The basic fantasy archetypes can be modified and enhanced through “specialties”. A specialty can turn a Thief into an assassin, or a Sorceror into a wu jen..
At first level, the character has one specialty.
Some specialties have requirements: the character must have a minimum ability score, or must follow a specific moral code, or must not follow a specific moral code. Some specialties also have prerequisites: an earlier specialty must be taken first.
When a player wants their character to perform some dangerous or difficult task, they’ll roll against one of their character’s abilities or reactions. To help them do this, each character begins the game with skills. When a character is skilled at a task, their player gains a bonus on any rolls to perform that task.
Each skill must be part of some field of knowledge. Fields are major areas, such as War Craft, Language Science or Gambling Art. Within each field, the character gains a bonus to ability rolls when using any skill within that field. For example, a character with Gambling Art at +3 might have the skills Carousing and Poker. Whenever the player needs to make a roll where Carousing or Poker skill is applicable, they will get a bonus of 3 on that roll.
In a way, having Gambling Art +3 is like being a third-level gambler.
Characters who have high mental abilities begin with a number of fields equal to intelligence as a major contributor and wisdom and charisma as minor contributors. The fields are at +1 and have one skill within them.
If the character has low mental abilities, a negative total can be ignored unless the character is old enough to have extra skills. Older characters will need to first overcome this negative number before gaining extra skills.
The Arcane Lore Lorebook contains a detailed listing of fields and skills within those fields, but you can also come up with your own fields and skills, subject to the approval of the Adventure Guide.
You can choose the same field more than once. The first time you choose a field, your character gains one skill and a +1 for skills in that field. If you choose the same field again, your character will gain either a field bonus or a new skill in that field.
Your character automatically gains the field “Native Culture” at +2, with the skills “Native Language” and one Etiquette from the available cultures. For example, a nobleman might choose “Court Etiquette”; a farmer “Backwoods Etiquette”, or a thief “Underworld Etiquette”.
You may choose to move your character’s Native Language skill into the Languages field if you have it. Your Native Culture field bonus remains +2.
Warriors begin the game with Fighting Art at +1. Monks, Prophets, Sorcerors, and Thieves begin the game with Fighting Art at +0.
Non-warrior archetypes are limited in the weapon skills they may choose. Thieves may choose any simple or basic weapon as a skill; and the others any simple weapon.
Simple weapons are small hand-held weapons such as the dagger, knife, or sling. Basic weapons are weapons such as spears, short swords, crossbows, and martial arts. Exactly what constitutes a “basic” weapon or a “simple” weapon will depend on the game world, but suggestions are given on the weapons table.
Prophets may have other restrictions according to their religion or sect.
When in combat, your character will get their Fighting Art field bonus as long as they are using a weapon they’re skilled with. If they are using a weapon they’re not skilled with, besides not getting their field bonus it will usually be at least a difficult roll.
Players may not use mojo to increase their character’s Fighting Art field bonus. Their Fighting Art bonus goes up as the character increases in level.
The Warrior skills unfamiliar weapons and all weapons are available only to Warriors. The Thief skill basic weapons is only available to Thieves.