Call of Duty: Skills

Section 4: Skills
In Call of Duty, skills work exactly the same as in all d20 games. Characters spend skill points to acquire ranks in skills, spending twice as many points for skills that are not class skills. They then add ability modifiers, armor modifiers, and a variety of other modifiers on to their rank, and this gives them their basic bonus to rolls on a d20 when attempting that skill. However, while the system for skills has not changed from 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons, the list of skills is quite different. The following is the complete list of skills for the game Call of Duty. For simplicity, Background Skills have been bolded. See the Character Creation section for more info on Background Skills.

Skill	Ability	Description
Balance*	DEX	Ability of maintaining ones footing.
Bluff*	CHA	The ability to lie and convincingly deceive people.
Climb*	STR	Brute strength skill at climbing various surfaces with or without aids.
Charm*	CHA	Ability to convince people by appealing to them physically.
Computer Use**	INT	Basic modern skill of operating personal computers and the internet.
Craft(specific)**	INT	Variety of skills that allow you to build or make things.
Diplomacy*	CHA	Skill at negotiation and etiquette.
Disguise*	CHA	Ability to make yourself appear innocuous or like someone else.
Electronics**	INT	Science of wiring and electrical manipulation.
First Aid*	INT	Basic ability to care for the injuries fo others.
Gather Information*	CHA	Skill of gathering information from people in a region.
Interrogation*	CHA	Ability to force information out of other people.
Intimidation*	CHA	Basic ability to scare people into doing what you want.
Jump*	STR	Basic ability to jump far and accurately.
Knowledge(specific)**	INT	A variety of fields of knowledge.
Language(specific)	INT	Any of a number of languages.
Listen*	WIS	Basic ability to hear sounds, both loud and quiet.
Mechanics**	INT	Ability to adjust, make, and fix mechanical devices.
Move Silently*	DEX	Ability to move quietly so as not to attract attention.
Open Locks	DEX	Ability to pick mechanical locks, and force them open.
Perform(specific)*	CHA	Skill at attracting and holding attention, and at entertaining people.
Pilot**	DEX	Ability to drive and control a variety of vehicles.
Prestidgitation**	DEX	Sleight of hand and other basic tricks, as well as picking pockets.
Profession(specific)	INT	A variety of careers and jobs.
Ride**	DEX	Ancient skill of riding and controlling horses.
Search*	INT	Basic ability to search an area and to find hidden objects.
Sense Motive*	WIS	Ability to detect other people's intentions.
Spot*	WIS	Basic ability to perceive visual things which are out of place.
Survival**	WIS	Essential skill of surviving in a variety of terrains.
Swim*	STR	Basic ability to move through water.
Tumble*	DEX	Ability to roll with and avoid damage from falls.
Use Device	INT	Basic skill of using any type of mechanical device.

Hopefully, most of the skills above are relatively self-explanatory in their usage. Skills marked with a single asterix may be attempted untrained normally. Those marked with two asterixes may be attempted untrained, but people doing so suffer a -5 situation modifier to the check for being untrained. For those skills which have companion skills or feats in the Player's Handbook (such as Tracking and Move Silently), use the same modifiers and charts from that book. Survival is basically the modern-day equivalent of Wilderness Lore ("lore" is so sixth century), and uses that skill's charts and rules from the PHB. The same goes for Prestidgitation and Pick Pocket (after all, Pick Pocket lets you do alot more than just pick pockets). Prestidgitation also serves the same purpose as Escape Artist. A few other adjustments for some skills must be included, though. Use these rules changes below, exchanging the sections in the PHB with the modified sections below.

Bluff (CHA)
Check: As in the PHB, except you may not Feint in Combat.
Special: Having 5 or more ranks in Bluff grants a +2 synergy bonus to Charm, Intimidate, Interrogate, or Diplomacy checks. It also grants a +2 synergy bonus to Disguise if the person disguised knows they are being watched and try and act as if they are not themselves.

Charm (CHA)
This skill is used to coaxe sensitive secrets out of a lonely navan officer, or to seduce a weapon contractor's lonely secretary.
Check: Charm is used specifically with the intention of getting something you want out of another person, whether sensitive government information, or a night's company. For this reason, it is always an opposed check versus the opponent's Sense Motive skill. Charming requires interaction, and therefore the charmer must be known to their target. Generally, charming takes at least 5 minutes, and this is the base unit of time for this activity. A variety of modifiers can adjust this skill check.

Example Circumstances	Sense Motive Modifier
Charmer is attractive member of the opposite sex (Cha 14+)	-5
Charmer is a stunning member of the opposite sex (Cha 17+)	-10
Target is inebriated	-10
Charmer has strange request (i.e., "just let me borrow your car")	+5
Charmer has ridiculous request (i.e., "just let me have your car")	+10

Retry: Retries do not work when Charming someone else, as they have already determined your true motive. That is why so many "charmers" spend so much time working on their mark (i.e., they take 10 or 20).
Special: Having 5 or more ranks in Charm grants a +2 synergy bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks. It also grants a +2 synergy bonus to Disguise if the person disguised engages in conversation with someone whom might recognize their disguise.

Computer Use (INT)
A must have in the modern era, this skill allows characters to use common computers and programs.
Check: Computer checks usually take about ten minutes, and this is the basic unit of time used. The DC of a Use Computer check depends on the situation.
Retries: Characters may try to use a computer as many times as they like, although it takes much longer.

Craft (INT)
This means you are trained in the manufacturing of some kind of object, and includes skills like carpentry, computer programming, contruction, criminal profile, explosives, firearms, forgery, jewelry, locksmithing, manufacturing, painting, sculpting, trapmaking, woodcarving, weaving, etc.

Diplomacy (CHA)
Special: Having 5 or more ranks in Bluff, Charm, or Sense Motive grants a +2 synergy bonus to Diplomacy checks. These bonuses stack.

Disguise (CHA)
As well as all the functions in the PHB, Disguise is also used to hide devices on one's person, or in a room, such as surveillance devices and weapons.

Electronics (INT)
This skill is used for installing electrical devices or for fixing electrical appliances.
Check: The DC for electronics checks depends upon the task being attempted. The base time is 1 minute, and this is used in terms of taking 10 or 20.

DC	Task Being Attempted
10	Installing an audio bug in a room
15	Bypassing a security alarm's power source
20	Fixing an airplane's electrical system.
25	Recreating an airplane's electrical system.

Retries: Retries are allowed with Electronics, but they take more time.

Interrogation (CHA)
This skill is used whether grilling a suspect or torturing a terrorist leader.
Check: Interrogation checks are opposed checks versus the interrogatee's Will save. An interrogation takes at least 10 minutes, and this is the base time, for use in taking 10 and 20. A variety of modifiers can adjust this check.

Example Circumstances	Will Save Modifier
Victim has been drugged	-10
Victim has been given 1/4 hit points worth of real or subdual damage	-5
Victim has been given 1/2 hit points worth of real or subdual damage	-10
Victim has been given 3/4 hit points worth of real or subdual damage	-15
Victim has been betrayed by allies	-5

Retries: Retries are allowed, but only if the modifiers have saved, such as by drugging an opponent or lowering their hit points.
Special: Having 5 or more ranks in Intimidate or Bluff grants a +2 synergy bonus to Interrogate checks. These bonuses stack.

Intimidate (CHA)
Special: Having 5 or more ranks in Intimidate grants a +2 synergy bonus to Interrogate checks. Having 5 or more ranks in Bluff grants a +2 synergy bonus to Intimidate checks.

Knowledge (INT)
Knowledge is a variety of skills, covering a broad variety of fields of knowledge, such as local knowledge, global militaries, the intelligence communities, terrorist groups, crime groups, engineering, history, narcotics, law, medicine, and a variety of other skills.
Special: For every 5 ranks in one Knowledge skill, the character gains +2 synergy bonuses to checks relating in any way to that knowledge field. For instance, if someone has a Knowledge(security systems) skill of rank 11, they gain a +4 bonus to Electronics checks to disable such systems.

Language (CHA)
Language is the skill used any time two people attempt to communicate with eachother. It includes not only spoken languages, but regional slangs, special codes (such as morse), and hand signals.
Check: Language checks are modified not only by the character's language modifier, but by the person whom the character is communicating with's language modifier, in the same language. Also, if they share more than one language, and are aware of this, they may add the modifiers for all shared languages to the check. However, sometimes characters will wish to limit which languages they speak in, such as only speaking Spanish, or only using hand signals. In this case, they may only add the modifiers for the languages they are using. At rank 5, a character is considered fluent, and two fluent characters no longer need to make Language checks. The DC of a Language check varies by how much is trying to be communicated.

DC	Message Being Communicated
10	One word, basic commands
15	Short orders
20	Receiving directions
25	Asking questions, responding to questions
30	Specific words or letters, such as a code phrase

Retries: No retries are allowed with the Language skill, as, if the two could communicate, they would be able to do so the first time.

Listen (WIS)
Check: In addition to the DCs and modifiers in the PHB, add the following.

DC	Sound
0	A gunshot
15	A silenced gunshot
+2	Subsonic ammunition
-1	Per extra shot fired past first in burst

Mechanic (INT)
The mechanic skill allows characters to fix and repair mechanical devices.
Check: The base time for a Mechanic check is 10 minutes, and this is used in terms of taking 10 and 20. The difficulty of a Mechanic check depends upon the task.

DC	Task
10	Replacing a car part.
20	Repairing a car engine.
30	Building replacement car parts.

Retry: Retries are allowed, though if fashinoning a custom car part, 1/2 the materials are wasted.

Perform (CHA)
Check: As in PHB, but instead of cp, sp and gold pieces per day, replace these with $10, $50, and $500.

Pilot (DEX)
The Pilot skill is used anytime a character needs to use and control a vehicle.
Check: The difficulty check for piloting different vehicles is, for the most part, left up to the GM. Look out for seperate rules supplements about piloting different types of vehicles. The following DCs and tasks are for automobiles

Profession (INT)
Profession is the skill that governs a variety of modern-day occupations, such as banker, secretary, cook, manager, bus driver, farmer, mailman, pharmacist, etc. It provides the character with all of the minor skills they need to perfrom their jobs.

Use Device (INT)
A very common skill, this reflects a character's basic ability to work with and use basic mechanical devices, from coffee makers to geiger counters.
Check: Use Device checks usually take about 1 round, and this is the basic unit of time used. The DC of a Use Device check is too variable to even reflect, and is left up to the GM. Very simple, every day devices might not even need a check, while devices which are complicated, such as a radar array, might have as high a DC as 30, to untrained users.
Retries: Retries are allowed.

The rules above are just basic summaries and guides to using the skills presented. If you have any questions or suggestions please e-mail us.