The Stats and Skills of Star System Epsylon
Genesys uses six stats to help determine how many dice to be put in a dice pool: Agility, Brawn, Cunning, Intellect, Presence, and Willpower. These, along with the skills that Star System Epsilon uses, are described below.
Agility
A representation of a character's dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and flexibility, this stat is used for a number of delicate tasks, and is a key part of ranged combat.
The skills that use Agility are:
Coordination reflects a character's ability to steady themselves on unstable surfaces, walk across narrow ledges, or land safely after a fall. This skill is used when a character does something such as rappelling down a rope, squeezing into a tiny space, trying to slow their fall, or trying to contort themselves to get out of restraints. It is not used when climbing a rope, or any other activity that requires more physical strength than agility, and would be under Athletics.
Driving reflects a character's ability to operate a land vehicle during dangerous circumstances, or to get it to perform a dangerous maneuver. Regardless of the type of propulsion, be it wheels, hovercraft, or a land walker, this skill covers all forms of land-based travel. This skill is used when a character does something dangerous or difficult with a vehicle, such as making a hairpin turn at high speeds or slowing down with a damaged tire. It is not used when operating a vehicle under normal conditions, or when operating a flying vehicle. Flying vehicles fall under Piloting.
Piloting reflects a character's ability to operate a one-man flying vehicle. Similar to Driving, it mattes not whether the vehicle in question is a fighter jet, helicopter, or glider, if it flies and needs just one person to operate, Piloting is the skill needed. This skill is used when a character tries to out-maneuver opponents in a dogfight, land in dangerous conditions, or fly around several obstacles or through narrow crevices. It is not used when operating a large vessel that takes several people to run, or to fire the weapons of a flying vehicle. Those are under Operating and Ranged(Gunnery) respectively.
Ranged and its sub-categories cover the gamut of weaponry that can hit targets from a distance. Since Star System Epsilon uses all of these sub-skills, their summaries will be placed below.
This skill reflects a character's proficiency with one-handed ranged weaponry and throwing weapons, and covers everything from pistols to grenades. Essentially, if you can wield it with one hand, and it hits people from a distance, it's Ranged(Light). This skill is used when throwing light objects, or attacking with a one-handed ranged weapon.
This skill reflects a character's proficiency with two-handed ranged weapons, such as rifles, sniper rifles, shotguns, and assault rifles. Essentially, if you need two hands to wield it and it hits people from a distance, it falls under Ranged(Heavy). This skill is used when attacking with any weapon that requires two hands to use.
This skill reflects a character's proficiency with weapons that require a team of people to set up or are mounted on vehicles. This skill is used when attacking with plasma cannons, anti-aircraft guns, or a star ships manual cannons.
This skill reflects a character's ability to avoid being noticed by others. It is used when a character tries to tail someone else, infiltrate a building, or simplye move quietly. It is not used when trying to remain hidden during conditions where it would be extremely unlikely to be spotted anyway, or when picking a lock, which falls under Skulduggery.
Brawn
A representation of a character's strength, brute force, and general toughness, this stat is used for strength-based tasks, and is a key part of melee combat and Ki techniques. This stat is also used to determine a character's starting wound threshold.
The skills that use Brawn are:
This skill is a reflection of a character's overall fitness and physical training. It is used when a character tries to cross a rapidly flowing river, climb a mountain, run for an extended time, or jump across a chasm. It is not used when performing a task with low chance of failure, such as walking across a room, or when performing a task that requires more hand-eye coordination than physical strength. Such acts fall under Coordination.
This skill is a reflection of a character's hand-to-hand combat proficiency. While this generally means unarmed combat, there are certain weapons that can augment this skill, such as brass knuckles or certain gauntlets. This skill is used when a character tries to grapple, punch, or otherwise attack an opponent with their bare hands, or with a weapon designed to augment their bare hands. It is not used when attacking with a sword, club, or other such weapon; those fall under the Melee category.
This skill is a representation of how well-trained a character is in the field of Ki, a manifestation of soul energy. It is used to perform any of the techniques listed in Ki Techniques.
This skill covers all manner of weapons designed to be used in close range. Since Star System Epsylon uses both of the sub-skills described, the summaries for both are placed below.
This skill reflects a character's proficiency with close-range weapons that can be held in one hand, such as rapiers, knives, swords, etc. It is used when attacking an opponent with any weapon that can easily be held in one hand. It is not used when attacking someone with their bare fists, or when attacking with a greataxe, flail, or any other weapon that needs two hands to be used. Those call under Brawl and Melee(Heavy) respectively.
This skill reflects a character's proficiency with close range weapons that must be held with both hands, such as a greataxes, flail, or halberd. It is used when attacking an opponent with any weapon that requires both hands to wield.
This skill reflects a character's physical endurance to adverse conditions, lack of rest, or pain. It is used to determine how badly a character is affected by poison, hostile environments, lack of sleep, or to see if they can recover from certain Critical Injuries without medical attention. It is not used when doing something within the boundaries of normal endurance, such as a day-long hike through relatively safe terrain, or when recovering due to natural rest.
Cunning
A representation of a character's cleverness, creativity, craftiness, and even a few such attributes that don't start with the letter "c," this stat is used to see how socially savvy and perceptive a character is.
The skills that use Cunning are:
A reflection of a character's ability to deceive others, Deception is also used when trying to trick others by omitting certain facts, using specific wording, or disguising oneself. It is not used when telling a small lie to comfort others, or when telling another character something they believe is true (even if they are wrong).
A reflection of a character's ability to see tiny details, this skill is used when a character tries to scout ahead, study a relic for details about its purpose, or spy on someone. from a distance. It is not used to tell if someone is lying, or to be prepared against an unexpected ambush, both of which fall under Vigilance. It is also not used when tracking a foe through wilderness or follow a trail, these fall under Survival.
A reflection of a character's less-than-legal abilities, this skill covers lock picking, trap finding, pick pocketing, and underhanded fighting tactics, this skill is used when disarming or setting traps, studying security systems, and other covert criminal activity. It is not used to hack computer terminals, infiltrate structures, or make a poison. Those fall under Computers, Stealth, and Medicine respectively.
A reflection of a character's street smarts, ability to survive rough urban areas, and knowledge of how criminals navigate and think, this skill is used when locating a black market, attempting to approach a group of thugs without seeming like a threat, navigating or tracking someone through a city, or trying to understand a piece of local slang in conversation. It is not used if your character is already an established member of the criminal underworld, or when tracking someone through the wilderness, which requires Survival.
A reflection of how well a character knows the wilderness, this skill is used to find food and water in the wild, notice bad weather on the horizon and how to prepare for it, tame a wild animal, or track others through the wilderness. It is not used when the character tries to navigate using a detailed map, or when interacting with an animal that already likes the character.
Intellect
A representation of a character's education and reasoning ability, this stat is used to determine how much a character can know, and how well they can think rationally, and is a key stat in Arcane Magic.
The skills that use Intellect are:
A reflection of a character's potion brewing and magenetic prowess, this skill is used when brewing health potions, concocting a magenetic formula, or identifying a potion by taste. It is not used when healing someone using medical procedures, that falls under Medicine.
A reflection of a character's training in Arcane Magic, this is used when casting any of the Arcane Spells.
A reflection of a character's understanding of the stars and their relative position and how to use this information to navigate, this skill is used when charting a course though unfamiliar sections of the system or while under stress, or when examining an ancient or damaged star map. It is not used when piloting a star ship, as that would require Operating, navigating a planet's surface, or traveling along a well-known star route under normal conditions.
A reflection of a character's knowledge of the complex workings of computers, this is used when hacking other systems, operating a small drone and having it to more than merely fly around(Although a large enough drone may require Piloting), and designing an A.I. it is not used when doing mundane tasks such as checking email or social media.
A reflection of how much advanced material a character knows, this is used when checking if a character knows an obscure or important fact about the world, researching a topic, or solving logical puzzles. It is not used when checking if a characters knows something that is common knowledge, or when searching the internet for a readily available fact.
A reflection of a character's technological know-how, this is used when building, repairing, or modifying items, vehicles, or weapons. It is not used when doing a relatively easy task, such as refueling a vehicle or greasing a squeaky door hinge.
A reflection of a character's medical knowledge and prowess, this is used when healing wounds, performing surgery, curing disease, or countering a toxin. It is not used when researching a disease, or administering poison, these acts require Knowledge and Skulduggery respectively.
A reflection of a character's ability to pilot large vessels that require a crew to operate, this is used when maneuvering through storms and around difficult obstacles, or when docking with a space station. It is not used when performing routine maneuvers with a vessel. It is also not used when upgrading a vessel or giving orders to crew members, those require Mechanics and Leadership respectively.
Presence
A representation of a character's charisma and charm, as well as their physical beauty, this stat is used when one wants to persuade others through kind words and flattery.
The skills that use Presence are:
A reflection of a character's ability to use flattery to get others to do what they want, this is used when trying to get others to do a favor for the character, appealing to someone's better nature, romance someone, or tell jokes on stage. It is not used when lying to someone, to subtly imply violence, or pulling rank to get someone to do something. These rely on Deception, Coercion, and Leadership respectively.
A reflection of a character's composure, this is used to determine initiative when the character is instigating conflict, resisting the charms of others, bluffing others in a tense card game, or refraining from placing their foot directly in their mouth during a tense situation. It is not used when trying to maintain self-control, or when trying to avoid being surprised. Those fall under Discipline and Vigilance respectively.
A reflection of a character's ability to make decisions and stand firm by them, as well as their aura of authority, this is used when rallying a crowd to take political action, commanding troops in battle, or trying to convince rioters to return home. It is not used when trying to get others to do something through the use of force or flattery, which is linked to Coercion and Charm respectively.
A reflection of a character's bargaining ability, this is used when haggling over goods, trying to sell something at a profit, or broker a political agreement between two parties. It is not used when trying to get something for free, telling someone what to do, or paying a usual price for something.
Willpower
A representation of a character's discipline and self-control, this stat is used to determine how calm and collect one can be when faced with chaotic situations, as well as how well they exert their will over others. This stat is key in Divine Magic, as well as being used to determine a character's starting strain threshold.
The skills that use Willpower are:
A reflection of a character's intimidation factor, this is used to get others to do something through the threat of violence, interrogate prisoners, or use physical or psychological torture. It is not used when a character is already feared by the person they are trying to intimidate, or the threat is based on authority, which is based on Leadership.
A reflection of a character's internal self-control, this is used when trying to avoid being overtaken by fear, keeping sanity in the face of something eldritch, healing strain, and meditating to reach peace of mind. It is not used to keep one's outward composure in check or to avoid being surprised, those fall under Cool and Vigilance respectively.
A reflection of a character's connection with their patron deity and their knowledge of Divine Magic, this is used to cast Divine Spells.
A reflection of a character's subconscious efforts to be aware of their surroundings, this is used to determine initiative in an ambush encounter, notice important details without actively looking, and detect deceptions. It is not used when a character actively looks for something, or is aware that combat is approaching. Those rely on Perception and Cool respectively.
Wound and Strain Thresholds
In addition to the stats and skills above, there are two other important stats that reflect a character's physical and mental well-being: Wound Threshold and Strain Threshold. Wound Threshold functions like HP; when you have an amount of wounds equal to your Wound Threshold, you become incapacitated until someone can heal you. Wounds are gained from being damaged in some way, whether from enemy attacks or natural causes. Strain operates in a similar manner, except that strain is gained from exerting oneself or being under stress. Strain is also a valuable resource for gaining an additional maneuver during combat, or casting magic spells or using Ki techniques. Strain can be recovered by taking a moment to relax.
Nicely done, though I feel like this also can be named the typical D&D stat names (Agility=Dexterity, Brawn=Strength, etc. Alternatively, like said on a previous article the system does seem vague without numbers. Like what would be the difference between a 1 and a 10 in Cool? Maybe also give the rules of how to choose said stats, like is it a certain dice roll or point buy?
Thank you for your feedback. I'll talk about how to upgrade stats in my character creation article, and I will probably update this at some point to include the stat caps. The reason the stats sound so different is because I'm running this based off Genesys, which is a rather different ruleset than DnD.