Skill Mastery
Skill mastery is a measure of a character's training and expertise in a specific area of study. The more skilled a character is in a mastery, the more effective their trials become and the more powerful the abilities they unlock. Each skill mastery provides a combination of disciplines, combat abilities, and specialized techniques that expand your options both in and out of combat.
For the rules governing mastery points, mastery levels, point progression, and mastery caps by class, see the Mastery chapter.
Skill Trials
Skill trials follow the standard trial rules defined in Mastery System. Sneaking, crafting, identifying magic, and other skill-based actions use mastery trials (attribute tier die + mastery die). When a skill ability forces a target to resist, the target rolls against your Mastery DC (mastery level + attribute tier). When the obstacle is the task itself, such as a lock, a cipher, or counting cards, you roll a mastery trial against a DC the GM sets. When the obstacle is someone who might notice or resist, such as a watcher, a mark, or a card player across the table, they roll an attribute trial against your Mastery DC. The GM decides which applies, and a single scene can use both. A target always resists with an attribute trial. If the target has the discipline that counters yours, at a mastery level equal to or higher than yours, it has Dominance on the trial. Each skill names the attribute its trials usually use. The GM can call for a different attribute when the situation suits it. The GM may roll any trial in secret when knowing the result would spoil the scene.
Each skill's Structure section specifies which attribute pairs with that skill for trials.
Disciplines and Mastery Die
Each skill mastery contains disciplines — specific areas of trained knowledge or practiced skill (e.g., Jumping within Athletics, Riding within Wilderness, Asura Lore within Lore). When you make a trial using a discipline you have not selected, your mastery die is 1d2 regardless of your mastery level in that skill mastery. Your full mastery die only applies to disciplines you have chosen.
Working Time
Some disciplines take time, and a better trial works faster. When a discipline's time depends on its result, use this table.
| Trial beats the DC by | Time |
|---|---|
| 0–1 | 1d3 exploration rounds |
| 2 | 1d2 exploration rounds |
| 3 | 1d10 minutes |
| 4 | 1d8 minutes |
| 5 | 1d6 combat rounds |
| 6 | 1d4 combat rounds |
| 7 or more | 1d2 combat rounds |
Using Skill Abilities in Combat
Unless explicitly stated, a skill attack ability cannot be used as part of the same Action or Reaction as another skill ability, weapon maneuver, or class ability relying on the same type of action. Modifiers that trigger on qualifying attacks, such as Lore Slayer or Spellcraft Magical Strike, apply freely to any attack that meets their condition.
Overview
Each skill mastery unlocks abilities at mastery levels and provides disciplines — trained areas of knowledge and skill.
Mastery Levels (1-7): - Level 1 — Unskilled (1d2): Default. Every character starts here with no mastery investment. - Level 2 — Untrained (1d3): 1st unlock - Level 3 — Basic (1d4): 2nd unlock - Level 4 — Skilled (1d6): 3rd unlock - Level 5 — Expert (1d8): 4th unlock - Level 6 — Master (1d10): 5th unlock - Level 7 — Grand Master (1d12): 6th unlock
Skill Access: Most skills are open to all classes. A small number of restrictions are binary: you either have access to a skill or you do not. If you have access, you can advance as high as your mastery points allow, up to and including Grand Master.
Class Hallmarks: Certain abilities remain class-exclusive regardless of skill access (e.g., Backstab for Thief, Fili Song for Fili, Turn for Theurgic classes, Arcane Familiar for Magus).
Skill Access by Class
✓ = learnable (costs mastery points). Free = granted by class ability (no cost). — = no access.
| Class | Alert | Athl | Trade | Lore | Pres | Spell | Stlth | Tact | Thiev | Wild | Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenger | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ All | Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Bahador | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH+Free S | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Cleric | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ All | Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Cursed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ All | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Druid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ AH | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Free | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Dwarf | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ AH+Free B | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | M (3 start, +1/lvl, 2@11, 3@21) |
| Fighter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | Free | ✓ | ✓ | M (3 start, +1/lvl, 2@11, 3@21) |
| Fili | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH | Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | GM (4 start, +1/lvl, 2@6, 3@16, 4@26) |
| Gnome | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ All | Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Gray Elf | Free | ✓ | ✓ All | ✓ | Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | S (1 start, +1/lvl, 2@21) |
| Halfling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH | ✓ | ✓ | — | Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | GM (4 start, +1/lvl, 2@6, 3@16, 4@26) |
| Knight | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH | ✓ | Free | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | M (3 start, +1/lvl, 2@11, 3@21) |
| Magus | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH+Free S | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Orc | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | M (3 start, +1/lvl, 2@11, 3@21) |
| Paladin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ All | Free | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | E (2 start, +1/lvl, 2@16, 3@26) |
| Ranger | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Free | GM (4 start, +1/lvl, 2@6, 3@16, 4@26) |
| Sylvan Elf | ✓ | Free | ✓ ABH | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Free | S (1 start, +1/lvl, 2@21) |
| Thief | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ ABH | ✓ | ✓ | — | Free | ✓ | Free | ✓ | GM (4 start, +1/lvl, 2@6, 3@16, 4@26) |
Trade discipline key: A = Alchemist, B = Blacksmith, H = Healer, S = Scribe. "All" = all four disciplines.
Notable restrictions: - Spellcraft is barred for all non-casters: Dwarf, Fighter, Halfling, Knight, Orc, Ranger, Thief. - Stealth and Thievery are barred for Knight and Paladin. - Trade (Scribe) is restricted to casters. Bahador and Magus get it free via Student. Druid, Fili, and Sylvan Elf have no access. Non-casters cannot learn it.
10 Core Skill Masteries
- Alertness: Danger Sense, Discernment, Secret Doors, Stalking, Treasure Sense
- Athletics: Balance, Climbing, Jumping, Lifting, Running, Swimming
- Lore: Creature Lores (Asura, Daeva, Dragon, Fae, Morphon, Primordial) and Knowledge Lores (Ancient, Artifact, Cultural, Curse, Heterodox, Stone)
- Presence: Bartering, Deceit, Etiquette, Interrogation, Intimidation, Rhetoric, Stoic
- Spellcraft: Tradition disciplines (Occult, Priscan, Telluric, Theurgic)
- Stealth: Disguise, Sneaking
- Tactics: Poliorcetics, Tactics
- Thievery: Breaching, Cryptography, Demimonde, Escamotage, Forgery, Savvy
- Trade: Alchemist, Blacksmith, Healer, Scribe
- Wilderness: Beast Lore, Hunting and Foraging, Orienteering, Riding, Weather Sense