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- Weakness Identification (Mental 1, Physical 1, Observation -2) — This skill, like Tactics, allows the character to assess an opponent for signs of weakness.
A successful skill check means that the character has located
the foe’s weakness, whether it lies in fighting style or a fault
in the opponent’s armor. If the character wants to take the usual
penalties for a called shot (one phase penalty in melee and -4
to hit), he can cause double damage to the opponent for one attack
only. After such a wound, intelligent opponents adjust their fighting
style so that the weakness is not as exposed.
- Creatures with low intelligence or less simply try to minimize
the danger by presenting a different side to the attacker. Thus,
if two or more characters attack a weakened creature, there is
a good chance they can continue exploiting its weakness throughout
the battle as it shifts the damaged area from one side to another.
- The bonus conferred by this skill can be communicated to one’s
allies. However, if the creature under attack understands the
language used to make this communication, anyone attacking the
creature does so with a -2 to hit penalty (in addition to the
normal -4).
- When used against a character with the Arena Acting skill, the two sides involved must have a skill contest. Each
character must make their respective skill checks. The degree
of success in this is measured by the difference between the target
number and the actual die roll. The winner is the character with
the higher degree of success. If the winner is using Weakness
Identification, he spots the acting through some small flaw in
the performance. Likewise, if the arena actor has the greater
success, the character with Weakness Identification believes his
performance.
- Example: Bythal has an Arena Acting skill of 70%. His opponent, Haarna has a Weakness Identification
skill of 65%. Bythal’s roll is a 35, while Haarna’s is a 15. Since
Haarna’s difference is greater at 50 (65-15=50) than Bythal’s
35 (70-35=35), Haarna can easily see that Bythal is acting. He
is not drawn in and Bythal’s bonus is negated.
- The interchange here can be complicated. Some characters have
both Arena Acting and Weakness Identification. Arena Acting should be checked first,
so that the enemy may be fooled from the first instant he spies
his opponent. After the character assumes his weakness, he can
begin checking his enemy for the same thing. Both these rolls
should be rolled secretly by the DM.
- Weapon Improvisation (Mental 1 or Physical 1, Observation -1) — With this skill, the
character can improvise a weapon from natural materials. He must
search the area for 1d6 rounds, then make a skill check. If the
check fails, he finds nothing useful; he may try again in a different
area. If the check succeeds, he finds an object that can be wielded
as a club, such as a branch, a bone, or an icicle.
- The improvised weapon inflicts 1d6+1 damage to man-sized and smaller
creatures or 1d3+1 to larger opponents. On a natural roll of 01-10,
the object has jagged projections or is sufficiently heavy to
cause additional damage man-sized and smaller creatures suffer
1d6+3 damage, larger opponents suffer 1d3+3 damage. On a natural
roll of 96-00, the improvised weapons shatters or splinters on
its first use, causing no damage, useless thereafter.
- The DM may veto the use of this skill in inappropriate environments,
such as a barren plain or a snow-filled valley. Likewise, he may
impose penalties or bonuses to the check in areas where improvised
weapons are exceptionally difficult or easy to find. For example,
a hill covered with stones might merit a +5% bonus; an empty plain
might merit a -10% penalty; a marketplace would give a +10% bonus.
- Barbarians: A barbarian receives a +10% bonus when searching for an improvised
weapon in his homeland terrain.
 
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