Abilities: Melee

The melee skill pertains to forms of combat involving handheld weapons. The weapons can be sharp (swords, knives, axes), blunt (hammers, baseball bats, nunchaku), improvised (broken bottles, chair legs, rocks), or even projectile (darts, throwing knives, rocks, etc.). After the development of laser swords and energy weapons the use of the melee skill combat has fallen steadily out of fashion. The reason for this was resources. Wealthy societies were able to adopt more destructive energy-based armaments while the poor and the downtrodden had to rely on the use of less "elegant" and "uncivilized" weapons. By the time of war of 2512, the United Earth Federation's propaganda department was able to successfully brand fighters who use melee weapons as terrorists. This status continues to this day as masters of melee techniques are assumed to be affiliated with illicit crime syndicates and simple possession of a melee weapon can land a person in prison.

Ability Levels:

0	Abysmal: You've never really had a reason to pick up an improvised weapon, and the thought of brandishing a lethal weapon like a sword fills you with either dread or disgust.
1	Novice: You've used basic tools like kitchen knives or chopping axes and you have a pretty good idea of what it would take to turn such implements on creatures that scream and bleed.
2	Practiced: You have either had to use a melee weapon for self-defense once or twice, or you were one of the morbidly curious and you just had to seek out an illegal dojo that teaches the use and care of archaic weapons.
3	Competent: You spar with melee weapons regularly practicing techniques to make your strikes more deadly. Unless you are a full-fledged member of a Syndicate, you probably need to hide your hobby from your peers.
4	Expert: You are one of the rare few who have managed to gain the experience of many forms of melee combat without getting arrested or dying in melee duels. Your reputation inspires fear among the general population.
5	Master: Your weapons are an extension of your body. Freedom fighters come to you for training, and the United Earth Federation likely has a large bounty on your head for your supposed crimes against humanity.

Possessed by:

Gangstas, Mafia Heavies, Terrorists, Government Agents, Assassins, Mercenaries, The Pedretti Syndicate, Arms Dealers, The Poor and Homeless.

Sample Specialties:

Swords, Knives, Blunt Objects, Specialized Martial Arts Styles like Kendo or Rapier Dueling, Close Combat, Throwing Weapons, Single Combat, Multiple Opponents, Conceal Carry.

Players may choose a specialty at level 4 and gain a second specialty at level 5.