Skills

Skills define the trained abilities a NERO character may use. Characters spend Build Points to purchase Skills, and every Class may purchase any Skill when its prerequisites are met. The Skill tables distinguish Class costs with F (Fighter), R (Rogue), S (Scholar), and T (Templar).

Using This Index

This index summarizes the Skill headings in the NERO 10th Edition preview. The groups below organize Skills by purpose for navigation. Each Skill has its own page with its requirements, effects, purchase limits, and timing.

• Purchases and Prerequisites: Meet the requirements of each Skill before purchasing or using it.
• Spell Slots: Purchasing a Spell Slot provides casting capacity, rather than choosing one specific named spell. Spell Slot progression follows the pyramid rules.
• Daily Uses: Skills with limited daily uses follow the reset rules. The standard reset is at 6:00 PM; some Chapters offer a limited reset at 6:00 AM with exclusions.

General Skills

Weapon Skills

• Archery: Allows the use of NERO-safe bows and crossbows.
• One Handed Blunt: Allows the use of one-handed blunt weapons.
• One Handed Edged: Allows the use of one-handed edged weapons and one-handed spears.
• One Handed Weapon Master: Combines access to one-handed blunt and edged weapons.
• Polearm: Allows the use of hafted two-handed edged weapons, including halberds and two-handed axes.
• Small Weapon: Allows the use of the small close-combat weapons described in the source.
• Staff: Allows staff use under NERO's weapon and safety rules.
• Thrown Weapon: Allows the use of approved hand-thrown missile weapons.
• Two Handed Blunt: Allows the use of two-handed blunt weapons.
• Two Handed Sword: Allows the use of two-handed swords.
• Two Handed Weapon Master: Combines access to the listed two-handed melee weapon types.
• Weapon Master: Allows all non-ranged weapons; weapon styles remain separate Skills.

Weapon Styles

• Florentine: Allows two weapons, with at least one classified as a Small Weapon.
• Shield: Allows the use of a shield in combat.
• Style Master: Combines the benefits of Shield, Florentine, and Two Weapons.
• Two Weapons: Allows a broader two-weapon combination, with one weapon no longer than a short sword.

Combat Attacks and Proficiencies

• Critical Attack: Provides a temporary damage bonus against one opponent with the designated weapon and hand.
• Critical Slay / Parry: Provides a powerful attack or a defensive Parry, subject to weapon and hand restrictions.
• Master Critical Attack: Extends Critical Attack to any weapon for which the character has the appropriate Skill.
• Master Critical Slay / Master Parry: Provides the Master versions without restricting the character to a single weapon type.
• Master Proficiency: Provides a Proficiency usable with any weapon for which the character has the appropriate Skill.
• Stop Thrust: Uses a qualifying two-handed melee weapon to briefly prevent an opponent from advancing toward the user.
• Weapon Proficiency: Provides an ongoing damage bonus for the designated weapon and hand.

Armor Skills

• Dexterity Armor: Provides armor through practiced movement and the ability to roll with blows.
• Wear Extra Armor: Increases the amount of armor the character may use above their Class limit.

Stealth and Practical Skills

• Assassinate / Dodge: Provides a powerful attack from behind or a defensive Dodge.
• Back Attack: Provides a temporary damage bonus against one opponent when attacking from behind.
• Backstab: Provides an ongoing damage bonus when successfully attacking from behind.
• Disarm / Arm Trap: Permits attempts to disarm or set traps.
• Evaluate Item: Estimates the value of eligible tagged items, excluding production items, Formal components, and magic items.
• Pick Locks: Permits lock-picking attempts; success is not guaranteed.
• Waylay: Provides an attack from behind that can render an eligible target unconscious.

Production and Trades

• Alchemy: Produces non-magical elixirs, poisons, oils, and solvents.
• Craftsman: Represents an income-producing trade or profession.
• Create Potion: Produces eligible Earth Magic potions.
• Create Scroll: Produces eligible Celestial Magic scrolls.
• Create Trap: Produces traps under the relevant production and trap rules.
• Smithing: Produces weapons and armor and supports the listed properties and special abilities.

Knowledge, Healing, and Magic

• Celestial Magic Spell Slot: Purchases a spell slot of the chosen Celestial Magic level.
• Earth Magic Spell Slot: Purchases a spell slot of the chosen Earth Magic level.
• First Aid: Stabilizes an eligible dying creature during the first minute of its death count.
• Formal Magic: Allows Formal Magic of the chosen school and the associated daily Cantrip uses.
• Healing Arts: Provides the listed diagnostic abilities and identification of magical potions.
• Herbal Lore: Detects and identifies alchemical substances and permits their removal from food or drink.
• Read and Write: Allows non-magical writing to be read and used.
• Read Magic: Allows the reading and casting of qualifying magic scrolls and supports learning Celestial Magic.

Skills With Racial Prerequisites

• Break Charm: Ends the listed charm effects through the required interaction; the general Skill lists Telepathic as its prerequisite.
• Gypsy Curse / Remove Gypsy Curse: Bestows or removes the approved roleplay curses; the source lists Gadabari Curse as its Racial Feature prerequisite.
• Resist Charm: Resists the listed charm effects; the general Skill requires Willful.
• Resist Poison: Resists the listed poison effects; the general Skill requires Tough.
• Resist Sleep: Resists Sleep effects as described; the general Skill requires Willful.

Automatically Granted Skill

• One Handed Block: Automatically known when a character purchases a two-handed weapon Skill. It governs limited blocking while holding that weapon in one hand and is listed separately here because it is not an additional purchase.

Racial Skills

Racial Skills are grouped below by their associated Racial Trait. Select a Skill below to read its rules. Some abilities also appear in the general Skill descriptions, so their individual pages distinguish how each version is acquired and used.

Racial Trait	Racial Skills
Strong	Mighty Slay, Strong Arm, Rip From Binding
Fast	Light Touch, Dodge, Sneak Attack
Tradesman	Merchant, Harvester, Grand Master
Tough	Resist Poison, Resist Physical, Toughness
Wild	Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Battle Rage
Willful	Resist Sleep, Resist Charm, Remove Fear
Telepathic	Awaken, Calm, Break Charm
Survivor	Detect Poison / Antidote, Will To Live, Ready Armor

Racial Features and Spells

Racial Features are a separate category. They include weapon masteries and other abilities associated with a character's Race. See Races for the race-specific assignments. For example, Mystic Wood Elf receives Break Charm as a Racial Feature, rather than needing to purchase the general Skill.

Individual spells and Cantrips are distinct from the Skills used to gain casting capacity. For example, a Celestial Magic Spell Slot is a Skill, while the spells cast from that slot have their own descriptions.

Source

NERO 10th Edition, preview v1.

Back to Main Page