diff --git a/CS/CS.tex b/CS/CS.tex
index 842db2400ea8c6fd9575b5bb5b569f99dfdc0ff0..765cf08fce2b8a844a01e9ffeef86b501f77ebdf 100644
--- a/CS/CS.tex
+++ b/CS/CS.tex
@@ -203,9 +203,6 @@
\skill{\line(1,0){70}}
\end{tabular}
-
-\vspace{1em}
- \textbf{Specialisations}
}
\posterbox[adjusted title=Spheres (10/15/25)]{name=spheres,column=1,row=8,span=10,rowspan=2}
diff --git a/appendix.tex b/appendix.tex
index d74f3a3fb67721b2b9683232f50fe67fcc148045..ff386364b081f636bc78209748f2690e4940bab7 100644
--- a/appendix.tex
+++ b/appendix.tex
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ Okay, so you know how to make a character by now. But just for reference, let's
Spend 50 \gls{xp} on Attributes, Skills, Knacks, et c., with the Trait charts below, taking $n$ as the current level of of the Trait (or the number of Knacks, or the level of \gls{fp}).
Page \pageref{xp}.
\item
- Write down one Specialization for every level in a Skill with an asterisk.
- \item
Take 1 item per Skill level your character has, worth up to 10 \glspl{sp} each. Page \pageref{start_equipment}.
\item
Starting money is $(3D6-5)\times 2^S$\gls{cp}, where S = combined levels in all other specialist Skills. Those with Academics earn \glspl{sp} instead of \glspl{cp}.
diff --git a/cc.tex b/cc.tex
index 88f8744a1eea168d805875cf010c7fbc1d846ea1..42fab9eea8ab13af267419b69cae68209940cab7 100644
--- a/cc.tex
+++ b/cc.tex
@@ -282,23 +282,6 @@ It's only two Skills on the sheet, but that's seven different ratings the charac
For more detailed examples, see page \pageref{skill_uses}.
}{}
-\subsection{Specialised Skills*}
-\label{specializations}
-\index{specializations}
-
-Some Skills are `Specialised Skills', meaning that they are a broad category for a number of sub-skills.
-The Craft Skill covers metallurgy, wood craft, armour making and many more.
-Anyone taking such Skills gains a professional specialization.
-Using a Skill with the appropriate specialization grants a +2 Bonus to any roll (specializations never stack).
-
-Specialized Skills tend to have more difficult rolls.
-Recalling some obscure historical fact might be \gls{tn} 12, but someone with a specialization in History would get a +2 Bonus, making the roll much more manageable.
-
-Each specialization can be used with any other specialized Skill.
-If your Beast Ken Specialization is in griffins, you can also use this to use when tracking them with the Survival Skill.
-
-All specialist Skills are marked with an asterisk.
-
\iftoggle{verbose}{
\begin{figure*}[b]
\begin{boxtext}[title=Rolling with Bad Stats]
@@ -323,7 +306,7 @@ The Skills here are examples, so this is not a complete list.
If you want Skills not listed, just run them by the \gls{gm} and discuss what kinds of tasks they cover.
When thinking up a new Skill, try to think about how it would work with each Attribute.
-\subsection{Academics*}
+\subsection{Academics}
\sidebox{
@@ -354,15 +337,13 @@ Various shamans practice memorizing long texts and generally consider books to b
Academics might be mixed with Charisma for storytelling, Wits to pull out just the right information, Intelligence to write well, or even Strength for a loud speech.
-\paragraph{Specialisations} include Mathematics, History, Alchemy, Politics, Biology, Law, Literature and Runelore.
-
\subsection{Athletics}
This covers all manner of fancy movements, from somersaults and rolling to climbing and circus skills.
It might be paired with Dexterity when a character is attempting to roll under then leap over tables or otherwise navigate uneven terrain.
For flat-out sprinting, the Speed Attribute is always preferred, while Strength is primary when characters want to throw cannon balls.
-\subsection{Craft*}
+\subsection{Craft}
The Craft Skill allows players to make and fix things, and occasionally break things.
Designing new equipment requires an Intelligence roll, while making them requires Dexterity.
@@ -370,14 +351,10 @@ Strength could even be used to govern making simple things (such as a make-shift
Using moulds or other pre-set designing materials allows the character to perform the Craft roll as a \gls{restingaction} (see page \pageref{restingactions}) and may provide a bonus to the roll depending upon the quality of tools available.
-\paragraph{Specialisations} include metallurgy, leather, locks, armour, weapons, fletchery, wood, traps and stonework.
-
-\subsection{Beast Ken*}
+\subsection{Beast Ken}
Beast Ken covers training, handling, calming and generally working with animals. It might be paired with Charisma in order to calm down a frightened horse, or with Intelligence in order to guess why a bear is behaving so unusually. Training animals is usually paired with Intelligence, though once the animal is trained, Wits allows a character to effectively give commands.
-\paragraph{Specialisations} are the different types of animals: dogs, horses, birds, bears, cats, basilisks and snakes are all possibilities; not all animals can be trained but all of them can be understood.
-
\subsection{Deceit}
Someone proficient at deception can make others see white as black by sheer confidence. It is often paired with Charisma when creating such lies. At other times, when a quick excuse is needed after a character has been caught with their hand in someone else's pockets, the Wits Attribute can be used to get out of trouble. Complicated lies, having to do with a long series of events or where a character wants to make someone hopelessly confused about the situation, might use one's Intelligence Bonus.
@@ -395,23 +372,19 @@ This might be used to convince someone not to go to war with a neighbouring nati
Commonly, Empathy is used to spot lies when paired with Wits. Humans are famously bad at this, resulting in wildfires of bogus rumours around human communities, while it can be very difficult to lie to elves.
-\subsection{Medicine*}
+\subsection{Medicine}
Medicine is a primitive but effective art, regrettably full of nonsense and superstition, but mandatory when it comes to keeping someone with a serious wound alive.
The Wits Attribute will allow someone to quickly patch up a bleeding wound, cutting or reducing the number of \glspl{fatigue} the bleeding character would otherwise have received.%
\footnote{We cover \glspl{fatigue} later, on page \pageref{fatigue}.}
Intelligence is used for creating poisons, or healing the effects of a bad meal.
-\paragraph{Specialisations} include bleeding, poisons, narcotics, bones, fatigue and burns.
-
-\subsection{Performance*}
+\subsection{Performance}
This skill covers every type of instrument, poetry and evocative storytelling. While academics might tell detailed stories which serve to persuade people of things, they are not nearly so entertaining as the dramatic stories told by a true performer. Performance covers dramatic acting, though Deceit still covers any real-world performances.
This will often be paired with Charisma when a performer wants to give off an entertaining performance. More technical pieces might require Dexterity instead. Performers wanting to create new poems, songs or the like add their Intelligence Attribute instead.
-\paragraph{Specialisations} include the flute, mandolin, singing, poetry and acting.
-
\subsection{Larceny}
Larceny is generally mixed with Dexterity for everything for picking pockets to juggling.
@@ -426,13 +399,7 @@ Intelligence might also be used to create a convincing disguise.
Fitting into a noble soir\'{e}e without an invite and only semi-decent attire could use Charisma.
In almost all cases, opponents resist with Wits + Vigilance to spot the character or spot the ruse.
-\subsection{Survival*}
-
-This covers all manner of skills useful for surviving the outdoors, from building things to forced marching. Endurance based tasks such as long marches or surviving a night on a mountain are covered by Strength. Building a fire in the rain might use Dexterity and tracking should always use Wits. Someone attempting to cover their tracks might resist such rolls with their Dexterity or Intelligence and Stealth added to the \gls{tn} to resist the attempt at tracking.
-
-\paragraph{Specialisations} include marching, fire building, temporary shelters, traps, tracking and foraging.
-
-\subsection{Tactics*}
+\subsection{Tactics}
Tactics allows people to plan concise victories.
The utility quickly fades when battles become drawn-out and unpredictable, but the initial benefits from going into battle with a good plan are great.
@@ -440,8 +407,6 @@ It can be used to understand why people are employing apparently odd battle-tact
When going into combat, someone who has time to prepare for a battle by running through instructions with receptive troops gains a bonus to their Initiative equal to their Tactics Skill. This bonus only ever counts for the first \gls{round}.
-\paragraph{Specialisations} include massive creatures (5+ Strength), leading many troops (more than 12), leading small forces (between 6 and 12), lone fighting, forests, towns, plains, tunnels.
-
\subsection{Vigilance}
This is the flip side of a number of Skill related to hiding one's doings or presence.
@@ -449,4 +414,15 @@ It is practised by guards or the eternally paranoid.
It is most often rolled with Wits in order to spot people sneaking about, perhaps fingering a purse or sneaking up behind a potential victim to stab them in the back.
One might also add this Skill to Intelligence to spot important facts written on dungeon walls, or use Strength + Vigilance in order to stay up late, despite being laden with Fatigue, in order to remain alert.
+\subsection{Wyldcrafting}
+
+This skill covers everything from the initial forays into the wilderness, to fully cultivated land.
+A wyldcrafter can navigate, track animals and other humanoids, and forage.
+In calmer settings, wyldcrafting covers all the activities involved in farming -- from taming animals, and selecting the best soil to plant carrots.
+
+Wyldcrafting also covers creating basic structures, such as fences, or making fires that can burn all night with just a few logs.
+These typically use the Intelligence Attributes.
+
+Wyldcrafters can track people and prey throughout any standard above-ground terrain (typically using Wits), although humanoid quarry will often resist with Intelligence + Stealth.
+
\end{multicols}
diff --git a/codes.tex b/codes.tex
index dcd4ecbba15a3c9de72d38637e603883365b317b..b60dda7edd69c6d35a5e6cdd4c18a458ac8c37f7 100644
--- a/codes.tex
+++ b/codes.tex
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ The mana stones of \Gls{knowledgegod} are always activated by a command word.
1 & Hearing a new language. \\
- 1 & Learning a new type of instrument or any creative specialisation. \\
+ 1 & Learning a new type of creative skill, such as Crafts or Performance. \\
3 & Experiencing any emotion to heights never reached before. \\
diff --git a/gm.tex b/gm.tex
index 5f3a6990bf4b8d1c4de1c4835f8e530cd986db13..fad8e0435c9f5080aa9a563deb9575599ddaa396 100644
--- a/gm.tex
+++ b/gm.tex
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ Once they reach a town or village, they can rest up, and you can mark weeks or m
Of course, if they have active enemies, you can throw them in here, or just run a single encounter in town, to keep them on their toes.
-Other \glspl{downtime} will last months, so that \glspl{pc} can purchase new specialized skills, such as Crafts.
+Other \glspl{downtime} will last months, so that \glspl{pc} can purchase Skills which require long periods of study, such as Academics.
Alchemists also need \gls{downtime} to purchase new sphere levels.
For any \gls{downtime} spanning over a year, you may want to award \glspl{storypoint}.
@@ -739,8 +739,6 @@ Magical items which do not come with instructions often remain enigmas.
A successful rolls allows someone to identify how to activate an item, but the roll requires a Margin of 2 to understand its effects.
Therefore, rolling a 13 when trying to understand a talisman means one understands how to activate it, but not what the talisman will do.
-Specializations apply to this roll as usual, so someone with the Alchemy specialization receives a +2 bonus to the roll.
-
\paragraph{Storytelling} -- Charisma + Academics.
\subsection{Athletics}
diff --git a/magic.tex b/magic.tex
index 7b4748c3c4c5c465481aed54145446da04e0d427..39b2fda15387d10c7124918408379a36bdc05201 100644
--- a/magic.tex
+++ b/magic.tex
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ They can store magic in their heart, their fingers, or eyes, but can never use a
\noindent The character is devoted to a god and studies with priests in how to unlock the magic of the deity. The character's god will determine their additional spheres of magic and their appearance.
-To start on the path of devotion, the character requires a level in Academics, with a specialization in Theology, and must take that god as their primary belief system.
+To start on the path of devotion, the character requires a level in Academics in order to properly study the teachings of the god.
The appearance of spells and the form of mana stones varies depending upon deity.
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@ See the individual references in chapter \ref{gods_codes}.
\noindent Dwarves are skilled in the art of summoning magics through carving elaborate runes. Typically they are chiselled, but it is possible to simply `paint a spell' onto a surface.
-Runecasters must devote a single Academics specialization to learning how to properly inscribe runes.
Their mana stones are always precious metals inscribed with runes such as armour with platinum runes or swords with golden runic inlays.
Those mana stones which have an imprinted spell can be activated by either a command word or a condition.
@@ -531,7 +530,7 @@ If the item changes hands while the spell is active, `the caster' changes too.
Pocket spells require 8 Initiative to cast, just like using any other item.
-These items always use the caster's Intelligence Bonus, but have no relation to Skills, so they do not gain any Bonus from anyone's Skills, and cannot use any specializations.
+These items always use the caster's Intelligence Bonus, but have no relation to Skills, so they do not gain any Bonus from anyone's Skills.
\iftoggle{verbose}{%
When casting a scroll with a Fireball spell, if the caster's Intelligence Bonus were +1, the scroll rolls to hit with +1 Bonus, even if neither scroll's creator, or user, have the Projectiles Skill.
}{}
diff --git a/rules.tex b/rules.tex
index 3c80b565202112c75595d83db7d22a660c038598..1e7bc3bf4ee40aff4df9c2861c95f1bb03428ac2 100644
--- a/rules.tex
+++ b/rules.tex
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ See page \pageref{gods_codes} for details on the gods and personal codes of hono
The \gls{gm} may wish to only award \gls{xp} at the end of a session, and may restrict when it can be spent.
Each Trait should increase by no more than a single level during the course of an adventure -- you might be lucky enough to get enough \gls{xp} to raise your Strength from -2 to +1 in a single session, but nobody can accrue that kind of muscle mass in such a short period of time.
-Specialisation Skills such as Craft and Survival are difficult to train with, so it's recommended they only be bought during \gls{downtime}.
}{}
\subsubsection{What Counts?}
@@ -692,7 +691,6 @@ If a player has an \gls{adventuringequipment} item, they can decided to describe
The amount of bare money a character starts out with depends upon social class, which is indicated by their Skills.
Starting money is $3D6-5$\gls{cp}.
-Multiply this result by 2 for every level in a specialist Skill the character has (meaning, those with an asterisk beside them).
Finally, characters with Academics times this result by 100 (effectively giving them \glspl{sp} instead of \glspl{cp}).
For example, a character with Academics 1 and Tactics 1 might roll a 7.
@@ -755,14 +753,11 @@ At the end of every adventure, \gls{downtime} should be called, and all characte
Players can call for a \gls{downtime} any time they reach a safe area.
\iftoggle{verbose}{%
- This non-adventuring period allows the \glspl{pc} to heal, and gain specialized Skills, such as Crafts.
- Downtime is important to play, as this is when characters learn specialist skills, such as Survival and Craft, or alchemy spheres.
-
+ This non-adventuring period allows the \glspl{pc} to heal, and gain advanced Traits.
}{
After downtime, \glspl{pc} receive an amount of \glspl{storypoint} equal to the square root of the number of years spent.
}
-
\subsection{Space as Squares}\index{Space}\index{Squares}\index{Areas}
\label{space}
diff --git a/spheres.tex b/spheres.tex
index 7d7084984e08ac8438aa00effff2c65f85549bf2..e948d69ba5c7c9eecda5b73afa611110ef852280 100644
--- a/spheres.tex
+++ b/spheres.tex
@@ -974,7 +974,6 @@ The creature has neither Intelligence nor Charisma scores.
Most will attack all living things on sight.
The mage rolls their Intelligence + Medicine at \gls{tn} 7 to cast the spell.
-Any Medicine specialisations dealing with the affected species (e.g. `gnolls', or `humans'), or specialisations concerning death rituals can be used.
Targets can have a maximum of 3 \glspl{hp}, plus the spell's Level, plus the mage's Intelligence Bonus.
\iftoggle{verbose}{%
diff --git a/story/3-xp.tex b/story/3-xp.tex
index 2ac66d4f2a2837f23714c4e75955ea59978f7897..b7a5749e901dac9008f8fad06e682df0174810b2 100644
--- a/story/3-xp.tex
+++ b/story/3-xp.tex
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ I think I'm going to make him a `knightly poet'.
With that in mind, it's time for me to spend some of that 50 \gls{xp} on Sean, the knightly poet.
-For a start, he'll need the Performance Skill, and he gets two specialisations with it because it's a specialised Skill.
-`Poetry' is a good start, and perhaps the flute after that, because why not? That costs 5 \gls{xp} so I have 45 left.
+For a start, he'll need the Performance Skill.
+That costs 5 \gls{xp} so I have 45 left.
He should have some basic Combat ability, so I'm going to give him +1 in the Combat Skill -- that'll cost 10, and why not put him at +2 for another 20 \gls{xp}? That leaves only 15 \gls{xp} to go.
Since he's a fighter he needs the Dexterity penalty removed.
Removing the penalty costs only 5 \gls{xp}, so with 10 left I'm going to buy a level of Empathy to make him a socialite.
diff --git a/story/6-team.tex b/story/6-team.tex
index 63c0c91c7b87d2b4dc17f0385eaed04aa5fd863c..60250af3308da529a5a646d508de131c5e9df253 100644
--- a/story/6-team.tex
+++ b/story/6-team.tex
@@ -1,23 +1,17 @@
\begin{exampletext}
- Sean wants to know what exactly that spell-song the boy was talking about means.
- He has the Academics Skill and never wrote down any specialisations so he asks the \gls{gm} if he can take a specialisation in whatever it is he needs in order to know about that bard and what he was up to.
- The \gls{gm} tells him to write down `Music' -- it's a fitting specialisation since he already plays the flute.
+ Hugi wants to know what exactly that spell-song the boy was talking about means.
+ The \gls{gm} has him roll Intelligence + Academics (he has +1 in each).
+ The more academics look at a problem, the better -- therefore the \gls{gm} allows a Team Roll; Sean adds his Intelligence (0) plus Academics (1), then halves the result (so the result is still 1).
+ Arneson has no Academics, and has an Intelligence penalty of -1, and even if he could help out, he would only grant $1/4$ of his full bonus, so he just keeps his mouth shut.
- Sean then needs to roll using his Intelligence Bonus and Academics Skill -- the first is at 0 but his Academics Skill grants him +1.
- The more academics you have, the better the chances that one of them knows something, so Hugi's player wants to help using his +2 Bonus.
- He has Intelligence +1 and the Academics Skill at first level.
- He wants to use his specialisation in History, and the \gls{gm} allows it.
- Hugi is helping the action so he can add half his score of +3 (rounded up) for an additional +2 bonus.
- Arneson has no knowledge of academic matters and an Intelligence Attribute at -1 so he's better off staying quiet.
- Adding the bonuses together, the roll is at +3.
- The \gls{gm} stipulates the \gls{tn} of 14 -- a tall order without a library to aid matters.
- The roll fails and the troop will have to go into the situation blind.
+ The total is +3.
+ The \gls{gm} stipulates the \gls{tn} of 14 -- a tall order without a library to aid matters.
+ The roll fails and the troop will have to go into the situation blind.
- Sean recalled what the old alchemist had said about the book -- surely the bard had sung the song from the stolen book and put the guards to sleep with this magic.
- He searched his mind for where such a song might come from and what else it might be capable of.
- He wondered if the bard had really come from the South and what he might want with that book.
- The entire thing was an impenetrable enigma.
+ Sean recalled what the old alchemist had said about the book -- surely the bard had sung the song from the stolen book and put the guards to sleep with this magic.
+ He searched his mind for where such a song might come from and what else it might be capable of.
+ He wondered if the bard had really come from the South and what he might want with that book.
+ The entire thing was an impenetrable enigma.
\end{exampletext}
-
diff --git a/story/equipment.tex b/story/equipment.tex
index 7b11dbc6ae51ac791a834d1844b209ffb4c58266..eff9bf7a6c0aace936151a038a7f7d935668a88d 100644
--- a/story/equipment.tex
+++ b/story/equipment.tex
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@
We'll start with some shiny Partial chainmail and a longsword so he can fight.
His final item will be \gls{adventuringequipment}, so he'll have some flexibility for later.
- Rolling $3D6$ for his starting money, I've got a `9', so I'm starting with 4 ($9-5=4$).
- His three specialized skills double that number, making it 32 ($4\times2^3$).
- Since one of those Skills is Academics, he'll start with 32 \glspl{sp} rather than \glspl{cp}.
+ Rolling $3D6-5$ for his starting money, I've got a `9', so I'm starting with 4.
\end{exampletext}