Super Skills

Mutants & Masterminds heroes can sneak into the well-guarded lairs of criminal masterminds, infiltrate alien computer systems, and create devices beyond the understanding of modern science. They can piece together clues to a villain's latest plot, run along tightropes, and pilot vehicles through obstacle courses. They do so through the use of various skills.

Mutants & Masterminds 2e both simplifies and refines the descriptions and use of skills. Redundant skills are added together to make a single skill, while the individual uses of skills are expanded. The new skill table in the rulebook is shown below:

Skill	Ability	Untrained?	Specialty?	Action	Take 10/20
Acrobatics	Dex	No	No	Free or move	10
Bluff	Cha	Yes	No	Attack or full	10
Climb	Str	Yes	No	Full or move	10
Computers	Int	No	No	—	20
Concentra- tion	Wis	Yes	No	React	—
Craft	Int	No	Yes	—	10 (20 on repair)
Diplomacy	Cha	Yes	No	Full	10
Disable Device	Int	No	No	Full	20
Disguise	Cha	Yes	No	—	20
Drive	Dex	No	No	Move	10
Escape Artist	Dex	Yes	No	Full	20
Gather Information	Cha	Yes	No	—	10
Handle Animal	Cha	Yes	No	—	20
Intimidate	Cha	Yes	No	Full	10
Investigate	Int	No	No	Full	10
Knowledge	Int	No	Yes	Free or full	20
Language	—	No	Yes	—	—
Medicine	Wis	No	No	—	10
Notice	Wis	Yes	No	Free or full	20
Perform	Cha	No	Yes	—	10
Pilot	Dex	No	No	Move	10
Profession	Wis	No	Yes	—	20
Ride	Dex	No	No	Move	10
Search	Int	Yes	No	Full	20
Sense Motive	Wis	Yes	No	Reaction	10
Sleight of Hand	Dex	No	No	Attack	10
Stealth	Dex	Yes	No	Move	10
Survival	Wis	Yes	No	—	10
Swim	Str	Yes	No	Move or full	10

Choosing Skills

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing skills for your Mutants & Masterminds hero.

Training vs. Talent: In game terms there's no difference between a character who has ranks in a skill because of extensive training and another whose skill ranks represent a natural "knack" or aptitude for the skill. Both are considered "trained" in the skill in game terms. For example, one character might have a high Diplomacy skill based on extensive training in negotiation, debate, and management. Another character's Diplomacy skill may stem more from personal attractiveness or a talent for getting others to cooperate, while a third character may have a combination of the two. Feel free to decide for yourself what mix of training and talent your hero's skill ranks represent.

Life Skills: When allocating skill ranks for your character consider not just the character's role as a hero but also the various other skills the character may have picked up in day-to-day life. For example, most adults have some sort of Craft or Profession skill as their occupation with at least 3 to 5 ranks (more if they're especially good at their job). Some people pick up ranks in Notice, although most get by using the skill untrained. Characters working with technology may have the Computers or Craft skills even if they don't apply to their powers. A particularly well-educated person may have various Knowledge skills. These additional skills help round out a character and provide some background color and—who knows?—they may turn out to be useful in an adventure at some point.

Adventuring Skills: Also give some thought to the skills your character needs to be effective in game play. Some are obvious, especially if they're part of your character concept. A scientist is going to have Knowledge skills, and possibly Computers or Craft. A pilot should have Pilot, while a doctor should have Medicine and Profession (physician). Beyond the obvious and background skills of your character consider "utility skills" like Concentration, Notice, Search, Sense Motive, and Stealth, which many characters find useful. A few ranks in such skills may be a smart investment.

Skill Benchmarks

As a general guideline, 1-4 ranks in a skill is a basic level of training, familiarity with the basics of the skill. A character with 5-8 ranks has a professional level of training, sufficient for someone using the skill in their primary profession. Someone with 9-12 ranks is an expert; the character is recognized and likely known as an expert in the skill, while 13-15 ranks represent virtual mastery of the skill. More than 15 ranks is such an amazing level of skill that the character is recognized as being among the best-trained people in the world!

These guidelines apply to attack and defense bonus as well if you substitute skill level for "combat skill level." So a hero with attack +7 has a "professional" level of training, while someone with a +15 bonus is a true master of combat skills.

Specialty Skills

Some skills—like Craft, Knowledge, and Perform—cover a wide range of knowledge or techniques. These skills are actually groups of similar skills, called specialty skills. When putting ranks into one of these skills, you must choose a specialty, a particular aspect of the skill your character knows. For example, you might choose the physical sciences specialty of Knowledge or the mechanical specialty of Craft. Skill ranks in one specialty of a skill do not imply training in the skill's other specialties.

Specialty skills (and their specialties) are:

Craft: artistic, chemical, electronic, mechanical, structural.

Knowledge: arcane lore, art, behavioral sciences, business, civics, current events, earth sciences, history, life sciences, physical sciences, popular culture, streetwise, tactics, technology, theology and philosophy.

Language: Each language is a seperate specialty.

Perform: acting, comedy, dance, keyboards, oratory, percussion instruments, singing, stringed instruments, wind instruments.

Profession: Each profession is a seperate specialty.

Next: We take a look at the feats of Mutants & Masterminds, including sample feats like Defensive Roll, Fearsome Presence, and Ultimate Effort.