Reader Discipline

Sometimes called the Deduction Discipline, this Discipline represents the keening of senses and intuition. Invest in this skill if

• You want to discover NPCs’ characteristics by reading their speech

• You want to study an enemy’s weak points and strike for high damage

• You want to play an sly assassin, a clever detective, a wily inquisitor, or simply, keen judge of character.

Special Rule: Ponder a Clue - Some NPCs can only partially block Inquiries/Examines. In lieu of answering, they will invoke “Clue” or give out a “Clue Card”. To use it:

Write your chosen question(s) on the Clue Card or an index card. If you have multiple questions, they must all be there. You may add “if-then” contingencies on which to ask.

Include your name or CSN, whichever you wish.

Post it outside of Logistics and inform Game Staff after the current scenario.

You will get your answer from Game Staff ASAP, reflecting your musings on the matter. However, if a Clue Card/Clue is unused, it disappears at the end of the Event.

DISCIPLINE OVERVIEW

BASIC SKILLS

Cold Reading: Gain medical details about someone you examine

Defensive Reading: Read an attacker to avoid their attack against you.

Mental Deduction: Gain personal details about someone you are conversing with.

COMPLEX SKILLS

Corpse Reader: Gain information from a corpse, including how they died.

Deep Reader: Gain more information from your skill use

Know thy Enemy: Identify and strike at target’s weak spots

Quick Study: Quicken your ability to read or study your targets

ERUDITE SKILLS

Insightful Aspect (ATN): Sharpen your senses to a fine edge

Mind Reader: Gain the answer to three questions from deduction.

Precise Assassin: Expend Focus to strengthen your Assassinate or wound your target.

Ruthless Assassin: When you perform Assassinate, you may attack again.

Supreme Observation (1/P): Glean a person’s details from afar

BASIC SKILLS

COLD READING

(Basic Reader; Active-Conc/Focus, Inquiry, Examine)

You are able to swiftly determine what ails a nearby person. Using Cold Reading follows the steps below, though take note that Deception skills can negate such attempts.

• Step 1: Perform iConc-5. staying in arm’s reach of your target

  • This is interlinked Concentration - it is disrupted if your target received damage or a control effect.

• Step 2: Expend 1 Focus.

• Step 3: Put your hand/weapon over your head.

• Step 4: Invoke “Inquiry” then ask one question OOG from the list below or invoke “Clue” (see Ponder a Clue). If needed, clarify that the Target must truthfully answer. Some NPCs may invoke a “Clue”, or give a “Clue card” instead or upon request

Diagnosis (iConc-5 & -Focus): Replace the Examine/Inquiry effect by imbuing “Painful Revive” on your target. If you have Treat Injury, use one of its functions instead of Examine.

Sense Valuables (iConc-5. -Focus; Sense): When using the Scavenge baseline skill, complete a Conc-3 and expend 1 Focus, to perform and invoke a “Quick Scavenge”. This allows you to quickly loot an inert body. Remember that looting other PCs counts as PVP and has a different ruleset.

Corpse Reader and Discern Details skill: You can choose questions from the question lists of these skills, if you have them.

DEFENSIVE READING

(Basic Reader; Active-Focus, Melee/ranged-Defense)

You can read the attacks of others and move your body defensively in response. This is reflected in the functions below:

Dodge (-Focus): as a Reaction to being attacked, invoke “Dodge!” and expend 1 Focus to negate all melee and ranged attacks that hit you within the last second. However, the following conditions must be fulfilled:

• No Armor: You are not wearing Armor (see Scrapper’s Armored Dodge)

• Not impaired: Your character’s legs are not impaired in-game (e.g. Mangle, Grapple, tied up, etc)

• No Ambush attacks: None of the attacks come from behind you and hit your back torso (aka Ambush attacks)

• No Master attacks: None of the attacks are prefixed with “Master” (e.g. Master 3 damage)

Insightful Defense (Skill Aug, Aftereffect): Against an individual that received one of your Inquiry effects this Period or one that you’ve studied via a Conc-30 within the same Period, you may use your insight of them to your advantage. For the purposes of this skill, an NPC respawning as the same type of foe counts as the same individual.

When you use Dodge or Parry against such a person, augment it and prefix it with “Insightful”. This has the following effect: within the next 10 seconds, invoke “Negate” against the next attack you receive from your attacker unless it is a Master-type attack.

MENTAL DEDUCTION

(Basic Reader; Active-Parley/Focus, Inquiry)

With this Skill, you can discern information about a person after a short conversation. The subjects of this skill are vaguely aware of your scrutiny but not the specifics thereof. To use this skill,

Step 0: Have no fighting within 50 ft/sight/hearing

Step 1: while in step and arm’s reach have a 30+ second conversation with the target

Step 2: Expend 1 Focus

Step 3: Ask one of the questions below out of game OR invoke “Clue” as per Cold Reading. Clarify this if needed: They must negate this, invoke “Clue”, or truthfully answer in a whisper. “I don’t know” is a valid answer

Special Note: Once used on a target, this Skill can’t be used on them until the next Period or next Hour (whichever happens last). Your targets are vaguely aware of being scrutinized, which may render them hostile or difficult.

Spirit Speaker (Conc-10): Invoke “Spirit Speaker” to sharpen your sight enough to see spirits (wears purple headband) and speak to them. This lasts 10 minutes.

Additional Options: If you have Discern Details, Corpse Reader, Treat Injury, Scholastic Scrutiny, or Cold Reading, you can choose Inquiry or Examine questions from their lists.

COMPLEX SKILLS

CORPSE READER

(Complex Doctor/Hunter/Reader; Active-Conc/Focus, Inquiry)

Requires: Any two Basic Hunter, Doctor, and/or Reader skills

With scrutiny and deduction, you can learn more from a corpse, or a person that does not move away from you.

• Step 1: Choose a creature or corpse (at least 50% intact) as this skill’s subject.

• Step 2: Perform a Conc-30 while studying the subject within your arm’s reach.

• Step 3 Expend 1 Focus

• Step 4: Invoke “Corpse Reader”

• Step 5: Ask 1-2 of the questions below. -- Your insight is represented by truthful OOG answers from the subject.

-- Deception skills can negate Inquiry effects but not Examine effects.

-- If there is no corpse prop, direct questions to a Game Marshall during or after the scene via a Clue card left outside of Logistics.

Additional Options: If you have Discern Details, Treat Injury, or Cold Reading, you can choose questions from their lists.

Skill Limitations:

-- 1/Period: You cannot use this skill on the same target again until an hour or a Period has passed (whichever comes last).

-- No distractions: This must be done out of combat (out of sight, hearing, and 50 feet)

DEEP READER

(Complex Reader; Active-Focus/Conc/Craft, Inquiry-Aug, Parley, Research)

Requires: Any two Basic Reader skills

In addition to a growing proficiency in reading other people through observation and hypothesis, you also learn how to read people with a greater capability.

Deep Inquiry: You may augment and invoke “Inquiry” as “Deep Inquiry”. As an Aftereffect, ask a second question from the same list as the first, when using Cold Reading or Mental Deduction.

Combat Inquiry: Using Inquiry or Examine or Unveil on another Character counts as Studying them, for the purposes of the Know thy Enemy, the Defensive Reading, Sharpshooter Aspect (Dead-eye), and the Battle Aspect (Kensai) Skills.

Discern Creature: Discover a target’s identity or species

• Step 1: Point at a creature within 5 paces of you

• Step 2: While doing so, perform 3-counts of quiet Concentration (aka qConc-3)

• Step 3: If uninterrupted, invoke “Examine - what are you?”

• Step 4: Your target answers truthfully OOG with one of the following

-- Option 1: Identity: a common name they are known by

-- Option 2: Species: such as Human or Blood Geist. Or even a specific subtype such as Seraph or Slaughter Geist.

Rumormonger (Craft): You can try to gather information about and/or contemplate the information you’ve heard about someone you’ve met. This functions exactly as the limited version of Counselor’s Researcher skill except that the question must focus around a person you have met.

KNOW THY ENEMY

(Complex Reader; Active-Conc, Attack-Aug, Ambush-Melee, LOS)

Requires: Any two basic Reader skills

You may designate a single creature, studying them for weakness before striking out at them for a significant amount of damage.

• Step 1: Designate a target you can see

• Step 2: Perform a qConc-15 while maintaining Line of Sight with them

• Step 3: Upon competition, gain one use of “Assassinate” against them. You may only have one use of Assassinate per target at a time.

Effect: Within the next hour, you can use the Assassinate attack against them. This can only be done with a Small or Medium-type weapon (48” or smaller). To do this, invoke “Assassinate” and strike a target’s back torso while you are behind them. You may invoke and inflict one of the two effects below:

• Assassinate Option 1: “3 damage”*

• Assassinate Option 2: “Hobble”

*Assassinate’s damage cannot be increased but its type may be altered by items, skills, and other effects that affect Smite damage. However, it does not cost Focus to use.

Special Cases: If a creature has no rear torso or a back area (such as a non-humanoid monster), you may hit its “torso” or the nearest analogue to it. A creature with no such body part is immune to this attack.

Similar to Defensive Reading, an NPC respawning as the same type of foe counts as the same individual for the purposes of this skill.

QUICK STUDY

(Complex Reader; Active-Resolve/Conc)

Requires: Any two Basic Reader skills

Training and experience have allowed you to make a quick study of your targets and your opponents,.

Quickened Studying (-Resolve): Whenever you have to perform a Conc count to study an opponent (e.g. the Defensive Reading skill or the Know thy Enemy skill), you may augment it and invoke it as “Quick Concentration 1, Quick Concentration 2, etc”. If you also expend all of your Resolve (at least 1), you can reduce that Conc requirement to only 5 counts.

Quickened Targeting (-Resolve): Whenever you perform a Targ count, you may augment it and invoke as “Quick Targeting 1, Quick Targeting 2, etc). If you also expend all of your Resolve you can reduce it to Targ-2 if its less than Targ-10 originally or Targ-5 if it is 10 or more.

Insightful Aspect (Self-inflict 2): If you are attuned to Insightful Aspect, you can self-inflict 2 damage to use Quickened Targeting or Quickened Studying if you do not have Resolve to use.

ERUDITE SKILLS 

INSIGHTFUL ASPECT

(Erudite Hunter/Reader; Active-Task/ATN, Aspect)

Requires: Any two Basic Reader/Hunter skills and any two Complex Reader/Hunter skills

You may enter into a mental state that enhances your senses and deductive abilities.

• Step 1: Have no other Aspect ATNs on your person

• Step 2: Write “Insightful Aspect” to two empty ATN slots

• Step 3: Perform 5+ minutes of meditation in private

• Step 4: Gain the benefits and limitations below. This Aspect lasts for 1 Event.

Snap Shot (Self-inflict 2): you may invoke “Snap Shot” to instantly perform a Missile attack with a ranged weapon (except Siege Casters)

Question Everything (Aftereffect, Clue): If you have a skill or aptitude that allows you to ask additional questions as an Aftereffect (e.g. Deep Reader, Keen Inquisitive, Eagle-eyed), you may ask one more question than normal -- this is only on Clue Cards.

Inquiring Riposte (Aftereffect): When you are subject to an Inquiry effect from an adjacent person, you are able to use an applicable Inquiry skill upon them waiving the Conc or conversation requirement., Augment it and prefix it with “Insightful”. This can be an Aftereffect to their Inquiry or to your Inquiry defense.

Improved Senses (0 Focus): When you use the Keen Perception or Pursue Quarry skill and it is after Sunrise but before Sunset or you are holding a light source in your hand, you may augment and prefix it with “Insightful” to waive the Focus cost.

Lookout (-Focus): You may use the Guard and the Intervene defenses to protect your allies from attack.

Quicker Study (-Resolve or Self-inflict 2): You gain Quick Study. If you already have it, you can self-inflict 2 damage to use Quickened Targeting or Quickened Studying - but only if you have no Resolve.

Opened Senses: Your maximum HP may not exceed 7 points.

MIND READER

(Erudite Reader; Active-Focus/Parley, Inquiry)

Requires: Any two Basic Reader skills and any two Complex Reader skills

You are able to pick facts out from thin air as though you could read your target’s mind..

With this skill, augment your Mental Deduction skill (augmenting and invoking it as “Invasive Inquiry”) to instead ask them one of the following questions below (answered to the best of their out-of-game knowledge). Unlike the Mental Deduction skill, these questions are not in the “yes or no” format.

You must have personally and significantly experienced the specific attribute, trait or condition that you are asking about (i.e., you cannot look for something you have no knowledge of).

Improved Defensive Reading (-Focus, requires Defensive Reading): Your skill at Mind Reading also affects your defensive capability. Your Insightful Dodge or Parry allows you to “negate” two attacks within the next 10 seconds instead of only one attack.

PRECISE ASSASSIN

(Erudite Reader; Active-Conc/Focus, Ambush-Melee)

Requires: Any two complex Reader skills and any two basic Reader skills

You strike with precision and viciousness, blinding your enemy with agony or impaling their lungs.

When you perform an Assassinate attack, you may expend 1 Focus to vastly increase its power. When you do this, you must invoke it as “Focused Assassinate” instead but you have a choice of several options:

• Control: You inflict your choice of “Blind Wound”, “Snare Wound”, or a “Silence Wound”.

• Damage: You may choose to inflict damage instead with this attack. This inflicts 3 damage, plus any bonuses to Smite attacks or changes to its damage type -- this may not exceed 7 points of damage.

RUTHLESS ASSASSIN

(Erudite Reader; Active-Conc/Focus, Ambush-Melee, Aftereffect)

Requires: Any two complex Reader skills and any two basic Reader skills

Your skill at striking at weakness is such that you are able to strike a second time to ensure your target’s demise or brutalize two unwary enemies.

When you use the Assassinate attack, you gain the following advantage below:

You may perform a second Assassinate attack against them or another creature within the next 10 seconds -- this need not hit their back. As an Aftereffect, invoke this second attack as “Cleave” before invoking its damage or effect. If you benefit from this skill, none of these attacks may be turned into Piercing attacks.

• Option 1: Aftereffect - Control: If the first attack is a Control effect, you may inflict the same effect on a different target using this Aftereffect.

• Option 2: Aftereffect - Damage: If the Assassinate inflicts damage, the special attack from this Skill inflicts the same amount and type of damage.

• Option 3: Aftereffect - Death: If you Down your target, invoke “Instant Death Blow!” instead of “Cleave”, inflicting one point of physical damage. This need not hit their back.

• Option 4: Aftereffect - Resolve: If you expended Focus, you get the option to grant yourself “Resolve 3” instead of invoking “Cleave” and making a secondary attack. If you have the Willful Tenacity ATN, you can gain “Resolve 4” instead.

SUPREME OBSERVATION

(Erudite Reader; Active-Periodic/Conc, Inquiry, LOS)

Requires: Any two Basic Reader skills and any two Complex Reader skills

Your powers of observation allow you to glean details or weaknesses from afar.

Once per Period, choose one of the options below to use this Skill. As a Periodic Skill, once this is used, it cannot be used again until the next Period and after you have completed a 10 minute Rest.

Option 1: Remote Observation - While out of combat, you can study a target from afar.

• Step 1: Write down your questions* on two index cards

• Step 2: Maintain line of sight with your target while performing a qConc-30

• Step 3: Give the index card(s) to a courier: a Game Marshall or a Bonded ally

• Step 4: Within an hour, Your courier will hand over the index card

Effect: Out of game, your target will need to answer its contents, negate them if it can, or use “Clue” (NPC only). They are aware of being scrutinized but not of the card’s origin unless you made yourself obvious. Lastly, they are unable to use retributive abilities like Mind Games or Death Masque to hurt you because of your elusiveness.

Questions: You may choose two questions from the lists of the following Skills, if you have them: Cold Reading, Corpse Reader, Treat Injury, Discern Details, Detect Secret, Mental Deduction, Scholastic Scrutiny, or Mind Reader. However, you cannot follow this up with any Aftereffect.

Option 2: No Words for the Dead - Invoke “Supreme Observation” to gain one use of Assassinate on every enemy you can see at that moment. These uses expire after approximately one hour, if unexpended.