Persuasion (Spirit)
- Use this skill when you want to make an NPC like you. In a pinch you can also use this skill when you want to convincingly act like a different person, i.e. to impersonate a constable.
- Affected by Charisma bonuses and penalties.
Intimidate (Spirit)
- Use this skill when you want to make an NPC afraid of you. You could use this to cow them, making them willing to follow your orders or give up information, or scare them away.
- A show of Strength, Fighting or Shooting prowess, or brandishing an armed grenade will all give you significant bonuses to Intimidate even if you don't have the skill.
- In combat, you can initiate a Test of Wills against an enemy. Intimidate is opposed by Spirit. On success, you get a +2 bonus to your next action against the enemy. A raise also causes the enemy to be Shaken.
- Charisma penalties for such Hindrances as One-Eye will add to your Intimidate roll, rather than subtracting. Charisma bonuses
Taunt (Smarts)
- Use this skill when you want to insult another NPC, making them angry or humiliated. An infuriated enemy is likely to decide to concentrate his attacks on you, so be prepared!
- In combat, you can initiate a Test of Wills against an enemy. Taunt is opposed by Smarts. On success, you get a +2 bonus to your next action against the enemy. A raise also causes the enemy to be Shaken.
- Not usually affected by Charisma bonuses and penalties.
Streetwise (Spirit)
- Use this skill when you're listening at bars or other public areas for information, dealing with merchants, or trying to get information out of someone. Asking around to see if anyone knows where to find a certain artifact would be Streetwise.
- You can use Streetwise against someone to try to learn what makes them tick. This is opposed by their Persuasion.
- If successful, you gain a circumstance bonus to further social skill rolls against that person.
- May be affected by Charisma bonuses and penalties, depending on who you're talking to.
Notice (Smarts)
- This is a passive skill that will let you notice if something is happening at that very moment - it will not give you any advantage in discovering a hidden trapdoor or a stash of scrolls hidden behind that fallen bookcase. It reflects how well you pay attention to changes to your surroundings, i.e. faint vibrations in the earth that herald an avalanche up the mountainside.
Tracking (Smarts)
- In addition to tracking someone or something, you can also use this to minutely inspect your surroundings and discover hidden objects or clues.
- Familiarity with your surroundings will help immensely. Anywhere you live, work, or frequently visit is an automatic +2 to Tracking.
Investigation (Smarts)
- This skill allows you to find information within a library, office, or archive. For example, if you are trying to find information about the lost city of El Dorado, you would use Investigation to try and find maps, histories, travel journals, and articles about El Dorado. The GM would provide you a summary of your findings.
- You may roll appropriate Knowledge skills as cooperative skill rolls to boost your Investigation roll.
Lockpicking (Smarts)
- Applies only to mechanical devices, traps, and locks.
- Proper tools help tremendously; if you are forced to improvise, you will be at -2 to your Lockpicking roll.
Repairs (Smarts)
- Allows a character to fix machinery. It cannot be used against magical devices.
- Repair may be used by characters with the Arcane Background: Weird Science in order to repair their inventions in battle. You must roll Weird Science (Smarts) as a cooperative roll; failing your Weird Science roll counts as -2 to your Repair roll, Botching it counts as -4. If you do not have Arcane Background: Weird Science, you may roll as untrained at d4-2.
Knowledge: Supernatural (Smarts)
- Allows you to identify supernatural creatures, items, and places, even if you have never seen them before.
- If your character comes from the supernatural Realm where a particular item or creature to be identified comes from, you may receive anywhere between +1 to +4 to your roll, depending on how common the subject is within your Realm.
Riding (Agility)
- Domesticated and trained horses are common in London, and in many Realms.
- Note that if you try to fight while mounted, you roll the lower of your Fighting or Riding skills.
- A Raise on your Riding skill will let you ignore the Unstable Platform (-2) Shooting penalty.
- When trying to ride a normal mount, you will only need to roll Riding to get on. If you are successful, you only need to make further Riding rolls if you try to perform a feat of mounted agility of some sort, such as leaping a fence or galloping at full tilt. If you fail a Riding roll, you fall off and must make an Agility roll to avoid becoming Shaken.
- When trying to ride a wild mount or an unusual one, you will need to use Riding to avoid being thrown. An unruly mount may require periodic rerolls.
Driving (Agility)
- The catch-all vehicle operation skill. Carriages, trains, the occasional steam-powered horseless carriage, or aether-powered drill-equipped subterranean vehicle all use the Driving skill.
- As with riding, if you try to fight while driving, you roll the lower of your Fighting or Driving skills.
- A Raise on your Driving skill will let you and your passengers ignore the Unstable Platform (-2) Shooting penalty.
- When trying to drive a reasonably cooperative vehicle, you will only need to roll Driving to start the vehicle. If you are successful, you only need to make further Driving rolls if you try to perform a vehicular feat such as a bootlegger reverse. If you fail a Driving roll, the vehicle stalls; if you Botch your Driving roll, it may even roll or crash in some fashion.
Piloting (Agility)
- Not used in the Camford setting.
Boating (Agility)
- Used to operate sailing ships, rowboats, steam-powered ships, and the like.
