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Skills define the abilities and knowledge each character possesses and measure their strengths. Skills in Star Trek are rated in levels from 1 to 5. Each skill has an associated trait that is normally used, but the GM may call for a different trait if the circumstances warrant it. The combination of trait and skill level will determine which rows and columns of the action card are used to determine success or failure. See the reading Action Cards section of Action Resolution for more on using skills.

Trait Skills

Some tasks in the game won’t readily fall under the purview of any particular skill. In this case, the GM will choose the most appropriate trait and assign the task to the trait skill. The trait skill also serves a second purpose. When using an existing skill untrained (when the character has no levels in the skill), use the leftmost column (d4), with a row equal to the rank in the appropriate trait skill.

Literacy

Characters with Education of d6 or better are literate. Literate characters receive basic literacy in any language they speak as long as they meet this requirement.

Action Skill Usage

In most cases, using a skill in action time costs either 4 or 8 AP. A simple skill being the former, while more complex skills the latter. Any extended action costs 8 AP.

Group Skill Usage

Sometimes the entire group will attempt to use the same skill. They could be looking for an item, sneaking past a wary guard or attempting to remain hidden from a ruthless bounty hunter. In these cases, only one character makes the attempt, no matter how many are in the group. The procedure for determining who is discussed below.

Some skills are easier when done in a group, some more difficult. A larger search party is more likely to find the quarry, while a smaller group is better at avoiding being detected. Skills that are easier in groups are said to be "assisted", while those which are more difficult are "detracted".

Assisted Skills

For each doubling of the group size add 1 to the result of the check. Truncate all fractions.

Detracted Skills

For each doubling of the group size add 1 to the TN of the check. As above, drop all fractions.

Who checks?

If it is clear through roleplaying which character should be the lead on a particular check, by all means that character should make the check. The only limitation is that in any group check, a given character cannot make the same check twice in a row, nor can they make any party check twice in a row. In other words, the character who makes party checks must always rotate.

Skill levels and trait numbers should not be discussed at the table. There should never be a discussion regarding numbers on a character sheet. In character discussions that do not attempt to get around this limitation are allowed.

If there is question who should make a group check, the Judge should cut the deck. If there are 4 or fewer players in the group, use the phase result (lower left corner) and count clockwise from the left of the Judge. On a 0, the character with the worst value should make the check; on a 5, the character with the best. If there are more than 4 players, instead use the upper right hand value (the 0 rule remains, the 5 rule is replaced with 14).

Skill List

The following list of skills are available to characters in Star Trek. Specializations may be listed in parentheses following the skill name. When attempting a skill check that involves a specialization, any success gains a free bump (or if any bumps are generated, an extra one). If the skill can be used during action time, an AP cost will be listed.

Each skill listed describes what is covered under the given skill. Some skills are broader than others, by necessity, and some skills are grouped together to make them viable choices for characters. The skill list is organized as such to promote diverse character choices and make a wide variety of skills likely to appear in game.

Some skills are actually skill groups. Skill groups have both a group and a skill, and may also have a specialization. Skills within the same group are considered related (for Archetype purposes). For example, Melee: Saber is related to Melee: Knife, but not Firearms: Pistol.

Traits and Skills

Each skill is listed with an appropriate trait. There may be times when a different trait seems more suited, but this should be used sparingly, and only when it is obviously divorced from the normal intent of the skill. For example, both melee and unarmed combat are under the purview of the Strength trait. An argument can be made that Coordination might be more suitable in many cases, but we as designers know of this argument and chose Strength (more on this later). However, knowing about the best firearm or swordsmith? That is a case for Knowledge plus the skill, because it is a special case.

Why were the choices made as they were? Game balance. Had both, or even either, of Melee and Unarmed Combat ended up under Coordination, every combat skill would be under the same trait, and we decided that the game is better served with some skills under a different umbrella. If you see a skill that seems out of place, likely game balance is the culprit. These choices lead to a better game through diversity.

Strength Skills

• Melee: This skill is used when engaging in close combat while armed with a blunt, bladed or hafted weapon. The Melee skill group includes the skills for knife, saber, spear, tomahawk, bat'leth and club. For weapons that can also be thrown, this skill only handles the hand-to-hand aspect of that weapon.
  

• Trades (Construction, Blacksmithing, Artisan): The character is skilled at using trade tools to build and fashion useful items and structures. Both construction and blacksmith are Strength based, while artisan is Coordination based.

• Unarmed Combat: This skill group is used when engaging in close combat while unarmed. It encompasses both striking and grappling, and is the prerequisite for the advanced skills of Striking, Mixed Martial Arts and Grappling. Add one to Force at level 1, and +1 for every two levels thereafter.
  

Coordination Skills

• Conn : The Conn skill is the operation of the piloting and navigational controls of starships. This skill is used to set courses, engage the warp or impulse drives, or maneuver the vessel during tactical engagements. Characters with this skill can perform any routine Conn task (TN 3) automatically, and any standard (TN 5) Conn tasks may be performed without a check except during combat or stressful situations.

• Missile: This combat skill allows the character to use missile weapons such as bow and arrow, spear, knife and tomahawk. For weapons that can be used in hand to hand, this skill only covers the ranged aspect, though it is a single skill for all weapons listed.
  

• Ranged Weapons: (Mounted, Snap Shots, Aimed Fire) This skill group is used when firing a ranged weapon. Aimed fire uses the Acuity Trait. Snap Shots and shots fired from horseback use the Coordination Trait. Skills within this group include phasers, firearms, blasters and disruptors.
  

• Ride: Just about anybody in the Old West could ride a horse. This is the ability to handle a horse in extraordinary circumstances; to chase down a villain, escape a sheriff's posse, jump a chasm or weave between obstacles in tight quarters. The ride skill is useful for continuous action sequences.
  

• Piloting: This skill involves the operation of helm and navigational systems of small impulse and warp capable craft such as shuttles and fighters. Characters with this skill can perform any related routine task (TN 3) automatically, and any standard (TN 5) tasks may be performed without a check except during combat or stressful situations.

• Security Systems: This skill allows a character a chance to pick locked doors, padlocks, manacles and crack safes. It is also used to defeat security systems such as alarms. Usually, picking a lock or circumventing security is an extended action. The GM will set a difficulty TN and a number of Victory Points required to succeed. When used during action time, the attempt costs 10 APs.
  

• Sneak: Moving about without being detected or concealing oneself from passersby requires a sneak skill check. This is an opposed check against a target’s Acuity. If characters are attempting to sneak as a group, see the section on group skill checks for procedure.

Condition	Search Modifier
Background Noise	-2
Darkness	-4
Target on alert/searching	+2

During sneak checks the Judge may draw the card since it is not always readily apparent whether an adversary has perceived your presence. If you are trying to sneak past multiple, spread out individuals or groups of people, the Judge may also have the sneaking character make the sneak check just once, and have that be a “persistent” target number for enemies to spot him for the duration of his attempt. When used during action time, Sneak is a bit slower than regular movement, add 1 AP per pace moved. During action time, a character can only move at a walking speed while being sneaky.

• Tactical: This skill involves operation of weapons, shields, deflectors and communications systems of starships and smaller vessels such as shuttles and fighters. Characters with this skill can perform any related routine task (TN 3) automatically, and any standard (TN 5) tasks may be performed without a check except during combat or stressful situations.

Quickness Skills

• Fast Draw: Fast draw is fhe art of readying weapons or equipment in a quick and efficient manner. Without the skill, anyone can draw their weapon, and if they choose to do nothing else, except maybe fire, they will have plenty of surplus APs to help them break initiative-based ties. However, some individuals are better, and those individuals have this skill.

Fast Draw is a Reflex based skill. A successful Fast Draw test reduces the AP cost to ready the weapon by 1 AP. Each bump reduces the ready cost by a further 1 AP, to a minimum of 0. Further bumps add one surplus AP each.

To use Fast Draw, indicate to the GM your intent at the beginning of the round. Allocate APs normally. After everyone has allocated, the GM will indicate if any enemies under their control will be using the skill as well. Place action counters for shots during movement as if the Fast Draw has succeeded. Then, after all movement is complete everyone who is attempting Fast Draw resolves their test, and adjust the action resolution stack. A failed Fast Draw test means the weapon is drawn, but for full AP cost. A calamity means the weapon is not drawn, and the AP are spent. Only one Fast Draw attempt may be made per round (except in the case of simultaneous attempts with each hand).

Example: Akoval is squaring off with a Cardassian mercenary outside a saloon. The rhetoric has gone too far for reconciliation, so the GM declares action time. Akoval hopes to stun his adversary before he can do likewise (or worse) to him, so he allocates 3 AP. When he draws a card to resolve his fast draw, it is card 37, showing 9 and 1 in the d10 column. His Type II is size 4, making the fast draw TN 4. He has succeeded with one bump. His phaser is drawn and aimed.

It is possible to attempt to ready items with both hands simultaneously using the fast draw skill. The standard penalties for performing actions with each hand apply(-1 to each, increase the off hand penalty to -1 extra, total -2). Resolve each check individually. If surplus APs are generated, use the lowest amount from each check.

• Sleight of Hand: This skill allows a character to conceal small objects by using misdirection and manual coordination. It can also be used to aid a thief in pilfering small objects without raising the attention of others. Used during action time, Sleight of hand costs 1 or more AP.
  

Fortitude Skills

There are no skills that use Fortitude. The trait skill (Toughness) is used for all Fortitude related checks.

Acuity Skills

• Area Knowledge: The character has intimate knowledge of an area, either by spending lots of time there or studying it in-depth. Each area a character wants to have special knowledge of must be purchased as a separate skill. The broader the area described by the skill, the more general the character's knowledge is likely to be; if a character has Area Knowledge: Kansas, he might know things like where most of the larger, important or interesting towns are, where the railroads run, where major rivers are and what Indian tribes lurk in which prairies. If a character has Area Knowledge: Dodge City, with a successful skill check he might know the location of a certain businesses, their owners, the politics and power struggles, important people in town, or a shortcut to the local thugs' hideout. Area Knowledge skills do not have specializations, but each bump on the skill check should reveal some extra layer of information or added, useful, detail beyond which the character might be seeking.
  

• Gambling (card games, dice games, other): Most people know how to play cards, or shoot dice. Great gamblers are the ones who can sit down for a stretch at a back table of the saloon and play the odds to come out on top more often than casual players. Gambling for money is an Acuity-based skill check (while Presence may be substituted for purposes of the occasional bluff), and generally reflects the character spending an extended amount of narrative time playing multiple hands of cards, dice or what have you rather than a single hand of show-down. To engage in a round of gambling, the player resolves a gambling skill check at a TN of 5 (against multiple opponents) or TN 3 + the opponent's Gambling skill level (against a single opponent). If the check fails, you earn effect using the d4 column and your skill level to determine the row. If the check succeeds, you use your Acuity die type to determine the column, with each bump increasing the row. In a one-on-one match (one player against another or one Hero against a mob of gamblers represented as a single unit) a gambler may also opt to bluff his opponents and use his Presence rather than his Acuity. In this case, the opponent makes a Judge Character skill check at TN 5 + the bluffing character's gambling skill; if the Judge character check fails, the bluffing character can treat their action card draw as an exceptional success and draw an extra card to determine cause (or an additional extra card, if the initial result is already an exceptional success!), and use the character's presence die type and gambling skill level to determine effect. If the opponent's Judge Character check succeeds, the bluffing character uses the d4 column to determine effect. The Judge and players may opt to have gambling play out in one round, or multiple rounds for high-stakes games. The player with the highest effect total at the end of all rounds wins. While the stakes may vary (and might be laid out beforehand in the case of a buy-in) one suggestion is that the winner earns a number of dollars equal to the difference between his effect score and his opponent--which may get someone run out of town on a rail if they don't have the stakes to pay up!
  

• Investigation (questioning, search, deciphering): This skill allows an investigator to figure out what happened by questioning witnesses, examining the scene of a crime, or by trying to piece together disparate bits of information to form a "big picture" based on many smaller details. Investigation can be used by the players to help move a story along. If there is a bit of information, such as a vital clue, to be gleaned in an area, use of the investigation skill allows the Hero to uncover it. Bumps to the investigation skill check should reveal extra details or greater certainty of the truth of the investigator's findings. Some applications of questioning or interrogating witnesses or suspects may require social combat. Basic use of the investigation skill to get information from people revolves around a more casual approach, and will generally eke out what people are willing to tell or what they might let slip accidentally.
  

• Outdoors (Climbing, Hunting, Fishing, Navigation, Swimming, Tracking): This is the ability to survive with minimal supplies in harsh climates (the ability to find food and drinking water), deal with environmental hazards (such as the ability to climb mountains, avoid poisonous animals, crevasses, widowmakers and snags), and the ability to find safe shelter. The outdoors skill also grants the character the ability to swim. More hospitable climates will have reduced difficulty to survive in. A separate skill check should be made for each aspect of the survival skill a character is attempting. As the characters travel, a check might be made to determine if they gather enough food and water; a separate check may be made to find shelter. Depending on how many action resolutions you wish to make, each character can make their checks separately, or they can be split up among various characters. Failure may impose certain scene attributes (such as Hunger, Thirst or Fatigue).
  

• Starship Ops: Starship Ops is the default skill for using all systems aboard a starship. Use of this skill requires a check with any level of difficulty. For uses such as performing maintenance or retrieving information, failure means the action takes twice as long as normal. During action time, failure means the action is still being performed at the end of the round, and will need to be checked (and paid APs) again next round.

Knowledge Skills

• Academics: This skill group represents an area the character would learn by means of formal education or personal study, granting vast amounts of knowledge about the subject in question. Some examples of academic skills are engineering, history, philosophy, science, theology, law or mathematics. Specializations would be specific areas within a skill. For example, History is a skill, Roman History is a specialization within it.
  

• Engineering (Warp Drive, Impulse Drive, Power Systems, Weapons, Auxiliary systems): This skill involves the use of engineering systems on starships, star bases and other locations. The actual knowledge of engineering is covered under the Academics skill. Characters with this skill need not test to perform TN 3 actions, and only need to test for TN 5 actions during times of stress or combat.

• Computers (Programming, Hacking, Design): This skill involves the programming and design of computer systems. Computer use is covered under the appropriate system. Characters with this skill need not test to perform TN 3 actions, and only need to test for TN 5 actions during times of stress or combat.

• Language: Languages are bought at level 1 each for the ability to speak or read/write only (1 Character Point), or with a specialization (4 CPs total) for full fluency. Each language must be purchased separately.
  

• Demolitions: This skill allows a character to use explosives safely. When using demolitions to blast a structure/obstruction, a successful skill check allows the explosive's effect to earn victory points, with each bump increasing the row (effect level). As such, knowing how to use explosives dramatically increases their effectiveness when trying to blow stuff up. Action speed: Slow or extended.
  

• Medical (First Aid, Surgery): This is the ability to patch people up both manually and with the aid of appropriate technology. Consult the description of the appropriate gear, if any is being utilized. Same goes with healing facilities such as hospitals and sick bays. The following rules assume no equipment or assistance of any kind. Medicine is a skill group including a the skills Veterinary and Exobiology.

Concussion is easy to get rid of. On a simple (3) medicine roll of any kind, anyone (including unskilled) can provide the necessary care to restore all Conc in about 2 minutes. Otherwise your hero gets Conc back at the rate of 1 per minute. A character who has critically failed a shock check and has fallen unconscious requires a TN 5 Medicine check to revive, otherwise they are out for 1d6 hours.

Only those skilled in medicine or first aid may attempt to treat real wounds. This attempt may be made up to one hour after an injury. A character with the medicine skill can only heal light and heavy wounds. A doctor with medicine and the surgery specialization can heal more severe wounds.

The doctor has to roll once for each wounded area. If successful, the roll reduces the area's wounds by one level. The TN depends on the wound level. Critically injured limbs cannot be healed by normal means, but you can still try to stop the bleeding. Doctors may attempt to heal wounds once per scene.

Wound Level	TN
Conc	3
Light	5
Heavy	7
Serious	9
Critical	11
Maimed (limbs)	13

A character can try to heal a wound every day by making a Fortitude roll against the difficulties listed above. If the roll succeeds, the wound improves by one level. Natural healing rolls are made for each area. A character with wounds to an arm and his torso would roll twice, possibly improving the condition of each location by one would level.

The medicine skill may be used in combat to attempt to stop a character from bleeding out. This costs 8 APs.

• Repair (Weaponsmith, Gunsmith, Vehicles, Scavenge): The repair skill can be used to repair any equipment the character is otherwise familiar with. Those skilled in repair are also often adept at breaking down machines to find spare parts. When attempting repairs, if a source of compatible parts (for example, a similar weapon or vehicle) is available, the repairman may attempt to scavenge parts at a TN of 5. If the scavenging check is successful, the character can add one level of effect to their first successful repair attempt (with each bump to the scavenge roll adding another level of effect). Scavenging parts during combat costs 8 APs. Attempting repairs is often an extended action. The GM will set a difficulty TN and a number of Victory Points required to succeed. When used during action time, this is 10 APs.
  

• Science: This skill covers the usage of the science systems aboard starships, smaller vessels such as shuttles, tricorders and library computers at research facilities. The actual science knowledge is covered under the Academics skill. Characters with this skill need not test to perform TN 3 actions, and only need to test for TN 5 actions during times of stress or combat.

• Tactics (Starship, Ground): Tactics is the understanding and application of movement, maneuver, force and deception in a combat setting.

Presence Skills

• Animal Handler (horse/dog/herd animals): This skill grants the character the ability to care and feed for animals. Animal handlers can train dogs and horses, break-in bucking broncos, and herd cattle. They also understand animal behaviors better than most, and are less likely to get negative reactions from domesticated (and some wild) animals because they know how to behave around them.
  

• Diplomacy: Diplomacy is the art of negotiating, placating and following protocol successfully to achieve an end. Skilled diplomats know when to push for more, when to defer to the other side and when to cite regulation, tradition or precedent. Unlike social combat, which can involve forcing one's will on others, diplomacy is by its very nature an exercise in give and take. Diplomats are able to achieve acceptable results for their side, without endangering their long term relationship with the other side.

Diplomacy is an opposed resolution, akin to combat. The diplomat begins by declaring a set of stakes. Each request should be handled individually. The TN for the request is 4 + (opposing diplomat's level/2 rounded up). Adjust the TN down 1-2 if the opponent is very willing to accept, or up 1-2 if they are not. Each bump allows adding in another of the stakes to this round of negotiation (in other words, multiple stakes are won). However, the opponent receives +1 on their next attempt for each extra stake conceded, as concessions of their own.

• Judge Character: This skill helps a character size up another person if they have a chance to observe or interact with them for a while. It can allow the character to determine the target’s general strengths/weaknesses for social combat (Game mechanics TBD), and also helps a character make snap judgements about people, such as whether they might be bluffing at cards, or if they might be pulling the wool over their eyes. If a Hero is suspicious and tries to check for deception, the Judge should make a hidden check for the Hero as appropriate, and slip them hints if the Hero makes his Judge Character check that something may not be on the up-and-up. However, if a hero uses Judge Character repeatedly against the same character, the difficulty should get progressively harder to reflect the fact that repeated failure is causing the story in question to become more and more believable!
  

• Leadership: During a fight, the leadership skill can be used to inspire your allies by means of a quick, rousing speech or order, or by deed on the field of battle. Leadership can be used to rally the courage of those who are in the grip of fear and terror, or help them stand fast in the face of enemy fire. If used as an inspiring speech, Leadership costs 1 AP and has a TN of 5. Success increases the bravery skill checks of all your allies within earshot by 1 for the entire round, with an additional +1 for each bump. If combined with an attack action, it adds 1 to the AP cost of the action, and can inspire any allies with line of sight to your actions; bravery skill checks for allies are increased by 1 if your attack is successful with an additional +1 for each bump to the attack roll.

Alternatively, leadership can be used in a tactical manner. The attempt is 2 AP, and the leader can spend 1-2 more AP. If successful, the extra APs they spent are given to an ally of choice. The only stipulation is the ally must be able to understand the speech or signals given. Failed attempts forfeit all spent AP.

A single character may be the target of no more than one successful leadership attempt per turn.

• Social Combat: This skill group is used during social combat (SC) encounters. It includes the skills of argument, intimidation, persuasion and fast talk. See the Social Combat section for more.
  

• Streetwise (Gossip, Black Market, Scrounging): Towns and cities played a large part in many a tale of the Old West, and this is even true of the West that Wasn't. Cities are where the people are, after all, and cityfolk often have information that can be useful, or they may be on the lookout to buy or sell illicit goods. A character skilled in Streetwise may also be able to obtain spare parts for repairs (See the "scavenging" described under the Repair skill for details), however, a failure to scrounge for parts may result (at the Judge's discretion) in the character getting caught in the act of stealing! When looking for information or looking to obtain goods that aren't exactly run-of-the-mill, the Judge may call for a check of the character's Streetwise skill. The Judge should set a difficulty TN. Success should give you some details you are looking for (or let you know if there is nothing to be learned in the place you are looking), with additional bumps either granting more precise or confirmed detail, or allowing the player to ask additional questions. When used to obtain black market goods or fence stolen property, the Judge will set a difficulty TN based on such factors as the rarity of the item, the quantity, local laws regarding it, or--in the case of trying to offload items--how easily the item might be identified as stolen. Some buyers may not be willing to purchase a one-of-a-kind or well-known piece of jewelry or artwork, or any item if the origin is easily discerned or well-known.
  

• Performance (Acting, Singing, Disguise, Play Instrument, Drawing, Painting, Sculpting): The character is an accomplished performer. Note performance is not a skill group, a single skill covers all aspects. The entries in parentheses are specializations.

Essence Skills

• Bravery: The ability of the Hero to resist fear and terror, and stand fast and keep cool in the middle of a gunfight. When a character is in a fight, stray shots will chip away at their ability to focus and carefully aim. When under fire, the Hero may need to make a bravery check to see if they keep their cool, or if their carefully aimed shot is disrupted by flying lead. Bravery may also be used in social combat to resist efforts at intimidation.

• Empathy: The ability to sense the emotions of others, as well as detect deception or concealment of intentions. Empathy requires psionics I or II.

• Mind Meld: The ability to merge consciousness with another individual. During the mind meld, both participants experience the emotions and thoughts of each other. The mind meld does not necessarily require physical contact, but it is significantly more difficult without it. Mind Meld requires psionics I or II.

• Telepathy: The ability to read the thoughts of another being. Telepathy requires psionics II.

Advanced Skills

Some skills require more specialized training than others. These skills have per-requisites that are listed above. The prerequisite skill must be at an equal or higher level to use the given ability. Because of the high cost of having a second skill at an equal level, some of these abilities are incredibly powerful when combined. Judge approval is required when taking advanced skills.

• Striking: Sometimes called boxing or kickboxing, this skill covers all types of striking with fists, elbows, knees and feet. To take the striking skill, the character must have Unarmed Combat at an equivalent or higher level. Each level of affords the practitioner a new ability. This skill is not tested in combat, the Unarmed Combat skill is used instead. These abilities may only be used unarmed, or with fist loads.

Level 1: Jab - Once per round the practitioner may perform a standard attack for 1 AP less, minimum 1.
Level 2: Once per round the practitioner may perform a block for 1 AP less, minimum 1. Additionally, they may take the advantage counter after any successful melee attack against an unarmed or similarly armed opponent.
Level 3: Combination - If performing multiple attacks, the practitioner may draw a second card and use the highest value from their pool on that card as their second attack value. Other attacks are unaffected.
Level 4: All strikes performed by the character have +1 Force. Additionally, the practitioner starts any hand to hand encounter with the advantage counter, unless the opponent has striking at a higher level (or the opponent is armed with a weapon of normal length or longer). If levels are equal, neither gets the counter.
Level 5: Uppercut - Once per round the practitioner may perform a heavy attack for 2 AP less, minimum 1. Additionally, the character has +1 Jaw.

• Mixed Martial Arts: Mixed martial arts is a set of skills encompassing all around fighting expertise. Characters who are proficient likely have real world experience in brawls that may have life or death consequences. These abilities may only be used unarmed or with fist loads.

Level 1: Punch - Once per round the character can make a standard attack for 1 AP less.
Level 2: Tackle - After performing a successful quick attack the character may take the advantage counter. Opponent is taken prone.
Level 3: Submission - Once per round the character may forgo damage from a quick attack and instead engage the opponent in a hold.
Level 4: If performing multiple attacks, the character may draw a second card and use the highest value from their pool on that card as their second attack value. Other attacks are unaffected.
Level 5: The character has +1 to both Force and Jaw.

• Gunslinger: This skill is used by police and security personnel; those most likely to be armed with handguns.

Level 1: Once per turn the penalty for firing a shot with a pistol without aiming is reduced by 1, minimum zero.
Level 2: Once per turn the cost to aim a pistol is reduced by 1 AP, minimum 1.
Level 3: If making multiple fire actions in the same turn with a pistol, the practitioner may draw a second card and use the highest result in the appropriate pool for the second shot. Other shots are unaffected.
Level 4: The penalty for called shots with a pistol is reduced by 1, minimum 0.
Level 5: The penalty for called shots with a pistol is reduced by a further 1, minimum 0.

• Commando: This is the skill of marksmen and highly trained soldiers.

Level 1: Once per round the practitioner may perform an aim action with a rifle for 1 AP less, minimum 1 AP.
Level 2: Once per round the practitioner may increase the Aim value of a rifle by 1, minimum 1.
Level 3: If making multiple fire actions with a rifle in the same turn, the practitioner may draw a second card and use the highest result in his pool for the second shot. Other shots are unaffected.
Level 4: Once per round the practitioner may perform a fire action with a rifle for 1 AP less, minimum 1.
Level 5: Once per round the practitioner may ignore the effects of an opponents shot on their aim if they are using a rifle.

• Knife Fighting: The knife is more than just a tool.

Level 1: Once per round the fighter may make a standard attack with a knife for 1 AP less, minimum 1.
Level 2: The fighter may perform a block actions against bladed weapons for 1 AP. Change the hit location from any other location to the off arm. Once per round character may ignore up to 2 Conc dealt to off arm.
Level 3: The fighter may draw a second card when making multiple attacks with a knife during a round. The highest value on the second card is used to resolve the second attack. No further attacks are affected.
Level 4: The fighter may take the advantage counter after a successful attack with a knife.
Level 5: Once per round the fighter may make a heavy attack with a knife for 2 AP less, minimum 1.

• Long Blades:

Level 1: Once per round the fighter may make a standard attack with a long blade for 1 AP less, minimum 1.
Level 2: Feint - Once per round The fighter may spend 1 AP to ignore the first 2 points of effect from a hand to hand attack.
Level 3: The fighter may draw a second card when making multiple attacks with a long blade during a round. The highest value on the second card is used to resolve the second attack. No further attacks are affected.
Level 4: Once per round the fighter may make a block for 2 AP less, minimum 0.
Level 5: Once per round the fighter may make a heavy attack with a long blade for 2 AP less, minimum 1.

• Grappling: The practice of grappling has been popular since the ancient Greeks, if not before. Grappling encompasses traditional wrestling as well as martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Level 1: Takedown - After performing a successful quick attack the grappler may take the advantage counter. Opponent is taken prone.
Level 2: Hold - Grappler may perform a standard attack for 1 AP less, minimum 1. Opponent is considered prone, even if standing.
Level 3: Slam - Grappler may perform a heavy attack for 1 AP less, minimum 1. Opponent is taken prone.
Level 4: Grappler may perform two maneuvers from above in succession. A second card is drawn to resolve the second attack. Takedown may not be performed twice on the same opponent.
Level 5: Grappler may spend APs from their pool at a rate of 1 to 2 to remove APs from an opponents pool. Grappler must have performed a hold on the previous turn and must have the advantage counter. Points are decremented from opponents pool during allocation.