Skills

A character's Skill rating represents a combination of their natural ability and specific training. Skill Checks are called for for almost all actions outside of combat where there is a chance of failure. To make a Skill Check, roll 3d6 and add skill ranks and any appropriate modifiers. If this total matches or surpasses the Overseer's number (the Difficulty), it is considered a success.

A Skill Check's Difficulty and the skill called for are dependent on the action. For example, repairing a simple weapon would require a low Skill Check result using the Engineering Skill, while swimming against rapids would require an extremely high Athletics Skill Check.

Some Skill Checks are hidden from the player at the discretion of the Overseer, who rolls for them or withholds the difficulty and whether or not the character has succeeded.

Each skill lists its associated SPECIAL in parentheses and has several entries for sample task difficulties.

Spending Skill Points

At level 1, a character begins with no skill points to spend (unless they trade a Combat Perk for them). Every time a player levels up, they gain 10 Skill Points to spend on the skills they desire. All skills begin with a number of ranks equal to the SPECIAL statistic associated with it (for example:Perception 4 gives 4 starting ranks of Detect).

Purchasing ranks costs more Skill Points the higher the rank. As with most point-buy systems in SIMPLE, raising a skill's rank to a positive number costs a number of Skill Points equal to the new rank, and raising it from a negative number costs a number of Skill Points equal to the absolute value of the old rank.

Designating a skill as a Tag! skill makes it 1 Skill Point cheaper to raise every rank.

A skill at Rank 10 cannot be raised higher by skill points. However temporary bonuses, such as equipment, chems, and other effects, can raise its effective rating above 10.

Skills

Athletics (ST)

Jump, Climb, Swim, and Land: if its a physical exertion that's not running, throwing or attacking, then it is classified under the athletics skill. Athletics will allow you to reach places other people can't, and keep you safe from drowning and large falls.

For Climbing, the DC depends on the surface or object in question. Here are some examples:

• DC 5 - Quickly climb a ladder
• DC 10 - Scale a wall with a rope, or use monkey bars
• DC 15 - Climb a rock wall
• DC 20 - Climb a rocky surface with only a few hand holds
• DC 25 - Climb a brick wall

Jumping requires the player character to designate if they are performing a horizontal jump or a vertical jump. If a character does not have a running start of at least 20 ft, the difficulty of the jump is doubled.

Horizontal Jumps require an Athletics Check equal to the distance jumped in feet (15 for 15 horizontal ft).

The Vertical Reach of a character is 8ft by default. Anything higher requires a jump Athletic Skill Check of 4 for each foot (DC 8 for 2ft (10ft vertical) for example.).

Landing is an action players take when jumping or falling from a height greater than 10 ft. A player simply rolls an Athletics Check, reducing the effective fall distance for the purpose of taking damage. A player takes 1d6 damage for every 10 ft they fall, rounded down.

If a player's Athletics is below 5, they must make a DC 10 Athletics check when swimming each round or start to drown. Drowning deals 1d4 damage, and reduces the players Athletic Skill by 2 for an hour. Each limb the player does not have dedicated to swimming results in a -5 penalty. A player's Athletics Check is also the max distance they can dive before drowning. A player moves at one-quarter speed while swimming, but can move 1/2 speed by succeeding at a DC 15 Athletic check.

Deception (CH)

Deception is your ability to deceive and beguile others. It is also your ability to tell when you are being lied to and makes bartering easier. Those with a strong investment in Deception can get away with bold-faced lies or disguise themselves effectively. Each rank of this skill sways a transaction 1% in your favor.

Detection (PE)

Detection is your ability to notice and find things around you. It helps you gather information, spot hidden objects and foes, and discern lies. A high Detection level would allow you to spot a hidden land mine or loot cache, or tell whether you're being snuck-up on or lied to.

Electronics (IN)

Your ability to program and hack computer devices, as well as deal with artificial intelligence routines. Having a high rank in this skill can allow you to program robots, work on computers and energy weapons, and access secure computer systems.

Engineering (IN)

Engineering covers knowledge for all sorts of mechanical and electrical devices. It's used to deal with everything from vehicles to weapons to elevators and architecture. It also allows you to design new weapons and explosives.

Intimidation (ST)

Intimidation is your ability to verbally coerce individuals into complying. It also allows you to draw aggravation away from allies in combat or provide suppressing fire for allies to move unmolested in combat. Higher levels will have groups of raiders dropping their guns in surrender or allow you to draw sniper fire from a friend. Intimidate also lets you insult people more effectively. It is also a representation of your bravery. It can be used to negate fear effects, do wildly stupid ideas, resist speech attempts and resist torture and other intimidation.

• Taunt: Taunting is a DC 10 Intimidation check with a penalty equal to the target's Intimidation Skill. If successful, the target focuses their attack on the taunter, ignoring their allies. Penalties may apply to draw focus away from a melee attacker, or if communication with the target is impaired. Feral Ghouls and robots cannot be taunted.

Medic (IN)

The medic skill covers everything from the knowledge of anatomy to hands-on proficiency at treating wounds, healing broken limbs, and dealing with toxins and disease. A character can tend to up to 5 non-critical patients for 16 hours a day to increase their healing rate by half their Medic skill, rounded up. Treating wounds requires various skill checks.

• Stabilize: Stimpack (DC 10)
• Stabilize: First Aid Kit (DC 15)
• Stabilize: Improvise (DC 20)
• Fix Limb: Surgery w/ Medical Equipment (DC 20)
• Fix Limb: Quick Fix w/ Stim & First Aid (DC 25)

Outdoorsman (EN)

This skill covers scouting and survival in the wilderness. It allows you to mix poisons and makeshift medicines as well as track foes and prey in varying environments. It allows you to train and recognize animals and find safe water and vegetation in the wild.

A character can provide food and water in a wilderness situation for a number of people equal to their Outdoorsman skill by succeeding in a DC 15 Skill Check. Modifiers may apply if the environment is especially habitable (Zion) or especially inhospitable (the Glow).

Do This Later

Pilot (AG)

Pilot allows you to operate vehicles of all kinds as well as heavy machinery and ride animals. Higher ranks allow you to perform evasive maneuvers, drive faster and pilot more skillfully, particularly making vehicular combat easier. Some machines cannot even be operated without a high enough Pilot skill, such as tanks, cranes and airships.

Security (AG)

This catch-all skill encompasses lock picking, pick-pocketing, hot wiring and the arming and disarming of bombs and traps. While Detection is used for locating traps of all sorts, Security must be used to disarm or otherwise neutralize a trap once it has been found.

Science (IN)

The broad Science skill covers knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. It allows you to craft poisons, chems and useful compounds.

Sneak (AG)

Sneak is the ability to perform actions without being noticed, stealing or killing silently, be it while hiding or in plain sight. A sneak check is placed directly against a target's Detection skill.

Speech (CH)

Speech is used to come to peaceful agreements, diffuse situations, bribe, barter and give speeches. For every point of the skill you have, trade deals will sway in your favor by 1%. Higher levels allow for first time meetings with new groups (including hostile ones) to end in your favor with or without combat. It also allows you to demand better rewards for tasks.

Tactics (PE)

Tactics is a catch all skill. When used, it allows the Overseer to make a hidden roll on behalf of the player. Doing so reveals possible courses of actions the player could perform. This can include options for achieving their goal, new sudden variables appearing to aid them in combat or even being flat-out told the outcome to some actions they are thinking of doing. Characters with high tactics make strong leaders, as they can asses the battlefield quickly and determine possible outcomes.