Trainer Skills

Overview
Skills represent a character’s conscious interests and training. They’re used when taking most basic actions in Pokémon Tabletop United as well as acting as the main prerequisites for Features in the system.

Skills are organized into three Categories: Body, Mind, or Spirit. While there isn’t much of a mechanical impact here outside of the Categoric Inclination Edge, it’s an easy way to think about the Skills as groups when making your character.

»» The Body Skills are Acrobatics, Athletics, Combat, Intimidate, Stealth, and Survival.

»» The Mind Skills are General Education, Medicine Education, Occult Education, Pokémon Education, Technology Eduction, Guile, and Perception.

»» The Spirit Skills are Charm, Command, Focus, and Intuition.

Look to the following pages for a more detailed writeup of each Skill, including their various uses, common situations where each Skill is tested, and the Edges that are associated with each Skill.

Skill Ranks
There are 6 Ranks of Skills. Each Rank causes you to roll a different number of dice when using Skills. When you “Rank Up” a Skill, it simply increases from one rank to the next. Skills begin at Untrained unless modified by a Background. There are Level prerequisites for progressing Skill Ranks beyond Novice. Adept Rank requires Level 2. Expert Rank requires Level 6, and Master Rank requires Level 12.

Both the Rank number and the Dice Roll are important when it comes to Skills. The Skill Rank is often referred to by Edges and Features which use its numerical value. For example, Group Trainer allows a Trainer to train a number of Pokémon equal to their Command Rank. A Trainer with Adept Command could train four Pokémon at once with the Edge.

The Dice Roll is used in making Skill Checks. Simply roll the the appropriate Dice Roll value for your Skill Rank and add any modifiers associated with that Skill coming from Equipment, Edges, and other effects.

For example, a Trainer with an Expert Athletics Skill would roll 5d6. That same Trainer with a Skill Enhancement Edge applied to Athletics would roll 5d6+2.

When making general Skill Checks (that is, Skill Checks caused by a situation rather than directly called for by a Feature), your GM is the one who determines the Difficulty Check (or DC for short) for the check. A Skill Check must match or exceed its Difficulty Check to succeed the challenge.

An easy DC for most Untrained or better Trainers would be 5. 10 is a challenging DC. 15 is a hard DC that requires some Skill investment to pass. A DC of 25 would be nigh-impossible for all but masters of their craft. See the Running the Game chapter for more details on setting Skill DCs (page 465).

=Skill Descriptions= {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !

Acrobatics
Acrobatics is a Body Skill that represents how well a character can jump, keep their balance, and in general conduct themselves physically with swiftness and grace. Characters with a high Acrobatics Rank tend to be highly agile and well-coordinated, and it reflects in their activities. Gymnasts, parkour practitioners, circus performers, and dancers would all have a high Acrobatics Rank. The Acrobatics Skill is used to make skill checks when your character has to perform physical tasks requiring a great deal of precision and finesse, usually, but not always, tied to jumping and moving about. Some situations where you might roll Acrobatics include keeping your balance as you shimmy across a perilous ledge, jumping across slippery stones in a river, and dodging out of the way of falling debris from a cave-in or an earthquake.
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Outside of jumping and moving around, Acrobatics has uses when hand-eye coordination is required. Accurate throwing and juggling both rely on Acrobatics, and you will want a high Acrobatics Rank for exact tasks like switching a golden statue on a booby-trapped pedestal with a bag of sand.

Opposed Acrobatics Checks are used for races through obstacle courses or difficult terrain and for determining who recovers their footing first after being thrown off balance by unstable ground.

Acrobatics can be used to mitigate damage taken from falling from great heights, as found in the Combat chapter. Acrobatics is also used to mount a Pokémon in the middle of battle and keep mounted even when under attack or affected by Status Afflictions. Acrobatics can be tested during Intercept Maneuvers. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Athletics

 * DescriptionAthletics is a Body Skill that represents physical training and endurance developed through sports and exercise. Characters with a high Athletics Rank tend to be very active and either spend time training their physique or
 * DescriptionAthletics is a Body Skill that represents physical training and endurance developed through sports and exercise. Characters with a high Athletics Rank tend to be very active and either spend time training their physique or

have physically strenuous occupations.

The Athletics Skill is used to make general skill checks whenever your character’s physical endurance is tested, such as when running, climbing, or jumping. Some situations where you might make use of the Athletics Skill are when climbing a tree or the side of a cliff in the wilds and when trying to keep yourself afloat in the ocean during

a storm. A GM may also call for Athletics Checks during a day of long travel, especially over treacherous terrain, to determine how fatigued your characters become from the long and continuous exertion.

Opposed Athletics Checks can be called for determining who tires out first during an extended chase or for someone holding a door closed against someone trying to push it open.

When in doubt, if characters are taking actions that involve strenuous physical activity but not necessarily anything that requires precision and finesse, Athletics is the go-to skill. A GM may also simply look at a character’s Athletics Rank and make a judgment call about whether or not that character is able to perform a certain task without becoming fatigued. If a GM assigns penalties for exhaustion, Athletics may be consulted in that case as well.

Having a high Athletics Skill improves a character’s movement speed and throwing range. See Step 6 of Character Creation for further details (page 16). It is also used when fishing (page 217). Athletics can be tested when using Intercept Maneuvers (page 242). Carrying especially heavy loads also requires continuous Athletics Checks. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Charm

 * DescriptionCharm is a Spirit Skill that represents how persuasive a character is and how likable they can make themselves seem to others. Characters with a high Charm Rank are charismatic and warm, always knowing what to say to draw people closer to them.
 * DescriptionCharm is a Spirit Skill that represents how persuasive a character is and how likable they can make themselves seem to others. Characters with a high Charm Rank are charismatic and warm, always knowing what to say to draw people closer to them.

Making people agree with and like you obviously has many uses. Charm can get you into places that would otherwise bar you entry, help you haggle down prices, and aid in cutting beneficial deals for you and your companions. Charm is the Skill of diplomacy and forging positive and constructive relationships.

This is, of course, not limited to humans. The Charm Skill is used to improve the disposition of wild Pokémon and can potentially be used to prevent conflict, seek help while traveling, or gain access to precious resources such as Berry Groves.

Remember that while Charm is a single Skill, it can cover many different approaches to the same end. Seduction, flattery, and emotional appeals are just a few of the strategies that characters might employ to Charm their targets to their side.

Charm is rarely rolled as part of an Opposed Check. Usually, when it is applied against an NPC, the GM will simply set a static DC rather than opposing it with another Skill. In rare circumstances, you may wish to compare how persuasive one character is versus another when there is a third party evaluating both sides’ arguments. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Combat

 * DescriptionCombat is a Body Skill that represents training in physical fighting and specialized battle techniques. Combat can represent formal schooling in unarmed martial arts, weapons training, or simply very good street fighting and brawling.
 * DescriptionCombat is a Body Skill that represents training in physical fighting and specialized battle techniques. Combat can represent formal schooling in unarmed martial arts, weapons training, or simply very good street fighting and brawling.

Not surprisingly, most uses of the Combat Skill take place in battle. Specifically, Combat is tested when performing

certain Combat Maneuvers, including Pushing, Tripping, Grappling, and Disarming. Having a high Combat Skill

also improves the damage and accuracy of a character’s Struggle Attacks.

Having a high Combat Rank is also important to making the best use of Weapons. Simple and Fine Quality

Weapons grant their wielder Moves that can only be used by a Trainer with a high enough Combat Rank.

That isn’t to say Combat has no use outside of battles. Opposed Combat Checks can be used for two characters

grabbing at the same item or trying to push each other around without trying to seriously injure one another. One

can also make use of the Combat Skill in martial arts performances or to break down obstacles with brute force. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Command

 * DescriptionCommand is a Spirit Skill representing a character’s ability to lead and inspire. Command is about having presence and being seen and listened to. Characters with a high Command Rank can become the center of attention in a room with a few well-chosen words. The most obvious and common use of the Command Skill is in giving orders to Pokémon and particularly retaining control of unruly or untamed Pokémon.
 * DescriptionCommand is a Spirit Skill representing a character’s ability to lead and inspire. Command is about having presence and being seen and listened to. Characters with a high Command Rank can become the center of attention in a room with a few well-chosen words. The most obvious and common use of the Command Skill is in giving orders to Pokémon and particularly retaining control of unruly or untamed Pokémon.

For example, Pokémon with Loyalty 0 or 1 require Command checks to successfully order them in battle.

Expanding on this notion, a Trainer’s Command Rank also affects their ability to train their Pokémon in downtime outside of combat. The higher their Command Rank, the more effective their training.

Outside of Pokémon-related applications, Command has a number of uses. Command is tested when trying to disperse a riot or when directing a panicking crowd to safety in the aftermath of a Team Rocket terrorist attack. For Pokémon Rangers and other members of law enforcement, Command may be necessary to keep subordinates in line, especially rebellious elements, similar to low Loyalty Pokémon.

During combat, Command also lets a Trainer help their allies Take a Breather and recover from Status Afflictions

such as Confusion and Rage.

Command doesn’t have to relate to explicitly giving orders either. It can be used to gain presence and attention in a scene or give an impression of authority without issuing directives. For example, while Charm may often be tested when giving speeches to a crowd to win them over to an idea, a character who wants to make a show of a community’s solidarity and the strength of its leadership during a time of crisis might roll their Command Skill instead when delivering a speech.

In Opposed Checks, Command may be used against a foe’s Intimidate to keep a crowd or a squad of allies from

falling to fear and panic. Command is also tested to help snap allies out of supernatural mental influences, such

as powerful Legendary Pokémon or Ghost and Psychic Types. In these cases, roll Command against the foe’s

relevant Skill, usually Focus or Intimidate. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Education: General

 * DescriptionGeneral Education is a Mind Skill that covers well rounded academic learning. The universal coursework covered through mandatory schooling along with a liberal arts education are most representative of the General Education Skill.
 * DescriptionGeneral Education is a Mind Skill that covers well rounded academic learning. The universal coursework covered through mandatory schooling along with a liberal arts education are most representative of the General Education Skill.

Characters with a high General Education Rank tend to be masters of trivia and local or regional knowledge, though they often have specializations in more narrow fields such as literature, history, and philosophy. It’s a good idea to think about a field of expertise or two to give the Skill more personal flavor.

Of course, General Education also encompasses basic training in mathematics, natural sciences, and other common fields. However, it’s safe to assume that most characters know the basics unless they have a Pathetic

Rank in General Eduction. General Education is most often tested when characters are faced with issues of politics and current events, such as knowing about the stances of local Gym Leaders or government officials on political issues or being familiar with the details of recent news stories.

Knowledge of history is also a common usage; it can be useful to know that the reason a town is wary of the party is because they have a Camerupt with them and a pack of that Pokémon was responsible for devastating the town half a decade back.

Another way to treat General Education is as a catch-all Skill for a particular setting, covering common issues that aren’t associated well with other Education Skills but are important to the setting. A campaign with a law enforcement focus might use General Education to cover police protocol and the law, while a wild west campaign might use General Education to cover dueling etiquette and other narrative standbys in frontier life.

While General Education isn’t specialized in itself, it also represents a character’s skill in conducting research. Obviously, you should use more specific Education Skills instead when the sought after information is highly advanced or it is more relevant.

General Education, like most Education Skills, doesn’t have very many applications in Opposed Checks. At most, it might be used in a race determining who can research a specific piece of information first. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Education: Medicine

 * DescriptionMedicine Education is a Mind Skill that covers the science of healing and mending. It covers a wide range of situations, from performing first aid in the field to growing organs and limbs in a lab. Characters with a high Medicine Education Rank usually spend a significant amount of time studying Pokémon and human biology alike in order to effectively treat patients of all different species.
 * DescriptionMedicine Education is a Mind Skill that covers the science of healing and mending. It covers a wide range of situations, from performing first aid in the field to growing organs and limbs in a lab. Characters with a high Medicine Education Rank usually spend a significant amount of time studying Pokémon and human biology alike in order to effectively treat patients of all different species.

While the damage and Injuries taken in combat in Pokémon Tabletop United typically don’t exceed flesh wounds, Medicine Education can certainly be used to treat more traumatic injuries that aren’t modeled in the mechanics, such as broken bones and infected wounds.

While away from the conveniences of modern hospitals and Pokémon Centers, Medicine Education Checks may be necessary to construct a splint for a broken limb or to clean and dress a particularly nasty wound to avoid infection.

Beyond simply treating the wounds of battle, characters with training in Medicine Education are also useful when it comes to diagnosing diseases such as Pokérus or perhaps ailments stemming from malformed Evolutionary Stones and the dangerous radiation they might give off.

In some extreme cases, characters may have to not only diagnose these ailments but invent new treatments altogether to deal with them. The process of medical research and inventing new medications is of course governed by Medicine Education.

Outside of treatment and diagnosis, Medicine Education represents broader projects of biology intended to further understanding of Pokémon and human bodies and even enhance them. Although this is usually limited to higher tech settings, Medicine Education can certainly be used to conduct gene therapy or produce other biological augmentations. Other more blatantly “mad science” projects may require complex steps with Medicine Education Checks involved along the way.

Characters with sufficient training in Medicine Education can operate devices called Wonder Launchers which allow them to administer combat drugs to their Pokémon from a distance. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Education: Occult

 * DescriptionOccult Education is a Mind Skill that governs knowledge
 * DescriptionOccult Education is a Mind Skill that governs knowledge

of all types of supernatural lore and phenomena.

Characters with a high Occult Education Rank can have

incredibly varied interests and areas of expertise, and

this is often dependent on the specific campaign.

Much of the knowledge that falls under Occult

Education is particularly esoteric and unknown to the

public at large. This can range from passed down tales

of Legendary Pokémon and ancient places of power in

the world to the functioning of supernatural powers

such as Aura Reading and Psychic powers.

While other Skills may govern the use of those powers,

in this case Intuition and Focus respectively, Occult

Education can be thought of as the science that studies

how and why those powers function.

Some situations where Occult Education might be

tested include studying magical ancient ruins such as

the Ruins of Alph, researching lore about long-forgotten

Legendary Pokémon, or studying a strange Psychic

phenomenon or malformed Aura in a location.

These can be common occurrences in one campaign but

rare in another. Whether or not the Occult Education

Skill sees common use varies by campaign to campaign,

so it’s a good idea for the players and GM to talk about

this before characters are created.

Not only will it vary whether or not Occult Education is

widely used as a Skill, but the particular function of the

Skill will vary as well. In one campaign, occultists would

be expected to be knowledgeable about ancient ruins,

while in another, ancient ruins may be largely mundane

while Legendary Pokémon are the focus of occult studies.

Characters developed around Occult Education

tend to have widely ranging specializations, and it is a

good idea to discuss not only if the Occult Education

skill will be useful in general but whether a character’s

area of expertise is relevant to a campaign.

The Occult Education Skill is also closely associated

with Ghost Type Pokémon and their unique capabilities,

such as turning invisible and phasing through walls. As

such, Occult Education is tested when a Trainer applies

a Cleanse Tag to ward against phantasmal intruders,

and it also allows Cleanse Tags to be used to remove

several of the Status Afflictions that Ghost Types often

inflict (page 302).

Additionally, Occult Education is used in the operation

of Dowsing Rods (page 284), which Trainers use to find

energized Shards that are used for a variety of crafting

purposes.

Occult Education is such a varied Skill that it is

often difficult to nail down its

uses in Opposed Checks.

However, when two sides

are competing for control

of an arcane artifact or

enacting rituals involving

the Unown or other

mystical Pokémon,

Opposed Occult

Education Checks

could be called for. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Education: Pokemon

 * DescriptionPokémon Education is a Mind Skill that governs one’s knowledge about Pokémon. This ranges from simple practical
 * DescriptionPokémon Education is a Mind Skill that governs one’s knowledge about Pokémon. This ranges from simple practical

knowledge such as the diets and caretaking needs of various species to more specialized scientific topics such as

Pokémon Evolution and the biology of unusual Pokémon species.

In a world where many institutions are entirely built around the use of Pokémon, it makes sense that they are the

focus of much academic research. Pokémon Education is immensely useful in the field when encountering wild

Pokémon, of course, and it can be used to understand their behavior patterns, needs, and their means of attack and

weaknesses. Being well-versed in Pokémon Education can mean the difference between recognizing the signs of

an Ursaring’s marked territory and stumbling into the cave of an angry bear.

Dedicated Pokémon battlers also obviously have uses for Pokémon Education. While Type Effectiveness, a

Pokémon’s Types, and basic information about how their Stats lean or what kinds of Moves they prefer is considered

to be common knowledge for anyone without Pathetic Rank Pokémon Education, more detailed information

that one would find in the Pokédex such as when specific Moves are learned will generally require

higher Ranks in Pokémon Education to recall from memory.

When new Pokémon species are discovered, or variants of existing species come to

light, Pokémon Education can be tested to learn about their traits or at least

make educated guesses. In more everyday situations, it can be used to identify

which Pokémon species are involved in a situation, such as discerning from

claw marks left on a shed door what kinds of Pokémon have been breaking into

a village’s food supply.

Breeders also make use of Pokémon Education to keep track of their work, as the

Skill can be tested to identify the species of Pokémon eggs. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Education: Technology

 * DescriptionTechnology Education is a Mind Skill that governs the creation and use of machines and technology, ranging from
 * DescriptionTechnology Education is a Mind Skill that governs the creation and use of machines and technology, ranging from

the ubiquitous Poké Ball to computers and vehicles. Characters with a high Technology Education Rank tend to

have many gadgets and can easily find their way around a factory, engineering workshop, or chemistry lab.

Mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering are the main fields covered by Technology Education, but

materials science and computer science also fall under its purview. However, important to note is that Technology

Education largely deals with the inorganic. Biology, organic chemistry, and similar fields are better

suited to the Medicine Education Skill. Even if gene therapy treatments might require advanced

technology, they don’t primarily concern themselves with machines or chemicals and don’t fall

under Technology Education.

Some situations that call for Technology Education include repairing a vehicle

or piece of machinery, cracking electronic locks or hacking into computer

databases, and building a custom piece of equipment such as an octopus arm

backpack. The world of Pokémon also includes specialty pieces of

technology such as Snag Machines and Dream Machines which

would require Technology Education to maintain.

Criminal Teams often make a habit of creating technological

superweapons, and the Technology Education Skill helps in understanding

and shutting down those systems.

In addition, many modern traps are technological in nature. Laser tripwires, proximity sensors,

IR cameras, and mines are all part of a modern security arsenal. Dealing with or deploying such

security measures is the source of most Opposed Checks using the Technology Education

Skill.

What exactly the Technology Education Skill covers will also vary depending on the

time period of the campaign. While driving a car and operating basic computers and

electronics are common knowledge in modern times, these activities may be limited to those with the appropriate

Technology Education Rank in historical settings.

On a final note, most Trainer options using Technology Education are found in our sci-fi sourcebook, Do Porygon

Dream of Mareep?. Players and GMs are encouraged to look there for building gadgeteer and tech whiz characters! {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Focus

 * DescriptionFocus is a Spirit Skill that represents a character’s ability
 * DescriptionFocus is a Spirit Skill that represents a character’s ability

to concentrate on difficult or complex tasks or to work

under pain and stress. It can be thought of as analogous

to willpower, and characters with a high Focus Rank

are often intensely driven and ambitious, or at the least

unshakable once they’ve dedicated themselves to a task.

The most common uses of Focus come into play

when it’s rolled alongside a use of another Skill to test

how well you can concentrate on the other task. For

example, it may be a Stealth Check to pick a lock, but

if a character was suffering from the painful venomous

bite of a Seviper on their hand, they might also need

to test Focus to keep steady and concentrated on the

task. A complicated maneuver such as jumping into

the air, throwing a knife to hit a specific target, then

teleporting to a platform mid-air and pulling a lever

at an exact timing when landing would also call for a

Focus Check in addition to the Acrobatics Check that

would be invoked.

Some tasks might require Focus Checks by their very

nature, even if they’re not excessively complicated.

Disarming a bomb, for example, would almost always

call for a Focus Check due to the stress of the situation.

Another example is when performing delicate actions

under the stress of being attacked in combat (page 245).

These actions always require a Focus Check.

Focus is also closely associated with a number of

supernatural abilities. The Telepathy and Telekinetic

Capabilities run off of the user’s Focus Rank, for

example (page 308). In general, Focus is used for

resisting supernatural mental influence as well, such

as possession by powerful Ghosts. This is usually an

Opposed Check against the foe’s Focus Skill.

Even outside of supernatural influences, emotions can

disrupt someone’s ability to act in tip-top condition.

Focus is tested to keep self-control in the face of very

strong fear, anger, or other volatile emotions. Focus is

often used in an Opposed Check against Intimidate in

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Guile

 * DescriptionGuile is a Mind Skill that governs lying, manipulation,
 * DescriptionGuile is a Mind Skill that governs lying, manipulation,

and general deception and subterfuge. Characters with

a high Guile Rank think quickly on their feet and are

usually clever and witty in conversation.

The most common use of Guile is to lie convincingly.

Lying with confidence and spinning believable yarns has

many applications, of course, ranging from convincing

a guard you have the right security clearance but left

your ID at home to fooling a cop into thinking they saw

someone else breaking into that house.

Aside from the obvious application, Guile also covers

a range of acting skills, from faking emotions to

pretending to be someone else entirely. Someone armed

with a high Guile Rank and a spare Team Rocket uniform

could probably bluff their way into a secret hideout

or learn the secrets of the criminal organization. This

application of Guile goes beyond blunt deception into

subtle manipulation as well, allowing a smooth talker to

use carefully worded half-truths and targeted prods at a

victim’s beliefs and passions to get what they want.

Whereas Stealth would be used to hide from someone’s

vision or hearing, Guile is often used to “hide in plain

sight”, such as when blending into a crowd to tail

someone through a busy city. Even when there’s no

hiding place around, someone with high Guile might

be able to pose as an innocuous passerby or fast-talk

their way out of suspicion.

Guile can also be thought of as a streetwise Skill,

representing how well a character can read into situations

on the street, gather information, and cut deals. Guile

can help someone haggle on the black market, tell

the difference between an undercover cop and a real

seller or buyer of illicit goods, and realize when they’ve

stepped somewhere they really don’t belong.

Uses of Guile aren’t limited to just human interactions

either. Faced with a hostile wild Pokémon that won’t

be scared away, a Trainer with a high Guile Rank may

attempt to trick it into a trap or distract it long enough

to mount an escape.

Opposed checks pitting Guile against Guile might be

used in a duel of wits, but far more common is when

Guile is rolled against Intuition to decide whether or

not someone sees through another’s

lies. Perception may also be rolled

against Guile when attempting to see

through a disguise. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Intimidate

 * DescriptionIntimidate is a Body Skill that governs the use of scare tactics and
 * DescriptionIntimidate is a Body Skill that governs the use of scare tactics and

coercion to force others to act in one’s favor. It is a Skill that is

lacking in subtlety compared to the other socially oriented Skills,

but it can often compel results from otherwise unwilling parties

where the others would fail. Expect to burn bridges and make no

friends this way, however.

Characters with a high Intimidate Rank tend to be physically

imposing even when they’re silent and not acting. They

often find work as club bouncers and bodyguards. Gang

leaders and ranking members of criminal organizations also tend to

have high Intimidate Ranks.

Common uses of Intimidate include scaring off wild Pokémon, bullying a guard

into letting you through, and warding off potential muggers and pickpockets

when walking through the shadier parts of town. Despite the often

unsavory uses of the Skill, Intimidate is also often used to avoid violence

and getting into a fight when it would be disadvantageous.

Intimidate is not typically rolled as an Opposed Check. However,

special circumstances may exist, such as a group of Trainers facing

off against a criminal Team, with both of them trying to scare a

pack of wild Pokémon into fighting on their side against the other.

Intimidate may also be used in an Opposed Check against Focus to

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Intuition

 * DescriptionIntuition is a Spirit Skill that represents one’s reliability
 * DescriptionIntuition is a Spirit Skill that represents one’s reliability

when making decisions from the gut or gaining insights

into a situation through instinct. Intuition can often

be thought of as encompassing common sense, and

characters with a high Intuition Rank will often find

themselves making the right decision on a hunch

without necessarily understanding why.

In addition, Intuition governs empathy and reading

emotions, the interpretation of body language, and

other unspoken social cues. Intuition is tested when

attempting to discern someone’s emotional state or tell

whether or not they are lying or being deceitful. This

makes Intuition crucial for Trainers with aspirations of

joining law enforcement or getting involved in politics.

When presented with many clues and small bits of

information about a situation, a Trainer can call on their

Intuition Skill to try to discern connections between

the clues and filter out relevant data from the irrelevant.

Investigative characters such as detectives and spies

would do well to train their Intuition for this reason.

Finally, a number of artistic endeavors and practical

skills fall under Intuition, such as cooking. While

recipes can usually guarantee a good result, the true test

of a chef is in how well they can intuitively assemble

dishes from a variety of ingredients. Painting and other

non-performance arts are covered by Intuition, and the

interpretation of those arts and reading into an artist’s

intent are as well.

In Opposed Checks, Intuition is most often rolled

against Guile to test if a character can see past another’s

deception. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Perception

 * DescriptionPerception is a Mind Skill that represents a character’s awareness of their environment and attention to detail. Characters with a high Perception Rank have not only honed senses but a trained mind that knows where to look for details others would normally miss.
 * DescriptionPerception is a Mind Skill that represents a character’s awareness of their environment and attention to detail. Characters with a high Perception Rank have not only honed senses but a trained mind that knows where to look for details others would normally miss.

Perception is tested whenever your character is faced with a situation where they could miss a crucial detail in their surroundings. Some examples of this include finding a carefully laid trap in Team Rocket’s hideout, spotting a Stunfisk buried in the mud, and turning up bloody Pokémon fur and feathers in the corner of a crime scene.

Oftentimes, Perception is a reactive Skill, one that the GM calls a Skill Check for rather than being initiated by a player’s actions. Naturally, if only the GM knows about the ambush lying in wait for the PCs, then they have to tell the players to make the Skill Checks to discover it. Active investigation often uses the Perception Skill as well, such as when a detective is rifling through someone’s drawers looking for evidence of a crime or when characters

scouring an ancient ruin check a room meticulously for traps.

Perception is by far one of the most often used Skills in Pokémon Tabletop United, and nearly every type of character can benefit from an improved awareness of the world around them. However, just Perception alone can’t

solve all problems; it often takes other specialized knowledge Skills to make sense of the details that a hawk-eyed character spots.

For example, a character with high Perception might easily spot the Unown-like inscriptions on the bottom of a dusty clay goblet’s rim, but they might need to consult someone trained in Occult Education to make sense of them. Traps and hidden locks might stand out with high Perception but be otherwise impossible to deal with without investment in the Stealth Skill.

The most common Opposed Check using Perception is against Stealth, when one character tries to hide from another. Perception is also often tested alongside Acrobatics as an option for situations where it’s important to determine which character reacts faster to a surprising or sudden event. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Stealth

 * DescriptionStealth is a Body Skill that represents a character’s ability to hide, sneak, and generally move and act undetected.
 * DescriptionStealth is a Body Skill that represents a character’s ability to hide, sneak, and generally move and act undetected.

Stealth is often associated with less than legal occupations, such as thieves and assassins, but characters with high Stealth Ranks could also easily act on the side of law enforcement or as field researchers studying reclusive

or violent Pokémon.

While the most common usage of Stealth is to move around unseen and unheard, the Skill also covers sleight of hand tricks and larceny, meaning it is tested when a character attempts to pickpocket someone or pick a

lock. Acts of escape artistry and sleight of hand tricks also fall under the purview of Stealth; for example, characters may make use of the Skill to free themselves from bindings or slip out of a trap.

Stealth can be a lifesaver in dangerous situations, allowing a Trainer to ambush their foes or even sneak by them altogether. Even when these options are impossible, Stealth may be used to covertly perform reconaissance and gather information.

In Opposed Checks, Stealth is, of course, almost always paired with Perception. However, an Opposed Check may be made between Stealth and an enemy’s crafting-related skill such as Technology Education or Occult Education if a character is attempting to slip out of magical restraints or open a lock another character constructed. {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" !
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Survival

 * DescriptionSurvival is a Body Skill that governs all sorts of wilderness activities, from starting a fire, to building shelter, to making a trail through heavy brush and shrubbery. Characters with a high Survival Rank spend a lot of time outdoors. Pokémon Rangers and Trainers concerned with conservation efforts and Safari Zones tend to have high Survival Ranks.
 * DescriptionSurvival is a Body Skill that governs all sorts of wilderness activities, from starting a fire, to building shelter, to making a trail through heavy brush and shrubbery. Characters with a high Survival Rank spend a lot of time outdoors. Pokémon Rangers and Trainers concerned with conservation efforts and Safari Zones tend to have high Survival Ranks.

Survival can be used in almost any situation in the outdoors, whether it be navigating a snowstorm, foraging for food, or simply setting up camp for the night. It can be used to identify Mushrooms (page 281) that can be picked in the wild as well.

A common use of Survival is to take half an hour or an hour to scout out an area and learn basic information about it – the common Pokémon of the area and what Apricorns or Berries are commonly found in it.

For light density wilderness areas such as a savanna or small forest, the DC should be easy for anyone who’s invested in Survival – about a 12. Moderately complex ecosystems such as a foggy wetland may require a check of 16 or so. Denser or harsher areas of wilderness such as tropical rainforests or frigid arctic ecosystems may require a check of 20+.

Succeeding by a margin of success of at least 4 should usually result in additional info, such as identifying signs of rare Pokémon or plants.

More than just finding the means to live in the wilds, Survival also covers geology and geography and enables a Trainer to search for useful items, such as Elemental Stones and Fossils (page 216). Spelunking also falls under the purview of Survival.

Survival can also be used to track someone through the wilderness. This is usually an Opposed Check between a Trainer’s Survival and their target’s Stealth. However, certain environments may make tracking easier or more difficult. Impose a circumstantial penalty to a target being tracked through a desert or to the tracker trying to find signs of movement through a dark gloomy cave.

Despite counting as a Body Category Skill, Survival also counts as an Education Skill.
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