Universal Skills
All characters have the following skills:
- Body– This skill describes how strong and tough a character is physically.
- Mettle– This skill describes how well a character stands up against stress and fear.
- Horror– This is a passive skill that represents how scary a person, creature, or situation is.
Specialty Skills
There are several other skills in the game. Each character has FOUR specialty skills.
Skill Tests
Skills tests are completed by randomly drawing a colored bead from a test bag. During a skill test, after the role-playing requirement has been met, draw several beads based on your skill level for the required test. Drawing a navy blue bead indicates success. Drawing a red bead indicates failure. Individuals may only perform or assist during one skill test at a time.
Test Bags
Test bags are small bags containing red and navy blue beads. The bags and beads will be provided by the game and will be returned to the game at the conclusion. Test bags should begin game with 10 beads total (2 red, 8 navy).
The following table depicts the success rate for tests based on the number of beads that are pulled for a skill test. Most characters have skill values in the 3-5 range. There are item cards that can enhance skills lowering their values to fall into the 1-2 range.
Assisting
If a second individual meets the requirements to complete a skill test, they may role play with and perform the task as well. A workstation must allow for the correct number of individuals to participate in work being done at the station. One individual is declared the ‘lead’ and the second person is declared the ‘assistant’. At the end of the time, the assistant makes their skill test first. If the assistant is successful, the ‘lead’ may perform a re-draw in the event of failure.
Forrest Gump wants to repair Lt. Dan’s legs. He has access to a medical station that allows for two people to work on a patient at once. His medical skill is 2. He will need to pull 2 stones to repair Lt. Dan’s legs. The leg repair will take 15 minutes. Because the test takes a long time and Lt. Dan is very useful in combat, Forrest wants to succeed. He gets help from Dr. Lecter. Dr. Lecter has the matching skill as well at level 3.
Forrest and Dr. Lecter roleplay fixing Lt. Dan’s leg for 15 minutes. After that time, Dr. Lecter who is assisting Forrest Gump pulls his stones first. He pulls 3 navy beads. Dr. Lecter has successfully helped Forrest Gump. It’s now Forrest’s time to pull his beads. Forrest pulls a red bead and a navy bead. Because Dr. Lecter was a successful assistant, Forrest Gump may put all his beads back in his bag and redraw. On his second pull, Forrest pulls 2 navy beads and is successful.
Lt. Dan’s legs are repaired.
Modifiers
Players may acquire item cards that modify their skill level. Item cards must be present at time of use to be used. Item cards may reduce the number of beads required for a test to 0, allowing players to automatically succeed!
