Standard skills are divided into eight categories: Agility, Brawn, Combat, Cunning, Ferocity, Leadership, Shooting, and Savant. Different types of fighters may have Secondary or Primary Skill Access to one or many of these Skill Categories. Additionally, any fighter may select one of these skills using the "Choose a Skill from any Skill Category" Advancement option in campaign formats where it is allowed.
Agility
1) Catfall: When this fighter falls or jumps down they count as having moved half the vertical distance.
Additionally, if this fighter would be Pinned after doing so they instead remain Standing and may continue their action.
Finally, this fighter automatically passes Initiative tests to avoid falling into Pitfalls.
2) Clamber: When this fighter climbs, the vertical distance they move
is not halved. In other words, they always count as
climbing up or down a ladder. Additionally, when this fighter moves across a barricade,
it does not cost 2'' of their move.
3) Forward Advance: When this fighter is set up onto the battlefield following general or scenario specific deployment instructions, they may immediately make a Standard Move + D3''.
4) Mighty Leap: This fighter ignores up to 2'' of total distance per round when stepping up, crossing obstacles or difficult terrain, leaping across a gap, or jumping down. If this fighter must make an Initiative check to avoid falling after leaping across a gap they automatically pass their check.
5) Spring Up:
If this fighter is Pinned when they are activated, they may make an Initiative check. If the check is passed the fighter can make a free Stand Up action.
Activated: If Pinned: Stand Up for free on successful Initiative check.
6) Sprinter: If this fighter moves at least 12'' on the battlefield during their activation (not including inches of movement lost to difficult terrain, going over obstacles, etc), until the fighter's next activation ranged attacks against them suffer a -1 penalty to hit.
Additionally, this fighter gains the ability to make the following action:
Sprint (Double): This fighter can move up to triple their current Movement characteristic in inches.
Brawn
1) Brutal Charge: When this fighter makes close combat attacks as part of a Charge action, any unarmed or melee attacks they use gain the Potent and Intimidating traits.
2) Bulging Biceps: This fighter ignores the Unwieldy trait on one weapon they are equipped with that has the trait; text from the trait itself and other rules text that refers to the trait do not apply to this fighter for that weapon. This fighter can change which weapon they apply this skill to during the Update Roster step of the Post-Battle Sequence. Additionally, this fighter gains +2 Strength when making the Carry Heavy action.
3) Bull Charge: When this fighter makes close combat attacks as part of a Charge action, any attacks they use that
have the Melee trait also gain the
Knockback
trait and are resolved at +1 Strength.
4) Burly: This fighter's unarmed attacks gain the
Melee
and Knockback traits.
Additionally, this fighter gains +1 Strength when making the Exert action
and when resisting being involuntarily moved (such as when they are the target of an attack with the Knockback or Drag traits). Other fighters gain +1 to Detect this fighter.
5) Intimidating Appearance: Enemy fighters suffer a -1 penalty on all Leadership, Cool, Willpower, and Intelligence checks they make if this fighter is within their line of sight and is not Hidden.
6) Iron Jaw: If this fighter would be taken Out of Action by a close combat attack with an Out Cold result, they may roll a D6 and add their current modified Toughness to the result; on a 8+ this fighter instead suffers a Flesh Wound and remains in play. Additionally, this fighter has +1 Toughness vs unarmed attacks.
Iron Jaw: +1 Toughness vs unarmed attacks, and if would be Out Cold via close combat stay in play on 7+ roll of (D6 + modified T).
Combat
1) Combat Focus: When this fighter must make a Cool or Willpower check (including Nerve tests), they may roll an extra dice and discard a dice of their choice from their result before determining the outcome.
Additionally, this fighter gains a +1 bonus to Detect enemy fighters.
2) Combat Master: This fighter never suffers penalties to their hit rolls for
interference, can always grant assists regardless of
how many enemy fighters they are engaged with, and is considered to have a
360° vision arc in close combat.
Additionally, this fighter gains a +1 bonus to Detect enemy fighters.
3) Counter-Charge: When this fighter is Active and Readied and a friendly fighter that is no further away than this fighter's Standard Movement is engaged by an enemy fighter, this fighter may lose their Ready marker to interrupt the enemy fighter's action.
This fighter declares and executes a Charge on that enemy fighter. If their Charge is successful, they may take the free Fight action normally allowed. If the enemy fighter remains on the battlefield after this is resolved, their action resumes from the point it was interrupted.
4) Parry Master: This fighter can parry attacks as though they were carrying a weapon with the Parry trait. If they already have one or more weapons with that trait, they can parry one additional attack. Additionally, this fighter can parry attacks that are not normally able to be parried, such as an attack made by a weapon with the Power or Entangle traits.
5) Rain of Blows: This fighter treats the Fight action as Simple rather than Basic. This skill cannot be used with weapons that have the Unwieldy trait.
6) Step Aside: If this fighter is hit in close combat or in response to taking the Disengage action, they may attempt an Initiative check to cancel the hit on success.
This skill may be used up to once during this fighter's own activation, and up to once per opposing fighter's activation.
Cunning
1) Backstabber: All unarmed and melee attacks made by this fighter gain the Backstab trait; attacks that already have the trait add 2 to the attacker's Strength rather than 1 when the trait is applicable. Additionally, there is a -1 penalty to Detect this fighter.
2) Evade: While this fighter is not Seriously Injured, other fighters suffer a -1 penalty to Detect this fighter and a -1 penalty to hit this fighter with ranged and close combat attacks.
Evade:
-1 penalty to hit or Detect this fighter while they are not Seriously Injured
3) Hit and Run: After taking their attacks as part of a Charge action and before enemies take their Reaction attacks, this fighter may make a free Disengage action. If this fighter is still Standing after disengaging, they must immediately move up to D3+1'' in a direction of their choosing (the 1'' rule applies).
4) Infiltrate: This fighter may Infiltrate. By default, at the end of the Deploy step of the Pre-Battle Sequence and in priority order the controlling player may set this fighter up on the battlefield anywhere that is not visible to or within 6'' of any enemy fighters.
However, some scenarios provide alternative instructions.
Infiltrate: Fighter may Infiltrate, if scenario permits. In priority order set up fighter so that they are not visible to or within 6'' of any enemy fighters (unless scenario specific guidelines are given).
5) Overwatch: While this fighter is Readied and able to make a Shoot action, if a non-Hidden enemy fighter within their line of sight and vision arc declares an action, this fighter may lose their Ready marker to interrupt and make a Shoot action targeting that enemy fighter.
If the enemy fighter is Pinned or Seriously Injured by this attack, their declared action fails. Additionally, this fighter gains a +1 bonus to Detect enemy fighters.
6) Skirmisher: When this fighter makes a Disengage action, opposing fighters they are engaged with cannot attempt to take a free close combat attack against them. Additionally, while this fighter is Standing and Readied, if they are Engaged by an enemy fighter making a Charge action,
after that action is complete and before the enemy fighter may use the free Fight action granted by a successful Charge,
this fighter may choose to lose their Ready marker to make a Disengage action.
Skirmisher:
Deny enemies free hits on Disengage. If Engaged while Active & Ready may lose Ready marker to Disengage.
Ferocity
1) Fearsome: If an enemy attempts to Engage this fighter,
they must make a Willpower check. If the check is failed
they stop 1'' away from this fighter, cannot Engage,
and their action ends immediately.
2) Hard Charger: When this fighter makes a Charge action they gain an additional D3'' of movement, and automatically pass any Initiative, Cool, or Willpower test they may be required to make (such as when leaping across a gap or Engaging an enemy with the Fearsome skill).
Hard Charger: +D3'' movement and auto-pass tests when charging.
3) Impetuous: Once per round during their activation, when this fighter could Consolidate at the end of a close combat they may instead make a free Charge action.
4) Nerves of Steel: When this fighter is hit by a ranged attack they may choose to make a Cool check. If they do and the check is passed, this fighter is not Pinned.
Nerves of Steel: When hit by Ranged attack: Can make Cool check to not be Pinned.
5) True Grit: Remove one dice before making an Injury roll for this fighter. If no dice remain, this fighter suffers a Flesh Wound.
True Grit: Injury roll vs this fighter: roll 1 fewer dice; Flesh Wound if 0 remain.
6) Unstoppable: At the end of the Recovery Tests step in the End Phase, discard one Flesh Wound this fighter has suffered (if any).
Unstoppable: End Phase: after Recovery tests, discard 1 Flesh Wound.
Leadership
1) Commanding Presence: This fighter can group activate one more fighter than they normally could. If this fighter does not already have a Group Activation ability, they gain the following:
Group Activation (1): this fighter may group activate with up to 1 fellow gang member within 4''.
2) Inspirational: Friendly fighters within 9'' and line of sight of this fighter may use this fighter's Leadership Characteristic when making a Cool or Willpower check (including Nerve tests).
3) Iron Will:
While this fighter remains on the battlefield and is not Seriously Injured or Broken, they count as two (2) fighters for the purposes of Bottle tests.
Bottle Test: If not Seriously Injured or Broken, counts as 2 fighters.
4) Mentor: At the beginning of the Advance Fighters step of the Post-Battle Sequence, this fighter may give some or all of the XP
they earned in this battle to one or more other advanceable fighters from their gang's Crew who participated in the battle,
distributed as the controlling player sees fit.
5) Regroup: At the begining of the End Phase of the Battle Sequence before Bottle Tests are made, if this fighter is on the battlefield and is not Prone, they may attempt a Leadership check. If they succeed, all Broken fighters of their gang within line of sight are no longer Broken.
6) Tactical Guidance: When this fighter leads a Group Activation, each other participating fighter may apply a +1 bonus to a single test, check, hit roll, wound roll, or armor save they make during their activation. This bonus is applied after the roll, before determining the outcome.
Shooting
1) Crack Shot: When this fighter rolls a natural 6 to hit with a ranged weapon, the attack gains +1 Strength and +1 Damage. This skill cannot be used with attacks that have the Area, Blast, Rapid Fire, Scattershot, or Template traits.
2) Fast Shot: This fighter treats the Shoot action as Simple rather than Basic. This skill cannot be used with weapons that have the Unwieldy trait.
3) Marksman: When making a Shoot action, this fighter is not affected by target Priority and may Check the Range before selecting their target(s).
Additionally, the Armor Penetration of ranged attacks made by this fighter are increased by 1 step. For instance, no AP becomes AP -1, AP -1 becomes AP -2, and so on.
This skill cannot be used with weapons that have the Blast, Scattershot, or Template traits.
4) Precision Shot: When this fighter makes a ranged attack, they may ignore the first -1 penalty to hit that attack would suffer from (if any),
and they may ignore the Stray Shots rules if that attack misses the target.
This skill cannot be used with weapons that have the Blast, Scattershot, or Template traits.
5) Snap Shot: Once per round if this fighter is Active and an enemy fighter moves into their vision arc or becomes no longer Hidden while in their vision arc, this fighter may interrupt to make a Shoot action targeting that enemy fighter.
If the enemy fighter is Pinned or Seriously Injured by this attack, their turn ends immediately. Additionally, this fighter gains a +1 bonus to Detect enemy fighters.
6) Trick Shot: When making a ranged attack, this fighter gains +D3 to hit a target in Partial or Full cover.
Savant
1) Ballistics Expert: When this fighter selects a weapon profile during the Declare the Shot step of the shooting sequence, the selected weapon profile temporarily gains +3'' Short Range and +6'' Long Range while the attack is resolved. This skill cannot be used with weapons that have the Template or Versatile traits.
2) Munitioneer: At the beginning of the Choose Crew step of the Pre-Battle Sequence, D3 Ammo Cache wargear items are added to the gang's Stash if this fighter is not Captured, Critically Injured, or in Recovery.
3) Prepared: This fighter adds +1 to all Ammo checks they attempt.
Additionally, once per battle if this fighter fails an Ammo check they may cancel the outcome and proceed as if the check was successful.
Prepared: 1x/battle ignore Out of Ammo. +1 on all Ammo checks.
4) Tactician: When this fighter is set up onto the battlefield, the controlling player may recombine their Tactics Cards deck and discard pile (if any). They may then choose any one Tactics Card from their deck and add it to their hand. Finally, the controlling player reshuffles their Tactics Cards deck.
Tactician: When fighter enters play: choose 1 Tactics Card from deck or discard & add to hand; reshuffle deck & discard.
5) Teamwork: When this fighter participates in a Group Activation, each other participating fighter may reroll a single failed roll they make during their activation.
6) Weapon Savant: When a fighter gains this skill, the controlling player must choose one of the following options:
Blade Savant: This fighter gains +1 to hit with traditionally bladed close combat weapons such as swords, axes, and knives but not chainswords or similar mechanical weapons. Additionally, all of this fighter's applicable weapon profiles gain the Scathing trait.
Bow Savant: This fighter gains +1 to hit with bows and crossbows. Additionally, all of this fighter's bow and crossbow weapon profiles gain the Potent trait.
Chainsword Savant: This fighter gains +1 to hit with a chainsword of any type. Additionally, all of this fighter's chainsword weapon profiles gain the Deadly traits.
Hurler Savant: This fighter gains +1 to hit with thrown objects such as Javelins, Thrown Daggers, Hurlys, and Grenades. Additionally, this fighter gains +1 Strength for purposes of determining range and (if relevant) damage for thrown objects.
Pistol Savant: This fighter gains +1 to hit with a pistol of any type (a weapon profile with the Pistol trait), for both ranged and close combat attacks. Additionally, all of this fighter's pistol weapon profiles gain the Rending trait.
Scattershot Savant: This fighter gains +1 to hit with attacks that have the Scattershot trait. Additionally, when rolling the number of hits for the Scattershot trait this fighter may roll an extra dice and discard one before determining the result.
If a fighter randomly rolls this result and already has one or more of the above options, the controlling player may either choose an option the fighter does not have or roll again, as they prefer.
General skills are outside of the standard Skill Categories (Agility, Brawn, etc), and are available to all characters who have Skill Access of any kind. Any fighter may choose a General Skill instead when they would choose a Primary Skill, and any fighter may choose a skill from the General Skill list instead when they would otherwise be forced to randomly roll a Primary or Secondary Skill.
General
1) Dodge: If this fighter is not Seriously Injured and would be hit by an attack (even an auto-hit attack such as a Template), you may roll a D6. If a 6 is rolled this fighter is not hit and the attack has no effect on this fighter. This does not apply against hits that do not originate from an attack, such as some environmental dangers.
2) Gunfighter: When making the Shoot action using two different Pistols,
this fighter does not suffer the standard -1 penalty to hit, and may target a different enemy with each weapon.
3) Lie Low: While this fighter is Prone, enemy fighters cannot target them with Ranged attacks unless they are within the attacking weapon's Short range (weapons that do not have a Short range are unaffected by this ability). Additionally, there is a -1 penalty to Detect this fighter while they are Prone.
4) Medicae: During the End Phase immediately before Recovery Tests are made, if this fighter is Active they may make a Standard Move or if they are Pinned they may make a Half Move towards a Seriously Injured friendly fighter. When this fighter assists a friendly fighter who is making a Recovery test this skill allows a single Out of Action dice result to be rerolled.
5) Pistoleer: The following rules changes apply to this fighter when they are engaged in close combat while armed with one or more weapons with the Pistol trait:
6) Pugilist: This fighter gains +1 to hit with unarmed attacks and their unarmed attacks have the Melee and Knockout traits.
If this fighter uses zero close combat weapons in an exchange they gain the Dual Weapons bonus dice and all of their attack dice for the exchange are unarmed attacks.
A few skills are not permitted in the Free-for-all campaign format, in some cases due to lack of relevance or diminished utility, and in other cases due to a desire to simplify certain elements of the game. The following sections detail the various specific reasons why some skills have been excluded and which skills are affected.
Fighters in a Free-for-all campaign cannot select any of the listed skills. In the case that a fighter would ordinarily have one or more of the restricted skills for some reason, the controlling player must pick a replacement for each such skill when adding that fighter to their gang's roster.
No Capture
The Free-for-all campaign format excludes the notion of capturing the fighters of opposing gangs, and therefore the Escape Artist skill is replaced by the similar Skirmisher skill, and the Captivater skill is dropped from this format.
No Hired Guns
The Free-for-all campaign format excludes virtually all Hired Guns, thus the Connected skill is dropped from this format.
Simplified Battle Sequence
The Free-for-all campaign simplifies the Battle Sequence, and therefore several skills that grant fighters additional custom Action options have been dropped. Specifically, the Crushing Blow, Headbutt, Hip Shooting, and Overseer skills are dropped from this format.
Simplified Post-Battle Sequence and Trading Post
The Free-for-all campaign simplifies the Post-Battle Sequence and Trading Post, and therefore the Fixer, Savvy Trader, and similar skills with a Post-Battle Sequence focus are dropped from this format.