Skills
See also Skills aren't really that important and the skill classes in Summary Post.
Skills are a part of the Tazlurian game system. They are used by the moderators as a rough guide to determine how much success a character is likely to have at a given action. Skills do not tell the whole story, however; the plausibility of the character's action, and how well the player writes the attempt, are also important factors in determining success. The importance of each of these factors varies from moderator to moderator.
Skill levels
All skills follow the same pattern. There are four levels of proficiency within a skill: Basic, Apprentice, Journeyman and Master. Roughly speaking, Basic means that the character is better at his/her skill than Joe Average, Apprentice implies a reasonable degree of proficiency, Journeyman means that the character has a level of skill likely to be widely respected, and Master is just that: mastery, a legendary proficiency.
Skill advances
Skills are advanced by using them in play. The unit of advancement is the star (*), so Basic+** means that a character has earned two advances in a given skill. Moderators "skill" threads once they are complete and judge how many stars to award. Once five stars have been awarded, the skill level goes up. In other words, you will never see Basic+*****, as this equates to Apprentice.
Note that skill stars become progressively more difficult to obtain as the skill level rises. A character with Manipulation of Energy: Sorcery at Basic would likely earn a skill star from trying to use magic to light a candle, but a character with the same skill at Journeyman would not.
Master is the highest level of skill. Once this is reached, stars are no longer awarded for that skill.
Skill selection
Beginning characters may select a number of skills. The number and nature of these skills depends on your character's race. Each character receives 10 skills of the player's choice, at Basic, plus a few free skills (generally language skills) determined by race. The average human starting character, for example, will receive Language (Human) at Master and may select ten other skills at Basic. Orcs are the exception to this; consult their race entry for details.
Races other than humans do not always receive all their free skills during character creation. If this is the case for you, use the 10 skills to select your optional skills, and ask the mod who approves your sheet to add in any remaining free skills.
If you are creating a replacement character for one that has died or been retired, you may take two skill levels that you accomplished with your old PC with you and use them on a skill in the same category for your new PC. Only skill levels may be taken across, not skill stars. So, for example, if your character with Conversation at Apprentice+*** dies, you may select a social skill for your new PC to be upgraded to Apprentice (not to Apprentice+***).
Using skills
Skills are far less important than you might think. Any beginning character can at least try and use a skill. While you might not immediately succeed you'll likely gain the skill at basic by trying and writing it well. We advise against focusing your character solely on gaining military or magickal skills. Training threads are boring to play and boring to mod. Instead why don't you plunge ahead and jump into the plotlines? Pretty often you'll gain those skills in an alternative way. Beginning characters are not weak and hopeless. It often depends on your own initiative and writing talents how well your character does.
List of skills by group
Skills in italics may not be selected by starting characters.
Wealth
Combat
- Group Combat - Charge
- Blind Fighting
- Crowd Control
- Dodge Blow
- Grappling
- Interrogation
- Martial Arts
- Mounted Combat
- Reconnaissance
- Tactics
- Group Combat -- Party
- Group Combat -- Unit
- Single Combat -- Resisting Multiple Opponents
- Two Weapon Fighting
Fine Arts & Care
- Acting/Impersonating Others
- Creating Lyrics
- Creating Music
- Creating Poetry
- Creating Stories
- Dancing
- Imitating Voices
- Jesting
- Oral History [Subject]
- Painting
- Playing Musical Instrument [Instrument]
- Sculpting
- Singing
- Sleight of Hand
- Story Telling
- Ventriloquism
- Beautification
- Hairdressing
Illicit
- Con Artist
- Gambling
- Magister Bibendi
- Reading Lips
- Intimidation Thuggery
- Torture
- Begging
- Cheating
- Detect Secret Doors and Traps
- Disguise
- Escape Artist
- Forgery
- Hiding/Camouflage [Starting Area]
- Murder
- Pick Locks
- Pick Pockets
- Soundless Movement [Starting Area]
- Streetwise
- Subdual
- Taunting
- Language [Thieves' Cant]
Merchant
- Armory
- Baking
- Bartering/Haggling
- Blacksmithing
- Boat Building
- Book Keeping
- Brewing
- Business Perception
- Butchery
- Calligraphy/Illumination
- Carpentry
- Cooking
- Fletchery
- Leather Working
- Lens Making
- Milling
- Mining
- Native Craft [Type]
- Stone Masonary
- Weapon Smith
Social
- Convert
- Counseling
- Detect Truth/Deception
- Persuade
- Preach
- Seduction/Woo
- Bribing & Embezzling
- Conversation
- Debate
- Diplomacy
- Etiquette
- Heraldry [Nation]
- Leadership
- Negotiation
- Public Speaking
- Rulership [Area]
- Repartee
Nature & Health
- Animal Empathy
- Body Pampering
- Healing (Non-Magical)
- Massaging
- Animal Handling
- Animal Lore [Area]
- Training [Animal]
- Breeding [Animal]
- Farming
- Fishing
- Gardening
- Herbal Lore [Area]
- Herding
- Hunting
- Poison Lore
- Preserve Food
- Riding [Animal]
- Survival [Terrain]
- Teamster
- Tracking
- Trapping
- Weather and Climate Lore
Academic
- Engineering
- Archaeology
- Astrology
- Astronomy
- Charting
- Culture [Area]
- Demon & Darkness Lore
- Faerie Lore
- History, Written [Subject]
- Law
- Literacy [Language]
- Logical Analysis
- Maths
- Philosophy
- Rote Memorization
- Teach [Area]
- Theology
- Language [Language]
- Psychology
- Knowledge [Area]
Physical
- Climb Walls/Scale Sheer Surfaces
- Mountaineering
- Navigation
- Rope Works
- Running
- Sailing
- Skiing
- Swimming
- Acrobatics/Tumbling
- Juggling
- Tightrope Walking
Weapon
- Armor [type]
- Axe
- Blunt/Crashing Weapons
- Bow, Cross
- Swords, Two-handed
- Bow, Long
- Pole Arms
- Quarterstaff
- Shield
- Bow, Short
- Swords, One-handed
- Slings
- Smaller Blades
- Throwing Weapons
- Whips
- Boomarang
Magick & Spirit
- Alchemy
- Bardic Voice [Mindcraft]
- Aura Perception [Generic]
- Communicating with Spirits [Generic]
- Empathy [Generic]
- Expand Mercy [Faith]
- Hypnotism
- Inner Calm
- Inner Sight [Generic]
- Instill Tranquility [Mindcraft, Faith]
- Mantra
- Meditation
- Pray
- Resolve
- Yoga
- Ancesteral Rites [Faith]
- Lore of Ancestors [Faith: Amunic Sorcery]
- Manipulation of Energy: Faith
- Manipulation of Energy: Sorcery
- Runescribing [Sorcery: Runecraft]
- Runewriting [Sorcery: Runecraft] - discontinued
- Theory of Balanced Energy - discontinued
- Theory of Energy Focus - discontinued
- Theory of Sacrificial Enhancement - discontinued
- Magick [Talent]
- Blood Magick [Generic]
- Manipulation of Energy: Mindcraft
- Nature's Way [Faith: Druidism]
- Dark Emotion [Mindcraft: Dark Magick]
- Vestments [Faith]
- Mindcleanse [Mindcraft]
- Mindreading [Generic]
- Magickal Rote [Sorcery]
- Shielding [Generic]
- Spirit Link [Faith]
- Shaping [Faith: Druidism]
Special Race
- Inner Animal - Kanthrop only
- Polymorph - Kanthrop
- Polymorph - Swanmaiden
- Flight - Swanmaiden [speciality]