Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Metaskills

The metaskills presented here are a means by which Silhouette games can become more cinematic and characters more powerful. They represent special maneuvers, outstanding skill, a great deal of luck, practice and instinct, as well as power. These skills are all effects-based. That is, the maneuvers that can be attempted with them do not represent specifics. Instead, the skill represents the effects of a maneuver in combat. The specifics of each maneuver and how it is carried out are left to the imaginations of players and GM.

These skills make their practitioners particularly powerful. This is intended. We recommend that PCs in possession of any one of these skills be challenged and harrassed even moreso than normal.

Each metaskill is rolled before the normal skill roll. For example, in order to carry out a Combo in Heavy Gear Dueling, the Duelist would roll an opposed Heavy Gear Dueling skill roll. If the MOS of the roll was 2 or more, the Combo is activated, and the Duelist then rolls attacks as per normal (Gunnery/Piloting vs. Piloting Opposed roll). Only one metaskill maneuver can be carried out per round, no exceptions. This overrides the Advanced Controls Heavy Gear perk rule as it applies to Heavy Gear Dueling.

Mechanics and specifics:

Each of these skills are considered Complex for the purposes of skill purchase and advancement. The metaskills cannot be learned in-game without the benefit of a teacher. Each skill has a collection of sub-maneuvers that are governed by different attributes. However, all four metaskills are governed by the CRE attribute for the purposes of skill advancement. Specializations can only be purchased for each sub-maneuver of the metaskill in question.

When are these skills usable?

Heavy Gear Dueling:
All Opposed Dueling macromoves are only possible at close combat ranges or within the short range band of the weapon(s) being used.
Non-Opposed Dueling Macromoves may be attempted at any time, regardless of target presence. The sole exception for this is Duelist's Luck, which cannot be used to re-roll an attack roll beyond Short Range.

Gunslinging:
Offensive Gunslinging maneuvers may only be employed with Pistol type weapons, usually in single-fire mode only. The Sniping metaskill is not compatible with Gunslinging. Gunslinging may be attempted at all ranges, not just short or point-blank. The Gunslinger's Gambit (Zen Reroll) maneuver can affect the Gunslinger's own attacks, or be used defensively against firearms attacks from opponents provided the Gunslinger's pistols are drawn, or about to be (hands on grips).

Sniping:
In order to activate Sniping Maneuvers, the user must be stationary, employing single fire, and firing a rifle-ammunition weapon. This includes the "Lucky of the Devil" ability, which cannot be used to re-roll Camouflage or Stealth thresholds in a non-sniping context.

Martial Arts:
This metaskill can only be used in close combat, that is, any attack/defense roll that would employ Melee or Hand to Hand combat. As well, certain Martial Arts maneuvers can be used in conjunction with the Archery skill and Thrown Weapon skill (for martial arts thrown weapons like knives and shuriken). The Zen Mastery Maneuver may be used to evade bullets from firearms so long as the shooter is less than 10 meters from the martial artist.

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Hermes 72 - Heavy Gear RPG - Most artwork Copyright 2002 Dream Pod 9, Inc.