Expert Skill

Expert Skill

†

IQ/Hard

Defaults: None.

An Expert Skill represents cross-disciplinary knowledge of a single, narrow theme. When answering factual questions on that theme, you may substitute a roll against your Expert Skill for any IQ-based roll against any skill that has a default. Expert Skills do not exempt you from Cultural Familiarity or Language requirements, and never provide the ability to do practical tasks. Experts sometimes complement Expert Skills with related Area Knowledge skills, but you must learn these separately.

You must specialize by theme, and the GM is free to forbid any theme he feels is too broad. Some examples:

Computer Security:

Expertise at combating computer intrusion ("hacking"). Can stand in for Computer Operation, Cryptography, or Electronics Operation to spot "holes" in the security of a computer system. Use Computer Programming to patch or exploit such holes.

Conspiracy Theory:

The study of interlocking networks of conspiracies. Can substitute for Anthropology, Geography, History, Literature, or Occultism to answer questions about conspiracies, and can also work as Intelligence Analysis for this purpose (only). This does not include hidden inner secrets, which are the province of Hidden Lore.

Egyptology:

The study of ancient Egypt. Can function as Anthropology, Archaeology, History, Linguistics, or Occultism for that purpose.

Epidemiology:

The study of the spread of disease. Can serve as Biology, Diagnosis, Forensics, Geography, or Mathematics when deducing how a disease was spread.

Hydrology:

The study of a planet's water. Can be used in place of Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, or Meteorology to answer questions about precipitation, flooding, irrigation, etc.

Military Science:

General expertise on military capabilities. Can substitute for Artillery, Armoury, Strategy, or Tactics to answer questions about – but not use – weapons or strategies.

Natural Philosophy:

A general skill that usually replaces specific science skills (which might not even exist yet!) for scholars at TL1-4. Can be used in place of any science skill (e.g., Biology or Physics) to answer questions about how the universe is believed to work.

Political Science:

The academic study of politics. Can substitute for Geography, History, Law, Politics, or Sociology when performing political analysis.

Psionics:

The study of the psionic mind and brain. Can function as Biology, Diagnosis, Physician, Physiology, or Psychology when dealing with psi phenomena in living beings. Cannot substitute for Electronics Operation, Electronics Repair, and Engineer specialties that deal with psychotronics.

Thanatology:

The esoteric study of death. Can stand in for Anthropology, Archaeology, Occultism, or Theology when dealing with death and the dead.

Xenology:

General knowledge of the known races in your setting. Can substitute for Anthropology, History, Physiology, or Psychology to identify a member of a race different from your own, or to answer general questions about the race and its culture.

Horror

Some horror campaigns can get by with a broad use of Occultism, while others work best with specialized Expert Skills. If an Expert Skill covers broad "public knowledge" – especially human beliefs – but not secrets, then Hidden Lore may exist alongside it and only be available to the beings these skills cover (and to their confidantes). If Expert Skills are themselves arcane, though, then they should include any associated Hidden Lore; e.g., Expert Skill (Demonology) would incorporate Hidden Lore (Demon Lore).

Especially appropriate Expert Skills for horror include:

Cryptozoology:

The study of cryptids: natural creatures denied by science. Can function as Biology, Geography, Naturalist, or Paleontology for this purpose.

Demonology:

The study of demons and Hell. Can function as Anthropology, Archaeology, History, Literature, Occultism, or Theology – and possibly as Hidden Lore (Demon Lore) – for this purpose. Can also be used as Thaumatology to determine if a given spell is demonic in origin or nature. Can't substitute for Exorcism.

Pneumatology:

The study of spirits and ghosts. Can function as Anthropology, History, Literature, or Occultism – and possibly as Hidden Lore (Spirit Lore) – for this purpose. Depending on the nature of spirits in the setting, it may also overlap Biology, Physics, Psychology, or Theology. Can't substitute for Exorcism.

Ufology:

The study of UFOs, their witnesses and contactees, and their inhabitants (if any). Can function as Geography, History, Occultism, Physics, or Psychology for this purpose. The Men In Black who deal with the aliens have Expert Skill (Xenology); this is the skill for the frustrated investigators whom the Men In Black thwart.

Vampirology:

The study of vampires. Can function as Diagnosis, Forensics, History, Literature, Occultism, Physiology, or Psychology – and possibly as Hidden Lore (Vampire Lore) – for this purpose.

Martial Arts

A new Expert Skill is important in Martial Arts games:

Hoplology:

This is the study of how people fight, invented by explorer Sir Richard F. Burton in the 19th century and championed by martial artist Donn F. Draeger in the 20th. Its goals are to classify weapons and fighting styles by their origins and capabilities, and understand why they evolved. Hoplology can stand in for Anthropology, Psychology, or Sociology to identify known types of ritual combat or combative behavior; Archaeology, Geography, or History to answer questions about who used a weapon or style, where, and when; and Armoury or Connoisseur (Weapons) to identify a weapon. A successful roll while watching a fight will identify the combatants' styles (but to identify secret styles, you'll need Hidden Lore) and give an idea of what techniques to expect.