Skill Guide

The Skill system, with each skill placed into an overarching category, places an emphasis on mastery over specific cognitive, arcane or physical fields. It removes the need to level “stat skills” like strength or dexterity and instead offers an organic progression through each overarching category. As an example, as one develops and masters more skills in the 'Strength' tree, they will find themselves becoming stronger and more enduring, as well as more easily familiar with new skills of that type.

The Categories

Though there are many categories, they are best interpreted from the lens of the skill the character is using; generally, all categories are foundational and build towards an overall familiarity to skills within their respective trees.

Strength: Strength is, simply, strength. It is physical strength; the overall force one can command with their body, modified by their weight, size, and circumstance. Strength applies to nearly all physical actions in some way, and greater heights within this statistic offer an improved volume of strength as well as control.

Endurance: Endurance is, obviously, the capacity for the character to endure things. It is improved by mastering skills that allow one to survive harsh conditions, building up tolerances against a plethora of things, even the improvement of stamina for longer periods of physical activity.

Intelligence: Intelligence is, literally, the intelligence of the character. As it is acquired by mastering skills involving knowledge and understanding of the world and the people, plants, animals, and other things within it, intellect is truly what the name implies.

Dexterity: Dexterity augments one's reflexes, precision, reaction time, the nimbleness of their movements, and the general alacrity of the hands. It can apply to all skills in this way, but generally is specifically tied to rogue-like skills that test the reflexive coordination and grace of the individual in question.

Perception: Perception improves upon a character's ability to perceive the world around them, in a variety of different ways. It offers one improved awareness of their surroundings as well as the ability to piece together audible, visible, and somatic cues more quickly and clearly. Some would say it is the ability to master the senses, though even this is a fairly banal method of description.

Charisma: Charisma is one's overall ability to persuade and socialize with others, whether for the sake of business, pleasure, or anything in-between. Charisma seeks into nearly everything in which conversation plays a part.

Combat: Combat emphasizes the prowess and mastery of the character’s control over weaponry, and the refinement of their techniques in battle. Warriors and fighters refine their combat abilities to provide them a greater edge in battle, particularly when they specialize in an area of weaponry and display a mastery of it.

Arcana: Arcana is the overall mastery a character has over the arcane, and it is acquired through the mastery of Runic magics over time. This improves the character's basic rudimentary understanding of magic as a whole, almost acting as a sixth sense. This can improve one's overall magical stamina over time, as well as menially reducing the risks when introducing one to new magics or abilities.

Artistry: One's overall artistic talent, applying to all of their musical or aesthetic endeavors across fields.

Biology: Biology encompasses the study and care of living organisms, and enhances a character’s effectiveness in the field when it comes to interacting with them. Biology provides a character with the knowledge and insight on how to effectively aid or even raise wildlife, as well as the capacity to study and practice medical procedures to help others in need.

Craft: Craft is one's overall ability to craft things skillfully, as well as pick up new crafts with greater ease and understanding. It augments one's ability to craft efficiently and speedily, as well as tying in multiple crafting skills together to create exceptional constructs.

Mercantilism: Mercantilism is not just one's ability to effectively trade, but it is the overall ability one has to pick up lucrative and practical life-skills. It is the skill of a business-owner as much as a famed cook, and overall affects one's ability to effectively acquire money and other resources.

Skill Progression

All skills have experience points, ranging from zero as a base-line towards the maximum of a hundred, achievable only by true masters of a skill. In order to acquire experience points one must submit a completed thread - whether a solo or a collaborative thread - and have it be reviewed and rewarded points as a result.

The numerical system is as follows:

Tiers

• Total Points Per Skill: 100
• 0-24, Novice
• 25-49, Apprentice
• 50-74, Journeyman
• 75-99, Expert
• 100, Master

Explaining Tiers

At each tier of mastery, from Novice to Master, the character can be considered to be fairly more skilled as they progress. With Novice beginning as the base-line, where most individuals can pick up a skill and express mastery of it to this level, Apprentices display a particular invested knowledge in this skill that can be demonstrated by their competent performance. This trend continues incrementally towards Master where the individual can demonstrate near-perfect knowledge and acute performance of this ability far beyond the level of their peers. What these tiers may look like precisely varies skill-by-skill, and can be determined by the skill write-up, or the logical progression of how the skill may exist within the world’s lore if a skill write-up is not complete.

It should be noted that no matter how high a character’s mastery in a skill, they will not be able to ignore the lore constraints of the skill in question; for example, a master doctor may not act as if they are equipped with modern medical technology or are capable of single-handedly curing incurable illnesses. While growth in a skill is encouraged, characters are not allowed to use ‘mastery’ as a ticket to breaking the lore of a skill or performing utterly illogical acts.

Beyond Master

Throughout the course of their lives, people never stop learning. The same can be said for the continued progression and story growth of the player-characters that are depicted here on Ransera. To that end, players have the opportunity to invest time, experience, and story development into specializing in particular skills sets that can carry them beyond the standards tiers of Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert and Master. Players can select skills in their repertoire that they can choose to carry to the rank of Grandmaster.

Path to Grandmaster

In order for a skill to be carried beyond the rank of Master, it must be demonstrated that the player in question has invested a significant amount of time, research, personal development and application in the given skill. As one contemplates which skills to push beyond the rank of Master, consider the following questions:

• Is this a skill that defines the character? Is it something that you can imagine them without?
• How often do they use the skill? If it is something used infrequently, it is likely not a candidate for Grandmaster.
• What efforts has the character put into developing their own perspective and unique approach to using the skill? What is their trademark use of it?
• Is this a skill that others immediately attribute to the character? If not, consider fostering a reputation involving its use.
• How have you used the skill in your writing to impact not just your own character but others?

Every character’s path is an individual one and thus these questions and others will always be considered on a case by case basis when applications for Grandmaster are reviewed.

Requirements and Restrictions

Grandmastery will be conferred by the Support Forum. All requests for Grandmastery must be submitted there.

Players must have been actively writing and playing with some measure of consistency for at least twelve months. This is to provide substantive evidence that the skill being requested for Grandmastery can actually be supported with in-character growth and development.

Players must provide an accounting of in-character action displaying the use of the skill. These should be instances where the use of this skill defined the interaction wherein the absence of it would have drastically altered the course of events. It is recommended that at least four to six examples of this be provided.

Players should submit for review instances where their characters have had significant breakthroughs in the use of the skill. These examples may coincide with their examples of significant interaction or they may be separate from them. More supporting evidence of a character’s journey in understanding is always welcome and advised. It is recommended that players submit a progression in understanding across the various tiers of mastery from beginning to intermediate to undisputed master of the given skill.

Players may only ever have (3) skills at the rank of Grandmaster. Only (1) of which can be a magic.

Upon being granted authorization to obtain the rank of Grandmaster, it will not be officially achieved until 300 XP has been invested into the given skill. This is to demonstrate, without question, that they possess a peerless understanding and use of it.

The Master’s Journey

The Master’s Quest is not necessarily a singular event and it does not necessarily require moderator oversight. Players are welcome to involve staff at any point in the approach and development of it but a moderated thread or series of threads is not required. The journey to Grandmaster should be a personal one that is driven by the individual character and their own insights and breakthroughs. Once a character has been authorized to pursue Grandmastery in a given skill they obtain the ability to unlock the following milestones:

Note that the development of unique abilities should be reviewed by Staff to receive input.

150 XP. Master, Third Order.

Can be achieved after being authorized to pursue Grandmastery, a Master of the Third Order is a Master who has demonstrated unique understanding even amongst their peers. They stand out as not just a Master, but someone who is recognized as an authority on a given subject and skill among even those remarkably skilled in its use.

Mundane. In the case of mundane skills, the understanding of this skill is such that the individual displays an uncanny insight into its use and application. As such, players are allowed to develop a unique passive ability that bolsters them whenever the use of this skill comes into play.

Magic. Wizards are unique in the world being relatively uncommon in the populace despite holding great power where they are encountered. Master ranked wizards are decidedly more uncommon even among the magical community. While players are the exception to this rule, they have now set themselves apart in such a way as to make even other Master Wizards blink in surprise. At this stage, a player may adopt an additional Master level Quirk to their magic or may develop a new process that makes the application of World Magic easier for them.

200 XP. Master, Second Order.

This can be considered the first true breakthrough that really sets the individual apart among Masters of the skill. They are noticeably unparalleled in their knowledge and application of the skill in question. Other Masters may even begin seeking them out if their reputation is widely known.

Mundane. The individual has developed such a refined understanding of the skill that it borders on supernatural. Players may develop a unique active ability or technique that, when used, impresses even others who would dare to assume they are peers. This ability can be implemented in such a way as to defy imagination.

Magic. In some circles, the power that a wizard of this caliber displays makes other mages uncomfortable. In others, it is seen as a mark of prestige that is to be emulated. Regardless, these wizards have progressed to such a degree that they can begin to affect even other manifestations of their chosen field of expertise. Personal and World mages may now affect up to Master (100 XP) level manifestations of the given magic, even if they are not the originators of that magic. For example, an elementalist normally cannot influence elements that have been manifested by another mage in a direct way. They might counter Fire with Water. Now, the Master of the Second Order, can take control of another Master’s (100 XP) flames. In the case of World Magic, a runesmith normally has to melt down completed artifacts in order to modify them in the hopes of altering them and improving them. A Master of the Second Order, can bypass the need to melt down an artifact into viscerite and can now simply modify the artifact directly on their anvil.

250 XP. Master, First Order.

Rare, exceedingly rare, is the individual who displays such absolute mastery over a given expression of knowledge and skill. Whether mundane or magical, a person at this tier of mastery will always outstrip both knowledge and ability in their given field among even other Masters.

Mundane. Mind boggling, is a term that can be applied to these individuals. Among the circles that gravitate toward the given skill, these individuals are legendary. Their grasp on a given subject borders on mythical in understanding and application. Players may develop a unique ability that can be considered near magical in nature in terms of application of the given skill.

Magic. A wizard of this caliber has such absolute command over their understanding and application of their powers that they can double any and all manifestations of Master ranked abilities. Anything created by a World Mage of this tier can reduce production time by 50% on their own, regardless of any assistance they might have. Anything they create is twice as powerful, long-lasting and resilient.

300 XP. Grandmaster

Peerless. These individuals are figures of legend, often with stories in either their locales or even regions that circulate about them. Even perfect strangers, while perhaps not knowing them by name, will likely have heard of their achievements if such things would have been made known publicly. If their skills are applied more toward the underbelly of the world, their reputation precedes them in that many circles whisper of their achievements. This will automatically earn them either great prestige…or great envy.

Mundane. Players may develop an active ability and a passive ability that both manifest in supernatural ways. These individuals have become a peerless embodiment of the skill they have devoted themselves to, a fact that resonates down to their souls and has a clear and present effect on the use of that skill.

Magic. A Quirk is something that comes to represent a wizard’s taste in the manifestation of their personal magic. However, a Grandmaster has evolved in their understanding to the point where they can step beyond a mere Quirk. At this stage, the individual can develop an entirely new technique that fundamentally changes how the magic can be used overall, potentially for every mage in possession of that Rune of Magic. In the case of World Mages, they have become so suffused with the ideas and processes of their particular World Magic that it has become something that defines their very soul. To that end, a Grandmaster World Mage can not only develop an entirely new process that can change the magic overall, but they can perform the processes of their World Magic through willpower alone. The pictographs and steps involved in the use of their World Magic are so known to them that, provided they have a means of channeling aether (i.e. a dragonshard tool or a rune of magic) they need only envision the steps in their head to enact them.

Rewards

• Having a Solo Reviewed: 8 XP
• Having a Collaborative Thread Reviewed: 10 XP
• Having a Moderated Collaborative Thread Reviewed: 15 XP
• If a solo is Mod-bombed (single reply): 12 XP

These may be distributed among any and all skills freely, though in order to spend XP on magical abilities, one must be specifically awarded magic XP in the grade.

There are also lore requirements in order to progress to any tier beyond Novice. Lores are rewarded via reviewed thread approval, and may be utilized to progress further in a skill’s tiers once given.

Competency Review

On July 17, 2023, Ransera did away with its Lore accumulation process wherein players were required to accumulate individually specified sets of knowledge that displayed competency over a given skill. To ensure that characters are progressing appropriately in areas of mastery over their chosen skills, the alternative of the Competency Review Process was instituted. The intent behind the Competency Review Process is to ensure that characters are displaying adequate competency in a given skill actually to progress in that skill. It is required for all skills to progress beyond the rank of Journeyman.

Players can accumulate experience points and write according to their interests in any given set of skills up to the rank of Journeyman (L3). For every tier of competency above Journeyman (L3), players must request a Competency Review with the Support Forum.

(L1) Novice – No Competency Review required.

(L2) Apprentice – No Competency Review required.

(L3) Journeyman – No Competency Review required.

(L4) Expert – Competency Review required.

(L5) Master – Competency Review required.

(L6) Grandmaster – Normal Grandmaster request process, which includes an assessment of competency.

Requirements

When submitting for a Competency Review, the player must include in their submission a minimum of (3) completed threads wherein the character in question displays that they grasp the fundamentals, boundaries, limitations and implications of their current and the next skill tier. Here are some guidelines to consider when requesting and assessing a Competency Review:

• Has the character explored all of the fundamentals of the given skill or at least shown that they grasp a majority of the fundamentals?

• Has the character applied the understanding of those fundamentals in a manner that shows they have progressed in their actual competency of the given skill?

• Has the character displayed sufficient application of understanding of the higher tiers of mastery to actually be considered either an Expert or a Master in their given skill? Simply using the skill repeatedly and in large numbers does not in itself actually display a grasp on the finer points of that skill.

• Does the character actually display that they possess knowledge of how to use the skill to the full extent of the tier being requested?

Moderators should carefully scrutinize whether these things apply to the character making the request. Do not sign off on a Competency Review if this criteria is not reasonably met. This should be especially true with regard to anything involving magic, doubly so for those seeking to obtain the rank of Master in anything magic related.

Dream Rewards

Players who engage in the utilization of Dream Threads as a medium of collaborative play (i.e. a thread that occurs while they are asleep and their consciousness is in the Land of Nod) will not be awarded XP for that thread.

*The exception to these rules will be for those players who utilize the magic of Dreamwalking. Those individuals who use their powers as a Dreamwalker and enter the Land of Nod while Dreamwalking, can receive rewards as normal for the thread.

• Threads that are a special circumstance such as a Moderated Event overseen by a member of Staff can be granted an exception if the circumstances warrant such an exception. These will be considered on a case by case basis.

Skill Branches

There are several skills within the table that are umbrella skills, as they cover a broad range of aspects within them that further enhances them. These skills are mainly those under the Combat tree, but Riding is also another that applies to the pool as well.

Combat

• One-Handed: Blades
• One-Handed: Blunts
• One-Handed: Axes
• One-Handed: Shields
• Two-Handed: Blades
• Two-Handed: Blunts
• Two-Handed: Axes
• Two-Handed: Polearms (Staves, Spears, etc)
• Ranged: Archery (Bows & Crossbows)
• Ranged: Gunslinging (Guns & Rifles)
• Ranged: Melee (Chains, Whips, etc)
• Ranged: Thrown (Daggers, Shurikens, etc)
• Unarmed: Style (Brawling, etc)

Riding

• Riding: Terrestrial
• Riding: Marine
• Riding: Aviary

The Trees

Strength	Endurance	Intelligence	Dexterity	Perception	Charisma	Combat	Arcana	Artistry	Biology	Craft	Mercantilism
Bodybuilding	Flight	Architecture	Acrobatics	Appraisal	Caregiving	One-Handed	Affliction	Acting	Animal Handling	Basket Weaving	Agriculture
Climbing	Resistance	Astronomy	Juggling	Detection	Deception	Two-Handed	Alchemy	Calligraphy	Animal Husbandry	Carpentry	Baking
Mining	Riding	Chemistry	Lock Picking	Disguise	Etiquette	Ranged	Animus	Cartography	Botany	Candlemaking	Bookbinding
Seafaring	Running	Clockwork	Pick Pocketing	Divination	Interrogation	Unarmed	Artificing	Cosmetology	Ecology	Fletching	Brewing
	Survival	Cryptography	Stealth	Gambling	Intimidation		Elementalism	Dancing	Falconry	Forgery	Business
	Swimming	Engineering		Geology	Leadership		Kinetics	Drawing	Medicine	Gadgeteering	Butchering
		Finance		Investigation	Linguistics		Masquerade	Instrumentals	Surgery	Glassblowing	Cooking
		Logistics		Navigation	Negotiation		Meditation	Painting	Zoology	Jewelsmithing	Fishing
		Mathmatics		Psychology	Persuasion		Mesmer	Singing		Leatherworking	Hunting
		Physics		Tracking	Politics		Necromancy	Writing		Sculpting	Mixology
		Research			Rhetoric		Negation			Ship Building	Poison
		Spycraft			Seduction		Reaving			Shoemaking	Printmaking
		Tactics			Storytelling		Runeforging			Smithing	Tailoring
		Torture					Scrivening			Tanning	Teaching
							Semblance			Trap Making	Vinting
							Summoning			Woodworking
							Traversion