Skills represent the abilities of the Player Character. They are broadly defined, to allow for a wide variety of related actions to be governed by a single mechanical value. SEID includes a library of default available skills, but you'll also find guidelines for creating new skills for your game on this page.
Skill Categories
Innate: These skills represent fundamental abilities that are heavily impacted by Attributes. Example Innate Skills include Athletics and Perception.
Professional: The majority of skills, Professional Skills represent abilities that require training, practice, or specialized equipment. Examples include Medicine, Engineering, and Animal Handling.
Combat: Combat Skills exclusively represent weapon handling and martial skills. Examples include Firearms, Bludgeoning, and Short Blades.
Skill Creation
To build a new skill, look at the sorts of things you'd like it to do, then determine its' category, and finally its' governing Attribute.
Let's build a skill to cover interaction with computer systems, like hacking into a secure system or researching through a terminal. We'll call it 'Computer Engieering.' As a technical skill, Computer Engineering comfortably fits in the Professional category. Next we'll assign it to one of the four default Attributes; Strength, Endurance, Intelligence, or Dexterity. Intelligence seems like the most natural fit, but consider how it may fit other Attributes. Maybe it's a DEX skill because typing quickly and accurately is crucial.
Before creating new skills for a particular genre or type of character, check out the Modules page. The abilities you want to add may already be part of an addon.
Skill Library
Skills are sorted by governing Attribute under each category heading.
Innate Skills
Exertion(S) - Raw expressions of strength; pushing, pulling, lifting, etc.
Intuition(E) - Instincts, guts, vibes, whatever you call them, this Skill encompasses them.
Perception(I) - Vision, hearing, smell, etc. Using your senses to your advantage.
Athletics(D) - The ability to sprint, climb, throw, tackle, or perform other athletic actions.
Professional Skills
Coalition(S) - The ability to inspire cooperation, come to agreements, broker compromises, and unite disparate parties under a common goal.
Enforcer(S) - Intimidation, suspicion, arrest. Interrogation, torture. The purview of bouncers, security gaurds and cops.
Intrusion(S) - Getting into places you aren't wanted. Breaking and entering, burglary, safecracking, escape artistry.
Swagger(S) - Braggadaccio. The ability to draw attention, pick fights, and boast. The skillful application of douchebaggery.
Determination(S) - The ability to push past personal limitations, to play through the pain, to push down the bad thoughts. The gumption needed to set your own broken bones, take unfeasible risks, and to fight through fear.
Performance(E) - The ability to portray a character, along with classical stage and screen skills like singing and dancing.
Medicine(E) - Doctoring, pharmacology, and surgery. Practical knowledge of how to fix bodies and use medical equipment and drugs.
Zoology(E) - The ability to care for and work with animals, including knowledge of biology, taxonomy, husbandry, and vetinary care.
Care(E) - The ability to empathize with and care for others. Bedside manner, childcare, counsel.
Pathfinding(E) - Outdoorsmanship, biovaucing, wilderness survival. Ability to navigate and survive harsh conditions.
Computer Engineering(I) - The ability to interact with computer systems on a deeper level. Hacking, terminal commands, power-using.
Academics(I) - General education, along with arts and humanities. Research and study skills, and the ability to mingle with and understand experts.
Science(I) - Physics, chemistry, astronomy. Scientific knowledge and study, laboratory work, and high technology
Social Engineering(I) - The ability to manipulate people's ideas and emotions using psychology and sociality.
Partisan(I) - Knowledge of political theory, and how to get what you want through partisan appeal. The ability to suck up, appease and brown-nose.
Espionage(D) - The skill of infiltration, stealth, subterfuge, legerdemain.
Pilotage(D) - SKillful driving, along with operation of less conventional vehicles, like aircraft, boats or snowmobiles.
Technical Engineering(D) - Repair and maintenance of mechanical systems, jury-rigging, design and manufacture of machines.
Urbanite(D) - The ability to navigate urban and industrial spaces and cultures. Street smarts.
Criminality(D) - Knowledge of local law and best practices for breaking it. Camraderie with outlaws and criminals. Experience being on the wrong end of the law.
Combat Skills
Bludgeoning(S) - Blunt objects, clubs, hammers, bats, wrenches.
Close Quarters(S) - Fighting with bare hands, pugilism, martial arts.
Heavy Weapons(S) - Large high caliber firearms, launchers, and oversized melee weapons.
Grappling(E) - Wrestling holds, restraint.
Long Blades(E) - Machetes, swords, fireaxes.
High-Tech Weapons(I) - Smart Guns, Energy Weapons, Biological Weapons.
Gadgetry(I) - Traps, explosives, drones, turrets.
Firearms(D) - Handguns, Rifles, Submachine Guns, Shotguns.
Short Blades(D) - Hunting knives, boxcutters, daggers.