Skills represent your training, experience, and learned techniques. Each skill adds dice to your pool when relevant, transforming raw Essence into focused capability. There are over 20 skills grouped into four categories: Physical, Mental, Social, and Hybrid.
“Talent gives you the clay. Skill gives you the hands to shape it.”
How Skills Work
Dice Pool Formula
Dice Pool = Essence + Skill Rank + Edges − Banes
- Each skill is linked to an Essence (Forma, Anima, or Umbra)
- Each skill rank adds +1 die to the pool
- Dice are summed together and compared to the Target Number (Veil)
- A natural 6 explodes — roll again and add the result (once per die)
Dice Pattern Bonuses
| Pattern | Effect |
|---|---|
| Pair (two matching dice) | +1d to your next pool |
| Triple (three matching dice) | Clear a status/condition on your attribute |
| Natural 6 | Exploding die — roll again and add (once per die) |
Skill Ranks & Proficiency
Proficiency Levels (0–5)
| Rank | Proficiency | Description | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Untrained | No formal training, rely on natural ability | −2 dice penalty |
| 1 | Novice | Basic understanding, handles simple tasks | — |
| 2 | Trained | Competent practitioner, reliable | — |
| 3 | Skilled | Professional level, few peers | Choose a Specialization |
| 4 | Expert | Master of the craft | — |
| 5 | Legendary | Peerless, capable of impossible feats | — |
Untrained Skill Use
Using Skills Without Training
- General Rule: Most skills can be attempted untrained at a −2 dice penalty
- Restricted Skills (CANNOT be used untrained):MedicineOccult
- Weapon Proficiency Tiers:Unskilled: −5 penalty | Normal (trained): no modifier | Mastery: +3 bonus
⚡ Physical Skills (Forma)
Athletics
Running, jumping, climbing, swimming, dodging. The workhorse physical skill — used for most feats of agility and strength.
Brawl
Unarmed combat and grappling. Used for punches, kicks, throws, and holding opponents down.
Martial Prowess
Armed melee combat techniques. Governs swords, axes, spears, and all hand-to-hand weaponry.
Marksmanship
Ranged weapons and throwing. Covers bows, crossbows, firearms, and thrown objects.
Stealth
Moving unseen and unheard. Evading notice, hiding, tailing targets, and ambush setup.
Craft
Building, repairing, and artistic creation. From blacksmithing to painting to mechanical devices.
🧠 Mental Skills (Anima)
Lore
Academic knowledge, history, legends, and secrets. Covers the scholarly understanding of Nowhere Land and the Outside.
Investigation
Searching, deduction, finding clues, solving mysteries. The Anima counterpart to Perception — active detection vs. passive awareness.
Medicine
Healing wounds, diagnosing illness, performing surgery. CANNOT be used untrained — training is required.
Requires TrainingOccult
Knowledge of magic, rituals, and the Flux. Understanding supernatural phenomena. CANNOT be used untrained.
Requires TrainingInsight
Reading people and situations, sensing motives. Used to detect lies and hidden intentions.
Perception
Noticing details and danger. Passive awareness of surroundings — the GM often calls for this.
Willpower
Mental resistance and focus. Used to resist fear, domination, corruption, and Drift effects.
Survival
Wilderness navigation, foraging, tracking, enduring elements. Bridges Forma (physical endurance) and Anima (knowledge).
Tactics
Strategy and leadership in combat. Used for battle plans, directing allies, and reading enemy formations.
👥 Social Skills (Umbra)
Persuasion
Convincing others through logic, charm, or debate. One of the Four Paths of social exchange.
Conviction
Inspiring others through passionate speeches, rallying cries, and force of will. High risk, high reward path.
Sincerity
Truthful emotional appeals, building trust, showing vulnerability. Deepest bonds but most exploitable.
Mendacity
Lying, disguise, forgery, and deception. Powerful but fragile — exposure destroys trust permanently.
Intimidation
Coercing others through fear, threats, or displays of power.
Performance
Acting, music, oratory, and entertainment. Used for public speaking, disguises, and morale.
Subterfuge
Misdirection, sleight of hand, and social trickery. The art of making people look the wrong way.
🌀 Hybrid & Special Skills
Cross-Essence & Domain Skills
Arcane Resonance (Anima)
Used for activating Potentials, detecting magic, and severing magical effects. The primary skill for supernatural abilities.
| TN | Use |
|---|---|
| 8 | Minor effects (teleport, shadow walk) |
| 12 | Combat Potentials |
| 14–16 | Complex / major effects |
| 16 | Detect portal Frames |
| 20 | Learn new Potentials through research (requires AR 7+) |
| Power × 4 | Sever magical effects |
Domain Weaving (Anima / Reverie)
Manipulating domain properties, communing with domains, navigating shortcuts, and building anchors. Requires minimum Drift 1.
Fauna & Flora (Umbra)
Identifying, tracking, and studying creatures and plants of Nowhere Land. Finding resources.Documenting 5 species reduces Drift by 1.
Mapping (Umbra)
Cartography in impossible spaces. Documenting domains, finding paths, understanding territorial patterns.Completing a domain map reduces Drift by 1.
Larceny (Hybrid)
Lockpicking, pickpocketing, disabling traps, and general thievery. Bridges physical dexterity and mental cunning.
Flux Channeling (Reverie)
Drawing on raw magical energy from the Flux. Used for domain-specific supernatural feats beyond standard Potentials.
Specializations
Choosing a Specialization
At Skill Rank 3 (Skilled), choose a specialization — a narrow focus within the skill. When the specialization is relevant, gain +1 die to your pool.
| Skill | Example Specializations |
|---|---|
| Athletics | Climbing, Swimming, Acrobatics, Running |
| Martial Prowess | Swords, Axes, Spears, Polearms |
| Stealth | Urban, Wilderness, Disguise, Tailing |
| Lore | Artifacts, History, Domain Geography, Legends |
| Medicine | Surgery, Herbalism, Diagnosis, Poisons |
| Investigation | Crime Scenes, Archives, Interviews, Tracking |
| Persuasion | Negotiation, Diplomacy, Charm, Debate |
| Craft | Blacksmithing, Woodwork, Clockwork, Art |
Skill Marks & Advancement
Earning Skill Marks
| Method | When It Happens |
|---|---|
| Pushing | Spend extra Essence and suffer consequence — mark the skill for learning |
| Failed Reach | Attempt a Reach action and fail — the attempt matters even in failure |
| Critical Success | Exceptional triumph earns a mark for the skill used |
| Training | Deliberate practice during downtime can fill marks faster (GM discretion) |
When You CANNOT Earn Marks
- Using Drift Essence: When using Drift for a test, no skill marks earned
- Easy tasks: Routine successes don’t reflect meaningful practice
- Already Mastered: Once at maximum rank, marks aren’t meaningful
Advancement Process
After accumulating skill marks, you qualify for improvement. However, you must still complete atraining session or finish a project to actually advance.
| Advancement | XP Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raise a Skill by 1 | 5 XP | Requires accumulated Skill Marks + training |
| Purchase an Ability | 10–20 XP | Special abilities from careers or paths |
| Raise an Essence by 1 | 20 XP | Rare — requires narrative justification |
Typical XP awards: 1–3 XP per session based on goals achieved, plus milestone XP for major achievements.
Skill Synergies & Interactions
Career Skill Stacking
- No stacking: Overlapping skills from multiple careers don’t stack — diversify your career choices!
- Skills from careers grant +1 die per rank to relevant pools
- You can gain additional skills during play through training or experience
Social Skill Interactions
- Mendacity blocks Sincerity: Once you’ve lied to someone, you can never use Sincerity on them again
- Mendacity vs. Insight: Targets can test Insight to detect your lie (contested roll)
- Conviction is volatile: Success creates fervent allies, failure creates enemies (Disposition −1 to −2)
Drift & Skills
Using Drift Instead of Essence
When you use Drift as your Essence for a test, you channel raw domain energy instead of trained ability. This preserves your other Essences but comes with severe restrictions:
- Skills do not add +1d per rank
- Abilities unlocked through skill training are unavailable
- Skill marks cannot be earned
- No training bonuses apply
- Specializations are ignored
Drift is raw power without finesse — useful when desperate, but it teaches you nothing and erodes what makes you human.
Skills by Career
Standard Careers (Tier 1)
| Career | Essence | Signature Skills |
|---|---|---|
| Drifter | Forma | Survival, Subterfuge |
| Sentinel | Forma | Martial Prowess, Tactics |
| Artisan | Forma | Craft, Perception |
| Hunter | Forma | Marksmanship, Survival |
| Scholar | Anima | Lore, Investigation |
| Doctor | Anima | Medicine, Investigation |
| Mystic | Anima | Occult, Willpower |
| Explorer | Anima | Survival, Perception |
| Charlatan | Umbra | Mendacity, Persuasion |
| Diplomat | Umbra | Persuasion, Insight |
| Merchant | Umbra | Persuasion, Subterfuge |
| Entertainer | Umbra | Performance, Persuasion |
| Dreamer | Reverie | Domain Weaving, Willpower |
Advanced & Master Careers (Tier 2–3)
| Career | Tier | Essence | Signature Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger | 2 | Forma | Survival, Marksmanship |
| Warlord | 2 | Forma | Tactics, Martial Prowess |
| Artificer | 2 | Forma | Craft, Occult |
| Archivist | 2 | Anima | Lore, Investigation |
| Sorcerer | 2 | Anima | Occult, Willpower |
| Mastermind | 2 | Umbra | Mendacity, Tactics |
| Magnate | 2 | Umbra | Persuasion, Tactics |
| Oracle | 2 | Reverie | Domain Weaving, Occult |
| Beastmaster | 3 | Forma | Survival, Willpower |
| Sage | 3 | Anima | Lore, Willpower |
| Archon | 3 | Reverie | Domain Weaving, Occult |
The Memory Tax
As a consequence on the Count’s Ledger, you may lose a skill permanently: “Lose a significant memory — childhood, a loved one, or a skill. Downgrade one skill by −1 rank permanently.”
The player chooses which memory (and which skill) to sacrifice. This reflects the corrosive nature of the Count’s bargains — even your trained abilities can be consumed.
“Any fool can swing a sword. It takes a warrior to know when not to.”
— Sentinel proverb