Darkbound RPG

Skills

Skills are an integral part of the Mutant: Year Zero system, representing your character’s learned abilities and specialized training. They are tied directly to your character’s attributes and are used to resolve actions and challenges throughout the game. Whether your character is sneaking through enemy territory, scavenging for supplies, or mediating a tense standoff, their skills determine their chances of success.

This guide provides an in-depth look at skills, their connection to attributes, and examples of how they function within the Darkbound setting.

How Skills Work

Skills are measured in levels, typically ranging from 0 to 5. When your character attempts an action that requires a skill, you roll a number of dice equal to your skill level, combined with dice from the relevant attribute. For example:

  • A character with 3 Strength and 2 in Fight rolls 5 dice for a melee attack.

Every 6 rolled on a die counts as a success. The more successes you achieve, the better the result. In some cases, a single success is enough, while others may require additional successes for more difficult tasks.

If you fail a roll, you can choose to “push” it, rerolling all dice that did not result in successes. However, pushing comes at a cost: it may inflict strain on your attributes or cause unintended consequences.

Skills and Their Associated Attributes

Each skill is tied to one of the four core attributes: Strength, Agility, Wits, or Empathy. Here is an overview of the skills and how they interact with these attributes:

Strength-Based Skills

Fight: Used for melee combat, whether you’re swinging a rusty blade, grappling an Aberrant, or punching someone in a bar brawl.

  • Example: Your character squares off against a raider in close combat, rolling Fight to land a decisive blow.

Endure: Represents your ability to resist physical harm, exhaustion, or environmental hazards.

  • Example: While traversing a toxic swamp, you roll Endure to avoid succumbing to the poisonous air.

Agility-Based Skills

Sneak: Determines your ability to move silently and remain undetected.

  • Example: You roll Sneak to bypass a group of Aberrants prowling near a ruin.

Move: Reflects your speed and coordination in physical situations, such as dodging attacks or climbing.

  • Example: A collapsing floor forces you to roll Move to leap to safety.

Shoot: Governs your accuracy with ranged weapons, including guns, bows, and thrown objects.

  • Example: Your character fires a crossbow at an enemy approaching the safezone.

Wits-Based Skills

Scout: Used to spot dangers, locate hidden items, or navigate unfamiliar terrain.

  • Example: While exploring a Dark Zone, you roll Scout to detect a hidden nest or hive.

Comprehend: Reflects your ability to understand old-world technology, languages, or concepts.

  • Example: Your character deciphers the password on an ancient terminal, unlocking valuable data.

Know the Zone: A specialized skill for navigating and surviving the wasteland’s hazards.

  • Example: When crossing a radioactive field, you roll Know the Zone to find a safe path.

Empathy-Based Skills

Manipulate: Determines your effectiveness in persuasion, deception, and intimidation.

  • Example: You roll Manipulate to convince a rival scavenger to share valuable information.

Heal: Represents your ability to treat wounds, diseases, or other ailments.

  • Example: A group member is injured by a trap, and you roll Heal to stabilize them.

Lead: Reflects your capacity to inspire, direct, and coordinate others.

  • Example: During a battle, you roll Lead to rally your allies and boost their morale.

Skill Distribution

At character creation, you distribute skill points according to your chosen role. Each role has key skills where your character excels, but you can also allocate points to other skills to round out your abilities.

For example:

  • A Warden will naturally excel in Fight and Endure but may also choose to invest points in Scout for situational awareness.
  • A Trader might prioritize Manipulate and Know the Zone but decide to invest in Shoot for defense.

Using Skills in Roleplay

Skills are not just for resolving dice rolls; they enhance roleplay by defining your character’s expertise and influencing how they interact with the world. Here are some ways to incorporate skills into storytelling:

  • Collaborative Problem-Solving: Use skills to assist others, such as combining Scout and Know the Zone to chart a safe route.
  • Creative Application: Think outside the box. For instance, a character with Comprehend might improvise a solution using salvaged tech.
  • Conflict Resolution: Empathy-based skills like Manipulate and Lead can defuse or escalate tense situations, creating rich narrative opportunities.

Darkbound-Specific Adjustments

In the Darkbound setting, certain skills may have additional applications due to the unique nature of the world:

  • Scout: Enhanced importance in detecting Aberrants and identifying corrupted terrain.
  • Comprehend: Often tied to unraveling the mysteries of the Dark, such as deciphering cryptic artifacts.
  • Know the Zone: Critical for navigating hazardous areas like the Glass Wastes or Bone Grove.

Improving Skills

As your character progresses, you can use experience points (XP) to improve their skills. Each improvement represents new training, hard-earned lessons, or greater confidence. The cost of advancement increases with each level, reflecting the effort required to master higher skill tiers.