New Skill System | Star Frontiers

New Skill System Proposal There are nine professional skill areas (PSAs) describing all
potential aspects of a character's knowledge and ability.
None of these PSAs are skills unto themselves, but instead a categorical collection of
related skills. For example, you won't
have a military skill. You'll have a
melee weapons skill, or a demolitions skill. More Skills. Although there exists a list of skills under each PSA, this list is not exhaustive. Players are encouraged to develop
their own ideas for skills to complete their character conceptions. Referees must approve the skill and the PSA under which it falls. Different players may even have the same
skill under different skill areas if the Referee allows, representing
different types of skill training. <blockquote>For example, Sarah wants her character to be good at data
encryption. She looks throught he skill lists and can't specifically find that ability. She suggests it should fall
under the Agent PSA. The Referee likes the idea
and approves. Robert's character is a Military specialist and also wants skill with data encryption. He asks if he can have a data encryption
skill under his Military PSA and the Referee allows it. In the end, they are both the same skill, but
the training was derived from a different source. When decrypting military data, Robert's
character is the obvious choice, though really they are both able to perform
the skill the same. </blockquote> Character Generation All players must decide which PSA is primary to their
character concept, and which two are secondary to it. List one PSA with a "P:" next to
it. List two PSAs with an "S:" next to them. All
seven other PSAs are tertiary to your character concept, and need not be
listed on your sheet. Your character will begin with two level 1 skills. One of which must be from your character's Primary PSA. The second can be from any skill area desired. <blockquote>For example, your character's primary PSA is Military,
and your secondary PSAs are Tech and Agent. You begin with two level 1 skills. One of which must come from your Military PSA, the
other may come from any PSA (Military, Tech, Agent, or any other). You select Beam Weapons level 1 from Military, and Robotics level 1 from Tech. </blockquote> Character Advancement Instead of keying the costs of individual skills to the
skill area itself (as it was done in Alpha Dawn rules), the costs are keyed to your PSA selections, rewarding a solid concept. Some people are good at learning sciences,
some are good at learning languages... Some are natural born pilots. Whichever PSA is chosen as your
character's primary one will have the easiest experience point progression. Your secondary PSAs will advance
slightly slower, and all other skills will
advance slowest still. After earning experience points, players may spend them on new skills
or to advance skills they already have. The cost of the new skill
level depends on whether the PSA which governs that
skill was important to the character concept (i.e. was selected as either Primary or Secondary to your concept). The table below summarizes experience point costs. <div align="center"><<lightgraybox>>Table: Experience Point costs <table align="center" border="0" width="95%"><tbody><tr><td>Skill Area </td><td align="right">Level 1 </td><td align="right">Level 2 </td><td align="right">Level 3 </td><td align="right">Level 4 </td><td align="right">Level 5 </td><td align="right">Level 6 </td></tr><tr><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0">Primary </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right">3xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right">6xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right">9xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right">12xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right">15xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right">18xp </td></tr><tr><td style="background-color: #ffffff" valign="top">Secondary </td><td style="background-color: #ffffff" align="right" valign="top">4xp </td><td style="background-color: #ffffff" align="right" valign="top">8xp </td><td style="background-color: #ffffff" align="right" valign="top">12xp </td><td style="background-color: #ffffff" align="right" valign="top">16xp </td><td style="background-color: #ffffff" align="right" valign="top">20xp </td><td style="background-color: #ffffff" align="right" valign="top">24xp </td></tr><tr><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" valign="top">Tertiary </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right" valign="top">8xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right" valign="top">16xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right" valign="top">24xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right" valign="top">32xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right" valign="top">40xp </td><td style="background-color: #c0c0c0" align="right" valign="top">48xp </td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><</>> </div></div><blockquote>Example: Logan is quite good at technical things. He can't change that
about himself. Tech PSA is Primary to his concept. He's quite knowledgeable
in many obscure areas and therefore Scholar PSA is secondary
to his concept. Finally, he's a fair artist and that creativity often
gives him insight to troubleshoot where hard facts fail him. Artist PSA is
also Secondary to his concept. All other skill areas are tertiary to
his concept. He advances best at technical skills. He advances fairly
well with artistic and scholarly skills, and all other skills require
him to put in extra effort to master. It's just the way he's built. He begins play with two level-1 skills, and his player selects Computers and Robotics. After a game session, the player earns 7 experience points. Since Tech skills are primary to his concept, it would cost 6 experience points to advance one of his existing skills to level 2. Alternatively, he could buy a new level 1 Tech skill for 3 experience points. If he wanted to purchase Level 1 in Pop Culture (a Scholar PSA skill), it would cost 4 experience points because Scholar is Secondary to Logan's character concept. Finally, if he wanted to buy a new level 1 skill with medicine (from the Scientist PSA, which is completely tertiary to his concept), it would cost 8 experience points, which he cannot currently afford. </blockquote> Skill Checks Where are the subskills?
Where are my character's chances of success listed? The existing Alpha Dawn skill system requires lists and
tables to be present at the gaming table, something that has been an antiquated
idea since the early 1990s in role-playing evolution. This skill system takes its mechanics from
the way Alpha Dawn expressed chance of success in combat. This helps keep your ability scores relevant
even when testing one of your character's skills. To make a skill check, use 1/2 your
character's ability score relevant to the situation, then add 10% per skill
level. This applies to any roll having anything to do with that skill. There is no list of "subskills" defining what you can do with a skill: if you have a Survival skill (from the Scout PSA) for example, you get to make any roll having to do with survival in the same way. Modifiers apply based on any
situational condition the Referee decides applies. <blockquote>Example: A robotics expert (someone with skill levels in Robotics, a skill in the Tech PSA) would be using his Intuition coupled with robotics
skill when guessing where an access panel might be located on an
attacking alien robotic technology, but if he were repairing it, he
might be using Logic. There may even exist situations where the robotics
skill could be used in conjunction with Dexterity or even Persuasion
(haggling over the price of robotics parts with a chop shop owner?). In each of these cases, the player would use half his relavent ability score added to 10 times his skill level. </blockquote> Unskilled Skill Checks If you are asked to make a skill roll for a skill that is from either your primary
secondary PSAs, yet you have no skill level in that skill, you may
(if the Referee allows, based on the situation) use 1/2 your attribute but add nothing for skill level. This is called an Unskilled Skill Check. If you are asked to make a skill check for a
skill you don't possess and is one that is from a PSA tertiary to your character concept,
you can only succeed on a 01-05 (which is an automatic success in alpha dawn
rules). Unskilled skill checks can be abused by players, and Referees are to be the final arbiter in such situations. <blockquote>For example: Uwan is a yazirian fleeing for his life from
natives on a dangerous world he's gotten himself stranded on. As he rounds a corner in the canyon, he sees
a place he thinks he can quickly climb up to a higher level. He needs to do this before the natives round
the canyon, or they'll see him climbing and he'll be in trouble. His player, Fred, is told to make a climbing
check using his Reaction Speed. His character's primary PSA is Scout, but he never thought of devoting any
experience points to a climbing skill.
He is allowed to use 1/2 his Reaction Speed score and use 0 as his skill
level. Since his Reaction Speed is only
45, he has a 23% chance. He fails, and
is half-way up the canyon wall when natives round the corner, spears in
hand. Fred decides that after the
adventure, he'll buy a level of climbing if his character survives! </blockquote> The Skill Areas Rather than provide an exhaustive list of skills, this
system provides nine categories of professional skill. Individual skills are to be drawn from these PSAs. After each skill name is an example of the types of situations where that skill might come into play. This is meant to be a short example, not a comprehensive list of all situations. 
<ul><li>Agent PSA The Agent professional skill area governs those
specialty skills associated with activities often outside the law.
They deal with deception, coercion, theft, and espionage. Skilled
agents can slip into an area, carry out a mission, sense any traps
you've prepared for him, and if caught convince you to let him go. The
Agent PSA consists of the following skills: 
<ul><li>Stealth (rolls apply to prowling, hiding, shadowing, concealment, etc.)</li><li>Persuasion (rolls apply to con, charm, convince, intimidate, etc.)</li><li>Thievery (rolls apply to lockpicking, pocket picking, forgery, sleight of hand, etc.)</li><li>Detective (rolls apply to listening, spotting clues, gathering information, surveillance, searching for weapons, reading body language, etc.)</li></ul></li><li>Artist PSA The artist professional skill area covers
skills designed to create and interpret various forms of expression.
Effective professional artists have a creative streak that permeates
everything they do in life. Creative individuals have an easier time
learning to play musical instruments, write elegant speeches or songs,
sculpt things from various materials, and draw/paint their visions to
canvas or paper. The Artist PSA consists of the following basic skills:<ul><li>Visual Art (rolls cover creation or interpretation of drawings, paintings, photographs, holovideos, etc.)</li><li>Structural Art (rolls cover creation or interpretation of sculptures, pottery, woodcraft, leatherwork, etc.)</li><li>Composition Art (rolls cover creation or interpretation of poetry, stories, articles, music scores, songs, etc.)</li><li>Performance Art (rolls cover acting, singing, musical instruments, dancing, mime, or other forms of performance art)</li></ul></li><li>Linguist PSA The linguist professional skill area is for
those individuals determined to speak, read, and write every language
in the Frontier. Although few player characters would select this as
their Primary PSA, many may wish to purchase individual skills.
Purchasing languages is handled simply: Level 1 allows for
basic/halted/limited conversation, Level 2 allows basic/limited reading
and writing, Level 3 means your character is fluent with a strong
accent but can read/write effectively, level 4 is completely fluent and
completely literate, Level 5 is able to pick up and simulate local
dialects, Level 6 is a mastery normally reserved for those raised to
speak to the language, indistinguishable from a native. If you want to
get around in an area, building a language skill to Level 2 is
typically sufficient. Starting players are automatically considered
Level 6 in the languages of their native race and Level 5 in
Pan-Galactic. The Linguist PSA consists of the following basic skills,
but more languages can be found throughout the Frontier:<ul><li>Human Languages</li><li>Dralasite Languages</li><li>Yazirian Languages</li><li>Vrusk Languages</li><li>Pan-Galactic</li></ul></li><li>Military PSA The military professional skill area represents the specialized form of destruction practiced by soldiers, mercenaries, and even private bodyguards. Military specialists are unfortunately common throughout the Frontier. Effective military specialists can take out their enemies with speed and precision. The Military PSA consists of the following skills: <ul><li>Beam weapons (roll defines chance to hit with beam weapons)</li><li>Energy Weapons (roll defines chance to hit with energy-based starship weaponry)</li><li>Rocket Weapons (roll defines chance to hit with rocket-based starship weaponry)</li><li>Gyrojet weapons (roll defines chance to hit with gyrojet weapons)</li><li>Projectile weapons (roll defines chance to hit with projectile weapons)</li><li>Archaic weapons (roll defines chance to hit with archaic ranged weapons)</li><li>Unarmed Combat (roll defines chance to hit while unarmed)</li><li>Melee weapons (roll defines chance to hit with hand-held weapons)</li><li>Thrown weapons (roll defines chance to hit with hurled weapons)</li><li>Demolitions (roll includes chance to set or deactivate an explosive charge)</li></ul></li><li>Pilot PSA The Pilot professional skill area covers the operation of vehicles, military or otherwise, in stressful situations. A skilled pilot can maneuver his vehicle through tight confines, across dangerous terrain, and recover from losses of control. The following skills comprise the Pilot PSA: <ul><li>Ground vehicles (roll for control of ground cycles, cars, and transports)</li><li>Hover vehicles (roll for control of hover cycles, cars, and transports)</li><li>Water vehicles (roll for control of boats, ships, and submarines)</li><li>Air vehicles (roll for control of rotor-wing, propeller-, or jet-based air vehicles)</li><li>System vehicles (roll for control of shuttles and fighters and short-range transports)</li><li>Interstellar vehicles (roll for control of large spaceships capable of FTL speeds)</li></ul></li><li>Scholar PSA 
The scholar professional skill area involves skills that are all
about knowledge. Even if that knowledge isn't quite scholarly, it
falls under this skill area. Effective scholars can draw parallels
between literary and historical events and apply them to what is going
on around them, giving them an insight that unscholarly people might
lack. Note that all rolls for scholarly skills can be made twice: first to see if you know the fact, and second to research it if you don't know it. The Scholar PSA includes the following skills:<ul><li>Literature (rolls involve knowledge of authors and their writings)</li><li>History (rolls involve knowledge of the past, or researching past events, people, or places)</li><li>Politics (rolls involve knowledge of the inner workings of politics and bureaucracies)</li><li>Economics (rolls involve knowledge of the financial infrastructure of the Frontier)</li><li>Pop Culture (rolls involve knowledge of present people, places, and events)</li><li>Law (rolls involve knowledge of -and around- the laws throughout the Frontier)</li><li>Philosophy/Theology (rolls involve knowledge of the religions and philosophies of the Frontier)</li></ul></li><li>Scientist PSA The scientist professional skill area covers those
skills that deal with the living, chemical, or physical laws of the
universe. Scientists give names to the unknown, bringing them into the
realm of the known. A skilled scientist develops ideas or diagnosis,
plans experiments, and proves theories. Whether they're in it for the
discovery or for the glory, scientists are part of what makes the
Frontier an exciting place. The Scientist PSA is comprised of the
following skills:<ul><li>Medic (rolls deal with the diagnosis and treatment of infections, disease, toxin, and injury)</li><li>Psycho-Social (rolls deal with the study of the psyche, hypnosis, and the unconscious mind)</li><li>Environmental (rolls deal with terrestrial land, water, and air sciences)</li><li>Space Science (rolls deal with astrogation, spacial physics, and starship engineering)</li></ul></li><li>Scout PSA The scout professional skill area includes those skills the outdoorsman would require. Effective scouts can live off the land and survive adversity of even complex environments if they have the right materials handy. The following skills comprise the Scout PSA: <ul><li>Animal Handling (rolls include influencing animal behavior, riding, husbandry, etc.)</li><li>Athletics (rolls include climbing, running, jumping, etc.)</li><li>Survival (rolls include procuring shelter, hunting, tracking, building fire, etc.)</li><li>Navigation (rolls include finding way in wilderness, charting new courses).</li><li>Mariner (rolls include swimming, diving, operating terrestrial watercraft, etc.)</li></ul></li><li>Tech PSA The Tech professional skill area includes those skills that deal with the repair, configuration, programming, and engineering of technology. Effective Techs can repair damaged goods in adverse conditions, operate technological devices to their fullest, and reprogram captured enemy or alien technology for their own use. The following skills comprise the Tech PSA: <ul><li>Technician (rolls include operation, accessing, and repairing vehicles and machines)</li><li>Computers (rolls include programming, interfacing, hacking, and repairing computers)</li><li>Robotics (rolls include programming, accessing, configuring, and repairing robots)</li></ul></li></ul>

Standard Rules Many skills from the tech skill area involve repairing
equipment. These will use the standard
repair rule from Alpha Dawn rulebook. Application of medical science can use the standard rules
from Alpha Dawn as well, or a simpler mechanic: a successful Medic skill roll will heal a number of d10 equal to the medic's skill level, but require a
like number of hours of recovery (thus a 3rd level medic might roll
3d10 and get 15... meaning he heals 15 STA if the patient rests 15 hours afterwards). If the full period of rest isn't taken, the
healing will be halved. <<lightgraybox>>Finishing notes: Effort was made to allow this skill system to integrate
seamlessly into existing campaigns. For
example, all thirteen of the existing Star Frontiers Alpha Dawn skills are
mentioned here, so converting a character is seamless. However, since there are
more skills (and PSAs) than the original game, Referees might allow starting player
characters to have Level 1 in a third skill drawn only from a tertiary PSA, just to round out the character and add more diversity. The defining factors about this skill system are the following: <ul><li>More PSAs. There are nine PSAs for your character to choose from instead of only four (Alpha Dawn had three, and Knight Hawks added Spacer skills, an unnamed fourth PSA).</li><li>More Skills. The original game had eighteen skills (thirteen from Alpha Dawn, five from Knight Hawks). This system has 48 skills, and extreme effort was made to make these skills comprehensive. However, new skills can be made and hopefully it will be quite obvious and instinctive under which PSA a newly-developed skill should fall.</li><li>Easier Gameplay. The elimination of predefined lists of "sub-skills" and the requirement to look up their individual success rates and special rules have been eliminated, being replaced with a streamlined common rule to use in all uses of a skill. No more looking things up in-game.</li><li>Secondary PSA. To make your character more unique, you select a Primary PSA like always, but also select two Secondary PSAs. This is possible because of the added number of PSAs, and helps make your character more individual. For example, a character conception that is P:Military, S:Scout, S:Pilot is quite different than P:Military, S:Agent, S: Scholar. In the original Alpha Dawn system, they both would have been Military PSA characters.</li><li>Experience Costs. The cost to purchase skill levels has changed. Rather than encouraging military skills this system encourages staying within your character concept. You'll pay the cheapest cost for skills within your Primary and Secondary PSAs. This is to help encourage strong archetypes, and reward players for staying within their character concept. In the original Alpha Dawn game, the Military PSA characters achieved more skills and more skill levels than those in the other PSAs because their skills were simply much cheaper.<</>></li></ul>

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