Academic Skills

Academic skills are a school of Secondary Skills that allow a player character to have knowledge and expertise in a particular field of study. This includes fields of study in cartography, diplomacy, history, linguistics, lore, naturalism, and theology.

While possessing fewer direct combat oriented effects, Academic skills are very useful for roleplaying and adventuring, providing special knowledge and the ability to understand various aspects of the Realm of Strife and beyond. This allows for solving puzzles, uncovering mysteries, making important decisions, and gaining an advantage over other characters and creatures that are encounter through ones travels.

Academic skills also provide an excellent mechanic for GMs to add depth and immersion in the game world, by allowing players to better understand the context and significance of their actions. Having a party member with strong academic skills can be a valuable asset, providing knowledge and expertise on the player’s journey, and in some cases providing information that can prove invaluable in combat.

Cartographer

Whether as an experienced traveler or a well studied scholar, cartography skills allow characters to create maps of the world around them. This can include mapping out cities, landscapes, political regions, dungeon layouts and cave systems. Often these are committed to memory, and can assist in navigation.

With advanced cartography skills, a player character may also be able to create detailed topographical maps, showing elevations and other important details. This can be a useful tool for navigating difficult terrain, planning quests, and avoiding hazards. Additionally, well-crafted maps can be valuable assets to a party, providing valuable information and strategic advantages.

Spirit and Faith classes often use their particular skill sets to annotate maps with useful information, which can even be encoded or hidden from those without the proper knowledge to access it.

Requires: relatively high Wisdom or Perception, and Cartographer’s tools.

Diplomat

Diplomats are trained statecraft, negotiation, diplomatic etiquette, cultural practices, current events, and politics. A skilled diplomat can effectively communicate and negotiate with non-player characters and parley with opposing forces. This can include persuading others to see their point of view, negotiating trade deals, and resolving conflicts peacefully.

With high diplomacy skills, a player character may be able to sway the opinions of others and potentially even convince hostile characters to join their cause. This can be a valuable ability, as it allows a player to avoid costly battles and find creative solutions to problems. Additionally, strong diplomatic skills can open up new quests and unlock valuable rewards.

Spirit and Faith classes make for particularly effective Diplomats, especially when dealing with groups that do not possess any skill or knowledge in maters of Spirit or Faith.

Requires: relatively high Charm or Wisdom, and a Parley flag or banner