Social skills
Disguise
Check: INT/CHA/AGI
Applications: Costuming, Imitate Person, Stage Acting
Encumbrance: Yes
Tools: a disguise
Quality: it’s hard to see through the disguise.
Failed Check: the disguise is a poor one that won’t pass close examination.
Critical Success: the disguise is flawless.
Botch: people see through the disguise at once. The hero will probably get in trouble.
Improvement Cost: B
Empathy
Check: SGC/INT/CHA
Applications: Discern Motivation, Sense Deception
Encumbrance: No
Quality: gain insight into another person’s motivation or intentionally misleading statement.
Failed Check: the hero is unsure.
Critical Success: the hero gets a strong sense of what drives a person to act in a certain manner.
Botch: the hero misjudges the situation completely (believing every word a liar says, or thinking an honest person is lying, for example).
Improvement Cost: C
Action Modifier
Etiquette
Check: SGC/INT/CHA
Applications: Fashion, Manners, Rumors, Small Talk
Encumbrance: No
Quality: the hero makes a good impression and is remembered in a positive light.
Failed Check: the hero forgets some important rules of etiquette and makes a bad impression.
Critical Success: the hero’s manners, wit, and charm are the talk of the party.
Botch: the hero’s boorish behavior insults an important personage.
Improvement Cost: B
Fast-Talk
Use: Leader (see page 217)
Check: COU/INT/CHA
Applications: Hard Sell, Begging, Manipulation, Provocation, Subterfuge, Sweet-Talk
Encumbrance: No
Quality: the target character does more for the hero.
Failed Check: the hero can’t persuade the target character.
Critical Success: the target character does much more than expected.
Botch: the target character grows angry with the hero and can’t be convinced of anything.
Improvement Cost: C
Intimidation
Check: COU/INT/CHA
Applications: Interrogation, Threats, Torture
Encumbrance: No
Quality: the victim remains intimidated longer or reveals more than expected.
Failed Check: the target ignores all insults and attempts at intimidation.
Critical Success: the target is utterly intimidated and won’t act against the character for the foreseeable future.
Botch: instead of being intimidated or insulted, the reverse happens, and the target grows angry, calm, or even amused. Alternatively, the would-be intimidator appears foolish.
Improvement Cost: B
Persuasion
Check: COU/SGC/CHA
Applications: Conversation, Debate, Oration, Provocation
Encumbrance: No
Quality: you persuade more people, or the target adheres to the new belief for a longer time.
Failed Check: The target doesn’t believe the orator.
Critical Success: The target is completely convinced.
Botch: The target feels insulted.
Improvement Cost: B
Seduction
Check: COU/CHA/CHA
Applications: Flirting, Romantic Arts, Beautify
Encumbrance: No, but there could be situational exceptions, like trying to seduce somebody while wearing plate armor
Quality: the target reacts favorably to the character.
Failed Check: the character doesn’t manage to arouse the target’s interest.
Critical Success: the target tries to fulfill all the character’s wishes.
Botch: the target slaps the character for being crude.
Improvement Cost: B
Streetwise
Check: SGC/INT/CHA
Applications: Asking Around, Judging Locations, Shadowing
Encumbrance: No (maybe in some situations, such as if your armor helps you resemble a guard or a nobleman)
Quality: collect more information, or get it faster than expected.
Failed Check: receive no useful information.
Critical Success: find an especially good but inexpensive inn, obtain much more information than expected, or find a contact who offers excellent terms.
Botch: walk into an ambush by a gang of thugs who plan to rob you blind.
Improvement Cost: C
Willpower
Check: COU/INT/CHA
Applications: Face Threats, Resist Fast-Talk, Resist Intimidation, Resist Persuasion, Resist Seduction
Encumbrance: No
Quality: greatly reduce the effects of Seduction or Persuasion, or resist them completely.
Failed Check: the hero cannot resist.
Critical Success: the hero resists and cannot be influenced by that person or thing for the near future.
Botch: the hero succumbs completely to the person attempting the influence, or faints when faced with something like a horrible demon.
Improvement Cost: D
Core Rules page 193