Skill Specialisations :
Certain skills have “Adaptive” specialisations. This means that although that specialisation can cover a multitude of different topics it does not need to be bought more than once. Instead it is assumed that given some time to study and practice an appropriate sub-set of that skill in the proper environment (approximately one to six months) their knowledge of that specialisation expands to encompass this. The the GM's discretion certain option may be difficult or impossible to attain without the assistance of practiced speakers. Each of the Adaptive specialisations below is accompanied by a selection of potential Adaptive Skill options, though there are many more and the GM and players should feel free to make up more if appropriate.
Linguistics : The Linguistics skill encompasses the following specialisations...
Chapter Runes : The battle language and private codes of a specific Space Marine chapter.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Imperial Fist War Cant
- Sanguine Speech
- Ultramarine Battle Codes
- Vylka Fenryka Battle Sign
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Khornate Gore Runes
- Nurglitch Pox Marks
- Slaaneshi Flesh Writing
- Tzeenchian Serpent Script
High Gothic : The language spoken by the upper echelons of the Imperium, and the tongue of its prayers and liturgies.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Ancient Albionic
- Archaic Sub-Pacificae
- Hy-Brazillian
- Sororitas Battle Chant
Imperial Ciphers : The secretive languages and codes of the Imperiums most shadowy and secretive servants.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Assassinorum Execution Codes
- Hereticus Explicatory Linguistics
- Malleus Sacral Cant
- Xenos Mortinalytics
Low Gothic : The common language of the Imperium of Man, and its derivatives.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Common Gothic
- Armageddon Hive Cant
- Neo Ophelian
- Ultramar Gothic
Millitary Codes : The codes and battle languages of the Imperium's armed forces.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Arbites Lex Sign
- Astra Millitarum Battle Language
- Naval Command Codes
- Tempestus Scion Combat Sign
Techna Lingua : The binaric cants of the Adeptus Mechanicus, their priesthoods and their servants.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Cybernetica Command Liturgy
- Lex Orthodox Mechanicae
- Lingua Artificae
- Skitarii Codes Millitant
Underworld Cant : The secret languages and hidden codes of the Imperiums seedy underbelly.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Faceless Trade Sign
- Hidden Blade Murder Script
- Necromunda Gang Cant
- White Market Trade Code
Xenolinguistics [Select One Xenos Race] : The myriad languages spoken by the foul alien races that plague mankind.
Lore :
Lore skills make use of the Adaptive Skills mechanic, just like Linguistics skills do. However each consists of a basic area of knowledge as well as numerous sub-topics that a character can expand their education to include. For example, Lore : Imperial Creed provides a character with a basic education with regards to Imperial religion, its saints, teachings and history. A character with this skill can elaborate on this to learn about the Adeptus Ministorum, the Adepta Sororitas, and instances of Heresy against the Creed.
Note that there are some topics that overlap between different Lore specialisations, this is deliberate as there are multiple ways to approach different types of knowledge. For example Lore [Adeptus Arbites] would also grant knowledge of Judgement from the Administratum specialisation.
At the GM's discretion having access to a topic from multiple sources, or even just specialising further in a particular topic, can grant a +10 bonus to an appropriate Lore test.
Additionally, for the sake of simplicity the GM may simply decide that for any Lore skill that lacks sub-specialisations all players are fully aware of all topics within that skill.
Academia : Knowledge of all manner of scholastic subjects, that the learned and wise of the Imperium can be expected to have at least a passing knowledge of.
Adaptive Skill Options :
Astromancy
Beasts
Heraldry and Lineage
Legend
Philosophy
Administration : Knowledge of the laws and bureaucracy of the Imperium, and the ways in which it is governed and its laws enforced.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Bureaucracy
- Enforcers
- Judgement
Aristocracy : Knowledge of those who rule the Imperium and its innumerable worlds.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Heraldry and Lineage
- Navigator Houses
- Noble Houses
- Rogue Traders
Imperial Creed : Knowledge of the myths, legends and religious practices of the Imperium, and those that follow them.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Heretics
- Legend
- Specific Cults
Imperial Institutions [Select One, such as Adeptus Astartes, Adeptus Administratum, or Adeptus Mechanicus]* : Knowledge of a particular faction of the Adeptus Terra, their history, practices and membership.
Imperium : Knowledge of the worlds, sectors and locations of the Imperium
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Specific Locations
- Specific Sectors
- Specific Worlds
Occult : Knowledge of the supernatural lore of the 41st millenium, from superstition and old wives tales to daemonic lore and knowledge of Psykers and their 'gifts'.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Daemonology
- Psykers
- Warp
Servants of Chaos [Select One, such as Chaos Cults, Daemons, or Traitor Legions]* : Knowledge of the lost and the damned, the enemies that seek to tear down the Imperium in the name of their dark gods.
Technology : Knowledge of the rites and rituals of Technosorcery, as well as other skills that would once have been called 'scyences'.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Archaeotech
- Chymistry
- Xenotech
Underworld : Knowledge of criminal organisations, black markets and other nefarious activities. Adaptive Skill Options :
- Criminal Cartels
- Mercenary Organisations
- Piracy
War : Knowledge of millitary formations, famous campaigns, tactics and strategy.
Adaptive Skill Options :
- Planetary Defence Forces
- Schola Progenium
- Tactica Imperialis
Xenos [Select One, such as Eldar, Orks or Tyranids]* : Knowledge of the inhuman foes that lurk outside the bounds of the Imperium, and sometimes within.
*Appropriate Adaptive Skill Options for these specialisations include specific sub factions, holdings, and history. For example an appropriate option for Lore : Traitor Legions would be a specific legion, such as the Night Lords.
Operate :
The Operate skill uses the following specialisations. Operate does not have Adaptive Skill Options, unless the GM decides that characters need to learn to use specific subtypes of vehicle.
Aeronautica (Agility) : This specialisation is used to pilot atmospheric craft such as gunships, fighters, and transport aircraft as well as small void craft such a shuttles and interceptors.
Ground (Agility) : This specialisation is used to pilot tracked and wheeled ground vehicles such as tanks, cars and cargo trucks.
Personal (Agility) : This specialisation is used to operate personal, mobility enhancing pieces of equipment, such as jet packs and grav chutes.
Skimmer (Agility) : This specialisation is used to operate low level skimmers, such as land speeders and grav skiffs.
Voidcraft (Intelligence) : This specialisation is used to pilot full scale void craft, such as transports, system ships and warships.
Walker (Agility) : This specialisation is used to pilot vehicles with two or more legs, such as Dune Walkers and Sentinels.
Trade :
The Trade skill remains unchanged.
Design Notes :
Ok, so again we come to why I've changed what I've changed. I mentioned in the previous post that I wanted to reduce the total number of Lore skills in the game, whilst simultaneously collapsing Common Lore, Scholastic Lore and Forbidden lore into a single skill for each topic. I've done the same for Linguistics, with both of these alterations both serving to simplify the game whilst serving as a mechanical balancing tool. In both cases I've tried to keep the total number of specialisations at around a dozen, accounting for subjects that I do believe need specialisations of their own, and I'm happy with what I've rendered them down to.
With regards to game balance, these alterations serve to prevent scholastic characters from wasting their hard earned XP on skills that may come into a play a handful of times in their career as opposed to a more practical (read, millitant) characters abilities being more consistently useful. This isn't D&D 3rd Edition or Pathfinder, where intelligent characters will naturally have more skill points than anyone else, requiring that characters spend their XP with care instead of having a good shot at learning every single knowledge based skill in the game...
Operate, unlike Linguistics and Lore, has had its number of specialisations increased. This is a personal peeve of mine, as I believe that the reduction of Operate to only three specialisations is a gross oversimplification, as is assuming all Operate skills work off Agility. This is easily fixed by increasing the number of specialisations to the six above, and ensuring its very clear that Operate [Voidcraft] is a function of Intelligence, namely a characters ability to calculate thrust vectors, distances and tabulate augur information when plotting a course over tens of thousands of kilometres.
Trade...Trade I'm not too happy with leaving unchanged but at the moment I've not come up with any major alterations that I'm happy with. I considered rendering it down to four Specialisations each centred around a particular use of what could be considered a 'Trade', namely Crafting, Entertaining, Labouring and Professions, but it seemed too broad to work with the Adaptive Options system. I'll have a think about this in the future and come back to it before I finish this re-write.
Next time I'm going to skip ahead a few chapters to combat, as I believe I need to go over that particlar subject before I return to the earlier chapters of the Core Rulebook to address Talents and Traits, Psychic Powers and the Armoury. After that there are a few minor alterations I'd like to address at which point this little project will be complete.
Well, apart from taking a look at the contents of the supplements...
Until Next Time
Happy Gaming
Michael
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