The Skill System helps you to detail out your character's abilities in particular areas; for example, a Doctor would probably have a high Medical Training skill, whereas a Janitor would not, even if his Biology stat is surprisingly high.
The skills selection works on a very simple system. Each skill has five levels, each needing a different amount of skill points.
These are not cumulative, so taking a skill at professional will use 6 points, not 10.
A starting character may have up to ten skill points; as you grow more familiar with the game and succeed more often, you can unlock more skill points (and hopefully learn more about how to do those skills!) As you earn more experience, you also can gain more starting skill points for new characters.
Note that you should probably have an explanation for how your character has obtained their skills, where applicable. As noted, a Janitor probably doesn't have high Medical Training unless he happens to have been a Doctor at some point (in which case, why is he a janitor now? An unfortunate demotion, perhaps?)
Also take a look at the nature of your character's skills. Related skills make much more sense than unrelated ones: A doctor may easily be an experienced biologist, but it would be stretching it to have them also be an experienced construction worker. Some skills are easier to justify than others, of course–cooking could be a hobby, but surgery is extremely unlikely to be.
Let your skills be consistent with the character you're playing. If you're playing an airheaded cook who would rather be relaxing on the holodeck than frying omelettes, you're perfectly justified in giving them a low cooking skill despite their profession. Playing an unskilled character can be fun, too.
A word on IC and OOC skills: You, out of character, may know how to set up the engine or repair a cracked skull, but if your character, IC, doesn't know this, then obviously that character can't do it. Think about what your character would do upon coming to the realization that they are in over their heads. Would they ask for help? Panic? Try anyway and botch it up? Apply other skills that they do know to the problem? (That cracked skull mightn't be reparable by your nurse with only first aid level training, but they could help keep the patient stable and keep them calm, while yelling for a doctor, for example. Or your maintenance technician with an engine to set up and no way to do it could beg the AI for help and be walked through the steps… hopefully without blowing up the station. Have fun with it.)
The opposite problem also exists, though: What do you do if you, OOC don't know something that your character, IC, does know? Several options exist. You could simply not get into that situation by playing a character with a low skill level and working up. Want to play a doctor but don't know a lot about the job? Play an intern or a medical student, a nurse or orderly, with a medical skill at the Amateur level. Ask other characters to teach yours, in character. As you learn more, you can improve your character's skill level, and perhaps increase their age, as your medical student becomes a resident and then a full-fledged doctor. If you still find yourself playing a character that knows how to do something you don't know, check the wiki for information. If you don't find it there, adminhelp and ask, or if the people near you know, use LOOC to ask them. (Don't use OOC, though. That's IC in OOC and can expose people to unwanted spoilers.) If you still mess up, remember that even trained professionals can and do make mistakes–yours just made one; how will they react? Your botch could be the start of an interesting storyline.
Below are are some explanations on which each skill level represents.
Commonly required time: None
You have only the knowledge in this skill that the average person would attain commonly, for example in school or by being taught by their parents. This means, for example, that you know what a hand is, but not how to perform surgery, or that you know how to open a text file on a computer, but not how to write programs.
Commonly required time: A few hours every week for an extended period of time
You have taken a course on the subject, or regularly been exposed to this subject over the years without ever dedicating yourself to it. First aid, cooking at home, or knowing how to use a gun without special training falls under this category.
Commonly required time: Several months up to over a year.
You have dedicated yourself to this skill, be it through internships, job experience, or as part of a university degree. Commonly required for performing regular tasks as a profession.
Note however, that this level of skill is not enough for all professions, for instance a “trained” anatomy skill is only enough to work on corpses, whereas surgery can only be safely performed with the “professional” skill. Similarly, a “trained” chemist would be more of a “lab assistant”, as an actual “chemist” position requires more thorough knowledge.
Commonly required time: Several years.
This level of skill represents dedicating several years into specializing in this subject. In real life, a character of this skill level would likely have a master's degree, and possibly also a good amount of practical experience. For many jobs, this skill level is not a requirement, and only useful in very special situations. However, for the “research” jobs, such as chemistry, genetics, virology and so on, this skill level is indeed a requirement, as these fields are very broad and complex. It can be argued though that “non-research” tasks, such as cloning, mixing known chemistry recipes, or curing viruses, can be done with a “trained” skill level.
Commonly required time: Many years.
This level of skill represents dedicating the majority of your career specializing in this subject. In real life, a character of this skill level would likely be known for their career-spanning achievements. This level is not required for any job function, but provides significant bonuses to the practitioner who manages to reach this height through experience and training.
These are the various skills and their descriptions.
Not all skills require months, or years of training to get right. Skills that only have a “trained” and “professional” level are secondary skills. They take considerably less time to learn, and thus also cost less skill points.
Your ability to manage and commandeer other crew members.
Untrained: You know a little about management, but you have a lot of flaws and little experience. You are likely to micromanage, lose track of people, or generally muck things up. Handling a major crisis is probably beyond your ability.
Trained: You're a good commander. You know how to coordinate the efforts of a large group of people effectively. You'll still be thrown off in a crisis, but you'll probably get through it.
Professional: You're an excellent commander. In addition to just doing your job, you know how to inspire love, loyalty or fear, and you handle crises smoothly and efficiently.
Describes how good a character is at growing and maintaining plants.
Untrained: You've done some gardening. You can water, weed, fertilize, plant, and harvest, and you can recognize and deal with pests. You may be a hobby gardener.
Trained: You're a botanist or farmer, growing crops on large scales or doing botanical research. You know the basics of manipulating plant genes.
Professional: You're a specialized botanist. You can care for even the most exotic, fragile, or dangerous plants, and you can create custom hybrids and modified strains.
Describes a character's skill at preparing meals and other consumable goods. This includes mixing alcoholic beverages.
Untrained: You can make simple meals and do the cooking for your family. Things like spaghetti, grilled cheese, or simple mixed drinks are your usual fare.
Trained: You can cook professionally, keeping an entire crew fed easily. Your food is tasty and you don't have a problem with tricky or complicated dishes. You can be depended on to make just about any commonly-served drink.
Professional: Not only are you good at cooking and mixing drinks, but you can manage a kitchen staff and cater for special events. You can safely prepare exotic foods and drinks that would be poisonous if prepared incorrectly.
Your knowledge of laws and procedures. This includes Corporate Regulations, as well as general station rulings and procedures. A low level in this skill is typical for security officers, a high level in this skill is typical for captains.
Untrained: You know most of what's legal and illegal in your everyday life and work, though you're fuzzy on the finer points of the law, especially if it doesn't apply to your own daily experience.
Trained: You know and understand the law in a practical sense. You know the punishments for crimes and you can read and understand a legal document easily. You may be in Security or Command.
Professional: You have a law degree or the equivalent amount of knowledge. You can draw up legal contracts, interpret the minutiae of the law, settle disagreements, and argue a case in court.
This skill describes your skill and knowledge of space-suits and working in vacuum.
Untrained: You have basic safety training common to people who work in space: You know how to put on and seal your internals, and you can probably struggle into a space suit if you really need to, though you'll be clumsy at it. You're still prone to mistakes that may leave you trying to breathe vacuum if you're not careful.
Trained: You can comfortably use a space suit and do so regularly in the course of your work. Checking your internals is second nature to you, and you don't panic in an emergency.
Professional: You can use all kinds of space suits, including specialized versions. You can use a jet pack to navigate and are just as much at home in a vacuum as in atmosphere. You probably do your job almost entirely EVA.
This skill describes your training in hand-to-hand combat or melee weapon usage. While expertise in this area is rare in the era of firearms, experts still exist among athletes.
Untrained: You can throw a punch or a kick, but it'll knock you off-balance. You're inexperienced and have probably never been in a serious hand-to-hand fight. In a fight, you might panic and run, grab whatever's nearby and blindly strike out with it, or (if the other guy is just as much of a beginner as you are) make a fool out of yourself.
Amateur: You either have some experience with fistfights, or you have some training in a martial art. You can handle yourself if you really have to, and if you're a security officer, can handle a stun baton at least well enough to get the handcuffs onto a criminal.
Trained: You're good at hand-to-hand combat. You've trained explicitly in a martial art or as a close combatant as part of a military or police unit. You can use weaponry competently and you can think strategically and quickly in a melee. You're in good shape and you spend time training.
Professional: You specialize in hand-to-hand combat. You're well-trained in a practical martial art, and in good shape. You spend a lot of time practicing. You can take on just about anyone, use just about any weapon, and usually come out on top. You may be a professional athlete or special forces member.
This skill describes your expertise with and knowledge of weapons. A low level in this skill implies knowledge of simple weapons, for example flashes. A high level in this skill implies knowledge of complex weapons, such as unconfigured grenades, riot shields, pulse rifles or bombs. A low-medium level in this skill is typical for security officers, a high level of this skill is typical for special agents and soldiers.
Untrained: You know how to recognize a weapon when you see one. You can probably use pepper spray or a flash, though you might fumble and turn them on yourself by mistake. You're likely to shoot yourself in the foot or forget to take the safety off. Your lack of training may make you more dangerous to your allies than your enemies.
Amateur: You know how to handle weapons safely, and you're comfortable using simple weapons. Your aim is decent and you can be trusted not to do anything stupid with a weapon, but your training isn't automatic yet and your performance will degrade in high-stress situations.
Trained: You've used firearms and other ranged weapons in a high-stress situation, and your skills have become automatic. You spend time practicing at the firing range. Your aim is good. You can maintain and repair your weaponry. You may have military or police experience and you probably carry a weapon on the job.
Professional: You are an exceptional shot with a variety of weapons, from simple to exotic. You can depend on hitting not just your target, but a specific part of your target, such as shooting someone in the leg. You use a weapon as naturally as though it were a part of your own body. You may be a professional marksman of some kind. You probably know a good deal about tactics, and you may have designed or modified your own weaponry.
Describes your skill at performing forensic examinations and identifying vital evidence. Does not cover analytical abilities, and as such isn't the only indicator for your investigation skill. Note that in order to perform autopsy, the surgery skill is also required.
Untrained: You know that detectives solve crimes. You may have some idea that it's bad to contaminate a crime scene, but you're not too clear on the details.
Amateur: You know how to avoid contaminating a crime scene. You know how to use the tools of the trade (scanner, computer database, and so forth), and you can conduct an interview with a witness or a suspect.
Trained: You're a police officer, pathologist, or detective. You can secure a crime scene, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and put two and two together to get an arrest. If you're trained in anatomy, you can perform an autopsy.
Professional: You specialize in criminal investigations. Your ability to gather and analyze evidence has been honed through intensive schooling, years of practice, or most likely both. You can organize a manhunt or draw a criminal into a trap, and though you're behind the scenes and may never even see the criminal, your skills make the difference between an unsolved crime and a convicted criminal.
Your ability to construct various buildings, such as walls, floors, tables and so on. Note that constructing devices such as APCs additionally requires the Electronics skill. A low level of this skill is typical for janitors, a high level of this skill is typical for engineers.
Untrained: You can move furniture, assemble or disassemble chairs and tables (sometimes they even stay assembled), bash your way through a window, open a crate, or pry open an unpowered airlock. You can recognize and use basic hand tools and inflatable barriers, though not very well.
Amateur: You can dismantle or build a wall or window, build furniture, redecorate a room, and replace floor tiles and carpeting. You can safely use a welder without burning your eyes, and using hand tools is second nature to you.
Trained: You know how to seal a breach, rebuild broken piping, and repair major damage. You know the basics of structural engineering.
Professional: You are a construction worker or engineer. You could pretty much rebuild the station from the ground up, given supplies, and you're efficient and skilled at repairing damage.
This skill describes your knowledge of electronics and the underlying physics. A low level of this skill implies you know how to lay out wiring and configure powernets, a high level of this skill is required for working complex electronic devices such as circuits or bots.
Untrained: You know that electrical wires are dangerous and getting shocked is bad; you can see and report electrical malfunctions such as broken wires or malfunctioning APCs. You can change a light bulb, and you know how to replace a battery or charge up the equipment you normally use.
Amateur: You can do basic wiring; you can lay cable for solars or the engine. You can repair broken wiring and build simple electrical equipment like light fixtures or APCs. You know the basics of circuits and understand how to protect yourself from electrical shock. You can probably hack a vending machine.
Trained: You can repair and build electrical equipment and do so on a regular basis. You can troubleshoot an electrical system and monitor the station power grid. You can probably hack an airlock.
Professional: You are an electrical engineer or the equivalent. You can design, upgrade, and modify electrical equipment and you are good at maximizing the efficiency of your power network. You can hack anything on the station; you can deal with power outages and electrical problems easily and efficiently.
Describes your knowledge of piping, air distribution and gas dynamics.
Untrained: You know that the air monitors flash orange when the air is bad and red when it's deadly. You know that a flashing fire door means danger on the other side. You know that some gases are poisonous, that pressure has to be kept in a safe range, and that most creatures need oxygen to live. You can use a fire extinguisher or deploy an inflatable barrier.
Amateur: You know how to read an air monitor, how to use an air pump, how to analyze the atmosphere in a space, and how to help seal a breach. You can lay piping and work with gas tanks and canisters. If you work with the engine, you can set up the cooling system. You can use a fire extinguisher easily and place inflatable barriers so that they allow convenient access and airtight breach containment.
Trained: You can run the Atmospherics system. You know how to monitor the air quality across the station, detect problems, and fix them. You're trained in dealing with fires, breaches, and gas leaks, and may have exosuit or fire gear training.
Professional: You are an atmospherics specialist. You monitor, modify, and optimize the station's atmospherics system, and you can quickly and easily deal with emergencies. You can modify atmospherics systems to do pretty much whatever you want them to. You can easily handle a fire or breach, and are proficient at securing an area and rescuing civilians, but you're equally likely to have simply prevented it from happening in the first place.
Describes your knowledge of the various engine types common on space stations, such as the singularity, supermatter or RUST engine.
Untrained: You know that “delamination” is a bad thing and that you should stay away from the singularity. You know the engine provides power, but you're unclear on the specifics. If you were to try to set up the engine, you would need someone to talk you through every detail–and even then, you'd probably make deadly mistakes.
Amateur: You know the basic theoretical principles of engine operation. You can try to set up the engine by yourself, but you are likely to need some assistance and supervision, otherwise you are likely to make mistakes.
Trained: You can set up the engine, and you probably won't botch it up too badly. You know how to protect yourself from radiation in the engine room. You can read the engine monitors and keep the engine going. You're familiar with engine types other than the one you work with. An engine malfunction may stump you, but you can probably work out how to fix it… let's just hope you do so quickly enough to prevent serious damage.
Professional: Your engine is your baby and you know every minute detail of its workings. You can optimize the engine and you probably have your own favorite custom setup. You could build an engine from the ground up. When things go wrong, you know exactly what has happened and how to fix the problem. You can safely handle singularities and supermatter.
Describes your experience and understanding of operating heavy machinery, which includes mechs and other large exosuits. Used in piloting mechs.
Untrained: You know what a mech is, and if you see one you can recognize which type it is. If your department uses exosuits, you know roughly what their capabilities are. If you were to get into one, you'd have about fifty-fifty odds of getting it moving in the direction you wanted it to go.
Amateur: You can drive an exosuit safely, but you specialize in only one type of mech that your department regularly uses. You're not an expert and you fumble the controls sometimes, but you're going where you want to go and you're pretty sure you know what those buttons do. If you're a miner, you can set up a mining drill safely; if you have the electrical skills, you probably know how to operate a shield generator and set up a laser emitter.
Trained: You are very comfortable using the type of exosuit you're most familiar with. You may spend entire shifts piloting one, and you're familiar with its functions. You can do basic maintenance. You can use most types of exosuits, unless they're very exotic or specialized. If you're an electrician or engineer, you can set up a shield generator solo. Miners at this level can place and use mining drills with high efficiency.
Professional: You can use any type of mech comfortably and automatically. To you, a mech is more like a second skin than a vehicle. You can maintain, repair, and probably build exosuits. You can maintain, repair, and modify drills and shield generators.
Describes the ability to assemble complex devices, such as computers, circuits, printers, robots or gas tank assemblies (bombs). Note that if a device requires electronics or programming, those skills are also required in addition to this skill.
Untrained: You know how to use the technology that was present in whatever society you grew up in. You know how to tell when something is malfunctioning, but you have to call tech support to get it fixed.
Amateur: You use and repair high-tech equipment in the course of your daily work. You can fix simple problems, and you know how to use a circuit printer or autolathe. You can build simple robots such as cleanbots and medibots. If you have the relevant medical or electronic knowledge, you can repair a prosthesis or artificial organ; if not, these devices are beyond you.
Trained: You can build or repair an exosuit or cyborg chassis, use a protolathe and destructive analyzer, and build prosthetic limbs. You can safely transfer an MMI or posibrain into a cyborg chassis.
Professional: You are an inventor, researcher, or anomalist. You can design, build, and modify equipment that most people don't even know exists. You are at home in the lab and the workshop and you've never met a gadget you couldn't take apart, put back together, and replicate.
Describes your understanding of computers, software and communication. Not a requirement for using computers, but definitely helps. Used in telecommunications and programming of computers and AIs.
Untrained: You know how to use the computers and communication devices that you grew up with. You can use a computer console, a handheld or wall-mounted radio, and your headset, as well as your PDA. You know what an AI is, but you may see them as either “people made of silicon” or “only machines”; you know they have to obey their laws, but you don't know much about how or why they work.
Amateur: You know the basics of programming, but you're not very good at it and couldn't do it professionally. You have a pretty good idea of what makes AIs tick. You understand how information is stored in a computer, and you can fix simple computer problems. You're computer-literate, but you still make mistakes. If you tried to subvert the AI, you might make mistakes in wording your new laws.
Trained: At this level, you're probably working with computers on a daily basis. You understand and can repair the telecommunications network. Your understanding of AI programming and psychology lets you fix problems with the AIs or cyborgs–or create problems, if you so desire. You can program computers and AIs and change their laws effectively.
Professional: People are probably starting to wonder whether you might be a computer yourself. Computer code is your first language; you relate to AIs as easily as (probably more easily than) organics. You could build a telecommunications network from the ground up.
Your experience and knowledge with scientific methods and processes.
Untrained: You know what science is and probably have a vague idea of the scientific method from your high school science classes.
Amateur: You keep up with scientific discoveries. You know a little about most fields of research. You've learned basic laboratory skills. You may read about science as a hobby; or you may be working in a field related to science and have learned about science that way. You could design a simple experiment.
Trained: You are a scientist, perhaps a graduate student or post-graduate researcher. You can design an experiment, analyze your results, publish your data, and integrate what you've learned with the research of other scientists. Your laboratory skills are reliable, and you know how to find information you need when you research a new scientific topic.
Professional: You are a professional researcher, and you have made multiple new discoveries in your field. Your experiments are well-designed. You are known as an authority in your specialty and your papers often appear in prestigious journals. You may be coordinating the research efforts of a team of scientists.
Covers an understanding of the human body and medicine. At a low level, this skill gives a basic understanding of applying common types of medicine, and a rough understanding of medical devices like the health analyzer. At a high level, this skill grants exact knowledge of all the medicine available on the station, as well as the ability to use complex medical devices like the body scanner or mass spectrometer.
Untrained: You know basic first aid, such as how to apply a bandage or ointment to an injury. You can use an autoinjector designed for civilian use, probably by reading the directions printed on it. You can tell when someone is badly hurt and needs a doctor; you can see whether someone has a badly broken bone, is having trouble breathing, or is unconscious. You may not be able to tell the difference between unconscious and dead.
Amateur: You've taken a first-aid training, nursing, or EMT course. You can stop bleeding, do CPR, apply a splint, take someone's pulse, apply trauma and burn treatments, and read a handheld health scanner. You probably know that Dylovene helps poisoning and Dexalin helps people with breathing problems; you can use a syringe or start an IV. You've been briefed on the symptoms of common emergencies like a punctured lung, appendicitis, alcohol poisoning, or broken bones, and though you can't treat them, you know that they need a doctor's attention. You can recognize most emergencies as emergencies and safely stabilize and transport a patient.
Trained: You are an experienced EMT or experienced nurse, a medical resident, or a doctor. You know how to treat most illnesses and injuries, though exotic illnesses and unusual injuries may still stump you. You have probably begun to specialize in some sub-field of medicine. In emergencies, you can think fast enough to keep your patients alive, and even when you can't treat a patient, you know how to find someone who can. You probably have some skill in genetics, virology, and surgery, if only to the extent of being able to create an antibody, do a cloning scan, or assist a surgeon in the operating room. You can use a full-body scanner, and you know something's off about a patient with an alien parasite or cortical borer.
Professional: You are an experienced doctor. You've seen almost everything there is to see when it comes to injuries and illness and even when it comes to something you haven't seen, you can apply your wide knowledge base to put together a treatment. In a pinch, you can do just about any medicine-related task, but your specialty, whatever it may be, is where you really shine.
Gives you a detailed insight of the human body. A high skill in this is required to perform surgery. This skill may also help in examining alien biology.
Untrained: You know what organs, bones, and such are, and you know roughly where they are. You know that someone who's badly hurt or sick may need surgery.
Amateur: You've taken an anatomy class and you've spent at least some time poking around inside actual people. You know where everything is, more or less. You could assist in surgery, if you have the required medical skills. If you have the forensics knowledge, you could perform an autopsy. If you really had to, you could probably perform basic surgery such as an appendectomy, but you're not yet a qualified surgeon and you really shouldn't–not unless it's an emergency. If you're a xenobiologist, you know how to take out slime cores.
Trained: You're a surgical resident, or an experienced medical doctor. You can put together broken bones, fix a damaged lung, patch up a liver, or remove an appendix without problems. But tricky surgeries, with an unstable patient or delicate manipulation of vital organs like the heart and brain, are at the edge of your ability, and you prefer to leave them to specialized surgeons. You can recognize when someone's anatomy is noticeably unusual. You're trained in working with several species, but you're probably better at surgery on your own species.
Professional: You are an experienced surgeon. You can handle anything that gets rolled, pushed, or dragged into the OR, and you can keep a patient alive and stable even if there's no one to assist you. You can handle severe trauma cases or multiple organ failure, repair brain damage, and perform heart surgery. By now, you've probably specialized in one field, where you may have made new contributions to surgical technique. You can detect even small variations in the anatomy of a patient–even a changeling probably wouldn't slip by your notice, provided you could get one on the operating table.
This skill implies an understanding of microorganisms and their effects on humans.
Untrained: You know that diseases are contagious; you've probably heard you should wash your hands to stop their spread. You know that if you're sick, you can go to Medical and get treatment.
Amateur: You know how viruses work, and you can use the machinery in the virology lab to analyze a virus or create an antibody. You know the principles of quarantine and you know how to keep a virus from spreading. You know that spaceacillin will help the body fight off a virus. However, you're not specialized in virology, and you probably don't have a whole lot of experience in dealing with viruses. If you are a medical doctor, you know how to treat symptoms and keep sick patients stable.
Trained: You know how to analyze, modify, and cure viruses, and could probably do so even without most of the equipment in the virology lab. You know how to trigger mutations in a virus and how to isolate genes. If you really wanted to, you could create a deadly virus, provided you got lucky with the mutations.
Professional: You are a specialized virologist–either a medical doctor or a scientific researcher. You may be well-known in the field, having published in prestigious journals; or you may be a mad scientist working away in secret. You know how to use a virus as a tool or a weapon. You can cure any epidemic–and if you wanted to, you could start one so deadly and contagious that your targets wouldn't know what hit them.
Experience with mixing chemicals, and an understanding of what the effect will be. This doesn't cover an understanding of the effect of chemicals on the human body, as such the medical skill is also required for medical chemists.
Untrained: You know that chemists work with chemicals; you know that they can make medicine or poison or useful chemicals. You probably know what an element is and have a vague idea of what a chemical reaction is from some chemistry class in your high school days.
Amateur: You can make basic chemicals or medication–things like space cleaner or anti-toxin. You have some training in safety and you won't blow up the lab… probably.
Trained: You work as a chemist, or else you are a doctor with training in chemistry. If you are a research chemist, you can create most useful chemicals; if you are a pharmacist, you can make most medications. At this stage, you're working mostly by-the-book. You can weaponize your chemicals by making grenades, smoke bombs, and similar devices.
Professional: You specialized in chemistry or pharmaceuticals; you are either a medical researcher or professional chemist. You can create custom mixes and make even the trickiest of medications easily. You understand how your pharmaceuticals interact with the bodies of your patients. You are probably the originator of at least one new chemical innovation.
These skills apply to day to day life, or to most jobs.
Skill Athletics Description Your ability to perform tasks requiring strength, dexterity, and endurance. Unskilled You can pull objects but start to generate Lactate after tiring out. Your strength increases with level.
You can throw objects. Their speed, thrown distance, and force increases with level.
Basic You can throw “huge” items or normal-sized mobs without getting weakened. Trained You have sufficient strength and dexterity for even very strenuous tasks, and can work for a long time without tiring. Experienced You have experience with heavy work in trying physical conditions, and are in excellent shape. You visit the gym frequently. Master In addition to your excellent strength and endurance, you have a lot of experience with the specific physical demands of your job. You may have competitive experience with some form of athletics.
Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Skill Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Description Your ability to safely operate in low gravity with suits and jetpacks. Unskilled Increased chance of slipping in no gravity. Can fumble jetpack controls and move in the wrong direction. Basic Lower chance of slipping, lower chance of fumbling jetpack controls. Trained Even lower chance of slipping, cannot fumble jetpack controls. Experienced Cannot slip, cannot fall when moving from no gravity to gravity. Master Can move faster than normal with jetpacks.
Exosuit Operation Skill Exosuit Operation Description Your ability to operate heavy machinery, including exosuits and ground vehicles. Requires Trained EVA. Unskilled n/a Basic n/a Trained You are proficient in exosuit operation and safety, and can use them without penalties. Experienced n/a Master n/a
Piloting Skill Piloting Description Your ability and understanding of piloting spacecraft. Unskilled Can operate the GUP. Can fumble other ship controls and move in the wrong direction. Basic You can pilot a small, short-range craft safely, but larger ships are out of your area of expertise. You are by no means an expert, and probably don't have much training. Skills of this level are typical for deck crew. - You can operate the Aquila and the Charon. - Ship movement is no longer randomized. Trained You are a trained pilot, and can safely operate anything from a small craft to a corvette. You can spend extended periods of time piloting a spacecraft, and you're versed in the abilities of different ships, and what makes them function. You can do basic maintenance on smaller vessels, and perform most basic maneuvers. You can use armed spacecraft. You can make basic calculations relating to piloting. Skills of this level are typical for newer pilots. You have probably received formal piloting training. - You can operate the Torch. Experienced You are an experienced pilot, and can safely take the helm of many types of craft. You could probably live in a spacecraft, and you're very well versed in essentially everything related to space-faring vessels. Not only can you fly a ship, but you can perform difficult maneuvers, and make most calculations related to piloting a spacecraft. You can maintain a ship. Skills of this level are typical for very experienced pilots. You have received formal piloting training. Master Not only are you an exceptional pilot, but you have mastered peripheral functions such as stellar navigation and bluespace jump plotting. You have experience performing complex maneuvers, managing squadrons of small craft, and operating in hostile environments. - Less meteors will hit the ship while passing through meteor fields.
Organization These skills apply to handling office politics, information, and money.
Bureaucracy Skill Bureaucracy Description Your ability to write and complete paperwork, navigate complex organizations, and understand laws and regulations. Unskilled You can usually fill out basic paperwork, if with a few errors. You have a vague understanding of the law, gleaned mostly from the news and personal experience. Basic You are familiar with the paperwork needed to do your job, and can navigate it well. You have some understanding of the law as it applies to you and those around you. Trained You can navigate most paperwork thrown at you, even if you are unfamiliar with it. You have a good working understanding of the law and any regulations or procedures relevant to you. Experienced With your experience, you can easily create paperwork for any eventuality, and write reports which are clear and understandable. You have an excellent knowledge of the law, possibly including formal legal training. Master You can make paperwork dance to your bidding, and navigate the most byzantine bureaucratic structures with ease and familiarity. Your reports are works of literature. Your knowledge of the law is both broad and intimate, and you may be certified to practice law.
Information Technology Skill Information Technology Description Your understanding of computers, software, and communication. Unskilled You know how to use the computers and communication devices that you grew up with. You can use a computer console, a handheld or wall-mounted radio, and your headset, as well as your PDA. You know what an AI is, but you may see them as either “people made of silicon” or “only machines”; you know they have to obey their laws, but you don't know much about how or why they work. Basic You know the basics of programming, but you're not very good at it and couldn't do it professionally. You have a pretty good idea of what makes AIs tick. You understand how information is stored in a computer, and you can fix simple computer problems. You're computer-literate, but you still make mistakes. If you tried to subvert the AI, you might make mistakes in wording your new laws. - The antagonist access decryption program has a chance to avoid tripping alarms and working more effectively. This increases with level. Trained At this level, you're probably working with computers on a daily basis. You understand and can repair the telecommunications network. Your understanding of AI programming and psychology lets you fix problems with the AIs or cyborgs–or create problems, if you so desire. You can program computers and AIs and change their laws effectively. - You can fully operate the Network Monitor, E-mail Administration, and AI Management Programs. Experienced You have years of experience with computer networks, AI systems, telecommunications, and sysadmin tasks. You know the systems used on a daily basis intimately, and can diagnose complex problems. - The antagonist dos program gives extra fake attacking nodes to the system log. - You can use the command line on modular computers through either the AI Maintenance program or the Email Administration program (type “man” for a list of commands). Can use the proxy command to obscure your activities as an antagonist. Master People are probably starting to wonder whether you might be a computer yourself. Computer code is your first language; you relate to AIs as easily as (probably more easily than) organics. You could build a telecommunications network from the ground up.
Finance Skill Finance Description Your ability to manage money and investments. Unskilled Your understanding of money starts and ends with personal finance. While you are able to perform basic transactions, you get lost in the details, and can find yourself ripped off on occasion. - You get some starting money. Its amount increases with level. - You can use the verb “Appraise” to see the value of different objects. Basic You have some limited understanding of financial transactions, and will generally be able to keep accurate records. You have little experience with investment, and managing large sums of money will likely go poorly for you. Trained You are good at managing accounts, keeping records, and arranging transactions. You have some familiarity with mortgages, insurance, stocks, and bonds, but may be stumped when facing more complicated financial devices. Experienced With your experience, you are familiar with any financial entities you may run across, and are a shrewd judge of value. More often than not, investments you make will pan out well. Master You have an excellent knowledge of finance, will often make brilliant investments, and have an instinctive feel for interstellar economics. Financial instruments are weapons in your hands. You likely have professional experience in the finance industry.
Engineering These skills apply to construction and demolition, electrical systems, atmospherics, and engines. Construction Skill Construction Description Your ability to construct various structures, such as walls and floors. Note that constructing devices such as APCs additionally requires the Electronics skill. Unskilled You can break furniture, disassemble chairs and tables, bash your way through a window, open a crate, or pry open an unpowered airlock. You can recognize and use basic hand tools and inflatable barriers, though not very well. Basic You can dismantle or build a wall or window, redecorate a room, and replace floor tiles and carpeting. You can safely use a welder without burning your eyes, and using hand tools is second nature to you. - You can construct items from Steel, Wood and Plastic. Trained You can build, repair, or dismantle most things, but will occasionally make mistakes and have things not come out the way you expected. - You can construct items from Bronze, Gold, Osmium, Plasteel, Platinum, Reinforced Glass, Sandstone, Silver, Deuterium, Metallic Hydrogen, Phoron, Phoron Glass, Tritium, and Uranium. - You can construct furnitures. - You can construct simple objects such as light fixtures, crude weapons, and wall-mounted frames. Experienced You know how to seal a breach, rebuild broken piping, and repair major damage. You know the basics of structural engineering. - You can construct items from Osmium-Carbide Plasteel, Titanium, Diamond and make complex objects such as machine and weapon frames. Master You are a construction worker or engineer. You could pretty much rebuild the installation or ship from the ground up, given supplies, and you're efficient and skilled at repairing damage.
Electrical Engineering Skill Electrical Engineering Description Your knowledge of electronics and the underlying physics. Unskilled You know that electrical wires are dangerous and getting shocked is bad; you can see and report electrical malfunctions such as broken wires or malfunctioning APCs. You can change a light bulb, and you know how to replace a battery or charge up the equipment you normally use. - Every time you open the hacking panel, wires are randomized. - Every time you pulse a wire, there is a chance you pulse a different one. - Every time you cut a wire, there is a chance you cut/mend extra ones. - You can misconnect remote signaling devices. Basic You can do basic wiring; you can lay cable for solars or the engine. You can repair broken wiring and build simple electrical equipment like light fixtures or APCs. You know the basics of circuits and understand how to protect yourself from electrical shock. You can probably hack a vending machine. - Every time you open the hacking panel, some wires might be duplicated. Trained You can repair and build electrical equipment and do so on a regular basis. You can troubleshoot an electrical system and monitor the installation power grid. You can probably hack an airlock. - You can safely hack machines. Experienced You can repair, build, and diagnose any electrical devices with ease. You know your way around APCs, SMES units, and monitoring software, and take apart or hack most objects. - You can safely place remote signaling devices. - You can examine one or two wires on the hacking panel. Master You are an electrical engineer or the equivalent. You can design, upgrade, and modify electrical equipment and you are good at maximizing the efficiency of your power network. You can hack anything on the installation you can deal with power outages and electrical problems easily and efficiently. - You can examine most wires on the hacking panel.
Engines Skill Engines Description Your knowledge of the various engine and generator types common in space. Unskilled You know that “delamination” is a bad thing and that you should stay away from the singularity. You know the engine provides power, but you're unclear on the specifics. If you were to try to set up the engine, you would need someone to talk you through every detail–and even then, you'd probably make deadly mistakes. - You can read the SM monitor readings with 40% error. This decreases with level. Basic You know the basic theoretical principles of engine operation. You can try to set up the engine by yourself, but you are likely to need some assistance and supervision, otherwise you are likely to make mistakes. You are fully capable of running a PACMAN-type generator. Trained You can set up the engine, and you probably won't botch it up too badly. You know how to protect yourself from radiation in the engine room. You can read the engine monitors and keep the engine going. An engine malfunction may stump you, but you can probably work out how to fix it… let's just hope you do so quickly enough to prevent serious damage. - You can fully read the SM monitor readings. Experienced You have years of experience with engines, and can set them up quickly and reliably. You're familiar with engine types other than the one you work with. - You can examine the SM directly for its integrity. Master Your engine is your baby and you know every minute detail of its workings. You can optimize the engine and you probably have your own favorite custom setup. You could build an engine from the ground up. When things go wrong, you know exactly what has happened and how to fix the problem. You can safely handle singularities and supermatter. - You can examine the SM directly for an approximate number of its EER. Medical These skills have to do with general medical knowledge, chemistry, and other things pertaining to the medical department.
Anatomy Skill Anatomy Description This skill covers the understanding of the body and its organs. It affects the speed of surgeries. It is extremely dangerous to do surgery with a low Anatomy skill. Unskilled You know what organs, bones, and such are, and you know roughly where they are. You know that someone who's badly hurt or sick may need surgery. High chance to fumble all surgery steps. Delicate steps (like attaching organs) fumble even more often. Basic You've taken an anatomy class and you've spent at least some time poking around inside actual people. You know where everything is, more or less. You could assist in surgery, if you have the required medical skills. If you have the forensics knowledge, you could perform an autopsy. If you really had to, you could probably perform basic surgery such as an appendectomy, but you're not yet a qualified surgeon and you really shouldn't–not unless it's an emergency. If you're a xenobiologist, you know how to take out slime cores. - You can do surgery but you are very likely to fail at every step. Its speed increases with level. Trained You have some training in anatomy. Diagnosing broken bones, damaged ligaments, shrapnel wounds, and other trauma is straightforward for you. You can splint limbs with a good chance of success, operate a defibrillator competently, and perform CPR well. Surgery is still outside your training. - Required for cybernetic procedures on organic bodies. Experienced You're a surgical resident, or an experienced medical doctor. You can put together broken bones, fix a damaged lung, patch up a liver, or remove an appendix without problems. But tricky surgeries, with an unstable patient or delicate manipulation of vital organs like the heart and brain, are at the edge of your ability, and you prefer to leave them to specialized surgeons. You can recognize when someone's anatomy is noticeably unusual. You're trained in working with several species, but you're probably better at surgery on your own species. - Required for performing surgery. Master You are an experienced surgeon. You can handle anything that gets rolled, pushed, or dragged into the OR, and you can keep a patient alive and stable even if there's no one to assist you. You can handle severe trauma cases or multiple organ failure, repair brain damage, and perform heart surgery. By now, you've probably specialized in one field, where you may have made new contributions to surgical technique. You can detect even small variations in the anatomy of a patient–even a changeling probably wouldn't slip by your notice, provided you could get one on the operating table. - The penalty from operating on improper operating surfaces is reduced.
Chemistry Skill Chemistry Description Your knowledge and practical ability with chemicals and chemistry machinery. This does not include knowledge of the effects of medicines on the body. It is extremely dangerous to do chemistry with a low Chemistry skill. Unskilled You know that chemists work with chemicals; you know that they can make medicine or poison or useful chemicals. You probably know what an element is and have a vague idea of what a chemical reaction is from some chemistry class in your high school days.
Grinder: Can fumble and hurt your hands, and has a low yield. Yield increases with skill.
ChemMaster, Thorough Mode: Buffer transfers lose chemicals. Loss decreases with skill.
ChemMaster, Quick Mode: Buffer transfers can move other chemicals as well. Chance decreases with skill.
Dispenser: Can add up to 2 contaminants as well. The amount dispensed is inaccurate.
Science glasses/HUD: Allow you to reveal the chemicals in a container by examining. Accuracy increases with skill.
Basic You can make basic chemicals or medication–things like space cleaner or anti-toxin. You have some training in safety and you won't blow up the lab… probably. - You can safely use the All-In-One Grinder but lose some ingredients. Its amount decreases with skill level.
Dispenser: Can add 1 contaminant as well. The amount dispensed is more accurate.
Trained You can accurately measure out reagents, grind powders, and perform chemical reactions. You may still lose some product on occasion, but are unlikely to endanger yourself or those around you. - You can fully operate the Chemistry Dispenser. Experienced You work as a chemist, or else you are a doctor with training in chemistry. If you are a research chemist, you can create most useful chemicals; if you are a pharmacist, you can make most medications. At this stage, you're working mostly by-the-book. You can weaponize your chemicals by making grenades, smoke bombs, and similar devices.
Examining A Held Container: Reveals the scannable chemicals it contains.
Master You specialized in chemistry or pharmaceuticals; you are either a medical researcher or professional chemist. You can create custom mixes and make even the trickiest of medications easily. You understand how your pharmaceuticals interact with the bodies of your patients. You are probably the originator of at least one new chemical innovation. - You can examine held containers for all reagents.
Examining A Held Container: Reveals all of the chemicals it contains.
Medicine Skill Medicine Description Medicine covers the understanding of the human body and medicine. Low levels give general knowledge of basic medicines and simple medical devices. High levels give exact knowledge of medicines and medical devices. It is dangerous to use medicine and medical devices with a low medicine skill. Unskilled You know basic first aid, such as how to apply a bandage or ointment to an injury. You can use an autoinjector designed for civilian use, probably by reading the directions printed on it. You can tell when someone is badly hurt and needs a doctor; you can see whether someone has a badly broken bone, is having trouble breathing, or is unconscious. You may not be able to tell the difference between unconscious and dead.
Health Analyzer displays partial, badly formatted results.
Body Scanner displays partial, badly formatted results.
Syringes injecting always acts as if on harm; drawing blood can fumble and injure the patient.
IV Drip removing the IV always rips it out; inserting it can fumble and injure the patient.
Sleeper does not display patient status, dialysis and stomach pumping not available.
Defibrillator can fumble and shock the patient or user.
Basic You've taken a first-aid training, nursing, or EMT course. You can stop bleeding, do CPR, apply a splint, take someone's pulse, apply trauma and burn treatments, and read a handheld health scanner. You probably know that Dylovene helps poisoning and Dexalin helps people with breathing problems; you can use a syringe or start an IV. You've been briefed on the symptoms of common emergencies like a punctured lung, appendicitis, alcohol poisoning, or broken bones, and though you can't treat them, you know that they need a doctor's attention. You can recognize most emergencies as emergencies and safely stabilize and transport a patient. - You can fully operate Defibrillators, Health Analyzers, IV drips, and Syringes.
Health Analyzer, Syringes, IV Drip, and Defibrillator work correctly.
Sleeper can do dialysis and stomach pumping.
Trained You are an experienced EMT, an experienced nurse, or a medical resident. You know how to treat most illnesses and injuries, though exotic illnesses and unusual injuries may still stump you. You have probably begun to specialize in some sub-field of medicine. In emergencies, you can think fast enough to keep your patients alive, and even when you can't treat a patient, you know how to find someone who can. You can use a full-body scanner, and you know something's off about a patient with an alien parasite or cortical borer. - You can fully operate Sleepers. - Required for simple surgery (incisions etc). - You can apply splints without failing.
Body Scanner displays correctly.
Sleeper displays patient status.
Splints always succeed when applying to others.
Experienced You are a senior nurse or paramedic, or a practicing doctor. You know how to use all of the medical devices available to treat a patient. Your deep knowledge of the body and medications will let you diagnose and come up with a course of treatment for most ailments. You can perform a full-body scan thoroughly and find important information. - You can fully operate Body Scanners. - Required for delicate surgery (anything involving organs and so on) Master You are an experienced doctor or an expert nurse or EMT. You've seen almost everything there is to see when it comes to injuries and illness and even when it comes to something you haven't seen, you can apply your wide knowledge base to put together a treatment. In a pinch, you can do just about any medicine-related task, but your specialty, whatever it may be, is where you really shine.
Research These skills have to do with your ability to research, handle complex devices, and perform scientific research.
Complex Devices Skill Complex Devices Description Your ability to assemble complex devices, such as computers, circuits, printers, robots or gas tank assemblies (bombs). Unskilled You know how to use the technology that was present in whatever society you grew up in. You know how to tell when something is malfunctioning, but you have to call tech support to get it fixed. Basic You use and repair high-tech equipment in the course of your daily work. You can fix simple problems, and you know how to use a circuit printer or autolathe. You can build simple robots such as cleanbots and medibots. Trained You can build or repair an exosuit or cyborg chassis, use a protolathe and destructive analyzer, and build prosthetic limbs. You can safely transfer an MMI or posibrain into a cyborg chassis. - You can attach robotic limbs. Its speed increases with level. - Required for robotic surgery steps. If meat bodies are involved, also need Trained Anatomy. Experienced You have years of experience building or reverse-engineering complex devices. Your use of the lathes and destructive analyzers is efficient and methodical. You can design contraptions to order, and likely sell those designs at a profit. Master You are an inventor or researcher. You can design, build, and modify equipment that most people don't even know exists. You are at home in the lab and the workshop and you've never met a gadget you couldn't take apart, put back together, and replicate.
Science Skill Science Description Your experience and knowledge with scientific methods and processes. Unskilled You know what science is and probably have a vague idea of the scientific method from your high school science classes. Basic You keep up with scientific discoveries. You know a little about most fields of research. You've learned basic laboratory skills. You may read about science as a hobby; or you may be working in a field related to science and have learned about science that way. You could design a simple experiment. Trained You are a scientist, perhaps a graduate student or post-graduate researcher. You can design an experiment, analyze your results, publish your data, and integrate what you've learned with the research of other scientists. Your laboratory skills are reliable, and you know how to find information you need when you research a new scientific topic. Experienced You are a junior researcher. You can formulate your own questions, use the tools at hand to test your hypotheses, and investigate entirely new phenomena. You likely have a track record of success in publishing your conclusions and attracting funding. Master You are a professional researcher, and you have made multiple new discoveries in your field. Your experiments are well-designed. You are known as an authority in your specialty and your papers often appear in prestigious journals. You may be coordinating the research efforts of a team of scientists, and likely know how to make your findings appealing to investors.
Security These skills have to do with close combat, forensic science, and weapons handling.
Close Combat Skill Close Combat Description Your training in hand-to-hand combat or melee weapon usage. Unskilled You can throw a punch or a kick, but it'll knock you off-balance. You're inexperienced and have probably never been in a serious hand-to-hand fight. In a fight, you might panic and run, grab whatever's nearby and blindly strike out with it, or (if the other guy is just as much of a beginner as you are) make a fool out of yourself. - You can disarm, grab, and hit. Their success chance depends on the fighters' skill difference. Basic You either have some experience with fistfights, or you have some training in a martial art. You can handle yourself if you really have to, and if you're a security officer, can handle a stun baton at least well enough to get the handcuffs onto a criminal. Trained You have had close-combat training, and can easily defeat unskilled opponents. Close combat may not be your specialty, and you don't engage in it more than needed, but you know how to handle yourself in a fight. - You can parry with weapons. This increases with level. - You can do grab maneuvers (pinning, dislocating). Experienced You're good at hand-to-hand combat. You've trained explicitly in a martial art or as a close combatant as part of a military or police unit. You can use weaponry competently and you can think strategically and quickly in a melee. You're in good shape and you spend time training. Master You specialize in hand-to-hand combat. You're well-trained in a practical martial art, and in good shape. You spend a lot of time practicing. You can take on just about anyone, use just about any weapon, and usually come out on top. You may be a professional athlete or special forces member.
Forensics Skill Forensics Description Forensics is used to handle forensic evidence safely and to use forensics equipment to hunt down criminals. Unskilled You know that detectives solve crimes. You may have some idea that it's bad to contaminate a crime scene, but you're not too clear on the details. Increased chance of leaving fingerprints when touching things. Can contaminate evidence when trying to put it in evidence bags. Basic You know how to avoid contaminating a crime scene. Can safely handle evidence bags, normal chance to leave fingerprints and such. Trained You are trained in collecting forensic evidence - fibers, fingerprints, the works. You know how autopsies are done, and might've assisted performing one. - You can more easily detect fingerprints. Can use forensics equipment, evidence collections kits and machinery. You no longer contaminate evidence. Experienced You're a pathologist, or detective. You've seen your share of bizarre cases, and spent a lot of time putting pieces of forensic puzzle together, so you're faster now. - You can notice additional details upon examining, such as fibers, partial prints, and gunshot residue. Can detect fibers, prints and GSR on examination up to a tile away. Master You're a big name in forensic science. You might be an investigator who cracked a famous case, or you published papers on new methods of forensics. Either way, if there's a forensic trail, you will find it, period. - You can notice traces of wiped off blood. Increased detection range to two tiles.
Weapons Expertise Skill Weapons Expertise Description Weapons Expertise is required to safely and efficiently handle guns. Without at least basic gun handling skill you'll be prone to safety-related accidents, while higher skills increase accuracy, especially in stressful conditions. Unskilled You know how to recognize a weapon when you see one. You can point a gun and shoot it, though results vary wildly. You might forget the safety, you can't control burst recoil well, and you don't have trained reflexes for gun fighting. Can accidentally set safety on while handling gun. Need to examine gun to see safety state. If gun's not on safety, can accidentally discharge it while putting it in bags/holsters/pockets or taking it out. Basic You know how to handle weapons safely, and you're comfortable using simple weapons. Your aim is decent and you can usually be trusted not to do anything stupid with a weapon you are familiar with, but your training isn't automatic yet and your performance will degrade in high-stress situations. - You can use firearms. Their accuracy and spread depend on your skill level. Can see safety state on gun's icon when in inventory, can tell if gun is jammed. Still not as good in combat situations - accuracy penalty when in pain, can fail at reflexive fire, less accurate automatic fire. Trained You have had extensive weapons training, or have used weapons in combat. Your aim is better now. You are familiar with most types of weapons and can use them in a pinch. You have an understanding of tactics, and can be trusted to stay calm under fire. You may have military or police experience and you probably carry a weapon on the job. Can ignore accuracy penalty from minor pain, can tell how many rounds are left in the gun, no extra accuracy loss when firing bursts, slightly better accuracy overall, chance to switch safety off when unholstering a weapon with harm intent. Experienced You've used firearms and other ranged weapons in high-stress situations, and your skills have become automatic. Your aim is good. Further accuracy bonus, higher chance to automatically clear a jam, guaranteed to switch safety off when unholstering a weapon with harm intent. You can perform tactical and speed reloads on weapons. Master You are an exceptional shot with a variety of weapons, from simple to exotic. You use a weapon as naturally as though it were a part of your own body. You may be a sniper or special forces operator of some kind. - You get extra accuracy for sniper rifles. - You automatically eject shells from bolt-action firearms.
Service These skills have to do with your ability to grow plants, and cook food.
Botany Skill Botany Description Required to effectively tend to plants. A low skill level is enough to grow crops, but plant science and xenobotany require a higher level. Unskilled You know next to nothing about plants. While you can attempt to plant, weed, or harvest, you are just as likely to kill the plant instead.
General: Cannot recognize whether weeds or pests harm the plant. Planting might not be successful. Attempts at weeding can harm actual plant.
Bioballistic Delivery System: Has a chance to fail at extracting the gene. Increases seed degradation more rapidly.
Lysis-Isolation Centrifuge: Has a chance to fail at extracting the gene. Increases seed degradation more rapidly.
Basic You've done some gardening. You can water, weed, fertilize, plant, and harvest, and you can recognize and deal with pests. You may be a hobby gardener. - You can safely plant and weed normal plants. - You can tell weeds and pests apart from each other.
General: Works normally for non-exotic seeds.
Trained You are proficient at botany, and can grow plants for food or oxygen production. Your plants will generally survive and prosper. You know the basics of manipulating plant genes. - You can safely plant and weed exotic plants. - You can operate xenoflora machines. The sample's degradation decreases with skill level.
General: Works normally for exotic seeds.
Bioballistic Delivery System: Works normally.
Lysis-Isolation Centrifuge: Works normally.
Experienced You're a botanist or farmer, capable of running a facility's hydroponics farms or doing botanical research. You are adept at creating custom hybrids and modified strains.
Bioballistic Delivery System: Slower seed degradation.
Lysis-Isolation Centrifuge: Slower seed degradation.
Master You're a specialized botanist. You can care for even the most exotic, fragile, or dangerous plants. You can use gene manipulation machinery with precision, and are often able to avoid the degradation of samples.
Cooking Skill Cooking Description Describes a character's ability to prepare meals and other consumable goods. This includes mixing alcoholic beverages. Unskilled You barely know anything about cooking, and stick to vending machines when you can. The microwave is a device of black magic to you, and you avoid it when possible. Basic You can make simple meals and do the cooking for your family. Things like spaghetti, grilled cheese, or simple mixed drinks are your usual fare. - You can safely use the All-In-One Grinder. Trained You can make most meals while following instructions, and they generally turn out well. You have some experience with hosting, catering, and/or bartending. - You can fully operate the drink dispensers. Experienced You can cook professionally, keeping an entire crew fed easily. Your food is tasty and you don't have a problem with tricky or complicated dishes. You can be depended on to make just about any commonly-served drink. Master Not only are you good at cooking and mixing drinks, but you can manage a kitchen staff and cater for special events. You can safely prepare exotic foods and drinks that would be poisonous if prepared incorrectly.
The Skill System From CM Wiki Contents 1 Skill System 2 Pamphlets 3 Skill Tiers 4 Skills 5 Skill System Tables Skill System This is a general overview and introduction to the skill system in place on the server. The skill system works by defining your job with a set of skill categories, these categories each have their own tier of skill, for example the Master tier is the highest a skill can be and the Novice tier is the lowest a skill can be. Depending on what tier a skill is will affect how your character performs in tasks relating to that category, to simplify this take the Engineering skill, if that is designated at a master tier it means your character will be able to construct all of the items on the build menu, if you don't have the master skill you'll have a limited selection.
Pamphlets Pamphlets are unique items that, when used, give one or more skill points in a specific field, depending on the pamphlet. For example, a person that use one for medicine will receive one skill point in medicine. They will receive the level of trained, allowing them basic operation of auto-injectors and a faster use of splints and other medical items. The pamphlets will not be used or stack if they already have the level equal to the pamphlet or higher.
Skill Tiers The skill tiers determine your characters knowledge of a skill, this then affects how you perform in that skill.
Skill Tier: Description: Master: 5 Master level knowledge of a skill. Due to how this is the highest level of knowledge a character can have, you will be vastly superior to other players in that specific skill. An example for this is that the Synthetic has a master level of knowledge for CQC, making him almost unbeatable. Elite: 4 Elite level knowledge of a skill. This is the second highest level of knowledge you may have. Having an Elite skill, gives you access to wide range of new capabilities that will allow you to work at a faster rate and better. Expert: 3 Expert knowledge of a skill. In practice this tier means that you'll have access to state of the art techniques relating to the specific skill and be able to perform them better and faster than someone who is specially trained. Specially Trained: 2 Advanced knowledge of a skill. In round this tier means that you'll have access to more advanced techniques relating to the specific skill and be able to perform better than average on them as well. Trained: 1 Basic knowledge of a skill. Effectively this is the fresh out of bootcamp tier, what this means in action is that you'll be able to use certain weapons and skill techniques at an average level. Untrained: 0 Limited to no knowledge of a skill. In practice this means that your character will either perform worse in the specific skill or you simply won't be able to complete the task relating to it. Skills A list of the twenty skills that make up the skill system.
Skills: Description: CQC This skill concerns your Character's hand to hand self-defense prowess, the higher the skill is, the less likely you'll disarm weapons without discharging them. Melee weapons does not affect its skill. Melee This skill concerns your Character's melee combat prowess, like using the M5 Survival knife and other melee weapons that can be found on the planet or station. (25% more damage per level) Powerloaders Effects your Character's powerloader efficiency. Firearms Concerns your Character's firearm combat prowess. Higher skill mean less recoil, Higher Accuracy, Faster Gun Wield and Faster tactical reloading Specialist Weapons This skill concerns your characters specialist weapons / SmartGun knowledge and combat effectiveness.
Note: Each specialist kit, gives you a Specialist Weapons skill that goes from 1-6, depending on the kit you choose. If the kit you have chosen has that skill set at 8(normally reserved for events), that means that you can use all kinds of specialist guns and ammo.
Note: A squad specialist can use any specialist weapon upon spawning as they start with their specialist weapon skill at level 8. It is only once they choose a kit that, that is changed to the corresponding spec weapons number and locks them to that specialist weapon.
So if you were to avoid taking a specialist weapon kit, you would be able to use all specialist weapons within a round without being locked to any weapon.(Though limiting the marines overal firepower).
M5 RPGs (Demolitionist) have a specialist weapons skill of 1. M4RAs (Scout) have a specialist weapons skill of 2 M42As (Sniper) have a specialist weapons skill of 3. M92 grenade launchers (Grenadier) have a specialist weapons skill of 4. M240-T incinerators (Pyro) have a specialist weapons skill of 5. Smartguns have a specialist weapons skill of 6. Endurance This skill concerns your characters effectiveness at resisting internal bleeding and broken bones when attacked as well as stun resistance. Engineering The higher the skill tier is, the more advanced constructs you can repair and hack, from repairing simple barricades to planting C4 explosive charges. If you are trained in this skill you can examine the tank to see the integrity of each module on the tank. Construction The higher the skill tier is, the more advanced constructs you are able to build, from building sandbags up to building plasteel barricades. Leadership The higher the skill tier, the more advanced leadership devices you're able to use, such as the Overwatch console. This skill also effects the buff strength of the orders you give and the speed at which you laze targets with the tactical binoculars. Medical The higher the skill tier is, the more advanced medical procedures are available and overall speed increases, such as basic first aid (applying bandages) to the more complex medical procedures (knowledge of pills). This does not affect surgery. Surgery The higher the skill tier is, the faster you can complete surgical procedures. Police Effects whether your Character is knowledgeable in policing techniques and devices, like Military Police gear (Flash, tasers, etc) and their related consoles. Pilot This skill effects your Character's piloting knowledge, in short whether you're some top gun watching ace pilot or someone who thinks they can complete a close air support mission by flapping their arms. Vehicle Operating This skill effects your Character's armored vehicular operating knowledge, in short whether you're a real vehicle crewman or someone who gets ran over. Skill System Tables The below table represents how the skill system will be shown on the wiki, hopefully this'll provide some good visual aid about the skill system to new and old alike.
Standard Skill set.png