Scholar Skill

The Scholar Skill for the Atomic RPG System will reflect most “book-learned” knowledge. Scholar covers just about anything that can be found out through the study of oral history, texts, scrolls, the internet, or the galactic information cloud.

The Scholar Skill can also be employed to learn about more about complicated or “studied” subjects.

Scholar Skill Checks will be used for a whole variety of things. A Scholar Skill Check can be used to determine the success of an action that requires learned knowledge, ability to work out puzzles or how systems or items might function.

Sample Scholar Skill Checks

The Scholar Skill in the Atomic RPG System will be used in a wide range of situations. Below is a list of some of the most common uses. The difficulty of these checks will be determined by the GM. Usually using the Easy/Moderate/Hard method but special situation might call for different rolls. Reference the GM guide for Skill Checks for more details.

Knowing Geography
Understanding Law
Figuring Out Puzzles
Researching New Information
Identifying Things
Knowing How Items Function
Deciphering Code

A character's Mind Trait determines the base skill bonus.

Player Cooperation

Multiple characters can work together to figure something out. This is called Aiding Another.

To successfully Aid Another character the character helping must make the same check the as the one rolling the Skill Check. If they succeed then the player rolling the Skill Check can add their Character Tier to their roll.

However, if the character helping fails in the check, the player will get a penalty to the roll of their Character Tier. Only one player may Aid another at a time.

Passive Scholar Checks

Your Passive Scholar check is your normal bonus + 10. This is used by the GM to determine things that you may notice or know without having to actively ask to use your skill.

This is a useful tool the GM can use to give out information in the game. Or can even be prompted by the player to see if the GM is willing to give you something for free.

Scholar Check as an Action

Scholar as an Action will happen when a player character tries to do something that may require a Scholar Skill. Examples that would require the use of an Action would include determining studying the history of the area, learning the uses of a mysterious item, or figuring out a new type of computer code.

Book Learning

Characters can use the Scholar Skill to learn and study through books and other source materials.

Characters can look up, read, research, and study almost anything to learn what they need to know.

This is a very useful tool for the GM to use to allow the players to find out more about their campaign and setting.

Here are some of the most common sources of information for each broad genre:
Stone Age: Oral Historians, Elders, Chiefs, Cave Paintings
Medieval: Oral Historians, Schools, Library
Modern: Schools, Internet, Library, Subject Experts
Future: Schools, Subject Experts, Brain Downloads, Cloud

Knowing History

Characters can hold their breath using Athletics.

The Scholar Skill is also used frequently to determine adventure or campaign information. Some common questions that may be answered using the Scholar Skill might be to figure out the identity of an NPC, allies and enemies of an NPC or a nation, the history of conflicts between nations or peoples, local customs, and local black market contacts in the city.

The Scholar Skill can be used to see if the character already knows this information. There are several methods characters can use to learn information, but Scholar Skill checks should be made to see what a character may already know.

Identifying Items

Scholar can be used to identify what an item is and what it does.

The Scholar Skill can be used to identify what an item is and how it works. The benefits of learning how something works with the Scholar Skill go beyond just the knowledge of what the item does.

The Scholar Skill can also be used to modify or change how an item works. This can be used in all manner of ways such as changing how a lock works on a door, hacking into a computer, or hotwiring a car.

A common crossover would be disabling a trap with the Scholar Skill just as you might with the Subterfuge Skill.

Solving Puzzles

Characters can use Scholar Skill to solve puzzles and decipher code.

Characters can use the Scholar Skill to figure out puzzles. A successful Skill Check might solve it or just offer a clue, depending on the GM.

Along these lines, a character can use the Scholar Skill to decipher codes, languages, or symbols to figure out their meanings.

This is a great "fall back" use of the Scholar Skill for GMs to get out information or hints in the campaign.

The Scholar Skill has many different uses and can benefit a character in a wide variety of situations in the Atomic RPG System. This skill is a little more dependent on the type of Atomic RPG System campaign you are playing and how your GM might choose to utilize this Skill.

GMs should look to see which of their players are playing characters that focus on the Scholar Skill. For adventures and campaigns where characters are using the Scholar Skill, the GM is encouraged to make sure it is included during Atomic RPG System game play as it is a great way to get good information out to the group about the game.

Learn about the other skills by clicking on one below.

Are you a GM looking for Skill rules? Click below!

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