Abilities

Credit where credit it due. Most of the hard work on this was done by Sam Thompson. Used with permission My stuff is just the Star Trek stuff with a little editing to maintain continuity.

Talents

Alertness
This ability allows you to notice things others don't. This usually applies to perception-based challenges.
Brawl
This ability aids in bare-handed attacks and allows you to perform special maneuvers in combat (see Chapter 3).
Dodge
You are skilled in getting out of the way of attacks. This ability adds to all attempts to dodge. This Ability could also aid in attempts to dive for cover or employ Fair Escape.
Intimidation
You know how to frighten people, or at least cause them to think twice before performing an action. This allows you to retest many Social Challenges or uses of Dominate, and may also be used out-of-game to frighten mortals into doing what you want. This may require a Social Challenge.
Leadership
If you are in an authoritative position, you may attempt to make reasonable requests of those under you. With a Social Challenge, they must follow these requests, though not if they would violate their Nature or Demeanor, or endanger them.
Streetwise
You know how to get information off the street, deal with gangs, and survive without an income. This often require a Social Challenge.
Subterfuge
With a successful Social Challenge, you can obtain information from someone who is not willing to give it. You must first get the subject to come up in a conversation. Sample bits of information include Nature, Demeanor, hidden secrets, or allies and enemies. You may also use this Ability to lie when confronted, either directly or with Subterfuge or another Ability or Discipline. A Social Challenge is necessary to see if the lie is believed.

Skills

Animal Ken
Given time and a captive animal, you may train it to perform tasks. A Static Mental Challenge against a difficulty determined by the Storyteller may be necessary for difficult tasks. You may also try to calm an attacking or frightened animal by winning a similar Static Social Challenge with a difficulty dependent on how tame the animal is.
Engineering
This skill covers the use of modern ODN structure, warp power conduits and other repair & design. Note that this skill has some overlap with the skill Repair and the skill Security.
Marksmanship
You know how to use a phaser, disruptor or other modern weapon, granting you use of the weapon's bonus Traits when in combat. With higher levels of this Ability, you can attempt to modify weapons and perform other functions with a Mental Challenge. You may also bid Mental Traits instead of Physical Traits when using a gun in combat.
Melee
You are trained in the use of weapons, granting you the bonus Traits of a weapon and allowing you to perform special maneuvers in combat.
Performance
You have the gift of expression. Each level of Performance represents skill in a certain medium, whether it be painting, sculpting, acting, composing music, or playing a type of instrument. An appropriate challenge may determine the genius of your creativity.
Piloting
While most adults have some familiarity with modern vehicles, this ability goes beyond the basics. You are adept at tailing and avoiding tails, avoiding collisions and using the vehicle as a weapon. A Physical or Mental Challenge is often required. (note that this skill replaces the skill DRIVE)
Repair
With enough time and the right tools, you can fix or alter mechanical objects. Complex objects may require multiple levels, and most actions require a Static Mental Challenge.
Security
You have knowledge of how security systems work, allowing you to build or bypass them. This will usually require a Mental Challenge to build or a Physical Challenge to bypass, and may require money or the right tools.
Stealth
Representing an affinity with moving silently and hiding, this Ability may be used in challenges in which you wish to remain hidden. While this will retest and Obfuscate or Obtenebration challenge, when used alone anyone can see you by winning a Mental Challenge against your Physical Traits. Anyone with Heightened Senses or a related supernatural power activated has a free retest in this challenge.
Survival
You know how to find food, water, and shelter in a wilderness setting. You may also attempt to track others in such a setting, though this usually requires a Mental Challenge.

Knowledges

Bureaucracy
You know how to appropriate licenses, use a contract to your advantage and recover, alter, and destroy files from most organizations. This often requires a Mental or Social Challenge.
Computer
You know how to use a computer to find information. Multiple levels allow you to infiltrate systems, steal information, and forge records in databanks. Such tasks usually require a Mental Challenge.
Finance
You can follow money trails, perform accounting tasks, and understand ideas like investment, buyouts, etc. You can also use Finance to make money quickly, though this and other actions often require a Mental Challenge to perform.
Investigation
You know how to pick out clues, uncover hidden details, and uncover information. With a Mental Challenge, you can determine if someone is carrying a concealed weapon at a glance. You may also attempt to track a person in a city by using this ability.
Law
You know how to write binding contracts, defend people in court, and research case history. Most actions require a Mental Challenge.
Linguistics
Each level of this Ability indicates a level of fluency in a specific language. One level allows you to speak with a deep accent, while two levels of fluency in a language is nearly perfect. Each language is a separate Ability.
Medicine
You are adept at treating the injuries, diseases and ailments of living creatures. You can double the healing time of any injury with the proper supplies and a Static Mental Challenge. You can also safely collect and store blood, diagnose illnesses, or extract foreign objects while causing minimal damage to surrounding tissue. At higher levels, this Ability also includes forensic uses.
Science
Each level in this Ability represents a degree of expertise in a certain scientific field (i.e., Biology, Temporal Theory or Chemistry). Some actions may require a Mental Challenge. Each field can be a separate Ability, at the Storyteller's discretion.

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Secondary Abilities

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Secondary Abilities are generally much more specialized than normal Abilities. They allow a character learn even more about a certain subject, or be particularly adept at an unusual skill. As Secondary Abilities are not as useful, they cost half as much as normal Abilities, in Freebie Points or Experience. Secondary Abilities may not be taken during Step Three of character creation. Many other secondary Abilities may exist with the Storyteller's approval.

Talents

Blind Fighting
You have learned to fight without the aid of your eyes. In hand-to-hand combat, you suffer no penalties when blinded. This Ability has no effect on ranged combat.
Panhandling
You know how to beg, allowing you to try to raise modest amounts money with a Social Challenge.

Skills

Archery
Like Firearms, but relating to the use of Bows and Crossbows.
Scrounge
This Ability allows you to produce items through connections, wits and ingenuity. Often, the items produced are not quite what you want, but usually will suffice. A Mental or Social Challenge may be necessary to use this Ability.
Throwing
While most thrown objects do not grant Bonus Traits, you may use this ability to aid you when throwing an object.

Knowledges

History
With a Mental Challenge, you can recall dates and other information about history, or know where to go to research it. Note that this history is race-specific or region specific.
Sniping
You have advanced knowledge of sniping positions, cover, the use of high-powered sniping rifles, etc. This Ability enables you to find good, well-hidden sniping positions, set-up and tear down secure sniping locations quickly and thoroughly, determine where shots are coming from, etc. Many uses may require a Mental Challenge. Firearms is still the Ability to use when taking the shot.
Torture
You know how to extract information from a victim using physical means. With the appropriate challenge, you can force a captive victim to reveal all.

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