HinterWelt Fora

Skills
Skills are split into Childhood, Mature and Professional categories. This reflects skills learned in childhood, those learned as adults and ones that are learned as part of a profession.
Skills range from 1 to 6 in terms of ranks. Ranks are the expertise that a character has with that skill. If a character has 0 ranks in a skill it means they are unskilled.

Skill Resolution
Skill resolution is done by rolling 3d6 plus the skill + the appropriate stat against a difficulty set by the game master. This target number is how difficult the task being attempted will be to accomplish.

Example: a player rolls 3d6 and adds his Locksmith skill (3) rank and his Mind stat (6) to the result. His target, determined by the GM, is set at 22 since it is a complex lock. He rolls a 3 + 4 + 6 (rolls again and adds with a 3) for a total of 16 + 3 + 6 = 25 > 22. Success!

The stat will depend on what is being attempted. For instance, if one uses their Running skill with Mind to figure out the best way to avoid the Infected. Then, to implement, Running would be used with Body to actually run through the predetermined path. The GM may assign a higher difficulty if the conditions warrant it or if the proper planning was not done.

Cooperative Skill Use
If the GM decides that it would be appropriate and possible, a group of characters can cooperate to accomplish a skill. To do this, one character is designated as the person performing the skill (Primary) and the rest are supporting the skill attempt (Secondary). Those supporting the skill test roll there skill with the difficulty designated by the GM. If they are successful they may add their Skill Rank to the total of the Primary.

Example: Dirk is trying to set a bomb to blow up a bridge and cut off the infected. He is set as the Primary. Cherry will be loading up and setting detonators for the blocks of C-4. She rolls her skill Craft (Explosives) + Mind (4 +8 = 12) with a Difficulty of 18. She rolls a 10 + 12 = 22 for a success. Dirk then adds 4 to his roll.

Protracted Skill Use
A skill that might take more than a few rounds is considered protracted. This means the skill must be completed in periodic checks. So, something like repairing a car might take 4 hours. The GM and player agree on the time for the action and then it is evenly divided into 4 checks representing 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% completion. At each point a skill check must be made. If the player wishes, they may take add one to the Difficulty and increase the amount accomplished by 5%. This may not exceed the Skill Rank of the skill being attempted. Alternatively, the player may drop the percentage completed by 5% and lower the difficulty by 1.

Example: Cherry is repairing the Eldorado in order to escape the wave of infected due later that night. The GM and player determine that the repairs should take 4 hours. This is devided into 1 hour increments. Cherry has a rank 5 in Craft (Engine Repair) and knows they only have a few hours. To rush the job, she lected to add 25% to each increment and make only two checks, one at 50% and the other at 100%. This will get the job done in 2 hours if she is successful. The GM and Player determine this is a moderate Difficulty and set the Difficulty at 20. Since she is rushing, the difficulty is raised by 5. Her bonus is 5 for her Skill and 8 for her Stat for a total of 13. She rolls a 14 on 3d6 and gets a total of 27, succeeding. On her second try she rolls a 10 for a total of 23. She tries again, extending the repairs by another hour, and rolls a 15 for a 28 and success. Dirk and Cherry make it out of the city before the Infected arrive...or do they?

Skill List
The following are skills and their default stat used for standard checks.
Skills
Skill Stat Specified?
Athletics Body Yes
Craft Mind Yes
Deception Spirit No
Dodge Body No
Driving Mind No
Education Mind Yes
First Aid Spirit No
Hunting Mind No
Intimidation Spirit No
Mele Combat Body No
Piloting Body Yes
Ranged Combat Body No
Stealth (Hide) Mind No
Stealth (Movement) Body No
Unarmed Combat Body No

Skill Specifications
Some of the above skills must be specified, or further defined. This means that something like Athletics needs to have the type of Athletics chosen, like Running. This is denoted by writing the skill name followed by the specification in paranthesis like so: Athletics (Running).
The following are some suggested specializations skills. The following is a suggested list but is not exhaustive.

Specifications
Skill Specifications
Athletics
Football, Baseball, Tennis, Cricket, Running, Soccer, LaCrosse
Craft Locksmithing, Metal Working, Knitting, Engine Repair, Explosives, Masonry

Education
Computers, History, Biology, Geology, Architecture, Military Strategies, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering

Piloting
Tank, Prop Airplane, Jet Airplane, Sail Boat, Motor Boat, Large Water Craft, Construction Equipment, Helicopter, Motorcycle, Train

How many skill points do you get for each category? Is it going to be Stat based, or standard? I could see an argument for each.

Otherwise, the resolution looks good, and the list looks suitably short yet comprehensive.

First, set the chacter’s chidhood by picking either Urban or Rural Childhood. Assign the package of skills appropriately

Urban - Driving (2), Dodge (2), Running (1)
Rural - Dodge (2), Hunting (2), Firearms (1)

Once this is done and recorded on the character sheet, the player may choose a number of ranks of Mature equal to the Character’s Spirit stat. So, if the character has a Spirit Stat of 5 they may choose 5 ranks of skills. This may be one skill a Rank 5, 5 skills at rank 1 or any combination that adds to 5. A childhood skill may be taken forward and become a Mature skill by spending one rank to do so. For example, if a player wishes to promote the Rural child skill of Firearms to a Mature skill, the would spend one rank (in our example above their total would go from 5 to 4 ranks able to be spent) and have a Mature Firearms skill at rank 2.

Finally, choose a number of ranks in Professional skills equal to the the character’s Mind stat. As above, if the character’s Mind stat is 5 then this means five ranks of skills may be chosen.