Strength Sphere

This Sphere represents skills that normally take Strength or brute force to complete successfully.

Athletics
This skill covers a handful of passive Attributes and will provide you with the numbers for these Attributes (such as Jump or Run). Additionally, the Specializations explained below can be performed without any ranks in that Specialization. Putting ranks in a Specialization will of course give you more chances for success.

Jump
This specialization measures how high and far your character can jump. This differs from the Agility Sphere Jump only in what base stat is uses, i.e. you use 'Strength (and ranks in Athletics not Acrobatics) to calculate jump height/distance and do any checks. Again, the formula for your base distance to jump is:


 * Horizontal


 * 1/2 STR + Ranks in Jump (including Athletics) = Base in Feet
 * Vertical


 * STR + Ranks in Jump (including Athletics) = Base in Inches

This is from a standing jump. You must score at least 1 success to jump your base. Every success over 1 adds another foot or inch (horizontal or vertical, respectively). If you do not score a success, then you do not jump the base height and must make an AGI Tested roll (TN 10) to remain standing.

Running
This is a measure in feet how fast (beyond 30 ft/ turn) the character can move at a rushed pace in 1 Action. A jog would be two times their Base. A fast run would be three times this. A dead sprint would be four times this total, but only available to the character if they have at least 1 rank in Running Specialization.

One action is about one second, so to calculate speed outside of combat think of the speed of the character as 30 feet/sec. It may seem a bit fast, but most characters will be exceptional people in the world. The Average Schmoe in the world would run or move at about 15 feet/sec.

If traveling at more than a jog (x2 speed), then to sustain that speed beyond 100m requires an Running check at TN 4 every 25m. However, each 25m beyond the first will add a +1 to the TN (+1 at 150m, +2 at 175m, etc). If at any point the character fails, they must slow to a walk or jog. If the character jogs, then they don’t have to make endurance checks until 300m and every 100m thereafter. If the character walks or hikes, then they can travel their ranks in Run skill times 3 miles per day.

Ranks in Athletics alone will not increase your base speed. However, for every Specialization Rank in Running, you can add those number of ranks to your base speed. For example, if a character has 2 Specialization Ranks in Running their base speed is now 32 ft. Additionally, one or more Specialization Ranks in Running will also allow you to go at x5 base speed.

Weightlifting
This is a measure of how strong a character is after training with weights and other types of Strength Training. The ranks in this Specialization contribute to raising Encumbrance and Max Lift. To increase these Attributes, add the number of Specialization Ranks in Weightlifting to the Attribute Bonus for STR in the Encumbrance formula. Of course, raising Encumbrance will also raise Max Lift since both are connected. Example, a character has 2 ranks in the Specialization Weightlifting and a STR of 5, thus a bonus of +2. Their new Encumbrance formula would be:


 * 5 (STR) + 2 (Att Bonus) + 2 (Specialization Ranks) x 72 = 108

108 lbs is now their new Encumbrance which will in turn, make Max Lift 308 lbs.

Sprint
This is not a further Specialization of Running. It is still just a Specialization under Athletics. This does not provide any passive bonus like Running, instead it is a Tested roll to push their x4 speed (or in the case that they have Specialization Ranks in Running, x 5 speed) even faster. The initial TN is 3. For every success over 3, they can add another 5 to their base Movement and then multiply that by x4 (or x5).

Strength Feat
Like Sprint, this does not add passively to a base attribute. Instead it is actively pushing your Max Lift beyond its limit. This is a Tested roll with the initial TN of 3. For every success beyond 3, you may add another 10 lbs to your Max Lift to attempt to lift or move a heavy object.

Climb
This skill covers how well the character can climb. A character may attempt to climb any surface. The quality, incline and sheen of the surface will determine TN. Standard TN is 3(near vertical with good hand holds or a rope). Character needs only exceed the TN 3 in successes to actually climb, but the more successes they get, the less time it takes. For every success beyond 3, they may add 3 feet/Action to their climb speed. Climb speed is 1/4 of a character's base movement.

Free Climbing
With this Specialization, the character has become more comfortable climbing without the aid of equipment. They may attempt to climb any surface without the aid of ropes or other climbing equipment. They may attempt this with just Climb, but the TN raises to 5 without equipment. With this Specialization, the TN is lowered back to 3. Again, any successes beyond 3 adds 3 feet/Action to their climb speed.

Repelling
With this Specialization, the character gains bonuses from using ropes and harnesses to descend from climbing. The following bonuses only apply to descending and not to ascending. That is still handled by Climb or Free Climb Specialization. +10 descent speed (as climbing up or down is still 1/4 base movement).

SCUBA
This skill allows the character to use SCUBA equipment effectively to stay for long periods under water. They are limited by their tank size on how long they can stay under, but body control under water and use of the equipment is covered by this skill.

Deep Diving
This Specialization allows the character the use of specialized equipment for Deep Ocean diving.

Snorkeling
This allows the character use of Snorkels.

Swim
Like Running this is a measure in feet how fast a character can swim every Action, or roughly 3 seconds in feet per ranks in Swimming. The character must take this skill at Rank 1 to keep afloat (voluntarily). Rank 2 and above will allow them to move in a specific direction. Like run there are different swim speeds, but only x2 swim speed and x3. You will need to use one of the following Specializations if you swim faster than x3.

Swimming is used when the character swims more than 50m. For every 25m beyond 50m, a Swimming check at TN 4 is required. However, each 25m beyond the first, will add a +1 to the TN. If they fail the Swimming check, the character must stop and catch their breath. If they fail the Swimming check, then they start to sink, which brings us to the Hold Breath Specialization.

If the character dives in and swims underwater from the start, then all the distances above are reduced to 10m and every 5m thereafter. Of course, they start at their full time to Hold Breath, but any penalties accrued from swimming past 10m will also subtract from the total time.

Hold Breath
Normally, you would get your ranks in Hold Breath +30 sec without any ranks in Swim or its Specializations. Ranks in Hold Breath improve this time by 1 second per rank. However, after swimming a distance, you will be tired. Therefore, however much penalty you gained from distance swimming is multiplied by 3 and subtracted from the total time you can hold your breath.

A character with 3 in their Hold Breath skill can hold their breath normally for 33 sec. However, if they swam 200m before they went underwater then they could only hold their breath for 18sec (36 sec -18 {+6 TN x 3} for the Swim check).

Sprint
As with the same Specialization under Running, this allows the character to go one speed category faster, so x4. Also, a Sprint check will add to the base speed which will be multiplied by x4.

Throw
With this Skill the character can throw heavy objects not normally meant for throwing. The distance thrown is the number of successes (2 minimum) in feet x 2. There are no Specializations for this skill.

Wrestling
This skill is one of the many Martial Arts that offers a more complex version of the maneuver Grapple. Any attack or Grapple initiated by a character with this skill may use their ranks in Wrestling (and STR of course) to attempt to grab and hold an opponent. Otherwise, the Grapple is resolved normally (see Grapple under the Combat Rules).

Apart from Grapple, the character may use the following Unarmed Combat Maneuvers. To perform any of these maneuvers, the the character rolls to hit using their Wrestling skill. Some maneuvers are not specifically trained by Wrestling and thus get a slight penalty (listed next to the maneuver).

Punch

Kick (- 2)

Grapple (obviously)

Throw (actually it's a Takedown, but the maneuver is resolved the same)

Joint Lock (-1)

Holds
This Specialization focuses on holding your opponent against their will. The character can apply any ranks in Holds to their Grapple rolls.

Takedowns
This Specialization focuses on throwing your opponent roughly to the ground. When using the Throw maneuver, the character can add their ranks in Takedowns to resolve the maneuver.

Pins
Like Holds, the character uses their ranks in this Specialization to hold someone to the ground. However, this is specifically for Pinning someone to the ground. Holding them in place falls under the Specialization Hold.