It is assumed that the reader has at least glanced at the Player's Guide to Fudge document.
The skill default is dependent upon the difficulty rating of the skill (see the skills section), but for most skills is Poor.
The player has 6 attribute levels to distribute amongst the attributes. None can be higher than Superb. Attributes can be lowered below Fair in order to gain points to spend elsewhere.
The player has 35 skill points to distribute amongst the skills. The skill list on the character sheet is not complete (for example there are no languages or trade-related skills). Skills can be lowered below their default level in order to obtain points to spend elsewhere.
Characters have default values of Fair in both "Speak Own Language", and Customs of their culture.
The character starts with two Fudge points. There are also 3 skill points "in reserve" for a player to spend during play on a skill they forgot.
The player has two gifts they can purchase. An example list is found lower in the document but any special power or ability the player might imagine can be purchased as one or more gifts.
Finally, a player has the option of taking one or more faults for their character. Taking faults gives the player extra skill-points/attributes/gifts to spend on their character. As for gifts a sample list is found lower in the document but players should feel free to invent their own faults.
1 Gift = 2 Attributes = 6 Skill points
1 Fault = -2 Attributes = -6 Skill points
For example Jane feels that her character only needs one gift. She trades the other gift for 1 Attribute to increase her Intuition one level and 3 skill points to put into her First Aid. Alternatively, Jane could have taken a Fault, and thus kept the two gifts but still have the extra skill and attribute levels.
Skill Level Easy Most/Normal Hard Very Hard Terrible (-3) -2 -1 0 1 Poor (-2) -1 0 1 2 Mediocre (-1) 0 1 2 3 Fair (0) 1 2 3 4 Good (+1) 2 3 4 5 Great (+2) 3 4 5 6 Superb (+3) 4 5 6 7
For instance Jane wants her character to have both a Fair Running skill and a Fair Cast (magic) skill. As Running is an easy skill it only costs 1 skill point. However Cast is a very hard skill so for the same level it costs 4 points.
Name Difficult Attribute Notes
y
Animal Training Normal Int/Emp
Ride <animal type> Normal Agility/Emp
Paint Normal Int + Dex
Sculpt Normal Int + Dex
Play <instrument> Normal Dex
Acrobatics Hard Ag
Swim Normal Ag
Run Easy Ag
Throw Easy Dex/Per
Climb Normal Ag
Dodge Normal Ag Combat skill
Carouse Normal Hea Drink, street contacts etc.
Stealth Normal Ag Sneak around
Disguise Hard Rea/Int Change appearance
Pick Hard Dex Pick locks and pockets
Hunt Normal Per Traps, animal tracks, etc.
Survival Normal Rea Build shelters, find water etc.
Navigation Hard Rea Find directions from stars etc.
Intimidation Normal Will/Str
Leadership Hard Emp
Persuasion Normal Emp/Int
Etiquette Normal Rea/Int Right actions in a social situation
Seduction Normal Int/Emp
First Aid Normal Per Clean & staunch wounds
Herb Lore Hard Rea Use of herbs for healing etc.
Medicine V. Hard Rea+Per Operate, combat diseases, acupuncture
etc.
Speak <language> Normal Int/Rea
Customs <culture> Normal Int/Rea Understand a culture
Geography Normal Rea
Politics <scale> Hard Rea Local, national, international
Legal <culture> Hard Rea Legal procedures of a culture
Bureaucracy Normal Rea Bureaucratic procedures
Farming Normal Rea
Strategy Hard Rea+Int Large scale military engagements
Tactics Normal Rea/Int Small scale military engagements
Cast Very Hard Int Cast spells. Must have bought magery
Ritual Very Hard Rea Work ritual spells. Need magery
Shaman Very Hard Int Must purchase Shaman gift
Religious magic Very Hard Emp Must purchase Religious magic gift
Smithcraft Very Hard Rea/Int + Per Must purchase Smithcraft gift
<Weapon> Attack Normal Dex/Ag/Per Weapon = Unarmed| Hafted | Polearms |
Staves | Shields | Swords | Knives |
Bows | Crossbows
<Weapon> Parry Normal Dex/Per Same classes as above
Any Weapon Attack V. Hard Int+Ag+Per Can use any weapon. x 3 for Great and
x 2 Superb
Any Weapon Parry V. Hard Int+Per As above
x 2
The
Attribute field of the table defines the governing Attribute for that skill:-
the Attribute that is most closely related to the skill. If a character's skill
exceeds the governing Attribute the character must pay an additional cost (1
skill point). When two or more Attributes are given separated by a slash use
whichever is highest. When the Attributes are separated by a plus-sign use
whichever Attribute is the lowest in determining whether the additional cost
must be paid.
Absolute direction (never get lost); Fearless; Ambidextrous; Animal Empathy; Head Turner (stunningly attractive and +1 or +2 to all social rolls involving members of "opposite sex"); Melodic Voice (pluses to sing and persuasion rolls); Combat Reflexes (+1 to initiative and reduce some positional penalties); Danger Sense; Keen Senses; Lucky; Eidetic memory ("perfect" memory); Powerful Clan/Family; Night Vision; "Unlimited" Resources; Patron; Charismatic; Drunken Style (-1 for all opponents to hit); Perfect Timing; Rank/Position; Rapid Healing; Focussed; Unbending Will; Tough Skinned; Religious Functionary; Common Sense; Double Jointed; High Pain Threshold; Poison Resistance; Disease Resistance; Longevity; Magical Resistance.
Magery/sorcery is a multi-level gift. Purchasing one level (one gift) allows very limited spell abilities and the right to purchase either cast or ritual. Taking a second level allows far greater abilities and the right to purchase both ritual and cast.
Smithcraft is a 2-level gift. The first level confers the ability to understand the virtues of any work of smithcraft that is seen. The 2nd level allows the character to create their own works and the right to purchase the skill smithcraft.
Shamanism is a 2-level gift. With one level the shaman either acquires a spirit ally or gains the right to buy the skill Shamanism that allows travel into the spirit world and communication with its denizens. A 2nd level confers both powers.
Religious powers is a 2-level gift. The first level allows the character to act as a religious functionary at all appropriate rituals and services. The 2nd level allows the character to purchase the skill Religious Magic and directly call on the deity's power.
Absent-minded; Addiction (penalties to action rolls unless has had a fix recently); Age; Ruthless/Ambitious; Bloodthirsty; Blunt & Tactless; Reckless; Poor Loser; Code of Ethics; Code of Honour; Compulsive Behaviour; Coward; Curious; Finicky; Easily Distracted; Enemy (some NPC that is constantly after the character); Fanatic; Compulsive Liar; Aggressive/Bully; Garrulous; Gullible; Glutton; Berserk; Glass Jaw; Greedy; Humanitarian Idealist; Indecisive; Intolerant; Must be Centre of Attention; Lazy; Loyal/Dependents; Manic-Depressive; Melancholy, Multiple Personality; Dutiful; Nosy; Obsessive; Criminal/Outlaw; Overconfident; Owes Favours; Phobias; Poor; Practical Joker; Quick/Ill Tempered; Weird/Quixotic; Pacifist; Social Geek; Soft Hearted; Stubborn; Thin Skinned; Unlucky; Vain; Vow; Worrier; Over Zealous; Ugly; Alcoholism; Light Sensitive; Blind; Combat Paralysis; Deaf; Stuttering; Epilepsy; Eunuch; Fat; Haemophilia; Compulsive Honesty; Kleptomania; Lame; Low Pain Threshold; Miser; Mute; Missing Limb/Eye; Pyromania; Sadism; Weak Will.
Players must be aware that they are required to play the faults they have taken. If the GM judges they are continually ignoring their faults then other penalties will be assessed (e.g., withholding exp. points until the equivalent of buying off the fault have been taken).
Duerager automatically have the fault "Ostracised by Duerager Community". This can be "bought off" if desired.
Duerager suffer a -1 penalty to their calculated Initiative value.
Each Duerager has a Calling for a particular mineral or metal. The player chooses the mineral or metal. Duerager characters become despondent if they do not work with their calling mineral/metal every month or so. Duerager may purchase skill levels in the Very Hard skill "<metal/mineral> Calling", which allows them to do extraordinary things with the metal/mineral.
Duerager suffer a -1 penalty on all social interaction rolls with humans and other species.
Duerager automatically have the first level of the Smithcraft gift.
Sylthaen have the fault Curiosity. Sylthaen also have the fault Duty to Own Culture--whenever they receive the call they must return to the Sylthaen forest.
Sylthaen may buy the gift "Mind Linked Sibling".
Sylthaen start the game with 3 gifts, one of which must be related to the Sylthaen's Jenrata (birth from either the Branch, Trunk, or Root). Examples of such gifts include Whisper of the Winds [Branch](the wind whispers warnings to the character at times of danger); Skin of Bark [Trunk](once per day the characters skin becomes hard like bark and equivalent to 2 points worth of additional protection); Questing Strength [Root](the character may add 2 levels to their strength attribute for a static strength action--e.g., trying to pull a door open).
Sylthaen have the gift Eidetic Memory.
The following table lists the cost to raise Easy and normal skills:
Original Value New Value Cost (in Exp.) Terrible Poor 1 Poor Mediocre 1 Mediocre Fair 1 Fair Good 2 Good Great 4 Great Superb 8 Superb Legendary 16 + GM ApprovalFor Hard the experience cost is doubled, while for Very Hard it is 2.5 times that shown in the table.
For example raising First Aid (a normal difficulty skill) from Fair to Good would cost 2 exp. Raising Disguise (a Hard skill) the same level would cost 4 exp. Raising Cast (a Very Hard skill) the same level would cost 5 exp.
To raise an Attribute costs triple that shown for normal skills of the same level.
For example to raise a character's Strength from Fair to Good would cost 6 exp.
If a character's governing Attribute for the skill that is being raised is not at least as high as the level to which the skill is being raised the player must pay a penalty. The penalty is 2 exp. or half again the cost, whichever is higher.
For instance the same person wants to raise their disguise from Fair to Good. If either of the character's Reasoning or Intuition (the two alternate Attributes which govern Disguise) is at least Good then the character must only pay 4 exp. However if both were only Fair or worse it would cost 6 exp.
The purchase of new Gifts costs at least 6 exp. and requires GM approval.