SR5:Active Skills

Defaulting

It is impossible to prepare for every scenario and only slightly harder to have every skill. When you perform an action without actually having the skill for the test, there’s still hope. You can default the skill, making the test using only the attribute to form the dice pool. You don’t have any tremendous talent when you default— quite the opposite in fact. Defaulting imposes a –1 dice pool modifier in addition to any other modifiers the situation demands. Unless the gamemaster feels that you’re at a complete loss when defaulting, you can use Edge to Push the Limit and better your chances.

Some skills are too technically demanding for you to default. In these cases, you don’t get to even try the test; you just fail. Pilot Ground Craft or Unarmed Combat, for example, are relatively simple skills that can be attempted without formal training, so you can default if you need to. Aeronautics Mechanic, on the other hand, is too complicated to try without some training (you could say it’s rocket science). Skills that cannot be defaulted mentioned in the skill description.

AGILITY

Archery

Archery is used to fire string-loaded projectile weapons. An archer is familiar with many different styles of bow and the multitude of arrows that can be used to maximum effect.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: No

Specializations: Bow, Crossbow, Non-Standard Ammunition, Slingshot

Automatics

The Automatics skill covers a specific subset of firearms larger than handheld pistols but smaller than rifles. This category includes submachine guns and other fully automatic carbines.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Firearms

Specializations: Assault Rifles, Cyber-Implant, Machine Pistols, Submachine Guns

Blades

Slice and dice! The Blades skill includes the use of all handheld slashing and stabbing weapons. You can use a range of edged weapons including daggers, swords, and axes.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Close Combat

Specializations: Axes, Knives, Swords, Parrying

Escape Artist

Escape Artist measures the character’s ability to escape from bindings by using body contortion and manual dexterity.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: By restraint (Cuffs, Ropes, Zip Ties, etc.), Contortionism

Exotic Ranged Weapon (Specific)

Sometimes a regular gun or blade won’t do the job and you need something fancier. Or weirder. This skill must be taken once for each unusual ranged weapon you want to use. Some examples include blowguns, gyrojet pistols, flamethrowers, and lasers.

Default: No

Skill Group: None

Specializations: None

Gymnastics

Gymnastics measures your balance, general athleticism, and all-around ability to use your body.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Athletics

Specializations: Balance, Climbing, Dance, Leaping, Parkour, Rolling

Heavy Weapons

The term heavy weapon is designated for all projectile weaponry larger than an assault rifle, such as grenade launchers, machine guns, and assault cannons. This skill is exclusive to handheld and non-vehicle-mounted weaponry—if you’ve got a gun mounted on or in a vehicle, use Gunnery.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Assault Cannons, Grenade Launchers, Guided Missiles, Machine Guns, Rocket Launchers

Longarms

The Longarms skill is for firing extended-barrel weapons such as sporting rifles and sniper rifles. This grouping also includes weapons like shotguns that are designed to be braced against the shoulder.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Firearms

Specializations: Extended-Range Shots, Long-Range Shots, Shotguns, Sniper Rifles

Palming

Palming is sleight-of-hand skill that gives a character the ability to snag, hide, and pass off small objects.

Default: No

Skill Group: Stealth

Specializations: Legerdemain, Pickpocket, Pilfering

Sneaking

Need to get where you’re not supposed to be? This skill allows you to remain inconspicuous in various situations.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Stealth

Specializations: Location type (Jungle, Urban, Desert, etc.)

Unarmed Combat

Unarmed Combat covers the various self-defense and attack moves that employ the body as a primary weapon. This includes a wide array of martial arts along with the use of cybernetic implant weaponry and the fighting styles that sprung up around those implants.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Close Combat

Specializations: Blocking, Cyber Implants, Subduing Combat, or by specific Martial Art

BODY

Diving

Diving brings together a wide array of actions performed underwater. This skill can be applied when diving, swimming underwater, using complex diving equipment, and holding your breath.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: By breathing apparatus (Liquid Breathing Apparatus, Mixed Gas, Oxygen Extraction, SCUBA), by condition (Arctic, Cave, Commercial, Military, etc.), Controlled Hyperventilation

Free-Fall

This skill covers any jump from height, including leaps from a third-floor window to jumps from a plane at high altitude. If it involves any kind of attempt to slow or control your fall, this covers it, so it includes skydiving with a parachute, flying a wingsuit, or descending on a line, bungee cord, or zipline.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: BASE Jumping, Break-Fall, Bungee, HALO, Low Altitude, Parachute, Static Line, Wingsuit, Zipline

CHARISMA

Animal Handling

This skill governs the training, care, riding (if they’re big enough), and control of non-sentient animals. Competent trainers have the ability to handle multiple animals. It is even possible to approach an untrained animal and get it to trust you, or at least not eat you.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: By animal (Cat, Bird, Hell Hound, Horse, Dolphin, etc.), Herding, Riding, Training

Con

Con governs the ability to manipulate or fool an NPC during a social encounter. This skill covers a range of confidence games as well as the principles behind those cons.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Acting

Specializations: Fast Talking, Seduction

Etiquette

Etiquette represents the level of understanding and awareness of proper social rituals. The skill works as a sort of social version of Sneak, allowing you to move unimpeded through various social situations. Etiquette also serves as a social safety net in case a player botches a social situation in a way a skilled character would not.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Influence

Specializations: By culture or subculture (Corporate, High Society, Media, Mercenary, Street, Yakuza, etc.)

Impersonation

Impersonation is the ability to assume the identity of another person, including voice and physical mannerisms. The skill is limited by the physical abilities of the character. A dwarf might be able to impersonate a troll over a commlink, but the illusion shatters when he is face to face with his target.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Acting

Specializations: By metahuman type (Dwarf, Elf, Human, Ork, Troll)

Instruction

Instruction governs the ability to teach people. The skill level helps determine how comfortable the instructor is delivering new material as well as how complex of a skill may be taught.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: By Active or Knowledge skill category (Combat, Language, Magical, Academic Knowledge, Street Knowledge, etc.)

Intimidation

Intimidation is about creating the impression that you are more menacing than another person in order to get them to do what you want. The skill may be applied multiple ways, from negotiation to interrogation. Intimidation is an Opposed Intimidation + Charisma [Social] Test against the target’s Charisma + Willpower, modified by the appropriate entries on the Social Modifiers Table.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Interrogation, Mental, Physical, Torture

Leadership

Leadership is the ability to direct and motivate others. It’s like Con, except rather than using deception you’re using a position of authority. This skill is especially helpful in situations where the will of a teammate is shaken or someone is being asked to do something uncomfortable. The Leadership skill is not meant to replace or make up for poor teamwork. When using Leadership make an opposed test Charisma + Leadership.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Influence

Specializations: Command, Direct, Inspire, Rally

Negotiation

Negotiation governs a character’s ability to apply their charisma, tactics, and knowledge of situational psychology in order to create a better position when making deals.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Influence

Specializations: Bargaining, Contracts, Diplomacy

Performance

This skill governs the ability to execute a performing art. Performance is to the arts what Artisan is to craft. The performer uses her skill to entertain or even captivate an audience.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Acting

Specializations: By performance art (Presentation, Acting, Comedy, specific Musical Instrument, etc.)

INTUITION

Artisan

This skill includes several different forms of artistic impression as well as the handcrafting of fine objects that would otherwise be produced on an assembly line. The world’s top artists and crafters are considered artisans.

Default: No

Skill Group: None

Specializations: By discipline (Cooking, Sculpting, Drawing, Carpentry, etc.)

Assensing

Assensing is a magic user’s ability to read and interpret fluctuations in the astral world. This skill allows practitioners to learn information by reading astral auras. Only characters capable of astral perception may take this skill.

Default: No

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Aura Reading, Astral Signatures, by aura type (Metahumans, Spirits, Foci, Wards, etc.)

Disguise

Disguise covers non-magical forms of masking your identity, including makeup and enhancement.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Stealth

Specializations: Camouflage, Cosmetic, Theatrical, Trideo & Video

Perception

Perception refers to the ability to spot anomalies in everyday situations, making it one of the key skills a shadowrunner needs.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Hearing, Scent, Searching, Taste, Touch, Visual

Tracking

This skill confers the ability to detect the passage of metahumans and other game through terrain and use those clues to follow that individual. This skill also allows you to identify unmarked trails and common game paths is various environments.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Outdoors

Specializations: Desert, Forest, Jungle, Mountain, Polar, Urban, another terrain type

LOGIC

Aeronautics Mechanics

AERONAUTICS MECHANIC (LOGIC) Aeronautics mechanics have the ability to repair a variety of aerospace vehicles, provided the proper tools and parts are available.

Default: No

Skill Group: Engineering

Specializations: Aerospace, Fixed Wing, LTA (blimp), Rotary Wing, Tilt Wing, Vector Thrust

Arcana

Arcana governs the creation of magical formulae used to create spells, foci, and all other manner of magical manipulations. Arcana is required to understand formulae that may be purchased over the counter or discovered by other means.

Default: No

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Spell Design, Focus Design, Spirit Formula

Armorer

Armorer encompasses the broad array of skills required to build and maintain weapons and armor. As with all mechanics-based skills, the proper tools and equipment are required to perform any repair or build operation.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Armor, Artillery, Explosives, Firearms, Melee Weapons, Heavy Weapons, Weapon Accessories

Automotive Mechanic

Automotive mechanics are tasked with fixing all types of ground-based vehicles ranging from commercial automobiles to wheeled drones to tanks. Repairs require the proper tools and time.

Default: No

Skill Group: Engineering

Specializations: Walker, Hover, Tracked, Wheeled

Biotechnology

Biotechnology is a wide-ranging skill primarily used by doctors and scientists to grow organic body parts. This skill is the basis for cloning as well as all forms of bioware. Provided the right equipment is available, biotechnology can be used to repair damaged bioware, clone new tissue, or detect any bioware in a subject’s body. This skill does not allow characters to install or remove bioware.

Default: No

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Bioinformatics, Bioware, Cloning, Gene Therapy, Vat Maintenance

Chemistry

Chemistry permits the character to create chemical reactions and develop chemical compounds ranging from drugs, to perfumes, to biopolymers like NuSkin. Chemistry can also be used to analyze chemical compounds to determine what they are.

Default: No

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, Physical

Computer

Computer is the base skill for interacting with the Matrix. It represents the ability to use computers and other Matrix-connected devices. The Computer skill focuses on understanding multiple operating systems. It does not allow the character to exploit code (Hacking) or strip down mainframes (Hardware).

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Electronics

Specializations: By action (Edit File, Matrix Perception, Matrix Search, etc.)

Cybercombat

Cybercombat is the skill used by hackers to engage in combat on the Matrix.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Cracking

Specializations: By target type (Devices, Grids, IC, Personas, Sprites, etc.)

Cybertechnology

Cybertechnology is the ability to create, maintain, and repair cybernetic parts. A character with the proper tools and parts may repair or even build new cybernetics. Cybertechnology is not a surgical skill. Characters cannot attach or re-attach cybernetics to organic material with this skill. This skill may be used to modify or upgrade cybernetics within cyberlimbs.

Default: No

Skill Group: Biotech

Specializations: Bodyware, Cyberlimbs, Headware, Repair

Demolitions

Demolitions is used to prepare, plant, detonate, and often defuse chemical-based explosives.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Commercial Explosives, Defusing, Improvised Explosives, Plastic Explosives

Electronic Warfare

Electronic Warfare is the basis of military signals intelligence. It governs the encoding, disruption, spoofing, and decoding of communication systems. Providing the user has the proper equipment, the skill can be used to manipulate or even take over the signal of any item’s communication system.

Default: No

Skill Group: Cracking

Specializations: Communications, Encryption, Jamming, Sensor Operations

First Aid

First Aid is the ability to provide emergency medical assistance similar to that of a paramedic. This skill may be used to stabilize wounds and prevent characters from dying. First Aid cannot be used to perform surgery or repair damaged implants.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Biotech

Specializations: By treatment (Gunshot Wounds, Resuscitation, Broken Bones, Burns, etc.)

Forgery

Forgery is used to produce counterfeit items or alter existing items to a specific purpose. Depending on the type of forgery, the forger may need specific tools or schematics to complete the task.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: None

Specializations: Counterfeiting, Credstick Forgery, False ID, Image Doctoring, Paper Forgery

STRENGTH

Running

Running, as you may guess, is about how much ground you can cover quickly.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Athletics

Specializations: Distance, Sprinting, by terrain (Desert, Urban, Wilderness, etc.)

Swimming

This skill determines the character’s ability to swim in various bodies of water. The skill level affects the distance and speed at which a character can swim.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Athletics

Specializations: Dash, Long Distance

WILLPOWER

Astral Combat

Fighting in Astral Space requires the Astral Combat skill. Combat in the Astral World relies on a very different set of abilities and attributes than physical combatants.

Default: No

Skill Group: None

Specializations: By specific weapon focus type, by opponents (Magicians, Spirits, Mana Barriers, etc.)

Survival

In the desert with nothing more than a tin cup, a poncho, and an iron rod? You’ll need this skill to help you get out alive. Survival is the ability to stay alive in extreme environmental conditions for extended periods of time. The skill governs a character’s ability to perform vital outdoor tasks such as start a fire, build a shelter, scrounge for food, etc. in hostile environments.

Default: Yes

Skill Group: Outdoors

Specializations: Desert, Forest, Jungle, Mountain, Polar, Urban, or other terrain

MAGIC

Alchemy

Alchemy is used to create substances that store spells. Alchemy is most commonly used to brew potions, distill magical reagents, and even create orichalcum.

Default: No

Skill Group: Enchanting

Specializations: By trigger (Command, Contact, Time), by spell type (Combat Spells, Detection Spells, etc.)

Artificing

Artificing is the process of crafting magical foci. The skill may also be used forensically, in order to assense qualities about an existing focus’ creation and purpose.

Default: No

Skill Group: Enchanting

Specializations: Focus Analysis, Crafting (by focus type)

Banishing

Banishing is used to disrupt the link between spirits and the physical world. Banished spirits are forced to return to their native plane and are no longer required to complete unfulfilled services.

Default: No

Skill Group: Conjuring

Specializations: By spirit type (Spirits of Air, Spirits of Man, etc.)

Binding

Binding is used to compel a summoned spirit to perform a number of additional services.

Default: No

Skill Group: Conjuring

Specializations: By spirit type (Spirits of Fire, Spirits of Earth, etc.)

Counterspelling

Counterspelling is a defensive skill used to defend against magical attacks and dispel sustained magical spells.

Default: No

Skill Group: Sorcery

Specializations: By spell type (Combat Spells, Detection Spells, etc.)

Disenchanting

This skill governs a character’s ability to remove the enchantment from an item.

Default: No

Skill Group: Enchanting

Specializations: By type (Alchemical Preparations, Power Foci, etc.)

Ritual Spellcasting

Ritual spellcasting is a spellcasting skill used to cast ritual spells.

Default: No

Skill Group: Sorcery

Specializations: By keyword (Anchored, Spell, etc.)

Spellcasting

The Spellcasting skill permits the character to channel mana into effects known as spells.

Default: No

Skill Group: Sorcery

Specializations: By spell type (Combat Spells, Detection Spells, etc.)

Summoning

This skill is used to summon spirits.

Default: No

Skill Group: Conjuring

Specializations: By spirit type (Spirits of Earth, Spirits of Man, etc.)

RESONANCE

Compiling

Compiling involves the ability to translate the complex 0s and 1s of machine source language and the rhythms of the resonance into sprites.

Default: No

Skill Group: Tasking

Specializations: By sprite type (Data Sprites, Machine Sprites, etc.)

Decompiling

Decompiling is a character’s ability to effectively delete previously compiled sprites.

Default: No

Skill Group: Tasking

Specializations: By sprite type (Courier Sprites, Fault Sprites, etc.)

Registering

This skill allows a technomancer to register sprites on the Matrix, thereby convincing the grids that they are legitimate.

Default: No

Skill Group: Tasking

Specializations: By sprite type (Crack Sprites, Data Sprites, etc.)