  like snipping the right wire or manipulating the 
  bomb’s inner workings without setting it off.
  In the “real world,” disarming or disabling and 
  explosive device is usually easy — something a 
  character with Demolitions can do without a roll, 
  and even something an untrained character may be 
  able to ﬁgure out quickly. But it becomes a tricky 
  proposition if the bomb has anti-tampering devices 
  — “booby traps” in common parlance. A booby trap 
  is designed to set of the bomb if anyone tries to 
  disarm it. Disabling the bomb thus becomes more 
  a matter of disabling the booby trap than disabling 
  the explosive device itself.
  To determine if an explosive device has a 
  booby trap, a character must examine it and 
  make a Demolitions roll. The roll is usually 
  unmodified, and may not even be necessary if 
  the bomber wants people to know about the trap 
  and makes it obvious. Disabling the booby trap 
  then requires a separate, often heavily-modified, 
  roll. In most cases, Security Systems is a Comple-
  mentary Skill both for (a) determining whether 
  there’s a booby trap, and (b) disarming booby 
  traps. If possible, it may be easier and safer to 
  detonate a booby-trapped bomb in place rather 
  than try to disarm it... but of course that’s often 
  not an option.
  In a gaming context, the dramatic reality 
  of most gaming campaign settings dictates that 
  bombs are usually going to be booby-trapped. 
  Disabling the device usually involves a Demoli-
  tions Versus Demolitions Contest between the 
  bomber and the PC trying to stop the bomb from 
  working, with appropriate modifiers for the type 
  of explosive and other factors; if that’s not appli-
  cable, the GM can use the stock modifiers in the 
  accompanying Booby Trap Table to determine 
  the penalty for disarming a bomb. See Conse-
  quences Of Failure, below, for some discussion 
  of what can happen if characters fail their roll to 
  disarm bombs.
  EQUIPMENT
  As discussed above, Demolitions requires 
  equipment — not only the explosive or incendiary 
  in question but the tools to work with it. A char-
  acter who lacks the right tools suﬀers the standard 
  penalties for that (see page 33), but typically at 
  the upper end of any range involved. Advances in 
  equipment have made some tasks, such as disabling 
  or moving bombs with remote-controlled “robots,” 
  much safer (if not easier).
  POWERS AND DEMOLITIONS
  Telekinesis may be the ultimate Power for 
  disarming bombs, since it lets a character work on 
  one without having to get close to it. However, this 
  requires Fine Manipulation, and possibly Telescopic 
  for the Sight Group so the character can clearly 
  perceive what he’s doing. Characters can often use 
  other powers, such as Entangle or Force Wall, to 
  mitigate the eﬀects of an explosion.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The eﬀects of failing a Demolitions roll depend 
  on what the character was trying to do:  set oﬀ an 
  explosion, or prevent one.
  Setting Explosive Devices
  If a character fails his Demolitions roll to 
  make or set oﬀ an explosive device by 1-3, usu-
  ally all that means is the bomb doesn’t work. The 
  character can try again subject to the usual rules for 
  repeated Skill attempts. If he fails the roll badly (by 
  4 or more), several possible negative consequences 
  could result.
  First, the bomb could detonate too early or 
  too late. For really bad failures this often means it 
  goes oﬀ right in the character’s hands, inﬂicting 
  possibly fatal injury. But the GM should choose a 
  result that’s dramatically appropriate and conducive 
  to the fun of the game. Sometimes it makes more 
  sense for a bomb to be a dud than for a character to 
  die just because of a botched throw of the dice.
  Second, the bomb could have too weak an 
  explosion and thus probably not do the job it was 
  designed for properly. For each point the roll fails 
  by, reduce the bomb’s damage by -1 Damage Class, 
  the radius of the explosion by 1”, or the like.
  Third, the bomb could have too strong an 
  explosion. This should only apply as a result of 
  failure in situations where it could have signiﬁcant 
  negative impact on the characters and their envi-
  ronment; they shouldn’t be able to do more damage 
  to their enemies by failing a roll. Typically this 
  result works best when the characters have to blow 
  up Structure X and don’t want to damage nearby 
  Structure Y. For each point the roll fails by, increase 
  BOOBY TRAP TABLE
  Type Of Booby Trap 
  Modiﬁer
  Simple 
  -0
  Average 
  -1
  Complex 
  -2
  Very Complex 
  -4
  Extremely Complex 
  -6
  Devilishly Complex 
  -8
  
  172 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  the bomb’s damage by +1 Damage Class, the radius 
  of the explosion by +1”, or the like.
  Disarming Explosive Devices
  A failure when disarming an explosive device 
  usually worries a character more than one when 
  setting it, since that’s more likely to result in a big 
  ka-boom that separates a character’s component 
  parts in a swift and bloody fashion.
  If the character’s trying to ﬁnd out if there’s 
  a booby trap on a bomb, failure by 1-3 means he 
  doesn’t spot one (if it exists) or can’t be sure there 
  isn’t one (if one does exist). A bad failure (by 4 or 
  more) means he’s convinced there’s one when there 
  isn’t, or that there isn’t one when there is.
  When the character’s actually trying to disarm 
  a bomb, failure by 1-3 means he can’t do it — the 
  bomb remains primed and ready to explode. He 
  can try again subject to the usual rules for repeated 
  Skill attempts. A bad failure (by 4 or more) usually 
  means the feared result of causing the bomb to go 
  oﬀ right then and there. If the GM prefers not to 
  subject characters to that cruel fate, a bad failure 
  can have some negative consequence that makes 
  a second roll to disarm harder. For example, the 
  timer on the bomb might suddenly go into fast-for-
  ward mode (reducing the 30 minutes the character 
  had to do the work to, say, one minute) or the char-
  acter might “jiggle” the booby trap, making it even 
  more sensitive (and thus increasing the penalty for 
  the next roll to disarm the bomb).
  BASE TIMES
  Demolitions tends to be time-consuming, 
  painstaking work. For creating an explosive 
  device from scratch, the Base Time is 1 Hour, 
  though building a truly complex bomb may take 
  much longer. Setting an explosive device and 
  triggering it usually requires at least 1 Turn, if 
  not more time; the complexity of the device and 
  the task determine the Base Time. For example, 
  preparing a building for demolition and rigging 
  the explosives in the right order throughout the 
  structure can take weeks or months even though 
  the actual act of triggering the resulting explo-
  sion requires just the press of a button.
  Examining a bomb to determine if it has a 
  booby trap requires a Full Phase Action. Disarm-
  ing a bomb usually has a minimum Base Time of 
  1 Turn. At the GM’s option, that Base Time applies 
  only to a Simple booby trapped-device; it increases 
  by a minimum of +1 Turn for each step down the 
  Booby Trap Table from “Simple.”
  SUBDIVIDING DEMOLITIONS
  If desired, you can subdivide Demolitions into 
  two distinct Intellect Skills, Setting Explosives and 
  Disarming Explosives. In some ways this actually 
  mirrors real-world experience nicely, since person-
  nel trained to set up explosives and trigger them 
  aren’t necessarily trained in explosive ordnance 
  disposal (EOD), which is what bomb squads know 
  how to do.
  DEMOLITIONS BY GENRE
  Demolitions has no applicability in pre-gun-
  powder societies, such as most Fantasy games. 
  Primitive gunpowder is described in Chinese 
  texts as early as circa 850 AD, though the Chi-
  nese didn’t necessarily use it for weapons at first, 
  but for firecrackers and the like. In 1044 Ceng 
  Gongliang published three recipes for gunpow-
  der. By the early 1200s the Chinese used bombs 
  that relied on shrapnel; earlier attempts at explo-
  sive weaponry depended mainly on the loud 
  noise for effect. A few decades later Roger Bacon 
  became the first European to describe gunpow-
  der in writing, though his work wasn’t published 
  until 1733; a Syrian text describing it appeared 
  in 1280, and there’s Japanese artwork showing a 
  bomb exploding that dates from 1292.
  The ﬁrst modern explosive, dynamite, was 
  patented by Alfred Nobel in 1867 in Britain and 
  in 1868 in the United States; it derived from his 
  work with nitroglycerin beginning in the early 
  1860s. (Nitroglycerin itself was invented by Ascanio 
  Sobrero in 1846.) In 1876 he patented blasting 
  gelatin. The related explosive TNT was invented in 
  1863 by J. Wilbrand. The earliest plastic explosives 
  predate World War II, and during and shortly after 
  that war many others (including C4) were devel-
  oped. Semtex, a form of plastic explosive popular 
  with criminals and terrorists, was invented in 1966 
  in Czechoslovakia.
  Future developments in explosives, such as 
  might be found in Cyberpunk or Science Fiction 
  campaigns, could further increase the effective-
  ness and safety of working with them. For exam-
  ple, in a Star Hero campaign characters might 
  have access to lightweight and massively power-
  ful antimatter explosives that contain antimatter 
  in a magnetic bubble, then trigger an explosion 
  by shutting off the bubble and letting antimatter 
  and matter come into contact.
  Fantasy
  In games set in the early gunpowder era, this 
  Skill is often renamed Sapper, to highlight the Skill’s 
  primary use (in siege warfare) or Gunsmith (in con-
  junction with the appropriate Weaponsmith Skill).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  173 
  DISGUISE
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill allows a character to change his 
  appearance with makeup, costumes, body language, 
  facial expression, and the like. He knows about the 
  diﬀerent types of makeup and other equipment 
  used to create disguises, how to apply/use/remove 
  them, and so on. The character knows something 
  of the history of the art of disguise, including who’s 
  who both historically and currently in the world of 
  changing one’s appearance.
  Disguise alone isn’t enough to pull oﬀ a perfect 
  impersonation — all it does is let a character make 
  himself look like someone else. To act like someone 
  else requires Acting; imitating someone else’s voice 
  requires Mimicry. All sorts of Skills, including AKs 
  and PSs, may be Complementary to Disguise if 
  they provide the character with information about 
  a person he’s trying to impersonate. Cramming can 
  be helpful in this regard; it lets a character “study 
  up” on someone extensively and take a KS speciﬁ-
  cally about him so he can more easily pass himself 
  oﬀ as that person. Forgery (Documents) helps a 
  character create a fake “paper trail” to support his 
  false identity.
  USING DISGUISE
  The primary uses of Disguise include chang-
  ing a character’s appearance, making a character 
  look like a specific other person, creating fake 
  injuries, hiding Distinctive Features, changing 
  clothes quickly, and improving Comeliness. The 
  character can apply disguises either to himself or 
  to other characters.
  Altering Appearance
  First and foremost, characters use Disguise to 
  alter their appearance. Typically they want to make 
  themselves look diﬀerent so they can hide from 
  someone or something, avoid drawing attention 
  to themselves, or the like. In this case, the disguise 
  doesn’t have to look like anyone in particular; it 
  may involve only a few cosmetic changes (the addi-
  tion of a fake scar or glasses, altering hair color), 
  but it could be a complete makeover. In other cases 
  the character doesn’t want to look like any speciﬁc 
  person, but like a “generic” member of a particular 
  group — a cop, an orc, an Imperial Star Marines 
  sergeant. In that case the disguise often requires 
  more eﬀort; the character has to make sure his 
  clothing, mannerisms, haircut, and the like conform 
  to those of the group. This involves research and 
  preparation that aren’t necessarily required for just 
  changing one’s appearance.
  “Realistically” it’s often harder for a person 
  to apply a disguise, particularly an elaborate one, 
  to himself than to put it on another person. (In 
  some cases a character might even need to have 
  Contortionist to do things like apply skin dye 
  or stippling to his own back.) In “realistic” cam-
  paigns the GM may rule that a character putting 
  a disguise on himself cannot use a roll higher 
  than 13- no matter what his Skill Roll normally is 
  or what modifiers apply. In cinematic campaigns 
  none of this is a concern.
  A character can also use Disguise to remove 
  elaborate disguises without damaging them so the 
  pieces can be re-used again. (People without Dis-
  guise just have to rip them oﬀ, ruining them.) This 
  requires one-fourth the Base Time as applying the 
  disguise and a Disguise roll. If the roll succeeds, the 
  “parts” of the disguise are in good enough condi-
  tion to use again (perhaps with a bit of touch-up); 
  if it fails, they’re ruined.
  Impersonating People
  The most difficult task performed with 
  Disguise is to make a person look like another 
  specific person. This is the height of the dis-
  guise artist’s art, and thus more likely to expose 
  him to discovery if he’s not careful. Doing this 
  involves a minimum -1 to -3 penalty (and often 
  more) that the GM determines by assessing sev-
  eral factors. First, how closely do the character 
  being disguised and the person being imitated 
  resemble each other? The Disguise Modifiers 
  table accounts for things like gender, size, spe-
  cies, and the like; these are in addition to the 
  “impersonate a specific person” penalty. What 
  the GM should consider here are more specific 
  aspects of appearance, such as build, hair and eye 
  color, facial structure, and the like. Second, how 
  well does the observer know the person being 
  imitated? Fooling an observer who knows the 
  
  174 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  subject well is very difficult, but someone who 
  doesn’t know him may not be much harder to 
  deceive than with a general disguise.
  False Injuries
  Creating a realistic-looking false injury, typi-
  cally for use in combat medic training, movie spe-
  cial eﬀects, and the like, is somtimes referred to as 
  moulage. In game terms, a fake injury may allow 
  a character to trick an opponent into getting close 
  enough for the character to make a sneak attack, 
  bolster a standard disguise, and so on.
  Concealing Distinctive Features
  A character can use Disguise to change or 
  conceal many types of Distinctive Features (such 
  as scars). If so, the Feature usually qualifies as 
  “Concealable With Effort.” The GM determines 
  what Distinctive Features the Skill can affect, and 
  to what extent.
  Quick Clothing Changes
  Disguise allows a character to change his 
  clothes rapidly (this assumes he has something 
  to change into, but most characters with Dis-
  guise prepare for such eventualities). Typically 
  this takes 1 Turn; changing clothes in 1 Phase 
  imposes the standard -3 penalty for performing 
  Skills more quickly than normal. If the clothing 
  being changed into or out of is elaborate, there’s 
  a -1 to -2 penalty; if it’s extremely elaborate, the 
  penalty rises to -3 or more.
  Increasing Comeliness
  Part of Disguise involves applying makeup and 
  knowing how to present a particular appearance, 
  and sometimes that involves making a character 
  look better. (In fact, that’s often the entire point of 
  putting on makeup.) A character with Disguise can 
  use it speciﬁcally to improve his Comeliness as long 
  as his makeup remains unmarred. If he makes the 
  roll by 1-3, he can add +1 COM; if he makes it by 
  4 or more he can add +2 COM. Once his makeup 
  is removed (either on purpose or not) the COM 
  bonus fades.
  Manufacturing Disguise Materials
  Characters with Disguise know how to make 
  various items used as parts of disguises, such as 
  wigs, fake scars, fake wounds, and the like. (This 
  does not include animatronic pieces; that requires 
  Electronics, with Disguise as a Complementary 
  Skill.) Sometimes this is simply and quickly done 
  (such as making a fake moustache out of crepe 
  hair) but doesn’t always look so good (and thus 
  imposes penalties on the Disguise roll to change 
  appearance). At other times it can take many days 
  (such as making the same moustache with real hair 
  attached to lace) but looks much more realistic 
  (and can be reused more).
  Creating a disguise item requires a Disguise 
  roll with a Base Time listed in the Disguise Times 
  table. (For longer tasks, characters usually break 
  them up over time, putting in a few hours or days 
  here and there until the work’s done.) If the roll 
  succeeds, the character has the item in question. 
  If it fails he does not; if it fails badly, he thinks he’s 
  created a proper item when in fact it’s obviously 
  fake to anyone else.
  To a limited extent, Disguise also allows a 
  character to sew, equivalent to having PS: Sewing 
  8-. More skilled disguise artists buy PS: Sewing 
  as a separate Skill.
  SENSES
  Disguise typically changes a character’s appear-
  ance — in other words, how he’s perceived by the 
  Sight Group Senses. Changing a character’s voice 
  (how he sounds) requires the Mimicry Skill (see later 
  in this chapter), not Disguise. How a character smells 
  can be changed with Disguise at a -2 modiﬁer. How 
  a character feels to the touch can be changed with 
  Disguise, though this may require elaborate full-body 
  makeup and prosthetics that take hours to apply. Dis-
  guise cannot change how a character tastes if some-
  thing decides to eat him, nor can it change how he’s 
  perceived by Radio or Mental Group Senses.
  DISGUISE MODIFIERS
  Body Type 
  Modiﬁer
  Age
     1-2 decades younger than character 
  -2
     3-4 decades younger than character 
  -5
     5 or more decades younger than character 
  -9
     1-2 decades older than character 
  -1
     3-4 decades older than character 
  -3
     5 or more decades older than character 
  -6
  Gender:  disguised as diﬀerent gender 
  -2 or more
  Limbs
  More limbs 
  -1
  Fewer limbs 
  -2
  Posture
  Similar posture 
  -0
  Semi-Erect 
  -1
  Horizontal posture 
  -2
  Size, Weight
  Smaller than character 
  -2
  Less than half character’s mass 
  -3 per halving
  Larger than character 
  -1
  More than twice character’s mass 
  -2 per x2                       
  Signiﬁcantly lighter weight than character 
  -4
  Skin
  Body covered with hair or feathers 
  +1
  Body covered with shell 
  +2
  Bare skin 
  -1
  Miscellaneous
  Distinctive scent or other emission 
  -2
  Amorphous blob 
  -4
  Diﬀerent home environment 
  -2
  Other Circumstances 
  Modiﬁer
  Character disguises self as speciﬁc other person:   
  observer’s familiarity with other person
  Not Familiar 
  -1
  Somewhat Familiar (acquaintance) 
  -2
  Familiar (friend) 
  -3
  Very Familiar (good friend, signiﬁcant other) -5
  Extremely Familiar (spouse) 
  -7
  Character must maintain disguise for...
  Several days 
  -1
  1 Week to 1 Month 
  -2
  Over 1 Month 
  -3 (or more)
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  175 
  MODIFIERS
  A character who wants to disguise himself to 
  look like a member of another species or race may 
  run into problems. It’s hard for a two-armed, six 
  foot tall human to make himself look like a four 
  and a half foot tall dwarf, a six-armed serpent-man, 
  a blue-skinned, antennaed merchant from Rigel 
  IV, or even just a human being who’s missing an 
  arm. Similarly, diﬀerences in age, gender, or size, or 
  the need to maintain a disguise for a long period 
  of time may make it easier to see through. The 
  Disguise Modiﬁers table lists applicable modiﬁers 
  — though not every genre or campaign is so “real-
  istic” as to require them.
  SEEING THROUGH A DISGUISE
  To spot someone wearing a disguise, an 
  onlooker must make a PER Roll in a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest against the character’s Disguise. 
  (A character with Disguise can choose to use it 
  instead, or can make it as a Complementary Skill 
  Roll to his PER Roll.) Standard modiﬁers to the 
  PER Roll, like the Range Modiﬁer, apply; thus, 
  disguises tend to hold up better at a distance and 
  in poor lighting. A disguise can also be exposed 
  accidentally if it’s damaged, part of it comes oﬀ, or 
  the like. For this reason clever characters don’t put 
  more into a disguise than they have to — the more 
  elaborate a guise, the easier it is for someone to 
  accidentally mar it.
  Damage To Disguises
  If a disguise involves makeup, prostheses, 
  wigs, fake beards, or other physical components, 
  those things can get damaged or knocked askew if 
  the character’s attacked. When an attack that can 
  do BODY damage (whether the character actually 
  suﬀers any or not) strikes a Hit Location where a 
  character’s wearing a disguise (or part of it), the 
  GM should make a roll. If 1 BODY is rolled for 
  the attack, it has an 8- chance to aﬀect the disguise 
  in ways that reveal what it is. For each +1 BODY 
  rolled, increase the roll by 1. If the roll succeeds, the 
  attack damages the disguise in some way, knocks 
  it oﬀ, or the like. If it fails, the disguise remains in 
  place, unharmed.
  EQUIPMENT
  Disguise requires equipment in the form of 
  makeup, prostheses, wigs, changes of clothing, 
  fake moustaches and beards, and the like, plus of 
  course anything necessary to apply the equipment 
  to the person properly (such as a mirror to look in). 
  Improvising a disguise with makeshift equipment, 
  or without any signiﬁcant equipment, is very diﬃ-
  cult; GMs should strictly apply the standard equip-
  ment modiﬁers (page 33).
  POWERS AND DISGUISE
  All sorts of Powers may make a disguise more 
  eﬀective, or even remove the need to use the Skill. 
  Shape Shift, particularly with the Imitation Adder, 
  allows for nigh-foolproof disguises created in the 
  blink of an eye (“super-skill” versions of Disguise 
  are often built using Shape Shift with the Limita-
  tions Extra Time [to activate] and Requires A Dis-
  guise Roll). Similarly, Images can make a character 
  look like someone else easily. The “Instant Change” 
  power created with Transform allows a character 
  to be a “quick-change artist” who can swap sets of 
  clothing at lightning speed.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically a failed Disguise roll means the 
  disguise won’t work if closely inspected (i.e., if 
  someone tries to make a PER Roll to see through 
  it, touches it, looks at the character closely, or the 
  like). The character knows this, but may choose 
  to keep the disguise on in the hopes it fools some 
  people anyway. A badly failed roll (by 4 or more) 
  means the character thinks the disguise works well 
  but in fact it’s obviously a disguise to most people 
  even without a PER Roll. Alternately, it may mean 
  the character botched things so badly he’s run out 
  of supplies and can’t make another Disguise roll for 
  a day or more.
  BASE TIMES
  A few disguises are spur-of-the-moment 
  things (like putting on a fake moustache), but 
  the best ones require hours of preparation. The 
  accompanying Disguise Times table lists sug-
  gested Base Times based on the elaborateness 
  of the disguise; it also lists suggested times for 
  manufacturing various prostheses, appliances, 
  molds, and other things used to change one’s 
  appearance. In “realistic” campaigns GMs may 
  want to increase these times.
  DISGUISE TIMES
  Type Of Disguise 
  Base Time* 
  Examples
  Very Simple 
  Full Phase 
  Applying a pre-made fake moustache
  Simple 
  1 Turn 
  Applying several pre-made fake articles
  Average 
  1-19 Minutes 
  Quick but thorough general change of 
  appearance involving fake articles, facial 
  makeup, and clothing
  Elaborate 
  20-59 Minutes Thorough general change of appearance includ-
  ing multiple small prostheses and the like
  Very Elaborate 
  1-5 Hours 
  An almost-complete change of appearance 
  involving multiple large prostheses and the like
  Extremely Elaborate 6+ Hours 
  Full-body prostheses, full-body makeup, com-
  plete change of appearance
  Article Of Disguise 
  Bast Time To Manufacture
  Beard, fake (Simple (-1 to Disguise roll)) 
  20 Minutes
  Beard, fake (Well-Made) 
  1 Month
  Cast, fake 
  1-3 Hours
  Facial appliance (fake nose, alien nose- or head-ridges) 1-3 Hours
  Humpback 
  1 Hour
  Limb, extra 
  6 Hours
  Moustache, fake (Simple (-1 to Disguise roll)) 
  5 Minutes
  Moustache, fake (Well-Made) 
  1 Week
  Scar, Small 
  20 Minutes
  Scar, Large 
  1 Hour
  Wig (Simple (-1 to Disguise roll)) 
  1 Day
  Wig (Well-Made) 
  1 Month
  Wound, Small 
  1 Hour
  Wound, Large 
  3 Hours
  *:  The more often a character applies a particular disguise, especially to another 
  person, the quicker it often becomes. After 20 applications of the same disguise, 
  reduce the Base Time required to apply it by half. After 100 applications, reduce 
  that amount in half again.
  
  176 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SUBDIVIDING DISGUISE
  In a campaign setting featuring multiple sen-
  tient humanoid races, such as many Fantasy and 
  Science Fiction campaigns, GMs may prefer that 
  characters buy Disguise by species. For 2 Character 
  Points a character can buy an INT-Based Roll to 
  disguise himself or others as members of a single 
  species (typically his own). For every +1 Charac-
  ter Point he can buy the ability to create disguises 
  based on another species. He can try to use Dis-
  guise to make someone look like a species he hasn’t 
  purchased at a -4 penalty.
  Another possible scheme for splitting up 
  Disguise is to divide it into three distinct Intellect 
  Skills:  Manufacture Disguise (the ability to make 
  wigs, fake scars, fake limbs, and the like); Apply 
  Disguise (the ability to put a disguise on one’s self 
  or others to change appearance); and Makeup (the 
  ability to apply cosmetics to enhance Comeliness).
  DISGUISE BY GENRE
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy settings, magic often takes the place 
  of Disguise or augments mundane disguises. A 
  character who can change shape naturally, or who 
  knows spells to accomplish that, can often disguise 
  himself well enough to fool even close friends of 
  the person being imitated. The only way to prove 
  that it’s a disguise is to trick the disguised character 
  into saying something the person he’s imitating 
  wouldn’t, or to reveal ignorance of something that 
  person knows about.
  Pulp
  Disguise is probably the most ubiquitous non-
  combat skill used by Pulp heroes. Most of them, 
  including pretty much every hero of a single-char-
  acter pulp, were experts at changing their appear-
  ance and impersonating others. (Obviously Acting 
  and Mimicry were also often involved.) Typically 
  a Pulp character could create a foolproof disguise 
  with only a few basic supplies and a few minutes 
  (or seconds) of work, so it’s perfectly appropriate 
  for GMs to dispense with most modiﬁers and let 
  characters disguise themselves quickly and easily. 
  Gamemasters desiring greater “realism” should con-
  sult the Disguise Modiﬁers Table.
  Science Fiction
  Advanced prosthetics, high-tech surgery, 
  artiﬁcial ﬂesh, and smart materials make Disguise 
  easier, but characters in a Star Hero game may need 
  to disguise themselves as weird aliens or variants of 
  their own species (see the Disguise Modiﬁers table).
  ELECTRONICS
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Electronics allows a character to identify, under-
  stand, build, repair, and rewire electronic devices 
  and their component parts. It covers a vast range of 
  technology — from simple radios to interplanetary 
  teleporters. A character with Electronics knows 
  how electronic devices work, how to design and 
  build them (from creating the circuit diagrams 
  and such all the way up to properly assembling 
  the components to create a ﬁnished, functioning 
  device), how to ﬁx and modify them, and how to 
  deduce their function and operation. He knows 
  about the types of tools and technology used to 
  perform Electronics-related tasks, and how to use 
  them. He’s aware of the general history of electronic 
  devices and how electronics technology has devel-
  oped over time.
  Technology-related Skill modiﬁers — includ-
  ing damage to subject, equipment, advanced/obso-
  lete/alien technology, and technological compat-
  ability — play an important role with Electronics. 
  It’s easy enough for a character to create or modify 
  a device similar to those he’s used to working 
  with; it’s another matter entirely to try to repair a 
  heavily-damaged device on a tight deadline, or to 
  try to determine the purpose and workings of an 
  electronic gadget that’s nothing like anything the 
  character’s ever seen before.
  COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS
  Despite general references to “electronic 
  devices” throughout the description of this Skill, 
  Electronics isn’t always the primary Skill a charac-
  ter uses to work on an electronic device. Electronics 
  often functions as a Complementary Skill when 
  the device the character’s working on is covered 
  by another Skill. This includes Bugging, Computer 
  Programming, Security Systems, and Systems 
  Operation, but can also extend to other Technolog-
  ical Skills as appropriate. For example, if a character 
  wants to build an electronic listening device, he 
  uses Bugging as the primary Skill with Electronics 
  as a Complementary Skill; if he’s building a com-
  munications system or a sensor, Systems Operation 
  is primary, Electronics Complementary. If the GM 
  feels the most important aspect of the work is the 
  character’s general knowledge of electronics sys-
  tems, he may want to reverse the relationship.
  You can apply the rules below for Electronics 
  generally to other Skills that involve working with 
  electronic devices, such as Bugging and Systems 
  Operation, unless their descriptions in this chapter 
  have diﬀerent or more speciﬁc rules. For example, 
  if a character wants to use his Computer Program-
  ming to disable a computer, just apply the rules and 
  modiﬁers from Disabling Electronic Devices, below.
  Various Science Skills (especially SS: Elec-
  tronic Engineering and sometimes SS: Physics) are 
  Complementary to Electronics in many situations.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  177 
  Uses Of Electronics
  Electronics has ﬁve primary uses:  creating and 
  maintaining electronic devices; modifying elec-
  tronic devices; disabling electronic devices; identi-
  fying the purpose and nature of strange electronic 
  devices; and operating electronic devices.
  BUILDING AND MAINTAINING  
  ELECTRONIC DEVICES
  First and foremost, a character with Electron-
  ics can design and build electronic devices. He may 
  have to start from scratch, sketching out a circuit 
  diagram and then creating the circuits, or he may put 
  together pre-made circuit boards and system compo-
  nents to create a ﬁnished device. Similarly, he knows 
  how to maintain electronic devices in good working 
  order, and how to repair them if they malfunction or 
  become damaged. Of course, to invent all-new elec-
  tronic devices, the character also needs the Inventor 
  Skill (page 206); Electronics by itself doesn’t allow a 
  character to invent new gadgets, though it does let 
  him build one he already knows about.
  The GM can take either of two approaches 
  when determining how easy it is for a character 
  to build an electronic device. First, he can have 
  the character write up the device using the HERO 
  System rules, then apply a penalty of -1 per 10 
  Active Points in the device to the Electronics roll to 
  create it. A second (and more simple) approach is 
  to assign the device a complexity rating using the 
  accompanying Device Complexity table and derive 
  the modiﬁer from that. In either case, the modi-
  ﬁer is in addition to any applicable modiﬁers from 
  Chapter One, mentioned above.
  If the GM requires characters to make Elec-
  tronics rolls periodically to maintain their gadgets, 
  typically that roll suﬀers no modiﬁer based on 
  Active Points or the like. It may still suﬀer modi-
  ﬁers for things like not having the right tools or 
  working with alien technology.
  Repairing And Modifying Electronic Devices
  Related to building electronic devices is 
  repairing them. During the course of a character’s 
  adventures his gadgets may be smashed, burned, 
  electrocuted, set on ﬁre, teleported to Dimension 
  X, buzzsawed, bent, folded, spindled, and mutilated 
  — so sooner or later they’re going to need a little 
  patching up. To determine the diﬃculty of making 
  repairs, the GM should decide how damaged a 
  device is — in game terms, what percentage of its 
  BODY it’s taken as damage. For each 10% (or frac-
  tion thereof), impose a -1 penalty on the Electron-
  ics roll to make repairs. (This penalty replaces the 
  standard “damage to subject” penalty.) The GM 
  can modify this as he sees ﬁt to reﬂect the ease or 
  diﬃculty of a particular repair. At the GM’s option 
  a character may be able to diminish the penalty 
  by splitting the work into discrete tasks, each task 
  encompassing only part of the repairs and requir-
  ing a separate roll.
  Modifying an electronic device — changing it 
  to alter or improve its function — works similarly 
  to building one. The character should write up the 
  two devices in HERO System terms, then subtract 
  the Real Points of the existing device from those 
  of the modiﬁed/improved device. If the total is 0 
  or less, then typically he suﬀers no penalty to his 
  Electronics roll (unless the GM chooses to impose 
  one). If it’s greater than 0, then for each 10 Real 
  Points (or fraction thereof) by which the modiﬁed/
  improved device exceeds the existing device the roll 
  suﬀers a -1 penalty.
  DISABLING ELECTRONIC DEVICES
  A character can use Electronics to turn oﬀ or 
  disable electronic devices or otherwise prevent them 
  from functioning. (Of course, this assumes he wants 
  to do so without signiﬁcantly damaging the device 
  — anyone can disable a gadget without making a Skill 
  Roll simply by smashing it to bits, blasting it with a 
  shotgun, embedding an axe in it, or the like.) Typi-
  cally a roll to disable a device suﬀers a penalty equal 
  to -1 per 10 Active Points in the device, but the GM 
  should adjust that penalty downward as necessary. 
  Just because a device is powerful or technologically 
  sophisticated doesn’t mean it’s tamper-proof.
  IDENTIFYING ELECTRONIC DEVICES
  During the course of his adventures it’s possi-
  ble that a character with Electronics will encounter 
  an electronic device he doesn’t instantly recognize 
  or understand. (This is particularly likely in Sci-
  ence Fiction and dimension-hopping campaigns 
  where characters frequently ﬁnd alien gadgetry.) 
  In that case the character can make an Electron-
  ics roll to identify the nature and purpose of the 
  device:  “This is some sort of communications 
  system, but apparently not for vocal speech the way 
  we Humans understand it”; “This is a weapon. That 
  part there is some sort of pulson beam generator; 
  looks like a pretty powerful one, too.” Modiﬁers for 
  obsolete/advanced and alien technologies apply.
  OPERATING ELECTRONIC DEVICES
  Once a character has identiﬁed the nature 
  and purpose of a strange electronic device, he can 
  make an Electronics roll to ﬁgure out how to turn 
  it on and/or operate it. (Though again, as discussed 
  above, if another Skill, such as Systems Opera-
  tion, directly covers the device in question, it’s the 
  primary Skill and Electronics is Complementary.) 
  Modiﬁers for obsolete/advanced and alien technol-
  ogies apply, and the GM may also impose a penalty 
  based on the device’s Active Points if desired.
  Characters can also use Electronics to turn on 
  an electronic device or system for which they don’t 
  have the proper key (or other activating device) 
  without necessarily operating it. For example, a 
  character would use Electronics to hotwire a car.
  DEVICE COMPLEXITY
  Complexity Of Device 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  +2
  Simple 
  +1
  Average 
  +0
  Complex 
  -2
  Very Complex 
  -4
  Highly Complex 
  -6
  Incredibly Complex 
  -8
  
  178 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Electronics requires equipment. A character 
  needs all sorts of tools, potentially ranging from 
  simple ones like screwdrivers to ohmmeters and 
  other sophisticated analyzers, to create, work with, 
  and modify most electronic devices. As technology 
  advances and becomes more “user-friendly,” the 
  number of tools needed may decrease, though the 
  ones still required likewise become more advanced.
  POWERS AND ELECTRONICS
  The power to control electronic devices (par-
  ticularly computers) is known as cyberkinesis. 
  Cyberkinetic powers, such as those described in 
  The UNTIL Superpowers Databases, allow a charac-
  ter to operate and modify electrical systems with-
  out the need for tools. In many cases a cyberkinetic 
  character doesn’t even need to touch an electronic 
  device to manipulate it.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failing an Electronics roll 
  depend largely on what a character was trying to do.
  When a character tries to build, repair, or 
  modify an electronic device, a failed Skill Roll 
  means he doesn’t get the job done. He can’t ﬁgure 
  out how to build the gadget, his repairs don’t ﬁx 
  the problem, and so on. Alternately, the device may 
  work... at ﬁrst. Soon it malfunctions, undoubt-
  edly at a very bad moment for the character. A 
  badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) often indicates that 
  his eﬀorts have made the situation worse:  while 
  working he breaks a crucial tool or hurts himself; 
  his repairs or modiﬁcations damage the device or 
  make it work less well.
  When a character tries to disable an electronic 
  device, failure means it continues to function prop-
  erly. A bad failure (by 4 or more) may accidentally 
  activate alarms, cause the device to go into “security 
  lockdown” so that repeated attempts to disable it 
  become even harder, or the like.
  When a character tries to identify a strange 
  electronic device, failure means he has no idea 
  what the device does. A bad failure (by 4 or 
  more) means he misinterprets it, deciding it does 
  something that it doesn’t actually do (usually 
  something that will get him in trouble when he 
  tries to make the device do that).
  When a character tries to operate a strange 
  electronic device or one he lacks the key for, failure 
  means he can’t get it to work (and perhaps gets hurt 
  by an electrical shock while trying). A bad failure 
  (by 4 or more) means he badly hurts himself, he 
  damages the device, he sets oﬀ an alarm, or the like.
  BASE TIMES
  Electronics tends to be time-consuming work. 
  Some tasks, like hotwiring a car, may only take a 
  few seconds, but most heavy-duty creation and 
  modiﬁcation work can take hours. For those sorts 
  of tasks, 1 Hour per 10 Active Points in the device 
  (or in the amount of Active Points in the modiﬁca-
  tion) is a good benchmark for the GM, but he can 
  adjust the ﬁnal total as appropriate.
  Disabling an electronic device usually requires 
  a minimum of 1 Turn per 10 Active Points in the 
  device (and sometimes longer), but again, the GM 
  can adjust this as he sees ﬁt. It’s not uncommon for 
  characters in the comics, action movies, and novels 
  to shut oﬀ some devices in just a few seconds.
  Identifying the nature and purpose of a 
  strange electronic device usually requires a 
  minimum of 1 Minute per 10 Active Points in the 
  device. User-friendliness features may diminish the 
  time required.
  The time required for operating or activat-
  ing an electronic device varies wildly. Some tasks, 
  like hotwiring a car or turning on an alien sensor 
  system, may take no more than 2-3 Phases, or 
  at most 1 Turn. On the other hand, activating 
  a large, complex system from total shutdown 
  without the proper device or tool may take many 
  minutes or even hours.
  SUBDIVIDING ELECTRONICS
  The standard rules for Electronics don’t diﬀer-
  entiate between the types of devices a character can 
  work on — being able to ﬁx one electronic device 
  lets him ﬁx any electronic device. In more realistic 
  campaigns, characters buy Electronics in catego-
  ries, using the Expanded Systems Operation Table 
  (page 329):  a category costs 2 Character Points for 
  an INT-Based Roll (or 1 Character Point for just a 
  subcategory); additional categories or subcategories 
  cost 2 or 1 Character Points respectively; improv-
  ing the character’s roll with all of his categories and 
  subcategories costs +1 Character Points for each 
  +1 to the roll. The GM may want to expand the 
  available categories based on the types of technol-
  ogy available in his campaign. For example, in a 
  game with teleportation technology, Teleportation 
  Systems might become a category characters could 
  buy.
  If you use this form of Electronics, at the GM’s 
  option a character can try to use his Electronics 
  on a category or subcategory of devices he hasn’t 
  paid for, but he has to make his Electronics rolls for 
  doing so at a -3 (or worse) penalty.
  ELECTRONICS BY GENRE
  Electronics has no applicability in pre-electric-
  ity societies, such as most Fantasy and pre-modern 
  campaigns. Electronic devices don’t become com-
  monplace in major cities until the Victorian period, 
  and in many parts of the world not until quite late 
  in the twentieth century.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  179 
  FAST DRAW
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill represents the ability to ready and 
  use a weapon quickly. It has two primary uses and 
  one optional use. Because it’s intended for use in 
  combat, Fast Draw does not suﬀer the standard -1 
  to -3 penalty for “combat conditions” (page 33).
  READYING WEAPONS
  A character with Fast Draw can draw a 
  weapon as a Zero Phase Action instead of the usual 
  Half Phase Action. Characters must buy Fast Draw 
  separately for each type of weapon (deﬁned by 
  Weapon Familiarity groups) they wish to use the 
  Skill with — for example, Fast Draw: Common 
  Melee Weapons, Fast Draw: Small Arms, or Fast 
  Draw: Bows. At the GM’s discretion, a character 
  could deﬁne his Fast Draw as working with a dis-
  crete group of weapons (typically no more than 
  six), such as “all the weapons in my Multipower.”
  At the GM’s discretion, a character can buy 
  Fast Draw for any sort of attack, not just his weap-
  ons — a personal Energy Blast, a Martial Maneu-
  ver, or the like. Typically a character has to buy 
  Fast Draw separately for each such ability, but he 
  might allow a character to buy it once for a group 
  of closely-related abilities (such as Martial Arts or 
  all attacks in a Multipower). This is usually unnec-
  essary, since characters don’t need to take a Half 
  Phase to activate innate abilities, but in some cases 
  the GM might allow a Fast Draw roll to counteract 
  Extra Time that makes a power take a Half Phase 
  or Full Phase to activate (in the latter case, a suc-
  cessful Fast Draw roll reduces the activation time 
  from a Full Phase to a Half Phase).
  Weapons Preparation
  Gamemasters may rule that a character cannot 
  Fast Draw a weapon unless it’s instantly or readily 
  available. For example, a character with a strung 
  bow or a cocked crossbow could use Fast Draw to 
  draw and ﬁre an arrow or bolt, but could not use 
  Fast Draw to instantly string the bow or cock the 
  crossbow. That’s a form of weapon preparation, not 
  “drawing” the weapon, so it means the weapon isn’t 
  “readily available” for use. However, at his discre-
  tion the GM may allow a character to make a Fast 
  Draw roll to “prepare” a weapon (but a character 
  cannot both “prepare” and “ready” or use a weapon 
  in the same Phase).
  Weapon Size
  The standard Fast Draw rules don’t diﬀerenti-
  ate between the types of weapons the Skill applies 
  to; it can work with a dagger or derringer just as 
  well as with a greatsword or assault riﬂe. In more 
  “realistic” campaigns, this may not be appropriate. 
  In that case, look at the “Hidden Objects” section 
  of the Concealment table on page 134. Apply the 
  weapon’s PER Modiﬁer as a penalty to the Fast 
  Draw roll. For example, a Pistol has a PER Mod of 
  +2 to +4, so there’s a -2 to -4 penalty to Fast Draw 
  it. (Alternately, the GM can use the more speciﬁc 
  
  180 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  PER Mods listed on the weapons tables in books 
  like Dark Champions and The HERO System Equip-
  ment Guide.) The GM may reduce or modify the 
  penalty as he sees ﬁt. This system means characters 
  have a relatively easy time quick-drawing weapons 
  like daggers and pistols, but a harder time with 
  larger, bulkier, or more awkward weapons.
  Hidden Weapons
  Sometimes characters hide a weapon on 
  their person using Concealment, or draw a small 
  weapon but keep it hidden from view using Sleight 
  Of Hand. In both cases it still takes a Half Phase 
  Action to “draw” the weapon (which in the case of 
  Sleight Of Hand really means bringing it into play, 
  not literally drawing it from a sheath or holster). 
  Using Fast Draw to eliminate this penalty requires 
  a roll at -1... but at the GM’s option, if the character 
  succeeds he gets +1 OCV on his ﬁrst attack with it 
  to represent the surprise factor of having a hidden 
  weapon suddenly appear in his hands.
  Other Modiﬁers
  The GM can impose other modiﬁers on a Fast 
  Draw roll to ready a weapon as he sees ﬁt. If the 
  amount or style of a character’s clothing would get 
  in the way of drawing a weapon, that might impose 
  a -1 or -2 penalty. A weapon that has an odd shape 
  or a lot of protrusions might suﬀer a -2 or -3. After 
  all, more than one gunslinger’s accidentally snagged 
  the hammer of his pistol on his clothing and ended 
  up taking a dirt nap....
  CHANGING CLIPS
  If a character uses a weapon that has 
  Charges bought with Clips (such as most fire-
  arms), a successful Fast Draw roll also allows 
  him to change Clips as a Half Phase Action. A 
  character may change two Clips in one Phase 
  using this rule; he only has to make his roll once 
  to change both Clips.
  FAST DRAW AND INITIATIVE
  If two characters simultaneously use Held 
  Actions, a character who succeeds with a Fast Draw 
  roll (instead of a DEX Roll) acts ﬁrst. Fast Draw 
  has no eﬀect if both characters are not using a Held 
  Action — it does not allow a character to act before 
  his DEX (to do this, buy Lightning Reﬂexes, or use 
  the Combat Maneuvers Hipshot or Hurry). How-
  ever, at the GM’s option any or all of the following 
  optional rules may apply:
  ■ a character using Fast Draw instead of a DEX Roll 
  in a contest to see who acts ﬁrst, either for Held 
  Actions or because two characters have the same 
  DEX, receives a +2 bonus to his roll when using a 
  weapon to which his Fast Draw applies. Alternately, 
  the character with Fast Draw may always act ﬁrst 
  (at least in the case of competing Held Actions).
  ■ if two characters competing to see who uses a 
  Held Action ﬁrst tie their rolls, the character with 
  Fast Draw automatically wins the contest, and gets 
  to act ﬁrst, when using a weapon to which his Fast 
  Draw applies.
  ■ a character with Fast Draw who uses the Hipshot 
  Combat Maneuver with a weapon to which his Fast 
  Draw applies receives a +2 bonus to DEX instead of 
  the usual +1.
  ■ a character with Fast Draw who uses the Hurry 
  Combat Maneuver with a weapon to which his Fast 
  Draw applies suﬀers only a -1 penalty to CV, Skill 
  Rolls, and Characteristic rolls.
  EQUIPMENT
  Fast Draw doesn’t require equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill. However, some types of weap-
  ons or weapons holders are speciﬁcally designed to 
  facilitate rapid readying. This is bought as a small 
  bonus, usually no more than +2, to a character’s 
  Fast Draw roll.
  POWERS AND FAST DRAW
  Characters with teleportation powers who 
  can use them on objects (aportation) sometimes 
  buy Fast Draw to simulate their ability to teleport 
  a weapon into their hand in the blink of an eye. 
  Sometimes a character’s ability to alter the shape of 
  his body may make it easier to draw a weapon.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  If a character fails a Fast Draw roll, usually it 
  just means he has to take the standard Full Phase 
  to draw his weapon or change his Clip. (He cannot, 
  after failing the roll, choose to do something else 
  instead; he declared his Action and has to stick with 
  that even though the procedure didn’t go quite as 
  well as planned.) If the character fails badly (by 4 or 
  more) he may have snagged the weapon or thrown 
  himself oﬀ-balance, meaning it takes him two Full 
  Phases to draw it, he suﬀers a -1 OCV (or DCV) 
  penalty on his ﬁrst attack with it, or the like.
  BASE TIMES
  Using Fast Draw itself takes no time. After all, 
  its main function is to let characters do something 
  that takes time in only half as much time as usual.
  UNIFYING/SUBDIVIDING FAST DRAW
  Fast Draw is already broken down by Weapon 
  Familiarity categories, but other possibilities exist. 
  First, in a game that de-emphasizes Skills or favors 
  cinematic action, the GM might change it to a 
  single Agility Skill that works with any weapon. In 
  more “realistic” games, characters might buy it by 
  WF subcategories, on the grounds that being able 
  to Fast Draw, say, a pistol or sword doesn’t make 
  a character skilled at rapid-drawing a shotgun 
  or axe. For 2 Character Points, a character buys a 
  DEX-Based Roll with any one 1-point WF subcat-
  egory (with this version of Fast Draw, characters 
  can’t buy the Skill for an entire 2-point WF cat-
  egory). Each additional 1-point WF category costs 
  +1 Character Point.
  FAST DRAW BY GENRE
  Fast Draw works the same in all genres, 
  though the genre may limit the types of weapons it 
  can apply to. For example, few Fantasy campaigns 
  feature characters that can buy Fast Draw (Small 
  Arms) because ﬁrearms don’t exist.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  181 
  Martial Arts
  In Japan, Fast Draw is called iaijutsu; it’s the 
  samurai’s ability to unsheathe his sword instantly 
  and attack without hesitation. Tradition attributes 
  the creation of Iaijutsu to one Hōjō Jinsuke, who 
  developed it as part of a quest to avenge his father’s 
  murder.
  Warriors often regard Iaijutsu as a martial 
  art in itself, but it’s suﬃcient for game purposes to 
  describe it as a “companion art” to Kenjutsu. It has 
  four basic techniques:  nukitsuke (the sudden draw-
  ing of the blade); kiritsuke (the cut(s) used to injure 
  or kill the opponent); chiburi (the shaking of blood 
  from the sword-blade; this maneuver is sometimes 
  used to blind an opponent by ﬂicking blood into 
  his eyes); and noto (resheathing the sword). Other 
  techniques dealt with countering surprise attacks, 
  attacks by multiple opponents, ﬁghting in the dark, 
  and so forth. (Thus, to truly simulate Iaijutsu, a 
  character should purchase not only Fast Draw 
  but Combat Sense and Defense Maneuver as well; 
  Lighting Reﬂexes is also recommended.) Knowl-
  edgeable characters can identify diﬀerent substyles 
  of Iaijutsu by the grips they teach, the ﬁghter’s 
  emphasis on certain techniques, and so forth.
  Fast Draw has another function outside of 
  combat:  a character can use it to snatch things 
  out of someone’s hand before he can close it — a 
  trick often performed to impress someone. The 
  character has the other person hold something in 
  his open palm, and tells the fellow he can snatch 
  the object out of his hand before the fellow can 
  close his hand. With a successful Fast Draw roll 
  in a Skill Versus Skill Contest against the target’s 
  Fast Draw or DEX Roll, he can do this. If the 
  character succeeds and immediately makes an 
  appropriate Presence Attack, grant him +1d6 for 
  every two points by which he beat the target’s 
  Fast Draw or DEX Roll.
  A character can also use Sleight Of Hand, if 
  he possesses it, to make a switch. With successful 
  Fast Draw and Sleight Of Hand rolls (the target 
  can make a PER Roll in a Skill Versus Skill Contest 
  with the Sleight Of Hand), our hero can take the 
  object oﬀ the other fellow’s palm and drop another 
  in its place... without the target realizing what’s hap-
  pened. The target feels the object in his hand and 
  thinks he won the contest.
  Western/Victorian
  Fast Draw is more closely associated with the 
  Western genre than any other, thanks to the iconic 
  image of two gunﬁghters meeting on a dusty street 
  in a two-bit town to see who can outdraw and out-
  shoot the other. In Western Hero campaigns GMs 
  might want to give special consideration to some 
  of the optional rules above, since properly tailoring 
  Fast Draw to suit the campaign helps to make gun-
  ﬁghts more tense and exciting.
  FORENSIC MEDICINE
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Intellect Skill can make 
  inferences from a corpse about the cause of 
  death, how long the individual has been dead, if 
  the corpse was moved after death, and so forth 
  — in short, he’s trained in forensic pathology, a 
  branch of medicine. He knows about the differ-
  ent causes of death, how they affect a body and 
  its internal systems, and what happens to a body 
  after death. He also knows about the different 
  types of equipment found in a coroner’s office, 
  what they do, how to use them, and so forth.
  As described below, the knowledge of a char-
  acter with Forensic Medicine touches on many 
  diﬀerent subjects, and many Science Skills or other 
  Skills are Complementary to Forensic Medicine in 
  speciﬁc circumstances. Broader Science Skills such 
  as Medicine, Human Biology, Anatomy, Pharma-
  cology, and Histology (the science of using micro-
  scopes to determine cellular changes in tissue) can 
  act as Complementary Skills generally.
  A character with Forensic Medicine can per-
  form autopsies (though possessing this Skill does 
  not make him a licensed physician). Characters 
  with SS: Surgery can perform autopsies, but with-
  out more specialized knowledge their conclusions 
  are sketchy and subject to doubt.
  Characters generally use Forensic Medicine 
  to do one or more of three things:  identify a 
  body; ascertain the time of death; and ascertain 
  the cause of death.
  Identifying A Body
  Usually the identity of a murder victim will 
  already be known to a character performing an 
  autopsy — the investigators can establish it through 
  a variety of methods. However, sometimes the vic-
  tim’s identity is a mystery the forensic pathologist 
  can help to resolve.
  DENTAL RECORDS (FORENSIC  
  ODONTOLOGY)
  Besides leaving identiﬁable impressions (see 
  page 154), teeth may prove useful in and of them-
  selves. Dental records are a good way to identify 
  an otherwise unidentiﬁable body, if records exist 
  for the decedent. Teeth are extremely diﬃcult to 
  destroy, and thus often remain intact when other 
  identifying features (such as ﬁngerprints) are 
  obliterated. Examination of a person’s teeth can 
  also provide clues about his diet and related habits. 
  Analysis of the interior pulp of teeth can reveal a 
  victim’s age, and also provide cells for DNA typing. 
  SS: Forensic Odontology acts as a Comple-
  mentary Skill to Forensic Medicine for purposes of 
  analyzing teeth.
  
  182 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
  Forensic anthropology (also known as physical 
  anthropology) is the branch of criminalistics con-
  cerned with the shape and structure of the human 
  skeleton. Depending upon what bones are available 
  and the condition they’re in, a scientist can deter-
  mine a victim’s height, age, gender, and race from 
  his skeleton. Bones may also provide evidence of 
  some of the decedent’s activities in life, and of the 
  cause of death (for example, a knife may leave cuts 
  in the bone). Anomalies in the skeleton may prove 
  an unidentiﬁed murder victim’s identity, if x-rays of 
  the victim exist for comparison. Depending upon 
  the condition of the skeleton, a Forensic Medicine 
  roll at -2 to -4 is necessary to accurately make these 
  determinations. SS: Forensic Anthropology acts as a 
  Complementary Skill.
  Facial Reconstruction
  Forensic anthropologists can also reconstruct 
  a person’s facial features from his skull, providing a 
  picture of a nameless victim which the police can 
  distribute in the hope someone can identify him. 
  To do this, a character must know both Forensic 
  Medicine and SS: Forensic Anthropology, and must 
  also have PS: Sculptor. Depending upon the condi-
  tion of the skull, the Forensic Medicine roll is at -1 
  to -4. For every point the character misses the roll 
  by, PER or INT Rolls made by others to identify the 
  victim are at -1. 
  Time Of Death
  Forensic pathologists often need to determine 
  when someone died. There are three traditional 
  signs or indicators that provide evidence of what 
  time a person died:  rigor mortis (stiﬀness); algor 
  mortis (body temperature); and livor mortis (post-
  mortem coloration).
  The ﬁrst sign is rigor mortis, the “stiﬀness of 
  death.” It usually begins about two to four hours 
  after death, starting in the eyelids and small 
  muscles of the face, then spreading throughout 
  the body to the larger muscles. (In some rare cases 
  cadaveric spasm, a state similar to rigor mortis, 
  occurs almost instantly after death, and normal 
  rigor then sets in.) Rigor lasts for about twelve 
  hours thereafter. The muscles then relax in the same 
  order in which they stiﬀened; the body becomes 
  fully relaxed approximately 30-36 hours after death. 
  By judging what point a body is at in this process, 
  a medical examiner can estimate the time of death. 
  However, other conditions (such as starvation and 
  freezing weather, which delay it, or physical activity 
  right before death, which accelerates it) can aﬀect 
  rigor; if appropriate, the GM can impose a penalty 
  of -1 to -3 to the Forensic Medicine roll to judge 
  rigor mortis to represent these factors.
  The second sign is algor mortis, or “tempera-
  ture of death.” Body temperature falls at the rate of 
  about one to two degrees per hour. Environmental 
  factors, such as the temperature, can alter this, 
  though. The GM may assign a penalty of -1 to -3 
  to a Forensic Medicine roll to judge algor mortis to 
  reﬂect adverse environmental conditions.
  The third sign is livor mortis, the “color of 
  death” (also known as postmortem lividity, or 
  PML). After the heart stops beating, red blood cells 
  settle into the regions of the body which are nearest 
  to the ground at that time — for example, the back 
  if someone dies while lying face-up on a bed. This 
  colors the skin in that area, similar to a bruise. The 
  further along this process is, the longer the person 
  has been dead. The coloring starts to become visible 
  about 30 minutes to an hour after death in fair-
  skinned persons (it may never be visible in heav-
  ily-pigmented skin). The settling ends and becomes 
  permanent about four to eight hours after death. 
  Livor mortis can also provide evidence of whether 
  or not someone has moved a corpse, based on the 
  distribution of the coloring in relation to the posi-
  tion the body is found in.
  Taken together, these three indicators usually 
  provide an estimation of the time of death — but 
  it’s only an estimation. Forensic pathologists cannot 
  necessarily determine the time of death with the 
  precision depicted in TV police dramas. Some 
  circumstances can hasten or slow these processes. 
  Besides the environmental factors mentioned 
  above, the use of drugs, exercising shortly before 
  dying, the victim’s body type, and struggling with 
  the murderer can all sometimes aﬀect the rate at 
  which these three processes progress. The GM can 
  assign Forensic Medicine modiﬁers of from -1 to -5 
  to simulate these factors.
  Other Indicators
  Other indicators may help a forensic pathol-
  ogist estimate the time of death. For example, if 
  the victim is known to have eaten shortly before 
  dying, the amount of food digested can show the 
  time of death, since digestion is a steady, measur-
  able process.
  The presence of insects in and around the 
  corpse provides a lot of information (see below).
  The corneas of the eye tend to become cloudy 
  six to eight hours after death.
  The level of potassium in eye ﬂuid, which 
  increases slowly and measurably after death, and is 
  not aﬀected by temperature, can be measured to pro-
  vide time of death information. Furthermore, eye ﬂuid 
  also does not decompose, making it useful for detect-
  ing the presence of drugs or poison in the body.
  Players and GMs can probably think of other 
  creative ways to ascertain the time of death based 
  on the circumstances in a scenario.
  Decomposition
  Generally, a body begins to decompose about 
  three to ﬁve days after death. A corpse completely 
  rots, leaving nothing but a skeleton, in approxi-
  mately ﬁve to nine weeks if exposed to the ele-
  ments. The time required depends on many envi-
  ronmental factors, such as temperature and insect 
  life. For example, in the tropics or other warm 
  regions a body can skeletonize in just a few weeks, 
  or even as little as about ten days... but in arctic 
  regions, a body may never decompose. Corpses 
  take about twice as long to decompose underwater, 
  and eight times as long when buried, as they do 
  when they are exposed to the elements.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  183 
  INSECTS (FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY)
  Forensic entomology is the science of deter-
  mining the time of a murder victim’s death based 
  on the presence and activities of insects around a 
  corpse. By knowing enough about the life cycles 
  and behavior patterns of certain insects, patholo-
  gists can make more accurate determinations about 
  the time of death. Characters who just know Foren-
  sic Medicine make rolls to determine facts from 
  insect activity at -2 or more. Characters who also 
  know SS: Forensic Entomology or SS: Entomology 
  may make their rolls normally, and use those SSs as 
  Complementary Skills to Forensic Medicine as well. 
  The GM may impose additional penalties based on 
  the state of the corpse, the obscurity of the infor-
  mation, and so forth.
  Diﬀerent species of insects are attracted to a 
  corpse at diﬀerent stages of decomposition. Scien-
  tists can use the rate of development of their young 
  to determine the time of death. The most common 
  insect found on corpses, the ﬂy (such as blowﬂies 
  and ﬂeshﬂies), provides the best example. Flies 
  arrive as soon as ten minutes after death and begin 
  laying thousands of eggs (or depositing larvae) in 
  the corpse’s mouth, nose, eyes, other body oriﬁces, 
  and wounds. Eggs are typically laid during the day, 
  not at night. The eggs take twelve hours to two days 
  to hatch after being laid. The maggots then begin 
  feeding on the corpse. They develop into a pupal 
  stage six to ten days later, and the adults emerge 
  from the pupa in twelve to 24 days. Beetles tend 
  to arrive and begin eating dried skin about 24-36 
  hours after death. Spiders, millipedes, and simi-
  lar life forms arrive approximately 48 hours after 
  death to feed on the insects around the corpse. 
  Cheese skippers and other insects which can live 
  on extremely decayed bodies will usually be found 
  three to six months after death (depending, of 
  course, on when decomposition begins).
  All of these ﬁgures vary depending upon the 
  environmental conditions and the particular spe-
  cies of ﬂy or insect. Insect activity may also be 
  inﬂuenced by such factors as whether the corpse is 
  outside or indoors, in the sunshine or the shade, or 
  wet or dry. The season of the year also plays a part; 
  there is much more insect activity in the spring and 
  summer than the winter, for example. The GM may 
  impose modiﬁers of -1 to -5 to the Forensic Medi-
  cine roll based on these factors. 
  Insect life can also provide clues as to whether 
  a corpse has been moved. If the insect life in and 
  on the corpse diﬀers from that where the corpse is 
  found, someone probably moved the body from the 
  scene of the killing.
  Insects can tell the examiner about the drugs 
  used by (or poisons used on) a victim. after insects 
  feed on a body, their tissue and fecal material shows 
  traces of the drugs or poisons in the victim’s system 
  at the time of his death.
  Lastly, the presence of insects may help track 
  the movement of vehicles, people, and goods, such 
  as cocaine shipments. The insects found in or with 
  such objects may provide a biological “map” of the 
  object’s journey across the world.
  Not all insect activity helps the forensic 
  pathologist. Fly eggs laid on corpses may distort 
  or destroy the appearance of a wound, making it 
  harder to determine the weapon used to kill the 
  victim. An inexperienced examiner could mistake 
  postmortem insect bites for antemortem abra-
  sions (a possible -1 to -2 penalty to the Forensic 
  Medicine roll). Insects can confuse blood splatter 
  evidence by walking through the splatters or by 
  consuming the blood and later depositing some of 
  it in their feces or for their young to feed on.
  Causes Of Death
  There are thousands of causes of death, but 
  Dark Champions GMs and player are primarily 
  concerned with those which involve murder. A 
  clever GM can provide characters clues to the cause 
  of death, then feed them a little more information 
  when they make their Forensic Medicine rolls. 
  Eventually, the players should be able to deduce 
  what happened, perhaps earning an Experience 
  Point or two if they’ve been especially quick-witted. 
  The GM could just tell them the cause of death 
  straight out if they make a Forensic Medicine roll 
  — but if possible, he should give the players a 
  chance to ﬁgure it out on their own, because that’s 
  more fun for everyone.
  This section is by no means complete — that 
  would require a medical textbook (such as some 
  of the ones listed in the Bibliography). It primar-
  ily covers facts which would be useful in planning 
  Dark Champions scenarios. If the GM feels the 
  need to know more, he should do some pre-sce-
  nario research.
  ASPHYXIATION
  Asphyxiation is death due to the body’s failure 
  to receive oxygen. It can occur because of suﬀoca-
  tion/smothering, the breathing of certain gases that 
  block the utilization of oxygen by the body (chemi-
  cal asphyxiation), or strangulation. It doesn’t take 
  much eﬀort to strangle a human being:  11 pounds 
  of pressure is enough to cut oﬀ the carotid arter-
  ies, causing unconsciousness in approximately ten 
  seconds (1 Turn, in HERO System terms), and 66 
  pounds of pressure cuts oﬀ the vertebral arteries.
  Hanging
  Hanging is a form strangulation frequently 
  used to commit suicide. It’s rarely seen as a form 
  of murder, and despite still being “on the books” 
  as a law in some states, is no longer used as a form 
  of legal execution. Judicial hangings, which break 
  the neck and cause instant unconsciousness and a 
  rapid death after a period of convulsions (assuming 
  they’re performed properly), are not really a form 
  of strangulation.
  Hanging involves placing a ligature of some 
  sort (such as a rope or electrical cord) in a noose 
  around the neck so that the body’s weight supplies 
  the pressure needed to cut oﬀ blood ﬂow to the 
  brain. Because this requires so little pressure, it’s 
  possible for someone to hang himself while sit-
  ting, kneeling, or lying down (for example, from a 
  
  184 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  doorknob or bedpost). The noose leaves a slanted 
  ligature mark around the neck, and the shape and 
  size of the mark usually indicate what type of mate-
  rial was used. If the ligature material is soft (such as 
  a towel) or a pad is placed between the noose and 
  the neck, the ligature mark may be less distinct or 
  nonexistent. Generally, the face of a hanging victim 
  is pale, and the tongue protruding and black (from 
  drying). There may be scratch marks around the 
  neck where the victim tried to undo the noose. 
  Blood pools in the victim’s lower extremities, such 
  as arms, hands, and legs. 
  Hanging is rarely used as a form of homicide 
  because it’s diﬃcult to hang someone who’s resist-
  ing. Homicidal hanging victims usually display 
  signs of having been beaten, subdued, or drugged.
  It’s possible to hang a corpse and create the 
  same ligature marks that would have resulted if the 
  victim were still alive, provided the hanging takes 
  place within two hours of death.
  Ligature And Manual Strangulation
  Ligature strangulation is a form of strangula-
  tion involving the tightening of some sort of band 
  by a force other than body weight. The classic 
  example is a garrote. Ligature strangulations are 
  almost always murders, and the victims are usually 
  female. Unconsciousness generally occurs within 
  ten to ﬁfteen seconds.
  A victim of a ligature strangulation looks some-
  what diﬀerent from a hanging victim. First, his face is 
  usually congested, not pale. Second, the appearance 
  of the ligature diﬀers — not only is it be a horizontal 
  mark, but the mark’s appearance varies depending 
  upon the type of instrument used (the thinner it is, 
  the more prominent the mark), the amount of force 
  used by the strangler, and how much the victim resists. 
  Ligature strangulation marks are usually well-pre-
  served, even during decomposition. There may also 
  be scratch marks on the victim’s neck where he tried 
  to undo the band. Victims often have hair clutched in 
  their hands as well, but this is almost always their own, 
  not their killer’s. 
  Manual strangulation is strangulation by 
  the hands or arms of another. It’s always a form 
  of murder, not suicide or an accident. Manual 
  strangulation often leaves abrasions, contusions, 
  or scratches on the neck (which may indicate how 
  the attacker placed his hands); fracturing of the 
  windpipe (trachea) or hyoid bone (which anchors 
  the tongue muscles) is also common. Manual stran-
  gulation also causes internal bleeding into the neck 
  muscles, and pinpoint hemorrhages (petechiae) in 
  the eyeballs when the capillaries in the eyes burst.
  Other Forms Of Asphyxiation
  Smothering and suffocation are also forms 
  of asphyxiation. They generally cause no bruis-
  ing, and the pinpoint eye hemorrhages may not 
  occur. A form of smothering known as burk-
  ing may leave no traces — the killer covers the 
  victim’s mouth and nose with the hands while 
  sitting on the victim’s chest. It would be difficult 
  for the PCs to catch a murderer who burked his 
  victims and left no fingerprints.
  Cruciﬁxion is also a form of asphyxiation. 
  It causes death due to shock, dehydration, and 
  asphyxia when the body’s weight cuts oﬀ the abil-
  ity to breathe. Although this form of murder is 
  extremely rare in real life, Dark Champions char-
  acters may encounter it when they’re dealing with 
  evil religious cults or particularly vicious organized 
  crime groups.
  BLUNT TRAUMA
  Blunt trauma means injuries caused by impact 
  — beatings, collisions, and similar incidents. The 
  nature of the injury usually depends on the amount 
  of force used, the area(s) of the body struck, the 
  amount of body surface covered, and the type of 
  weapon used (if any).  
  Beating victims some-
  times display blunt trauma “defense wounds” on the 
  arms and hands, indicating they were trying to fend 
  oﬀ the blows.
  There are four types of blunt trauma:  abra-
  sions, contusions, lacerations, and skeletal fractures.
  Abrasions
  An abrasion is a skin injury where the skin 
  is scraped away by friction. It’s caused by scraping 
  (such as being dragged by a car) or by some kinds 
  of impact or pressure. The shape or outline of the 
  striking object may be reﬂected in the abrasion (for 
  example, a person who’s thrown oﬀ of a building 
  and lands on a sewer grating may have the pattern 
  of the grating impressed onto his body). Abra-
  sions may also indicate the existence of an internal 
  injury. In the case of non-fatal incidents, an exam-
  iner can estimate the age of an abrasion based on 
  how much it’s healed.
  Contusions
  A contusion, better known as a bruise, results 
  from the rupturing of blood vessels under the skin 
  in response to blunt trauma. Not all blunt trauma 
  causes contusions; it’s possible to hit a person with-
  out bruising him (for example, the abdomen rarely 
  bruises). Contusions most often form in fatty areas 
  or areas of thin skin; the victim’s age, gender, or 
  health may also inﬂuence whether a bruise results.
  A bruise may reﬂect the pattern or shape of 
  the object used to strike the victim, but can be dif-
  ferently shaped as well. Bruises often change color, 
  but examiners cannot accurately date them by this 
  or any other manner. In some instances they can 
  roughly estimate the age of a bruise based on the 
  healing process at the cellular level. Bruises typi-
  cally intensify and spread after death.
  Corpses can be bruised, if the beating is severe 
  and takes place within a few hours after death. 
  Examiners cannot distinguish such contusions 
  from those made while the victim was alive. Bruises 
  blend indistinguishably with livor mortis.
  Lacerations
  Lacerations are tears in the tissue caused by 
  the crushing force of a blow. A long, narrow object 
  usually creates a linear laceration, while a ﬂat object 
  usually creates an irregular or Y-shaped one. They 
  most often occur in bony areas of the body, where 
  the skin splits relatively easily.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  185 
  Lacerations frequently resemble incisions 
  (a type of sharp trauma, see page 186). However, 
  they display a phenomenon known as “bridging,” 
  where tiny ﬁbers of tissue “bridge” the wound at its 
  bottom. Incisions do not have bridging.
  Based on the way the force of the blow has 
  moved or abraded the skin at the edges of a lacera-
  tion, a forensic pathologist may be able to deter-
  mine the direction and angle of the blow (this 
  requires a Forensic Medicine roll, typically with a 
  penalty of -1 to -3). Examiners cannot determine 
  the age of lacerations (except possibly by the course 
  of healing, in the case of non-fatal incidents).
  Skeletal Fractures
  Skeletal fractures are injuries to the victim’s 
  bones. The type and direction of impact, the 
  amount of force, and the place hit all inﬂuence 
  whether a fracture occurs and its appearance. The 
  nature of an injury to bone may also provide the 
  examiner with other information (for example, 
  whether the damage to the bone took place while 
  the person was alive, or is post-mortem damage to 
  old, dry bones). Some instruments leave distinctive 
  shapes in bone; however, some be misleading — for 
  example, a bullet may shatter bone in such a way 
  that the injury looks like a fracture caused by blunt 
  trauma (a Forensic Medicine roll at -1 to -3 lets a 
  character discern the proper source of damage to a 
  bone; see also Forensic Anthropology, page 182).
  BURNS
  Burns are generally caused by three phenom-
  ena:  ﬁre (the most common cause), chemicals, and 
  electricity (discussed below). 
  Burns from fire or heat may be caused by 
  direct contact with flame, contact with a hot 
  object, heat radiating from a hot object, or scald-
  ing. They are ranked by degrees:  first (super-
  ficial, no blisters); second (burns of part of the 
  thickness of the skin, usually with a red, moist, 
  and blistered outer appearance); third (burns 
  of the full thickness of the skin, with a leathery 
  white outer appearance and no blisters), and 
  fourth (incinerating burns extending beneath 
  the skin). For the most part, examiners cannot 
  distinguish between pre-death and post-mortem 
  burns. Blistering can occur after death.
  It’s extremely diﬃcult to burn an entire body 
  — even if the outside is charred, the inner organs 
  are usually undamaged. Severely burned bodies may 
  have split skin (exposing the muscle beneath). Bones 
  exposed to extreme heat display distinctive fractures 
  which show by their pattern whether the skin had 
  ﬂesh on it when it was burned, and sometimes even 
  what type of bone was burned (diﬀerent bones frac-
  ture in diﬀerent ways based on their thickness and 
  shape). Furthermore, unless bones are pulverized after 
  being burned (as they are in a crematorium), it’s often 
  still possible to determine certain facts about the skel-
  eton (such as its age and gender) from them, despite 
  the damage caused by the ﬂames. Teeth are highly 
  resistant to heat, and are often used to identify burned 
  bodies (accurate identiﬁcation can be made with as 
  little as one tooth).
  Victims who die in ﬁres often die not of burns, 
  but of carbon monoxide inhalation. If the victim has 
  no carbon monoxide in his blood (or carbon particles 
  in his larynx and lungs), then he was probably killed 
  before the ﬁre (which may have been set in a futile 
  attempt to destroy the body). Carbon monoxide poi-
  soning turns the skin bright red.     
  Burns caused by chemicals vary depending 
  upon the type and strength of chemical (such as 
  acid), the amount used, and the duration of con-
  tact between the chemicals and the skin. They 
  tend to be second or third degree burns, and 
  the color of the scab that forms over the burn 
  indicates what kind of acid was used:  yellow 
  for nitric acid; black or brown for sulfuric acid; 
  white or grey for hydrochloric acid; and light 
  grey or light brown for phenol.
  DROWNING
  Drowning is death caused by a submersion in 
  liquid, which of course prevents breathing. It can 
  occur in as little as six inches of water, and can occur 
  if only a small amount of ﬂuid enters the lungs. If the 
  victim is alive when placed in the liquid, he inhales 
  it and the examiner will ﬁnd it in his lungs (and pos-
  sibly stomach). If a corpse is placed in the water in an 
  attempt to disguise the cause of death, there may be 
  little or no ﬂuid in the lungs. Drowned bodies ﬂoat 
  face down, and may suﬀer post-mortem scrape and 
  scratch injuries from brushing against things as they 
  ﬂoat. Within three to four hours after immersion, the 
  liquid also tends to wash blood out of other injuries, 
  making them appear to be after-death injuries when 
  in fact they occurred before death.
  Corpses sink relatively soon after drowning. 
  They remain submerged until decomposition-
  created gases make them ﬂoat to the surface (a 
  “ﬂoater,” in police parlance). The colder the water, 
  the longer the decomposition process takes. During 
  the body’s time in the water, it may be damaged by 
  marine animals or other natural phenomena.
  There are no special forensic tests that prove a 
  victim was murdered by drowning, as opposed to 
  dying in an accidental drowning. The determina-
  tion results from the circumstances of the killing 
  (i.e., the fact that the body was found in or near 
  water) and the exclusion of other potential causes 
  of death (such as drugs or stabbing).
  ELECTROCUTION
  Electrocution deaths are usually accidental. 
  Humans are most sensitive to AC current (the most 
  common type). Thirty-nine to 150 cycles per second 
  is the range of greatest lethality. Important factors 
  include amperage (how much electricity enters the 
  body against the resistance of human skin) and the 
  voltage (electromagnetic force). Low voltage (i.e., 
  household current) only kills or injures if it comes 
  into direct contact with the body; it causes death in 
  seconds or tenths of a second due to ventricular ﬁbril-
  lation. High voltage (such as that from high tension 
  electric lines) can kill if it comes within centimeters of 
  someone because an arc of electricity leaps from the 
  source to the victim. It causes almost instantaneous 
  death by burning and cardiac and respiratory arrest.
  
  186 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  High voltage electricity always cause burns, 
  and low voltage causes them about half the time. 
  The burns are at the point where the current enters 
  and exits the body; the hand is the most common 
  entry point and the foot is a frequent exit point. 
  Electrical burns are distinctive from other types of 
  burns. High voltage may also cause massive inter-
  nal damage, destroying tissue and organs. 
  Homicide by electrocution is rare, but does 
  occur. The most common method is to drop a 
  plugged-in appliance into someone’s bath. This 
  does not cause burns, and if the killer removes the 
  appliance from the water, the death appears natural.
  FALLING DEATHS
  When someone dies after a fall, the question is 
  whether it was suicide, an accident, or murder. The 
  injuries resulting from a fall are the same regardless 
  of the cause. However, if the fall is an accident, the 
  body is usually near the wall; if the person jumped, 
  was pushed or was thrown, the corpse is further 
  away from the wall. Lastly, a victim bleeds more if 
  he’s alive on impact.
  POISON
  There are many diﬀerent varieties of poison, 
  with many diﬀerent eﬀects. Poisons are often dif-
  ﬁcult to detect and can be overlooked in an autopsy 
  unless speciﬁcally tested for. The eﬀects of some 
  of the most common are listed below. In addition 
  to the more overt eﬀects (including death), the 
  amount of poison in a person’s body can oﬀer sig-
  niﬁcant information to an investigator — how long 
  the poison has been in the body, or the length of 
  time the poison has been administered, for exam-
  ple. A character must have SS: Pharmacokinetics to 
  obtain and analyze such data properly, however.
  Arsenic:  A colorless, odorless powder which acts 
  slowly. Four to seven hours after being fed arsenic, the 
  victim develops diarrhea and stomach pains — symp-
  toms often mistaken for illness. Eventually, arsenic 
  kills by dehydrating the body, causing fatal shock.
  Curare:  An injected poison. It kills by paralyzing 
  the muscles needed to breath. The paralyzing eﬀects 
  disappear quickly, leaving no traces visible to the 
  naked eye. Doctors use two similar drugs, Pavulon 
  and succinylcholine, as anaesthetics. 
  Cyanide:  This poison has become infamous in 
  recent years because deranged individuals have 
  killed people by putting it in Tylenol, Kool-Aid, and 
  other products. Because it works very quickly, it’s 
  also used in “suicide capsules” carried by spies. It 
  even works as a gas (the Bhopal disaster involved a 
  form of cyanide gas). Cyanide has two “distinctive 
  features” which make it easy to ﬁnd if looked for. 
  First, to some people it smells like almonds:  forty 
  percent of the population has genes that allow them 
  to smell cyanide. Second, cyanide turns the blood 
  and skin a dark scarlet color and corrodes parts of 
  the stomach, eﬀects which are easily detected.
  Insulin:  Insulin, a drug given to diabetics, can kill in 
  large doses. Special tests are required to ﬁnd the traces.
  Ricin:  A poison derived from the castor oil plant 
  which kills by interfering with the blood’s ability to 
  carry oxygen to the heart and brain. Its eﬀects include 
  abdominal pains, nausea, cramps, convulsions, and 
  dehydration (similar to many illnesses). Even tiny 
  amounts of it can cause a slow, painful death.
  Strychnine:  A fast-acting poison which kills by dis-
  rupting nerve impulses, causing intensely painful 
  convulsions which prevent breathing. The victim is 
  left with a risus sardonicus, or sardonic rictus grin. 
  However, the muscles soon relax, leaving no trace 
  of the cause of death unless special tests are run.
  SHARP TRAUMA
  Sharp trauma is injuries caused by sharp or 
  pointed objects, such as knives or icepicks. Victims 
  of stabbings (and other sharp trauma) may have 
  “defense wounds” on their hands and arms if they 
  were able to ﬁght back or defend themselves. There 
  are three basic categories of sharp trauma:  stab 
  wounds, incised wounds, and chop wounds.
  Stab Wounds
  Stab wounds are sharp trauma where the 
  depth of the wound is greater than the length of the 
  wound. The edges of the wound are usually distinct, 
  without abrasions or contusions, although this 
  may vary depending upon how sharp the stabbing 
  object is (but not upon whether the blade’s edge 
  was serrated or jagged — usually this is not appar-
  ent from the wound). 
  The shape and size of a stab wound depend 
  upon six factors:  the shape of the weapon; the 
  direction of thrust and withdrawal; movement of 
  the blade; movement of the victim; the relaxation 
  or tension of the skin; and Langer’s lines (ﬁbrous 
  threads of tissue in the skin that can distort the 
  shape of the wound if the cut goes against their 
  “grain”). The shape of the cut may indicate what 
  type of blade was used and how the knife was 
  twisted during the attack, but this is not always 
  reliable. For example, multiple icepick wounds may 
  resemble wounds from small shotgun pellets (-1 
  to -2 to the Forensic Medicine roll to distinguish). 
  Odd-shaped weapons, such as screwdrivers or scis-
  sors, often create wounds with identiﬁable shapes.
  If there are several deep stab wounds, a forensic 
  pathologist can usually determine the length of the 
  blade used. The fewer wounds there are, the less likely 
  it is that an accurate determination can be made. (In 
  game terms, a character has to make a Forensic Medi-
  cine roll to determine the length of the blade; he suf-
  fers a -3 penalty if there’s only one wound, a -2 penalty 
  for two to four wounds, and a -1 for ﬁve or more 
  wounds). An examiner can also vaguely determine the 
  amount of force used to stab someone if he character 
  makes a Forensic Medicine roll.
  The amount of bleeding caused by stab 
  wounds depends primarily on where the victim is 
  stabbed and what’s pierced. For example, an attack 
  that punctures an artery causes a large amount of 
  bleeding and a fairly quick death. It’s possible for 
  postmortem wounds to leak substantial quantities 
  of blood, depending upon how the body lies and 
  where it’s stabbed.   
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  187 
  Incised And Chop Wounds
  Incised wounds are cuts and slices from sharp 
  objects. The majority of them are not fatal. The 
  length and depth of the wound will not normally 
  tell the pathologist anything about the blade used 
  to inﬂict it, but a dull or nicked knife may not cut as 
  cleanly. Examiners can distinguish incisions from 
  lacerations (see above) by the absence of “bridging” 
  in the depths of the wound.
  Chop wounds are caused by heavy cutting 
  tools, such as machetes and axes. They usually 
  consist of an incision-like wound and a broken or 
  grooved bone beneath. If the weapon is dull, the 
  wound may also have laceration-like characteris-
  tics. If the weapon cuts bone, the cut may reveal 
  information about the weapon, such as whether 
  it was a thick blade or a thin one (thin blades 
  “chatter,” or move from side to side, when cutting 
  through bone; thick ones do not). The weapon 
  may also leave chips of metal in the bone which 
  can be compared to the metal of the weapon if it 
  is recovered (and perhaps even ﬁtted to the blade 
  where they broke oﬀ), though this occurs far more 
  frequently in ﬁction than in real life.
  Injection Sites
  Punctures from hypodermic needles, 
  whether from intravenous drug use or poison-
  ing by injection, tend to heal and fade away 
  within about 48 hours, so they can provide clues 
  only for a short time. However, injections with 
  unsterile needles, such as those used by many 
  drug addicts, produce permanent scar-like marks 
  (“tracks”) that do not fade.
  TORTURE
  Unfortunately, some murderers, such as some 
  serial killers, derive pleasure from torturing their 
  victims before killing them. Wounds from torture 
  may look just like wounds which were received 
  during a struggle. However, if the victim is still 
  alive for a while after the wounds are inﬂicted, 
  certain blood traces and biochemicals, such as leu-
  cocytes or serotonin, will be found in the edges of 
  the wound and/or in increased levels in the body. 
  Between this and the location and type of wound, a 
  forensic pathologist can determine that the victim 
  was tortured, rather than mutilated after death. Lig-
  ature marks (marks left in the skin by rope when 
  someone has been tied up) may also oﬀer clues as 
  to the victim’s demise. This sort of information, 
  while not pleasant, can be used to give PCs a warn-
  ing about what sort of person they’re dealing with.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  While a character trained in Forensic Medi-
  cine may be able to make simple conclusions about 
  time, cause, or manner of death with visual obser-
  vation, usually Forensic Medicine requires equip-
  ment:  a coroner’s operating room and the neces-
  sary medical tools.
  POWERS AND FORENSIC MEDICINE
  See page 156 for information on the interac-
  tion of Powers with Criminology; some of that 
  information likewise applies to Forensic Medicine 
  when Powers are used to kill humans. Even if a 
  Power doesn’t necessarily leave traces on a body, 
  the very absence of a deﬁneable cause of death 
  may provide some clues about who committed the 
  murder.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  If a character fails a Forensic Medicine roll by 
  1-3, it usually means he didn’t ﬁnd any useful infor-
  mation. If he fails it by 4 or more, it means he gath-
  ers incorrect information (usually because he over-
  looked something when performing the autopsy) 
  or accidentally destroyed valuable evidence.
  BASE TIMES
  Conducting a basic visual examination of a 
  corpse to determine simple facts evident on the 
  outside of the body takes very little time — no 
  more than 1 Turn, and possibly as little as a Full 
  Phase. Conducting a simple autopsy requires 1 
  Hour; more thorough or complex autopsies take 
  2-6 Hours, and sometimes longer.
  SUBDIVIDING FORENSIC MEDICINE
  In a campaign where characters do a lot of 
  criminalistics work, the GM might want to divide 
  Forensic Medicine into a dozen or more Intellect 
  Skills based on the subﬁelds described above. Thus, 
  instead of Forensic Medicine characters would buy 
  Forensic Odontology, Forensic Anthropology, Burn 
  Analysis, Sharp Trauma Analysis, and so forth. That 
  way each of the investigator PCs could distinguish 
  himself by being particularly skilled at some types 
  of forensics work, but not so knowledgeable about 
  other ﬁelds.
  Alternately, in a game with a lot of sentient 
  bipedal species (such as some Science Fiction cam-
  paigns) the GM might require characters to buy 
  Forensic Medicine by species. The ﬁrst species costs 
  2 Character Points; each additional species costs +1 
  Character Point.
  FORENSIC MEDICINE BY GENRE
  Dark Champions
  Forensic Medicine tends to be more useful in 
  Dark Champions, with its frequent emphasis on 
  modern-day crimeﬁghting, than in any other genre. 
  It’s for this sort of game that the GM’s most likely to 
  consider subdividing the Skill.
  
  188 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy campaigns, Forensic Medicine often 
  becomes Embalming; priests, necromancers, and 
  others who need to preserve dead bodies know 
  it. In such situations, the ability to determine the 
  cause of death is limited, at best; the character can 
  identify obvious causes (like sword wounds), but 
  probably not more subtle causes (like a heart attack 
  or some diseases or poisons). In some Fantasy set-
  tings, anyone who knows too much about how 
  people die and what happens after death may be 
  suspected of being an assassin or a necromancer.
  Embalming allows a character to preserve 
  a body against the ravages of time. For game 
  purposes, assume a body decays completely in 1 
  Month. If a character makes his Embalming roll 
  exactly, increase that to up to 3 Months. For every 
  point by which a character makes his Embalming 
  roll, a corpse remains more or less undecayed for 
  one step down the Time Chart. (Of course, you can 
  apply this same rule with standard Forensic Medi-
  cine in other campaigns if you like.)
  Superheroes
  As noted under Criminology, most Champions 
  campaigns feature at least one PC (or major NPC) 
  who’s an expert detective. Giving such a character 
  Forensic Medicine is no stretch at all, even though 
  learn it’s not necessarily as easy a discipline to learn 
  or use as Criminology.
  While super-technology may make using 
  Forensic Medicine easier (imagine, for example, 
  a mystical or rubber science scanner that can 
  instantly ascertain the time of death with pin-
  point accuracy), superpowers could also compli-
  cate a coroner’s job tremendously. For example, 
  what traces, if any, are left by a Drain BODY used 
  to kill a victim?
  FORGERY
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base roll with one 
  category (or 1 Character Point for a base 
  roll with a speciﬁc subcategory); each 
  additional category costs 2 Character 
  Points (and each additional subcategory 
  1 Character Point); +1 to the roll with all 
  categories and subcategories known per 
  +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill represents the ability to duplicate 
  documents, objects, and money. Characters buy 
  Forgery by categories. Each category costs 2 points; 
  individual subcategories (such as Paintings) cost 
  1 point each. The base roll with all categories and 
  subcategories the character knows is (9+(INT/5)) 
  or less; +1 to the roll for all categories costs +2 
  Character Points.
  Forgery gives a character the ability to do 
  the following:
  ■ create fake or fraudulent versions of the types of 
  objects he knows how to forge
  ■ detect that an object is a forgery based on analysis 
  of its materials, quality, style, and the like
  ■ sell or “pass” fakes he has created
  Additionally, Forgery gives a character 
  knowledge of the techniques used to create fakes 
  (including things like how to obtain the right 
  materials and tools, ways to artificially age or 
  distress a forged item to lend it authenticity, and 
  so forth), famous forgers and forgeries, and the 
  like. This includes a broad knowledge of art his-
  tory, the history of printing, the history of money 
  and coinage, or other such subjects related to 
  what the character can create.
  Forgery does not require a character to buy 
  any “prerequisite” Skills such as PS: Painting, KS: 
  Art History, or PS: Printer; it’s assumed the Skill 
  gives him those abilities. However, many characters 
  who specialize in Forgery do buy such Skills, both 
  to represent depth of knowledge and as Comple-
  mentary Skills. In “realistic” games the GM may 
  actually require characters to buy them. After all, 
  the fact that a forger devotes his skills to creating 
  fakes doesn’t mean he isn’t legitimately talented and 
  can’t do legitimate work with them.
  In most cases, forging any type of item 
  requires time and specialized equipment, especially 
  for highly technical forgeries. Simply duplicating a 
  signature by hand only takes a few seconds, though.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  189 
  Forgery Categories
  FORGING ART
  “He who knows a thousand works of art knows a 
  thousand frauds.”  —Horace
  Of all the things a forger can fake, the most 
  romantic and alluring by far is ﬁne art. Whether it’s 
  a painting, a sculpture, a piece of jewelry, an illumi-
  nated manuscript, or something else, a suﬃciently 
  skilled forger can re-create it in precise detail. Art 
  forgery has been a thriving business since mankind 
  ﬁrst began creating art, and the number of fakes 
  is legion. Thomas Hoving, former director of the 
  Metropolitan Museum of Art, estimates that of the 
  approximately 50,000 works of art he’s viewed in 
  his lifetime, fully 40% — two in every ﬁve — were 
  fakes. For some periods and types of art scholars’ 
  estimates of the number of fakes rise to 50% or 
  greater. Most are “pious frauds” (works faked up to 
  support some religion or religious doctrine) or part 
  of some scheme to make money. Even some artists 
  famed for their original creations also created forg-
  eries for various reasons.
  To create and proﬁt from a fake piece of art-
  work, a forger needs to do ﬁve things.
  Obtain An Original To Work From
  First, he needs an original to work from 
  (though as indicated in the Forgery Modiﬁers table, 
  an “original” doesn’t literally have to be the original 
  — it could be a print, a copy, or the like). If he’s 
  making a copy of the original, having an original 
  to work from is absolutely essential. If he’s trying to 
  create a “new” (or “previously undiscovered”) work 
  of art in imitation of a famous artist’s style and 
  technique, it still helps to have one or more origi-
  nals to consult to approximate the real artist’s style 
  as closely as possible. Obtaining an original to work 
  from may be an adventure in itself!
  If appropriate, the GM can have a character 
  make a Forgery roll to obtain an original to use 
  as “inspiration.” Usually this roll is unmodified 
  since finding decent copies of most well-known 
  artists’ work isn’t difficult (in fact, the GM might 
  even waive the roll if the character’s copying a 
  well-known artwork). In the case of obscure art-
  ists or rare items, the roll might suffer a -1 to 
  -3 penalty. As a rough guideline, if the roll suc-
  ceeds exactly, the character has an Average qual-
  ity original; if it succeeds by 2, he has a Good 
  original; if it succeeds by 4 or more he has a Very 
  Good original (if that’s even possible). If the roll 
  fails by 1-3, he has a Poor original; if it fails by 4 
  or more he has a Very Poor original.
  If the character only has a single photograph 
  of the artwork to work from, he may suﬀer from a 
  particular diﬃculty no matter how good the photo 
  is:  a picture only shows one side of an object. 
  That’s no problem with a painting, but with a three-
  dimensional object it means the artist has to guess 
  at what the unseen sides look like. (To some extent, 
  photographs also make it diﬃcult to forge com-
  plex documents and money, since they deprive the 
  forger of the ability to evaluate texture.)
  Obtain Proper Materials And Tools
  Second, he needs the proper materials. This 
  means not only raw materials (such as raw stone 
  to turn into a sculpture) but the proper tools. Ide-
  ally a forger wants his materials and his tools to 
  be as close to those the original was made with 
  as possible — they should be the same age, of the 
  same substance and quality, and so forth. How-
  ever, it’s not always possible to obtain the best 
  possible materials and tools, so the forger has to 
  improvise. Since there are few unused canvases 
  from centuries past lying around waiting for 
  him to use, perhaps he ﬁnds a relatively value-
  less painting from the same period as his fake, 
  removes the paint from the canvas, and then uses 
  the canvas for his forgery. Since he can’t artiﬁcially 
  age ink or paint, perhaps he cuts pages from a 
  contemporary manuscript and grinds them into 
  the ink or paint so that it carbon-dates to the 
  right time. And at all costs the forger must avoid 
  using materials that didn’t exist (or couldn’t have 
  existed) at the time his fake was supposedly made! 
  Many a forger’s been tripped up when chemical 
  analysis showed that his paint or ink included 
  materials not available in earlier centuries.
  Obtaining the proper materials requires a 
  Forgery roll. If the work of art to be copied is 
  modern, no roll may even be required. Copying 
  older works makes it progressively harder to ﬁnd 
  just the right materials — for every 300 years (or 
  fraction thereof) that the fake predates the modern 
  day, impose a -1 penalty. If the roll succeeds, it 
  functions as the result for a Forgery Versus Forgery 
  Skill Contest with someone who tries to determine 
  if the work is a fake by analyzing its materials or 
  the tools used to create it. If the roll fails, anyone 
  who analyzes the work’s materials scientiﬁcally 
  automatically realizes it was made with improper 
  materials (however, the forger may still try to sell 
  the item, hoping that no one tests it). If the roll fails 
  badly (by 4 or more) the forger thinks he’s done a 
  wonderful job, when in reality the fact that his work 
  is a forgery is obvious under analysis.
  Create The Fake
  The most diﬃcult and time-consuming step 
  in the process is usually creating the fake. Doing 
  it properly usually takes days or weeks; see the 
  Forgery Base Times table below for suggested Base 
  Time guidelines. Of course, this requires a Forg-
  ery roll using the Simplicity and Sample Quality 
  modiﬁers. If the roll succeeds, it functions as the 
  result for a Forgery Versus Forgery Skill Contest 
  roll made by someone who tries to determine if 
  the work is a fake by analyzing the quality and style 
  of the work. If the roll fails, anyone with Forgery, 
  a relevant KS, or some other appropriate Skill 
  automatically realizes it’s a fraud; if the roll fails by 
  4 or more, even uneducated persons (those with 
  no relevant Skills) know it’s a forgery. (Alternately, 
  the GM might grant such persons a +4 or greater 
  bonus to their roll to use Forgery as an Untrained 
  Skill to detect the fake.)
  FORGERY TABLE
  Art Objects
  Paintings
  Sculpture
  Metalwork
  Jewelry
  Vehicle License Plates
  Documents
  Papers (oﬃcial docu-
  ments, signatures, 
  seals, magnetic codes, 
  and so forth)
  Identity Cards (pass-
  ports, drivers’ licenses, 
  Social Security cards, 
  badges)
  Checks And Commer-
  cial Paper
  Money (Counterfeiting)
  Coins
  Paper Money
  Commercial Goods
  Clothing
  Credit Cards
  Machine/Vehicle Parts
  Medicines
  GMs should create new 
  or diﬀerent categories 
  to suit their cam-
  paigns, if necessary.
  
  190 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Age The Fake
  Either as part of the creation process or a 
  separate step, the forger has to artiﬁcially age his 
  creation so that it appears, both to the eye and to 
  scientiﬁc tests, to be of the appropriate age. This 
  requires a third Forgery roll. If the forger obtained 
  appropriately aged materials or tools (see above), 
  he receives a +1 on this roll. Some of the techniques 
  used include:  applying a thin coating of glue 
  beneath a painting and then heating it to create 
  cracks, into which dirt is then lightly rubbed; bury-
  ing an ivory artwork in the ground wrapped in a 
  rabbit skin; damaging the work slightly and then 
  making a fake repair that looks old; applying a fake 
  chemical patina to simulate verdigris, rust, corro-
  sion, or the like; blackening a work or altering its 
  color with smoke or special varnishes.
  Aging the fake often also includes creating an 
  entire false history for it — after all, an item with 
  a historical trail dating back centuries has to be at 
  least that old, doesn’t it? This may involve multiple 
  acts of forging documents and the like, which of 
  course requires separate Forgery rolls with Forgery 
  (Documents). In many cases the forger also needs 
  to have a plausible fake provenance (origin or 
  source of the work) for his creation.
  Sell The Fake
  Last but not least, the forger has to sell or dis-
  pose of the fake, or else all his work has been for 
  naught. See below for general rules for this, since 
  it’s a dilemma many forgers, not just those who 
  create fake art, have to contend with.
  FORGING DOCUMENTS
  Forging documents — drivers’ licenses, 
  passports, deeds, wills, the Royal Seal, and so on 
  — is similar both to forging art (see above) and 
  forging money (see below), depending on the 
  type of document to be forged, the time period, 
  and other factors. If necessary, the GM can use 
  rules from those sections for document forging 
  as appropriate. For example, an attempt to forge 
  older documents in the modern day (perhaps 
  to “validate” forged artwork or to justify some 
  bogus legal claim) should be treated as much like 
  forging art as forging a document.
  Documents have been forged ever since they 
  became common and important. In the modern 
  day identity papers and similar documentation are 
  perhaps most likely to be forged; in the past legal 
  licenses and documents were frequent subjects of 
  the forger’s art. In Elizabethan England, for exam-
  FORGERY MODIFIERS
  Simplicity 
  Modiﬁer 
  Example
  Very Complex 
  -4 
  Masterpiece work of art
  Complex 
  -2 
  Colorful, detailed paper money; high-quality artwork; 
  modern driver’s licenses, credit cards, and the like
  Average 
  +0 
  Typical paper money, average artwork, older driver’s licenses
  Simple 
  +1 
  Typical legal document or paperwork
  Very Simple 
  +2 
  Simple legal document or paperwork
  Sample Quality Modiﬁer 
  Example
  Very Good 
  +2 
  Mint-condition original document; original painting
  Good 
  +1 
  High-quality original document; high-quality print of painting
  Average 
  +0 
  Average-quality original document; print of painting
  Poor 
  -2 
  Photocopy of a document; damaged object
  Very Poor 
  -4 
  Blurry photocopy of a document
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  191 
  ple, the forging of legal licenses was so common 
  that there was a slang term for a person who spe-
  cialized in such work:  jarkman.
  Creating a fake document is a two-step pro-
  cess. First, the character needs an original to work 
  from (see above regarding art for some general 
  information about this). In the modern day this 
  usually isn’t too much of a problem, but getting a 
  copy of the precise document involved may cause 
  some diﬃculties. For example, if a character isn’t 
  already a citizen of Brazil, obtaining a Brazilian 
  passport he can duplicate with Forgery may not be 
  easy. This requires a Forgery roll, usually unmodi-
  ﬁed; Streetwise may function as a Complementary 
  Skill. As a rough guideline, if the roll succeeds 
  exactly, the character has an Average quality origi-
  nal; if it succeeds by 2, he has a Good original; if it 
  succeeds by 4 or more he has a Very Good original 
  (if that’s even possible). If the roll fails by 1-3, he 
  has a Poor original; if it fails by 4 or more he has a 
  Very Poor original.
  Second, the character has to make the phony 
  document. This requires appropriate printing 
  equipment, ink, and so forth; obtaining these sup-
  plies may or may not require a separate Forgery 
  roll. Creating the fake involves a Forgery roll. If the 
  roll succeeds, it functions as the result for a Forgery 
  Versus Forgery Skill Contest with someone who 
  tries to determine if the document is a fake. If the 
  roll fails, anyone who looks at the document closely 
  (i.e., succeeds with an INT Roll when examining it) 
  or conducts the proper analysis of it realizes it’s a 
  fake. If the roll fails badly (by 4 or more) the forger 
  thinks he’s done a wonderful job, when in reality 
  the fact that his work is a forgery is obvious under 
  analysis. (Alternately, the GM might grant such 
  persons a +4 or greater bonus to their roll to use 
  Forgery as an Untrained Skill to detect the fake.)
  The Base Time for forging a document 
  depends on its complexity and other factors. Grind-
  ing out a fake ID for a teenager who wants to drink 
  underage may only take 1 Hour; forging a passport 
  or similar document takes 6 Hours.
  Forging Checks And Commercial Paper
  Check fraud and forgery — ranging from forg-
  ing a signature, to altering the amount on a check, 
  to making phony checks from scratch — remains 
  a serious problem despite the increasing use of 
  electronic money transfers. According to the Oﬃce 
  of the Comptroller of the Currency, more than 13 
  fraudulent checks are written every second! Only in 
  the past two decades have check security measures 
  (high-resolution printing, watermarks, holograms, 
  anti-copying features, special paper, and so on) 
  become more common, and many forgers have 
  found ways around these obstacles. Characters with 
  Forgery (Documents) know how to create phony 
  checks, and phony forms of other types of commer-
  cial paper (such as stock and bond certiﬁcates).
  Forging Handwriting
  Included under the rubric of Forgery (Docu-
  ments) is the forging of handwriting. This mostly 
  means creating believable-looking copies of some-
  one’s signature on a document, but when it comes 
  to forging older documents may mean the entire 
  text of the document. Characters can specialize in 
  this type of Forgery by buying bonuses to the Skill 
  Roll that are Only For Faking Handwriting (-1).
  Forging a signature requires a Forgery roll. 
  If the roll succeeds, it functions as the result for a 
  Forgery Versus Forgery Skill Contest with some-
  one who tries to determine if the handwriting is 
  a fake. If the roll fails, anyone who compares the 
  handwriting to a legitimate sample or conducts 
  the proper analysis (i.e., succeeds with an INT Roll 
  when examining it) of it realizes it’s a fake. If the 
  roll fails badly (by 4 or more) the forger thinks he’s 
  done a wonderful job, when in reality the fact that 
  his handwriting is a forgery is obvious given even 
  the simplest comparison or analysis. (Alternately, 
  the GM might grant such persons a +4 or greater 
  bonus to their roll to use Forgery as an Untrained 
  Skill to detect the fake.)
  Forging a signature or other small bit of text 
  usually takes a Full Phase, or at most a Turn. Forg-
  ing longer blocks of text can take minutes, hours, or 
  even days depending on the length of the text.
  FORGING MONEY:  COUNTERFEITING
  While the term “counterfeit” can apply to 
  any fake item, most people tend to use the term 
  “counterfeiting” as a synoym for “creating fake 
  money.” While not as glamorous as forging art, 
  counterfeiting can nevertheless be a profitable 
  criminal enterprise.
  Counterfeiting Metal Money:  Coin Shaving  
  And Clipping
  In pre-modern times, before paper money 
  existed (or was commonly used), forgers cre-
  ated fake coins. This required two things. First, 
  the forger needed a mold or press with which to 
  make the actual coins, or the skill to do it himself 
  (in many places and times coins were made indi-
  vidually by hand, a process sometimes known as 
  “hammered money”). Creating one of these often 
  posed less diﬃculty than the second requirement, 
  acquiring the raw gold or silver with which to make 
  the coins. To obtain it, forgers often engaged in the 
  practices of coin clipping or coin shaving, in which 
  tiny amounts of precious metal were trimmed from 
  legitimate coins until the forger had enough to 
  create a fake coin. (Forgers often sped up this pro-
  cess by adulterating the precious metal with a non-
  precious one similar enough in appearance and 
  weight to fool people.) Since coins were made of 
  pure metal and thus got worn down (and lighter in 
  weight) over time, the idea of a coin not being quite 
  as large or heavy as a “new” coin didn’t arouse sus-
  picion. The practice of putting milling or reeding 
  (grooves) or text on the edges of coins was devised 
  as an anti-counterfeiting technique; in theory a 
  “marked” edge on a coin proved no one has shaved 
  any metal oﬀ the coin. Despite such precautions, 
  the forging of coins continued; for example, accord-
  ing to some estimates, by the time of King George 
  III more fake English shillings existed than real 
  ones. After the mid-twentieth century, when coins 
  stopped being made of actual precious metal, coin 
  shaving and clipping ceased to be a problem.
  
  192 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Typically coin shaving/clipping doesn’t require a 
  Forgery roll (or any other sort of roll), though the GM 
  might call for one so the character doesn’t so griev-
  ously diminish a coin that he makes people suspicious 
  when he spends it. Forming raw precious metal into 
  fake coins requires a Forgery roll, usually unmodi-
  ﬁed. If the roll succeeds, it functions as the result for 
  a Forgery Versus Forgery Skill Contest with someone 
  who tries to determine if the coin is a fake. If the roll 
  fails, anyone who compares the coin to a legitimate 
  one or conducts the proper analysis (i.e., succeeds 
  with an INT Roll when examining it) of it realizes it’s 
  a fake. If the roll fails badly (by 4 or more) the forger 
  thinks he’s done a wonderful job, when in reality the 
  fact that his coin is a forgery is obvious given even the 
  simplest comparison or analysis. (Alternately, the GM 
  might grant such persons a +4 or greater bonus to 
  their roll to use Forgery as an Untrained Skill to detect 
  the fake.)
  Making a single coin by hand takes a Base 
  Time of 6 Hours; the GM can reduce this if the 
  character has presses or molds to do the work 
  with, but creating one of them may require other 
  Forgery rolls. The forger then has to pass or sell the 
  fake money (see below), a sometimes-dangerous 
  practice because it’s usually regarded as treason, a 
  capital oﬀense against the crown.
  Counterfeiting Paper Money
  The introduction of paper money made it 
  easier for counterfeiters to produce fake money in 
  large amounts. For the sake of simplicity, this dis-
  cussion focuses on United States currency, the type 
  of paper currency used in many game worlds and 
  widely accepted around modern-day Earth. But the 
  basic techniques of counterfeiting (and the tactics 
  used to foil counterfeiters) tend to be the same 
  around the world, and allowing for changes in tech-
  nology often throughout time. In the early twenty-
  ﬁrst century, the euro note has become as favorite 
  a target for some counterfeiters as the American 
  dollar bill.
  The United States prints its currency on 
  cotton-linen paper embedded with special red 
  and blue fibers, thus giving it a distinctive feel 
  and (in theory) making counterfeiting more 
  difficult. The printing is done via the intaglio 
  method, in which precise lines and marks are 
  engraved into metal plates. This gives the print-
  ing a distinctive feel that, again, can be difficult 
  to duplicate compared to simpler methods like 
  offset or lithographic printing.
  According to the US government, the plates 
  used to print its money are produced by spe-
  cially-trained human engravers, each trained to 
  create only part of a plate so no one person can 
  make a plate on his own. (But see the accompa-
  nying sidebar.) The actual printing involves pass-
  ing sheets of money through automatic presses 
  several times, with different layers or colors of 
  ink (or other features) being applied to one side 
  or the other with each pass. The ink is specially 
  manufactured to make counterfeiting US money 
  more difficult.
  Until recent years, counterfeiting paper cur-
  rency could be a lengthy process requiring great 
  skill, especially if the counterfeiter worked alone 
  and had to perform each step of the counterfeiting 
  process himself. Advances in desktop publish-
  ing and personal printing technology have made 
  counterfeiting money (and other paper items) 
  much simpler — so simple that very little training 
  is needed, even to the point where some counter-
  feiters can get around the need to falsify the paper 
  by simply copying/printing a higher-denomina-
  tion bill on a lower-denomination one. On the 
  other hand, the government has taken steps to 
  make counterfeiting harder, including making 
  changes to the appearance and physical content 
  of currency designed to thwart forgers. Some of 
  these measures include:  putting holograms on 
  bills; changing to multi-colored bills; embedding 
  special strips in bills; inks that change color based 
  on viewing angle; microprinting; and specially-
  printed patterns designed to disable copying 
  devices. Manufacturers of desktop publishing soft-
  ware have added features to make it harder to use 
  their products to copy currency.
  Counterfeiters have come up with a variety 
  of methods to make fake money seem real. Since 
  private citizens cannot purchase the paper the 
  government prints currency on, counterfeiters with 
  access to the paper on which securities are printed 
  (which is similar) use it; others select a paper as 
  close as they can get. They print the blue and red 
  ﬁbers onto the paper, thus fooling people who don’t 
  look closely. They soak printed bills in water and 
  dry them in clothes dryers to give the paper a feel 
  more like that of real money. Many other methods, 
  chemical treatments, and “tricks” are available to 
  make “funny money” seem as real as possible. Stop-
  ping them is diﬃcult. According to some estimates, 
  as much as one-ﬁfth of the US money in circulation 
  is fake, in part because rogue nations like North 
  Korea engage in counterfeiting on an enormous 
  scale to support themselves.
  In game terms, counterfeiting paper money is 
  a two-step process. First, the character has to obtain 
  the right equipment and raw materials for the job, 
  or as close as he can get. (Of course he needs an 
  original to work from, but obtaining one is as easy 
  as visiting the nearest bank or store.) The GM may 
  want to play this out (at least once) as an adventure, 
  but if necessary he can simply have the character 
  make a roll. Use the “Sample Quality” section of 
  the Forgery Modiﬁers table to represent “Materials 
  Quality.” As a rough guideline, if the roll succeeds 
  exactly, the character has Average quality materi-
  als; if it succeeds by 2, he has Good materials; if it 
  succeeds by 4 or more he has Very Good materials. 
  If the roll fails by 1-3, he has Poor materials; if it 
  fails by 4 or more he has Very Poor materials. The 
  quality of his materials provides a modiﬁer for the 
  second step, creating the funny money itself. If that 
  roll succeeds, it functions as the result for a Forgery 
  Versus Forgery Skill Contest roll made by someone 
  who tries to determine if the money is fake. If the 
  roll fails, anyone with Forgery, a relevant KS, or 
  some other appropriate Skill automatically realizes 
  it’s phony; if the roll fails by 4 or more, anyone can 
  tell it’s fake. (Alternately, the GM might grant such 
  UNTOUCHED BY 
  HUMAN HANDS?
  Some people contend 
  that modern money-
  printing plates are 
  actually produced 
  mechanically, and have 
  been since at least 1929 
  (when the US govern-
  ment implemented a 
  plan to reduce the size 
  of its currency by one-
  fourth [or one-third, 
  sources vary] to its cur-
  rent size) and possibly 
  before then. Obviously 
  at some point in the 
  past plates for printing 
  money must have been 
  made by hand (since 
  the technology didn’t 
  exist to manufacture 
  them), as can be seen 
  in the imperfections in 
  old currency. But some 
  people believe that once 
  manufacturing tech-
  niques made it possible 
  to make better plates 
  than could be made by 
  hand, the government 
  began making them that 
  way. It maintains the ﬁc-
  tion of “hand engraving” 
  to deter forgers.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  193 
  persons a +4 or greater bonus to their roll to use 
  Forgery as an Untrained Skill to detect the fake.)
  FORGING GOODS
  The forging of material goods — clothing, 
  DVDs, credit cards, drugs, and consumer goods of 
  all sorts — is the category of Forgery characters are 
  least likely to learn, but it’s the most common in 
  the modern world. Some estimates claim that 5-7% 
  of world trade involves counterfeit manufactured 
  goods, resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars 
  of losses annually. In China alone three to ﬁve mil-
  lion people work at counterfeiting goods.
  Assuming a forger has access to modern 
  manufacturing equipment — which is not diﬃcult, 
  since most such equipment is perfectly legal to 
  own (if sometimes expensive to buy) — and the 
  appropriate raw materials (again, usually simple to 
  obtain), creating fake goods just requires a Forgery 
  roll. If the roll succeeds, it functions as the result for 
  a Forgery Versus Forgery Skill Contest with some-
  one who tries to determine if an item is a fake. If 
  the roll fails, anyone who compares the fake item to 
  a legitimate sample or conducts the proper analysis 
  of it (i.e., succeeds with an INT Roll when examin-
  ing it) realizes it’s a fake. If the roll fails badly (by 
  4 or more) the forger thinks he’s done a wonderful 
  job, when in reality the fact that the item is a forg-
  ery is obvious given even the simplest comparison 
  or analysis. (Of course, since many consumers 
  aren’t really concerned about whether they buy 
  forged goods or real ones since they get a great deal 
  on the fakes, as long as the item looks reasonably 
  close to the real thing the forger may not have any 
  trouble disposing of it.)
  Forging goods usually requires a Base Time 
  of 6 Hours, at least for the ﬁrst good produced; 
  thereafter mass manufacturing techniques can usu-
  ally crank the goods out at a rapid pace. Some, like 
  DVDs, may take only 1 Hour for the ﬁrst one.
  Other Uses Of Forgery
  Besides creating fake items or documents, 
  characters can use Forgery to detect fakes, and to 
  pass oﬀ fakes they’ve created.
  DETECTING FORGERIES
  The more a character makes his Forgery roll 
  by, the more time it typically takes to discover the 
  forged item is fake — it may take years or decades 
  in some cases. To uncover a successful use of Forg-
  ery, a character investigating the forged item must 
  know Forgery himself, conduct a detailed examina-
  tion of the object, and win a Forgery Versus Forg-
  ery Skill Contest with the forger.
  Detecting Art Forgeries
  In the case of art, the forgery detective con-
  fronts many obstacles. First, the age and uncertain 
  provenance of many items can make analysis diﬃ-
  cult. Second, the fact that artists sometimes exper-
  iment with styles, change their styles, ape another 
  artist’s style, or make multiple copies or “drafts” 
  of a work means that a work that doesn’t look 
  exactly right could still be legitimate — and while 
  it’s bad enough to accept a forgery as real, it’s 
  even worse to brand as a forgery a genuine work. 
  Third, if a fake gains acceptance (as they so often 
  do) and remains undetected for a long time, it not 
  only inﬂuences thinking about the artist’s work, 
  it may inspire other fakes, further confusing the 
  picture. Fourth, a fake created in the distant past 
  may give every appearance of genuine age and 
  materials, because it really is that old. Some Greek 
  and Renaissance artists, to name just two groups, 
  were master forgers who cranked out fakes by the 
  wagonload; the works of famous artists were often 
  faked during the artists’ lifetimes.
  Still, all is not gloom. Art detectives have 
  many ways to detect a fake. First, there’s scientiﬁc 
  analysis of the materials used, which may indicate 
  all sorts of problems — chemicals not in existence 
  at the time of the fake’s supposed creation, signs 
  of artiﬁcial aging (or that an item is too young), 
  and so forth. Second, scholarly analysis may detect 
  problems with the style and aesthetics of the work. 
  Third, problems with the item’s history may give it 
  away, or the fact that it lacks a reasonable history 
  (or, paradoxically, that the history is too detailed) 
  may tip an investigator oﬀ to look more closely (as 
  may the “discovery” of a “new work” supposedly 
  created by a currently-trendy artist). Fourth, some 
  experts contend that most fakes have at least one 
  stupid mistake that a trained observer can ﬁnd with 
  careful observation and study of the item coupled 
  with a deep knowledge of art history. Knowledge 
  Skill: Art History, not to mention more speciﬁc KSs 
  like KS: Works Of Rembrandt, are invaluable as 
  Complementary Skills. 
  Some accomplished experts at ﬁnding fakes 
  have their own unusual, personal methods of 
  detecting forgeries. For example, some claim they 
  can distinguish a real work of art from a fake one 
  by smelling, tasting, or chewing on the material; 
  others have an “intuition” for fakery that they can’t 
  explain in rational terms.
  Detecting Other Forgeries
  Detecting forged money and documents is 
  usually a simpler matter than detecting forged art. 
  In many cases a close examination, possibly includ-
  ing applying a simple chemical test to the paper, is 
  all that’s required to reveal the objects as fake; this 
  may not even require a roll. If the forger’s done a 
  really good job, a character may have to perform 
  a minute analysis involving sophisticated tools to 
  discover that the document is fraudulent.
  In most cases, characters who specialize in 
  detecting forgeries (particularly of money) have a 
  relevant KS pertaining to the type of money they’re 
  accustomed to for use as a Complementary Skill. 
  A character who knows US currency backwards 
  and forwards may have no idea how to evaluate 
  a Japanese yen note or a European euro bill. The 
  same applies to oﬃcial credentials and other docu-
  mentation — knowing what a DEA identiﬁcation 
  card looks like doesn’t mean the character’s just 
  as well-versed in Interpol cards. Forgery conveys 
  some knowledge of these subjects, but a real expert 
  has relevant KSs as well.
  
  194 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  PASSING FAKES
  The Forgery Skill provides a character with 
  at least some ability to distribute the fakes he cre-
  ates. When it comes to counterfeit money, this is 
  sometimes referred to as “passing” the fake bills. 
  The easiest way to do this is to spend a large coun-
  terfeit bill for a small-value item and receive real 
  money in return as change. However, this method, 
  even when it involves groups of people recruited 
  for the purpose, can be slow and exposes the forger 
  to repeated risk of detection. Safer ways include 
  selling the fake money to organized criminal 
  groups for roughly 10% of its face value, buying 
  large amounts of illegal goods (such as drugs) from 
  criminal groups that can’t detect the fake money 
  (especially if it’s mixed with real money), or passing 
  large amounts of fake money at a single cash-ori-
  ented major event (like a World Series game).
  How forgers pass other fakes depends on the 
  object involved. An art forger typically tries to trick 
  a collector or museum into buying his work, or he 
  may partner with an unscrupulous art dealer who 
  does this for him. Forged goods are usually sold 
  into the normal stream of commerce at a discount 
  so the buyer can sell them himself for full normal 
  price and make a larger proﬁt than if he bought the 
  real thing. Forged documents are usually prepared 
  at the behest of a speciﬁc person for a speciﬁc pur-
  pose, and thus don’t have to be passed.
  To pass a forgery, a character has to make a 
  Forgery roll in a Skill Versus Skill Contest. If the 
  character succeeds, he distributes the fake appro-
  priately; the GM can determine how much proﬁt he 
  makes based on the roll’s degree of success. If the 
  roll fails, the character can’t ﬁnd the right outlet for 
  his work or can’t convince anyone to pay him for 
  it. Since passing forgeries often involves criminal 
  skills or contacts, the Streetwise Skill may serve as a 
  Complementary Skill.
  If possible, the GM should encourage charac-
  ters to roleplay the passing of fakes they create; it 
  can be a lot of fun.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Except for faking a signature (which requires 
  only a writing instrument), Forgery almost always 
  requires considerable amounts of equipment, not 
  to mention appropriate raw materials for the forger 
  to work with (which can be even harder to obtain). 
  For documents and currency, this includes special 
  printing technology or devices, appropriate paper 
  and ink, and the like. For art objects, it means art-
  ists’ tools, appropriately-aged canvases (or other 
  materials to turn into art), and so on. A character 
  lacking these things may not be able to use Forgery 
  at all, or at the very least suﬀers substantial “lack of 
  equipment” penalties (see page 33).
  Equipment also comes in handy when detect-
  ing forgeries. Characters can use all sorts of sen-
  sors and other scientiﬁc equipment — ultraviolet 
  and infrared lamps, powerful microscopes, carbon 
  dating, chemical tests, and so forth — to reveal that 
  a piece of money, art, or the like is a fake. Some 
  types of anti-counterfeiting equipment is speciﬁ-
  cally designed for use by laypersons and doesn’t 
  require the user to make any sort of Forgery roll 
  (the device itself is built using Forgery with the 
  Limitation Only To Detect Forgeries (-1)).
  POWERS AND FORGERY
  A character with an appropriately-con-
  structed Images ability might be able to use it to 
  create really realistic-seeming fakes without need-
  ing to use Forgery. Such a power would probably 
  need to be Usable As Attack (so the character 
  could “stick” the power to an object) and Persis-
  tent (so it keeps functioning beyond the charac-
  ter’s Line Of Sight). A Transform-based forging 
  power wouldn’t suﬀer from these diﬃculties; the 
  character would just use it to Transform “raw 
  materials into artwork” or the like.
  Conversely, a character with Enhanced Senses 
  may have a much easier time detecting a fake. For 
  example, experts often use infrared and ultraviolet 
  scans when testing potentially phony pieces of art; 
  a character who can naturally see IR and UV light 
  may not need their fancy equipment to tell a fake 
  from the real thing.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failure for diﬀerent types 
  of Forgery are discussed above.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Times for most Forgery tasks are 
  discussed above. The accompanying Forgery Base 
  Times table provides general guidelines based on 
  how simple an object or document to be faked are. 
  After a character has created many copies of the 
  same item or document, the time to create it may 
  fall signiﬁcantly due to his familiarity with the pro-
  cesses involved (reduce it by up to half).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  195 
  UNIFYING/SUBDIVIDING FORGERY
  The categories grouped together under the 
  heading of “Forgery” aren’t necessarily that closely 
  related in terms of the abilities needed to create 
  fakes. In “realistic” campaigns, the GM may want 
  to subdivide Forgery into four separate Intel-
  lect Skills:  Art Forgery; Counterfeiting (forging 
  money); Document Forgery (excluding hand-
  writing); and Signature Forgery (the faking of 
  handwriting). On the other hand, in some games 
  Forgery won’t be a signiﬁcant aspect of game play. 
  In that case the GM may want to make Forgery 
  a standard Intellect Skill and let a character who 
  pays 3 Character Points have the ability to create 
  fake versions of nearly any object.
  FORGERY BY GENRE
  Generally, Forgery works the same from 
  genre to genre and era to era. It’s just a question 
  of what’s being forged, how it’s passed, and the 
  tools involved.
  Fantasy
  Magic opens up all sorts of possibilities for 
  Forgery. A character using an appropriate spell 
  might be able to create perfect copies of objects and 
  documents in mere seconds. On the other hand, 
  anti-counterfeiting spells might make it equally 
  easy to detect forgeries.
  Pulp
  During the Pulp era, art forgery was a boom-
  ing business. This was driven by several factors. The 
  French artist Van Gogh was just becoming popular, 
  and that often leads to a rise in forgeries of a given 
  artist. The theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre 
  in 1911 led to later claims that the real one was 
  kept and a fake recovered; while this is untrue, it’s 
  possible that many “real” Mona Lisas were made 
  by Pulp-era forgers and sold to private collectors 
  as genuine. (The increased fascination with da 
  Vinci in the early twentieth century also led to the 
  faking of other works of his.) A 1924 exhibition in 
  London about forgeries, one of the ﬁrst of its kind, 
  not only gave collectors some idea of what to look 
  out for but showed forgers what mistakes not to 
  make in the future. The rise of big business and 
  vast fortunes, especially in America, led to a spree 
  of art collecting by the nouveau riche that created a 
  market for phony works.
  Counterfeiting could be big business in the 
  Pulp era. In 1926, a group of Hungarian forgers, 
  eager for revenge against France for its role in 
  the destruction of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 
  engaged in am industrial-level forging operation 
  to create 10 million fake French francs. They had 
  state sponsorship; Germany and Austria were also 
  involved. The counterfeiters’ aim was to use the 
  proﬁts to support militarist and border-changing 
  political causes. Arrests in the Netherlands smashed 
  the ring, and the League Of Nations launched an 
  investigation.
  Science Fiction
  Forgery is a very technology-sensitive skill. 
  Forgers who can absolutely fool contemporary 
  methods of detection can be easily exposed by 
  high-tech equipment, while a forger trying to 
  beat advanced countermeasures may not even 
  know what he has to fake. Apply the Obsolete And 
  Advanced Technology rules from Chapter One 
  whenever forgers and detectors from diﬀering tech-
  nology levels are involved.
  FORGERY BASE TIMES
  Simplicity Of Object 
  Base Time
  Very Complex 
  1 Month
  Complex 
  1 Week
  Average 
  1 Day
  Simple 
  6 Hours
  Very Simple 
  1 Hour
  
  196 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  GAMBLING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base roll with one 
  category (or 1 Character Point for a base 
  roll with a speciﬁc subcategory); each 
  additional category costs 2 Character 
  Points (and each additional subcategory 
  1 Character Point); +1 to the roll with all 
  categories and subcategories known per 
  +2 Character Points
  A character with Gambling knows how to play 
  non-athletic games and how to win at them by 
  applying his knowledge, skill, and experience. He 
  can play a wide variety of well-known games, and 
  has a knack for learning to play other games with 
  just a little exposure to them. As Gambling’s name 
  implies, it primarily applies to games of chance 
  such as poker, blackjack, or craps (particularly 
  when they involve some skill or tactics), but char-
  acters can also use it to play other games.
  A KS or PS for a particular game (such as 
  KS: Poker Strategies or PS: Play Chess) acts as a 
  Complementary Skill roll to Gambling. As dis-
  cussed below, Sleight Of Hand is Complementary 
  to attempts to cheat by manipulating cards (or the 
  like). Analyze Style is Complementary for betting 
  on sporting events involving combat (such as a 
  boxing match); Riding is Complementary for bet-
  ting on horse races.
  BUYING GAMBLING
  Characters buy Gambling in categories. Each 
  category costs 2 points; individual subcategories 
  (such as Poker) may be bought for 1 point each. 
  The base roll with all categories and subcategories 
  the character knows is (9+(INT/5)) or less; +1 to 
  the roll for all categories costs +2 Character Points. 
  The Gambling Table lists some common categories 
  and subcategories; GMs and players may create 
  others as appropriate.
  Using Gambling
  Characters use Gambling for four main things:  
  playing games to win; learning new games; cheating 
  (and spotting other cheaters); and betting wisely.
  PLAYING TO WIN
  First and foremost, characters use Gambling 
  to win when playing games. Skill, knowledge, and 
  experience can’t necessarily counteract all the 
  random factors in a game, particularly in games of 
  chance, but as far as he’s able to a character with 
  Gambling tilts the odds in his favor, uses the right 
  strategy and tactics, pays attention to and exploits 
  other players’ habits and foibles, and so forth.
  When a group of characters plays a game, 
  characters with Gambling make their rolls as 
  normal, modified using the information in the 
  Gambling Modifiers table. Characters who don’t 
  have Gambling can make a PS related to the 
  game at -3 (or an INT Roll at -4) plus the same 
  modifiers characters with Gambling suffer from. 
  The character who makes his roll by the most 
  wins the game (or a particular “hand” or “round” 
  of the game, if appropriate).
  Winning Money
  In many cases, the games for which characters 
  make Gambling rolls are games on which the play-
  ers bet money. The GM should establish a “stake” 
  amount that represents the value of bets placed 
  in the game. For a friendly neighborhood poker 
  game it might be ﬁve dollars; for a high-stakes 
  professional or backroom poker game it might be 
  $10,000, $100,000, or even a cool million dollars. 
  Add up the amount by which all characters who 
  GAMBLING TABLE
  Card Games
  Baccarat/Chemin de Fer
  Blackjack
  Bridge
  Canasta
  Cribbage
  Euchre
  Faro
  Hearts
  Pinochle
  Poker
  Rummy
  Spades
  Spanish Monte
  Whist
  Dice Games†
  Craps
  Fan Tan
  Hazard (Chuck-A-Luck)
  Dominoes Games
  Dominoes (Western)
  Pai Gow
  Tien Gow
  Board Games
  Backgammon
  Checkers/Draughts
  Chess
  Go
  Parcheesi (Pachisi)
  Xiangqi (Chinese Chess)
  Sports Betting
  Baseball
  Basketball
  Boxing
  Chariot Racing
  Dog Racing
  Football
  Horse Racing
  Miscellaneous Games (cannot be bought as a category)
  Bingo
  Keno
  Mahjongg
  Roulette
  †:  “Dice Games” don’t literally have to involve dice as 
  modern humans think of them, just some sort of object 
  that’s thrown or rolled to generate a number or some 
  other random result upon which the game is based. 
  Historically people used stones, peach pits, sticks, seeds, 
  bits of bone or horn, nuts, teeth, shells, and similar 
  objects to play the sorts of games that are played today 
  with dice.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  197 
  failed their rolls did so, then multiply that by the 
  stake to get a “pot.” Add up the amount by which all 
  the characters who succeeded with their rolls did 
  so, then divide the pot by that amount to determine 
  “shares.” Every character who succeeded with his 
  roll receives one share for each point he made his 
  roll by. In the event that no character fails his roll, 
  the GM determines some threshold for “losing” 
  (such as “all characters who didn’t make their roll 
  by 4 or more are considered losers”) and then 
  determines the shares as described above.
  Example:  Fat Louie, Eddie the Weasel, Big Vic, 
  Joey Craps, Nickie T, and Red sit down to play 
  a few hands of poker. Eddie, Joey, and Red are 
  experienced cardplayers who have Gambling 
  (Card Games); the others just like to play 
  cards (they have PS: Play Poker). It’s a fairly 
  high-stakes game, though, so the GM sets the 
  “stake” at $100. All the characters make their 
  Gambling or PS: Play Poker rolls (the latter 
  suﬀer a -2 penalty). The GM rules that poker 
  is a game of “Average” complexity, so no penalty 
  applies for that, and all the players have played 
  many times before. Fat Louie makes his roll by 
  3, Eddie makes his by 6, Big Vic fails by 2, Joey 
  fails by 3, Nickie makes his by 1, and Red makes 
  his by 2. The total points by which rolls were 
  missed is 5 (Vic’s 2 and Joey’s 3), so the pot is (5 
  x $100 =) $500. The total points by which rolls 
  were made is 12, so everyone who made his roll 
  wins ($500/12 =) $41.67 per point he made his 
  roll by. For example, Eddie’s the big winner on 
  the night with $250.02 in his pocket.
  Ideally the amount won should equal the 
  amount lost, or close to it. The GM may alter the 
  results as necessary to make this occur. The GM 
  should also adjust the results as necessary to main-
  tain campaign balance and advance the game’s 
  storyline properly. Allowing characters to win large 
  sums of money based on just a dice roll or two 
  could signiﬁcantly unbalance the game, so regard-
  less of Skill Rolls the GM shouldn’t allow it unless it 
  helps the game.
  House Advantage
  Many games of chance aren’t set up to play fair 
  — their rules favor the casino, dealer, or person in 
  charge of the game. This is referred to as a house 
  advantage and makes winning at such games more 
  diﬃcult. The GM should impose a -1 to -3 penalty 
  based on just how strong the house advantage is for 
  a particular game. Seasoned gamblers often learn to 
  avoid games with a heavy house advantage, instead 
  favoring ones in which strategy or skill can lead to 
  victory more consistently.
  LEARNING NEW GAMES
  A character with Gambling is better at learn-
  ing a new game than most people, partly based 
  on experience and partly on his natural “knack” 
  for games. After playing a new game for 1 Hour, 
  he may make a Gambling roll modified by the 
  complexity of the game. If he succeeds, for the 
  rest of his session of play treat him as if he had 
  “played the game once before” (i.e., reduce the 
  experience penalty from -3 to -2). The next time 
  he plays he counts as having “played the game 2-
  4 times before.” The third time he plays he counts 
  as “having played 5+ times before” and suffers no 
  further penalty for inexperience.
  CHEATING
  Characters with Gambling not only know 
  how to play and win a game legitimately, they 
  know how to win by cheating. In some times and 
  eras, such as the Wild West, this is a common 
  way for professional gamblers to make money. 
  Some are so skilled at such devious methods of 
  cheating that there’s really no “chance” left in the 
  game at all — it’s just a question of how quickly 
  the suckers lose their money.
  To determine the results of cheating, have any 
  character who wishes to cheat make his Gambling 
  roll. Any character whose roll succeeds may use 
  that result as a Complementary Skill roll for the roll 
  to determine who wins the game (see above). At the 
  GM’s option, only the character whose roll succeeds 
  by the most may use the result to aid his roll to win; 
  this tends to lead to big winnings for one person 
  instead of spreading the pot around.
  In some cases cheating involves a device (like 
  a gadget that can control a roulette wheel) or clever 
  manipulation of cards or dice via sleight of hand. 
  To use such methods, a character needs more than 
  Gambling — he needs the device or the Sleight Of 
  Hand Skill. In the latter case, use Sleight Of Hand as 
  Complementary to Gambling.
  Spotting A Cheat
  If a character’s roll to cheat fails, any char-
  acter who succeeds with a PER Roll realizes he 
  tried to cheat. At this point the best the character 
  can usually hope for is to get thrown out of the 
  game without his money; at worst he could be 
  badly beaten or even killed.
  If a character’s roll to cheat succeeds, only 
  other characters with Gambling have a chance to 
  realize what he did. They may make Gambling 
  rolls to detect the cheating, with their own PER 
  Rolls as Complementary. If they succeed, they 
  realize who cheated and how; if they fail, they 
  remain oblivious to the cheating.
  At the GM’s option, once a gambler realizes 
  someone is cheating, he can engage that person in a 
  Gambling Versus Gambling Contest. If he wins the 
   GAMBLING MODIFIERS
  Complexity Of Game 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  +2
  Simple 
  +1
  Average 
  +0
  Complex 
  -2
  Very Complex 
  -4
  Character’s Experience 
  Modiﬁer
  Has never played game before 
  -3
  Has played game once before 
  -2
  Has played game 2-4 times before 
  -1
  Has played game 5+ times before 
  -0
  Other Modiﬁers 
  Modiﬁer
  House advantage (see text) 
  -1 to -3
  
  198 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Contest he “turns the tables” on the cheater, taking 
  away his advantage for at least one round of play 
  and obtaining that advantage for himself instead. 
  If he loses, the cheater keeps control of things and 
  goes on winning.
  In situations where the character’s playing 
  in/betting on a rigged game, he can make a Gam-
  bling roll to perceive that after participating for at 
  least 1 Minute (and perhaps longer, based on how 
  long it takes to play the game). If he succeeds, he 
  realizes the game’s rigged somehow (and thus that 
  he should get out — unless the GM speciﬁcally 
  permits him to, he can’t usually turn a rigged game 
  back on the perpetrators and beat them). If he fails, 
  he goes on playing thinking the game’s legit.
  BETTING WISELY
  Some games, such as roulette or the numbers, 
  are totally random — there’s absolutely no way 
  to win them based on skill, experience, tactics, 
  or strategy. In that case Gambling doesn’t help a 
  character much. He makes a Gambling roll. If he 
  scores a Critical Success (or, at the GM’s option, the 
  roll succeeds by half or more), he actually wins by 
  pure dumb luck. Any lesser level of success, not to 
  mention failure, means he loses. However, if the roll 
  succeeds, he loses his money more slowly — at a 
  10% slower pace per point by which he succeeded. 
  In short, in this situation Gambling gives the char-
  acter a little more entertainment for his money, but 
  that’s about it. However, if the character uses his 
  Gambling to cheat, as described above, he can win 
  such games consistently... though that’s a sure way 
  to draw suspicion to himself if he’s not careful.
  For sports betting, Gambling means a charac-
  ter knows the best strategies and tactics for betting 
  on sports matches, how to play the odds, and how 
  to evaluate a team’s chances of victory. It does not 
  mean he can succeed with a roll and dictate which 
  team wins. (A truly professional sports gambler 
  also has lots of KSs pertaining to the sports he bets 
  on.) When he places a bet, he tells the GM how 
  much he wants to bet and then makes his Gam-
  bling roll. If the roll succeeds, he earns 20% of his 
  bet for each point by which he made the roll. If the 
  roll fails, he loses 20% per point he failed by.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Gambling doesn’t normally require equip-
  ment beyond whatever’s necessary to play the 
  game — it’s a purely personal Skill. However, 
  devices for cheating, usually bought as bonuses 
  to the Gambling roll with the Limitation Inobvi-
  ous Focus, are myriad. A few examples include:  
  cards that are marked or altered in various ways 
  so the cheater knows who has which cards; 
  weighted dice; “holdout” devices that keep a card 
  under the table or up the gambler’s sleeve for an 
  opportune moment; and card-counting comput-
  ers concealed in clothing. (See page 386.)
  POWERS AND GAMBLING
  A number of Powers may make it easier to use 
  Gambling, particularly to cheat. Characters with 
  Stretching, an Extra Limb, or some other metamor-
  phic powers may ﬁnd it easier to manipulate cards 
  or hide a holdout card. Enhanced Senses like N-Ray 
  Vision may make it easy to see another character’s 
  cards. Telekinesis and Teleportation with Invisible 
  Power Eﬀects allow a character to manipulate dice, 
  cards, roulette wheels, and the like without having to 
  touch them; the same applies to cyberkinetic powers 
  if a game involves a machine with moving parts.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The sections above describing what a charac-
  ter can do with Gambling cover the possibility of 
  failure in speciﬁc instances. In general, remember 
  that failure by 1-3 tends to be an ordinary failure 
  — annoying and inconvenient, but not necessarily 
  detrimental. A bad failure (by 4 or more) can have 
  signiﬁcant negative consequences or lasting impact 
  on a gambler.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for Gambling depends on the 
  game being played. Placing a bet on a horse race 
  or football game may only take a few seconds; a 
  single hand of poker may take a few minutes; board 
  games vary based on complexity. A session of cards 
  or dice can easily last for hours, or in the case of 
  hard-core gamblers days.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  199 
  UNIFYING/SUBDIVIDING GAMBLING
  Since few roleplaying game campaigns place a 
  heavy emphasis on characters playing games, some 
  GMs may ﬁnd it more convenient (if not necessarily 
  “realistic”) to convert Gambling into a standard Intel-
  lect Skill. For 3 Character Points a character would 
  buy an INT-Based Roll that he could use to play any 
  sort of game, place any sort of bet, or the like.
  If a campaign does happen to focus heavily 
  on games of chance, such as a campaign where the 
  PCs are all casino employees in Las Vegas, the GM 
  might subdivide Gambling further, requiring char-
  acters to buy it a separate 3-point Intellect Skill for 
  each category of games (similar to Fast Draw), or 
  even one Intellect Skill for each game.
  GAMBLING BY GENRE
  Although the games played (and in some cases 
  the technology used to play them, or to cheat at 
  them) may change from era to era and genre to 
  genre, Gambling itself works the same.
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy settings, the existence of magic 
  raises all sorts of possibilities for cheating... or 
  detecting cheats. The focus of winning at games 
  of chance may become not who’s the better game-
  player, but who’s the better wizard!
  Martial Arts
  Martial artists looking for a greater under-
  standing of strategy and tactics usually learn any 
  one of several tabletop games. Skill with any one of 
  these games usually means the character is a man 
  of some intelligence and learning, and often helps 
  him make a good impression on a host. The games 
  (all Board Games) are:
  Go-Moku (also known as Renju), a game where the 
  objective is to place ﬁve colored stones in a row
  Hasami Shogi, similar to Go-Moku, with the same 
  victory conditions
  Mahjongg (or Ma-Jong), a tile game roughly 3,000 
  years old with a complex scoring system; popular 
  among gamblers
  Wei-Ch’i (“way chee”), or Go
  Xiangqi (or Siang K’i) — Chinese chess, similar to 
  European chess, but with a game board divided by a 
  river and featuring units such as cannon and chariots
  Of these games, Wei-Ch’i is the most impor-
  tant. Better known by its Japanese name, Go, it’s an 
  abstract game of territorial conquest which was a 
  common pastime for samurai. In Japan a master 
  of Go (in HERO System terms, “mastery” means at 
  least Gambling (Wei-Ch’i) 14-) can ﬁnd plenty of 
  employment as an instructor (even today), and it’s 
  possible to live as a professional Go player.
  Western/Victorian
  Gambling was extremely popular in the Wild 
  West, with a “gambler’s round” of cities and towns 
  where the action was hot and a skilled gamesman 
  could make a tidy living at the gaming table. Popu-
  lar games included poker, faro (a.k.a. “bucking the 
  tiger,” due to the tiger painted on faro dealers’ card 
  boxes), Spanish monte, lansquenet, blackjack, craps, 
  and hazard (also called “chuck-a-luck”). The gam-
  bler (riverboat or otherwise), with his fancy clothes, 
  diamond tie-tack, gold watch, and social aplomb, is 
  a popular Western archetype.
  
  200 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  HIGH SOCIETY
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Interaction Skill know about 
  upper-class culture and how to interact with it. This 
  includes knowledge of etiquette and social customs 
  as well as information about who’s who in “soci-
  ety.” It allows a character to analyze upper-class 
  groups to determine relative rank and status, social 
  relationships, and so forth, and in some cases even 
  to engage in verbal “social combat” with another 
  member of the upper class.
  Society
  As stated above, High Society applies to the 
  “upper class” and “society.” Each GM should deﬁne 
  exactly what that means for his campaign, but in 
  general it includes:
  ■ royalty
  ■ nobility and others of high social rank
  ■ the wealthy (particularly the fabulously wealthy)
  ■ top-ranking business executives and similar 
  professionals
  ■ politicians and diplomats
  In many cases, position in “society” is a heredi-
  tary thing, either the result of titles handed down 
  from father to son or vast riches given to or inher-
  ited by children (and who in turn one day pass 
  them on to their own children). While being in 
  the upper class often equates to being rich (i.e., to 
  having the Money Perk), the two aren’t necessarily 
  connected. More than one nobleman has lived a life 
  of “genteel poverty” as the result of possessing few 
  resources or his ancestors having spent the family 
  fortune in years past.
  Naturally, the upper class tends to be rather 
  exclusive. Characters perceived as belonging to it 
  will have an easier time ﬁtting in and gathering 
  information than those not so perceived (see the 
  High Society Modiﬁers table). Similarly, a character 
  may have to acclimate to a new social group before 
  he can use High Society properly. For example, if 
  a Fantasy character visiting a strange court who 
  has no prior knowledge of the names of its nobles, 
  learning them may take time regardless of how 
  much he makes his roll by, and he may not immedi-
  ately have the subtle understanding of court inter-
  actions that’s important to this Skill. The GM may 
  impose penalties of -1 to -3 (see the High Society 
  Modiﬁers table) if characters have spent less than 
  1 Month with a group. An appropriate KS negates 
  this penalty, as does spending 1 Month (or possibly 
  less) with that group.
  Cultural Diﬀerentiation
  As a default, High Society gives a character the 
  ability to use the Skill in any upper-class social situ-
  ation, regardless of the culture involved. (But see 
  Subdividing High Society, below.) However, char-
  acters typically learn High Society for their native 
  culture and time. Social customs and etiquette can 
  vary wildly from one human culture to another, 
  and even within some large cultures — and that 
  doesn’t even take into account the possibility of 
  life on other worlds/dimensions or involving non-
  human sentient species. Therefore the GM may 
  impose penalties on a High Society roll when a 
  character uses the Skill in a culture diﬀerent from 
  his own (see the High Society Modiﬁers table). 
  A character with an appropriate Knowledge Skill 
  (usually a Cultural Knowledge, but at the GM’s 
  option possibly an Area/City Knowledge) does not 
  suﬀer these penalties for that culture, and in fact 
  those Skills may serve as Complementary.
  These rules assume that circumstances don’t 
  prevent a character from using High Society for 
  some reason. For example, if a character is physi-
  cally unable to consume another species’s food, 
  there’s no point to making a High Society roll to 
  use the right table manners — best just to sit there 
  and make small talk with other diners. See also Sci-
  ence Fiction, below.
  With the GM’s permission, a character may 
  be more familiar with a particular foreign culture 
  than with his own. For example, an American 
  raised in China might understand Chinese eti-
  quette and social structure better than those of 
  the United States.
  High Society And Other Skills
  High Society often interacts with or serves as 
  Complementary to other Skills (particularly other 
  Interaction Skills). Some disguises or uses of Acting 
  only work if the character also has High Society (or 
  at least are much less convincing without it). In set-
  tings where bureaucrats and oﬃcials are high-rank-
  ing members of society, or in cultures like medieval 
  Japan where knowing how to talk to someone is as 
  important as knowing who to talk to, High Society 
  is Complementary to Bureaucratics (and often to 
  Bribery as well). It may Complement Area, City, 
  and Cultural Knowledge Skills, and is often Com-
  plemented by them in turn.
  USING HIGH SOCIETY
  The main uses of High Society are:  to reﬂect a 
  character’s knowledge of etiquette and social cus-
  toms; to represent a character’s knowledge of who’s 
  who in society; a character’s ability to discern rela-
  tionships among the upper class, and to ferret out 
  secrets about its members; and with the GM’s per-
  mission to engage in “social combat” with another 
  character who has High Society.
  Etiquette And Social Customs
  First and foremost, High Society represents a 
  character’s ability to get along in upper-class social 
  situations (and if necessary to pass himself oﬀ as 
  a member of the upper class) by drawing on his 
  knowledge of etiquette and social customs appro-
  priate to the culture and gathering. This includes 
  things like:
  ■ how to conduct one’s self in upper-class social 
  situations generally, such as making interesting 
  small talk and behaving politely toward others 
  (often others of exalted rank who are prickly about 
  their social perks)
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  201 
  ■ what type of clothes to wear, how to accessorize 
  them, and in general how to present one’s self in 
  terms of appearance
  ■ table manners:  which fork to use for shrimp, 
  which course comes ﬁrst in a meal, how to eat with 
  elegance and decorum
  ■ how to address and interact with royalty, nobility, 
  and other persons with special social privileges
  ■ what’s “in” with the upper class:  what are consid-
  ered “sophisticated” drinks, where everyone’s going 
  on vacation these days, the general “social round” of 
  parties and events, and so forth
  In short, successful High Society rolls are 
  crucial for a character who wants to get into 
  those special parties... and just as importantly, 
  get invited back!
  Who’s Who In Society
  Second, a successful High Society roll tells a 
  character “who’s who” in the upper class. This covers 
  two general subjects. The ﬁrst is who the people in the 
  upper class actually are, and some basic facts about 
  them, particularly regarding what makes them upper 
  class (“Him? He’s the Duke of Buckminster, tenth of 
  the line I believe” “That’s B. Wilcox Russell; he owns 
  Amalgamated Federated Industries and is the rich-
  est man in Abbotswood”). Second, he’s aware of the 
  positions in the general social structure, who outranks 
  who, and so forth. For example, he’d know that a 
  prince generally outranks a duke... but he’d also know 
  that thanks to his wealth, landholdings, vassals, and 
  inﬂuence, Duke Buckminster is so powerful that he’s 
  second only to the king in all the land.
  Using either of these functions takes a Half 
  Phase. If the roll succeeds, the character knows 
  what he wants to know. If it fails, he’s not aware of 
  that information; if it fails badly (by 4 or more) he 
  makes a mistake that may hurt him later on — for 
  example, he misidentiﬁes a powerful nobleman as a 
  nobody (or vice-versa).
  Related to this is knowledge of social protocol. 
  A character who succeeds with a High Society roll 
  understands who outranks who and how to treat 
  people accordingly — for example, how to arrange 
  the seating chart at a formal dinner so no one is 
  oﬀended by his position (or at least that as few 
  people as possible are oﬀended).
  Goings-On Among Society
  Third, characters with High Society are attuned 
  to the way upper-class people act and to the social 
  dynamics of upper-class groups. After spending at 
  least 1 Hour interacting with a group of upper-class 
  persons, a character can make a High Society roll. If 
  he succeeds, he gains some insight into what’s going 
  on among the group — who likes or dislikes who (no 
  matter how they actually act in public), who’s secretly 
  having an aﬀair with who, who’s worried about some-
  thing related to the group, and so on. The more the 
  roll succeeds by, the more the character learns, though 
  he rarely learns anything speciﬁc or deﬁnite; it’s more 
  like having strong hunches or making educated 
  guesses. If the roll fails, the character learns nothing; 
  if it fails badly (by 4 or more) he leaps to a mistaken 
  conclusion.
  Once a character has properly assessed the 
  dynamics of an upper class group, the GM might 
  allow him to try to manipulate that group to suit his 
  own purposes. Usually it’s best to handle this through 
  roleplaying, but if appropriate to the campaign the 
  character might simply have to succeed with a High 
  Society roll to get some or all of the group’s members 
  to think or act the way he wants them to.
  Digging Up Dirt
  Fourth, a character with High Society knows 
  how to learn things and uncover facts about mem-
  bers of the upper class. This typically requires 
  spending at least 1 Hour with members of the 
  upper class teasing out gossip and conﬁdences 
  (Conversation serves as a Complementary Skill), 
  learning about the history of the group, and the 
  like. The character may supplement this with more 
  mundane research if necessary. Then he makes a 
  High Society roll. If he succeeds, he learns a juicy 
  fact or two — the more the roll succeeds by, the 
  more the character learns (or the juicier the secret 
  is). A character can’t learn just anything this way; if 
  a member of the upper class has a secret he hasn’t 
  told anyone about it isn’t revealed because a PC 
  succeeded with a Skill Roll. For something like 
  that, at best the character would have to spend a lot 
  more time looking into things before he could roll, 
  and if he succeeded would only learn “So-and-so 
  has a secret,” not what the secret is. If the roll fails, 
  the character doesn’t ﬁnd anything out; if it fails 
  badly (by 4 or more) he learns something that’s 
  wrong but thinks it’s correct.
  Social Combat
  Fifth, with the GM’s permission High Soci-
  ety can also represent a character’s skill at “social 
  combat”:  witty repartee, forcing one’s enemies 
  and rivals into embarrassing situations, and the 
  like. This works best in some Fantasy campaigns 
  HIGH SOCIETY MODIFIERS
  Situation 
  Modiﬁer
  Class Status:  Character Is Perceived As...
  ...being “upper class” himself 
  +0
  ...being “upper class” and of very high rank  
  +0
  ...being of lower class 
  -1 to -3
  Experience
  Character has never interacted with this group -3
  Character’s interacted with this group a few times -2
  Character’s interacted with this group for less  
  than a month 
  -1
  Cultural Differentiations:  Culture Is...
  Very Similar to character’s own 
  +0
  Similar to character’s own 
  -1
  Dissimilar to character’s own 
  -2
  Very Dissimilar to character’s own 
  -4
  Completely Dissimilar to character’s own 
  -6
  ...of a diﬀerent species/planet/dimension 
  -1
  Information Is...
  Extremely Secret 
  -6 to -8
  Very Secret 
  -3 to -5
  Secret 
  -1 to -2
  Neither Secret Nor Known 
  +0
  Known 
  +1
  Widely Known 
  +2
  
  202 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  and other roleplaying-heavy campaigns that 
  focus on the upper elements of society, but it 
  may be suitable for other genres as well. Gener-
  ally you should roleplay this sort of interaction, 
  but in some circumstances the GM may want to 
  have the “combatants” each make High Society 
  rolls, adding +1d6 to their Presence Attacks for 
  each point by which the roll succeeds (or sub-
  tracting -1d6 for each point by which it fails). 
  Then they roll Presence Attacks; the character 
  with the best result wins the “duel.”
  The above rules work best when both charac-
  ters have High Society. If one of the “combatants” 
  doesn’t, he can substitute a PRE Roll at -2 instead.
  EQUIPMENT
  High Society doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND HIGH SOCIETY
  As with most Interaction Powers, a touch of 
  Mental Powers — especially if a character can con-
  ceal their use — can work wonders in conjunction 
  with High Society. It’s much easier to evaluate, learn 
  from, and even manipulate a group (or its members 
  individually) with a little Mind Control, Telepathy, 
  or Mental Illusions.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Some consequences of failed High Society 
  rolls are listed above. In general, if a character 
  fails a High Society roll made to determine the 
  extent of his knowledge or his ability to gather 
  information, a failed roll means he doesn’t know, 
  can’t remember, or can’t learn the fact(s) in ques-
  tion. (At the GM’s option in the case of forgot-
  ten facts, the character can make an INT Roll as 
  Complementary to get a bonus to his High Soci-
  ety roll so he can try again.) A badly-failed roll 
  (by 4 or more) means he makes a mistake — the 
  answer he thinks he has, or the information he 
  gathers, are wrong (and the worse the failure, the 
  more humiliating or dangerous the error).
  If a High Society roll pertains to knowing and 
  using the right social custom, rule of etiquette, or 
  the like, failure means the character doesn’t know 
  what to do (or at least isn’t sure). A badly-failed roll 
  (by 4 or more) means he’s wrong and ends up com-
  mitting a faux pas (usually an embarrassing one 
  — the worse the failure, the worse the gaﬀ).
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Times for typical High Society tasks 
  are listed above. The GM can modify them upward 
  if the group in question is particularly large, com-
  plex, or secretive.
  SUBDIVIDING HIGH SOCIETY
  For some campaigns it may be more “real-
  istic” or appropriate for the GM to require 
  characters to buy High Society by categories. 
  The categories are defined by culture (or per-
  haps by species, in multipe-species campaigns). 
  The first category costs 2 Character Points for a 
  PRE-Based Roll, each additional category costs 
  +1 Character Point. Thus, characters would buy 
  High Society (Arabic Culture) or (Orc Culture) 
  or (Martian Culture). In some cases, the GM may 
  allow a character to make a roll for a culture he 
  hasn’t bought, but which is similar to one he had 
  bought, at a -2 or greater penalty.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  203 
  HIGH SOCIETY BY GENRE
  In many ways, High Society functions the 
  same from genre to genre. There will always be 
  powerful and wealthy persons, and thus always 
  some need to interact with them.
  Fantasy
  Many Fantasy games rename High Society 
  as Courtier. Using it to assess the social dynam-
  ics of the court gives the character knowledge 
  of, and insight into, court intrigues, politics, and 
  personalities. A character could make a Courtier 
  roll to ﬁgure out who at court is an ally of the 
  Queen, what sort of plot the Royal Wizard is hatch-
  ing based on his movements and contacts, or to 
  remember the names of all the minor nobles from 
  the Western Marches.
  High Society can also help mystics treat with 
  gods, faerie-folk, and other powerful supernatural 
  creatures who value social graces (or at least proper 
  subservience). Oﬀending the king is bad enough; 
  oﬀending a god or spirit may make the character’s 
  life an unending hell.
  Science Fiction
  What constitutes “the upper class” and how to 
  behave properly in it and interact with it aren’t just 
  culture-speciﬁc, they’re time-dependent. Time trav-
  elers, dimension-hoppers, and interstellar tourists 
  may experience serious problems. Unless a charac-
  ter has an appropriate Area Knowledge or Culture 
  Knowledge for a time period more than a century 
  removed from his home era, he suﬀers penalties to 
  his High Society rolls — typically -1 per 100 years 
  or fraction thereof, but this may depend on the 
  “realism” level of the campaign. For example, a cin-
  ematic time traveler’s penalty is never more than -2, 
  no matter how far back he goes.
  Similarly, as noted in the High Society Modi-
  ﬁers table, an “alien” culture (one on a planet other 
  than the character’s own, or that he’s raised on) typ-
  ically suﬀers at least a -1 in addition to the standard 
  cultural diﬀerentiation penalty. In a cinematic cam-
  paign, characters’ penalties may be capped at -2 (-1 
  for diﬀerent planet, -1 for diﬀerent species). In real-
  istic settings (Cyberpunk or Hard SF, for example) 
  the penalties are steeper:  -3 for all alien cultures, 
  with an additional -2 if the aliens have diﬀerent 
  dietary habits or environmental requirements.
  INTERROGATION
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Interaction Skill can extract 
  information from people against their will. (For 
  situations where characters voluntarily expose 
  themselves to situations where they might reveal 
  something they don’t want to, such as an inter-
  view, use Conversation; see page 142.) He knows 
  about the different methods of interrogation, 
  the equipment involved, and if necessary how to 
  avoid leaving marks. He can judge how close a 
  victim is to death or breaking, and is an expert at 
  manipulating subjects into revealing the infor-
  mation he wants.
  Many uses of this Skill aren’t very heroic. In 
  many campaigns only villains buy Interrogation.
  METHODS OF INTERROGATION
  A character with Interrogation knows a wide 
  variety of methods by which to extract information 
  from an unwilling subject. These include:
  Manipulation
  The easiest method of Interrogation (at least 
  on the victim) is psychological and social manipu-
  lation. This typically occurs in an interrogation-
  style setting where the character can “grill” a subject 
  with repeated questioning, attempts to trick the 
  subject into giving up information, eﬀorts to turn 
  one subject against another by revealing tidbits of 
  information provided (or supposedly provided) 
  by the other subject, and so forth. In some cases 
  this may escalate to hot lights shone directly in the 
  subject’s face, sleep deprivation, starvation, con-
  stant loud noises, and other abusive practices. This 
  method counts as a Standard or Aggressive Inter-
  rogation (see below).
  Usually this form of Interrogation occurs in 
  a controlled situation where the questioner has 
  the subject at a disadvantage. In some cases it may 
  apply outside such conditions when the questioner 
  has some authority or opportunity to force his 
  attentions on the subject:  “Where were you at 2:00 
  PM last Thursday, Mr. Smith?”.
  Torture
  When many people hear “interrogation,” they 
  hear “torture,” and there’s no denying that using 
  physical pain to get someone to reveal information 
  is part of a thorough interrogator’s bag of tricks. A 
  character with Interrogation knows how to use pain 
  — from simple slaps and punches all the way up to 
  some of the most ﬁendish devices ever devised by 
  man — to force a character to talk. (Though using 
  torture means running the risk of the subject lying 
  to the interrogator just to get the pain to stop.) This 
  method counts as an Extreme or Severe Interroga-
  tion (see below).
  In some situations, a character using torture 
  can make his Interrogation roll at a penalty (see 
  below) to avoid leaving “marks” — obvious physical 
  evidence — that someone tortured the victim. This 
  is most common with an Extreme Interrogation 
  
  204 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  that doesn’t rise above the level of a beating. With 
  many forms of Severe Interrogation, not even the 
  torturer’s best eﬀorts can hide the signs of torment. 
  Some injuries really only have one explanation.
  Besides simple methods of pain inﬂiction 
  (beating, whipping, burning...), a character with 
  Interrogation knows about a wide variety of torture 
  devices, such as:
  The Boot:  A device made of wood or iron used 
  to encase the leg and/or foot. By turning a crank, 
  the torturer could crush the encased portions of 
  the body. Victims often lost the ability to walk or 
  limped for the rest of their lives. Sometimes the 
  boot was ﬁlled with boiling water or tar before 
  being ﬁtted to the subject.
  Iron Maiden:  A man-sized cabinet with spikes on 
  the inside in speciﬁc locations. When shut into it, 
  the spikes pierced the subject but by design missed 
  the vital organs, causing suﬀering, bleeding, and 
  pain. In some versions the spikes were moveable 
  and so could cause diﬀerent types of injuries for 
  diﬀerent crimes, or allow the iron maiden to func-
  tion as an instrument of execution.
  Manacles:  Also known as the gauntlets, this was 
  a pair of locked iron fetters that were fastened 
  around the subject’s hands. The subject was then 
  suspended from a ceiling or high point on a wall, 
  causing extreme pain. Some even worse versions 
  suspend the victim from the thumbs.
  The Rack:  A table with winches on each end. The 
  victim is strapped down, his limbs extended and tied 
  to the winches. By cranking the winches, the torturer 
  gradually pulls the victim’s joints apart, resulting in 
  an agonizing death if the process is not stopped in 
  time (and often permanent physical problems even 
  if the subject survives). Some survivors lost the use 
  of their hands or legs; some gained an inch or more 
  in height. Because it allows for a gradual increase in 
  prolonged pain, the rack is a highly eﬀective method 
  of torture (+1 to Interrogation rolls).
  The Scavenger’s Daughter:  Sort of the opposite of 
  the rack, this is a simple iron frame placed around a 
  body that constricted it, forcing it into a sort of fetal 
  ball in a painful way that could lead to bleeding 
  from the ﬁngertips and mouth. Manipulating some 
  of the bars could cause further pain.
  Strappado:  The subject’s hands are tied behind his 
  back and he is then hung from the ceiling, some-
  times with weights attached to his feet. Intense 
  pain, and possibly dislocation of the arms, results.
  Thumbscrews:  A sort of small vice in which an 
  upper part slides down over three vertical rods. 
  The subject’s thumbs are placed between the 
  rods, and the upper bar tightened down upon 
  them, crushing them. Like the rack, it allowed 
  for gradual increases in pain. Could also be used 
  simply for restraining prisoners.
  While using Interrogation-as-torture implies 
  that a character inﬂicts pain for the speciﬁc pur-
  pose of extracting information from a subject, if 
  necessary a character can simply use it to inﬂict 
  pain for the sake of causing torment.
  High-Tech Interrogation Devices
  Depending on the campaign, setting, genre, 
  and time period, a character with Interrogation 
  may also know about the use of interrogation drugs 
  (“truth serum” and the like) and similar methods. 
  He may also know about mind control devices, 
  brainwashing machines, hypnosis helmets, and the 
  like. “Advanced” societies capable of building such 
  devices might also build ones speciﬁcally to cause 
  pain, perhaps by direct nervous system stimulation 
  so that they leave no physical traces whatsoever. If 
  those sorts of devices exist in the campaign, a char-
  acter with Interrogation knows how to use them. 
  Some Sciences or other technical Skills can be 
  Complementary to this form of Interrogation.
  CATEGORIES OF INTERROGATION
  For game purposes, any use of Interrogation falls 
  into one of four categories depending on intensity:  
  Standard; Aggressive; Extreme; and Severe.
  A Standard Interrogation involves a thorough 
  “grilling” of the subject (like the ones seen in many 
  television cop shows) and/or psychological and 
  social manipulation. In some campaigns it would 
  include the use of mindreading and brainwashing 
  devices. The victim is not made to feel physical pain 
  or discomfort. This has a Base Time of 20 Minutes 
  and provides a +1 bonus to the Interrogation roll.
  An Aggressive Interrogation supplements the 
  Standard method with techniques such as bright 
  lights, loud noises, sleep deprivation, starvation, 
  and physical discomforts like being tied to a chair. 
  However, the deliberate and systematic inﬂiction 
  of pain is not involved. This has a Base Time of 1 
  Hour (though some eﬀects, like sleep deprivation, 
  require longer periods to take eﬀect) and provides a 
  +2 bonus to the Interrogation roll.
  An Extreme Interrogation involves low-level 
  torture, such as beatings and whippings, working the 
  victim over with brass knuckles or a rubber hose, 
  and so forth. The victim typically loses ½d6 points of 
  BODY from the eﬀects. This has a Base Time of 20 
  Minutes and provides a +3 bonus to the Interroga-
  tion roll. If the interrogator wishes to leave no obvious 
  physical traces on the subject, he must make a sepa-
  rate Interrogation roll at -2 to avoid doing so.
  A Severe Interrogation involves the full panoply 
  of physical torture methods, including the rack and 
  other devices described above.  The victim typically 
  loses 1d6 points of BODY from the eﬀects and may 
  suﬀer Impairing or Disabling wounds that can have 
  permanent eﬀects. This has a Base Time of 20 Minutes 
  and provides a +4 bonus to the Interrogation roll. If 
  the interrogator wishes to leave no obvious physical 
  traces on the subject, he must make a separate Inter-
  rogation roll at -5 to avoid doing so.
  USING INTERROGATION
  When a character uses Interrogation, he 
  engages in a Skill Versus Skill Contest pitting his 
  Interrogation against the subject’s EGO Roll. The 
  Talent Resistance helps the subject resist Interroga-
  tion. Depending on the methods a character uses, 
  Conversation, Persuasion, SS: Pharmacology/Toxi-
  cology, SS: Psychology, and similar Skills might act 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  205 
  as Complementary Skills to Interrogation. A char-
  acter’s Reputation Perk can also enhance his chance 
  to successfully Interrogate someone.
  If a character’s Interrogation roll fails, there’s 
  no need for the victim to resist. In fact, a badly-
  failed roll (by 4 or more) may indicate not just fail-
  ure to get the information, but a hardening of the 
  victim’s resolve so that all later Interrogation rolls 
  are at a -1 or greater penalty. If a character’s using 
  Extreme or Severe methods, a bad failure may indi-
  cate he accidentally killed the subject before learn-
  ing what he wanted to know.
  Rather than reducing an interrogation session 
  to a single throw of the dice, the GM may want 
  to extend the process by requiring multiple Inter-
  rogation rolls to represent the character’s progress 
  through various stages of the questioning process. 
  For example, maybe each roll gets the character 
  one-fourth (25%) of the way toward breaking 
  the subject, so that it takes four successful rolls to 
  make the victim tell what he knows. If the charac-
  ter escalates to the next level “up” the intensity of 
  Interrogation (Standard to Aggressive, Aggressive 
  to Extreme, and so forth), the next roll after the 
  escalation gets the character half (50%) of the way 
  toward breaking the subject.
  Evaluating The Subject
  While interrogating a subject, a character with 
  Interrogation can observe him, looking for the subtle 
  signs that the subject’s just about to reveal what he 
  knows... or the physical indicators that he’s at risk 
  of dying. This requires an Interrogation roll, usually 
  unmodiﬁed, and at the GM’s discretion based on 
  INT rather than PRE. If the roll succeeds, the charac-
  ter knows how close the subject is to breaking down 
  and spilling his guts; if it fails, he judges this incor-
  rectly, to his detriment and possibly to the subject’s 
  as well. Characters can also roll to gauge the subject’s 
  physical condition, with Paramedics as a Comple-
  mentary Skill. Success means the interrogator can 
  roughly estimate how much BODY the subject has 
  left, and thus how much more it’s likely he can take 
  assuming a standard individual with 8-10 BODY. (If 
  the interrogator knows in advance that a subject’s 
  particularly tough — i.e., that he has more BODY 
  than an ordinary person — he can adjust his esti-
  mates to suit.) If he fails he misjudges this, meaning 
  he thinks the subject can take more than he really 
  can (and thus that he’ll probably torture the subject 
  to death without meaning to).
  Similarly, a character with Interrogation can 
  evaluate whether the subject has told the truth 
  under interrogation. If the subject has no reason 
  or motivation to conceal the truth, this requires 
  an unmodiﬁed Interrogation roll. If it succeeds, 
  the character knows the subject’s “confession” was 
  truthful or not (though he doesn’t know the truth 
  if the subject lied, he just knows a lie was told). If it 
  fails, he thinks a truthful subject lied, or that a lying 
  subject told the truth. If the subject wants to hide 
  the truth but pretend he’s telling what he knows, 
  judging his truthfulness requires a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest pitting the character’s Interrogation 
  against the victim’s Acting (or his PRE Roll at -2 if 
  he doesn’t have Acting).
  Performing any type of evaluation of the sub-
  ject has a Base Time of a Full Phase.
  Interrogation As Intimidation
  At the GM’s option, you can expand Interroga-
  tion into a more general “intimidation” Skill. When-
  ever a character wants to cow, overawe, or intimi-
  date someone with the force of his personality, 
  threatening demeanor, or the like, he can make an 
  Interrogation roll. If the roll succeeds, he gets +1d6 
  on an appropriate Presence Attack made that same 
  Phase against the victim; for every additional point 
  by which the roll succeeds he gets another +1d6.
  EQUIPMENT
  Interrogation usually involves some sort of 
  equipment. A routine grilling at the police station 
  or a beating adminstered with the ﬁsts don’t, but 
  to use a hypno-chair, thumbscrews, or the rack a 
  character has to have them (or access to them). A 
  character with Interrogation knows how to build 
  various torture and information-extraction devices 
  appropriate to the setting and era, and can do so if 
  he has the necessary raw materials, tools, and time.
  POWERS AND INTERROGATION
  A character with Mental Powers like Telepathy 
  and Mind Control may have no need for Inter-
  rogation (or could buy Interrogation to represent 
  a low-level use of such powers rather than their 
  standard use). Powers that cause pain or inﬂict fear 
  may make using Interrogation easier or remove the 
  need for equipment.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of most failed Interrogation 
  rolls are discussed above. Remember that failure 
  should hinder the character, not necessarily make 
  things worse for the subject. It might mean that 
  the subject dies, but it could just as easily mean the 
  character’s done something that makes the victim 
  so resistant to giving up his information that he can 
  withstand even the most brutal torture.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Times for various Interrogation-
  related tasks are listed above.
  SUBDIVIDING INTERROGATION
  In campaigns where GMs would like charac-
  ters to know about interrogation (the questioning 
  of suspects and the like) but not outright torture, 
  you can split this Skill into two distinct Interac-
  tion Skills:  Interrogation, which covers all the 
  non-violent methods described above (Standard 
  and Aggressive Interrogations); and Torture, which 
  covers the violent, pain-based methods (Extreme 
  and Severe Interrogations). In campaigns with 
  brainwashing devices and the like, using them may 
  be a separate Skill or an aspect of Interrogation.
  INTERROGATION BY GENRE
  For the most part Interrogation is the same 
  from genre to genre. It’s just a question of what sort 
  of technology is available and what methods of 
  Interrogation are deemed socially acceptable (and 
  thus how characters tend to react to them).
  
  206 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Fantasy
  In many Fantasy settings, gathering informa-
  tion from a prisoner isn’t a very subtle process. 
  Thus, most Fantasy Hero GMs rework this Skill 
  as Torture, since it concentrates almost wholly on 
  forcing a subject to talk by causing him physical 
  pain. In some cases magic may also factor into the 
  process, but usually if an interrogator has access to 
  magic he can simply ensorcel the subject to reveal 
  the information without the need to cause pain.
  Torture usually requires proper equipment 
  (whips, knives, thumbscrews, the rack, the iron 
  maiden, red-hot iron bars...), though a skilled tor-
  turer can improvise in a pinch. A character may 
  buy a well-equipped torture chamber as a labora-
  tory with a Torture Skill that acts as a Complemen-
  tary to his own Skill.
  Interrogation can represent a ceremonial 
  magician’s attempts to browbeat and intimidate a 
  reluctant spirit. Priests may need Interrogation as 
  part of exorcisms. Mystic Interrogation, however, 
  uses divine names and magical implements instead 
  of the spotlight in the face and the rubber hose. At 
  the GM’s option, a mystic who can only use Inter-
  rogation against mystic beings and the like may 
  take the Skill with a -½ Limitation.
  Science Fiction
  In settings where direct neural implants are 
  commonplace, this Skill might become Mind 
  Hacking — the ability to use intrusive computer 
  programs to examine (and perhaps even alter) the 
  subject’s memories. Cinematic versions may require 
  the Mind Hacker to enter some sort of virtual 
  reality dreamscape as his consciousness wanders 
  through the subject’s brain. Computer Program-
  ming and SS: Psychology are Complementary Skills 
  for Mind Hacking.
  Settings with advanced knowledge of psy-
  chology and hypnosis replace Interrogation with 
  Brainwashing. The Science Skills Neurobiology and 
  Psychology are Complementary. A successful use 
  not only makes the subject tell what he knows, but 
  can implant suggestions and false memories
  At the GM’s option, either use of Interrogation 
  may be able to implant or alter memories. If so, 
  consider this a Major Transform 2d6, with +1d6 for 
  every 2 points by which the brainwasher makes his 
  roll. Achieving this eﬀect usually takes a lot of time, 
  however (1 Hour or more), and may involve a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest against the target’s EGO Roll.
  INVENTOR
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill allows a character to design and 
  construct new devices. It represents that spark of 
  genius, creativity, or perhaps madness that leads to 
  new discoveries. 
  Unlike most Skills or other HERO System ele-
  ments, Inventor requires “prerequisite” Skills. It 
  doesn’t grant a character any scientiﬁc or technical 
  knowledge — as noted above, it reﬂects a “gift” for 
  invention moreso than a learned ability. To use it, 
  a character needs to have a Skill or Skills related 
  to whatever he wants to create — for example, he 
  needs Weaponsmith to invent new weapons, or 
  Electronics and SS: Physics to design a satellite. 
  (These Skills don’t function as Complementary 
  Skills; they’re requirements, not help.) An inventor 
  may design devices which require several Skills or 
  Knowledges, so long as he has each of those par-
  ticular Skills. The GM determines which Skills are 
  required for a given invention.
  Using Inventor
  The rules for Inventor depend on whether 
  the GM wants the campaign (and inventing as an 
  aspect of the campaign) to have a “cinematic” or 
  “realistic” feel.
  CINEMATIC INVENTOR
  Cinematic inventors can improvise gadgets on 
  the ﬂy, create a superweapon out of odds and ends, 
  and turn simple farm equipment into a cabbage-
  throwing war machine during a commercial break. 
  Cinematic inventors’ Skill Rolls have suﬀer the 
  standard penalties for performing a task quicker 
  than normal and for equipment, though the GM 
  may choose to reduce the penalties (perhaps signif-
  icantly) to keep the game ﬂowing along in proper 
  cinematic fashion.
  “REALISTIC” INVENTOR
  “Realistic” inventors need a lot of time, 
  equipment, and money to create new devices. 
  The Base Time depends on the complexity of the 
  device the character wants to invent, as indicated 
  in the Inventor Base Times table. That table also 
  indicates a general modifier the GM can apply 
  based on the device’s complexity; this is in addi-
  tion to the Active Point penalty described below 
  unless he rules otherwise.
  The Active Point cost of a proposed inven-
  tion provides a guideline for how diﬃcult it is for a 
  character to create. Divide the Active Point cost by 
  10 and apply the result as a penalty to the Inven-
  tor roll. (Gamemasters who want to make invent-
  ing harder should increase the penalty to -1 per 5 
  Active Points; if they want it to be easier, perhaps 
  because a device’s Active Points don’t accurately 
  reﬂect its intricacy, decrease it to -1 per 20 Active 
  Points.) When an inventor just wants to improve 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  207 
  an existing device, use only the diﬀer-
  ence between the original device’s Real 
  Point cost and the improved version’s 
  Real Point cost to determine the pen-
  alty. (This means it’s easiest to create a 
  bulky, fragile, unreliable prototype and 
  then gradually reﬁne it.) The minimum 
  penalty is always -1 unless the GM 
  rules otherwise, though a complexity 
  bonus may cancel this out. The GM 
  should monitor the inventing process 
  carefully to make sure characters don’t 
  abuse the rules, and that using Inventor 
  contributes to the fun of the game.
  Example:  Doctor Kelly wants to 
  build a portable laser weapon using 
  modern-day technology. The laser 
  is an RKA 1d6, Armor Piercing (22 
  Active Points) (which imposes a -2 
  penalty to her Inventor roll in addi-
  tion to the GM-assigned penalty of -2 
  for a Complex device). Like all lasers 
  it has the Beam (-¼) Limitation. 
  Doctor Kelly’s prototype has only 4 
  Charges (-1), and is an OAF Bulky 
  Fragile (-1¾). The total Limitation 
  value is -4, so the ﬁnal Real Point cost 
  is 5 points.
  Some time later, Dr. Kelly wants to improve the 
  device, making it less bulky and fragile, and 
  giving it more Charges (12). The new laser will 
  cost 9 Real Points, which is 4 points more than 
  the original. That gives Dr. Kelly a -1 penalty to 
  improve the laser, but the GM decides to reduce 
  it to -0. 
  Having help can be a real boon for the inven-
  tor. The Team Skill Use rules (page 22) often apply 
  to tasks involving Inventor, particularly large proj-
  ects like creating a new aircraft.
  Existing Technology And Tech Levels
  This process assumes the new invention 
  involves an application of existing technology. 
  Double the penalties for devices that are more 
  advanced than the available technology in the cam-
  paign world. If the campaign uses Tech Levels (see 
  Chapter Seven of Star Hero), double the penalty for 
  each tech level above the campaign norm.
  If a character has an example of a more 
  advanced device that he’s trying to duplicate 
  (reverse engineering, so to speak), the GM may 
  want to reduce this penalty substantially — it’s 
  easier to copy the wheel than create it from 
  scratch. If the character’s seen the more advanced 
  device in operation but doesn’t have one to study, 
  the GM might (but doesn’t have to) reduce the 
  penalty by 1.
  The GM can always rule that some devices 
  are simply impossible to invent during a given 
  time period (or at a given Tech Level) because 
  the inventor doesn’t have the right theoretical 
  background. For example, consider an inven-
  tor trying to create new superweapons for the 
  American Civil War. The theoretical science 
  behind submarines existed as early as 1860. Thus, 
  a sufficiently large and well-funded program 
  could have built World War I-style submarines 
  half a century early. But aerodynamics wasn’t 
  well understood in 1860, so no amount of money 
  could produce a workable airplane.
  Gamemasters may wish to rule that some 
  very complex inventions require a number of 
  “sub-inventions” to create — before the hero can 
  invent the liquid-fuelled rocket he has to invent 
  gyroscopic stabilization, high-speed fuel pumps, 
  and cryogenic fuel storage first. A big task like 
  the Manhattan Project or the Apollo Program 
  required thousands of sub-inventions and sub-
  sub-inventions to accomplish. (Tacitly ignoring 
  these precursors is the easiest way to encourage 
  cinematic lone inventors who try to create mar-
  vels in basement workshops.)
  Cost
  In Heroic games, characters often have to 
  worry about monetary costs. The cost to create 
  an invention depends on the required time and 
  how exotic the materials are. At modern prices, 
  figure $200 per person per day of development 
  work for salaries and associated expenses (adjust 
  for the era). For materials, a modern baseline 
  would be $100 per kilogram for commercially-
  available items. Exotic materials can cost con-
  siderably more — up to millions of dollars per 
  gram for scarce radioactive isotopes or complex 
  hormones (the final price tag is up to the GM). 
  An ordinary, well-stocked workshop costs about 
  $100 per day to operate. Advanced facilities like 
  particle accelerators or chemical refiners can 
  cost $1,000 or more per hour of use. “Throwing 
  money at the problem” can produce better and 
  faster results, while inadequate funding causes 
  major problems (see page 53).
  
  208 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  INVENTING IN COMBAT
  Typically characters use Inventor out of 
  combat since it takes a long time, requires facili-
  ties and tools, and so forth. However, the GM may 
  allow characters with Inventor to modify equip-
  ment or gadgets in combat, as long as the modiﬁca-
  tions are usually fairly minor and are well justiﬁed 
  by the character. This takes a minimum Base Time 
  of a Full Phase (and possibly longer); modiﬁers for 
  using a Skill in combat conditions, lack of proper 
  tools, and the like apply.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Inventor by deﬁnition requires equipment — 
  not just the raw parts and supplies needed to create 
  an invention, but the tools to do the creating. Typi-
  cally a character using Inventor has an entire work-
  shop/laboratory at his disposal, even if it’s just a 
  simple one he set up himself in his garage. The GM 
  should apply the lack of equipment penalties strictly.
  POWERS AND INVENTOR
  Powers generally don’t interact with Inventor 
  much. A character whose powers let him manipu-
  late physical objects, such as Telekinesis or some 
  Teleportation-based powers, might be able to use 
  them to reduce the time required for the invent-
  ing process — and of course some speedsters can 
  assemble devices in the blink of an eye.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically a failed Inventor roll means one of 
  two things:  either the character can’t ﬁgure out 
  how to make the device; or the character’s attempt 
  fails. In those cases he can try again using the stan-
  dard rules for that. A bad failure (by 4 or more) has 
  worse consequences — for example, a laboratory 
  accident that hurts the character (or will cause him 
  trouble later), or a GM ruling that for whatever 
  reason the character can never invent the device 
  he’s trying to create.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for creating an invention 
  depends on two things:  the general complexity of 
  the invention as judged by the GM, and the Active 
  Points in the device. First, consult the Inventor Base 
  Times table for the Base Time Multiplier, which the 
  GM may alter if he sees ﬁt given the circumstances 
  and device in question. Second, divide the Active 
  Points in the device by 10, and multiply the result 
  by the Base Time Multiplier to determine the Base 
  Time for creating the invention. (See Inventing In 
  Combat, above, for further rules.)
  SUBDIVIDING INVENTOR
  Because it’s less of a learned Skill than one 
  representing personal insight and intuition, 
  there’s no real need or basis for subdividing 
  Inventor. Since characters need “prerequisite” 
  Skills to use it, that imposes a certain amount of 
  “subdivision” on it already.
  INVENTOR BY GENRE
  Although Inventor has more applications in 
  Modern or Future campaigns, it’s quite appropri-
  ate for characters in other periods, such as Fantasy. 
  However, the GM should be careful not to let char-
  acters make too many wholesale changes to existing 
  technology unless he’s willing to change the nature 
  of the campaign. A single invention like the stirrup, 
  the gastraphetes, or gunpowder could completely 
  alter the nature of warfare, politics, daily life, and 
  other aspects of the setting.
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy campaigns featuring gnomish tin-
  kerers, alchemist-engineers, and the like, this Skill 
  may apply in its normal manner. In most Fantasy 
  games Inventor can also function as Spell Research, 
  the Skill with which wizards and other spellcasters 
  research and create new spells. The Time required 
  to research a new spell depends on the spell’s com-
  plexity, as indicated in the Inventor Base Times 
  table. This assumes access to a reasonably complete 
  arcane library; worse/better libraries may add/sub-
  tract from the time needed as well as providing 
  Skill Roll bonuses (if bought as “laboratories”).
  At the end of the time period, the character 
  makes a Spell Research roll at a penalty of -1 per 
  10 Active Points in the spell (again, the quality and 
  contents of the library may modify this penalty). If 
  the roll succeeds, the character has created a new 
  spell, which he must pay for according to the stan-
  dard rules of the campaign. If it fails, he has not yet 
  found or created the spell and can try again using 
  the standard rules for that. If it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more), he’s created the spell incorrectly, with poten-
  tially disastrous consequences to himself that won’t 
  become apparent until he tries to use it.
  Modifying an existing spell (say, to add an 
  Advantage, remove a Limitation, or increase the 
  dice of eﬀect) is easier than creating one from 
  scratch. Use the rules described above.
  See Chapter Four of Fantasy Hero for more 
  information on magic and creating spells.
  INVENTOR BASE TIMES
  Category Of Invention 
  Base Time Multiplier 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  1 Hour 
  +2
  Simple 
  6 Hours 
  +1
  Average 
  1 Day 
  +0
  Complex 
  1 Week 
  -2
  Very Complex 
  1 Month  
  -4
  The Base Time Multiplier indicates the amount of time multiplied by the Active Points 
  in the device divided by 10.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  209 
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL
  Type:   
  Background Skill (roll:  see text)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base 11- roll, con-
  vert KS to an INT-Based Skill for +2 Char-
  acter Point (total of 3 Character Points), +1 
  to the roll per +1 Character Point
  This very general and ﬂexible Background Skill rep-
  resents knowledge of certain groups, places, people, 
  or things — in short, any subject a character wishes 
  to have knowledge of. The character must deﬁne 
  the subject when he purchases the Skill. Knowledge 
  Skills are one of the most intriguing and useful 
  aspects of the HERO System’s Skill rules. With 
  them, a character can deﬁne what he knows with 
  a great deal of precision, making it easy to create 
  characters who are experts in many subjects.
  Spending 2 Character Points on a Knowledge 
  Skill (KS) gives the character an 11- roll to know 
  a fact about the subject. Alternatively, a character 
  can make a KS and INT-Based Roll for 3 Character 
  Points, giving a base (9 + (INT/5)) roll. In either 
  case, each +1 to the Skill Roll costs +1 Character 
  Point. (If the character’s INT is so low that his INT 
  Roll is 10- or lower, he still gets an 11- roll with a 
  KS for 2 Character Points, and the third and further 
  points simply increase the roll at the normal +1 for 
  1 point rate.)
  When buying any KS, think about a character’s 
  background and the sort of things he’d learn or 
  need to know to have that background. Usually, a 
  character’s KSs help explain how he learned other 
  Skills. You might also want to think of other Back-
  ground Skills (PSs and SSs) the character might 
  know, and how they all interrelate (see page 62).
  Types Of Knowledge Skills
  Generally speaking, you can group Knowl-
  edge Skills into four types:  Groups, People, 
  Places, and Things.
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL — GROUPS
  This type of KS represents knowledge of 
  different organizations or cultures, like KS: Con-
  federation Of Planets, KS: The Espionage World, 
  or KS: Boston Police Department. This gives the 
  character thorough knowledge of a culture or 
  organization, including such things as its struc-
  ture, members, duties, customs, taboos, require-
  ments, and protocols.
  In some instances, a KS of a group is referred to 
  as a Culture KS, or CuK, which qualiﬁes it for point 
  savings if the character also has the Traveler Skill 
  Enhancer. What constitutes a CuK is up to the GM, 
  but usually it should be fairly obvious from the name 
  of the Skill:  KS: The Zulus, KS: Arabic Culture, KS: 
  Asian Culture, and so on. The “Subculture KSs” dis-
  cussed below also qualify as CuKs; they just focus on a 
  much “smaller,” more speciﬁc culture.
  Subculture Knowledge Skills
  One popular type of Group KS is known as a 
  Subculture Knowledge Skill. Examples include The 
  Espionage World, The Martial World, The Superhu-
  man World, The Mystic World, The Law Enforce-
  ment World, The Military/Mercenary/Terrorist 
  World, and the like. A Subculture KS is similar to 
  the Streetwise Skill, but deals only with the world of 
  that subculture. Streetwise doesn’t do much good 
  among martial artists, mystics, or the like, because 
  those who belong to such a subculture are rather 
  insular and closed-mouthed about it when talking 
  to outsiders.
  A successful Subculture KS roll allows a hero 
  to know about the subculture, including its prac-
  tices and practitioners, places where members of 
  the subculture congregate, the subculture’s bodies 
  of lore, who’s on top in any competitions unique 
  to the subculture, current aﬀairs among members 
  of the subculture, and so forth. Additionally, he 
  can use the subculture’s grapevine to hear about 
  unusual events and happenings in that subcul-
  ture, and to send messages to other people in that 
  subculture. For example, if a hero hears an assas-
  sin used an interesting but little-known Taijutsu 
  technique to kill a politician, a successful KS: The 
  Martial World roll might let him ﬁgure out who can 
  reveal the culprit’s identity to him (or, simply, who 
  the culprit is).
  A Subculture Knowledge can act as a Comple-
  mentary Skill to Disguise or Bureaucratics rolls 
  related to that subculture. However, based on the 
  character’s origin, his knowledge of some aspects 
  of a subculture may be limited, imposing penalties 
  on the roll. For example, a character with KS: Law 
  Enforcement World based on his former job as a 
  New York cop might know very little about how 
  policemen in the United Kingdom act.
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL — PEOPLE
  This type of KS represents knowledge of a type 
  of person, or even a single person. For instance, a 
  character could have KS: Spellcasters, KS: Wizards, 
  KS: Necromancers, or KS: Karna Doom the Dark 
  Necromancer. This form of KS tells the character 
  about individuals in the group and (more gener-
  ally) how such people react to speciﬁc situations 
  (like being asked questions or oﬀered money).
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL — PLACES (AREA 
  KNOWLEDGE, CITY KNOWLEDGE)
  This type of KS represents a thorough 
  knowledge of an area, ranging from an indi-
  vidual street in a city to an entire continent or 
  planet. For large areas, this KS gives a character 
  knowledge of the area’s geography, major cities, 
  politics, economy, and so forth. Relevant and 
  accurate maps, travel guides, and the like often 
  provide bonuses.
  Applying this Skill to a city gives the charac-
  ter thorough knowledge of a city’s layout, streets, 
  transportation terminals, meeting places, taverns, 
  fine restaurants, shortcuts, criminal areas, and 
  important residents. An Area Knowledge (AK) 
  only provides general information about a city 
  (where it is, how big it is, the major districts), 
  City Knowledge (CK) gives very specific infor-
  mation. CKs help during car chases and can cut 
  down travel time within the city (reduce travel 
  
  210 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  time by 10% for a successful roll, +10% for each 
  additional point the character succeeds by, to a 
  maximum of 50% reduction).
  Characters can also learn AKs of various ter-
  rain types (such as Plains, Forest, Desert, Caves, or 
  Mountains), which may be Complementary Skills 
  for Survival, Tracking, and similar Skills. This could 
  also include strange alien environments, such as 
  planets with extremely high gravity or atmospheres 
  of chlorine gas. The Skill could be very speciﬁc 
  (AK: Luray Caverns) or very general (AK: Under-
  ground Caverns).
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL — THINGS
  This type of KS represents knowledge of any-
  thing that doesn’t fall into one of the other catego-
  ries (but not including sciences; see Science Skill, 
  page 258). Examples include Alien Statues, Trees, 
  Superhumans, History, Art History, Video Games, 
  Philosophy, Religion, Skateboards, Horses, Thor-
  oughbred Horses, Politics, Secret Societies, and Tax 
  Evasion. The possibilities are inﬁnite; talk to the 
  GM about exactly what KSs would be most appro-
  priate for a character.
  Speciﬁcity Of  
  Knowledge Skills
  Characters define how specific their KSs are. 
  The more general the KS, the less the character 
  knows about specific aspects of the subject. For 
  example, a character with KS: African Cultures  
  has a wide overview of that subject — he knows 
  a lot of general information about Africans and 
  could roughly describe them, but wouldn’t neces-
  sarily know a lot of details. If he’d chosen a KS 
  of one particular African culture (such as KS: 
  Zulu Culture), he’d know many details about that 
  one culture, but not much about other African 
  cultures. KS: African Culture gives him general 
  information about Zulu culture, but not much 
  more unless he succeeds with his Skill Roll by a 
  large margin; even then he knows less informa-
  tion than he would with KS: Zulu Culture.
  Even with a specialized Knowledge Skill, some 
  facts are more obscure than others. The GM should 
  apply appropriate modiﬁers for diﬃculty based 
  upon the obscurity or rarity of the information the 
  character needs to know. For example, a character 
  with KS: Zulu Culture could probably make an 
  unmodiﬁed roll to know the major Zulu holidays 
  or festivals. But knowledge of the secret rituals of 
  ancient Zulu sorcerers might require him to make 
  the roll at a signiﬁcant penalty — -3 at least, and 
  perhaps -5 or more.
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL CATEGORIES
  The breadth and ﬂexibility of KSs may create 
  diﬃculties for the GM — it’s not always easy to 
  determine how common (or obscure) a particular 
  fact is, and thus how likely (or unlikely) it is for a 
  PC to know that fact based on the nature of the KS 
  he wants to use. The following optional rule helps 
  to resolve this diﬃculty. It divides all Knowledge 
  Skills into thirteen categories indicated in the 
  accompanying table. The categories rank the mag-
  nitudes of knowledge a KS provides. As the terms 
  on the table indicate, the “typical” KS is an Aver-
  age one, focusing on a reasonably limited body of 
  information but still covering its subject well. The 
  player, together with the GM, determines what cat-
  egory each of his character’s KSes belong to.
  To use this system, the player and GM should 
  decide which category a KS falls into when the 
  character buys it. When the character wants to 
  determine if he knows something, the GM decides 
  what category the fact he wants to know belongs 
  to. For each step up or down the list, the character 
  suﬀers a -5 penalty to know the fact. The GM may 
  increase or decrease this penalty for facts he feels 
  are particularly noteworthy or obscure, or if it’s 
  dramatically appropriate (or inappropriate) for the 
  character to know.
  Example:  Andarra has the Knowledge Skill 
  Galactic History. While investigating a mys-
  tery, she needs to know a particular fact from 
  the history of a specific nation on a world in 
  the Milky Way Galaxy. Since Galactic His-
  tory is an Incredibly Broad subject, and the 
  history of a nation is a Precise subject (a dif-
  ference of five steps on the Knowledge Skill 
  Categories Table), she suffers a -25 penalty 
  for trying to remember the fact.
  Due to the stiﬀ penalties imposed by this 
  system (greater even than Extraordinary Skill Roll 
  penalties in many cases), it’s diﬃcult for charac-
  KNOWLEDGE SKILL CATEGORIES TABLE
  Category 
  Area/Subject Covered
  Unimaginably Broad 
  Interdimensional
  Extraordinarily Broad Intergalactic/Universal/Dimensional
  Incredibly Broad 
  Galactic/Interstellar
  Extremely Broad 
  Star sector
  Very Broad 
  Solar system
  Broad 
  Planet or world
  Average 
  Continent (or like region)
  Precise 
  Nation, some large races/peoples/tribes
  Very Precise 
  Province, city, most races/peoples/tribes
  Extremely Precise 
  Speciﬁc region, speciﬁc racial or tribal group, speciﬁc family
  Incredibly Precise 
  Speciﬁc neighborhood, speciﬁc subject relating to a speciﬁc group
  Extraordinarily Precise Speciﬁc person
  Unimaginably Precise Speciﬁc subject about a speciﬁc person
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  211 
  BROAD KNOWLEDGE SKILL CATEGORIES
  Unimaginably Broad 
  Extraordinarily Broad 
  Incredibly Broad 
  Extremely Broad
  Interdimensional 
  Intergalactic/Universal/Dimensional 
  Galactic/Interstellar 
  Star sector
  Interdimensional Cultures 
  Intergalactic Cultures 
  Milky Way Galaxy Cultures 
  Earth Sector Cultures
  Interdimensional History 
  Intergalactic History 
  Milky Way Galaxy History 
  Earth Sector History
  Interdimensional Literature 
  Intergalactic Literature 
  Milky Way Galaxy Literature 
  Earth Sector Literature
  Interdimensional Superhumans 
  Intergalactic Superhumans 
  Milky Way Galaxy Superhu-mans 
  Earth Sector Superhumans
  AVERAGE KNOWLEDGE SKILL CATEGORIES
  Very Broad 
  Broad 
  Average 
  Precise 
  Very Precise
  Solar system 
  Planet or world 
  Continent (or like region) 
  Nation 
  Province, city, race, people, tribe
  Sol System Cultures 
  Earth Cultures 
  African Cultures 
  Nigerian Culture 
  Yoruba Culture
   
   
  European Cultures 
  French Culture 
  Gascon Culture
   
   
  Asian Cultures 
  Chinese Culture 
  Hakka Chinese Culture
   
   
  The Martial World 
   
   
  Earth Art History 
  Sol System History 
  Earth History 
  European History 
  British History 
  History of London
   
  Turakian Age History 
  Westlands  History 
  Mhendarian Palatinate History 
  History of the River District
   
   
   
   
  History of Mhendarian Nobility
   
   
   
   
  History of Mhendarian  
   
   
   
   
       Palatinate 1200-1600
  Sol System Literature 
  Earth Literature 
  European Literature 
  British Literature 
  London Literature
   
   
   
  Jewish Literature 
  British Jewish Literature
  Sol System Superhumans Earth Superhumans 
  North American Superhumans Superhumans of the USA 
  Vibora Bay Superhumans 
   
   
   
  Superheroes 
  VIPER 
  VIPER in Europe
   
   
  Supervillains
  PRECISE KNOWLEDGE SKILL CATEGORIES
  Extremely Precise 
  Incredibly Precise 
  Extraordinarily Precise 
  Unimaginably Precise
  Speciﬁc region, speciﬁc racial  
  Speciﬁc neighborhood, speciﬁc  
  Speciﬁc person 
  Speciﬁc subject about a  
     or tribal group, speciﬁc family 
    subject relating to a speciﬁc group 
   
     speciﬁc person
  Black River Yoruba Culture 
  Black River Yoruba Medical Culture 
  Fulani Okonkwo 
  Okonkwo’s Medical Practices
  House de Gascon Culture 
  De Gascon Military Culture 
  Valerie de Gascon 
  de Gascon’s Military Tactics
  Wing Chu Culture 
  Wing Chu Art History 
  Wing Chu Xian 
  Wing Chu Xian’s Artwork
  History Of London Nobility 
  History of the House of Wellington 
  Lord Wellington 
  The Battle of Waterloo
  History of House Betarra 
  Betarran Military History 
  History of Janak Betarra 
  History of Janak Betarra’s Battles
  History of the Scarlet Hills Orcs  
  Scarlet Hills Orcs Treaties History 
  History of Twelve Deers, Scarlet   
  History of Twelve Deer’s 
   
   
     Hills Orc shaman  
     study of Shamanism
  London Jewish Literature 
  London Poetry 
  Charles Dickens 
  David Copperﬁeld
   
  Jewish Medical Literature 
  Moorish Jews’ Medical Literature 
  Millennium City Superheroes 
  The Champions 
  Defender 
  Defender’s Defensive Technology
  VIPER In France 
  VIPER In Paris 
  VIPER Nest Leader In Paris 
  VIPER Nest Leader’s Hobbies
  
  212 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ters to know facts too far removed from their core 
  knowledge base unless they have extremely high 
  rolls (or access to a library, computer database, or 
  other collection of information deﬁned with a high 
  KS roll). Gamemasters may want to signiﬁcantly 
  reduce the penalties in campaigns with a more “cin-
  ematic” feel, such as many Space Opera and High 
  Fantasy games.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Knowledge Skills do not involve or require 
  any equipment; they’re purely personal Skills. 
  However, characters with KSs often take advan-
  tage of libraries, databases, reference books, 
  maps, and similar sources of information to 
  improve their chances of knowing a particular 
  fact. (In fact, the large penalties for knowing 
  obscure facts often make reference materials 
  mandatory.) See page 371 for rules and informa-
  tion regarding the optional Research Skill.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  In most cases, a failed KS roll simply means 
  the character doesn’t know the answer to a particu-
  lar question, can’t remember a speciﬁc fact, or the 
  like. A badly failed roll (by 4 or more) may mean he 
  thinks he knows the answer, but is incorrect (this 
  may have embarrassing or dangerous consequences 
  for him, or simply be inconvenient).
  BASE TIMES
  Remembering a fact or answering a ques-
  tion usually requires a Full Phase (possibly 
  less). Researching a fact or subject requires a 
  minimum Base Time of 20 Minutes per step up 
  or down from “Average” on the Knowledge Skill 
  Categories Table (for example, researching an 
  “Extremely Broad” fact requires a minimum Base 
  Time of 1 Hour, an “Extraordinarily Precise” fact 
  takes 1 Hour, 40 Minutes). The GM can adjust 
  this Base Time up or down as he sees fit depend-
  ing on the obscurity of the fact and other factors; 
  the optional new Research Skill (page 371) may 
  reduce the time required.
  UNIFYING KNOWLEDGE SKILL
  Knowledge Skill is such a broad Skill that it 
  generally shouldn’t be “uniﬁed”; that would spoil its 
  usefulness and ﬂavor. If you’re interested in sugges-
  tions for making it easier for characters to buy lots 
  of KSs cheaply, see the optional rules in the Skill 
  Enhancers section in Chapter One.
  KNOWLEDGE SKILLS BY GENRE
  Knowledge Skills work the same in all genres. 
  Genre books published by Hero Games often 
  include lists of common or especially relevant/
  useful KSs for a given genre.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  213 
  LANGUAGE
  Type:   
  Background Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  1-5 Character Points (see Fluency Table)
  This Background Skill represents a level of ﬂuency 
  in, and knowledge of, a language.
  Every character knows his native language for 
  free (at the 4-point level as described in the Fluency 
  Table; see below about splitting these points among 
  two or more Languages). Learning other languages 
  costs Character Points. The Fluency Table indicates 
  the point cost of each level of ﬂuency in a language.
  LEVELS OF FLUENCY
  At the GM’s option, a character can buy knowl-
  edge of Basic Words in a language — no more than 
  a few dozen words, usually common ones — for ½ 
  Character Point. (Since the minimum cost of anything 
  is 1 Character Point, this is only relevant if the char-
  acter buys two, four, or some other even number of 
  languages at the Basic Words level; otherwise the odd 
  one gets rounded up to a cost of 1 Character Point.) 
  Buying knowledge of Basic Words in a language does 
  not grant access to the Language Familiarity Table if 
  it’s used in the campaign; the character doesn’t know 
  enough of the language to derive any knowledge of 
  related languages.
  At the Basic Conversation level of ﬂuency, a 
  character can conduct simple conversations. He 
  knows few (if any) complex or technical words, but 
  he can talk about the weather, current events, his 
  latest activities, and so on.
  At the Fluent Conversation level of ﬂuency, a 
  character can conduct just about any type of conver-
  sation, including ones related to obscure or complex 
  subjects. However, he may not know rare or technical 
  words and still may have diﬃculty understanding 
  speech that’s spoken too quickly, contains too many 
  slang or contracted words, or the like.
  At the Completely Fluent level of ﬂuency, a 
  character knows the language thoroughly, including 
  rare, technical, and slang terms... but he still speaks 
  with an accent. At the Idiomatic level, the accent 
  disappears, but he isn’t necessarily fully conversant 
  with unusual dialects or the like — that requires the 
  Imitate Dialects level of ﬂuency.
  LANGUAGE BASICS
  A Language allows a character both to speak 
  that language in ways other speakers can under-
  stand and to understand what other speakers say 
  to him. (See below regarding literacy.) A character 
  without complete command of a language (i.e., 
  who knows it at less than the 5-point level) may 
  sometimes have to make an INT Roll to under-
  stand phrases that are very rapid, slurred, or in 
  obscure or strange accents or dialects, or to speak 
  or undersand phrases featuring unusual, obscure, 
  or obsolete words. A character who has 2 or more 
  Character Points’ ﬂuency in a language is qualiﬁed 
  for a job as an interpreter between it and any other 
  language he knows at the same (or greater) level, 
  though most professional interpreters have at least 
  3 Character Points’ ﬂuency (if not more).
  Knowing a language may grant a character 
  some basic knowledge of the culture and lifestyle 
  of the people who speak that language. The struc-
  ture of the tongue, the commonality of words 
  within it, and the emphasis it places on certain 
  subjects may confer insight into the minds of the 
  speakers (though not nearly as much as a Cultural 
  Knowledge Skill would). Similarly, it might grant 
  some basic geographical knowledge of the country 
  where the language is spoken, and so on. This may 
  depend on where and how the character learned 
  the language. For example, classroom instruction in 
  German is more likely to give the character a little 
  knowledge of German culture and geography than 
  learning German by spending a lot of time with 
  a native German speaker who’s in the character’s 
  Space Marines brigade.
  LINGUISTIC COMPLEXITY
  The Fluency Table assumes all languages are of 
  roughly the same complexity. For campaigns desir-
  ing greater “realism,” you can rank Languages based 
  on their complexity, and vary the cost accordingly. 
  The accompanying Language Complexity Table 
  provides suggested guidelines for such a system, but 
  the GM may change it if he sees ﬁt.
  Using this system, a Very Simple Language has 
  so few words, such simple structure, or is so easily 
  learned that even a single point buys a character 
  more than just Basic Conversation knowledge with 
  them. (Or, to put it another way, perhaps “Basic 
  Conversation” is the highest level of communica-
  tion characters can use so simple a language for.) 
  Few regularly-spoken languages qualify for this 
  level, but it’s appropriate for many argots, systems 
  of slang, and other primitive, simple, or restricted-
  use languages. A thieves’ cant in a Fantasy setting, 
  cockney rhyming slang, modern American urban 
  gang slang, or a battle-language created by an elite 
  military unit might all count as Very Simply Lan-
  guages. Simple Languages are similar, but slightly 
  more complex or broader in scope (such as a well-
  developed battle code or body of slang).
  Average Languages include the vast majority 
  of Languages, such as French, German, Spanish, 
  Swahili, or Thai. Complex Languages are those 
  languages which, due to their breadth, structure, 
  number of words, alphabet, frequency of irregu-
  lar word forms, or other factors are difficult for 
  non-native speakers to learn. This would include 
  Arabic, English (the largest vocabulary of any 
  Human language, multiple irregular word forms), 
  Finnish (long compound words, 15 noun cases), 
  FLUENCY TABLE
  Fluency  
  Character Points
  Basic Words 
  ½ (see text)
  Basic Conversation 
  1
  Fluent Conversation 
  2
  Completely Fluent, with accent 
  3
  Idiomatic, native accent 
  4
  Imitate dialects 
  5
  Literacy (if not standard for society) +1 point (see text)
  HUMAN  
  LANGUAGES
  No one knows exactly 
  how many languages 
  humans have created 
  and spoken throughout 
  their history. Estimates 
  for the number of 
  languages range from 
  30,000 to as many as 
  500,000.
  As of the late twenti-
  eth/early twenty-ﬁrst 
  century, scholars esti-
  mate that from about 
  3,000 to about 10,000 
  languages are spoken 
  on Earth. Most experts 
  have settled on a ﬁgure 
  of 6,000 languages, 
  but many are spoken 
  only by small popula-
  tions:  approximately 
  one-fourth of these 
  languages are spoken by 
  less than 1,000 people, 
  and half have fewer than 
  10,000 speakers.
  As of 2006, the most 
  commonly spoken 
  languages in terms of 
  number of native speak-
  ers are, in order:  Man-
  darin Chinese; Hindi; 
  Spanish; English; Arabic; 
  Portuguese; Bengali; 
  Russian; Japanese; and 
  German. (Some esti-
  mates put Punjabi ahead 
  of German by a few 
  million speakers, and 
  scholars often disagree 
  regarding exactly how 
  many speakers a given 
  language has.) If one 
  includes second-lan-
  guage speakers, English 
  becomes the world’s 
  dominant language, with 
  over 1.2 billion speakers 
  by some estimates.
  
  214 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Hungarian (complex vocabulary and grammar), 
  Japanese, and Russian (long compound words, 
  odd consonant clusters, multiple cases/verb 
  aspects/genders, unpredictable stress). Very Com-
  plex languages, such as Mandarin and most other 
  forms of Chinese, are even more difficult to learn 
  and speak due to their structure, use of multiple 
  pronunciation schemes, or other factors. The GM 
  decides which category a given Language falls 
  into, using Average as the default.
  This system has no effect on a character’s 
  native Language received as an Everyman Skill 
  — regardless of the cost listed, the character 
  receives an “Idiomatic, native accent” level of flu-
  ency in his native tongue.
  LITERACY
  Most (though not all) languages have a writ-
  ten form. In campaigns where literacy is common 
  (such as virtually all modern-day and Star Hero 
  games), characters receive Literacy with every lan-
  guage they know for free.
  In campaigns where literacy is unusual (like 
  most Fantasy settings), characters must spend +1 
  Character Point for Literacy with a given language. 
  This includes the native Language he receives for 
  free as an Everyman Skill; Literacy with the native 
  Language isn’t free in campaigns where Literacy 
  isn’t standard. Thus, if a character knows four lan-
  guages (his native tongue plus three he’s paid points 
  for) and wants to be able to write them all, he must 
  spend 4 Character Points. At the GM’s option, a 
  character can simply spend a ﬂat 1 Character Point 
  for Literacy with all the languages he knows; this is 
  a good rule for campaigns where characters need 
  to know lots of languages but aren’t built on a lot of 
  Character Points.
  Alternately, the GM might charge for Literacy 
  at the rate of 1 Character Point per alphabet. Thus, a 
  character who pays 1 point to read English (which 
  uses the Latin alphabet) could read any other 
  language written in the Latin alphabet (though of 
  course he couldn’t understand what he was reading 
  unless he also knew the language being read).
  In campaigns where characters must pay for 
  Literacy, characters with the Linguist Skill Enhancer 
  cannot get Literacy with their native Language for 
  free; it costs 1 Character Point (the minimum cost 
  of anything). Nor does Literacy aﬀect how well a 
  character knows other languages using the Lan-
  guage Familiarity Table (see below).
  Literacy Complexity
  Some languages have multiple written forms. 
  For example, Ancient Egyptian can be written in 
  the complex hieroglyphics, the hieratic cursive 
  script derived from them, or the simpler demotic; 
  Japanese has three diﬀerent writing forms (kanji, 
  kana, and Latin alphabet). Languages with ideo-
  grammatic writing systems, such as Chinese, are 
  also extremely complex and diﬃcult to learn.
  Therefore, the GM may wish to consider 
  expanding the cost for Literacy based on complex-
  ity. Most Languages are relatively easy to write and 
  only cost 1 Character Point for Literacy. This would 
  include virtually all alphabetic languages, such as 
  English (and other languages written with the Latin 
  alphabet), Swedish, Russian, and Greek. Languages 
  with more complex writing systems — such as the 
  ones described above — would cost 2 Character 
  Points (or even more) for Literacy. If a language has 
  multiple written forms, typically buying Literacy 
  once allows a character to use any of them, but the 
  GM may charge 1 Character Point (or more) per 
  form of writing if desired.
  Languages Without Spoken Form
  Some languages have no spoken form — or, 
  more accurately, modern humans don’t know how 
  they were spoken since they died out long ago. Exam-
  ples include Ancient Egyptian, Sanskrit, and Sume-
  rian. Characters buying these languages must pay the 
  standard cost for them. They can still speak them, it’s 
  just that they can’t guarantee that their pronunciation 
  matches that of the true speakers of the tongue. This 
  may also cause problems if two characters try to com-
  municate in the same written-only language but have 
  diﬀerent opinions on how to pronounce words, or in 
  a time-travel campaign where the heroes’ mispronun-
  ciation of words will cause them diﬃculties until they 
  learn to speak better.
  LANGUAGES AND ANIMALS
  Many animals have ways to communicate with 
  other members of their species; this is represented 
  by the Everycreature Language Skill noted on page 
  44. Other animals learn to communicate in more 
  advanced ways. For example, they may learn a 1-
  point Language, Hand Signs, to understand the hand 
  signals and gestures their master uses to give them 
  commands. More intelligent animals, including many 
  bought as Followers, may have ½ or 1 Character Point 
  (no more) in a human language, such as English or 
  French. This allows them to understand spoken com-
  mands or statements from their master (or anyone 
  else, for that matter), but not to speak back (even if 
  they can mimic human speech).
  LANGUAGE COMPLEXITY TABLE
   
  Very 
   
   
   
  Very
  Fluency 
  Simple 
  Simple 
  Average 
  Complex 
  Complex
  Basic Words 
  — 
  — 
  ½ 
  1 
  2
  Basic Conversation 
  — 
  — 
  1 
  2 
  3
  Fluent Conversation 
  — 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4
  Completely Fluent, with accent 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5
  Idiomatic, native accent  
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6
  Imitate dialects 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  7
  BRAILLE, SIGN  
  LANGUAGE, AND 
  MORSE CODE
  Humans have invented 
  many diﬀerent ways to 
  communicate other than 
  speaking and writing. 
  Some of these include 
  Braille (which allows 
  blind people to read), 
  various forms of sign lan-
  guage (which allow deaf 
  people to “talk”), sema-
  phore, and Morse Code 
  (for use with telegraphs).
  Characters who want 
  to know one of these 
  “languages” simply 
  have to pay 1 Character 
  Point for an appropriate 
  form of Literacy (such 
  as Literacy (Braille) or 
  Literacy (American Sign 
  Language)). They can 
  then use that Literacy 
  with any Languages they 
  know that use the same 
  alphabet for which he 
  learned the Literacy. For 
  example, suppose a char-
  acter has English as his 
  native Language and can 
  also speak French and 
  Finnish. He learns Ameri-
  can Sign Language, which 
  uses the Latin alphabet. 
  He can use ASL to “sign” 
  words in any of his three 
  Languages, since they all 
  use the Latin alphabet. 
  But he couldn’t use ASL 
  to sign words in Russian 
  or Greek, even if he knew 
  them, because they use 
  diﬀerent alphabets (he 
  might be able to use ASL 
  to sign Russian or Greek 
  words phonetically, how-
  ever). But he could spend 
  another point to learn 
  a form of sign language 
  compatible with Russian 
  and its Cyrillic alphabet if 
  he wanted to.
  Some sign languages, 
  such as the one used by 
  the Plains Indians in 
  the nineteenth century, 
  are actual gesture-based 
  languages used as a 
  form of communication 
  by two people who don’t 
  share a common spoken 
  language. These sign 
  languages are bought as 
  normal Languages, not 
  as a form of Literacy.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  215 
  In some Fantasy Hero games, animals can 
  speak with each other, and sometimes humans, 
  quite clearly. If this applies in your campaign, each 
  animal may have its own language (Porcupine, 
  Dragon, Bluebird, Rabbit), a language based on 
  animal type (Mammalian, Avian, Draconic, Feline), 
  and/or even normal languages spoken by sentient 
  races. You could even create an “Animal Language 
  Familiarity Chart” showing the relationships among 
  various animal languages.
  The Language  
  Familiarity Table
  It’s been known for centuries that some lan-
  guages relate closely to other languages... and 
  are completely unrelated to other tongues. For 
  additional “realism,” you can represent this in 
  HERO System terms with the optional Language 
  Familiarity Table beginning on page 217. If the GM 
  chooses to allow use of the Chart in his campaign, a 
  Language’s cost depends on how closely it relates to 
  languages the character already knows.
  Languages enclosed by a thin box with 
  rounded corners have 4 points of similarity. These 
  Languages are so similar that they overlap — a 
  character with points in one of them has half 
  those points in all other Languages in that group, 
  up to a maximum of 3 points (halves round 
  down). For instance, a character with 4 points 
  of German has, effectively, 2 points of Yiddish, 
  Plattdeutsch, and Luxembourgian.
  Languages enclosed by a thick box with rounded 
  corners have 3 points of similarity. Characters with 
  2 or more Character Points in any Language in that 
  group may make an INT Roll to understand phrases 
  in other languages in that group. The GM may modify 
  the roll based on the length of the speech, how well 
  the character hears the speech, the complexity of the 
  words and phrases used, and similar factors. Also, 
  other Languages in that group cost -1 Character Point 
  to learn (the minimum 1-point investment gets the 
  character 2 points of eﬀectiveness in the Language). 
  Roughly speaking, a thick, rounded box represents 
  a branch of a linguistic subgroup within a language 
  family, such as the Finnic and Ugric branches of the 
  Finno-Ugric subgroup of the Uralic And Altaic family.
  Languages enclosed by a thin box with 
  square corners have 2 points of similarity; char-
  acters may learn any other Languages in such 
  boxes at -1 Character Point cost. Roughly speak-
  ing, a thin, squared box represents a language 
  subgroup, such as the Finno-Ugric subgroup of 
  the Uralic And Altaic family.
  Languages enclosed by a thick box with square 
  corners have 1-point of similarity; there is no cost 
  beneﬁt or penalty for learning these Languages. 
  Roughly speaking, a thick, squared box represents 
  a language family, such as Indo-European, Uralic 
  And Altaic, Hamito-Semitic, or Sino-Tibetan. (This 
  comparison breaks down slightly with the vast and 
  intensely-studied Indo-European family, which in 
  game terms has several other “family” boxes within 
  its “superfamily” box.)
  At the GM’s option, Languages outside the 
  thick box with square corners where the character’s 
  native language is located cost +1 Character Point 
  (one additional point) — Basic Conversation costs 
  2 Character Points, Fluent Conversation costs 3 
  Character Points, and so on. After buying his ﬁrst 
  Language in a given thick-square box, a character 
  can learn other Languages in that same thick-
  square box using the standard rules. (In some Star 
  Hero games, the alienness of a Language may also 
  increase its cost; see below.)
  Example:  Fast Eddie knows English as his native 
  language; he has it at the 4-point level. He can 
  make INT Rolls to understand people speaking in 
  Anglo-Saxon, Frisian, Afrikaans, Dutch, Flemish, 
  German, Yiddish, Plattdeutsch, or Luxembourg-
  ian. The length of the speech, how well he heard 
  the speaker, and other factors modify this INT 
  Roll. Eddie may learn German without too much 
  trouble:  for a 3 Character Point cost he could 
  have 4 points of German. This automatically gives 
  Eddie the ability to speak Yiddish, Plattdeutsch, 
  and Luxembourgian at the 2-point level.
  Eddie also learns Fluent Conversation in Man-
  darin Chinese. Since Mandarin has no similar-
  ity to English and the GM’s using the optional 
  rule, it costs him 3 Character Points to earn 
  2 points’ worth of ﬂuency in Mandarin. Now, 
  however, Eddie can learn Cantonese for -1 
  Character Point cost, since he knows another 
  language in that group.
  On the Language Familiarity Table, Languages 
  marked with an asterisk (*) are extinct — they’re no 
  longer spoken by anyone on an everyday basis, or at 
  best are spoken by a tiny, restricted group for lim-
  ited purposes. At the GM’s option, such Languages 
  cost +1 Character Point (one additional point).
  LANGUAGE FAMILIARITY TABLE RULES
  If a campaign uses the Language Familiarity 
  Table, its eﬀects are cumulative with the Linguist 
  Skill Enhancer. For example, a character who has 
  Danish as a native Language (4 points’ worth) and 
  Linguist has 3 Character Points’ worth of Swedish 
  and Norwegian for free, instead of the normal 2 
  points, because the Skill Enhancer eﬀectively gives 
  him another point in each of those languages for 
  free. The GM may change this rule if appropriate 
  for the campaign or a particular situation.
  TRANSLATION ONLY
  Sometimes a character 
  doesn’t want to be able 
  to speak a language, but 
  wants to be skilled at 
  translating languages 
  with the help of refer-
  ence texts, his own 
  intuition, and the like. 
  Instead of buying Lan-
  guages, a character like 
  this should buy Cryp-
  tography with the Trans-
  lation Only Limitation 
  (see page 164).
   LANGUAGE FAMILIARITY TABLE  
  QUICK-REFERENCE TABLE
  Type Of Box 
  Degree Of Familiarity
  Thin Line, Rounded Corners 
  4 points of similarity; character has half the points he 
  has in one Language in this group with all other Lan-
  guages in that group
  Thick Line, Rounded Corners 3 points of similarity; may make INT Roll to under-
  stand phrases in other Languages; other Languages 
  cost -1 Character Point to learn
  Thin Line, Square Corners 
  2 points of similarity; other Languages cost  
  -1 Character Point to learn
  Thick Line, Square Corners 
  1 point of similarity; no beneﬁt
  
  216 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  If a character buys multiple languages that can 
  reduce the cost of a single other Language via the 
  Language Familiarity Table, he does not get all the 
  cost reductions. A character can only get one cost 
  reduction per Language, though he may take the 
  most advantageous reduction available based on all 
  the Languages he knows.
  As noted in the example above, a character’s 
  native Language (which he gets for free) reduces 
  the cost of Languages he pays points for when 
  using the Language Familiarity Table. It can even 
  give him other Languages for free.
  In campaigns where characters must pay 
  for Literacy, the cost of Literacy does not affect 
  how many points a character receives in other 
  Languages for free via the Language Familiar-
  ity Table. For example, if a character buys Dutch 
  (completely fluent, Literacy) for a total cost of 3 
  + 1 = 4 Character Points, he receives only 1 point 
  of Afrikaans for free (half of 3, rounded down, 
  rather than half of 4).
  EARLIER VERSIONS OF LANGUAGES
  For the sake of simplicity and to save space, 
  the Language Familiarity Table generally does not 
  list “earlier” or “simpler” versions of most modern 
  languages. For example, the Table includes English 
  (and even Anglo-Saxon) but not Middle English. 
  Depending on the GM’s judgment as to the rela-
  tionship between modern and earlier forms of a 
  language, characters should be considered to have 
  2-4 points of familiarity with “earlier” versions of 
  any Language they can speak.
  Language As An Intellect Skill
  Languages have an unusual cost structure, dif-
  ferent from any other Skill in the HERO System. For 
  the sake of consistency, GMs may wish to convert 
  Languages into an Intellect Skill costing 3 Charac-
  ter Points for the standard (9 + (INT/5)) roll. The 
  accompanying table lists the roll that matches vari-
  ous degrees of ﬂuency. Converting Languages into 
  an Intellect Skill does not prevent you from using 
  the Language Familiarity Table.
  If the GM uses this system, you can apply stan-
  dard Skill Modiﬁers to Language rolls, representing 
  such factors as the thickness of a speaker’s accent, how 
  long he speaks, ambient noise, complex phrasing, the 
  use of technical vocabulary, and similar factors. In 
  most cases, characters won’t have to make any sort of 
  roll to speak normally. But if a roll is necessary, then 
  even a character with just an 8- or 11- gets a +3 to +5 
  bonus for “routine” speech, making the roll a virtual 
  certainty in most situations. Similarly, with the GM’s 
  permission a character could make Language rolls 
  as Complementary Skill Rolls when using Skills like 
  Conversation, Oratory, and Persuasion — if the roll 
  succeeds, he’s chosen “just the right word” or made the 
  right turn of phrase.
  Even if the GM keeps the standard cost struc-
  ture for Languages, you can use the rolls indicated 
  in the accompanying table in situations when char-
  acters need to make rolls to use their Languages or 
  understand a speaker.
  Other Language Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Languages do not involve or require any 
  equipment; knowing one is a purely personal Skill. 
  But some genres, such as Fantasy and Science Fic-
  tion, may feature devices that can automatically 
  translate a character’s speech into another language 
  and allow him to understand responses (crude 
  versions of such technology are available in the 
  modern day).
  POWERS AND LANGUAGES
  As noted on page 231 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised, Telepathy doesn’t depend on 
  language. It transcends linguistic barriers, allowing 
  two persons who don’t speak the same language to 
  communicate easily. This also applies to Mind Link 
  and the Telepathic Advantage for Mind Control.
  Because Summon requires a character to give 
  commands and instructions to the beings he Sum-
  mons (or at least negotiate with them for services), 
  it assumes the character has the means to commu-
  nicate instructions to the Sumonee via speech and 
  make himself understood. Typically this means the 
  Power temporarily grants the Summonee the ability 
  to understand the character’s speech (and respond 
  in simple terms), but this may depend on the spe-
  cial eﬀects of the power and other circumstances. 
  In any event, Summon does not grant a character 
  any Languages for general use for free.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time needed for speaking or listen-
  ing depends on the length of the speech, though in-
  game soliloquies are usually considered as Actions 
  that take no time (since, dramatically speaking, in 
  novels, movies, and comic books the action “pauses” 
  when someone says something important). At a 
  minimum, a conversation between two characters 
  usually takes a Full Phase.
  UNIFYING LANGUAGE
  Language is about as subdivided as a Skill can 
  get already. For games where GMs don’t want to 
  worry about characters’ ability to communicate, 
  they might be allowed to buy Languages by larger 
  groups — linguistic branches or subgroups. For 
  example, for 2 Character Points a character might 
  buy ﬂuent conversation in Germanic Languages 
  (English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, and 
  the other languages in their thick-square box on 
  LANGUAGE AS INTELLECT SKILL
  Level Of Fluency 
  Roll 
  Cost
  Basic Words 
  6-* 
  ½ (no Skill Levels apply)
  Basic Conversation 
  8- 
  1 (no Skill Levels apply)
  Fluent Conversation 
  11- 
  2 (no Skill Levels apply)
  Completely Fluent, with accent 
  12- 
  3 (INT Roll)
  Idiomatic, native accent  
  14- 
  Varies
  Imitate dialects 
  16- 
  Varies
  *:  If the GM uses this system, the Untrained Skill Use rules do not apply to Languages.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  217 
  INDO-EUROPEAN FAMILY
  *:  extinct language
  Kaﬁri
  Kashmiri
  Khowar
  Kohistani
  Romany (Gypsy)
  Shina
  Pali*
  Prakrit*
  Sanskrit*
  Vedic*
  Hindi
  Urdu
  Assamese
  Bengali
  Bihari
  Oriya
  Punjabi
  Sindhi
  Nepali
  Pahari (Central)
  Pahari (Western)
  Sinhalese
  Maldivian
  Marathi
  Bhili
  Gujarati
  Rajasthani
  Avestan*
  Old Persian*
  Baluchi
  Khwarazmian*
  Ossetian
  Pamir
  Pashto (Afghan)
  Saka*
  Sogdian*
  Yaghnobi
  Latvian (Lettish)
  Lithuanian
  Old Prussian*
  Burgundian*
  Gothic*
  Vandalic*
  Danish
  Norwegian
  Swedish
  Faroese
  Icelandic
  Old Norse*
  English
  Frisian
  Anglo-Saxon*
  Afrikaans
  Dutch
  Flemish
  German
  Yiddish
  Luxembourgian
  Plattdeutsch
  Arabic (Modern)
  Hebrew
  Kurdish
  Parthian*
  Tajik
  Farsi (Persian)
  Esperanto
  Friulian
  Italian
  Ladin
  Moldavian
  Romanian
  Romansch
  Sardinian
  Catalan
  Ladino
  Portuguese
  Spanish
  Haitian Creole
  Langue d’oil*
  Provençal
  French
  Latin*
  Faliscan*
  Oscan*
  Umbrian*
  Aeolic*
  Arcadian*
  Cyprian*
  Doric*
  Greek (Byzantine)*
  Greek (Koine)*
  Greek (Modern)
  Ionic*
  Hieroglyphic 
  Hittite*
  Hittite*
  Luwian*
  Lycian*
  Lydian*
  Palaic*
  Minoan*
  Mycenaean*
  Breton
  Cornish*
  Welsh
  Gaulish*
  Irish
  Manx*
  Scottish Gaelic
  Armenian
  Grabar*
  Phrygian*
  Albanian
  Illyrian*
  Thracian*
  Byelorussian
  Russian
  Ukrainian
  Czech
  Slovak
  Kashubian
  Polabian*
  Polish
  Sorbian (Lusatian)
  Bulgarian
  Macedonian
  Church Slavonic
  Serbo-Croatian
  Slovenian
  Agnean*
  Kuchean*
  
  218 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Farsi (see ﬁrst page)
  HAMITO-SEMITIC 
  (or AFRO-ASIATIC) FAMILY
  Amharic  
  (Abyssinian)
  Geez*
  Harari
  Tigre
  Tigrinya
  URALIC AND ALTAIC FAMILY
  CAUCASIAN FAMILY
  Berber (Modern)
  Kabyle
  Rifﬁan
  Siwi
  Tuareg (Tamashek)
  Zanaga
  Afar
  Saho
  Beja
  Burji
  Galla (Oromo)
  Geleba
  Gimira
  Janjaro
  Kaffa
  Konso
  Maji
  Sidamo
  Somali
  Angas
  Bolewa
  Gwandara
  Hausa
  Hiji
  Kuseri
  Mandara
  Ngala
  Ron
  Shirawa
  Sokoro
  Arabic (Modern)
  Arabic (Classical)*
  Arabic (Eastern)
  Arabic (Egyptian)
  Arabic (Southern)
  Maltese
  Hebrew  
  (Israeli)^
  Hebrew  
  (Classical)*
  Moabite*
  Phoenician*
  Punic*
  Ugaritic*
  Kushite*
  Old Akkadian*
  Assyrian*
  Babylonian*
  Aramaic*
  Nabataean*
  Palestinian*
  Palmyrene*
  Samaritan*
  Syriac*
  Egyptian, Ancient*
  Coptic*
  ^Yiddish (see ﬁrst page)
  Cheremis (Mari)
  Estonian
  Finnish (Suomi)
  Karelian
  Komi
  Lappish
  Mordvin
  Permian
  Udmurt (Votyak)
  Hungarian  
  (Magyar)
  Ostyak (Khanty)
  Vogul (Mansi)
  Samoyed
  Salar
  Uigur
  Uzbek
  Azerbaijani
  Chuvash
  Turkish
  Turkoman 
  (Turkmen)
  Balkar
  Bashkir
  Karachai
  Kara-Kalpak
  Kazakh
  Kazar
  Kirghiz
  Kumyk
  Noghay (Nogai)
  Tatar
  Altai
  Khakass
  Tuvinian
  Buryat
  Kalmyk 
  (Kalmuck)
  Mongolian 
  (Khalkha)
  Even (Lamut)
  Evenki (Tungus)
  Manchu
  Nanai (Gold)
  Sibo
  Yakut
  Abazinian
  Abkhazian
  Adyghe
  Circassian
  Kabardian
  Avar
  Dargin
  Lak
  Lesgin
  Tabasaran
  Chechen
  Ingush
  Georgian
  
  Chukchi
  Kamchadal
  Koryak
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  219 
  Balinese
  Batak
  Bikol
  Buginese
  Dayak
  Ilocano
  Indonesian
  Malay
  Javanese
  Madurese
  Malagasy
  Sundanese
  Tagalog
  Visayan
  DRAVIDIAN 
  FAMILY
  Bahnar
  Cambodian (Khmer)
  Cham
  Khasi
  Mon (Taliang)
  Nicobarese
  Paluang
  Sakai
  Samang
  Sedang
  Wa (Kawa)
  MON-KHMER 
  FAMILY
  Muong
  Vietnamese
  ANNAMESE- 
  MUONG 
  FAMILY
  Mandarin
  Amoy-Swatow
  Cantonese
  Fukienese (Min)
  Hakka
  Hsiang
  Wu
  Chuang
  Lao
  Nung
  Puyi 
  (Chungchia)
  Shan
  Tung
  Thai
  Burmese
  Bodo
  Chin
  Kachin 
  (Chingpawa)
  Karen
  Newari
  Tibetan
  Yi (Lolo)
  Miao
  Yao
  SINO- 
  TIBETAN 
  FAMILY
  Fijian
  Malo
  Marovo
  Mono
  Motu
  Tolai
  Yabim
  Chamorro
  Caroline
  Gilbertese
  Marianas
  Marshallese
  Nauruan
  Ponapean
  Trukese
  Yapese
  Hawaiian
  Maori
  Marquesan
  Niuean
  Raratongan
  Samoan
  Tahitian
  Tongan
  Tuamotu
  Uvea
  MALAYO-POLYNESIAN (or 
  AUSTRONESIAN) FAMILY
  LUORA- 
  WETLAN  
  (or PALEO-
  ASIATIC) 
  FAMILY
  MUNDA 
  FAMILY
  Malayalam
  Tamil
  Brahui
  Gondi
  Kanarese
  Kui
  Kurukh (Oraon)
  Telugu
  Tulu
  Ho
  Mundari
  Santali
  Korku
  Savara (Sora)
  
  220 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Bemba
  Ganda
  Kikuyu
  Kongo
  Lingala
  Luba
  Makua
  Kimbundu
  Umbundu
  Ruanda
  Rundi
  Shona
  Sotho
  Swahili
  Swazi
  Thonga
  Xhosa
  Zulu
  Dyola
  Fulani
  Gola
  Kissi
  Temne
  Wolof
  NIGER-KORDOFANIAN 
  (or NIGER-CONGO) FAMILY
  Bambara
  Dyula
  Loma
  Malinke
  Mende
  Soninke
  Vai
  Dagomba
  Mamprusi
  Mossi
  Eﬁk
  Jukun
  Tiv
  Banda
  Sango
  Zande
  Akan
  Ashanti
  Bini
  Ewe
  Ibo
  Nupe
  Yoruban
  Ijo
  Katla
  Koalib
  Talodi
  Tegali
  Tumtum
  Birked
  Midobi
  Acholi
  Dinka
  Nuer
  Shilluk
  Bari
  Lotuko
  Masai
  Teso
  Turkana
  Kalenjin
  Suk (Pokot)
  Bongo-Bagirmi
  Efe
  Mangbetu
  Berta
  Kunama
  Ganza
  Gule
  Gumuz
  Koma
  Mao
  Uduk
  Daza
  Kanuri
  Teda
  Zaghawa
  Maba
  Nubian
  Songhai
  Fur
  NILO-SAHARAN  
  (or CHARI-NILE,  
  or MACRO-SUDANIC) 
  FAMILY
  Bushman
  Hottentot
  Hatsa (Hadzapi)
  Sandawe
  KHOISAN 
  FAMILY
  Alyawara
  Anmatjirra
  Aranda
  Bandjalang
  Diyari
  Dyangadi
  Gugadja
  Nyangumarda
  Pitjantjatjara
  Warlpiri
  Yindjibarndi
  Wangganguru
  Burarran
  Djamindjungan
  Djeragan
  Mangerrian
  Maran
  Mingin (Murngin)
  Nyulnyulan
  Tiwi
  Waray
  Wororan
  Yanyuwa
  Yiwaidjan
  Aboriginal 
  Languages
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  221 
  Hulliche (Kunko)
  Mapuche
  Picunche
  Cana
  Caranga
  Lupaca
  Pacasa
  Ubina
  Ayacucho
  Aymara
  Chinchaya
  Cuzqueño
  Quechua (Incan)
  Quiteño
  Tucumano
  Tupí
  Guaraní
  Aguaruna
  Cofan
  Jívaro
  Palta
  Yaruro
  Arawak
  Taino*
  ANDEAN-
  EQUTORIAL 
  FAMILY
  Aleut
  Eskmo 
  (Inuit, Inuktitut)
  ESKIMO-
  ALEUT 
  FAMILY
  Bororo
  Carib
  Cacibo
  Ge
  Tacana
  GE-PANO-
  CARIB 
  FAMILY
  Chibcha*
  Cuna
  Mosquito
  Paez
  San Blas
  MACRO-
  CHIBCHAN 
  FAMILY
  Chichimec
  Nahuatl (Aztec)
  Nahuatlato*
  Pipil
  Pochutla
  Toltec*
  Huichol
  Papago
  Pima
  Tarahumare
  Yaqui
  Comanche
  Goshute
  Shoshone
  Ute
  Hopi
  Paiute
  Jemez
  Kiowa
  Taos
  Zuñi
  Tewa
  Tiwa
  Towa
  AZTEC-TANOAN 
  (or UTO-
  AZTECAN) 
  FAMILY
  Apache
  Carrier
  Chasta-Costa
  Chipewayan
  Hoopa
  Kutchin
  Navajo
  Sarsi
  Eyak
  Haida
  Tlingit
  NADENE 
  FAMILY
  Chinantec
  Mazahua
  Mazatec
  Mixtec
  Otomí
  Zapotec
  OTO- 
  MANGUEAN 
  FAMILY
  Maidu
  Miwok
  Yokuts
  Huastec
  Maya
  Quiché
  Mixe
  Zoque
  Huave
  Nez Percé
  Shahaptian
  Cayuse
  Chinook
  Klamath
  Modoc
  Tsimshian
  Nomlaki
  Patwin
  Wintu
  Chauchila
  Chukchansi
  Totonac
  Tunican
  PENUTIAN 
  FAMILY
  
  222 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Cayuga
  Cherokee
  Huron (Wyandot)
  Mohawk
  Oneida
  Onondaga
  Seneca
  Tuscarora
  Arikara
  Caddo
  Pawnee
  Wichita
  Pomo
  Seri
  Shasta
  Washo
  Yana*
  Alabama
  Chickasaw
  Choctaw
  Creek
  Muskogee
  Seminole
  Assinboin
  Catawba
  Crow
  Dakota
  Hidatsa
  Omaha
  Osage
  Sioux (Dakota)
  Yuchi
  Iowa
  Winnebago
  Cocopa
  Kamia
  Maricopa
  Mohave
  Yavapai
  Yuma
  Comecrudan*
  Jicaque
  HOKAN-SIOUAN FAMILY
  Ainu
  Basque
  Burushaski
  Elamite*
  Etruscan*
  Hurrian*
  Japanese
  Korean
  Meroitic*
  Sumerian*
  Unrelated 
  Languages 
  Of The World
  Algonquin
  Ojibwa 
  (Chippewa)
  Ottawa
  Fox
  Sac (Sauk)
  Kickapoo
  Arapaho
  Blackfoot
  Cheyenne
  Cree
  Delaware
  Illinois
  Mohican
  Miami
  Micmac
  Mohegan
  Narragansett
  Penobscot
  Pequot
  Shawnee
  Yurok
  Bella Coola
  Chimakum
  Clallam
  Coeur d’Alene
  Colville
  Flathead
  Nisqualli
  Pend d’Oreille
  Puyallup
  Shuswap
  Spokan
  Tillamook
  Bella Bella
  Kitamat
  Kwakiutl
  Makah
  Nootka
  Nitinat
  ALGONQUIAN-WAKASHAN 
  FAMILY
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  223 
  the Language Familiarity Table) or with Northern 
  Germanic Languages (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, 
  and Icelandic).
  LANGUAGES BY GENRE
  For the most part, Languages work the same 
  in all genres. A few differences or options are 
  noted below.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  In Cyberpunk campaigns marked by rampant 
  societal decay, Literacy may no longer be common-
  place; characters have to pay for it. This might also 
  apply in Cyberpunk or Science Fiction campaigns 
  where “reading machines” and the like are so read-
  ily available that people no longer need to learn 
  how to read.
  Fantasy
  Most Fantasy worlds feature a plethora of lan-
  guages for characters to learn. Not only can races 
  have multiple languages among themselves (much 
  like humans on Earth have English, French, Norse, 
  Swahili, and so on), but typically each race has at 
  least one language unique to it. Thus, characters can 
  become ﬂuent in Dwarven, Elvish, Goblin-speak, or 
  even Draconic!
  Some other languages that occur in many 
  Fantasy settings include:  Common (a “common 
  tongue” spoken extensively throughout the world, 
  usually developed for purposes of trade and travel 
  [and to save GMs and players the diﬃculty of 
  roleplaying communications problems]); Thieves’ 
  Cant (a heavily developed argot used by thieves, 
  assassins, and the like, usually limited to subjects 
  of interest to them); and wizards’ tongues (special 
  languages developed for spellcasting, wizardly com-
  munication, talking with spirits, and so on).
  In most Fantasy campaigns, characters are not 
  literate by default. They must pay the +1 Character 
  Point for Literacy.
  Gamemasters who enjoy creating lan-
  guages for their Fantasy worlds may also want to 
  develop a Language Familiarity Table showing 
  the relationship between the various languages. 
  This not only helps to “flesh out” the setting, it 
  encourages characters to take languages by pro-
  viding a slight cost savings. The Table on page 
  198 of The Turakian Age provides an example of 
  this sort of thing. And some Fantasy languages 
  (such as the tongues of demons or elementals) 
  may be so “alien” to characters that they cost 
  extra (see the Alien Language Modifiers Table).
  ALIEN LANGUAGE  
  MODIFIERS TABLE
  Alienness Of Language 
  Extra Cost
  Virtually Human 
  +0
  Moderately Alien 
  +1
  Very Alien 
  +2
  Extremely Alien 
  +3
  Method Of Communication 
  Extra Cost
  Spoken 
  +0
  Spoken, but uses diﬃcult sounds 
  +1
  Ultrasonic or other non-Human sounds 
  +2
  Visual language 
  +2
  Scent or Exotic Sense Language 
  +3
  
  224 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Science Fiction
  In Space Opera and other low-realism games, 
  everybody may speak a common language — 
  Galactic, or Interlang, or whatever. (In really pulp-
  ish games, aliens all mysteriously know English.) 
  For more detailed settings, each alien civilization 
  has its own language, and learning them can be 
  a major headache. Alien languages add points to 
  the cost of each level of ﬂuency, as shown on the 
  accompanying table. Use all modiﬁers that apply.
  The table accounts for two variables:  the alien-
  ness of the language and the method of communi-
  cation. The GM determines the level of alien-ness 
  (with “Human” meaning “the character’s own spe-
  cies”). In a Space Opera campaign, many languages 
  will be Virtually Human, while in a more realistic 
  game Moderately Alien is the best the characters 
  can hope for in most situations.
  The methods of communication a language 
  uses may prevent a character from learning it at 
  all (or at least using it without special technology). 
  If the Rigellians communicate with scents that 
  Humans cannot emit, the two species cannot com-
  municate until Humans develop special devices 
  to emit the proper odors. See Jack Vance’s superb 
  short story “The Moon Moth” for an example of 
  how characters can get themselves into trouble with 
  unfamiliar methods of communication.
  Gamemasters who posit a common origin 
  for the sentient species of the Galaxy — a mutual 
  progenitor, or an ancient race that “seeded” the 
  planets genetically — might try to come up with a 
  Language Familiarity Table suitable for their Star 
  Hero campaigns. However, even allowing for such a 
  common origin, most languages diverge so quickly 
  from planet to planet that there’s not enough simi-
  larity between them to justify a point savings.
  LIPREADING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill, also known as “Speechreading,” 
  allows a character to read someone’s lips to tell 
  what he’s saying. 
  Compared to many Skills, Lipreading is fairly 
  simple and one-dimensional:  it does just one thing, 
  let a character read lips. But that doesn’t mean it 
  can’t be extremely useful in certain situations. It’s 
  most often used by the deaf to understand what 
  speakers say, but it can also come in handy when a 
  character who can hear needs to understand what’s 
  being said in a noisy situation... or when he wants 
  to “eavesdrop” on a distant conversation.
  LINGUISTIC BARRIERS
  Several factors govern how easy it is to use 
  Lipreading, and thus how likely it is that the char-
  acter succeeds in reading lips. First and foremost, 
  a character must know the language being spoken 
  to lipread it successfully. If he doesn’t know the 
  language, the best he can hope for is to understand 
  phonetic blocks of sound — and even then he’s a 
  lot less likely to “read” them correctly.
  Even if the character understands the lan-
  guage, the type of speech involved and the words 
  use may cause diﬃculties. Some phonemes, such as 
  TH/F/V, SH/CH, B/M/P, S/Z, and D/L/T look very 
  similar when shaped by the lips. This can cause 
  misunderstandings and confusion on the part of 
  the lipreader. According to some sources, even on 
  a good speaker only about 30-50% of the sounds 
  can be easily and accurately read; the rest have to 
  be guessed at or inferred. If the subject has been 
  trained in lipspeaking, the ability to to speak to 
  lipreaders — in game terms, he has PS: Lipspeak-
  ing and succeeds with a roll — his roll acts as a 
  Complementary Skill to the Lipreading roll.
  FACIAL OBSCUREMENT
  Second, Lipreading works best if the character 
  can see the subject’s lips clearly (and of course a 
  character can’t use it if he can’t see the subject’s lips 
  at all). Anything that gets in the way — for example, 
  the subject isn’t looking at him, or has a large beard 
  or moustache — imposes a negative modiﬁer on 
  the Skill Roll. Similarly, trying to follow a multiple-
  person conversation with Lipreading is harder than 
  just reading a single person’s lips (the larger the 
  group of speakers, the more diﬃcult Lipreading 
  becomes). The Lipreading Modiﬁers table lists sev-
  eral common situation that may obscure a subject’s 
  lips and make Lipreading more diﬃcult.
  The situation can become even worse in cam-
  paigns featuring non-human speakers. Races or 
  species that look more or less like humans (such as 
  Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs in most Fantasy worlds) 
  can be Lipread normally. The more a species 
  diverges from human, the harder it is to Lipread. 
  For example, a reptilian or avian species that has 
  a facial structure unlike humans’ and small lips 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  225 
  would be very diﬃcult to 
  read. If a species lacks a 
  mouth or lips, characters 
  cannot Lipread its mem-
  bers at all.
  EQUIPMENT
  Lipreading doesn’t 
  require any sort of 
  equipment, nor can 
  any type of equipment 
  make it easier to use; 
  it’s a purely personal 
  Skill. However, a char-
  acter may use sensory 
  equipment to make it 
  easier to perceive the 
  lips he wants to read 
  (such as binoculars or 
  a telescope to view a 
  distant subject).
  POWERS AND  
  LIPREADING
  Some Enhanced 
  Senses may make 
  Lipreading easier by 
  improving a character’s 
  PER Roll (or making a 
  PER Roll possible in unusual conditions). Telepa-
  thy, Mind Link, and other non-auditory methods of 
  communication render Lipreading unnecessary. A 
  character who wanted to have a “super-Lipreading” 
  ability could build it with Telepathy or perhaps a 
  properly-constructed Enhanced Sense.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically failing a Lipreading roll means the 
  character didn’t understand the conversation, or 
  that the subject turned his head or concealed his 
  mouth in such a way that reading his lips became 
  impossible. A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) 
  usually results in a misunderstanding or misin-
  terpretation that could inconvenience or harm 
  the character.
  BASE TIMES
  Lipreading takes as much time as the speech 
  involved does. The lipreader has to focus on the 
  speaker’s mouth as long as the speaker talks, and 
  thus Lipreading can tire a person out over time 
  because of the mental concentration needed. (In 
  “realistic” campaigns, the GM might even consider 
  Lipreading to require the equivalent of Concentra-
  tion [½ DCV and restricted movement] through-
  out its use.) For a short speech (a Full Phase or 
  less), using Lipreading usually qualiﬁes as an 
  Action that takes no time.
  SUBDIVIDING LIPREADING
  In campaigns featuring many different 
  speaking races or species, the GM might require 
  characters to buy Lipreading by race/species. For 
  2 Character Points a character can make an INT-
  Based Roll to read the lips of one species, each 
  additional species (or perhaps type of species 
  — mammalian, reptilian, avian, and so on) costs 
  +1 Character Point.
  LIPREADING BY GENRE
  Lipreading works the same in all genres 
  (though as noted above, some genres, like 
  Fantasy and Science Fiction, may feature 
  non-human characters whose lips aren’t easy 
  to read). Some genres may feature magic or 
  advanced technology that renders Lipreading 
  obsolete or makes it much easier.
  LIPREADING MODIFIERS
  Circumstance 
  Modiﬁer
  Speech:  Subject Is...
     Speaking slowly and clearly 
  +1 to +3
     Speaking normally 
  +0
     Speaking quickly 
  -1 to -3
     Shouting or yelling 
  -2 to -4
     Chewing or eating 
  -1 to -3
     Exaggerating speech or features 
  -1 to -3
     Using lots of confusing “sounds” 
  -1 to -3
     Succeeds with PS: Lipspeaking 
  Complementary bonus
     Multiple people in a conversation 
  -2 to -5
  Facing:  Subject Is...
     Looking right at character 
  +0
     Looking at character obliquely 
  -1 to -2
     Barely looking at character 
  -3 to -5
     Looking away from character 
  Lipreading not possible
  Facial Hair:  Subject Has...
     Large moustache/beard 
  -1 to -3
     Really bushy moustache/beard 
  -2 to -5
  Facial Structure:  Subject’s Face/Lips Are...
     Very similar to human 
  +0
     Similar to human 
  -1
     Unlike human 
  -2 to -5
     Very unlike human 
  -6 to -9, or even impossible
     Nonexistent 
  Lipreading not possible
  
  226 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  LOCKPICKING
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill allows a character to open key, 
  combination, electronic, and magnetic locks using 
  special tools instead of keys, and to create and install 
  locks. A character with Lockpicking knows about 
  the many diﬀerent types of locks that exist (and their 
  advantages and weak points), the best methods and 
  tools for picking or bypassing each type, types of 
  lockpicking tools and the beneﬁts and drawbacks of 
  each, how to obtain (or make) lockpicking tools, and 
  so forth. An expert can pick some locks in an amaz-
  ingly short time — often just as fast as using a key. 
  Characters also use Lockpicking to ﬁgure out how to 
  open shut containers (and the like) that aren’t neces-
  sarily locked, but which have unusual, clever, or puz-
  zling opening methods. (Such containers are often 
  hidden, requiring Concealment to ﬁnd them before 
  the character can open them.) Lockpicking does not 
  allow a character to detect or bypass alarms, traps, 
  and other security devices; that requires Security 
  Systems (page 268).
  Complementary Skills for Lockpicking typically 
  include Mechanics and Touch-based PER Rolls for 
  picking key and combination locks, and Electronics 
  for picking electronic and magnetic locks.
  A BRIEF HISTORY OF LOCKS
  Historically, the ancient Egyptians invented 
  the pin tumbler lock, which they made out of 
  wood and metal, in about 2500 BC. Their design 
  was primitive and simplistic compared to modern 
  versions, of course (and also much larger), but the 
  basic parts and principles are all there. Later civili-
  zations learned to make them entirely of metal, but 
  the pin tumbler lock remained the only one avail-
  able for millennia. The Romans reﬁned the concept 
  by putting the boltwork in an iron case and using 
  iron or bronze keys; the keys were often attached to 
  ﬁnger-rings, since Roman togas lacked pockets.
  In medieval Europe, locksmiths’ guilds arose 
  in the fourteenth century to govern the practice of 
  lock-making, and many locks became ornate works 
  of art because only nobles and wealthy merchants 
  could aﬀord them. (Some locksmiths became skilled 
  at hiding a lock’s keyhole behind part of the sculpture 
  on these locks; ﬁnding a hidden keyhole requires a 
  Concealment roll.) But technologically they advanced 
  little. Internal works and more complex keys evolved, 
  but locks remained relatively easy to bypass.
  In the late 1700s, locksmiths in England 
  invented the tumbler principle for internal wards, 
  which signiﬁcantly improved the security of the 
  lock. But weaknesses still existed, though the “barrel 
  locks” designed by several locksmiths advanced the 
  art of security further.
  Linus Yale, Sr. invented the modern brass pin 
  tumbler lock in the 1820s or 1840s (sources diﬀer), 
  and most modern locks descend from it to some 
  degree. Beginning in the late nineteenth century 
  other types of locks become available.
  TYPES OF LOCKS
  The base chance to pick a lock is modified 
  by its type and quality. The Lockpicking Modi-
  fiers table lists many different types of locks and 
  the modifiers for each. Most locks fall into one of 
  three categories.
  Warded Locks
  The ﬁrst, and generally most simple, is warded 
  locks. These have internal wards, or obstructions, 
  to prevent unauthorized keys from entering the 
  keyway. Many old locks and a few padlocks fall into 
  this category, as do many locks on low-security 
  doors like those of storage sheds. They’re relatively 
  easy to pick
  Tumbler Locks
  The largest and most common category of 
  locks are tumbler locks, such as the pin tumbler 
  lock. Tumblers are small metal objects inside the 
  lock casing that move. The key to the lock moves 
  them in the right way to open it; wrong keys won’t 
  move them properly, so the lock won’t open. Pick-
  ing them involves using lockpicking tools to move 
  the tumblers into the proper alignment.
  Tumbler locks fall into three basic types. Lever 
  tumbler locks are often used on luggage, briefcases, 
  desks, cabinets, safety deposit boxes, lockers, and in 
  other relatively low-security applications. Disk tum-
  bler locks range from simple (used on some desks, 
  ﬁle cabinets, and automobiles) to extremely secure 
  versions used on safes. Pin tumbler locks are used in 
  virtually every type of lock and come in an aston-
  ishing variety of conﬁgurations.
  Combination Locks
  Combination locks don’t use keys. Instead, the 
  user has to enter the right sequence of numbers, 
  either via pushbuttons or a dial, to operate the 
  lock mechanism correctly and open it. Some even 
  require electrical current, magnetic cards, biometric 
  readings, or the like to open. Picking these types 
  of locks is often extremely diﬃcult, since the lock 
  mechanism is entirely sealed oﬀ. They’re used on an 
  enormous variety of doors and like objects.
  Handcuﬀs
  Handcuﬀs, leg cuﬀs, and thumbcuﬀs don’t 
  have unique types of locks, but they’re a type of 
  security mechanism characters in many genres 
  encounter frequently. Typically they use a special 
  type of barrel key that lifts a toothed locking mech-
  anism called a pawl, thus allowing the ratchet arm 
  of the cuﬀs to swing open freely. A skilled lock-
  picker can open them even with improvised tools, 
  such as a properly-bent paperclip, or by “shimming” 
  (covering) the pawl with a thin strip of metal so the 
  ratchet can open. Double-locked cuﬀs are harder 
  to pick and can’t be shimmed. Handcuﬀ keys tend 
  to be standardized, so a given key can usually open 
  many types of cuﬀs.
  LOCK  
  INSTALLATION 
  METHODS
  Locksmiths often refer 
  to locks according to the 
  method by which they’re 
  installed.
  A rim lock is one 
  mounted on the sur-
  face or rim of a door 
  or other object to be 
  locked. Some household 
  deadbolt locks ﬁt this 
  description.
  A mortise lock is one 
  installed in a hollowed-
  out (mortised) cavity 
  in the door. They’re 
  common on many 
  modern oﬃce and com-
  mercial doors.
  A bored lock is one 
  installed by drilling two 
  holes in the door (one 
  for the cylinder, one for 
  the bolt mechanism). 
  Many household locks 
  are bored locks.
  Lock installation meth-
  ods have no eﬀect on 
  Lockpicking rolls.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  227 
  SAFECRACKING
  One of the most dramatic examples of 
  lockpicking, in the loose sense of “getting into 
  a locked area or container by non-standard 
  means,” is safecracking. Although there are legiti-
  mate uses for the safecracker’s art — such as 
  opening safes for owners who have lost keys, or 
  after the owner dies and his heirs need it opened 
  — in the adventure gaming context it’s most 
  often used for criminal purposes.
  Deducing The Combination
  There are basically six ways to open a safe, 
  vault, or like device. (Most of these fall under the 
  rubric of the Lockpicking Skill even if they don’t 
  literally involve picking a lock; GMs may also 
  require other Skills, if appropriate.) First, the safe-
  cracker can deduce the combination somehow. He 
  may ﬁnd it written somewhere nearby (or guess it 
  because the safe’s owner has used an easily-deduced 
  number, like his birthday), learn it through surveil-
  lance, force it out of someone who knows, or use 
  a safe manufacturer’s pre-set combination that the 
  safe’s owner hasn’t bothered to change.
  Manipulation
  Second, a safecracker can manipulate the 
  safe’s lock to open it. This is the classic movie 
  trick of putting one’s ear to the safe and slowly 
  turning the dial while listening for the tumblers 
  to fall into place. Although possible, this method 
  requires a great deal of practice and skill, as indi-
  cated by the Lockpicking modifiers for the types 
  of locks used on safes. Manipulation requires a 
  modified Lockpicking roll and usually takes a 
  long time — 20 Minutes, if not more. Charac-
  ters who use electronic amplification devices or 
  other special safecracking tools can reduce this 
  time considerably. Similarly, it’s possible to use 
  an industrial vibrator (a tool for working with 
  concrete) to “shake” the wheels of the lock into 
  proper position to open the safe, but this only 
  works on older or cheaper safes and tends to 
  numb the user’s hands.
  “Jimmy Valentine” is underworld slang for the 
  ability to “pick” safe locks by ﬁguring out the combina-
  tion via manipulation (or for a thief who can use that 
  method). Older safes have disc tumbler locks in which 
  the tumblers aren’t isolated from the handle, allow-
  ing a skilled thief to “feel” when the tumblers align 
  properly. Characters with Lockpicking can Jimmy 
  Valentine an appropriate safe lock or similar lock, but 
  must succeed with their Skill Roll at a -5 penalty (this 
  penalty replaces the one listed for “disk tumbler lock 
  (old)” in the Locks Modiﬁers Table).
  To make manipulation harder, some safe man-
  ufacturers now cut false notches in the wheels of 
  the lock. This adds another -1 to -2 penalty on top 
  of the standard modiﬁer for the type and quality of 
  the lock (maximum of -10).
  Drilling
  Third, cracking open safes (and other locks 
  as well) often involves more than simply picking 
  a lock. Instead, the character has to actually drill 
  or cut holes in the door and/or lock so that he can 
  see the mechanism with a borescope (and thus 
  manipulate it properly), destroy the lock, cut a hole 
  in the side of the safe, or place explosives so he can 
  blow open the lock (doing this properly requires 
  Demolitions). Unlike true Lockpicking, which may 
  not leave any signiﬁcant traces to tip someone oﬀ 
  that the lock was opened, these methods inﬂict per-
  manent physical damage that the character cannot 
  hide. (The same applies to other brute force meth-
  ods of entry, such as attacking a door’s hinges.) 
  Drilling a safe usually has a Base Time of 1 Hour.
  The more sophisticated the locks involved, 
  the more powerful (and expensive!) the tools a 
  character needs. Drilling through case-hardened 
  vault steel often requires diamond-tipped drill 
  bits, industrial-strength oxy-acetylene torches, 
  and the like.
  Peeling And Punching
  Fourth, safecrackers can peel or punch an 
  older or cheaper safe open. Peeling involves 
  using crowbars, hammers, axes, and other tools 
  to pry open one edge of the safe door one layer 
  at a time until the safecracker can reach inside 
  the safe. This requires a lot of effort and time (1 
  Hour or more), and makes a lot of noise, but is 
  effective in the right circumstances. Punching is 
  much quicker — it involves knocking the lock 
  dial off, then smashing the lock itself into the 
  safe so the door opens, and takes about 20 Min-
  utes — but equally as noisy and crude.
  In game terms, the succesfulness of these 
  methods doesn’t really depend on Lockpicking. The 
  LOCKPICKING MODIFIERS
   
   Quality Of Lock
  Type Of Lock 
  Poor Average High Examples
  Combination Locks
  Combination padlock 
  +1 
  +0 
  +0 
  Simple form of disk tumbler lock
  Electronic combination lock -5 
  -6 
  -7 
  Some hotel and oﬃce safes
  Electronic key lock 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5 
  Some bank doors
  Keypad/pushbutton locks 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4 
  Highly secured doors
  Magnetic lock/card lock 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4 
  Highly secured doors
  Sesame lock 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  Briefcases, some padlocks
  Tumbler Locks
  Disk tumbler lock (old) 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  Older safes
  Disk tumbler lock (modern) -5 
  -7 
  -9 
  Modern safes
  Double-sided disk tumbler 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  Showcases, some vending machines
  Double-wafer lock 
  +0 
  -1 
  -2 
  Some vending machines, cabinets
  Isolated keyed tumbler locks -2 
  -3 
  -4 
  Pharmacies, hospitals, payphones
  Keyed disk tumbler lock 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4 
  General purposes, gaming machines
  Lever tumbler lock 
  +0 
  -1 
  -2 
  Some padlocks, some desks
  Multiple row pin tumbler 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4 
  Some burglar alarms, slot machines
  Mushroom/spool pin tumbler -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  Some bank doors, some padlocks
  Pin tumbler lock (basic) 
  +1 
  -0 
  -2 
  House doors, some padlocks
  Radial pin 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  Some vending machines, coin boxes
  Tubular rim cylinder lock 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  Some vending machines, coin boxes
  Radial tube pin tumbler lock -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  Some burglar alarms
  Side-bar wafer lock 
  +0 
  -0 
  -2 
  Most cars
  Twisting pin tumbler lock 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3 
  House doors, some padlocks
  Wafer tumbler lock 
  +1 
  -0 
  -1 
  File cabinets, garage doors, desks
  Warded Locks
  Warded lock 
  +0 
  -0 
  -1 
  Some padlocks, older doors
  Handcuffs, et al.
  Single-locked 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3
  Double-locked 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4
  
  228 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  GM may require a basic Lockpicking roll for the 
  character to start the job properly, but after that it’s 
  a matter of how much damage he can do with his 
  tools versus the safe’s BODY and DEF.
  Burning
  Fifth, oxy-acetylene torches and the like can burn 
  through safes. This takes time — the thicker the walls 
  and door of the safe, and the better the metal they’re 
  made of, the longer the job requires. (Assume a mini-
  mum Base Time of 1 Hour.) This method works best 
  on older safes; modern safes use high-tech alloys that 
  are much harder to “cut” with ﬁre. 
  Burning has several potential drawbacks. First, 
  it requires a lot of equipment, including the protec-
  tive gear the user often has to wear. Second, it cre-
  ates a lot of noise and smoke. Third, the heat may 
  set the safe’s contents on ﬁre.
  Explosives
  Sixth, some safecrackers use explosives to “blow” 
  a safe open. Doing this properly takes a minimum 
  Base Time of 1 Hour and requires a Demolitions roll 
  using the same modiﬁer for Lockpicking the safe. Suc-
  cess usually means the safe has been opened without 
  signiﬁcantly damaging the contents (if any). Failure 
  by 1-3 means the blast didn’t open the safe; failure by 
  4 or more means whether it opened it or not, the blast 
  damaged the contents of the safe to the extent that 
  they’re worthless.
  Other Methods
  Other methods of safecracking include 
  using x-ray equipment to view the lock so it’s 
  easily manipulated, using acid to eat through the 
  safe door or wall, or cutting upon a safe with a 
  concrete saw.
  CREATING AND INSTALLING LOCKS
  Characters can also use Lockpicking to manu-
  facture and/or install locks. This requires a Base Time 
  of 1 Hour. If the roll succeeds, the character’s made 
  and/or installed the lock successfully; if it fails, he hits 
  a snag somewhere along the line; if it fails badly (by 4 
  or more) he hurts himself in the process or damages 
  whatever he’s installing the lock in.
  Typically an installed lock just uses the 
  standard modifiers listed in the Lockpicking 
  Modifiers table. If the GM prefers, he can use the 
  installer’s Lockpicking roll in Skill Versus Skill 
  Contests against other characters who try to pick 
  the lock.
  EQUIPMENT
  Characters cannot perform Lockpicking with-
  out tools — various kinds of picks (lockpicks), ten-
  sion wrenches or bars, and similar devices. Some 
  types of locks require speciﬁc types of picks. Char-
  acters can use objects such as hairpins, credit cards, 
  safety pins, small screwdrivers, and various bits and 
  pieces of wire and thin, ﬂat metal as improvised or 
  makeshift lockpicking tools (this may depend on 
  the type of lock). Standard equipment modiﬁers 
  apply (see page 33).
  A character with keymaking equipment and 
  enough time can “pick” a lock by working it with a 
  blank key. As the character senses out the bumps 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  229 
  and grooves in the lock’s chamber, he uses the key-
  making equipment to modify the blank until he has 
  a key that opens the lock. This takes a lot of time:  a 
  minimum of 20 Minutes assuming the keymaking 
  equipment is available right there at the lock; more 
  if trips to it are required. Since keymaking equip-
  ment isn’t man-portable, the odds are that at least a 
  short walk is necessary.
  Of course, some locks are particularly tricky even 
  if the character has the right tools. Diﬃcult locks, such 
  as the “High” quality locks on the accompanying table, 
  typically impose a -1 to -5 modiﬁer to the Lockpick-
  ing roll. Similarly, some locks cannot be picked as 
  that term is normally understood. For example, since 
  modern prison cell doors are typically locked elec-
  tronically from a remote location, trying to pick one 
  would be futile. To get through a cell door, a character 
  would have to physically break the lock or tamper 
  with the remote locking device.
  The type of lockpicking equipment available 
  typically matches the sophistication of the locks 
  available — simple tools for simple locks, more 
  advanced tools as locks become harder to pick. The 
  GM may restrict the availability of quality equip-
  ment in early time periods (for example, maybe 
  Victorian characters can only have Good equip-
  ment, while Pulp characters can have Good or Very 
  Good equipment).
  Keypad Dirt And Wear
  Modern electronic combination locks and 
  the like have keypads the owner uses to enter 
  the code that opens the lock. “Picking” these is 
  extremely difficult, but sometimes the owner 
  leaves a clue. Through repeated use, the number 
  keys he uses may accumulate dirt or wear down. 
  That tells the character which keys are used the 
  most, thus narrowing down the ones he has to 
  experiment with. Some high-tech modern ver-
  sions have keypads that scramble the numbers 
  each time, making it impossible to gauge wear 
  and dirt patterns; some of these locks are impos-
  sible to open without the combination or access 
  key/card (or destroying the lock).
  Rather than rely on dirt and wear, some 
  thieves dust the keypad for fingerprints. A simi-
  lar method is to surreptitiously coat the lock 
  owner’s fingers with a substance viewable with 
  ultraviolet light, then to shine an ultraviolet lamp 
  on the keypad after he uses it to determine which 
  keys he pressed.
  Pickguns
  Pickguns are small, hand-held devices which 
  pick locks; they’ve been available since 1922. The 
  character inserts the forward “wand” of the gun 
  into the lock and pulls the trigger. The machine 
  moves and twists the wand until the lock opens. 
  Pickguns only work on pin tumbler locks (and not 
  even all of them), but provide +4 to the Lockpick-
  ing roll to pick them. (Pickgun:  +4 to Lockpicking 
  (8 Active Points); OAF (-1), Only Works On Some 
  Pin Tumbler Locks (-1). Total cost:  3 points.)
  The pick gun is a sort of “brute force” approach 
  to lockpicking. It tends to leave telltale brass dust 
  and damages the lock so that it may be easier to 
  pick later (the GM may assign a bonus of +1 to 
  later attempts to pick the lock, if appropriate).
  Sensitized Fingers
  Skilled lockpickers use many diﬀerent meth-
  ods to make their ﬁngertips as sensitive as possible, 
  so that they can better “feel” the movement of the 
  picks, pins, and so forth. Some safecrackers reput-
  edly keep their ﬁngertips so sensitive that they 
  can sense the combination to a lock by feeling the 
  vibration of the tumblers as they click inside it.
  Methods for sensitizing the ﬁngertips range 
  from various lotions and massage-like treatments 
  for the ﬁngers to abrading the ﬁngertips with sand-
  paper. In game terms, this practice is best reﬂected 
  by by purchasing +1 Enhanced Senses for the 
  Touch Sense Group and using a Touch-based PER 
  Roll as Complementary to Lockpicking (or perhaps 
  by purchasing a +1 increase to the character’s Lock-
  picking roll).
  POWERS AND LOCKPICKING
  At the GM’s discretion Telekinesis with Fine 
  Manipulation may substitute for lockpicks in some 
  situations. Extra Limbs might help a character pick 
  a lock more quickly if he has three or more manip-
  ulatory limbs able to work the lockpicking tools. 
  N-Ray Perception might allow a character to see 
  inside a lock, making picking it extremely easy. 
  Characters with the ability to change the 
  shape of their hands or fingers might be able to 
  create lockpicks out of them; similarly, a char-
  acter might be able to Shrink to a small enough 
  size to walk into a lock and manipulate it by 
  hand. While this would work for most key locks, 
  combination, electronic, and magnetic locks 
  would be beyond the scope of all but the most 
  extreme metamorphosis powers; depending on 
  the campaign, this might entitle the character to 
  take a Limitation on the Skill.
  Characters can escape some types of Entan-
  gles, such as chains, with Lockpicking rather than 
  Contortionist (assuming the character can reach 
  the lock and has an appropriate tool or power to do 
  SIMPLIFIED LOCKPICKING
  If the detailed rules for Lockpicking in this section 
  are more than your campaign needs, you can instead 
  use this simple system that groups locks into various 
  categories of quality:
   
  Lockpicking 
  Lockpicking
  Type Of Lock 
  Modiﬁer 
  Roll
  Poor quality 
  +1 
  8-
  Average quality 
  -0 to -3 
  11-
  Above Average quality 
  -4 to -5 
  14-
  High quality 
  -6 to -7 
  17-
  Very high quality 
  -8 to -9 
  20-
  Superb quality 
  -10 
  23-
  Alternately, if the GM prefers, he can require a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest to determine the outcome of a 
  Lockpicking attempt — in other words, the quality of 
  the lock (and thus the diﬃculty of picking it) is rep-
  resented by giving the lock a high Skill Roll. The table 
  above indicates the standard roll representing various 
  levels of quality.
  
  230 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  the job). If so, apply the Limitation Escapable With 
  Lockpicking, which is similar to Escapable With 
  Contortionist (page 140). If a character can escape 
  an Entangle with both Lockpicking and Contor-
  tionist (as with handcuﬀs), simply include both 
  Skills in the Limitation’s name; the Entangle doesn’t 
  get an additional Limitation because of this.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  An unsuccessful Lockpicking roll usually just 
  means the character cannot pick the lock. In such 
  circumstances, characters must either ﬁnd a way to 
  improve their roll and try again, or resort to brute 
  force or trickery to get past the lock. Badly failed 
  rolls (by 4 or more) lead to worse consequences. 
  They can mean a jammed lock, an alarm going oﬀ, 
  or even a broken lockpick.
  BASE TIMES
  With a relatively simple lock (no more than a 
  -2 modiﬁer), a skilled lockpicker with the proper 
  tools usually only needs a few seconds, at most, 
  to open a lock. In game terms, the Base Time for 
  Lockpicking a simple lock is a Full Phase. More 
  complicated locks require more time — up to many 
  minutes, even an hour or more for things like safe-
  cracking — and of course not having the proper 
  tools extends the time even further in many cases. 
  The text above notes Base Times for some speciﬁc 
  uses of Lockpicking.
  SUBDIVIDING LOCKPICKING
  For campaigns involving a lot of work with 
  locks, the GM may want characters to buy Lock-
  picking by categories, like Survival. The categories 
  are Warded Locks, Tumbler Locks, Combination 
  Locks, Safecracking, and Handcuﬀs. Buying one 
  category costs 2 Character Points for a DEX-Based 
  Roll; each additional category costs +1 Character 
  Point. A character can use his Skill on a category 
  he doesn’t know at a -3 penalty; this typically takes 
  twice the standard Base Time for the task.
  LOCKPICKING BY GENRE
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  All types of equipment are available in this era.
  Dark Champions
  All types of equipment are available in this era. 
  Modern-era characters, just like superheroes and 
  and near-future adventurers, may encounter the 
  wide variety of locks indicated on the Locks Modi-
  fers table, and may have to devise some ingenious 
  solutions to get past them.
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy settings, Lockpicking is in some 
  ways easier, since usually only relatively primitive 
  mechanical locks are available. (See above regard-
  ing the history of locks.) But Fantasy thieves have 
  to contend with something more than just the 
  quality of the lock:  magic. The GM must decide 
  whether a character with mundane Lockpicking 
  abilities can pick magical locks or magically-sealed 
  mundane locks. The answer typically depends on 
  the nature and type of the spell/enchanted item 
  involved. If the spell simply enhances an ordinary 
  lock, then normal Lockpicking can probably open 
  it — though there’s a penalty to the roll (that’s how 
  such a spell would be built, as Change Environment 
  to impose penalties on Lockpicking). If the spell 
  magically seals or locks something (a door, a chest, 
  or the like), then ordinary Lockpicking probably 
  cannot open it, no matter how skilled the character 
  is — countermagic spells are required. As a good 
  rule of thumb, if the spell imposes penalties on the 
  Lockpicking roll or requires a Lockpicking Versus 
  Lockpicking Contest, allow one at the indicated 
  penalty or as part of the Contest. If it uses some 
  other method (Telekinesis or Force Wall, for exam-
  ple), then Lockpicking won’t work; characters need 
  countermagic instead. See The Spell Of Locking And 
  Opening on page 243 of The Fantasy Hero Grimoire 
  for an example of a locking-spell.
  Martial Arts
  All types of equipment are available if the 
  game takes place in a modern-day setting; in fan-
  tasy/historical settings, refer to “Fantasy,” above.
  Pulp
  Most of the locks of the Pulp era are rela-
  tively simple pin tumbler locks (+1 to -1 modi-
  fier to pick), but some types of more advanced 
  locks are available (though no form of electronic 
  lock is). Pulp-era safecrackers will run into disk 
  tumbler locks (-1 to -3 penalty to pick) and other 
  relatively secure locks.
  On the other hand, lockpicking tools are 
  also becoming better. The pick gun is invented in 
  1922, for example.
  Science Fiction
  Science Fiction locks may be mostly electronic 
  and heavily computerized. Depending upon the 
  GM’s ruling and the nature of the lock in ques-
  tion, characters who want to “pick” them might use 
  Computer Programming, Electronics, or Systems 
  Operation instead of Lockpicking. Special devices 
  may be developed to help bypass such locks.
  All types of equipment are available in this 
  era. Opening locks gets much easier when you have 
  more advanced tools to do it with. Apply the Obso-
  lete and Advanced Technology rules (see page 39) 
  when a high-tech character tries to open a low-tech 
  lock, or vice-versa. 
  Superheroes
  All types of equipment are available in this era 
  — but of course, characters’ superpowers (Deso-
  lidiﬁcation, Stretching, Teleportation, Telekinesis...) 
  may make it easy to bypass locks even if they don’t 
  know Lockpicking.
  Western/Victorian
  Like Fantasy characters, Western/Victorian 
  characters typically only have to deal with pin tum-
  bler locks (even through the late twentieth century 
  most locks are pin tumblers or other relatively 
  simple locks).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  231 
  MARTIAL ARTS
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  3-5 points per Martial Maneuver; character 
  must spend a minimum of 10 points on 
  Martial Arts
  Martial Arts represent any form of hand-to-hand 
  combat that requires training (or innate ability 
  or experience) and expertise, such as the precise 
  movements and dodging of aikido, the hammer 
  and tongs of boxing, the rough-and-tumble of 
  dirty infighting, or even advanced weapon tech-
  niques like fencing. The Martial Arts section of 
  Chapter Two of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised discusses martial arts in detail, includ-
  ing the effects of the Martial Maneuvers, how 
  to construct a Martial Arts style (like Karate or 
  Boxing), and ways to use Martial Maneuvers 
  in combat. For even more detailed informa-
  tion, including dozens of real-world styles and 
  rules for creating your own Martial Maneuvers, 
  see The Ultimate Martial Artist and The HERO 
  System Combat Handbook.
  The accompanying sidebar summarizes Mar-
  tial Maneuvers’ cost. Characters must spend a mini-
  mum of 10 Character Points on Martial Maneuvers 
  (even if it’s just two 5-point maneuvers).
  MARTIAL  
  MANEUVERS COSTS
  Maneuver 
  Cost
  Choke Hold 
  4
  Defensive Strike 
  5
  Killing Strike 
  4
  Legsweep 
  3
  Martial Block 
  4
  Martial Disarm 
  4
  Martial Dodge 
  4
  Martial Escape 
  4
  Martial Grab 
  3
  Martial Strike 
  4
  Martial Throw 
  3
  Nerve Strike 
  4
  Oﬀensive Strike 
  5
  Sacriﬁce Throw 
  3
  +1 Damage Class 
  4
  Weapon Element 
  1
  
  232 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  MECHANICS
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Mechanics allows a character to identify, under-
  stand, build, repair, and rework mechanical devices 
  and their component parts. It covers a vast range 
  of technology — from levers and pulleys, to simple 
  wind- and steam-powered devices, to gasoline 
  engines, hydraulic presses, and more. A character 
  with Mechanics knows how mechanical devices 
  work, how to design and build them, how to ﬁx 
  and modify them, and how to deduce their func-
  tion and operation. He knows about the types of 
  tools and technology used to perform Mechanics-
  related tasks, and how to use them. He’s aware of 
  the general history of mechanical devices and how 
  mechanical technology has developed over time.
  Technology-related Skill modiﬁers — includ-
  ing damage to subject, equipment, advanced/obso-
  lete/alien technology, and technological compat-
  ability — play an important role with Mechanics. 
  It’s easy enough for a character to create or modify 
  a device similar to those he’s used to working 
  with; it’s another matter entirely to try to repair a 
  heavily-damaged device on a tight deadline, or to 
  try to determine the purpose and workings of a 
  mechanical gadget that’s nothing like anything the 
  character’s ever seen before.
  COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS
  Despite general references to “mechanical 
  devices” throughout the description of this Skill, 
  Mechanics isn’t always the primary Skill a character 
  uses to work on a mechanical device. Mechanics 
  often functions as a Complementary Skill when 
  the device the character’s working on is covered by 
  another Skill. This includes Lockpicking, Security 
  Systems, and Weaponsmith when those Skills are 
  used on mechanical devices, but can also extend 
  to other Technological Skills as appropriate. For 
  example, if a character wants to build an artillery 
  piece, he uses Weaponsmith as the primary Skill 
  with Mechanics as a Complementary Skill. If the 
  GM feels the most important aspect of the work is 
  the character’s general knowledge of mechanical 
  systems, he may want to reverse the relationship.
  You can apply the rules below for Mechanics 
  generally to other Skills that involve working with 
  mechanical devices unless their descriptions in this 
  chapter have diﬀerent or more speciﬁc rules. For 
  example, if a character wants to use his Security 
  Systems to disable a mechanical trap, just apply 
  the rules and modiﬁers from Disabling Mechanical 
  Devices, below.
  Various Science Skills (especially SS: Mechani-
  cal Engineering and sometimes SS: Physics) are 
  Complementary to Mechanics in many situations.
  Uses Of Mechanics
  Mechanics has five primary uses:  creating 
  and maintaining mechanical devices; modify-
  ing mechanical devices; disabling mechanical 
  devices; identifying the purpose and nature 
  of strange mechanical devices; and operating 
  mechanical devices.
  BUILDING AND MAINTAINING  
  MECHANICAL DEVICES
  First and foremost, a character with Mechan-
  ics can design and build mechanical devices. He 
  may have to start from scratch, sketching out a 
  blueprint and calculating the factors involved in 
  the manufacturing process, or he may put together 
  pre-made parts, modules, and components to create 
  a ﬁnished device. Similarly, he knows how to main-
  tain mechanical devices in good working order, and 
  how to repair them if they malfunction or become 
  damaged. Of course, to invent all-new mechani-
  cal devices, the character also needs the Inventor 
  Skill (page 206); Mechanics by itself doesn’t allow a 
  character to invent new gadgets.
  The GM can take either of two approaches 
  when determining how easy it is for a character 
  to build a mechanical device. First, he can have 
  the character write up the device using the HERO 
  System rules, then apply a penalty of -1 per 10 
  Active Points in the device to the Mechanics roll to 
  create it. A second (and more simple) approach is 
  to assign the device a complexity rating using the 
  accompanying Device Complexity table and derive 
  the modiﬁer from that. In either case, the modi-
  ﬁer is in addition to any applicable modiﬁers from 
  Chapter One, mentioned above.
  If the GM requires characters to make 
  Mechanics rolls periodically to maintain their 
  mechanical gadgets, typically that roll suﬀers no 
  modiﬁer based on Active Points or the like. It may 
  still suﬀer modiﬁers for things like not having the 
  right tools or working with alien technology.
  Repairing And Modifying Mechanical Devices
  Related to building mechanical devices is 
  repairing them. During the course of a character’s 
  adventures his mechanical devices may burn out, 
  get smashed to bits by an ogre’s war maul, be set on 
  ﬁre, transmogriﬁed by an alien blaster, or otherwise 
  discombobulated — so sooner or later they’re going 
  to need a little patching up. To determine the diﬃ-
  culty of making repairs, the GM should decide how 
  damaged a device is — in game terms, what per-
  centage of its BODY it’s taken as damage. For each 
  10% (or fraction thereof), impose a -1 penalty on 
  DEVICE COMPLEXITY
  Complexity Of Device 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  +2
  Simple 
  +1
  Average 
  +0
  Complex 
  -2
  Very Complex 
  -4
  Highly Complex 
  -6
  Incredibly Complex 
  -8
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  233 
  the Mechanics roll to make repairs. (This penalty 
  replaces the standard “damage to subject” penalty.) 
  The GM can modify this as he sees ﬁt to reﬂect the 
  ease or diﬃculty of a particular repair. At the GM’s 
  option a character may be able to diminish the pen-
  alty by splitting the work into discrete tasks, each 
  task encompassing only part of the repairs and 
  requiring a separate roll.
  Modifying a mechanical device — changing it 
  to alter or improve its function — works similarly 
  to building one. The character should write up the 
  two devices in HERO System terms, then subtract 
  the Real Points of the existing device from those of 
  the modiﬁed/improved device. If the total is 0 or less, 
  then typically he suﬀers no penalty to his Mechan-
  ics roll (unless the GM chooses to impose one). If it’s 
  greater than 0, then for each 10 Real Points (or frac-
  tion thereof) by which the modiﬁed/improved device 
  exceeds the existing device the roll suﬀers a -1 penalty.
  DISABLING MECHANICAL DEVICES
  A character can use Mechanics to shut oﬀ or 
  disable mechanical devices or otherwise prevent 
  them from functioning. (Of course, this assumes 
  he wants to do so without signiﬁcantly damaging 
  the device — anyone can disable an engine without 
  making a Skill Roll simply by smashing it to bits, 
  blasting it with a shotgun, embedding an axe in it, 
  or the like.) Typically a roll to disable a device suf-
  fers a penalty equal to -1 per 10 Active Points in 
  the device, but the GM should adjust that penalty 
  downward as necessary. Just because a device is 
  powerful or technologically sophisticated doesn’t 
  mean it’s tamper-proof.
  IDENTIFYING MECHANICAL DEVICES
  During the course of his adventures it’s pos-
  sible that a character with Mechanics will encounter 
  a mechanical device he doesn’t instantly recognize 
  or understand. (This is particularly likely in Science 
  Fiction and dimension-hopping campaigns where 
  characters frequently ﬁnd alien gadgetry.) In that 
  case the character can make an Mechanics roll to 
  identify the nature and purpose of the device:  “This 
  is some sort of threshing device, but not for the type 
  of grain we grow on Earth”; “This is a weapon that 
  uses mechanical principles to ﬁre a shaped missile 
  over a long distance — I’d estimate 500 yards, but 
  it’s hard to tell without the missiles”). Modiﬁers for 
  obsolete/advanced and alien technologies apply.
  OPERATING MECHANICAL DEVICES
  Once a character has identiﬁed the nature and 
  purpose of a strange mechanical device, he can 
  make an Mechanics roll to ﬁgure out how to turn 
  it on and/or operate it. (Though again, as discussed 
  above, if another Skill directly covers the device in 
  question, it’s the primary Skill and Mechanics is 
  Complementary.) Modiﬁers for obsolete/advanced 
  and alien technologies apply, and the GM may 
  also impose a penalty based on the device’s Active 
  Points if desired. Characters can also use Mechan-
  ics to turn on a mechanical device or system for 
  which they don’t have the proper key (or other acti-
  vating device) without necessarily operating it.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Mechanics requires equipment. A character 
  needs all sorts of tools — screwdrivers, hammers, 
  wrenches, precise measuring devices, and more 
  — as well as appropriate spare/replacement parts 
  to create, work with, and modify most mechanical 
  devices. What’s worse, even two relatively simi-
  lar mechanical devices (such as two automobile 
  engines) may be put together so diﬀerently that 
  characters need very diﬀerent sets of tools and gear 
  to use them — the price of increasing variation 
  and sophistication in manufacturing techniques. 
  As technology advances and becomes more “user-
  friendly,” the number of tools needed may increase 
  or decrease (though in the latter case, the ones still 
  required may likewise become more advanced). But 
  in the end a good old-fashioned pair of pliers may 
  be all that’s needed to solve some problems.
  POWERS AND MECHANICS
  The power to control mechanical devices is 
  a subset (often a rare one) of the “cyberkinesis 
  powers” mentioned under Electronics. Such powers 
  typically involve using Telekinesis to turn on and 
  manipulate the works of mechanical devices. 
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failing an Mechan-
  ics roll depend largely on what a character was 
  trying to do.
  When a character tries to build, repair, or 
  modify a mechanical device, a failed Skill Roll 
  means he doesn’t get the job done. He can’t ﬁgure 
  out how to build the device, his repairs don’t ﬁx 
  the problem, and so on. Alternately, the device may 
  work... at ﬁrst. Soon it malfunctions, undoubt-
  edly at a very bad moment for the character. A 
  badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) often indicates that 
  his eﬀorts have made the situation worse:  while 
  working he breaks a crucial tool or hurts himself; 
  his repairs or modiﬁcations damage the device or 
  make it work less well.
  When a character tries to disable a mechanical 
  device, failure means it continues to function prop-
  erly. A bad failure (by 4 or more) may accidentally 
  activate alarms, cause the device to go into “security 
  lockdown” so that repeated attempts to disable it 
  become even harder, or the like.
  When a character tries to identify a strange 
  mechanical device, failure means he has no idea 
  what the device does. A bad failure (by 4 or more) 
  means he misinterprets it, deciding it does some-
  thing that it doesn’t actually do (usually something 
  that will get him in trouble when he tries to make 
  the device do that).
  When a character tries to operate a strange 
  mechanical device or one he lacks the key for, 
  failure means he can’t get it to work (and perhaps 
  gets hurt while trying). A bad failure (by 4 or 
  more) means he badly hurts himself, he damages 
  the device, he sets off an alarm, or the like.
  
  234 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  BASE TIMES
  Mechanics tends to be time-consuming work. 
  Some tasks, like minor adjustments to a car, may 
  only take a few minutes, but most heavy-duty cre-
  ation and modiﬁcation work can take hours. For 
  those sorts of tasks, 1 Hour per 10 Active Points 
  in the device (or in the amount of Active Points in 
  the modiﬁcation) makes a good benchmark for the 
  GM, but he can adjust the ﬁnal total as appropriate.
  Disabling a mechanical device usually requires 
  a minimum of 1 Turn per 10 Active Points in the 
  device (and sometimes longer), but again, the GM 
  can adjust this as he sees ﬁt. It’s not uncommon for 
  characters in the comics, action movies, and novels 
  to shut oﬀ some devices in just a few seconds.
  Identifying the nature and purpose of a 
  strange mechanical device usually requires a 
  minimum of 1 Minute per 10 Active Points in the 
  device. User-friendliness features may diminish the 
  time required.
  The time required for operating or activating 
  a mechanical device varies wildly. Some tasks may 
  take no more than 2-3 Phases, or at most 1 Turn. 
  On the other hand, activating a large, complex 
  device from total shutdown without the proper 
  tools may take many minutes or even hours.
  SUBDIVIDING MECHANICS
  The standard rules for Mechanics don’t diﬀer-
  entiate between the types of devices a character can 
  work on — being able to ﬁx one mechanical device 
  lets him ﬁx any mechanical device. In more realistic 
  campaigns, characters buy Mechanics in categories 
  such as Automobile Engines, Airplane Engines, 
  Astronautical Engines, Hydraulic Systems, and 
  Robotics. A category costs 2 Character Points for 
  an INT-Based Roll (or 1 Character Point for just a 
  subcategory); additional categories or subcategories 
  cost 2 or 1 Character Points respectively; improv-
  ing the character’s roll with all of his categories and 
  subcategories costs +1 Character Points for each +1 
  to the roll. The GM may want to expand the avail-
  able categories based on the types of technology 
  available in his campaign.
  If you use this form of Mechanics, at the GM’s 
  option a character can try to use his Mechanics 
  on a category or subcategory of devices he hasn’t 
  paid for, but he has to make his Mechanics rolls for 
  doing so at a -3 (or worse) penalty.
  MECHANICS BY GENRE
  Mechanics applies in any genre and time period 
  advanced enough to have mechanical devices — some 
  of mankind’s earliest machines were based on 
  mechanical principles. The only thing that changes as 
  time and technology advance is the extent of the char-
  acter’s knowledge of what types of mechanical devices 
  are available and what they can accomplish.
  Fantasy
  In most cases, Mechanics isn’t an appropriate 
  Skill for Fantasy games; Fantasy worlds typically 
  have no engines to work on. However, characters 
  could still use this Skill for such chores as building 
  and repairing wagons, siege engines, winches, mill-
  wheels, and the like. In campaigns featuring magi-
  comechanical engineering and the like, Mechanics 
  may become a fairly common Skill. As with Inven-
  tor, the GM should not allow characters to use 
  Mechanics to make world-altering technological 
  changes unless that’s what he wants.
  Science Fiction
  Mechanics remains mechanics in the future, 
  even if it takes a back seat to electronics or more 
  advanced technology. The chief diﬀerence is that 
  some systems require extremely specialized tools 
  — repairing a nanotech device would call for a 
  powerful microscope and tiny manipulators, while 
  ﬁxing a nuclear reactor demands remote-operated 
  robots to avoid a messy death.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  235 
  MIMICRY
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Intellect Skill can imitate 
  someone else’s voice, animal cries and calls, and 
  certain other sounds ﬂawlessly.
  MIMICRY BASICS
  When a character uses Mimicry, he engages 
  in a Skill Versus Skill Contest pitting the listener’s 
  Hearing PER Roll against the Mimicry roll. If the 
  character wins, the listener believes the voice/sound 
  is real — in other words, that the person being imi-
  tated is the person speaking, the animal sound is 
  genuinely that of the animal in question, or the like. 
  The more the character wins the Contest by, the 
  more accurate his imitation.
  If the character loses the Contest, the decep-
  tion is immediately obvious to any listener who 
  knows the voice being imitated, the cries made 
  by the animal, or the sound being made. If a lis-
  tener lacks this familiarity, the character may still 
  get away with the deception (at least for a little 
  while...), but something about his imitation is 
  “off” in a way that alerts the listener and makes 
  him suspicious.
  “Realistically,” sound analysis equipment used 
  to study an imitated voice or other sounds easily 
  reveals that even a highly-accurate imitation is just 
  that — an imitation. In more cinematic campaigns, 
  characters may be able to mimic voices and sounds 
  well enough to fool scientiﬁc analysis.
  IMITATING VOICES
  Characters most often use Mimicry to imi-
  tate the voice of other persons. By altering voice 
  quality, tone, and pitch, and copying the phrasing, 
  intonation, accentuations, and rhythms of another 
  person’s speech, a character can convincingly imi-
  tate that person’s voice. Many diﬀerent modiﬁers 
  can apply to imitating voices, including:
  ■ Length Of Speech:  The longer the character 
  speaks (or makes some sound), the more likely he 
  is to slip up or make a mistake, thus revealing the 
  deception.
  ■ Environment:  If a character’s in a particularly 
  noisy area, it becomes easier to imitate a voice 
  because the ambient noise hides the minor errors 
  in the imitation
  ■ Familiarity:  The better the listener knows the 
  voice being imitated, the harder it is to imitate 
  it well enough to fool him. Conversely, the more 
  familiar a character is with a voice he’s imitating 
  (i.e., the more he’s listened to that person, up close 
  and in person), the better he is at mimicking it.
  ■ Gender:  Imitating the voice of a person of the 
  opposite gender imposes a -1 to -3 penalty based 
  on relative diﬀerences in tone, pitch, and the like.
  ■ Language:  If a character uses Mimicry to imitate 
  a voice speaking any language that he does not have 
  at least 4 Character Points of ﬂuency in, he suﬀers 
  a penalty based on how diﬀerent the language and 
  his well-known languages are.
  ■ Other Species/Races:  In some campaigns, such 
  as High Fantasy or Space Opera games, charac-
  ters interact with non-human sentient species 
  frequently. When mimicking a person not of his 
  own species, a character usually suﬀers signiﬁcant 
  penalties. (In more cinematic campaigns, GMs may 
  reduce this to a ﬂat -1.) This is in addition to the 
  penalty for foreign languages. Characters cannot 
  use Mimicry to imitate beings who make sounds 
  the character cannot produce. If a species commu-
  nicates through means other than sound (such as 
  ﬂashing lights or pheromonic emissions), the GM 
  must decide whether a character can mimic their 
  “speech” at all, and if so what penalties this entails 
  (usually at least -5).
  ■ Telephone And Radio:  Imitating a voice over 
  the telephone or radio transmission is easier than 
  in person; the comparatively poor quality of the 
  sound reproduction makes it harder to discern 
  the fakery.
  ■ Whispering:  It’s usually a little easier to imitate a 
  voice while whispering.
  MIMICRY MODIFIERS
  Voice Imitation 
  Modiﬁer
  Length of speech/making of sounds
     Full Phase 
  +0
     1 Turn 
  -1
     1 Minute 
  -2
     5 Minutes 
  -3
  ...and so on
  Environment:  noisy surroundings 
  +1 to +3
  Familiarity:  voice being imitated is...
     Completely unknown to listener 
  +2
     Has been heard once or twice 
  +1 to +0
     Known to listener 
  -1
     Well-known to listener 
  -2
     Extremely well-known to listener 
  -3
  Familiarity:  character’s familiarity with  
  voice being imitated is...
     Poor (has heard once or twice at most) 
  -1
     Fair (has heard a few times) 
  +0
     Good (has heard a dozen times) 
  +1
     Very Good (has heard dozens of times) 
  +2
     Imitating opposite gender 
  -1 to -3
  Speaking foreign language (see text) 
  -1 to -3
  Imitating different species/race
     Speaks in same sound range 
  -1 to -2
     Speaks in diﬀerent sound range 
  -3 to -4
     Speaks in very diﬀerent sound range 
  -5 or greater
  Speaking over radio or telephone 
  +1 to +2
  Whispering 
  +1
  Animal Imitation:  Sound Is... 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple 
  +2
  Simple 
  +1
  Average 
  +0
  Complex 
  -1
  Very Complex 
  -2
  
  236 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  The Mimicry Modiﬁers table summarizes 
  these modiﬁers.
  IMITATING ANIMALS
  Characters often use Mimicry to imitate 
  animal calls and cries (some animals use it this 
  way, too, to lure prey to them). Fooling another 
  human this way is one thing, but fooling another 
  animal may prove much more diﬃcult due to ani-
  mals’ heightened perceptions. Depending on how 
  elaborate or richly-toned the sound is, mimicking 
  it may be easy or hard, as indicated by the Mimicry 
  Modiﬁers table. Most bird calls and songs are Very 
  Simple to Average; mammal and reptile sounds 
  tend to be Average to Very Complex.
  Birds such as parrots, mynahs, and crows 
  can buy Mimicry to imitate human speech and 
  other sounds. They don’t understand what they’re 
  “saying,” but they can sometimes mimic people 
  quite well, right down to accents.
  IMITATING OTHER SOUNDS
  Characters can use Mimicry to imitate other 
  sounds, such as police sirens, doors and cabinets shut-
  ting, chainsaws, the sound of a gun being cocked, and 
  so forth. Usually this entails at least a -1 penalty, since 
  the sound of the human voice diﬀers from sounds 
  created by such artiﬁcial means. The GM determines 
  whether a character can imitate a particular sound. 
  Some sounds defy reproduction by the human voice, 
  though experienced mimics can convincingly imitate 
  hundreds of noises.
  EQUIPMENT
  Typically Mimicry is a personal Skill that 
  doesn’t involve equipment. However, many dif-
  ferent types of equipment are built with Mimicry, 
  allowing characters to imitate voices and other 
  sounds even when they haven’t bought this Skill. 
  The most common example are duck calls and 
  similar devices used by hunters to lure game, but 
  voice alteration/imitation devices and software also 
  exist in the modern day. In the future such equip-
  ment may become even more accurate in its ability 
  to imitate sounds.
  POWERS AND MIMICRY
  Images to the Hearing Group eﬀectively take 
  the place of Mimicry, and with a large enough 
  imposed penalty on listeners’ Hearing PER Rolls it 
  can be virtually ﬂawless. Extremely talented mimics 
  may buy an Images power with the Limitation 
  Requires A Mimicry Roll to indicate the extent of 
  their skill.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences for failing a Mimicry roll 
  are discussed above.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for imitating most discrete 
  sounds is a Half Phase. Imitating a voice during a con-
  versation lasts for the length of the conversation.
  SUBDIVIDING MIMICRY
  If the GM wants to make Mimicry a more pre-
  cisely-deﬁned ability, he can split it into three Skills:  
  Mimic Humans; Mimic Animals; Mimic Artiﬁcial 
  Sounds. Each of these could be its own Intellect 
  Skill, or the GM could let characters buy them as 
  categories:  2 Character Points for the ﬁrst category, 
  +1 Character Point for each additional category.
  For cinematic campaigns, the GM might con-
  sider combining Mimicry and Ventriloquism into a 
  single Intellect Skill, Voice Manipulation. This isn’t 
  necessarily realistic, but it may encourage char-
  acters to buy and use these two fun but relatively 
  uncommon Skills more frequently.
  MIMICRY BY GENRE
  Mimicry works the same in all genres.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  237 
  NAVIGATION
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base roll with one 
  category; each additional category or sub-
  category costs +1 Character Point; +1 to 
  the roll with all categories and subcatego-
  ries known per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Intellect Skill can determine 
  his location and plot an eﬃcient course between 
  two points. Navigation is extremely useful for char-
  acters who are charting unknown regions or want 
  to ﬁnd their way home when lost.
  A character with Navigation knows about dif-
  ferent types of landmarks and indicators of direc-
  tion and how to use them. He also knows about 
  and can use various types of navigational equip-
  ment appropriate to the forms of Navigation he 
  knows, such as compasses, sextants, GPS devices, 
  and pulsar sensors. He knows how to read maps 
  and formal directional notations, how to calculate 
  his latitude and longitude, and so forth. Characters 
  can perform Navigation by a variety of methods, 
  ranging from astronomical triangulation, to dead 
  reckoning, to using the location of planets, stars, 
  nebulae and other astronomical objects — it all 
  depends on which Navigation subskills the charac-
  ter knows, where he’s trying to use them, and how 
  he was trained. 
  BUYING NAVIGATION
  Characters buy Navigation by categories, 
  because knowing how to ﬁnd one’s way across 
  uncharted lands does not necessarily mean know-
  ing how to steer a sailing ship or plot the course of 
  a starship. The ﬁrst category a character buys costs 
  2 Character Points for a (9+(INT/5)) or less roll; 
  subsequent types cost 1 point each. To improve the 
  roll for all types of Navigation the character knows 
  costs 2 Character Points per +1 to the roll. In most 
  campaign settings the standard Navigation catego-
  ries include:
  Air, Land (also known as Orienteering), Marine, 
  Space (sometimes called “Astrogation”). 
  In some campaigns, additional, more exotic cat-
  egories of Navigation are available, such as: Astral, 
  Dimensional, Temporal, Urban
  Each of these categories is discussed further 
  below. The GM may add (or remove) categories 
  as he sees fit. The Navigation Modifiers table 
  lists some common modifiers applicable to most 
  categories; the GM should adapt them as neces-
  sary to unusual forms of Navigation or special 
  circumstances. Standard Complementary Skills 
  for Navigation include Area or City Knowledges 
  of the region the character’s traveling through 
  (or sometimes to) — though this mainly applies 
  for “generic” AKs and CKs like AK: Deserts or 
  AK: Forests, since if a character has an AK/CK of 
  a specific area he doesn’t usually need Navigation 
  to find his way through it.
  USING NAVIGATION
  When on a trip, or just trying to get from 
  Point A to Point B in unusual circumstances, a 
  character typically makes one Navigation roll at the 
  beginning (to ensure he gets oﬀ on the right head-
  ing), and periodically thereafter as the GM thinks 
  necessary. How often a character should have to 
  make Navigation rolls frequently depends on the 
  circumstances. Staying on course to arrive at a dis-
  tant mountain through the desert is easy because 
  the character can keep his eye on the mountain and 
  adjust his course, whereas trying to do the same 
  thing through a jungle may mean the character has 
  far more chances to go oﬀ-course. The GM should 
  consider the length of the trip and the travel condi-
  tions and divide the journey up into one or more 
  segments, each requiring a Navigation roll. Under 
  “average” conditions, one roll every 30-50 miles 
  probably suﬃces. At a minimum, one Navigation 
  roll per day is appropriate; in confusing conditions, 
  multiple daily rolls (even as many as one per hour) 
  may be necessary.
  If a character’s Navigation roll succeeds, it 
  means he’s properly determined his location and/or 
  can properly ﬁnd his way on this trip (or this leg of 
  the trip). If the roll fails, it typically means he real-
  izes he doesn’t know where he is or can’t ﬁnd his 
  way:  in other words, that he’s lost. Since he knows 
  this he can take steps to correct it, like backtrack-
  ing to the last point where he did know his location 
  and starting over. At the very least, he can re-orient 
  himself by taking 1 Minute and succeeding with 
  NAVIGATION MODIFIERS
  Condition 
  Modiﬁer
  Landmarks*
     None/Very Obscure 
  -4
     Scarce/Obscure 
  -2
     Few 
  -1
     Some 
  +0
     Many/Prominent 
  +1
     Copious/Very Prominent 
  +2
  Pathway*
     Well-traveled or -marked 
  +1 or more
     Poorly-traveled or -marked 
  -1 or worse
     No pathway at all 
  -2 or worse
  Target (see text)
     Very General 
  +2
     General 
  +1
     Average 
  +0
     Speciﬁc 
  -2
     Very Speciﬁc 
  -4
  Terrain
     Very Dense 
  -2
     Dense 
  -1
     Average 
  +0
     Open 
  +1
     Very Open 
  +2
  Character has Bump Of Direction 
  +2
  *:  If characters have diﬃculty perceiving landmarks 
  or pathways, perhaps due to fog, nighttime darkness, 
  or Terrain modiﬁers, the GM can reduce or eliminate 
  any bonus provided, or require characters to make 
  a PER Roll to ﬁnd the landmarks/path before they 
  obtain the bonus.
  
  238 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  another Navigation roll. A bad failure (by 4 or 
  more) means the character’s gotten oﬀ-course and 
  doesn’t know it; he’s proceeding onward thinking 
  he’s on the right path. Only when confronted with 
  unmistakeable evidence that he’s gotten himself lost 
  — like encountering a river he knows shouldn’t be 
  in his way — or when he succeeds with one of his 
  later periodic Navigation rolls does he realize what’s 
  happened. As always, common sense should apply. 
  For example, if the character can see the rising sun, 
  he knows roughly which direction east is, no matter 
  how badly he failed a Navigation roll. The GM 
  may, at his option, impose penalties on later rolls 
  to reﬂect how badly the character failed previous 
  rolls... which in turn makes failure, and thus further 
  penalties, more likely until the character becomes 
  hopelessly lost.
  Navigation can serve as a Complementary 
  Skill for Shadowing in the environment in question, 
  if the GM deems that appropriate.
  Landmarks
  The presence or absence of landmarks can 
  help or hinder Navigation tremendously. Having 
  a river to follow, a prominent mountain peak 
  to sight on, or a series of constructed markers 
  as a “silent guide” provides a bonus to the roll, 
  while the absence of those things (such as trying 
  to find one’s way across the trackless desert 
  or through the Endless Swamp of Many Giant 
  Spiders) is much harder. (Since large bodies of 
  water are almost always landmark-less, the GM 
  shouldn’t apply lack of landmark penalties to 
  Navigation (Marine), but that form of the Skill 
  still gets bonuses when landmarks, be they natu-
  ral or man-made, exist.)
  An appropriate Area Knowledge or City 
  Knowledge of a location includes knowledge of the 
  landmarks and acts as a Complementary Skill to 
  Navigation (in fact, it can be so helpful that the GM 
  may want to double the normal bonus from suc-
  ceeding with a Complementary Skill Roll, or rule 
  that no roll is necessary).
  Navigation Target
  If a character’s trying to reach a defined 
  target location, that can affect how easily he can 
  use Navigation. General targets (“I want to get 
  out of this forest” or “I want to reach the sea-
  shore”) provide bonuses because success doesn’t 
  depend on precision — there’s lots of seashore to 
  find and many ways out of the forest, so to speak. 
  More specific targets (“I want to find the witch’s 
  shack in the middle of the giant spider-filled 
  swamp,” “I want to find our way to that campsite 
  we used last time we came through here”) are 
  much harder and impose penalties.
  Planning Trips
  A character can use Navigation to plan a 
  journey that’s optimal in some way — such as the 
  fastest or most fuel-eﬃcient route. This requires 
  a Navigation roll at a -1 penalty. He still has to 
  make Navigation rolls along the way to follow his 
  planned route.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  239 
  Navigation Based On Other Attributes
  Exotic forms of Navigation (such as Astral, 
  Dimensional, and Temporal) assume ﬁnding one’s 
  way depends on specialized knowledge or close 
  observation — both the purview of INT. At the 
  GM’s option, mystical forms of Navigation may 
  depend on other Characteristics. For instance, 
  astral travel might depend entirely on force of will 
  and ﬁxity of purpose, and so Astral Navigation 
  would be based on EGO. If movement between 
  worlds depends on placating a gatekeeper spirit 
  who sends travelers to the wrong place if he doesn’t 
  like their invocation, Dimensional Navigation 
  might depend on PRE.
  GENERAL NAVIGATION ABILITIES
  Characters with the three main forms of Navi-
  gation — Land, Marine, and Air — all have certain 
  abilities. Among other things, they can:
  ■ read and accurately interpret  various types of 
  maps associated with that type of Navigation.
  ■ determine which direction is which by orienting 
  themselves using the sun and stars, and sometimes 
  other simple methods
  ■ properly and accurately use a compass and other 
  navigational gear (including the navigational 
  equipment on an air- or watercraft they’re in for Air 
  and Marine Navigation, respectively)
  ■ ﬁnd their way by dead reckoning (navigation by 
  estimation of direction and distance traveled from 
  a known point) if they don’t have any equipment. 
  This includes knowing all sorts of “tricks” and 
  methods of interpreting their surroundings to learn 
  which direction is which. For example, they know 
  that in the northern hemisphere, the north side of 
  a tree tends to have more moss than the south; in 
  the southern hemisphere the opposite holds true. 
  (Though some experts dispute the accuracy and 
  usefulness of this trick.)
  ■ know how to give and read measurements and 
  directions in common forms of navigational 
  notation. For example, they can use the latitude 
  and longitude system. Meridians of longitude 
  run north-south. The meridian running through 
  Greenwich, England is the prime meridian, or 0o; 
  the meridian opposite it on the other side of the 
  Earth (which corresponds in some places with 
  the International Date Line) is the 180o  meridian. 
  Other degrees of longitudes of meridian run east 
  and west, counting from 0 up to 180 (thus, there 
  are 180 degrees of east longitude and 180 of west 
  longitude, for a total of 360o around the globe). 
  Each degree of longitude is further subdivided 
  into 60 “minutes,” with 60 “seconds” per minute, 
  for greater precision of measurement. Parallels of 
  latitude run east-west. The equator is 0o, with par-
  allels counted north and south to the poles up to 
  90o, with further division into minutes and seconds 
  as above. By combining a latitude and longitude 
  measurement, one can designate (and thus ﬁnd) a 
  speciﬁc location on Earth. For example, one might 
  refer to a position in the Middle East as 32o north 
  latitude, 35o east longitude.
  Characters with Navigation also know about 
  other systems for indicating/measuring direction and 
  distances, such as the UTM (Universal Transverse 
  Mercator) grid coordinate system used by the military.
  LAND NAVIGATION
  Land Navigation, sometimes referred to as 
  “orienteering” (though this can instead just mean 
  “navigation as a sport”), is the most common form 
  of the Skill in many campaigns. Characters use it 
  to ﬁnd their way across the land in the absence 
  of roads, paths, or the like. This typically involves 
  using a compass, but characters with Navigation 
  (Land) can improvise tools to determine direction 
  (such as the shadow-stick method of determining 
  rough latitude and longitude based on the shadow 
  cast by a stick stuck upright in the ground).
  While other forms of Navigation almost 
  always involve vehicles, Navigation (Land) could 
  involve travel on foot or in a ground vehicle. If a 
  character’s primarily used to navigating on foot, 
  he may suﬀer a small penalty (-1 to -2) if trying 
  to navigate in a vehicle, especially one moving 
  quickly; the same applies to a person used to vehic-
  ular navigation who ﬁnds himself having to walk. 
  This penalty should diminish and then disappear 
  quickly as the character becomes accustomed to his 
  new circumstances.
  Terrain
  Dense terrain, such as many jungles, forests, 
  and swamps, makes Navigation (Land) harder 
  because the character can’t see as far or get his 
  bearings as easily. Open terrain, such as ﬁelds or 
  deserts, makes it easier to perceive landmarks, the 
  general lay of the land, and so forth, and thus eases 
  the task of ﬁnding one’s way.
  AIR NAVIGATION
  Navigation (Air) almost always involves maps 
  (many types of aeronautical charts are available) and 
  the navigational equipment in the aircraft. Lacking 
  those tools, a pilot has to rely on dead reckoning 
  (based on the position of sun, stars, and the like) or 
  follow landmarks on the ground (a diﬃcult thing 
  to do at night [Sight PER Roll penalties apply to the 
  Navigation roll], and impossible over the water).
  MARINE NAVIGATION
  Navigation (Marine) is in some ways the most 
  diﬃcult type of Navigation to use, since far out at 
  sea a sailor has no landmarks he can rely on. Com-
  pass, sextant, and other tools become key, though 
  celestial navigation (see below) can prove remark-
  ably eﬀective at times.
  Characters with Navigation (Marine) can 
  interpret the existence and movements of seabirds 
  to ﬁnd land. Birds remain fairly close to land (about 
  100 miles at most, for most species), so if a sailor 
  sees them he knows land is nearby... and that he can 
  follow the birds to it.
  In some oceanfaring cultures, such as some 
  Oceanic peoples, skilled navigators are said to have 
  the ability to “read” the motions and shapes of 
  waves far from land to determine the direction to 
  land. This requires a Navigation (Marine) roll at -4.
  
  240 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Celestial Navigation
  Celestial navigation is the art of navigating by 
  the positions of the Sun, Moon, and stars. A char-
  acter with Navigation (Marine) knows how to do 
  it, and to some extent so may characters with other 
  forms of Navigation.
  Simple celestial navigation allows a charac-
  ter to ascertain his latitude by determining the 
  declination (celestial latitude) of a star. This is 
  easily established for a star directly overhead; 
  for other stars, the navigator measures the angle 
  between the star and the overhead (zenith) point 
  using a tool called a quadrant. (An astrolabe, 
  see below, could also be used.) Later navigators 
  could use a sextant (see below) to determine 
  both latitude and longitude. But of course, these 
  methods only work at night, under a clear sky; 
  bad weather thwarts them (so do rough waters, 
  which make it impossible to hold steady long 
  enough to get a good reading).
  SPACE NAVIGATION
  Known in some settings as “Astrogation,” Navi-
  gation (Space) helps a character avoid getting lost 
  in the icy depths of outer space. Since mankind 
  has not traveled extensively in space, he hasn’t had 
  to create elaborate systems for navigating in space 
  — a sometimes diﬃcult task, since objects in space 
  move instead of having absolute ﬁxed positions 
  like landmarks on land. The astrogation systems 
  devised by Science Fiction writers in their stories 
  include things like establishing a “galactic prime 
  meridian” or calculating travel coordinates from 
  pulsars (stars that emit regular, predictable radio 
  waves and thus serve as “beacons”).
  ASTRAL NAVIGATION
  “Astral planes” are spiritual realms that exist, 
  invisible and intangible, alongside material real-
  ity. A mortal may enter an astral plane by sepa-
  rating his soul from his body (see Astral Form 
  on page 54 of The Ultimate Mystic), in dreams or 
  visions, or by magic. Some systems of mythology 
  or occultism propose just one astral plane; other 
  beliefs include several of these dimensions.
  Accounts of astral planes generally agree, how-
  ever, that normal conditions of space and speed 
  don’t apply in these spiritual realms. Astral travelers 
  can move with immense speed, going anywhere in 
  the world — or visiting realms beyond — in mere 
  seconds. If you don’t imagine a destination clearly, 
  however, you may ﬁnd yourself someplace you 
  don’t want to be, or completely lost.
   Astral Navigation depends, therefore, on the 
  ability to visualize a destination clearly, and keep 
  your mind on that location. Strength of will can 
  play a role in astral travel, too, so EGO Rolls are 
  complementary with Astral Navigation. Astral Nav-
  igation rolls receive modiﬁers based on how well 
  the character knows his destination, or possibly 
  other connections to the character. For instance, a 
  mystic might receive a small bonus when trying to 
  reach the town where he was born, even if he barely 
  remembers it, because he retains a mystical connec-
  tion to the place.
  DIMENSIONAL NAVIGATION
  Fantasy stories, mythology, comic books, 
  and Science Fiction novels provide many differ-
  ent descriptions of what travel to other dimen-
  sions is like. In some settings, characters reach 
  other dimensions using fixed paths or portals, 
  so navigation, as such, never becomes an issue. 
  But in other settings, characters may travel freely 
  between worlds, and need some way to know 
  where they’re going.
  The HERO System assumes Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement takes just a single Phase:  a charac-
  ter disappears from one world and reappears in 
  another. (The Extra Time Limitation may lengthen 
  the process, of course.) In some settings movement 
  between dimensions takes considerable time as 
  a default; the GM establishes this as a campaign 
  ground rule. For instance, a character might ﬂy 
  through a Limbo studded with portals to various 
  worlds, or walk interdimensional roads. This does 
  not fundamentally change the nature of Dimen-
  sional Navigation — either way, with a suﬃciently 
  bad failure a character doesn’t know he’s oﬀ course 
  until he enters another dimension and discovers 
  he’s not where he wanted to go.
  Exactly what cues a character follows in 
  Dimensional Navigation depends on how the GM 
  deﬁnes the nature of the Multiverse and Extra-
  Dimensional Movement. Travel to the proper loca-
  tion in a particular dimension may depend on visu-
  alizing the correct set of mystic symbols, following 
  a strand of colored light through an immense and 
  tangled web of similar strands, or listening for the 
  proper chord in the music of the spheres. Dimen-
  sional Navigation may even be purely intuitive or, 
  like Astral Navigation, involve keeping in mind a 
  clear image of where you want to go.
  Astral and Dimensional Navigation are dis-
  tinct categories of Navigation. Characters use 
  Dimensional Navigation to move between planes 
  of existence; they may use Astral Navigation within 
  a single mystical dimension. See Chapter Two of 
  The Ultimate Mystic for more information on creat-
  ing dimensions/multiverses and traveling between 
  them, and The Mystic World for an example of 
  a speciﬁc multiverse and how characters travel 
  within it.
  TEMPORAL NAVIGATION
  Some characters can travel through time 
  using astral projection, time machines, magic 
  potions, spells, or other means. Time travelers may 
  need Temporal Navigation to have any chance of 
  reaching the correct time. Otherwise they could 
  ﬁnd themselves lost in the timestream, unable to 
  reach their destination or reliably return home. 
  (Of course, this may depend on how the GM 
  deﬁnes time travel; see Chapter Nine of Star Hero 
  for more information.)
  Travel across greater spans of time generally 
  imposes penalties on a Temporal Navigation roll:  a 
  cumulative -1 for every step down the Time Chart 
  below 1 Day. However, characters suﬀer no penalty, 
  and in fact receive a +3 bonus, for returning to 
  their own time.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  241 
  URBAN NAVIGATION
  In some settings, particularly some Fantasy 
  realms or Science Fiction planets, cities may all be 
  designed along a common pattern:  the temple is 
  always here, the palace is always there, the Mer-
  chants’ Quarter always occupies the southeast side 
  of town, and so forth. In such settings, characters 
  can buy Urban as a category of Navigation. Their 
  familiarity with the standard city layout allows 
  them to ﬁnd their way through it easily (though 
  not necessarily to ﬁnd any given location), to ﬁnd 
  the best place for a good tavern or type of shop, to 
  outrace a rival to a place in the city, or to lose pur-
  suit in the twisty streets and alleys. City Knowl-
  edge of a given city is Complementary to Naviga-
  tion (Urban) used in that city — in fact, characters 
  with Navigation (Urban) usually have one or more 
  corresponding CKs.
  EQUIPMENT
  Navigation assumes the character has no 
  equipment — that he’s ﬁnding his way using dead 
  reckoning, celestial navigation, landmarks, intu-
  ition, or some other personal method — and thus 
  suﬀers no penalty for lack of equipment. However, 
  in most cases characters using Navigation can, and 
  do, use appropriate equipment to make the task 
  easier. Examples include:
  ■ Maps:  Few things aid Navigation as much as an 
  accurate map (+2 or greater bonuses to the roll). 
  On the other hand, few things make it harder than 
  an inaccurate one or one that’s severely out of date 
  (-2 or greater penalty).
  ■ Compass:  Next to a map, a compass — a device 
  that uses a magnetized needle (or needles) to point 
  toward magnetic north, thus allowing the user to 
  determine which direction he’s currently moving in 
  — is probably the most common navigational aid. 
  In game terms it provides the Bump Of Direction 
  Talent to the user, often greatly simplifying the task 
  of ﬁnding one’s way (+2 or greater bonus to appro-
  priate rolls).
  ■ Electronic Navigational Chart:  A “smart chart” 
  that electronically integrates traditional paper navi-
  gational charts with other data, and that can tie into 
  GPS (see below) and other sensors.
  ■ GPS System:  Since the late twentieth century, 
  people have been able to use the Global Positioning 
  System — a group of satellites orbiting the Earth 
  (or another planet, in a Star Hero game) — to navi-
  gate. Each satellite broadcasts its location above the 
  Earth, and by triangulating that data, a GPS tracker 
  can establish its own location on Earth with great 
  precision. The ﬁrst experimental GPS satellites 
  were launched in 1978 and were based on earlier 
  navigational technologies dating to the World War 
  II period, but the system as a whole wasn’t fully 
  operational until 1994. In its early years GPS was a 
  military asset, but it became available for free use by 
  civilians a few years after full operational capacity.
  As of the early twenty-ﬁrst century, improve-
  ments to GPS technology allow the system to pin-
  point a receiver’s location to within two meters (1”). 
  Over short distances Diﬀerential GPS is even more 
  precise, measuring location to within 1 centimeter. 
  In game terms this is the Enhanced Sense Detect 
  Exact Position On Earth (using latitude, longitude, 
  and altitude). Without a GPS tracking device, char-
  acters can’t use this information; with one, they can 
  use the Detect as a Complementary Skill Roll for 
  Navigation (but usually with a minimum +2 bonus 
  regardless of the roll). More advanced GPS devices 
  (see page 387) are much easier for the average 
  person to use (providing minimum bonuses of +3 
  or more).
  ■ Astrolabe:  A device dating to at least the late BC 
  era used to locate and predict the position of celes-
  tial bodies, and to determine local time at a given 
  longitude (and vice-versa). It could also be used as 
  a slightly less accurate version of a quadrant (see 
  Celestial Navigation, above.) It functions as a Com-
  plementary Skill to the user’s Navigation roll.
  ■ Sextant:  Used on sailing ships, particularly 
  during the Age of Sail, a sextant measures angu-
  lar distances, thereby allowing a character with 
  Navigation (Marine) to ascertain a ship’s latitude 
  and longitude. In game terms this is the Enhanced 
  Sense Detect Current Latitude And Longitude, 
  which functions as a Complementary Skill to the 
  user’s Navigation roll.
  ■ Toleta:  Used on medieval sailing ships, this 
  device is a pegboard used to mark the distance and 
  direction traveled to assist in dead reckoning.
  
  242 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ■ Topoﬁl:  A device that measures an unreeling 
  thread to calculate distances from 0-5,000 meters. 
  In game terms this is a Limited form of Absolute 
  Range Sense.
  Of course, all of these are devices known in the 
  real world. In the ﬁctional worlds of gaming, people 
  may have invented similar devices for navigating 
  space, dimensions, time, or the like.
  If necessary a character with Navigation can 
  construct simple (and much less accurate) ver-
  sions of these tools with appropriate raw materials. 
  For example, he can make a crude compass with a 
  string, a piece of ferrous metal (such as a needle or 
  razor blade), and some way to magnetize the metal 
  (like repeatedly stroking it in the same direction 
  with a piece of silk).
  POWERS AND NAVIGATION
  The Talent Bump Of Direction (and to some 
  extent Absolute Range Sense as well) is very helpful 
  to characters using Navigation; it typically provides 
  a +2 bonus to rolls the character makes to ascertain 
  direction or maintain travel in a given direction. 
  Characters with Movement Powers that let them 
  move long distances quickly often buy Enhanced 
  Senses to help them navigate, such as an innate 
  ability equivalent to GPS.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failing Navigation rolls is 
  discussed above under Using Navigation.
  BASE TIMES
  In most cases, the Base Time for using Navi-
  gation to ascertain the direction or to determine 
  if a character’s moving in the desired direction is 
  1 Turn (though a quick check using dead reckon-
  ing methods and “tricks” may only require a Full 
  Phase). Using the Skill to plan a trip in advance 
  may require 5-20 Minutes or more, depending on 
  the length of the trip and the potential obstacles 
  characters can encounter. See above regarding the 
  frequency of rolls.
  UNIFYING NAVIGATION
  Some campaigns don’t worry too much about 
  the minutia of how characters ﬁnd their way from 
  one place to another. In that case, the GM may ﬁnd 
  it simpler to combine all the forms of Navigation 
  into one standard Intellect Skill that a character can 
  use in any environment.
  NAVIGATION BY GENRE
  Navigation works the same in all genres and 
  time periods, but the tools available to a navigator 
  change considerably. The compass was invented in 
  China in the fourth century AD. It’s ﬁrst mentioned 
  in European writings in 1190, though it’s unclear 
  whether the Europeans independently invented it 
  or it somehow traveled west from China. The sex-
  tant was invented in the early 1730s, though Martin 
  Behain is known to have adapted the astrolabe for 
  use as a tool to determine latitude in the 1490s. The 
  GPS system became fully operational in 1994, and 
  has been improved in the years since.
  Prior to the modern day, maps weren’t neces-
  sarily as accurate as the ones available in the early 
  twenty-ﬁrst century. Even through the Pulp era 
  and beyond, maps often contained “white space” 
  or lightly ﬁlled-in areas with little information, or 
  were based on erroneous information... and maps 
  from the Age of Exploration and before were often 
  more ﬁction than fact!
  Fantasy
  In most Fantasy settings, characters can only 
  buy the Land and Marine forms of Navigation, 
  since air and space travel do not exist. Unless the 
  setting has fairly sophisticated clocks, compasses, 
  and similar devices, characters must typically rely 
  on the stars and natural landmarks to ﬁnd their 
  way successfully. If they cannot see the stars due to 
  cloudy weather, they should suﬀer a -3 (or greater) 
  penalty to their rolls.
  In games involving aerial vehicles or mounts, 
  or planar travel, the Air and Dimensional versions 
  of Navigation also become available. A ﬂying char-
  acter, or character who frequently uses ﬂight spells, 
  could also buy Navigation (Air).
  Science Fiction
  In a spacefaring campaign, Navigation (Space) 
  is crucial, though other forms of Navigation may 
  also be common if the PCs are explorers or the like.
  At the GM’s option, the existence of FTL 
  travel, or particular methods of FTL travel, may 
  require new Navigation subskills. Navigation 
  (Hyperspace) allows a character to determine 
  his position in hyperspace, both relative to other 
  points in hyperspace and to normal space; if the 
  environment of hyperspace is suﬃciently weird and 
  unlike normal space, GMs may opt to make this an 
  entirely separate Skill. Navigation (FTL) allows a 
  character to determine his position while whipping 
  along at FTL speeds, and involves compensating 
  for redshift, light lag, and the movement of objects 
  throughout the Galaxy.
  Time and interdimensional travel allow travel 
  in two entirely new ways, and consequently require 
  two new subskills. Navigation (Time) allows a char-
  acter to determine where in the past or future he 
  is. Knowledge and Science Skills such as History, 
  Astronomy, Archaeology, and possibly Anthropol-
  ogy serve as Complementary Skills. Navigation 
  (Dimensional) allows a character to determine his 
  location among the dimensions of the multiverse. It 
  may be the same as Navigation (Hyperspace) if all 
  dimensions open onto the same hyperspace.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  243 
  ORATORY
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with Oratory has the ability to speak to 
  an audience and to deliver a convincing presenta-
  tion. With well-crafted words, careful phrasing, 
  proper voice modulation and intonation, and the 
  right body language, he can address an audience 
  and make it receptive to his message — or even 
  sway the crowd to his point of view. He also knows 
  how to read an audience to determine its mood, 
  write good speeches, speak extemporaneously 
  (without a prepared speech or notes), and rally 
  troops with his inspirational words.
  Oratory does not allow characters to argue, 
  participate in back-and-forth debates, or lie con-
  vincingly — those are functions of Persuasion 
  (q.v.). It’s only useful when the character’s the only 
  person talking and the audience isn’t responding.
  For game purposes, the “audience” necessary for 
  Oratory usually means at least a dozen people, and 
  usually more — up to thousands or millions in some 
  cases. The character doesn’t necessarily have to be in 
  their presence (he could broadcast his message by 
  radio, television, or the like), but in that case usually 
  suﬀers a -2 to his roll to represent the diminished 
  impact that comes from not being there himself.
  Using Oratory
  Oratory has three primary uses:  speaking 
  convincingly to an audience (including preparing a 
  speech); reading the crowd’s reaction; and creating 
  rallying cries.
  SPEAKING CONVINCINGLY
  The main function of Oratory is that it allows 
  a character to speak to an audience and convince 
  them that his expressed opinions are worthy of con-
  sideration, perhaps even wholehearted belief. After 
  spending the necessary Base Time (see below), the 
  character makes an Oratory roll. If he succeeds, he’s 
  held the audience’s attention and convinced its mem-
  bers to think about what he was saying. If the roll 
  succeeds by four or more, the character convinces 
  the members of the audience (or at least the vast 
  majority of them) to agree with his line of reason-
  ing (a skilled speaker can be very convincing). If he 
  makes the roll by half or a Critical Success, he turns 
  the audience members (or at least most of them) 
  into fanatical believers in his cause.
  The standard rules for resisting Interaction 
  Skills and for the duration of Interaction Skills 
  apply to this use of Oratory. A skilled speaker can 
  sway peoples’ hearts and minds for a long time after 
  he speaks (perhaps permanently), but some listen-
  ers shake oﬀ a speaker’s eﬀects after being out of his 
  presence for a while.
  If an Oratory roll fails, it typically means the 
  audience members ignore the speaker’s eﬀorts to 
  convince them — they remain neutral or hostile to 
  his message. If the roll fails badly (by 4 or more), 
  the audience may disagree with the character so 
  strongly that it leaves in disgust, throws things at 
  him, or even attacks him.
  Speechwriting
  The rules for Oratory assume that a character 
  using it is speaking more or less extemporane-
  ously — i.e., without signiﬁcant prior preparation, 
  or even oﬀ the top of his head. That’s part of what 
  the Skill gives the character:  the ability to speak 
  well to an audience even in diﬃcult circumstances. 
  However, characters with Oratory also know how 
  to prepare good speeches. If a character has time 
  to prepare a speech beforehand, he can make an 
  Oratory roll to determine the quality of the speech. 
  That result serves as a Complementary Skill Roll 
  for his later roll to convince the audience. If this 
  roll fails, the character realizes his speech isn’t that 
  good (it’s not necessarily bad, just not noteworthy). 
  If it fails badly (by 4 or more), he thinks the speech 
  is really good when in fact it’s awful; the discord 
  this creates imposes a -2 penalty on his roll when 
  actually using the speech.
  Presence Attacks On Groups
  Oratory helps characters make eﬀective Presence 
  Attacks on large groups. If the character succeeds with 
  an Oratory roll, add +1d6 to the Presence attack. If the 
  character succeeds with a half roll, add +2d6.
  GAUGING THE AUDIENCE
  One of the ways a character with Ora-
  tory convinces his audience is by “reading” the 
  audience’s mood and tailoring his words to suit. 
  At the halfway point through the Base Time for 
  a speech, a character using Oratory may make 
  a separate Oratory roll to judge the audience’s 
  reaction so far. If the roll succeeds, he adjusts 
  his remarks to suit; the roll serves as a Comple-
  mentary Skill Roll for his later roll to convince 
  the audience. (This assumes the audience doesn’t 
  strongly disagree with him and that he’s willing 
  to make minor changes; if neither holds true, 
  this roll has no effect.) If the roll fails, he can’t 
  get a reading on the crowd; if it fails badly (by 4 
  or more) he misreads the crowd, resulting in a -2 
  penalty on his final roll to convince its members.
  RALLYING CRIES
  With the GM’s permission, characters involved 
  in large-scale battles can use Oratory to make rally-
  ing cries to inspire the troops and improve morale. 
  The character takes a Full Phase and makes his 
  Oratory roll, receiving a bonus if he roleplays the 
  attempt to rally the troops eﬀectively but usually 
  suﬀering the penalty for “noisy environment.” If 
  the roll succeeds, it can have one of the follow-
  ing eﬀects, chosen by the character (see the Mass 
  Combat rules on pages 200-18 of Fantasy Hero for 
  more information on unit combat):
  ■ for every 2 points by which the character’s roll suc-
  ceeds, his unit receives +1 on Morale rolls for its next 
  two Phases (see also the rules for Inspiration on page 
  208 of Fantasy Hero, which use Oratory in a similar 
  way; characters cannot use both methods at once)
  ■ his unit receives +1 OCV for its next Phase (or +2 
  
  244 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  if the character rolls a Critical Success)
  ■ for every point by which the character’s roll suc-
  ceeds, his unit receives +1 on its next Post-Segment 
  12 rallying roll, provided this roll takes place within 
  4 Segments of the rallying cry
  If desired, the GM can also allow characters 
  to use these rules for smaller-scale battles — in 
  other words, the sort of ﬁghts a group of PCs gets 
  involved in frequently — but he should be wary 
  of game balance problems. In this case a character 
  who uses a Full Phase Action and succeeds with an 
  Oratory roll to make a rallying cry grants everyone 
  on his side (i.e., the other PCs, and perhaps some 
  NPCs) a +1 OCV on their next Phase.
  ORATORY MODIFIERS
  Like other Interaction Skills, Oratory often 
  receives modiﬁers based on the circumstances, the 
  attitude of the “target” (in this case, the audience), 
  and similar factors. Besides the speciﬁc ones men-
  tioned above, general modiﬁers (which are summa-
  rized in the Oratory Modiﬁers table) include:
  ■ Audience Quality:  An attentive or appreciative 
  audience makes Oratory easier; a skeptical or hos-
  tile one makes it harder.
  ■ Noise:  The noisier it is, the harder it is for the 
  character to make himself heard and listened to.
  ■ Poor Voice:  If illness or some other problem 
  aﬀects the character’s voice, his speech tends to be 
  less convincing.
  EQUIPMENT
  Oratory doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND ORATORY
  Images to the Hearing Group used to amplify 
  a character’s voice, or possibly even to improve its 
  tone, could help with Oratory immensely, perhaps 
  providing a bonus of +1 to +2.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failing Oratory rolls are 
  discussed above.
  BASE TIMES
  Oratory’s Base Time depends on the length of 
  the speech being given. Typically the sorts of speak-
  ing that involve Oratory require at least 5 Minutes, 
  and much longer times (up to hours) aren’t out 
  of the question for some times, places, and topics. 
  Making a rallying cry takes a Full Phase.
  SUBDIVIDING ORATORY
  Oratory is already a Skill of fairly restricted 
  scope, so there’s probably no reason to split it into 
  multiple Skills. At most a GM might sever the 
  speechwriting function into a distinct Professional 
  Skill, and in games that emphasize mass combat 
  change the “rallying cry” function into its own 
  Interaction Skill, Rally.
  ORATORY BY GENRE
  Oratory functions the same way in all genres 
  and periods.
  ORATORY MODIFIERS TABLE
  Audience Quality 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Receptive/Appreciative 
  +2 to +3
  Receptive/Appreciative 
  +1
  Neutral 
  +0
  Hostile/Skeptical 
  -1 to -2
  Very Hostile/Skeptical 
  -3
  Other Factors 
  Modiﬁer
  Noisy surroundings 
  -1 to -3
  Poor voice 
  -1 to -3
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  245 
  PARAMEDICS
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Intellect Skill can perform 
  ﬁrst aid, stop bleeding, heal or patch up injuries, 
  and generally keep someone alive — what’s often 
  referred to as “trauma care.” They can also handle 
  other relatively minor medical matters, such as 
  setting broken bones, delivering babies, and admin-
  istering medications via an intravenous drip. They 
  know about the equipment needed to provide this 
  sort of medical care, how to use it, and its eﬀects 
  on patients. If appropriate, they’re at least vaguely 
  familiar with local medical resources and the local 
  medical community (hospitals, other care centers, 
  prominent physicians, and the like).
  Paramedics is an Everyman Skill for all genres.
  Using Paramedics
  Paramedics has three primary uses:  providing 
  basic medical care and healing minor injuries; stop-
  ping bleeding and preventing death; and treating 
  other medical conditions.
  BASIC MEDICAL CARE; HEALING  
  MINOR INJURIES
  Characters can use Paramedics to provide 
  care for and treatment of typical combat injuries 
  (in game terms, for the loss of BODY) and other 
  types of wounds — they can alleviate (to a minor 
  degree) the eﬀects of an injury, prevent infection, 
  and put the victim on the road to a full recovery. 
  This typically has a Base Time of 1 Turn, and penal-
  ties for the degree of injury (see below) apply. If the 
  character’s roll succeeds, he patches up the injury 
  as best he can; at the GM’s option, the injured char-
  acter immediately gets 1 BODY back. (Thus, Para-
  medics can heal the most minor of wounds, but 
  anything worse requires more advanced medical 
  care and time.) Also at the GM’s option, if the char-
  acter achieves a Critical Success, he heals 2 BODY 
  instead. If the roll fails, the character is unable to 
  treat the wound for some reason; if it fails badly (by 
  4 or more), he’s made the problem worse, inﬂicting 
  another 1 BODY damage on the subject.
  Typically characters can use Paramedics per 
  wound, thus possibly healing a person for more 
  than 1 BODY if that person’s suﬀered multiple 
  wounds. This also makes Paramedics easier, since 
  the penalty depends on the BODY loss from the 
  wound being treated, not the character’s overall 
  BODY loss. However, the GM may prefer to lump 
  all the BODY together to determine the penalty, 
  and/or restrict a character with Paramedics to 
  healing just 1 BODY regardless of the number of 
  wounds suﬀered.
  STOPPING BLEEDING AND  
  PREVENTING DEATH
  A character at zero BODY is dying (see 
  Death, page 413 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised). He loses 1 BODY at the end of each 
  Turn until he dies (this is usually referred to as 
  “bleeding to death” even if blood loss isn’t liter-
  ally involved). If the character takes a Full Phase 
  and succeeds with a Paramedics roll (the penalty 
  for degree of injury applies), he stops the bleed-
  ing, stabilizing the character at his current nega-
  tive BODY total. If he achieves a Critical Success, 
  at the GM’s option he also provides 1 BODY of 
  healing. If the roll fails, the subject continues to 
  bleed; if it fails badly (by 4 or more), the char-
  acter has made the problem worse, inflicting 
  another 1 BODY damage on the subject and has-
  tening his oncoming death.
  TREATING OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS
  Characters can also use Paramedics to treat 
  other medical conditions and provide other types 
  of basic medical care. As indicated by the accom-
  panying table, these tasks fall into three categories:  
  Routine (easy tasks that usually have a +1 to +2 
  bonus, or at least no penalty); Standard (basic 
  tasks that usually receive a -0 or -1 penalty); and 
  Advanced (diﬃcult tasks that suﬀer a -2 or greater 
  penalty). Typically the Base Time for a Routine 
  or Standard task is 1 Turn to 1 Minute; Advanced 
  tasks and a few other types of tasks rise to 5 Min-
  utes or more.
  EMERGENCY MEDICAL 
  TECHNICIANS, PARAMEDICS, 
  AND DOCTORS
  In the real world in the United States, there are several 
  diﬀerent professionals who can provide trauma care 
  and related medical assistance. The ﬁrst is the Emer-
  gency Medical Technician (EMT), who’s trained to 
  “bandage and bundle” (or “package,” in EMT jargon) 
  patients so they can be transported to more advanced 
  medical care. They can provide CPR, but they’re not 
  authorized for invasive medical techniques, not even 
  administering a painkiller shot or starting an IV. Their 
  job is to get an injured or sick person to other medical 
  personnel as quickly as possible.
  A Paramedic has much more advanced training, 
  comparable to that of a Registered Nurse according 
  to some authorities. In addition to EMT-style care, 
  they can deliver babies, administer emergency drugs, 
  intubate patients who are having diﬃculty breath-
  ing, monitor and initiate electrical stimulation of the 
  heart, and so forth. This is the level of care the Para-
  medics Skill allows a character to provide.
  At the upper end of the medical care food chain is the 
  Doctor, or physician, who’s legally allowed to provide 
  all types of medical care. A character with Paramedics 
  isn’t necessarily a doctor. To be a licensed doctor, a 
  character must also buy SS: Medicine (and many have 
  other health science SSs as well) and Fringe Beneﬁt:  
  License To Practice Medicine. Furthermore, a char-
  acter with Paramedics can only provide immediate, 
  emergency care; the Skill doesn’t involve the long-
  term care and cures, intensive therapy, or invasive sur-
  gical procedures doctors perform. Almost all medical 
  doctors have Paramedics, but not every character who 
  has Paramedics is a doctor.
  
  246 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  PARAMEDICS MODIFIERS
  Some of the standard modiﬁers that apply to 
  Paramedics rolls include:
  Degree Of Injury
  First and foremost, using Paramedics to treat 
  wounds suﬀers a penalty based on the degree 
  of injury — in game terms, based on how much 
  BODY damage the subject’s taken. The typical 
  penalty is -1 for every 2 BODY damage taken. (For 
  stopping someone from bleeding to death, the GM 
  may prefer to base the penalty only on the amount 
  of BODY the character has lost below 0.) This pen-
  alty works best for more “realistic” campaigns; in 
  cinematic campaigns, GMs may prefer to substitute 
  the less harsh “damage to subject” general modi-
  ﬁer (page 33). For greater realism, the GM can also 
  apply the “signiﬁcant damage” additional modiﬁer 
  from those rules to this Paramedics modiﬁer.
  Other Races And Species
  Many campaigns, including most High Fan-
  tasy and Space Opera games, feature multiple sen-
  tient species, such as Dwarves, Elves, and Martians. 
  When a character uses Paramedics on a species 
  other than his own, he may incur a penalty of -1 
  to -3, depending on how diﬀerent the race is. (See 
  also Alien Physiology on page 64 of Star Hero.) For 
  example, if Chiron (a human thief in a Fantasy 
  campaign) tried to save a dwarf from dying, the 
  GM might impose a -1 on his roll. Characters with 
  an appropriate Background Skill (like SS: Dwarven 
  Anatomy) don’t suﬀer these penalties in situations 
  covered by that Skill.
  Characters trained in normal human Para-
  medics (or similar Skills, such as SS: Medicine) can 
  apply their learning to animals at a -4 penalty. At 
  the GM’s option, a character can redeﬁne Paramed-
  ics as Veterinary Medicine, which allows him to 
  treat animals normally and humans at a -4 penalty.
  EQUIPMENT
  The Paramedics Skill generally requires equip-
  ment — EMTs and Paramedics carry a “Jump-Box,” 
  a large container ﬁlled with various medical sup-
  plies. A character lacking this often can’t do much 
  more than control non-severe bleeding and provide 
  other very simple forms of care — the GM should 
  enforce the standard “lack of equipment” modiﬁers 
  as appropriate.
  POWERS AND PARAMEDICS
  When applied to BODY and/or STUN, the 
  Healing Power makes most uses of Paramedics 
  superﬂuous. However, Healing doesn’t allow a char-
  acter to do things like deliver babies or administer 
  drugs via IV, so it’s not a perfect substitute.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failing a Paramedics roll 
  for speciﬁc tasks are discussed above. Typically a 
  failed roll means the character cannot provide the 
  type of medical care required, or has somehow 
  been unable to make the care he provided do what 
  it’s intended to. A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) 
  actually makes the condition worse, inﬂicting addi-
  tional BODY damage or the like.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Times for typical Paramedics tasks 
  are listed above. Other than stopping bleeding 
  (which requires just a Full Phase), most start at 1 
  Turn and go up from there based on the complexity 
  and diﬃculty of the task.
  SUBDIVIDING PARAMEDICS
  In campaigns featuring a large number of sen-
  tient species or races, the GM might require char-
  acters to buy Paramedics by species/race:  the ﬁrst 
  costs 2 Character Points for an INT-Based Roll; 
  each additional one costs +2 Character Points (or 
  only +1, if the GM prefers). A character can use his 
  Paramedics on a race/species he hasn’t purchased at 
  a -3 penalty.
  PARAMEDICS BY GENRE
  Paramedics works the same from genre 
  to genre and era to era in that it always allows 
  a character to provide trauma medical care. 
  What changes is the amount or types of medical 
  knowledge available. A modern-day character 
  knows a lot more about how to treat injuries and 
  the like than a Fantasy-era character (or even a 
  Pulp-era character), but his knowledge in turn 
  may be dwarfed by that of a Future-era charac-
  ter. The rules above generally assume at least a 
  modern level of knowledge; the GM may restrict 
  what characters from earlier time periods or 
  genres can do with Paramedics.
  PARAMEDICS TASKS
  In addition to treating wounds and preventing characters from bleeding to 
  death, here are some of the types of medical treatment a character can provide 
  with Paramedics.
  Routine Tasks 
  Modiﬁer
  Simple splinting of non-deformed broken bones 
  +2
  Treat accidental amputation 
  +2
  Simple IV insertion 
  +1
  Treat simple poisoning (bee stings and the like) 
  +2
  Standard Tasks 
  Modiﬁer
  CPR, Advanced Cardiac Life Support 
  -0
  Intubate patient having trouble breathing 
  -0
  Operate deﬁbrillator (heart-shocking machine) 
  -0
  Extricate injured person from vehicle/building 
  -0
  Treat allergic reactions 
  -0
  Stabilize spinal/neck injuries 
  -0
  Treat serious poisoning (e.g., rattlesnake bite) 
  -1
  Advanced Tasks 
  Modiﬁer
  Fix joint dislocation 
  -2
  Splint deformed broken bone 
  -2
  Treat drowning 
  -2
  Intraosseous IV insertion 
  -2
  Deliver baby 
  -2 to -3
  Treat deﬂated lung 
  -4
  Treat severe poisoning (e.g., hazardous materials exposure) 
  -3 to -4
  Treat penetrating eye injury 
  -5
  Treat pericardiocentesis (bleeding in sack around heart) 
  -5
  Resuscitate child 
  -6
  Stabilize head trauma 
  -6
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  247 
  Fantasy
  Healer, the Fantasy version of Paramedics, 
  allows characters to perform the basic medical 
  chores associated with Paramedics. When treated as 
  a “scientiﬁc” discipline, it may be known as Chirur-
  geon instead. In most Fantasy societies, there is no 
  formal training for doctors, so a character with this 
  Skill is, in eﬀect, a doctor — someone the commu-
  nity looks to for healing and medicines.
  Healing includes some knowledge of folk rem-
  edies and herbalism as well as medical procedures 
  for repairing wounds and so forth. In some settings, 
  this Skill may also involve the use of minor heal-
  ing magics:  ritual chants, hedge magic-type spells, 
  potion-like poultices, and so forth. If so, these are 
  a function of the Skill roll; the character is not 
  required to buy any spells in addition to Healing.
  Realistically, Fantasy-era medicine is spotty 
  at best. Some is comparatively good — according 
  to some sources, Roman military surgeons had 
  formalized training that allowed them to practice 
  better medicine than that used in the American 
  Civil War in some respects. But for the most part, 
  while healers and chirurgeons could perform some 
  basic tasks (treating minor illnesses, setting broken 
  bones, stitching up light wounds), much of their 
  “science” was based on utterly incorrect notions of 
  how the body worked, what caused (and cured) dis-
  eases, and so forth. In many cases, the “treatments” 
  involved were either completely ineﬀectual, or did 
  far more harm to the patient than good. As a result, 
  almost anyone who suﬀered a serious wound, or 
  contracted a serious illness, was as good as dead 
  — it just took a few hours or days for him to die.
  But of course, many Fantasy Hero games aren’t 
  all that realistic. In the interest of drama and adven-
  ture, it’s perfectly appropriate to let characters use 
  Healing to eﬀect minor “repairs” as discussed above. 
  This includes preventing infection, something 
  medieval medicine was often quite poor at. After 
  all, it’s not very heroic to be laid low by gangrene 
  and fever instead of the swords of one’s enemies or 
  the ﬁre of a dragon!
  Science Fiction
  In Future settings, advanced medical technol-
  ogy, operable by anyone, may make this Skill obsolete. 
  There’s no need for anyone to learn emergency medi-
  cal care when the Superdoc 3000 ﬁts in one’s pocket 
  and can treat even near-fatal wounds almost instantly.
  Some aliens have such unusual physiologies that 
  characters suﬀer severe Paramedics penalties when 
  trying to treat them. See the Alien Physiology Physical 
  Limitation on page 64 of Star Hero for details.
  Superheroes
  In a superhero setting, with its bizarre super-
  science and weird mix of all possible types of char-
  acters, a PC with Paramedics may encounter all sorts 
  of unusual problems. How do you give a shot to a 
  character with super-dense skin that can bounce 
  bullets? How do you provide IV drugs to a character 
  who doesn’t have a standard circulatory system? 
  Typically characters get around these diﬃculties by 
  using super-medical science to create medical tools 
  speciﬁcally for use on superhumans (such as ultra-
  sharp questionite needles that can penetrate even 
  Grond’s skin), but the GM may impose penalties 
  of -1 to -3 based on the circumstances, the victim’s 
  unusual physiology, and so forth.
  
  248 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  PENALTY SKILL LEVELS
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  1½-3 Character Points per Level (see text)
  Penalty Skill Levels (PSLs) are a type of Skill Level 
  that only reduce or counteract a speciﬁc type of 
  negative OCV modiﬁer for making particular types 
  of attacks. Examples include Range Skill Levels 
  (RSLs, which oﬀset the Range Modiﬁer) and Tar-
  geting Skill Levels (which oﬀset the penalty for 
  targeting Hit Locations); see below for more infor-
  mation and further examples. 
  Penalty Skill Levels are an excellent way to rep-
  resent a character’s skill with a speciﬁc type of attack 
  (or category of attacks) without simply increasing 
  his overall OCV (which may have game balance 
  consequences). A few Targeting Skill Levels, Range 
  Skill Levels, or other PSLs can add distinctiveness and 
  ﬂavor to a character’s combat style as well — though 
  the GM should be wary of letting a character buy too 
  many of them (especially Targeting Skill Levels), lest 
  they make the character unbalancingly eﬀective.
  BUYING PENALTY SKILL LEVELS
  To determine the cost of a Penalty Skill Level, 
  consult the Penalty Skill Level Table. A character 
  cannot buy “generic” PSLs that apply to more than 
  one negative OCV modiﬁer; he must specify which 
  penalty a PSL applies against when he buys it.
  Characters cannot buy Penalty Skill Levels to 
  counteract the standard OCV penalty imposed by a 
  Combat Maneuver, such as the -3 OCV for a Grab 
  By. If a character wants to buy PSLs with an attack, 
  he must deﬁne some form of negative OCV modi-
  ﬁer they counteract — such as the Range Modiﬁer 
  or Hit Location modiﬁers. If he wants to counteract 
  the OCV penalty associated with a Combat Maneu-
  ver, he should buy 2-point Combat Skill Levels with 
  that Maneuver.
  Characters cannot buy Penalty Skill Levels to 
  counteract the “Unfamiliar Weapon” penalty. That 
  would eﬀectively give them Weapon Familiar-
  ity with all weapons for only 9 Character Points. 
  Except as noted below, they also should not buy 
  them to counteract Autoﬁre-related penalties; that’s 
  what Autoﬁre Skills are for.
  If a character purchases PSLs, he cannot later 
  spend Experience Points to “upgrade” the PSLs to 
  Combat Skill Levels — the two are distinct Skills. But 
  of course, the GM could permit this if he felt it wasn’t 
  abusive, was within character conception, made sense 
  from a story development point of view, and so on.
  USING PENALTY SKILL LEVELS
  A character cannot use PSLs to increase 
  OCV generally, to increase the damage an attack 
  does, or to increase DCV (but see below). He can 
  only use them to reduce or counteract a specific 
  type of negative OCV modifier, defined when he 
  buys the Skill.
  Example:  Randall Irons wants to be exception-
  ally good at shooting distant targets with pis-
  tols (to reﬂect his steady hand). He buys some 
  Range Skill Levels. The cost for a +1 RSL with 
  Pistols is 2 points. Randall spends 6 Character 
  Points and receives a +3 to his OCV when using 
  Pistols — only to oﬀset Range Modiﬁers.
  Later, Randall’s in a gunﬁght at a range of 9”. 
  This would normally be a -2 to his OCV, but 
  because he has the RSLs, Randall suﬀers no 
  penalty. However, he receives no direct bonus 
  to his OCV, regardless of how close his oppo-
  nent gets.
  A character can change how his PSLs are 
  assigned as a Zero Phase Action. However, unless 
  the GM permits otherwise, he may not change the 
  assignment of his PSLs more than once in a Phase.
  Limited Penalty Skill Levels
  The smallest PSL that can have a Limitation 
  is a 3-point Level. This corresponds to the 5-point 
  CSL. Thus, if a character wants to create a gun 
  that’s accurate at great distances, he’d buy a 3-point 
  Range Skill Level with the Limitation Obvious 
  Accessible Focus (-1).
  Because the rules don’t allow characters to 
  put Limitations on Penalty Skill Levels costing less 
  than 3 points apiece, a character may ﬁnd himself 
  in a situation where it costs more to buy Limited 
  PSLs with a particular attack than it would if he 
  just bought less expensive PSLs — even though the 
  cheaper PSLs are less restricted. In that case, the 
  GM may, at his option, allow the character to buy 
  the less expensive PSLs and treat them as if they 
  were Limited, without actually applying the Limita-
  tion to them.
  Negative Penalty Skill Levels
  Certain powers or abilities, such as some 
  curses in Fantasy games, involve making a charac-
  ter less capable in combat — in short, they apply 
  negative PSLs to him. At the GM’s discretion, a 
  character may increase a speciﬁc negative OCV 
  penalty a target suﬀers (for example, increase the 
  Range Modiﬁer for his attacks) for 3 points. This 
  increase in the penalty applies for all purposes, 
  not just for a single attack or against the character 
  who imposes the NPSL. This “Power” is No Range, 
  Constant, and costs END; using it to aﬀect the 
  target requires an Attack Roll. Each point of Power 
  Defense negates one Negative CSL, Negative Pen-
  alty Skill Level, or Negative Skill Level.
  Penalty Skill Levels For DCV And Skills
  At the GM’s option, characters can buy PSLs 
  to counteract DCV penalties in very speciﬁc cir-
  cumstances (for example, the Environmental Move-
  ment Talent is built this way, as are some Talents in 
  Chapter One of this book). However, this should be 
  PENALTY SKILL LEVEL TABLE
   Cost 
  Application
   1½ 
  +1 to oﬀset a speciﬁc negative OCV modiﬁer with any single attack
   
  2 
  +1 to oﬀset a speciﬁc negative OCV modiﬁer with any three maneuvers or 
  tight group (e.g., +1 vs. Range With Pistols)
   
  3 
  +1 to oﬀset a speciﬁc negative OCV modiﬁer with all attacks
  If a character buys an odd number of 1½-point PSLs, the cost for the ﬁnal one 
  rounds up to 2 Character Points; the character doesn’t get it for the discount cost of 
  1 point. The GM may, in his discretion, allow a character with two diﬀerent types of 
  PSLs that end in halves to combine them to avoid this.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  249 
  rare and the GM should make sure “defensive PSLs” 
  don’t unbalance the campaign.
  Similarly, the GM might allow characters to 
  buy PSLs to counteract a speciﬁc type of penalty 
  to the roll with a speciﬁc Skill — for example, 
  PSLs with Paramedics to counteract the penalties 
  imposed by the size of the wound being treated. See 
  the Optional Penalty Skill Levels Versus Skill Penal-
  ties table for details.
  In either case, the player and GM should work 
  together to determine which cost category of PSL is 
  most appropriate.
   TYPES OF PENALTY SKILL LEVELS
  Some of the most common types of PSLs 
  characters can buy (though not necessarily the only 
  ones) include:
  Encumbrance Skill Levels
  These PSLs oﬀset the Agility Skill penalty 
  caused by encumbrance. A character with Encum-
  brance Skill Levels can function just as well when 
  weighed down as he can when carrying nothing. 
  (This assumes the GM allows PSLs to apply to DCV 
  and Skill penalties.)
  Environment Skill Levels
  Characters can’t buy one type of Penalty Skill 
  Level to cancel any and all Environmental Condi-
  tions modiﬁers, but they can buy forms of the Envi-
  ronmental Movement Talent (which is built using 
  PSLs) to counteract speciﬁc environmental penal-
  ties (such as for ﬁghting underwater or for ﬁghting 
  while intoxicated).
  Equipment Skill Levels
  With the GM’s permission, characters can 
  buy PSLs to reduce the penalty imposed by lack of 
  equipment or using improvised equipment. Rarely, 
  if ever, should characters be allowed to buy enough 
  of these PSLs to eliminate the lack of proper equip-
  ment penalty, but reducing that penalty a little is 
  appropriate for many characters. (This assumes the 
  GM allows PSLs to apply to Skill penalties.)
  Hurried Skill Levels
  Characters who want to be able to perform a 
  particular Skill (or group of Skills) quickly without 
  problem can buy Hurried Skill Levels, which oﬀset 
  the penalty for attempting a task in less than its 
  deﬁned Base Time (see page 23). (This assumes the 
  GM allows PSLs to apply to Skill penalties.)
  Injury Skill Levels
  Characters use this type of PSL to oﬀset the 
  Skill Roll penalty for being injured. (This assumes 
  the GM allows PSLs to apply to Skill penalties.)
  Multiple Block Skill Levels
  These PSLs oﬀset the OCV penalty characters 
  suﬀer for making additional Blocks after the ﬁrst. 
  They apply only to Block, not to Missile Deﬂection.
  Range Skill Levels
  The most popular form of PSL is the Range 
  Skill Level (RSL), which oﬀsets the Range Modi-
  ﬁer (see page 373 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised). An RSL has no value when a character 
  attacks at a range of 4” or less (since the Range 
  Modiﬁer up to that point is -0).
  Recoil Skill Levels
  In campaigns using the Recoil rules (see 
  Dark Champions, page 194), characters can buy 
  Penalty Skill Levels to counteract the Recoil 
  penalty. Recoil Skill Levels help to counteract the 
  OCV penalty for Autofire, Rapid Fire, or Mul-
  tifire against a single target (they have no effect 
  when the character makes multiple shots against 
  multiple targets). Because they’re PSLs, Recoil 
  Skill Levels don’t improve the character’s OCV 
  until after his first shot against a single target 
  — all they can do is counteract some or all of the 
  OCV penalty for Recoil.
  OPTIONAL PENALTY SKILL  
  LEVELS VERSUS SKILL PENALTIES
   Cost 
  Application
   
  1½ 
  +1 to oﬀset a speciﬁc penalty with one Skill
   
  2 
  +1 to oﬀset a speciﬁc penalty with a tight group of any three Skills
   
  3 
  +1 to oﬀset a speciﬁc penalty with a broad group of Skills, such as all Interac-
  tion Skills or all Agility Skills
  
  250 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Riding Skill Levels
  Most commonly purchased in Fantasy cam-
  paigns, Riding Skill Levels halve or remove the 
  -2 OCV penalty for ﬁghting while on horseback 
  (griﬃnback, dragonback, spiderback, wolfback, 
  giant eagle-back...).
  Size Skill Levels
  Size Skill Levels counteract the penalties for 
  attacking targets that are smaller than human size. 
  This generally only applies to objects, since small 
  characters should buy DCV Levels to represent 
  their size rather than using the Target Size rules. 
  However, the GM may allow a character to use a 
  number of Size Skill Levels equal to the target’s 
  purchased DCV Levels based on size.
  Targeting Skill Levels
  Targeting Skill Levels counteract the penalty 
  for targeting Hit Locations. They apply to any and 
  all Hit Location penalties. Three Targeting Skill 
  Levels ensure that a character can always strike his 
  opponent’s chest, yielding average STUN damage 
  with Killing Damage weapons. At the GM’s option, 
  they might also apply to counteract (or at least 
  reduce) the OCV penalty for attacking targets 
  smaller than human size (see The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised, pages 375, 382).
  Throwing Skill Levels
  Throwing Skill Levels oﬀset the penalties for 
  throwing unbalanced or unaerodynamic objects.
  EQUIPMENT
  Penalty Skill Levels don’t involve equipment; 
  they’re a purely personal Skill. Characters can buy 
  them with Limitations like Focus (see above) to 
  build a piece of equipment that provides them, but 
  this is rare.
  POWERS AND PENALTY SKILL LEVELS
  Characters can buy PSLs to counteract the 
  OECV penalty for Mind Scanning a large group. 
  They can also buy Multiple Deﬂection PSLs to 
  oﬀset the penalty for Deﬂecting multiple attacks 
  (similar to Multiple Block PSLs, above). Charac-
  ters cannot buy PSLs to counteract the penalty for 
  trying to Find Weakness in a target multiple times.
  BASE TIMES
  A character can change how his PSLs are 
  assigned as a Zero Phase Action. However, unless 
  the GM permits otherwise, he may not change the 
  assignment of his PSLs more than once in a Phase.
  PENALTY SKILL LEVELS BY GENRE
  Penalty Skill Levels work the same in all genres.
  PERSUASION
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Interaction Skill can con-
  vince, persuade, and/or influence individuals. 
  They can also tell believable lies and argue/
  debate convincingly.
  USING PERSUASION
  The general rules for Interaction Skills (page 
  64) apply to Persuasion, including rules about using 
  the Skill on PCs, how targets resist the Skill, and the 
  duration of the eﬀect.
  Typically characters cannot use Persuasion to 
  accomplish something more directly covered by 
  another Interaction Skill. For example, they can’t 
  persuade someone to reveal information by talking 
  to them casually (that’s Conversation) or use it to 
  persuade someone to become friendly toward them 
  (that’s Seduction). However, Persuasion often serves 
  as a Complementary Skill to those Skills.
  The more outrageous and unbelievable the lie or 
  advocated position is, the more negative modiﬁers the 
  GM should impose on the Persuasion roll (or bonuses 
  he should give to the EGO Roll to resist). Persuasion 
  can be highly eﬀective, especially in the right situa-
  tions, but it’s not Mind Control. If a character makes a 
  ridiculous suggestion using Persuasion, hefty penalties 
  should apply to his roll — and the GM should always 
  keep common sense and dramatic sense in mind 
  when adjudicating the results.
  Telling Lies
  One function of Persuasion is to tell believable 
  lies. A character with Persuasion can look someone 
  straight in the eye and tell a blatant falsehood without 
  so much as appearing nervous. The more outrageous 
  the lie, the bigger the penalty the GM should impose, 
  but routine lies typically suﬀer no penalty (and may 
  even receive a small bonus if the character takes 
  pains to make them seem convincing). Acting serves 
  as a Complementary Skill for this use of Persuasion. 
  If the target’s ability to see through the lie depends 
  on logic, intelligence, or the like, the GM may let the 
  target make his resistance roll using INT or Deduc-
  tion instead of EGO. Alternately, because Persuasion 
  makes a character good at lying, it may also give him 
  the insight needed to ﬁgure out when someone’s lying 
  to him, and thus serve as the resistance roll.
  Arguing And Debating
  Characters can use Persuasion to try to con-
  vince another person via argument or debate. This 
  involves a Persuasion Versus Persuasion Contest, 
  with the winner either (a) convincing the other 
  person he’s right, or (b) causing the other character 
  to back down or leave the argument.
  Taunting
  At the GM’s option, a character can use Per-
  suasion in combat to taunt a foe into making a 
  hasty attack. This requires a Half Phase Action and 
  typically only works once per combat, though the 
  GM may allow multiple uses against targets who 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  251 
  are particularly susceptible to this sort of thing due 
  to Psychological Limitations and the like. (Taunting 
  automatically requires the target to roll against his 
  Enraged for conditions like “Enraged in combat” or 
  “Enraged when insulted.”)
  If the character’s Persuasion roll succeeds, the 
  target makes his opposed roll using EGO. If he fails, 
  he attacks the character with his next Phase (moving 
  toward him to do so if necessary) and suﬀers a -1 
  OCV because he’s attacking hastily out of rage. If the 
  target of a taunt is already ﬁghting someone else, he 
  should receive a bonus of +2 or more to his EGO Roll 
  to resist. It’s a lot harder to taunt someone into turn-
  ing on a foe (and thus exposing himself) than it is to 
  aﬀect someone not already in combat or who’s already 
  ﬁghting the character taunting him.
  Modiﬁers
  In addition to the general Interaction Skill 
  modiﬁers discussed earlier in this chapter, some 
  possible modiﬁers for Persuasion include:
  ■ Gullibility:  for whatever reason, the target really 
  wants to believe the character:  +3 to the Persuasion 
  roll (or -3 to the EGO Roll)
  ■ Wary:  the target is skeptical or suspicious:  -1 
  to -5 to the Persuasion roll (or +1 to +5 to the 
  EGO Roll)
  EQUIPMENT
  Persuasion doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND PERSUASION
  Mind Control usually renders Persuasion 
  unnecessary, though Persuasion sometimes has the 
  beneﬁt of subtlety. Characters who’ve been Mind 
  Controlled usually realize what was done to them 
  sooner or later, whereas characters who’ve been 
  Persuaded may spend the rest of their lives think-
  ing they came to “the right conclusion” on their 
  own.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  A failed Persuasion roll usually means the char-
  acter hasn’t convinced the target to do what he wants 
  him to, or hasn’t convinced him that a lie is the truth. 
  A bad failure (by 4 or more) makes it obvious what 
  the character’s trying to do, leaving him looking 
  ridiculous and possibly exposing him to retaliation.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for Persuasion depends on the 
  length of the conversation involved. For telling lies 
  and taunting that’s usually just a Half Phase, but in 
  some cases persuading a person could take hours.
  SUBDIVIDING PERSUASION
  Persuasion already has a fairly limited scope 
  and thus probably doesn’t need subdividing. In 
  games with little social interaction, GMs could 
  combine Conversation, Persuasion, and Seduction 
  into one Skill.
  PERSUASION BY GENRE
  Persuasion works the same in all genres and 
  time periods.
  POWER
  Type:   
  Varies (see text)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Skill represents a character’s ability to use one 
  of his powers or abilities in creative or unusual 
  ways. Its name (and usage) varies from campaign 
  to campaign, setting to setting, character to char-
  acter. For example, in a Fantasy campaign, Power 
  could be called Magic and wizards would use it to 
  cast spells; it might be called Prayer when used by 
  priests to call forth divine aid (i.e., activate their 
  magical powers).
  Characters can base Power on any one of sev-
  eral Characteristics, depending on the nature of the 
  Skill as the character uses it. If based on INT, it’s 
  considered an Intellect Skill; if on DEX, an Agility 
  Skill; and so forth.
  USING POWER
  Power serves several related functions. First, 
  it may act as a Required Skill Roll for abilities that 
  the GM rules must have a Skill Roll to function, or 
  which take the Requires A Skill Roll Limitation. 
  Second, Power can simulate a character’s level 
  of skill with a particular power, ability, or attack. 
  Characters who make appropriate Power rolls can 
  perform “tricks” or do unusual things with their 
  powers. For example, a “brick” in a comic book 
  superhero campaign might buy Power as Strength 
  Tricks and use it to etch a message into hardened 
  steel without breaking the steel or hurting himself.
  Third, Power provides a justiﬁcation for a 
  character using saved Experience Points to buy 
  a new ability in mid-game. If a character senses 
  a need for a new power that’s reasonably closely 
  related to his existing powers, the GM can allow 
  him to make a Power roll. If the roll succeeds, he 
  can spend the Experience Points on the power and 
  start using it right away. If it fails he cannot, or can 
  only spend half or less of what he wanted to spend, 
  or can buy the power but not use it at full eﬀect yet.
  Controlling Power
  The GM should control all uses of Power 
  carefully. Power isn’t a cheap substitute for a Vari-
  able Power Pool, and shouldn’t be used as one. It’s 
  intended to give characters greater ﬂexibility and 
  the GM a way to keep the story moving forward in 
  a dramatically appropriate fashion without worry-
  ing about whether a character has spent Character 
  Points for every single possible application of his 
  powers. Characters shouldn’t use Power to provide 
  Advantages for their Powers or to overcome Limi-
  tations (except in rare circumstances), nor should 
  it provide bonuses in combat. Characters who want 
  to perform a particular “trick” or “power stunt” 
  frequently should pay Character Points for it (espe-
  cially if it has an eﬀect on combat). For example, 
  the GM might let a character with Strength Tricks 
  make a roll and use his awesome STR to squeeze 
  coal so hard it turns into diamond (a type of Trans-
  form) — once. If he wants to do it again, he should 
  buy it as a separate ability.
  
  252 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  As a suggested guideline, the GM should 
  examine the pregenerated abilities found in 
  books like The UNTIL Superpowers Databases, 
  The Fantasy Hero Grimoires, the Ultimate series 
  of books, or similar lists he’s prepared on his own 
  for his campaign. A character with an appropri-
  ate form of the Power Skill who succeeds with a 
  Skill Roll can create an effect with no more than 
  thirty percent of the Active Points of any of the 
  listed abilities. Any Advantages on an ability still 
  apply to the Power-created ability, and must fit 
  within the Active Point total; any Limitations on 
  the ability also apply to the Power-created ability, 
  but do not reduce the cost or somehow make it 
  easier for the character to create.
  If this isn’t enough to get at least 1-2d6 of 
  power or some similar quantiﬁable level of eﬀect, 
  the GM can allow the character to access more 
  Active Points. However, he may impose a penalty 
  on the roll (such as -1 per additional 1-10%) or any 
  other restrictions he deems appropriate.
  Example:  Firelord wants to create “rings of 
  fire” around a thug to keep the thug from 
  running away. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have 
  the Fiery Prison power (The UNTIL Super-
  powers Database, page 88). He decides to try 
  to achieve the effect with his Fire Tricks 13-. 
  Unfortunately, ten percent of the 60 Active 
  Points in Fiery Prison is only 6 points — not 
  much, given the +2 worth of Advantages on 
  the power. He asks the GM to allow him to go 
  to 40%, or 25 points — enough for an RKA 
  ½d6 with Continuous and Area Of Effect 
  (One Hex). The GM agrees, but imposes 
  a -4 penalty on his Skill. Firelord rolls an 
  8, making it by one even with the penalty. 
  Assuming Firelord can succeed with an 
  Attack Roll to hit the thug, the thug will find 
  himself trapped in rings of flame!
  If the character doesn’t necessarily need more 
  than ten percent of the Active Points to achieve a 
  worthwhile eﬀect, but wants to access more of the 
  points for some reason, he may do so, but at the 
  GM’s option must apply to the ability at least -½ 
  worth of Limitations per +1-10% Active Points in 
  addition to any Limitations listed in the ability’s 
  writeup. These extra Limitations cannot include 
  Requires A Skill Roll, since the character has to 
  make a Skill Roll with his Power Skill to do this in 
  the ﬁrst place. Limitations like Concentration, Extra 
  Time, Increased Endurance Cost, and Side Eﬀects 
  are the most appropriate, but they’re not necessarily 
  the only applicable ones.
  Example:  Hydro needs to get the passengers on 
  a burning yacht to safety quickly, but unfor-
  tunately he doesn’t have the Water Walkway 
  power. Ten percent of the Active Points in Water 
  Walkway is a measly 2.4 points, only enough to 
  grant Flight 1” to one person. He decides to try 
  to achieve a Flight 3”, Usable Simultaneously 
  (up to four people at once; +¾) eﬀect. That 
  takes 10 Active Points, or about 40% of the full 
  Active Points in Water Walkway. That means 
  he needs to add -1½ worth of Limitations to the 
  power — -½ worth for each 10% above 10%. 
  He decides on Concentration (0 DCV, applies 
  throughout as long as people are using the 
  power; -1) and Increased Endurance Cost (x2 
  END; -½). That really leaves him vulnerable to 
  attack by whoever set the yacht on ﬁre, but it’s 
  worth it to get these people to safety!
  EQUIPMENT
  Power doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a purely 
  personal Skill.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  A failed Power roll usually just means the 
  character fails to activate or manifest the power he 
  wanted — he doesn’t cast the spell, he can’t use his 
  control over ﬁre to surround the target with a ring 
  of ﬂame. A bad failure (by 4 or more) may cause 
  him to lose an entire Full Phase, have to spend 
  twice the normal amount of END for the ability, or 
  even injure himself — it’s up to the GM based on 
  the abilities involved, what the character’s trying to 
  do, and the circumstances.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for using Power is a Half Phase, 
  but the GM can reduce it to a Zero Phase Action if 
  appropriate (as with its use as a Required Skill Roll, 
  which is a Zero Phase Action).
  SUBDIVIDING POWER
  The GM determines how characters buy 
  Power. Typically characters should be allowed to 
  buy one Skill with a group of powers linked by 
  a special eﬀect (such as Strength Tricks, Flame 
  Powers, Ice Powers, or Mystic Powers in a Champi-
  ons campaign, or Magic for spellcasters in Fantasy 
  campaigns). However, the GM might require char-
  acters to buy it by speciﬁc power or ability (Energy 
  Blast Tricks, Lightning Bolt Tricks, Cast Fireball 
  Spell), by Power Framework, or the like.
  In some Fantasy Hero magic systems, GMs 
  may want Magic to absorb and replace Analyze 
  Magic and Spell Research. The latter two Skills 
  presuppose a system where studying magic, 
  working magic, and inventing magic are quite 
  different activities, posing different mental 
  challenges. That may not be the case in settings 
  where magic depends on intuition, an inborn 
  supernatural gift, or the favor of the gods... or the 
  GM simply doesn’t want to ask characters to buy 
  three Skills instead of one.
  POWER BY GENRE
  Power works the same in all genres; it just 
  tends to be more common in some (particularly 
  Fantasy and Superheroes).
  Fantasy
  The Power Skill takes two primary forms in 
  Fantasy games.
  The first is Magic, which many campaigns 
  use as the Required Skill Roll for spellcasting. It’s 
  usually based on INT, but sometimes on EGO 
  where working magic depends on force of will. 
  Typically it only represents a character’s ability 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  253 
  to cast spells or use magical abilities; it doesn’t 
  involve knowing any arcane lore or the like (that 
  requires a Knowledge Skill of some type). It rep-
  resents magic that’s inherently unreliable, since 
  a failed Skill Roll means a spell doesn’t work (as 
  opposed to, say, superpowers in a Champions 
  game, which are usually 100% reliable). See pages 
  246-48 of Fantasy Hero for more information on 
  using this Skill within magic systems.
  The second is Faith, sometimes instead known 
  as Prayer or Miracles. It’s usually based on EGO, or 
  sometimes PRE. Priests make a roll with this Skill 
  to invoke the power of their gods and “cast spells.” 
  It may not really diﬀer from Magic at all; it depends 
  on how the GM deﬁnes magic in his setting.
  Gamemasters can also let characters use Magic 
  (and if appropriate, Faith) to activate magic items 
  without the need for the character to actually know 
  how the item works. The character suﬀers a -1 per 
  10 Active Points penalty to the roll as he tries to 
  activate the item by intuition, force of will, and 
  dumb luck. (If the character has time to study the 
  item, Analyze Magic or Spell Research become the 
  relevant Skills, without Active Point penalties.)
  Martial Arts
  In some martial arts campaigns, characters 
  can buy a Power Skill, Martial Arts Tricks, for use 
  as a Required Skill Roll with various special abili-
  ties. Video Game and Anime characters may also 
  buy Power:  Ch’i Powers for use with their speciﬁc 
  power sets.
  Martial arts action heroes seem capable of 
  almost anything, and often exhibit powers they 
  only use once or twice (usually to resolve a key plot 
  element) and then ignore. Unless the GM wants 
  them to buy all possible powers with Character 
  Points (or perhaps buy a VPP), using the Power 
  Skill to simulate this works well.
  Science Fiction
  Power appears in Star Hero campaigns 
  under a variety of names. For example, if a char-
  acter is psionic, he may have Psionics. Alien spe-
  cies with natural powers may have Power as an 
  Everyman Skill.
  Superheroes
  Since superheroes have lots of powers of 
  broad application and often think up unusual 
  ways to use them in combat, the Power Skill is 
  both common and appropriate in this genre. 
  Some examples include Brick Tricks, Mental 
  Powers, and Speedster Tricks, which are covered 
  in greater detail in various Ultimate books.
  PROFESSIONAL SKILL
  Type:   
  Background Skill (roll:  see text)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base 11- roll, 
  convert PS to a Characteristic-Based 
  Skill for +2 Character Point (total of 3 
  Character Points), +1 to the roll per +1 
  Character Point
  These Background Skills give a character the abil-
  ity to perform certain professions, crafts, tasks, 
  and the like. Two points gives the character an 
  11- roll to perform a given Professional Skill (PS). 
  Alternately, characters can base the Skill upon a 
  Characteristic for 3 Character Points, giving a base 
  (9 + (CHAR/5)) roll. In either case, each +1 to the 
  Skill Roll costs 1 Character Point. Most PSs are 
  based on DEX (if they primarily involve the use of 
  the hands), INT (if they primarily involve learning, 
  thinking, and applying knowledge), or PRE (if they 
  primarily involve personal appeal, charisma, and 
  social skills).
  As the name indicates, characters often use 
  Professional Skills in their jobs. However, PSs can 
  also represent hobbies, interests, and other abilities 
  that don’t have much to do with earning a living. 
  Play Piano, Flower Arranging, Play Chess, Sculptor, 
  Singing, Singer, and Poet are all valid PSs.
  The list of Professional Skills is limitless. 
  Examples include:  Accountant, Actor, Alche-
  mist, Armorer, Artist, Blacksmith, Brain Surgeon, 
  Butcher, Campaign Manager, Carpenter, Construc-
  tion Worker, Cook, Dentist, Dogcatcher, Electrician, 
  Explorer, Fisherman, Freelance Game Designer, 
  Goldsmith, Gunslinger, Hockey Player, Innkeeper, 
  Jester, Jeweler, Knight, Laborer, Lawyer, Mason, 
  Messenger, Musician, Necromancer, Newscaster, 
  Optometrist, Park Ranger, Photographer, Police-
  man, Priest, Queen, Reporter, Scientist, Secretary, 
  Starship Captain, Student, Taxi Driver, Undertaker, 
  Valet, Vigilante, Waiter, Wizard, X-ray Technician, 
  Yeoman, and Zookeeper. Genre books published by 
  Hero Games often contain lists of PSs appropriate 
  to speciﬁc genres.
  DEFINING PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
  Whereas Knowledge Skills give a charac-
  ter knowledge of how or why something works, 
  Professional Skills give a character the ability to 
  perform some task or do some type of work. For 
  example, a character with KS: Plumbing knows 
  generally how plumbing works, the history of 
  plumbing, how much plumbers earn on a yearly 
  basis, and so forth. A character with PS: Plumb-
  ing might not understand the intricacies of water 
  pressure and water ﬂow friction, but he could ﬁx a 
  broken pipe and knows how to use plumbing tools. 
  A character could (and often should) have a KS and 
  a PS of the same subject to reﬂect both a theoretical 
  and practical knowledge. See the Background Skills 
  section on page 62 for further discussion compar-
  ing and contrasting KS, PS, and SS.
  Broadly speaking, you can divide Professional 
  Skills into two categories:  activity PSs and profes-
  sional management PSs. An activity PS, usually 
  
  254 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  written as a verb, indicates the ability to do some 
  activity. A professional management PS, usually 
  written as a noun, indicates knowing how to make 
  money with an activity PS, manage a professional 
  career or facility using an activity PS, and so forth. 
  Examples include:
  PS: Accounting:  how to keep books, perform 
  accounting procedures, and so forth
  PS: Accountant:  how to make money with account-
  ing skills, manage an accounting practice, and so on
  PS: Singing:  how to sing well
  PS: Singer:  how to make money with one’s singing 
  ability, determine rates of pay for singers, manage 
  one’s singing career, and the like
  PS: Cooking:  how to prepare food well
  PS: Cook:  how to make money as a cook, run a 
  professional kitchen, and so forth
  PS: Sculpting:  how to create sculpture
  PS: Sculptor:  how to sell one’s sculpture, make 
  money as a sculptor, seek out grants and commis-
  sions, and so on
  This distinction may be unnecessary in 
  cinematic campaigns, or in any campaign in the 
  case of some very narrowly-defined abilities/pro-
  fessions. In that case one PS can cover both the 
  “activity” and “professional management” aspects 
  of a given pursuit.
  TYPES OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
  Most Professional Skills fall into one of several 
  thematic types. These include:
  Arts And Crafts
  One popular category of PS involves creating 
  artwork, craft objects, and the like. In some cases 
  a character does this for money; in others just for 
  fun. Examples include:
  PS: Embroidery, PS: Flower Arranging, PS: Knitting, 
  PS: Macrame, PS: Origami, PS: Painting, PS: Play 
  [Musical Instrument] (but see Musical Instrument 
  Familiarity on page 362), PS: Potting, PS: Sculpting, 
  PS: Singing, PS: Whittling
  Games And Sports
  Characters also use Professional Skills to rep-
  resent the ability to play various types of games 
  and sports. (As noted on page 196, Gambling lets 
  a character know how to play many games on its 
  own, with PSs used as Complementary Skills if 
  appropriate. If a character only has a PS in a game, 
  he knows how to play it, but usually not as well as 
  a character with the corresponding type of Gam-
  bling, and unlike a character with Gambling he 
  doesn’t really know how to cheat at it in a sophisti-
  cated way.) Examples include:
  PS: Play [Sport] (Baseball, Football, Hockey, 
  Lacrosse, Curling, Golf...), PS: Play [Game] (Check-
  ers/Draughts, Chess, Dominoes, Fan Tan, Go...), PS: 
  Weightlifting and PS: Bodybuilding (see The Ulti-
  mate Brick, page 32)
  Hobbies
  This category covers activities that are gener-
  ally considered leisure pursuits but which don’t fall 
  into some other category. Examples include things 
  like PS: Gardening.
  Manufacturing
  This type of PS represents the ability to create 
  or make something, usually for purposes of com-
  merce rather than art. Examples include:
  PS: Armorsmithing (but see Armorsmith on page 
  354), PS: Blacksmithing, PS: Brewing, PS: Carpen-
  try, PS: Jewelrymaking/Lapidary, PS: Leatherwork-
  ing, PS: Sewing, PS: Tanning
  Professional Management
  As mentioned above, some PSs represent a 
  character’s ability to manage a professional career. 
  Examples include:
  PS: Aviator, PS: Asteroid Miner, PS: Beggar, PS: 
  Doctor, PS: Explorer, PS: Innkeeper, PS: Lawyer, 
  PS: Merchant, PS: Sailor, PS: Soldier, PS: Spy, PS: 
  Starship Captain, PS: Tailor, PS: Veterinarian, PS: 
  Wizard, PS: Zookeeper
  Miscellaneous Activities
  This category includes activities and pursuits 
  that don’t ﬁt into any other category. Examples 
  include:
  PS: Sailing (see The Ultimate Vehicle, page 222),  
  PS: Zero-G Operations (see Star Hero, pages 45-46)
  PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND OTHER SKILLS
  It’s possible for a character to do some jobs 
  without a relevant PS just by having the Skills 
  fundamentally necessary to do that job (like 
  Demolitions for an Explosive Ordnance Disposal 
  specialist). But having a PS (typically of the “pro-
  fessional management” variety) lets the character 
  know about the ﬁner points of the job and pro-
  vides specialized information about things like pay 
  rates, regulations, how (in theory) to make a proﬁt, 
  time- and labor-saving practices, permits that aren’t 
  worth a Fringe Beneﬁt, and the like.
  Characters generally shouldn’t use Profes-
  sional Skill to substitute for the abilities provided 
  by another Skill. However, the GM might permit 
  this if a character just wants to be able to use a very 
  limited function of a Skill. For example, a character 
  who’s a car thief might want to know how to hot-
  wire cars. Instead of making him buy Electronics 
  (since he knows nothing about electrical systems in 
  general) the GM lets him buy PS: Hotwire Cars.
  As discussed on page 9, in some campaigns 
  GMs allow characters to buy high rolls with a 
  broad PS (like PS: Spy) and then use the Extraor-
  dinary Skill rules to mimic the functions of other 
  Skills as a way of cutting down on the amount of 
  points characters have to spend on Skills. Similarly, 
  the GM might allow a character to take a single 
  broadly-deﬁned PS to represent a very basic level of 
  knowledge/ability in a variety of related ﬁelds. This 
  is particularly common in the military, where many 
  types of “specialists” have to know a little bit about 
  many other military jobs as a way of coordinating 
  military activities and providing logistical support.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  255 
  EQUIPMENT
  Most Professional Skills involve some type of 
  equipment, whether it’s a game ball and uniform, 
  tools, measuring devices, or the raw materials used 
  to make something. Many PSs also represent, in 
  whole or in part, a character’s ability to use the vari-
  ous types of equipment associated with a particular 
  job or pursuit.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically a failed PS roll means the charac-
  ter didn’t accomplish what he set out to do — he 
  couldn’t build the bookshelf, paint the still-life, 
  score the winning touchdown, or what have you. 
  A bad failure (by 4 or more) usually means some 
  signiﬁcant negative consequence, such as ruining 
  all the raw materials (or all the work done up to the 
  point of failure), the character hurting himself or 
  others, and so on.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for using a Professional Skill 
  depends on the speciﬁc PS and the task involved. 
  Very simple tasks typically require 1 Turn to 1 
  Minute, but complex ones can take hours or days. 
  For most signiﬁcant tasks the GM can often assume 
  a Base Time of 1 Hour.
  UNIFYING PROFESSIONAL SKILL
  Professional Skill is such a broad Skill that it 
  generally shouldn’t be “uniﬁed”; that would spoil 
  its usefulness and ﬂavor. If you’re interested in sug-
  gestions for making it easier for characters to buy 
  lots of PSs cheaply, see the optional rules in the Skill 
  Enhancers section in Chapter One.
  PROFESSIONAL SKILL BY GENRE
  Professional Skill works the same in every 
  genre and time period, but the PSs that are available 
  or commonplace can vary greatly. See the genre 
  books and other supplements published by Hero 
  Games for suggestions on appropriate PSs.
  RAPID ATTACK
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  5 Character Points (see text)
  A character with this Combat Skill has a height-
  ened ability to move in combat. Characters must 
  purchase Rapid Attack separately for HTH Combat 
  and Ranged Combat; either version costs 5 Charac-
  ter Points. No roll is required in either case.
  Ranged Rapid Attack allows a character 
  to make an attack with the Rapid Fire Combat 
  Maneuver or Autoﬁre Skills as a Half Phase Action 
  (i.e., after performing a Half Phase Action, such as 
  making a Half Move).
  HTH Rapid Attack allows a character to make 
  an attack with the Sweep Combat Maneuver as a 
  Half Phase Action.
  Rapid Attack applies to Rapid Fire and Sweep 
  as used with the Two-Weapon Fighting Skill.
  EQUIPMENT
  Rapid Attack doesn’t require any equipment; 
  it’s a purely personal Skill.
  BASE TIMES
  Either version of Rapid Attack requires a Half 
  Phase to use.
  UNIFYING RAPID ATTACK
  At the GM’s option, characters only have to 
  buy Rapid Attack once; it applies to both HTH and 
  Ranged Combat. In this case the GM may choose 
  to keep the cost the same (5 Character Points), or 
  may increase it to 8 or 10 Character Points.
  RAPID ATTACK BY GENRE
  Rapid Attack works the same in all genres. It’s 
  most common in modern and near-future genres, 
  such as Dark Champions and Cyberpunk, but in 
  some form it’s appropriate to just about any setting.
  
  256 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  RIDING MODIFIERS
  Use/Circumstance 
  Modiﬁer
  In combat 
  See Mounted Movement
  Injured animal 
  Apply “damage to subject” mod. from Chapter One
  Injured rider 
  Apply “injury” modiﬁers from Chapter One
  Injury to legs or arms 
  Additional -1 to -3
  Steering mount with knees 
  -1
  Jumping
  Small obstacle 
  -0
  Medium obstacle 
  -2
  Large obstacle 
  -4
  Very large obstacle 
  -8, or impossible
  Movement modiﬁers
  Mount moves/turns violently 
  -2 to stay in the saddle
  Mount moves/turns very violently 
  -4 to stay in the saddle
  Make ﬂying/swimming mount hover/ﬂoat 
  -2 (if possible at all)
  Make ﬂying/swimming mount move upside down 
  -4 (if possible at all)
  Make mount Push its movement 
  -3
  Mount climbs vertical surface using Clinging 
  -3
  Weather
  Moderate (winds 31-44 MPH) 
  -1
  Heavy (winds 45-57 MPH) 
  -2
  Very Heavy (winds 58-71 MPH) 
  -3
  Storm Force (winds 72+ MPH) 
  -4
  RIDING
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill allows a character to ride a 
  living creature under difficult circumstances. A 
  character with Riding knows how to stay astride 
  his mount, how to make the mount move in the 
  direction and way he wants it to, how to equip 
  and care for the animal, and so forth. Riding 
  does not allow a character to train his mount to 
  perform tricks; that requires Animal Handling 
  (see above). Nor does it allow him to perform 
  acrobatic-type maneuvers in the saddle, which 
  requires Acrobatics (see page 71), though the 
  GM might allow a character with Riding to 
  attempt such stunts at a -3 penalty.
  In routine circumstances, a character can 
  ride any mount for which he has a Transport 
  Familiarity (see page 342) without making a roll. 
  Things like a pleasant ride or gallop through the 
  countryside, pulling a wagon full of hay, or jump-
  ing a small obstacle for fun don’t require a Skill 
  Roll. Only when the character tries something 
  unusual, or is in stressful conditions (such as 
  combat or an emergency), does he have to make 
  a roll to ride.
  When a character buys Riding, he receives for 
  free a Transport Familiarity with a 1-point group 
  of riding animals (Camels, Dogs, Equines, Flying 
  Beasts, Huge Beasts, Swimming Beasts, or other 
  groups created by the GM). He may buy other TFs 
  as usual for that Skill. At the GM’s option a charac-
  ter can use Riding with an animal he doesn’t have a 
  TF for, but at -3 to all rolls.
  In some cases, animals have a Riding Skill of their 
  own. This doesn’t allow them to ride other animals, 
  but rather functions as a Complementary Skill for a 
  rider’s Riding. This represents the mount’s training at 
  helping a rider keep his seat, avoid falls, and the like. 
  The animal should take a -1 Limitation, Complemen-
  tary To Rider’s Skill Only, for its Riding.
  USING RIDING
  The accompanying Riding Modiﬁers table 
  lists some of the more common situations requir-
  ing a character to make a Riding roll. For Riding 
  in combat, you should also refer to the Mounted 
  Movement section on pages 368-69 of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, Revised. Standard Combat Mod-
  iﬁers, such as Encumbrance, may also apply.
  The size of an obstacle typically depends on 
  the size of the mount. A “small” obstacle is no 
  more than one-third the mount’s size. A “medium” 
  obstacle is larger than one-third, but smaller than 
  three-quarters of the mount’s size. A “large” obstacle 
  is from three-quarters to 125% of the mount’s size. 
  A “very large” obstacle is larger than 125% of the 
  animal’s size.
  Weather applies to aerial mounts (such as grif-
  ﬁns or giant birds) and in some cases to aquatic 
  mounts (such as giant ﬁsh or turtles). Land mounts 
  generally aren’t aﬀected by the weather, though the 
  noise it causes may frighten an animal, thus requir-
  ing the rider to make a roll to control it.
  Mounting And Dismounting
  Typically mounting a riding animal takes a 
  Full Phase, while dismounting one takes a Half 
  Phase (in both cases, the GM can increase the 
  time as necessary, particularly for large mounts 
  like elephants and rocs). If a character succeeds 
  with a Riding roll, he can mount in a Half Phase 
  and dismount as a Zero Phase Action. If he fails, 
  he takes the usual time; if he fails badly (by 4 or 
  more), he falls.
  Spurring
  For most mounts, characters with Riding know 
  how to “spur” them — how to obtain a temporary 
  burst of speed by causing the animal pain. With a 
  successful roll, which takes no time, the character 
  forces the mount to Push its movement for +1” 
  (+2” for success by half or a Critical Success) (this 
  does not incur the typical penalty for making a 
  mount Push its movement). This causes the animal 
  ½ point of BODY damage. If the roll fails the char-
  acter has to make another Riding roll to stay in the 
  saddle as the animal balks or tries to throw him; 
  if the roll fails badly (by 4 or more), the character 
  automatically gets thrown.
  EQUIPMENT
  Riding assumes a character has at least 
  minimal equipment for staying on a mount, 
  such as a saddle and reins. If a character’s riding 
  bareback, impose a -1 penalty; if the character 
  has no reins or the like (whether or not he has a 
  saddle), impose a -2 penalty. On the other hand, 
  some equipment, like special military saddles, 
  may provide bonuses to rolls for the character to 
  remain seated on the mount.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  257 
  POWERS AND RIDING
  A touch of Mind Control that aﬀects the 
  Animal class of minds may help make a mount 
  calm and cooperative, possibly yielding a small 
  bonus to Riding rolls. Similarly, Telepathy with 
  animals makes it easier to communicate with an 
  animal, which may help considerably with Riding.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of a failed Riding roll vary. 
  Typically they mean the animal didn’t perform 
  as commanded — it shied away from making the 
  jump, won’t speed up to a gallop, or the like. In 
  many cases, this is an ordinary failure; the rider can 
  try again if he wants to using the standard rules for 
  that. If the roll fails badly (by 4 or more), the rider 
  may fall from his saddle due to the horse’s sudden 
  movement or other factors. The rider must succeed 
  with a STR Roll at -2 or fall oﬀ the mount.
  Falling oﬀ a swimming mount may not have 
  any dangerous consequences (other than getting 
  left behind, perhaps). On the other hand, falling 
  oﬀ a ﬂying mount could result in the character’s 
  death (see Falling on page 434 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised). Falling from a ground-based 
  mount is roughly like performing a Move Through 
  on the ground — the character takes the mount’s 
  velocity divided by three (v/3) in dice of Normal 
  Damage. He may make a Breakfall roll, at -1 per 
  2d6, to take only half damage (or no damage, if he 
  makes the roll by half). (At the GM’s option, Riding 
  may serve as a Complementary Skill.) If the mount 
  was standing still, the character takes 2d6 Normal 
  Damage from the fall.
  BASE TIMES
  The time required to use Riding in combat 
  is covered under Mounted Movement in the main 
  rulebook. Other tricks and stunts performed with 
  Riding usually require a Zero Phase Action or take 
  no time.
  SUBDIVIDING RIDING
  In genres where characters often ride animals, 
  such as most Fantasy games and some Science 
  Fiction games, the GM may prefer that they buy 
  Riding by category, using the categories and rules 
  for Animal Handler.
  RIDING BY GENRE
  Riding is most common in Fantasy, and to a 
  lesser extent any pre-modern genre/time period. 
  Once automobiles and more advanced vehicles 
  become available, animals are used less fre-
  quently for transportation except in specialized 
  circumstances.
  Pulp
  Riding is a much more common Skill among 
  Pulp characters than modern-day characters. 
  Cars certainly exist in the Pulp era (their numbers 
  increase enormously most years, particularly in 
  the Twenties), but they’re concentrated in civilized 
  countries and around cities. Many, many people 
  grow up in the countryside riding horses and 
  mules; in other countries the camel still rules the 
  
  258 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  roadways. Adding even a Familiarity with Riding 
  is a good way to give a character a touch of back-
  ground that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do 
  with his current career... and which may come in 
  handy on his adventures.
  Science Fiction
  In Science Fiction settings, Riding requires the 
  same consideration as Transport Familiarity (see 
  page 345), since the types of animals a character 
  can ride depends on his TFs. In a Space Opera or 
  Pulp-style Star Hero campaign, a character’s abil-
  ity to ride a particular type of animal from his 
  homeworld may automatically extend to similar 
  creatures on other worlds. For example, a Human 
  who can ride horses can ride any horse-like crea-
  ture on any world (though the GM may impose a 
  minor penalty, such as -1, until the character and 
  his mount get to know each other). Alternately, for 
  purposes of Riding the GM may allow characters 
  to buy 2-point Riding TFs by planet:  Earth Riding 
  Creatures, Venusian Riding Creatures, Spica IV 
  Riding Creatures, and so forth.
  In a Hard SF game, Riding (and associated 
  TFs) rarely, if ever, carry over from world to world. 
  A character who wanted to ride horse-like creatures 
  on many worlds would have to pay for each 1-point 
  TF separately:  Earth Equines, Venusian Equines, 
  Spica IV Equines, and so on.
  At the GM’s option, a character can use Riding 
  for creatures he does not have a TF for, but at a 
  minimum -3 penalty to all rolls. Creatures larger 
  than the “Huge Animals” TF category (such as the 
  sandworms of Dune) may impose additional penal-
  ties on the Riding roll, because they’re so large and 
  tough it’s hard to control them.
  SCIENCE SKILL
  Type:   
  Background Skill (roll:  see text)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base 11- roll, con-
  vert SS to an INT-Based Skill for +2 Char-
  acter Point (total of 3 Character Points), +1 
  to the roll per +1 Character Point
  These Background Skills give a character a solid 
  grasp of and working knowledge of a particular 
  ﬁeld of science (whether a physical science, like 
  Chemistry, or a social science, like Anthropology). 
  A Science Skill (SS) thus functions as a combina-
  tion of a PS and a KS, since it provides both theo-
  retical knowledge of the subject and the practical 
  skills of working with the equipment associated 
  with a Science.
  Just a few examples of Science Skills 
  include: Accounting, Anthropology, Archaeol-
  ogy, Astronomy, Bacteriology, Biochemistry, 
  Biology, Biophysics, Botany, Chemistry, Ecology, 
  Exobiology, Genetics, Geology, Hydrology, Inor-
  ganic Chemistry, Marine Biology, Mathematics, 
  Medicine, Metallurgy, Microbiology, Molecular 
  Biology, Nuclear Physics, Organic Chemistry, 
  Paleontology, Pharmacology, Physics, Psychology, 
  Robotics, Sociology, Statistics, Subatomic Phys-
  ics, Surgery, Veterinary Medicine, Zoology. See 
  the Sciences Table for many others.
  BUYING SCIENCE SKILLS
  Science Skills cost 2 points for a base roll of 
  11-. Alternately, characters can base the SS upon 
  INT for 3 Character Points, giving a base (9 + 
  (INT/5)) roll. In either case, each +1 to the Skill 
  Roll costs 1 Character Point. Characters may not 
  take a Science which exactly duplicates another 
  Skill (like Computer Programming), although Skills 
  often partly overlap.
  A character need not buy a general category 
  of science before buying a specific science (for 
  example, a character doesn’t have to buy Chem-
  istry before buying Biochemistry). A character 
  with a specific science has a vague knowledge of 
  the general science, and vice versa; see the rules 
  below for using the Sciences Table.
  The Sciences Table
  The accompanying table lists dozens of Sci-
  ence Skills characters can buy, organized into eight 
  ﬁelds:  Biology; Chemistry; Earth Sciences; Engi-
  neering; Health Sciences; Mathematics; Physics; 
  and Social Sciences.
  FIELDS AND SUBFIELDS
  Each category is divided into four subcatego-
  ries, representing correspondingly more specialized 
  and precise subjects:  ﬁeld; discipline; subdiscipline; 
  and specialty. Characters with any SS can make 
  rolls in related subjects within that ﬁeld at a penalty, 
  reﬂecting the various levels of knowledge incorpo-
  rated within a scientiﬁc subject.
  A character with any “ﬁeld” Science Skill (the 
  eight SSs listed above) has a general knowledge 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  259 
  of the entire ﬁeld. He can answer basic questions 
  pertaining to the subject at no penalty. For subjects 
  that ﬁt into a discipline, he can make a roll at a -2 
  penalty; for a subdiscipline at a -4 penalty; and for 
  a specialty at a -6 penalty.
  If a character has a “discipline”-level SS, he 
  can answer questions about it at no penalty. He 
  can answer general questions about the ﬁeld his 
  discipline belongs to at a -2 penalty, and can answer 
  questions in any subdisciplines of his discipline at 
  a -2 penalty. He can answer questions about any 
  speciality of any subdisciplie of his discipline at a 
  -4 penalty.
  If a character has a “subdiscipline”-level SS, he 
  can answer questions about it at no penalty. He can 
  answer questions about the discipline it belongs to 
  at a -2 penalty, and about the ﬁeld it belongs to at a 
  -4 penalty. If his subdiscipline has any specialties, 
  he can answer questions about them at a -2 penalty.
  If a character has a “specialty”-level SS, he can 
  answer questions about it at no penalty. He can 
  answer questions about the subdiscipline it belongs 
  to at a -2 penalty, about its discipline at a -4 penalty, 
  and about its ﬁeld at a -6 penalty.
  Example:  Doctor Anomaly is well-versed in 
  many scientific subjects. One of his many 
  Science Skills is SS: Biology. That means he 
  can answer general questions about the bio-
  logical sciences at no penalty. If someone asks 
  him a question that pertains to a discipline of 
  Biology, such as Zoology, he suffers a -2 pen-
  alty. If the question’s about a subdiscipline of 
  Zoology, such as Entomology, he makes his 
  roll at a -4 penalty. If the question refers to a 
  specialty of Entomology, such as Lepidopter-
  ology (the study of butterflies and moths), he 
  suffers a -6 penalty.
  Doctor Anomaly also has SS: Astronomy (also 
  known as Astrophysics), a discipline-level Sci-
  ence Skill in the broader ﬁeld of Physics. That 
  means he can make rolls pertaining to Astron-
  omy itself at no penalty. If the question involves 
  a subdiscipline of Astronomy, such as Cosmol-
  ogy, he suﬀers a -2 penalty; he can also answer 
  general Physics questions at a -2 penalty.
  RELATED SCIENCES
  The Sciences Table also includes columns list-
  ing sciences that are related to a given SS, in four 
  categories:  Very Closely Related; Closely Related; 
  Loosely Related; Very Loosely Related. A character 
  can use a Science Skill to make a roll with any Very 
  Closely Related SS at a -2 penalty, a Closely Related 
  SS at a -4 penalty, a Loosely Related SS at a -6 pen-
  alty, and a Very Loosely Related SS at a -8 penalty.
  Mathematics
  Most sciences involve or use math in some 
  respect, even if just to gather and analyze statistical 
  data. However, Mathematics isn’t listed as a related 
  Science Skill for any other SS because it links to so 
  many of them. The GM should treat it as at least 
  Very Loosely Related to many ﬁelds, and at least 
  Loosely related to math-heavy ﬁelds like Engineer-
  ing and Physics.
   “COMBINATION” SCIENCES
  Many Science Skills at the “discipline” or more 
  precise levels study the intersection of two subjects 
  or ﬁelds. Examples include Biochemistry, Hydro-
  biology, and Geophysics. Some of these are listed 
  on the Sciences Table, but characters can easily 
  devise others as appropriate. Any “combination” SS 
  is one step to the right on the Sciences Table of the 
  right-most SS included as part of it. For example, 
  Biochemistry involves two ﬁelds (Biology and 
  Chemistry), making it a discipline; Geochemistry 
  combines a ﬁeld (Chemistry) with a discipline 
  (Geology), so it’s a subdiscipline (one step to the 
  right of the discipline of Geology).
  XENO-SCIENCES
  In Science Fiction campaigns where characters 
  frequently interact with alien species, characters 
  can apply the preﬁx Xeno (“foreign”) to a Science 
  Skill to indicate that they know about that SS as it 
  pertains to other species rather than their own spe-
  cies. For example, a Human character with Xenobi-
  ology knows about aliens’ biological systems rather 
  than Human ones; an explorer with Xenoanthro-
  pology and Xenoarchaeology is an expert on aliens’ 
  customs, traditions, ruins, and relics rather than 
  those of mankind. (In some cases the preﬁx Exo- is 
  used instead.)
  A Xeno SS is usually considered to be one step 
  to the right on the Sciences Table:  for example, if it 
  involves a ﬁeld (e.g., Xenobiology) it’s a discipline; 
  if it involves a discipline (e.g., Xenoanthropology) 
  it’s a subdiscipline; and so forth.
  THEORETICAL SCIENCES
  The Sciences Table lists some “theoretical” sci-
  ences, such as SS: Theoretical Chemistry and SS: 
  Theoretical Physics. These are typically subdisci-
  plines that represent the ability to use mathematical 
  models, non-experimental reasoning, and the like 
  to predict or explain observed phenomena pertain-
  ing to the ﬁeld to which they belong. Characters 
  can create theoretical versions of other SSs unless 
  the GM objects.
  RUBBER SCIENCE
  The Sciences Table does not include ﬁctional 
  sciences, rubber sciences, or weird sciences often 
  found in comics, movies, novels, and other inspi-
  rational source ﬁction — things like Hyperspace 
  Physics, Dimensional Engineering, Force Field 
  Physics, and the like. (See pages 56-57 of Champi-
  ons Universe, or the “Science Fiction” section below, 
  for several examples.) These are very campaign-
  speciﬁc Science Skills, so if the GM wants to deﬁne 
  and use them he should ﬁgure out how they ﬁt into 
  the scheme of the Sciences Table (if at all).
  
  260 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FIELD
  DISCIPLINE
  SUBDISCIPLINE
  SPECIALTY
  VERY CLOSELY 
  RELATED
  CLOSELY RELATED
  LOOSELY RELATED
  VERY LOOSELY 
  RELATED
  BIOLOGY
  Biomedical Engineering
  Marine Biology
  Physical Anthropology
  Biogeography
  Botany
  Dendrology
  Mycology
  Palynology
  Phycology
  Developmental Biology
  Ecology
  Ecohydrology
  Evolutionary Biology
  Paleontology
  Phylogenetics
  Taxonomy
  Genetics
  Microbiology
  Histology
  Diagnostics
  Microbiology (Molecu-
  lar And Cell Biology)
  Biochemistry
  Genetics
  Diagnostics
  Bacteriology
  Cytology
  Virology
  Physiology
  Medicine
  Anatomy
  Zoology
  Arachnology
  Cryptozoology
  Entomology
  Apiology
  Coleopterology
  Dipterology
  Lepidopterology
  Orthopterology
  Ethology
  Herpetology
  Ophiology
  Ichthyology
  Mammalogy
  Cetology
   
  -2 from Field 
  -4 from Field 
  -6 from Field
   
  roll at -2 
  roll at -4 
  roll at -6 
   roll at -8
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  261 
  FIELD
  DISCIPLINE
  SUBDISCIPLINE
  SPECIALTY
  VERY CLOSELY 
  RELATED
  CLOSELY RELATED
  LOOSELY RELATED
  VERY LOOSELY 
  RELATED
  Cynology
  Equinology
  Felinology
  Primatology
  Ornithology
  CHEMISTRY
  Chemical Physics
  Chemical Hydrology
  Chemical 
  Oceanography
  Analytical Chemistry
  Biochemistry
  Medicine
  Microbiology
  Inorganic Chemistry
  Organic Chemistry
  Pharmacology/
  Toxicology
  Health Sciences
  Th eoretical Chemistry
  EARTH SCIENCES
  Atmospheric Sciences
  Aeronomy
  Climatology
  Meteorology
  Hydrometeorology
  Meteorological Ocean-
  ography
  Geodesy/
  Geophysics
  Geology
  Hydrogeology
  Geochemistry
  Geomorphology
  Mineralogy
  Paleontology
  Evolutionary Biology
  Invertebrate Paleontol-
  ogy
  Zoology
  Micropaleontology
  Paleoanthropology
  Anthropology
  Paleobotany
  Botany
  Paleozoology
  Zoology
  Vertebrate Paleontology
  Zoology
  Petrology
  Petroleum Engineering
   
  -2 from Field 
  -4 from Field 
  -6 from Field
   
  roll at -2 
  roll at -4 
  roll at -6 
   roll at -8
  
  262 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FIELD
  DISCIPLINE
  SUBDISCIPLINE
  SPECIALTY
  VERY CLOSELY 
  RELATED
  CLOSELY RELATED
  LOOSELY RELATED
  VERY LOOSELY 
  RELATED
  Plate Tectonics
  Sedimentology
  Soil Science
  Edaphology
  Pedology
  Speleology
  Stratigraphy
  Biostratigraphy
  Lithostratigraphy
  Vulcanology
  Glaciology
  Hydrology
  Limnology
  Chemical Hydrology
  Chemistry
  Ecohydrology
  Ecology
  Hydrogeology
  Geology
  Hydroinformatics
  Hydrometeorology
  Meteorology
  Hydromorphology
  Isotope Hydrology
  Surface Hydrology
  Limnology
  Hydrology
  Oceanography
  Chemical Oceanog-
  raphy
  Chemistry
  Marine Biology
  Biology
  Marine Geology
  Meteorological Ocean-
  ography
  Meteorology
  Physical Oceanography
  ENGINEERING
  Agricultural Engineer-
  ing
  Architecture/
  Architectural Engineer-
  ing
  Biomedical Engineering
  Biology
  Chemical Engineering
  Plastics Engineering
   
  -2 from Field 
  -4 from Field 
  -6 from Field
   
  roll at -2 
  roll at -4 
  roll at -6 
   roll at -8
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  263 
  FIELD
  DISCIPLINE
  SUBDISCIPLINE
  SPECIALTY
  VERY CLOSELY 
  RELATED
  CLOSELY RELATED
  LOOSELY RELATED
  VERY LOOSELY 
  RELATED
  Civil Engineering
  Construction 
  Engineering
  Hydraulic Engineering
  Structural Engineering
  Transportation 
  Engineering
  Computer Engineering
  Soft ware Engineering
  Electronic/
  Electrical Engineering
  Cybernetics
  Optronics
  Optics
  Environmental Engi-
  neering
  Sanitary Engineering
  Industrial Engineering
  Safety Engineering
  Marine Engineering
  Materials Engineering/
  Materials Science
  Materials Physics
  Metallurgy
  Mechanical 
  Engineering
  Aerospace Engineering
  Astronautical 
  Engineering
  Engine Design
  Fluid Systems
  Robotics
  Mining And Geological 
  Engineering
  Nanotechnology
  Nuclear Engineering
  Petroleum Engineering
   
  -2 from Field 
  -4 from Field 
  -6 from Field
   
  roll at -2 
  roll at -4 
  roll at -6 
   roll at -8
  
  264 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FIELD
  DISCIPLINE
  SUBDISCIPLINE
  SPECIALTY
  VERY CLOSELY 
  RELATED
  CLOSELY RELATED
  LOOSELY RELATED
  VERY LOOSELY 
  RELATED
  HEALTH SCIENCES
  Clinical Medicine 
  (a.k.a.  Medicine)
  Biochemistry
  Anaesthesiology
  Dermatology
  Internal Medicine
  Cardiology
  Endocrinology
  Forensic Pathology
  Gastroenterology
  Geriatrics
  Hematology
  Hepatology
  Infectious Diseases
  Nephrology
  Oncology
  Otolaryngology
  Pulmonology
  Rheumatology
  Urology
  Neurology
  Neuropsychology
  Obstetrics & Gynecol-
  ogy
  Optometry
  Ophthalmology
  Pediatrics
  Psychiatry
  Psychology
  Forensic Psychiatry
  Surgery
  Ophthalmology
  Optometry
  Orthopedics
  Plastic Surgery
  Dentistry
  Diagnostics
  Histology
  Immunology
  Microbiology
  Clinical Laboratory 
  Science
  Radiology
  Dietetics
   
  -2 from Field 
  -4 from Field 
  -6 from Field
   
  roll at -2 
  roll at -4 
  roll at -6 
   roll at -8
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  265 
  FIELD
  DISCIPLINE
  SUBDISCIPLINE
  SPECIALTY
  VERY CLOSELY 
  RELATED
  CLOSELY RELATED
  LOOSELY RELATED
  VERY LOOSELY 
  RELATED
  Embryology
  Epidemiology
  Immunology
  Diagnostics
  Osteopathy
  Pathology
  Veterinary Medicine
  Avian Medicine
  Bovine Medicine
  Canine Medicine
  Equine Medicine
  Feline Medicine
  Reptile Medicine
  MATHEMATICS
  Physics
  Algebra
  Field Th eory
  Number Th eory
  Analysis
  Applied Mathematics
  Accounting
  Probability Th eory
  Statistics
  Calculus
  Geometry
  Euclidean
  Non-Euclidean
  Topology
  Trigonometry
  PHYSICS
  Mathematics
  Astronomy/
  Astrophysics
  Cosmology
  Planetary Physics
  Plasma Physics
  Atomic/
  Molecular/
  Optical Physics
  Atomic/Subatomic 
  Physics
  Chemical Physics
  Chemistry
   
  -2 from Field 
  -4 from Field 
  -6 from Field
   
  roll at -2 
  roll at -4 
  roll at -6 
   roll at -8
  
  266 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FIELD
  DISCIPLINE
  SUBDISCIPLINE
  SPECIALTY
  VERY CLOSELY 
  RELATED
  CLOSELY RELATED
  LOOSELY RELATED
  VERY LOOSELY 
  RELATED
  Molecular Physics
  Optics
  Optronics
  Photonics
  Condensed Matter 
  Physics
  Materials Physics
  Materials Engineering/
  Materials Science
  Polymer Physics
  Solid State Physics
  Particle Physics
  Accelerator Physics
  Nuclear Physics
  Th eoretical Physics
  SOCIAL SCIENCES
  Anthropology
  Paleoanthropology
  Archaeology
  Cultural Anthropology
  Linguistic Anthropol-
  ogy
  Linguistics
  Physical Anthropology
  Biology
  Demographics
  Economics
  Geography
  Linguistics
  Linguistic Anthropol-
  ogy
  Psychology
  Psychiatry
  Neuropsychology
  Neurology
  Psychoanalysis
  Sociology
   
  -2 from Field 
  -4 from Field 
  -6 from Field
   
  roll at -2 
  roll at -4 
  roll at -6 
   roll at -8
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  267 
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Most Science Skills involve some types of 
  equipment:  tools, laboratory equipment, measur-
  ing devices, microscopes, chemicals, and so on. In 
  part Science Skills represent a character’s ability to 
  use the various types of equipment associated with 
  a particular scientiﬁc ﬁeld. If a character doesn’t 
  have the right equipment for the task at hand, the 
  GM should apply the standard penalties for lack 
  of equipment or improvised equipment. Usually, a 
  character may carry a “ﬁeld bag” with some basic 
  equipment (enough to perform simple experiments 
  without a penalty).
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically a failed roll means the character 
  didn’t accomplish what he set out to do — his 
  experiment went wrong, some unforeseen occur-
  rence invalidated a test, or the like. A bad failure (by 
  4 or more) usually means some signiﬁcant negative 
  consequence, such as ruining all the raw materials 
  (or all the work done up to the point of failure), the 
  character hurting himself or others, and so on.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for using a Science Skill 
  depends on the speciﬁc SS and the task involved. 
  Remembering a fact or answering a question usu-
  ally requires a Full Phase (possibly less). Research-
  ing a fact or subject requires a minimum Base Time 
  of 20 Minutes for a ﬁeld, 1 Hour for a discipline, 
  2 Hours for a subdiscipline, and 3 Hours for a 
  specialty. The GM can adjust this Base Time up 
  or down as he sees ﬁt depending on the obscurity 
  of the fact and other factors; the optional new 
  Research Skill (page 371) may reduce the time 
  required.
  For physical tasks, such as performing an 
  experiment or gathering specimens, the Base Time 
  varies based on the circumstances and activity. Very 
  simple tasks typically require 1 Turn to 1 Minute, 
  but complex ones can take hours or days. For most 
  signiﬁcant tasks the GM can often assume a Base 
  Time of 1 Hour.
  UNIFYING SCIENCE SKILL
  Science Skill is such a broad Skill that it gen-
  erally shouldn’t be “uniﬁed”; that would spoil its 
  usefulness and ﬂavor. If you’re interested in sug-
  gestions for making it easier for characters to buy 
  lots of SSs cheaply, see the optional rules in the Skill 
  Enhancers section in Chapter One.
  SCIENCE SKILL BY GENRE
  Science Skill works the same in every genre 
  and time period, but the SSs that are available or 
  commonplace can vary greatly. See the genre books 
  and other supplements published by Hero Games 
  for suggestions on appropriate SSs.
  Fantasy
  Science Skills don’t occur frequently in most 
  Fantasy settings; methods of thinking about the 
  world hadn’t often reached “scientiﬁc” levels of 
  accuracy and knowledge during the low-tech peri-
  ods most Fantasy games emulate. Some SSs that 
  might be appropriate would include Astrology, 
  Alchemy, Mathematics, Metallurgy, Natural Sci-
  ences, and Philosophy.
  In High Fantasy games, or games featur-
  ing magicomechanical technology, Science Skills 
  may become more prevalent. Specialization could 
  develop as sages and scholars study the cultures of 
  other races or delve in ruins for lost lore (Anthro-
  pology, Archaeology), examine the properties of 
  diﬀerent rocks and minerals (Mineralogy), expand 
  upon healers’ knowledge of herbs (Botany), or 
  make systematic study of local animals (Zoology). 
  Dwarvish and gnomish tinkerers might have some 
  Engineering-related SSs. Similarly, a High Fantasy’s 
  wizard’s approach to studying the world around 
  him might rise to the level of Science Skills for 
  many subjects.
  Science Fiction
  Every piece of “rubber science” (see page 146 
  of Star Hero) in a Science Fiction campaign should 
  have an appropriate Science Skill associated with it. 
  Some of the SSs a GM might create for his Science 
  Fiction campaign include:
  Dimensional Engineering:  The science of inter-
  dimensional and time travel (the latter subject, by 
  itself, is also known as Temporal Physics).
  Force Field Physics:  The science of force ﬁelds and 
  the projection of ﬁelds of force for various pur-
  poses.
  Hyperspace Physics:  Sometimes known as Tachy-
  onics or Warp Physics, this is the science of faster-
  than-light travel.
  Memetics:  The science of ideologies and mass 
  manipulation (sometimes called socioengineering 
  or psychoengineering).
  Psionics:  The study of mental powers and their 
  applications.
  Xenobiology:  The study of alien life forms.
  Xenology (or Xenoanthropology):  The study of alien 
  civilizations and societies.
  
  268 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SECURITY SYSTEMS
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Intellect Skill can locate, 
  recognize, disable/evade, build, and install various 
  types of alarms and traps (referred to generally as 
  “security devices”). He knows about the diﬀerent 
  types of security devices, their strengths and weak-
  nesses, which ones are most suitable for a given 
  situation, and the like. He also knows about the 
  equipment and methods used to ﬁnd and defeat 
  security devices, including which tools work best 
  against which types of devices and, if necessary, 
  how to improvise tools.
  Security Systems does not allow a character 
  to pick or open locks, even electronic ones. That 
  requires Lockpicking (see page 226).
  Security Devices In  
  The HERO System
  The purpose of a security device is to prevent 
  unauthorized persons from entering an area (such 
  as a building). If the device can’t stop the intruder 
  altogether, it should detect the intrusion (and alert 
  appropriate personnel) and/or attempt to harm 
  the intruder (depending on the type of device). 
  They range from the simple (fences and similar 
  barriers) to some of the most advanced detection 
  devices available in the setting. In most campaigns, 
  the main use of the Security Systems Skill is to let 
  a character enter a security device-protected area 
  without being detected, stopped, and/or harmed.
  Security devices have three deﬁning charac-
  teristics:  how they’re triggered; how they hit the 
  person who triggered them (i.e., their OCV); and 
  their eﬀect.
  TRIGGERING A SECURITY DEVICE
  Security devices have many different types 
  of triggering mechanisms. The simplest, such 
  as concealed pits, projected missiles, or scyth-
  ing blades, are usually triggered by pressure (the 
  weight of the victim walking on them) or a trip-
  wire; they function mechanically. More advanced 
  systems — electronic ones — can be triggered by 
  all sorts of phenomena, such as sensors detecting 
  the character’s body heat or motion. If a charac-
  ter wants to pay Character Points for a trap, these 
  are all forms of the Trigger Advantage (and may 
  require a related Enhanced Sense to represent 
  the device’s sensors).
  SECURITY DEVICE ATTACKS
  Many security devices aren’t intended to 
  attack the person who activates them — they 
  simply sound an alarm, or the like. But others 
  (particularly primitive or mechanical ones) 
  attempt to harm, restrain, or otherwise affect 
  someone who “trips” them.
  To determine if a security device hits its 
  target, make an Attack Roll for it, pitting its OCV 
  against the DCV of the person who triggered it 
  (or against DCV 3, if it aﬀects an area). The OCV 
  of a security device depends on how well and cun-
  ningly it’s made, as indicated in the accompanying 
  Security Device OCV Table. Note that some secu-
  rity devices have an OCV of “Automatic,” meaning 
  they automatically hit the person who triggers 
  them regardless of his DCV. This would include 
  most pit traps, security devices in areas so con-
  ﬁned the person who triggers them has no chance 
  to avoid them, and so forth.
  Unless characters are in combat when they trig-
  ger a security device, they cannot Abort to Dodge 
  the security device unless the GM permits them to. 
  Since most GMs don’t track Phases out of combat, 
  Aborting costs characters nothing and they’ll do 
  SIMPLIFIED SECURITY  
  SYSTEMS
  If the detailed rules for Security Systems in this sec-
  tion are more than your campaign needs, you can 
  instead use this simple system that groups security 
  devices into various categories of quality:
  Security Systems 
  Security Systems
  Type Of Security Device 
  Modiﬁer 
  Roll
  Poor quality 
  +1 
  8-
  Average quality 
  -0 to -3 
  11-
  Above Average quality 
  -4 to -5 
  14-
  High quality 
  -6 to -7 
  17-
  Very high quality 
  -8 to -9 
  20-
  Superb quality 
  -10 
  23-
  Alternately, if the GM prefers, he can require a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest to determine the outcome of 
  using Security Systems — in other words, the qual-
  ity of the security device (and thus the diﬃculty of 
  bypassing or disarming it) is represented by giving the 
  device a high Skill Roll. The table above indicates the 
  standard roll representing various levels of quality.
  SECURITY DEVICE  
  OCV TABLE
  Quality Of
  Security Device 
  OCV 
  Modiﬁer To Create*
  Poor 
  3 
  +2
  Average 
  5 
  +0
  High 
  7 
  -2
  Very High 
  9 
  -4
  Extremely High 
  11 
  -8
  Superb 
  13 
  -16
  Unbeatable 
  Automatic 
  -20
  *:  The GM may change the modiﬁer to create a 
  particular type of security device if doing so seems 
  appropriate to him. For example, a device that emits 
  knockout gas into a small, conﬁned area might have 
  an OCV of “Automatic” because anyone who trig-
  gers it can’t possibly avoid the cloud of gas — but 
  that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a technologically-
  sophisticated device, so the GM might reduce the 
  creation modiﬁer accordingly.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  269 
  it every time if allowed, making many traps use-
  less. However, characters can assign any applicable 
  Combat Skill Levels to DCV before taking an action 
  they think may trigger a security device; this signiﬁes 
  being alert, aware, and prepared.
  In most cases, a security device’s OCV isn’t 
  something anyone pays Character Points for; 
  it’s just assigned to the device by the GM for 
  ease of play. If characters want to install security 
  devices in a Base (or anything else for which 
  they pay Character Points), assume that all secu-
  rity devices start with Poor quality (OCV 3) for 
  free. To increase a device’s OCV, buy it 2-point 
  Combat Skill Levels.
  DAMAGE OR EFFECT
  Most security devices have some pernicious 
  eﬀect; that’s why they exist. Modern ones tend to func-
  tion as alarms rather than attacks, but more primitive 
  devices can cause harm. Some have relatively mild 
  eﬀects, such as conﬁning the victim (either until 
  someone comes to get him out or he starves to death) 
  or knocking him unconscious. But most are deadly. 
  They use poison, spikes, blades, long falls, or crushing 
  weights to inﬂict lethal damage.
  A conﬁnement security device is usually deﬁned 
  as having BODY and DEF, though a few (such as nets) 
  may qualify as straightforward Entangles. If the char-
  acter can’t break out, climb out, or otherwise escape, 
  he remains trapped until released.
  A knockout security device does STUN damage 
  only, usually via a Drain STUN. If built as a poison, 
  this may be an NND Drain STUN (the defense is the 
  appropriate Life Support (Immunity)).
  Lethal security devices do Normal or Killing 
  Damage — usually Killing Damage. They may or 
  may not target a speciﬁc part of the body; if so, they 
  do not suﬀer any OCV penalty for the Hit Loca-
  tion, but inﬂict no extra damage because of it either 
  (but you should reduce the damage for Locations 
  that halve it). Poisoned security devices do NND 
  Killing Damage (the defense is the appropriate Life 
  Support (Immunity)).
  Security Systems Basics
  Characters primarily use Security Systems for 
  three tasks:  locating security devices; disabling/
  avoiding security devices; and installing security 
  devices.
  LOCATING SECURITY DEVICES
  The ﬁrst use of Security Systems in most situ-
  ations is to ﬁnd security devices — after all, a char-
  acter can’t disarm or avoid a device he’s unaware 
  of! In many cases, the GM should allow characters 
  to locate security devices without a roll, because 
  they’re prominently placed as a way of discourag-
  ing intruders.
  However, sometimes a device’s designer wants 
  to hide it — either he doesn’t want intruders to 
  know they’ve tripped an alarm, or the device is 
  intended to harm anyone who tries to enter an area, 
  open a locked object, or the like. In this case, the 
  character has to make a Concealment roll to ﬁnd 
  the device; Security Systems serves as a Comple-
  mentary Skill. (If the character doesn’t have Con-
  cealment, he can make a Security Systems roll at -2 
  to ﬁnd the device.)
  
  270 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  The GM may want the roll to locate a secu-
  rity device to vary based on the skill with which 
  it was installed. In this case the installer’s Secu-
  rity System roll to properly install it becomes the 
  target for the character to beat in a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest. Alternately, the GM can assign 
  a penalty to finding a device to represent the 
  skill with which it was installed, the nature of 
  the device, or similar factors. The descriptions 
  of various security devices below contains sug-
  gested modifiers for the roll to find them.
  DISABLING/AVOIDING SECURITY DEVICES
  After a character ﬁnds a security device, he can 
  attempt to bypass, disable, or avoid it with a Security 
  Systems roll (this is separate from the roll to ﬁnd the 
  device). For ease of reference, the term “disable” is 
  used below to refer to any means of using the Secu-
  rity Systems Skill to avoid the eﬀects of a security 
  device, even if the character doesn’t literally cause 
  the device to not function or malfunction.
  Generally speaking, the diﬃculty of disabling a 
  security device depends upon (a) the type of device, 
  and (b) the quality of the device. The Security Sys-
  tems Modiﬁers table lists a wide variety of security 
  devices and the penalties for each. Alternately, if a 
  character uses Security Systems to try to disable a 
  security device bought with Character Points, the 
  GM can impose a ﬂat penalty of -1 per 10 Active 
  Points in the device, or use the Change Environ-
  ment-based penalty purchased for it.
  Complementary Skills for disabling security 
  devices include Computer Programming, Elec-
  tronics, and/or Mechanics, depending on the 
  type of device.
  BUILDING SECURITY DEVICES
  Creating a security device requires the 
  proper materials and tools. Some primitive 
  devices, such as a deadfall, may require little 
  more than an axe, rope, and the character’s 
  hands. Advanced electronic security devices may 
  take days or weeks to create and require expen-
  sive components, tools, and Electronics rolls to 
  Complement the Security Systems rolls.
  As a general rule of thumb, assume that it 
  takes 1 Hour per 10 Active Points in a security 
  device to build it. For easier systems, including 
  many primitive/mechanical ones, the GM can 
  reduce this by taking steps up the Time Chart — 20 
  Minutes per 10 Active Points, 5 Minutes per 10 
  Active Points, and so on — or by otherwise alter-
  ing the time required as he sees ﬁt. If the character 
  doesn’t have the right materials or tools, doing the 
  job should take longer.
  INSTALLING SECURITY DEVICES
  Installing security devices is normally an easy 
  matter, assuming a character has the proper equip-
  ment. The GM should have the installer make a Secu-
  rity Systems roll and note the result. For every point 
  he made the roll by, impose a -1 penalty on Security 
  Systems rolls to bypass or disable the device (this 
  penalty is cumulative with the penalty for the type of 
  security device, up to a maximum of -10).
  SECURITY SYSTEMS MODIFIERS
   
   
  Quality Of System
  Type Of System 
  Poor 
  Average 
  High
  Primitive/Mechanical
  Conﬁnement Trap 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3
  Deadfall 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4
  Fence/Static Barrier 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Gas/Dust Projector 
  -4 
  -5 
  -6
  Locked Room/Moving Walls 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Missile Projector 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Nightingale Floor 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Pin Projector 
  -3 
  -4 
  -5
  Pit Trap 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Recessed Hinges 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Scything Blade 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4
  Sliding Staircase 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4
  Snare-Net 
  -0 
  -1 
  -2
  Tripwire 
  +1 
  -0 
  -2
  Advanced/Electronic
  Barometric sensor 
  -4 
  -6 
  -8
  Camera
     Standard 
  -0 
  -1 
  -2
     Infrared 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3
     Ultraviolet 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3
     X-ray 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4
  Capacitance sensor 
  -2 
  -4 
  -6
  Electric eyebeam, single
     Photoelectric 
  +1 
  -0 
  -1
     Infrared 
  -0 
  -1 
  -2
     Ultraviolet 
  -0 
  -1 
  -2
     Laser 
  -0 
  -1 
  -2
     Microwave 
  -1 
  -2 
  -3
  Electric eyebeam, multiple
     Photoelectric 
  -0 
  -2 
  -4
     Infrared 
  -1 
  -3 
  -5
     Ultraviolet 
  -1 
  -3 
  -5
     Laser 
  -1 
  -3 
  -5
     Microwave 
  -2 
  -4 
  -6
  Field sensors 
  -3 
  -5 
  -7
  Fingerprint analyzer
     Standard 
  -3 
  -5 
  -7
     Vitaprint analyzer 
  -3 
  -5 
  -7
  Palmprint analyzer 
  -3 
  -5 
  -7
  Infrared sensor 
  -3 
  -5 
  -8
  Magnetic switch 
  +2 
  -0 
  -4
  Metal detector 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Mercury switch 
  -3 
  -5 
  -7
  Microphone 
  -2 
  -4 
  -5
  Motion detector 
  -3 
  -5 
  -8
  Optical detector 
  -3 
  -5 
  -7
  Plunger switch 
  +2 
  -0 
  -4
  Pressure plate 
  -1 
  -3 
  -4
  Proximity sensor 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Radar
     Standard 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
     Ground eﬀect radar 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Resonant cavity 
  -4 
  -6 
  -8
  Retina scanner 
  -4 
  -6 
  -8
  Seismic detector 
  -3 
  -5 
  -7
  Sonar 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Taut-wire switch 
  -0 
  -1 
  -2
  Vibration sensor 
  -2 
  -4 
  -6
  Voiceprint analyzer 
  -2 
  -4 
  -6
  Window foil 
  +3 
  +1 
  -0
  Window sensor 
  -2 
  -3 
  -4
  Window wires 
  -4 
  -7 
  -9
  Wired window tube 
  -4 
  -7 
  -9
  X-ray scanner 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  271 
  If the character installing a security device fails 
  his roll, at the GM’s option he may have gotten the 
  device installed anyway — but so poorly that it’s 
  easier to defeat. For every point by which he missed 
  the roll, reduce the penalty (or increase the bonus) 
  to Security Systems rolls to defeat it by 1.
  Types Of Security Devices
  Here are descriptions of the security devices 
  listed in the Security Systems Modiﬁers Table.
  As you read over these devices, consider the 
  three main levels of security:  perimeter; building; 
  and object. “Perimeter security” refers to devices 
  such as fences that are intended to establish a 
  perimeter around a facility and keep people from 
  ever getting into it in the ﬁrst place. 
  “Building security” refers to the systems pro-
  tecting a speciﬁc building inside a perimeter from 
  intrusion; “object security” protects one or more 
  speciﬁc objects in that building. Some devices are 
  suitable for certain levels of security but not others.
  PRIMITIVE/MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  Primitive security devices operating on mechani-
  cal principles were the only security devices available 
  prior to mankind’s ability to harness electricity and 
  build more sophisticated devices. Unlike advanced/
  electronic systems, which are primarily intended to 
  alert someone to an intrusion, primitive/mechanical 
  systems are often designed to restrain, injure, or kill 
  an intruder. Thus their descriptions often include sug-
  gested OCVs, though this is not included in the cost 
  (see above for how characters can buy this if desired). 
  In some cases a full game description isn’t necessary; 
  the GM can adjudicate the results of the device on the 
  character without it.
  CONFINEMENT TRAP
  Effect:  Entangle 10d6, 5 DEF (standard effect:  10 
  BODY), Trigger, Only To Form Barriers
  Target/Area Affected:  One or more characters
  Duration:  Instant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  19 DEF
  Description:  When a victim triggers this trap (usu-
  ally by stepping on a concealed plate or panel in the 
  ﬂoor, but occasionally by touching or pulling on 
  something), it causes walls to slam down around 
  him, conﬁning him. It’s usually placed in corridors 
  so the corridor walls form two sides, and the con-
  ﬁning panels drop down from the ceiling to cut oﬀ 
  a section of the hallway. The Damage/Eﬀect above 
  assumes stone walls; sometimes the trap uses metal 
  portculli (DEF 7, BODY 6) instead.
  Characters can escape the trap by hacking 
  through the walls or lifting the conﬁning walls. The 
  walls typically have STR equal to ﬁve times their 
  BODY, but the GM may vary this as he sees ﬁt.
  A person trapped under a falling conﬁne-
  ment trap wall takes a number of dice of Normal 
  Damage equal to the wall’s BODY and is then 
  pinned to the ﬂoor by the wall’s STR (see above). 
  Game Information: 
  Cost Power
  19 
  Conﬁnement Trap:  Entangle 10d6, 5 DEF 
  (standard eﬀect:  10 BODY), Trigger (see 
  text; +¼) (94 Active Points); IIF Immobile (-
  1¼), No Range (-½), Only To Form Barriers 
  (-1), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼)
  5 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -2 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (16 
  Active Points); IIF Immobile (-1½), Self Only 
  (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neutralize 
  the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  24 points.
  Options:
  1)  Metal Portcullis:  Change to Entangle 6d6, 7 DEF. 
  81 Active Points, total cost 16 points; total cost of 
  device 21 points.
  2)  More Secure Device:  This type of conﬁnement 
  trap is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 
  points); total cost of device 25 points.
  3)  Less Secure Device:  This type of conﬁnement 
  trap is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -1 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 10 Active Points (total cost 3 
  points); total cost of device 22 points.
  DEADFALL
  Effect:  Drops heavy object on character; see text
  Target/Area Affected:  One character
  Duration:  Instant (see text)
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  Varies
  Description:  A deadfall is a trap that drops one or 
  more large, heavy objects onto the person trig-
  gering it. The typical example is a large block of 
  stone or a tree trunk. If the object hits the victim, 
  he takes a number of dice of Normal Damage 
  equal to the STR needed to lift the object and is 
  crushed beneath the object. (The GM decides how 
  heavy the object is based on its size, composition, 
  and so forth.) He takes the same number of dice 
  of damage every Segment 12 thereafter until he 
  wins free or dies. If the weight hits with a sharp or 
  pointed end, convert the initial damage to the same 
  number of DCs of Killing Damage. In the case of 
  some extremely heavy weights, the GM may have a 
  deadfall do large amounts of NND Killing Damage 
  — blunt or not, a 50-ton boulder should crush just 
  about anyone it falls on.
  A deadfall typically has an OCV of 11. Some 
  deadfalls drop objects so large they cover an entire 
  area. These attack against DCV 3, and can hit, hurt, 
  and crush multiple persons.
  
  272 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FENCE
  Effect:  Static barrier with DEF and BODY
  Target/Area Affected:  Varies
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  Varies
  Description:  Fences, walls, and similar “static barriers” 
  are the primary form of perimeter defense for many 
  facilities — a means of keeping people out without 
  necessarily hurting them. A fence has DEF and BODY 
  based on its materials, thickness, and other qualities; 
  see pages 447-49 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised rulebook or page 111 of The Ultimate Brick 
  for more information. For example, a brick wall usu-
  ally has about 5 DEF, 3-9 BODY per hex; a chain-link 
  fence usually has about 5 DEF, 2 BODY per hex.
  Modern fences may have alarms attached 
  to them to detect the usual methods of avoiding 
  them — tunneling under, climbing over, or cut-
  ting through. Some systems even detect when a 
  person simply gets close to the fence! Some “electric 
  fences” may simply be wired as an alarm, others 
  have potentially lethal voltage running through 
  them (inﬂicting a Continuous RKA on anyone who 
  touches or grabs the fence).
  GAS/DUST PROJECTOR
  Effect:  RKA 3d6, NND, Does BODY
  Target/Area Affected:  3” Radius
  Duration:  Constant (see text)
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Continuing Charge lasting 1-3 Segments
  Breakability:  47 DEF
  Description:  This trap consists of a tiny tube or 
  container ﬁlled with poisonous gas or dust. When 
  the victim triggers it (usually by trying to open a 
  lock without the proper key), the gas or dust puﬀs 
  out, ﬁlling a 3” radius area (attacking with OCV 
  7 against DCV 3). Only persons with appropriate 
  forms of Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing 
  or appropriate Immunity) can resist the eﬀects. The 
  cloud lingers for 1-3 Segments, or less in areas of 
  high wind, rain, or the like.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  50 
  Poison Gas Projector:  RKA 3d6, Area Of 
  Eﬀect (3” Radius in front of projector; +1), 
  NND (defense is Life Support [Self-Con-
  tained Breathing or appropriate Immunity]; 
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1), 
  Trigger (failure to open lock properly or with 
  Lockpicking roll; +¼) (236 Active Points); 
  OIF Immobile Fragile (-1¾), No Range (-½), 
  1 Continuing Charge lasting up to 3 Seg-
  ments (-1½)
  10 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -5 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (34 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  60 points.
  Options:
  1)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Fragile Immo-
  bile (-1¾) to IIF Fragile Immobile (-1½). Total cost:  
  52 + 10 = 62 points.
  2)  More Secure Device:  This type of gas projector 
  is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -6 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 40 Active Points (total cost 11 
  points); total cost of device 61 points.
  3)  Less Secure Device:  This type of gas projector is 
  easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -4 on Security 
  Systems rolls. 28 Active Points (total cost 8 points); 
  total cost of device 58 points.
  4)  Knockout Gas:  This form of the trap isn’t lethal, 
  it just knocks the victim out. Change to Drain 
  STUN 6d6 and remove Does BODY (+1) and No 
  Range (-½). 240 Active Points; total cost 56 points; 
  total cost of overall device 66 points.
  LOCKED ROOM AND MOVING WALLS
  Effect:  6d6+ Normal Damage (see text)
  Target/Area Affected:  One enclosed area (see text)
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  Varies based on type of wall, but usually 
  at least 5 DEF
  Description:  This trap confines the victims, then 
  kills them. It requires an enclosed space — a 
  room or corridor, typically. The victims usually 
  trigger it by touching, pushing, or pulling some 
  object they shouldn’t. This causes walls to fall 
  from the ceiling or slide out from the walls (as 
  with a Confinement Trap, above). The walls span 
  the corridor or each side of the room. Two Seg-
  ments after the walls are in place, they begin to 
  slide toward each other at the rate of about 1/3” 
  per Segment. Since they fill the corridor or room 
  from side to side, there’s no way around them 
  — the victim has to stop them from moving, or 
  deactivate the trap, if he wants to live.
  The sliding walls typically have STR 40 
  or more, so stopping them is difficult. If they 
  encounter resistance (including characters 
  trapped between them when they get close), they 
  do 6d6 Normal Damage to the resisting objects 
  or characters that Segment. The next Segment, 
  they do 7d6; the next, 8d6; and so forth (adding 
  +1d6 per Segment) until everyone between them 
  is crushed into a bloody paste.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  273 
  MISSILE PROJECTOR
  Effect:  RKA 1d6, Trigger
  Target/Area Affected:  8” Line
  Duration:  Instant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  7 DEF
  Description:    Trap designers usually install this 
  trap behind a wall or the like, leaving concealed 
  openings through with the arrows (or darts) proj-
  ect. When the victim triggers the trap, the arrows 
  ﬁre at him. Typically the triggering mechanism is 
  a concealed plate or panel in the ﬂoor, but it could 
  also be a tripwire, failure to open or pick a lock, or 
  the like. The trap usually has an OCV of 7.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  8 
  Missile Projector:  RKA 1d6, Area Of Eﬀect 
  (8” Line; +1), Trigger (see text; +¼) (34 
  Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No 
  Range (-½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  16 points.
  Options:
  1)  Poisoned Missiles:  Sometimes a missile pro-
  jector’s designer coats the darts or arrows with a 
  vicious poison. Also buy:  RKA 3d6, Area Of Eﬀect 
  (8” Line; +1), NND (defense is Life Support [appro-
  priate Immunity]; +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger 
  (+¼) (191 Active Points); OIF Fragile Immobile 
  (-1¾), Dart/Arrow RKA Must Do BODY (-½), 
  Linked (to dart/arrow RKA; -¼), No Range (-½), 
  1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼). Total cost 36 points; 
  total cost of device 52 points.
  2)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) to 
  IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:  8 + 9 = 17 points.
  3)  More Secure Device:  This type of missile projec-
  tor is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -5 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 34 Active Points (total cost 
  10 points); total cost of device 18 points.
  4)  Less Secure Device:  This type of missile projec-
  tor is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 
  points); total cost of device 14 points.
  NIGHTINGALE FLOOR
  Effect:  Change Environment (-2 to Stealth rolls)
  Target/Area Affected:  4” Radius
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  7 DEF
  Description:  For security purposes, floors are 
  sometimes deliberately designed to squeak loudly 
  whenever someone walks over them. Getting 
  past one requires a Stealth roll at -2; the GM may 
  allow a Security Systems roll as Complementary 
  if appropriate. Characters can sometimes defeat a 
  nightingale floor by putting a lot of padding over 
  it, or artificially bridging over it somehow.
  Game Information:  Change Environment 4” 
  radius, -2 to Stealth rolls, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (36 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½). 
  Total cost:  12 points.
  PIN PROJECTOR
  Effect:  RKA 1 point, Armor Piercing, Trigger + RKA 3d6, 
  NND, Does BODY
  Target/Area Affected:  One character
  Duration:  Instant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  This trap, built into a lock or door 
  handle, uses a powerful concealed spring to project 
  a sharp, poison-coated pin into the victim’s hand. 
  Unless he’s wearing some heavy form of protection 
  on his hands (some type of Hardened Resistant 
  Defense), he’s likely to be poisoned... though he 
  may jerk his hand away in time if he’s fast (i.e., if he 
  has a high enough DCV that the trap misses him). 
  The trap usually has an OCV of 11 or higher, or the 
  GM may rule that it hits automatically.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  30 
  Poisoned Pin Projector:  RKA 1 point, Armor 
  Piercing (+½), Trigger (failure to open lock 
  properly or with Lockpicking roll; +¼) (9 
  Active Points); IIF Immobile (-1¼), No 
  Range (-½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) 
  plus RKA 3d6, NND (defense is Life Support 
  [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Trigger (see above; +¼) (146 Active 
  Points); OIF Fragile Immobile (-1¾), Pin 
  RKA Must Do BODY (-½), Linked (to pin 
  RKA; -¼), No Range (-½), 1 Recoverable 
  Charge (-1¼)
  9 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (28 
  Active Points); IIF Immobile (-1¼), Self Only 
  (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neutralize 
  the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  39 points.
  
  274 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Options:
  1)  More Secure Device:  This type of pin projector 
  is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -5 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 34 Active Points (total cost 10 
  points); total cost of device 40 points.
  2)  Less Secure Device:  This type of pin projector is 
  easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on Security 
  Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 7 points); 
  total cost of device 37 points.
  PIT TRAP
  Effect:  Fall into pit, possibly one ﬁlled with something 
  dangerous
  Target/Area Affected:  One or more characters
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  Varies, but usually 3-5 DEF
  Description:  This trap consists of a simple pit in the 
  ground, usually covered by a trapdoor or the like. If 
  the victim steps on the cover, or doesn’t watch where 
  he’s going, he falls in. At the GM’s option, the victim 
  can make a DEX Roll at -2 (plus any Encumbrance 
  penalties or other appropriate modiﬁers) to catch the 
  edge of the pit and hang on for dear life.
  A character who falls into a pit suffers fall-
  ing damage, usually for a short fall (see page 434 
  of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised). Some 
  pits have spikes at the bottom, in which case the 
  damage becomes an equivalent number of DCs 
  of Killing Damage. Other pits have water, acid, or 
  monsters in them.
  RECESSED HINGES
  Effect:  Penalties to Security Systems and/or 
  Lockpicking
  Target/Area Affected:  One door
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  Varies, but usually at least 5 DEF
  Description:  Characters trying to get through a door 
  often try to do so by removing the pins in the door’s 
  hinges, thus allowing them to lift the door out of the 
  jamb and gain access to whatever it was protecting. 
  The easiest way to avoid this is to design the door so it 
  opens inwards (meaning the hinges are on the inside, 
  where intruders can’t get at them), recess the hinges so 
  they can’t be reached, or to cap the hinge pin so it can’t 
  be removed. Similarly, hinge bolts (pins that project 
  from the inner edge of the door into the jamb, similar 
  to a deadbolt lock) can protect against ramming the 
  door, as can door bars.
  Similar to this are what security specialists call 
  “air-lock doors” — a system of two doors in sequence 
  where the second cannot be opened until the ﬁrst is 
  shut. Usually the two are close together, thus creating 
  a tiny area where an intruder remains conﬁned if a 
  security device on either door triggers an alarm. Some 
  air-lock systems even have special sensors to detect 
  if more than one person is in the secured area at the 
  same time, which it takes as an indicator of a possible 
  hostage situation and causes it to shut down the doors.
  In game terms, recessed hinges are part of the 
  “secured system” modiﬁers applied to the door, and 
  should be bought accordingly (they may also apply 
  to Lockpicking, which can count as a Complemen-
  tary Skill for attempts to bypass or disassemble 
  recessed hinges if the GM rules that’s even pos-
  sible). An air-lock system typically involves high-
  DEF, high-BODY walls and doors together with 
  advanced sensors (such as some of the systems 
  described below).
  SCYTHING BLADE
  Effect:  RKA 3d6, Trigger
  Target/Area Affected:  One character
  Duration:  Instant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  11 DEF
  Description:  This trap consists of a large blade that 
  swings, slices, jabs, or projects out of a concealed 
  notch in a wall, ceiling, or ﬂoor to hit the victim. 
  Usually a tripwire triggers it, though some activate 
  via a pressure plate in the ﬂoor or failure to open 
  a door properly. The blade may be poisoned, and 
  usually attacks with an OCV of 9.
  You can also use this trap to represent spiked 
  springing logs in forest scenarios.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  14 
  Scything Blade:  RKA 3d6, Trigger (see text; 
  +¼) (56 Active Points); IIF Immobile (-1¼), 
  No Range (-½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼)
  7 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -3 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (22 
  Active Points); IIF Immobile (-1¼), Self Only 
  (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neutralize 
  the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  21 points.
  Options:
  1)  More Secure Device:  This type of scything blade 
  is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -4 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 28 Active Points (total cost 9 
  points); total cost of device 23 points.
  2)  Less Secure Device:  This type of scything blade 
  is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 19 points.
  3)  Poisoned Blade:  Sometimes a scything blade’s 
  designer coats the blade with a vicious poison. Also 
  buy:  RKA 3d6, NND (defense is Life Support [Self-
  Contained Breathing or appropriate Immunity]; 
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger (see above; +¼) (146 
  Active Points); IIF Fragile Immobile (-1½), Blade 
  RKA Must Do BODY (-½), Linked (to blade RKA; 
  -¼), No Range (-½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼). 
  Total cost 29 points; total cost of device 50 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  275 
  SLIDING STAIRCASE
  Effect:  Victim slides down stairway
  Target/Area Affected:  One or more characters
  Duration:  Instant
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  Varies
  Description:  This trap, installed in a staircase and 
  triggered by weight on the stairs, causes the stairs 
  to fold down into a slippery ramp. Anyone on the 
  stairs slides down the ramp, usually into a pit that 
  opens up at the foot of the stairs, but sometimes 
  into a concealed tunnel or just back down to the 
  ﬂoor. Impact with the ﬂoor, or having other charac-
  ters land on him, may cause a character to suﬀer a 
  few dice of Normal Damage.
  Characters trapped on a sliding staircase 
  typically slide one floor’s worth of distance per 
  Segment (some sliding stairs are steeper). If 
  the character has a Phase in a Segment, he can 
  attempt a STR Roll to keep from sliding. If he 
  succeeds, he’s found a way to halt his slide; other-
  wise he keeps going.
  SNARE-NET
  Effect:  Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF 
  Target/Area Affected:  2” Radius
  Duration:  Instant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge
  Breakability:  16 DEF
  Description:  Usually found in woodland areas, this 
  trap consists of a net placed on the ground and con-
  cealed beneath a layer of leaves and brush. The net 
  connects to bent-over springy saplings, or a deadfall 
  weight, via concealed ropes. When a victim steps into 
  the net, the captor (who stays nearby and watches the 
  trap if it’s not set up for automatic eﬀect) hits the trig-
  ger, causing the saplings or deadfall weight to pull the 
  net up and around the victim, trapping him in midair. 
  The net covers a 2” radius area on the ground, so it 
  may catch more than one person.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  27 
  Snare-Net:  Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF, Area Of 
  Eﬀect (One Hex Doubled; +¾), Trigger (see 
  text; +¼) (80 Active Points); IIF Immobile 
  (-1¼), No Range (-½), 1 Recoverable Charge 
  (-1¼)
  3 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -1 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (10 
  Active Points); IIF Immobile (-1¼), Self Only 
  (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neutralize 
  the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  30 points.
  Options:
  1)  More Secure Device:  This type of snare-net is 
  harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on Security 
  Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 points); 
  total cost of device 32 points.
  TRIPWIRE
  Effect:  Trigger a security device
  Target/Area Affected:  Varies
  Duration:  Instant
  Range:  No Range
  Charges:  1 Charge
  Breakability:  0 DEF
  Description:  A tripwire is a taut string, rope, wire, 
  or cable that, when pulled or broken, triggers an 
  alarm (whether a low-tech one, like pots and pans 
  that rattle, or a high-tech one) or a harmful security 
  device (such as a deadfall, a grenade, or the like). 
  Defeating a tripwire is usually a simple matter of 
  avoiding it (such as by stepping over it), or in some 
  cases cutting it without applying signiﬁcant pres-
  sure. But that means the character has to perceive 
  it, and most tripwires blend into the background 
  (characters must make a PER Roll at -1 to -3, 
  depending on the circumstances; a Security Sys-
  tems roll is Complementary).
  High-tech tripwires may include ﬁber optic 
  cable. If the cable’s broken or cut in any way, it trig-
  gers the alarm. (This method also works for fences, 
  concertina wire, or the like with ﬁber optic cable 
  woven into or through them, and can be used to 
  protect individual objects by wrapping a ﬁber optic 
  cable around them.) Defeating a ﬁber optic cable 
  requires a splice kit, and even then the penalties 
  increase by -4.
  ADVANCED/ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
  Electronic security devices usually consist of 
  three parts:  the controller (which contains the 
  zone information, backup batteries with a 2-72 
  hour lifespan [depending on the quality and age 
  of the device], and a connection to the power 
  supply); the panel (the control panel or console 
  from which the device can be turned on and off, 
  monitored, or the like); the detector (the sen-
  sors that detect whatever it is they’re designed 
  to detect in the zone designated for that device); 
  and the annunciator (the alarm, be it a visible 
  light or audible siren, or a silent “alarm” that 
  alerts someone at a remote location). Panels are 
  typically mounted near entrances, and a single 
  alarm system can have multiple panels. Destroy-
  ing a panel may trigger the alarm, or may do 
  nothing at all. Detectors can be put anywhere; 
  many alarm systems have multiple detectors.
  Controllers are usually in a safe place, like 
  the basement of a house or the security oﬃce of a 
  building, so that one cannot access them without 
  getting past the device itself ﬁrst. Disabling a con-
  troller may be as simple as disconnecting it from 
  the power supply and removing its backup batter-
  ies; this shuts oﬀ its alarm system altogether. The 
  rules below assume that characters using Security 
  Systems are trying to neutralize or bypass a security 
  device without having access to its controller. If 
  characters can access the controller, shutting oﬀ or 
  “fooling” a security device may be much easier.
  Electronic security devices come in three 
  basic types:  wireless (in which the detector uses 
  radio waves to communicate with the control-
  FALSE ALARMS
  Sometimes it’s possible 
  for characters who want 
  to penetrate a secured 
  area but have no reli-
  able means of defeating 
  the security devices to 
  trick the people inside 
  the secured area to do 
  the job for them. If they 
  can arrange enough 
  false alarms, the people 
  monitoring the system 
  may get so tired of the 
  alarms that they shut 
  the device oﬀ, or assume 
  it’s malfunctioning and 
  remove it for a while. 
  However, a sudden rise 
  the incidence of false 
  alarms may itself tip oﬀ 
  the people monitoring 
  the system that someone 
  is trying to get inside the 
  secured area.
  
  276 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ler); hardwired (in which physical wires connect 
  the detector to the controller); and self-con-
  tained (which have all parts in a single unit). 
  Wireless models may be vulnerable to some 
  Sense-Affecting Powers, such as Darkness or 
  Flash, that affect the Radio Sense Group, but 
  may be designed to register an alarm if anything 
  interferes with them that way.
  Most electronic security devices have what’s 
  called a closed circuit — a closed loop of electronic 
  sensors. Break that loop (while, for example, trying 
  to deactivate the device surreptitiously...), and you 
  trigger the alarm. In a cheap system or one of poor 
  quality, a character who knows how can neutral-
  ize the device by shorting the output (Electronics 
  acts as a Complementary Skill to Security Systems 
  for this). Systems of higher quality are set to a 
  particular resistance; any change in that resistance 
  activates the alarm.
  Security devices can have many different 
  types of alarms:  blaring sirens; flashing lights; 
  or no indication that they’ve been triggered at 
  all. Some automatically alert specific guards, 
  the police, the fire department, or someone else; 
  others simply sound a general alarm. Some use 
  standard phone lines to alert the authorities; 
  others have dedicated phone lines or are wire-
  less (radio or cellular communications, or in rare 
  cases satellite communications). Sometimes cut-
  ting the line of communications effectively neu-
  tralizes a security device without alerting anyone. 
  Cutting a dedicated line usually alerts the 
  authorities monitoring it immediately; interfer-
  ing with wireless communications may not work 
  if the device is being monitored at the time. On 
  the other hand, if the person assigned to monitor 
  the system sends a verification signal, it may take 
  him long enough to get “no response” that the 
  characters trying to avoid security can get in, do 
  what they want to do, and get out safely.
  In a facility with multiple security devices, 
  those devices usually feed to a central processor 
  that controls them and responds in speciﬁc ways if 
  they’re triggered. Since disabling the processor neu-
  tralizes the entire security device network, the pro-
  cessor is usually in a highly secure area, and often 
  has its own security devices to protect it.
  Many security devices have their own spe-
  cific security devices to prevent tampering with 
  them. If so, characters can’t work on defeating 
  the security device until they’ve defeated its ded-
  icated security system, and that requires a sepa-
  rate Security Systems roll (usually at a modifier 
  equal to half that of the device, but sometimes 
  equal to the device’s full modifier). To save time, 
  the GM may collapse the two rolls into one by 
  increasing the security device’s modifier by -1 (or 
  more, if appropriate).
  In a pinch, characters can defeat many of 
  the security devices described below simply by 
  breaking them. However, that in and of itself 
  usually alerts the guards or triggers the alarm 
  — but clever characters may still have enough 
  time to do whatever they came to do before secu-
  rity forces can mobilize.
  Dual Systems
  To make a security system more diﬃcult to 
  defeat, the designer often incorporates two types of 
  sensors into one device — such as motion detection 
  and passive infrared, or a passive IR system with a 
  microphone. The GM can require the character to 
  roll twice to defeat such a device, or he can just call 
  for one roll. In the latter case, use the worst modi-
  ﬁer of the two (i.e., the one that penalizes Security 
  Systems rolls the most), but increase it to account 
  for the dual system.
  Standby Power Sources
  Electronic security systems require electric-
  ity to work. Normally the electricity comes from 
  whatever source the facility the systems protect 
  comes from — a generator, the local power grid, or 
  the like. This may leave them vulnerable to black-
  outs or deliberate tampering. To avoid or minimize 
  this problem, some security systems have standby 
  batteries that can power them for about two to six 
  hours (and in some cases, up to 72 hours) if some-
  thing interrupts the external power source. Low 
  temperatures (freezing or below) may reduce bat-
  tery life, and can even cause some batteries not to 
  function at all.
  Advanced Security Devices In HERO System Terms
  The HERO System writeups for the devices 
  described below assume the devices are bought as 
  part of a relatively large Base, and in some cases 
  that the device only covers a speciﬁc area. You can 
  adjust this as necessary for other situations, or 
  reduce the Only Within Deﬁned Area Limitation to 
  its proper value based on the size of the Base. None 
  of them are bought with OCV bonuses (see above) 
  because modern security devices usually just trig-
  ger alarms, not lethal traps.
  The penalties listed in the Security Systems 
  Modifiers table are bought as a form of Change 
  Environment (bonuses are bought as a Limita-
  tion on the power) using the “Average quality” 
  modifier from the table. This primarily reflects 
  the modifier to disable, bypass, or otherwise 
  neutralize the device without setting it off or 
  otherwise alerting anyone who might be moni-
  toring it. It also represents the difficulty of dis-
  arming or bypassing any alarm on the security 
  device itself.
  For the Disguised versions of the devices, 
  the GM can apply whatever penalty he wants to 
  Security Systems rolls to find the device, based 
  on the circumstances — sometimes the entire 
  listed penalty is appropriate, sometimes only 
  half the listed penalty (or some other percentage 
  of the full penalty), and sometimes no penalty 
  at all (perhaps because the device was poorly 
  installed, the character knows exactly where to 
  look for it, or the person who installed it wants 
  it to be obvious).
  These security devices are bought as Break-
  able, Inaccessible Foci. However, reaching them to 
  break them or remove them from whatever they’re 
  attached/built in to may prove extremely diﬃcult.
  SECURING  
  THE CABLES
  Most electronic security 
  devices depend to some 
  extent on signal cables 
  — electric wiring that 
  carries the signals the 
  system uses to sound 
  the alarm. To protect 
  the cables from tam-
  pering, a high-security 
  facility can install them 
  in conduits. The two 
  types of conduits most 
  often used are electrical 
  metallic tubing (EMT) 
  and heavy wall conduit. 
  If an attempt to defeat a 
  security system involves 
  getting at the signal 
  cables, EMT imposes 
  an additional -2 penalty 
  to the Skill Roll, while 
  heavy wall conduit 
  imposes a -3. In either 
  case, the GM should cap 
  the overall penalty at -9 
  in most situations.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  277 
  BAROMETRIC SENSOR
  Effect:  Detect Changes In Barometric Pressure 16-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self (6” x 6” protected area)
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self (6” x 6” protected area)
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  8 DEF
  Description:  Barometric sensors are security 
  devices that are very sensitive to barometric 
  pressure. They’re used to guard a room or other 
  enclosed space — when someone opens a door or 
  window into the area, the pressure changes and the 
  alarm activates. Defeating them is diﬃcult (at best); 
  it requires the characters to somehow equalize the 
  pressure between the guarded area and the area 
  they want to enter it from.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  2 
  Barometric Sensor:  Detect Changes In Baro-
  metric Pressure 16- (no Sense Group) (10 
  Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Only 
  Within Deﬁned Area (6” x 6” or smaller; -2)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  10 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Changes 
  In Barometric Pressure 18-. 12 Active Points, total 
  cost 3 points; total cost of device 11 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Changes 
  In Barometric Pressure 14-. 8 Active Points, total cost 
  2 points; total cost of device 10 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  2 + 9 = 11 points.
  High-Quality:  3 + 9 = 12 points.
  Poor-Quality:  2 + 9 = 11 points.
  CAMERAS
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Sight Group)
  Target/Area Affected:  Fixed Perception Point
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  300”
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  8 DEF
  Description:  Closed-circuit television (CCTV) 
  camera systems are a standard security measure 
  in most secured facilities. They send images back 
  to a central monitoring station (or sometimes 
  more than one), thus allowing a single guard to 
  keep watch over a large area. Some are ﬁxed-posi-
  tion (they always show the same scene from the 
  same angle); others pan back and forth across a 
  ﬁxed range (and thus only show part of their over-
  all “ﬁeld of vision” to the monitors at any given 
  time). Both types are built as Clairsentience (Sight 
  Group); it’s just that a panning camera changes its 
  angle of view occasionally (similar to a character 
  standing in place and turning back and forth). This 
  doesn’t require Mobile Perception Point, but the 
  Fixed Perception Point Limitation is reduced to -¾ 
  to represent the greater utility of a panning camera.
  While most cameras are standard ones that 
  use normal light, more advanced models are 
  available. These use infrared light (or thermo-
  graphic sensors), ultraviolet light, or even X-
  rays to improve their ability to detect unwanted 
  intruders. Some have zoom lenses, image inten-
  sification features, and other systems designed to 
  improve their performance.
  There are many ways to defeat a camera 
  system. First, characters can avoid being seen by 
  them — they can remain in locations not covered 
  by cameras, or move past a camera that pans when 
  it’s not pointed directly at them. In the case of 
  multiple-camera systems, it’s possible that a given 
  camera’s image only appears on the monitor for 
  a few seconds each minute, creating a window of 
  “blindness” characters can exploit (particularly if 
  the persons watching the monitor aren’t very atten-
  tive). For these methods, the GM may require an 
  unmodiﬁed Security Systems roll to analyze the 
  cameras’ “viewing pattern,” then a Stealth roll (at 
  the penalty listed on the table) to move past them 
  without being seen. Each person moving past the 
  cameras has to make the roll, and must roll once 
  per camera he attempts to avoid. (In the interest of 
  speeding up game play, the GM may condense mul-
  tiple rolls into one.)
  Second, with the right equipment, a character 
  who can get close to a camera may be able to tap 
  into it and “loop” the feed so that it continues to 
  show an empty area even as the characters walk 
  right past the camera. (If the character comes pre-
  pared with the right equipment a loop can show 
  something else; an undisturbed area is just the most 
  common trick.) This requires a Security Systems 
  roll at twice the listed penalty (but usually capped 
  at -9). But even if the character succeeds, some 
  systems are monitored by computers, and the com-
  puters notice if the image shown diﬀers from one 
  stored in memory or has been tampered with. Dis-
  
  278 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  abling this function may not be possible; if it is, it 
  requires the appropriate equipment and a separate 
  Security Systems roll at the listed penalty. (The GM 
  may also require a Computer Programming roll at 
  the listed penalty.)
  Depending on a camera’s resolution, lens 
  speed, and signal-to-noise ratio, the ambient light 
  in the area being ﬁlmed, and other factors, char-
  acters may suﬀer PER Roll penalties of -1 or more 
  when viewing through cameras or watching ﬁlm.
  Facilities trying to save money on their 
  security devices may install fake cameras. A char-
  acter can spot a fake camera with an unmodiﬁed 
  Security Systems roll (though the Range Modiﬁer 
  applies if the character has to examine the device 
  from a distance).
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  11 
  Security Camera (Stationary):  Clairsentience 
  (Sight Group), x2 Range (300”), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) (37 Active Points); OIF 
  Immobile (-1½), Fixed Perception Point (-1)
  11 
  Security Camera (Panning):  Clairsentience 
  (Sight Group), x2 Range (300”), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) (37 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Fixed Per-
  ception Point (-¾)
  3 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -1 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (10 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  14 points (either version)
  Options:
  1)  CCTV Security System:  Instead of just one 
  camera, the character has multiple cameras 
  installed at various points around a facility. Add 
  Multiple Perception Points (up to 8), Perception 
  Point Cannot Move Through Solid Objects (-0).
  Stationary:  60 Active Points, 17 Real Points; total 
  cost of system 17 + 3 = 20 points.
  Panning:  60 Active Points, 18 Real Points; total cost 
  of system 18 + 3 = 21 points.
  2)  Zoom Lens/Digital Zoom:  The camera comes 
  equipped with systems that extend its range of view. 
  Alternately, the system has “digital zoom” software 
  that lets the user expand a section of an image to 
  focus in on it and view it more precisely. Change to 
  x4 Range (600”).
  Stationary:  45 Active Points, 13 Real Points; total 
  cost of system 13 + 3 = 16 points.
  Panning:  45 Active Points, 14 Real Points; total cost 
  of system 14 + 3 = 17 points.
  3)  Infrared Lens:  The camera can also take pictures 
  using infrared light. Increase the Secured System to 
  -2 to Security Systems rolls (16 Active Points, total 
  cost 5 points) and add Infrared Perception (Sight 
  Group), OIF Immobile (5 Active Points; total cost 
  2 points). Final total cost (for either stationary or 
  panning version:  11 + 2 + 5 = 18 points.
  4)  Ultraviolet Lens:  The camera can also take pic-
  tures using ultraviolet light. This costs the same as 
  the Infrared Lens, but add Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group) instead of Infrared Perception.
  5)  Nightsight Lens:  The camera comes equipped 
  with light-ampliﬁcation technology so that it can 
  see even in the darkest night. This costs the same 
  as the Infrared Lens, but add Nightvision (Sight 
  Group) instead of Infrared Perception.
  6)  X-Ray Lens:  Some CCTV systems, such as those 
  used for screening luggage at airports, don’t work 
  at range but are linked with x-ray technology to 
  see inside objects. This is bought as N-Ray Percep-
  tion (Sight Group; stopped by lead, gold, or force 
  ﬁelds) (10 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No 
  Range (-½) (total cost:  3 points) plus the Secured 
  System feature with -3 to the roll (22 Active Points; 
  total cost 6 points). Total cost:  10 + 22 = 32 Active 
  Points, 3 + 6 = 9 Real Points.
  7)  Disguised System:  Modern technology makes it 
  possible to conceal a camera just about anywhere 
  (though the ideal hiding place is an object people 
  look at directly, such as a television). Despite their 
  tiny size, concealed cameras can often function 
  for months without maintenance, shoot and store 
  hundreds or thousands of pictures, and be operated 
  by a variety of means (manual, remote, sensor-trig-
  gered, and the like). Change OIF Immobile (-1½) to 
  IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Stationary
  Standard:  37 Active Points, 11 Real Points for 
  Security Camera and 10 Active Points, 3 Real 
  Points for Secured System; total cost of system 11 
  + 3 = 14 points.
  Zoom:  45 Active Points, 14 Real Points; total cost of 
  system 14 + 3 = 17 points.
  IR, UV, or Nightsight:  37 Active Points, 11 Real 
  Points for Security Camera, 5 Active Points, 2 Real 
  Points for Lens, and 16 Active Points, 5 Real Points 
  for Secured System; total cost of system 11 + 2 + 5 
  = 18 points.
  Panning
  Standard:  37 Active Points, 12 Real Points for 
  Security Camera and 10 Active Points, 3 Real 
  Points for Secured System; total cost of system 12 
  + 3 = 15 points.
  Zoom:  45 Active Points, 15 Real Points; total cost of 
  system 15 + 3 = 18 points.
  IR, UV, or Nightsight:  37 Active Points, 12 Real 
  Points for Security Camera, 5 Active Points, 2 Real 
  Points for Lens, and 16 Active Points, 5 Real Points 
  for Secured System; total cost of system 12 + 2 + 5 
  = 19 points.
  8)  Video Motion Detection:  Some security camera 
  technology comes programmed with the ability to 
  detect motion. They do this on the basis of contrast 
  change, so they work best indoors (where lighting 
  conditions can be controlled) and generally aren’t 
  suitable (or function with a -1 or greater PER Roll 
  penalty) outdoors or in other areas that tend to 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  279 
  experience frequent lighting changes. These sys-
  tems also buy a Motion Detector (see below) but 
  based on the Sight Group rather than Radio Group.
  9)  Recording Device:  Many cameras record what 
  they see on tape or disk. Camera also buys Eidetic 
  Memory (5 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), 
  Visual Only (-1). Total cost 1 point.
  CAPACITANCE SENSOR
  Effect:  Detect Change In Capacitance 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  8 DEF
  Description:  This type of security device is designed 
  to protect objects (such as an artifact on display at 
  a museum). It runs a low electrical current through 
  the object; anyone touching the object changes the 
  capacitance, which triggers an alarm. They’re sensi-
  tive and diﬃcult to defeat.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Capacitance Sensor:  Detect Change In 
  Capacitance 14- (Radio Group) (8 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  12 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Change 
  In Capacitance 16-. 10 + 28 = 38 Active Points; total 
  cost 3 + 8 = 11 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Change 
  In Capacitance 12-. 6 + 28 = 34 Active Points; total 
  cost 2 + 8 = 10 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  8 + 28 = 36 Active Points; total cost 3 + 9 
  = 12 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 28 = 38 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 9 = 13 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 28 = 34 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 9 = 11 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of capacitance 
  sensor is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -6 
  on Security Systems rolls. 40 Active Points (total 
  cost 13 points); total cost of device 16 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of capacitance 
  sensor is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 8 points.
  
  280 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ELECTRIC EYEBEAM
  Effect:  Change Environment (must make Security Sys-
  tems roll to pass through area undetected)
  Target/Area Affected:  16” Line or 8” Radius
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  3/4
  Breakability:  7/8 DEF
  Description:  “Electric eyebeam” is a general term 
  for security devices that broadcast a beam across 
  an enclosed space. If something breaks the beam, 
  the device triggers an alarm. They’re generally used 
  indoors (particularly in doorframes or corridors); 
  versions designed for outdoor installation are 
  pulsed so that they’re not triggered by small ani-
  mals, blowing leaves, or the like.
  Eyebeams come in several types:  photoelectric 
  (standard light, in other words); infrared; ultravio-
  let; laser; microwave (various combinations and 
  other conﬁgurations are also possible). Photoelec-
  tric and laser beams aren’t normally visible, but can 
  be seen if characters spray mist from an aerosol can 
  (or the like) into the area. Infrared, ultraviolet, and 
  microwave beams do not show up in mist, but are 
  visible to IR viewing devices.
  The range of electric eyebeams varies. For the 
  cheaper systems, it might be no more than 7.5” 
  (about 50 feet), though that’s more than suﬃcient 
  for most corridors, doorways, and rooms. Better 
  systems have longer ranges; a good laser beam elec-
  tric eye might have a range of 500” (1 km, or about 
  3,280 feet), and a microwave beam around 75” 
  (about 500 feet). The typical beam is fairly narrow, 
  easy to step over or slide under. A photoelectric 
  (visible light) beam can be up to 1” (6.5 feet) wide, a 
  microwave beam a meter wider.
  The easiest way to defeat eyebeams is to avoid 
  them:  step over them or slide under them. If mul-
  tiple beams are in use, avoiding them may require 
  one or more rolls using Skills such as Contortionist 
  or Acrobatics (apply the penalty for Security Sys-
  tems to the Skill Roll — the higher the quality of 
  the system, the tighter the “net” of beams, and thus 
  the harder it is to slip through them without break-
  ing one). In some cases it’s possible for a character 
  to set up mirrors (or similar devices) to “reﬂect” the 
  beam precisely so that the device doesn’t realize the 
  beam has been broken (with some photoelectric 
  eyes just shining a ﬂashlight into the receiver can 
  fool it this way). However, better “eyes” have recep-
  tors sensitive enough to measure the slightest varia-
  tion in the beam, making the mirror method unfea-
  sible. Another possibility is to deactivate the beam, 
  but that may involve bypassing anti-tampering 
  security measures inside the housing of the beam 
  generator, and in any event shutting oﬀ a beam may 
  register on a central security monitor elsewhere in 
  the facility.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  7 
  Photoelectric, Laser, IR, Or UV Electric Eye-
  beam (Single):  Change Environment 16” 
  Line, -1 to Security Systems rolls (character 
  must succeed with Security Systems roll 
  to get through hex line undetected, reduce 
  penalty to -0 for Photoelectric beam), Invis-
  ible Power Eﬀects (device itself is visible, but 
  beam is not, though photoelectric and laser 
  beams can be made visible with mist; +¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (35 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range 
  (-½), Only Within Deﬁned Area (16” Line or 
  smaller; -2)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  15 points.
  Options:
  1)  Microwave Electric Eyebeam (Single):  Increase to 
  -2 to Security Systems rolls. 40 Active Points, total 
  cost 9 points; total cost of device 9 + 8 = 17 points.
  2)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Photoelectric, Laser, IR, Or UV:  35 + 28 = 63 Active 
  Points; total cost 8 + 9 = 17 points.
  Microwave:  40 + 28 = 68 Active Points; total cost 9 
  + 9 = 18 points.
  3)  More Secure Device:  This type of electric eye-
  beam is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -6 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 40 Active Points (total cost 
  11 points); total cost of device 18 points.
  4)  Less Secure Device:  This type of electric eye-
  beam is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 13 points.
  Cost Power
  9 
  Photoelectric Electric Eyebeam Net:  Change 
  Environment 8” radius, -2 to Security Sys-
  tems rolls (character must succeed with 
  Security Systems roll to get through area 
  undetected), Invisible Power Eﬀects (device 
  itself is visible, but net of beams is not, 
  though photoelectric and laser beams can be 
  made visible with mist; +¼), Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½) (40 Active Points); OIF 
  Immobile (-1½), Only Within Deﬁned Area 
  (16” Line or smaller; -2)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  17 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  281 
  Options:
  1)  Laser, IR, Or UV Electric Eyebeam Net:  Increase to -3 
  to Security Systems rolls. 45 Active Points, total cost 18 
  points; total cost of device 10 + 8 = 18 points.
  2)  Microwave Electric Eyebeam Net:  Increase to -4 
  to Security Systems rolls. 51 Active Points, total cost 
  20 points; total cost of device 11 + 8 = 19 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Photoelectric:  40 + 28 = 68 Active Points; total cost 
  9 + 8 = 17 points.
  Laser, IR, Or UV:  45 + 28 = 73 Active Points; total 
  cost 17 + 8 = 25 points.
  Microwave:  51 + 28 = 79 Active Points; total cost 
  19 + 8 = 27 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of electric eye-
  beam is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -6 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 40 Active Points (total cost 
  13 points); total cost of device 22 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of electric eye-
  beam is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 14 points.
  FIELD SENSOR
  Effect:  Detect Change In Field 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  8 DEF
  Description:  A ﬁeld sensor creates an electric or 
  magnetic ﬁeld around wires or cables that can be 
  strung along fences, over roofs or the ground, or 
  even buried underground. The ﬁeld covers about a 
  one hex area to either side of the generating wires, 
  or sometimes only along one side. A person enter-
  ing the ﬁeld “reﬂects” some of the energy, causing 
  an eﬀect that trips an alarm.
  Defeating a ﬁeld sensor is diﬃcult, since get-
  ting close enough to touch it means tripping it. The 
  best way is to avoid it, or shut it oﬀ at the source 
  somehow. In the case of ﬁeld sensors mounted out-
  doors, sudden changes in weather or temperature 
  may change the reﬂectivity of the ground (or the 
  like) and thus cause a false alarm or otherwise con-
  fuse the sensor.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Field Sensor:  Detect Change In Field 14- 
  (Radio Group) (8 Active Points); OIF Immo-
  bile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  10 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -5 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (34 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  13 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Change 
  In Field 16-. 10 + 34 = 44 Active Points; total cost 3 
  + 10 = 13 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Change 
  In Field 12-. 6 + 34 = 40 Active Points; total cost 2 + 
  10 = 12 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  8 + 34 = 48 Active Points; total cost 3 + 
  10 = 13 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 34 = 50 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 10 = 14 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 34 = 46 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 10 = 12 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of ﬁeld sensor is 
  harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -7 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 46 Active Points (total cost 13 
  points); total cost of device 16 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of ﬁeld sensor is 
  easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on Security 
  Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 points); 
  total cost of device 9 points.
  FINGERPRINT ANALYZER
  Effect:  Detect Authorized Fingerprint 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  8 DEF
  Description:  This biometric device is as much a 
  lock as a security device — it’s just that the “key” 
  is one or more persons’ fingerprints, rather than 
  a physical object, electronic code, or the like. The 
  user places his finger (usually thumb) on the 
  device’s pad, and it scans the print. If the print 
  matches one in its database of authorized users, 
  the device opens the door.
  Tricking a ﬁngerprint analyzer is diﬃcult, but 
  not impossible. Sometimes it can be done with 
  molds or ﬂat impressions of the print (such as a 
  print the person left on a drinking glass or table) 
  lifted using criminalistic methods (see Criminol-
  ogy earlier in this chapter). An even more extreme 
  solution is simply to cut an authorized user’s ﬁnger 
  oﬀ and use that. However, none of these methods 
  work on a vitaprint analyzer, which also checks to 
  see if the print attempting to activate it comes from 
  a live ﬁnger. If none of these methods are available, 
  a character may have to use his Security Systems 
  knowledge to short out, trick, or otherwise disable 
  the scanner (Electronics is a Complementary Skill).
  Some versions of this device scan the whole 
  palm, rather than just a ﬁngerprint.
  
  282 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Fingerprint Analyzer:  Detect Authorized 
  Fingerprint 14- (Radio Group) (8 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  10 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -5 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (34 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  13 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Autho-
  rized Fingerprint 16-. 10 + 34 = 44 Active Points; 
  total cost 3 + 10 = 13 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Autho-
  rized Fingerprint 12-. 6 + 34 = 40 Active Points; 
  total cost 2 + 10 = 12 points.
  3)  Vitaprint Analyzer:  Change to Detect Authorized 
  Living Fingerprint; cost remains the same.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  8 + 34 = 42 Active Points; total cost 3 + 
  10 = 13 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 34 = 44 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 10 = 14 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 34 = 40 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 10 = 12 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of ﬁngerprint 
  analyzer is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to 
  -7 on Security Systems rolls. 46 Active Points (total 
  cost 13 points); total cost of device 16 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of ﬁngerprint 
  analyzer is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 
  on Security Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total 
  cost 6 points); total cost of device 9 points.
  INFRARED SENSOR
  Effect:  Infrared Perception
  Target/Area Affected:  Self (6” x 6” protected area)
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self (6” x 6” protected area)
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  Also known as a passive IR (PIR) 
  sensor or body heat detector, this security device 
  registers the temperature changes caused when a 
  living being moves into the sensor’s ﬁeld of “vision.” 
  Typically that ﬁeld is a roughly 6” x 6” area, but 
  some cover diﬀerent areas or 8” long hallways. 
  They’re usually disguised to look like air vents 
  or the like, making them diﬃcult to detect (this 
  requires a Security Systems roll at -2 or more, with 
  Concealment acting as a Complementary Skill).
  Early passive IR sensors used only one sens-
  ing element, which made them prone to false 
  alarms and comparatively easy to defeat. Later ones 
  include more elements, signiﬁcantly reducing the 
  possibility of false alarms and making the systems 
  less prone to avoidance by intruders.
  Defeating PIR systems requires effort. The 
  best way is to short them out or shut them off 
  without alerting anyone, but that’s rarely pos-
  sible. Instead, the character either has to raise 
  the ambient temperature in the area so that his 
  body heat blends into the “background heat,” or 
  has to mask his body heat with an insulating suit 
  (defined, in game terms, as a Change Environ-
  ment that imposes penalties on the device’s PER 
  Roll). In some cases it’s also possible to “mask” 
  the sensor itself by hanging something in front 
  of it or the like, though the more advanced the 
  system the less likely this is to work.
  In some cases, a character can avoid a PIR 
  device’s field of coverage. Unlike a motion detec-
  tor, which floods an entire room with an active 
  broadcast, a PIR sensor is passive — it can only 
  sense what comes near it, it doesn’t emit any-
  thing. Depending on how it’s installed, an infra-
  red sensor may have “blind spots” a character can 
  exploit. For example, PIR systems in locations 
  with pets or small animals often have a “pet 
  alley” at floor level — a foot or two of space they 
  don’t cover, to give pets room to walk around 
  without causing false alarms. If a character can 
  ascertain an infrared sensor’s “perception pat-
  tern,” he may be able to get past it by moving 
  only where it cannot “see” him. Since PIR sensors 
  are passive, determining the “perception pattern” 
  is difficult, if not impossible; it requires a Secu-
  rity Systems roll at the standard modifier.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  1 
  Infrared Sensor:  Infrared Perception (Radio 
  Group) (5 Active Points); IIF Immobile (-
  1¼), Aﬀected As Sight Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½), Only Within Deﬁned 
  Area (6” x 6” or smaller; -2)
  10 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -5 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (34 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  11 points.
  Options:
  1)  More Secure Device:  This type of infrared sensor 
  is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -8 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 52 Active Points (total cost 15 
  points); total cost of device 16 points.
  2)  Less Secure Device:  This type of infrared sensor 
  is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 
  points); total cost of device 7 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  283 
  MAGNETIC SWITCH
  Effect:  Detect Opening Of Door 14- 
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  These common security devices, often 
  known as door contacts, are used mainly on doors 
  and windows. They have two parts:  a magnet 
  (attached to the door or window) and a magneti-
  cally-activated switch (attached to the stationary 
  part — the doorframe or window frame). Opening 
  the door or window pulls the magnet away from 
  the switch, activating it.
  Compared to many security devices, magnetic 
  switches are easy to detect (with a compass or stud 
  ﬁnder) and to neutralize — with poorer-quality 
  models, all the character needs is a strong magnet 
  that can hold the switch’s interior workings in posi-
  tion. With many models, it’s possible to neutralize 
  them by shorting the output by placing aluminum 
  foil, conductive spray, or the like on the exposed 
  terminals. However, better models are considerably 
  more diﬃcult to defeat — the contacts are hidden, 
  bringing another magnetic ﬁeld close to them 
  triggers them, or they use magnetic reed switches 
  and other features that make them hard to bypass. 
  Defeating them usually means penetrating the wall 
  (by drilling or the like) to reach the contacts, then 
  shorting the contacts out.
  Placement of a magnetic switch may also make 
  it harder to defeat. If it’s placed on the inside of the 
  door or window, it may be impossible for a charac-
  ter to reach and disable unless he’s willing to drill 
  holes through the door or take similar steps.
  Game Information:  Detect Opening Of Door 14- 
  (Radio Group) (8 Active Points); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), No Range (-½). Total cost:  3 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Opening 
  Of Door 16-. 10 Active Points; total cost 3 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Open-
  ing Of Door 12-. 6 Active Points; total cost 2 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  3 points.
  High-Quality:  4 points.
  Poor-Quality:  2 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of magnetic 
  switch is harder to bypass or defeat. Add Change 
  Environment 1” radius, -4 on Security Systems 
  rolls, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent 
  (+½) (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neutralize 
  the system itself; -½), No Range (-½) (total cost:  8 
  points). Total cost of device:  11 points.
  5)  Plunger Switch:  A plunger switch is like a 
  magnetic switch except that its workings are more 
  mechanical. The opening of the door or window 
  causes part of the device to depress, triggering the 
  alarm. Alternately, the device may normally be 
  “pressed,” and opening the door or window releases 
  it. The latter type is easy to defeat if the character 
  can reach it with a tool — all he has to do is keep 
  holding the switch down as he opens the door 
  or window. Plunger switches of various sorts are 
  sometimes used to guard the casings enclosing 
  other security devices.
  MERCURY SWITCH
  Effect:  Detect Movement Of Protected Object 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  7 DEF
  Description:  Also known as a “tilt detector,” a 
  mercury switch is a type of security device that 
  sounds an alarm when someone moves the 
  object to which it’s attached. Defeating it is usu-
  ally a matter of moving the object so slowly and 
  carefully that it doesn’t trigger the alarm. This 
  may require various tools (such as lubricants to 
  make the floor slippery) and a Sleight Of Hand 
  roll at the listed penalty... or the GM may rule 
  that it’s simply impossible.
  The mercury switch is also available in porta-
  ble models meant to be hung on doorknobs or the 
  like. Some travelers use these as an added measure 
  of security — if hung on the inside knob of a hotel 
  room door, the device sounds an alarm if someone 
  tries to open the door.
  A similar type of security device, an inertia 
  switch, uses a tiny metal ball on a tiny metal tripod. 
  Together the two form a circuit. When jostled, the 
  ball moves oﬀ one leg of the tripod, breaking the 
  circuit and sounding the alarm.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Mercury Switch:  Detect Movement Of Pro-
  tected Object 14- (Radio Group) (8 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  10 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -5 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (34 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  13 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Move-
  ment Of Protected Object 16-. 10 + 34 = 44 Active 
  Points; total cost 3 + 10 = 13 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Move-
  ment Of Protected Object 12-. 6 + 34 = 40 Active 
  Points; total cost 2 + 10 = 12 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  
  284 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Standard:  8 + 34 = 48 Active Points; total cost 3 + 
  10 = 13 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 34 = 50 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 10 = 14 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 34 = 46 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 10 = 12 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of mercury 
  switch is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -7 
  on Security Systems rolls. 46 Active Points (total 
  cost 13 points); total cost of device 16 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of mercury switch 
  is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 
  points); total cost of device 9 points.
  METAL DETECTOR
  Effect:  Detect Metal Passing Through Device’s Arch 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  No Range
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  Familiar to anyone who’s visited an 
  airport or a courthouse in recent years, a metal 
  detector consists of an archway-like area contain-
  ing sensors. The device perceives any metal object 
  passing through it and registers an alarm, though 
  depending on its sensitivity it may not sense 
  smaller metal objects like belt buckles and wrist-
  watches. Bypassing one is impossible unless a char-
  acter can either (a) sneak a metal object past with-
  out it passing under the archway, or (b) access the 
  device beforehand and somehow trick it into not 
  detecting metal objects on his person. Alternately, a 
  character may be able to sneak a normally metallic 
  object through by having it made out of something 
  other than metal, such as knives with ceramic or 
  ﬁberglass blades instead of steel ones.
  Game Information:  Detect Metal Passing 
  Through Device’s Arch 14- (Radio Group) (8 
  Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range 
  (-½). Total cost:  3 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Metal 
  Passing Through Device’s Arch 16-. 10 Active 
  Points; total cost 3 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Metal 
  Passing Through Device’s Arch 12-. 6 Active Points; 
  total cost 2 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  3 points
  High-Quality:  4 points
  Poor-Quality:  2 points
  MICROPHONE
  Effect:  Clairsentience (Hearing Group), Fixed Percep-
  tion Point
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  150”
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  6 DEF
  Description:  Microphones can be adapted for 
  security purposes. The most obvious use is to place 
  a security mike in an area intruders have to pass 
  through, then have a guard or the like listen for 
  any suspicious noises. Alternately, the microphone 
  can be set up to trigger an alarm if it picks up any 
  sounds of a certain decibel level or higher. Defeat-
  ing a microphone usually just requires Stealth — if 
  the character can make a Stealth roll at the penalty 
  listed in the Security Systems Modiﬁers table, he 
  doesn’t make enough noise to alert anyone. The 
  GM should require Stealth rolls as often as seems 
  appropriate. Sometimes one will get the job done, 
  other times a character has to make multiple rolls 
  to avoid a single mike.
  Some types of security mikes are special-
  ized to perceive certain types or frequencies of 
  sound. The Window Sensors describe below are 
  essentially a type of microphone; so are electric 
  cable sensors, which are strung along a fence and 
  respond to the sounds made by someone climb-
  ing or cutting that fence.
  THE ALARM PROCESS
  Here’s what usually happens in the 10-30 seconds 
  after an alarm is triggered. The signal goes out to the 
  receiver, which sends it to a monitoring station that 
  processes it. (In many situations the monitoring sta-
  tion is oﬀsite, run by a private security ﬁrm or the like, 
  but many of the installations PCs have to sneak into 
  have their own security oﬃces and personnel.) The 
  dispatcher monitoring the alarm then contacts the 
  authorities if necessary. How long it takes the authori-
  ties to respond varies considerably from jurisdiction 
  to jurisdiction and due to other factors. On average, 
  police or ﬁreﬁghters can reach the scene of an alarm 
  within seven minutes, though high-priority facilities 
  get quicker service. Commercial security services often 
  respond quicker because they have fewer responsibili-
  ties and less territory to cover. If a facility generates too 
  many false alarms, the authorities may stop responding, 
  respond more slowly, or even impose ﬁnes.
  Typically 99% of alarms received by monitoring centers 
  are false alarms usually caused by user error (not set-
  ting the alarm correctly, not disarming it properly, and 
  so on). If an alarm is disarmed within 10 seconds of the 
  detector triggering it, it won’t send a signal to the moni-
  toring station, and even after it sends the signal the 
  authorities usually don’t respond if its disarmed within 
  one minute. (“Disarming” in these situations means 
  entering a valid code into the system via a control 
  panel, not shutting the device oﬀ.) Alarm signals are 
  protected with 1024-bit encryption; only the receiver 
  contains the decryption key.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  285 
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  9 
  Security Microphone:  Clairsentience (Hear-
  ing Group), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½) (30 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), 
  Fixed Perception Point (-1)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  17 points.
  Options:
  1)  Multiple Security Microphones:  This system has 
  up to eight security mikes in place. Add Multiple 
  Perception Points (up to 8 points). 52 Active Points, 
  total cost 15 points; total cost of device 23 points.
  2)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost 9 + 9 = 18 points.
  3)  More Secure Device:  This type of security 
  microphone is harder to bypass or defeat. Change 
  to -5 on Security Systems rolls. 34 Active Points 
  (total cost 10 points); total cost of device 19 points.
  4)  Less Secure Device:  This type of security micro-
  phone is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 14 points.
  MOTION DETECTOR
  Effect:  Detect Moving Persons/Objects 15-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self (15” protected area)
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self (15” protected area)
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  7 DEF
  Description:  Motion detectors use ultrasonic 
  sound (or sometimes microwaves or other forms 
  of energy) to detect whether anything is moving 
  in their ﬁeld of “vision” (which extends for about 
  50 feet [about 8”] in front of them). When some-
  one moves into the protected area, he disturbs the 
  “ﬁeld,” and the device registers this and activates 
  the alarm. They’re best used in high-security areas 
  with hard surfaces where no movement is expected 
  (i.e., where guards don’t patrol, there are no pets 
  or cuckoo clocks, and so on). Rooms with soft or 
  absorbent surfaces (such as thick carpet or heavy 
  drapes) absorb more sound, so ultrasonic motion 
  detectors don’t work well in them (reduce the 
  device’s PER Roll by -2 or more).
  Ultrasonic versions of this alarm can only 
  cover a single enclosed area (since the sound waves 
  bounce oﬀ walls and other solid surfaces). However, 
  a single microwave-based motion sensor may cover 
  multiple rooms. Microwaves reﬂect oﬀ metal, but 
  not oﬀ glass, wallboard, wood, and the like, so they 
  can perceive through solid objects. That means they 
  can be hidden behind a piece of furniture, a cover, 
  or the like. On the other hand, a microwave-based 
  motion detector might be triggered by innocu-
  ous movement outside the building it’s installed in 
  (such as a passing bird or car); ﬂuorescent lights 
  and radio transmissions can sometimes cause false 
  alarms as well.
  Some poor-quality motion detectors won’t 
  register objects moving slowly. In game terms, this 
  usually means moving at no greater speed than 1” 
  per Turn. This requires a Stealth roll (in addition, the 
  GM may require characters to make EGO Rolls (or 
  Contortionist rolls, see page 140) to force themselves 
  to move that slowly). If the character succeeds with 
  his Stealth roll exactly, the sensor suﬀers a -1 penalty 
  to its PER Roll; each point by which the Stealth roll 
  is made beyond that increases the penalty by another 
  -1. Better models can’t be fooled by slow move-
  ment, and can even detect the presence of immobile 
  objects that aren’t normally in the area they cover.
  Defeating motion sensors is diﬃcult, at best. 
  The easiest thing to do is avoid them, but if that’s 
  not possible, sometimes characters can overload 
  or jam them with devices designed to broadcast 
  the same frequency of sound (in game terms, 
  that sort of device is a Change Environment that 
  reduces the motion detector’s PER Roll). Another 
  possibility would be to wear garments made of 
  sound-absorbent material (even thick cloth or fur 
  might do); this, too, would be deﬁned as a Change 
  Environment that diminished the device’s PER Roll. 
  If characters can get to the device’s receiver with-
  out triggering it, covering up the receive (say, with 
  tape) may render it “blind” (or at least signiﬁcantly 
  reduce its PER Roll), though newer models have 
  “anti-masking” features that trigger an alarm if 
  anyone places an object too close to them.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  4 
  Motion Detector:  Detect Moving Per-
  sons/Objects 15- (Radio Group) (11 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Limited Range 
  (8”; -¼)
  13 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -6 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (40 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½)
  Total cost:  17 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Moving 
  Persons/Objects 17-. 13 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 18 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Moving 
  Persons/Objects 13-. 9 Active Points (total cost 3 
  points); total cost of device 16 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  17 points.
  High-Quality:  18 points.
  Poor-Quality:  17 points.
  4)  Bistatic Microwave Motion Detector:  This form 
  of motion detector uses a separate transmitter and 
  receiver for greater range of coverage. Change to 
  
  286 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Limited Range (20”; -¼). All costs are unchanged.
  5)  More Secure Device:  This type of motion detec-
  tor is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -8 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 52 Active Points (total cost 
  17 points); total cost of device 21 points.
  6)  Less Secure Device:  This type of motion detec-
  tor is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 7 
  points); total cost of device 11 points.
  OPTICAL DETECTOR
  Effect:  Detect Sudden Change In Lighting Conditions 
  14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self (6” x 6” protected area)
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self (6” x 6” protected area)
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  7 DEF
  Description:  An optical detector triggers an alarm 
  if it notes a change in the level of light in a room 
  — for example, if a shadow falls across a normally 
  lit area, or if someone turns on a ﬂashlight or lights 
  a match. (The system does not react to gradual 
  changes in lighting, such as the setting or rising 
  of the sun.)  They’re particularly useful for rooms 
  normally kept completely dark, or rooms where 
  a spotlight shines on a particular area (such as 
  an objet d’art lovingly displayed). The only way to 
  defeat them is to not use visible light (for example, 
  to rely on infrared light and goggles, or nightvi-
  sion devices). If appropriate, the GM may require a 
  Stealth roll at the listed penalty to see if a character 
  moving through an optical detector’s ﬁeld of cov-
  erage (approximately 6” x 6”) can avoid casting a 
  shadow that triggers the device.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  2 
  Optical Detector:  Detect Sudden Change In 
  Lighting Conditions 14- (Radio Group) (8 
  Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Only 
  Within Deﬁned Area (6” x 6” or smaller; -2)
  10 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -5 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (34 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  12 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Sudden 
  Change In Lighting Conditions 16-. 10 Active Points, 
  total cost 2 points; total cost of device 12 points. 
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Sudden 
  Change In Lighting Conditions 12-. 6 Active Points, 
  total cost 1 point; total cost of device 11 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  2 + 10 = 12 points.
  High-Quality:  2 + 10 = 12 points.
  Poor-Quality:  1 + 10 = 11 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of optical detec-
  tor is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -7 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 46 Active Points (total cost 
  13 points); total cost of device 15 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of optical detec-
  tor is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 
  points); total cost of device 8 points.
  PRESSURE PLATES/MATS/SWITCHES
  Effect:  Detect Sufﬁcient Weight/Pressure 16-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  4 DEF
  Description:  Placed under carpets, entry mats, and 
  the like, pressure plates (also known as switch mats) 
  trigger an alarm if any weight is placed on them. (If 
  necessary, they can be programmed to ignore small 
  weights, like the weight of a guard dog.) Advanced 
  ones are too sensitive to fool, but poorer-quality 
  ones can be defeated by characters who distribute 
  their weight — for example, by placing a sheet of 
  plywood or thick plastic over the plate before step-
  ping on it. Other ways to defeat a pressure plate are 
  to short it out, to cut the power to it (or its feed to 
  the alarm system), or to avoid stepping on it (by 
  climbing along the walls or ceiling, for example).
  Pressure plates can also be used in the oppo-
  site way:  they’re placed underneath an object (such 
  as an antique in a display case), and if the objects 
  is removed (i.e., the pressure is lifted), they trig-
  ger an alarm. In this case they’re often known as 
  pressure switches. Characters can defeat a pressure 
  switch in a variety of ways, including in some cases 
  a simultaneous replacement of the removed object 
  with one of equal weight (this requires a Sleight 
  Of Hand roll at the listed penalty). More sensitive 
  models — pressure transducers — register any 
  change of pressure (increased or decreased) and 
  are much harder to defeat (increase the penalty for 
  defeating them by -2).
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  4 
  Pressure Plate:  Detect Suﬃcient Weight/
  Pressure 16- (Touch Group) (10 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½)
  7 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -3 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (22 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½)
  Total cost:  11 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Suf-
  ﬁcient Weight/Pressure 18-. 12 Active Points (total 
  cost 5 points); total cost of device 12 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Suf-
  ﬁcient Weight/Pressure 14-. 8 Active Points (total 
  cost 3 points); total cost of device 10 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  287 
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  12 points.
  High-Quality:  13 points.
  Poor-Quality:  11 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of pressure plate 
  is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -4 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 28 Active Points (total cost 9 
  points); total cost of device 13 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of pressure plate 
  is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -1 on Secu-
  rity Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 9 points.
  PROXIMITY SENSORS
  Effect:  Detect Human 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self (2” around sensor)
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  Proximity sensors are short-range 
  detection devices that register the electrical ﬁeld of 
  the human body. The sensing wire (see below) acts 
  as a capacitor, creating an electrical ﬂux between 
  it and the ground; when someone approaches 
  the device, he passes through the electrical ﬂux, 
  increasing the capacitance of the system and trig-
  gering the alarm. They’re used primarily indoors 
  or in other controlled environments, though some 
  versions (beat proximity detectors) are designed for 
  outdoor use.
  A proximity sensor can perceive someone 
  up to a few feet away:  1” in game terms for most 
  systems, though high-quality systems can sense 
  someone up to 2” away. A few versions are set up as 
  touch alarms — they can only be activated if some-
  one touches the object the device guards (for this to 
  work, the object must be metal, insulated from the 
  ﬂoor, and at least six inches away from the walls). 
  Regardless of type, even the poorest-quality prox-
  imity sensors are quite sensitive. Defeating them 
  directly is impossible (since they’ll register the elec-
  trical ﬁeld of the character who gets close enough 
  to try); characters have to shut them oﬀ or bypass 
  them from a remote location to avoid them (if the 
  GM rules this is possible, the Security Systems pen-
  alty is -3 for Poor, -6 for Average, and -9 for High).
  The main component of a proximity sensor 
  is nothing more than a simple piece of wire. If the 
  object being protected by the device is metallic 
  (such as a ﬁling cabinet or a safe), the object itself 
  may take the place of the piece of wire, making the 
  device even more diﬃcult to defeat or avoid (apply 
  another -1 penalty to the Security Systems roll). On 
  the bright side for larcenous characters, installing a 
  promixity sensor (of any type) properly is diﬃcult 
  (-3 to the Security Systems roll), so the system may 
  not function as eﬀectively as its owner thinks it 
  does. Furthermore, proximity sensors are so sensi-
  tive that they’re prone to false alarms.
  Game Information:  Detect Human 14- (Radio 
  Group) (10 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), 
  Limited Range (2”, see text; -¼)
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Human 
  16-. 12 Active Points; total cost 4 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Human 
  12-. 8 Active Points; total cost 3 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  4 points.
  High-Quality:  5 points.
  Poor-Quality:  3 points.
  RADAR
  Effect:  Radar
  Target/Area Affected:   Self (91” range)
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self (91” range)
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  3 DEF
  Description:  Installations expecting to be attacked 
  from the air often use radar to monitor the sur-
  rounding airspace and thus obtain warning of 
  approaching ﬂying objects (they may also use the 
  radar to help target an attack against the object). 
  Defeating radar remotely is impossible, but it can 
  be avoided through special technology (“stealth” 
  aircraft and such) or ﬂying low enough to the 
  ground to avoid it. In short, the character’s best bet 
  is to diminish his radar proﬁle as much as he can 
  and hope the device doesn’t “see” him.
  Ground-eﬀect radar is used for outdoor secu-
  rity at ground level. It can detect a human-sized 
  target over a range of around 91” (about 600 feet). 
  Again, defeating it directly is impossible; the only 
  hope is to avoid it, or to shut it down or bypass it 
  remotely somehow.
  Systems Operation serves as a Complemen-
  tary Skill to Security Systems for tasks involving 
  radar systems.
  Game Information (Ground-Eﬀect Radar):  
  Radar (Radio Group) (15 Active Points); OIF 
  Immobile (-1½), Limited Range (91”; -¼) (total 
  cost:  5 points) plus Telescopic (+8 versus Range 
  Modiﬁer for Radar) (4 Active Points); OIF 
  Immobile (-1½) (total cost:  2 points). Total 
  cost:  7 points.
  Options:
  1)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:  8 points.
  2)  Sonar:  Sonar systems are more or less like the 
  radar systems outlined above, but used to scan for 
  intruders approaching underwater and the like.
  
  288 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  RESONANT CAVITY
  Effect:  Detect Cessation Of Oscillation 18-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  It’s possible to seal a protected item 
  inside a resonant cavity that has sound waves of 
  a given frequency oscillating inside it. Opening 
  the cavity causes the oscillation to cease, trigger-
  ing the alarm. Defeating these is virtually impos-
  sible, but they only work for very specific secu-
  rity needs, so characters aren’t likely to encounter 
  them frequently.
  Game Information:  Detect Cessation Of Oscil-
  lation 18- (Touch Group) (12 Active Points); 
  OIF Immobile (-1½). Total cost:  5 points.
  RETINA SCANNER
  Effect:  Detect Authorized Retina 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  8 DEF
  Description:  This biometric device is as much a 
  lock as it is a true security device — it’s just that 
  the “key” is one or more persons’ retinas, rather 
  than a physical object, electronic code, or the 
  like. The user places his eye to the device’s scan-
  ner, which harmlessly scans the retina. If the 
  retina matches one in its database of authorized 
  users, the device opens the door.
  Tricking a retina scanner is much like trick-
  ing a ﬁngerprint analyzer (see above), except that 
  producing fake versions or ﬂat impressions of a 
  retina print is very diﬃcult, if not impossible. Simi-
  larly, some advanced retina scanners can determine 
  whether the eye they’re scanning is alive.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Retina Scanner:  Detect Authorized Retina 
  14- (Radio Group) (8 Active Points); OIF 
  Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  11 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -6 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (40 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  14 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Autho-
  rized Retina 16-. 10 + 40 = 50 Active Points; total 
  cost 3 + 11 = 14 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Autho-
  rized Retina 12-. 6 + 40 = 46 Active Points; total 
  cost 2 + 11 = 13 points.
  3)  Vitaprint Scanner:  Change to Detect Authorized 
  Living Retina; cost remains the same.
  4)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  8 + 40 = 48 Active Points; total cost 3 + 
  12 = 15 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 40 = 50 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 12 = 16 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 40 = 46 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 12 = 14 points.
  5)  More Secure Device:  This type of retina scan-
  ner is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -4 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 46 Active Points (total cost 
  13 points); total cost of device 16 points.
  6)  Less Secure Device:  This type of retina scan-
  ner is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -8 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 
  points); total cost of device 9 points.
  SEISMIC DETECTOR
  Effect:  Detect Vibrations Of Footsteps/Ground Vehicles 
  14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self (see text)
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  3 DEF
  Description:  These devices are small sensors buried 
  in the ground. They detect the low-frequency vibra-
  tions caused by footsteps or vehicles. (They can 
  also detect the vibrations of tunneling through the 
  ground.) In the hex in which they’re implanted, 
  they get their standard PER Roll, but the Range 
  Modiﬁer for hexes beyond that is doubled.
  Defeating a seismic detector is diﬃcult, since 
  digging down to one triggers it. A character who 
  makes a Stealth roll at the penalty listed in the 
  Security Systems Modiﬁers table can avoid setting 
  them oﬀ; he must make one roll per hex in the 
  coverage area moved through. Characters who can 
  move along the ground in ways that don’t involve 
  footsteps — such as rolling — may receive a +1 or 
  +2 bonus to their Stealth rolls. A character with 
  Ground Gliding automatically avoids setting them 
  oﬀ. If a character knows exactly where the ﬁeld of 
  coverage is, he can put a portable bridge or the like 
  over the line and thus avoid creating vibrations that 
  trigger the device.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  5 
  Seismic Detector:  Detect Vibrations Of Foot-
  steps/Ground Vehicles 14- (Touch Group), 
  Ranged (15 Active Points); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Side Eﬀects (suﬀers double Range 
  Modiﬁer, always occurs; -½)
  10 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -5 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (34 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  15 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  289 
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Vibra-
  tions Of Footsteps/Ground Vehicles 16-. 17 Active 
  Points, total cost 6 points; total cost of overall 
  device 16 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Vibra-
  tions Of Footsteps/Ground Vehicles 12-. 13 Active 
  Points, total cost 4 points; total cost of overall 
  device 14 points.
  3)  Magnetic Detector:  A variation on the seismic 
  detector is the magnetic detector, a small sensor 
  buried in the ground. It detects the magnetic ﬁeld 
  of large metal objects (i.e., vehicles) passing over 
  it. Change to Detect Vehicular Magnetic Fields 
  14- (Radio Group) (10 Active Points); OIF Immo-
  bile (-1½). Total cost 4 points; total cost of overall 
  device 14 points. 
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of seismic detec-
  tor is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -7 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 46 Active Points (total cost 
  13 points); total cost of device 18 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of seismic detec-
  tor is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -3 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 22 Active Points (total cost 6 
  points); total cost of device 11 points.
  TAUT-WIRE SWITCH
  Effect:  Detect Movement Of Wires 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  This device is used on barbed wire fences 
  and the like. It consists of sensors attached to multiple 
  wires and protected by an anti-tampering enclosure. 
  When someone tries to spread apart the strands of 
  wire to get through the fence, the sensor registers the 
  movement and triggers the alarm. Defeating them 
  may involve shorting out the sensor, cutting instead 
  of spreading the wires, going over or under the fence 
  instead of through it, or the like. 
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Taut-Wire Switch:  Detect Movement Of 
  Wires 14- (Radio Group) (8 Active Points); 
  OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  3 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -1 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (10 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  6 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Move-
  ment Of Wires 16-. 10 Active Points, total cost 3 
  points; total cost of device 6 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Move-
  ment Of Wires 12-. 6 Active Points, total cost 2 
  points; total cost of device 5 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  8 + 10 = 18 Active Points; total cost 3 + 
  3 = 6 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 10 = 20 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 3 = 7 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 10 = 16 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 3 = 5 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of taut-wire 
  switch is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 
  on Security Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total 
  cost 5 points); total cost of device 8 points.
  VIBRATION SENSOR
  Effect:  Detect Vibrations In Attached Object 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  Similar in some ways to a motion 
  detector, this device registers vibrations in the 
  object it’s attached to — a fence, window, display 
  case, or the like. The better the quality, the more 
  sensitive the sensor.
  A large barrier, such as a fence, usually has 
  vibration sensors mounted 3-10 meters apart; most 
  look like small grey boxes about the size of a pack 
  of cigarettes. Some versions of this type of sensor 
  include the piezoelectric transducer, geophone 
  transducer, electromechanical transducer, and elec-
  tric cable transducer. Some types are designed to 
  explode after triggering the alarm, thus hopefully 
  injuring the intruder.
  For vibration sensors used on a fence, the 
  best ways to avoid them are to tunnel underneath 
  the fence (if possible) or bridge over it. Sensors on 
  smaller barriers such as windows or display cases 
  are much harder to defeat; they typically have to be 
  shorted out or tricked.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Vibration Sensor:  Detect Vibrations In 
  Attached Object 14- (Radio Group) (8 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  11 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Vibra-
  tions In Attached Object 16-. 10 Active Points, total 
  cost 3 points; total cost of device 11 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Vibra-
  tions In Attached Object 12-. 6 Active Points, total 
  cost 2 points; total cost of device 10 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  
  290 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Standard:  8 + 28 = 36 Active Points; total cost 3 + 9 
  = 12 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 28 = 38 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 9 = 13 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 28 = 34 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 9 = 11 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of vibration 
  sensor is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -6 
  on Security Systems rolls. 40 Active Points (total 
  cost 11 points); total cost of device 14 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of vibration 
  sensor is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 8 points.
  6)  Exploding Vibration Sensor:  When triggered, this 
  form of vibration sensor explodes, injuring or killing 
  anyone nearby. Also buy:  RKA 3d6, Explosion (+½), 
  Trigger (when Detect perceives a vibration; +¼) (79 
  Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½), 
  Side Eﬀect (totally destroys sensor, always occurs; -½), 
  1 Charge which Never Recovers (-4) (total cost:  10 
  points). Total cost of device:  21 points.
  VOICEPRINT ANALYZER
  Effect:  Detect Authorized Voice 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  This biometric device is as much a lock 
  as it is a security device — it’s just that the “key” is 
  one or more persons’ voices, rather than a physi-
  cal object, electronic code, or the like. The user 
  speaks into the device’s receiver. If the voiceprint 
  matches one in its database of authorized users, 
  the device opens the door. Unlike a ﬁngerprint or 
  retina scanner, a voiceprint analyzer may not work 
  for an authorized user in some instances — such 
  as if illness or exposure to helium alters his voice 
  — but they usually work even if the user’s voice 
  isn’t in optimal condition. However, some advanced 
  models of this device can detect the stress level in a 
  user’s voice, and won’t open if he’s under too much 
  stress (such as when he’s being coerced by someone 
  who wants to force him to open the door).
  Tricking a voiceprint analyzer is diﬃcult. Some 
  models can be tricked with high-quality recordings 
  of an authorized user’s voice; others aren’t very sus-
  ceptible to this. Using Mimicry to fool a voiceprint 
  device is even more diﬃcult; at best, it requires a 
  Mimicry roll at -8.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Voiceprint Analyzer:  Detect Authorized 
  Voice 14- (Hearing Group) (8 Active Points); 
  OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½)
  8 
  Secured System:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -4 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 
  (28 Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self 
  Only (only aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neu-
  tralize the system itself; -½), No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  11 points.
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Autho-
  rized Voice 16-.10 + 28 = 38 Active Points; total 
  cost 3 + 8 = 11 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Autho-
  rized Voice 12-. 6 + 28 = 34 Active Points; total cost 
  2 + 8 = 10 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  8 + 28 = 36 Active Points; total cost 3 + 9 
  = 12 points.
  High-Quality:  10 + 28 = 38 Active Points; total cost 
  4 + 9 = 13 points.
  Poor-Quality:  6 + 28 = 34 Active Points; total cost 2 
  + 9 = 11 points.
  4)  More Secure Device:  This type of voiceprint ana-
  lyzer is harder to bypass or defeat. Change to -6 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 40 Active Points (total cost 
  11 points); total cost of device 14 points.
  5)  Less Secure Device:  This type of voiceprint ana-
  lyzer is easier to bypass or defeat. Change to -2 on 
  Security Systems rolls. 16 Active Points (total cost 5 
  points); total cost of device 8 points.
  WINDOW FOIL
  Effect:  Detect Breaking Of Window 14-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  This device is a silvery strip of foil 
  placed on a window; the foil is part of an alarm cir-
  cuit. Breaking the window breaks the circuit, trig-
  gering the alarm. They’re relatively easily avoided 
  with glass cutters or any other method that doesn’t 
  involve breaking the window glass where the foil is. 
  Then the character either opens the window nor-
  mally by reaching his hand through, or gains access 
  to the device’s terminals and shorts them out.
  Similar devices can be installed onto or into 
  doors to prevent intruders from cutting through 
  the door and thus bypassing magnetic switch 
  alarms and the like.
  Game Information:  Detect Breaking Of Window 
  14- (Radio Group) (8 Active Points); OIF 
  Immobile (-1½), No Range (-½), Side Eﬀect 
  (+1 to Security System rolls to defeat, always 
  occurs; -½). Total cost:  2 points.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  291 
  Options:
  1)  High-Quality System:  Increase to Detect Breaking 
  Of Window 16-. 10 Active Points; total cost 3 points.
  2)  Poor-Quality System:  Decrease to Detect Breaking 
  Of Window 12-. 6 Active Points; total cost 2 points.
  3)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:
  Standard:  2 points.
  High-Quality:  3 points.
  Poor-Quality:  2 points.
  4)  Window Sensor:  Similar to window foil, a 
  window sensor is a small security device (about 
  the size of a quarter) that mounts on the corner of 
  a pane of glass. It’s attuned to the sound (or vibra-
  tion) of breaking glass, and activates an alarm if 
  the glass it’s on is broken. (Dropping a handful of 
  coins, or breaking some other glass, can also trigger 
  them.) Neutralizing one usually involves drilling a 
  small hole in the glass so the character can reach 
  the leads and short it out. Remove Side Eﬀect and 
  also buy a Secured System:  Change Environment 
  1” radius, -3 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (22 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self Only (only 
  aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neutralize the system 
  itself; -½), No Range (-½) (total cost 6 points). Total 
  cost of device 9 points.
  5)  Window Wires:  Similar to window foil but much 
  harder to avoid, window wires are wires embed-
  ded in the glass of the window. The wires are part 
  of an alarm circuit, so breaking the window breaks 
  the circuit and triggers the alarm. They’re virtu-
  ally impossible to defeat. Remove Side Eﬀect and 
  also buy a Secured System:  Change Environment 
  1” radius, -7 on Security Systems rolls, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (46 Active 
  Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), Self Only (only 
  aﬀects attempts to ﬁnd or neutralize the system 
  itself; -½), No Range (-½) (total cost:  13 points). 
  Total cost of device:  16 points.
  6)  Wired Window Tube:  This device looks like the 
  iron bars placed outside a window to prevent 
  someone from getting in, but they’re sometimes 
  mounted inside the window. A person who wants 
  to come in through the window has to cut or bend 
  the iron bars (actually tubes), and that means 
  breaking the wires inside the tubes and setting oﬀ 
  an alarm. Neutralizing them is diﬃcult, and usu-
  ally involves shorting out the system somehow. It’s 
  bought the same as window wires.
  X-RAY SCANNER
  Effect:  N-Ray Perception
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  X-ray scanning devices are used for 
  a wide variety of security applications, such as 
  viewing a piece of luggage to make sure it doesn’t 
  contain a bomb or a truck to make sure it doesn’t 
  contain contraband. Fooling one is basically impos-
  sible; the main tactic is to avoid having the con-
  tainer in question scanned in the ﬁrst place. Alter-
  nately, a character might try to disguise an object 
  so it looks normal to the person viewing the screen, 
  or manipulate the system in advance somehow so it 
  doesn’t show what he’s trying to hide.
  Game Information:   N-Ray Perception (Sight 
  Group; stopped by lead, gold, or force ﬁelds) (10 
  Active Points); OIF Immobile (-1½), No Range 
  (-½). Total cost:  3 points.
  Options:
  1)  Disguised System:  Change OIF Immobile (-1½) 
  to IIF Immobile (-1¼). Total cost:  4 points.
  Other Rules
  COMPUTER SECURITY
  Some characters, such as hackers, only want 
  to buy Security Systems to represent their knowl-
  edge of, and ability to bypass or defeat, the security 
  software in computers. In short, they want Security 
  Systems only to use it as a Complemetary Skill with 
  Computer Programming. They can buy Security 
  Systems with the Limitation Only Versus Computer 
  Security Systems (-½).
  EQUIPMENT
  Equipment and tools are mandatory for most 
  uses of Security Systems; disabling a device “by 
  hand” is not possible. However, if the circumstances 
  are such that the character can make a roll just to 
  avoid/bypass a security device, then he may not 
  need any equipment — it all depends on the envi-
  ronment, the type of device, and other factors.
  POWERS AND SECURITY SYSTEMS
  Many Powers could help a character perceive 
  or bypass a security device. Some forms of Change 
  Environment aﬀect Perception, which may in turn 
  interfere with sensors’ ability to detect things (or 
  human operators’ ability to monitor them). Desol-
  idiﬁcation allows a character to walk through barri-
  ers and avoid triggering motion detectors, proxim-
  ity sensors, and many other security devices. The 
  “Ground Gliding” form of Gliding lets a character 
  avoid vibration sensors and the like because he 
  doesn’t create vibrations in the ground. Telekinesis, 
  and in some cases Stretching, let a character work 
  on a security device from a distance so he doesn’t 
  have to get close enough to trigger it.
  
  292 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  In some cases, characters may take Security 
  Systems to reﬂect an ability to avoid or bypass 
  security devices using metamorphic powers. A 
  Shrunk character can easily slip around many 
  alarms and traps, while an elastic-bodied one can 
  squeeze through bars and fences or ﬁt through air 
  ducts. Security Systems isn’t necessary to use those 
  Powers in these ways, but it lets the character know 
  where the security devices are and the best way 
  around them using his abilities.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  When a character’s trying to ﬁnd a security 
  device, in most cases a failed Security Systems roll 
  means he didn’t locate the device (if there’s one 
  there at all — the GM may want to roll for the 
  character so the player can’t be certain whether he 
  missed a device, or there wasn’t one to ﬁnd). He 
  remains in doubt as to whether one exists. A bad 
  failure (by 4 or more) gives incorrect information 
  — the character believes a device is present when 
  there isn’t one, that an existing device is much 
  worse than it actually is, or that there’s no device 
  present when there really is one.
  When a character tries to bypass, disable, 
  disarm, or deactivate a security device, a failed roll 
  usually means the device remains “active” — func-
  tional and able to alert others to the character’s 
  presence (or cause him harm) if he proceeds. A 
  badly failed roll (by 4 or more) means the character 
  either accidentally triggers the device, or thinks he’s 
  disabled it when he really hasn’t.
  BASE TIMES
  Security Systems usually takes time to use. For 
  ﬁnding a security device, the Base Time depends on 
  the Concealment rules (q.v.). For disabling a secu-
  rity device, a minimum of 1 Minute is standard, 
  and the GM may increase that to 1 Minute per 10 
  Active Points in the device if appropriate (or, for 
  simpler devices, decrease the interval to 1 Turn). In 
  some cases it may take a character hours to get into 
  place to disable some security devices and then do 
  the work... though in a more cinematic game char-
  acters may not suﬀer from such diﬃculties.
  SUBDIVIDING SECURITY SYSTEMS
  For games involving a lot of inﬁltration work, 
  the GM may want to split Security Systems into 
  two distinct Intellect Skills:  Find Security Devices, 
  which replaces Concealment for that function; and 
  Disarm Security Devices. Characters with either 
  Skill could use another appropriate Skill, such as 
  Electronics, to build and install security devices.
  SECURITY SYSTEMS BY GENRE
  Fantasy
  As with Lockpicking, the GM must decide 
  whether an ordinary Security Systems roll suf-
  ﬁces to ﬁnd or disarm a magical trap. If the magic 
  involves penalties to Security Systems rolls, usually 
  a Skill Roll (at the listed penalty) will ﬁnd or disarm 
  the trap; otherwise, it probably will not.
  Pulp
  The security devices of the Pulp era are sur-
  prisingly sophisticated. Advances in electronics, 
  including the invention of the vacuum tube for 
  radio, made it possible to build better devices than 
  mechanically-triggered alarms. Pressure mats and 
  plates, vibration detectors, and simple electric eyes 
  were all available in addition to taut-wire alarms 
  and similar mechanical devices. In 1929, a British 
  company used infrared electric eyes to guard a dis-
  play of silver at an exhibition. By the end of World 
  War II, high-security areas had photoelectric eyes 
  and window sensors.
  Science Fiction
  As with Lockpicking, Security Systems is a 
  technology-dependent Skill. A high-tech crook can 
  cut through low-tech systems with appalling ease, 
  while low-tech intruders may not even know of 
  the existence of advanced security systems until all 
  hell breaks loose. Use the rules on Obsolete And 
  Advanced Technology in Chapter One.
  Western/Victorian
  The ﬁrst burglar alarm — a device with a spring 
  that was released when a door or window was opened 
  — was invented in the United States in 1858, so it’s 
  within the realm of possibility for such devices to 
  exist in Western Hero and Victorian Hero campaigns. 
  However, these early systems could only make noise at 
  the scene. By the early 1870s, large cities in the eastern 
  United States had more sophisticated alarm systems 
  that could alert someone at a remote location.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  293 
  SEDUCTION
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Interaction Skill represents the ability to gain 
  others’ trust (and perhaps even friendship) by oﬀering 
  companionship or favors. Despite its name, Seduction 
  has less to do with sexuality than with making friends 
  or getting on another character’s good side (though 
  characters can certainly use it to seduce other people 
  in the classic sense of the word).
  USING SEDUCTION
  The general rules for Interaction Skills (page 
  64) apply to Seduction, including rules about using 
  the Skill on PCs, how targets resist the Skill, and the 
  duration of the eﬀect.
  Typically characters cannot use Seduction to 
  accomplish something more directly covered by 
  another Interaction Skill. For example, they can’t 
  persuade someone to do things other than becom-
  ing friendly with them (on various levels); that 
  requires Persuasion. However, Seduction may serve 
  as a Complementary Skill to those Skills; and many 
  Skills are Complementary to Seduction (see below).
  Gaining Trust And Friendship
  The primary use of Seduction is for a character 
  to quickly strike up friendships with other persons, 
  gain their conﬁdence and trust, obtain minor favors 
  from them, and so forth. Some characters just natu-
  rally have a winning manner, charisma, charm, per-
  sonal magnetism, and/or knack for making friends, 
  and Seduction represents this sort of ability.
  The diﬃculty of a Seduction task, and the Base 
  Time required, typically depend on how outrageous 
  a favor the character wants, as summarized in the 
  Seduction Table. The GM determines the diﬃculty 
  category of a task, which may depend on factors 
  the character doesn’t know about. For example, if a 
  character wants to become good enough friends with 
  someone to borrow a cigarette from him, that’s usually 
  not too diﬃcult — but if the character doesn’t realize 
  the target is poor and down to his last smoke (which 
  changes the task from Very Simple to, say, Average) he 
  may have a harder time than he expects.
  If a Seduction roll to make friends and gain 
  trust succeeds, the target befriends the character 
  and trusts him — the greater the degree of suc-
  cess, the greater the degree of trust and conﬁdence 
  between them. If the roll fails, the character has not 
  made a friend out of the target and won’t be able 
  to get him to do any favors. If it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more), the target becomes disgusted or repulsed by 
  the character, won’t have anything to do with him, 
  and if appropriate may alert the authorities about 
  him or take other appropriate action.
  Since this Skill reﬂects a character’s ability to 
  gain the trust (and perhaps friendship) of others by 
  oﬀering companionship or favors, some especially 
  cute, adorable, or friendly animals (housecats, rabbits, 
  Mon’da ﬂutter-wings) may take it as a way to simulate 
  their ability to gain and hold favorable human atten-
  tion. A COM Roll may be Complementary.
  Romantic Seduction
  Characters can also use Seduction in the 
  more literal sense of the term:  to win the romantic 
  and/or sexual attentions of another person. The 
  Seduction Modiﬁers table provides some typi-
  cal examples; GMs can use them as guidelines for 
  other situations and adjust them accordingly. For 
  example, a character might use Seduction to con-
  vince a reluctant person to go on on a date or three 
  with him. After that he might use Seduction to 
  convince the target to have sex with him. Convinc-
  ing someone to have sex soon after meeting them is 
  diﬃcult (as shown in the table), but the GM might 
  rule that since the character’s built up some aﬀec-
  tion and trust, this is only an “Average” task.
  If a “romantic Seduction” roll succeeds, the 
  character gains his objective. If the roll fails, the 
  character “struck out,” so to speak. If it fails badly 
  (by 4 or more), the target becomes disgusted or 
  repulsed by the character, won’t have anything 
  to do with him, and may take other appropriate 
  actions — slapping him, throwing a drink in his 
  face, accusing him of rape, ﬁling a sexual harrass-
  ment suit, or the like. Fiendish GMs might even 
  have a serious failure turn the target into a stalker 
  — someone who becomes so obsessed with the 
  character that he won’t leave him alone, and whose 
  attentions may become unpleasant or dangerous.
  Planning The Approach
  At the GM’s option, a character with Seduction 
  can use the Skill to observe the target for a while 
  and determine the best way to approach him suc-
  cessfully. This requires a Base Time of 20 Minutes 
  and a Seduction roll. If the roll succeeds, treat it as a 
  Complementary Skill Roll for the character’s main 
  Seduction roll to achieve his objective (or, at the 
  GM’s option, allow the character to reduce the Base 
  Time for that roll). If the roll fails, the character 
  gains no valuable insight; if it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more) he misjudges the target and suﬀers a -2 pen-
  alty on his main Seduction roll.
  SEDUCTION MODIFIERS
  TASKS
  Gaining Trust/Friendship 
  Base Time 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Simple Favor (become friends, borrow a cigarette) 
  1 Minute 
  +2
  Simple Favor (provide simple, non-secret information) 
  5 Minutes 
  +1
  Average Favor (do a minor favor) 
  20 Minutes 
  +0
  Diﬃcult Favor (reveal a secret; borrow a little money) 
  1 Hour 
  -2
  Very Diﬃcult Favor (reveal top secret information) 
  6 Hours 
  -4
  Romantic Seduction 
  Base Time 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Easy (“Can I buy you a drink?”) 
  1 Minute 
  +2
  Easy (“Can I get your phone number?”) 
  5-20 Minutes 
  +1
  Average (“Want to go out on a date?”) 
  1 Hour 
  +0
  Diﬃcult (“Let’s go out on a date right now.”) 
  2 Hours 
  -2
  Very Diﬃcult (“Let’s go have sex right now.”) 
  3 Hours 
  -4
  Dream On (“Let’s go have weird sex right now.”) 
  4 Hours 
  -8
  OTHER MODIFIERS
  Gaining Trust/Friendship 
  Modiﬁer
  Granting favor exposes target to getting in trouble 
  -1 to -3
  Granting favor exposes target to getting in major trouble 
  -4 to -6
  Romantic Seduction 
  Modiﬁer
  Target not normally attracted to character’s gender 
  -3 or more
  Target already in committed relationship 
  -1 to -3
  
  294 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  If a character has Lipreading (or Telepathy) he 
  may be able to use it during the period of observa-
  tion to gain further information about the target. 
  See the Lipreading entry in this chapter for more 
  information on that Skill.
  Modiﬁers
  The circumstances can easily modify a Seduc-
  tion roll. In addition to Psychological Limitations 
  and other modiﬁers common to all Interaction 
  Skills (see page 37), the GM should consider things 
  like whether granting a favor will cause the target 
  problems (such as potential embarrassment, loss 
  of his job, or getting arrested), whether the target 
  tends to ﬁnd persons of the character’s gender 
  attractive, whether the target’s already in a “com-
  mitted relationship,” and so forth. Truly outrageous 
  requests, regardless of the character’s Skill Roll, 
  should suﬀer severe modiﬁers — Seduction isn’t 
  Mind Control.
  Complementary Skills
  Many diﬀerent Skills can serve as Comple-
  mentary Skills for Seduction. They include:
  ■ a COM Roll (representing a character’s doing his 
  best to adapt his appearance to what he thinks the 
  target likes)
  ■ Conversation (representing a character’s witty 
  and engaging conversational style and/or his ability 
  to tease out facts he uses to help with Seduction)
  ■ Persuasion
  ■ High Society or Streetwise, for striking just the 
  right “tone” with members of the upper and lower 
  classes, respectively
  ■ Acting and Mimicry (if the character knows the 
  target likes a particular “attitude” or accent and 
  wants to copy that)
  EQUIPMENT
  Seduction doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill. Flowers, candy, and a nice 
  bottle of wine are entirely optional.
  POWERS AND SEDUCTION
  Mental Powers, speciﬁcally Mind Control, may 
  make Seduction much easier (or remove the need 
  for the Skill altogether). A character with low-level 
  Mind Control might buy a high Seduction roll as 
  a way of simulating the unconscious eﬀects of his 
  powers. Any Power that helps a character gather 
  information on a Seduction target, such as Telepa-
  thy, Clairsentience, or some Enhanced Senses, may 
  provide a slight bonus to the roll if the Power lets 
  him ﬁnd out useful tidbits of data.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  See above regarding the consequences of failed 
  Seduction rolls.
  BASE TIMES
  The Seduction Table lists guidelines for Base 
  Times for most Seduction tasks. The GM should 
  keep in mind that like most Interaction Skills, 
  Seduction depends a lot on interpersonal fac-
  tors, so sometimes circumstances mean adjusting 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  295 
  the time required. For example, if the target of 
  a Seduction attempt recently broke up with his 
  “significant other” and is lonely and desperate, it 
  may take a lot less time than normal to win him 
  over with Seduction.
  SUBDIVIDING SEDUCTION
  In campaigns featuring a lot of social inter-
  play and roleplaying, GMs may want to subdivide 
  Seduction into two distinct Interaction Skills:  
  Charm, the Skill for making friends and gaining the 
  trust and conﬁdence of others; and Seduction, the 
  ability to seduce people in the literal sense of the 
  world. Conversely, in games with little social inter-
  action, GMs could combine Conversation, Persua-
  sion, and Seduction into one Skill.
  SEDUCTION BY GENRE
  Generally Seduction works the same in all 
  genres and time periods, though things may 
  take a turn for the unusual in settings featuring 
  multiple sentient species (such as many Fan-
  tasy and Science Fiction games. In a “realistic” 
  multi-species setting, Seduction is only possible 
  among members of the same species. Humans 
  can seduce Humans, and Dwarves can seduce 
  Dwarves, but a Human and a Dwarf cannot 
  become romantically involved. Among members 
  of a race from radically different cultures, GMs 
  may wish to apply a penalty of -1 to -3 to reflect 
  differing standards of romantic behavior. See the 
  Seduction Race Table for suggested modifiers.
  In more cinematic settings, where many spe-
  cies mix and mingle, interspecies Seduction is pos-
  sible. Consult the Seduction Race Table and apply 
  all relevant modiﬁers. For “Human,” read “member 
  of the character’s own species,” and make other 
  appropriate changes.
  If characters simply use Seduction to make 
  friends or ingratiate themselves, the GM may wish 
  to consider reducing or eliminating the penalties 
  described above.
  SHADOWING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Intellect Skill can conduct 
  surveillance of a person or place without being 
  detected. As the name implies, it’s most often used 
  to follow someone on foot, on a mount, or in a 
  vehicle, but characters can also use Shadowing to 
  perform static surveillance of a building or other 
  location. (This Skill does not allow characters to 
  use devices such as wiretaps and bugs; that requires 
  Bugging, which is discussed earlier in this chapter.) 
  Additionally, the character knows how to spot and, 
  if necessary, lose someone who’s Shadowing him.
  A character with Shadowing knows about the 
  diﬀerent methods and techniques for conducting 
  both moving and static surveillance. He knows 
  which ones work best in which situations and 
  how to maximize the chances for a successful tail. 
  Conversely, he knows the techniques for detecting 
  and losing a tail. A character with Shadowing also 
  knows how to use most types of long-distance sur-
  veillance devices, such as shotgun microphones and 
  parabolic microphones, which are described below.
  Depending on the situation, an appropri-
  ate Area Knowledge, City Knowledge, or other 
  Knowledge Skill may act as a Complementary 
  Skill Roll for Shadowing. Shadowing is an Every-
  man Skill for all genres.
  FOLLOWING SOMEONE
  The most common and basic use of Shad-
  owing is to follow another person without being 
  seen. This includes following persons who are on 
  foot (or otherwise physcially moving under their 
  own power), riding mounts, or in vehicles. Simi-
  larly, a character using Shadowing may be on foot, 
  mounted, or in a vehicle, depending on the situa-
  tion. Shadowing techniques apply regardless of how 
  the character tails the subject.
  As discussed below and noted on the Shadow-
  ing Modiﬁers table, diﬀerent circumstances modify 
  Shadowing rolls tremendously. For example, follow-
  ing someone in an area where there are few or no 
  other people to “blend in” with (or other ways for 
  the shadower to conceal himself) imposes negative 
  modiﬁers (-1 to -5). On the other hand, it’s much 
  easier to follow someone in an area where there are 
  lots of people to blend in with, cover for the shad-
  ower to hide behind, and so forth; this provides a 
  +1 to +3 bonus.
  A character who’s Shadowing someone should 
  make a roll when he begins following the subject. 
  He should make another roll whenever the subject 
  does something that makes it harder to follow him 
  inconspicuously (like getting in an elevator), or if 
  he takes actions designed to lose the tail (such as 
  changing taxicabs, entering a store and running 
  out the back door, using public transportation, or 
  the like). A character (or group of characters) who’s 
  prepared to follow a subject may be able to avoid 
  this, and likewise avoid (or diminish) penalties with 
  SEDUCTION RACE TABLE
  Racial Form 
  Modiﬁer
  Externally very similar to humans 
  -0
  Minor diﬀerences from human 
  -1
  Non-human but mammalian 
  -2
  Nonmammalian vertebrates 
  -4
  Invertebrates 
  -6
  Non-material/no physical form 
  -8
  Additional Modiﬁers
  Race is asexual 
  -2
  Race has speciﬁc mating cues (e.g., scent, color) -2
  
  296 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  proper planning. For example, if the PCs suspect 
  the person they’re planning to follow is going to use 
  public transportation, they could station someone 
  to watch all the stops he’s most likely to use; the 
  person who spots the subject can alert the rest of 
  the team before continuing the tail.
  Multiple-Tail Techniques
  To avoid detection, characters who want to 
  shadow someone often do so in groups. That way 
  each individual can “trade oﬀ” during the tail to 
  avoid becoming conspicuous.
  The most common multiple-tail method is the 
  “ABC technique,” which requires a minimum of 
  three people, each of whom ideally has the Shadow-
  ing Skill:  A follows the subject, B follows A, and C 
  walks parallel to the subject (on the other side of 
  the street or the like). Whenever a situation comes 
  up where the tail might detect that he’s being fol-
  lowed — such as when he turns a corner — A keeps 
  walking straight (or otherwise leaves the tail), B 
  continues tailing, and C falls in behind B. If appro-
  priate, A can later come around and take C’s former 
  position. The more people available to employ in 
  this sort of tail, the harder it becomes for the sub-
  ject to detect the tail, since it’s easy to take someone 
  out of the rotation for good, or for long enough to 
  change identifying details (put on a diﬀerent color 
  jacket, for example) and get back in the tail.
  These same techniques apply to mounted or 
  vehicular Shadowing, if the characters have three 
  or more mounts/vehicles they can use. Similarly, 
  some surveillance teams use a mix of on-foot and 
  mounted/vehicular shadowing to maximize the 
  chances of remaining undetected.
  In game terms, you can usually represent a 
  multiple tail by giving each member of the team 
  a bonus to his Shadowing roll (see the Shadowing 
  Modiﬁers table). Multiple-tail techniques often 
  work best if the members of the tail can stay in 
  contact inconspicuously, since conspicuous com-
  munication can easily spoil the whole eﬀort. In 
  modern cities, cellular telephones provide an excel-
  lent way to maintain communication, since they’re 
  ubiquitous. In some circumstances, a team of shad-
  owers can attempt to minimize the obviousness of 
  their communications through advanced prepara-
  tion, such as designating prominent roads and 
  landmarks with code words so that team members 
  can relay information more quickly. 
  Shadowing In Vehicles
  Characters in vehicles often try to shadow 
  other vehicles — telling a cab driver to “Follow that 
  taxi!” is a clichéd action movie phrase. In this situ-
  ation, the vehicle operator’s Shadowing Skill is what 
  matters; vehicles themselves don’t have Shadowing, 
  and the fact that a passenger happens to have the 
  Skill doesn’t help.
  If a vehicle operator Shadows another vehicle 
  on a road with lots of traﬃc, Shadowing works nor-
  mally; he may even get a +1 to +3 bonus to his roll 
  if there’s enough traﬃc to “blend in” with. Follow-
  ing another vehicle on a road with little or no traﬃc 
  without being detected is much more diﬃcult (-1 
  to -4 penalty). The same rules apply to Shadow-
  ing a pedestrian — if he stays in areas with lots of 
  vehicles, vehicular Shadowing is easy; otherwise, it’s 
  hard to remain undetected.
  The same applies with other types of vehi-
  cles, though it’s rare for there to be so much ship 
  or aircraft traffic in an area that a pilot can get 
  a bonus for “blending in.” In fact, the opposite 
  applies; the fact that the vehicle in the rear is 
  Shadowing the lead vehicle will probably become 
  obvious at some point.
  Progressive Surveillance
  Most Shadowing activities are intended to 
  observe the subject’s speciﬁc actions or learn 
  where he goes. Progressive surveillance is the use of 
  Shadowing to determine a subject’s traﬃc patterns, 
  standard routes of travel, and the like. Assassins 
  and terrorists often use progressive surveillance 
  to evaluate targets and discover the best ways and 
  places to attack them.
  In most cases, progressive surveillance is easier 
  than standard moving or ﬁxed surveillance, since 
  a character can conduct it from a distance and in 
  ways that are less likely to reveal him to the subject. 
  The GM may grant bonuses of +1 to +2 on Shad-
  owing rolls to reﬂect this. 
  SPOTTING AND LOSING A TAIL
  Shadowing also gives a character the ability to 
  spot and lose a tail.
  Spotting A Tail
  If a character with Shadowing is being 
  shadowed, his ability to spot the tail depends on 
  whether his shadower made or failed his own 
  Shadowing roll.
  If the tail made his Shadowing roll, the char-
  acter can make his own Shadowing roll in a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest to spot the tail. (If possible, 
  the GM should make this roll, so as not to tip oﬀ 
  the player.) The GM may allow a character without 
  Shadowing to spot a successful tail with a PER Roll 
  at a penalty (-3 or more), but this is not advisable in 
  most circumstances.
  If the tail failed his Shadowing roll, the subject 
  only needs a successful PER Roll or Shadowing roll 
  (whichever he prefers to use) to spot the tail.
  If a character using Shadowing is particularly 
  conspicuous for some reason, persons trying to 
  detect whether he’s tailing them get bonuses to 
  their roll (see the Shadowing Modiﬁers table). Con-
  versely, if the tail can make quick, inconspicuous 
  changes to his appearance — adding or removing a 
  layer of clothes, switching hairstyles or wigs, and so 
  on — that may make it harder to detect him.
  A character who does not have Shadowing 
  may still have a chance to detect a tail with a PER 
  Roll. However, the GM should impose a penalty 
  of -2 or more on this roll for the sake of dramatic 
  sense, verisimilitude, and game balance.
  Of course, there are occasions when a tail 
  doesn’t care if he’s spotted — he just wants to know 
  where the character’s going, or maybe he’s trying to 
  intimidate the character. That tends to make Shad-
  owing much easier (+2 or greater bonus), though it 
  may also expose the tail to an attack.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  297 
  Conﬁrming And/Or Losing A Tail
  Once a character knows (or suspects) he’s 
  being tailed, there are lots of tricks he can use to try 
  to conﬁrm the tail...  and if necessary lose it. (Some-
  times a character won’t want to lose his tail; instead, 
  he’ll prefer to lead the tail where he wants the tail to 
  go.) Here are some possible techniques which can 
  usually either (a) grant the subject a +2 to +4 bonus 
  to his own Shadowing rolls to detect, conﬁrm, or 
  lose a tail, and/or (b) force the tail to make another 
  Shadowing roll as described above (possibly with a 
  -2 to -7 penalty):
  ■ getting into a vehicle and leaving the tail on 
  foot behind
  ■ speeding up or slowing down
  ■ stopping to look at something (particularly help-
  ful if the character can look into something reﬂec-
  tive, like a store window, and watch what the sus-
  pected tail does; the GM may permit the character 
  a Shadowing roll to do this)
  ■ going into a building and either waiting for a 
  while, or leaving by a diﬀerent entrance
  ■ making unpredictable turns and stops to see what 
  the suspected tail does
  ■ pulling a “reverse” — turning around and travel-
  ing in the opposite direction so the suspected tail 
  either has to keep moving, or turn around too (and 
  thus expose himself)
  ■ walking around a blind corner and stopping 
  immediately, then waiting to see if the tail comes 
  around the corner
  ■ engaging in deliberately erratic movement, then 
  watching to see who responds to this by mimicking 
  the movement pattern
  ■ going through a “choke point” or other travel 
  “channel” so that shadowers have to follow the sub-
  ject directly, rather than in parallel
  ■ driving through a red light, a border crossing, a train 
  track just before a train passes, or other “barrier”
  STATIC SURVEILLANCE
  Better known as a “stakeout,” static surveil-
  lance occurs when a character remains in a spe-
  cific location to watch another, nearby, location 
  — typically a building, but sometimes a parked 
  car or the like. This tends to be a time-consum-
  ing and tedious job, but usually a vital one. It’s 
  often done in pairs so one of the watchers can 
  sleep or go to the bathroom without the chance 
  of missing something important.
  Choosing A Vantage Point
  If appropriate, the GM may have the character 
  make a Shadowing roll to pick the best location 
  from which to establish static surveillance. The 
  optimum location is one that provides an excellent 
  view (of all entrances to the location, if possible), 
  that lets the character get in and out quickly and 
  without arousing anyone’s suspicions, and allows 
  the character to take pictures or ﬁlm without dif-
  ﬁculty. However, conditions are rarely optimum, 
  and a failed roll in this instance may indicate that 
  there’s no good location from which to stake out 
  the target. In that case, the GM may impose penal-
  ties on further Shadowing rolls, as appropriate.
  
  298 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Remaining Inconspicuous
  Once a character has established his stakeout, 
  the GM can have him make a Shadowing roll to 
  “be inconspicuous.” It doesn’t do the character 
  much good if the target, his neighbors, the local 
  Star Patrol, or casual passers-by can tell he’s staking 
  out the target. Success on a Shadowing roll allows 
  the character to “blend in” with the locale as much 
  as possible. The Shadowing roll made to choose 
  the location (if any) acts as a Complementary Skill 
  Roll, and the GM may impose other modiﬁers 
  based on the circumstances. For example, if the 
  character is of a diﬀerent race than other people in 
  the neighborhood, dresses diﬀerently, drives a car 
  that seems out of place, or the like, the GM might 
  impose a -1 to -3 modiﬁer to the inconspicuous-
  ness roll. (To save time, the GM may combine the 
  “choose vantage point” and “inconspicuousness” 
  rolls into one.)
  For longer-term static surveillance, characters 
  can often avoid a lot of these problems (and rolls) 
  by moving in — literally. Renting a residence or 
  oﬃce within viewing distance of the target provides 
  a cover and privacy, making the whole stakeout 
  much easier. The best locations tend to be above 
  the target (but not too far above) and not directly 
  across from him... but sometimes a character has to 
  take what he can get.
  MONITORING THE MAIL
  A character with Shadowing knows techniques 
  for opening a person’s mail and reading it without 
  the subject knowing his mail has been tampered 
  with. Various techniques — steaming open the 
  envelope (or using other “dry open” methods that 
  don’t involve damaging the envelope), rolling up 
  the letter with a knitting needle and slipping it out 
  of the envelope at the unsealed corners, spraying 
  the envelope with Freon (which temporarily makes 
  the envelope transparent, but then dries without a 
  trace) — allow a character to do this, and Shadow-
  ing gives him knowledge of them. Typically these 
  methods require an unmodiﬁed Shadowing roll 
  and a Base Time of 1 Minute (possibly longer). If 
  the person who mailed the letter has taken anti-
  tampering measures (see below), the character 
  must pit his own Shadowing roll against the send-
  er’s Shadowing roll in a Skill Versus Skill Contest.
  Similarly, Shadowing tells a character how to 
  take steps to avoid these techniques if he thinks 
  someone’s tampering with his mail. For example, 
  he could tape envelope corners to foil the knitting 
  needle method and wrap letters in black paper to 
  prevent the Freon trick from working. This usually 
  requires an unmodiﬁed Shadowing roll and a mini-
  mum of 1 Turn (possibly longer); use the charac-
  ter’s Shadowing roll result for any Skill Versus Skill 
  Contests to read his mail (see above).
  EQUIPMENT
  Just about any type of mundane equipment 
  that assists in observing or gathering informa-
  tion about someone — such as binoculars or 
  cameras — can help a character use Shadowing, 
  even if it provides no bonuses to his roll. Addi-
  tionally, some types of equipment are designed 
  primarily to assist with observing people. (Shad-
  owing does not allow characters to use devices 
  such as wiretaps and bugs; that requires Bugging, 
  which is discussed earlier in this chapter.)
  SHADOWING MODIFIERS
  General Modiﬁers 
  Modiﬁer
  Subject takes “anti-tailing precautions”  
  -2 to -7
  Shadower can easily hide from subject’s view 
  +1 to +3
  Shadowing On Foot 
  Modiﬁer
  Lots of people to “blend in” with 
  +1 to +3
  Few or no other people around; character may “stand out” 
  -1 to -5
  Target uses a stairwell or an elevator 
  -1 to -3
  Target uses public transportation 
  -1 to -3
  Vehicular/Mounted Shadowing 
  Modiﬁer
  Lots of traﬃc to “blend in” with 
  +1 to +3
  Little to no traﬃc; following vehicle may “stand out” 
  -1 to -5
  Target uses public transportation 
  -1 to -3
  Multiple-Tail Techniques 
  Modiﬁer
  Having 3-4 shadowers 
  +1
  Having 5-8 shadowers 
  +2
  Having 9+ shadowers 
  +3
  Shadowers use inconspicuous means of communicating 
  +1
  Shadowers use conspicuous means of communicating 
  -1 to -3
  Static Surveillance 
  Modiﬁer
  Inconspicuousness
     Character stands out racially, sartorially, or the like 
  -1 to -3
     Character blends in racially, sartorially, or the like 
  +1 to +2
  Spotting A Tail 
  Modiﬁer*
  Tailing character is conspicuous
     Noteworthy appearance (unusually tall, heavy, and so on) 
  +1 to +2
     Has relevant Distinctive Features 
  +2 to +5
     Has high or low COM 
  +1 per 3 COM †
  Tailing vehicle is conspicuous (unusual make or color, and so on) 
  +2 to +3
  Proximity
     Tailing character has to stick close to the subject 
  +1 to +2
     Tailing character can maintain his distance 
  +0 to -1
     Tailing character can inconspicuously alter his appearance during the tail -1 to -3
  Subject takes active steps to detect a tail (see under “Losing A Tail”) 
  +2 to +4
  Subject has other people helping him try to spot tail 
  +0 to +3
  *:  These modiﬁers are to the subject’s Shadowing or PER Roll to detect, conﬁrm, or 
  lose the tail.
  †: Or fraction thereof over 10 or under 6.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  299 
  SHOTGUN MICROPHONE
  Effect:  +6 versus Range Modiﬁer for Hearing Group
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  Self
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 1 Hour
  Breakability:  2 DEF
  Description:  A shotgun microphone is a micro-
  phone with a special long tube attached to it to 
  narrow the area over which it picks up sound, thus 
  eﬀectively extending the distance it can pick up 
  sound over. They’re often used by television sports 
  reporters and the like, but they’re just as good for 
  surveillance. A similar type of equipment is a para-
  bolic reﬂector, which uses a parabolic dish to focus 
  sound on an ordinary microphone.
  Game Information:  +6 versus Range Modiﬁer 
  for Hearing Group (9 Active Points); OAF (-1), 
  Nonpersistent (-¼), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge 
  lasting 1 Hour (-0). Total cost:  4 points.
  Options:
  1)  Strong Shotgun Mike:  Increase to +10 versus 
  Range Modiﬁer for Hearing Group. 15 Active 
  Points; total cost 7 points.
  2)  Weak Shotgun Mike:  Decrease to +4 versus 
  Range Modiﬁer for Hearing Group. 6 Active Points; 
  total cost 3 points.
  Surveillance Vehicles
  A character who does a lot of Shadowing, such 
  as a private investigator, may want to have a vehicle 
  that’s specially equipped for the task. In addition to 
  the best communications and surveillance equip-
  ment he can obtain (such as radios, video cameras 
  and the like), he might equip the vehicle with:
  ■ tinting or curtains to cover the windows so 
  observers can’t see inside
  ■ a concealed power system that can keep vehicular 
  equipment working even when the engine’s not 
  turned on
  ■ stabilization pegs (pegs that insert into the axle 
  when the vehicle is parked so that the vehicle 
  doesn’t rock or shake when people inside it move 
  around)
  ■ a covert periscope that can turn in 360 degrees
  ■ interior controls that allow the driver to change 
  or disable the exterior and interior lights, and/or 
  extra headlights (so the driver can alter the vehicle’s 
  “proﬁle” by using diﬀerent sets of headlights)
  ■ onboard amenities, such as a refrigerator, a toilet, 
  or a cot
  POWERS AND SHADOWING
  A number of Powers can make Shadowing 
  much easier and likely to succeed.
  Movement Powers
  Exotic Movement Powers such as Flight and 
  Teleportation may help a character with Shadowing 
  because they make it easier to follow the subject 
  regardless of what he does or how he moves. For 
  example, people rarely tend to look up, so using 
  Flight makes it easier to follow someone unnoticed 
  in some circumstances. Teleportation lets a charac-
  ter move from hiding place to hiding place without 
  having to move “in the open,” thus greatly decreas-
  ing the likelihood of being spotted by the subject. 
  (Of course, these beneﬁts are moot if the special 
  eﬀect of the power makes it easy to notice, such as 
  a character whose Teleportation creates a ﬂash of 
  bright light.)
  Enhanced Senses
  A character with the right Enhanced Senses 
  can keep track of the subject he’s tailing without 
  the need for equipment. The Telescopic Sense Modi-
  ﬁer for Sight and/or Hearing makes it possible to 
  maintain a discrete distance from the subject but 
  still keep track of what he does and says. Similarly, 
  a Sense that can perceive the target through solid 
  objects (such as N-Ray Perception) may make it 
  possible to tail a subject without the need for any 
  Skill Rolls.
  Senses or Sense-like Powers that work from 
  a distance, such as Clairsentience and Mind Scan, 
  may also greatly aid Shadowing.
  Images
  Used discreetly and judiciously, Images may 
  help a character with Shadowing hide himself from 
  the subject. Similarly, Images may allow him to 
  instantly change his appearance and thus keep the 
  subject from realizing that a single person is follow-
  ing him. (The same can be said of Shape Shift and 
  Multiform in some instances.)
  Invisibility
  Invisibility to the Sight Group may make 
  Shadowing ludicrously easy. On the other hand, 
  using it may pose some diﬃculties in crowded con-
  ditions because other people won’t see the character 
  and thus may run right into him. In that case, the 
  simplest solution may be for the character to follow 
  the subject very closely, so that he’s essentially “in 
  his wake” and thus only has to worry about his 
  coming to a sudden stop.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Generally speaking, a failed Shadowing roll 
  means one (or more) of three things:
  1. The character lost the subject (the subject delib-
  erately or accidentally did something that allowed 
  him to “get away from” the character; the character 
  has to go to the bathroom or looks away, and the 
  subject is gone when he returns; or the like).
  2. The character revealed himself to, or was oth-
  erwise somehow “spotted” by, the subject. (In this 
  case, the subject may engage in countersurveillance, 
  such as the methods of actively trying to lose a tail 
  described above, or he may simply take steps to 
  make the character’s eﬀorts useless.)
  3. The character Shadowed the subject properly, 
  but nevertheless failed to gather the information he 
  sought (for example, maybe he wanted the subject 
  to lead him to the crimelord’s headquarters, but the 
  subject didn’t go there).
  
  300 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  In most cases, if the character fails the roll by 
  1-3, only one of the failure results applies. If he fails 
  it badly (by 4 or more), two or three of them could 
  apply. The GM decides how many apply, and which 
  ones. For the sake of drama, “lost the subject” is 
  often the best choice (since it gives the characters the 
  chance to try again), but “subject spots the character” 
  can lead to exciting chase scenes (or even combat).
  If the GM rules that the failed roll means the 
  subject detected the shadower, then the tail may 
  continue, but all further Shadowing rolls must be 
  made at a penalty equal to the amount by which the 
  character failed the initial roll. This represents the 
  subject’s becoming suspicious, taking precautions, 
  and the like. For example, suppose Blade fails his 
  Shadowing roll to follow Pokerface by 3. The GM 
  decides this means Pokerface has spotted Blade and 
  become suspicious that he’s being tailed. All fur-
  ther rolls by Blade and/or his teammates to follow 
  Pokerface are at a -3 penalty (in addition to any 
  other modiﬁers).
  If the character used Shadowing to try to spot 
  or lose a tail, a missed roll means he failed to do so. 
  His actions may alert the tail that the tail has been 
  detected (they almost certainly do this if he fails by 
  4 or more).
  If a character is following somebody to learn 
  the way to a specific place, who the target is vis-
  iting, patterns of travel, or the like (progressive 
  surveillance), the subject may not go where char-
  acter desires (the third possible result of failure 
  described above). If the GM would like to inject 
  an element of randomness into Shadowing pro-
  cess, he can roll on the accompanying Progres-
  sive Surveillance table to determine how long it 
  takes the subject to go where the character wants 
  him to go (measure the time from when the 
  character starts to Shadow the subject).
  Another way to make the Shadowing process 
  more random is to roll on the accompanying Shad-
  owing Events table and apply the results.
  BASE TIMES
  There’s no speciﬁc base time for Shadowing 
  — the time required for a Shadowing task depends 
  on the actions of the subject. The Progressive Surveil-
  lance table lists some Base Times for that activity.
  SUBDIVIDING SHADOWING
  The GM may decide to divide Shadowing into 
  two Intellect Skills:  Shadowing (used to follow 
  people, spot and lose tails, and so forth) and Sur-
  veillance (for performing static surveillance). Alter-
  nately or in addition he could divide Shadowing 
  into Tailing and Spot Tail. 
  SHADOWING BY GENRE
  Generally speaking, Shadowing functions the 
  same in all genres. The only things that change are 
  the methods of travel available and the technolo-
  gies available for communication and searching.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  In this genre (and in some Science Fiction 
  settings), Shadowing may become pointless due to 
  the prevalence of satellite observation technology. 
  Rather than follow a subject on foot or in a car, 
  the characters keep an eye on him with cameras 
  mounted on orbital devices.
  Fantasy
  In a Fantasy game, magic may help a character 
  shadow someone... or let a subject know he’s being 
  tailed. For example, a wizard could cast an invis-
  ibility-spell on his familiar and order the familiar 
  to follow someone and report back to say where 
  he went. A person who fears being followed may 
  establish a warding-spell (deﬁned as Detect Shad-
  owing or the like, as the GM desires) to alert him if 
  someone tails him. Travel-magic, such as teleporta-
  tion spells, may make it easy to lose a tail.
  PROGRESSIVE  
  SURVEILLANCE
   Roll (2d6) 
  Time
   
  2 
  1d6 x 10 minutes
   
  3-5 
  1d6 x 20 minutes
   
  6-7 
  1d6 x 1 hour
   
  8-9 
  1d6 x 2 hours
   
  10-11 
  1d6 x 4 hours
   
  12 
  Will not go there today
  If a character succeeds with a Luck roll, he can alter 
  the rolled result by one step up the table for each point 
  of Luck rolled.
  SHADOWING EVENTS
  Roll (2d6) 
  Event
  2 
  Subject is highly distracted; character 
  gets a +3 bonus on Shadowing rolls to 
  avoid being detected.
  3-5 
  As 2, but the character gets a +1 bonus
  6-7 
  No unusual events
  8-9 
  An obstacle or diﬃculty (such as a red 
  light or needing to go to the bathroom) 
  arises; character must make another 
  Shadowing roll at -2 or lose the subject.
  10-11 
  As 8-9, but the character must make 
  another Shadowing roll at -4 or lose the 
  subject (alternately, failure may mean 
  the subject spots the character).
  12 
  As 10-11, but the character must make 
  another Shadowing roll at -6.
  If a character succeeds with a Luck roll, he can alter 
  the rolled result by one step up the table for each point 
  of Luck rolled.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  301 
  SKILL LEVELS
  Type:   
  None
  Cost:   
  2-10 Character Points per Level (see text)
  Skill Levels provide bonuses to related Skills. (Skills 
  may be related without being in the same category; 
  the GM is the ﬁnal judge of whether or not Skills 
  are related.) The cost for Skill Levels is indicated on 
  the accompanying table.
  USING SKILL LEVELS
  A character can only apply a Skill Level to 
  one task at a time. He can change how his Skill 
  Levels are assigned as a Zero Phase Action. How-
  ever, unless the GM permits otherwise, he may not 
  change the assignment of his Skill Levels more than 
  once in a Phase.
  Generally speaking, characters cannot use 
  their Skill Levels in a “Persistent” fashion (such as 
  saying, “My Skill Levels are always assigned to PER 
  Rolls unless I state otherwise”). Just like Combat 
  Skill Levels, Skill Levels are not Persistent and 
  should not be treated as such. It’s up to the GM to 
  decide whether the circumstances justify allowing a 
  character to keep his Skill Levels “active” for a long 
  period of time.
  2-POINT SKILL LEVELS
  The two-point Skill Level applies to any one 
  Skill Roll or Characteristic Roll. However, typically 
  characters only buy them for Characteristic Rolls, 
  since most Skills with a roll can improve it for the 
  same cost (and unlike 2-point Skill Levels, those 
  bonuses can be Limited).
  3-POINT SKILL LEVELS
  Three-point Skill Levels apply to any three 
  related Skills. The GM determines whether three 
  Skills are “related.” Typically any three Skills in 
  the same category (Agility, Intellect, Interaction, 
  Perceptive, Technological) qualify. Knowledge 
  Skills and Science Skills are usually “related” to 
  similar Intellect Skills — for example, SS: Elec-
  tronic Engineering relates to Electronics and 
  Systems Operation.
  A character cannot apply a 3-point Skill 
  Level to all Skills bought through a particular Skill 
  Enhancer; it would only apply to three of the Skills. 
  A 5-point Skill Level could be bought to apply to all 
  Skills in a speciﬁc Skill Enhancer.
  Limited Skill Levels
  The smallest Skill Level on which a character 
  can place a Limitation is a 3-point Level. Because 
  of this, a character may ﬁnd himself in a situation 
  where it costs more to buy Limited Skill Levels with 
  a particular attack than it would if he just bought 
  less expensive Skill Levels — even though the 
  cheaper Skill Levels are less restricted. In that case, 
  the GM may, at his option, allow the character to 
  buy the less expensive Skill Levels and treat them as 
  if they were Limited, without actually applying the 
  Limitation to them.
  5-POINT SKILL LEVELS
  The 5-point Skill Level applies to “a group 
  of similar Skills.” Typically this means all Skills 
  based on a particular roll (such as all Agility 
  Skills), but the final determination rests with the 
  GM. A 5-point Skill Level with all INT-based 
  Rolls also applies to PER Rolls, unless the GM 
  rules otherwise.
  Characters cannot buy 5-point Skill Levels 
  with “all Background Skills.” Instead, they must 
  apply a 5-point Level to one type of Background 
  Skill:  KSs, PSs, or SSs.
  8-POINT SKILL LEVELS
  The 8-point Skill Level applies to all non-
  combat Skills. In eﬀect they’re the counterpart of 
  the 8-point “all combat” Combat Skill Level.
  10-POINT “OVERALL” SKILL LEVELS
  The 10-point “Overall Level” can apply to any 
  Skill Roll, Characteristic Roll, PER Roll, Contact 
  roll, Find Weakness roll, Attack Roll in normal or 
  Mental combat, Breakout Roll, or any other roll 
  the GM approves. (Some GMs forbid characters 
  to apply them to rolls they feel characters have 
  no “control” over, such as some Activation Rolls 
  or Required Skill Rolls.) Characters can also use 
  Overall Levels as if they were Combat Skill Levels 
  to improve CV, ECV, the damage done by an attack, 
  or for any other use to which a CSL can be put. 
  (Except for Overall Levels, Skill Levels do not apply 
  to Combat Skills.)
  MOVEMENT SKILL LEVELS
  Skill Levels with one or more Movement 
  Powers are known as Movement Skill Levels. They 
  have several uses.
  First, a character can use a Movement Skill 
  Level to lower his Turn Mode by 1 (minimum of 
  0”). However, he’s still restricted to making no more 
  than ﬁve turns in a single move, unless the GM 
  rules otherwise.
  Second, each Skill Level provides a +1 to any 
  roll required to land in, or otherwise move to, a 
  particular hex.
  Third, at the GM’s option, the character can use 
  a Movement Skill Level to increase his acceleration or 
  deceleration with his modes of movement (not with 
  vehicles) by 1” per hex per Skill Level applied.
  Fourth, at the GM’s option, a character can use 
  Levels with movement to improve his DCV if he 
  Dodges or uses a Combat or Martial Maneuver that 
  provides bonuses to DCV while moving.
  Skill Levels with one mode of movement cost 
  SKILL LEVELS TABLE
  Cost 
  Type of Level
  2 points 
  +1 with one Skill or Characteristic Roll
  3 points 
  +1 with any three related Skills (e.g., +1 with Culture Knowledge, 
  High Society, and Seduction; +1 with Mechanics, Security Systems, 
  and Lockpicking)
  5 points 
  +1 with a group of similar Skills (e.g., +1 with all Agility Skills)
  8 points 
  +1 with all non-combat Skills
  10 points 
  +1 Overall Level (see text) (i.e., +1 with any Skill Roll or Characteristic 
  Roll). Characters can also use Overall Levels as Combat Skill Levels.
  
  302 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  2 Character Points per Level. Skill Levels that apply 
  to any of a character’s modes of movement cost 3 
  Character Points per Level.
  Changing Movement Skill Levels
  In some campaigns, GMs may ﬁnd that Move-
  ment Skill Levels are too useful. They not only 
  improve a character’s Turn Mode, they can also 
  sometimes improve his DCV while he’s moving, 
  help him to accelerate and decelerate, and so on. 
  That’s a lot of utility for 2 Character Points per 
  Level! If this causes problems in the campaign, the 
  GM should increase the price of “MSLs” — at least 
  to 3 Character Points per Level, and possibly 5, for 
  Levels that only apply to one type of movement, 
  and at least to 5 Character Points for Levels that 
  apply to all modes of movement.
  Alternately, the GM could change the cost 
  of Movement Skill Levels for a single Movement 
  Power based on the Power they apply to, since 
  they’re more useful for some Movement Powers 
  than others. The accompanying table has a list of 
  suggested costs.
  OPTIONAL RULE:  NEGATIVE SKILL LEVELS
  Certain powers or abilities, such as some 
  curses in a Fantasy game, involve making a charac-
  ter less capable — in short, they apply negative Skill 
  Levels to another character. At the GM’s discretion, 
  a character may impose a -1 on any one Skill for 3 
  Character Points, a -1 to any Skill Roll with a group 
  of similar Skills for 5 Character Points, or a -1 to 
  any Skill Roll for 10 Character Points. Negative Skill 
  Levels that apply to more than one Skill must be 
  assigned to a single Skill in any given Phase by the 
  character inﬂicting them (for example, a Negative 
  Overall Level could decrease the target’s Security 
  Systems roll one Phase, and his PER Roll the next 
  Phase; it doesn’t decrease all of the target’s Skills 
  every Phase). Changing the allocation of a Nega-
  tive Skill Level is a Half Phase Action. This “Power” 
  is No Range, Constant, and costs END; using it to 
  aﬀect the target requires an Attack Roll. Each point 
  of Power Defense negates one Negative CSL, Nega-
  tive Penalty Skill Level, or Negative Skill Level.
  Example:  The wizard Murgald has 5 points 
  of Power Defense. In Segment 9 two enemy 
  spellcasters attack him. One inﬂicts a Curse 
  Of Inaccuracy (-8 Negative CSLs); the other 
  inﬂicts a Curse Of Incompetence (-7 Negative 
  Skill Levels). Because he has 5 points of Power 
  Defense, Murgald suﬀers only -3 CV and -2 to 
  Skill Rolls.
  EQUIPMENT
  Skill Levels don’t require equipment; they’re a 
  purely personal Skill.
  BASE TIMES
  Skill Levels don’t take any time to “use,” per se. 
  As noted above a character has to use a Zero Phase 
  Action to change the allocation of his Skill Levels.
  SKILL LEVELS BY GENRE
  Skill Levels work the same in all genres and eras.
  ALTERNATE MOVEMENT 
  SKILL LEVELS
  Power 
  Cost Per 1 Movement Skill Level
  EDM 
  N/A
  FTL Travel 
  N/A
  Gliding 
  3 Character Points
  Flight 
  3 Character Points
  Leaping 
  2 Character Points
  Running 
  2 Character Points
  Swimming 
  2 Character Points
  Swinging 
  2 Character Points
  Teleportation 
  2 Character Points
  Tunneling 
  1 Character Point
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  303 
  SLEIGHT OF HAND
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill represents the ability to palm 
  items, fool the eye, do some simple magic tricks, 
  and perform other tasks and tricks involving 
  legerdemain and deft use of the hands (often 
  combined with a certain degree of misdirection, 
  patter, and body positioning). Characters use it 
  for everything from entertaining their friends, to 
  cheating at cards, to slipping poison into some-
  one’s wine, to picking pockets.
  Using Sleight Of Hand
  Most uses of Sleight Of Hand involve a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest of some sort. Typically the 
  character makes his Sleight Of Hand roll against 
  the PER Roll of the person he’s using the Skill 
  against — sometimes it’s a Sight PER Roll, some-
  times Touch. At the GM’s option, a character with 
  Sleight Of Hand can use that instead to oppose 
  attempts to use the Skill on him. The GM may 
  choose to impose a -1 or greater penalty on PER 
  Rolls to detect the use of Sleight Of Hand on the 
  grounds that a character with Sleight Of Hand has 
  paid Character Points for that ability (and should 
  therefore be quite skilled at what he does), whereas 
  PER Rolls are free.
  Unlike many Skills, most uses of Sleight Of Hand 
  require close, even in some ways intimate, contact 
  between the character and his victim. If a character 
  can’t get close enough to his target, he can’t use Sleight 
  Of Hand, no matter how high his Skill Roll. (But see 
  Powers And Sleight Of Hand, below.)
  Sleight Of Hand has many uses, including:
  PICKING POCKETS
  The ﬁrst thing most characters think of when 
  they think of Sleight Of Hand is picking pockets 
  — removing items from someone’s pocket, a purse, 
  or the like surreptitiously, and often for larcenous 
  purposes. The Skill Roll is modiﬁed by the loose-
  ness of the pocket, its size, its location, the size of 
  the object involved, and similar factors (see the 
  Sleight Of Hand modiﬁers table).
  Pickpocketing typically has a Base Time of 
  a Full Phase. At the GM’s option, a character can 
  combine pickpocketing with some other Action, 
  such as a Move By, if he can make his roll at a -4 
  penalty (this takes the place of the standard rule for 
  performing a Skill more quickly than usual).
  At the GM’s option, before going in to actually 
  lift an object from someone’s pocket, a character 
  can use Sleight Of Hand as a Full Phase Action 
  to covertly feel the pocket and make an educated 
  guess as to what’s in it. If the roll succeeds, the 
  character has at least a rough idea of what’s in the 
  pocket, and he may know exactly based on its shape 
  and other tactile qualities. The roll serves as a Com-
  plementary Skill Roll to the roll to actually pick the 
  pocket. If it fails, he has no idea what (if anything) 
  is in there; if it fails badly (by 4 or more) he mis-
  judges the pocket’s contents in ways that have nega-
  tive consequences for him (typically a -2 or worse 
  penalty to the roll to pick the pocket).
  Putpocketing
  Characters can also use Sleight Of Hand for 
  putpocketing. Putpocketing is the opposite of pick-
  pocketing; it involves putting an item into some-
  one’s pocket or onto their person without being 
  detected. This might be done to plant false evidence 
  on someone, as part of a magic trick, to place a 
  tracking device on a person without his knowing it, 
  and the like. It uses the same modiﬁers and other 
  rules as for pickpocketing.
  Characters can also use putpocketing to do 
  things like surreptitiously inject another character 
  with a knockout drug — the victim won’t feel the 
  injection (though he will feel the drug when it 
  starts to take eﬀect and realize someone’s drugged 
  him). This requires the appropriate equipment, a 
  Full Phase, and a successful Sleight Of Hand roll 
  at -2. If the roll fails, the target notices what the 
  character was trying to do; if it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more) the character loses his “weapon,” accidentally 
  injects himself, or suﬀers some similar problem.
  PALMING ITEMS
  Sleight Of Hand allows a character to “palm” 
  an item — hide it with his hand using deft and 
  clever movements. The size of the item modiﬁes 
  the roll. At the GM’s option a character can choose 
  to use his Concealment roll in the Skill Versus Skill 
  Contest to perceive what’s going on.
  MAGIC TRICKS
  Characters can use Sleight Of Hand to perform 
  simple magic tricks involving palming items, manipu-
  lating cards, and the like. They do not, however, have 
  an in-depth knowledge of prestidigitation and leg-
  erdemain; to perform anything more than the most 
  basic of tricks they need KS: Magic Tricks, PS: Stage 
  Magician, or some other Skill the GM deems gives 
  them knowledge of many magic tricks.
  Most of the simple magic tricks that a charac-
  ter can perform with Sleight Of Hand alone have 
  a Base Time of a Full Phase, or perhaps an Extra 
  Phase. Some long tricks involving a lot of display 
  and patter may take 1 Turn or more.
  DISGUISING GESTURES
  In settings in which characters can cast spells 
  and use other abilities that have the Gestures 
  Limitation, at the GM’s option a character can use 
  Sleight Of Hand to confuse or disguise what he’s 
  doing. That means onlookers can’t ascertain what 
  spell he’s casting or ability he’s using just by watch-
  ing his hand motions. This requires a Half Phase 
  Action and the character must make his Sleight Of 
  Hand roll at -1 per 10 Active Points in the spell/
  ability being used. If the roll succeeds, onlook-
  ers can tell nothing about what he’s doing based 
  on hand movements. If it fails, his Gestures look 
  the way they normally do; if it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more) he may mis-cast the spell, suﬀer a penalty or 
  reduction in eﬀect for the ability, or the like.
  
  304 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  DRAWING WEAPONS UNSEEN
  With a successful Sleight Of Hand roll modi-
  ﬁed for the size of the object (and perhaps the way 
  it’s carried), a character can draw a weapon without 
  being seen to have done so. This requires a Half 
  Phase Action. If the character succeeds, his weap-
  on’s drawn but no one knows it (yet... see below). 
  If he fails, the weapon remains undrawn; if it fails 
  badly (by 4 or more) the weapon gets snagged and 
  the character loses his entire Phase. If the character 
  also has Fast Draw, he can do this as a Zero Phase 
  Action if he succeeds with a roll for both Skills.
  A character can also use Sleight Of Hand to 
  hide the fact that he’s holding a weapon that’s ready 
  for use. He must succeed with a roll each Phase 
  (as a Zero Phase Action once the weapon’s in his 
  grasp); if he fails, someone notices that he’s holding 
  a weapon. See page 180 regarding using Fast Draw 
  to bring the “hidden” weapon into play.
  FEINTS AND FOISTS IN COMBAT
  At the GM’s option, characters can use this 
  Skill as a Half Phase Action to perform “feints” 
  or “foists” in combat. This means the character’s 
  trying to “fake out” his opponent, creating an open-
  ing he can exploit. For every 2 points the character 
  makes his Sleight Of Hand roll by, he gains +1 to 
  his OCV, up to a maximum of +3. However, each 
  time after the ﬁrst he tries this against a particular 
  opponent, he takes a cumulative -2 penalty to his 
  Sleight Of Hand roll. Thus, sooner or later a recur-
  ring enemy learns the character’s tricks and how 
  to avoid them. Other characters who have watched 
  the character ﬁght, or who make the character’s 
  Reputation roll, may also know of his tricks, thus 
  earning the same bonus even if this is the ﬁrst time 
  he’s ever fought them. 
  If the character fails his Sleight Of Hand roll, 
  and his opponent makes a PER Roll at -2, the char-
  acter suﬀers a -2 OCV penalty on his attack, since 
  his target has seen through the “feint” and knows 
  what to expect.
  The GM should not use this rule if he’s using 
  the optional new Feint Skill described later in 
  this chapter.
  GAMBLING
  In some cases cheating at a game of chance 
  involves a device (like a gadget that can control a 
  roulette wheel) or clever manipulation of cards or 
  dice via sleight of hand. To use such methods, a 
  character needs more than Gambling — he needs 
  the device or the Sleight Of Hand Skill. In the latter 
  case, use Sleight Of Hand as Complementary to 
  Gambling.
  POISONING FOOD
  A classic Fantasy “bit” is for an assassin or ruth-
  less nobleman to slip poison into a character’s food 
  or drink without him noticing — a ﬁendish use of 
  Sleight Of Hand. To do this, a character has to get 
  close enough to the food or drink to touch it, then 
  ﬁnd an excuse to reach near the food or drink so he 
  can covertly drop the poison in. This requires a Full 
  Phase and a successful roll; failure means the char-
  acter didn’t put the poison where he wanted it, so 
  it becomes useless (and of course he now runs the 
  risk of discovery if perceived). A bad failure (by 4 
  or more) means someone (possibly the victim) sees 
  what the character does. Of course, depending on 
  what that person thinks about the potential victim, 
  this may not inconvenience the character at all.
  REMOVING CLOTHING
  A clever Sleight Of Hand artist can actually 
  remove articles of clothing from a person’s body 
  without that person realizing it! This is most often 
  done with belts and neckties. A character who uses 
  his Sleight Of Hand to commit crimes can also 
  steal wristwatches and jewelry right oﬀ a person, 
  whether it’s pinned on or simply worn. He can also 
  remove items that hang from clothing, such as the 
  identity badges people often wear at work, conven-
  tions, and the like.
  For more combat-oriented characters, they 
  can use Sleight Of Hand to remove another per-
  son’s weapon from its holster or sheath. In some 
  cases they might even sneak up and surprise 
  an enemy by stealthily removing the magazines 
  from his guns!
  SLITTING PURSES
  A variant of pickpocketing popular in Fantasy 
  eras and other settings when people often wear 
  pouches on their belts is cutpursing or slitting 
  purses. With a deft hand and a razor-sharp blade, a 
  character can cut the ties binding a pouch to a belt, 
  or slit open the pouch and take the contents, with-
  out being noticed. This tends to be a little harder 
  than ordinary pickpocketing (-1 penalty).
  SWALLOW AND REGURGITATE ITEMS
  At the GM’s option, a character with Sleight Of 
  Hand can swallow small objects — usually nothing 
  bigger than, say, a cork from a bottle of wine — and 
  regurgitate them at will. Swallowing takes a Full 
  Phase; regurgitation requires 1 Turn and a success-
  ful Skill Roll. Failure means the item remains inside 
  the character; a bad failure (by 4 or more) poses the 
  risk of the character choking to death.
  WATCH MANIPULATION
  Besides using Sleight Of Hand to steal wrist-
  watches (see above) a character can use it to change 
  a watch — move the indicated time backwards or 
  forwards — by taking a Full Phase and succeeding 
  with a Skill Roll. Changing the time by up to one 
  hour in either direction entails no penalty; each 
  additional hour (or fraction thereof) imposes a 
  cumulative -1 penalty.
  MODIFIERS AND COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS
  The Sleight Of Hand Modiﬁers table sum-
  marizes the primary modiﬁers for Sleight Of Hand. 
  Additionally, any injury to a character’s hand typi-
  cally counts as a “signiﬁcant injury” for purposes of 
  the “injury” Skill Modiﬁer discussed in Chapter One. 
  If a character uses a partner to distract the target 
  of his Sleight Of Hand, he may receive signiﬁcant 
  bonuses (or the GM can let the partner make his 
  Acting or Sleight Of Hand roll as Complementary).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  305 
  Because many uses of Sleight Of Hand involve 
  misdirecting the victim, often through clever talk 
  (“patter”), the GM may allow characters to use 
  Conversation as a Complementary Skill for Sleight 
  Of Hand in some instances. Conversation may also 
  allow a character to use speech to cover the noise 
  made by a noisy object he tries to pickpocket. In 
  some cases Contortionist may help a character 
  reach a pocket he wants to pick (or the like) and 
  thus serve as Complementary.
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Sleight Of Hand doesn’t involve equipment; it’s 
  a purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND SLEIGHT OF HAND
  For a character capable of changing the 
  shapes of his hands, this Skill becomes relatively 
  easy. Extra ﬁngers can hold things while the hand 
  appears empty, compartments can open up within 
  the body to hide small objects, and so on.
  A character can only use Telekinesis to per-
  form tasks with Sleight Of Hand if (a) he has 
  the Fine Manipulation Adder on his Telekinesis, 
  and (b) the GM specifically permits him to. The 
  GM might want to require the character to buy 
  another Adder, Can Use Sleight Of Hand, for +5 
  or +10 Character Points to allow the character to 
  use Telekinesis this way.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Generally speaking, failing a Sleight Of Hand 
  roll doesn’t automatically mean the target notices 
  the character (an exception to the usual rule in Skill 
  Versus Skill Contests) — the target still has to succeed 
  with his PER Roll to notice what happened. If the PER 
  Roll fails, the character’s failure simply means he didn’t 
  achieve his objective. If the Sleight Of Hand roll fails 
  badly (by 4 or more), the target notices the attempt 
  automatically, without any need for a PER Roll.
  BASE TIMES
  Unless noted otherwise above, the Base Time 
  for Sleight Of Hand tasks is a Full Phase.
  SUBDIVIDING SLEIGHT OF HAND
  If the GM thinks this Skill provides a character 
  with too many abilities, he could split it up into two 
  or more Skills, such as Pickpocketing (the ability to 
  pickpocket, putpocket, remove articles of clothing, 
  slip poison into food, and the like) and Palming 
  (the ability to hide items with the hand, perform 
  minor magic tricks, cheat at games, and so on).
  SLEIGHT OF HAND BY GENRE
  Generally, Sleight Of Hand works the same in 
  all genres and time periods. There have been pick-
  pockets almost from the day mankind invented the 
  pocket, and card manipulators from the day card 
  games were ﬁrst played for money.
  SLEIGHT OF HAND MODIFIERS
  General Circumstances 
  Modiﬁer
  Size Of Object
     25% size of hand or less 
  +2
     26-50% size of hand 
  +1
     51-75% size of hand 
  +0
     76-100% size of hand 
  -1
     101-110% size of hand 
  -2
     111-120% size of hand 
  -3
     121-130% size of hand 
  -4
     131-140% size of hand 
  -5
     141% size of hand or larger Generally not possible
  Awkwardly shaped object 
  -1 or worse
  Working with a partner 
  +1 or better
  Pickpocketing/Putpocketing
  Size Of Pocket
  Less than 100% size of object 
  Not possible
  100-110% size of object 
  -2
  111-125% size of object 
  -1
  126-150% size of object 
  +0
  151-175% size of object 
  +1
  176-200% size of object 
  +2
  201% size of object or larger 
  +3
  Tightness Of Pocket
  Tight 
  -1
  Loose 
  +1
  Location Of Pocket
     Money belt 
  -7 or worse
     Interior jacket pocket 
  -1
     Front pants pocket 
  -0 to -1
     Back pants pocket 
  +1 to -1
     Belt pouch, fanny pack 
  +1
     Purse, backpack 
  +2
  Item can be noisy (e.g., a ring of keys) -1 or worse
  Cutpursing 
  -1
  Target is distracted 
  -1 or greater penalty  
   
  to his PER Roll
  Removing Clothing/Items
  Belt 
  -2
  Necktie, bowtie 
  -4
  Pants, shirt 
  -6
  Jewelry
     Pinned 
  -4
     Clasped 
  -3
     Worn 
  -2
  Hanging items 
  -2
  
  306 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  STEALTH
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Agility Skill can hide in shad-
  ows, move silently, and/or avoid detection (particu-
  larly in combat or crisis conditions). They know 
  various techniques for remaining unobserved, 
  including how to camouﬂage themselves so they 
  blend into the background. Stealth is an Everyman 
  Skill for all genres.
  USING STEALTH
  When a character wants to be stealthy 
  (whether that’s moving silently, not being seen, or 
  the like), he must make a Stealth roll. If he suc-
  ceeds, his roll becomes the target for PER Roll in a 
  Skill Versus Skill Contest with anyone who’s trying 
  to ﬁnd him (or who might perceive him even if 
  not actively trying to). If the character’s trying to 
  remain unseen, his opponent makes a Sight PER 
  Roll; if he’s trying to move silently, the opponent 
  makes a Hearing PER Roll. (Of course, if a char-
  acter has an applicable Enhanced Sense, such as 
  bonuses to Smell PER Rolls, the GM can let him 
  use that Sense as well, or instead.) If the Stealth roll 
  fails it doesn’t necessarily mean anyone perceived 
  him; other characters still have to make a PER Roll 
  to do so (it’s just a lot easier for them to succeed 
  now). If the roll fails badly (by 4 or more) the char-
  acter’s done something to draw attention to himself 
  — tripped and fallen, stepped on a cat, bumped up 
  against a vase and knocked it over — so that every-
  one in the vicinity perceives him without having to 
  make a PER Roll.
  Characters can’t use Stealth if they’re already 
  being observed — it’s not Invisibility. If some-
  one’s already watching or listening to a character, 
  he can’t make a Stealth roll and “vanish.” He has 
  to find some way to break the line of sight/hear-
  ing, such as running around a corner or causing 
  a momentary distraction that makes the observer 
  look away so he can’t be perceived. Then he 
  can make a Stealth roll to hide or start moving 
  silently so that when the other person comes 
  looking for him (i.e., tries to re-establish percep-
  tion of him), he won’t find him.
  Stealth most commonly affects the Sight 
  and Hearing Sense Groups. However, technically 
  it applies to all Senses, including unusual ones 
  such as Combat Sense and Danger Sense, unless 
  the GM rules otherwise based on considerations 
  of game balance, common sense, and dramatic 
  sense. For example, an ordinary human prob-
  ably couldn’t use Stealth to avoid the Smell/Taste 
  Group Senses of a dog, since there’s no real way 
  to “hide” body scent. However, the GM might 
  allow it if the character could, for example, rub 
  himself with something to disguise or conceal his 
  normal body scent, or could make a Stealth roll 
  to realize which way the wind is blowing so he 
  can stay downwind from the dog to minimize his 
  chance of being smelled. Similarly, hiding from 
  Unusual Senses or Senses defined as belong-
  ing to no ordinary Sense Group, like Combat 
  Sense and Danger Sense, can pose game balance 
  problems. Even a hidden danger may constitute 
  a danger, allowing a Danger Sense roll — which 
  would become a Skill Versus Skill Contest against 
  Stealth, if the GM felt that was appropriate.
  Stealth applies equally to all forms of move-
  ment. No mode of movement is inherently “stealth-
  ier” than any other. Moving slowly makes it easier 
  to use Stealth to move without being heard, while 
  moving quickly makes it harder; see the Stealth 
  Modiﬁers table.
  Creating Distractions
  At the GM’s option, a character can use Stealth 
  to create a particularly eﬀective distraction that 
  makes his main use of Stealth easier. For example, 
  he might throw a small object to create a noise 
  nearby so that people look that way, or arrange to 
  have something happen at just the right time so 
  he can slip past a guard unnoticed. To do this, he 
  must take a Full Phase and succeed with a Stealth 
  roll, usually at a penalty of -1. If the roll succeeds, it 
  serves as a Complementary Skill Roll for his main 
  use of Stealth.
  Helping Others Be Stealthy
  At the GM’s option, a character with Stealth 
  can help others be stealthy by showing them where 
  to hide, where and how to step to avoid making 
  noise, and so forth. This requires a Full Phase 
  Action the ﬁrst Phase the character does this in, 
  and a Half Phase Action in all succeeding Phases 
  until the group stops being stealthy. The roll suﬀers 
  a penalty of -1 for one additional person, -2 for two 
  to three people, -3 for four to seven people, -4 for 
  eight to 15 people, and so on.
  STEALTH MODIFIERS TABLE
  Moving Silently 
  Modiﬁer
  Surface moved upon
  Very Soft ﬂoor/surface (plush carpet) 
  +2
  Soft ﬂoor/surface (ordinary carpet) 
  +1
  Average ﬂoor/surface (wood, tile, linoleum, cement) 
  +0
  Noisy ﬂoor/surface (squeaky ﬂoorboards, lots of underbrush) 
  -2
  Very Noisy ﬂoor/surface (strewn with dried leaves) 
  -4
  Footwear
  Hard-soled 
  +0 to -1
  Soft-soled (incl. sneakers) 
  +0 to +1
  Barefoot 
  +2
  Movement speed*
  Running (6”+) 
  -1
  Trotting/Jogging/Running Slowly (3-5”) 
  +0
  Walking (2”) 
  +1
  Crawling/walking slowly (1”) 
  +2
  Hiding 
  Modiﬁer
  Lots of hiding places/cover (crowded city street, forest) 
  +4
  Some hiding places/cover (typical furnished room, barn) 
  +2 to +3
  Average hiding places/cover (sparsely-furnished room) 
  +0 to +1
  Few hiding places/cover (ﬁeld with a few bushes in it) 
  -1 to -2
  Very Few hiding places/cover (barren ﬁeld, empty room) 
  -3 to -4
  *:  Making a Stealth roll typically requires a Half Phase Action, which restricts the 
  amount of movement a character can use with the Skill.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  307 
  Hiding One’s Self
  A character may hide himself from a search 
  using Concealment (for example, Andarra could 
  wedge herself behind a console to hide from the 
  Denebian Secret Police search team). A character 
  should use Stealth for any active concealment, 
  such as when he tries to move silently; only use 
  Concealment when nonmoving persons try to 
  hide themselves for a long period of time (more 
  than a Turn). For shorter periods of time, a 
  character can hide himself using either Conceal-
  ment or Stealth (his choice), and with the GM’s 
  permission he can use the other Skill (if he has 
  it) as Complementary. (At the GM’s option, for 
  simplicity’s sake any of a character’s efforts to 
  hide or conceal himself use Stealth; in this case 
  Concealment becomes a Skill just for hiding and 
  finding objects and the like.)
  Inobtrusiveness
  At the GM’s option, a character can use 
  Stealth not to literally hide, but to “fade into the 
  background” in a group of people so he goes unno-
  ticed. To do this, he must make a Stealth roll (and 
  of course must avoid doing anything that would 
  draw attention to himself). If the roll succeeds, 
  he remains generally unnoticed by the rest of the 
  group — some people might see him there but pay 
  no attention to him, others never even realize he 
  was there. If one were to examine photographs of 
  the scene later, he’d clearly be there (he’s not invis-
  ible), but somehow no one notices him. If the roll 
  fails, people realize he’s there and take note of his 
  presence normally; if it fails badly (by 4 or more) 
  the character accidentally does something to call 
  attention to himself, attracts peoples’ interest by 
  being too mysterious, or the like.
  Stealth Shadowing
  A truly stealthy character can walk right 
  behind someone, keeping very close (within 1”) to 
  his rear so he can’t see the character and matching 
  his footsteps and movements to conceal the noise 
  of walking. This requires a Stealth roll at -4.
  MODIFIERS
  In addition to the general modifiers for 
  Agility Skills discussed in Chapter One, such as 
  Encumbrance, various modifiers apply to specific 
  uses of Stealth. See the Stealth Modifiers table for 
  details. Unusually large or small characters have 
  modifiers (defined by their Size/Weight Physi-
  cal Limitation or the abilities they purchased, 
  respectively) based on size.
  Note also that the PER Roll modiﬁers dis-
  cussed on pages 353-54 of The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised apply to the PER Roll made to 
  perceive a character using Stealth. Sight modiﬁers 
  apply normally (e.g., on a “dark night” people trying 
  to perceive a character using Stealth suﬀer a -4 pen-
  alty). However, Hearing PER Roll modiﬁers apply 
  in reverse — a listed bonus becomes a penalty, 
  since loud noises make it harder to hear a character 
  skulking around using Stealth.
  
  308 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  EQUIPMENT
  Stealth does not require equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill. However, some types of 
  equipment may make it easier. As noted in the 
  Stealth Modiﬁer table, softer footwear may make it 
  easier to move silently. Similarly, camouﬂage cloth-
  ing may make it easier for a character to hide in 
  some circumstances and environments. In settings 
  with advanced technology or magic, characters may 
  wear “chameleon ﬁelds” or cast “spells of stealthy 
  movement” that make using Stealth even easier.
  POWERS AND STEALTH
  As noted on page 102 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised rulebook, most Powers have 
  perceivable special eﬀects. If appropriate, the GM 
  can allow a character to use Stealth to hide the use 
  of a Power — to dampen the visible eﬀect, muﬄe 
  the noise it makes, and so forth. The character has 
  to make a Stealth roll at -1 per 10 Active Points in 
  the power. If he succeeds, other characters have to 
  defeat him in a Stealth Versus PER Roll Contest to 
  perceive the use of the Power, as discussed above; 
  failure also works the same way as above.
  Invisibility in some respects qualiﬁes as a 
  “superior” version of Stealth, making the Skill 
  unnecessary. Super-skills representing the ability to 
  be ultra-sneaky are often built as Invisibility with a 
  Required Stealth Roll.
  A character with Images can more easily use 
  Stealth by “concealing” himself (or another char-
  acter using Stealth) with an Image that aﬀects the 
  relevant Sense Groups. This requires a Zero Phase 
  Action every Phase the Images are maintained 
  and an INT Roll (and if the character covered by 
  Images is moving, the Images eﬀect has to be able 
  to move as well). If the INT Roll succeeds, the 
  Images’ PER Roll penalty applies as a bonus to the 
  Stealth roll (with a minimum of +1, even if the 
  Images hasn’t bought any penalty). If the roll fails, 
  the character gets no bonus; if it fails badly, he suf-
  fers a -2 or worse penalty on his Stealth roll.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  See above regarding how to handle a failed 
  Stealth roll.
  BASE TIMES
  Typically using Stealth requires only the usual 
  Half Phase for making a Skill Roll. If a character 
  has to cross a large area while remaining silent, or 
  remain hidden during a lengthy search, he has to 
  keep using Stealth that entire time, making a roll 
  each Phase (if the GM’s tracking time by Segments) 
  or once per period of time deﬁned by the GM.
  SUBDIVIDING STEALTH
  Stealth is one of the most helpful and common 
  Skills in the rules — one that practically every char-
  acter in every campaign can justify learning and 
  get a lot of use out of. As such, a GM may ﬁnd it a 
  little too prone to abuse. To counteract this he can 
  split it into two distinct Agility Skills:  Hide, which 
  characters use to conceal themselves from Sight 
  PER Rolls; and Move Silently, which characters use 
  to not make noise (i.e., conceal themselves from 
  Hearing PER Rolls).
  STEALTH BY GENRE
  Stealth works the same in all genres, though 
  more advanced eras may have more powerful 
  sensor technology, thus making Stealth more diﬃ-
  cult to use successfully. (On the other hand, Stealth 
  gear also improves in such societies.)
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  309 
  STREETWISE
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Interaction Skill gives a character knowledge 
  of the seamy side of civilization. He knows how to 
  ﬁnd the black market, talk to thugs and criminals, 
  gain information about underworld activities, 
  deal with organized (and not so organized) crime 
  ﬁgures, and so on. He also knows who the main 
  powers are on the street and in the underworld and 
  the location of their spheres of inﬂuence. In short, 
  he’s thoroughly familiar with the seamy side of life.
  In some respects, you can think of Streetwise 
  as being the countepart of High Society. It fulﬁlls 
  many of the same functions (see below), but for the 
  lower-class elements of society (typically meaning 
  criminals and their ilk) rather than the upper crust. 
  Many of the rules noted below function more or 
  less the same for both Skills, though there are some 
  important diﬀerences as well.
  Encourage players to roleplay this Skill as 
  much as possible; it’s a lot of fun. 
  Cultural Diﬀerentiation
  As a default, Streetwise gives a character the 
  ability to use the Skill in any lower-class social situ-
  ation, regardless of the culture involved. (But see 
  Subdividing Streetwise, below.) However, characters 
  typically learn Streetwise for their native culture 
  and time. Underworld customs and etiquette can 
  vary wildly from one human culture to another, 
  and even within some large cultures — and that 
  doesn’t even take into account the possibility of 
  life on other worlds/dimensions or involving non-
  human sentient species. Therefore the GM may 
  impose penalties on a Streetwise roll when a char-
  acter uses the Skill in a culture diﬀerent from his 
  own (see the Streetwise Modiﬁers table). A charac-
  ter with an appropriate Knowledge Skill (usually a 
  Cultural Knowledge, but at the GM’s option possi-
  bly an Area/City Knowledge) does not suﬀer these 
  penalties for that culture, and in fact those Skills 
  may serve as Complementary.
  With the GM’s permission, a character may be 
  more familiar with a particular foreign culture than 
  with his own. For example, an American raised in 
  Russia might understand the Russian underworld 
  and organized crime groups better than those of 
  the United States.
  Streetwise And Other Skills
  Streetwise often interacts with or serves as 
  Complementary to other Skills (particularly other 
  Interaction Skills). Some disguises or uses of Acting 
  only work if the character also has Streetwise (or at 
  least are much less convincing without it). Street-
  wise and Bribery often go hand in hand, since brib-
  ing people is illegal in many nations/cultures.
  USING STREETWISE
  Streetwise has six main uses:  ﬁnding infor-
  mation on the street; ﬁnding people on the street; 
  understanding street etiquette and slang; locating 
  and interacting with the black market; identifying 
  who’s who on the street; and interacting with (and 
  sometimes manipulating) criminal groups.
  Finding Information Or People
  The most common uses for Streetwise are to 
  dig up information (who killed Johnny G.? who’s 
  selling heroin in Irishtown? which Freetown gangs 
  are the toughest? which robber has a modus ope-
  randi like the one seen at this crime scene?) and 
  to ﬁnd people who are in hiding (or otherwise dif-
  ﬁcult to locate). The GM should assign any attempt 
  to use Streetwise in this fashion a “diﬃculty rating,” 
  as listed in the Streetwise Modiﬁers table, and use 
  that to determine how hard the task is.
  If the roll succeeds, the character typically 
  either learns what he wants to know, or learns 
  where he can. However, the GM should keep sev-
  eral things in mind. First, a successful roll doesn’t 
  mean the character instantly knows everything 
  there is to know — he may just have found the 
  person who does know, and now has to convince 
  him to reveal the information through threats, 
  bribery, blackmail, the use of Conversation, Interro-
  gation, or Persuasion, or some other method. (This 
  is one of the reasons Streetwise has so much role-
  playing potential.) Second, learning the informa-
  tion may make the character a target — the tough 
  people who run the streets often don’t like it when 
  nosy people ask questions. Alternately, the GM can 
  let the character roll, and after seeing how much 
  the character makes the roll by determine what he’s 
  learned (which may net the PC some information, 
  just not necessarily what he was looking for).
  If a Streetwise roll to ﬁnd information or 
  persons fails, the character didn’t ﬁnd what he 
  was looking for, and is even more likely to alert 
  unfriendlies that someone’s snooping around. If 
  it fails badly (by 4 or more), he deﬁnitely attracts 
  unwanted attention — if someone doesn’t come 
  after him right then and there, powerful under-
  world ﬁgures have taken note of him and may 
  make life diﬃcult for him later on. Alternately he 
  spooks the person he’s looking for, who ﬂees far 
  beyond his reach.
  Some cultures may be so closed or difficult 
  to penetrate that characters using Streetwise 
  to find out about them suffer a -1 to -3 penalty 
  (possibly more). This applies to almost all gangs, 
  organized crime groups, and the like. A character 
  who has an appropriate Knowledge Skill (such as 
  KS: The Mafia or KS: Colombian Drug Cartels) 
  does not suffer this penalty due to his advanced 
  knowledge of the subculture in question, and the 
  KS might even be a Complementary Skill. Those 
  sort of KSs definitely serve as Complementary 
  Skills when the character uses Streetwise to 
  identify prominent mob members, different gang 
  symbols and colors, and the like.
  
  310 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Black Marketeering
  A character can use Streetwise to obtain spe-
  cial equipment (and other items) from the black 
  market. Typically the black market counts as an 
  “Average” or “Secret” thing for a character to ﬁnd. A 
  successful roll means the character’s contacted the 
  black market; failure means he can’t ﬁnd it, and a 
  bad failure (by 4 or more) that he’s scared the black 
  marketeers away and has no chance of making 
  contact for at least 1 Week. Once a character ﬁnds 
  the black market, he may have to make another roll 
  to convince black marketeers that he’s a legitimate 
  customer, and Trading rolls to negotiate the best 
  deal for himself.
  Street Etiquette And Street Slang
  Streetwise can represent a character’s ability 
  to get along in underworld and lower-class social 
  situations (and if necessary to pass himself oﬀ as 
  a member of the lower class) by drawing on his 
  knowledge of “street etiquette” and social customs 
  appropriate to the culture and gathering. This 
  includes things like how to dress, talk, and act to ﬁt 
  in with gangsters, thugs, maﬁosi, and street culture 
  people in general. Streetwise is Complementary to 
  Acting and Disguise when a character tries to pass 
  himself oﬀ as belonging to these groups.
  At the GM’s option, a character who hasn’t 
  purchased a particular form of street or criminal 
  slang as a Language may be able to understand it 
  (and even speak it) by making a Streetwise roll at a 
  -1 to -3 penalty. He has to make a roll every Phase, 
  though, so his comprehension may be sporadic.
  Who’s Who In The Underworld
  A character can use Streetwise to know 
  “who’s who” in the underworld. This covers two 
  general subjects. The first is who the people in 
  the underworld actually are, and some basic facts 
  about them, particularly their role in the world 
  of crime and the street (“Him? That’s Johnny 
  Deuce, a gambler with the Morellis” “That’s 
  Howie Wendell, a cheap punk and two-time 
  loser”). Second, he’s aware of the positions in the 
  general underworld social structure, who out-
  ranks who, and so forth. For example, he knows 
  that a Mafia capo generally leads a Mafia family... 
  but he’d also know that thanks to his wealth, 
  influence, and skills, a particular captain in that 
  family is actually better-regarded by the rank and 
  file members.
  Using either of these functions takes a Half 
  Phase. If the roll succeeds, the character knows 
  what he wants to know. If it fails, he’s not aware of 
  that information; if it fails badly (by 4 or more) he 
  makes a mistake that may hurt him later on — for 
  example, he misidentiﬁes a powerful underworld 
  ﬁgure as a nobody (or vice-versa).
  Related to this is knowledge of lower-class 
  social protocol. A character who succeeds with a 
  Streetwise roll understands who “outranks” who 
  and how to treat people accordingly.
  Underworld Goings-On
  Characters with Streetwise are attuned to 
  the way lower-class people act and to the social 
  dynamics of lower-class groups. After spend-
  ing at least 1 Hour interacting with a group of 
  lower-class persons, the character can make a 
  Streetwise roll. If he succeeds, he gains some 
  insight into what’s going on among the group 
  — who likes or dislikes who (no matter how 
  they actually act in public), who’s planning to 
  betray who, who’s secretly sleeping with who’s 
  woman, and so on. The more the roll succeeds 
  by, the more the character learns, though he 
  rarely learns anything specific or definite; it’s 
  more like having strong hunches or making 
  educated guesses. If the roll fails, the character 
  learns nothing; if it fails badly (by 4 or more) he 
  leaps to a mistaken conclusion.
  Once a character has properly assessed the 
  dynamics of an underworld or lower class group, 
  the GM might allow him to try to manipulate that 
  group to suit his own purposes. Usually it’s best to 
  handle this through roleplaying, but if appropriate 
  to the campaign the character might simply have 
  to succeed with a Streetwise roll to get some or all 
  of the group’s members to think or act the way he 
  wants them to.
  EQUIPMENT
  Streetwise doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND STREETWISE
  As with most Interaction Powers, a touch of 
  Mental Powers — especially if a character can con-
  ceal their use — can work wonders in conjunction 
  with Streetwise. It’s much easier to evaluate, learn 
  from, and even manipulate a group (or its members 
  individually) with a little Mind Control, Telepathy, 
  or Mental Illusions.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  See the text above for discussion of the conse-
  quence of failing Streetwise rolls.
  BASE TIMES
  See the Streetwise Modifiers table for the 
  Base Time for using Streetwise to find informa-
  tion or persons, and the text for the Base Time of 
  other tasks.
  STREETWISE MODIFIERS
  Information/Person Is... 
  Modiﬁer 
  Base Time
  Extremely Secret/Extremely Very Well Hidden 
  -6 to -8 
  1 Week
  Very Secret/Very Well Hidden 
  -3 to -5 
  1 Day
  Secret/Well Hidden 
  -1 to -2 
  6 Hours
  Average Secret/Hidden 
  +0 
  2-5 Hours
  Known/Poorly Hidden 
  +1 
  1 Hour
  Widely Known/Very Poorly Hidden 
  +2 
  20 Minutes
  Cultural Differentiations:  Culture Is... 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Similar to character’s own 
  +0
  Similar to character’s own 
  -1
  Dissimilar to character’s own 
  -2
  Very Dissimilar to character’s own 
  -4
  Completely Dissimilar to character’s own 
  -6
  ...of a diﬀerent species/planet/dimension 
  -1 (additional)
  Other Circumstances 
  Modiﬁer
  Closed subculture (see text) 
  -1 to -3
  Character doesn’t know native language 
  -3 to -5 (or worse)
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  311 
  SUBDIVIDING STREETWISE
  For some campaigns it may be more “realistic” 
  or appropriate for the GM to require characters 
  to buy Streetwise by categories. The categories 
  are deﬁned by culture (or perhaps by species, in 
  multiple-species campaigns), or possibly even by 
  cities or organized crime groups. The ﬁrst category 
  costs 2 Character Points for a PRE-Based Roll, each 
  additional category costs +1 Character Point. Thus, 
  characters would buy Streetwise (Russian Culture) 
  or (Dwarven Culture) or (Denebian Culture). In 
  some cases, the GM may allow a character to make 
  a roll for a culture he hasn’t bought, but which is 
  similar to one he had bought, at a -2 or greater 
  penalty.
  STREETWISE BY GENRE
  In many ways, Streetwise functions the same 
  from genre to genre, though it’s most common in 
  the Dark Champions and Superhero genres. Any 
  human civilization has plenty of criminals and low-
  lifes for characters to interact with.
  Science Fiction
  What constitutes “the lower class” and how to 
  behave properly in it and interact with it aren’t just 
  culture-speciﬁc, they’re time-dependent. Time trav-
  elers, dimension-hoppers, and interstellar tourists 
  may experience serious problems. Unless a charac-
  ter has an appropriate Area Knowledge or Culture 
  Knowledge for a time period more than a century 
  removed from his home era, he suﬀers penalties 
  to his Streetwise rolls — typically -1 per 100 years 
  or fraction thereof, but this may depend on the 
  “realism” level of the campaign. For example, a cin-
  ematic time traveler’s penalty is never more than -2, 
  no matter how far back he goes.
  Similarly, as noted in the Streetwise Modiﬁers 
  table, an “alien” culture (one on a planet other than 
  the character’s own, or that he’s raised on) typi-
  cally suﬀers at least a -1 in addition to the standard 
  cultural diﬀerentiation penalty. In a cinematic cam-
  paign, characters’ penalties may be capped at -2 (-1 
  for diﬀerent planet, -1 for diﬀerent species). In real-
  istic settings (Cyberpunk or Hard SF, for example) 
  the penalties are steeper:  -3 for all alien cultures, 
  with an additional -2 if the aliens have diﬀerent 
  dietary habits or environmental requirements.
  Superheroes
  In a Superheroes campaign, Streetwise may 
  provide at least some basic information about 
  supervillains. Generally superhumans are a cul-
  ture apart, dealt with through KS: The Superhu-
  man World (or a similar Skill), but many villains 
  have regular contact with the mundane under-
  world. A Streetwise roll might reveal to a charac-
  ter who Lazer’s been hanging out with lately or 
  that the “m.o.” on a job matches Black Harlequin’s 
  usual pattern of behavior.
  
  312 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SURVIVAL
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base roll with one 
  category (or 1 Character Point for a base 
  roll with a speciﬁc subcategory); each 
  additional category costs 2 Character 
  Points (and each additional subcategory 
  1 Character Point); +1 to the roll with all 
  categories and subcategories known per 
  +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Intellect Skill can live oﬀ the 
  land and survive in wilderness or dangerous areas 
  without the need for things like grocery stores, 
  camping gear, or the like. See Using Survival, below, 
  for a general list of things that characters can do 
  with Survival.
  A character with Survival knows a little about 
  the animals and plants native to his purchased 
  environment(s) — their general behavior and prop-
  erties, which ones are dangerous, which ones are 
  edible (or not, or even poisonous). His knowledge 
  isn’t as comprehensive as that of a character with 
  a relevant KS or SS, but it helps keep him safe and 
  alive. He knows something of weather prediction. 
  He may know about many related topics as well; the 
  GM can expand the knowledge Survival imparts to 
  a character as seems appropriate. Appropriate KSs 
  or PSs (KS: Mountain Flora, KS: Jungle Fauna, PS: 
  Predict Weather, and so on) serve as Complemen-
  tary Skill rolls. However, Survival does not include 
  knowledge of tracks (that’s Tracking), how to ﬁnd 
  one’s way through the wilderness (that’s Naviga-
  tion), how to build elaborate traps for large beings 
  (that’s Security Systems, but see below), how to 
  treat wounds or diseases (that’s Paramedics or the 
  like), or how to use weapons.
  Purchasing Survival
  Characters purchase Survival by diﬀerent types 
  of environments — knowing how to survive in the 
  desert doesn’t guarantee you can survive in arctic con-
  ditions, for example. (But see Cross-Environment Com-
  patability, below.) Each environment category (such 
  as Arctic/Subarctic, Mountains, or Tropical) costs 2 
  Character Points for a (9+(INT/5)) or less roll; sub-
  categories (such as Arctic/Subarctic Plains or Tropical 
  Forests (Jungle)) cost 1 Character Point apiece if a 
  character wishes to buy them separately. Improving 
  the Skill Roll with all categories and subcategories the 
  character knows costs 2 Character Points for each +1 
  to the roll.
  The accompanying text box lists the Survival 
  categories and subcategories. The GM is free to add 
  to this list if he wants; this would be particularly 
  appropriate for campaigns set in bizarre Fantasy 
  worlds, involving the exploration of multiple plan-
  ets, and so forth.
  At the GM’s option, a character in an unfamiliar 
  environment may be able to use his Survival for some 
  tasks at a penalty; see Cross-Environment Compatabil-
  ity, below.
  Using Survival
  The following rules, guidelines, and modiﬁers 
  apply to characters’ use of Survival.
  GENERAL RULES AND GUIDELINES
  A character should make Survival rolls primar-
  ily when he’s underequipped for a particular area 
  — if he’s marooned, has lost his survival gear or food 
  stores (or had them stolen), and so forth. If a char-
  acter has the proper equipment for sustained wil-
  derness living (a tent or like form of shelter, proper 
  clothing, food and water supplies, and the like), gen-
  erally he doesn’t need to make Survival rolls, though 
  the GM may require them if appropriate (such as 
  when weather conditions are particularly severe).
  In most situations, a character should make his 
  Survival roll on a daily basis to see if he’s found food, 
  shelter, and other necessities. The GM might require 
  him to make more frequent rolls in particularly 
  harsh or dangerous environment (in an arctic area 
  during a blizzard, for instance), or if the character 
  uses Survival to help other people survive as well.
  As general modiﬁers, lack of available resources 
  like tools, food, water, and clothing impose a -1 to 
  -5 modiﬁer to the Survival roll, while very benign 
  conditions (good equipment, plentiful game, lots of 
  water) could mean a +1 to +3 modiﬁer. (See the sec-
  SURVIVAL ENVIRONMENT 
  GROUPS
  Arctic/Subarctic
  Arctic/Subarctic Coasts
  Arctic/Subarctic Plains (Tundra)
  Arctic/Subarctic Forest (Taiga)
  Mountains
  Temperate/Subtropical
  Temperate/Subtropical Coasts
  Temperate/Subtropical Forests
  Temperate/Subtropical Plains
  Temperate/Subtropical Swamps/Marshes
  Tropical
  Tropical Coasts/Pelagic Environments
  Tropical Forests (Jungle)
  Tropical Plains (Savannah)
  Tropical Swamps/Marshes
  Deserts
  Scrub Deserts
  Sand Dune Deserts
  Salt Marshes
  Marine
  Surface
  Underwater
  Urban
  Note:  This list of environments applies primarily to 
  Earth-like locales. GMs should create their own envi-
  ronment groups if their campaign settings are radically 
  diﬀerent from Earth (see Science Fiction in the main 
  text for further guidelines).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  313 
  tions below for environment- and task-speciﬁc modi-
  ﬁers that can replace or supplement these general 
  modiﬁers as the GM sees ﬁt.) Knowledge Skills relat-
  ing to the creatures and plants in the area are Com-
  plementary to Survival; so are PSs related to Survival 
  tasks. In particularly hazardous environs, appropri-
  ate KSs might even be necessary to use Survival (it 
  doesn’t matter how many ﬁsh a hero catches if he 
  can’t tell the poisonous ones from the edible ones).
  A successful Survival roll usually means the 
  character has found enough food, shelter, and other 
  necessities to keep himself alive and moving (though 
  maybe just barely). Failure can be damaging to the 
  character; failing the roll several days in a row could 
  be fatal (see Environmental Eﬀects on pages 438-43 
  of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised rulebook).
  The sections below detail several common uses 
  of Survival, along with speciﬁc modiﬁers for them 
  (usually based on environment, since some types of 
  terrain are easier to survive in than others).
  Of course, regardless of how high a character’s 
  Survival roll is, he cannot overcome the absolute 
  limits imposed by the environment. For example, if 
  there’s no water to ﬁnd (such as on the Moon), he 
  can’t locate any with Survival no matter how well he 
  rolls (even a 3).
  Helping Multiple People Survive
  The rules for Survival generally assume a 
  character’s only trying to keep himself alive and 
  healthy. But sometimes a character has to forage 
  for or protect a group of people (such as his adven-
  turing comrades, or a group of rescued campers). 
  The more people he tries to help with his Survival 
  abilities, the harder it becomes, as indicated on the 
  accompanying table.
  FOOD
  The ﬁrst thing on many characters’ minds when 
  they’re stranded in the wilderness is food. Survival 
  allows a character to ﬁnd or obtain food, and to pre-
  pare it in basic ways so it’s safe and palatable to eat.
  Foraging
  The ﬁrst way to ﬁnd food is to forage for it and 
  gather it up. This includes looking for, ﬁnding, and 
  identifying nuts, fruits, roots and tubers, carrion, 
  mushrooms, insects, and so forth. The Foraging 
  Table lists the modiﬁers for foraging in various 
  environments; characters should roll once per hour. 
  Success indicates enough food to feed one person 
  for one meal (if the GM uses the degree of success 
  rules, higher degrees of success mean the character 
  found more food). If the character made the roll 
  despite the multiple-person penalty, then he ﬁnds 
  enough food to feed that many people for one meal 
  — but he may prefer to forage without the penalty 
  for multiple hours, hoping for enough successes to 
  feed two or more people.
  The ability to forage also includes the ability 
  to identify edible foodstuﬀs. Once a character ﬁnds 
  food, he may make another Survival roll (usu-
  ally unmodiﬁed for any environment category he 
  knows) to determine if said food is edible, inedible, 
  or (worst of all) poisonous. (He can use this aspect 
  of the Skill with captured or killed game as well.)
  Hunting, Trapping, And Fishing
  Instead of just trying to ﬁnd food, the char-
  acter can actively try to catch it or kill it. Survival 
  includes the ability to make snares to catch small 
  game (rabbits, quail, ﬁsh, and the like), though not 
  the ability to build deadfalls, pit traps, and other 
  devices for catching or injuring large animals or 
  humans (that requires Security Systems). It also 
  includes the ability to drive animals into an ambush 
  or dead end (but not to lure them with false calls; 
  that’s Mimicry). And it includes the ability to fash-
  ion crude ﬁshhooks and lines, and with the GM’s 
  permission even simple hunting weapons (sharp-
  pointed spear-like sticks for gigging ﬁsh and frogs, 
  stones for throwing [and perhaps crude slings as 
  well], and so forth). Creating true weapons that can 
  stand up to actual combat or use against large ani-
  mals requires Weaponsmith (page 351).
  In most cases, a successful Survival roll indi-
  cates the character found an appropriate food 
  animal and caught or killed it somehow; it’s not 
  necessary to make Attack Rolls or damage rolls. But 
  the GM can turn hunting into more of a combat-
  like aﬀair if he feels it would add drama to the 
  game or give characters the chance to use other 
  Skills (such as Stealth or Combat Skill Levels) to 
  improve their odds of obtaining food.
  The Hunting/Trapping/Fishing Table lists the 
  modiﬁers for hunting, trapping, ﬁshing, and similar 
  activities in various environments; these modiﬁers 
  apply both to the actual attempt to obtain food and 
  to the eﬀort to make the proper tools (if the GM 
  requires a roll for the latter). How often characters 
  get to roll depends on the GM’s judgment on how 
  common the type of game they’re searching for 
  is; once per hour would be the maximum in most 
  cases, but once per three to six hours may be more 
  appropriate for most environments.
  MULTIPLE-PERSON  
  SURVIVAL
  Number Of Persons 
  Survival Modiﬁer
  1 (the character himself) 
  -0
  2 
  -1
  3-4 
  -2
  5-8 
  -3
  9-16 
  -4
  ...and so on
  FORAGING TABLE
   
   
  Climatic Zone
  Type Of Environment 
  Arctic 
  Temperate/Subtropical 
  Tropical
  Coast 
  -2 
  -1 
  -0
  Desert*, sand dune 
  — 
  — 
  -5
  Desert, scrub or salt marsh 
  — 
  — 
  -3
  Forest 
  -0 
  +2 
  +4
  Marine 
  -0 
  +1 
  +2
  Mountains 
  -4 
  -2 
  -1
  Plains 
  -2 
  -0 
  +1
  Swamp/Marsh 
  — 
  +2 
  +4
  Urban 
  +2 
  +2 
  +2
  *:  Deserts have only one modiﬁer, since they’re eﬀectively a climatic zone of their own; 
  this is listed under “Tropical” for convenience.
  SURVIVAL (URBAN)
  A character with this 
  Skill knows how to beg 
  for food or clothing, 
  where he can sleep out 
  of the elements and free 
  of charge, how best to 
  avoid the general notice 
  of the city guard, and 
  how to spot a person 
  likely to give a poor 
  starveling a dollar or 
  two. It’s an essential skill 
  for beggars or anyone 
  attempting to survive in 
  a city without a coin to 
  his name.
  
  314 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FIRESTARTING TABLE
  Firestarting Method 
  Modiﬁer
  Match, ﬂint and steel 
  No roll necessary*
  Firebow 
  -0
  Firesaw (rubbing sticks together) 
  -1
  Convex lens and sunlight 
  -1
  Conditions 
  Modiﬁer
  Windy or snowy weather 
  -2
  Rainy weather 
  -4
  Wet wood 
  -2
  Kindling
     No kindling 
  -3
     Little kindling 
  -1
  *: In normal conditions
  Food Preparation
  Once a character obtains food, he has to pre-
  pare it for eating. While a lot of foraged food can 
  be consumed as-is, most people don’t enjoy raw 
  meat. Preparing a game animal, scavenged car-
  rion, or the like to eat usually requires requires a 
  fire (see below) and an unmodified Survival roll; 
  if the character has PS: Cooking he may use that 
  instead, with Survival as a Complementary Skill. 
  (In any event, Survival isn’t as good as PS: Cook-
  ing.) The character should roll once per animal 
  carcass butchered and dressed, or once per meal 
  prepared, as the GM sees fit.
  Characters can also use Survival to prepare 
  food for long-term storage so they can carry it with 
  them as they travel. This requires a Survival roll at 
  -1. Success preserves the food for 1d6+1 days; fail-
  ure by 1-3 leaves only 1d6 x 10% of the food edible 
  within the next day, and failure by 4 or more ruins 
  the food altogether.
  WATER
  Even more important than food in many cases 
  is water. Without water, a character can quickly 
  dehydrate, which may kill him in and of itself but 
  also exposes him to problems like heat exhaustion 
  and heat stroke. The Finding Water Table lists the 
  modiﬁers for ﬁnding water in various environ-
  ments. This includes not only locating bodies of 
  water (lakes, streams, and the like) but gathering 
  rainwater, digging for water, and obtaining water 
  from plants like cacti, palms, and bamboo.
  Making Water Drinkable
  Sometimes a character can ﬁnd water, but it’s 
  not drinkable. This is particularly common in salt 
  marshes, some types of swamp/marsh terrain, and 
  along sea and ocean coasts where the water is too salty 
  to drink. Even seemingly safe water probably needs 
  treatment to remove harmful bacteria and the like, or 
  to strain out mud and other contaminants. Drinking 
  nonpotable water may expose a character to disease 
  (especially cholera, dystentery, and typhoid) or to the 
  ingestion of ﬂukes or leeches.
  Removing dirt and the like from water 
  requires a ﬁltering system. This may be as simple 
  as letting the water sit still so particles settle to 
  the bottom, or it may require ﬁltration through a 
  pants leg, hollow log, or other container ﬁlled with 
  a ﬁltering material (such as sand, crushed rock, or 
  charcoal). This requires an unmodiﬁed Survival 
  roll; success means the water is ready for puriﬁca-
  tion, failure that it remains contaminated (but the 
  character can try again).
  After a character ﬁlters out contaminants, he has 
  to purify the water. The easiest ways to purify water 
  are to boil it, or to use water puriﬁcation tablets or 
  iodine if they’re available. If the GM requires a Sur-
  vival roll for this, it’s at +3 (assuming the character has 
  ﬁre and/or the right equipment) or -0 (if not). Failure 
  indicates the water remains undrinkable.
  FIRE
  In most situations where a character needs to 
  use Survival, it’s important for him to have access to 
  ﬁre. With ﬁre he can cook food, purify water, signal 
  for help, and keep himself warm. Even deserts can 
  become cold enough at night for a character to 
  suﬀer from exposure.
  First a character has to have something to 
  burn. Usually this means wood, but he could use 
  the wreckage of his plane, dried leaves or dung, or 
  the like. If appropriate, the GM may require the 
  character to make a Survival roll to gather enough 
  fuel for a ﬁre that will last through the night (12 
  hours); the character receives a +3 bonus in any 
  type of forest, and no modiﬁer in other environ-
  ments (except for marine, where kindling a ﬁre is 
  usually impossible).
  HUNTING/TRAPPING/FISHING TABLE
   
   
  Climatic Zone
  Type Of Environment 
  Arctic 
  Temperate/Subtropical 
  Tropical
  Coast 
  -0 
  +1 
  +2
  Desert*, sand dune 
  — 
  — 
  -5
  Desert, scrub or salt marsh 
  — 
  — 
  -3
  Forest 
  +1 
  +2 
  +4
  Marine 
  -0 
  +1 
  +3
  Mountains 
  -3 
  -2 
  -0
  Plains 
  -1 
  +1 
  +2
  Swamp/Marsh 
  — 
  +2 
  +4
  Urban 
  -0 
  -0 
  -0
  *:  Deserts have only one modiﬁer, since they’re eﬀectively a climatic zone of their own; 
  this is listed under “Tropical” for convenience.
  FINDING WATER TABLE
   
   
  Climatic Zone
  Type Of Environment 
  Arctic‡ 
  Temperate/Subtropical 
  Tropical
  Coast† 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Desert*, sand dune 
  — 
  — 
  -8
  Desert, scrub or salt marsh 
  — 
  — 
  -4
  Forest 
  +2 
  +3 
  +4
  Marine† 
  N/A 
  N/A 
  N/A
  Mountains 
  +2 
  -0 
  +1
  Plains 
  +2 
  +1 
  +2
  Swamp/Marsh† 
  —  
  N/A 
  N/A
  Urban 
  +5 
  +5 
  +5
  *:  Deserts have only one modiﬁer, since they’re eﬀectively a climatic zone of their 
  own; this is listed under “Tropical” for convenience.
  †:  Water is always present in these environments; the issue is not ﬁnding it, but 
  making it potable.
  ‡:  Arctic environments usually have snow or ice available, thus providing a ready 
  source of water if the character has the means to melt and purify it.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  315 
  Before lighting a ﬁre, a character may wish to 
  take measures to prevent it from being seen, protect 
  it from the wind or water, and so forth. This may 
  involve digging a ﬁrepit, erecting a simple “ﬁrewall” 
  of sticks or stones, or the like. This requires an 
  unmodiﬁed Survival roll, if the GM decides rolling 
  is even necessary.
  Once the character has enough fuel and a proper 
  place to build his ﬁre, he has to light it. If he has 
  appropriate equipment — ﬂint and steel, matches, or 
  the like — this probably doesn’t even require a roll in 
  normal conditions. He must make a roll if he lacks the 
  appropriate equipment and has to make ﬁrestarting 
  tools (such as a ﬁrebow). The Firestarting Table lists 
  modiﬁers for various ﬁrestarting methods, and modi-
  ﬁers for other possible conditions that may force a 
  character to make a roll to start a ﬁre.
  SHELTER
  In addition to dealing with recurring needs 
  such as food and water, characters in wilderness 
  areas have to ﬁnd or build shelter from the ele-
  ments. Otherwise they risk the eﬀects of exposure, 
  which can sometimes be fatal.
  Finding Shelter
  The easiest way to obtain shelter is to ﬁnd it. 
  Naturally-occurring forms of shelter include caves, 
  hollow trees/logs, and the like. The Finding Shelter 
  Table lists the modiﬁers for ﬁnding appropriate shelter 
  based on the type of environment; the more severe the 
  environment, the harder it is to ﬁnd shelter.
  Building Shelter
  If a character can’t ﬁnd shelter, he may have to 
  build one. This includes things like digging snow 
  caves, making crude lean-tos with branches, build-
  ing simple treehouses, and so forth. The Building 
  Shelter Table lists the modiﬁers for building shelter, 
  based primarily on the availability of appropriate 
  materials or the like. If the character has useful 
  tools (hammer and nails, a shovel, and so forth), the 
  GM may add positive modiﬁers of +1 or more as 
  well and decrease the time needed.
   FINDING SHELTER TABLE
   
   
  Climatic Zone
  Type Of Environment 
  Arctic 
  Temperate/Subtropical 
  Tropical
  Coast 
  -4 
  -2 
  -1
  Desert*, sand dune 
  — 
  — 
  -6
  Desert, scrub or salt marsh 
  — 
  — 
  -4
  Forest 
  -3 
  -1 
  -1
  Marine 
  -5 
  -5 
  -5
  Mountains 
  -4 
  -2 
  -2
  Plains 
  -4 
  -3 
  -3
  Swamp/Marsh 
  —  
  -2 
  -2
  Urban 
  +3 
  +3 
  +3
  *:  Deserts have only one modiﬁer, since they’re eﬀectively a climatic zone of their own; 
  this is listed under “Tropical” for convenience.
  
  316 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  WEATHER PREDICTION
  Characters with Survival know a little bit about 
  predicting the weather, since the weather usually has a 
  signiﬁcant impact on the ability to survive. A charac-
  ter can make a Survival roll at -0 to get a general idea 
  of what the weather will be like over the next 6 Hours. 
  He can make a roll at -1 to predict the weather for the 
  next day; each succeeding day imposes another -1 to 
  the roll. If the character has a more relevant Skill, such 
  as PS: Weather Prediction, he can use Survival as a 
  Complementary Roll for that Skill instead.
  PROTECTING ONE’S SELF
  Wilderness regions hold many dangers, and 
  knowing how to protect one’s self from them is one 
  of the most important parts of Survival. Therefore, 
  GMs may want to give characters with Survival a 
  greater chance to avoid wilderness perils. A Sur-
  vival roll, perhaps at an appropriate penalty, tells 
  the character what the prominent local dangers are, 
  and some ways to protect himself from them. For 
  example, a ranger exploring the Chekuru Jungle 
  might know that the chief dangers it holds are the 
  ﬁre-fever (a deadly disease of unknown origin) and 
  the ﬁerce jungle leopard. He also knows that keep-
  ing a smoky ﬁre burning at night helps to stave oﬀ 
  ﬁre-fever, and that the ﬁre also tends to scare away 
  the nocturnal leopard — thus giving him an edge 
  over someone who doesn’t have Survival.
  Disease
  If a character makes an unmodiﬁed Survival 
  roll for an environment he has as a category or sub-
  category, he knows the diseases prominent in that 
  environment, and if appropriate how to avoid them or 
  protect himself against them. For example, he might 
  know that walking barefoot in certain areas is likely 
  to expose him to foot parasites, or that a speciﬁc type 
  of fruit tends to cause stomach cramps. He may even 
  know preventative measures to take, such as treating 
  bug bites with the juice of a particular leaf to prevent 
  infection. If appropriate, Paramedics may serve as a 
  Complementary Skill (or vice-versa).
  Environmental Eﬀects
  Exposure to the environment may cause all 
  sorts of problems and maladies, ranging from 
  annoying (but harmless) insect bites to potentially 
  fatal conditions such as heat stroke and hypo-
  thermia. Characters with Survival know the best 
  ways to avoid these diﬃculties; the Environmental 
  Eﬀects Table lists possible conditions and modi-
  ﬁers. However, knowing that may not help them 
  avoid the condition; staving oﬀ heat stroke is dif-
  ﬁcult without water, as is preventing hypothermia 
  without adequate clothing and shelter.
  Other Dangers
  A character can make Survival rolls (usually 
  unmodiﬁed) to determine the best way to cope 
  with other dangerous situations, such as quicksand 
  (see Fantasy Hero, page 358, or Pulp Hero, page 
  366), sandstorms, snowblindness, or encounters 
  with wild animals. He may even know preventa-
  tive measures to take, such as how to treat the bites 
  of venomous animals. Paramedics may serve as a 
  Complementary Skill (or vice-versa).
  TRAVELING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS
  Characters who have to use Survival usually 
  find themselves in a situation where they have 
  to travel — to cross rough terrain to reach safety 
  or their intended destination. An unmodified 
  Survival roll tells a character the safest way to 
  traverse the ground — how best to walk uphill 
  and downhill, how to spread one’s weight to 
  BUILDING SHELTER TABLE
   
   
  Climatic Zone
  Type Of Environment 
  Arctic 
  Temperate/Subtropical 
  Tropical
  Coast 
  -4 
  -2 
  -1
  Desert*, sand dune 
  — 
  — 
  -5
  Desert, scrub or salt marsh 
  — 
  — 
  -4
  Forest 
  +2 
  +3 
  +3
  Marine 
  -5 
  -5 
  -5
  Mountains 
  -3 
  -3 
  -3
  Plains 
  -2 
  -1 
  -1
  Swamp/Marsh 
  —  
  +2 
  +2
  Urban 
  +3 
  +3 
  +3
  *:  Deserts have only one modiﬁer, since they’re eﬀectively a climatic zone of their own; 
  this is listed under “Tropical” for convenience.
  ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
  Condition 
  Modiﬁer 
  Notes; Ways To Prevent
  Frostbite 
  -1 
  See page 438 of the rulebook. Keep extremities and skin covered and warm.
  Heat Cramps 
  -2 
  Severe muscle cramps and pain caused by salt loss from excess sweating (-2 on all physical Char-
  acteristic Rolls). Character should stop activity, get into the shade, and drink water. See also page 
  438 of the rulebook regarding dehydration.
  Heat Exhaustion -3 
  Headache, dizziness, confusion, weakness, and related symptoms caused by lack of water and salt 
  (-4 on all physical Characteristic Rolls). Character should stop all activity, lie down in the shade, 
  be sprinkled with water, and drink small amounts of water periodically until he feels better. See 
  also page 438 of the rulebook regarding  dehydration.
  Heat Stroke 
  -4 
  Severe heat injury from extreme loss of water and salt; may cause nausea, vomiting, and even 
  death.  See page 438 of the rulebook regarding dehydration.
  Hypothermia 
  -3 
  Lowering of body temperature due to exposure; can be fatal. Character should have his entire 
  body rewarmed in a warm bath if possible. See page 438 of the rulebook regarding frostbite.
  Insect Bites 
  -0 
  Usually harmless but annoying, but could be fatal if insects are venomous (or carry diseases) or 
  the bites become infected. Characters can often keep insects away by smearing their bodies with 
  mud, certain plant juices, or like substances, or with lots of smoke.
  Sunburn 
  -1 
  See page 439 of the rulebook
  ANIMALS  
  AND SURVIVAL
  Animals often have 
  the Survival Skill for 
  their native environ-
  ment. This represents an 
  animal’s general ability 
  to keep itself alive and 
  healthy in the wild (the 
  animal’s AK of its home 
  territory often acts as a 
  Complementary Skill). 
  As such, it’s an Every-
  creature Skill, so GMs 
  may wish to remove it 
  from the Everycreature 
  Skill list for animals that 
  are so domesticated (like 
  some breeds of cattle) 
  that they could not 
  survive on their own in 
  the wild. Most animals 
  only have one environ-
  ment they know how 
  to survive in. But some 
  animals, such as birds, 
  migrate over vast dis-
  tances, and so must buy 
  additional environments 
  for their Survival.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  317 
  avoid breaking through ice, and so forth. A char-
  acter who fails this roll may take longer to cross 
  rough ground (or use up more Long-Term END 
  while doing so), or may run a greater risk of 
  injury. The GM determines the results of failure, 
  but increasing travel time or Long-Term END 
  expenditure by 10% per point the roll failed by is 
  a good rule of thumb.
  Survival does not tell a character how to ﬁnd 
  or follow directions in the wilderness; that requires 
  Navigation (Land). Survival just helps a character 
  avoid or survive the perils of the journey once a 
  successful Navigation roll tells him which way to 
  go. Nor does Survival help characters climb things; 
  that requires Climbing.
  Crossing Water
  Characters traveling in the wilderness often 
  have to cross rivers, streams, lakes, swamps, and 
  other bodies of water. A character whose Survival 
  Skill covers the environment he’s in may make an 
  unmodified roll to determine the safest and/or 
  easiest way to cross a body of water, or to make 
  tools to help in the process (such as log rafts or 
  “water wings” made from a pair of pants). Note 
  that this does not mean crossing the water is nec-
  essarily safe and/or easy — just that the character 
  has made it as safe and/or easy as reasonably 
  possible. Failing the roll may mean the character 
  exposes himself to dangers (twisted ankles, deep 
  pools, being swept away by an unexpectedly fast 
  current) that he would otherwise have avoided. 
  The GM determines what dangers (if any) exist, 
  and their effects.
  CROSS-ENVIRONMENT COMPATABILITY
  Although characters have to buy Survival by 
  environment categories, it stands to reason that 
  some aspects of the Skill may carry over from one 
  region or climatic zone to another with little or no 
  loss of eﬀectiveness. At the GM’s option a charac-
  ter’s not having a particular environment category 
  may not prevent him from using Survival — he can 
  use it either normally or at a penalty, depending 
  upon the types of environments he knows how to 
  survive in and the tasks involved.
  The GM has the ﬁnal say as to how compat-
  ible two environments are, based on common sense, 
  dramatic sense, game balance, and other factors. For 
  example, despite the fact that the rules treat Moun-
  tains as a single category, mountainous areas can vary 
  signiﬁcantly. In some cases they’re cold, harsh, unfor-
  giving, rocky places similar to Arctic/Subarctic zones 
  (particularly above the treeline); in others they’re 
  smaller and subject to the general conditions of the 
  region they’re in (Temperate/Subtropical, Desert, 
  Tropical, or what have you). Based on his knowledge 
  of the game setting, the GM can determine just how 
  compatible two regions are in terms of characters 
  using Survival.
  The two accompanying tables list suggested 
  modiﬁers based on the type of environment and 
  the tasks attempted. If a character suﬀers a penalty 
  for environment compatability and one for the type 
  of task he’s attempting, those penalties add together 
  ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATABILITY:   
  ENVIRONMENT TO ENVIRONMENT
   
  Arctic/ 
   
  Temperate/
  Environment 
  Subarctic 
  Mountains 
  Subtropical 
  Tropical 
  Deserts 
  Marine 
  Urban
  Arctic/Subarctic 
  — 
  -3 
  -5 
  -6 
  -8 
  -5 
  -7
  Mountains 
  -3 
  — 
  -4 
  -4 
  -4 
  N/A 
  -5
  Temperate/Subtropical 
  -5 
  -4 
  — 
  -2 
  -5 
  -5 
  -3
  Tropical 
  -6 
  -4 
  -2 
  — 
  -6 
  -5 
  -4
  Deserts 
  -8 
  -4 
  -5 
  -6 
  — 
  N/A 
  -6
  Marine 
  -5 
  N/A 
  -5 
  -5 
  N/A 
  — 
  -6
  Urban 
  -7 
  -5 
  -3 
  -4 
  -6 
  -6 
  —
  —:  same environment
  N/A:  Character cannot use his Survival in this environment at all, unless the GM rules otherwise.
  The “Environment” column lists the Survival category(ies) a character has. The other columns list a penalty for using his 
  Survival in other types of environments. If a character only has a subcategory (such as Temperate/Subtropical Forests) then 
  he can only use his Survival in other environments of the same type (such as Arctic/Subarctic Forests or Tropical Forests, 
  but not Tropical Plains or Arctic/Subarctic Coasts).
  ENVIRONMENTAL  
  COMPATABILITY:  TASKS
  Type Of Task 
  Penalty For Using In Other Environment
  Food
  Foraging 
  -4
  Hunting/Trapping/Fishing 
  -4
  Food Preparation 
  -2
  Water
  Finding Water 
  -3
  Making Water Drinkable 
  -1
  Fire
  Finding Fuel 
  -2
  Starting A Fire 
  -2
  Shelter
  Finding Shelter 
  -2
  Building Shelter 
  -3
  Weather Prediction 
  -4
  Protection
  Disease 
  -4
  Environmental Eﬀects 
  -3
  Other Dangers 
  GM’s discretion
  Traveling
  Crossing Water 
  -3
  
  318 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  (but the maximum possible total penalty is -9). And 
  of course he may suﬀer one or more of the penal-
  ties described in the sections above.
  EQUIPMENT
  As noted above, Survival rolls are usually nec-
  essary only when a character lacks appropriate sur-
  vival gear; the Skill largely involves keeping one’s 
  self alive and healthy without the proper equip-
  ment. However, in some instances GMs may wish 
  to treat the availability of equipment as a positive 
  modiﬁer for Survival rolls. Some types of Survival 
  equipment include:  environment- or weather-spe-
  ciﬁc clothing; tools; tents; sleeping bags/bedrolls; 
  hunting and ﬁshing equipment; water puriﬁcation 
  tablets; tinderboxes (or other ﬁrestarting equip-
  ment); and camp cooking gear.
  POWERS AND SURVIVAL
  Characters with Life Support can often resist 
  the eﬀects of wilderness environments without any 
  diﬃculty. Characters with powers of appropriate 
  special eﬀects may be able to use them to stave oﬀ 
  environmental dangers; for example, a character 
  with ﬁre powers could perhaps keep his comrades 
  warm for a while, and one with ice powers could be 
  everyone’s best friend in the desert. Telekinesis may 
  substitute for a wide variety of tools, such as ham-
  mers or ﬁshing gear, and thus make using Survival 
  easier (or unnecessary).
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The text above describes some of the spe-
  cific consequences of failing Survival rolls. In 
  general, failing a Survival roll means the charac-
  ter could not find food or water, obtain shelter, 
  or shield himself from the effects of the environ-
  ment he’s in. One or two failures may simply be 
  inconvenient, but repeated failures often imperil 
  a character’s life... and in harsh environments, 
  even a single failure could be fatal. Failing any 
  BASE TIMES FOR SURVIVAL
  Type Of Task 
  Base Time
  Food
  Foraging 
  1 Hour (see text)
  Hunting/Trapping/Fishing 
  3-6 Hours (see text)
  Food Preparation 
  20 Minutes to 1 Hour
  Water
  Finding Water 
  1 Hour
  Making Water Drinkable 
  20 Minutes to 1 Hour
  Fire
  Finding Fuel 
  1 Minute to 1 Hour
  Starting A Fire 
  1 to 5 Minutes
  Shelter
  Finding Shelter 
  20 Minutes to 6 Hours
  Building Shelter 
  1d6 Hours (see text)
  Weather Prediction 
  1 Turn
  Protection
  Disease 
  1 Turn to 5 Minutes
  Environmental Eﬀects 
  1 Turn to 5 Minutes
  Other Dangers 
  GM’s discretion
  Traveling
  Crossing Water 
  1-20 Minutes
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  319 
  Survival roll badly (by 4 or more) could expose 
  the character to additional dangers or inconve-
  niences (twisting an ankle, falling off a cliff or 
  into quicksand, disturbing a ferocious predator, 
  thinking a poisonous fruit is safe to eat...).
  BASE TIMES
  The accompanying table lists suggested Base 
  Times for various Survival tasks. In many cases this 
  means time the characters can’t spend traveling or 
  doing other things, so highly-skilled survivalists 
  may try to cut the time down by accepting a pen-
  alty to the roll (see page 35).
  UNIFYING/SUBDIVIDING SURVIVAL
  In cinematic campaigns, such as some Pulp 
  Hero and High Fantasy games, subdividing 
  Survival into environments may be pointless or 
  counterproductive. In that case, characters can 
  simply buy Survival as a standard Intellect Skill 
  (i.e., it costs 3 Character Points for an INT-Based 
  Roll) and use it in any environment for any type 
  of Survival-related task.
  On the other hand, in games where char-
  acters spend a lot of time in the wilderness and 
  their ability to survive and function there is a key 
  element/theme of the campaign, GMs may want 
  even greater differentiation in Survival. Instead 
  of allowing characters to buy Survival by catego-
  ries, they can only buy subcategories for 1 Char-
  acter Point apiece (or possibly 2 Character Points 
  each; categories that have no subcategories count 
  as a “subcategory” themselves for these pur-
  poses). That way a character who knows about 
  Temperate/Subtropical Plains doesn’t know a 
  thing about Temperate/Subtropical Forests — he 
  has to buy each subcategory separately.
  Additionally, the GM might think about sub-
  dividing Mountains and Urban, the two categories 
  that have no subdivisions. Mountains could have 
  climatic categories (Arctic/Subarctic Mountains, 
  Temperate/Subtropical Mountains, Tropical Moun-
  tains, and Desert Mountains), while Urban would 
  be divided based on the size of the urban environ-
  ment (Village, Town, City, Metropolis).
  The GM could reorganize Survival so that it 
  subdivides by task category, rather than environ-
  ment. That would mean characters could perform 
  a given task in any environment, but might have no 
  ability at all to perform other tasks. The categories 
  and subcategories would be those listed in the Base 
  Times Table.
  Seven Survival Skills
  For games seeking extremely precise deﬁni-
  tions of Skills, you can convert Survival into seven 
  distinct Skills — the seven major divisions listed 
  on the Base Times Table. As separate Skills, they’d 
  be called Find/Prepare Food, Find/Prepare Water, 
  Firestarting, Find/Build Shelter, Weather Predic-
  tion, Wilderness Protection, and Wilderness Travel. 
  Typically each would be treated as a standard Intel-
  lect Skill, but if the GM prefers each one might cost 
  only 2 Character Points, or would be bought by 
  subcategories costing 1 Character Point each.
  SURVIVAL BY GENRE
  Survival works the same in all genres. It’s not 
  particularly common in some genres (such as 
  Cyberpunk), but functions the same regardless.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  Most Cyberpunk campaigns take place entirely 
  in urban areas. If characters buy Survival at all, they 
  usually only buy it for the Urban environment.
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy games featuring a lot of dungeon-
  delving and exploration of “lands” below the sur-
  face, characters can take Underground as a 2-point 
  environment category for Survival. A character 
  with Survival (Underground) knows how to make 
  and use crude light sources, what sort of dangers 
  caves and caverns hold, where to ﬁnd water and 
  food underground, which types of cave-fungus are 
  edible, and so forth.
  Pulp
  Few Skills are as useful to globetrotting adven-
  turers as this one. In campaigns based primarily 
  around exploration, treasure-hunting, and the 
  like, the GM might even want to consider making 
  Survival a sort of “Everyadventurer Skill” so all the 
  PCs have at least an 8- in one environment. In any 
  event, the cinematic nature of Pulp usually means 
  you don’t need to use the detailed rules in this sec-
  tion; one or two rolls should suﬃce to meet all of a 
  character’s survival needs in most circumstances.
  Science Fiction
  In Space Opera-style campaigns, planetary 
  environments are broadly similar, so an expert in 
  Mountain Survival on Earth can get along in high-
  altitude regions on other Earthlike worlds with 
  only a -1 penalty. In Hard SF and other realistic 
  settings, each planet’s environments are distinct, so 
  that Survival:  Earth Deserts and Survival:  Mar-
  tian Deserts are separate Skills. In such campaigns, 
  characters must specify the planet where they 
  learned Survival.
  Gamemasters may also wish to take into 
  account the relative degree of similarity between 
  planets. Even among worlds classiﬁable as “Earth-
  like,” a great deal of variation can occur. See the 
  accompanying table for suggested modiﬁers; 
  these modiﬁers are in addition to the -1 penalty 
  described above, if that’s used.
  Of course, no amount of skill can overcome 
  the absolute limits imposed by the environment. A 
  character on Mercury can’t ﬁnd water using Sur-
  vival because there simply isn’t any water to ﬁnd.
  PLANETARY SIMILARITY 
  TABLE
  Degree Of Similarity 
  Survival Roll Penalty
  Very similar 
  -0
  Mostly similar 
  -1
  A little similar 
  -2
  Mostly diﬀerent 
  -3
  Very diﬀerent 
  -4
  Extremely diﬀerent 
  -5
  
  320 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SYSTEMS OPERATION
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Intellect Skill understand 
  how to operate sensors, communications devices, 
  and similar types of equipment properly. This 
  includes radios, radar systems, starship life sup-
  port systems, sonar, electronic countermeasures 
  (ECM), medical diagnostic technology, certain 
  advanced weapons systems (such as missile bat-
  teries or satellite-based weapons), and the like. 
  They can identify this type of equipment (by its 
  function and operation, if not by brand name 
  or the like), figure out how to operate devices 
  they haven’t used before, determine which device 
  works best for a particular task, and so on.
  Systems Operation And Other Skills
  Systems Operation does not apply to navi-
  gational equipment (which is covered by Naviga-
  tion), nor does it allow a character to encode/
  decode transmissions (that requires Cryptogra-
  phy) unless that function is built into the device 
  in question. However, it lets characters send or 
  intercept navigational or encrypted data, and in 
  some cases (such as the use of advanced GPS 
  devices or ILS [instrument landing systems]), 
  Systems Operation may serve as a Complemen-
  tary Skill.
  Modern (late twentieth/early twenty-ﬁrst 
  century) and later communications and sensory 
  systems depend so strongly on computers that 
  Computer Programming may often serve as a 
  Complementary Skill for Systems Operation tasks. 
  In other cases, Computer Programming may help 
  indirectly, such as by allowing a character to “hack” 
  into phone company systems to get access to 
  records needed to easily trace calls.
  Using Systems Operation
  Generally speaking, Systems Operation has 
  four main uses:  operating sensory, communica-
  tions, and similar types of equipment; identify-
  ing unusual equipment and determining how to 
  operate it; building, repairing, and maintaining 
  sensory and communications equipment; and 
  electronic warfare.
  OPERATING EQUIPMENT
  First and foremost, characters use Systems 
  Operation to operate the types of equipment 
  described below (primarily, but not exclusively, sen-
  sory and communications devices). This includes:
  ■ activating the device
  ■ tuning the device to the proper frequency, com-
  munications band, or the like
  ■ send and receive transmissions, sensor pulses, 
  and the like
  ■ overseeing the functioning of the device as  
  it operates
  See the descriptions of speciﬁc types of equip-
  ment, below, for more information.
  In most situations — where a character’s under 
  no pressure and the circumstances don’t present 
  any diﬃculties — there’s usually no need to make 
  a Systems Operation roll; the GM can just assume 
  the character succeeds. But if problems arise, 
  including anything that imposes a penalty on the 
  Skill, the character needs to make a Skill Roll. If the 
  roll succeeds, he uses the equipment properly. If it 
  fails, he can’t work the device correctly, interference 
  causes him to lose the signal, the device can’t obtain 
  the information he wants, or the like; if it fails badly 
  he may misinterpret the information he receives or 
  damage his equipment. (See below for more spe-
  ciﬁc uses and results.)
  In the case of particulary complex devices, the 
  GM may require a character to make multiple Sys-
  tems Operations rolls — one to activate the device, 
  one to tune or calibrate it properly, one to actually 
  use it, and so on.
  UNFAMILIAR DEVICES
  A character with Systems Operation who 
  encounters a strange device can use the Skill to 
  determine (a) what sort of device it is, (b) if Sys-
  tems Operation applies to it, and (c) if so, how to 
  operate it.
  Identifying the device has a minimum Base 
  Time of 1 Turn (possibly longer for large or com-
  plex devices) and usually requires an unmodi-
  ﬁed Skill Roll. You can use the rules for Analyze 
  Technology to determine the results, and that Skill 
  functions as a Complementary Skill (or vice-versa, 
  depending on which Skill the GM considers most 
  relevant). For particularly complex, strange, or 
  alien devices, the GM might impose a -1 or greater 
  penalty (see page 32). A successful roll identiﬁes 
  the device (possibly including its function). A failed 
  roll means the character doesn’t know what the 
  device is or how it works; a badly failed roll (by 4 or 
  more) means he mistakenly identiﬁes the device.
  If the character successfully identiﬁes the 
  device, he also knows whether it’s a type of device 
  Systems Operation works with. If it is, he typically 
  knows how to operate it as well, though the GM 
  may require him to make another roll for this (see 
  Operating Equipment, above). In that case, the same 
  penalty for complexity or strangeness may apply.
  BUILDING, REPAIRING, AND MAINTAIN-
  ING EQUIPMENT
  Characters with Systems Operation generally 
  know how to build, repair, and maintain the types 
  of equipment the Skill applies to. Depending on the 
  type of equipment, Electronics, Mechanics, Com-
  puter Programming, or some other Technological 
  Skill may be Complementary. Building a device 
  usually has a Base Time of 1 Hour or more; repair-
  ing or maintaining one tends to take less time, but 
  it depends on the extent of the damage, size and 
  complexity of the device, and other factors. Penalties 
  for damage to the subject may apply, and for build-
  ing devices the GM may impose a penalty of -1 per 
  10 Active Points in the device. For modiﬁcations to a 
  device, use the Electronics rules (page 177).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  321 
  A successful build/repair roll means the char-
  acter’s accomplished what he set out to do. A failed 
  roll means he can’t build the device or eﬀect repairs, 
  though he can try again subject to the standard 
  rules for additional attempts. A badly failed roll 
  (by 4 or more) means he’s irreparably broken the 
  device, hurt himself, or suﬀered some other nega-
  tive consequence.
  ELECTRONIC WARFARE
  Characters use Systems Operation to engage 
  in electronic warfare (EW) — the use of com-
  munications and sensors to disrupt enemy 
  operations, enhance the power of one’s own mili-
  tary force, and the like. This includes jamming 
  (or unjamming) sensors and communications 
  systems, engaging electronic countermeasures 
  (ECM) and electronic counter-countermeasures 
  (ECCM), ESM (electronic surveillance measures; 
  see below), and so forth.
  Hundreds of volumes have been written on the 
  subject of EW; it’s a complex subject whose details 
  are beyond the scope of this book. In most gaming 
  campaigns it boils down to a Systems Operation 
  Versus Systems Operation Skill Contest pitting 
  two characters against one another. To add some 
  dramatic tension, the GM may require a series of 
  Contests, each one representing one stage of the 
  battle and with victory providing a +1 bonus for 
  the remaining rolls in the Contest. For campaigns 
  where EW is a prominent part of game play, GMs 
  can easily devise more advanced rules, possibly 
  including “EW Maneuvers” similar to Martial Arts.
  GENERAL MODIFIERS
  Several circumstances can modify many types 
  of Systems Operations rolls (usually those pertaining 
  to Communications Systems and Sensor Systems, but 
  sometimes they aﬀect rolls with other types of equip-
  ment as well). First, the weather and related atmo-
  spheric/environmental conditions (such as sunspots 
  or solar ﬂares) may make it diﬃcult to send/receive 
  transmissions or to use sensors. Weather tends to 
  aﬀect earlier forms of Systems Operation technology 
  more strongly than later systems; communications 
  and sensory devices of the early twenty-ﬁrst century 
  have much greater capacity to resist weather interfer-
  ence than similar devices from the mid-late twentieth 
  century, for example.
  Similarly, the positioning of the equipment 
  may aﬀect how well it works — putting a radio 
  tower on a promontory tends to work well, while 
  putting it in a valley may degrade its ability to send 
  and receive clearly. Positioning modiﬁers may also 
  account for obstructions that could block systems 
  like radar and sonar.
  Depending on the genre and the situation, the 
  GM may rule that other phenomena cause interfer-
  ence that penalizes Systems Operation (or, more 
  rarely, strengthens a signal). For example, in some Sci-
  ence Fiction settings, characters sometimes encounter 
  mineral formations that block or degrade transmis-
  sions, magnetic/stellar/cosmic energy ﬁelds that aﬀect 
  communications and sensor systems, and so on.
  TYPES OF SYSTEMS
  The number and variety of systems that Sys-
  tems Operation can apply to is practically limitless, 
  especially in Modern- and Future-era campaigns. 
  Broadly speaking, this equipment falls into six 
  categories:  Communications Systems; Computer 
  Systems; Environmental Systems; Medical Systems; 
  Sensor Systems; and Weapons System.
  SYSTEMS OPERATION  
  MODIFIERS
  General Circumstances 
  Modiﬁer
  Weather/atmospheric conditions*
     Very Good 
  +2
     Good 
  +1
     Average 
  +0
     Poor 
  -2
     Very Poor 
  -4
  Positioning
     Very Good 
  +2
     Good 
  +1
     Average 
  +0
     Poor 
  -2
     Very Poor 
  -4
  Communications Systems 
  Modiﬁer
  Strength of signal (see text)
     Very Weak 
  -4
     Weak 
  -2
     Average 
  +0
     Strong 
  +1
     Very Strong 
  +2
  Eavesdropping on signals (see text)
     Well Known 
  +2
     Known 
  +1 to +0
     Unknown 
  +0 to -1
  Sensor Systems 
  Modiﬁer
  Sought substance/phenomenon is
     Very Weak/Barely Present 
  -4
     Weak/Present In Small Amounts 
  -2
     Average/Present in Average Amounts 
  +0
     Strong/Present in Large Amounts 
  +1
     Very Strong/Present in Enormous Amounts +2 or more
  *:  You can use weather/atmospheric conditions 
  penalties to represent any other sort of interference 
  (such as that caused to sonar by temperature diﬀer-
  entials in the water).
  
  322 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Communications Systems
  One of the main types of equipment Systems 
  Operation applies to is communications systems 
  — devices used to communicate either one-way 
  (such as television or commercial radio) or two-
  way (such as telephones and walkie-talkies). They 
  include:
  ■ Cellular and digital telephones
  ■ Radio
  ■ Satellite communications
  ■ Telegraph (see Western/Victorian, below)
  ■ Telephone (traditional)
  ■ Television
  ■ Fictional versions of these technologies, such as 
  “hyper-radio” in a Science Fiction campaign
  Some of the tasks characters perform with 
  these devices include:  receiving and broadcasting 
  transmissions; overcoming interference; locating 
  and improving transmissions; eavesdropping on 
  transmissions; tracing transmissions; and interrupt-
  ing, disrupting, and jamming transmissions.
  RECEIVING AND BROADCASTING
  The most basic use of communications 
  systems is to broadcast and receive transmis-
  sions. (Of course, some devices, like a standard 
  television, can only receive.) Usually this doesn’t 
  require a roll at all, but if the conditions (weather, 
  positioning, other forms of interference...) make 
  it diﬃcult to send or receive, the GM may require 
  the character to succeed with a roll to get his mes-
  sage through. Failure means the transmission isn’t 
  sent or received properly (it can’t get through, or 
  it’s too broken up or garbled to be understood if 
  it does); a bad failure (by 4 or more) means the 
  wrong message is received.
  OVERCOMING INTERFERENCE
  Instead of tolerating the sorts of interference 
  mentioned above, a character can make a Systems 
  Operation roll to try to overcome them by clearing 
  up or strengthening his signal. He makes a Systems 
  Operation roll subject to interference modiﬁers and 
  the like. This task has a Base Time of 1 Minute. If 
  he succeeds, that roll functions as a Complemen-
  tary Skill Roll for his roll to receive/send the trans-
  mission properly. If he fails, he gets no beneﬁt; if he 
  fails badly (by 4 or more) he suﬀers a -2 penalty on 
  his receive/send roll.
  IMPROVING TRANSMISSIONS
  Sometimes a character using communica-
  tions equipment receives a faint or diﬃcult to locate 
  signal — one for which he has to make a PER Roll 
  at a substantial penalty to try to understand. He can 
  use Systems Operation to focus in on the signal and 
  improve his reception of it as much as possible so he 
  can perceive it clearly. This most often applies when 
  a signal comes from so far away (or from such weak 
  broadcasting equipment) that it just barely reaches the 
  character. The “strength of signal” modiﬁer listed in 
  the Systems Operation Modiﬁer table applies; it takes 
  the place of modiﬁers for interference and the like in 
  most cases. For situations involving routine interfer-
  ence you can use just the interference modiﬁers.
  This task has a Base Time of 1 Minute and 
  requires a Systems Operation roll. If the roll suc-
  ceeds, the character has located the signal and can 
  receive it clearly enough to understand it — in 
  game terms, he suﬀers no penalty to his PER Roll 
  to hear or see the transmission. If he fails, he can’t 
  improve it and suﬀers whatever PER Roll penalty 
  the GM sees ﬁt to impose; if it fails badly, he loses 
  the signal entirely, misunderstands the message, or 
  suﬀers an additional -2 penalty to the PER Roll.
  EAVESDROPPING ON TRANSMISSIONS
  A character can use Systems Operation to 
  locate a particular channel or frequency and 
  “eavesdrop” on it, receiving the transmissions 
  without anyone involved knowing he’s doing so. 
  This is easily done with well-known channels and 
  frequencies (see below), but much harder to do 
  with transmissions on secret or protected channels 
  (such as military broadcasts, a supervillain team’s 
  private radio channel, and the like). This requires a 
  minimum Base Time of 1 Turn (often longer) and 
  a Systems Operation roll. If the roll succeeds, the 
  character’s found what he’s looking for. If it fails he 
  hasn’t; if it fails badly (by 4 or more) he ﬁnds some 
  other signal that he mistakes for the one he wants.
  For eavesdropping purposes, signals come in 
  three varieties:  Well-Known (generated by one’s 
  self and one’s allies); Known (generated by enemies 
  or neutral parties); and Unknown (never before 
  encountered or identiﬁed) (see the Systems Opera-
  tions Modiﬁers table for modiﬁers). Characters 
  can only eavesdrop on transmissions made “in the 
  open.” If a transmission uses a dedicated line (such 
  as a cable television line, telephone line, or telegraph 
  line), the character can only listen in by tapping into 
  the cable. This usually requires Bugging (described 
  earlier in this chapter); placing phone taps and the 
  like is not a function of Systems Operation.
  Of course, just because a character can eaves-
  drop on a signal doesn’t mean he can understand 
  it. Many signals are encrypted or concealed with 
  steganography (thus requiring Cryptography, and 
  probably a lot of time, to “crack”), and sometimes 
  the people the character’s listening to use a lan-
  guage he doesn’t speak.
  TRACING TRANSMISSIONS
  In some cases, characters with the proper equip-
  ment can use Systems Operation to “trace” a transmis-
  sion and determine the physical location it’s coming 
  from. This typically requries access to three or more 
  receivers (such as three cell phone relay towers) that 
  the character can use them to triangulate the posi-
  tion from which a broadcast is coming by analyzing 
  the “time diﬀerence of arrival” (i.e., how long it takes 
  the signal to reach each of the receivers). In some 
  situations a character may be able to tap into a com-
  munications network (like the telephone company) 
  and access its lines. Without that, the character suﬀers 
  substantial penalties to his roll (-3 or more).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  323 
  Tracing a transmission has a Base Time of 1 
  Turn to 1 Minute and requires a Systems Operation 
  roll. If the roll succeeds, the character learns the 
  location the transmission’s coming from. Depend-
  ing the type of technology involved and how well 
  he made the roll, this could be a general location 
  (“somewhere between First and Fifth Streets”) or 
  could be as precise as a GPS-supplied latitude and 
  longitude reading. In general, the more the roll 
  succeeds by, the more precisely the character can 
  pinpoint the location. If the roll fails, he can’t locate 
  it; if it fails badly (by 4 or more), he identiﬁes the 
  signal as coming from the wrong location.
  INTERRUPTING, DISRUPTING, AND  
  JAMMING TRANSMISSIONS
  Systems Operation allows characters to interrupt 
  transmissions (such as a supervillain breaking into 
  broadcast television to announce his latest scheme for 
  world domination) and jam or disrupt transmissions 
  so others cannot receive them (or can’t receive them 
  clearly). This qualiﬁes as a form of electronic warfare 
  (see above) and should be handled as such.
  TYPES OF COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
  The type of communications system a char-
  acter works with can aﬀect what he can do with 
  Systems Operation and how easy it is to do. Some 
  common types of systems include:
  Cellular And Digital Phones
  Cellular and digital phones are a common 
  form of communication in many modern societ-
  ies beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s. Assuming 
  a character has the proper equipment, he can do 
  several things with them.
  First, he can intercept, eavesdrop on, or 
  disrupt cellular communications, as discussed 
  above. Second, in some cases he can identify the 
  person to whom a particular cell phone belongs. 
  He can’t do this just by intercepting the signal 
  (unless the user happens to reveal his identity 
  through things he says while using the phone) 
  — he has to access the records of the seller or 
  service provider. This typically requires Com-
  puter Programming to “hack” into sales, own-
  ership, and usage records and thus determine 
  who bought the phone with the electronic serial 
  number (ESN) in question. If the phone is the 
  “disposable” type with a limited amount of pre-
  paid air time, identifying its purchaser/owner/
  user may be impossible. Some prepaid phones, 
  particularly outside the United States, use GSM 
  chips that can be transferred from one phone to 
  another. These also have identity signals and thus 
  can still be identified even if the original phone 
  is disposed of — it’s the chip itself that matters, 
  not the phone it’s plugged into. Some later-model 
  phones also have built-in GPS technology a char-
  acter can access to pinpoint the phone precisely.
  Third, if he knows a phone’s ESN or GSM 
  signal, he can track a cell phone user by triangulat-
  ing via the nearby cell phone signal relay towers. A 
  cell phone that’s turned on periodically connects 
  with two to ﬁve cellular towers to make sure it can 
  obtain the strongest signal and fastest response 
  
  324 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  time; this occurs even if the phone’s not actively 
  in use. Three towers are needed for a proper tri-
  angulation, but even one tower allows a character 
  to follow the approximate path a cell phone takes 
  as its user travels. Cell phone companies’ systems 
  record which towers a phone uses to make calls 
  at given times, but do not record which towers a 
  phone passively connects with when turned on but 
  not in use. Of course, if a phone is turned oﬀ or has 
  no battery, it’s not connected to any relay towers at 
  all and cannot be traced.
  Pagers
  Most modern pagers connect with cellular 
  towers passively, as described above for cell phones, 
  and as such can be traced if a character knows 
  the pager’s ESN. However, they don’t necessar-
  ily connect as often as cell phones; a connection 
  may occur as infrequently as once an hour or less. 
  Some model pagers do not passively connect at all, 
  making them eﬀectively impossible to trace unless 
  actively in use (but this often increases the time it 
  takes for the user to receive a page).
  Radio
  Radio devices — whether the kind in a car 
  stereo that can only receive, or models that both 
  receive and transmit — use the radio spectrum, 
  a section of the electromagnetic spectrum, to 
  send and/or transmit communications. The radio 
  spectrum ranges from about just a few cycles, to 
  thousands of cycles (kilohertz), to 300 gigacycles 
  (gigahertz). It’s divided into the following “bands,” 
  from lowest to highest:
  ■ ELF (extremely low frequency):  The band 
  from about 3-30 cycles is used to transmit sig-
  nals to submerged submarines because those 
  frequencies penetrate water well. However, the 
  low frequency means messages take longer than 
  normal to send, so they’re usually restricted to 
  short phrases and/or codes.
  ■ VLF (very low frequency):  From about 6,000 
  cycles (6 kilocycles, or kilohertz) to 30 kc. It’s used 
  primarily for maritime communication and naviga-
  tion signals.
  ■ LF (low frequency):  From 30-300 kc. Also used 
  primarily for maritime communication and naviga-
  tion signals.
  ■ MF (medium frequency):  From 300 kc to 3 
  megacycles. AM broadcasting uses this band.
  ■ HF (high frequency):  From 3-30 mc. Ham radios, 
  CB radios, law enforcement radios, international 
  shortwave broadcasts, most alarm systems, garage 
  door openers, most cordless phones, walkie-talkies, 
  baby monitors, and radio-controlled (RC) toys use 
  this band (some versions of some of these tech-
  nologies use the VHF band instead).
  ■ VHF (very high frequency):  From 30-300 mc. 
  Most bugs (listening devices) use the VHF band, 
  as does FM radio and most television stations. For 
  example, FM radio is assigned the band of frequen-
  cies between 88 and 108 MHz (megahertz, or mil-
  lions of cycles per second).
  ■ UHF (ultrahigh frequency):  From 300 mc to 
  3 gigacycles. UHF television broadcasters, police 
  repeaters, and cell phones use this band.
  ■ SHF (superhigh frequency):  From 3-30 gc. This 
  is a microwave band used for various high-end 
  communications and navigation purposes, satellite 
  transmissions, the GPS system, and the like.
  ■ EHF (extremely high frequency):  From 30-300 
  gc, approaching the realm of infrared light.
  Lower frequency radio waves are “ground 
  waves,” meaning they follow the curvature of the 
  Earth and so tend to have limited range (though 
  shortwave signals, such as in ham radio, can go all 
  around the world). However, they can bounce oﬀ 
  the “Heaviside layer” in the ionosphere (“skywave”) 
  and thus travel further, especially at night (the 
  season and sunspot activity also aﬀect how far a 
  radio transmission can travel). In the upper bands 
  used with satellite transmissions and the like, a 
  radio broadcast can reach anywhere in the world.
  The exact range of any given radio depends 
  on its power, the size of its antenna, and other fac-
  tors. As a rule of thumb, assume a handheld unit (a 
  walkie-talkie, for example) has a range of about 2-4 
  km, a backpack radio unit a range of 40-60 km, and 
  a vehicle mounted radio a range of 300-500 km. At 
  the GM’s option, a character can make a Systems 
  Operation roll to extend this range — +10% range 
  for every point by which the roll succeeds. If the 
  roll fails, the character gets no range bonus; if it 
  fails badly (by 4 or more) reduce the range by 10% 
  per point of failure. (These range rules apply pri-
  marily in more “realistic” campaigns; in cinematic 
  campaigns radios may have much longer ranges 
  depending on the needs of the story.)
  Receiving and broadcasting using radio 
  devices is usually pretty easy; after all they’re meant 
  for more or less public access in many ways. Inter-
  cepting, jamming, or tracking a radio signal may 
  sometimes be diﬃcult for this reason; the GM may 
  impose modiﬁers of -1 or more.
  Satellite Communications
  Since the ﬁrst ones were launched in the 
  late 1950s, satellites have become an increasingly 
  important part of modern communications. They 
  allow for rapid transmission of news around the 
  world, precise tracking of vehicles and people, 
  measurements of the weather and other phenom-
  ena, and the relaying of all sorts of communica-
  tions signals. Communications satellites parked 
  in geosynchronous orbit (22,223 miles above the 
  Earth so they remain in a ﬁxed position relative 
  to the ground) essentially function as large radio 
  frequency receiver/transmitters with a global range 
  (though millisecond-length delays may result from 
  the distances involved).
  Using Systems Operation to work with satellite 
  communications is more or less the same as work-
  ing with standard radio communications, but with 
  greater range and potentially many more signals 
  to search through and ﬁlter out to ﬁnd the one 
  the character wants. The GM may impose a -2 (or 
  greater) penalty to account for this.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  325 
  Telephone
  Systems Operation does not include the abil-
  ity to plant wiretaps in phones or the like — that’s 
  covered by Bugging (q.v.). However, characters with 
  the proper equipment can use Systems Operation 
  to trace phone calls. Given access to phone com-
  pany systems that record the number dialed from, 
  dialed to, and the time, tracing a call can require as 
  little as a Full Phase, though 1 Turn may be more 
  accurate in many instances. A character without 
  such access has to use Computer Programming and 
  the like to 
  Television
  Television involves broadcasting audio and 
  video transmissions using some of the upper-end 
  radio spectrum frequencies. Some TVs can also 
  receive signals from cable or satellites. Interfering 
  with, disrupting, or eavesdropping on these signals 
  is similar to doing the same things with radio or 
  satellite transmissions.
  Computer Systems
  While characters primarily use Computer Pro-
  gramming to work with computers, they can also 
  use Systems Operation to indicate their knowledge 
  of broad computer systems such as mainframes, the 
  Internet, the Cybernet (in Cyberpunk campaigns), 
  computer networks, and the like. In this respect Sys-
  tems Operation typically serves as a Complementary 
  Skill to Computer Programming, but when the task 
  at hand involves sending or receiving data using com-
  puters the GM might reverse that relationship.
  Environmental Systems
  In everyday life on Earth, characters rarely 
  (if ever) have to worry about making Skill Rolls 
  to keep the air conditioning and heating running 
  smoothly. But when they venture out into hostile 
  environments on starships and submarines or live 
  in undersea domed communities their lives depend 
  on keeping life support and other environmental 
  systems functioning smoothly and properly. Sys-
  tems Operation is the Skill that lets them do that.
  Under ordinary circumstances, building, main-
  taining, repairing, and using environmental systems 
  doesn’t require Skill Rolls... but adventures often 
  feature circumstances that aren’t so ordinary. When 
  necessary, the GM should have a character make 
  a Systems Operation roll to keep the life support 
  functioning long enough for his starship to make it 
  to safety, to “lock it out” so invaders can’t take con-
  trol of it themselves (a form of electronic warfare, 
  essentially), “stretch out” the available breathing 
  gases so the crew can survive long enough to reach 
  a source of resupply, and so forth.Typically this 
  roll is unmodiﬁed and has a Base Time of 1 Turn, 
  though some tasks may only take a Full Phase (and 
  major repairs or the like could take hours). Success 
  means the character achieves his goals, failure that 
  he does not (but can try again subject to the usual 
  rules for doing so), and a bad failure (by 4 or more) 
  that he makes the situation worse.
  Medical Systems
  Characters who know how to work with 
  radios and sensors aren’t doctors. But as of the 
  mid-to-late twentieth century and beyond, many 
  types of medical equipment — CT scanners, CAT 
  scanners, x-ray machines, MRI scanners, laser 
  surgery devices, and many more — are so com-
  plex that they fall under the rubric of Systems 
  Operation. (With the GM’s permission characters 
  could buy PS: Use Medical Devices instead to 
  represent the ability to use medical machines but 
  not communications or sensory devices.)
  The Base Time required to use a medical 
  system varies, but is usually 1 Minute (and pos-
  sibly much longer). Skill Rolls aren’t required for 
  routine use, but may be if diﬃculties arise or there 
  are problems with the subject. In that case success 
  indicates the device functioned as intended and 
  obtained the information sought. Failure means 
  the device didn’t work properly or gave an invalid 
  reading for some reason; bad failure (by 4 or more) 
  that the character obtains incorrect information, 
  possibly leading to serious medical complications 
  for the patient.
  Sensor Systems
  Besides communication systems, the devices 
  characters most often use Systems Operation with 
  are sensor systems — devices intended to detect 
  and/or record the presence of certain objects or 
  phenomena. While humans have long used devices 
  that enhanced existing senses (such as telescopes), 
  machines that can perceive and record phenom-
  ena humans cannot (such as radio waves, gamma 
  rays, or the presence of questionite) are a relatively 
  recent development.
  The primary uses of Systems Operation with 
  sensors include:  properly sensing something; 
  making a valid recording of things sensed; analyz-
  ing recordings of sensed data; and disrupting or 
  jamming enemy sensor systems.
  SENSING THINGS
  First and foremost, characters use Systems 
  Operation to operate a sensor properly and obtain 
  the data sought (whether that data is “what we’re 
  looking for is here” or “what we’re looking for 
  is not here”). In ordinary situations this doesn’t 
  require any Skill Roll. If the substance or phenom-
  enon sought is only present in minor amounts, or 
  some other situation imposes a penalty, then the 
  GM should call for a roll. (If appropriate, the char-
  acter may be able to use the “overcoming inter-
  ference” rules for communications systems with 
  sensors to obtain better results by strengthening 
  the “search pulse,” broadening the “search wave,” 
  overcoming the eﬀects of materials that block sen-
  sors, or the like.)
  If the roll succeeds, the character operates the 
  sensor properly. His roll functions as a Comple-
  mentary Skill for the sensor’s PER Roll, thus 
  making it more likely that the sensor obtains an 
  accurate reading. If the roll fails, the sensor fails to 
  FICTIONAL  
  SYSTEMS
  In the fictional set-
  tings of HERO System 
  campaigns, many types 
  of communications 
  and sensory equipment 
  that don’t exist in the 
  real world could be 
  available to the PCs. 
  This is particularly 
  true in Science Fiction 
  campaigns, where star-
  ships and characters 
  alike often have Rubber 
  Science “scanners” 
  that can find nearly 
  any type of energy or 
  physical phenomena, 
  communications sys-
  tems that can broadcast 
  at faster than the speed 
  of light, and so on. Sys-
  tems Operation covers 
  these devices. Since 
  any potential modifiers 
  depend entirely on the 
  type of technology and 
  the setting involved, 
  the GM should come 
  up with rules for them, 
  using the rules for reg-
  ular Systems Operation 
  use as guidelines.
  
  326 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ﬁnd whatever’s sought (it doesn’t get to make a PER 
  Roll); if it fails badly (by 4 or more), the character 
  obtains incorrect information from using them.
  Typically using sensors to search for some-
  thing has a Base Time of a Full Phase, but this can 
  vary depending on the type of sensor involved, 
  what’s sought, the amount of interference present 
  (if any), and other factors.
  Electronic Surveillance Measures
  Electronic surveillance measures (ESM) is a type 
  of electronic warfare that consists of looking for, inter-
  cepting, tracking, and identifying enemy signals. With 
  the proper equipment, an ESM technician can “see” 
  every radar platform within his range, which depends 
  on equipment sensitivity but is usually about three 
  times as long as the range over which the enemy radar 
  can see him (and also much longer than the range of 
  his own side’s radars).
  To defeat ESM, a technician uses EMCON 
  (Emission Control). A platform subject to EMCON 
  transmits nothing — it shuts oﬀ all active sensor 
  systems, relying solely on passive sensors instead, 
  and thus can’t be detected by ESM. ECM methods 
  also include SuperRBOC (Super Rapid Blooming 
  Offboard Chaﬀ, canisters of foil strips ﬁred away 
  from a ship or aircraft to confuse radar; submarines 
  have equivalent noisemakers; see Radar, below, 
  for more information) and Infrared Washdown 
  (washing a ship’s hot areas to cool them down). See 
  Radar, below, for some characteristics of radar sys-
  tems that ESM technicians use to identify them.
  As of the early twenty-first century, the most 
  advanced ESM system can perceive the intrapulse 
  characteristics of enemy signals. This means they 
  can detect the unique features of the crystals 
  resonating in the radiated frequency generator, 
  allowing them to identify the enemy system pre-
  cisely. The earliest ESM systems picked up audio 
  signals, which the operator had to identify using 
  experience and reference books. As the technol-
  ogy advanced, more and more of the identifica-
  tion function was built into the system, leading 
  to the Specific Emitter Identification technology 
  of the latest ESM devices.
  MAKING RECORDINGS
  In many cases sensors are connected to 
  devices that make a record of what the sensors 
  perceived for later analysis. In most situations 
  this function is automatic, requiring no roll. If 
  for some reason making an accurate recording 
  is crucial, the GM can have the character make 
  a Systems Operation roll (the Base Time for this 
  varies, depending upon how long the substance/
  phenomenon in question is to be observed). If 
  the roll succeeds, the character obtains an accu-
  rate recording; if it fails, the recording doesn’t 
  work or is somehow invalid. If it fails badly (by 
  4 or more), the recording is somehow wrong or 
  causes other problems for the character.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  327 
  ANALYZING RECORDINGS
  Characters sometimes need to perform in-
  depth analyses of recordings to extract useful 
  data from them. This includes isolating the 
  sounds on an audio tape to eliminate “clut-
  ter” so valuable sounds can be heard clearly, or 
  digitally “magnifying” part of a video recording 
  using computer software so tiny details are vis-
  ible (“digital zoom”). This task may require a 
  Systems Operation roll, sometimes at a penalty 
  set by the GM to reflect the difficulty of getting 
  the desired information (“damage to subject” 
  penalties may also apply). It has a Base Time of 
  1 Turn for simple tasks (like using an advanced 
  digital zoom feature on a computer) and 1 Hour 
  for more complex ones (like isolating a single 
  sound on an audio tape of a concert). If the 
  roll succeeds, the character obtains an accurate 
  analysis. If it fails, he can’t obtain the information 
  he wants; if it fails badly (by 4 or more) he either 
  destroys the medium or obtains incorrect data.
  Analyzing recordings may also include chang-
  ing them — for example, using powerful com-
  puter software to alter a videotape to replace the 
  murderer’s face with that of an innocent person. 
  This requires a Base Time of 1 Hour or longer and 
  a Systems Operation roll as described above.
  DISRUPTING AND JAMMING SENSORS
  Systems Operation allows characters to dis-
  rupt or jam another person’s use of sensors. This 
  qualiﬁes as a form of electronic warfare (see above) 
  and should be handled as such. It’s particularly 
  common in some Military Science Fiction cam-
  paigns where one starship tries to obtain a “sensor 
  lock” on another so it can accurately ﬁre its weap-
  ons, and the potential target does its best to disrupt 
  the lock to prevent that.
  TYPES OF SENSOR SYSTEMS
  The type of sensors a character’s working with 
  can aﬀect what he can do with Systems Operation 
  and how easy it is to do. Some common types of 
  systems include:
  Audio And Video Recording Devices
  Ranging from tape recorders, to VCRs and 
  DVRs, to computer systems able to digitally record 
  information gathered by sensors they’re connected 
  to, recording devices are an essential part of many 
  sensor systems. A character with Systems Opera-
  tion knows how to use them to retrieve recorded 
  data, display that data... and if necessary manipulate 
  that data (see above).
  Lidar
  LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is 
  similar to radar (see below) but uses light instead 
  of radio waves. By broadcasting light at a target 
  and recording how the light is reﬂected back to the 
  instrument, the operator can gather various types 
  of data. Typically lidar is used to determine the dis-
  tance between one object and another (i.e., range-
  ﬁnders), to measure chemicals in the atmosphere 
  (diﬀerential absorption lidar), and to determine the 
  velocity of moving objects (Doppler lidar).
  Radar
  RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) 
  is a technology ﬁrst developed in the 1930s and 
  deployed for practical eﬀect during World War II. 
  A radar device projects radio waves that bounce 
  oﬀ objects and return to the device’s receiver. By 
  analyzing the waves, the device can determine the 
  distance to the object, its velocity, and its direction 
  of movement. Radar is a vital component of many 
  military sensors (both oﬀensive and defensive), 
  air traﬃc control systems, meteorological sen-
  sors, “radar guns” used by police to catch speeding 
  motorists, and many other devices.
  Early radars used long wavelengths, meaning 
  they could only detect large objects (like airplanes) 
  and often received only vague readings. Modern 
  radars use shorter wavelengths that let them per-
  ceive much smaller objects — some can accurately 
  image objects smaller than a loaf of bread. Some 
  objects, such as “stealth” airplanes, are deliberately 
  shaped to minimize their “radar proﬁle” and thus 
  make them harder to detect with radar (or even 
  invisible to it). Some military vehicles can also emit 
  chaﬀ, reﬂective strips or wires of metal that scatter 
  but don’t reﬂect radar waves, thus protecting them-
  selves from being “seen.” (See The Ultimate Vehicle 
  and The HERO System Vehicle Sourcebook for how 
  to buy these abilities using Powers.)
  Many things — signal noise (noise produced 
  by the radar itself), atmospheric phenomena, 
  birds, radio frequency “clutter” from the ground 
  and other objects, and so on — can interfere with 
  radar (in game terms, these count as “interfer-
  ence” penalties to the radar’s PER Roll). The 
  higher a radar’s “signal to noise ratio” (SNR) 
  the better its ability to get an accurate reading 
  despite such interference. (In game terms, the 
  higher a radar’s PER Roll, the higher its SNR.) 
  Characters can minimize this sort of interference 
  using all sorts of technologies and techniques, 
  generically referred to as “signal processing” (see 
  above for how to do this in rules terms).
  Many types of radar exist. The most 
  common are radars used to scan the sky for air-
  craft, atmospheric phenomena, and the like. They 
  work on over a dozen “bands” ranging from 3 
  megahertz up to 110 gigahertz. For example the 
  HF (“high frequency”) band is used for coastal 
  radars, L (“long”) for air traffic control and 
  surveillance, C for weather radars and satellite 
  transponders, UHF for ballistic missile detection 
  and penetration of ground and foliage, and X for 
  missile guidance, marine radar, weather radar, 
  and medium-resolution mapping and ground 
  surveillance. Military roles and functions for 
  aerial radar include early warning (EW) radar, 
  target acquisition (TA) radar, surface search (SS) 
  radar, target tracking (TT) radar, fire control 
  (FC) systems, missile guidance systems, and 
  battlefield reconnaissance radar. Other types 
  of radar include ground effect radar (which 
  tracks objects on the ground and is used in some 
  security devices) and ground-penetrating radar 
  (GPR, used for subsurface exploration in search 
  of oil, archaeological artifacts, and the like).
  
  328 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Radar devices have numerous charac-
  teristics:  radiated frequency (RF, the signal’s 
  transmitted frequency); pulse width (PW, how 
  long the radar transmission lasts, usually in 
  microseconds or nanoseconds); pulse repetition 
  frequency (PRF, the number of pulses transmit-
  ted per second); pulse repetition interval (PRI, 
  the time between the leading edges of the pulses, 
  usually measured in microseconds); scan type 
  (the type of scan used — 360-degrees [like most 
  air-searching radars], over a particular section 
  or area, conical [as with most fire control sys-
  tems], steady [caused by a weapon lock-on], and 
  so forth); scan rate (how often a radar “paints” a 
  target); and so on. By analyzing a transmission’s 
  characteristics, an electronic warfare specialist 
  can determine the type of radar being used, and 
  possibly the platform it’s carried on and maybe 
  even the individual radar unit itself (which can 
  tell him that a specific ship or plane has been 
  deployed in a specific area, and so forth). This 
  requires a Systems Operation roll with a Base 
  Time of 1 Turn. If the roll succeeds exactly, the 
  character identifies the type of radar; if it suc-
  ceeds by 2, he identifies the platform (see below); 
  if it succeeds by 4 he identifies the exact radar in 
  use. If the roll fails, he cannot identify anything; 
  if it fails badly (by 4 or more), he misidentifies 
  the radar in use (or misses the signal entirely). 
  Misidentification can mean identifying an enemy 
  as a friend (or vice-versa) or identifying an inno-
  cent object as hostile.
  For game purposes, a character trying to iden-
  tify a radar platform who succeeds with his roll by 
  2 or more (see above) can identify it as belonging to 
  one of ﬁve classes:  Aircraft; Marine Surface Craft; 
  Submarine; Ground Vehicle; Ground Installation. 
  If the roll succeeds by 4 or more, the character can 
  identify the speciﬁc type of platform in question 
  (such as Carrier, Cruiser, or Destroyer for Marine 
  Surface Craft), the speciﬁc type of radar used, and 
  in many cases the speciﬁc vehicle by name.
  Some radars have RF or PRI “agility,” mean-
  ing they shift between a range of values for those 
  characteristics. This makes them harder to jam (-1 
  on all attempts) but often more distinctive and thus 
  easier to identify (+1 on all attempts).
  Sonar
  SONAR (SOund Navigation And Ranging) is 
  similar in some ways to radar, but uses sound waves 
  underwater to detect other ships, assist with navi-
  gation, ﬁnd schools of ﬁsh, take “echo soundings” to 
  measure the depth of the water, and the like. Unlike 
  radar it doesn’t work in the air, just underwater. 
  The ﬁrst passive sonar devices (which perceive 
  sounds given oﬀ by other objects, but generate no 
  sound themselves) were invented in 1906; active 
  sonar (which gives oﬀ sound pulses [“pings”] and 
  analyzes the sound that “bounces oﬀ” objects and 
  returns to the device) followed in 1915.
  Many factors can aﬀect the accuracy of sonar. 
  Chief among these is the fact that water salinity 
  and temperature aﬀect the speed of sound. The 
  thermocline, a marked change in water temperature 
  between 30 and 100 meters deep (15”-50”), is par-
  ticularly likely to cause problems because it “bends” 
  the sound waves. The GM can apply “weather/
  atmospheric conditions” interference penalties as 
  appropriate to reﬂect these conditions.
  A skilled sonar operator can often identify 
  many objects and watercraft by the sounds they 
  make, both innately and when pinged by sonar 
  waves. In game terms, such a character has KS: 
  Sonar Profiles. Sonar systems often have data-
  bases of sounds built in so they can identify what 
  they perceive.
  Weapons Systems
  Advanced weapons such as missiles are 
  launched with the Systems Operation Skill. Each 
  type of advanced weapon has its own Weapon 
  System subgroup — Patriot missiles, antimatter 
  space torpedoes, and so forth. (This does not 
  apply to vehicular weapons; those require WF: 
  Vehicle Weapons.)
  Other Rules
  EQUIPMENT
  Systems Operation requires equipment — the 
  devices used to transmit and receive communica-
  tions, sense objects and phenomena, and so forth. 
  Examples include radio broadcast and receiving 
  units, scanners able to receive signals from the 
  entire radio spectrum, radar arrays, sonar arrays, 
  recording devices, and the like. Without such 
  equipment characters can rarely make use of Sys-
  tems Operation.
  POWERS AND SYSTEMS OPERATION
  Characters with Enhanced Senses may not 
  need equipment to use Systems Operation. For 
  example, perhaps a character who can sense and 
  project radio waves buys Systems Operation as 
  a form of the Power Skill, allowing him to better 
  analyze the information he receives from his innate 
  High Range Radio Perception and Radar, to locate 
  various radio frequencies, and even to engage in 
  electronic warfare. Sense-Aﬀecting Powers that 
  aﬀect the Radio Group can block, trick, or interfere 
  with Systems Operation equipment.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failing various Systems 
  Operation rolls are discussed above. Generally, a 
  failed roll means the character doesn’t ﬁnd what 
  he’s looking for, receive/send the transmission, or 
  the like; a badly-failed roll inconveniences or harms 
  him in some way (for example, it means he misin-
  terprets data or damages his equipment).
  BASE TIMES
  For some tasks the text above lists a Base Time. 
  For operating devices with Systems Operation 
  generally the Base Time is a Half Phase, but the 
  circumstances modify this extensively. Getting a 
  device “warmed up” and ready for use may require 
  many seconds (or even minutes), and operating a 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  329 
  communications system takes as long as the con-
  versation being conducted. The time required to 
  transmit or receive large amounts of data depends 
  on the speed and strength of the signal.
  SUBDIVIDING SYSTEMS OPERATION
  As described above, Systems Operation is a 
  “cinematic” Skill — characters using it can oper-
  ate any kind of system from advanced weapons, 
  to satellites, to air traﬃc control technology. This 
  approach may not be appropriate for highly “real-
  istic” campaigns, particularly those that emphasize 
  high technology. In those games, the GM may wish 
  to break the Skill down into categories.
  In an eﬀort to make this Skill a little more 
  “realistic” and diﬀerentiate technology-based char-
  acters a bit, the Expanded Systems Operation text 
  box presents one possible scheme for subdividing 
  Systems Operation, though others are certainly 
  possible given the nature and prevalence of tech-
  nology in a campaign. Characters can learn any one 
  category for 2 Character Points for a (9 + (INT/5)) 
  roll; each additional category costs +2 Character 
  Points, or each additional subcategory +1 Character 
  Point; improving the roll for all categories known 
  costs +2 Character Points for each +1 to the roll.
  SYSTEMS OPERATION BY GENRE
  Systems Operation varies tremendously 
  from genre to genre and period to period based 
  largely on what sorts of technology are avail-
  able (see the text box on page 330). In a Modern 
  campaign, it allows characters to operate radar 
  screens and monitor radio transmissions. In 
  a Future campaign, it lets them use high-tech 
  sensors to sweep for ships, planets, and stars. 
  Characters could examine a planet for cities, 
  radioactivity, life forms, or metals, and then com-
  municate their findings back to headquarters via 
  hyperspace radio. The Obsolete And Advanced 
  Technology rules from Chapter One, and related 
  rules, often apply. Systems Operation generally 
  has no applicability in pre-industrial settings.
  Fantasy
  This Skill does not apply in Fantasy cam-
  paigns, though it would apply in games featuring 
  magicomechanical technology or the like. In more 
  traditional Fantasy settings, the GM might allow 
  characters to buy Systems Operation to reﬂect their 
  knowledge of, and ability to use, low-tech signaling 
  systems (signal ﬁres, semaphore-type ﬂags, drum 
  networks, and the like). Additionally, the GM might 
  require characters to use Systems Operation to 
  work complex siege engines, instead of just buying 
  a Weapon Familiarity.
  In High Fantasy games with copious magic, it’s 
  possible that wizards would buy Systems Opera-
  tion (perhaps renamed) as the Skill with which to 
  use crystal balls and similar enchanted items. They 
  might even have the ability to engage in “magic 
  warfare” instead of electronic warfare as they jam 
  other wizards’ communication spells, perform divi-
  nation rituals to pinpoint enemies to target with 
  attack spells, and so forth.
  Pulp
  In the Pulp era, this Skill primarily applies 
  to radio (and, for Gadgeteers and their ilk, primi-
  tive television systems) — radar’s only just under 
  development and is a top-level military secret, so 
  most PCs will never encounter it; sonar likewise 
  primarily consists of military prototypes. Radios 
  are common, but not nearly as sophisticated or easy 
  to use as modern-day versions; characters may have 
  to make frequent rolls to maintain the strength of a 
  transmission, overcome interference, and the like.
  Western/Victorian
  In these genres Systems Operation applies 
  primarily to the telegraph (though it does not grant 
  knowledge of Morse Code; see page 213). Invented 
  independently in 1837 by Samuel Morse (US) and 
  Wheatstone and Cooke (UK) based on some earlier 
  work by others, the electric telegraph allowed mes-
  sages to be sent long distances along wires. (Wire-
  less telegraphy followed beginning in the 1890s 
  and early 1900s.) Telegraphers, typically using the 
  EXPANDED SYSTEMS  
  OPERATION
  Communications Systems (may be purchased as a group)
  Broadcast Communications (television or broadcast radio equipment)
  Cellular & Digital Communications (cellular phones, pagers, and so forth)
  ESM/ECM/ECCM (equipment speciﬁcally designed to detect and confuse opposing 
  communications systems)
  Radio (standard radio systems, CB radio, ham radio, military radios)
  Satellite Communications (use of satellites and satellite networks to transmit signals)
  Telegraph Communications (installing and using telegraph machines)
  Telephone Communications (installing and using the phone system)
  FTL Communications
  Dimensional/Temporal Communications
  Computer Systems (may be purchased as a group) (Characters with the Computer Pro-
  gramming Skill automatically have knowledge of this group, but may purchase Systems 
  Operation with it for use as a Complementary Skill.)
  Basic Computers (basic desktop and laptop systems, PCs, Macs)
  Cyberspace Systems (BBSes, the Internet, commercial online services, cyberspace)
  Mainframes (UNIX- and VAX-based systems, large corporate networks/intranets)
  Military Computers
  Networks
  Environmental Systems (may be purchased as a group)
  Life Support Systems (breathing gases, heating, and so forth)
  Personnel Support Systems (food synthesizers, waste management, and so forth)
  Recreation Systems (games, holo-chambers, and so forth)
  Medical Systems (may be purchased as a group)
  Medical Sensors (x-ray equipment, MRI equipment, and so forth)
  Surgical Equipment
  Sensor Systems (must be purchased separately)
  Air/Space Traﬃc Control Systems (other than radar and radio)
  ESM/ECM/ECCM (equipment speciﬁcally designed to detect and confuse opposing 
  sensors)
  Lidar
  Metal Detectors
  Radar
  Sonar (passive and active arrays, towed arrays)
  FTL Sensors
  Dimensional/Temporal Sensors
  Weapons Systems (must be purchased separately; see text)
  
  330 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Morse code of dots-and-dashes invented by Morse 
  and Alfred Vail, don’t have to make Systems Opera-
  tion rolls for routine operation of a telegraph, but 
  must roll when there’s interference on the line or 
  other problems. A telegrapher’s distinctive way of 
  sending signals (his “ﬁst”) could be identiﬁed by 
  someone familiar with it; this requires a roll with 
  Systems Operation (assuming the character has 
  been exposed to the target’s ﬁst before).
  TACTICS
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Intellect Skill know how to 
  ﬁght eﬀectively and eﬃciently. Generally Tactics 
  only applies to discrete battles and small units 
  (squads, platoons, or companies at the most), not 
  to overall strategic or theater planning (which 
  requires a host of Knowledge Skills in addition to 
  Tactics; but see below).
  A character with Tactics is an expert at indi-
  vidual and small-unit combat. He knows how to 
  evaluate and muster his tactical assets for best 
  eﬀect. He usually knows what must be done to win 
  a battle or conﬂict (or at least he can ﬁnd the best 
  position to set up his forces), and when a battle 
  or tactical situation is hopeless. He can also direct 
  the tactics of small units. Generally speaking, he’s 
  familiar with military history (though not as well-
  versed in it as someone with an appropriate Knowl-
  edge Skill) and can compare a given tactical situa-
  tion to a similar battle of yore as part of his analysis 
  of the situation.
  Using Tactics
  In many campaigns it’s best to use Tactics spar-
  ingly, though the suggested uses below may make it 
  an attractive purchase for many characters. It’s most 
  useful when a character would have a chance to ﬁgure 
  out how to deal with a combat situation, but the player 
  cannot. In that case a successful roll allows the GM 
  and other players to provide assistance and advice, 
  thus simulating the character’s advanced tactical 
  awareness compared to that of the player.
  This is particularly helpful when a character’s 
  about to do something tactically foolish or disad-
  vantageous and he ought to realize it. In that case 
  the GM can call for a Tactics roll. If the roll suc-
  ceeds, the GM advises the player that the proposed 
  action is dangerous (and why, in at least vague 
  terms) and allows him to reconsider; if the roll fails, 
  the character goes ahead with his plan of attack.
  In situations where characters use Tactics to 
  inspire others, such as in most mass combat situa-
  tions, the GM may have them make the roll based 
  on PRE rather than INT.
  Some other uses of Tactics include:
  MASS COMBAT
  If the campaign uses the mass combat rules 
  (described beginning on page 207 of Fantasy Hero), 
  Tactics plays a signiﬁcant role in that activity — for 
  example, it’s the Skill a character uses to lead a unit 
  into battle. See Fantasy Hero for details.
  In a mass combat situation, a character with 
  Tactics can study and evaluate an enemy force, 
  determining its strength, tactical assets, and the like 
  in comparison with his own force. In eﬀect, this 
  functions like the Analyze Skill (Analyze Tactical 
  Situation, if you will); refer to the rules for that Skill 
  for more information.
  SYSTEMS OPERATION  
  TECHNOLOGY
  This table summarizes some of the types of technol-
  ogy Systems Operation applies to, from the most 
  primitive to the most advanced currently known (or 
  speculated about).
  1. Primitive:  telegraph; early telephone
  2. Rudimentary:  wireless radios, crystal radio sets
  3. Early Electronic:  telephone switchboards, early radios
  4. Basic Electronic:  advanced radios, early radar and 
  sonar, early jamming techniques, hydrophones
  5. Standard Electronic:  encrypted radio, radar, sonar, 
  jamming techniques, early anti-jamming techniques
  6. Advanced Electronic:  3D radar, advanced sonar, 
  sophisticated communications, advanced counter-
  measures.
  7. Computer-Controlled Electronic:  ECM suites, 
  AEGIS radar, sonar suites, communications suites
  8. Futuristic Electronic:  artiﬁcially intelligent sensor/
  communications suites.
  At the GM’s option, characters can use this table 
  instead of the standard rules for Obsolete And 
  Advanced Technologies (see Chapter One). For each 
  step up this list (i.e., more primitive) that an oppo-
  nent’s Systems Operation equipment is, a character 
  gets a +2 bonus to his rolls; for every step down (i.e., 
  more advanced) that an opponent’s systems are, he 
  suﬀers a -2 penalty.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  331 
  ANTICIPATING ENEMY ACTIONS
  In situations where a character might be able 
  to anticipate the actions of an enemy (such as when 
  or where he’ll attack, what his goal for the combat 
  is, or which PC a villain intends to attack ﬁrst), the 
  character can make a Tactics roll with a Base Time 
  of a Half Phase. If the roll succeeds, the character 
  correctly predicts the enemy’s actions and can pre-
  pare for them (at the GM’s option, this might give 
  him a +1 OCV or DCV for or against one enemy 
  for one Phase or so). If the roll fails, the character 
  learns nothing helpful; if it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more), the character incorrectly anticipates enemy 
  action and suﬀers a -2 DCV against the enemy’s 
  next attack versus him.
  In the case of ambushes and similar attacks, a 
  successful Tactics roll serves as a Complementary 
  Roll to the character’s PER Roll to spot the ambush.
  BATTLEFIELD ANALYSIS
  A character can use Tactics to evaluate the 
  environment in which he’s fighting and deter-
  mine what features, if any, might be tactically 
  advantageous to him. For example, in mass 
  combat he might look around the battlefield and 
  realize that a specific hill will give his unit sev-
  eral advantages (including a commanding view 
  of the conflict as a whole). Similarly, when the 
  PCs are fighting a group of villains in a factory, a 
  character who succeeds with a Tactics roll could 
  figure out that the pipes on the wall are steam 
  pipes... and that he might be able to use them to 
  set up a devastating surprise attack against one 
  of the villains by causing them to burst at the 
  right place and time.
  Battleﬁeld analysis has a Base Time of a Half 
  Phase. If the roll succeeds, the GM should inform 
  the character about any tactical assets in the locale 
  that the character could be aware of. (Sometimes 
  there may be none, in which case the GM so 
  informs the character. Sometimes the character 
  may roll in response to a question [like, “Are there 
  any barrels of oil nearby?”], with the GM answer-
  ing in the aﬃrmative if the roll succeeds.) If the 
  roll fails, the character doesn’t notice any tactically 
  useful assets; if it fails badly (by 4 or more), he mis-
  takenly identiﬁes something useless as being tacti-
  cally valuable (or vice-versa).
  IMPROVING SMALL UNIT EFFICIENCY
  Characters with Tactics are well-versed in 
  small unit combat, and the “unit” they’re most 
  familiar with tends to be the player character 
  group or team. At the GM’s option, a character can 
  use Tactics to improve the eﬃciency of his team 
  in combat. This has a Base Time of a Full Phase 
  and typically can only be done once per combat. 
  The character has to give speciﬁc instructions 
  to each of his teammates (which assumes he has 
  some means to communicate with them without 
  the enemy overhearing them). He then makes his 
  roll. For each point by which the roll succeeds, the 
  character receives a +1 bonus which he can assign 
  to any character (himself or a teammate). The char-
  acter determines how much of the bonus to assign 
  to which of his teammates; he can assign all the 
  bonus to one person, split the bonus up equally, or 
  the like. The recipients of the bonus can use them 
  to improve OCV or DCV, as if they were 8-point 
  Combat Skill Levels with 1 Charge. However, the 
  
  332 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  recipients only get their respective bonuses if (a) 
  they obey the instructions the character gave them, 
  and (b) do so on their next Phase (whether it takes 
  place in the same Segment the character made his 
  roll or a later Segment). The bonuses, once used, 
  fade away; characters don’t get to keep using them 
  for the duration of the combat. If the roll fails, the 
  character receives no bonuses; if it fails badly (by 4 
  or more), he and each of his teammates suﬀers a -1 
  DCV for the next two Segments.
  Example:  The Champions are ﬁghting the Ulti-
  mates. Ironclad decided to try to use his Tac-
  tics roll to improve the team’s eﬃciency. Using 
  his team radio, he tells Defender to Entangle 
  Slick, Nighthawk to attack Binder from behind, 
  and Sapphire and Witchcraft to double-team 
  Cyclone while he takes on Blackstar (Thunder-
  bolt’s already unconscious). He makes his Tac-
  tics roll, succeeding by 4. That gives him a total 
  of +4 worth of bonuses to assign. He decides 
  to give +1 to Defender, +2 to Nighthawk, and 
  +1 to himself. These bonuses only apply if the 
  Champions follow his instructions on their 
  respective next Phases; anyone who does any-
  thing else on his next Phase loses the bonus.
  PLANNING AMBUSHES AND ATTACKS
  The counterpart to anticipating enemy actions 
  is planning one’s own actions for best eﬀect and 
  to thwart the enemy’s ability to ﬁgure out what 
  one plans to do. To some extent many functions of 
  Tactics do this one way or another, but special rules 
  apply to ambushes. When a character with Tactics 
  sets up an ambush, he can make a Tactics roll with 
  a Base Time of 1 Turn (perhaps only a Full Phase if 
  he doesn’t have more than six people to plan for). If 
  the roll succeeds, for every 2 full points by which it 
  succeeds the enemy suﬀers a -1 penalty to his PER 
  Roll (thus, -1 if the roll succeeds by 2-3, -2 if it suc-
  ceeds by 4-5, and so on). If it fails, the character’s 
  enemy suﬀers no penalty; if it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more), the enemy receives a +2 PER Roll bonus to 
  spot the ambush.
  Similarly, in a combat pitting a group of PCs 
  against a similar group of adversaries, a character 
  can make a Tactics roll to determine which enemy 
  he can most eﬀectively attack. If the roll succeeds, 
  the GM advises him about which foe he thinks he 
  can do the best against given all the available infor-
  mation. If it fails, the character learns nothing; if it 
  fails badly (by 4 or more), the character misjudges 
  his enemies — the GM advises him to attack one 
  he’s not so eﬀective against.
  PLANNING FORTIFICATIONS
  Tactics does not make a character a combat 
  engineer (or any other kind of engineer), but it 
  does tell him how to attack or defend a fortiﬁcation 
  eﬀectively. That in turn means he knows how to lay 
  out and plan a fortiﬁed area for maximum defen-
  siveness. This task has a Base Time of 1 Hour and 
  may involve studying the landscape, evaluating the 
  supplies and laborers available for the job, and so 
  forth. If the character’s roll succeeds, he’s done his 
  best to take advantage of his assets and minimize 
  the fortiﬁcation’s liabilities. If it fails, the fortiﬁca-
  tion is no better or worse than average; if it fails 
  badly (by 4 or more) the character has overlooked a 
  vulnerability that an enemy can exploit.
  TACTICALLY ADEPT COMBAT
  A character with Tactics can often plan his 
  attacks against a single enemy for maximum eﬀec-
  tiveness. This is similar to a Surprise Move bonus 
  (see page 381 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised) though it represents tactical skill moreso 
  than surprise. If the GM believes Tactics might help 
  a character in a speciﬁc situation against an enemy, 
  he can allow the character to make a Tactics roll as 
  an Action that takes no time. (A Knowledge Skill 
  of that foe is Complementary.) The character gets a 
  +1 OCV for every 3 full points by which the Tactics 
  roll succeeds (i.e., +1 if the character makes his roll 
  by 3-5, +2 if he makes it by 6-8, and +3 if he makes 
  it by 9 or more). (The GM may alter this bonus as 
  he sees ﬁt.) This bonus applies to the character’s 
  next attack against that foe, which must occur in 
  the Phase in which he made the roll. If he doesn’t 
  attack that foe that Phase (for whatever reason), he 
  loses the bonus.
  If the roll fails, the character gets no bonus. If 
  it fails badly (by 4 or more), the character usually 
  suﬀers a corresponding OCV penalty because he’s 
  misjudged his foe.
  MODIFIERS
  For most Tactics rolls, familiarity with the 
  enemy helps a character considerably. If the charac-
  ter has an appropriate Knowledge Skill he can make 
  it as a Complementary Skill Roll, with bonuses to 
  that roll for the number of previous encounters 
  between the two adversaries (+1 for one encounter, 
  +2 for 2-3 encounters, +3 for 4-7 encounters, +4 
  for 8-15 encounters, and so on). If a character lacks 
  that Skill, the GM can just give him half of the “pre-
  vious encounters” bonus directly to his Tactics roll.
  The GM can also assign a modiﬁer based on 
  the diﬃculty of the situation:  if the tactical situa-
  tion is an easy one that the character should have 
  no problem analyzing correctly, he receives a +1 to 
  +2 bonus; if the character’s in a tight spot tactically 
  with few options or little ability to properly evaluate 
  the situation, he suﬀers a -0 to -4 penalty.
  Because it’s intended for use in combat, Tactics 
  does not suﬀer the standard -1 to -3 penalty for 
  “combat conditions” (page 33).
  EQUIPMENT
  Tactics doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a purely 
  personal Skill.
  POWERS AND TACTICS
  Tactics is an excellent choice for a Required 
  Skill Roll for abilities that represent a character’s 
  superior ability to evaluate foes, analyze combat 
  situations, and so forth. For example, Combat Skill 
  Levels with Require A Tactics Roll could repre-
  sent a character’s tactical eﬃciency; extra dice of 
  damage with that Limitation represent his ability to 
  hit a target where it hurts the most or lure a target 
  into a “sucker punch.”
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  333 
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failure for most uses of 
  Tactics are described above. In general, a failed roll 
  means the character can’t think of a way to beat the 
  enemy, take advantage of the enemy’s weaknesses, 
  or maximize his own advantages. A bad failure (by 
  4 or more) means the character puts himself at a 
  disadvantage by improperly analyzing the situation.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Times for Tactics-related tasks are 
  described above.
  SUBDIVIDING TACTICS
  Tactics already has a fairly limited application, 
  so splitting it up probably isn’t necessary for most 
  campaigns. In games that use the mass combat 
  rules a lot, GMs might consider dividing it into two 
  distinct Skills:  Leadership, an Interaction Skill used 
  to lead units in mass combat; and Tactics, an Intel-
  lect Skill used to provide combat beneﬁts to the 
  character and his friends in small unit battles, plan 
  ambushes and fortiﬁcations, and so forth.
  In military action games, the GM might 
  consider expanding Tactics to cover questions of 
  strategy — in other words, directing entire armies, 
  large-scale maneuvers, and logistical matters, not 
  just small-unit tactics. Alternately, Strategy might 
  be a separate Intellect Skill.
  TACTICS BY GENRE
  Tactics generally works the same from genre to 
  genre and period to period. The only thing that dif-
  fers are the types of military assets available to the 
  character. A hero trying to direct a unit of Greek 
  hoplites (who only have swords, spears, and similar 
  weapons) has a much easier job than one directing 
  a modern or near-future unit (with its plethora of 
  equipment and technology).
  TEAMWORK 
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Agility Skill reﬂects a character’s ability to 
  ﬁght well with others in combat. Its sole use under 
  the standard rules is that characters must succeed 
  with a Teamwork roll when they want to Coordi-
  nate attacks (see page 378 of The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised). Every character involved in the 
  Coordination has to have Teamwork and succeed 
  with a roll; anyone who doesn’t have the Skill or 
  who fails the roll cannot contribute to the Coordi-
  nated attack. (In other words, a character’s Team-
  work does not apply to all the PCs — he can’t just 
  make one roll for everyone to Coordinate, every 
  character who tries to Coordinate has to succeed 
  with his own roll.)
  Characters do not have to buy Teamwork 
  separately for each person or group they want to 
  Coordinate with. The Skill simulates a character’s 
  general ability to work as a “team” with any 
  other character in combat. But as noted above, a 
  character’s Teamwork applies only to himself; he 
  cannot use his Skill to improve other characters’ 
  chance to Coordinate.
  Gamemasters may want to consider forbid-
  ding PCs to purchase Teamwork at the start of the 
  campaign, but allow them to acquire it after play 
  begins (typically after the disorganized group has 
  suﬀered defeat at the hands of a superior foe). This 
  is a common genre event in which the heroes learn 
  to work as a ﬁghting team to defeat a much more 
  powerful opponent.
  EXPANDING TEAMWORK
  The standard form of Teamwork has only one 
  use:  letting characters Coordinate their attacks. 
  However, the GM might want to consider allowing 
  characters to use it in other ways. Some examples:
  ■ When characters need to exert STR as a group to 
  move some heavy object (such as moving aside a 
  boulder so they can enter a cavern complex), they 
  can make Teamwork rolls. Each character who suc-
  ceeds with his roll increases his STR by +5 (or, for a 
  Critical Success, +10) for purposes of determining 
  the group’s weight-lifting capacity.
  ■ When characters attack an inanimate object, 
  such as a door or wall, with the intent to break 
  through it, they can make Teamwork rolls. All 
  the characters who succeed with their rolls get to 
  add the BODY of their attacks together for pur-
  poses of overcoming the DEF of the object and 
  doing as much damage to it as possible. (This 
  rule does not apply to attacks against characters 
  or NPCs, just inanimate objects.)
  ■ If the characters perform a task involving the 
  team Skill use rules (page 22), the GM can include 
  Teamwork in the mix. For example, perhaps it 
  serves as a Complementary Skill Roll to the Com-
  plementary Skill Roll made to improve the main 
  Skill Roll.
  
  334 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  EQUIPMENT
  Teamwork doesn’t require equipment; it’s a 
  purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND TEAMWORK
  At the GM’s option, if several characters are 
  Mind Linked together they receive a +1 bonus on 
  their Teamwork rolls. Other forms of communica-
  tion don’t provide this bonus, but the instantaneous 
  and total communication allowed by Mind Link 
  gives characters a real advantage when they try to 
  work together. The GM may refuse to grant the 
  bonus for some forms of Mind Link, such as closed 
  radio networks.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Characters who fail their Teamwork rolls 
  cannot Coordinate.
  BASE TIMES
  Making a Teamwork roll is an Action that 
  takes no time.
  SUBDIVIDING TEAMWORK
  Teamwork is already highly restricted; there’s 
  no need to subdivide it.
  TEAMWORK BY GENRE
  Teamwork functions the same in all genres 
  and time periods. It tends to be more common 
  in Superhero campaigns, but it’s applicable to any 
  game or setting. For example, cinematic ninja in 
  Ninja Hero campaigns always seem to attack in 
  well-coordinated groups.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  335 
  TRACKING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Characters with this Intellect Skill can ﬁnd and 
  follow a trail by observing tracks, marks, bent 
  leaves, broken twigs, and other impressions left by 
  the person or animal being followed, or by ﬁnding 
  traces left by the subject (such as blood, threads 
  from garments, mud from shoes, and the like). They 
  can derive a great deal of information from tracks, 
  such as the weight of the travelers (or how much 
  weight they’re carrying), their number, how long 
  ago they passed by, what they were doing, and so 
  forth. Additionally, a character with this Skill knows 
  how to hide tracks and traces, making it harder to 
  follow him and/or persons he’s helping. He can also 
  make plaster casts of tracks for later study.
  In addition to being able to follow or hide 
  tracks, a character with Tracking knows about 
  tracks in general. He can identify various types of 
  animals from their tracks, for example. Similarly, he 
  can identify the type (and perhaps even brand) of 
  shoes or tires that left a print.
  Area Knowledges (of both regions and speciﬁc 
  types of terrain) are Complementary to Tracking; 
  so is Survival in some situations. KS: Fewmets — 
  knowledge about animal dung or scat — can also 
  assist a character who’s tracking animals.
  TYPES OF TRACKS
  Broadly speaking, tracks can be divided into 
  three types.
  Ground Spoor
  The ﬁrst type are tracks in the most literal 
  meaning of the word:  impressions left in the 
  ground by the footfalls of the subject being tracked 
  (this would include overturned stones, scuﬀ marks 
  on fallen logs, bent blades of grass, and other signs 
  made by the feet). In technical tracking parlance, 
  this is called spoor, and it’s the most reliable form 
  of track in most cases. A character’s ability to ﬁnd 
  and follow this type of track depends largely on the 
  consistency of the ground. Soft ground — snow, 
  mud, loam, and the like — takes impressions easily 
  and clearly; harder surfaces may barely take them, 
  or not take them at all (unless, perhaps, the hard 
  surface is covered with dust or the like). The Track-
  ing Modiﬁers table lists the modifers based on the 
  consistency of the surface.
  Aerial Spoor
  The second type of “tracks” are other changes 
  made to the environment by the subject’s passage, 
  broadly referred to as aerial spoor because much 
  of it is up oﬀ the ground. These include bent or 
  stripped leaves (and the condition of leaves already 
  on the ground), broken twigs and branches, upset 
  ant nests and broken spider webs, bark scuﬀed oﬀ 
  trees, dew and insect nests knocked oﬀ vegetation, 
  and the like. Whether these types of “tracks” exist 
  depends on the environment, the size of the sub-
  ject, and other factors.
  Litter
  The third type of “tracks” are substances or 
  objects left behind by the subject, loosely referred 
  to as “litter.” The classic examples here are (a) blood 
  from a wounded person or animal, and (b) threads 
  and bits of cloth torn from garments by the plants 
  and thorns the subject brushes up against. However, 
  many other possibilities exist, including urine, dung 
  (fewmets; see above), personal possessions cast 
  aside to make it easier to move, and so forth.
  Blood traces, sometimes referred to as blood 
  spoor, deserve special mention. If the tracker also 
  knows Criminology or Forensic Medicine, he can 
  use it to assess the age of the blood, and sometimes 
  even the nature of the injury the quarry suﬀered 
  (for example, arterial blood is brighter red than 
  venous blood). The tracker can do this with Track-
  ing instead, but at a -3 penalty. Additionally, the 
  shape and size of blood splatters can sometimes 
  provide useful information (such as the speed at 
  which the subject was moving), but the character 
  must have SS: Bloodstain Interpretation to gather 
  this information.
  FINDING AND FOLLOWING A TRAIL
  The most common uses of Tracking are to ﬁnd 
  a trail, then follow that trail in pursuit of the quarry.
  When a character searches for a trail, ﬁrst the 
  GM has to decide if he’s looking in the right place, 
  and/or whether any tracks exist. If so, the character 
  can make a Tracking roll to ﬁnd the trail; apply all 
  relevant modiﬁers from the Tracking Modiﬁers 
  table. If the roll succeeds, the character ﬁnds the 
  trail; if it fails, he doesn’t ﬁnd it (and if it fails by 4 
  or more, he may think he’s found it only to discover 
  later that he’s been following meaningless signs). 
  He can try again, subject to the standard rules for 
  repeated attempts.
  After he picks up a trail, the character has to 
  follow it. The GM should call for periodic Tracking 
  rolls (again, with appropriate modiﬁers); typically, 
  one every 20 Minutes or 1 Hour suﬃces. But on dif-
  ﬁcult ground, one roll per Turn or 1 Minute may be 
  necessary. Similarly, the GM should require a char-
  acter to make a Tracking roll whenever the person 
  or creature being tracked does something unusual 
  to throw oﬀ the pursuit, or passes over diﬃcult ter-
  rain (like bare stone), or conditions change (i.e., a 
  hard rain occurs). If these rolls succeed, the charac-
  ter doesn’t lose the trail and may keep following it.
  Reacquiring A Lost Trail
  If a character fails a roll to follow a trail by 1-3, 
  he’s lost the trail. Now he has to try to re-acquire it. 
  This requires a minimum of 1 Minute, and possibly 
  longer. If the character succeeds, he ﬁnds the trail 
  again and may keep following it. If he fails, the trail 
  remains lost, though he can try again subject to the 
  standard rules for repeated attempts.
  If the character fails his trail-following roll 
  badly (by 4 or more), he actually follows the 
  wrong trail for some period of time. Usually this 
  occurs until the next time period passes and he 
  gets another roll as usual, but the GM may be 
  merciful and let him make another roll after just 
  a minute or two.
  
  336 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  TRACKING MODIFIERS
  In addition to the consistency of the ground, 
  the following modiﬁers aﬀect the ﬁnding and fol-
  lowing of a trail.
  Age And Weathering
  Tracks aren’t immutable; they change based 
  on the passage of time and other environmental 
  factors. The older a track is, the more likely it is 
  to have degraded based on weather, other tracks 
  covering it up, and so forth. The Tracking Modi-
  fiers table has general modifiers for the age of 
  tracks, but the GM should feel free to change 
  them based on the circumstances. For example, a 
  hard rainstorm may degrade tracks much more 
  quickly than normal, while a dry spell might pre-
  serve tracks in mud far longer than usual. Wind 
  tends to erode the edges of tracks quickly, and/or 
  cover them with sand, dirt, and debris. Snow 
  might not damage tracks, but would cover them 
  up so that following them becomes, at best, an 
  onerous, time-consuming chore.
  While weathering and age usually hinder the 
  tracker, they can provide him with some informa-
  tion regarding when the tracks were made. For 
  example, if the tracks contain water from rain, the 
  tracker knows they were made before or during the 
  most recent rainstorm.
  Angle Of The Light
  When sunlight’s hitting the ground at a sharp 
  angle, it tends to throw tracks into shadowy relief, 
  making them easier to see and follow. The Tracking 
  Modiﬁers table lists suggested modiﬁers; the GM 
  should adjust the listed times based on the season 
  of the year, the latitude the character’s at, and so 
  forth. Characters tracking at night may obtain simi-
  lar bonuses for using artiﬁcial light sources... but in 
  doing so they give away their position, of course.
  Number And Size Of Subjects
  Besides the consistency of the ground, another 
  important factor that inﬂuences Tracking is the 
  number of subjects being followed. The more people 
  in the group the character’s trying to track the easier it 
  is to follow them, because they leave more traces.
  Similarly, the size and weight of the subjects 
  may aﬀect Tracking. Small or lightweight beings are 
  less likely to leave tracks and traces, while larger than 
  human ones are more likely. For example, horses and 
  cattle are both “Large” creatures, making them easier 
  to track than humans (all other things being equal).
  See the Tracking Modiﬁers table for modiﬁers 
  for both these factors. If the quarry is a group of 
  subjects of varying sizes and weights, use the worst 
  modiﬁer for the quarry (and thus the best one for 
  the character using Tracking). For example, a group 
  of ﬁve halﬂings and one giant is tracked using the 
  Size modiﬁer for the giant.
  Traﬃc
  Traﬃc — the number of other beings walking in 
  and around the area through which the quarry passes 
  — can make following a trail much more diﬃcult. 
  In fact, in some instances the GM may rule that too 
  many people or animals have walked over the tracks, 
  making following or studying them impossible.
  OTHER ASPECTS OF TRACKING
  In addition to ﬁnding and following tracks, 
  characters with Tracking can do or learn many 
  other things.
  READING TRACKS
  A properly-trained character can tell a lot 
  from tracks besides just the direction the quarry 
  was traveling in. Some possibilities, plus the rolls 
  and modiﬁers needed to learn them, are listed 
  below. The GM may apply other modiﬁers from the 
  Tracking Modiﬁers table, if appropriate.
  Disguised tracks:  Sometimes people walk back-
  wards in an eﬀort to fool trackers. A clever tracker 
  won’t fall for this; a Tracking roll at -1 tells the 
  tracker what the quarry is up to.
  Fatigue:  By measuring the length of the quarry’s 
  pace relative to his foot size, the tracker can deduce 
  whether he (the quarry) is tired or fresh. This 
  requires a Tracking roll at -2.
  Foot size:  With measuring tools, it’s easy to 
  determine the size of the foot that made the 
  print. Other identifying factors, such as missing 
  toes, may also be apparent. This doesn’t even 
  require a Tracking roll.
  Gender:  Women’s feet tend to be narrower than 
  men’s, making it possible for a tracker to at least 
  make an educated guess about the subject’s gender 
  (this requires a Tracking roll at -3). Similarly, 
  women often wear distinctive styles of shoes.
  Height:  Measurement of a consistent series of 
  tracks on relatively level ground yields approximate 
  data about the subject’s height; this requires an 
  unmodiﬁed Tracking roll.
  Injury or handicap:  The nature and shape of tracks, 
  as well as abnormal wear on the soles of shoes, can 
  tell the tracker if the quarry has an injury to his 
  foot or leg, or some like condition (such as a club-
  foot). This requires an unmodiﬁed Tracking roll.
  Species:  By making a Tracking roll, the character 
  can identify the type of animal that left a track. 
  Usually he knows the exact species, but in some 
  cases (particularly when he’s not familiar with 
  the environment), he may only be able to discern 
  the general type of animal (for example, he could 
  tell bear, wolf, and fox tracks apart, but not nec-
  essarily identify the exact species of bear). Typi-
  cally the Tracking roll is unmodified, but the GM 
  may impose a -1 or greater modifier if appropri-
  ate. A KS of the animal(s) in question, or an AK 
  or Survival pertaining to the local environment, 
  are Complementary.
  In a campaign with multiple humanoid spe-
  cies, the GM may also permit characters to identify 
  them by species when tracking them — provided 
  they’re barefoot or some feature (like the number 
  of toes or presence of talons) makes one species’ 
  footprints diﬀerent from another’s.
  Speed:  Examination of the spacing between tracks, 
  the foot’s point of impact on the ground, and the 
  terminal point (the point at which the foot leaves 
  the ground again) can tell the tracker whether the 
  ANIMALS  
  AND TRACKING
  Instead of buying Track-
  ing itself, most animals 
  simply apply the Track-
  ing Sense Modiﬁer to 
  their Normal Smell, 
  then make PER Rolls 
  to follow their prey. If a 
  human uses an animal, 
  such as a bloodhound, 
  to help him track, the 
  animal’s PER Roll 
  becomes a Complemen-
  tary Skill Roll to the 
  human’s Tracking roll.
  EAR TO THE 
  GROUND
  One common tracker’s 
  trick in ﬁction and 
  movies is for a skilled 
  tracker to lie down and 
  put his ear to the ground 
  to listen for sounds of 
  distant movement. A 
  character with Tracking 
  can do this by spending 
  1 Minute and making a 
  roll. Typically the only 
  modiﬁers that apply are 
  number, size, and weight 
  of subjects and the 
  amount of traﬃc in the 
  area. If the character’s 
  Tracking roll succeeds, 
  he can tell the rough 
  size of what he can hear 
  (based on the amount 
  of noise made) and 
  roughly how far away 
  they are — the more 
  he makes the roll by, 
  the more accurate his 
  assessment is. This trick 
  generally only works 
  if the quarry is within 
  about 10 kilometers and 
  is large enough to make 
  signiﬁcant amounts of 
  noise; trying to ﬁnd one 
  person this way rarely 
  works. If the roll fails, 
  the character learns 
  nothing; if it fails badly 
  (by 4 or more) he mis-
  takenly interprets what 
  he hears.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  337 
  subject was walking or running. This 
  requires a Tracking roll at -1.
  Subject’s age:  The size of the foot may 
  indicate that the quarry is young. Older 
  people sometimes walk with shorter, 
  less certain steps that leave a distinctive 
  pattern of tracks.
  Time made:  Perhaps most impor-
  tantly, a skilled tracker can tell the 
  age of a track. (For this purpose, 
  standard age modifiers don’t apply; 
  they only affect attempts to gain 
  other kinds of information or find/
  follow the trail.) In the absence of 
  definitive information, a Tracking 
  roll, usually at a -2, tells the tracker 
  the age of tracks, give or take about 
  two hours.
  Type and brand:  A character with 
  Tracking can identify the type, and 
  sometimes brand, of shoes or tires that 
  left a print. Type requires an unmodi-
  ﬁed Tracking roll; brand requires a 
  Tracking roll at -2 (or worse), unless 
  the brand is stamped onto the tread or 
  sole. (If the character has access to a 
  forensics lab, they usually keep records of soles and 
  tire treads.)
  Weight and load carried:  The deeper the subject’s 
  print relative to that of the tracker, the heavier the 
  subject is, and/or the more weight he’s carrying. A 
  person carrying a heavy weight also tends to take 
  shorter steps and more frequent rest breaks.
  Hiding Tracks
  In addition to ﬁnding, following, and read-
  ing tracks, a character with Tracking knows how 
  to hide his tracks so that others cannot ﬁnd them. 
  This includes stepping in ways that avoid leaving 
  tracks (or leave tracks that are harder to ﬁnd and 
  read), walking on surfaces less likely to take tracks, 
  properly covering tracks, brushing out tracks and 
  restoring bent or moved vegetation, doubling back 
  on the trail, and so forth.
  A character who wants to hide his tracks 
  makes a Tracking roll with a Base Time of equal 
  to twice the time required to traverse the area 
  walked over normally. If the roll succeeds, use its 
  result in a Skill Versus Skill Contest against the 
  Tracking of persons trying to follow him. If the 
  persons trying to follow him only have PER Rolls 
  instead of Tracking, double the effectiveness of 
  the Tracking roll. For example, if the subject 
  made his Tracking roll by 3 and others try to find 
  it using PER Rolls instead of Tracking, it’s as if he 
  made the roll by 6 instead.
  If a character who doesn’t have Tracking tries 
  to hide his trail, the GM should evaluate the eﬀec-
  tiveness of his eﬀorts and, if appropriate, impose a 
  penalty (typically -1 to -3) on Tracking rolls to ﬁnd 
  and follow his trail. However, the eﬀorts of a char-
  acter without Tracking should rarely (if ever) be as 
  eﬀective as those of a character with Tracking.
  When a character wants to hide tracks, reverse 
  the modiﬁers for consistency of ground, the 
  number of subjects, the size/weight of subjects, and 
  like circumstances. Thus, trying to hide tracks in 
  snow incurs a -4 penalty; trying to hide the tracks 
  of a Minute being adds a +5 bonus.
  One common trick for hiding tracks in 
  fiction is to walk in water — typically, along 
  a streambed. Cinematically this is a great way 
  to throw pursuers off the trail. “Realistically,” 
  whether this works depends largely on how 
  much silt the subject kicks up (and how quickly 
  it settles back down or washes away), whether he 
  breaks or bends any water plants, and the care he 
  takes entering and exiting the water.
  EQUIPMENT
  Generally Tracking doesn’t involve equipment, 
  just the character’s own innate senses. But skilled 
  trackers have developed a few devices to help them.
  A tracking stick is a four foot long taper-
  ing stick a tracker uses to measure the distance 
  between tracks. If he has trouble ﬁnding the next 
  spoor on the trail, he can determine the average 
  distance between tracks and then measure from the 
  last known track. In the right circumstances, this 
  may add +1 to attempts to ﬁnd a lost trail.
  Devices that enhance senses may also assist 
  the tracker. For example, an infrared sensor will 
  show a temperature diﬀerential between a recently-
  made track and the surrounding ground. It also 
  helps the tracker spot his quarry in heavy under-
  brush and the like.
  POWERS AND TRACKING
  A number of Sensory Powers may aid Track-
  ing — or, more likely, remove the need for it. Just 
  about any Sense with the Tracking Sense Modiﬁer 
  (particularly Normal Smell) is as good or better 
  at following many trails as the Tracking Skill; 
  
  338 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Normal Sight with the Microscopic Sense Modiﬁer 
  may provide a small bonus (say, +1) to Tracking 
  in circumstances where detailed analysis of spoor 
  occurs. Similarly, Clairsentience or Mind Scan may 
  elminate or reduce the need to use Tracking, since 
  a character with them can “follow” the quarry and 
  ascertain his location via super-senses.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  When a character uses Tracking to ﬁnd a trail 
  or track, failing the roll simply means he doesn’t 
  ﬁnd it. He can keep looking, using the rules for 
  repeated attempts, until he decides to quit looking. 
  A badly-failed roll (by 4 or more) may mean he 
  ﬁnds the wrong trail, or the like. If a character has 
  already found and is following a trail, failure on a 
  Tracking roll is discussed under Finding And Fol-
  lowing A Trail, above.
  BASE TIMES
  Some Base Times for Tracking are discussed 
  above. Typically the Base Time for finding a trail 
  when a character has a reasonably precise idea 
  of where to look, or to re-acquire a lost trail, is 
  1 Turn. (If the character doesn’t know where to 
  find someone’s trail at all, finding it may take 
  much longer.) Following a trail depends on the 
  length of the trail, the terrain, and other factors. 
  Reading tracks for information requires at least a 
  Full Phase, and often 1 Turn.
  SUBDIVIDING TRACKING
  If the GM wants to deﬁne Tracking more pre-
  cisely, there are two ways to subdivide it.
  First, you can convert Tracking into two dis-
  tinct Intellect Skills based on the quarry:  Track 
  Animals and Track Humans. Thus, a character 
  trained to track fugitives from justice might not 
  know a thing about following animal prints, and 
  a skilled wilderness hunter might not be able to 
  interpret a human’s trail at all. (At the GM’s dis-
  cretion, a character with one Skill could use it as 
  if it were the other Skill at a -3 or greater penalty 
  to the roll.)
  Second, you can subdivide Tracking by envi-
  ronment, using the Survival categories; characters 
  pay 2 Character Points for the ﬁrst environment, 
  and +1 Character Point per each additional envi-
  ronment. For example, this would mean that a 
  character well-versed at tracking in Arctic/Subarc-
  tic or Temperate/Subtropical regions wouldn’t be 
  able to use his Skill (or at most could use it at a -3 
  or greater penalty) in Tropical environments.
  TRACKING BY GENRE
  Tracking works the same in all genres. The 
  main diﬀerence between genres is how common 
  the knowledge of Tracking is, and the types of sur-
  faces that characters commonly walk on. In Fantasy 
  Hero and Western Hero, lots of characters know 
  Tracking, and the prevalence of natural environ-
  ments makes it a frequently-used Skill in many 
  campaigns. On the other hand, modern-day and 
  Star Hero characters may rarely, if ever, set foot on 
  soil... and asphalt and starship decking plates rarely 
  pick up impressions from footfalls.
  TRACKING MODIFIERS
  Consistency Of Ground 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Soft (mud, snow) 
  +4
  Soft (loam, loose soil) 
  +2
  Average 
  +0
  Hard (packed earth) 
  -2
  Very Hard (stone, pavement) 
  -6
  Age Of Tracks 
  Modiﬁer
  5 Minutes or younger 
  +3
  6-20 Minutes 
  +2
  21-60 Minutes 
  +1
  61 Minutes to 1 Day 
  -0
  1.1-2 Days 
  -1
  2.1-4 Days 
  -2
  4.1-8 Days 
  -3
  8.1-16 Days 
  -4
  ...and so on
  Angle Of The Light 
  Modiﬁer
  Dawn to 8:59 AM 
  +3
  9:00 to 9:59 AM 
  +2
  10:00 to 10:59 AM 
  +1
  11:00 AM to 12:59 PM 
  +0
  1:00 to 1:59 PM 
  +1
  2:00 to 2:59 PM 
  +2
  3:00 PM to dusk 
  +3
  Number Of Subjects 
  Modiﬁer
  1 
  +0
  2-3 
  +1
  4-7 
  +2
  8-15 
  +3
  16-31 
  +4
  ...and so on
  Size/Weight Of Subjects 
  Modiﬁer
  Insectile, down to 1/64 Human size and/or mass (.032m, or .016”) or smaller 
  -6
  Minute, down to 1/32 Human size and/or mass (.064m, or .032”) 
  -5
  Minuscule, down to 1/16 Human size and/or mass (.125m, or .064”) 
  -4
  Tiny, down to 1/8 Human size and/or mass (.25m, or .125”) 
  -3
  Diminutive, down to one-quarter Human size and/or mass (.5m, or ¼”) 
  -2
  Small, down to half Human size and/or mass (1m, or ½”) 
  -1
  Human size and/or mass 
  +0
  Large, up to twice Human size and/or mass (4m, or 2”) 
  +1
  Enormous, up to four times Human size and/or mass (8m, or 2.1-4”) 
  +2
  Huge, up to eight times Human size and/or mass (16m, or 4.1-8”) 
  +3
  Gigantic, up to 16 times Human size and/or mass (32m, or 8.1-16”) 
  +4
  Gargantuan, up to 32 times Human size and/or mass (64m, or 16.1-32”) 
  +5
  Colossal, up to 64 times Human size and/or mass (128 m, or 32.1-64”) 
  +6
  Trafﬁc 
  Modiﬁer
  No other traﬃc in the area 
  -0
  Slight traﬃc in the area 
  -1
  Moderate traﬃc in the area 
  -2
  Heavy traﬃc in the area 
  -3
  Very heavy traﬃc in the area 
  -4 or more
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  339 
  TRADING
  Type:   
  Interaction Skill (roll:  9 + (PRE/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Interaction Skill gives a character the ability 
  to strike bargains for the sale or purchase of goods, 
  commodities, services, and the like. This includes 
  the ability to:
  ■ evaluate goods, commodities, services, and the 
  like to determine a fair market price for them
  ■ assess market conditions and “the lay of the land” 
  for buying, selling, and similar business transac-
  tions
  ■ dicker and haggle over the price of goods, commod-
  ities, services, and the like to obtain the best possible 
  deal for himself (whether he’s buying or selling)
  ■ negotiate deals, agreements, and the like
  Trading is most common in pre-modern 
  time periods and genres, such as Fantasy or 
  Pirates. In such eras, prices often aren’t fixed, so 
  a character with Trading can save (or make) con-
  siderable money. The same might apply in a star-
  spanning stellar economy where far-flung colony 
  worlds have relatively few resources or little con-
  tact with the outside Galaxy. However, modern 
  characters can buy it primarily for appraising 
  goods and negotiating deals.
  APPRAISING GOODS AND SERVICES
  Before a character can negotiate a good trade 
  for himself, he has to have some idea about the 
  value of what he’s buying or selling. Trading allows 
  him to evaluate and appraise goods, commodi-
  ties, services, and the like to determine a fair and 
  reasonable price for them. Of course, he’s probably 
  going to use Trading to get more than that (if sell-
  ing) or buy for less than that (if buying), but he has 
  to know what the “baseline” is so he can determine 
  the best strategy and tactics for his haggling.
  The Trading Modiﬁers table lists modiﬁers 
  for appraising goods and services based on their 
  commonality — the more often they’re traded in 
  the marketplace, the easier it is for a character to 
  value them. A Knowledge Skill or other Skill related 
  to the goods or services in question (such as Elec-
  tronics for electrical supplies and equipment or SS: 
  Archaeology for ancient artifacts) can serve as a 
  Complementary Skill. At the GM’s option, the char-
  acter makes his Trading roll based on INT rather 
  than PRE, since this use of the Skill reﬂects knowl-
  edge rather than personal appeal.
  Appraising goods and services typically takes 
  a Base Time of 5 Minutes, which the character 
  spends evaluating the item, researching it, and so 
  forth. Rarer or specialized items, such as some 
  antiques, may take much longer (hours or days), 
  while extremely common goods and services may 
  take as little as a Full Phase.
  After a character spends time evaluating an 
  item, he makes a Trading roll. If the roll succeeds, 
  he determines the fair market value for the item. If 
  it fails, he can’t determine the fair market value yet; 
  he can try again using the standard rules for that. 
  If it fails badly (by 4 or more) he values the goods 
  or services incorrectly, by +10% per point the roll 
  failed by if he’s buying and -10% per point the roll 
  failed by if he’s selling.
  Evaluating The Market
  Trading also provides a character with 
  knowledge of market conditions generally, who 
  in his community has a reputation for being a 
  hard or easy bargainer, who are the “top dogs” 
  in a given market, and so forth. If a character’s 
  in a marketplace where he’s used Trading before 
  or for which he has an Area Knowledge, City 
  Knowledge, or other appropriate Knowledge 
  Skill, the roll is unmodified. If he’s unfamiliar 
  with the marketplace, whether due to inexperi-
  ence with the location or the item in question, 
  he suffers a -1 to -3 penalty. At the GM’s option, 
  the character makes his Trading roll based on 
  INT rather than PRE, since this use of the Skill 
  reflects knowledge rather than personal appeal.
  Evaluating the market takes 1 Minute if the 
  character’s familiar with it, 1 Hour if he’s not. After 
  this time, the character makes a Trading roll. If it 
  succeeds, he’s judged the marketplace correctly, and 
  at the GM’s option this roll serves as a Complemen-
  tary roll to his later Trading roll to appraise value 
  or negotiate a price. If it fails, he can’t determine the 
  state of the marketplace yet; he can try again using 
  the standard rules for that. If it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more) he misjudges the marketplace, suﬀering a -2 
  penalty on a later Trading roll to appraise value or 
  negotiate a price.
  NEGOTIATING PRICES
  The most common use for Trading is to 
  negotiate prices for goods, commodities, services, 
  and other things someone can buy or sell. Each 
  character in the negotiation wants to obtain the 
  best price or terms for himself, so this is a Trading 
  Versus Trading Contest (if one character doesn’t 
  have Trading, he can make an INT Roll at -2). You 
  can handle the speciﬁcs of the bargaining in one 
  of three ways. Each of them has a Base Time of 1 
  Turn, but the GM can raise this if necessary based 
  TRADING MODIFIERS
  Appraising Goods:  Item Is... 
  Modiﬁer
  Very Common 
  +2 to +3
  Common 
  +1
  Uncommon 
  +0
  Rare 
  -2
  Very Rare 
  -4
  Unique 
  -6
  Negotiating Prices 
  Modiﬁer
  Demand is high 
  ±1 to ±3 *
  Demand is low 
  ±1 to ±3 ^
  Goods are illegal 
  ±1 to ±3 ^
  * Seller’s bonus, buyer’s penalty
  ^ Buyer’s bonus, seller’s penalty
  
  340 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  on the circumstances.
  Set Price Starting Point
  The ﬁrst (and generally simplest) method is 
  for the GM to determine a fair market price for the 
  item or service in question as a “baseline” for the 
  negotiations. The character who wins the Contest 
  gets that price, +10% per point he won the Contest 
  by if he’s selling or -10% per point he won the Con-
  test buy if he’s buying.
  However, there are two caveats to this. First, 
  the GM may set some minimum or maximum 
  price; characters shouldn’t be allowed to use Trad-
  ing to obtain ridiculous bargains or charge absurd 
  prices. Second, Trading is not Mind Control. Nor-
  mally you should let the Trading roll determine 
  the outcome of a price negotiation. But ultimately 
  either character can choose to walk away from the 
  deal regardless of what the dice say if that’s the 
  most appropriate thing to do based on common 
  and/or dramatic sense.
  Diﬀering Starting Prices
  The second method is for each character 
  involved in the negotiation to set a starting price. 
  If both agree, the deal is made — but usually the 
  seller’s proposed price exceeds the buyer’s pro-
  posed oﬀer. (If the seller’s stated price is lower than 
  the buyer’s oﬀer, the deal takes place at the seller’s 
  price.) The characters then engage in a Trading 
  Versus Trading Contest. The loser of the Contest 
  must adjust his proposed price by a minimum of 
  10% of the buyer’s proposed oﬀer per point he lost 
  the Contest by — the seller adjusts downward (i.e., 
  lowers his price), while the buyer adjusts upward 
  (i.e., raises his oﬀer). The loser may adjust his price/
  oﬀer by a greater amount if desired (perhaps to 
  bring the deal to a quick conclusion). The adjusted 
  price becomes a new threshold for that character 
  — even if that character wins one of the future 
  rolls, he can’t re-adjust his price back to its starting 
  total. (The same applies to all future rolls.)
  Now the characters have another Trading 
  Versus Trading Contest, with the same results 
  (but governed by the threshold rule stated above). 
  This goes on until the two agree on a price or one 
  party gives in and agrees to the other’s latest oﬀer. 
  Regardless of the dice rolls, at no time does the 
  buyer have to raise his oﬀer above the seller’s cur-
  rent price, or the seller lower his price below the 
  buyer’s current oﬀer — if that happens, the current 
  price/oﬀer takes eﬀect.
  Example:  Stonehand the Dwarf and Azarath 
  the Mage are negotiating a sale — Stonehand 
  wants to pay Azarath to enchant his bracers 
  so that they allow Stonehand to attack more 
  swiftly. Stonehand oﬀers 200 silver royals for 
  the job; Azarath counters with 600 silver royals. 
  They now engage in a Trading Versus Trad-
  ing Contest. Azarath’s roll succeeds by 6 and 
  Stonehand’s by 3, so Stonehand must raise his 
  oﬀer by ((6-3) x 10% of buyer’s oﬀer =) 60 silver 
  royals, to 260 royals. That’s still not enough for 
  Azarath, so the Contest goes on. The next round 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  341 
  Stonehand makes his roll by 4, while Azarath 
  fails. Therefore Azarath must lower his asking 
  price by ((4-0) x 10% of buyer’s oﬀer =) by 80 
  silver royals, to 520 royals. The two are getting 
  closer, but they’re not in agreement yet. Nego-
  tiations continue....
  No Skill Contest
  Alternately, the GM can use the ﬁrst method 
  but dispense with the Trading Versus Trading 
  Contest and just let the PC make his Trading roll. 
  If the roll succeeds exactly, the character pays the 
  GM-set fair market price (if buying) or receives it 
  (if selling). If he succeeds by more than that, for 
  each point he succeeded by he lowers (if buying) or 
  raises (if selling) the price by 10%. If the roll fails, 
  for each point it fails by he raises (if buying) or 
  lowers (if selling) the price under the impression 
  he’s getting a bargain or making a killing. The same 
  restrictions and guidelines as for the ﬁrst Contest 
  method apply.
  Modiﬁers
  Several circumstances can modify Trading 
  rolls to negotiate prices. Unusually high or low 
  demand aﬀects prices, though the GM should 
  determine whether the seller’s or buyer’s roll is 
  modiﬁed (both are not, just one). If the goods are 
  obviously stolen or illegal (the buyer can make a 
  Streetwise roll, or an INT Roll at -2, to ﬁgure this 
  out), that tends to put the buyer in a better posi-
  tion — it gives him another negotiating point in his 
  favor and puts pressure on the seller to get rid of 
  the “hot” items as soon as possible.
  NEGOTIATING DEALS
  Characters can also use Trading to negotiate 
  deals, contracts, agreements, and other business 
  arrangements. You can handle this like a price 
  negotiation, except that the parties are dickering 
  over terms of the agreement rather than prices. The 
  loser in the Trading Versus Trading Contest has to 
  concede some point of contention rather than alter 
  his price; the GM determines what constitutes a 
  valid concession. Typically negotiating deals has a 
  Base Time of 1 Hour, but the GM may reduce this 
  for easy deals or raise it for complex ones.
  EQUIPMENT
  Trading doesn’t involve equipment; it’s a purely 
  personal Skill.
  POWERS AND TRADING
  As with other Interaction Skills, Mental 
  Powers can have a major eﬀect on Trading because 
  a character can use them to read his adversary’s 
  thoughts or control his actions, and thus obtain a 
  better deal. Characters with Images or Mental Illu-
  sions can use them to make goods look better or 
  worse, thus raising or lowering their supposed fair 
  market value.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failure for the various 
  uses of Trading are noted above.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Times for the various uses of Trading 
  are noted above.
  SUBDIVIDING TRADING
  If the GM thinks that Trading offers too 
  much bang for the Character Point, he can sub-
  divide it into three separate Skills:  Appraisal, an 
  Intellect Skill for determining the value of goods 
  and services; Haggling, an Interaction Skill for 
  negotiating the prices of goods and services; and 
  Negotation, an Interaction Skill for negotiating 
  deals and agreements.
  If desired, the GM can subdivide Appraisal 
  even further by category of object, such as Artwork, 
  Antiques & Antiquities, Gems & Jewelry, Bulk Food 
  Commodities, Bulk Energy Commodities, and so 
  forth. The ﬁrst category costs 2 Character Points; 
  each additional category costs +1 Character Point.
  TRADING BY GENRE
  Trading works the same in most genres 
  — it’s just more common in pre-modern ones, 
  or other ones where the prices of goods aren’t 
  fixed. For example, in some Post-Apocalyptic or 
  Cyberpunk campaigns society may have broken 
  down to the point where Trading becomes com-
  monplace once more.
  Fantasy
  The defining Skill of merchants and their 
  ilk, Trading is also often known by craftsmen, 
  alchemists and wizards who sell enchanted items, 
  and thieves who have to dicker with fences for 
  their pay. In a Fantasy culture that conducts 
  transactions based mainly on barter, characters 
  may find this Skill less useful, since it’s not as 
  easy to split a horse or a barrel of beer as it is to 
  negotiate a price change.
  Pulp
  Relatively few modern-day characters buy 
  Trading; by the mid-late twentieth century, prices 
  tend to be ﬁxed. But in the Pulp era it’s a diﬀerent 
  story. Characters are likely to venture into strange 
  lands where bargaining with a merchant isn’t only 
  common, it’s expected — and during the Depres-
  sion, small-scale barter economies often sprang up 
  even in parts of the US. So a character who knows 
  how to dicker may save himself a piaster or two.
  
  342 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  TRANSPORT FAMILIARITY
  Type:   
  Background Skill (roll:  N/A, but see text)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for the ability to operate 
  one category of vehicles (if purchaseable), 
  or 1 Character Point for the ability to oper-
  ate one subcategory of vehicles
  This Background Skill allows characters to drive 
  or pilot speciﬁc types of vehicles, or ride a living 
  mount, under routine conditions. It does not 
  include combat maneuvering (that requires Combat 
  Driving, Combat Piloting, or Riding). Characters 
  don’t have to make rolls to operate vehicles nor-
  mally, but a character with a TF does has an 8- roll 
  for performing dangerous maneuvers (jumps, 
  screeching turns, and so forth). (No Skill Levels of 
  any type can apply to improve this roll, but the GM 
  may apply Skill Modiﬁers as appropriate.)
  Besides being able to operate vehicles of 
  a particular type, a character with Transport 
  Familiarity also knows how to perform rou-
  tine upkeep and maintenance on his mounts or 
  vehicles (such as changing the oil, feeding the 
  animal, and so on). Additionally, TF imparts 
  some knowledge of the types of vehicles in a 
  given category and their relative merits (think of 
  this as something like a Familiarity with a KS of 
  that type of vehicle, but more restricted).
  Each Transport Familiarity (TF) costs 1 Char-
  acter Point, or 2 Character Points for an entire cat-
  egory (if the category can be purchased as a group). 
  One appropriate 1-point TF is an Everyman Skill in 
  most genres.
  Example:  Fast Eddie pays 2 points for Common 
  Motorized Ground Vehicles, 1 point for Small 
  Wind-Powered Boats, and 1 point for Snow-
  mobiles. Eddie now has an 8 or less roll with all 
  of the above mentioned vehicle types.
  A character who’s paid Character Points for 
  a Vehicle doesn’t need a TF to operate it; since he 
  paid points for it, he knows how to use it. However, 
  this doesn’t extend to other Vehicles of that same 
  type. Paying points for a motorcycle doesn’t mean a 
  character has TF: Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground 
  Vehicles — it just gives him the ability to drive 
  that one motorcycle. It also gives him the standard 
  8- roll for maneuvering and Control Rolls (see The 
  Ultimate Vehicle) with that motorcycle.
  SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
  If a character has a Vehicle that has multiple 
  modes of movement and/or can operate in mul-
  tiple environments — for example, a cinematic 
  spy’s car that converts into a mini-sub or a mini-
  copter — the GM may allow him to simply buy a 
  1-point “just this one vehicle” TF. However, some 
  GMs may consider that abusive and require the 
  character to buy multiple TFs (one appropriate 
  to each mode/environment).
  If a character has multiple Vehicles (or access 
  to multiple Vehicles due to his membership as part 
  of a team or the like), the GM may allow him to 
  buy a single 2-point TF with “all my Vehicles” or “all 
  Vehicles my team uses.” Other GMs may consider 
  that abusive and require the character to buy an 
  individual TF for any type of Vehicle he wants to 
  operate. At the very least, a character who’s allowed 
  to buy the single 2-point TF should have a reason-
  able explanation for why he can drive the team’s car 
  or motorcycle, but not any other car or motorcycle.
  A Vehicle capable of operating itself must have 
  Transport Familiarity (whether obtained by buying 
  Combat Driving/Piloting or direct purchase). Simi-
  larly, TF could represent a “user-friendly” vehicle 
  that tells a passenger how to operate itself, or a 
  vehicle that can reconﬁgure its control systems to 
  resemble ones the operator knows how to use.
  A Vehicle that can “link up” with another 
  Vehicle (typically via a Mind Link of some sort) 
  can operate that Vehicle if it (the ﬁrst Vehicle) has 
  the appropriate TF. This provides a way to “slave” 
  multiple vehicles to a single lead vehicle so they can 
  easily move and maneuver in formation.
  If a character chooses Carts & Carriages or 
  Chariots as his free TF for Combat Driving, he 
  still needs a TF of the appropriate riding animal 
  to use it.
  EQUIPMENT
  By deﬁnition Transport Familiarity requires 
  equipment — a vehicle for the character to operate. 
  Without a vehicle, the Skill has no use other than 
  allowing the character to perform minor routine 
  maintenance on vehicles he knows how to operate.
  See The Ultimate Vehicle and The HERO 
  System Vehicle Sourcebook for complete HERO 
  System information and character sheets on 
  dozens of vehicles.
  POWERS AND TRANSPORT FAMILIARITY
  A character with Telekinesis may be able to use 
  that Power to work the controls of his vehicle without 
  having to touch them. (For computer-controlled vehi-
  cles, cyberkinetic powers may have the same eﬀect.) 
  In high-powered games (such as many Champions 
  and High Fantasy games), characters may have Move-
  ment Powers in suﬃcient amounts to render vehicles 
  (and thus TFs) generally unnecessary.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically no rolls are necessary with Transport 
  Familiarity. On those unusual occasions when a 
  crisis forces a character to make use of the 8- roll 
  the Skill provides, failure usually means loss of con-
  trol of the vehicle to some degree (possibly com-
  plete loss, if he fails by 4 or more). Depending on 
  the type of vehicle involved, how it’s moving, and its 
  speed, this may result in skidding, stalling, crashing 
  into something, colliding with another vehicle, or 
  many other possible outcomes. See The Ultimate 
  Vehicle for more information about using and con-
  trolling vehicles in the HERO System.
  BASE TIMES
  The “Base Time” for using Transport Famil-
  iarity typically depends on the length of the trip 
  involved. If a Skill Roll becomes necessary, using 
  TF is usually a Half Phase or Zero Phase Action.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  343 
  UNIFYING/SUBDIVIDING TRANSPORT 
  FAMILIARITY
  For some cinematic campaigns, the detailed 
  Transport Familiarity Table may not be neces-
  sary. Instead, there are simply ﬁve types of vehicles 
  — Riding Animals, Ground Vehicles, Air Vehicles, 
  Water Vehicles, and Space Vehicles. Knowing how 
  to operate all of the vehicles in any given category 
  costs 2 Character Points (the GM can change this 
  cost if he sees ﬁt).
  On the other hand, in Vehicle-oriented cam-
  paigns the GM may want to break Transport Famil-
  iarity down even further to create diversity among 
  characters. In this case, sometimes the GM rules 
  Category 
  Examples
  Riding Animals (A) [includes use of animals in teams, if applicable]
  Camels
  Dogs
  Equines  
  Horses, donkeys, mules, unicorns
  Flying Beasts  
  Griﬃns, pegasi, rocs,  
  giant dragonﬂies
  Huge Beasts  
  Elephants
  Swimming Beasts  
  Whales, sharks, giant ﬁsh
  Other (purchased by animal type)
  Muscle-Powered Ground Vehicles (B)
  One-Wheeled Muscle-Powered 
  Ground Vehicles  
  Unicycles
  Two-Wheeled Muscle-Powered 
  Ground Vehicles  
  Bicycles, velocipedes
  Carts & Carriages [also requires TF: appropriate riding animal]
  Chariots [also requires TF: appropriate riding animal]
  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles (A)
  Small Motorized Ground Vehicles  
  Cars, pickups, jeeps, ambulances
  Large Motorized Ground Vehicles  
  Trucks, tractor-trailers, buses
  Uncommon Motorized Ground Vehicles (B)
  Two-Wheeled Motorized 
  Ground Vehicles  
  Motorcycles, motoscooters
  Construction & Agricultural Vehicles  Bulldozers, steamrollers,  
  tractors, combines
  Tracked Military Vehicles  
  Tanks, IFVs, some APCs
  Wheeled Military Vehicles 
  Reconnaissance vehicles, some 
  APCs
  Railed Vehicles  
  Trains, cablecars, maglev trains, 
  subways
  Air Vehicles (B)
  Balloons & Zeppelins  
  Hot air balloons, zeppelins, 
  blimps
  Small Planes  
  Propeller planes, autogyros,  
  gliders, volantors
  Large Planes  
  Jumbo jets, C130 transports
  Combat Aircraft 
  F15s, F117As, B2s
  Helicopters
  Cold-Weather Vehicles (B)
  Bobsleds  
  Bobsleds, luge
  Sleds [also requires TF: Dogs] 
  Sleds, sledges, sleighs, dogsleds 
  Snowmobiles
  Water Vehicles (B)
  Rafts
  Small Rowed Boats  
  Canoes, rowboats, kayaks
  Large Rowed Boats  
  Biremes, triremes,  
  Fantasy slave ships
  Small Wind-Powered Boats  
  Sailboats, longboats, yachts
  Large Wind-Powered Boats  
  Clipper ships, galleons
  Small Motorized Boats  
  Speedboats, CRRCs/Zodiacs
  Large Motorized Boats  
  Pleasure yachts, tugboats, barges, 
  tankers
  Small Military Ships  
  Cutters, PT boats
  Large Military Ships  
  Destroyers, frigates,  
  aircraft carriers 
  Submarines
  Category 
  Examples
  Recreational Vehicles (B)
  Hanggliding
  Jetskis
  Parachuting, Basic
  Parachuting, Advanced [requires Basic Parachuting]
  SCUBA
  Skateboarding
  Skating [iceskating and rollerskating]
  Skiing, Snow
  Skiing, Water
  Snowboarding
  Surﬁng
  Windsurﬁng 
  Science Fiction & Space Vehicles (A) [includes FTL travel, if any]
  Early Spacecraft  
  Apollo, Mercury,  
  Gemini projects
  Spaceplanes  
  Space Shuttle
  Grav Vehicles/Hovercraft
  Personal-Use Spacecraft  
  Consumers’ spacecraft
  Commercial Spacecraft & Space Yachts
  Industrial & Exploratory Spacecraft
  Military Spacecraft
  Mobile Space Stations
  Mecha (A)
  Anthropomorphic Mecha
  Beast-Shaped Mecha
  Hybrid/Shapeshifting Mecha
  Notes
  A:  Can be purchased as a group
  B:  Must be purchased separately
  1. Riding Animals:  In a Fantasy campaign, where Riding Animals is the 
  prominent TF group, GMs may wish to forbid characters to purchase it 
  as a group.
  2. Parachuting, Basic and Advanced:  Basic Parachuting allows the char-
  acter to make basic use of a parachute safely, and assumes the character 
  is performing typical MAMO (Medium Altitude, Medium Opening) 
  jumps. Advanced Parachuting (which can only be bought by characters 
  who know Basic Parachuting) allows the character to perform more dif-
  ﬁcult jumps or aerial stunts; it includes military parachute training and 
  LALO, HALO, and HAHO jumps.
  3. Science Fiction & Space Vehicles:  This TF category encompasses the 
  largest number and variety of vehicles. Gamemasters running Future-era 
  campaigns should consider expanding this category extensively to suit 
  their campaigns. For example, diﬀerent spacefaring species’s ships might 
  require diﬀerent TFs (one species’s controls and methods of construc-
  tion may diﬀer greatly from another’s; a species’s arrangement of manip-
  ulatory limbs may lead to vastly diﬀerent controls), by planet or sector of 
  space, by government, and so forth. Science Fiction vehicles include FTL 
  travel if available.
  Grav Vehicles/Hovercraft may, at the GM’s option, be placed under 
  the “Uncommon Motorized Ground Vehicles” or “Air Vehicles” cat-
  egories instead.
  TRANSPORT FAMILIARITY CATEGORIES
  
  344 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  that if a character has one TF pertaining to a cat-
  egory (such as any “Sportscar” TF), that character 
  can operate any vehicle in that category, but suﬀers 
  a penalty if he doesn’t have a TF for a speciﬁc type/
  class of vehicle. For example, in a “Racing Hero” 
  campaign, characters might have to buy every 
  single sportscar as a separate TF, or buy sports-
  car TFs by brand (“National Motors Sportscars,” 
  “Kuroda Automotive Sportscars”). If a character 
  doesn’t have the right TF, he can still drive the car 
  but suﬀers a -1 penalty on Combat Driving rolls.
  TRANSPORT FAMILIARITY BY GENRE
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  Since minute diﬀerences in technology — the 
  “bleeding edge,” so to speak — are often crucial in 
  Cyberpunk settings, Cyber Hero campaigns often 
  take the “much more detailed” approach to Trans-
  port Familiarity. That way a character’s ability to 
  use the latest, best car or helicopter has a distinctive 
  game eﬀect.
  Dark Champions
  Since Dark Champions characters tend to be 
  Skill-oriented, GMs sometimes prefer the “much 
  more detailed” form of Transport Familiarity so 
  characters can diﬀerentiate themselves.
  Fantasy
  In Fantasy campaigns, where Riding Animals 
  is the prominent TF group, GMs may wish to 
  forbid characters to purchase it as a group. Instead 
  they must purchase riding animal TFs individually 
  for 1 Character Point per type of animal, or per-
  haps in 2-point categories if there are many types 
  of riding animals that are relatively similar. Possible 
  categories include Dragons, Equines, Riding Cats, 
  Riding Insects, Riding Lizards, Rocs, and Mon-
  strous Hybrids (griﬃns, manticores, and so on).
  Post-Apocalyptic
  Transport Familiarities may become particu-
  larly important in a post-apocalyptic world where 
  most vehicles have been destroyed (or damaged 
  to the point of nonfunctionality). A character who 
  ﬁnds a manual for a working vehicle and teaches 
  himself how to use it may gain a signiﬁcant advan-
  tage over his enemies... especially if that vehicle is a 
  well-armed tank or jetﬁghter!
  Pulp
  Many of the TF categories listed above don’t 
  apply, or apply a little diﬀerently, in the Pulp era. 
  There are no spacecraft (aside from ones the 
  heroes encounter in Science Fiction adventures, of 
  course!), for example.
  Air Vehicles:  Most Pulp planes are Small Planes 
  (some of the larger Thirties passenger and cargo 
  craft may qualify as Large Planes). There’s no need 
  for a separate Combat Aircraft subcategory; mili-
  tary ﬁghter planes fall under Small Planes. Autogy-
  ros also belong to the Small Planes subcategory.
  Riding Animals:  As with the Riding Skill, this category 
  is a much more common Skill than in the present day. 
  With the GM’s permission, characters may substitute 
  one of the following TFs for the TF: Small Motorized 
  Ground Vehicles they receive as an Everyman Skill:   
  Camels, Equines, or Huge Animals.
  Recreational Vehicles:  SCUBA exists only in a 
  primitive form beginning in 1933. Characters can 
  also take Diving Suit, the Skill of using diving suits 
  that receive air via a tube from a generator on ship 
  or shore. Parachuting is just one TF; advanced 
  military parachuting doesn’t really exist in the 
  sense implied by the two standard parachuting TFs. 
  Hanggliding, Jetskis, Snowboarding, and Windsurf-
  ing don’t exist.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  345 
  Science Fiction
  In the standard HERO System rules, all space-
  craft and starships are covered by one simple, inex-
  pensive Transport Familiarity. While that may work 
  well for some Space Opera and Pulp SF campaigns, 
  it’s not appropriate for many Star Hero settings. 
  For games where the GM desires greater detail, 
  consider each of the subcategories listed under 
  “Science Fiction & Space Vehicles” as a separate, 2-
  point TF category of its own. (For a setting-speciﬁc 
  example, see Terran Empire, pages 125-26.)
  In Hard SF or high-realism games, GMs 
  may want to go one step further and make each 
  planet’s or species’s space vehicles a separate 
  TF. Thus, a character with TF: Human Military 
  Spacecraft couldn’t safely pilot Mon’dabi Military 
  Spacecraft. As noted in the Transport Familiar-
  ity Table, methods of construction, number and 
  placement of manipulatory limbs, control panel 
  organizational logic, and other factors may make 
  it difficult or impossible for one species to use 
  another’s starships.
  Most of the hovercraft, landspeeders, and grav-
  itic/magnetic ground vehicles common in some SF 
  settings typically fall under the Common Motor-
  ized Ground Vehicles category as a Hovercraft sub-
  category. Larger hovercraft and military hovercraft 
  are usually subcategories under the Uncommon 
  Motorized Ground Vehicle category.
  In some Star Hero campaigns, GMs may wish 
  to add an additional category:  Dimensional/Time 
  Vehicles. It covers time machines, dimension-ships, 
  and any other vehicle that can travel between reali-
  ties or times.
  Superheroes
  Vehicles in a Champions campaign may 
  become truly bizarre. The high-tech “team jet” is a 
  classic of the genre, but heroes and villains could 
  create and operate vehicles in just about any shape 
  and size:  a ﬂying platform in the shape of a bat; a 
  teleportation cube; a rocket-powered skateboard; 
  magic skis and surfboards; hovercraft and grav-
  cars in countless varieties; you name it. In some 
  cases a character may take a TF with his vehicle 
  (even though that’s not normally required if he’s 
  paid Character Points for it) as a way of represent-
  ing its uniqueness... and keeping other characters 
  from using it. (Deﬁning it as a Personal Focus may 
  accomplish the same objective.)
  Western/Victorian
  Except for later-era Victorian games, or Victo-
  rian campaigns involving “steampunk” technology, 
  Victorian-era TFs are even more limited than in 
  the Pulp era. Characters can’t buy any motorized 
  vehicle TFs involving internal combustion engines 
  (either ground or water), few Recreational Vehicles, 
  and no air or space vehicle TFs at all. On the other 
  hand, Riding Animal TFs, Small Rowed Boats, and 
  the like are more common than in the modern day.
  TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Combat Skill has been trained 
  to ﬁght with two weapons, one in each hand. Two-
  Weapon Fighting (either Ranged or HTH) costs 10 
  Character Points.
  Two-Weapon Fighting is the ability to use the 
  Combat Maneuvers Rapid Fire or Sweep (see pages 
  396-98 of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised 
  rulebook), combined with a limited form of the 
  Talent Ambidexterity, in an improved manner. It 
  provides the following beneﬁts:
  ■ even in campaigns that don’t use the Rapid Fire 
  and/or Sweep Optional Combat Maneuvers, GMs 
  should allow characters to use those Maneuvers 
  when they use Two-Weapon Fighting
  ■ in campaigns that allow all characters to use the 
  Rapid Fire and/or Sweep Optional Combat Maneu-
  vers, a character using Two-Weapon Fighting only 
  suﬀers a -2 DCV, instead of the standard halving of 
  DCV. If a -2 DCV penalty would constitute halving 
  the character’s DCV (or close to it), the GM may 
  consider reducing the penalty to -1 DCV.
  ■ it allows the character to ignore the -3 penalty for 
  using his oﬀ hand to attack
  ■ it allows character to ignore the first -2 OCV 
  modifier when making his two attacks. (In other 
  words, the character’s first two Attack Rolls are at 
  no OCV penalty; any Attack Rolls thereafter in 
  the same Phase are at a cumulative -2 OCV per 
  Attack Roll.)
  Weapons wielded with Two-Weapon Fight-
  ing must be usable in one hand, but there are no 
  restrictions on the types of weapons characters 
  can use other than that. (They could, for example, 
  be two identical weapons bought with the “+5 
  Character Points doubles the number of items of 
  equipment” rule.) A character with WF: Oﬀ Hand 
  who uses Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH) gets the 
  standard +1 DCV from that WF.
  Characters must purchase Two-Weapon 
  Fighting (HTH) separately from Two-Weapon 
  Fighting (Ranged); the cost and rules are the 
  same. When using Two-Weapon Fighting with 
  HKA or HA weapons, a character’s STR Bonus 
  adds to both attacks.
  At the GM’s option, a character may use Two-
  Weapon Fighting (HTH) with unarmed HTH 
  attacks, such as punches or Martial Strikes, as well 
  as with armed attacks. The GM could allow charac-
  ters with innate Ranged attacks (like a superhero’s 
  energy bolts) to do the same with Two-Weapon 
  Fighting (Ranged).
  Characters using Two-Weapon Fighting may 
  attack the same or diﬀerent characters with each 
  attack. Of course, with Two-Weapon Fighting 
  (HTH), if the character wishes to attack multiple 
  targets with his two attacks, both must be within 
  HTH Combat range.
  
  346 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Characters using Two-Weapon Fighting are 
  subject to all rules for Rapid Fire or Sweep regard-
  ing the Maneuvers they can use, CV modiﬁers, 
  time required, END cost, number of targets, and so 
  forth. This includes the rule that if the ﬁrst attack 
  misses, the character automatically doesn’t get 
  to make the second attack (though the GM may 
  remove this restriction as a beneﬁt of buying Two-
  Weapon Fighting). Characters can combine Two-
  Weapon Fighting with Rapid Attack to perform the 
  two-weapon attack as a Half Phase Action.
  Example:  Swordsinger, DEX 27, uses twin 
  katanas and knows the Two-Weapon Fight-
  ing (HTH) Skill. He also knows some Martial 
  Arts Maneuvers (Kenjutsu). He gets into a ﬁght 
  against two bank robbers and decides to use 
  Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH) to Sweep them. 
  He suﬀers no penalties for using a sword in his 
  “oﬀ hand,” and as long as he makes no more 
  than two attacks will suﬀer no OCV penalty. 
  He will be at -2 DCV, and performing the 
  attack requires a Full Phase.
  He decides to use a Lightning Stroke (+2 
  OCV, +0 DCV, +2 DC) to attack Robber #1, 
  and a Slashing Stroke (-2 OCV, +1 DCV, +4 
  DC) against the other. His ﬁrst attack is at +2 
  OCV (Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH) cancels 
  the Sweep penalty, and the maneuver grants a 
  +2 OCV). His second attack is at -2 OCV (the 
  Slashing Stroke maneuver subtracts 2 from his 
  OCV; Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH) cancels 
  the Sweep penalty). He is at 7 DCV (base of 
  9 [the worse of the two DCV bonuses applies], 
  -2). Because any OCV penalty applies to all 
  rolls, while OCV bonuses do not, Swordsinger 
  will be at +0 OCV with his Lightning Stroke 
  and -2 OCV with his Slashing Stroke.
  Example:  Renegade, who knows Rapid Auto-
  ﬁre, attacks six bank robbers using his Two-
  Weapon Fighting (Ranged) Skill with his twin 
  Mini-Uzi submachine guns. He uses Concen-
  trated Sprayﬁre and Skipover Sprayﬁre with 
  each Mini-Uzi against the robbers, who have 
  conveniently bunched up into two groups of 
  three robbers each. Group #1 is spread out 
  over four hexes, Group #2 over ﬁve hexes. His 
  DCV is -2 for using Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  then halved for using Autoﬁre Skills. Because of 
  his Two-Weapon Fighting, he suﬀers no OCV 
  penalty for using two weapons; each burst of 
  Autoﬁre counts as one attack. The OCV penal-
  ties are -6 for attacking Group #1 (-4 for hexes, 
  -2 for the Skills) and -7 for attacking Group #2 
  (-5 for hexes, -2 for the Skills), and these add 
  together for a total -13 OCV on both attacks.
  RESTRICTIONS
  The following restrictions apply to Two-
  Weapon Fighting.
  Even if a character has both forms of Two-
  Weapon Fighting, he cannot combine a HTH and 
  Ranged attack into a single use of Two-Weapon 
  Fighting. One form involves Rapid Fire, the other 
  form involves Sweep.
  A character may not use Two-Weapon Fight-
  ing with an Autoﬁre attack unless he has the Rapid 
  Autoﬁre Skill (see above), but may use it with Auto-
  ﬁre Skills (such as Accurate Sprayﬁre). A character 
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  347 
  with two Autoﬁre weapons, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  and Rapid Autoﬁre can Rapid Fire with both of his 
  weapons. However, the standard penalties apply, 
  so he’s going to be at -2 OCV per burst after the 
  second (and that means overall, not per hand), at -2 
  DCV, and so on.
  Two-Weapon Fighting is based on, and uses, 
  the mechanic for Rapid Fire/Sweep. As such, it con-
  stitutes a single maneuver. A character can’t Hold 
  half of it, any more than he could, for example, 
  Hold half a Haymaker or half a Disarm. Similarly, 
  he can’t Abort half of it, nor can he choose to per-
  form a defensive action like Block with part of it 
  — Sweep involves attacks, not defenses.
  While holding two weapons, a character with 
  Two-Weapon Fighting cannot make just a single 
  attack with the weapon in his Oﬀ Hand and use 
  Two-Weapon Fighting to negate the OCV penalty 
  for his Oﬀ Hand attack. The Skill doesn’t eliminate 
  the Oﬀ Hand penalty for any attack, just for a spe-
  ciﬁc method of attacking as described above.
  EQUIPMENT
  The only equipment Two-Weapon Fighting 
  requires are the weapons used (and even they may 
  not be needed if the GM allows characters to make 
  unarmed Two-Weapon Fighting attacks). Other-
  wise it’s a purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
  Characters with more than two manipulatory 
  limbs do not automatically get to make a normal 
  attack with each limb just because they know Two-
  Weapon Fighting. This Skill only removes the OCV 
  penalty for one Rapid Fire or Sweep attack. Using 
  additional limbs would count as further Rapid Fire 
  or Sweep attacks, and would incur the normal pen-
  alty (though a character could buy Combat Skill 
  Levels to counteract this, thus simulating his ability 
  to attack with many limbs at once).
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Two-Weapon Fighting doesn’t involve a roll 
  other than the associated Attack Roll.
  BASE TIMES
  Using Two-Weapon Fighting requires a Full 
  Phase Action, as discussed above.
  SUBDIVIDING TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
  In campaigns where many characters like to 
  use Two-Weapon Fighting, the GM might consider 
  requiring characters to buy it by Weapon Familiar-
  ity subcategory. To use the Skill with any 1-point 
  WF category (like Blades or Axes/Maces/Ham-
  mers/Picks) costs 5 Character Points.
  TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING BY GENRE
  Two-Weapon Fighting works the same in all 
  genres and time periods. The HTH version tends 
  to be most common in Fantasy and Martial Arts 
  games, the Ranged version in Cyberpunk and Dark 
  Champions games.
  VENTRILOQUISM
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  A character with this Intellect Skill can make his 
  voice sound as if it’s coming from somewhere 
  other than himself. Ventriloquism also allows him 
  to speak without apparently moving his lips. It’s 
  particularly useful for deception; one of the oldest 
  tricks in the book is for a character to cast his voice 
  behind a gunman, saying “Freeze!” This can distract 
  the gunman enough so the character can try to 
  escape (or can provide an excuse to break the hold 
  of a Cover Combat Maneuver).
  When a character uses Ventriloquism, he 
  makes his Skill Roll in a Skill Versus Skill Contest 
  against the Hearing PER Roll of anyone who can 
  hear him. Thus, failure doesn’t necessarily mean he 
  fails — listeners still have to succeed with their PER 
  Rolls, but that’s usually not diﬃcult. If the character 
  fails badly (by 4 or more), then he’s obviously trying 
  to throw his voice and doing a miserable job of it; 
  anyone realizes what he’s up to without the need for 
  a PER Roll.
  Ventriloquism rolls  suﬀer a -1 penalty for 
  every 1” of distance between the ventriloquist and 
  the point where the voice “speaks,” with an absolute 
  limit of 20” range in all but the most cinematic of 
  campaigns. A ventriloquist who eats, drinks, or has 
  objects in his mouth while throwing his voice has 
  to make his roll at a -3 penalty to succeed.
  EQUIPMENT
  Ventriloquism doesn’t involve any equipment; 
  it’s a purely personal Skill.
  POWERS AND VENTRILOQUISM
  A character with an appropriately-built Images 
  to Hearing Group power can achieve the same 
  eﬀects as Ventriloquism without the need for a 
  roll... and with the ability to impose penalties on 
  listeners’ PER Rolls to boot.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  See above regarding failed Ventriloquism rolls.
  BASE TIMES
  Using Ventriloquism typically requires at least 
  a Half Phase Action, but it lasts as long as the char-
  acter has to keep talking.
  VENTRILOQUISM BY GENRE
  Ventriloquism works the same in all genres and 
  time periods. According to some sources, the ancient 
  Greeks referred to ventriloquism as gastromancy, 
  since it was used by oracles to “speak from the belly.”
  Pulp Hero
  Ventriloquism enjoys great popularity during 
  the Pulp era thanks to the fame of Edgar Bergen 
  (and his dummy Charlie McCarthy). Pulp heroes 
  may be surprised to encounter all sorts of people 
  who’ve made an eﬀort to learn the Skill to imitate 
  their favorite entertainer!
  SUBDIVIDING  
  VENTRILOQUISM
  For cinematic cam-
  paigns, the GM might 
  consider combining 
  Ventriloquism and 
  Mimicry into a single 
  Intellect Skill, Voice 
  Manipulation. This isn’t 
  necessarily realistic, but 
  it may encourage char-
  acters to buy and use 
  these two fun but rela-
  tively uncommon Skills 
  more frequently.
  
  348 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  WEAPON FAMILIARITY
  Type:   
  Combat Skill (roll:  N/A)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for the ability to use one 
  category of weapons (if purchaseable), or 
  1 Character Point for the ability to use one 
  subcategory of weapons
  Weapon Familiarity (WF) represents the knowl-
  edge of how to use specific weapons. It’s used 
  primarily in Heroic campaigns; characters in 
  Superheroic campaigns, who pay Character 
  Points for their weapons, automatically know 
  how to use them (see below).
  Weapon Familiarity is bought by category (see 
  the accompanying table on page 349). Large catego-
  ries that characters may purchase as a group, such 
  as Common Melee Weapons or Small Arms, cost 
  2 Character Points; individual categories, such as 
  Handguns or Blades, cost 1 Character Point each. A 
  character must buy Weapon Familiarity separately 
  for each weapon category in weapon groups he 
  cannot buy as a group. All characters have Familiar-
  ity with Clubs, Fist-Loads, Unarmed Combat, and 
  Thrown Rocks for free.
  A character ﬁghts at -3 OCV when using a 
  weapon for which he does not know the Weapon 
  Familiarity. If a weapon has an inherent OCV or 
  Range Modiﬁer penalty, having the WF for that 
  weapon does not eliminate that penalty.
  Example:  Andarra’s gun is knocked out of her 
  hand, so she grabs a laser sword oﬀ the wall. 
  She doesn’t know how to use a laser sword (i.e., 
  she didn’t pay for WF: Blades), so she suﬀers a 
  -3 OCV penalty.
  Later on, Andarra gets her gun back. It’s not 
  well built, so it has an inherent -1 OCV pen-
  alty. She suﬀers this penalty even though she 
  has WF: Small Arms; the Weapon Familiarity 
  doesn’t eliminate the weapon’s inherent nega-
  tive modiﬁer.
  A character can buy a WF with whatever the 
  GM is willing to let him define as a “weapon.” 
  That eliminates the -3 OCV penalty for Unfa-
  miliar Weapon (The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised, page 382), but not any other penalties 
  (such as for the inherent bulkiness or awkward-
  ness of a weapon).
  A character who’s paid Character Points for a 
  weapon doesn’t need a WF to wield it — since he 
  paid points for it, he knows how to use it. However, 
  this doesn’t extend to other weapons of that same 
  type. Paying points for a sword doesn’t mean a 
  character has WF: Blades — it just gives him the 
  ability to wield that one blade.
  A character with WF can perform basic 
  maintenance and upkeep on the weapons he 
  knows how to use — things like keeping them 
  clean, sharpening them, and the like. He cannot 
  repair broken weapons, modify or customize the 
  weapon, perform major maintenance, or the like; 
  that requires Weaponsmith.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  349 
  Common Melee Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group) 
  Unarmed Combat*
  Axes, Maces, Hammers, and Picks
  Blades
  Clubs*
  Fist-Loads* (1)
  Polearms and Spears (2)
  Two-Handed Weapons
  Uncommon Melee Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Flails (3)
  Garrote
  Lances
  Nets
  Spread-The-Water Knife
  Staﬀs
  Whips
  Common Martial Arts Melee Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Chain & Rope Weapons
  Karate Weapons
  Mourn Staﬀ
  Ninja Weapons
  Rings
  Staﬀs
  War Fan
  Uncommon Martial Arts Melee Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Flying Claw/Guillotine
  Hook Sword
  Kiseru
  Lajatang
  Pendjepit
  Rope Dart
  Three-Section Staﬀ
  Urumi
  Wind and Fire Wheels
  Oﬀ Hand (4)
  Common Missile Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Thrown Rocks* (5)
  Bows (6)
  Crossbows (7)
  Javelins and Thrown Spears
  Thrown Knives, Axes, and Darts (8)
  Uncommon Missile Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Arare
  Atlatl
  Blowguns
  Boomerangs and Throwing Clubs
  Early Thrown Grenades
  Fukimi-Bari
  Iron Mandarin Duck
  Metsubishi
  Sling
  Sling Bow
  Staﬀ Sling
  Steel Olive
  Steel Toad
  Thrown Chain & Rope Weapons 
  Thrown Sword
  Wishful Steel Ball
  Siege Engines 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Ballista
  Catapult
  Onager
  Siege Tower
  Spring Engine
  Trebuchet
  Turtle
  Early Firearms 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Early Muzzleloaders
  Matchlocks
  Wheellocks
  Flintlocks
  Early Percussion Firearms (up to  
     approximately 1850)
  Small Arms 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Assault Riﬂes/LMGs
  Handguns
  Riﬂes
  Shotguns
  Submachine Guns
  Thrown Grenades
  Uncommon Modern Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Flamethrowers
  Grenade Launchers (9)
  General Purpose/Heavy Machine Guns (10)
  Shoulder-Fired Weapons (11)
  Emplaced Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Early Emplaced Weapons (12)
  Anti-Aircraft Guns
  Anti-Tank Guns
  Artillery
  Howitzers
  Mortars
  Recoilless Guns
  Vehicle Weapons (13) 
  (must buy per vehicle)
  Notes
  * = All characters have this Weapon Familiarity 
  for free
  1. Fist-Loads includes brass knuckles, bagh 
  nakh, the yawara, rocks or rolls of quarters held 
  in the ﬁst, and similar weapons. It also includes 
  tasers that the user must touch to the victim’s 
  skin (the type of taser that ﬁres small metal 
  darts requires WF: Small Arms).
  2. Polearms and Spears includes the use of 
  Bayonets attached to riﬂes (Bayonets wielded on 
  their own are considered Blades).
  3. Flails includes the ﬂail, the morningstar, and 
  other articulated clubs not listed elsewhere.
  4. WF: Oﬀ Hand, which costs 1 Character Point 
  and may only be purchased once, is most suit-
  able for martial arts campaigns and some other 
  Heroic games. A character with WF: Oﬀ Hand 
  gets a +1 DCV in HTH Combat when ﬁghting 
  with a weapon in each hand. This does not allow 
  the character to attack twice in a Phase, how-
  ever. To attack more often in a Turn, buy more 
  SPD; to attack more than once in a Phase, use 
  Combat Maneuvers like Sweep or Rapid Fire or 
  buy the Skill Two-Weapon Fighting.)
  5. Thrown Rocks includes Molotov cocktails 
  and other crude missile weapons. All characters 
  know this WF for free.
  Related to Thrown Rocks are some hand-held 
  dropped weapons, like caltrops, marbles, and the 
  like. Such weapons do not require a WF to use.
  6. Bows includes pellet bows/sling bows.
  7. Crossbows includes pellet crossbows and the 
  chu-ko-nu (Chinese repeating crossbow).
  8. Thrown Knives, Axes, and Darts includes 
  shuriken and chakram.
  9. Grenade Launchers includes both GLs 
  which are separate and those which are a 
  component of another weapon, and also 
  includes riﬂe grenades. Examples include the 
  U.S. M79 and M203.
  10. General Purpose/Heavy Machine Guns 
  includes the U.S. M60, M61A1/M168, M134 
  Minigun, Vulcan, M249 SAW, and similar weap-
  ons. However, if mounted in a vehicle, these 
  weapons usually require a WF: Vehicle Weapon 
  to use.
  11. Shoulder-Fired Weapons is a broad category 
  that includes anti-tank weapons (such as the 
  U.S. M20 bazooka, M72 A2, and M47 Dragon), 
  man-portable SAMs (such as the U.S. Stinger or 
  Russian SA-7 Grail), hand-held recoilless guns 
  (such as the Armbrust), and some man-guided 
  missiles (such as TOWs, FOGs, laser-guided 
  missiles, and so forth).
  12. Early Emplaced Weapons includes all such 
  weapons developed prior to World War I, such 
  as cannons, bombards, culverins, and early how-
  itzers. The GM may wish to break this category 
  out into several separate categories for cam-
  paigns set in periods in which such weapons are 
  commonplace (such as a pirates campaign or 
  Civil War campaign).
  13. Vehicle Weapons must be purchased per 
  vehicle (for example, WF: M1A Abrams Weap-
  ons, WF: F-15 Weapons), at 1 point per vehicle. 
  Bombs and missiles dropped or launched by air-
  craft, tank guns, and torpedoes are all examples 
  of Vehicle Weapons. Mines do not require a WF 
  (building and working with them is a function 
  of Demolitions), though vehicle-based minelay-
  ing weapons require a Vehicle Weapons WF.
  Advanced land-based missile systems and 
  some other weapons are controlled via Systems 
  Operation (q.v.), not a WF.
  WEAPON FAMILIARITY CATEGORIES
  
  350 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  VEHICLE WEAPONS
  As noted in the Weapon Familiarity Categories 
  table, a character can buy a WF with Vehicle Weapons 
  for any speciﬁc type of vehicle (such as an Abrams 
  tank or a Hornet ﬁghter plane) for 1 Character Point. 
  Gamemasters may, if desired, allow characters to buy 
  2-point WF categories with all types of weapons on 
  all vehicles of a particular type. See the accompany-
  ing text box for some examples. Using this system, a 
  character in a Vehicle-oriented campaign can shift 
  from Vehicle to Vehicle without worrying about Unfa-
  miliar Weapon penalties. See Chapter Three for more 
  information on Vehicles and Skills, and The Ultimate 
  Vehicle for advanced rules for vehicular combat.
  EQUIPMENT
  Except for WF: Unarmed Combat, all Weapon 
  Familiarities involve equipment:  the weapon in 
  question. A character doesn’t need any other equip-
  ment to use a WF, though.
  POWERS AND WEAPON FAMILIARITY
  In campaigns where characters have innate 
  powers, such as most Superhero and some Fantasy 
  campaigns, Weapon Familiarity may become a rela-
  tively rare Skill. There’s no need to buy a Skill to use 
  personal powers (unless some Limitation requires 
  that), and no need to use weapons when one has 
  superpowers to substitute. But even in that situa-
  tion, a character or two may still buy a WF to repre-
  sent knowledge of how to ﬁre guns, having taken a 
  fencing class in college, or the like.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Weapon Familiarity does not involve a Skill Roll.
  BASE TIMES
  Using a Weapon Familiarity takes no time.
  SUBDIVIDING WEAPON FAMILIARITY
  As discussed below under Science Fiction, in 
  campaigns with multiple sentient humanoid species 
  the GM may want to diﬀerentiate Weapon Famil-
  iarities by species, so that, for example, Dwarven 
  Blades is a distinct WF from Human Blades or 
  Lizard-Folk Blades.
  WEAPON FAMILIARITY BY GENRE
  Weapon Familiarity works the same in all 
  genres and eras, though the types of weapons 
  it’s commonly bought for can vary greatly. For 
  example, few Dark Champions characters buy WF: 
  Axes/Maces/Hammers/Picks, though that’s one of 
  the most common WFs in Fantasy campaigns. Tra-
  ditional Fantasy characters, on the other hand, can’t 
  buy WF: Small Arms because that level and type of 
  technology doesn’t exist in typical Fantasy settings.
  Pulp
  Pilots can buy one WF: Vehicle Weapons, 
  known as Biplane Weapons, to use the weapons 
  on any type of biplane, triplane, or the like used 
  during the Pulp era — they don’t have to buy them 
  separately for each model of plane because the 
  weaponry is similar enough from plane to plane 
  that one WF covers all. However, using the weapons 
  on late-period monoplanes may require a separate 
  WF, and by the World War II era vehicle-by-vehicle 
  WFs are required.
  Science Fiction
  The number and types of weapons available 
  to characters is greater in Science Fiction than any 
  other genre, given the panoply of worlds, cultures, 
  and technological levels to choose from. It’s not 
  uncommon for characters in a Star Hero game to 
  carry everything from clubs, knives, and swords to 
  blasters and disintegrators. See the accompanying 
  table for suggested additions to the WF catego-
  ries for most Science Fiction campaigns. The GM 
  should alter or add to the existing lists to better suit 
  his speciﬁc campaigns.
  VEHICLE WEAPON  
  FAMILIARITIES
  Each of these categories is a 2-point category which 
  may be purchased as a group.
  Airplane Weapons
  Airplane Guns
  Airplane Missiles
  Dropped Bombs
  Automobile Weapons
  Automobile Beam Weapons
  Automobile Dropped Weapons
  Automobile Grenade Launchers
  Automobile Guns
  Automobile Incendiary Weapons
  Automobile Missiles
  Helicopter Weapons
  Helicopter Grenade Launchers
  Helicopter Guns
  Helicopter Missiles
  Dropped Bombs
  Mecha Weapons
  Mecha Beam Weapons
  Mecha Guns
  Mecha Hand-Held Ranged Weapons
  Mecha Hands
  Mecha Melee Weapons
  Mecha Missiles
  Modern Naval Vessel Weapons
  Naval Guns
  Naval Missiles
  Naval Torpedoes
  Sailing Ship Weapons
  Light Cannons
  Medium Cannons
  Large Cannons
  Ship-Based Siege Weapons
  Starship Weapons
  Starship Beam Weapons
  Starship Guns
  Starship Missiles
  Submarine Weapons
  Submarine-Launched Missiles
  Submarine Torpedoes
  Tank Weapons
  Tank Grenade Launchers
  Tank Main Guns
  Tank Missiles
  Tank Secondary Guns
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  351 
  Gamemasters may want to consider making 
  each planet’s or species’s weapons a separate WF. 
  Thus, a character with WF: Ackálian Common 
  Melee Weapons or WF: Human Small Arms can’t 
  use Varanyi Common Melee Weapons or Denebian 
  Small Arms without suﬀering the normal nonpro-
  ﬁciency penalty. Depending on a species’s number 
  of limbs or ﬁngers and similar considerations, other 
  species may ﬁnd it diﬃcult or impossible to use 
  their weapons, regardless of proﬁciency.
  WEAPONSMITH
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:    
  2 Character Points for a base roll with one 
  category; each additional category costs 1 
  Character Point
  Characters with this Intellect Skill can make, main-
  tain, repair, and install various types of weapons. A 
  character with Weaponsmith can also identify the 
  origin, uses, and eﬀects of any weapon he can make. 
  For example, Weaponsmith: Firearms allows a char-
  acter to recognize guns by sight or sound, and pos-
  sibly to identify the origin of a gun.
  Weaponsmith does not cover the building of 
  explosives, bombs, and related weapons such as 
  landmines; that requires Demolitions. Nor does it 
  cover the invention of new types of weapons, which 
  requires Inventor in addition to Weaponsmith.
  The cost for buying Weaponsmith with one 
  category of weapons is 2 Character Points for a 
  (9+(INT/5)) or less roll. Each additional category 
  costs +1 Character Point. A character may increase 
  his roll in all categories he knows for 2 Character 
  Points for each +1 to the Skill Roll.
  Complementary Skills for Weaponsmith vary 
  based on category. Electronics is usually Comple-
  mentary for Energy Weapons; SS: Ballistics would 
  be Complementary for Firearms or Missiles & 
  Rockets; and several SSs would be Complementary 
  to Chemical or Biological Weapons.
  MUSCLE-POWERED WEAPONS
  In Fantasy campaigns and some other games, 
  the Muscle-Powered subcategories of Weaponsmith 
  are the main ones (possibly the only ones) charac-
  ters use. The accompanying table lists the modiﬁers 
  and times required to make a weapon from scratch. 
  This assumes suﬃcient tools (anvil, hammers, 
  STAR HERO WEAPON  
  FAMILIARITIES
  Uncommon Melee Weapons (add to existing category)
  Electric Whip
  Energy Blades
  Inertial Gloves
  Stun Rods
  Small Arms (add to existing category)
  Liquid-Propellant Riﬂes
  Gauss Guns
  Polymer Guns
  Rocket Pistols
  Rocket Riﬂes
  Missile Guns
  Sonic Stunners
  Tranquilizer Dart Guns
  Beam Weapons (may be purchased as a group)
  Laser Pistols
  Laser Riﬂes
  Electron Beam Weapons
  Particle Guns
  Energy Weapons (may be purchased as a group)
  Ion Blasters
  Plasma Guns
  Disintegrators
  Alternately, for some campaigns GMs may prefer to 
  establish a Science Fiction Small Arms category includ-
  ing all weapons listed in the Small Arms, Beam Weap-
  ons, and Energy Weapons categories of this table.
  WEAPONSMITH CATEGORIES
  Category 
  Examples
  Muscle-Powered HTH 
  Swords, knives, axes, maces, 
  polearms, clubs
  Muscle-Powered Ranged Bows, crossbows, javelins, 
  throwing blades
  Siege Engines 
  Ballistae, trebuchet,  
  catapults
  Artillery, Early 
  Cannons, culverins,  
  bombards
  Firearms, Early 
  Matchlocks, ﬂintlocks, 
  wheellocks, and the like  
  up to 1850
  Firearms, Advanced 
  Post-1850 revolvers, 
  pistols, rifles, shotguns, 
  machine guns
  Missiles & Rockets 
  Stingers, Patriots, rocket 
  launchers
  Chemical Weapons 
  Tear gas, nerve gases
  Biological Weapons 
  Bacteriological and viro-
  logical warfare agents
  Incendiary Weapons 
  Flamethrowers, napalm, 
  thermite, white phosphorus
  Artillery, Advanced 
  Howitzers, mortars
  Energy Weapons 
  Lasers, blasters, magnetic 
  weapons, tasers
  
  352 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  carving knives, and the like) and supplies of metal 
  or wood. If a character lacks any of these things, 
  the GM should extend the time required and/or 
  increase the modiﬁer, as appropriate.
  Example:  Dougal has Weaponsmith (Swords 
  And Daggers) 13-. He wants to make a long-
  sword for his friend Drago. The GM rolls a 3, so 
  it will take 11 hours.
  Dougal decides to make Drago a particularly 
  well-balanced sword, one with the “Accurate” 
  feature. That imposes a -2 on his roll and 
  increases the time necessary to 22 hours.
  Primitive Wilderness Weapons
  Characters lost in the wilderness and deprived 
  of their weapons can use Weaponsmith to make 
  simple substitutes:  spears formed from sharpened 
  sticks or a stick tipped with a ﬂint head, ﬂint hand-
  choppers, bows from ﬂexible branches and animal 
  sinew, and so forth. This typically requires a Weap-
  onsmith roll at -2 (plus the necessary raw materials, 
  of course; Survival may be Complementary). These 
  weapons may not do as much damage or be as 
  accurate as properly-manufactured ones (typically 
  they’re -1 DC and -1 OCV), but they’re more than 
  adequate in a pinch.
  FIREARMS
  The Firearms subcategory of Weaponsmith 
  is as important to modern-day and near future 
  games as Muscle-Powered is to Fantasy. The 
  Weaponsmith (Firearms) Table lists the typical 
  modifiers for various gunsmithing tasks and the 
  time required to perform them. (See Firearms 
  Modifications And Customization on page 238 of 
  Dark Champions for information on the game 
  effects of many of these modifications.)
  The modiﬁers and times required listed in 
  the Gunsmithing Table assume the character has 
  proper tools (lathes, mills, probes, and the like) 
  and supplies of appropriate parts. If the character 
  doesn’t have these things, the GM should extend 
  the time required and/or increase the modiﬁer, as 
  appropriate.
  EQUIPMENT
  Weaponsmith requires equipment:  ﬁrst, the 
  raw materials needed to manufacture a weapon; 
  second, the forge, workbench, drill presses, and 
  other tools appropriate to the weapon, location, and 
  time period.
  POWERS AND WEAPONSMITH
  Characters with a properly-deﬁned Transform 
  may not need Weaponsmith — they can Transform 
  the necessary raw materials into a functioning 
  weapon in the blink of an eye.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  If a Weaponsmith roll fails by 1-3, the 
  attempted creation or installation fails. This is usu-
  ally obvious upon inspection, test ﬁring, or the like. 
  If it fails badly (by 4 or more), either the weapon 
  itself has been irreparably damaged, or the failure 
  doesn’t become apparent until the character uses 
  the weapon in crisis or combat conditions (i.e., it 
  fails to work just when he needs it the most!).
  As noted in the accompanying tables, another 
  possibility for failure when a character constructs 
  a weapon is this:  the weapon still works, but less 
  well — reduce the DCs of damage it can cause by 1 
  per point by which the character fails the roll (to a 
  maximum of losing half the weapon’s DCs).
  BASE TIMES
  The accompanying tables above list the Base 
  Times for common Weaponsmith tasks. Identifying 
  a weapon or its eﬀects usually takes no more than 
  a Full Phase, and is often an Action that takes no 
  time.
  UNIFYING/SUBDIVIDING WEAPONSMITH
  In campaigns that don’t involve a lot of work 
  with weapons, the GM may prefer to convert 
  Weaponsmith into a single standard Intellect 
  Skill. For 3 Character Points characters can man-
  ufacture any type of weapon by succeeding with 
  WEAPONSMITHING  
  (MUSCLE-POWERED) TABLE
  Type Of Weapon 
  Modiﬁer 
  Time Required
  Arrow/Bolt 
  -1 
  ½ hour
  Axe 
  -1 
  2 + 1d6 hours
  Bow 
  -3 
  2 + ½d6 hours
  Crossbow 
  -4 
  3 + 1d6 hours
  Dagger 
  -2 
  4 + 1d6 hours
  Flail 
  -3 
  4 + 1d6 h ours
  Hammer 
  -0 
  1 + ½d6 hours
  Lance 
  -1 
  2 + ½d6 hours
  Mace 
  -1 
  2 + 1d6 hours
  Pick 
  -1 
  2 + ½d6 hours
  Polearm 
  -2 
  2 + ½d6 hours
  Sword 
  -3   
  8 + 1d6 hours
  Throwing Blade 
  -2 
  2 + 1d6 hours
  Modiﬁer:  The penalty to the Weaponsmith roll 
  needed to successfully construct the weapon. If the 
  character fails the roll, the weapon may still work, but 
  less well — reduce the DCs of damage it can cause by 
  1 per point by which the character fails the roll.
  Time Required:  The Base Time needed to make the 
  weapon. The lower end of the range assumes the best 
  tools and facilities, few (if any) interruptions, and 
  perhaps the help of apprentices. The upper end of the 
  range assumes either a lack of these things, or taking 
  extra time to make the weapon as good as possible, 
  add decorative touches, and so forth.
  For one-and-a-half-handed weapons, multiply the listed 
  time by 1.2. For two-handed weapons (other than pole-
  arms and lances), multiply the listed time by 1.5.
  Fine Weapons:  For each “ﬁne” or “masterwork” fea-
  ture, or Advantage, the weaponsmith wants to add to 
  the weapon (see Fantasy Hero, page 183), increase the 
  modiﬁer by -2. For the ﬁrst such feature, multiply the 
  time required by 2; for each additional feature, add .5 
  to the multiplier.
  Poor Weapons:  For each “poor” feature, or Limitation, 
  the weaponsmith adds to the weapon (see Fantasy 
  Hero, page 184), reduce the modiﬁer by 1 (minimum 
  of -1 for weapons with -3 or -4 modiﬁers, minimum 
  of -0 otherwise) and the time by half an hour.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  353 
  an INT-Based Roll.
  For campaigns that feature a lot of melee 
  weapons use (such as most Fantasy games), having 
  two Muscle-Powered subcategories for Weapon-
  smith may make it too easy for characters to do all 
  their own weaponsmithing. For a more detailed 
  version of Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered HTH 
  and Ranged), use these categories instead (the char-
  acter still gets one for free when he buys the Skill; 
  additional ones cost 1 Character Point apiece):
  Arrows, Bolts, And Darts; Axes And Picks; Bows; 
  Chain And Rope Weapons; Clubs And Staﬀs; 
  Crossbows; Flails; Javelins And Thrown Spears; 
  Maces And Hammers; Spears And Polearms 
  (includes javelins, lances); Swords And Daggers; 
  Thrown Knives, Axes, And Darts; Miscellaneous 
  Muscle-Powered HTH Weapons; Miscellaneous 
  Muscle-Powered Ranged Weapons
  As you can see, these categories are largely 
  based on Weapon Familiarity subcategories; you 
  can easily add other subcategories as desired.
  For campaigns that involve a lot of gunplay, 
  having a single Firearms subcategory for Weapon-
  smith may make it too easy for characters to do all 
  their own gunsmithing. For a more detailed version 
  of Weaponsmith (Firearms), use these categories 
  instead (the character still gets one for free when 
  he buys the Skill; additional ones cost 1 Character 
  Point apiece):
  Assault Riﬂes, Machine Guns, Revolvers, Riﬂes, 
  Semi-Automatic Handguns, Shotguns, Submachine 
  Guns, Vehicle-Mounted Guns
  WEAPONSMITH BY GENRE
  Weaponsmith works the same from one genre 
  to another, but the types of weapons a character 
  can create (and the tools he uses to create them) 
  change.
   Fantasy
  Weaponsmith becomes very important in 
  most Fantasy Hero games, with their emphasis 
  on armed combat. Typically the only categories 
  that apply are Muscle-Powered HTH and Muscle-
  Powered Ranged, though a setting with gunpow-
  der would allow for Firearms, and one featuring 
  alchemical ﬁrebombs might let characters buy 
  Incendiary Weapons.
   Science Fiction
  Because lasers, blasters, and the like are so 
  common in Star Hero settings, GMs may wish 
  to break out the “Energy Weapons” category of 
  Weaponsmith into two or more categories. The 
  categories listed under “Science Fiction” in the 
  Weapon Familiarity description (see above) 
  work well in most settings:  Small Arms, Beam 
  Weapons, and Energy Weapons. That way, know-
  ing how to fix a laser may tell a character almost 
  nothing about working on a disintegrator.
  WEAPONSMITH (FIREARMS) TABLE
  Task 
  Modiﬁer 
  Time Required
  General maintenance and testing 
  -0 
  1d6 x 20 Minutes
  Ammunition
  (Re)load empty shell casings
  Standard rounds/shells 
  -0 
  1 hour per 20 rounds
  Exotic rounds/shells 
  -3 
  1 hour per 2 rounds
  Create new type of ammo 
  -6 
  2d6 weeks, or more
  Build a ﬁrearm from scratch 
  -4 
  1d6 weeks, or more
  Magazines
  Expand/extend magazine 
  -3 
  1d6 hours
  Alter magazine to ﬁt in diﬀerent gun 
  -2 
  ½d6 hours
  Modify or customize ﬁrearm
  Accessory rail 
  -2 
  ½d6 hours
  Ambidextrous Conversion 
  -2 
  ½d6 hours
  Barrel Coating 
  -2 
  1d6 hours
  Barrel Fluting 
  -0 
  1d6 x 20 Minutes
  Cryotreatment 
  -1 
  1d6 hours
  Customizing stock 
  -2 
  3d6 hours
  Electronic Trigger 
  -3 
  1d6 hours
  Fine Tuning I 
  -4 
  2d6 hours
  Fine Tuning II 
  -6 
  4d6 hours
  Hair Trigger 
  -3 
  1d6 hours
  Hammer bobbing 
  -0 
  1d6 x 20 Minutes
  Improved Bedding 
  -2 
  ½d6 hours
  Improved Firing Pin 
  -3 
  ½d6 hours
  Improved Range I 
  -4 
  3d6 hours
  Improved Range II 
  -6 
  1d6 days
  Improved Trigger 
  -2 
  1d6 hours
  Personalization 
  -1 
  ½d6 hours
  Pistol Stock 
  -1 
  ½d6 hours
  Polygonal Riﬂing 
  -3 
  1d6 hours
  Rechamber for diﬀerent caliber 
  -2 
  1d6 hours
  Recoil compensator 
  -3 
  1d6 hours
  Replace barrel 
  -1 
  ½d6 hours
  Saw oﬀ shotgun barrel 
  N/A 
  2d6 Minutes (no roll required)
  Silencer, integral 
  -4 
  3d6 hours
  Size Reduction I 
  -2 
  1d6 hours
  Size Reduction II 
  -4 
  2d6 hours
  Streamlining 
  -2 
  1d6 hours
  Watertight 
  -3 
  1d6 hours
  Weight Reduction 
  -1 
  1d6 hours
  Modiﬁer:  The penalty to the Weaponsmith roll needed to successfully construct 
  the weapon. If the character fails the roll, the weapon may still work, but less well 
  — reduce the DCs of damage it can cause by 1 per point by which the character 
  fails the roll.
  Time Required:  The Base Time needed to make the weapon. The lower end of the 
  range assumes the best tools and facilities, few (if any) interruptions, and perhaps 
  the help of assistants. The upper end of the range assumes either a lack of these 
  things, or taking extra time to make the weapon as good as possible, add decora-
  tive touches, and so forth.
  
  354 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  I
  n case the over sixty HERO System Skills 
  described in the ﬁrst part of this chapter weren’t 
  enough for you, here are approximately a dozen 
  more new Skills. All of them are optional and 
  require the GM’s permission to use.
  ARMORSMITH
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  In most campaigns, creating or repairing metal 
  armors is a function of various Professional Skills 
  — PS: Blacksmith, or perhaps even PS: Armor-
  smith. However, GMs for games where armor plays 
  an important role and/or frequently needs repair 
  (such as some Low Fantasy campaigns) may wish 
  to establish a separate Skill for this sort of work.
  Armorsmith is an Agility Skill costing 3 Char-
  acter Points for a base (9 + (DEX/5)) roll; each 
  +1 to the roll costs 2 Character Points. It allows a 
  character to manufacture, modify, or repair primar-
  ily metal armors such as brigandine, chainmail, or 
  plate armor. (Manufacturing armor made mainly 
  of other substances, such as leather or kevlar, 
  requires an appropriate PS [Fantasy Hero, page 93], 
  or a variant of this Skill.) A character with Armor-
  smithing knows how to manufacture metal armors 
  (including special techniques required to make spe-
  ciﬁc pieces of an overall suit of armor, the tools and 
  facilities needed for armorsmithing, and the like). 
  He knows about prominent (and sometimes not 
  so prominent) armorsmiths and can identify their 
  work based on its quality, style, or special marks.
  The accompanying table lists the modiﬁers and 
  times required to build a suit of metal armor from 
  scratch. This assumes suﬃcient tools and supplies 
  of metal (see below); if the character lacks these 
  things, the GM should extend the time required 
  and/or increase the modiﬁer, as appropriate. It 
  also assumes the character wants to create a suit of 
  armor to cover the entire body; if not, reduce the 
  time required proportionately.
  Example:  Dougal has Armorsmith 13-. He 
  wants to make a light chainmail shirt for his 
  friend Drago. Making an entire suit of chain-
  mail would take 190 + 3d6 hours; the GM 
  decides on 160 + 3d6 because it’s light chain, 
  and rolls 12, for a total of 172 hours. The GM 
  rules that the part of the body covered by the 
  chain shirt (the shoulders, chest, and stomach) 
  account for 50% of the body. Therefore, it takes 
  86 hours (50% of 172) to create the shirt.
  EQUIPMENT
  Characters cannot use Armorsmithing without 
  the appropriate equipment:  tools such as hammers, 
  drills, and punches; a properly-equipped forge; and 
  the like. Sometimes they can perform minor repairs 
  with just the right tools, but major repairs and any 
  type of armor manufacturing typically requires a 
  forge. (Exceptions include activities like weaving 
  chainmail from pre-drawn wire.) Suﬃcient raw 
  materials (ore the smith can try down for metal, or 
  ingots of metal) are also required.
  NEW SKILLS
  ARMORSMITHING TABLE
  Type Of Armor 
  Modiﬁer 
  Time
  Scale Mails
  Brigandine 
  -1 
  18 + 3d6 hours
  Lamellar (Splint Armor) 
  -2 
  20 + 3d6 hours
  Banded Mail 
  -2 
  50 + 3d6 hours
  Chainmails 
  Chainmail 
  -3 
  190 + 3d6 hours
  Double Mail/Bar Mail 
  -4 
  200 + 3d6 hours
  Reinforced Chainmail 
  -3 
  180 + 3d6 hours
  Plate Armors
  Plate And Chain 
  -4 
  170 + 3d6 hours
  Plate Armor 
  -4 
  150 + 3d6 hours
  Field Plate Armor 
  -4 
  160 + 3d6 hours
  Full Plate Armor 
  -5 
  170 + 3d6 hours
  Modiﬁer:  The penalty to the Armorsmithing roll 
  needed to successfully construct the suit of armor. 
  If the character fails the roll, the armor may still 
  work, but less well — reduce the DEF it provides by 
  1 per point by which the character failed the roll.
  Time:  The amount of time needed to make the 
  armor. The lower end of the range assumes the best 
  tools and facilities, few (if any) interruptions, and 
  perhaps the help of apprentices. The upper end of 
  the range assumes either a lack of these things, or 
  taking extra time to make the armor as strong as 
  possible, add decorative touches, and so forth.
  If a character only wants to make repairs to armor, 
  as opposed to manufacturing it from scratch, he 
  should divide the base time needed to make the 
  armor by 3 times the DEF it provides. Fixing each 
  major hole in the armor takes that much time. (See 
  Fantasy Hero, page 198, for armor breakage rules.) 
  For example, repairing the damage to a suit of ﬁeld 
  plate armor takes (160/(7x3) = 7.6) 8 hours for each 
  major hole. The GM can adjust the time required 
  based on the extent of the damage, the nature of the 
  armor, and the like.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  355 
  POWERS AND ARMORSMITH
  Characters could use an appropriate Trans-
  form-based ability (such as a “Spell Of Armor Cre-
  ation”) to substitute for this Skill.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  Typically a failed Armorsmith roll means the 
  character didn’t make a proper suit or piece of 
  armor, and he knows it. He can melt it back down 
  for raw materials and try again subject to the stan-
  dard rules for that. A bad failure (by 4 or more) 
  means the piece of armor he made looks and feels 
  sturdy, but in fact will fall to pieces after a few hits.
  BASE TIMES
  The Armorsmithing Table indicates the stan-
  dard times required to manufacture or repair dif-
  ferent types of armor.
  SUBDIVIDING ARMORSMITH
  For campaigns where creating and repairing 
  armor are an important aspect of game play, the 
  GM can break Armorsmith down into categories:  
  Leather Armors; Scale Armors; Chainmails; Plate 
  Armors. (Note that this version does allow the 
  inclusion of non-metal armor categories.) Char-
  acters pay 2 Character Points for a DEX-Based 
  roll with one category (subcategories such as 
  Brigandine or Field Plate Armor cost 1 Character 
  Point each); each additional category costs +1 
  Character Point.
  ARMORSMITH BY GENRE
  Armorsmith is generally only found in the 
  Fantasy genre. However, hobbyists and antiquar-
  ians in more modern time periods may learn it for 
  fun. Modern body armors are manufactured by 
  machines, so characters don’t need a Skill to make 
  them (just the appropriate Skills for operating the 
  machinery, and the raw materials).
  DIVINATION
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll with one 
  primary and two secondary methods of 
  divination (see text), +1 to the roll per +2 
  Character Points, +1 additional primary 
  method of divination for each +1 Character 
  Point, +1 secondary method of divination 
  for ½ Character Point
  This optional new Intellect Skill represents a 
  character’s ability to foretell or foresee the future 
  — typically the future as it pertains to a specific 
  person or question, but sometimes generally. 
  Divination is only appropriate for Fantasy Hero 
  campaigns and other games where magic and 
  mystical forces actually exist; in other games it’s 
  nothing but charlatanry better represented by a 
  simple Professional Skill.
  A character with Divination knows how to 
  foresee or predict the future based on using one or 
  more methods (see below). He can also recognize 
  other methods used for fortunetelling, and knows 
  about other oracular practices, belief systems, and 
  abilities generally.
  BUYING DIVINATION
  The base cost of Divination is 3 Character 
  Points, like any other Intellect Skill. For that cost 
  a character knows one primary method of Divina-
  tion and two secondary methods of Divination, 
  representing the ways of foreseeing or predicting 
  the future he’s most comfortable using. For each 
  +1 Character Point he can purchase +1 primary 
  method (which might involve “upgrading” a previ-
  ously-chosen secondary method, or learning an 
  entirely new method). For each ½ Character Point 
  he can purchase +1 secondary method (since the 
  minimum cost of anything in the HERO System is 
  1 point, the character should either always choose 
  two additional secondary methods or, with the 
  GM’s permission, should buy something else cost-
  ing ½ Character Point to keep things balanced).
  USING DIVINATION
  Using Divination typically requires at least 1 
  Turn, and often much longer. It all depends on the 
  method of divination used, the diﬃculty of the 
  question the character wants to answer, and other 
  such factors.
  To use Divination, the character must have a 
  question to answer. Usually this question is a fairly 
  speciﬁc one asked by a client or petitioner (such as, 
  “Who will I marry?”, “Will I win the battle tomor-
  row?”, or “Will this business venture succeed?”). 
  However, the question can be more general — the 
  client may simply seek to know the overall course 
  of his life in the days to come, or may want to know 
  how he should conduct himself generally (for 
  example, “Should I avoid sea voyages?”).
  Method Used
  When a character uses Divination, he must 
  select the method to use. If he uses any of his pri-
  mary methods, he suﬀers no penalty to the roll. If 
  
  356 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  he uses any of his secondary methods, he suﬀers a 
  -2 penalty to the roll. If he uses any other method 
  that’s neither a primary nor secondary method for 
  him, he suﬀers a -4 (or greater) penalty. At the GM’s 
  option, if the method chosen relates to the question 
  asked (such as using Geomancy to try to determine 
  the best location for a new mine), the character 
  receives a +0 or greater bonus.
  Timeframe
  The other main modiﬁer for a Divination roll 
  concerns the timeframe involved. A character can 
  use Divination to answer any question concern-
  ing matters that will take place within 1 Day at no 
  penalty. For each step down the Time Chart beyond 
  that, the roll suﬀers a -2 cumulative penalty (see the 
  Divination Modiﬁers table). Thus, predicting the 
  distant future is possible, but diﬃcult.
  SUCCESS AND FAILURE
  If a character’s Divination roll succeeds, he 
  learns the answer to the question asked of him 
  — the more the roll succeeds by, the greater the 
  accuracy of his foresight. But even the most precise 
  and accurate oracular answers tend to be indirect, 
  full of allusions, and subject to multiple interpreta-
  tions. Rarely do the fates answer outright... and 
  even when they do, the questioner often lacks the 
  wisdom to listen to them. In short, the GM should 
  provide an answer that legitimately responds to 
  the question, but without simply revealing valuable 
  information to the players — the answer should 
  be a dramatic element within the story being told. 
  However, since the character has paid Character 
  Points for the Skill, it’s only fair to occasionally pro-
  vide hints and other helpful interpretations so that 
  he derives some actual beneﬁt from Divination.
  Example:  Hieronymus the Seer wants to answer 
  the soldier Baramore’s question:  “Will I die in 
  tomorrow’s battle?” He makes his preparations 
  to use astragalomancy (his primary method of 
  divination) by laying out a panther-skin and 
  lighting candles around it. Then he picks up his 
  special leather bag of bones, pours the bones 
  into his hand, shuts his eyes, and tosses them 
  onto the panther-skin. Interpreting the results, 
  he describes his vision to the soldier:  “The eagle 
  who soars looks proudly down upon his foes, 
  but exposes himself to the hunter’s arrow. Fight 
  with valor and fame shall be yours, but a Ven-
  tati spear will ﬁnd your side.” That vision could 
  DIVINATION MODIFIERS
  Circumstance 
  Modiﬁer
  Method Used
  Primary method 
  N/A
  Secondary method 
  -2
  Any other method 
  -4 or greater
  Method relates to question asked 
  +0 or more
  Timeframe
  Within 1 Day 
  -0
  2 Days to 1 Week 
  -2
  8 Days to 1 Month 
  -4
  31 Days to 90 Days (1 Season) 
  -6
  91 Days to 1 Year 
  -8
  ...and so on
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  357 
  be interpreted in many ways. Will Baramore 
  automatically ﬁght with valor, or is Hierony-
  mus giving him the choice to try to distinguish 
  himself (and risk death) or ﬁght with his usual 
  caution (and preserve his life at the cost of 
  doing nothing noteworthy)? If a Ventati war-
  rior spears him, does that automatically mean 
  he’ll die? Baramore has much to think about!
  If a character’s Divination roll fails, two results 
  are possible. For most failures (failure by 1 to 3 
  points), the character simply can’t see an answer to 
  the question. His foresight fails him, the future is 
  cloudy, or something blocks his oracular powers. 
  Worse failure (by 4 or more) often means a wrong 
  prediction — the character sees something that 
  deﬁnitely won’t come to pass, or signiﬁcantly misin-
  terprets what he does see.
  DIVINATION METHODS
  As noted above, characters with Divination 
  must choose the methods they want to use to 
  answer a particular question. Here’s a list they 
  can choose from, or the GM can create addi-
  tional methods.
  These divination methods all really exist. A 
  few of the more obscure divinatory techniques may 
  suggest interesting special eﬀects for magic — or at 
  least provide names for schools of Fantasy magic.
  Aeromancy:  Divination by atmospheric phenom-
  ena. Related types of divination include Austro-
  mancy (divination by the winds), Nephomancy 
  (divination by clouds), and Ceraunoscopy (divina-
  tion from thunder and lightning).
  Alectryomancy:  Divination by how a rooster (or 
  sometimes another bird or birds) pecks at grain 
  the seer has scattered on the ground. In some 
  versions a tethered bird pecks at grains associ-
  ated with letters of the alphabet. Also spelled 
  Alectoromancy or Alectomancy.
  Aleuromancy:  Divination from ﬂour. The diviner 
  selects balls of dough containing prophetic mes-
  sages. This is how the fortune cookie originated.
  Alomancy:  Divination by salt — the seer casts salt 
  crystals into the air and interprets the patterns as 
  they fall and land on the ground.
  Anthropomancy:  Divination by the entrails of a human 
  sacriﬁce. One or two of the later and weirder Roman 
  emperors used this. See also Haruspicy.
  Apantomancy:  Divination using random articles at 
  hand or whatever objects happen to be available.
  Ariolism:  Divination using an altar.
  Aspidomancy:  Divination using a shield. The 
  diviner enters a trance while sitting on a shield, 
  within a magic circle, and while entranced utters 
  prophecies.
  Astragalomancy:  Divination using dice (originally 
  knucklebones, or astragals in Greek) or by “casting 
  the bones.” Also called Cleromancy.
  Astrology:  Reading a person’s future, and giving 
  him advice, based on the positions and movements 
  of the stars and planets. Known more rarely as 
  Astromancy, this is one of the most common and 
  popular forms of divination today, still followed 
  (albeit crudely) by millions of people who read 
  their horoscopes in the newspaper every day.
  Axinomancy:  Divination using an axe. Some methods 
  involving throwing the axe into the ground, a tree, 
  or some other target and interpreting the quivering 
  of the blade or the direction the handle points; other 
  methods involve heating the axehead and reading the 
  colors and patterns. Another method is to put a spher-
  ical piece of agate on the edge of the upright blade and 
  interpreting the way it rolls.
  Belomancy:  Divination by arrows. Arrows are 
  marked with possible responses, and the one that 
  ﬂies the furthest, or that’s chosen at random from a 
  quiver, indicates the correct answer.
  Bibliomancy:  Divination by opening a book at 
  random and sticking a finger in. Usually done 
  with the Bible, the Book. The sentence you touch 
  supposedly answers your question. Also called 
  Libromancy or Stichomancy, and it makes a great 
  party game. Rhapsodomancy does the same thing 
  but uses poetry.
  Botanomancy:  Divination by plants. Related types 
  of divination include Xylomancy (divination by 
  wooden twigs) and Phyllorhodomancy (divination 
  using rose leaves).
  Capnomancy:  Divination by smoke.
  Captromancy:  Divination from the fumes of poppy 
  seeds thrown on hot coals.
  Cartomancy:  Divination by cards — the good old 
  Tarot reading (sometimes more speciﬁcally referred 
  to as Taromancy). The Tarot cards are great for 
  made-up magic because they have so much sym-
  bolism built in.
  Casting The Bones:  See Astragalomancy.
  Catoptromancy:  Divination by mirrors (using a 
  mirror instead of a crystal ball).
  Causimomancy:  Divination by ﬁre. If objects 
  thrown in a ﬁre doesn’t burn, it’s a good omen.
  Causinomancy:  Divination by onions placed on an 
  altar at Christmas Eve.
  Cephalomancy:  Divination using a goat’s or a don-
  key’s head (or, more generally, any head or skull).
  Ceromancy:  Divination by the shapes formed from 
  dripping wax. A related type of divination is molyb-
  domancy, interpreting the shapes formed by drip-
  ping molten lead into water; and tiromancy, divina-
  tion by cheese curds.
  Cheiromancy:  Telling a person’s fortune by reading 
  his palm (also called Palmistry). Padomancy (read-
  ing the soles of a person’s feet) and Metoposcopy 
  (reading the lines on the forehead) are similar.
  Clidomancy:  Divination by keys (also spelled Cleido-
  mancy). Typically the key is suspended somehow, and 
  the way it swings or spins indicates the answer. Dacty-
  lomancy, using a ﬁnger-ring, works similarly.
  Cometomancy:  Divination by comets’ tails.
  
  358 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Critomancy:  Divination by ﬂour sprinkled over a 
  sacriﬁcial victim.
  Cromniomancy:  Divination by onions placed on an 
  altar; the way the onions sprout answers the question.
  Crystallomancy:  The old crystal ball trick, also 
  called scrying. Other scrying tools include bowls 
  of water, ordinary mirrors, black mirrors, jewels, a 
  pool of ink cupped in the palm, or a polished seed. 
  Elaeomancy is the general term for divination by 
  watching the surface of a liquid.
  Cubomancy:  Divination using thimbles.
  Cyclomancy:  Divination by interpreting a spinning 
  object (often a wheel). Often used to determine 
  direction — the way the spinning object points 
  when it stops shows the way to go.
  Daphnomancy:  Divination from the way a laurel 
  branch or wreath burns.
  Eromancy:  Divination by exposing objects to the air.
  Favomancy:  Divination by beans, similar to 
  Astragalomancy.
  Gastomancy:  Divination by the rumbling of a 
  person’s stomach.
  Geloscopy:  Divination from a person’s laughter.
  Geomancy:  Interpreting the designs formed by 
  tossing a handful of earth into a circle — in par-
  ticular, looking for certain patterns of dots which 
  geomancers have given special Latin names. 
  There are many variations, including Halomancy 
  (using salt instead of dirt) and Tasseography (tea 
  leaf reading).
  Gyromancy:  A form of divination that involves walk-
  ing (or stumbling dizzily) around a chalked circle.
  Haruspicy:  Divination by the entrails of a sacri-
  ficed animal. The kinks and blotches of the intes-
  tines gave messages from the gods. Armomancy 
  is a form of Haruspicy using the shoulders or 
  shoulderblades of a sacrificed animal (see also 
  Scapulomancy), and Hepatoscopy is divination 
  involving the animal’s liver.
  Hippomancy:  Divination from a horse — either its 
  pace, or the way it neighs and whinnies.
  Hydromancy:  A scrying technique using water. A 
  possibly related type of divination is Pegomancy, 
  divination by fountains. (See Crystallomancy.)
  Iatromancy:  A general term for seeking the cure to 
  an illness via dreams.
  Ichthyomancy:  Divination by ﬁsh.
  Lampadomancy:  Divination using an oil lamp’s or 
  torch’s ﬂame.
  Lecanomancy:  Divination by determining the 
  ripples or patterns formed by dropping stones, hot 
  oil, or the like into a basin of water.
  Libanomancy:  Divination from incense smoke. 
  Also called Turifumy.
  Literomancy:  Divination by the letters (or other 
  written characters) in a name or word.
  Lithomancy:  Divination by precious stones, either 
  by scrying or as a geomantic technique. A subtype 
  of Lithomancy is Margaritomancy, divination by 
  means of a pearl.
  Metagnomy:  Divination by means of visions. The 
  character concentrates on the questions put to him 
  and begins receiving psychic visions of the answer. 
  This may require meditation or other methods of 
  instilling a “trance” or similar state of conscious-
  ness in which the visions can occur.
  Meteormancy:  Divination by meteors.
  Moleosophy:  Telling a person’s character by the 
  moles on his body.
  Myomancy:  Divination by the behavior of rats, 
  mice, or other rodents.
  Necyomancy:  Divination by inspecting the nerves 
  of a corpse.
  Nggàm:  An African method of divination by 
  interpreting the actions and movements of spi-
  ders or crabs. (Perhaps the English equivalent 
  would be Arachnomancy.)
  Numerology:  Reading a person’s character (and some-
  times fortune) or determining other facts through 
  mystic numerical analysis. Also called Arithmancy.
  Oculomancy:  Divination by gazing into the ques-
  tioner’s eyes.
  Oinomancy:  Divination by interpreting the patterns 
  formed by spilled or poured wine.
  Ololygmancy:  Seeking oracles in the howling of dogs.
  Omphalomancy:  Divination by examining the navel 
  or the umbilical cord.
  Oneiromancy:  Interpreting dreams for omens.
  Onomancy:  Divination from the letters in a per-
  son’s name.
  Onychomancy:  Divination from reﬂected sunlight. 
  In some traditions this speciﬁcally means the 
  reﬂections of sunlight on the oiled ﬁngernails of a 
  young boy.
  Ooscopy:  Divination by watching how eggs 
  break when placed in a ﬁre (also called Ovo-
  mancy or Oomantia).
  Ophiomancy:  Divination by serpents.
  Ornithomancy:  Divination by the ﬂight of birds. 
  Also called Orniscopy.
  Osteomancy:  Divination by bones — typically 
  by heating them and interpreting the resulting 
  cracks and marks.
  Petchimancy:  Divination by brushing clothes.
  Plastromancy:  Divination using the plastron, or 
  undershell, of a turtle.
  Pyromancy:  Divination by ﬁre, either scrying or 
  throwing tokens into a ﬁre and interpreting how 
  they burn. See also Lampadomancy.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  359 
  Rhabdomancy:  The famous divining rod, used to 
  ﬁnd liquids, minerals, or metals underground. (In 
  this case Divination is only used to answer one 
  question:  “Are there liquids, minerals, or metals in 
  the ground beneath me?”.) Also called dowsing.
  Runecasting:  Divination by random selection of 
  rune-carved twigs or stones scattered on a surface.
  Scapulomancy:  Divination using the shoulder-
  bones of an animal, sometimes by heating it and 
  interpreting the cracks or markings left by the ﬁre. 
  The Scottish version, Slinneanachd, sometimes 
  involved having to ﬁrst eat the animal’s ﬂesh with-
  out touching the bone with either nails or teeth.
  Scatomancy:  Divination by animal droppings.
  Sciomancy:  Divination by shadows or ghosts 
  (“shades”).
  Sideromancy:  Divination by burning straw.
  Sphondulaomancy:  Divination by spindles.
  Spodomancy:  Divination by ashes. Also called 
  Tephromancy.
  Stolisomancy:  Divination by “reading” the way a 
  person dresses.
  Taghairm:  A Celtic method of seeking oracles. The 
  seer wraps himself in the hide of a freshly-killed 
  bull and sits near a waterfall or precipice, waiting 
  for the spirits to show him the future or answer the 
  question that was put to him. (The term can also 
  refer to a ritual in which cats are burned alive to 
  summon the Devil or devils.)
  Tasseography:  Divination by reading tea leaves (or 
  sometimes coﬀee grounds); see Geomancy.
  Theomancy:  Divination by oracles or persons pos-
  sessed by gods.
  Zoomancy:  Divination by the behavior of animals. 
  Many specialties exist, such as Ophiomancy and 
  Myomancy (see above).
  EQUIPMENT
  The divination method used indicates the type 
  of equipment required. For example, Sideromancy 
  requires some straw and the means to burn it, 
  Ophiomancy some serpents, and Cartomancy a 
  deck of cards.
  POWERS AND DIVINATION
  Precognitive Clairsentience is the Power 
  equivalent of Divination, though it uses somewhat 
  diﬀerent rules (for example, the time penalties are 
  more severe, if applied). If a campaign allows char-
  acters to buy Divination, then abilities built with 
  Precognitive Clairsentience should generally be 
  easier to use and more reliable — otherwise there’s 
  no reason to have both.
  Many other Powers and abilities, such as 
  Danger Sense or (Combat) Skill Levels, can rep-
  resent facets of a character’s ability to foresee or 
  predict future events. See the Precognition Powers 
  sections of The UNTIL Superpowers Databases for 
  numerous examples.
   BASE TIMES
  As mentioned above, the minimum time 
  for using Divination is 1 Turn. The actual time 
  involved largely depends on the method used. 
  Reading someone’s leftover tea leaves may take 
  just the 1 Turn, but sacriﬁcing an animal, roasting 
  its ﬂesh, and then burning its shoulder-bones to 
  interpret the heat-cracks could require hours. To 
  encourage characters to choose more unusual or 
  time-consuming methods of divination, the GM 
  might rule that the more elaborate methods are 
  more accurate (+1 or more to rolls).
  UNIFYING DIVINATION
  For some cinematic campaigns, the need to 
  choose primary and secondary methods of divina-
  tion isn’t appropriate. In such games a character 
  with Divination can use any method at no penalty, 
  though he usually has one or two that he prefers.
  DIVINATION BY GENRE
  Generally speaking, Divination functions the 
  same in game terms in all genres, but as mentioned 
  above it only truly works in genres/settings where 
  magic exists.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future
  If magic exists in your Cyber Hero setting, 
  seers might depend on Cybermancy — divination 
  by various computer-based systems. Sometimes 
  this involves a traditional method (such as tarot 
  cards, astrology charts, or the I Ching) programmed 
  into the computer, but it’s possible that characters 
  could devise entirely original ways of having a 
  computer generate random numbers or words that 
  a seer could interpret.
  
  360 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  FEINT
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This optional new Agility Skill allows characters 
  to trick or outmaneuver their opponents in HTH 
  Combat, thereby obtaining a short-term advantage 
  in the ﬁght. It’s most commonly used in armed 
  HTH Combat, such as swordﬁghts, but also applies 
  to unarmed combat.
  Using Feint requires a Half Phase Action. If a 
  character’s Skill Roll succeeds, his opponent automati-
  cally gets to make a PER Roll or Feint roll (opponent’s 
  choice) in a Skill Versus Skill Contest. (The GM can 
  allow the use of other appropriate Skills, such as a 
  Knowledge Skill of the ﬁghting style the character’s 
  using or a relevant Analyze.) If the opponent wins the 
  Contest, the character gains no beneﬁt from Feint. If 
  the character wins the Contest, he obtains a +1 OCV 
  bonus for his next attack. (This might increase to a +2 
  if the character’s roll succeeded by half or was a Criti-
  cal Success.) He must use that bonus for his very next 
  attack (either in the same Phase or his next Phase) 
  and must make that attack against the opponent he 
  engaged in the Skill Versus Skill Contest with. If he 
  attacks anyone else or doesn’t make an attack as his 
  next Action, he loses the bonus. (However, at the GM’s 
  option the character could perform a Zero Phase 
  Action or Action that takes no time before making the 
  attack that gets the bonus.)
  At the GM’s option, the character can use 
  Feint in a diﬀerent way:  as a Complementary Skill 
  to his HTH Combat Attack Roll. If so, any bonus 
  obtained is subject to the rules above. Since this 
  can provide a signiﬁcantly higher bonus than the 
  standard use, the GM may rule that it takes a Full 
  Phase Action instead of just a Half Phase. Also at 
  the GM’s option, a character using the standard 
  rules for Feint may receive Complementary Skill-
  like bonuses to his OCV if he makes the Skill Roll 
  by a greater degree (i.e., a +1 OCV bonus if he 
  makes the roll exactly, with an additional +1 OCV 
  for every 2 points he makes the roll by).
  REPEATED USE
  Using Feint becomes progressively more dif-
  ﬁcult against the same opponent as he learns to see 
  through the character’s tricks. Each time after the ﬁrst 
  a character uses Feint against a particular opponent 
  in a combat, he suﬀers a cumulative -2 penalty to his 
  roll. At the GM’s option, the opponent may receive 
  a +1 bonus to his PER Roll in later combats because 
  he remembers some of the character’s moves. Thus, 
  sooner or later a recurring enemy learns how to avoid 
  the character’s tricks. (The GM may cancel this bonus 
  if the character improves his Feint technique, i.e., buys 
  up his Feint roll.) Other characters who have watched 
  the character ﬁght, or who make the character’s Repu-
  tation roll, may also know of his tricks, thus earning 
  the same bonus even if this is the ﬁrst time he’s ever 
  fought them. 
  FEINT IN RANGED COMBAT
  Ordinarily Feint only applies in HTH 
  Combat. At the GM’s option, characters can also 
  use it in Ranged Combat. This might simulate 
  firing an extra shot to lure or force the target into 
  position for the killing shot, particularly careful 
  aiming, or the like.
  EQUIPMENT
  Feint doesn’t require any equipment per se, but 
  is often performed with weapons attacks.
  POWERS AND FEINT
  If the GM doesn’t want to allow Feint as a Skill, 
  characters can achieve much the same result by 
  buying appropriate Combat Skill Levels with Limi-
  tations like Requires A DEX Roll and Extra Time 
  (always requires a Half Phase Action to use; -¼).
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  A Feint roll that fails by 1 to 3 points means 
  nothing, except that the character’s wasted a Half 
  Phase Action. A badly failed roll (by 4 or more) 
  means the character’s actually put himself in a 
  worse position as the result of his failure — if his 
  opponent’s next Action is an attack against him, 
  that attack receives a +1 OCV bonus. If the oppo-
  nent does anything other than attack the character 
  in HTH Combat on his next Action, as described 
  above, he loses this bonus.
  If a character fails his Feint roll, and his opponent 
  makes a PER Roll at -2, the character suﬀer a -2 OCV 
  penalty on his attack, since his target has seen through 
  the “feint” and knows what to expect.
  BASE TIMES
  Using Feint requires a Half Phase Action, as 
  discussed above.
  SKILL SUBDIVISIONS
  If the GM thinks that allowing characters to 
  Feint with any HTH Combat attack is too broad 
  and unbalancing, he should require characters 
  to buy Feint the same way they have to buy Fast 
  Draw:  by Weapon Familiarity categories (with 
  “Barehanded” counting as a single category for 
  unarmed attacks). Thus, a character with Feint 
  (Blades) can’t trick opponents when he’s in a fist-
  fight or wielding a spear.
  FEINT BY GENRE
  Feint works the same in all genres, though 
  it’s most common in Fantasy, Martial Arts, Swash-
  buckling, and other genres that emphasize HTH 
  Combat (especially armed HTH Combat).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  361 
  HOIST
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill allows a character to deter-
  mine the best way to lift heavy objects. This has 
  two effects. First, in appropriate situations a suc-
  cessful roll may temporarily increase the char-
  acter’s STR for purposes of this particular lifting 
  task (or, at the GM’s option, for tasks involving 
  moving or shifting heavy objects). This simulates 
  the character figuring out the most effective 
  way to lift the object, the character somehow 
  obtaining improved leverage, or the like. The GM 
  determines if the character can use Hoist this 
  way in a given situation; it may not always be 
  possible. If the GM allows it, the character’s STR 
  for purposes of that lifting task increases as fol-
  lows:  if the roll succeeds exactly, by +1 point; if 
  it succeeds by 1-2, by +2 points; if it succeeds by 
  3-4, +3 points; if it succeeds by half, +4 points; if 
  it’s a Critical Success, +5 points. If the roll fails, 
  the character gains no extra STR; if it fails badly 
  (by 4 or more), reduce his STR by 1 point for 
  every 2 full points the roll fails by.
  Second, a character can make a Hoist roll 
  to determine the best way to lift a large object 
  without breaking or damaging it. This most often 
  applies in campaigns using the “realistic” lift-
  ing rules on page 115 of The Ultimate Brick. For 
  each point by which a character makes his Hoist 
  roll, he can reduce the BODY damage an object 
  suffers due to weight stress by 5. He can spread 
  these “damage prevention points” out how-
  ever he pleases — he can use them all at once 
  as soon as the object starts to break, or he can 
  use some in one Phase, and others in later Seg-
  ments. (Since stress damage applies per Segment, 
  the GM should allow the character to allocate 
  Hoist damage prevention points even in Seg-
  ments when he doesn’t have a Phase.) If the roll 
  fails badly, the character can’t reduce the BODY 
  damage at all; if it fails badly (by 4 or more), 
  the GM should increase the damage by 10% per 
  point by which the roll failed.
  Example:  Ironclad has Hoist 18-. He picks up 
  a building to keep it from collapsing on some 
  schoolchildren. Due to weight stress, the build-
  ing suﬀers 14 BODY damage when he picks it 
  up, and starts to break apart. Ironclad makes 
  a Hoist roll and rolls a 13. That gives him “25 
  BODY” worth of weight stress damage he can 
  prevent. He uses 14 of the 25 immediately so 
  the building won’t break. In the next Segment, 
  when Ironclad doesn’t have a Phase, the build-
  ing takes another 8 BODY damage. Ironclad 
  allocates 8 of his remaining “11 BODY” to keep 
  the building intact. Now he’s only got “3 BODY” 
  of damage prevention left. Hopefully the rest of 
  the Champions will get the kids out of harm’s 
  way soon, because he can’t hold the building 
  together much longer....
  EQUIPMENT
  Hoist doesn’t require equipment; it’s a purely 
  personal Skill.
  POWERS AND HOIST
  Characters cannot use Hoist with Telekinesis 
  (unless the GM chooses to permit this).
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  See above regarding the consequences of fail-
  ing a Hoist roll.
  BASE TIMES
  Using Hoist typically requires a Full Phase 
  Action prior to doing the actual lifting.
  HOIST BY GENRE
  Hoist works the same in all genres. It’s most 
  appropriate (or at least most common) in the Super-
  heroes genre and other games where characters can 
  have enormous amounts of STR — 30 points or more. 
  In other genres characters can typically only use the 
  ﬁrst function of the Skill since they don’t have the STR 
  to lift large objects on their own.
  
  362 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  INSTRUCTOR
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INTHAR/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  This Intellect Skill represents a character’s ability to 
  convey information to others in an eﬃcient manner 
  that makes it as easy to learn as possible — in short, 
  his skill as a teacher. A character with Instructor 
  knows about diﬀerent methods of teaching people, 
  In game terms, Instructor is used with the 
  rules for learning Skills (see page 26). That section 
  details the various ways characters employ it to 
  teach or learn from another character. See that sec-
  tion for detailed rules regarding Instructor.
  OTHER SKILLS
  If a character uses Instructor to teach a charac-
  ter who has the Skill Cramming, at the GM’s option 
  this reduces the time needed to learn something by 
  10%. For instruction that involves a lot of reading, 
  the Speed Reading Talent provides a 10% reduc-
  tion as well; both reductions can apply to the same 
  learning process.
  MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 
  FAMILIARITY
  Type:   
  Background Skill (roll:  see text)
  Cost:   
  2 Character Points for a base 11- roll 
  with playing the instruments in a single 
  category; +2 Character Points for each 
  additional category of instruments; +1 to 
  the roll with all instruments the character 
  knows how to play per +1 Character Point; 
  increase the Skill Roll with all instruments 
  the character knows how to play to a DEX-
  Based Roll for +1 Character Point
  Musical Instrument Familiarity (“MIF”) is the 
  skill of playing musical instruments. It organizes 
  the musical instruments of the world based on the 
  standard Hornbostel-Sachs classiﬁcation system.
  A character may spend 2 Character Points to 
  know how to play all instruments in any one of 
  four major categories:
  MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 
  FAMILIARITY CATEGORIES
  Aerophones
  Accordians
  Bagpipes
  Brass Aerophones (bugles, saxophones, trombones, 
  trumpets, tubas)
  Bullroarers
  Flutes (end-blown, side-blown, piccolos, recorders, 
  syrinxes)
  Horns (English, French, other)
  Shawms
  Whistles
  Woodwind Aerophones (bassoons, clarinets, oboes)
  Chordophones
  Harps (angle harps, bow harps, frame harps)
  Lutes, Bowed (viol, viola, violin, cello, double bass)
  Lutes, Plucked (balalaika, banjo, cittern, guitar, mando-
  lin, Renassance lute, sitar)
  Lyres (bowed lyres, bowl lyres, box lyres, plucked lyres)
  Pianos (Keyboard Zithers) (piano, clavichord, harpsi-
  chord, spinet, organ*)
  Zithers (aeolian harp, autoharp, dulcimer, Appalachian 
  dulcimer)
  Idiophones
  Bells
  Clappers
  Cymbals
  Friction Instruments (musical saw, rubbed glasses, and 
  so forth)
  Gongs
  Rattles
  Triangles
  Xylophones
  Membranophones (this category includes only drums, 
  of many sorts, and so has no subcategories)
  Miscellaneous (may not be bought as a group)
  Hurdy-Gurdy
  Steel Guitar
  Synthesizer
  Theremin
  *:  An organ is actually an aerophone, but it’s played 
  more like a piano than like any aerophone, and so is 
  grouped with the pianos.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  363 
  Aerophones (instruments that produce sound with 
  air vibrations)
  Chordophones (instruments that produce sound via 
  the vibration of strings)
  Idiophones (instruments that produce sound through 
  concussion — when hit or banged together)
  Membranophones (instruments that produce sound 
  when a membrane is struck or touched)
  Each additional category after the ﬁrst costs 
  another 2 Character Points. A character may also 
  spend 1 Character Point to know how to play 
  an individual instrument or subcategory listed 
  beneath a category; this is the only way to learn any 
  of the instruments in the “Miscellaneous” category.
  When a character purchases an MIF, he gains 
  an 11- roll with playing the instrument(s). For +1 
  Character Point, he can increase that to a DEX-
  Based roll with all the instruments he knows how 
  to play. Additional +1 increases to the roll cost +1 
  Character Point each with all instruments.
  Buying a MIF gives a character both the ability 
  to play the instrument(s) in question and to read 
  music for them. To compose music, the character 
  must also have PS: Compose Music, which allows 
  him to write music for any instrument he has an 
  MIF for. (Alternately, the GM might have charac-
  ters buy Inventor, retitled Composer, as the Skill for 
  creating songs and musical compositions.)
  If the GM doesn’t want to establish Musi-
  cal Instrument Familiarity as a separate Skill, he 
  can allow characters to use this description as 
  guidelines for buying musical Professional Skills. 
  For example, a character could buy PS: Play Aero-
  phones or PS: Play Flutes.
  EQUIPMENT
  MIFs don’t require any equipment per se, but 
  of course a character has to have an instrument to 
  play it. If the instrument requires special equipment 
  to play (such as the bow for playing a violin), the 
  character must have that as well.
  POWERS AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 
  FAMILIARITY
  A character with an appropriate Hearing 
  Group Images power might be able to produce 
  beautiful music without the need for any instru-
  ment. He would need PS: Read Music to know how 
  to read music and reproduce it exactly with his 
  Images, and PS: Compose Music to create original 
  worthwhile pieces of music.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  A failed MIF roll typically means the charac-
  ter either can’t play a particular piece of music or 
  at best plays it badly. A badly-failed roll (by 4 or 
  more) usually means he plays so badly that he dam-
  ages the instrument or leaves a lasting impression 
  of his poor musicianship with listeners (and thus 
  harms his reputation as a musician).
  BASE TIMES
  The base time to use MIF depends on the 
  length of the piece of music being played. A simple 
  tune may take no more than 1 Minute; some com-
  plex compositions go on for many hours.
  OTHER MUSIC 
  SKILLS
  In addition to MIFs, 
  some other Skills that 
  musically-oriented 
  characters might buy 
  include:
  KS: Music History And 
  Theory:  Knowledge of 
  the history of music, 
  musical background 
  information (scales, 
  keys, and so forth), how 
  music is composed and 
  performed, famous 
  composers and com-
  positions, and the like. 
  Characters can buy 
  more detailed infor-
  mation about speciﬁc 
  types of music if desired 
  — KS: Rock And Roll, 
  KS: Classical Music, KS: 
  Opera, KS: Country And 
  Western Music, and so 
  forth.
  PS: Compose Music:  
  Allows the character 
  to write music for any 
  instrument he has an 
  MIF for (see text).
  PS: Singer:  The ability to 
  earn a living as a singer. 
  A character with this PS 
  knows how to negoti-
  ate pay rates (and what 
  a fair rate is), what’s 
  involved in signing a 
  recording deal, how 
  to record sung music, 
  how best to arrange 
  performance, and so 
  on. The equivalent for a 
  character who plays an 
  instrument would be PS: 
  Musician (or something 
  more speciﬁc like PS: 
  Guitarist or PS: Flutist).
  PS: Singing:  The ability 
  to sing well.
  
  364 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FAMILIARITY 
  SUBDIVISIONS
  Depending on the nature of your campaign, 
  MIF may be either too detailed or not detailed 
  enough. For campaigns where music isn’t in any 
  way important, it may be easier just to let a charac-
  ter pay 2 Character Points for MIF: All Instruments 
  and let him be as accomplished a musician as he 
  likes — if it’s unlikely to have a signiﬁcant impact 
  on the game, it ought to be fairly inexpensive.
  On the other hand, maybe your campaign 
  revolves around musical performances (Rock ’n’ Roll 
  Hero, anyone?) or features a lot of characters who 
  are musically accomplished and want to distinguish 
  themselves from each other. In that case, perhaps 
  characters can’t buy MIFs by category — they have 
  to buy each class of instruments (such as Zithers 
  or Brass Aerophones) individually for 1 Character 
  Point each. (The standard rules about the Skill Roll 
  and how to improve it still apply.) For even greater 
  diversity, characters have to buy each instrument 
  individually (for example, Dulcimer, Bugle, or 
  Violin) for a ﬁxed cost (usually 1 Character Point 
  or ½ Character Point).
  MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FAMILIARITY  
  BY GENRE
  Musical Instrument Familiarity is pretty much 
  the same from genre to genre and setting to setting. 
  The only thing that changes is the musical instru-
  ments available to learn.
  Cyberpunk/Near Future; Science Fiction
  In a Cyber Hero or Star Hero setting, electronic 
  music and instruments may have replaced all (or 
  nearly all) of the standard instruments listed above. 
  Instead of learning MIFs, characters would simply 
  buy PS: Play Computerized Music, PS: Compose 
  Computerized Music, and similar PSs.
  Fantasy
  Music is more likely to be a feature of Fantasy 
  Hero campaigns than just about any other thanks 
  to the presence of that archetypical Fantasy adven-
  turer, the bard (see Fantasy Hero, pages 62-63). 
  Sometimes music may even have magical proper-
  ties — in some games bards can use “Song-Spells” 
  (see, for example, pages 133-44 of The Fantasy Hero 
  Grimoire II), and the entrancing powers of faerie 
  ﬁddling or a siren’s singing are well-known ele-
  ments of folklore.
  Martial Arts
  The instruments listed in the categories above 
  are mostly Western ones. Asian cultures have 
  instruments similar to most of them, and some of 
  their own besides. A little bit of research in appro-
  priate reference materials (see the Bibliography) 
  will let a GM create a list more appropriate to Asian 
  Ninja Hero campaigns.
  PARACHUTING
  Type:   
  Agility Skill (roll:  9 + (DEX/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Parachuting is a new Agility Skill for use in Military 
  Action campaigns and other games where charac-
  ters may frequently need to jump out of perfectly 
  good airplanes. If used, it replaces the two TFs 
  pertaining to parachuting (though the GM might 
  retain TF: Basic Parachuting for characters who just 
  want some familiarity with the activity). If the GM 
  would rather not have Parachuting function as its 
  own Skill, he can use this information for charac-
  ters who have TF: Advanced Parachuting, letting 
  them make DEX Rolls as appropriate.
  Parachuting is an Agility Skill; it costs 3 Char-
  acter Points for a 9 + (DEX/5) or less roll, +1 to the 
  roll for each +2 Character Points. A character with 
  Parachuting knows about the diﬀerent methods of 
  parachuting and how to perform them safely, how 
  to prepare and use parachuting equipment, and so 
  forth. The Parachuting Modiﬁers table lists some 
  general modiﬁers for Parachuting rolls in addition 
  to those mentioned in the text for speciﬁc types 
  of jumps; Encumbrance penalties also apply if the 
  character carries too much gear.
  BASIC PARACHUTING
  Most civilian or sport parachute dives take 
  place from no higher than about 12,000 feet 
  (3,658”), with the jumper carrying little to no extra 
  equipment or gear. The character only needs to 
  make a Parachuting roll to ensure that his chute 
  opens safely and he lands without incident (for 
  routine jumps, the GM may not even require a roll). 
  If the roll succeeds, all is well. If the roll fails, it usu-
  ally means that the chute opened but the character 
  missed his landing zone (possibly landing in a tree, 
  in the water, or in some other inconvenient place). 
  If the roll fails badly (by 4 or more), disastrous con-
  sequences could result. The worst is that the chute 
  fails to open and the character plunges to his death 
  (or at least to serious injury; see below). At the 
  GM’s option, if this happens a character can make 
  a second Parachuting roll at -2 to get the reserve 
  parachute to open. If this roll succeeds, the charac-
  ter won’t get hurt, but suﬀers a -4 on rolls to steer 
  (if the GM allows steering at all). 
  PARACHUTING MODIFIERS
  Condition 
  Modiﬁer
  Airborne maneuvering  
  (to get into formation or the like) 
  -2 or more
  Diﬃcult drop zone
     Very Small (less than 4” radius) 
  -4
     Small (4-8” radius) 
  -2
     Hard to reach/surrounded by obstacles -2 or more
  Nighttime jump 
  -2
  Weather, adverse (rain, etc.) 
  -2 or more
  Winds
     High winds 
  -2
     Very high winds 
  -4
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  365 
  If the roll fails and the reserve chute doesn’t 
  open (or the character doesn’t have one), he 
  may take an all too quick and deadly trip to the 
  ground (in which case, the falling rules apply). 
  But a chute failing to open isn’t necessarily the 
  only result of a failed Parachuting roll. Other 
  possible consequences for a failed roll include:  
  the character hurts himself when he lands; the 
  character gets snarled in his chute when he lands 
  and has to spend 2d6 Phases freeing himself; 
  or the character really misses his target landing 
  area. A badly failed roll (by 4 or more) should 
  definitely mean a very unpleasant result for 
  the character, up to and including death due to 
  “sudden deceleration trauma.” In that case, the 
  best a character can hope for is to walk away 
  from a bad landing with sprains, bruises, and 
  perhaps broken bones (1d6 BODY damage, 
  halved if the character succeeds with a Breakfall 
  roll, but with a minimum 1 BODY damage). 
  Steering
  Assuming a character’s parachute opens 
  properly, he can steer toward his target “drop zone” 
  (designated landing area). Parachutes aren’t highly 
  steerable, though modern ones (from the mid-
  1960s and after) are much better in this regard than 
  versions used earlier in the century. A character can 
  make a Parachuting roll to land in his drop zone; 
  he suﬀers a basic -2 penalty, with another -1 (or 
  worse) if the winds are particularly strong or ﬁerce. 
  Success means he’s in the drop zone (and the better 
  the success, the closer he is to dead center); failure 
  means he misses (and the greater the failure, the 
  further away he is).
  ADVANCED PARACHUTING
  The military uses advanced parachuting tech-
  niques for various insertion missions.
  MAMO:  The basic parachute jump associated with 
  most military operations is a MAMO, or middle 
  altitude, middle opening. The jump takes place 
  from 500 to 1200 feet (152” to 366”); a static line 
  opens the chute almost immediately. Complet-
  ing a MAMO properly requires a Parachuting roll 
  with no modiﬁers. Due to the relatively short fall 
  distance, the parachutist has relatively little ability 
  to steer toward the “drop zone” (designated landing 
  area); any rolls made to steer suﬀer a -2 in addition 
  to other penalties.
  LALO:  A LALO (low altitude, low opening) jump 
  takes place from 300 to 500 feet (91” to 152”). 
  Despite the fact that the parachute is pulled 
  instantly by the static line, the jumper is likely to 
  suﬀer a rough landing... and if the main chute fails, 
  there’s no time to pull the reserve. Oﬀsetting these 
  risks is the fact that the aircraft and jumpers evade 
  radar by ﬂying so close to the surface. Completing 
  a LALO successfully requires a Parachuting roll 
  at -4 (this is in addition to the standard roll to see 
  if the parachute opens, and so forth). For every 
  point by which the character fails the roll, he takes 
  2d6 Normal Damage (rolled as a Low Shot for Hit 
  Location purposes, if desired) when he lands due to 
  a rough landing.
  HALO:  A HALO (high altitude, low opening) jump 
  begins at 25,000 to 30,000 feet (7,620” to 9,144”), but 
  the jumper doesn’t open his chute until 2,000 feet 
  (607”) or below. HALO allows the aircraft to ﬂy above 
  the range of surface-to-air missiles and the like. Fur-
  thermore, the jumper has no radar proﬁle (making 
  him very diﬃcult, at best, for anyone on the ground to 
  detect), and by making a Parachuting roll the jumper 
  can “track” — steer himself to a drop zone up to 
  about 36 miles from where he jumped (thus helping 
  to disguise his ultimate destination). But the jumper 
  must have special breathing and heating equipment 
  to survive the velocity and frigid air (see below). And 
  if he loses his aerodynamic stability (not an unheard-
  of thing for someone falling at 120 miles per hour), 
  he’ll probably never be able to open his parachute and 
  will fall to his death. Performing a HALO successfully 
  requires a Parachuting roll at -4 (this is in addition 
  to the standard roll to see if the parachute opens, and 
  so forth). Steering to the proper location requires a 
  Parachuting roll with a penalty of -1 per three miles 
  “tracked.” For every point by which the character fails 
  the roll, he takes 2d6 Normal Damage (rolled as a Low 
  Shot for Hit Location purposes, if desired) when he 
  lands due to a rough landing.
  HAHO:  A HAHO (high altitude, high opening) jump 
  begins at 25,000 to 30,000 feet (7,620” to 9,144”), 
  with the jumper opening his parachute almost 
  immediately (if it’s not opened by static line). The 
  chute is specially designed to function something 
  like a hang-glider; it allows for maximum steering 
  ability (this eliminates the standard -2 penalty on 
  Parachuting rolls to steer), and allows the jumper 
  to travel up to several dozen miles from where he 
  jumped. (This makes it possible to, for example, 
  jump in friendly territory but then drift into enemy 
  territory.) Steering to the proper location requires a 
  Parachuting roll with a penalty of -1 per ﬁve miles 
  “tracked.” The jumper requires the same equip-
  ment has HALO, and exposes himself to many of 
  the same risks. Performing a HAHO successfully 
  requires a Parachuting roll at -2 (this is in addition 
  to the standard roll to see if the parachute opens, 
  and so forth). For every point by which the char-
  acter fails the roll, he takes 2d6 Normal Damage 
  (rolled as a Low Shot for Hit Location purposes, if 
  desired) when he lands due to a rough landing.
  EQUIPMENT
  Obviously Parachuting requires a parachute 
  (see writeup below). Additionally, a character 
  making a high-altitude jump without oxygen or 
  heating gear (a thermal jumpsuit, jump helmet) 
  exposes himself to oxygen deprivation (see the 
  rules for drowning on page 424 of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, Revised) and to temperatures 
  of approximately -35o to -65o Celsius (-31o to 
  -85o Fahrenheit) (this inflicts 2d6 NND damage 
  on Segments 3, 6, 9, and 12). Given falling speed 
  and temperature, it’s not unknown for a jumper’s 
  goggles to freeze and shatter, and his eyes to 
  freeze shut (if he has no goggles, his eyes almost 
  certainly freeze shut). A blinded parachutist suf-
  fers a -3 penalty on all rolls, and must make a roll 
  at -6 just to land safely.
  
  366 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  PARACHUTE
  Effect:  Gliding 6”; Limited Movement
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  Self
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Continuing Charge
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  This is the standard modern parachute 
  used with the Parachuting Skill.
  Game Information:  Gliding 6” (6 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Limited Movement (char-
  acter cannot gain altitude, and must move at 
  least 12” downward for every 1” forward; -½), 
  1 Recoverable Continuing Charge (lasts until 
  character hits the ground or ’chute is fouled; 
  -¾). Total cost:  2 points.
  Options:
  1)  Parawing:  This is the chute referenced above 
  under HAHO; it’s designed to function some-
  thing like a hang-glider and allows for maximum 
  steering ability. Add +2 to Parachuting (4 Active 
  Points); Only To Counteract The Standard -2 
  Steering Penalty (-1). Total cost:  2 points; total 
  cost of gadget 4 points.
  POWERS AND PARACHUTING
  Characters with innate Flight or Gliding abili-
  ties don’t need Parachuting; characters with arti-
  ﬁcial versions of those powers (such as a jetpack) 
  may wear a parachute (even if it’s a comic book 
  technology “mini-chute” easily concealed under a 
  jacket) in case of emergency.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences of failing a Parachuting roll 
  are discussed above.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for Parachuting depends on the 
  height from which a character jumps and the type 
  of jump he’s making — some falls take a looooong 
  time. Pulling the ripcord typically counts as an 
  Action that takes no time.
  SKILL SUBDIVISIONS
  For campaigns where characters often use 
  Parachuting, the GM might want them to buy it by 
  categories. For 2 Character Points, the character can 
  make “basic parachuting” and MAMO jumps with 
  a DEX-Based Roll. For each +1 Character Point 
  they can buy another type of jump (LALO, HALO, 
  or HAHO).
  PARACHUTING BY GENRE
  Parachuting only becomes available in genres 
  and time periods after the device is invented 
  (which of course means characters also need access 
  to planes, balloons, or other things to jump out of). 
  The modern form of parachuting has been possible 
  for nearly two centuries. References to parachute-
  like devices appear in Chinese writings from circa 
  90 BC, and Leonardo da Vinci described a workable 
  model in 1480. The ﬁrst known actual parachute 
  jump (by L.S. Lenormand, who also named the 
  device) took place in 1783; Jean-Pierre Blanchard 
  made the ﬁrst successful parachute jump from a 
  balloon ten years later. By the 1930s there were 
  parachuting competitions. The military used para-
  chuting beginning in World War I.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  367 
  POISONING
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Poisoning is an optional Intellect Skill appropriate 
  to some campaigns (particularly certain types of 
  Fantasy Hero games). A character with Poisoning 
  know how to manufacture and use poisons — the 
  ingredients involved (and where to ﬁnd them), 
  how to compound or brew them together, how to 
  apply poison to an object, how to introduce poison 
  into a target’s body, and so forth. It does not confer 
  any broader knowledge of chemistry or the use of 
  drugs (that requires various Science Skills) nor of 
  how to use weapons (that’s Weapon Familiarity).
  A character with Poisoning also knows about 
  standard and common poisons (and perhaps even 
  about rarer or more obscure ones), famous poison-
  ers and acts of poisoning, and the like. Usually this 
  requires a basic Skill Roll (if a roll is even neces-
  sary), but the GM should impose a penalty if the 
  information is rare or obscure.
  Although Poisoning is an Intellect Skill (pri-
  marily because it requires extensive knowledge of 
  poisonous substances and what can be done with 
  them), the act of introducing poison into a person’s 
  body may require deftness more than wit. In that 
  case, the GM can base the roll on DEX rather than 
  INT (see page 11 for more information), or even 
  require a successful Sleight Of Hand roll before the 
  character can make his Poisoning roll.
  Poisons
  Poisons are commonly used in many games. 
  Besides the threat of venomous animals, char-
  acters may have to deal with unscrupulous 
  courtiers introducing poison into their food and 
  drink at the King’s feast, ninja wielding poison-
  smeared blades, jungle tribesmen with poisoned 
  blowgun darts, and the like.
  In HERO System terms, lethal poisons are typi-
  cally built as RKAs, NND Does BODY (the defense 
  being the appropriate Life Support [Immunity]), 
  OAF Fragile, No Range, and Charges. Nonlethal 
  poisons, such as knockout drugs, are usually bought 
  as Drains (often with NND as well); many lethal 
  poisons also have a Linked Drain CON eﬀect (since 
  even if someone survives the poison, it makes him 
  weak and ill). Gradual Eﬀect is a common Limita-
  tion for either type, but not necessarily required; so 
  is Extra Time (representing an onset time before 
  the Gradual Eﬀect starts to occur).
  CREATING POISONS
  Before a character with Poisoning can use 
  poison, he has to obtain some. Usually this means 
  making his own, since buying poison is almost 
  always illegal (and dangerous) and an expert pre-
  fers not to rely on someone else’s work.
  Making poisons requires the proper equip-
  ment, given the genre and setting — kettles, glass-
  ware, ingredients, beakers, test tubes, and so on. A 
  character with Poisoning knows where to obtain 
  these things, particularly the ingredients. In some 
  campaigns this means gathering herbs, leaves, 
  fungi, minerals, and other natural substances. In 
  modern-day and future settings a character may 
  simply go to his lab and mix together the right raw 
  chemicals to create his deadly brew.
  To create a poison, a character must make 
  a Skill Roll. This takes a minimum of 1 Minute 
  per 10 Active Points in the poison, and may take 
  much longer (hours, or even days). The character 
  suffers a penalty of -1 per 10 Active Points to 
  his Skill Roll, but may gain extra time bonuses 
  for taking longer than the prescribed amount of 
  time. The GM may impose other bonuses or pen-
  alties as he sees fit.
  If the character’s roll succeeds, he has 
  brewed the poison properly, and now has a 
  number of “doses” equal to the Charges in the 
  poison’s HERO System write-up. If the roll fails 
  by 1-3, he fails to create the poison — or, in 
  the GM’s discretion, may create a much weaker 
  toxin. If the roll fails badly (by 4 or more), the 
  character not only does not create any poison 
  at all, but in the GM’s discretion he may have 
  suffered some calamity (a laboratory explosion, 
  accidentally poisoning himself, or the like).
  Harvesting Poison
  Characters who ﬁght venomous animals and 
  monsters may have the chance to “harvest” poison 
  from the corpses of their defeated foes. The GM 
  must ﬁrst determine if the creature has any poison 
  left. It may have used it all up in battle, or the char-
  acters’ attacks could have pierced its reservoir and 
  spilled all the venom. If necessary, determine this 
  randomly:  on a roll of 11-, the animal’s venom 
  reservoir is intact. The GM can adjust the roll up or 
  down to reﬂect the situation.
  To harvest a poison reservoir, a character must 
  make a roll. If he has an appropriate Knowledge 
  Skill (such as KS: Animals), he only has to make 
  a DEX Roll to do the job properly. If he lacks an 
  appropriate KS, he must make an 8- roll (to judge 
  where to ﬁnd the reservoir) and make a DEX Roll. 
  If any of these rolls fail, the character loses all the 
  poison (if they fail badly — by 4 or more — he may 
  have accidentally poisoned himself).
  Once a character has extracted a venom res-
  ervoir, he must store it properly, or else the venom 
  evaporates, expires, or weakens. Use the rules for 
  injected poisons, below, but diminish the venom 
  per day, rather than per hour.
  Creating Antidotes
  What the character can create, he can also 
  counteract. Instead of creating a poison, a character 
  can create an antidote to a poison. Use the rules for 
  creating poisons, above. Of course, the character 
  has to know what poison was used on someone 
  (see Evaluating Poisons, below) before he can create 
  the right antidote. The wrong antidote — either 
  because the character misidentiﬁed the poison 
  involved or failed his antidote creation roll by 4 or 
  more — could do just as much harm to the victim 
  as the poison!
  
  368 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  INTRODUCING THE POISON
  An attacker can introduce a poison into a 
  character’s body in one of three ways. 
  Injected Poisons
  The ﬁrst is injection — the poison is violently 
  placed into the victim’s body by means of an 
  animal’s stinger, a bladed or pointed weapon, or the 
  like. This type of poison takes the Limitation HKA 
  Must Do BODY Damage (-½), since it’s Linked or 
  related to an HKA of some sort that must pierce 
  the skin. Charges is another common Limitation, 
  representing the contents of a poison reservoir, the 
  amount of poison smeared on a blade, or the like.
  Venomous animals obviously don’t need 
  to make any Skill Rolls or the like to ready their 
  venoms. Applying poison to a blade for use against 
  an enemy normally doesn’t require a Skill Roll, 
  either, provided the character has plenty of time 
  (at least 1 Minute) and a peaceful environment in 
  which to do the job. If the character has to apply 
  the poison more quickly, crisis conditions exist 
  (such as being in the middle of a battle), or the 
  GM wants to restrict the use of poison, a character 
  who’s applying poison to a weapon must make a 
  DEX Roll. If the roll succeeds, he applies the poison 
  without diﬃculty. If it fails by 1-3, the poison was 
  improperly applied and has no eﬀect; the character 
  has simply wasted the poison. If it fails by 4, the 
  character accidentally poisons himself and takes 
  damage (either full damage, or something less, 
  depending on the GM’s judgment). Typically a 
  character has to roll once for each dose (Charge) of 
  poison applied, but the GM may prefer to have the 
  character just roll one time for all the doses.
  Animals’ venoms do not expire or become 
  weakened as long as the animal lives. However, at 
  the GM’s option, a poison placed on a blade or the 
  like wears oﬀ if not used (every successful use of it 
  consumes a Charge, of course). For every hour that 
  passes since the poison was applied, either remove 
  one Charge, or reduce all remaining Charges by 1 
  Damage Class.
  In most cases, the poison on a blade is visible, 
  and has an odor; characters may make a PER Roll 
  to perceive it. Poisons built with the Invisible Power 
  Eﬀects Advantage don’t suﬀer from this drawback.
  Ingested Poisons
  Second, a victim can ingest a poison, either 
  by eating/drinking it, or in the case of poison gas 
  inhaling it. An attacker has to get the poison to 
  the victim some way — hide it in his wine, pump 
  it into the room he’s in — so the victim can take 
  it into his body. Gaseous poisons take no Limita-
  tion (except perhaps one reflecting the fact that 
  they don’t work in high winds or rain), but GMs 
  may allow other ingested poisons to take a -½ 
  Limitation, Must Be Ingested.
  Introducing poison into someone’s food 
  requires planning and skill. Either the attacker 
  must have access to the character’s food as it’s being 
  cooked/prepared, or he has to put the poison in it 
  right before he gives it to the character. To do the 
  latter, he has to hide his actions from the charac-
  ter in some way — either conceal the food/drink 
  behind something for a second, or make a Sleight 
  Of Hand roll (opposed by the character’s PER Roll).
  When a character confronts food and drink he 
  suspects may be poisoned, he can ask for a PER Roll 
  to try to detect the toxin; if the character has Poison-
  ing, he may choose to make that roll instead at +1. (In 
  the case of poisons so strong they’re diﬃcult to con-
  ceal in food, the GM may allow a PER Roll regardless 
  of whether the character asks for one.) If the poison 
  matches or blends in with the color of the food/drink, 
  the character receives no bonus to his PER Roll (and 
  may even suﬀer a penalty); if the two don’t match, he 
  may receive a +1 or +2 bonus. The character may also 
  taste a tiny amount of the food/drink in the hope of 
  detecting the poison without exposing himself to a 
  damaging dose. If the food/drink has a strong ﬂavor, 
  he receives no bonus (and may even suﬀer a penalty); 
  if the poison overpowers the ﬂavor of the food/drink, 
  he gets a +1 (or higher) bonus.
  Contact Poisons
  Lastly, some poisons are so lethal that simply 
  touching them can kill a character — even the tini-
  est amount seeps through the skin and into the 
  body. Contact poisons don’t take any unusual Limi-
  tations, though they sometimes have Trigger (when 
  character touches poisoned object; +¼ or more). 
  Characters can apply and detect contact poisons as 
  they do injected poisons.
  Classifying Poisons
  Since the defense against most poisons is Life 
  Support (Immunity), a character should classify 
  any poison he creates (thus deﬁning the proper 
  Immunity for it). There are two options.
  First, he can use the categories already deﬁned 
  for Immunity (see page 198 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised). Although simple and easy, this 
  method lacks ﬂavor.
  Second, he can create categories speciﬁc to 
  your campaign based on the source of the poison, 
  who makes it, and other factors. The accompany-
  ing text box provides an example Immunity system 
  for a Fantasy Hero campaign set in Ambrethel (the 
  world of The Turakian Age), using as a guideline a 
  cost of 2 Character Points for poisons speciﬁc to a 
  race, group, or location, and 3 Character Points for 
  poisons from speciﬁc types of animals or plants.
  EXAMPLE IMMUNITIES
   Cost Poison
   
  3 
  Animal Poisons (other than serpent and  
  spider poisons)
   
  2 
  Deep Elf Poisons
   
  2 
  Orcish Poisons
   
  3 
  Plant Poisons of the Eastern Realms
   
  3 
  Plant Poisons of the Western Realms
   
  3 
  Serpent Poisons
   
  2 
  Poisons of the Silverleaf Guild
   
  3 
  Spider Poisons
   
  2 
  Tornathian Ingested Poisons
   
  2 
  Toxins of Thfn
   
  3 
  Turakian Poisons
  HEALING  
  AND POISONS
  As noted on page 246, 
  characters can use 
  Paramedics to treat 
  some types of poison-
  ing. The GM should 
  only allow a character 
  to make Paramed-
  ics rolls to diminish 
  the effect of poison 
  if (a) the poison is a 
  common and well-
  known one, or (b) that 
  character has special 
  knowledge of the sub-
  ject (i.e., he succeeds 
  with a Poisoning or KS: 
  Poisons roll to identify 
  the poison used). For 
  example, if a charac-
  ter got to a snakebite 
  victim right after he 
  was bit, the character 
  could use Paramedics 
  to put on a torniquet 
  above the wound, 
  make an incision, 
  and suck out some of 
  the poison. However, 
  once a poison starts 
  to degrade a person’s 
  flesh, internal organs, 
  and/or nervous system, 
  the character may be 
  out of luck. Modern or 
  future medicine may 
  be able to cure him 
  (perhaps at the price of 
  a lengthy and painful 
  recovery period), but 
  there’s usually nothing 
  Fantasy-era medicine 
  can do to help him.
  A spell, drug, potion, or 
  ability using the Healing 
  Power can heal damage 
  already taken from 
  poison, but it doesn’t 
  stop further damage 
  from accruing if the 
  poison has a Gradual 
  Eﬀect. However, at the 
  GM’s option, a character 
  could use a Healing-
  based spell to counteract 
  “future” poison damage 
  from a poison already in 
  the character’s system. 
  Alternately, this may 
  require a Transform 
  (poisoned person to 
  non-poisoned person).
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  369 
  EFFECTS OF POISON
  Typically, the purpose of poison is to kill. 
  However, not all poisons have fatal effects; 
  some just make the victim sick or dizzy, or 
  knock him out.
  In the real world, poisons generally make the 
  victim feel ill, then cause cramps, convulsions, 
  and eventually death. Sometimes they have other 
  minor effects, like raising (or lowering) body tem-
  perature, causing drowsiness or drunkenness-like 
  effects, impairing the senses slightly, or mildly 
  discoloring some part of the body. But in ﬁctional 
  settings, poisons can have many horriﬁc effects 
  that heighten the drama of the situation. They 
  could, for example, cause extreme insanity prior 
  to death, strongly discolor the victim’s body, make 
  the victim bleed from the pores, or the like. Play-
  ers and GMs should be ﬁendishly clever in their 
  descriptions of a poison’s effects.
  Evaluating Poisons
  A character with Poisoning can evaluate a poi-
  soning victim (living or dead) to determine what 
  sort of poison was used on him. To do so he must 
  examine the victim for at least 1 Turn and make a 
  Skill Roll. The roll suffers a penalty of -1 per step 
  down the Time Chart since the victim was poi-
  soned (though if the poison remains active because 
  of Gradual Effect, this penalty does not start to 
  accrue until all increments of damage have been 
  applied). If the roll succeeds by up to 2 points, the 
  character can identify the general type or class of 
  poison used (and perhaps from that make educated 
  guesses about exactly which toxin is involved). If 
  it succeeds by 3 or more, the character typically 
  knows the exact poison used. If the roll fails, he 
  cannot identify the poison; if it fails badly (by 4 or 
  more) the character mis-identiﬁes the poison.
  If a character ﬁnds an unidentiﬁed poison (for 
  example, among the effects of an assassin he’s just 
  captured), he can make a Poisoning roll to identify 
  it. This takes the same time as evaluating a poison-
  ing victim and usually involves applying simple 
  tests to the poison to determine what it is. If the 
  Poisoning roll succeeds, the character can identify 
  the general type or class of poison; if it succeeds 
  by 2 or more he identiﬁes the poison exactly. If the 
  roll fails, he cannot identify the poison; if it fails 
  badly (by 4 or more) the character mis-identiﬁes 
  the poison.
  POISON IN THE CAMPAIGN
  In Superheroic games, characters have to 
  spend Character Points to buy poisons. Since many 
  poisons are powerful and expensive, the high cost 
  often makes buying too many of them prohibitive.
  In Heroic-level games, typically characters 
  can buy poisons with money instead of Character 
  Points. This may cause problems in the game. 
  Eager for its potent offensive power, characters 
  may suddenly invest heavily in poison and use it 
  constantly, throwing off campaign balance.
  Gamemasters who want to restrict the use 
  of poison in the campaign have several options. 
  
  370 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  First, make poisons difﬁcult to create and obtain. 
  Lengthen the creation time (and increase the perils 
  of poison-brewing). Make poison so rare that 
  it’s difﬁcult to ﬁnd in the market, and incredibly 
  expensive to purchase. Possession of poison may 
  also be illegal, causing characters further problems 
  when they try to buy or carry it.
  Second, make poisons difﬁcult to use. 
  Increase the speed with which they weaken or 
  evaporate. Require a character to make a DEX 
  Roll in every Phase he uses a poisoned weapon, 
  with failure meaning he has accidentally poisoned 
  himself. Give poison-using characters a Reputation 
  Disadvantage that makes it hard for them to live or 
  work with folk who object to poison use.
  Third, if necessary, forbid characters to use 
  poison altogether. After all, it’s not heroic — it’s 
  something assassins, thieves, and other Evil people 
  do. While heavy-handed, this method may prove 
  the best and easiest for many campaigns.
  EQUIPMENT
  As noted above, Poisoning requires equip-
  ment. Characters need raw materials to make poi-
  sons from, the gear to brew or concoct the poison 
  in and with, and sometimes weapons, needles, 
  or other devices to introduce the poison into the 
  victim. Standard rules for lack of equipment or 
  using poor-quality equipment apply.
  POWERS AND POISONING
  Some characters may have the innate ability to 
  poison people by bite, claw, or touch. This is usu-
  ally bought just like an ordinary poison, but with-
  out some Limitations (such as Focus). Characters 
  with appropriate Healing or Transform powers can 
  counteract poisoning (see sidebar). Some Defense 
  Powers may prevent a character from being poi-
  soned with an injected poison because it’s difﬁcult 
  (if not impossible) to pierce the character’s skin 
  with a blade or needle. And of course Life Support 
  (Immunity) can protect a character from poisons.
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  The consequences for failing to create a 
  poison, identify a poison, prepare an antidote, or 
  apply poison to a blade are discussed above. In 
  general a Poisoning roll failed by 1-3 has no nega-
  tive impact beyond the failure itself. A badly failed 
  roll (by 4 or more) tends to mean something bad is 
  happened — most likely that the character acciden-
  tally poisoned or hurt himself. Working with toxins 
  is not a job for the faint of heart, slow of wit, or 
  unsteady of hand.
  BASE TIMES
  The Base Time for creating a poison is 1 
  Minute per 10 Active Points in the poison, but at 
  the GM’s option some poisons may take much 
  longer. (And of course this doesn’t account for the 
  time needed to acquire the ingredients and other 
  equipment needed.) Characters often take extra 
  time to improve their chances of success. The same 
  applies to creating antidotes.
  Harvesting poison from an animal or monster 
  usually takes a minimum of 5 Minutes, and pos-
  sibly longer depending on the size of the creature, 
  the toughness of its ﬂesh, the location of the poison 
  sacs, and so forth.
  Applying poison to a blade can be done in as 
  little as a Full Phase, but doing it safely requires a 
  minimum of 1 Minute (typically per dose applied). 
  Putting the poison on quicker requires a DEX Roll 
  to do so safely (see Injected Poisons, above).
  Evaluating a poison or poisoning victim typi-
  cally requires a minimum of 1 Turn. Again, if pos-
  sible characters usually take more time to improve 
  the chances of making a correct identiﬁcation... but 
  if a character’s trying to save a person who’s been 
  poisoned, he may not have the luxury of time.
  SUBDIVIDING POISONING
  One of the ways to make Poisoning less likely 
  to unbalance the campaign is to have characters 
  buy it by poison or by class of poisons (as the GM 
  prefers). The ﬁrst poison (or class of poisons) the 
  character knows how to create, identify, or prepare 
  an antidote for costs 2 Character Points for the 
  INT-Based roll; each additional poison (or class of 
  poisons) costs +1 Character Point. If characters buy 
  Poisoning by class of poison, they can instead buy 
  the ability to make a single poison (rather than an 
  entire category of poisons) for 1 Character Point.
  POISONING BY GENRE
  Generally, Poisoning works the same in all 
  genres — the only issue is what sort of technology 
  and chemistry are available for use by the poisoner. 
  In modern, near-future, and future settings, the 
  technology might exist to genetically tailor a poison 
  to a speciﬁc individual or class of persons. (This 
  might also be possible in games featuring Weird 
  Science regardless of the era.) In a campaign setting 
  featuring magic, there might be enchanted poisons 
  that can only be cured by appropriate countermagic 
  combined with an antidote.
  
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Two
  371 
  RESEARCH
  Type:   
  Intellect Skill (roll:  9 + (INT/5) or less)
  Cost:   
  3 Character Points for a base roll, +1 to the 
  roll per +2 Character Points
  Research is an optional new Intellect Skill that rep-
  resents a character’s ability to locate information 
  on academic and professional subjects. The char-
  acter knows about standard research methods and 
  sources (libraries, databases, archives, websites, and 
  more), the methods for using them most eﬃciently, 
  their reliability, and which ones are best for which 
  subjects. He also knows how to organize research 
  materials for best results, how to ﬁnd the truly 
  useful bits of information amid a ﬂood of semi-
  useful facts, and so forth.
  Except for how it works with Cramming (see 
  below), Research does not allow a character to acquire 
  new Skills (even temporarily). Instead, it assists him 
  when he’s using another Skill (primarily a Knowledge 
  Skill or Science Skill) to look up information. Nor 
  does Research allow a character to create “new” infor-
  mation; it only allows him to ﬁnd information that 
  already exists. If a character’s trying to ﬁnd informa-
  tion that’s never been recorded, he automatically fails; 
  if he’s researching something the GM knows is only 
  located in a speciﬁc book or place, he automatically 
  fails if he lacks access to those materials.
  USING RESEARCH
  Research has two main functions:  to assist 
  a character with Cramming; and to assist a 
  character with research-oriented tasks pertain-
  ing to other Skills.
  Cramming
  If a character succeeds with a roll using 
  Research, he reduces the time needed to Cram a 
  subject by 10% per point the roll succeeds by (to a 
  maximum of 50%, or half the time). If the character 
  also has Speed Reading or Eidetic Memory, the 
  Research reduction applies after those reductions 
  are applied. If the roll fails; he receives no reduc-
  tion; if it fails badly (by 4 or more), increase the 
  time required to use Cramming by 50% or more.
  At the GM’s option, if a character with Research 
  succeeds with his roll by 3 or more, he can increase 
  his roll with the Crammed Skill by +1 (though Skill 
  Levels still cannot apply). For a Critical Success (or 
  perhaps even success by half), he can increase it by +2. 
  If the roll fails, the character doesn’t gain any boost 
  to his Crammed Skill; if it fails badly (by 4 or more), 
  reduce his Crammed Skill’s roll to 7-.
  Other Skills
  Characters’ other Skills, particularly Knowl-
  edge Skills and Science Skills, often represent their 
  knowledge of a given subject and/or their ability to 
  ﬁnd information about it that they need but don’t 
  have memorized. Researching a fact or subject 
  requires a Base Time depending on the complexity 
  
  372 ■ The Skills
  Hero System 5th Edition
  of the subject — see Knowledge Skill and Science 
  Skill in this chapter for details. If a character suc-
  ceeds with a Research roll, he reduces the time 
  needed for that task by 10% per point the roll suc-
  ceeds by (to a maximum of 50%, or half the time).
  Alternately, the character can choose to use 
  Research as a Complementary Skill for such 
  tasks. That means Research doesn’t reduce the 
  time required to research something, but makes 
  it even more likely the character finds the infor-
  mation he needs.
  Substituting For Other Skills
  At the GM’s option, a character with Research 
  can use it to look up one discrete, easily-ascertained 
  fact pertaining to a Skill that character doesn’t have 
  (typically a KS or SS). He can only do this once per 
  game session (or adventure, if the GM prefers) and 
  the GM can rule that some facts are too complex 
  for a character to learn about this way. This requires 
  a Base Time of 1 Hour and a successful Research 
  roll. If the roll fails, the character learns nothing; if 
  it fails badly (by 4 or more), he spends double the 
  Base Time in his fruitless quest.
  EQUIPMENT
  Research by definition requires equipment 
  — specifically, reference materials and other 
  sources of information about the subject at hand. 
  The “equipment” in question might actually be 
  a knowledgeable person the character can speak 
  with to find out what he wants to know, rather 
  than a collection of books or computer files, but 
  the character has to have something to extract 
  information from.
  POWERS AND RESEARCH
  If the Speed Reading Talent isn’t 
  already in use with Cramming (see 
  above), characters who have it can 
  use it to reduce the time required for 
  a Research task. For every x10 faster 
  reading ability, reduce the Base Time 
  for using Research by 20% (maxi-
  mum reduction of 60%, to 40% of the 
  normal Base Time).
  CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
  A failed Research roll generally 
  means inability to ﬁnd the desired 
  facts. See above for information about 
  failure with speciﬁc tasks.
  BASE TIMES
  Research doesn’t typically have 
  a Base Time itself; it depends on the 
  Base Time for the Skill a character’s 
  using it with. For situations in which 
  a character uses Research as a Com-
  plementary Skill for other Skills, it 
  uses the Base Times for Knowledge 
  Skill (see page 212).
  SUBDIVIDING RESEARCH
  In campaigns where characters tend to 
  research things a lot, the GM may require them 
  to buy this Skill by speciﬁc ﬁelds, such as History, 
  Hard Sciences, Social Sciences, Government Data, 
  and so forth. Typically the ﬁrst ﬁeld costs 2 Char-
  acter Points for an INT-Based Roll; each additional 
  category costs +1 Character Point.
  RESEARCH BY GENRE
  Research works the same in all genres and 
  time periods. However, when adjudicating the 
  eﬀects of Research, the GM should remember that 
  pre-modern periods (not just Fantasy, but Western, 
  Victorian, Pulp, and the like) are slower ages with 
  slower communications — times that are much 
  less technologically oriented than the twenty-ﬁrst 
  century. Characters can’t run a quick search of the 
  county records on a computer — they’ve got to 
  thumb laboriously through them, using whatever 
  indices or other organizational tools are available. 
  Getting information to or from a distant colonial 
  oﬃce or a keep on the borderlands may take days, 
  weeks, or months. In these situations, knowing 
  the right person (Contacts) or ﬂattering the right 
  bureaucrat the right way (which may require other 
  Interaction Skills) can really speed things up... but 
  only so much.
  Fantasy
  Wizards often use Research to help with their 
  Spell Research (Inventor) work, either reducing the 
  time required or (hopefully) providing a bonus to 
  the Skill, as described above).
  
  chapter three:
  chapter three:
  SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT
  
  374 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SKILLS AND 
  EQUIPMENT
  A
  s stated in the rulebook, if a character pays 
  Character Points for a piece of equipment 
  (such as a weapon or a Vehicle), he doesn’t 
  have to buy a Skill to use it — he automati-
  cally knows how. However, that only means he 
  knows how to use that one piece of equipment; it 
  doesn’t give him a Skill for free. Paying Character 
  Points for a gun doesn’t let a character have WF: 
  Small Arms for free; paying Character Points for 
  a motorcycle doesn’t give him TF: Two-Wheeled 
  Motorized Ground Vehicles. It just lets him use that 
  one speciﬁc piece of gear.
  Buying a piece of equipment using the Equip-
  ment Points rules in Dark Champions does not 
  count as paying Character Points for it. A character 
  must have a Skill to use such gear, or suﬀer the 
  appropriate penalties.
  Some Skills, such as Lockpicking, generally 
  assume a character has to have equipment (the 
  appropriate tools or devices) to use them; see the 
  Equipment section of each Skill’s description in 
  Chapter Two for more information. Unless stated 
  otherwise in the Skill’s writeup, it’s not necessar-
  ily assumed the character gets the necessary basic 
  equipment for “free,” because he may have to pay 
  money for it in-game or the like. But he doesn’t 
  have to pay a separate Character Point cost for it.
  AUTOMATONS
  Automatons can buy any Skill unless the 
  GM rules otherwise. However, they rarely buy 
  Interaction Skills, since they have little if any 
  “personality” to use with them; they’re immune 
  to the effects of Interaction Skills themselves. 
  Since most Automatons are “mindless” to one 
  degree or another, it’s also uncommon for them 
  to buy many of the Intellect Skills, such as Con-
  cealment, Deduction, or Disguise.
  Automatons with the Takes No STUN Power do 
  not have to pay triple cost for Combat Skill Levels, 
  Defense Maneuver, or any other Skill with “defensive” 
  applications. That rule applies only to other Powers 
  and Talents, such as Damage Reduction.
  Automatons cannot buy Skill Enhancers.
  COMPUTERS
  Computers can buy most Skills, though not 
  ones that involve physical motion or activity since 
  they can’t move. This includes (but isn’t neces-
  sarily limited to) Acrobatics, Breakfall, Climbing, 
  Contortionist, Defense Maneuver, Martial Arts, 
  Riding, Shadowing, Sleight Of Hand, Stealth, and 
  Two-Weapon Fighting. However, in Cyber Hero 
  campaigns and other games involving activity in 
  the virtual reality of the Cybernet, Computers can 
  buy some of these Skills to represent cyber-abilities 
  programmed into the Computer. For example, a 
  Computer might have Martial Arts usable only in 
  the Cybernet to represent its ability to “ﬁght” with 
  and defeat a computer security program.
  Computers cannot buy Skill Enhancers.
  Of course, just because a Computer has a 
  Skill doesn’t necessarily mean a character can 
  easily access that Skill and get the Computer 
  to do what he wants. See pages 459-60 of The 
  HERO System 5th Edition, Revised for more infor-
  mation on programs for Computers and operat-
  ing Computers in general.
  AGILITY SKILLS
  Many Agility Skills that Computers can buy 
  (such as Combat Driving/Piloting) represent their 
  ability to do something when plugged into (or 
  otherwise connected with) a particular device. 
  Computers cannot necessarily use these Skills with 
  just any machine; the machine has to be “computer-
  ready” or otherwise able to connect to and accept 
  input from the Computer. This generally does 
  not qualify as a Limitation, but may in campaigns 
  where such devices are rare.
  At the GM’s option, Computers that buy Agility 
  Skills start oﬀ with a base 9- roll, just like with Interac-
  tion Skills (see below). A Computer’s DEX generally 
  represents its processing speed and sophistication (or 
  the like), not the manual deftness that most Agility 
  Skills depend on to some degree. Therefore basing 
  Agility Skills on it may not always make much sense. 
  In some cases (such as a Computer programmed with 
  Combat Piloting), a standard DEX-Based Roll may 
  work ﬁne since the Skill can then be thought of as rep-
  resenting the Computer’s reaction speed.
  INTELLECT SKILLS
  Most Computers focus on Intellect Skills, rep-
  resenting their vast databases and the like. Unless 
  they’re artiﬁcially intelligent they generally refrain 
  from buying Intellect Skills like Deduction and 
  Gambling that tend to represent (at least in part) 
  human intuition and insight.
  
  375 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Three
  INTERACTION SKILLS
  Generally Computers do not buy Interaction 
  Skills. If a Computer buys an Interaction Skill (which 
  is based on a Characteristic it doesn’t possess), it gets 
  a base 9- roll. It may buy the roll up from there in the 
  usual fashion. At the GM’s option, a Computer can 
  buy Interaction Skills as Intellect Skills solely for use 
  against other Computers (and similar machines) to 
  represent sophisticated and subtle information-gath-
  ering programming or the like.
  COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
  A Computer cannot buy a Resistance Talent 
  to protect itself from Computer Programming 
  — Resistance Talents only work against Interaction 
  Skills. But a Computer could buy a Computer Pro-
  gramming Skill of its own to use as “defense” (possi-
  bly with the -½ Limitation, Defensive Only). Then it 
  engages in Skill Versus Skill Contests with hackers 
  to “protect” itself — assuming it has programs that 
  tell it to do so.
  VEHICLES
  Vehicles typically have Skills for one or more 
  of four reasons. First, a Skill may be programmed 
  into a Computer that’s an integral part of a Vehicle. 
  For Vehicles with INT, Skills would be programmed 
  into the Vehicle itself, so to speak, but the principle 
  is the same. Similarly, if a vehicle is fully sentient or 
  a living being, it might have Skills.
  Second, a Skill may represent a dedicated com-
  puter, system, spell, or the like that gives a Vehicle 
  an ability. For example, a “Combat Computer” 
  might give a Vehicle several Autoﬁre Skills, or a 
  ﬂying carpet might have Navigation (Air) due to 
  the enchantments placed upon it. A Vehicle with 
  rotating license plates and crystal-matrix paint that 
  can switch colors might have Disguise.
  Third, a Skill can represent some innate ability 
  or capability of the Vehicle. For example, a Vehicle 
  that handles really well in some situations might 
  have innate bonuses to Combat Driving/Piloting or 
  Skill Levels with a Limitation.
  Fourth, large Vehicles (such as starships) 
  may have laboratories or similar facilities defined 
  with Skills (see page 468 of The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised, and below under Bases, regard-
  ing laboratories).
  Regardless of these special eﬀects and expla-
  nations, the GM may rule that some Skills are not 
  appropriate for Vehicles, based on the campaign, 
  common sense, or dramatic sense. For example, it’s 
  diﬃcult to imagine buying Breakfall for most (if 
  any) Vehicles. (But see page 106 of The Ultimate 
  Vehicle regarding mecha.)
  Here are some notes on possible applications 
  of Skills to Vehicles. For the sake of simplicity, it 
  refers to Vehicles “having” or “using” a Skill, even 
  though it’s often more likely that the Skill is built 
  into a Computer or a particular device that’s part 
  of a Vehicle than into a Vehicle itself. This section 
  is not exhaustive, since many uses for vehicular 
  Skills are obvious, and creative gamers may devise 
  many other potential uses; it simply provides notes 
  on some of the more unusual or intriguing appli-
  cations. See also Chapter Seven of The Ultimate 
  Vehicle regarding vehicular equipment generally.
  Vehicles may not buy Skill Enhancers.
  INTELLECT, INTERACTION,  
  AND BACKGROUND SKILLS
  If a Vehicle buys an Intellect or Interaction 
  Skill (which depend on Characteristics it doesn’t 
  possess), it gets a base 9- roll. It may buy the roll up 
  from there in the usual fashion. If a Vehicle buys a 
  Background Skill (typically as part of a laboratory 
  on a large Vehicle), the Vehicle (lab) starts with a 
  base Skill Roll of 11-, not the 9- that’s standard for 
  Characteristic-Based Skills (unless the Vehicle only 
  buys an 8- Familiarity with the Skill).
  ACROBATICS
  With the GM’s permission, an agile, fast-
  moving ﬂying Vehicle could redeﬁne this Skill as 
  Aerobatics, using it to perform barrels rolls and 
  other aerial “stunts” easily. It would serve as a Com-
  plementary Skill to Combat Piloting for Vehicle 
  Maneuvers in some cases.
  COMBAT DRIVING AND COMBAT PILOTING
  It’s not unheard of for a vehicle’s operator 
  to leave the driving/piloting to an autopilot or 
  onboard computer while he does something else 
  (such as operate a weapons system). A Vehicle with 
  one of these Skills can drive/pilot itself while the 
  operator takes another action. (Buying Combat 
  Driving/Piloting for this represents a highly sophis-
  ticated autopilot device; simpler ones are deﬁned 
  as Transport Familiarities.) It can also make a Skill 
  Roll as a Complementary Roll to assist the operator 
  with his driving/piloting; this requires a Half Phase 
  Action by the Vehicle.
  Vehicles often buy bonuses to Combat Driv-
  ing/Piloting that are limited to speciﬁc situations. 
  For example, a car that handles really well at high 
  speeds might have +4 to Combat Driving, Only For 
  Making Handling Rolls At High Speeds (-1) (total 
  cost:  4 points). This is highly appropriate, provided 
  it’s not done to counteract a penalty or negative 
  modiﬁer of some sort. In that case, use Penalty Skill 
  Levels (see below). The GM determines what con-
  stitutes “counteracting” a penalty.
  COMBAT SKILL LEVELS
  Combat-oriented Vehicles often have 
  Combat Skill Levels which they, their operators, 
  passengers, and/or Computers can use in combat. 
  Typically Vehicles (and by extension, Bases) buy 
  only the standard 2-, 3-, 5-, and 8-point CSLs, 
  not the optional 1-, 4-, and 6-point versions 
  discussed in Chapter Two (though the GM can 
  allow this if he prefers).
  A 2-point CSL only applies to increase OCV 
  with a single speciﬁc weapon or attack. It applies 
  regardless of who makes the attack (the Vehicle 
  itself, an operator, or a passenger). The weapon or 
  attack must be deﬁned when the CSL is bought, 
  and cannot be changed thereafter. Each individual 
  weapon or attack counts separately for these pur-
  
  376 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  poses, even if a Vehicle has multiple weapons of 
  the same type. For example, if a Vehicle has both 
  a forward laser cannon and a rear laser cannon, a 
  2-point CSL with Laser Cannons must be assigned 
  to one or the other, and once assigned cannot be 
  changed. It cannot apply to both, even though both 
  are Laser Cannons.
  A 3-point CSL can apply to up to three spe-
  ciﬁc vehicular weapons or attacks. The weapons or 
  attacks to which the Vehicle can apply the CSL must 
  be deﬁned when the CSL is bought, and cannot be 
  changed thereafter. Each individual weapon or attack 
  counts separately for these purposes, even if a Vehicle 
  has multiple weapons of the same type. For example, if 
  a Vehicle has twelve Heavy Machine Guns, and it buys 
  a 3-point CSL, it may deﬁne the CSL as usable with 
  any three of the twelve Heavy Machine Guns — it 
  cannot apply the CSL to any of the twelve guns, just to 
  those three. A 3-point CSL applies regardless of who 
  makes the attack (the Vehicle itself, an operator, or a 
  passenger). A 3-point CSL may be used to increase 
  OCV or to increase damage, but may not increase the 
  Vehicle’s DCV.
  A 5-point CSL can apply to any vehicular 
  Ranged weapons and attacks, or any vehicular 
  HTH weapons and attacks. A normal 5-point 
  CSL may be used to increase OCV or to increase 
  damage, but may not increase the Vehicle’s DCV. 
  However, Vehicles may buy 5-point CSLs only to 
  increase their DCV.
  An 8-point CSL applies to all vehicular weap-
  ons, Ranged and HTH. An 8-point CSL may be 
  used to increase OCV, increase DCV, or increase 
  damage. (A 10-point Overall Level, if applied to 
  combat, functions just like an 8-point CSL.)
  Five- and 8-point CSLs can apply to any of 
  the relevant attacks a Vehicle, its operator, and/or 
  its passengers make using vehicular equipment. 
  Whereas 2- and 3-point CSLs can only be used 
  with the weapons/attacks they’re assigned to when 
  bought, the more expensive CSLs apply to a much 
  broader range of vehicular attacks. Since this can 
  make them extremely eﬀective, the GM may wish 
  to limit how many a Vehicle can have.
  Example:  The Sword Of Orion, a powerful 
  starship ﬁelded by the Galactic Empire, mounts 
  ﬁfteen separate beam weapons and missile 
  launchers. One of those weapons is its Plasma 
  Keelcannon. It buys three 2-point CSLs with 
  this weapon. Whenever anyone — the ship 
  itself (via its computer) or any crewmember 
  — ﬁres the weapon, he gets +3 OCV.
  The Sword also has nine Plasma Blasters. It 
  buys six 3-point CSLs with Plasma Blasters, 
  deﬁning two of them as working with each 
  group of three blasters. Thus, every blaster 
  on the ship, whenever used by anyone, could 
  potentially have two CSLs applied to it to 
  increase OCV or improve the damage done by 
  the attack. However, these CSLs do not apply 
  to the Plasma Keelcannon or the Sword’s ﬁve 
  missile launchers. Furthermore, only two CSLs 
  can apply to each Blaster; the ship may not re-
  assign all six Levels to apply to a single Blaster 
  — it can only assign the Levels to the weapons 
  deﬁned for them when they were purchased.
  The Sword also purchases two 5-point CSLs 
  with all Ranged Attacks. The ship can assign 
  these CSLs to any Ranged attacks it makes.
  
  377 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Three
  Five- and 8-point CSLs may be bought with 
  Advantages and Limitations, per the usual rules. 
  Advantages are rarely appropriate, but the following 
  Limitations often are:  Activation Roll, Concentra-
  tion, Costs Endurance, Extra Time, Focus, Incanta-
  tions (pilot voice command), Increased Endurance 
  Cost, and Requires A Skill Roll.
  Because the rules don’t allow characters to 
  put Limitations on CSLs costing less than 5 points 
  apiece, a Vehicle may ﬁnd itself in a situation where 
  it costs more to buy Limited CSLs with a particular 
  attack than it would if it just bought less expensive 
  CSLs — even though the cheaper CSLs are less 
  restricted. In that case, the GM may, at his option, 
  allow the Vehicle to buy the less expensive CSLs 
  and treat them as if they were Limited, without 
  actually applying the Limitation to them.
  Vehicle’s Weapons Versus Vehicular Weapons
  A Combat Skill Level with [Vehicle]’s Weap-
  ons (all the weapons on a particular Vehicle) is a 
  3-point Level, and can only be applied to OCV. A 
  CSL with Vehicular Weaponry (any type of Vehicle-
  mounted weapon) is a 5-point Level, and can only 
  be applied to OCV. Typically, either type of CSL 
  applies only to Ranged attacks, but may apply to 
  HTH Combat instead (or as well) if the Vehicle has 
  HTH attacks (as many mecha do). If the Vehicle’s 
  attacks are all Ranged, one of these CSLs does not 
  apply to Move Bys or Move Throughs (sideswip-
  ing and ramming), but characters can buy CSLs 
  separately to represent their talent for running into 
  things. An 8-point CSL with All Combat would 
  apply to ramming and sideswiping, but again, only 
  applies to OCV. Of course, any of these Levels only 
  increase the character’s OCV with vehicular attacks; 
  they don’t apply to the Vehicle itself or anyone else 
  using its equipment.
  Characters can buy DCV Levels that they can 
  apply to Vehicles, but this gets expensive because 
  they must be made Usable By Others — the Vehicle 
  is a separate “character” from the character, in eﬀect, 
  so he has to “grant” it DCV Levels. When buying 
  the Usable By Others Advantage, don’t forget to 
  increase it to account for the Vehicle’s mass — the 
  upper limit on mass deﬁnes the types of Vehicles 
  the character can apply the Levels to. However, 
  the character can apply a -2 Limitation, Only For 
  [Vehicle Type] Character Is Driving, to reduce the 
  cost; Requires A Skill Roll may also be appropriate. 
  Granting the Levels to the Vehicle is a Zero Phase 
  Action; the “Attack Roll” succeeds automatically.
  Standard Levels In Vehicle Combat
  A character who has personal CSLs can use 
  them in vehicular combat if he attacks with his 
  personal attacks. For example, a superhero who has 
  +3 OCV with Flame Blast can use those CSLs if he’s 
  attacking a Vehicle with that power, or riding in a 
  Vehicle while blasting at another Vehicle.
  A character who has 5-point CSLs with 
  Ranged Combat, 8-point CSLs with All Combat, or 
  10-point Overall Levels can apply them to increase 
  his OCV with a Vehicle’s ranged attacks. The latter 
  two types also apply to increase OCV with HTH 
  attacks (including, for example, ramming); a Vehi-
  cle with lots of HTH Combat attacks (such as many 
  mecha) could buy 5-point CSLs to increase OCV in 
  HTH Combat. He can also apply them to increase 
  the damage caused by the attacks he makes. He 
  cannot apply them to increase the Vehicle’s DCV. 
  However, if he’s attacked by another character in 
  the Vehicle he’s in, he could apply them to increase 
  his own DCV against that other character’s attacks, 
  if appropriate.
  CONCEALMENT
  Some Vehicles are designed to blend in well 
  with the terrain they operate in — they’re cam-
  ouﬂaged, in other words. Vehicles can buy this as 
  Concealment with the Limitations Self Only (-½) 
  and Only In Speciﬁc Environments/Situations (-1; 
  possibly less if terrain occurs frequently). If the 
  Vehicle can change coloration (or the like) to adapt 
  to a wide variety of environments or settings, the 
  latter Limitation doesn’t apply, though Costs Endur-
  ance might.
  Hidden Compartments
  Some vehicles have concealed compartments 
  where the crew and passengers can hide things. You 
  can buy this as Concealment with the Self Only and 
  Partial Coverage Limitations. The Partial Coverage 
  deﬁnes the size of the space (and thus what can ﬁt 
  within it); designers must take care not to make 
  “hideyholes” too large, for the larger they are, the 
  easier they usually are to detect (the unaccounted-
  for space tips oﬀ searchers). If a character wants 
  multiple compartments for his Vehicle, he can 
  apply the standard “+5 Character Points doubles 
  the number of items of equipment” rule.
  Because a hidden compartment is “separate” 
  from the rest of the Vehicle, it’s usually best to buy 
  it as a distinct use of Concealment, rather than 
  simply buying bonuses to a ship’s overall Conceal-
  ment. Similarly, GMs may rule that some types of 
  Skill Levels don’t apply to the Concealment roll for 
  hidden compartments.
  DEFENSE MANEUVER
  An agile or highly-maneuverable Vehicle 
  might take this Skill, perhaps with the Requires 
  A Combat Driving/Piloting Roll Limitation. Some 
  Vehicles may be designed and built so that they 
  have no clearly deﬁnable “back,” making this Skill 
  appropriate without any such Limitation.
  DISGUISE
  A Vehicle may take Disguise to reﬂect a lim-
  ited ability to change its appearance — rotating 
  license plates, alterable color scheme, or the like. 
  However, GMs may prefer that Vehicles instead buy 
  Shape Shift with Disguise as a Required Skill Roll 
  (see page 27 of The Ultimate Vehicle).
  LOCKPICKING
  Vehicles buy Lockpicking not to simulate 
  their ability to pick locks, but to represent the dif-
  ﬁculty of picking their own locks. Every vehicle 
  has Lockpicking 8- as “Everyvehicle Equipment” to 
  represent standard locks. If a Vehicle wants better 
  locks than that, it buys them using the Power Skills. 
  
  378 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  When someone tries to pick the lock, he has to 
  overcome the Vehicle’s Lockpicking in a Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest. (Alternately, the Vehicle may deﬁne 
  its locks by taking Change Environment to impose 
  penalties on thieves’ Lockpicking.) See the Skill 
  Gear section below for some example locks.
  MARTIAL ARTS
  Typically, Vehicles are not allowed to buy Mar-
  tial Arts themselves. However, in some campaigns, 
  characters can buy a Weapon Element (such as Use 
  Art With Mecha) that allows them to use their Mar-
  tial Arts with a Vehicle. See pages 106 and 187 of 
  The Ultimate Vehicle.
  MIMICRY
  While Vehicles might take this Skill to allow 
  their public address systems to mimic other voices, 
  or with the GM’s permission to make their engines 
  sound diﬀerent, typically Vehicles should buy such 
  abilities using Shape Shift (see page 27 of The Ulti-
  mate Vehicle).
  NAVIGATION
  It’s not uncommon for a Vehicle to have this 
  Skill. It often represents an navigational computer, 
  an autopilot’s navigational features, or a link to the 
  Global Positioning System or similar systems. A 
  living vehicle might be “navigationally attuned” in 
  some way, just like birds can ﬁnd their way along 
  migration paths.
  PENALTY SKILL LEVELS
  Penalty Skill Levels have several applications 
  for Vehicles.
  First, Vehicles can buy them for their stan-
  dard purpose of cancelling OCV penalties for 
  things like attacking smaller targets (Size Skill 
  Levels), attacking specific Hit Locations (Target-
  ing Skill Levels), or overcoming the Range Modi-
  fier (Range Skill Levels). Range Skill Levels are 
  particularly common for many combat-oriented 
  vehicles. The 1½-point, 2-point, and 3-point 
  PSLs correspond to the 2-point, 3-point, and 
  5-point CSLs, respectively, in terms of how they 
  apply to vehicular combat.
  Second, with the GM’s permission, Vehicles 
  can buy PSLs not to overcome OCV penalties, but 
  to counteract Combat Driving/Piloting penalties 
  for various conditions. For example, a car with 
  special oﬀ-road suspension and tires might buy 
  PSLs to counteract oﬀ-road driving penalties. A 
  2-point PSL applies to a single mode of movement; 
  a 3-point PSL applies to all the vehicle’s modes of 
  movement, or allows the application of Limitations.
  Because the rules don’t allow characters to 
  put Limitations on PSLs costing less than 3 points 
  apiece, a Vehicle may ﬁnd itself in a situation where 
  it costs more to buy Limited PSLs with a particular 
  attack than it would if it just bought less expensive 
  PSLs — even though the PSLs are less restricted. In 
  that case, the GM may, at his option, allow the Vehi-
  cle to buy the less expensive PSLs and treat them as 
  if they were Limited, without actually applying the 
  Limitation to them.
  SECURITY SYSTEMS
  Vehicles often buy Security Systems as a Skills 
  Power to represent the diﬃculty of breaking into 
  them; see Lockpicking, above. If the Vehicle has 
  security devices (such as weapons or capturefoam 
  projectors) that function when someone tries to 
  defeat the security, it must buy those separately (see 
  page 142 of The Ultimate Vehicle).
  SKILL LEVELS
  Although they’re less common than Combat 
  Skill Levels or Penalty Skill Levels, Vehicles can 
  take Skill Levels, if appropriate. For example, many 
  Vehicles buy Movement Skill Levels (see page 301) 
  to represent how well they handle or turn; these 
  add to the operator’s control Skill Rolls.
  Typically, if a Vehicle buys a 3-point Skill Level, 
  the bonus must come from the same source or 
  device. It cannot deﬁne +1 with Disguise, Mimicry, 
  and Security Systems, where the Disguise is a cam-
  ouﬂage system, the Mimicry part of a PA system, 
  and Security Systems is an electronic override.
  If a Vehicle wants to buy bonuses to all Skills 
  associated with a particular Characteristic, typically 
  it must have the Characteristic in question, even if 
  the Skill Levels are intended to assist the operator 
  rather than the Vehicle itself. The GM is the ﬁnal 
  arbiter of whether a given type of Skill Level is 
  appropriate for a particular Vehicle.
  Because the rules don’t allow characters to put 
  Limitations on Skill Levels costing less than 3 points 
  apiece, a Vehicle may ﬁnd itself in a situation where it 
  costs more to buy Limited Skill Levels with a particu-
  lar attack than it would if it just bought less expensive 
  Skill Levels — even though the less-expensive Skill 
  Levels are less restricted. In that case, the GM may, at 
  his option, allow the Vehicle to buy the less expensive 
  Skill Levels and treat them as if they were Limited, 
  without actually applying the Limitation to them.
  STEALTH
  Stealth has several vehicular applications. First, 
  it’s fairly common for vehicles in ﬁction to be able 
  to move particularly quietly; in fact, it’s even pos-
  sible with the technology available in the real world. 
  Second, some vehicles are camouﬂaged, have low 
  albedos, or are otherwise designed in ways intended 
  to make it diﬃcult for others to perceive them. The 
  Stealth Skill can represent these abilities. Even where 
  the designer builds these abilities using Sense-Aﬀect-
  ing Powers, Stealth may serve as a Required Skill Roll.
  SYSTEMS OPERATION
  If a character uses Systems Operation to make a 
  PER Roll using a Vehicle’s sensory equipment and the 
  Vehicle has some Enhanced Perception bonuses, those 
  bonuses apply to the Systems Operation roll. The 
  character’s still making a PER Roll, he’s just making it 
  with something that in eﬀect enhances his own INT. 
  In some situations the GM may rule that the charac-
  ter’s own INT doesn’t really factor in because what 
  matters is the sensor’s sophistication and accuracy; in 
  that case he might require the character to make the 
  PER Roll based on the INT of the Computer control-
  ling the sensor, or the like.
  
  379 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Three
  TRANSPORT FAMILIARITY
  A Vehicle capable of operating itself must have 
  this Skill (whether obtained by buying Combat 
  Driving/Piloting or direct purchase). Similarly, this 
  could represent a “user-friendly” vehicle that tells a 
  passenger how to operate itself, or a vehicle that can 
  reconﬁgure its control systems to resemble ones the 
  operator is familiar with.
  A Vehicle with TF that can “link up” with 
  another Vehicle (typically via a Mind Link of some 
  sort) can operate that Vehicle. This represent a way 
  to “slave” multiple vehicles to a single lead vehicle 
  so they can easily ﬂy in formation.
  WEAPON FAMILIARITY
  If a Vehicle pays Character Points for a 
  weapon, it does not need a WF to use them. How-
  ever, the Vehicle’s operator and Computer do need 
  appropriate WFs (since they’re built separately in 
  rules terms) — WF: Vehicle Weapons for a particu-
  lar Vehicle, typically (see pages 349-50). With the 
  GM’s permission, a Vehicle could buy WF: Vehicle 
  Weapons to make its weapons “user-friendly” 
  (anyone in the Vehicle can ﬁre them without suﬀer-
  ing an Unfamiliar Weapon penalty).
  BASES
  Generally speaking, the rules stated above 
  for Vehicles apply to Bases as well, except where 
  this would be illogical or cause game balance 
  problems. For example, Bases don’t buy Skills 
  like Defense Maneuver or Movement Skill Levels 
  because they don’t move.
  If a Base buys an Agility, Intellect, or Inter-
  action Skill (which depend on Characteristics it 
  doesn’t possess), it gets a base 9- roll. It may buy the 
  roll up from there in the usual fashion.
  Bases may not buy Skill Enhancers.
  CONCEALMENT AND DISGUISE
  A Base can buy Concealment or Disguise with 
  the Partial Coverage Limitation to represent the fact 
  that some parts of the base are obvious, but others are 
  not. That might be a good way to create, for example, a 
  hidden room within an otherwise ordinary structure.
  Laboratories
  A Base (and some Vehicles, particularly large 
  ones like aircraft carriers or capital starships) can 
  have one or more laboratories. In a game context, 
  a “lab” isn’t necessarily just a room containing 
  equipment needed to research and experiment in 
  the hard sciences — as used here the term means 
  a facility of some sort dedicated to one or more of 
  the following purposes:
  ■ practicing a Skill to maintain or improve a char-
  acter’s level of proﬁciency
  ■ conducting research and performing experiments 
  and other tasks pertaining to the Skill
  ■ serving as a Complementary Skill Roll for the 
  character’s Skill
  As discussed further below, a “lab” could actu-
  ally be a room stocked with Disguise equipment, a 
  gym containing equipment for practicing Acrobat-
  ics, or a set of lockpicking tools and practice locks.
  CREATING A LABORATORY
  To build a lab into a Base, simply buy the 
  appropriate Skill. This indicates what the lab’s 
  designed for. You can buy a Familiarity for poor-
  quality labs, or a standard Skill Roll for better 
  ones. Because labs don’t have any Characteristics, 
  the base roll for a lab Skill is always 9- (except for 
  Background Skills; see below). Generally speaking, 
  the higher a lab’s Skill Roll, the more advanced it is, 
  the more equipment (and types of equipment) it 
  has, and the more raw materials it’s regularly sup-
  plied with.
  All labs require a minimum of one hex of 
  space; many need much more than that.
  Example:  Because he’s the one who has to 
  design the Champions’ base, Defender decides 
  that he’s going to build himself an electronics 
  lab. The cost for an electronics lab is 3 Char-
  acter Points; this gives a lab with an Electron-
  ics roll of 9-. Defender buys +8 with the skill; 
  this costs 16 points (total of 19 points). The lab 
  now has a 17- Electronics Roll that serves as 
  a Complementary Skill to anyone doing Elec-
  tronics research there.
  In some cases, a single facility could serve as a 
  laboratory for multiple Skills. For example, a char-
  acter could equip a one-room gymnasium to serve 
  as a lab for Acrobatics, Climbing, Martial Arts, and 
  various sports- related PSs. In other words, each lab 
  doesn’t necessarily require its own room, though 
  the minimum size of a lab is one hex per Skill built 
  into it (unless the GM rules otherwise).
  If a Base or Vehicle buys a Background Skill 
  (typically to define or create a laboratory) for 2 
  Character Points, the lab starts with a base Skill 
  Roll of 11-, not the 9- that’s standard for Char-
  acteristic-Based Skills for Vehicles/Bases. (Of 
  course, the Vehicle/Base could buy an 8- Famil-
  iarity with a Background Skill for only 1 Charac-
  ter Point if it wished.) It may buy the roll up from 
  there in the usual fashion.
  For Skills that don’t involve rolls (such as 
  Autoﬁre Skills or Martial Arts), a lab can’t function 
  as a Complementary Skill or the like, nor can the 
  Base or Vehicle use those Skills itself unless the GM 
  rules otherwise. Buying a lab for one of those Skills 
  means the character’s paying for a practice, train-
  ing, and research area, not a Complementary Skill.
  A Base or Vehicle cannot buy a straightfor-
  ward bonus to a Skill (like “+2 with Security Sys-
  tems”) and call it a “lab.” Nor can it buy Skill Levels 
  with a Skill and call that a “lab.” To have a lab, a 
  Base or Vehicle must buy the full Skill for that lab 
  as described above. However, after buying a stan-
  dard lab, a Vehicle or Base could then buy bonuses 
  or Skill Levels for that Skill Roll that only work in 
  that lab, to represent the quality of the facilities (the 
  Only Within Aﬀected Area Limitation is applied to 
  the bonuses or Skill Levels so that the Vehicle/Base 
  LIBRARIES AND 
  DATABASES
  Characters who can’t 
  (or don’t want to) buy 
  a true Base, complete 
  with labs and libraries to 
  help them ﬁgure things 
  out, can still own a good 
  library or database by 
  buying bonuses to KSs, 
  PSs, and similar Skills 
  with the -1 Limita-
  tion Must Have Access 
  To Library [or Data-
  base] And Time To Do 
  Research.  This is a good 
  way for a character to 
  simulate possession of, 
  for example, an exten-
  sive library on Crimi-
  nology:  he can buy +5 
  to his Criminology Skill 
  for only 5 points, but he 
  has to have access to the 
  library to get the bonus. 
  A character should buy 
  this bonus separately 
  for each KS, SS, or other 
  Skill he wants to use it 
  for; to obtain general 
  bonuses to any of a 
  group of Skills he should 
  buy Skill Levels (see 
  page 301).
  
  380 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  as a whole doesn’t provide the bonus, only the one 
  room that constitutes the lab).
  USING A LABORATORY
  When a character uses a lab, its roll acts as 
  a Complementary Skill Roll to his own roll. Of 
  course, the lab only helps the character with his 
  own Skill — if he doesn’t have the Skill in the ﬁrst 
  place the lab does him no good. (Most people 
  couldn’t make heads or tails out of the equipment 
  in Einstein’s laboratory, for example.)
  Computers and AIs may also be given control 
  over the laboratories, though of course the Com-
  puter or AI must have the requisite Skill to use it. 
  The Computer needs either Extra Limbs, a robot, or 
  a person in the lab to help it use the facility.
  EXAMPLE LABORATORIES
  Here are some example descriptions of labs 
  appropriate to the various Skills. These aren’t nec-
  essarily the only possible types of labs; the GM 
  should encourage characters to be creative when 
  designing labs.
  Acrobatics:  A gymnasium with vaulting horses, 
  rings, parallel bars, balance beams, tightropes, 
  trampolines, trapezes, and other equipment.
  Acting:  A theater-like room with a stage where a 
  character can practice his Acting abilities. However, 
  this only works if the character has an audience to 
  observe and critique his performance, and usually 
  some people he has to interact with “in character.” 
  (A high-tech Acting lab might have holograms for 
  the other people, and an AI computer to evalu-
  ate the character’s work.) An advanced Acting lab 
  might be an entire fake town, populated by actors 
  hired to work there, in which the character can 
  practice various roles and techniques.
  Analyze:  The type of lab appropriate to Analyze 
  depends on what the character buys the Skill for. 
  For example, an Analyze Technology lab might 
  contain various technological components that 
  someone changes from time so the character has to 
  come in and try to determine what the new com-
  ponents are. An Analyze Style (or Analyze Combat 
  Technique) lab might be part of a Martial Arts lab 
  (see below) — the character just has to watch other 
  people ﬁghting and evaluate their abilities, rather 
  than practicing his own ﬁghting abilities.
  Animal Handler:  A corral, menagerie, or zoo where 
  the character can keep wild animals and work with 
  them to tame them, teach them tricks, and so forth. 
  A wealthy character might have an entire game pre-
  serve he could use for these purposes (and perhaps 
  for Survival and Tracking as well).
  Autoﬁre Skills:  A ﬁring range (possibly including a 
  collection of Autoﬁre weapons) where the character 
  can practice his skills. A simple one might be a long 
  room with a backstop to absorb the bullets and 
  hanging clips to hold paper targets; an advanced 
  one might be an entire obstacle course equipped 
  with targets that move, pop up by surprise from 
  behind cover, and so forth.
  Breakfall:  A facility equipped with various surfaces 
  
  381 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Three
  onto which the character can practice falling from 
  ledges, balconies, ladders, and so forth. Works well 
  in combination with a Climbing lab.
  Bribery:  Similar to an Acting lab, a Bugging lab 
  might be a large facility populated by hired actors, 
  some of whom the character has to try to bribe. 
  The actors respond according to instructions telling 
  them whether to be corrupt, average, hard-nosed, 
  unbribeable, or the like.
  Bugging:  A simple Bugging lab would be a collec-
  tion of appropriate tools and basic bugs, plus some 
  phones and other objects a character can practice 
  placing or hiding them in. An advanced one might 
  be an entire fake house, fully furnished, that the 
  character has to sneak into and bug, or which he 
  can sweep for bugs.
  Bureaucratics:  Similar to an Acting lab, a Bureau-
  cratics lab might be a large facility designed to 
  resemble a government oﬃce populated by hired 
  actors, some of whom the character has to try to get 
  information or assistance from. The actors respond 
  according to instructions telling them whether to 
  be helpful, obstructive, lazy, or what have you.
  Climbing:  A room ﬁlled with climbing walls, ropes, 
  and other things for a character to climb up.
  Combat Driving:  A racetrack and/or automotive 
  “obstacle course” where the character can practice 
  driving at high speeds or under diﬃcult conditions. 
  For example, the track might be equipped with 
  high-tech devices that can lay down a sheet of ice, 
  or robot “pedestrians” the character has to avoid.
  Combat Piloting:  A private airstrip and hangar, 
  plus enough airspace for the character to practice 
  aerial combat. This works best if two characters can 
  practice at once, or one character can ﬁght against a 
  robotic opponent or the like.
  Combat Skill Levels:  A “combat gymnasium” set 
  up so the character can practice whatever type of 
  combat he bought the lab for. Works well in combi-
  nation with labs for other Combat Skills.
  Since Combat Skill Levels don’t involve rolls, 
  and the lab itself generally shouldn’t have CSLs 
  it can provide to the Base it’s a part of, characters 
  can buy a CSL lab for 1 Character Point for a 2-3 
  point Combat Skill Level, 2 Character Points for a 
  5-point CSL, and 3 Character Points for an 8-point 
  CSL. It doesn’t matter how many CSLs the charac-
  ter himself has, the Base just pays the cost once to 
  represent the extent of the equipment and facilities 
  available for practice and instruction.
  Computer Programming:  A room with all sorts of 
  computer equipment — CPUs, printers, monitors, 
  and more — where the character can work on pro-
  gramming, hacking, computer security, and other 
  Skill-related tasks.
  Concealment:  A room (or series of rooms, possibly 
  even an entire fake house or oﬃce building) where 
  the character can practice hiding things, or ﬁnding 
  things others have hidden.
  Contortionist:  A collection of ropes, chains, shack-
  les, straitjackets, and other restraints from which 
  the character practices escaping. (Of course, he 
  needs someone to restrain him with them in the 
  ﬁrst place.) The lab might also include a series of 
  small and/or oddly-shapes spaces a character can 
  practice ﬁtting his body into.
  Conversation:  Similar to an Acting lab, a Con-
  versation lab might be a large facility designed to 
  resemble just about any sort of area where charac-
  ters interact socially (such as a bar). It’s populated 
  by hired actors, some of whom the character has to 
  try to get information from by making small talk. 
  The actors aren’t necessarily aware that someone’s 
  trying to get information from them or who will 
  try; they’re just supplied with information and a 
  role to play.
  Cramming:  To the extent characters can prac-
  tice Cramming, a Cramming lab would typically 
  resemble a lab for KSs or other Skills a character 
  can Cram.
  Criminology:  A crime lab set up with micro-
  scopes, spectrometers, other equipment for ana-
  lyzing trace evidence, and reference materials. An 
  advanced Criminology lab might have room for 
  fake crime scenes to be constructed so a charac-
  ter can gather evidence from them, then analyze 
  it using the lab’s equipment.
  Cryptography:  A simple Cryptography lab might be 
  nothing more than a quiet place where a character 
  can sit down with pencil and paper to try to crack 
  codes (or create them). An advanced one would be 
  a high-tech facility equipped with advanced com-
  puters and communications devices for encrypting 
  and decrypting messages, trying to break enemy 
  codes, and the like.
  Deduction:  Similar to an Acting lab, a Deduction 
  lab might be a large facility designed to resemble 
  just about any sort of area where characters 
  interact socially. It’s populated by hired actors, 
  some of whom have information the character 
  needs; physical clues in the area might also pro-
  vide information. The character practices his 
  skill by gathering information until he reaches 
  the correct conclusion. Of course, this means 
  someone else (perhaps an AI computer) has to 
  plan and set up the mystery, including fake clues. 
  For characters on a budget, a simpler Deduction 
  lab might be little more than a collection of logic 
  puzzles for the character to work on.
  Defense Maneuver:  Similar to a Martial Arts lab, a 
  Defense Maneuver lab would be a dojo-like facility 
  where a character could practice ﬁghting against 
  LAB COSTS
  Here’s a quick-reference table for what labs for Characteristic-based Skills cost:
  Standard Laboratory:  Characteristic-based Skill at 8-. Total cost:  1 point.
  Basic Laboratory:  Characteristic-based Skill at 11-. Total cost:  7 points.
  High Laboratory:  Characteristic-based Skill at 14-. Total cost:  13 points.
  Advanced Laboratory:  Characteristic-based Skill at 17-. Total cost:  19 points.
  Extremely Advanced Laboratory:  Characteristic-based Skill at 20-. Total cost:  25 points.
  Ultra-Advanced Laboratory:  Characteristic-based Skill at 23-. Total cost:  31 points.
  
  382 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  several attackers at once. This means hiring skilled 
  ﬁghters to spar with, or perhaps having robotic or 
  holographic warriors to battle.
  Demolitions:  A collection of tools and spare parts 
  for building bombs, plus a collection of fake bombs 
  a character can practice disarming.
  Disguise:  A room equipped with makeup, mirrors, 
  prostheses, the equipment for making prostheses, 
  and so forth. However, in the end the character 
  can’t judge the eﬀectiveness of his work without 
  leaving the lab to interact with people and see if 
  they recognize him.
  Electronics:  A collection of tools and spare parts 
  for building electronic devices, plus a collection of 
  (possibly fake) devices a character can practice dis-
  assembling, repairing, and analyzing.
  Fast Draw:  A collection of weapons and things to 
  draw them from so the character can practice his 
  fast-drawing techniques from a variety of angles 
  and placements.
  Forensic Medicine:  A coroner’s operating room where 
  a character can practice autopsying and analyzing 
  bodies, store bodies for future practice, and so forth.
  Forgery:  A facility equipped with the supplies 
  needed for the type of Forgery the character prac-
  tices — printing presses and such for Money; easels, 
  canvases, paints, kilns, and raw materials for Art 
  Objects; and so forth.
  Gambling:  A simple Gambling lab might be little 
  more than a room with a card table. An advanced 
  one could be a fake casino ﬁlled with craps, 
  blackjack, and baccarat tables. In either case, the 
  character needs people to play against; the latter 
  type of lab requires hiring a lot of actors and sup-
  port personnel to work in the “casino” and give it 
  an authentic feel. If the campaign has suﬃciently 
  advanced technology, the character might be able 
  to play against robots or holograms... but for best 
  results he should interact with real people.
  High Society:  Creating a High Society lab is dif-
  ﬁcult; it’s not likely members of the upper crust are 
  going to willingly come help a character polish his 
  social skills. The best a character can do is some-
  thing similar to a Conversation lab — a facility, 
  perhaps tricked out to look like a high-class club or 
  resort, where a character interacts with actors hired 
  to pretend to be wealthy and inﬂuential people.
  Interrogation:  The crudest form of Interrogation 
  lab is little more than a room with a chair to tie 
  a captive to and light provided by a single bare 
  bulb or torch. More advanced ones include fully-
  stocked torture chambers, rooms equipped with lie 
  detectors, truth sera, and other advanced sensory 
  devices, and facilities designed to isolate and psy-
  chologically/physically stress a captive so he’s more 
  likely to break.
  Inventor:  An Inventor lab is part of some other 
  relevant lab, such as an Electronics lab or Magic 
  lab, since Inventor by itself can’t do anything. The 
  Inventor part of the lab includes advanced tools, 
  components, and reference materials to help the 
  character with his tinkering.
  Knowledge Skill:  Knowledge Skill labs are libraries 
  — collections of books and other reference materi-
  als (such as an Internet connection) pertaining to 
  the subject in question.
  Language:  Language labs are like KS labs, collec-
  tions of reference materials. They may also include 
  audio equipment for listening to tapes of someone 
  speaking the language, and perhaps trained actors 
  who can converse with the character in the lan-
  guage he’s learning or practicing.
  Lipreading:  A Lipreading lab at its simplest is just 
  a room where the character can sit down with 
  another person, block his own hearing, and then 
  practice reading the other person’s lips as that 
  person speaks. A more advanced version would be 
  like a Conversation lab — a facility where a charac-
  ter could interact with actors in a faux social situa-
  tion and try to read their lips.
  Lockpicking:  A collection of tools and practice 
  locks, plus spare parts for building more locks if 
  necessary. An advanced Lockpicking lab might 
  be set up to allow a character to practice his craft 
  under unusual circumstances (such as when hang-
  ing upside down, lying on his stomach, or the like).
  Martial Arts:  The simplest form of Martial Arts lab 
  is just a dojo-like facility equipped with practice 
  dummies, punching bags, weapons and weapon 
  racks, a ﬁghting ring, wall mirrors, and the like. A 
  more advanced one comes complete with trained 
  personnel for the character to spar against.
  Mechanics:  A collection of tools and spare parts 
  for building mechanical devices, plus a collection 
  of (possibly fake) devices a character can practice 
  disassembling, repairing, and analyzing.
  Mimicry:  A simple Mimicry lab might be noth-
  ing more than a collection of recorded sounds the 
  character can practice imitating. A more advanced 
  one, like a Conversation lab, features hired actors 
  in a social setting where the character has to trick 
  them with impersonated voices or the like.
  Navigation:  The only way to practice Navigation 
  properly is to get out and do it. To the extent a 
  character could have a “lab” for this, it would be 
  enormous areas of land where he could practice 
  ﬁnding his way. More simply, a collection of navi-
  gational equipment and charts might function as 
  a Navigation lab if it lets a character practice map-
  reading, compass use, and similar skills.
  Oratory:  To practice Oratory, a character needs an 
  audience. Thus, like an advanced Acting lab, the 
  character needs hired personnel to listen to his 
  speeches and evaluate how strongly the character’s 
  words swayed them.
  Paramedics:  A typical Paramedics lab is more or 
  less the same thing as a sickbay, inﬁrmary, or at 
  its most advanced a miniature hospital:  a facility 
  equipped to treat injuries and illnesses, complete 
  with any medicines or drugs the GM deems appro-
  priate. A more advanced Paramedics lab might 
  include actors hired to fake illnesses and wounds 
  
  383 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Three
  that the character can treat.
  Penalty Skill Levels:  A “combat gymnasium” set 
  up so the character can practice whatever type of 
  combat he bought the lab for. Works well in combi-
  nation with labs for other Combat Skills.
  Since Penalty Skill Levels don’t involve rolls, 
  and the lab itself generally shouldn’t have PSLs it 
  can provide to the Base it’s a part of, characters can 
  buy a PSL lab for 1 Character Point for a 1½- or 2-
  point Penalty Skill Level, or 2 Character Points for 
  a 3-point PSL. It doesn’t matter how many PSLs the 
  character himself has, the Base just pays the cost 
  once to represent the extent of the equipment and 
  facilities available for practice and instruction.
  Persuasion:  Similar to a Conversation lab, a Persua-
  sion lab puts a character in a social situation with 
  hired actors. The character’s mission is to persuade 
  some of the actors to agree with his position, convinc-
  ingly lie to them, or the like. The actors don’t know 
  who the character is, but respond to anyone who talks 
  to them according the roles assigned to them.
  Power:  The nature of a Power lab depends on how 
  the Skill is deﬁned. Power: Brick Tricks might be a 
  gymnasium-like facility built to withstand the char-
  acter’s enormous STR; a Power: Magic lab would 
  be a wizard’s sanctum, complete with grimoires, 
  alchemical equipment, tomes of lore, and summon-
  ing circles built into the ﬂoor.
  Professional Skill:  The nature of a PS lab depends 
  on how the Skill is deﬁned. A PS: Blacksmith lab 
  is a forge equipped with ﬁre, anvil, tools, and raw 
  materials; a PS: Play Basketball lab is a basketball 
  court; and so on.
  Rapid Attack:  A Rapid Attack lab would be a 
  combat obstacle course similar to the one described 
  for Autoﬁre Skills, where a character could practice 
  moving around during combat.
  Riding:  A corral or other facility for keeping and 
  caring for riding animals (and the gear needed to 
  ride them), plus if appropriate an obstacle course 
  where the character can practice Riding under diﬃ-
  cult conditions, leaping over obstacles, and the like.
  Science Skill:  A SS lab is usually a laboratory in the 
  literal sense of the word:  a facility established for 
  purposes of scientiﬁc research and experimentation. 
  Depending on the type of science involved, it could 
  include beakers, bunsen burners, supplies of raw 
  materials, telescopes, microscopes, oscilloscopes, and 
  numerous other devices. Laboratories for social Sci-
  ence Skills (like Anthropology, Archaeology, or Sociol-
  ogy) may just be collections of reference materials, 
  plus perhaps simple practice areas.
  Security Systems:  A collection of tools and practice 
  security devices, plus spare parts for building more 
  security devices if necessary. An advanced Security 
  Systems lab might be set up to allow a character 
  to practice his craft under unusual circumstances 
  (such as during a rainstorm, when he has to use 
  Contortionist to reach the device, and so on).
  Seduction:  Generally a Seduction lab is just like a 
  Conversation lab, but the character’s goal is to make 
  friends with or literally seduce someone, not get 
  information from him.
  Shadowing:  Like Navigation, Shadowing is diﬃcult 
  to construct a lab for; characters usually practice 
  in the ﬁeld. However, a character with suﬃcient 
  resources could construct a large “fake city” or the 
  like (similar to those found on many movie studio 
  lots) and hire actors to help him practice his skills.
  Skill Levels:  The nature of a Skill Levels lab 
  depends on how the Levels are deﬁned. Typically 
  characters just buy up the roll for other labs, they 
  don’t buy “Skill Level labs” per se.
  Since Skill Levels don’t involve rolls, and the 
  lab itself generally shouldn’t have Skill Levels it 
  can provide to the Base it’s a part of, characters can 
  buy a Skill Level lab for 1 Character Point for a 2-3 
  point Skill Level, 2 Character Points for a 5-point 
  Skill Level, 3 Character Points for an 8-point Skill 
  Level, and 4 Character Points for a 10-point Skill 
  Level. It doesn’t matter how many Skill Levels the 
  character himself has, the Base just pays the cost 
  once to represent the extent of the equipment and 
  facilities available for practice and instruction.
  Sleight Of Hand:  A simple Sleight Of Hand lab is 
  a collection of practice dummies and articles of 
  clothing so the character can practice pickpocket-
  ing, decks of cards to practice card manipulations 
  with, objects of diﬀerent sizes and shapes he can 
  practice palming, and so on. A more advanced one 
  might be a “fake city” like the one described for 
  Shadowing where the character would mingle with 
  actors and practice using the Skill on them.
  Stealth:  A basic Stealth lab would include ﬂoors of 
  diﬀerent consistencies (and perhaps covered with 
  various objects) that allow the character to practice 
  stealthy movement, a series of rooms for hiding 
  in and sneaking through, and so on. For more 
  advanced work, a “fake city” or “fake building” pop-
  ulated by actors trying to ﬁnd the character could 
  really put a PC’s Stealth to the test!
  Streetwise:  Creating a Streetwise lab is even more 
  diﬃcult than a High Society lab — criminals are 
  notoriously closemouthed and uncooperative, after 
  all. The best a character can do is something similar 
  to a Conversation lab — a facility, perhaps designed 
  to look like an underworld  bar or the like, where a 
  character interacts with actors hired to pretend to 
  be criminals and lower-class people. 
  Survival:  As with Navigation and Tracking, the best 
  sort of Survival lab would be a large area of land 
  (or, ideally, several large areas in various climatic 
  and ecological zones around the world) where a 
  character could get out in the ﬁeld and really prac-
  tice his skills. Characters who aren’t ultra-wealthy 
  may have to settle for a small outdoor area where 
  they can practice starting campﬁres, building 
  primitive shelters and weapons, and maybe trap-
  ping small game.
  Systems Operation:  Similar to a Computer Pro-
  gramming lab, a Systems Operation lab is typically 
  a room ﬁlled with all sorts of communications and 
  sensory equipment — radios, televisions, scanners, 
  and the like. The higher the roll, the more advanced 
  
  384 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  the equipment.
  Tactics:  Tactics is another Skill best suited to 
  actual practice in the ﬁeld. Characters who can’t 
  aﬀord the land and actors necessary to stage mock 
  battles may have to settle for a large collection of 
  wargames, military history books, and tactical ref-
  erence materials they can study.
  Teamwork:  The classic Teamwork lab is a “danger 
  room” — a facility where a group of characters can 
  set up mock combat conditions and practice work-
  ing together as a team. Characters who don’t have 
  access to such advanced facilities can use a combat 
  gymnasium such as the ones described for Defense 
  Maneuver and Martial Arts instead.
  Tracking:  The best Tracking practice can only be 
  obtained in the ﬁeld, so a character who wants to 
  get really good at it may need to own large tracts 
  of land well-populated by wild animals (and into 
  which he can occasionally send hired people to 
  make trails and try to avoid leaving tracks he can 
  follow). Characters without this sort of resource 
  may instead have to use a collection of reference 
  books and casts to study diﬀerent prints.
  Trading:  A Trading lab would essentially be a fake 
  marketplace or boardroom populated by actors 
  with whom the character negotiates. Depending on 
  their assigned roles the actors might be stubborn, 
  greedy, gullible, and so on.
  Transport Familiarity:  To the extent characters can 
  have or need a TF lab, it would resemble a Combat 
  Driving/Piloting or Riding lab, but with far fewer 
  resources — the character only needs to know how 
  to operate the vehicle under normal conditions, 
  after all.
  Two-Weapon Fighting:  Characters practice Two-
  Weapon Fighting in “combat gymnasiums” and 
  ﬁring ranges similar to those described for Autoﬁre 
  Skills, Martial Arts, and other Combat Skills.
  Ventriloquism:  Like a Persuasion lab, a Ventrilo-
  quism lab is a social setting with actors whom the 
  character tries to fool by throwing his voice. The 
  actors don’t know what the character wants to prac-
  tice, thus allowing him to determine if their reac-
  tion to his use of the Skill is genuine.
  Weapon Familiarity:  To the extent characters can 
  have or need a TF lab, it would resemble an Auto-
  ﬁre Skills or Martial Arts lab — a collection of the 
  appropriate type of weaponry and the facilities 
  to practice using it. An advanced WF lab might 
  include sparring partners to give the character 
  some “live” weapons practice.
  Weaponsmith:  Depending on the type of weapons 
  involved, a Weaponsmith lab could be a black-
  smith’s forge, a gunsmith’s workshop, or a ballistic 
  missile engineer’s laboratory.
  
  385 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Three
  S
  everal of the Skill descriptions in Chapter 
  Two include HERO System writeups of rel-
  evant equipment, such as security devices 
  for Security Systems or parachutes for Para-
  chuting. This section primarily contains devices, 
  gadgets, and tools characters can use with Skills, 
  often to make them easier to perform.
  SKILL KIT
  Effect:  +1 with deﬁned Skill
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  This writeup represents a generic 
  “Skill kit” — a collection of special, better-than-
  average quality tools and supplies that help a 
  character use his Skill. All you have to do is 
  define which Skill it applies to when you buy 
  it (such as Demolitions Kit, Interrogation Kit, 
  Mechanics Kit, or Paramedics Kit). It can apply 
  to most Skills, but the GM has the final say. (For 
  Skills that have specific rules for equipment 
  bonuses, like Climbing, either adjust this writeup 
  or use a Skill-specific writeup below if available.)
  In some cases the materials that come with a 
  Skill Kit may get used up. For example, the drugs 
  and bandages in a Paramedics Kit run out after 
  a while, requiring the character to replace them. 
  This generally doesn’t qualify for the Charges 
  Limitation unless the GM rules that the char-
  acter has so few supplies that he has to replace 
  them practically every day.
  Of course, a Skill Kit doesn’t necessarily 
  have to be a literal “kit.” A special “sonic multi-
  tool” in a Science Fiction campaign might qualify 
  as a Skill “Kit” for Electronics or Security Sys-
  tems, for example.
  The bonus bought for this basic Skill Kit 
  equates to the lowest level of the “Good” equipment 
  modiﬁer listed on page 34. The options describe 
  how to buy even better equipment. Thus, by buying 
  a Skill Kit, a character eﬀectively guarantees that 
  he always has at least “Good” or better equipment 
  to work with. (In game terms, he gets the bonus he 
  paid for; he doesn’t get both the purchased bonus 
  and the Skill Modiﬁer bonus.)
  Game Information:  +1 to deﬁned Skill (2 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1). Total cost:  1 point.
  Options:
  1)  Better Skill Kit:  Increase to +2 with deﬁned Skill. 
  4 Active Points; total cost 2 points. 
  2)  Really Good Skill Kit:  Increase to +3 with deﬁned 
  Skill. 6 Active Points; total cost 3 points. 
  3)  Very Good Skill Kit:  Increase to +4 with deﬁned 
  Skill. 8 Active Points; total cost 4 points. 
  4)  Extremely Good Skill Kit:  Increase to +5 with 
  deﬁned Skill. 10 Active Points; total cost 5 points. 
  5)  Multi-Skill Skill Kit I:  Instead of just applying to 
  one Skill, the character’s Skill Kit applies to three 
  related Skills:
  Good Kit:  +1 with three related Skills. 3 Active 
  Points; total cost 1 point.
  Better Kit:  +2 with three related Skills. 6 Active 
  Points; total cost 3 points.
  Really Good Kit:  +3 with three related Skills. 9 
  Active Points; total cost 4 points.
  Very Good Kit:  +4 with three related Skills. 12 
  Active Points; total cost 6 points.
  Extremely Good Kit:  +5 with three related Skills. 15 
  Active Points; total cost 7 points.
  6)  Multi-Skill Skill Kit II:  The character’s Kit applies 
  to all Skills of a given category (e.g., all Technologi-
  cal Skills, or all Intellect Skills), subject to the stan-
  dard rules for this type of Skill Level.
  Good Kit:  +1 with all Skills of a deﬁned category. 5 
  Active Points; total cost 2 points.
  Better Kit:  +2 with all Skills of a deﬁned category. 
  10 Active Points; total cost 5 points.
  Really Good Kit:  +3 with all Skills of a deﬁned cat-
  egory. 15 Active Points; total cost 7 points.
  Very Good Kit:  +4 with all Skills of a deﬁned cat-
  egory. 20 Active Points; total cost 10 points.
  Extremely Good Kit:  +5 with all Skills of a deﬁned 
  category. 25 Active Points; total cost 12 points.
  7)  Concealed Skill Kit:  This form of Skill Kit is 
  meant to be hidden, or is constructed to look 
  like some mundane object. (See also Concealed 
  Lockpicks, below, for another approach to creating 
  concealed Skill gear.) Change OAF (-1) to IAF (-½). 
  Total costs are:
  Good Kit:  1 point
  Better Kit:  3 points
  Really Good Kit:  4 points
  Very Good Kit:  5 points
  Extremely Good Kit:  7 points
  SKILL GEAR
  
  386 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CLIMBING — CLIMBING GEAR
  Effect:  +3 to Climbing
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  This writeup represents the “Basic” 
  climbing equipment described on page 109, such 
  as a rope and grapnel. The options listed below 
  describe more advanced climbing gear.
  Game Information:  +3 to Climbing (6 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1). Total cost:  3 points.
  Options:
  1)  Advanced Climbing Gear:  Increase to +6 with 
  Climbing. 12 Active Points; total cost 6 points.
  2)  Very Advanced Climbing Gear:  Increase to +12 with 
  Climbing. 24 Active Points; total cost 12 points.
  3)  Climbing Shoes or Climbing Claws:  Character 
  also buys:  +1 with Climbing (2 Active Points); OIF 
  (-½). Total cost:  1 point.
  GAMBLING — GAMBLING RIG
  Effect:  +3 with Gambling, Only To Cheat At Card Games
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  Charges:  1 Recoverable Charge (see text)
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  Gamblers in the Wild West sometimes 
  wore elaborate rigs under their clothing. By moving 
  their arms or legs just so, they could cause the rig to 
  drop a card into their hands so they could win. The 
  device comes with one card (which must be chosen 
  in advance) in it. When the character uses the rig, 
  he can make a Sleight Of Hand roll to take the card 
  it gives him and replace it with another he already 
  has in his hand, saving that card for later use. Of 
  course, the device only works if the card put in 
  the rig to begin with matches the cards used at the 
  table in terms of appearance.
  Game Information:  +3 with Gambling (6 Active 
  Points); IIF (-½), Only To Cheat At Card 
  Games (-½), Requires A PS: Use Gambling Rig 
  Roll (-¼), 1 Recoverable Charge (see text; -1¼). 
  Total cost:  2 points.
  Options:
  1)  Computerized Rig:  Modern card sharps some-
  times use microcomputers built into their shoes 
  and other items of apparel to count cards, giving 
  them a real edge when playing blackjack. Change 
  to:  +3 with Gambling (6 Active Points); IIF (-½), 
  Only To Cheat At Blackjack (-1), Requires A PS: 
  Use Gambling Rig Roll (-¼). Total cost:  2 points.
  
  387 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Three
  GAMBLING — MARKED CARDS
  Effect:  +2 with Gambling, Only To Cheat At Card Games
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  The character has a set of subtly-
  marked cards. When he plays with them, he can 
  “read” the markings on the backs of the cards to 
  know what each opponent has in his hand, thus 
  making it much easier for him to win.
  Game Information:  +2 with Gambling (4 Active 
  Points); IAF (-½), Only To Cheat At Card 
  Games (-½). Total cost:  2 points.
  LOCKPICKING — LOCKS
  Effect:  Lockpicking 8- (or better)
  Target/Area Affected:  One door or locked object
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  If the GM wants to use the “Simpliﬁed 
  Lockpicking” rules from Chapter Two, here’s what 
  various categories of lock would cost. The costs 
  are listed unmodiﬁed (since they’re primarily for 
  use with Vehicles, Bases, and the like); the GM can 
  easily apply a Focus Limitation to them if desired.
  Game Information:  Lockpicking 8-. Total cost:  
  1 point.
  Options:
  1)  Higher-Quality Locks:  The lock listed above is 
  a “Poor”-quality lock — the sort of lock that any 
  Vehicle or Base might have as “Everyman equip-
  ment.” Here’s what better locks cost:
  Average Lock:  Lockpicking 11-. Total cost:  7 points.
  Above Average Lock:  Lockpicking 14-. Total cost:  
  13 points.
  High Quality Lock:  Lockpicking 17-. Total cost:  
  19 points.
  Very High Quality Lock:  Lockpicking 20-. Total 
  cost:  25 points.
  Superb Lock:  Lockpicking 23-. Total cost:  31 points.
  LOCKPICKING —  
  CONCEALED LOCKPICKS
  Effect:  Concealment 16-, Only To Hide Lockpick Set 
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Constant
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  A character may need to carry a set of 
  lockpicks into a location without anyone detecting 
  them. This set is specially concealed inside a pen 
  or like object. Since characters don’t normally pay 
  Character Points for ordinary tools, it’s bought as 
  a highly-Limited form of Concealment; for tools 
  characters pay points for (such as lockpicks good 
  enough to provide a Skill Roll bonus), you can 
  simply buy them as IAFs instead of OAFs.
  Characters can use this writeup buy “concealed” 
  versions of the equipment for other Skills — just 
  change the name of the Skill in the Limitation.
  Game Information:  Concealment 16- (17 Active 
  Points); IAF (-½), Only To Hide Lockpick Set 
  (-2). Total cost:  5 points.
  NAVIGATION — ADVANCED GPS DEVICE
  Effect:  Navigation (Land) 16-
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  Charges:  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (6 Hours)
  Breakability:  3 DEF
  Description:  As discussed on page 241, a basic GPS 
  device is bought as an Enhanced Sense (Detect 
  Exact Position On Earth). But many GPS devices 
  have built-in computers with mapping software 
  and other features that make it a snap for the user 
  to ﬁnd his way from one place to another even if he 
  doesn’t understand the latitude/longitude system. 
  The battery has enough power for six hours of con-
  tinuous operation; the user recharges it by plugging 
  the device into any electrical outlet.
  Game Information:  Navigation (Land) 16- 
  (17 Active Points); OAF (-1), Affected As 
  Sight And Radio Sense Group (-½), Extra 
  Time (Full Phase to use; -½), 1 Continuing 
  Fuel Charge (6 Hours, easily recharged; -0). 
  Total cost:  6 points.
  
  388 ■ Skills And Equipment
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SECURITY SYSTEMS — SECURITY DEVICES
  Effect:  Security Systems 8- (or better)
  Target/Area Affected:  One door, room, fence, or secured 
  object
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  If the GM wants to use the “Simpliﬁed 
  Security Systems” rules from Chapter Two, here’s 
  what various categories of security device would 
  cost. The costs are listed unmodiﬁed (since they’re 
  primarily for use with Vehicles, Bases, and the like); 
  the GM can easily apply a Focus Limitation to them 
  if desired.
  Game Information:  Security Systems 8-. Total 
  cost:  1 point.
  Options:
  1)  Higher-Quality Devices:  The security device 
  listed above is a “Poor”-quality one — the sort 
  of alarm that any Vehicle or Base might have as 
  “Everyman equipment.” Here’s what better security 
  devices cost:
  Average Security Device:  Security Systems 11-. 
  Total cost:  7 points.
  Above Average Security Device:  Security Systems 
  14-. Total cost:  13 points.
  High Quality Security Device:  Security Systems 17-. 
  Total cost:  19 points.
  Very High Quality Security Device:  Security Sys-
  tems 20-. Total cost:  25 points.
  Superb Security Device:  Security Systems 23-. Total 
  cost:  31 points.
  STEALTH — CAMOUFLAGE CLOTHING
  Effect:  +2 with Stealth and Concealment rolls; Only In 
  Speciﬁc Environments/Situations Environ-
  ment
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  The character has clothing that’s designed 
  to help him blend into a particular environment, such 
  as the jungle, the desert, or urban areas.
  Game Information:  +2 with Stealth rolls (4 
  Active Points); OIF (-½),Only In Speciﬁc Envi-
  ronments/Situations (-1) (total cost:  2 points) 
  plus +2 with Concealment rolls (4 Active 
  Points); OIF (-½), Self Only (-½), Only In Spe-
  ciﬁc Environments/Situations (-1) (total cost:  
  1 point). Total cost:  3 points.
  Options:
  1)  Even Better Camo:  Increase to +3 with both rolls. 6 
  + 6 = 12 Active Points; total cost 2 + 2 = 4 points.
  2)  Worse Camo:  Decrease to +1 with both rolls. 2 + 
  2 = 4 Active Points; total cost 1 +1 = 2 points.
  STEALTH — SNEAKY SHOES
  Effect:  +2 with Stealth rolls; Only To Move Silently
  Target/Area Affected:  Self
  Duration:  Persistent
  Range:  Self
  END Cost:  0
  Breakability:  1 DEF
  Description:  The character has a special pair of soft-
  soled, non-squeak shoes that make it easier to walk 
  without creating any noise.
  Game Information:  +2 with Stealth rolls (4 
  Active Points); OIF (-½), Only To Move Silently 
  (-½). Total cost:  2 points.
  Options:
  1)  Even Sneakier Shoes:  Increase to +3 with Stealth 
  rolls. 6 Active Points; total cost 3 points.
  2)  Less Sneaky Shoes:  Decrease to +1 with Stealth 
  rolls. 2 Active Points; total cost 1 point.
  
  chapter four:
  chapter four:
  ADVENTURING WITH SKILLS
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  390 ■ Adventuring With Skills
  M
  ost Skills aren’t primarily intended 
  for use in combat or similar “crisis” or 
  “high-pressure” situations. Using them 
  in combat entails a -1 to -3 penalty. 
  Since Combat Skills don’t involve Skill Rolls, 
  they’re an exception to this; other exceptions are 
  listed on page 33.
  Here are some additional issues to consider 
  regarding the use of Skills in combat and adventur-
  ing situations.
  ENTERING COMBAT
  MULTIPLE-POWER ATTACKS
  If the GM doesn’t want to allow multiple-
  power attacks as a routine matter, he might con-
  sider allowing characters to buy a Skill similar to 
  Two-Weapon Fighting that would let them make 
  multiple-power attacks with one or more combina-
  tions of powers. For example, perhaps a character 
  has to pay 5 Character Points for each multiple-
  power attack combination he wants to use. Another 
  possible cost structure would be X points for the 
  ﬁrst combination, then +Y points for each addi-
  tional combination. The GM should set the cost for 
  this Skill to maintain campaign balance.
  ACTING FIRST
  See page 180 regarding the use of Fast Draw 
  in situations where there’s some issue regarding the 
  exact timing of two or more characters’ Actions. 
  In some rare cases the GM might consider using 
  combat-oriented Analyzes (like Analyze Style) or 
  even Tactics in a similar way.
  ABORTING ACTIONS
  Generally characters cannot Abort to use Skills; 
  they’re not considered “defensive.” Defense Maneuver 
  tends to be “active” at all times anyway, and character 
  can Abort to allocate Combat Skill Levels to DCV. The 
  GM can allow characters to Abort to other Skills if 
  that seems appropriate — for example, in some cases 
  maybe the GM would let a character Abort to Stealth 
  to keep from being seen by an attacker (thus “protect-
  ing” him from that person’s assault).
  MOVEMENT
  See The Ultimate Speedster and The Ultimate 
  Vehicle for expanded rules regarding movement in 
  the HERO System, some of which may have Skill-
  like aspects (or which could be made to function 
  as Skills by GM ruling or the application of the 
  Requires A Skill Roll Limitation).
  FIGHTING
  If the GM wants to “unify” the HERO System 
  dice-rolling mechanics a little, he should consider 
  using the alternate Attack Roll method described at 
  the very bottom of page 371 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised. It treats the standard Attack 
  Roll more like a Skill Roll.
  COMBAT MODIFIERS
  Most Combat Modifiers are examples of the 
  sorts of penalties characters buy Penalty Skill 
  Levels to counteract. Exceptions include Auto-
  fire (for which characters must buy Autofire 
  Skills), Environmental Conditions (for which 
  characters must buy the Environmental Move-
  ment Talent), and Unfamiliar Weapon (which 
  characters can only counteract by buying an 
  appropriate Weapon Familiarity). See page 248 
  for more information.
  COMBAT MANEUVERS
  See page 63 regarding converting Optional 
  Combat Maneuvers into Skills.
  Grab
  Characters can apply the following types of 
  Combat Skill Levels to a Throw made after Grab-
  bing someone:
  ■ CSLs with HTH Combat
  ■ CSLs speciﬁcally bought for throwing Grabbed 
  characters
  CSLs for Grab would not apply, since this 
  is a Throw, not a Grab. CSLs bought for Throw-
  based maneuvers (such as Martial Throw) do not 
  apply, since a Throw after a Grab isn’t a Throw-
  based maneuver.
  Characters could apply the following types of 
  Combat Skill Levels to a Squeeze made after Grab-
  bing someone:
  ■ CSLs with HTH Combat
  ■ CSLs speciﬁcally bought for squeezing Grabbed 
  characters
  CSLs for Grab do not apply, since this is a 
  Squeeze, not a Grab.
  Cover
  At the GM’s option, characters could use any 
  of the following Skills to create a suﬃcient distrac-
  tion to escape from being Covered:  Acrobatics; 
  Contortionist; Fast Draw; Sleight Of Hand; Stealth; 
  Tactics. In this case the character’s Skill Roll takes 
  the place of his DEX Roll in the Skill Versus Skill 
  Contest to determine what happens.
  SKILLS IN 
  COMBAT
  
  391 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Four
  Dive For Cover
  A character cannot apply any type of Combat 
  Skill Levels to the DEX Roll he makes when Diving 
  For Cover, since CSLs only aﬀect CV. Nor can a 
  character buy 2-point Combat Skill Levels with 
  Dive For Cover, since that type of Level only aﬀects 
  OCV. However, he can apply 3-point and more 
  expensive CSLs to increase his DCV while Diving 
  For Cover, if appropriate.
  If a character has Skill Levels that can apply 
  to DEX Rolls, he may use those to improve his 
  DEX Roll when Diving For Cover, provided he 
  has not already allocated them in the Segment 
  when he uses the Maneuver. Typically this does 
  not include Skill Levels with all Agility Skills or 
  all noncombat Skills, since a DEX Roll is a Char-
  acteristic Roll, not a Skill Roll. The GM can, at 
  his option, treat the DEX Roll as an “Agility Skill” 
  roll, thus allowing 5-point Agility Skill Levels or 
  8-point All Non-Combat Skills Levels to apply, 
  but this is not recommended.
  Hurry
  A character can buy Combat Skill Levels with 
  Hurry to partly or fully counteract the CV penalty 
  it imposes, but any such CSLs cannot be used to 
  counteract the penalties Hurry imposes on Skill 
  and Characteristic Rolls. Characters can buy Skill 
  Levels to counteract those, but any such Skill Levels 
  have no eﬀect on CV.
  Rapid Fire, Sweep
  A character could buy 2-point CSLs just to 
  improve his OCV with Rapid Fire or Sweep, regard-
  less of what type of weapon or attack he Rapid 
  Fires with. If he buys 3-point CSLs with Rapid Fire 
  (or more expensive CSLs that could apply to Rapid 
  Fire/Sweep), he can use them to increase his OCV 
  and/or DCV with Rapid Fire/Sweep (but note the 
  DCV Checklist on page 372 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised, which in eﬀect halves any 
  Levels applied to DCV).
  If a character has 2-point (or more expensive) 
  Combat Skill Levels with an attack, can he apply 
  those Levels to his OCV when Rapid Firing/Sweep-
  ing with that attack.
  If a character uses a Combat Skill Level to 
  increase the damage done by, or his OCV with, a 
  Rapid Fire/Sweep attack, the CSL applies to every 
  “shot” that hits the target. He doesn’t have to divide 
  his CSLs among the shots. As always, the GM may 
  change this rule if he ﬁnds it unbalancing.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  392 ■ Adventuring With Skills
  U
  sually characters adventure in the open air 
  on Earth — but sometimes their adven-
  tures take them far aﬁeld, to strange places 
  with very diﬀerent environments. Here are 
  some rules for using Skills in those situations.
  GRAVITY
  The following rules apply to using Skills in 
  gravities other than the standard Earth 1.0 G. See 
  Star Hero, pages 278-81, for more rules about func-
  tioning in alternate-gravity environments.
  HIGH GRAVITY
  Gravities above 1.0 make it harder for char-
  acters to move. For 1.1 to 2.0 G, Skills involving 
  full-body movement (such as Acrobatics, Breakfall, 
  Climbing, and most uses of Stealth) suﬀer a -1 
  penalty; for each 1.0 G (or fraction thereof) above 
  2.0, increase the penalty by -1. The GM may require 
  characters to make DEX Rolls at that penalty to use 
  Skills like Defense Maneuver that involve move-
  ment but don’t have a roll, or that involve some-
  thing less than full-body movement (such as Sleight 
  Of Hand).
  As discussed on page 278 of Star Hero, high 
  gravity increases the amount of Encumbrance a 
  character suﬀers from carrying things. This penalty 
  is in addition to any high gravity penalties dis-
  cussed above. And in environments with really high 
  gravity, characters may have to make STR Rolls to 
  move at all!
  LOW GRAVITY
  Conversely, gravities below 1.0 G tend to make 
  it easier to use full-body movement Skills like 
  Acrobatics, Breakfall, and Climbing, providing a +1 
  to +2 bonus. Other Skills, like Stealth or Sleight Of 
  Hand, may not suﬀer any penalty but get no bonus 
  (since the character has to be careful not to move in 
  the wrong way and mis-use his Skill).
  ZERO GRAVITY
  The standard Skill Roll and OCV penalty for 
  all activity in zero gravity (a.k.a. free fall) is -3; the 
  standard DCV penalty is ½ DCV (this applies even 
  to Skills that get a bonus in low gravity). Characters 
  can overcome this penalty in two ways. First, they 
  can buy the PS: Zero-G Operations Skill (see page 
  45 of Star Hero; the GM might even convert this 
  into an Agility Skill in games featuring a lot of zero-
  G activity). This method is the most “realistic,” and 
  is best suited for characters used to normal gravity 
  but trained for zero-G work. Second, they can buy 
  the Zero-G Training form of Environmental Move-
  ment (The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised, page 
  89). This costs 4 Character Points and automatically 
  cancels all Skill Roll and CV penalties caused by 
  zero-G. This method is most appropriate for char-
  acters born to a zero-G environment, or who spend 
  virtually all of their time in one (such as Spacers, 
  page 32 of Star Hero).
  UNDERWATER
  Unless noted otherwise below, characters can 
  use Skills normally underwater. As always, the GM 
  may impose modiﬁers to reﬂect existing circum-
  stances. See Hidden Lands, pages 30-42, for more 
  information about the underwater environment.
  Characters born and bred in underwater envi-
  ronments (such as Atlanteans) are assumed to have 
  learned “underwater” versions of their Skills, and 
  to use equipment appropriate for the underwater 
  environment. If they try to use their Skills or equip-
  ment in the air, they may experience diﬃculties of 
  their own.
  EQUIPMENT-ORIENTED SKILLS 
  Skills that require equipment, or usually 
  involve equipment, may not work well underwater 
  if the equipment isn’t adapted for underwater use. 
  For example, lockpicks work just as well underwa-
  ter as on the surface, but the makeup and prosthe-
  ses used with Disguise melt away or fall oﬀ when 
  the character submerses himself in water. Char-
  acters may have to obtain appropriate underwater 
  equipment to use certain Skills (like Disguise) 
  underwater. Conversely, Atlantean characters may 
  need “surface versions” of their typical underwater 
  gear if they venture onto land.
  INTERACTION SKILLS
  If characters cannot easily communicate 
  underwater (see Perception And Communication on 
  page 32 of Hidden Lands), they may ﬁnd it harder 
  to use Interaction Skills. The GM should impose 
  penalties of -2 to -5, as appropriate.
  PERCEPTIVE SKILLS
  Many Skills require the character to perceive 
  something (e.g., Lipreading), or require the “target” 
  of the Skill to be able to perceive the character (e.g., 
  Acting, Disguise, or Mimicry). If appropriate, the 
  GM may impose the standard underwater PER Roll 
  penalties (see Perception And Communication on 
  page 32 of Hidden Lands) to such rolls.
  ENVIRONMENT
  
  393 
  The Ultimate Skill ■ Chapter Four
  ACROBATICS
  Characters generally can’t use Acrobatics 
  underwater; the water impedes their motion too 
  much. At the GM’s option, a character can succeed 
  with an Acrobatics maneuver if he makes his roll at 
  -5. The GM may choose not to apply this penalty if 
  the character has either (a) the Aquatic Movement 
  form of Environmental Movement (see below), 
  or (b) has bought his Running with the Usable As 
  Swimming Advantage.
  Characters who are native-born underwater 
  dwellers (such as Atlanteans) can perform Acrobat-
  ics underwater — Aquabatics, if you will — without 
  penalty, as if they were in air. However, if they try 
  to use their Acrobatics in air, they suﬀer the same 
  penalties a surface-dweller does underwater, unless 
  they buy the Surface Movement form of Environ-
  mental Movement (see below) or some other ability 
  to negate this problem.
  BREAKFALL
  Breakfall is easier to use underwater, because 
  water slows down movement. Characters can use 
  the Skill normally and usually receive a +2 bonus 
  to rolls.
  On the other hand, who are native-born 
  underwater dwellers (such as Atlanteans) have 
  trouble using Breakfall in the air because they’re 
  not used to the way they move in a non-liquid envi-
  ronment. They suﬀer a -2 penalty to all Breakfall 
  rolls unless they buy the Surface Movement form of 
  Environmental Movement (see page 36 of Hidden 
  Lands) or some other ability to negate this problem.
  CRIMINOLOGY, FORENSIC MEDICINE
  Water quickly washes away or alters trace 
  evidence of a crime. Therefore these Skills may 
  often prove useless... or at the very least, suﬀer -3 or 
  greater penalties.
  DEMOLITIONS
  If an explosive requires ﬁre or heat to ignite/
  detonate, it won’t work underwater unless the 
  character has some source of ﬂame that functions 
  underwater. Water may also prevent electrically-
  detonated explosives from working.
  FAST DRAW
  It’s tough to move really fast underwater. This 
  Skill suﬀers a -2 penalty.
  GAMBLING
  Since characters who live underwater can’t use 
  paper, their Gambling games would likely involve 
  dice carved from stone or bone, cards made of 
  metal foil or bone plaques, or the like. This may 
  impose penalties on characters used to working 
  their wiles with standard gaming devices (at least 
  until they’ve had an hour or two of play to get used 
  to them).
  HIGH SOCIETY
  Surface-dwellers who use High Society in 
  underwater communities suﬀer a -2 penalty due 
  to cultural and physical diﬀerences (the GM may 
  reduce or eliminate this penalty after the character 
  has time to adapt to the underwater culture, and 
  should remove it entirely for characters with appro-
  priate KSs). Water-dwellers suﬀer the same penalty 
  in surface society.
  LANGUAGE
  Underwater dwellers likely speak their own 
  language(s) (such as Atlantean, described on page 
  16 of Hidden Lands). Surface-dwellers who wish to 
  learn these languages typically have to pay double 
  the normal cost due to the diﬃculties of speaking 
  underwater, learning how to use any associated 
  hand-gestures, and so forth. (Underwater languages 
  are usually considered completely unrelated to any 
  surface languages, and vice-versa.)
  MARTIAL ARTS
  See Underwater Combat on page 40 of Hidden 
  Lands for expanded rules on using Combat and 
  Martial Maneuvers underwater.
  MIMICRY
  Mimicry depends on the ability to commu-
  nicate and to perceive, both of which are diﬃcult 
  underwater. At a minimum, Mimicry rolls suﬀer 
  the standard underwater Hearing PER Roll pen-
  alty (see Perception And Communication on page 
  32 of Hidden Lands). However, if a character suc-
  ceeds with his Mimicry roll, he may be able to take 
  advantage of the fact that surface-dwellers can’t 
  always hear clearly and aren’t aware of exactly how 
  things should sound in the water. If appropriate, 
  the GM may impose an additional penalty on the 
  target’s Hearing PER Roll to determine that the 
  mimicked sound is false.
  TRACKING
  Characters cannot use Tracking to follow 
  someone who’s swimming through the water. 
  Tracking only works underwater if the character 
  can follow footprints or other marks on the ocean 
  ﬂoor, Atlantean ﬂagstones, or the like. Even then, 
  the motion of the water may quickly obliterate or 
  alter tracks; the GM can impose a -1 to -3 penalty, 
  as appropriate.
  VENTRILOQUISM
  Because sound travels through water more 
  easily than it does through air, characters ﬁnd this 
  Skill easier to use. The distance penalty for Ven-
  triloquism underwater is only -1 per 3” (instead of 
  the usual -1 per 1”).
  
  394
  Hero System 5th Edition
  BIBLIOGRAPHY
  BOOKS AND VIDEOS
  ACM IV Security Services. Secrets Of Surveillance;  
  —Surveillance Countermeasures
  Andrews, William. Old Time Punishments
  Anonymous. Maximum Security
  Babits, L. E. “The Frustration Of Jane Bones.”  
  Abstract, Symposium on Forensic Archaeology, 
  1995 Society for Historical Archaeology Meeting
  Baden, Michael. Dead Reckoning; —Unnatural Death
  Bailey, William, ed. The Encyclopedia Of Police Science
  Barnard, Robert L. Intrusion Detection Systems, 
  2nd Edition
  Berlitz, Charles. Native Tongues
  Blake, Bernard, ed. Jane’s Radar And Electronic 
  Warfare Systems, 4th Edition
  Bunch, Bryan and Alexander Hellemans, eds. The 
  Timetables Of Technology
  Coats, James and Nicholas Byrd. Mastering The Art 
  Of Pickpocketing (DVD)
  Collins, M. Thomas. Counterfeit Currency
  Comrie, Bernard. The World’s Major Languages
  Connor, Michael. How To Hide Anything
  Crystal, David. The Cambridge Encyclopedia Of 
  Language, 2nd Edition
  Department Of The Air Force. United States Air 
  Force Search And Rescue Survival Training
  Department Of The Army. U.S. Army Survival Manual
  Diagram Group.  Musical Instruments of the World
  DiMaio, Dominick and Vincent DiMaio.  
  Forensic Pathology
  Erzinçlioglu, Zakaria. Forensics
  Fisher, David. Hard Evidence
  Freedman, David and Charles Mann. @ Large
  Goﬀ, Lee. A Fly For The Prosecution:  How Insect 
  Evidence Helps Solve Crimes
  Hampton, Steven.  Advanced Lockpicking Secrets;  
  —Modern High-Security Locks:  How To Open Them;  
  —Secrets of Lockpicking; —Security Systems  
  Simpliﬁed
  Hoving, Thomas. False Impressions:  The Hunt For 
  Big-Time Art Fakes
  Jaeger, Ellsworth. Tracks And Trailcraft
  James, Stuart and Jon Nordby, eds. Forensic Science
  Kahn, David. The Codebreakers
  Kalzner, Kenneth. Languages Of The World
  Kerr, Douglas, M.D. Forensic Medicine, 6th Ed.
  Kurland, Michael. How To Solve A Murder
  Lapin, Lee. The Extreme Covert Catalog
  Lee, Henry and Timothy Palmbach and Marilyn 
  Miller. Henry Lee’s Crime Scene Handbook
  Maples, William, M.D. and Michael Browning. 
  Dead Men Do Tell Tales
  Marriner, Brian. On Death’s Bloody Trail
  McCall, Andrew. The Medieval Underworld
  Micheels, Peter. Heat
  Miller, Hugh. Proclaimed In Blood:  True Crimes 
  Solved By Forensic Scientists; —Traces Of Guilt
  Moore, Lucy. The Thieves’ Opera
  Moran, William. Covert Surveillance And Electronic 
  Penetration
  North Carolina Bar Foundation. Computer  
  Forensics:  An Evolution
  Page, David, M.D. Body Trauma:  A Writer’s Guide 
  to Wounds and Injuries
  Paladin Press. The DEA Stash And Hideout Handbook
  Pelton, Robert, et al.  Fielding’s The World’s Most 
  Dangerous Places, 3rd Edition
  Phillips, Bill. The Complete Book Of Locks And 
  Locksmithing, 5th Edition; —The Complete Book Of 
  Electronic Security
  Ragle, Larry. Crime Scene
  Riddle, Kelly E. The Art Of Surveillance
  Robinson, Andrew. Lost Languages
  Roth, Martin. The Writer’s Complete Crime  
  Reference Book
  Royal Armouries. Torture And Punishment
  Saferstein, Richard. Criminalistics:  An Introduction 
  To Forensic Science, 5th Ed.
  Salg~do, G~mini. The Elizabethan Underworld
  Scott-Donelan, David. Tactical Tracking Operations
  Shannon, M. L. The Bug Book; —Don’t Bug Me:  The 
  Latest High-Tech Spy Methods
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  Singh, Simon. The Code Book
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  Spitz, Werner, M.D., and Russell Fisher, M.D., eds. 
  Medico-Legal Investigation Of Death
  Ubelaker, Douglas, and Henry Scammell. Bones:  A 
  Forensic Detective’s Casebook
  Umland, Henning. A Short Guide To Celestial 
  Navigation
  Walker, Philip. Electronic Security Systems, 3rd Edition
  Wilson, Keith, M.D. Cause Of Death:  A Writer’s 
  Guide To Death, Murder, And Forensic Medicine
  Wingate, Anne. Scene Of The Crime:  A Writer’s 
  Guide To Crime-Scene Investigations
  Wrixon, Fred. Codes, Ciphers, And Other Cryptic 
  And Clandestine Communications
  Yeager, Wayne. Techniques Of Safecracking
  Zonderman, Jon. Beyond The Crime Lab
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  Wikipedia:  http://www.wikipedia.org
  
  395 
  The Ultimate Skill
  3d6 rolls, odds on ................................. 6, 32
  Aborting an Action ...............................390
  Abrasions, Forensic Medicine and ......184
  Access (Perk) ............................................ 53
  Accuracy, use of CSLs ...........................120
  Accurate Sprayﬁre (Skill) ........................ 86
  Acrobatics ................................................. 69
  Acting ........................................................ 73
  Acting ﬁrst
   Generally ..............................................390
   Fast Draw and .....................................180
  Activate electronic devices, function of 
  Electronics ...........................................177
  Activate mechanical devices, function of 
  Mechanics ............................................232
  Activating equipment, function of Systems 
  Operation .............................................320
  Activity PSs ....................................... 253-54
  Actor (Skill Combinations) ...................... 8
  Additional Skill Rolls after failure ......... 17
  Adjustment Powers (Power) .................. 54
  Advanced GPS Device (equipment) ...387
  Advanced techology (Technological  
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 39
  Advantages
   Generally ................................................ 56
   Combat Skill Levels and .....................117
  Adventuring with Skills ........................389
  Aerial spoor, type of track ....................335
  Aerobatics (optional form of  
  Acrobatics) ............................................. 73
  Age Of Reason/Piracy/Sail  
  (Skill Period/modiﬁer) ......................... 35
  Agility Skills ............................................. 62
  Agility Skill Modiﬁers ............................. 36
  Air Navigation .......................................239
  Air-lock Doors (security device) .........274
  Alarms .............................................275, 284
  Algor mortis, Forensic Medicine and ......182
  Alien languages ......................................224
  Alienness (Interaction Skill modiﬁer) .. 37
  Aliens, Acting and ................................... 75
  Alien technology (Technological Skill  
  modiﬁer) ................................................ 40
  Allocating Combat Skill Levels ............119
  Altering appearance, function of  
  Disguise ................................................173
  Altering the Skill Roll .............................. 12
  Alternate Characteristics,  
  Skills Rolls and ...................................... 11
  Ambushes, planning, function  
  of Tactics ..............................................332
  Analytical Engine ..................................126
  Analyze ..................................................... 76
  Analyze “Power” (type of form  
  of Analyze) ............................................. 78
  Analyze Combat Technique (form  
  of Analyze) ............................................. 77
  Analyze electronic devices, function of 
  Electronics ...........................................177
  Analyze Large Objects (form  
  of Analyze) ............................................. 78
  Analyze Magic (form of Analyze) ......... 78
  Analyze mechanical devices, function  
  of Mechanics .......................................232
  Analyze Motive (form of Analyze) ........ 78
  Analyze Skills (form of Analyze) ........... 79
  Analyze Style (form of Analyze) ............ 79
  Analyze Technology (form of Analyze) ....79
  Analyzing recordings, function of  
  Systems Operation ..............................327
  Animal Handler ....................................... 81
  Animal sounds, imitating, function  
  of Mimicry ...........................................236
  Animal Trainer (Skill Combinations) ..... 8
  Animals
   Languages and .....................................214
   Survival and .........................................316
   Tracking and ........................................336
  Anthropology, Forensic Medicine and ...182
  Anticipating enemy actions, function  
  of Tactics ..............................................331
  Antidotes, creating, function  
  of Poisoning .........................................367
  Appearance, altering, function  
  of Disguise ...........................................173
  Apple computers ....................................127
  Apply Disguise (optional form  
  of Disguise) ..........................................176
  Appointments, arrange/deny,  
  function of Bureaucratics ..................106
  Appraisal (optional form of Trading) .....341
  Appraising goods/services, function  
  of Trading ............................................339
  Appropriateness  
  (Interaction Skill modiﬁer) ................. 37
  Approval, obtain/deny, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................105
  Aquatic Animals (Animal  
  Handler category) ................................. 81
  Archaeology, Criminology and ............146
  Arctic/Subarctic, Survival  
  environment category ........................312
  Area Knowledge Skills ..........................209
  Arguing, function of Persuasion ..........251
  Armor (Agility Skill modiﬁer) ............... 36
  Armorsmith ...........................................354
  ARPANET ..............................................127
  Arrange/deny appointments or meetings, 
  function of Bureaucratics .......................106
  Arsenic, Forensic Medicine and ..........186
  Arson investigation, Criminology and ...146
  Art, Forgery and ....................................189
  Arts and crafts, type of PS ....................254
  Ashiko .....................................................109
  Asphyxiation, Forensic Medicine and .....183
  Astral Navigation ...................................240
  Astrogation .............................................240
  Astrolabe, Navigation and ....................241
  Asymmetric key cipher .........................163
  Athletics (Skill Combinations) ................ 8
  Atrophy of Skills ...................................... 29
  Attack from behind, Defense  
  Maneuver and .....................................168
  Attacking inanimate objects,  
  Teamwork and .....................................333
  Attacks, planning, function of Tactics .....332
  Audience, speaking convincingly to,  
  function of Oratory ............................243
  Auto-key generation code ....................160
  Autoﬁre Skills ........................................... 85
  Automatons ............................................374
  Avoiding security devices, function  
  of Security Systems .............................270
  Babbage, Charles ....................................126
  Babies, delivering, function of  
  Paramedics ...........................................246
  Background Skill Multipliers ................. 51
  Background Skill Tables ......................... 51
  Background Skills .................................... 62
   Buying
       Generally ........................................ 6, 62
       In mid-game ...................................... 51
   Distinguishing from each other .......... 62
   Rules/suggestions for buying many .... 51
   Skill Combinations and .......................... 9
  Balancing (optional form of Breakfall) . 90
  Balancing, function of Breakfall ............ 89
  Ballastic evidence, Criminology and ...152
  Barometric Sensor (security device) ...277
  Base (Perk) ............................................... 53
  Base roll for Skills, altering ..................... 12
  Base Times ................................................ 23
  Based On ECV (Advantage) .................. 56
  Bases ........................................................379
  Bases, Skills and .....................................379
  Bats (Animal Handler category) ............ 81
  Battleﬁeld analysis, function of Tactics ...331
  Behind, attacks from, Defense  
  Maneuver and .....................................168
  Being stealthy (Skill modiﬁer) ............... 33
  Being thrown, Acrobatics and ................ 71
  Betting wisely, function of Gambling ......198
  Bibliography ...........................................394
  Birds (Animal Handler category) .......... 81
  Bistatic Microwave Motion Detector  
  (security device) ..................................285
  Black marketeering, function  
  of Streetwise ........................................310
  Bleeding, stopping, function  
  of Paramedics ......................................246
  Blinded (Perceptive Skill modiﬁer) ....... 39
  Blood, Criminology and .......................147
  Blood spoor, type of track ....................335
  Blunt trauma, Forensic Medicine and .184
  Board games, Gambling and ................196
  Body Heat Detector (security device) .282
  Body-Altering Powers ...........................140
  Bombing investigation,  
  Criminology and .................................146
  Bombs, Demolitions and ......................170
  Bonds, escaping, function  
  of Contortionist ..................................138
  Bone fractures, Forensic Medicine and ..185
  Bones, broken, splinting, function of  
  Paramedics ...........................................246
  Booby traps on bombs,  
  Demolitions and .................................171
  Book cipher ............................................161
  Boot, the (torture device) .....................204
  Bouncing (optional form of Acrobatics) ..73
  Bouncing, function of Acrobatics .......... 69
  Bound, avoiding eﬀects of, function  
  of Acrobatics .......................................... 70
  Bovines (Animal Handler category) ..... 81
  Braille ......................................................214
  Brainwashing (optional form  
  of Interrogation) .................................206
  Brainwashing machines,  
  Interrogation and ................................204
  Breakfall .................................................... 87
  Breaking restraints/bonds, function  
  of Contortionist ..................................139
  Bribery ...................................................... 91
  Broadcasting/receiving transmissions,  
  function of Systems Operation .........320
  Bruises, Forensic Medicine and ...........184
  Bug Detector (example device) ............103
  Bugging ..................................................... 94
  Bugs, creating/planting/ﬁnding/using,  
  functions of Bugging ............................ 94
  Building electronic devices, function of 
  Electronics ...........................................177
  Building equipment, function of  
  Systems Operation ..............................320
  Building mechanical devices, function  
  of Mechanics .......................................232
  Building security devices, function of  
  Security Systems .................................270
  Building shelter, function of Survival ......315
  Bulkiness (Agility Skill modiﬁer) .......... 36
  Bullet analysis, Criminology and .........152
  Bureaucratics ..........................................105
  Burns, Forensic Medicine and .............185
  Bush, Vannevar ......................................126
  Businessmen, High Society and ...........200
  Buying equipment for use with Skills  
  (Skill modiﬁer) ...................................... 34
  Buying Everyman Skills .......................... 41
  Buying Skills ............................................... 6
  Caesar-shift substitution cipher ...........161
  Calming animals, function of  
  Animal Handler .................................... 83
  Camels (Animal Handler category) ...... 81
  Cameras (security device) ....................277
  Camouﬂage Clothing (equipment) .....388
  Canines (Animal Handler category) ..... 81
  Capacitance Sensor (security device) .279
  Carabiners ..............................................109
  Card games, Gambling and ..................196
  Cash, Forgery and ..................................192
  Cat Burglar (Skill Combinations) ........... 8
  Categorized Characteristic-Based Skills .....6
  Causes of death, determining with  
  Forensic Medicine ...............................183
  Celestial navigation, Navigation and ...240
  Cellular phones, Systems  
  Operation and .....................................323
  Champions, Skills in as genre See individual 
  Skill and Skill category descriptions
  Change Environment (Power) .......54, 291
  Changing clips, function of Fast Draw 180
  Changing Skill Costs ................................. 6
  Characteristic bonus for Skills,  
  altering/eliminating .............................. 13
  Characteristic Rolls as Untrained  
  Skill use ............................................ 18-19
  Characteristic-Based Skills ..................... 11
  Characteristics, alternate, and Skill Rolls ..11
  Charioteering (optional form of  
  Combat Driving) ................................114
  Charm (optional form of Seduction) ......294
  Cheating, function of Gambling ..........197
  Checks, Forgery and ..............................191
  Chess, Gambling and ............................196
  Chirurgeon (optional form  
  of Paramedics) ....................................247
  Chop wounds, Forensic Medicine and ...187
  Chromatographs ....................................156
  Cipher machines ....................................162
  Ciphers ....................................................160
  City Knowledge Skills ...........................209
  Climbing .................................................109
  Climbing Gear (equipment) .................386
  Clinging (Power) .............................90, 110
  Clipping coins, function of Forgery ....191
  Closed-circuit TV (security device) ....277
  Clothing, removing, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................304
  Cloudrider Fantasy  
  (Everyman Skill list) ............................. 43
  Codes ......................................................160
  CODIS .....................................................148
  Coin clipping/shaving, function  
  of Forgery .............................................191
  Colossus ..................................................126
  Combat Acrobatics (optional form  
  of Acrobatics) ........................................ 73
  Combat Acting (optional form  
  of Acting) ............................................... 75
  Combat bonuses, function of Acrobatics .70
  Combat Breakfall (optional form  
  of Breakfall) ........................................... 90
  Combat, Climbing and .........................110
  Combat conditions (Skill modiﬁer) ...... 33
  Combat Driving .....................................112
  Combat Helicoptering (optional form  
  of Combat Piloting) ............................116
  Combat Luck, Defense Maneuver and ...169
  Combat Maneuvers
   Optional, as Skills .................................. 63
   Skills and ..............................................390
  Combat, mass, function of Tactics ......330
  Combat Modiﬁers, Skills and ...............390
  Combat Piloting ....................................115
  Combat Sailing (optional form of  
  Combat Driving) ................................114
  Combat Sense, Stealth and ...................306
  Combat Skill Levels
   The Skill ................................................117
   Defense Maneuver and ......................168
  Combat Skills ........................................... 63
  Combat, Skills and .................................390
  Combat Sledding (optional form  
  of Combat Driving) ............................114
  Combat, social, function of  
  High Society ........................................201
  Combat Submarining (optional form  
  of Combat Piloting) ............................116
  Combat Teamstering (optional form  
  of Combat Driving) ............................114
  Combat-Ready (Talent) .......................... 54
  Combination locks ................................227
  Combining Background Skills ............... 63
  Combining Skills ....................................... 9
  Comeliness, eﬀective (Interaction Skill 
  modiﬁer) ................................................ 38
  Comeliness, increasing, function  
  of Disguise ...........................................174
  Commander (Skill Combinations) ......... 8
  Commercial paper, Forgery and ..........191
  Communication, animal, understanding,  
  function of Animal Handler ....................83
  Communications systems, Systems  
  Operation and .....................................322
  Compass, Navigation and .....................241
  Compatability of technologies  
  (Technological Skill modiﬁer) ............. 40
  Competent (level of Skill Roll) .............. 11
  Complementary Skills
   Generally ................................................ 21
   As Skill Specialization .......................... 22
  Comprehensive Background Skills ....... 52
  Computer forensics, Criminology and ...148
  INDEX
  
  396 ■ The Ultimate Skill
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Computer Link (Perk) ............................ 53
  Computer Programming
   The Skill ................................................126
   Computers and ....................................374
  Computer security .................................291
  Computer security, penetrating, function  
  of Computer Programming ...............128
  Computer systems, Systems  
  Operation and .....................................325
  Computerized cryptography ................163
  Computers ..............................................374
  Computers, Skills and ...........................374
  Con Artist (Skill Combinations) ............. 8
  Concealed Lockpicks (equipment) .....387
  Concealed Tape Recorder  
  (example device) ................................... 98
  Concealing Distinctive Features,  
  function of Disguise ...........................174
  Concealing one’s self, function  
  of Stealth ..............................................307
  Concealment
   The Skill ................................................132
   Bases and ..............................................379
   Fast Draw and .....................................180
  Concentrated Sprayﬁre (Skill) ............... 86
  Concentration (Limitation) ................... 57
  Conﬁnement Trap (security device) ...271
  Conﬁrming a tail, function  
  of Shadowing .......................................297
  Contact (Perk) .......................................... 53
  Contact Microphone (example device) ....99
  Contact poisons .....................................368
  Contortionist ..........................................138
  Contusions, Forensic Medicine and ....184
  Conversation ..........................................142
  Convincing a crowd, function  
  of Oratory ............................................243
  Cost structure of Skills .............................. 6
  Counteracting bugs, function  
  of Bugging .............................................. 96
  Counterfeiting, function of Forgery ....191
  Courtier (optional form of  
  High Society) .......................................203
  Cover (Combat Maneuver) ..................390
  CPR, function of Paramedics ...............246
  Cracking, function of Computer  
  Programming ......................................128
  Crafts, type of PS ...................................254
  Cramming
   The Skill ................................................144
   Research and .......................................371
  Cramped areas, ﬁtting into, function  
  of Contortionist  .................................140
  Cray, Seymour ........................................127
  Creating disguise items and prostheses, 
  function of Disguise ...........................174
  Creating distractions, function  
  of Stealth ..............................................306
  Creating Everyman Skill lists ................. 42
  Creating explosive devices, function  
  of Demolitions ....................................170
  Creating locks, function  
  of Lockpicking .....................................228
  Creating poisons/antidotes, function  
  of Poisoning .........................................367
  Crime (Skill Combinations) ..................... 8
  Criminalistics .........................................146
  Criminology ...........................................146
  Critical Failure ......................................... 17
  Critical Success ........................................ 16
  Cross-examination, function  
  of Conversation ...................................142
  Crossing water, function of Survival ...317
  Crowd, speaking convincingly to,  
  function of Oratory ............................243
  Cruciﬁxion, Forensic Medicine and ....184
  Cryptography .........................................160
  Cultural diﬀerentiation, High  
  Society and ...........................................200
  Cultural diﬀerentiation, Streetwise and ..309
  Culture Knowledge Skills .....................209
  Curare, Forensic Medicine and ............186
  Customs, social, knowing, function  
  of High Society ....................................200
  Customs, underworld/lower class,  
  knowing, function of Streetwise .......310
  Cutting purses, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................304
  Cyanide, Forensic Medicine and .........186
  Cyberkinesis ...........................................178
  Cyberkinetic powers .............................130
  Cyberpunk/Near Future  
  (Everyman Skill list) ............................. 43
  Cyberpunk/Near Future, Skills in as genre 
  See individual Skill and Skill category 
  descriptions
  Dactyloscopy, Criminology and ..........151
  Damage increase, use of CSLs ........ 120-21
  Damage to disguises ..............................175
  Damage to subject (Skill modiﬁer) ....... 33
  Danger Sense, Stealth and ....................306
  Dark Champions (Everyman Skill list) . 43
  Dark Champions, Skills in as genre ..... See 
  individual Skill and Skill category descrip-
  tions
  Darkness (Power) ..................................137
  Darkness, subjected to (Perceptive  
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 39
  Databases ................................................379
  DCV, Penalty Skill Levels and ..............248
  Dead reckoning, Navigation and .........239
  Deadfall (security device) .....................271
  Deadline pressure (Skill modiﬁer) ........ 33
  Deadly Sprayﬁre (Skill) ........................... 86
  Deals, negotiating, function  
  of Trading ...................................... 339-41
  Debating, function of Persuasion ........251
  Decoding codes and ciphers ................160
  Decomposition of bodies .....................182
  Decrypting codes and ciphers .............160
  Decryption (optional form  
  of Cryptography) ................................165
  Deduction ...............................................166
  Deer (Animal Handler category) .......... 81
  Defense Maneuver
   The Skill ................................................168
   Defense Maneuver and ......................168
  Defense, use of CSLs .............................120
  Degree of failure ...................................... 17
  Degree of success ..................................... 15
  Degrees of Complementariness ............. 21
  Delivering babies, function  
  of Paramedics ......................................246
  Demolitions ............................................170
  Dental records, Forensic Medicine and ..181
  Deny/arrange appointments or  
  meetings, function of Bureaucratics .....106
  Deny permission, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................105
  Deserts, Survival environment  
  category ................................................312
  Details, ignoring ...................................... 68
  Detecting Acting ...................................... 73
  Detecting forgeries, function  
  of Forgery .............................................193
  Detective Work (Skill Combinations) ..... 8
  Dice games, Gambling and ...................196
  Diﬀerential Analyzer .............................126
  Diﬃculty of the task (Skill modiﬁer) .... 32
  Digging up dirt on society folk,  
  function of High Society ....................201
  Digital phones, Systems  
  Operation and .....................................323
  Dilettante (Skill Combinations) .............. 8
  Dimensional Navigation .......................240
  Diplomats, High Society and ...............200
  Disabling bugs, function of Bugging ..... 96
  Disabling electronic devices, function  
  of Electronics .......................................177
  Disabling mechanical devices,  
  function of Mechanics .......................233
  Disarm Security Devices (optional  
  form of Security Systems) ..................292
  Disarming/disabling security devices,  
  function of Security Systems .............270
  Disarming explosive devices,  
  function of Demolitions ....................171
  Disarming Explosives (optional form  
  of Demolitions) ...................................172
  Disciplines (category of Science Skill) ....259
  Disease, preventing, function  
  of Survival ............................................316
  Disguise ..................................................173
  Disguise, Bases and ................................379
  Disguised Bug (example device) ........... 98
  Disguising Gestures, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................303
  Dislocating limbs/joints, modiﬁer  
  for Contortionist .................................140
  Dismounting a riding animal,  
  function of Riding ..............................256
  Dispel (Power) ......................................... 54
  Disrupt sensors, function of  
  Systems Operation ..............................327
  Disrupting transmissions, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................323
  Distinctive Features, concealing,  
  function of Disguise ...........................174
  Distinguishing Background Skills ......... 62
  Distractions, creating, function  
  of Stealth ..............................................306
  Dive For Cover (Combat Maneuver) ......391
  Divination ...............................................355
  Diving, function of Breakfall ................. 88
  DNA, Criminology and ........................148
  Doctor (Skill Combinations) ................... 8
  Doctors ...................................................245
  Document analysis, Criminology and ....149
  Documentation, obtain/deny,  
  function of Bureaucratics ..................105
  Documents, Forgery and ......................190
  Does Knockback (Advantage) ............... 56
  Dominoes games, Gambling and ........196
  Dragons (Animal Handler category) .... 81
  Drawing weapons unseen, function  
  of Sleight Of Hand ..............................304
  Drowning, Forensic Medicine and ......185
  Drug identiﬁcation, Criminology and ....150
  Drugs, Interrogation and ......................204
  Dual security systems ...........................276
  Duration of Analyze eﬀects .................... 76
  Duration of Interaction Skills ................ 66
  Dust Projector (security device) ..........272
  Dynamite, Demolitions and .................170
  Ear to the ground, Tracking trick ........336
  Ease of the task (Skill modiﬁer) ............ 32
  Eavesdropping on transmissions,  
  function of Systems Operation .........322
  ECM/ECCM, function of  
  Systems Operation ..............................321
  Eﬀective Comeliness (Interaction  
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 38
  Eﬀectiveness of Interaction Skills .......... 65
  Eﬀects of Skill modiﬁers ................... 31-32
  Eidetic Memory, Cramming and .........144
  Electric Cable Sensor (security device) ...284
  Electric Eyebeam (security device) .....280
  Electrocution, Forensic Medicine and ....185
  Electronic security devices ...................275
  Electronic warfare, function of Systems 
  Operation .............................................321
  Electronics ..............................................176
  Electronics Wizard (Skill Combinations) ...8
  Electrostatics detection apparatus  
  (ESDA) .................................................150
  Elephants (Animal Handler category) .. 81
  Embalming, optional form of  
  Forensic Medicine ...............................188
  Emergency Medical Technicians  
  (EMTs) .................................................245
  Emotional buttons, pushing, function of 
  Conversation .......................................142
  Emotions, faking, function of Acting .... 73
  Encrypting messages .............................160
  Encryption (optional form  
  of Cryptography) ................................165
  Encumbrance (Agility Skill modiﬁer) .. 36
  Encumbrance Skill Levels, type of PSL ...249
  Endurance and Skills ............................... 11
  Enemy actions, function of Tactics .....331
  Enhanced Senses (Power) 
   .................54, 136, 229, 294, 299, 328, 337
  ENIAC .....................................................127
  Enigma machine ....................................162
  Entangle (Power) ...................................140
  Entering Combat ...................................390
  Entomology, Forensic Medicine and ...183
  Environment categories for Survival .......312
  Environment Skill Levels, type of PSL ....249
  Environmental systems,  
  Systems Operation and ......................325
  Environments .........................................392
  Equines (Animal Handler category) ..... 81
  Equipment (Skill modiﬁer) .................... 33
  Equipment, buying for use with Skills  
  (Skill modiﬁer) ...................................... 34
  Equipment Skill Levels, type of PSL ....249
  Era for Skills (Skill modiﬁer) ................. 34
  Eras for Skills ............................................ 10
  Escape Artist (optional form  
  of Contortionist) .................................141
  Escaping restraints/bonds, function  
  of Contortionist ..................................138
  ESM, function of Systems Operation .312, 326
  Ethernet ..................................................127
  Etiquette, knowing, function of  
  High Society ........................................200
  Etiquette, street, knowing, function of 
  Streetwise .............................................310
  Evaluating interrogee, function  
  of Interrogation ...................................205
  Evaluating poisons, function  
  of Poisoning .........................................369
  Evaluating the market, function  
  of Trading ............................................339
  Everyman Skills
   Generally ................................................ 41
   Everycreature Skills .............................. 44
   Everymonster Skills .............................. 45
   Lists by Genre ........................................ 43
   Untrained Skill use and ........................ 18
  Experience Points, Normal  
  Skill Maxima and .................................... 7
  Expert (Skill Enhancer) .......................... 47
  Expertise (Talent) .................................... 54
  Explosion investigation,  
  Criminology and .................................146
  Explosives, Demolitions and ................170
  Extended Tasks ........................................ 23
  Extensive Knowledge of Subject  
  of Skill (Skill modiﬁer) ......................... 33
  Extinct languages ...................................215
  Extra time, taking (Skill modiﬁer) ........ 35
  Extraordinary Skill Rolls ........................ 23
  Extremely Skilled (level of Skill Roll) ... 11
  Extremely Strange/Weird Subject  
  of Skill (Skill modiﬁer) ......................... 32
  Facial obscurement, Lipreading and ...224
  Facial reconstruction,  
  Forensic Medicine and .......................182
  Failed Acrobatics Rolls table .................. 72
  Failed Skill Rolls ...................................... 17
  Faith (form of the Power Skill) ............251
  Faking emotions/injuries/Skills,  
  function of Acting ........................... 73-74
  Fall damage, reducing, function  
  of Breakfall ............................................. 87
  Falling deaths, Forensic Medicine and ....186
  False alarms with security devices .......275
  False emotions, function of Acting ....... 73
  False injuries, creating, function  
  of Disguise ...........................................174
  False injuries, function of Acting ........... 74
  Falsehoods, function of Persuasion .....250
  Familiarity
   Generally ................................................ 11
   Altering .................................................. 14
  Fantasy (Everyman Skill list) ................. 43
  Fantasy (Skill Period/modiﬁer) ............. 34
  Fantasy (Skill Period) .............................. 10
  Fantasy, Skills in as genre 
  See individual Skill and Skill category 
  descriptions ...............................................
  Fast Draw ................................................179
  Fax Tap (example device) ....................... 99
  Feint .........................................................360
   Breakfall as Complementary to .......... 89
  Feints, function of Sleight Of Hand ....304
  Felines (Animal Handler category) ....... 81
  Fence (security device) .........................272
  Ferocious beasts, calming, function  
  of Animal Handler ................................ 83
  Fiber analysis, Criminology and ..........150
  Field Sensor (security device) ..............281
  Fields (category of Science Skill) ... 258-59
  Fighting ...................................................390
  Fighting, Skills and ................................390
  Fighting style, imitating with Acting ..... 75
  Files, computer, ﬁnding, function of  
  Computer Programming ...................130
  Find Security Devices (optional form  
  of Security Systems) ...........................292
  Find Weakness, Analyze and .................. 80
  Finding bugs, function of Bugging ........ 96
  
  397 
  The Ultimate Skill
  Finding hidden things, function  
  of Concealment ...................................132
  Finding information or people,  
  function of Streetwise ........................309
  Finding records/ﬁles, function  
  of Computer Programming ...............130
  Finding security devices, function of  
  Security Systems .................................269
  Finding tracks/trails, function  
  of Tracking ..................................... 335-37
  Finesse (Skill Combinations) ................... 8
  Fingernail scrapings, Criminology and ..151
  Fingerprint Analyzer (security device) ...281
  Fingerprints, Criminology and ............151
  Fire, starting, function of Survival .......314
  Firearms analysis, Criminology and ...152
  Firearms, Weaponsmithing and ...........352
  Fishing, function of Survival ................313
  Fist, for telegraph operators .........166, 330
  Flash, subjected to (Perceptive  
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 39
  Flight (Power) ............................72, 90, 110
  Fluency in languages .............................213
  Focus (Limitation) ................................... 57
  Foists, function of Sleight Of Hand .....304
  Following someone, function  
  of Shadowing .......................................295
  Food, ﬁnding, function of Survival .....313
  Footing, maintaining, function  
  of Breakfall ............................................. 89
  Footprints, Criminology and ...............154
  Foraging, function of Survival .............313
  Forensic anthropology, Forensic  
  Medicine and .......................................182
  Forensic entomology, Forensic  
  Medicine and .......................................183
  Forensic geology, Criminology and ....155
  Forensic liguistics, Criminology and ..150
  Forensic Medicine .................................181
  Forensic odontology, Forensic  
  Medicine and .......................................181
  Forgery ....................................................188
  Forgetting Skills ....................................... 29
  Fortiﬁcations, planning, function  
  of Tactics ..............................................332
  Fractured bones, Forensic  
  Medicine and .......................................185
  Frameworks, Combat Skill Levels and ....121
  Frequency of radio broadcasts .............324
  Friendship, gaining, function  
  of Seduction .........................................293
  Frostbite, Survival and ..........................316
  Future (Skill Period/modiﬁer) ............... 34
  Future (Skill Period) ................................ 10
  Gaining trust/friendship, function  
  of Seduction .........................................293
  Gambling
   The Skill ................................................196
   Sleight Of Hand and ...........................304
  Gambling Rig (equipment) ..................386
  Games, type of PS ..................................254
  Gas Projector (security device) ............272
  Gasoline analysis, Criminology and ...154
  Gauging an audience, function  
  of Oratory ............................................243
  General Modiﬁers ........................................
  Generic Fantasy (Everyman Skill list) .. 43
  Genre
   Background Skills by ............................ 63
   Everyman Skill lists for ........................ 43
   Varying Skill costs by ............................. 7
  Gestures (Limitation)
   Generally ................................................ 57
   Disguising, function of Sleight  
  Of Hand ...............................................303
  Glass analysis, Criminology and ..........153
  Gliding (Power) .....................................291
  Goings-on among society, knowing,  
  function of High Society ....................201
  Goings-on among the underworld,  
  knowing, function of Streetwise .......310
  Goods, appraising, function of Trading ..339
  Goods, Forgery and ...............................193
  GPS, Navigation and .............................241
  Grab (Combat Maneuver) ....................390
  Grabs, escaping, function  
  of Contortionist ..................................139
  Graphology, Criminology and .............150
  Gravity
   Breakfall and .......................................... 90
   Eﬀect on Skills .....................................392
  Grease Monkey (Skill Combinations) .... 8
  Ground spoor, type of track .................335
  Gunﬁghter (Skill Combinations) ............. 8
  Gunpowder, Demolitions and ..............170
  Gunpowder evidence,  
  Criminology and .................................153
  Gunsmith (optional form  
  of Demolitions) ...................................172
  Hacker (Skill Combinations) ................... 8
  Hacking, function of Computer  
  Programming ......................................128
  Haggling (optional form of Trading) ......341
  Hair analysis, Criminology and ...........150
  Half Rolls .................................................. 17
  Handcuﬀs ...............................................227
  Hands, not using  
  (Agility Skill modiﬁer) ......................... 36
  Handwriting, Forgery and ....................191
  Hanging, Forensic Medicine and .........183
  Hard Science Fiction  
  (Everyman Skill list) ............................. 44
  Harvesting poison .................................367
  Healer (optional form of Paramedics) ....247
  Healing (Power) .............................246, 368
  Healing minor injuries, function  
  of Paramedics ......................................245
  Heat cramps, Survival and ....................316
  Heat exhaustion, Survival and .............316
  Heat stroke, Survival and ......................316
  Hidden compartments ..........................134
  Hidden weapons, Fast Draw and .........180
  Hiding, function of Stealth ............. 306-07
  Hiding bugs, function of Concealment ....94
  Hiding information, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................105
  Hiding Skill Roll Results ......................... 18
  Hiding things or one’s self, function  
  of Concealment ...................................132
  Hiding tracks, function of Tracking ....337
  High Fantasy (Everyman Skill list) ....... 43
  High gravity, eﬀect on Skills .................392
  High Society ...........................................200
  Highly Skilled (level of Skill Roll) ......... 11
  Hobbies, type of PS ................................254
  Hoist ........................................................361
  Hojojutsu ................................................141
  Homophonic substitution cipher ........161
  Horseback, stunts while on, function  
  of Acrobatics .......................................... 71
  Hotwiring cars, function  
  of Electronics .......................................177
  House advantage, Gambling and .........197
  How to Learn a Skill ................................ 26
  Hunter (Skill Combinations) ................... 8
  Hunting, function of Survival ..............313
  Hurried Skill Levels, type of PSL .........249
  Hurry (Combat Maneuver) ..................391
  Hypothermia, Survival and ..................316
  I Can Do Anything (example VPP) ...... 59
  Iaijutsu ....................................................181
  Identify electronic devices,  
  function of Electronics .......................177
  Identify mechanical devices,  
  function of Mechanics .......................233
  Identifying bodies, function of  
  Forensic Medicine ...............................181
  Images (Power) ..136, 175, 194, 244, 299, 308
  Imitating voices and sounds,  
  function of Mimicry ...........................235
  Impersonating others
   Function of Acting ................................ 73
   Function of Disguise ..........................173
  Impersonation  
  (optional form of Acting) .................... 75
  Impressions, Criminology and ............154
  Improving Existing Skills ....................... 29
  Improving small unit eﬃciency,  
  function of Tactics ..............................331
  Improving transmissions, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................322
  Improvised equipment (Skill modiﬁer) ....33
  Inanimate objects, attacking,  
  Teamwork and .....................................333
  Incantations (Limitation) ....................... 57
  Incendiaries, Demolitions and .............170
  Incised wounds, Forensic  
  Medicine and .......................................187
  Inconspicuousness, during a stakeout .....298
  Increasing Comeliness, function  
  of Disguise ...........................................174
  Incredibly Skilled (level of Skill Roll) ........11
  Inertia Switch (security device) ...........283
  Inﬁltration (Skill Combinations) ............. 8
  Information
   About the underworld, ﬁnding,  
     function of Streetwise .....................309
   Obtain/hide, function  
     of Bureaucratics ...............................105
   Searching for, function of Computer
       Programming ....................................128
  Infrared Sensor (security device) ........282
  Ingested poisons ....................................368
  Initiative ..................................................390
  Initiative, Fast Draw and .......................180
  Injected poisons .....................................368
  Injection sites, Forensic Medicine and ....187
  Injuries
   Faking with Acting ............................... 74
   False, creating, function of Disguise .....174
   Minor, healing, function of  
      Paramedics .......................................245
  Injury (Skill modiﬁer) ............................. 34
  Injury Skill Levels, type of PSL ............249
  Inobtrusiveness, function of Stealth ....307
  Insect bites, Survival and ......................316
  Insects And Arthropods  
  (Animal Handler category) ................. 81
  Insects, Forensic Medicine and ............183
  Installing locks, function  
  of Lockpicking .....................................228
  Installing security devices, function  
  of Security Systems .............................270
  Instructor ..........................................26, 362
  Insulin, Forensic Medicine and ...........186
  Intellect Skill Modiﬁers ........................... 37
  Intellect Skills ........................................... 64
  Intelligence Rolls, learning Skills and ... 27
  Interaction Skill Modiﬁers ..................... 37
  Interaction Skills ................................ 64-67
  Interference, overcoming, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................322
  Internet ...................................................127
  Interrogation ..........................................203
  Interrupting transmissions, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................323
  Interviewing, function of Conversation ......142
  Intimidation, optional function  
  of Interrogation ...................................205
  Introduction ............................................... 4
  Inventor ..................................................206
  Invisibility (Power) ................136, 299, 308
  Invisible Power Eﬀects (Advantage) ..... 56
  Iron maiden (torture device) ...............204
  Jack of All Trades (Skill Enhancer) ....... 46
  Jamming/unjamming sensors,  
  function of Systems Operation .........327
  Jamming/unjamming transmissions,  
  function of Systems Operation .........323
  Jimmy Valentine .....................................227
  Jobs, Steve ...............................................127
  Joints/limbs, dislocating, modiﬁer  
  for Concealment .................................140
  Keyboard Recorder (example device) ... 99
  Keyword code ........................................161
  Knockback, standing up from or avoiding 
  eﬀects of, function of Breakfall ................88
  Knot-tying, function of Climbing .......109
  Knots, tying, function of Contortionist ..141
  Knowledge Sharing (example VPP) ...... 59
  Knowledge Skill
   The Skill ................................................209
   How KS diﬀers from PS and SS .......... 62
  Laboratories ...........................................379
  Lacerations, Forensic Medicine and ....184
  Lagomorphs  
  (Animal Handler category) ................. 82
  Land Navigation ....................................239
  Landmarks, Navigation and .................238
  Landsteiner, Karl ....................................158
  Language
   The Skill ................................................213
   Lipreading and ....................................224
   Subdividing as Everyman Skill ............ 41
  Language Familiarity Table .... 215, 217-22
  Laser Microphone (example device) ..... 99
  Latitude, Navigation and ......................239
  Leadership (optional form of Tactics) ....333
  Leaping (Power) ................................. 55, 72
  Learning games, function of Gambling ..197
  Learning Skills ......................................... 26
  Libraries ..................................................379
  Lidar, Systems Operation and ..............327
  Lie detector .............................................156
  Lies, telling, function of Persuasion ....250
  Ligature strangulation,  
  Forensic Medicine and .......................184
  Limbs/joints, dislocating, modiﬁer  
  for Contortionist .................................140
  Limitations
   Generally ................................................ 57
   Combat Skill Levels and .....................117
   Skill Enhancers and .............................. 47
  Limited Skill Roll bonuses, as  
  Skill Specialization ................................ 23
  Lineman’s Telephone (example device) ..100
  Linguist (Skill Enhancer) ........................ 46
  Linguistics, Criminology and ...............150
  Linked (Limitation) ................................. 57
  Lipreading ..............................................224
  Literacy with languages ........................214
  Litter, type of track ................................335
  Livor mortis, Forensic Medicine and ..182
  Locard’s Exchange Principle ................146
  Locating security devices, function  
  of Security Systems .............................269
  Locked Room And Moving Walls  
  (security device) ..................................272
  Lockpicking ............................................226
  Locks (equipment) ................................387
  Longitude, Navigation and ...................239
  Losing a tail, function of Shadowing ..297
  Low gravity, eﬀect on Skills ..................392
  Low Science Fiction  
  (Everyman Skill list) ............................. 44
  Lower classes, Streetwise and ...............309
  Magic (form of the Power Skill) ...........251
  Magic, Criminology and .......................156
  Magic tricks, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................303
  Magnetic Detector (security device) ...289
  Magnetic Switch (security device) ......283
  Mail, monitoring, function  
  of Shadowing .......................................298
  Mainframes ............................................127
  Maintain electronic devices, function  
  of Electronics .......................................177
  Maintain mechanical devices,  
  function of Mechanics .......................232
  Maintaining equipment, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................320
  Maintaining footing, function  
  of Breakfall ............................................. 89
  Makeup (optional form of Disguise) ......176
  Making friends, function of Seduction ...293
  Making recordings, function of  
  Systems Operation ..............................326
  Manacles (torture device) .....................204
  Management PSs ............................. 253-54
  Mancies (methods of divination) ........357
  Manipulate media, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................107
  Manipulating watches, function  
  of Sleight Of Hand ..............................304
  Manipulation  
  (method of Interrogation) .................203
  Manual strangulation,  
  Forensic Medicine and .......................184
  Manufacture Disguise  
  (optional form of Disguise) ...............176
  Manufacturing disguise materials,  
  function of Disguise ...........................174
  Manufacturing, type of PS ....................254
  Maps, Navigation and ...........................241
  Marine Navigation ................................239
  Marine, Survival  
  environment category ........................312
  Marked Cards (equipment) ..................386
  Market, evaluating,  
  function of Trading ............................339
  Marks, Criminology and ......................154
  Martial arts, imitating with Acting ........ 75
  Martial Arts
   Generally ..............................................231
   Combat Skill Levels and .....................123
   Everyman Skill list for the genre ......... 43
  
  398 ■ The Ultimate Skill
  Hero System 5th Edition
   Skills in as genre ........................................  
   ....................................See individual Skill  
  and Skill category descriptions
  Mass combat, function of Tactics ........330
  Mathematics (category of  
  Science Skill) .......................................259
  Mechanical security devices .................271
  Mechanics ...............................................232
  Media manipulation, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................107
  Medical care, basic, providing,  
  function of Paramedics ......................245
  Medical systems,  
  Systems Operation and ......................325
  Meetings, arrange/deny, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................106
  Mental Powers ..............................................
    .............54, 74, 93, 107, 202, 294, 310, 341
  Mercury Switch (security device) ........283
  Metal Detector (security device) .........284
  Metamorphs
   Various Skills and ................................. 73
   Security Systems and ..........................292
   Breakfall and .......................................... 90
   Defense Maneuver and ......................169
  Methods of divination ..........................357
  Microphone (security device) ..............284
  Microscopes ...........................................156
  Microsoft ................................................127
  Microwave Microphone  
  (example device) ................................... 99
  Military Science Fiction  
  (Everyman Skill list) ............................. 44
  Mimicry ..................................................235
  Mind Control (Power)
    .............55, 84, 93, 107, 216, 251, 257, 294
  Mind Hacking (optional form  
  of Interrogation) .................................206
  Mind Link (Power) ........................216, 334
  Mind Scan (Power) .........................55, 250
  Minor injuries, healing, function  
  of Paramedics ......................................245
  Miracles (form of the Power Skill) ......251
  Missile Deﬂection and Reﬂection  
  (Power) ...........................................55, 250
  Missile Projector (security device) ......273
  Mitochondrial DNA testing .................149
  Mob, speaking convincingly to,  
  function of Oratory ............................243
  Modern (Skill Period/modiﬁer) ...... 10, 34
  Modiﬁer eﬀects .................................. 31-32
  Modiﬁers for Skill Categories ................ 36
  Modify electronic devices, function of 
  Electronics ...........................................177
  Modify mechanical devices, function  
  of Mechanics .......................................232
  Money (Perk)
   Generall .................................................. 53
   Forgery and ..........................................191
  Monitoring mail, function  
  of Shadowing .......................................298
  Monstrous Hybrids (Animal  
  Handler category) ................................. 82
  Morse Code ............................................214
  Motion Detector (security device) ......285
  Mountains, Survival environment  
  category ................................................312
  Mounting a riding animal, function of 
  Riding ...................................................256
  Movement
   Acrobatics and ....................................... 72
   Skill modiﬁer ......................................... 34
   Skills and ..............................................390
   Stealth and ...........................................306
  Movement Powers .................110, 299, 341
  Movement Skill Levels ..........................301
  Moving silently, function of Stealth ....306
  Multiple Block Skill Levels, type of PSL ..249
  Multiple Skill Rolls after failure ............. 17
  Multiple-power attacks .........................390
  Multipliers for Background Skills .......... 51
  Muscle-Powered Weapons,  
  Weaponsmithing and ................... 351-52
  Music Skills .............................................363
  Musical Instrument Familiarity ...........362
  Napalm, Demolitions and ....................170
  Narrow areas, ﬁtting into, function  
  of Contortionist ..................................140
  Navajo “code talkers” .............................162
  Navigation ..............................................237
  Negative Combat Skill Levels ...............118
  Negative Penalty Skill Levels ................248
  Negative Skill Levels ..............................302
  Negotiating prices/deals, function  
  of Trading ............................................339
  Negotiation (optional form of Trading) .341
  Neutron activation analysis ..................156
  New Skills ...............................................354
  Nightingale Floor (security device) ....273
  Nitroglycerin, Demolitions and ...........170
  Nobility, High Society and ....................200
  Noises, imitating, function of Mimicry ..236
  Nomenclator ..........................................161
  Normal Skill Maxima ................................ 7
  Not using one’s hands  
  (Agility Skill modiﬁer) ......................... 36
  Obsolete technology  
  (Technological Skill modiﬁer) ............. 39
  Obtain information, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................105
  Obtain permission/approval/papers,  
  function of Bureaucratics ..................105
  Odds on 3d6 rolls ................................ 6, 32
  Oil analysis, Criminology and .............154
  One-Way Phone Disabler I-II  
  (example devices) ...............................100
  Onetime pad cipher ..............................161
  Operate electronic devices,  
  function of Electronics .......................177
  Operate mechanical devices,  
  function of Mechanics .......................233
  Operating equipment, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................320
  Optical Detector (security device) ......286
  Optional Combat Maneuvers, as Skills .....63
  Oratory ...................................................243
  Organizational action, prompt/delay,  
  function of Bureaucratics ..................107
  Organizational resources, use,  
  function of Bureaucratics ..................106
  Orienteering ...........................................239
  Other Ways to Buy Lots of  
  Background Skills ................................. 51
  Overcoming interference, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................322
  Pagers, Systems Operation and ............324
  Paint analysis, Criminology and ..........154
  Palming (optional form of Sleight  
  Of Hand) ..............................................305
  Palming items, function of Sleight  
  Of Hand ...............................................303
  Paper money, Forgery and ....................192
  Papers, Forgery and ...............................190
  Papers, obtain/deny, function  
  of Bureaucratics ..................................105
  Parabolic Reﬂector  
  (surveillance device) ...........................299
  Parachute (equipment) .........................366
  Parachuting ............................................364
  Paramedics (the Skill) ...........................245
  Paramedics (care providers) .................245
  Passing fake items,  
  function of Forgery ............................194
  Passive IR Sensor (security device) .....282
  Penalty Skill Levels
   The Skill ................................................248
   Normal Skill Maxima and ..................... 7
  Penetrating computer security, function  
  of Computer Programming ...............128
  People, ﬁnding, function of Streetwise ....309
  PER Mods for objects and  
  hiding places ........................................132
  Perceiving a tail, function  
  of Shadowing .......................................296
  Perceiving Acting ..................................... 73
  Perceiving cheating, function  
  of Gambling .........................................197
  Perceiving forgeries, function  
  of Forgery .............................................193
  Percentage chance of success/failure ...... 6
  Perception Rolls, in Skill Versus  
  Skill Contests ......................................... 20
  Perceptive Skill Modiﬁers ....................... 39
  Perceptive Skills ....................................... 67
  Performing Skills quicker than normal  
  (Skill modiﬁer) ...................................... 35
  Performing tricks, function of Animal 
  Handler .................................................. 82
  Period for Skills (Skill modiﬁer) ............ 34
  Periods for Skills ...................................... 10
  Perks .......................................................... 53
  Permission, obtain/deny, function of 
  Bureaucratics .......................................105
  Persuasion ...............................................250
  PGP .........................................................163
  Phone Call Rerouter (example device) ...100
  Phone Disabler (example device) ........100
  Phone tapping, function of Bugging ..... 95
  Photoelectric Eyebeam  
  (security device) ..................................280
  Photographic evidence,  
  Criminology and .................................154
  Phreaking, function of Computer  
  Programming ......................................129
  Pickguns, Lockpicking and ...................229
  Picking pockets, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................303
  Pickpocketing (optional form of  
  Sleight Of Hand) .................................305
  Pigpen cipher .........................................161
  Pigs (Animal Handler category) ............ 82
  Pilot (Skill Combinations) ........................ 8
  Pilot (Skill Enhancer) .............................. 47
  Pin Projector (security device) ............273
  Pin tumbler lock .............................. 226-27
  Pit Trap (security device) .....................274
  Pitons ......................................................109
  Planning attacks/ambushes,  
  function of Tactics ..............................332
  Planning fortiﬁcations, function  
  of Tactics ..............................................332
  Planning trips, function of Navigation ...238
  Planting bugs/wiretaps, function  
  of Bugging .............................................. 94
  Plastic explosives, Demolitions and ....170
  Player characters, Interaction Skills and ...65
  Playfair cipher ........................................161
  Plunger Switch (security device) .........283
  Poison, Forensic Medicine and ............186
  Poisoning ................................................367
  Poisoning food, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................304
  Poisoning, treating, function  
  of Paramedics ......................................246
  Politician (Skill Combinations) ............... 8
  Politicians, High Society and ...............200
  Polygraph ................................................156
  Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) .......148
  Poor, the, Streetwise and .......................309
  Post-Apocalyptic (Everyman Skill list) .....43
  Post-Apocalyptic, Skills in as genre ...........
   See individual Skill and Skill category 
  descriptions
  Power .......................................................251
  Power Advantages .................................... 56
  Power Frameworks
   Generally ................................................ 59
   Combat Skill Levels and .....................121
  Power Limitations ................................... 57
  Power Modiﬁers, Combat Skill  
  Levels and ............................................117
  Power sources for security devices ......276
  Powers ....................................................... 54
  Prayer (form of the Power Skill) ..........251
  Precise Sprayﬁre I-II (Skill) .................... 86
  Predicting the weather, function  
  of Survival ............................................316
  Preparing found food/water, function  
  of Survival ............................................314
  Prerequisites for Skills ............................... 9
  Presence Attacks (Interaction  
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 38
  Presence Attacks, Oratory and .............243
  Pressure Plates/Mats/Switches  
  (security device) ..................................286
  Prevent Fall (optional form of Breakfall) .90
  Prices, negotiating, function of Trading .339
  Primates (Animal Handler category) ... 82
  Primitive wilderness weapons,  
  Weaponsmithing and .........................352
  Prints, Criminology and .......................154
  Professional management PSs ....... 253-54
  Professional Skill
   Generally ..............................................253
   How diﬀers from KS and SS ................ 62
  Professionals, High Society and ...........200
  Programming, function of Computer  
  Programming ......................................129
  Progressive surveillance, function of  
  Shadowing ...........................................296
  Prone
   Avoiding eﬀects of, function  
      of Acrobatics ...................................... 70
   Standing up from, function  
      of Breakfall ......................................... 87
  Protecting self from dangers of the wild, 
  function of Survival ............................316
  Proximity Sensors (security device) ....287
  Psychological Limitations  
  (Interaction Skill modiﬁer) ................. 38
  Public key cryptography .......................163
  Pulp (Everyman Skill list) ....................... 43
  Pulp (Skill Period/modiﬁer) .................. 35
  Pulp, Skills in as genre .........See individual  
  Skill and Skill category descriptions .......
  Purchasing Everyman Skills ................... 41
  Purchasing Skills ........................................ 6
  Pushing emotional buttons, function  
  of Conversation ...................................142
  Putpocketing, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................303
  Rack, the (torture device) .....................204
  Radar (security device) .........................287
  Radar, Systems Operation and .............327
  Radio, Systems Operation and .............324
  Rail fence transposition cipher ............161
  Rallying cries, making, function  
  of Oratory ............................................243
  Range Skill Levels, type of PSL ............249
  Rapelling, function of Climbing ..........109
  Rapid Attack ...........................................255
  Rapid Autoﬁre (Skill) .............................. 86
  Rapid Fire (Combat Maneuver) ..........391
  Raptors (Animal Handler category) ..... 82
  Reading tracks, function of Tracking ......336
  Readying weapons, function of  
  Fast Draw .............................................179
  Receiving/sending transmissions,  
  function of Systems Operation .........320
  Recessed Hinges (security device) ......274
  Recoil Skill Levels, type of PSL ............249
  Recording devices, Systems  
  Operation and .....................................327
  Recording things sensed, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................326
  Records, computer, ﬁnding, function of 
  Computer Programming ...................130
  Reducing fall damage, function  
  of Breakfall ............................................. 87
  Reducing throw damage, function  
  of Breakfall ............................................. 87
  Reference materials  
  (Intellect Skill modiﬁer) ....................... 37
  Reﬂex Memory (example VPP) ............. 59
  Regurgitating swallowed items,  
  function of Sleight Of Hand ..............304
  Remaining still, function  
  of Contortionist ..................................140
  Removing clothing, function of  
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................304
  Repair electronic devices, function  
  of Electronics .......................................177
  Repair mechanical devices, function  
  of Mechanics .......................................232
  Repairing equipment, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................320
  Reptiles And Amphibians  
  (Animal Handler category) ................. 82
  Reputation (Perk) (Interaction  
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 38
  Requires A Skill Roll (Limitation) ......... 58
  Research ..................................................371
  Research, Cramming and .....................144
  Resistance (Talent) (Interaction  
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 38
  Resisting Interaction Skills ..................... 67
  Resonant Cavity (security device) .......288
  Resources, organizational, use,  
  function of Bureaucratics ..................106
  Restraints, escaping, function  
  of Contortionist ..................................138
  Restriction fragment  
  length polymorphism (RFLP) ...........148
  Retina Scanner (security device) .........288
  Retrocognition (Power) ........................164
  Retrying Skill Rolls .................................. 17
  
  399 
  The Ultimate Skill
  Ricin, Forensic Medicine and ...............186
  Ridge characteristics of ﬁngerprints ...151
  Riding ......................................................256
  Riding animals, Acrobatics and ............. 71
  Riding Skill Levels, type of PSL ...........250
  Rigor mortis, Forensic Medicine and ..182
  Rodents (Animal Handler category) ..... 82
  Roleplaying
   General Skill modiﬁer .................... 31, 35
   Interaction Skill modiﬁer ..................... 38
  Roll increase for Skills, altering .............. 14
  Rolls for Skills .......................................... 11
  Romantic seduction, function  
  of Seduction .........................................293
  Rope Use (optional form  
  of Contortionist) .................................141
  Ropes .......................................................110
  Roulette, Gambling and ........................196
  Royalty, High Society and .....................200
  Rubber science .......................................259
  Running up walls, function  
  of Acrobatics .......................................... 72
  Safecracking, Lockpicking and ............227
  Sage (Skill Combinations) ........................ 8
  Sailor (Skill Combinations) ...................... 8
  Sapper (optional form of Demolitions) ..172
  Satellite communications,  
  Systems Operation and ......................324
  Scavenger’s daughter, the  
  (torture device) ...................................204
  Scholar (Skill Enhancer) ......................... 46
  Science Fiction (Everyman Skill list) .... 44
  Science Fiction
   Skills in as genre See individual Skill and 
  Skill category descriptions
   WFs and ...............................................350
   Science Skill .........................................258
  Science Skill, how diﬀers  
  from KS and PS ..................................... 62
  Sciences Table ........................................260
  Scientiﬁc Genius (Skill Combinations) ......8
  Scientist (Skill Enhancer) ....................... 46
  Scything Blade (security device) .........274
  Searching a person/place, function  
  of Concealment ...................................134
  Searching for information, function  
  of Computer Programming ...............128
  Security, computer, penetrating, function  
  of Computer Programming ...............128
  Security Devices (equipment) ..............388
  Security Systems
   Generally ..............................................268
   Computer Programming and ............128
  Seduction ................................................293
  Seismic Detector (security device) ......288
  Self, hiding, function of Concealment ....135
  Self-teaching a Skill ................................. 26
  Selling back Everyman Skills ................. 41
  Selling fake items, function of Forgery ...194 
  Sending/receiving transmissions,  
  function of Systems Operation .........320
  Sense-Aﬀecting Powers ........................136
  Sense-Aﬀecting Powers, subjected to  
  (Perceptive Skill modiﬁer) ................... 39
  Senses, Concealment and .....................135
  Senses, Disguise and ..............................174
  Senses, Stealth and .................................306
  Sensing things with sensors, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................325
  Sensitized ﬁngers, Lockpicking and ....229
  Sensor systems, Systems  
  Operation and .....................................325
  Serology ..................................................147
  Servers .....................................................127
  Services, appraising,  
  function of Trading ............................339
  Set cost Skills .............................................. 6
  Setting explosive devices, function  
  of Demolitions ....................................170
  Setting Explosives (optional form  
  of Demolitions) ...................................172
  Sextant, Navigation and ........................241
  Shadowing ..............................................295
  Shape Shift (Power) ...............................175
  Sharp trauma, Forensic Medicine and ....186
  Shaving coins, function of Forgery .....191
  Shelter, ﬁnding/constructing,  
  function of Survival ............................315
  Shotgun Microphone  
  (surveillance device) ...........................299
  Shrinking (Power) .................................292
  Shuko ......................................................109
  Sign languages ........................................214
  Signatures, Forgery and ........................191
  Signiﬁcant damage to subject  
  (Skill modiﬁer) ...................................... 33
  Signiﬁcant injury (Skill modiﬁer) ......... 34
  Silent movement, function of Stealth ......306
  Size of weapon, Fast Draw and ............179
  Size Skill Levels, type of PSL ................250
  Skeletal fractures, Forensic  
  Medicine and .......................................185
  Skill Atrophy ............................................ 29
  Skill Categories ........................................ 62
  Skill Combinations .................................... 8
  Skill Cost Calculations .............................. 6
  Skill Cost Structures .................................. 6
  Skill Enhancers
   Generally ................................................ 46
   Skill Combinations and .......................... 9
  Skill Gear ................................................385
  Skill Kit (equipment) .............................385
  Skill learning categories .......................... 29
  Skill Levels
   The Skill ................................................301
   Cramming and ....................................144
   Everyman Skills and ............................. 41
   Normal Skill Maxima and ..................... 7
  Skill Master (Talent) ................................ 54
  Skill Maxima .............................................. 7
  Skill modiﬁer eﬀects .......................... 31-32
  Skill Modiﬁers .......................................... 31
  Skill Modiﬁers, Everyman Skills and .... 41
  Skill Multipliers ........................................ 51
  Skill Period (Skill modiﬁer) ............. 10, 34
  Skill prerequisites ....................................... 9
  Skill Rolls
   Generally ................................................ 11
   Alternate Characteristics for ............... 11
   Hiding the results .................................. 18
  Skill Rules ................................................... 5
  Skill Specializations ................................. 22
  Skill Versus Skill Contests ....................... 20
  Skilled (level of Skill Roll) ...................... 11
  Skills (Power) ........................................... 55
  Skills
   Buying ...................................................... 6
   Combat .................................................390
   Equipment and ....................................373
   Faking with Acting ............................... 74
   Penalty Skill Levels and ................ 248-49
  Skills with set costs .................................... 6
  Skipover Sprayﬁre (Skill) ........................ 86
  Slang, street, function of Streetwise .....310
  Sledding (optional form of  
  Combat Driving) ................................114
  Sleight of Hand
   Generally ..............................................303
   Fast Draw and .....................................180
  Sliding Staircase (security device) .......275
  Slipping poison into food, function of 
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................304
  Slitting purses, function of Sleight Of Hand 
  304
  Small unit eﬃciency, function of Tactics 331
  Smart betting, function of Gambling ..198
  Smoothing the Skill Roll Curve ............. 14
  Smothering, Forensic Medicine and ...184
  Snare-Net (security device) ..................275
  Sneaky Shoes (equipment) ...................388
  Snuggling bugs ......................................... 95
  Social combat, function of High Society 201
  Social customs, knowing, function of High 
  Society or Streetwise ...................200, 310
  Society, knowing who’s who in, function of 
  High Society ........................................201
  Software, Computer Programming and 130
  Soil analysis, Criminology and ............155
  Sonar, Systems Operation and .............328
  Space Navigation ...................................240
  Space Opera Science Fiction (Everyman 
  Skill list) ................................................. 44
  Special eﬀects, perceivable, Stealth and 308
  Specializations with Skills ....................... 22
  Specialties (category of Science Skill) .259
  Spectrophotometer ................................156
  Speechmaking and writing, function of Ora-
  tory ........................................................243
  Speed Reading, Cramming and ...........144
  Spell Research (optional form of Inventor) 
  208
  Sports betting, Gambling and ..............196
  Sports, type of PS ...................................254
  Spot Tail (optional form of Shadowing) 300
  Spotting a tail, function of Shadowing 296
  Spotting cheating, function of Gambling 197
  Spurring a riding animal, function of Riding 
  256
  Spy (Skill Combinations) .......................... 8
  Stab wounds, Forensic Medicine and ..186
  Standalone computers ...........................129
  Standard Audio Bug (example device) . 98
  Standard Characteristic-Based Skills ...... 6
  Standard Skill Rolls ................................. 11
  Standard Visual Bug (example device) . 97
  Standing up from being prone or Knocked 
  Back, function of Breakfall .................. 87
  Start electronic devices, function of Elec-
  tronics ...................................................177
  Start mechanical devices, function of 
  Mechanics ............................................232
  Static surveillance, function of Shadowing 
  297
  Stealth ......................................................306
  Stealth, Breakfall as Complementary to 89
  Stealthiness and Skill use (Skill modiﬁer) 33
  Steganography ........................................164
  Steganography (optional form of Cryptogra-
  phy) .......................................................165
  Still, remaining, function of Contortionist 
  140
  Stopping bleeding, function of Paramedics 
  245
  STR, Teamwork and ..............................333
  Strange subject (Skill modiﬁer) ............. 33
  Strangulation, Forensic Medicine and 184
  Strappado (torture device) ...................204
  Street etiquette and slang, function of Street-
  wise .......................................................310
  Streetwise ................................................309
  Stretching (Power) .................................292
  Strike, Combat Skill Levels and ...........122
  Strong characters, Breakfall and ............ 90
  Strychnine, Forensic Medicine and .....186
  Studying Skills .......................................... 26
  Subculture KSs .......................................209
  Subdivided Skills, eliminating/expanding 6
  Subdividing Language (Everyman Skill) 41
  Subﬁelds (category of Science Skill) ...259
  Substitution ciphers ...............................160
  Success and Failure .................................. 15
  Successful Skill Rolls ............................... 15
  Suﬀocation, Forensic Medicine and ....184
  Summon (Power) ............................84, 216
  Sunburn, Survival and ...........................316
  Superencipherment ...............................161
  Superheroes (Everyman Skill list) ......... 44
  Superheroes, Skills in as genre See individual 
  Skill and Skill category descriptions
  Superpowers, Criminology and ...........156
  Surprise Attacks, Defense Maneuver and 168
  Surveillance (optional form of Shadowing) 
  300
  Surveillance (Skill Combinations) .......... 8
  Surveillance, static, function of Shadowing 
  297
  Surveillance Vehicles (surveillance device) 
  299
  Survival ...................................................312
  Sweep (Combat Maneuver) ..................391
  Sweeping for bugs, function of Bugging 96
  Symmetric key cipher ...........................163
  Systems Operation ................................320
  Table manners, knowing, function of High 
  Society ..................................................201
  Tactics .....................................................330
  Tailing (optional form of Shadowing) 300
  Tailing someone, function of Shadowing 295
  Talents ....................................................... 54
  Tape analysis, Criminology and ...........155
  Tapping phones, function of Bugging ... 95
  Targeting Skill Levels, type of PSL .......250
  Task Diﬃculty .......................................... 25
  Taunting, function of Persuasion ........250
  Taut-Wire Switch (security device) .....289
  Teachers, for learning Skills .................... 26
  Team Skill Use
   Generally ................................................ 22
   Teamwork and .....................................333
  Teamster (optional form of Combat Driv-
  ing) ........................................................114
  Teamwork ...............................................333
  Technological Skill Modiﬁers ................ 39
  Technological Skills ................................. 67
  Technology compatability (Technological 
  Skill modiﬁer) ....................................... 40
  Teeth, Forensic Medicine and ..............182
  Telekinesis (Power) .......171, 229, 305, 341
  Telepathy ................................................... 84
  Telepathy (Power)
   Generally ............56, 84, 93, 107, 216, 257
   Fooling with Acting .............................. 73
  Telephone Microphone (example device) 101
  Telephone Recorder (example device) 101
  Telephone, Systems Operation and .....325
  Telephone tapping, function of Bugging 95
  Teleportation (Power) .....................56, 110
  Television, Systems Operation and .....325
  Telling lies, function of Persuasion .....250
  Temperate/Subtropical, Survival environ-
  ment category ......................................312
  TEMPEST Gear (example device) ......103
  Temporal Navigation ............................240
  Terinawajutsu .........................................141
  Theoretical sciences ...............................259
  Thermite, Demolitions and ..................170
  Throw damage, reducing, function of Break-
  fall ........................................................... 87
  Throwing one’s voice, function of Ventrilo-
  quism ....................................................347
  Throwing Skill Levels, type of PSL ......250
  Thrown, Acrobatics and being ............... 71
  Thumbscrews (torture device) .............204
  Time Chart ............................................... 36
  Time of death, Forensic Medicine and 182
  Time period for Skills (Skill modiﬁer) 10, 34
  Time pressure (Skill modiﬁer) ......... 23, 33
  Time required to make Skill Rolls ......... 23
  Time required to use Skills ..................... 11
  Time, taking extra/less (Skill modiﬁer) 35
  Time to Learn a Skill ............................... 27
  Tiny areas, ﬁtting into, function of Contor-
  tionist ....................................................140
  Tire prints, Criminology and ...............154
  TNT, Demolitions and ..........................170
  Tonjutsu ..................................................141
  Toolmarks, Criminology and ...............154
  Torture (method of Interrogation) ......203
  Torture (optional form of Interrogation) 206
  Torture, Forensic Medicine and ...........188
  Tracing transmissions, function of Systems 
  Operation .............................................322
  Tracking ..................................................335
  Tracking Bug (example device) ...........102
  Tracking stick .........................................337
  Tracks, ﬁnding/reading/hiding, function of 
  Tracking ......................................... 335-37
  Trading ....................................................339
  Trails, ﬁnding/reading/hiding, function of 
  Tracking ......................................... 335-37
  Training animals, function of Animal Han-
  dler .......................................................... 81
  Transform (Power) ..........56, 175, 194, 370
  Transistor ................................................127
  Translation, function of Cryptography 164
  Transmissions, sending/receiving/improv-
  ing, function of Systems Operation ..320
  Transport Familiarity ........................ 6, 342
  Transposition ciphers ............................160
  Trapping, function of Survival .............313
  Travel in the wilderness, function of Sur-
  vival .......................................................316
  Traveler (Skill Enhancer) ........................ 46
  Tricks, function of Animal Handler ...... 82
  Triggering security devices ...................268
  Tripwire (security device) ....................275
  Tropical, Survival environment category 312
  True Jack Of All Trades ........................... 49
  Trust, gaining, function of Seduction .293
  Truth serum, Interrogation and ...........204
  Tumbler locks ................................... 226-27
  Tumbling, function of Acrobatics .......... 72
  Tuning equipment, function of Systems 
  Operation .............................................320
  
  400 ■ The Ultimate Skill
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Turn oﬀ electronic devices, function  
  of Electronics .......................................177
  Turn oﬀ mechanical devices, function  
  of Mechanics .......................................233
  Turning on equipment, function  
  of Systems Operation .........................320
  Two-weapon Fighting ...........................345
  Ultraviolet Perception,  
  Criminology and .................................156
  Unable to use a Sense  
  (Perceptive Skill modiﬁer) ................... 39
  Undercover Agent Audio Bug  
  (example device) ................................... 98
  Underwater Skill use .............................392
  Underworld, Streetwise and .................309
  Universal “Enhancers” ............................. 47
  Universal Connections ........................... 49
  Universal Knowledge Skill ..................... 63
  Universal Pilot .......................................... 49
  Universal Scholar ..................................... 49
  Universal Scientist ................................... 50
  Universal Translator ................................ 47
  Unjamming/jamming sensors,  
  function of Systems Operation .........327
  Unjamming/jamming transmissions,  
  function of Systems Operation .........323
  Untrained Skill Use ................................. 18
  Urban Navigation ..................................241
  Urban, Survival environment category ...312
  Ursines (Animal Handler category) ...... 82
  Usable On Others (Advantage) .............. 56
  Variable Power Pool for  
  Background Skills ................................. 51
  Variable Power Pools  
  (Power Framework) .............................. 59
  Vehicle (Perk)
   Generally ........................................53, 375
   Acrobatics and ....................................... 71
   WFs and ...............................................350
  Ventriloquism ........................................347
  Very Skilled (level of Skill Roll) ............. 11
  Vibration Sensor (security device) ......289
  Vicious animals, calming, function of 
  Animal Handler .................................... 83
  Victorian (Everyman Skill list) .............. 44
  Victorian, Skills in as genre See individual 
  Skill and Skill category descriptions .......
  Video evidence, Criminology and .......154
  Video motion detection  
  (security device) ..................................278
  VigenPre cipher .....................................161
  Viking/Northern European Fantasy  
  (Everyman Skill list) ............................. 43
  Vitaprint Analyzer (security device) ...281
  Voice Alterer (example device) ............102
  Voiceprint Analyzer (security device) .....290
  Voices, imitating, function of Mimicry ...235
  Walls, running up,  
  function of Acrobatics .......................... 72
  Warded locks .................................... 226-27
  Watch manipulation, function  
  of Sleight Of Hand ..............................304
  Water, being under, eﬀect on Skills ......392
  Water, crossing, function of Survival ..317
  Water, ﬁnding, function of Survival ....314
  Wealthy, the, High Society and ............200
  Weapon Familiarity ........................... 6, 348
  Weapon size, Fast Draw and ................179
  Weapons, Combat Skill Levels and .....121
  Weapons, drawing covertly, function of 
  Sleight Of Hand ..................................304
  Weapons preparation, Fast Draw and .179
  Weapons systems,  
  Systems Operation and ......................328
  Weaponsmith .........................................351
  Wearable Tape Recorder  
  (example device) ................................... 99
  Weasels (Animal Handler category) ..... 82
  Weather prediction, function  
  of Survival ............................................316
  Weird subject (Skill modiﬁer) ................ 33
  Well-Connected (Skill Enhancer) ......... 47
  Western (Everyman Skill list) ................ 44
  Western, Skills in as genre ..See individual 
  Skill and Skill category descriptions .......
  Western/Victorian  
  (Skill Period/modiﬁer) ......................... 35
  Wheelman (Skill Combinations) ............. 8
  White Noise Generator  
  (example device) .................................103
  White phosphorus, Demolitions and ..170
  Who’s who in society, knowing,  
  function of High Society ....................201
  Who’s who in the underworld,  
  knowing, function of Streetwise .......310
  Who’s who, knowing, function of  
  Bureaucratics, High Society,  
  or Streetwise ........................106, 201, 310
  Wilderness travel, function of Survival ...316
  Wilderness weapons,  
  Weaponsmithing and .........................352
  Window Foil (security device) .............290
  Window Sensor (security device) ........291
  Window Wires (security device) .........291
  Windows software .................................127
  Wired Window Tube (security device) ...291
  Wiretap (example device) ....................... 99
  Wiretapping, function of Bugging ........ 95
  Witty conversation, making,  
  function of Conversation ...................142
  World Wide Web ....................................127
  Wounds, Forensic Medicine and .........186
  Wozniak, Steve .......................................127
  Writing speeches, function of Oratory ...243
  X-Ray Scanner (security device) .........291
  Xeno-sciences ........................................259
  Zero gravity, eﬀect on Skills .................392
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/Hero System - The Ultimate Skill.pdf