Skills

Skills represent capabilities that are learned. When you make a test, the action may have a relevant skill as well as the relevant stat. When this is the case, modify the test based on whether your character possesses the skill in question. For the full rules, see page XXX.

Skill Ranks

Skills are rated from 1 (proficient) to 5 (world class). In actions where a skill is relevant, this rating adds to the total, along with the value of the relevant stat. The different skill ranks are described below.

Unskilled (0): Your character does not have experience in this area. When making an unskilled test, use only half the value of the relevant stat.
Proficient (1): Your character has basic training in the area in question.
Professional (2): Your character is as skilled as a competent, entry level professional.
Expert (3): Your character has extensive experience in the field.
Master (4): Your character is a master of the area in question.
Grandmaster (5): Your character is world-renowned in this skill.

Default Stats

Every skill has a listed default stat. If a specific stat isn’t otherwise specified, use the default. Other stats will be listed explicitly if they are to be used. For example “make an Awareness-10 test” means make a TN 10 test using the Awareness skill and its default stat (Perception). Det/Awareness-10, on the other hand, means make a TN 10 test using Determination and Awareness.

Specialized Skills

Some skills are denoted as specialized skills. This means that the skill is actually a set of related skills that are grouped together under one heading. Each related skill is called a specialization, and is presented with parentheses. For example, the Vehicles skill may have the spacecraft specialization, which would be written as Vehicles (Spacecraft).

When you gain training in a specialized skill, you must pick an appropriate specialization. You are then trained in tasks related to that specialization. The description of every specialized skill includes a list of suggested specializations. These lists are noncomprehensive. The GM should allow other specializations.

Skill List

There are twenty general skills available in Saga Machine. Descriptions of each are provided below. Specialized skills are denoted by an asterisk (*) and include a list of example specializations.

Skill
Academics*	Empathy	Melee	Streetwise
Animals	Expression	Persuasion	Survival
Athletics	Investigation	Projectiles	Thievery
Awareness	Language*	Socializing	Trade*
Deception	Medicine	Stealth	Vehicles*

Academics*

Academics is a broad skill with many specializations, each representing an area of formal education. Specializations include all of the liberal arts and sciences, as well as the humanities and natural philosophy. It does not cover applied cultural knowledge or artistic expression: for those, use Socializing or Expression, respectively.

Default Stat: Intelligence
Example Specializations: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computers, Demolitions, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Physics, Politics, Theology, Warfare

Animals

Even in the twenty-third century there are those who work with animals. This skill covers interacting with them in a variety of ways—from reading their warning signs to training them to do tricks. The skill also includes riding a mount, herding and recognizing the sounds of common beasts. It does not include tracking, for that use Survival.

Default Stat: Determination

Athletics

The Athletics skill covers any number of athletic activities—from climbing to jumping, and from racing to tumbling. The skill includes both aerobic and anaerobic activities, as well as feats of strength.

Default Stat: Strength

Awareness

Awareness is more than general perception; it is a skilled alertness regarding your surroundings. Awareness allows you to notice an ambush, spot someone in a crowd or notice a strange smell when entering a building. It does not include more ponderous activities, such as reading a person’s body language or investigating a murder; these are covered by Empathy and Investigation, respectively.

Default Stat: Perception

Deception

The Deception skill includes telling convincing lies, giving off inaccurate body language, sleight of hand and disguising yourself as someone else. Additionally, Deception is useful when gambling, acting or partaking in other activities which involve deceiving others.

Default Stat: Charisma

Empathy

Empathy is the skill used to read a person’s body language and tone of voice. It’s used to get an idea of a person’s emotional state or to give some insight into her motivations. Empathy is not a lie-detector. It might let you know that another person seems unusually nervous, but it wouldn’t tell you she’s nervous because of a specific lie.

Default Stat: Perception

Expression

The Expression skill covers musical and theatrical performance, as well as artistic expression and public speaking. Use it to play an instrument, teach a class, create a beautiful painting, deliver a rousing speech or reenact a famous play.

Default Stat: Endurance

Investigation

Investigation is the art of looking into an unknown matter and trying to make sense of what is found, often by piecing together seemingly disparate clues. The Investigation skill covers searching a particular area for hidden objects, as well as other aspects of investigation—such as questioning witnesses, checking the right nodes on the net and asking useful questions.

Default Stat: Perception

Language*

Language is the skill of speaking, reading or writing a particular tongue. It covers vocabulary, grammar and the use of common idioms. Unless a trait indicates otherwise, characters who are proficient in a language can both speak and read it.

By default, all characters begin with one rank of Language in their native tongue.

Default Stat: Intelligence
Example Specializations: Arabic, Bengali, English, French, Hindi, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Wu

Medicine

This is the skill of applied healing knowledge. It’s used to apply first aid, treat injuries and other medical conditions, make practical diagnoses, cure poisons, perform surgery and dress wounds.

Default Stat: Intelligence

Melee

Despite the prevalence of guns, simple fistfights remain the most common type of violence in the Sol system. Melee is the skill used for hand-to-hand combat. It covers street fighting, wrestling, fencing, boxing and any other activity mimicking close combat. It does not cover thrown weapons, bows or guns; for those use Projectiles.

Default Stat: Strength

Persuasion

The Persuasion skill covers a variety of tactics to get other people to see things your way or to otherwise comply with your requests. It covers sweet-talking, formal diplomacy, browbeating, fast-talking and intimidation. It does not include carousing, seduction or putting people at ease; for those use Socializing.

Default Stat: Charisma

Projectiles

The Projectiles skill covers firing, maintaining and operating any number of personal firearms or other projectile weapons, from lasers and flamethrowers, to archaic bows and javelins. It does not cover hand-to-hand weapons—for those, use Melee—nor does it cover stationary or mounted artillery—for those, use Academics (warfare) or Trade (soldier).

Default Stat: Dexterity

Socializing

The Socializing skill is all about getting other people to like you. Use this skill to pick up rumors, put your rivals at ease, make a play at seduction or distract others with small talk. Additionally, this skill covers knowledge of the appropriate subcultures, slang and etiquette. It does not cover convincing others to see things your way or gaining deep insight into what people are feeling. For those, use the Persuasion or Empathy skills, respectively.

Default Stat: Charisma

Stealth

The Stealth skill covers hiding and generally sneaking around. It includes any aspect of remaining hidden, from fitting into small hiding spaces to tailing people without notice, and from setting ambushes to sneaking by guards. It does not include sleight of hand or shoplifting; for those, use the Deception or Thievery skills, respectively.

Default Stat: Speed

Streetwise

This is the skill of street smarts and gleaning information that others want suppressed. It covers being familiar with how things are actually done on stations and in urban environments, as well as using that to your advantage. Furthermore, it includes knowledge of where to find illegal goods, which corridors to avoid during the night cycle and what might damage one’s reputation.

Default Stat: Determination

Survival

The Survival skill covers the ability to live outside the bounds of civilization, as well as applied knowledge of local flora and fauna. It’s used to forage for food, both in the wilderness and in station waste bins, applying practical knowhow of what’s edible and what’s dangerous. This skill also covers tracking, scrounging up salvageable goods and gathering basic natural resources.

Default Stat: Endurance

Thievery

Under the auspices of the Thievery skill fall many simple but questionable proficiencies. This includes the ability to pick locks, breaking and entering, disabling simple security devices, larceny and picking pockets. It does not include con artistry or sleight of hand; for those, use Deception. Nor does it include remaining hidden; for that, use Stealth.

Default Stat: Dexterity

Trade*

Trade is a broad skill with many specializations, each representing a particular trade—such as plumbing, welding, carpentry or hairdressing—or an applied field of engineering or craftwork. It can be used to mend a pair of boots, repair a groundcar, cook a tasty meal or lay suitable ductwork. It does not cover artistic expression, for that use the Expression skill.

Default Stat: Dexterity
Example Specializations: Armorer, Brewer, Carpenter, Chef, Electrician, Mechanic, Plumber, Soldier, Welder

Trade Substitution

The purview of the various Trade specialties frequently overlaps that of other skills. The GM is encouraged to accept an appropriate Trade specialty in lieu of the usual skill when a relevant test is made. For example, a character with Trade (Chef) might be able to substitute that skill in place of Investigation when ascertaining whether food has been tampered with.

Alternative Default Stats

Not every trade is based around using your hands. At the GM’s discretion, certain Trade specializations may have a different default stat.

Vehicles*

This skill is used to operate vehicles, with each specialization representing a different type. This includes anything from sailing ships to archaic carriages, and from spacecraft to groundcars. It does not include the design or maintenance of such vehicles; for that use the Trade skill.

Default Stat: Speed
Example Specializations: Aircraft, Ground, Spacecraft, Submersible, Teamster, Watercraft