Cool

General Skill (Presence)

Life on the fringe is filled with an endless variety of dangers. The ability to stay calm and think as one's life hangs in the balance can be essential for survival among the constant stream of new threats. By remaining emotionally centered, the character is much more likely to be able to effectively prioritize issues and solve the most critical problems first. These characters are also better able to remember and focus upon achieving their goals, allowing outside influences to have much less effect.
In some combat situations, a character's Initiative may be determined by their Cool skill. This is applicable under circumstances in which the acting character has calmly prepared to take action.
A character's Cool may permit them to ignore many of the lies that come as part of a discussion. It is used to resist Charm and Negotiation.

• Often, when someone is trying to be overly kind, the truth becomes lost among the niceties. Characters can use Cool to resist these efforts, penetrating through to the truth.
• If a character has set a trap for a target, carefully lining up a shot on an unsuspecting foe, they may check for Initiative using Cool, as they calmly select the optimal time to begin the engagement.
• If multiple characters are engaging a third in a social discussion in which the timing of the argument matters, Cool may be used to determine Initiative, as that character is better prepared.

There is rarely an extra on a Cool check, as it is generally used to oppose another's actions, or to determine Initiative, which takes all into account.
An from a Cool check may be spent to give the character an additional insight into the situation at hand. They may notice an additional complication before it comes into play against them or identify an object that can be directly used against their opponent. Examples could be a rogue asteroid during a dogfight, a security officer near a sniper's target, or a magistrate's predilection towards a particular style of argument.
A character who generates a result during a Cool check has not only stood unflinching as chaos erupts around them, but has actually come away better for it. For each result on a Cool check, the character may recover 3 strain.
Sometimes a situation is so frantic that it can overwhelm even the most steadfast of souls. The GM may spend generated as a result of a Cool check to cause the character to miss a vital detail or event. For instance, if a character generates a during a duel, they may be so focused on their target that they fail to notice the target's ally on the sidelines pulling a weapon of their own. If the situation goes badly enough, the character may lose all sense of where they are and what they are doing, effectively succumbing to minor shell-shock. The GM may spend any generated on a Cool check to Stun the character for one round as they are overwhelmed by the chaos around them.

Visit the General Skills page for details on General Skills, or the main Skills page for a table of all skills.