RARE/STRANGE/SPECIAL SKILLS:
You can choose any skill you want; discuss it with me and we'll decide if it has prerequisites. Below follow some examples—they are a few of the infinite choices.

Archery, Animal Training, Demolitions, Gambling, Hypnotism, Instruction, Mimicry, Pilot, Police Proceedures, Ride (an animal), Taxidermy, Torture. You can think of many more.

Herbalism & Acupuncture are variations of Medicine, with similar effects possible at higher levels. (Lower levels are where they vary the most; herbalism concentrates on chemical balances and disease cures, while acupuncture emphasizes energy and wellness). If you want to practice one of these forms, just write Acupuncture (or whatever) after Medicine.

Lore ( ): In depth research about a specific field, organization, or group. Lore must be bought for each group you have special information on. Sample Lores include: specific traditions, specific conventions, vampires, lupines, curses, spirits, ghosts, etc. At 2+ in a lore, you can pick up a specialty, such as 'void engineer technology', 'vampire politics', 'native american spirits', etc.

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT SKILL SPECIALIZATIONS:
Skill specializations are bought exactly as standard skills are. However, due to their narrower focus, they indicate a far greater command over the subject. They are used in dice rolls as follows:

• What you're doing is highly specific or requires extensive experience. If the test requires this level of advanced knowledge, then the Attribute + Specialty Skill is rolled. (Some examples include: genetic engineering, altering hypertech, psychoanalysis)
• What you're doing is in your specialty field, but it's not impossible for generally trained people to do. In these tests, the roll Attribute + base Skill and add Specialty Skill as auto-successes. (Examples include classifying organisms, repairing hypertech, counseling)
• The task is not in your field. Roll the Attribute + Base Skill, ignoring the specialty skill all together. (Examples include petroleum engineering if you're a biologist, catching a football if you're a swimmer, examining a crime scene if you have speed reading.

Skill Descriptions:

Academics: most 'liberal arts' classes (see specialties below, typical)
1 – Standard HS education, good on generalities but few specifics
2 – Extensive HS education & practice, or several college classes
3 – Undergraduate major with extensive discussion or some application
4 – Extensive experience in several disciplines
academics specialties (2+): history, law, geography, sociology, psychology, philosophy, culture, theology, linguistics, etc.
1 – Specific undergraduate major or HS and a few years practice
2 – A beginning professional in your field, Phd if academic, law degree for lawyers
3 – An experienced professional, a world class researcher

Alertness:
1 – amateur poets, listening to the world, noticing unusual clues
2 – noticing concealed clues, rapidly distinguishing noises/senses from background
3 – sixth sense, can scan and integrate complex scenes, notice subtle detail
4 – no detail goes unnoticed, you can detect the bulge of a gun under several clothing layers
5 – The Princess and the Pea, Spiderman
alertness specializations: investigation, danger sense, scanning, scrounging, speed reading

Athletics
1 – General knowledge of most sports, reasonable repertoire of stretches & exercises
2 – Extra time/ expertise in training, try hard in PE, an after school sport
3 – On several HS sports teams, or a star of the few. Second string college team.
4 – Pro level general training
5 – Top of the pros (in general fitness, etc.)
Athletics specializations: running, climbing, throwing, swimming, specific sport, etc.
1 – Skilled in a sport (top of HS/second string college)
2 – College/farm team starter
3 – Pro starter / Olympic qualifier

Awareness:
1 – You have a good feel for people & situations
2 – You can tell when people are uncomfortable, incredibly perceptive
3 – You can sense/feel emotional states, or auras, etc.
4 – Identify tension/spiritual overtones for an area
5 - You can often feel events from a great distance...
awareness specializations: auras, intuition, magic, supernatural critters, quintessence, Talismans


Brawl:
1 – You've been in a few scrapes, none too serious
2 – You can handle your own in a fist fight, or you have a few belts in a martial art or two
3 – You know very practical techniques, have several martial arts belts, or dedicated combat training
4 – You are deadly against lesser opponents. Hold top belt in martial art or two, renowned competitor.
5 – Probably started your own fusion style, highly ranked internationally (in multiple styles)
brawl specializations: specific martial art, boxing,

Computer:
1 – Can operate a GUI (graphical user interface) effortlessly, can use common applications
2 – Knows a programming language or two, may know a few OSes, can figure out most applications
3 – Computer consultant, can find and fix most problems, or a skilled programmer
4 – Computer guru. Can figure out most things he doesn't know (by analogy). Expert programmer.
5 - Elite. If it's electronic, it's your toy.
computer specialties (2+): specific computer language, hardware, hacking, WANs, etc.
1 – Skilled amateur, several months on the job
2 – Very experienced, can do things quickly; coordinate DOS attacks; create strong firewalls
3 – Break into highly protected records, lead code for a new computer application, design hardware

Cosmology: Understanding the 'rules' and locations of the spirit world, common customs for spirit interactions
1 – Read a book or two, been on a guided tour once, familiar with many myths
2 – Can usually ID common spirits, knows the common safe routes
3 – Can get somewhere unusual, knows many routes & warning signs
4 – Knows of almost everywhere, has routes to many places
5 - You have been to places still who's existance is still debated.
cosmology specializations: spirit identification, routes, realms, deep umbra

Crafts: being able to make things with your hands
1 – A few semesters of wood or metal shop, a few months in a related job
2 – Skilled craftsmanship, can make intricate things with the proper tools
3 – Respected craftsman, people pay well for your skills
4 – Famous craftsman, highly demanded
5 – World famous for artistry and style
craft specialties (2+): Furniture making, welding, sculpture, blacksmith, gunsmith, plumbing, home repair

Culture: being socially graceful, knowing dances, etiquette, etc.
1 – know how to get along in your own background, knows popular dances and manners
2 – quite skilled in your native culture, adequate in related cultures
3 – Miss Manners, expert in your own culture, comfortable in many cultures
4 – Margaret Mead, can fit into almost any culture
5 – Perfect social chameleon—you fit into any group, any species, like a native
culture specializations: carousing, dancing, seduction, style, high ritual, high society, hobo culture, intrigue

Dodge: getting out of the way, taking cover
1 – Amateur laser tag / paintball player
2 – Basic training, experienced at simulated combat
3 – Can find cover in most situations
4 – Extensive combat, special forces level training
5 – Incredible warrior, can walk through a battle and remain untouched
Specialties: Take cover, leap, punches, arrows

Drive:
1 – HS student, pretty good at your car, anything else takes a while to get used to
2 – Can drive most cars & motorcycles confidently. Skilled in adverse conditions
3 – Quite skilled, can do some 'tricks', and handle high speeds. Can handle 18 wheelers, etc.
4 – Professional driver (trucking or race car)
5 – Top of the circuit, can drive anything
drive specializations: cars, bikes, tanks, dragsters, off road, losing tails

Enigmas: Puzzle solving, abstract reasoning
1 –pattern recognition, some deductive reasoning, complex math (Algebra 2/Trig),
2 – Highly theoretical math (Calculus etc.), simple code breaking, extensive puzzle solving
3 – inductive reasoning, complex cryptography, number theory, TV detectives
4 – pattern profilers, NSA data compilers, etc.
5 – Sherlock Holmes
enigmas specializations: riddles, deduction, quick solutions, codes & ciphers

Expression: Your ability to write & communicate (in your native language)
1 – You can write a 5 paragraph essay that's pretty clear, but unpolished
2 – HS Debate team, writer with inspired but uneven word choice, corporal
3 – Sloganeer, advertising guru, moving speaker, professional writer
4 – Regarded professional writer, poet, lawmaker, skilled CEO
5 – "Four score and seven...", "We hold these truths to be...", 'The' sloganeer
expression specialties (2+): leadership, intimidation, translation (requires language 2+), speechwriting, ventriloquism, blatency- a successful roll v. the believability of the effect can turn a 'vulgar' effect coincidental (requires good roleplay)

Firearms:
1 – Target shooter. You can handle a few guns in practice situations quite well
2 – Police officer. Can use most guns/ riffles, know care & upkeep of many weapons, useful in a fight
3 – Infantry branch/Marine. Confident with most weapons.
4 – Special forces, professional snipers
5 – Rambo, Chun Yow Fat, Doc Holiday
firearms specializations: automatic pistols, riffles, heavy weapons (3+), fast draw, gun-smithing, sniping

Languages: each language is separate (though language families are negotiable), secret codes, sign language
1 – Limited conversational (must speak slowly or use simple elements)
2 – Fluent, but have an accent, specialized phrases still unknown
3 – Fluent and Dialects, you can pass for a native speaker and know terms from many dialects
4+ Pointless; at 3 you're unpenalized in the language
Linguistics (specialization of academics) cuts cost of new foreign languages by its rating

Medicine:
1 – a few classes (CPR, etc.), know heimlich, pressure treatments, etc.
2 – extensive practical training (paramedic) or class work (intern)
3 – beginning doctor or experienced paramedic, registered nurse
4 – experienced general practitioner
5 – famous doctor with experience throughout the field of medicine
medicine specializations: first aid, surgery (3+), pharmacy (2+), gastrointestinal (2+), etc.

Meditation:
1 – in proper circumstances, you can achieve deep meditation
2 – your focus is difficult to interrupt, you often return with new insights
3 – can teach meditation, can meditate even in the middle of a rock concert
4 – you exude tranquility, can enter meditation even in the middle of a gunfight
5 – your focus is unbreakable, your body's needs are simple to override
meditation specialties: Zen, stress management. clarity

Melee: using hand weapons (knives, swords, clubs, tonfa, etc.)
1 – a couple of skirmishes with a weapon or 2, choreographed fighting
2 – can use a wide variety of weapons, university fencing, or many street fights
3 – combat training or a weapon based martial art
4 – a professional with a weapon, an experienced knight
5 - your blade flows like water, inexorable
melee specializations: specific weapon type (staffs), or weapon pairing (Florentine), fast-draw

Occult: knowledge of mysticism, folklore, curses, Umbral lore, and other supernatural things
1 – common folktales, popular myths, and several contradictory leads on more
2 – know several common belief systems, obscure folktales and myths
3 – understand extensive symbolism, can weed out most occult crap
4 – you could write several reference books on the occult, Crowley
5 – you know more about most myths than even their participants
occult specialties: ghosts, witches, infernalism, curses

Performance: ability to sing and/or play musical instruments
Artistic Expression: ability to create works of beauty (paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, etc.)
1 – skilled amateur, a few years experience in an instrument or art style
2 – several instruments/styles or many years with an instrument/style
3 – local professional, the opening act for a big name band
4 – famous artist, big name act
5 – Beethoven, Raphael, Mozart... and you
Performance/ Artistic Expression specialties: specific instruments (musical or artistic), specific musical style (voice)

Science: A general knowledge of science, scientific thought & theory
1 – High school science, general geologic & nature theory, some biology, very limited chemistry/physics
2 – Well rounded HS science, a few undergraduate science classes
3 – Broadly educated in science, command over scientific deduction
4 – Through knowledge of unspecialized science, can understand some specialized research
5 - You make connections between different branches that turn theory on it head.
science specializations(2+): chemistry, biology, ecology, physics, materials, atmospheric, alchemy, etc.
1 – Undergraduate major in your field, or extensive experimentation
2 – Extensive lab work, can titrate, reduce, analyze complex compounds, etc.
3 – Original research and knowledge of a sub-field (petroleum refining, laser production, genetic engineering)

Stealth: ability to sneak/hide, break & enter, pick pockets, etc. Limited in the wilderness by your survival skill. Does not include security systems (those are technology).
1 – amateur cat burglar, a few months as a scout
2 – a professional detective, cat burglar
3 – classical ninja, special forces types
4 – infamous assassin
5 – still unknown, despite their incredible exploits
stealth specializations: escapology, shadowing, lock picking, conceal objects, traps

Streetwise: knowing the 'underside' of the city, street slang, where to get illegal stuff, etc.
1 – Connected, can score common drugs, prostitutes, etc. Can hang without seeming out of place
2 – Might know professional criminals, can score drugs, guns under the table; may be able to fence
3 – Know the local underworld cold, can find your way around anywhere. Can be high placed locally.
4 – International crime is no problem; you could run the local crime scene
5 – You can score anything from anywhere, you may run a huge crime syndicate
streetwise specializations: drugs, fencing, kids, gangs, black market

Subterfuge: being able to lie convincingly, conceal your motives, pretend an emotion, etc.
1 – If you work at it or plan, people will usually buy your stories
2 – Can work up fake emotions on the spot, HS drama star
3 – Convincing, you can BS your way almost anywhere, local theater star
4 – Professional actor
5 - Mole in the Mafia, Butter doesn't melt in your mouth
subterfuge specializations: seduction, sense deception, fast talk, smooth liar, disguise,

Survival: ability to function in the great outdoors
1 – boy scout, extensive hiking (or similar) experience
2 – survival training, hunting/camping/etc. enthusiast
3 – pre-modern native cultures, Eskimos
4 - anywhere, anytime- with simple tools, you can survive anywhere
5 - even without tools, you prosper in the natural world
survival specialties: by hobby (kayaking, hunting, etc.), or by terrain (plains, arctic, desert, etc.), tracking

Technology: be able to use/repair/program/understand modern technology
1 – can program VCRs, cell phone special features, familiar with terminology (DSL, HDTV, etc.)
2 – can fix wiring, assemble from a kit, install most devices
3 – professional tech, can understand the functioning of most tech, can find most physical problems
4 – can modify things to make custom tech
5 - can design radical new technologies from scratch
technology specializations: Hypertech (technocracy convention), jury rig, security, specific field (telephony, etc.)