Skills

Skills represent a broad base of training, which could conceivably be broken up into a number of individual Knacks, but are treated as a single Skill for the purpose of simplicity. A Skill should be considered to cover any action that a professional practicioner of the Skill could reasonably be expected to know.

The cost to purchase Skills is as according to the following chart:

Rank	Skill Cost
2	6(18)
3	2(6)
4	3(9)
5	4(12)
6	5(15)
7	6(18)
8	7(21)
9	8(24)
10	9(27)

The initial cost of certain Skills are reduced for characters of certain nationalities. This reduces the initial cost from 6 CP(18 XP) to 4 CP(12 XP).

• Avalon: Sailor
• Castille: Scholar
• Eisen: Soldier OR Commander
• Montaigne: Courtier
• Ussura: Hunter
• Vendel: Merchant
• Vesten: Sailor
• Vodacce: Spy

Skills may normally only be increased to a maximum Rank of 5. There are two main ways to increase skills beyond these limitations, Specialization and Prestige. Specialization is covered under Advantages. Prestige is covered in more detail under "Reputation".

Skills are grouped into three major classifications, Civil Skills, Martial Skills, and Everyman Skills. Everyman Skills are skills that everybody knows a little bit of for free. Martial Skills cover the main attack and defense skills used in combat, while Civil Skills cover other endeavors (although certain aspects of Civil Skills do assist in combat).

Everyman Skills are possessed by all characters at Rank 2 for free. They may be further improved as normal.

Each Skill is listed with a sampling of stock 7th Sea Knacks which the Skill might be used for. This should not be treated as an exhaustive list: any action that the GM thinks is reasonably within the range of the Skill should get the benefit of the Skill.

Unskilled Actions

A character may still attempt something that he has no Skills for at all, unless the GM specifically forbids him from making the attempt. The character gets treated as if he has Rank 1 in the Skill, so he rolls only a single die. This is unlikely to succeed by itself, but Drama Dice may be spent on the roll as normal.

Civil Skills

• Assassin: An Assassin is trained in the arts necessary to stealthily kill targets. Legacy Knacks: Ambush, Conceal, Poison, Stealth.
• Bard: A Bard is trained in the Avalon courtly graces, as well as the bardic performing arts of singing, musical instruments, and storytelling. Bards are also trained in the uses of herbs, and the lore of the Sidhe. Legacy Knacks: Diplomacy, Etiquette, Plant Lore, History, Sidhe Lore, Singing.
• Captain: A Captain learns how to lead his crew and sail ships. Legacy Knacks: Bribery, Cartography, Diplomacy, Leadership, Logistics, Tactics.
• Commander: Commanders learn how to effectively lead their soldiers. Legacy Knacks: Ambush, Artillery, Cartography, Diplomacy, Leadership, Logistics, Ride, Tactics.
• Courtesan: A Courtesan learns social graces, as well as the practical arts of lovemaking. Only women may learn the Courtesan Skill. Legacy Knacks: Dancing, Etiquette, Fashion, Gossip, Jenny, Masseur, Mooch, Seduction, Unobtrusive.
• Courtier: Courtiers learn how to behave in court, as well as the workings of politics. Legacy Knacks: Dancing, Diplomacy, Etiquette, Fashion, Gossip, Mooch, Politics, Scheming, Seduction, Sincerity.
• Criminal: Criminals learn various illegal ways to make a dishonest living. Legacy Knacks: Cheating, Conceal, Gambling, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Prestidigitation, Scrounging, Stealth.
• Doctor: Doctors learn first aid, anatomy, surgery, and the other medical arts as known in 1669. Legacy Knacks: Diagnosis, Examiner, First Aid, Surgery, Veterinarian.
• Engineer: Engineers learn the arts of construction and mechanics. Legacy Knacks: Accounting, Architecture, Drafting, Natural Philosophy, Mathematics.
• Guide: Guides learn how to lead the way through both city and country terrain. Legacy Knacks: Ambush, Stealth, Street Navigation, Ride, Tracking, Trail Signs.
• Herbalist: Herbalists learn some of the basics of medicine, as well as other uses for plants. Legacy Knacks: Cooking, Diagnosis, First Aid, Plant Lore, Poison.
• Horseman: Horsemen learn how to use a mount extremely effectively, both in combat and out. Legacy Knacks: Animal Training, Mounting, Ride, Trick Riding.
• Hunter: The Hunter is trained to live off the wilderness, and hunt game. Legacy Knacks: Ambush, Animal Training, Fishing, Ride, Skinning, Survival, Tracking, Trail Signs.
• Merchant: Merchants learn how to deal with customers and manage a business. Legacy Knacks: Accounting, Appraising, Etiquette, Gossip, Haggling.
• Missionary: Missionaries learn how to bring unbelievers to Theus, and to make their way in far lands while doing so. Legacy Knacks: Diplomacy, Etiquette, Philosophy, Survival, Theology.
• Monk: Monks dedicate their time to humble works, and the study of Theus. Legacy Knacks: Menial Tasks, Philosophy, Theology, Writing.
• Performer: Performers learn how to entertain a crowd. Legacy Knacks: Acting, Cold Read, Dancing, Disguise, Prestidigitation, Storytelling.
• Priest: Priests learn how to guide organized worship and provide guidance in the community. Legacy Knacks: Diplomacy, Mooch, Philosophy, Theology, Writing.
• Professor: Professors both learn and teach scholarly subjects. Legacy Knacks: Law, Mooch, Natural Philosophy, Occult, Politics, Research, Theology, Writing.
• Sailor: Sailors learn how to sail and maintain a ship. Legacy Knacks: Balance, Cartography, Knotwork, Navigation, Pilot, Rigging, Sea Lore, Swimming, Weather.
• Scholar: Scholars study a variety of book-learning. Legacy Knacks: Astronomy, History, Law, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Occult, Philosophy, Theology.
• Servant: Servants learn how to do all those things which are too tedious for their masters to do, while not embarrassing their employers either. Legacy Knacks: Accounting, Drive Carriage, Etiquette, Fashion, Gossip, Haggling, Menial Tasks, Unobtrusive, Valet.
• Skald: Skalds learn the historical tales of the Vesten, and their performance. Legacy Knacks: Diplomacy, History, Rune Lore, Singing, Storytelling, Theology.
• Soldier: A Soldier learns how to take orders, and to keep himself alive in a fight. Also, lots of drinking is involved. Legacy Knacks: Ambush, Menial Tasks, Scrounging, Socializing.
• Spy: Spies are trained in methods of stealing information. Legacy Knacks: Bribery, Conceal, Cryptography, Disguise, Forgery, Lip Reading, Sincerity, Stealth.
• Streetwise: Streetwise covers the various social and practical skills of city life. Legacy Knacks: Haggling, Scrounging, Socializing, Stealth, Street Navigation, Underworld Lore.
• Urchin: Urchins lie somewhere between Criminals and Streetwise, scavenging whatever they can to get by. Legacy Knacks: Conceal, Pickpocket, Scrounging, Stealth, Street Navigation, Survival.

Martial Skills

• Archer: Skill for using a bow in combat. Archer options:
  • Attack(Bow)- Normal bow attack. Needs 1 Finesse Action to reload.
  • Snapshot- Fast bow attack. Needs no time to load. +10 to TN.
  • Cavalry Attack(Bow)- Used while on horseback. +5 to TN.
• Buckler: Skill for using a buckler in combat. Buckler options:
  • Attack(Buckler)- Normal buckler attack.
  • Parry(Buckler)- Normal buckler parry.
• Cloak: Skill for using a cloak in combat. Cloak options:
  • Entangle- Entangle your opponent with your cloak. The opponent remains Entagled until his next Action (or, at minimum, until the end of the current Phase). While Entangled, your opponent is at -5 to his PD, and you may not use the cloak to parry. Every 2 Raises called to the Entangle increases the PD penalty by -5.
  • Parry(Cloak)- Normal cloak parry.
• Crossbow: Skill for using a crossbow in combat. Crossbow options:
  • Attack(Crossbow)- Normal crossbow attack. Needs (6-Skill) Finesse Actions to reload.
• Dirty Fighting: Skill used for low-class unarmed brawling. Dirty Fighting options:
  • Attack(Dirty Fighting)- Normal dirty fighting attack.
  • Parry(Dirty Fighting)- Normal dirty fighting parry.
  • Eye-Gouge- Attack to the eyes. +10 to TN. Does normal damage, plus causes your opponent to be at -5 PD until the end of the next Phase. Each two further Raises (above the +10 TN) increase the PD penalty by a further -5, in addition to their normal effect in increasing the Damage Roll.
  • Kick- Kicking attack. +10 to TN. Increases unarmed damage by +1k1.
  • Throat Strike- Attack to the throat. +15 TN. If the attack is successful, the opponent takes 1 Physical Dramatic Wound, and immediately makes another Wound Check if he is carrying any other Physical Flesh Wounds.
• Fencing: Skill for using a fencing weapon in combat. Fencing options:
  • Attack(Fencing)- Normal fencing attack.
  • Parry(Fencing)- Normal fencing parry.
  • Cavalry Attack(Fencing)- Used while on horseback. +5 to TN.
• Firearms: Skill for using firearms in combat. Firearms options:
  • Attack(Firearms)- Normal firearms attack. Needs (20-2xSkill) Finesse Actions to reload.
  • Cavalry Attack(Firearms)- Used while on horseback. +5 to TN.
• Heavy Weapon: Skill for using a heavy weapon in combat. Heavy Weapon options:
  • Attack(Heavy Weapon)- Normal heavy weapon attack.
  • Parry(Heavy Weapon)- Normal heavy weapon parry.
  • Cavalry Attack(Heavy Weapon)- Used while on horseback. +5 to TN.
• Improvised Weapon: Skill for using found objects as weapons in combat. Improvised Weapon options:
  • Attack(Improvised Weapon)- Normal improvised weapon attack.
  • Parry(Improvised Weapon)- Normal improvised weapon parry.
  • Throw(Improvised Weapon)- Thrown improvised weapon attack.
• Knife: Skill for using normal knives in combat. Knife options:
  • Attack(Knife)- Normal knife attack.
  • Parry(Knife)- Normal knife parry.
  • Throw(Knife)- Thrown knife attack.
• Panzerhand: Skill for using panzerhands in combat. Panzerhand options:
  • Attack(Panzerhand)- Normal panzerhand attack.
  • Parry(Panzerhand)- Normal panzerhand parry.
  • Uppercut- Aggressive panzerhand attack. If successful, damage is +2k0, but your PD drops to 5 until the end of the current Phase, and you may not use any Active Defenses for the remainder of the Phase.
• Polearm: Skill for using a polearm in combat. Polearm options:
  • Attack(Polearm)- Normal polearm attack.
  • Parry(Polearm)- Normal polearm parry.
  • Cavalry Attack(Polearm)- Used while on horseback. +5 to TN.
  • Set Defense- If an opponent is charging you, you may use a Set Defense to attack. If successful, damage is +2k0.
• Pugilism: Skill for using more refined bare-fisted fighting. Pugilism options:
  • Attack(Pugilism)- Normal pugilism attack.
  • Parry(Pugilism)- Normal pugilism parry.
  • Jab- You may make two unarmed attacks with a single Action. Each attack is at +10 to the TN. If the opponent succeeds with an Active Defense against the first attack, the second attack is also automatically blocked.
  • Uppercut- Aggressive unarmed attack. If successful, damage is +2k0, but your PD drops to 5 until the end of the current Phase, and you may not use any Active Defenses for the remainder of the Phase.
• Whip: Skill for using a whip in combat. Whip options:
  • Attack(Whip)- Normal whip attack.
  • Parry(Whip)- Normal whip parry.
• Wrestling: Skill for using unarmed grappling in combat. Wrestling options:
  • Attack(Wrestling)- Unarmed attack to damage opponent. Attack is at +5 TN if opponent is not grappled.
  • Parry(Wrestling)- Normal wrestling parry. If using this for parrying while Grappled, you do not suffer the Grappled penalty to your PD.
  • Bear Hug- Each time your opponent fails an attempt to escape, and at the end of each Round, you inflict (Bear Hug)k2 Physical Damage.
  • Break- Attempt a seriously damaging attack. Attack is at +10 TN. If the attack is successful, the opponent takes 1 Physical Dramatic Wound, and immediately makes another Wound Check if he is carrying any other Physical Flesh Wounds. The hold is broken after the attempt, successful or not.
  • Escape- This is an attempt to escape from being grappled. See the Combat section for more details on the mechanics of Escape.
  • Grapple- Unarmed attempt to restrain opponent. See the Combat section for more details on the mechanics of Grapple.
  • Head Butt- Aggressive unarmed attack that damages the attacker as well. A successful Head Butt does unarmed damage +1k1 to the opponent, but does normal unarmed damage to the attacker.
  • Parry(Wrestling)- Unarmed defense. PD is at -5 if opponent is not grappled.

Everyman Skills

• Athlete: Athlete covers general physical coordination and training. Legacy Knacks- Balance, Break Fall, Climbing, Footwork, Leaping, Lifting, Ride, Running, Throwing.
• Repartee: Repartee covers general social skills. Legacy Knacks- Charm, Courage, Intimidate, Self-Control, Taunt, Willpower.
• Tradesman: The Tradesman Knack represents the skills needed to perform in one of the normal "job" trades that most people do for a living. This covers the legacy Knacks from the legacy Artist Skill, as well as the large number of tradesman Knacks from the legacy Merchant Skill. Characters only get their first Tradesman Skill (which represents a single legacy tradesman Knack) at Rank 2 for free. Each further Tradesman Skill that a character wants to learn must be started at Rank 2 (which costs only 1 CP (3 XP) to purchase, rather than the normal 6 CP (18 XP). Each separate Tradesman Skill is improved separately (and at normal CP/XP cost) afterward.