Skills

Skill Advancement
Skill Specialization
Weapon Specialization
Missing Skills

Skill Advancement

For the members of S.N.A.I.L. at level 3 you get one "other" skill and two secondary. At level 6 your get one "other" and one secondary, and at levels 9, and 12 you get one secondary skill. The resin for the "other" skills is that it is thought that the people have had special training provided to them by the organization.

Skill Specialization

I have added the ability to specialize in skills. This is simply done by saying what the specific area of the skill the person spent time in learning. Specializing give the person a one time +10% bonus to that skill, but they are -30% when trying to use that skill on a similar subject, but not in the specialization area. You can also specialize in the same skill area a total of two times, giving a additional +10%, for a total of 20%.
Example: Johnny wants to specialize in the Wilderness Survival skill. He wants to specialize in the area of Desert Survival. His base skill is 40% +5% per level. So now that he has specialized in it, he gets 50% +5% per level, for a total of 55% at first level, but Johnny double specialized in Desert Survival and now has a 65%. Johnny gets trapped in the arctic, and tried to used what he knows from desert survival here, so he now has a 35%. (65%-30%=35%).
Note: Specialization is a very good way to round out a character.

Weapon Specialization

I have also added the ability to specialize in weapons. It is very simple, when a player picks a WP, they can state that it is for one specific weapon. (i.e.. WP: Katana, WP: .45 Automatic, WP: M-16, WP: SN-17, ect.) This will give the player a +1 to strike and a +1 to parry with the ancient weapons, and a +1 to strike on aimed with Modern weapons. With modern weapons, you do not get a bonus on a burst shot. Like the above this can be twice, for a total of +2. If you specialize in a modern weapon twice, you will get a +1 to strike on burst as well. This can not be done for paired weapons. Unlike the above, if you do not take the general WP, you get no bonuses when using a different weapon.
Example: Johnny wants to specialize in the WP: Rifle, and use only the SN-21P. He takes the specialization twice, so now he has +5 to strike on aimed shot, and +2 on burst.
Note: You do not get any additional bonuses if you take the general WP as well as a specialization.

Mising Skills

Below is a list of skills that I feel are important, and that are either not in the Heroes Unlimited book, or are ones that I have created on my own.

Computer
 Artifical Intelligence

Military
 Ship-to-Ship Combat

Physical
 HTH: Zero Gravity Combat: Basic
HTH: Zero Gravity Combat: Advanced
Oxygen Conservation
Vacume Survival
Zero Gravity Movement

Pilot
EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity)
Pilot: Hover Craft
Pilot: Jet Pack
Pilot: S.N.A.I.L. Armored Battle Suits
Pilot Space Craft
Pilot Space Craft: Advanced

Pilot Related
Interplanetary Navigation
Orbital Navigation

Special
Jury Rig

Technical
Contacts

Computer

Artifical Intelligence: There are a variety of artificial intelligences all over the world. They range from simple computers and devices using fuzzy logic and heuristics to control simple devices, such as ship temperature and power output, to rogue devices modelled on the neural network of the humand mind.

A character with this skill is able to understand how artifical intelligence systems work, how they "think" and "understand" the world around them, how to communicate with them and how to reprogram them, either directly or by argument. Experts are able to build and repair computers (50% base proficiency). Characters must have the Computer Operation skill to take this ability. Base Skill: 30% +5% per level of experience. Adds bonus of +5% to all other computer skills.

Military

Ship-to-Ship Combat: This is the specific skill of flying a spacecraft in combat. While the Pilot Spacecraft: Advanced skill lets the character fly in these situation, this skill allows the pilot to use a ship's weapons and defense systems at the same time. The character also understands the theory and tactics of spatial dog-fighting, rather than relying on good instinct. If, durring combat, a character with this skill is only operating a ship's weapons system, then they receive a +5% modifier to all ship combat moves and a +1 to strike and dodge.

Physical

HTH: Zero Gravity Combat: Basic & Zero Gravity Combat: Advanced: These skills are similar to the normal HTH: Basic & HTH: Expert skills, and advance with level in the same way. Two characters, both using "Combat: Zero Gravity" skills, fighting in zero gravity, would resolve thier combat as normal. However, a character with this skill fighting in any kind of gravity has a -3 modifier on all combat rolls, including damage rolls. In addition, if fightin in zero gravity against someone with no zero gravity movement/combat skills, the character gets a +1 on all combat rolls, excuding damage, and also gets one additional attack per melee. In order to obtain these skills, the chatacter must have spent at least six months in a weightless environment.

Oxygen Conservation: Oxygen conservation is a physical skill, and allows a character to reduce the amount of oxygen that they need to survive. By concentrating on nothing else, a character with this skill can lower their heartbeat, metabolic rate and breathing to half thier normal rate, and therefore, will consume half as much oxygen (last twice as long). It is often taught as a survival percaution. It also adds +1 to PE. Base Skill: 30% +5% per level of experience. Must know basic math.

Vacume Survival: Being exposed to hard vacume without a space suit any protection is inevitably fatal. This skill simply changes the amount of time that character can survive in a vacume by teaching them the right things to do; for example not trying to hold their breath. Characters without this skill can last as many seconds as they have PE points. Note: This skill applies only to exposure to a vacume. Running out of air in a ship, or spacesuite is covered by the Oxygen Conservation skill. Base Skill: Time of survival: Seconds equil to PE +20, and +5 seconds per level of experiance.

Zero Gravity Movement: It simply allows a character to move with complete freedome in conditions of zero gravity. GMs may, at their discretion, make players roll against this skill rather than maing PP check for difficult moves. Characters who do not have this skill while in zero gravity will have difficulty in performing tasks; -10% skill penalty, reduce speed and combat bonuses by half. Base Skill: PP multiplied by 5, +4% per level of experience.

Pilot

EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity): EVA, short for Extra-Vehicular Activity involes working outside a space ship or station while wearing a vacume suit. The skill convers suit operation and repair, damage control, maneuvering and knowing what to do when things go wrong. A character should have Zero Gravity Movement to take this skill. Note: The EVA skill is not necessary for walking on the moon in a vacuum suit. Base Skill: 40% +5% per level of experience.

Pilot: Hover Craft (ground): The knowledge needed in piloting hover cycles and other hover vehicles used for ground transport. These vehicles can be tricky, because they tilize several air jets and directional thrusters that push the craft along, above the ground, on a cushion of air. The vehicles can usually attain great speeds, are capable of driving over ijcredibly rugged terrains, and make sensational jumps over small craters and ravines. Base Skill: 50% +5% per level of experience.

Pilot: Jet Pack: This is the piloting skill for backpack like units that strap to the back of an individual to carry him airborne. The typical jet pack is a one person unit capable of hovering above the ground and flying at an average altitude of 300 ft. Base Skill: 42% +4% per level of experience.

Pilot: S.N.A.I.L. Armored Battle Suits:


Pilot Space Craft: A character with this skill can pilot most of the types of spacecraft found in orbit with a fair degree of proficiency. Base Skill: 50% +5% per level of experience.

Pilot Space Craft: Advanced: This skill allows a player to pilot almost any ship in almost any situation, including interplanetary journeys, combat and chases. They can also pull fance stunts, make landings on the Moon, mars and in other gravity wells and if necessary, can cut the amount of fuel used on a journey by upto 50%. Base Skill: 40% +4% per level of experience. (Not a secondary skill)

Pilot Related

Interplanetary Navigation: This allows a character to plot and lay in a course for the large distances between planets. For the purposes of this game, anything outside the orbital plane of the Earth and the Moon is regarded as being interplanetary. A character must have basic math and computer operations to take this skill. A failed skill roll means that the spacecraft is off course. To find out how far it is from its destination, subtract the character's skill from the failed roll and multiply the result by one million. That is the resulting miss in kilometers. Base Skill: 45% +5% per level of experience.

Orbital Navigation: Characters with Orbital Navigation will be able to plot a course for travelling in the orbital planes of the Earth and its Moon, and will know the positions of any major objects within this area, such as space stations, rogue asteroids, and "no-go" zones. Base Skill: 50% +5% per level of experience. Must know basic math.

Special

Jury Rig: When something breaks down it must be repaired quickly and with anything that comes to hand. A character with this skill can repair almost anything, or even build something out of scrap components. There is no guarantee that the jury-rig will hold for very long (4D6 hours, or 2D4 days, whichever is most appropriate), or will even work in the way intended (roll again, a failed roll means the system is only 50% functional), but it may well save a character's life until they can buy something more permanent. Base Skill: 25% +5% per level of experience.
Note: This can be taken as a secondary skill. For primary skills, it is considered to be a mechanical or electrical skill, but only needs to be taken once.

Technical

Contacts: This skill measures how good the character will know of, or have heard of a particular person. It can also be used to make connections between objects and people who are particularly associated with them. Along with these connection the character can use this skill to help locate people that might be willing to help them, in there time of need. Maybe to find a safe place to hide, or where they might go to buy guns. Note: This skill is similar to Streetwise, but not as specialized. Base Skill: 6% +2% per level of experience.