SKILLS & CHECKS

This section fall under "campaign rules".

Whether adventurers are exploring a dusty dungeon or the complex relationships of a royal court, the game follows a natural rhythm, as outlined in the book's introduction:

1. The GM describes the environment.

2. The players describe what they want to do.

3. The GM narrates the results of their actions.

Typically, the GM uses a map as an outline of the adventure, tracking the characters' progress as they explore dungeon corridors or wilderness regions. The GM's notes, including a key to the map, describe what the adventurers find as they enter each new area.

Sometimes, the passage of time and the adventurers' actions determine what happens, so the GM might use a timeline or a flowchart to track their progress instead of a map.

HOW THIS WORKS

Most of the time, players will announce their character's intent to do something to the Game Master, in an effort to seek approval. Normally, the GM will simply respond with an "OK" and an indicator regarding when the character can take the action. Sometimes, the GM will pose a question, to have the player clarify. 

Most of the time, the GM is encouraged to allow the action to continue—knowing whether it will automatically succeed or fail. Sometimes, the GM will respond to the player that the action is almost guaranteed to fail. Thus, needless dice rolling is avoided and the game proceeds smoothly.

Otherwise, a number common actions have an understood procedure for rolling dice to see whether the action is successful or not. Of course, the GM can avoid the roll using automatic success or failure based on circumstances. Many times, the GM will seek a roll for success, using an assigned "difficulty" and allowing adjustments based on the individual character, equipment used, environmental circumstances, or preparatory activities. These are actions "without specific rules".

UNIVERSAL SKILLS

Regardless of background, all player characters have done some traveling and learned a basic set of skills. All player characters can...

• Bind a wound.

• Climb (unencumbered) with the aid of a rope.

• Drive a cart.

• Light a fire with flint and tinder.

• Perform basic math (counting, arithmetic, etc.).

• Perform routine, mundane, unheroic or semi-skilled tasks (prepare a camp site, prepare basic food, launder clothes, childcare, fix a shoe or boot, perform basic tailoring, perform basic home maintenance or basic gardening, use basic tools [axes, etc.], play common games, build a basic shelter, etc.).

• Read and write a language they know.

• Ride a horse (or camel if raised in a desert environment)—this does not include the ability to direct a trained horse in battle.

• Maintain their weapons.

• Swim in calm water.

A character's background, race, and class will also allow for a set of trained actions: armor/weapon maintenance, swimming in challenging conditions, mounted combat, etc.

For more complex activity, a check might be called for—against a DC, a percentage chance, a save or ability score (rolling under the score on some scale like 3d6 or 2d10). Certain actions may already be covered, such as detection of an invisible creature, hearing noise, or a creature's emotional reactions. Players are encouraged to provide insight as to their capabilities, such as preparation, background, class, etc. to modify the check and the GM will consider other circumstances.