Cultural/Domestic
 
Note: Characters can attain professional quality by selecting the same skill twice. Add a one time bonus of +10% and note that the end result is of superior quality.
Accounting: This is the fundamental of mathematics to do complex and often very easy work such as pay roll, taxes, books for a business, and so on. Requires: Math Basic and Advanced to have this skill. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. A failed roll means that the characters calculations or process is messed up and has to start again from scratch.
Acting: This involves the process in memorizing lines and being able to recite them with some type of convection. The character will be able to do stage, movies, and TV The amateur can put on a performance, but people that have an I.Q.: above a 7 and an M.A.: 8 of will find it somewhat pleasing, but not real interesting. A moderate performance will not have an effect on people with an I.Q.: above 11 and an M.A.: 12, these people will take some interest in the film. Of course, the professional will have an effective performance on people with an I.Q.: around 16 or below and an M.A.: of the same. It is possible for a person to fool someone with a performance, but lacks the makeup and technical skills to pull it off completely, unless they are on stage, movies, or TV The character starts off as an amateur, at the selection of two other skills the can become an advanced actor/actress, at the cost of three other skills the character can be a professional, unless otherwise stated. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience. Note: If the character starts off at the Amateur level the character must reach 98% before they can move on. When reaching the Advanced level the skill gets reduced to 40% and the process starts over to reach the Expert or Professional level. After reaching the Expert/Professional level the skill drops to 20%.
Advertising: This is the art and training of advertising fundamentals centering on budgeting, planning, implementing, marketing, and promotion. Areas of study are likely to include: selecting media, consumer trends/habits, advertising objectives, writing ad copy/headlines, and basic design elements. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.
Animal Husbandry: This area of study provides the character with a knowledge of the care, feeding, breeding, reproduction, treatment and behavior of domestic animals. This includes cattle, sheep, goats, horses, ducks, chickens, and similar creatures. The percentile number indicates the degree of knowledge and skill one has about animals and their care. Reduce the skill ability by half when caring for captive or injured wild animals. Making this skill professional means only ONE type of animal gets the +10% bonus. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.
Architectural: Design/Engineer: This skill area has to do with the designing and constructing of buildings. The techniques and sciences include the drawing of blueprints/drafting, construction materials and equipment, style, decoration, planning and budget. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.
Art: The ability to draw or paint or sculpt or do craft-work. Scholastic art training indicates a professional quality, while a secondary skill indicates a talented amateur. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.
Barbering: Skill in cutting and styling hair, shaving and trimming beards. A failed roll means the end result is not as desired (too short, not even, ugly, etc.). Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.
Begging(T): Although learned as a monk, this skill can be particularly useful either as a disguise, or to collect emergency money when things are desperate. The base skill determines the chance of collecting a donation from each passerby. And on a crowded street it could be pretty lucrative. The amount of money depends on the economy of the area where the begging is taking place. Base Skill: 30% + 2% per level of experience.
Blacksmith: Use of a forge and ironworking tools, plus the ability to work with animals. Characters with this skill can make and repair horseshoes and a variety of other small iron tools and appliances. Aside from general usefulness, a skilled blacksmith can earn a good living just about anywhere and any time throughout recorded history. Note: Blacksmith requires a minimum P.S. of 10, and a minimum Size Level of 8 is recommended. Base Skill: 40% + 4% per level of experience.
Bonsai: Tending, trimming and growing tiny miniature trees know as the "Bonsai." Experts can tell the difference between new (under 50 years old) and truly ancient bonsai (hundreds of years old). The character can also estimate the value and quality of the miniature tree. Bonsai is a common pastime of the noble castes in the New Empire. Base Skill: 50 + 5% per level of experience.
Breed Dogs: The first percentile number indicates the art of raising, breeding, taming and training domestic and wild canines, as well as knowledge about canines in general.
  The second percentile number is used to attempt to tame a wild canine, teach a dog tricks, or to train the animal for a specific task like tracking, retrieving, pointing, herding animals, attack on command, and so on. A failed roll means that the animal refuses to learn that particular trick or specialty. Base Skill: 40%/20% + 5% per level of experience.
Business Management: This is the fundamental understanding on how to run a small or large business. This is the knowledge of the paper work, procedures for daily operation, placing orders for inventory, dealing with people, and so on. A failed roll means that you messed up count in the drawer, angered a potential buyer, messed up an order, or what ever the task was, has met with failure. Requires: Basic and Advanced math to have this skill. Accounting can be helpful, but is not required. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience.
Calligraphy: The ability to produce beautiful Japanese letters using a brush, ink and paper with great skill and legibility. He can also copy Chinese character symbols and, if the character has taken the Chinese language and literacy skills, he can write Chinese. Traditionally, any person of culture and education, especially a noble, is expected to be able to produce gorgeous ideograms. Calligraphy is a skill almost as necessary as literacy for a traditionalists. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.
Calligraphic Forgery: A special skill that allows the character to imitate the calligraphy of the ancients and to reproduce copies of exotic styles. This is an advanced version of artistic calligraphy, and the character must take both skills. To successfully pass off a forgery as an ancient work requires a roll under the base skill on percentile. Attempting to forge the penmanship of a particular author is more difficult (-25% penalty on the roll). Base Skill: 25% + 5% per level of experience.
Chess: By selecting this skill, the character knows the fundamentals of this ancient board game. A percentage chance skill roll is not required to play, but to determine a victory. Base Skill: 30% + 3% per level of experience.
Cook: Skill in selecting, planning and preparing meals. A cooking roll failure means that the cooked food is either inedible (burnt!) or distasteful. Base Skill: 50% + 8% per level of experience. Spending two skill selections on this one skill area makes the character of professional quality. One time bonus of 10% applies in this case.
Dance: A practiced skill in the art of dance. The percentile number indicates the relative skill and quality of the dancer. NOTE: Characters with an extremely high Physical Prowess (P.P.) will get a bonus in their dance proficiency: P.P. 15 - 20: +5%, 20 - 25: +10%, 26 or higher: + 15%. Base Skill: 40% + 6% per level of experience. Spending two skills will produce professional quality dancing skill. One time bonus of 15% if this is the case.
Desert Survival: Specifically, the ability to find water out in the desert. Also includes survival to exposure, path finding and other desert survival skills. Base Skill: 50%+5% per level of experience.
Drawing: Pencil/Ink/Chalk: This skill includes a basic rudimentary knowledge of drawing techniques and tools (specifically pencils, chalk, pastels, and ink). A person with this skill is able to put on to paper images that reflect his/her moods, thought, what he sees and so on. A successful roll under the skill proficiency indicates a successful drawing; meaning it clearly reflects the idea, description, or feeling that it was meant to convey. Only an extremely high skill proficiency (89% or higher) reflects a better than average quality. Base Skill: 36% + 6% per level of experience.
Economics: This is the study of money management, social-economic trends, distribution, income and expenditures as it pertains to the government and the consumer/public. Explores economic factors in industry, human resources, labor institutions, and international finance. Applies observations, analysis, research, estimations, and projections toward predictions of market and market trends. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience.
Editor: This is the understanding of editing certain types of media, the character will have to choose from one of the selections below: (Reminder that video editing and film is learned under TV/Video: Advanced, Expert.).
 
Books: The person can edit and construct books. Books of all types, including ones like this one. A successful roll means no problems and the job is complete. On the other hand a failed roll means that the job is incomplete and can take weeks to fix and/or finish. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. Requires: Literacy, writing, and Language are required; Journalism will help to become a professional.
Newspaper/Magazine: The person can edit newspapers and magazines as well as layout design. A successful roll means no problems and the job is complete. On the other hand a failed roll means that the job is incomplete and can take weeks to fix and/or finish. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. Requires: Literacy, writing, and Language are required; Journalism will help to become a professional.
Farming: This skill is the techniques used to farm properly. You know how to till your your land, when to leave it fallow. Also know rudimentary knowledge in herbicides, and fertilizer. You know which ones work but not why. Can estimate when it is going to rain and so on. Base Skill: 30% + 4% per level of experience.
Fasting(T): The ability to go for long periods of time without food. So long as the character has sufficient water, two weeks without food will be pretty easy. After that the character will have to roll under the Skill to avoid becoming weakened or sick. Base Skill: 54% + 4% per level of experience.
Fishing: These are the fundamental methods (and enjoyment) of the relaxing sport of fishing. Areas of knowledge include the use of lures, baits, poles, line, and the cleaning and preparation of fish for eating. This includes fresh and salt water. Base skill: 60% + 5% per level of experience. Spending two skills will produce professional quality fishing skill, example: a pro bass fisherman. One time bonus of 10% if this is the case.
Flint Working: The ability to chip flint and obsidian into useful tools. The character can recognize useful rocks and knows how to locate flint and obsidian in the wild. Actually making useful tools, like blades, needles, and arrowheads, is incredibly difficult. Even experts will waste a lot of stone before creating exactly what they want. Base Skill: 15%+4% per level of experience.
Floral Arrangement (Ikebana): The artful and creative arrangement of flowers appreciated by everyone throughout the orient. A painstakingly difficult art that takes years to really master. The creation of a good floral arrangement is a matter of honor to those who practice ikebana; a bad job will be scorned even if done by the most heroic of warriors. This 'art' is appreciated in modern and traditional Japan. Base Skill: 30 + 3% per level of experience.
Game: Characters may pick this skill repeatedly, once for each game they wish to be proficient in. Games can be anything from ping pong to chess or go. Characters will know all basic rules, many strategies, and will be able to be competitive players. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.
Gaming(strategy): Various types of strategy games are popular around the world. Chess is the most widely accepted intellectual game of the West; Go is accepted as the most "enlightening" game of the eastern world. Other games, such as Shogi (Chinese Chess), Checkers, Chinese Checkers, have appeal as well. Taking this skill once gives a general knowledge of such games; but totally amateur. For each additional skill spent on this category, Competitive level ability in one specific game is gained. Other categories of games (each count as one slot) could include miniature wargames(ancient), miniature wargames(modern), naval games, railroad games, and world domination games (such as Risk or Axis & Allies). Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.
Competitive Level Base Skills:
Chinese Checkers: 24% + 4% per level.
Shogi: 15% + 5% per level.
Other games: As base skill.
Gardening: This skill offers a basic understanding of plant care and garden design. It can be both the ability to grow enough food to eat well, and/or the skill at creating beautiful, decorative gardens (with plants and rocks) that create a feeling of tranquility and harmony with nature; Zen gardening. This "art" is appreciated in modern and traditional Japan. Base Sill: 34% + 4% per level of experience.
General Repair & Maintenance: Not everyone can be a blacksmith or a carpenter, but many are good with their hands and capable of doing satisfactory repairs on simple mechanisms, gears, pulleys, wheels and so on. General repair/maintenance skill includes: sharpening blades/weapons, sewing tears in sails and clothes (it may not look pretty, but does the job), replace a wagon wheel, repair furniture, paint, varnish, and assist in basic woodworking, and even do minor patchwork on armor (restores 2D6 S.D.C.). Roll once to see whether the character can figure out what's broken, what must be done to fix it, and whether it's beyond his meager abilities. Roll again to determine success or failure in making the actual repair. If failure, the player may try again. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience. Reduce skill proficiency by half if the item is extremely complex or alien.
Go: As chess is the most widely accepted intellectual game of the west, so Go is accepted as the most "enlightening" game of the eastern world. In many cases one's skill at Go is seen as much more important than ability in the fighting arts. A victory at the intelligent game of Go easily outweighs any ten wins in single combat. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.
Juggling: This skill is the simple ability to keep three or more objects in the air at once. The characters P.S. will determine the weight of the objects. A weak character will only be able to juggle eggs, bullets, etc. , while a strong character can try his luck with chainsaws and other heavy items. Base Skill: 55% + 5% per level of experience.
Leather Worker: Having this skill enables the character to create and repair leather clothes, boots and other items made of leather, such as saddles, saddle bags, and tack and harness for horses. Base Skill: 25% + 5% per level of experience.
Lighting Technician: This is the rudimentary understanding of lights, wattage, how to set mood, in the various types of media. The character must choose from one of the categories below:
Film: The character can recreate sunlight, moonlight, and various other forms of light, with actual studio lighting and shading. The character can even set the lighting up at the dead of night and recreate the sun's light with this specialized ability. This helps cut down on costs of having to do location shots during the day. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. A failed roll means that the lights are in correct and have to readjusted taking an extra 1 to 2 hours.
Live Shows: This is the technique of using lights in live performances, such as a Yellow Dancer concert. This enables the character to add a visual aid with the sound. The character can use various colors to express the music. The character can add a whole new dimension to the performance if done correctly. Base Skill: 25% + 5% per level of experience. A failed roll means the character has fouled up and could possible darken the stage while in the middle of the bands performance.
Photography: The character can set up the lights on a model shoot and be able to light their hair properly, or not cast face shadows, etc. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. A failed roll means that when the pictures come back the shots are incorrect, due to lighting problems, for what the photographer wanted.
TV: TV is different than film in the fact that film reproduces colors and lighting techniques better than a TV camera can. The character is taught three point lighting techniques. With video the character doesn't have to be pin point accurate. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience. A failed roll means that the lighting was improper done for that scene or shot and only requires 30 to 60 minutes to correct.
Live Engineer: This is the art of reproducing sounds as they happen, in a live show environment. This skill will enable the character to create sounds live. The best example is when band performs live the character would be behind the main house console, set up a P.A. system, constructing the stage, operation and maintenance of the power amps, and knowledge of speakers and how to aim them in order to achieve the best sounds covering the most area. This skill also, enables the character to work the monitor console behind the stage. The character will also have knowledge of mixing consoles, effects, equalizers, crossovers, etc. This skill is separate from Recording Engineer, because the recording engineer 9 times out of ten is working in a building which has separate rooms, all of which are sound proof. Live is dealing with the acoustics of a building or an out door show. In order to become a professional at this, the skill must be picked three separate times, plus adds a one time bonus of 20%. Requires: Basic Electronics, Basic Math, and Literacy. Base Skill: 15% + 5% per level of experience.
Meditation: Involves engaging the mind and body so that the body remains motionless, but without fatigue or pain, and the mind stays in a clear, calm and rested state. While meditating a character recovers Chi, I.S.P., P.P.E. and other internal resources at an accelerated rate. Although it is not a substitute for sleeping, characters will usually feel alert and refreshed after any period of meditation. When in a meditative state they character is, at a subconscious level, well aware of what is happening in the environment and can instantly leave the meditation position with no combat penalties.
Base Meditation Skill: Rolls based on meditation should be done as a check versus the character's Mental Endurance (M.E.) attribute.
Base Meditation Time: The amount of time that a character can continue to meditate: One hour at first level, with an additional fifteen minutes at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels. At 6th level the meditation time jumps to three hours, and the character picks up another advancement into 7th level and beyond.
Meteorology: The branch of science that deals with the atmosphere of a planet. The character will have the knowledge of weather patterns, cold fronts, Low systems, etc. The technical way to forecast weather is to use weather satellites, radar, computers, and the almanac. On today's earth the technological way is not available, but the barometers, weather balloons etc. still exist and sometimes you can find almanacs to help as well. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience for those on Earth; 50% + 5% per level of experience for the Sentinels. A failed roll means that the character's prediction on the weather is wrong. A reminder you do have to wait the allotted time to see if the prediction is correct.
Mountaineering: Unlike a climber, a mountaineer is experienced in the use of specialized mountain climbing gear and also knows all the skills of survival in the rugged high-altitude environment. To become a professional mountaineer, the character must have been on at least two high-difficulty, high-altitude expeditions. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience. Bonuses for professional skill: +1 P.S. & P.E., +2D6 SDC, +10% to Climb, Climb Rope and Repelling. Requires: Climbing.
Music - Composition: Is the practiced study of musical arrangements, lyrics, rhythm, aesthetic consideration and creativity. Base Skill: 32% + 4% per level of experience. The writing will be competent and pleasant to listen to, but two skill selections in this same category must be taken for the writing to be of professional quality. Add a one time bonus of 15% if this is done.
Note: If the character starts off at the Amateur level the character must reach 98% before they can move on. When reaching the Professional level the skill gets reduced to 50%.
Music: Play Musical Instrument: A character with this skill has the ability to play a particular musical instrument and to read music. Each specific type of instrument counts as an additional skill selection. This means that a character who can play a guitar must select the musical instrument skill a second time to play a violin and a third time to play the drums. However, skill in a guitar includes all types: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, etc. Some specific categories of musical instruments include: guitar, banjo, violin/fiddle, piano and organ, electric keyboards and synthesizers, drums and cymbals, flute, harmonica, horns, saxophone, and trombone. In order to be a professional, the character must pick the skill three separate times, unless otherwise stated. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. The playing will be competent and pleasant to listen to, but two skill selections in the same instrument must be taken for the playing to be of professional quality. Add a one time bonus of 15% if this is done.
Music: Sing: The simple ability to read music and carry a pleasant tune. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience. The character's singing ability is nice, but not of professional quality, unless two skills are spent. Add 20% if this is done.
Philosophies(T): Characters educated in religious institutions (monasteries, temples, religious schools, etc.) can learn that school's philosophy. While this is typically one of the oriental philosophies it can also be a western one.
Eastern Philosophies include - Confucianism, Buddhism (choose subtype), Tibetan Lore, Taoism, Shinto, Bushido, Zen and Hinduism.
Western & Mideastern Philosophies include - Christian (Choose from Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, Conservative Protestant and Liberal Protestant), Judaism, and Islam (choose from Sunni, Shiite or Sufi). Rarer types are up to the GM (such as tribal beliefs, voodoo etc.).
Base Skill: 80% + 2% per level of experience.

Painting: Oil/acrylic/watercolor (New): The character is familiar with the tools and techniques of painting. Types of paints include are oil, acrylic, and watercolor. The same conditions apply as noted under drawing. Base Skill: 30% + 6% per level of experience.

Poetry (Haiku): Creating good, and sometimes a inspirational, poetry. Haiku" are short, three line, seventeen syllable poems that are the national poetry of Japan. Poetry often accompanies important events in society. For example, a samurai compelled to commit ritual suicide is expected to compose a "death poem." Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.

Recording Engineer: This is the art of putting sounds on tape. The character will be able to take acoustical sounds and put them on cassette, reel to reel, multi-track, etc. The character will also have a limited knowledge on microphones and placements to get the best sounds. The character will also have a limited knowledge of sound equipment, such as, mixing consoles, effects, equalizers, etc. There's more to it than what is stated, but the character will have a limited knowledge on sound and how to reproduce it. This also gives the character the ability to work with TV, video, and movies. A reminder that TV/Video is a separate from this skill. In order to become a professional at this, the skill must be picked three separate times, plus adds a one time bonus of 20%. Requires: Basic Electronics, Basic Math, and Literacy. Base Skill: 15% + 5% per level of experience. Note: You do not have to be a musician to have this skill. This means you can record Emperor Prosek and his weekly inspirational tapes.
Note: If the character starts off at the Amateur level the character must reach 98% before they can move on to the Intermediate. When the character gets the Intermediate the skill goes down to 25%. Of course the process repeats it's self in order to achieve the Professional level, the skill gets reduced to 35%.

Recycle: Recycling covers everything, not just oxygen, but also waste matter, scrap metal and plastic. It is not like the Jury-Rig skill; a character with Recycle cannot make something out of odd components but, given some time and equipment, can reduce the components to their basic elements and may be able to build something new out of that. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.

Sculpture: This person is familiar with the variety of clays, tools and techniques used in sculpting figures or images. The same e conditions of success apply as noted under drawing. Base Skills: 36% + 6% per level of experience.

Sewing: The practiced skill with the needle and thread, to mend, layout, cut and sew simple patterns, and do minor alterations. This is not a tailoring ability unless the player spends two skills. One time bonus of 20% if this is the case. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience.

Sing: The simple ability to read music and carry a pleasant tune. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.

Spelunking: The art and practice of exploring caves. Unskilled characters wandering about in a large series of natural caverns have about the same chance of survival as unskilled climbers attempting to scale a major mountain without guidance. Base Skill: 55% + 5% per level of experience.

Sports: Can include any team sport such as Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, or Soccer. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. Optional: If a character buys any sport skill twice, then that gives him professional status. That means the character can have a secret identity working as a member of a professional sports team or traveling as a participant in international sporting events. Particularly valuable as good covers are Golf and Tennis, both of which allow the character to travel widely. Bonuses: Adds 2D4 S.D.C. and +1 to roll with a punch or fall.

Weaving: Practiced skill of creating garments, tapestries, and draperies from wool or cotton. The weaver requires a spinning apparatus and a loom. This skill only represents the characters ability to weave, not raise/grow the sources of their raw material (other skills should be used instead). Bonuses: +5% if the sew skill is known. Base Skill: 20%+5% per level of experience.


Copyright 1996 Palladium Books Inc. Rifts®, Megaverse®, and Palladium Books® are registered trademarks owned by Palladium Books and Kevin Siembieda. The Coalition States, Erin Tarn, Emperor Prosek, SAMAS, and other names and characters are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.
© 1983, 1987, 1988, 1990 Kevin Siembieda; © 1995 Palladium Books, All rights reserved world wide. No part of this work may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher. All incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity to characters or persons living or dead is strictly coincidental."

Robotech ® is a registered trademark owned and licensed by Harmony Gold USA, Inc. Characters for Robotech are copyright 1985 Harmony Gold USA, Inc./Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

The Robotech Role-Playing Game is Copyright © 1995 Palladium Books Inc. and Copyright © 1995 Kevin Siembieda. All rights reserved under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of any Robotech RPG books may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher. All incidents, situations, institutions, governments, and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental.

Palladium Books Inc. ®, Rifts ®, and Megaverse ® are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. Mega-Damage™, S.D.C.™, I.S.P.™, P.P.E.™, and others are trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.

Robotech: The New Invid Era  is a derivative work of the Robotech RPG intended solely for the enjoyment of Robotech fans everywhere, and is NOT written for commercial purposes or financial gain.

This entirely MY alternate vision of the Robotech ® World and is NOT officially approved or sanctioned by Palladium Books Inc. or Harmony Gold USA, Inc./Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd.

This entirely MY alternate vision of the Rifts ® world and is NOT officially approved or sanctioned by Palladium Books Inc.

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Originally posted on Mad Dog's Web Site.  daisho@gci.net

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