Difference between revisions of "Presence Skills"

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Presence

Animal Handler
Even in a technologically advanced society, domesticated animals may still have their place as pets, work animals or beasts of burden. Getting animals to follow your commands requires time, patience and the animal handler skill. Skill checks are opposed rolls versus the animal’s Presence. Teaching an animal a new trick usually takes 4-5 days.

Blather
If you can't blind them with brilliance, then baffle them with bullshit! In a verbal exchange, the ability to blather well means you can talk a good game, possibly even fooling others into believing you know what you are talking about. By itself, blather may be used to engage, distract or confound another person (social combat). In other social/psychological confrontations, blather may be used in place of the skill that is called for if you do not have it. It is a more difficult check to fool people, but the ability to blather on is quite versatile. The target gets +2 to their blather defense, and if you fail, the effect shown on the card subtracts from any effect points accumulated, or "heals" psychological wounds and lost stress; if the target is not impressed by your ability to con them, your arguments begin to work against you and embolden your verbal opponent as they can start to pick apart your dialog.

Deception
This is the art of telling tales, spinning lies or getting someone to look out for the Klackon right behind them so you can get in a cheap shot. While others may specialize in certain aspects of social or psychological combat, deception allows you to conceal information from others or convincingly pass false information. If one is called upon or able to use Deception in a social/psychological combat, a success with one or more bumps gives the deceiver a +1 bonus to all subsequent attacks, since they are no longer constrained by the bounds of the truth. However, if a deception check fails, all subsequent checks are at a -1 penalty as he is put on the defensive while being called out on his lies. This penalty persists until the deceiver is able to successfully employ his deception again to cover for his previous gaffe.

Gambling
If you’re playing against the house, gambling (also known as “losing”) is a matter of math and memory or sheer, blind luck. When playing against other beings, gambling involves knowing how to hide your tells, read those of the other players and knowing when and how to bet to maximize wins and minimize losses. There are nearly as many games out there to bet on as there are people to play them. For purposes of game mechanics, characters should decide on stakes. Each player participating makes a gambling skill roll. The lowest roll pays the highest, the second lowest pays the second highest and so on. If there is an odd player in the middle, he breaks even. The stakes determine the payout. The difference between the high/low rolls multiplied by the stakes are what the loser must pay the winner. For each exceptional success above the loser’s roll, the winner was able to get the loser to dump a large raise in the pot at some point, causing the pot to double. Each roll of this type might cover a considerable amount of gambling, perhaps an hour spent at a table. If a character wants to try and amass a fortune running a table, he may be able to make several gambling rolls in one night.

SidScorpio, Tara 7 and Kovnachuk have a few hours to kill after dropping hyper while the pilots conduct the long TISA burn into Rial IV’s orbital track. Tara inquires about the Terran game of poker, and Sid and Chuk are more than happy to show her, hoping to fleece her as a “learner’s fee” for some ready cash when they hit the bars planetside. They decide on 10 CR table stakes. Each makes a gambling roll. Tara is a fast learner and gets lucky on her unskilled roll with a 7. With the middle roll, she breaks even. She is saved largely by Sid and Chuk turning the game into a personal competition, largely forgetting about the noob in their midst. In the end, Sid rolls a phenomenal 14 while Chuck bombs out with a 3. The difference between Chuk's roll and Sid's is 11. Multiplied by the stakes (10 CR), Chuck owes 110 CR. But, since Sid’s roll was 2 bumps higher, the pot is doubled twice, leaving Sid the unenviable task of trying to collect 440 credits from an angry ursoid, formerly of the GPR Marines, who is convinced that he was cheated. Feeling that she has learned enough about poker for one day, Tara 7 slips quietly out of the room and down to the sickbay to make sure someone is on duty, because they are likely to have a patient or two shortly…

Intimidate
The threat of harm can be subtle or blatant, it can be backed up by authority, resources or strength. Convincing your opponent that you can back your words up is all part of intimidation: getting someone else to do something…or else. An intimidation attack is an opposed roll against an opponent’s bravery skill. See page XX for tests of will. With a good intimidation roll, discretion may be the better part of valor.

Leadership
Besides using leadership to control NPC crew, this skill has two specific uses: In a combat situation, a leadership roll can keep people from being surprised. Whenever a friendly crewmember fails a surprise roll, you can attempt to make the roll for him as long as your character is not surprised as well. This counts as an action for your character. Every bump you get on your leadership check allows the leader to affect one additional individual. In addition, you can use your leadership skill to trade initiative (action) cards between friendly characters during combat. When it’s your turn to take an action, make a Fair (5) leadership roll. If successful, you can help any two players (possibly even including yourself) trade a single action card in their hands. If you trade the card you are using, the target character immediately goes. This ability can be used multiple times in a single round. In each trade, both players must agree to make the trade, first.

Merchant
This is the ability to buy low and sell high. The knack of getting people to sell what they might be reluctant to part with, or purchase that which they may not need. The Merchant skill also confers knowledge of trade and contract law, and can be used in place of the bureaucracy skill when dealing with trade-related issues. If you’re going to be running cargo or offloading bounty, it will pay dividends to be a skilled merchant, or have one on the payroll. See chapter XX: Minigames for the trading and commerce rules.

Perform (Acting, Singing, Play instrument)
On a long trip in FTL, there is no communication with the real universe. Many a group of midshipmen have gotten together and treated the æthir with some slow jazz or a reading of Shakespeare’s sonnets just to pass the time and entertain their fellows. On frontier worlds, entertainment may be a premium since an “entertainment industry” requires a certain minimum population and infrastructure, and FTL communications bandwidth is too precious to squander on beaming the latest shows halfway across the galaxy. As such, live performances can be a viable way to gain fame or simply earn some credits. A good performance in the right situation against a fair (5) TN can net the character 2d6 (plus 1d6 per bump) x 10 credits. The wealth of the crowd or the venue may apply a multiplier; throwing your hat on the sidewalk and busking on the street may earn you peanuts, but stepping up to the piano and laying out a torch song in a swanky lounge that serves 15-credit cocktails will likely earn you quite a bit more.

Persuasion
Persuasion is the friendlier, more genteel version of intimidation. Both are means of getting people to do what you would like, but with vastly different approaches. Each method will also leave a much different impression on the other party, as well! Talking someone into providing aid or information in times of need may be as vital as skill with a blaster. Persuasion attempts are opposed rolls versus the target’s scrutinize skill.

Streetwise
No matter where you go, the streets have their own rhythm, and you can dance to that beat. You know how to work the streets to get information from the less reputable elements. While some level of area knowledge is helpful, it is not necessary; asking a few questions of the right people in the wrong part of town will tell you all you need to get the ball rolling. This skill is generally used to get illicit goods, services or information. The difficulty generally depends on the prize and what hoops you have jumped through to secure it. The law level or local government model might also play a part; streetwise checks will likely be easier on a world whose government is classified as “Anarchy” as opposed to a “Religious Dictatorship.”

Taunt
Some individuals or groups are particularly susceptible to verbal abuse. Some people view an attack on their reputation or character as tantamount to a physical attack! Whether it is because of pride, honor or ignorance, those who don't know how to respond to a scathing taunt are often easily manipulated and shaken when it comes time to act. Use of a well-timed taunt can put an opponent off his game. The use of the Taunt skill is an opposed roll against the target's own Taunt skill. See page XX for more information on tests of will.