Skill

Skills represent knowledge, aptitudes, talent, and training in a particular set of abilities. They are the second type of Trait - the other being Attributes - and are distinct in that they are actively used to influence the gameworld, going hand-in-hand with good roleplaying.

Skills in Savage Worlds are purposely kept broad, in stark contrast to some other generic RPGs. This is to keep the action flowing fast, and leaves enforcement of narrative constraints to player fiat rather than written rules.

On the other hand, it is entirely possible to rework the Skill system as one sees fit. The Core Book has the "Skill Specialization" Setting Rule, which allows a designer to segment Skills into various sub-skills that must be learned individually. Meanwhile, various Setting Books will often modify the Skill system to fit thematic needs.

Linked Attributes
Every Skill has a "Linked Attribute", which is relevant to the Skill. This becomes relevant at initial character creation, where players are given twelve points to buy their initial Skill die-types. Each point will increase a skill by a die-type, so long as it remains within its Linked Attribute. Should the player want to exceed the die-type of the Linked Attribute, increasing the skill will cost two points.

Linked Attributes also interact with Advancement, which is discussed on its own page.

Unskilled Attempts
In Adventure Edition, any character may attempt a Skill roll if they do not have the relevant Skill. The dice notation for these rolls is d4!i-2.

Note that Wild Cards still get their Wild Die, giving them a theoretical minimum d6 in all Skills. This is to be kept in check by the Game Master, who may arbitrarily rule that some actions (such as flying a fighter jet) may not be performed without the relevant Skill.

Familiarization
Familiarization is an optional mechanic introduced in Deluxe Edition that is meant to show when a character is especially out of their element. It essentially involves the GM applying a penalty to the character's Skill rolls if they are performing a task covered by a Skill, that they would be narratively unfamiliar with.

For instance, a Seasoned wild west gunslinger might have a d10 in Shooting with his trusty revolver, but suffer a -2 penalty if he picks up an English longbow. Similarly, if he uses an alien plasma rifle, the GM might apply a hefty -4 penalty to his roll.

The AdE Core Book states that Familiarization should only be applied when it is dramatically-appropriate. Skill penalties should be said to fade after a day or two of practice, or for knowledge-based skills, enough time researching the subject matter.

Skills in Adventure Edition
By default, there are 29 Skills in Adventure Edition. Of these, five are now "Core Skills", which every character starts with at least a d4 in:


 * Athletics
 * Common Knowledge
 * Notice
 * Persuasion
 * Stealth

Note that certain Setting Books and Setting Rules may specify changes to this lineup. Crystal Heart, for example, mandates a specific Arcane Background for all players.

Adventure Edition Skill Table
In the table below, Core Skills are indicated with a star (⭐).