Skills: Intellect

1. Skills: Intellect

   #1

   Language
   
   This skill applies only to one specific (non-native) language. More than one language may be learned, but that would require two instances of this skill with separate scores. DMs may allow extra skill points to be assigned from the outset if the character has good background reasons to be trilingual.
   
   Test against this skill for:
   * Understanding the language when spoken. Modifiers include:
   . - Spoken slowly (+10%)
   . - Spoken colloquially or with an accent (-10%)
   . - Eavesdropping (-20%)
   * Speaking the language and making yourself understood.
   
   This can be combined with the Reading/Writing skill to enable you to understand and write in the language.
   
   Magical aptitude
   
   Test against this skill for:
   * Learning new spells,
   * Using magical items,
   * Casting minor cantrips,
   * Detecting magical auras...
   
   Reading/Writing
   
   This skill need only be tested against in circumstances where the print is virtually illegible or arcane. Obviously you have to have some score in order to be able to read or write, but as soon as you have that score, the test need only be done if the material is obscure.
   
   Wayfinding
   
   Test against this skill for:
   * Reading maps (need Reading skill),
   * Navigating by landmarks.
   
   Critical failures can prove...interesting.
   
   Weatherken
   
   Test against this skill to predict the weather based on wind, clouds and other such stuff. The DM makes this roll: you never know if you've succeeded or not.

2. Skills: Intellect

   #2

   Lore
   
   Must be taken about a subject; common examples include demons, different species, and the like. Allows something of a professional knowledge of the subject in question. Particularly obscure or esoteric bits of lore may have difficulty modifiers, as will widely-known pieces.
   
   Craft
   Again, a specific choice must be made. Woodcarving, blacksmithing, weaponsmithing, bowyer/fletcher, and armorer are good examples. Allows the use of that skill to create the items in question, if necessary materials are available. Modifiers will likely result if exceptionally good or poor materials are used.

3. Skills: Intellect

   #3

   MP
   
   This skill is of great importance to mages; like with HP, it can be exchanged on a one-for-one basis with XP. Casting spells during the game will use up MP, and resting will recover them.
   
   Test against this skill for:
   *Tapping an external source of magic
   *Resisting the effects of magic-draining attacks and traps.
   *Sustaining enchantments without making them permanent.

4. Skills: Intellect

   #4

   Counting
   
   This skill enables you to count very fast. This is useful for gamblers (card-counting), merchants (money-counting) and other people whose occupations require them to keep a careful check on quantities...
   
   Appreciation
   
   This skill makes you a connoisseur of some product, e.g. wine, gems, paintings. You can value, date and describe your speciality.
   
   The DM makes these rolls, so you never know if you are correct or not about the value or provenance of the given artefact.
   
   Engineering Sense
   
   This skill enables you to accurately estimate the stability of structures, their mechanical properties and so forth. Is the rickety bridge going to fall down? Is that mineshaft safe to enter? Again, the DM makes the rolls, and you never know the validity of your predictions (until it's too late...).

5. Skills: Intellect

   #5

   Combat:
   
   I believe that Intelligence should effect physical combat in the ways of;
   Weak spots, weapon proficiency, skill of combative movement.
   
   Such as, identifying a weak spot on a creature, like noticing how the scales on a lizard like monster could be not as hard in a spot.
   Weapon proficiencies would gain faster, as it would take fighter two weeks to become adept with an axe, it might take an intelligent fighter one.
   Also, combative movements and knowing how the creature moves, remembering how certain creatures move, knowing what to do. All of this.

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