General skills

The following section will describe the eight general skills that all PCs and NPCs can use. Each skill lists examples of what a failure, a limited success and a critical success could mean – but the exact details are up to the GM. The combat skills melee combat and ranged combat are exceptions to this – the effects of your level of success when testing these are detailed in Chapter 5.

DEXTERITY (AGILITY)

When you jump, climb, sprint, or perform an action that demands speed or coordination, you test dexterity.

FAILURE

You fall or stumble and fail to reach your goal. Depending on the circumstances, you run a high risk of taking damage. See page 97 in Chapter 5 for rules about damage resulting from falling.

LIMITED SUCCESS

You manage to pull off the maneuver, but just barely.

CRITICAL SUCCESS

You succeed with flawless skill, and you achieve some unexpected, positive side effect, like helping a friend or creating an obstacle for an enemy. The GM decides the details.

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FORCE (STRENGTH)

When you must lift something heavy, carry a wounded com-rade or force shut an airlock by hand in a spaceship under explosive decompression, you test force. If you are trying to overpower another person, for example when arm wrestling, it is an opposed roll.

FAILURE

You give it your all, but you are not strong enough. Is there another way?

LIMITED SUCCESS

You beat the challenge, but just barely.

CRITICAL SUCCESS

You beat the challenge, and receive some unexpected, positive side effect – for example wounding an enemy, helping a friend or finding a new way ahead.

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INFILTRATION (AGILITY)

Avoiding confrontation by sneaking around the enemy is often the wiser choice. Test infiltration when you want to move unnoticed, perform a sneak attack, or set up an ambush (see Chapter 5). infiltration tests are opposed rolls with your infiltration score against the observation score of your opponent.

FAILURE

The enemy spots you or hears you. The element of surprise is lost.

LIMITED SUCCESS

You avoid detection, but are forced to take a detour to your destination. An enemy might also sense that something is up and start looking for you.

CRITICAL SUCCESS

Like a shadow in the night you approach your oblivious enemies. You get a +2 on a sneak attack if you perform it directly after the infiltration test.

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MANIPULATE (EMPATHY)

Lies, persuasion, threats, charm or seduction – there are many ways to make someone see things your way. You must beat the opponent in an opposed manipulation vs manipulation roll (see above). Your Leverage (below) and your Reputation modify the roll.

FAILURE

Your opponent refuses to listen and won’t accept your demands. She may even attack you if you provoke her.

LIMITED SUCCESS

Your opponent must make a choice – either do as you want, or attack you physically right now (with melee or ranged combat). Even if she agrees, she can demand something of you in return – the GM decides what. You can either accept the deal or back off.

CRITICAL SUCCESS

Your opponent is so moved by the strength of your personality that she accepts your demands without asking for anything in return. If you want to, you can also inflict stress points (page 92) equal to the number of sixes you rolled.

Leverage

When testing MANIPULATION, you get a +1 for each of the following factors:
◆ You have more people on your side than your opponent does.
◆ What you are asking for doesn’t really cost your opponent anything.
◆ Your opponent is injured.
◆ You have helped your opponent in the past.
◆ You present a strong case (GM’s judgement)

You get -1 for each of the following factors:
◆ Your opponent has more people on her side than you do.
◆ What you are asking for is expensive or risky for your opponent.
◆ Your opponent has nothing to gain from helping you.
◆ You and your opponent have trouble understanding each other.
◆ The distance between you and your opponent is Short or longer (page 84).

When you use MANIPULATION on a group of people, you normally engage with the group’s leader or spokesperson. Remember that you get a -1 for being outnumbered by your opponent. If you reach an agreement with the leader, the group will usually accept this. If there is no clear leader, things will be harder – every one of your opponents will then act individually.

Reputation

Your Reputation score and that of your opponent will affect your MANIPULATION roll. If yours is higher, you get a +1 for each step you outrank your opponent. If your score is lower, you instead get a -1 for each step of difference. Reputation will, however, only affect your roll in situations where your social standing in the Third Horizon is relevant. The GM has the final call on this.

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MELEE COMBAT (STRENGTH)

The Third Horizon is a violent place. At times you will have no choice but to fight for your life. Test melee combat when either attacking someone or defending yourself in close combat. Rules and details are found under melee combat in Chapter 5.
Weapons: You can use weapons in close combat – anything from simple shivs and blunt instruments to advanced weap-ons like Dura knives and Mercurium swords. Weapons will give you a bonus and inflict more damage than an unarmed attack. Read more in Chapter 5.

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OBSERVATION (WITS)

An adventurer in the Third Horizon must always be vigilant, or she won’t live long. You test observation to spot some-one sneaking up on you (opposed roll, see above). You can also test the skill when you spot someone or something at a distance if you wish to know more.

FAILURE

You can’t make out what it is, or come to a faulty conclusion. The GM gives you false information.

LIMITED SUCCESS

You can see what it is, but can’t tell much detail. The GM gives you correct but brief information.

CRITICAL SUCCESS

You see in detail what it is, and also discover a weakness (if enemy/obstacle) or a new route ahead.

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RANGED COMBAT (AGILITY)

With a Vulcan pistol, an accelerator carbine or a common throw-ing knife, you can stop an enemy at a distance, keeping the bloodstains off your caftan. Test ranged combat when firing a ranged weapon at an enemy. Read more about ranged combat in Chapter 5. ranged combat is also tested when operating ship guns or launching torpedoes. Read more on this is in Chapter 7. Weapons: Firearms counts as gear, giving you a bonus to your roll, just like weapons in close combat. The difference is that a firearm is a direct necessity to even use the skill. Many different firearms are described in Chapter 5.

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SURVIVAL (WITS)

Surviving in the harsh landscapes of the Third Horizon is not easy. The Horizon contains everything from steaming jungles and frozen tundras, to titanic mountains and bottomless oceans. survival includes the knowledge about constructing shelters, finding food and water, and how to orientate oneself using only the stars in the sky, as well as how to construct simple traps, how to fish and how to hunt. Test survival when you travel in uncharted terrain on a planet’s surface.

FAILURE

You get lost, or are unable to find food or clean water.

LIMITED SUCCESS

You find your way, find clean water, find food, or create a simple shelter for yourself.

CRITICAL SUCCESS

You find a shortcut to your destination, find clean water and food for yourself plus D6 others, or construct a sturdy shelter that can be used again later.

Don't roll to search for hidden objects

In Coriolis, you don’t roll dice to find hidden objects, secret doors or clues. If you describe to the GM that you are searching in the correct spot, he should let you find it, if it can be found at all. Roll no dice.