HERO System (5th ed.): Franklin's List of Background Skills ("C" through "D")

HERO System (5th ed.)
Franklin's List of Background Skills ("C" through "D")
All original work herein is copyright © by Franklin W. Cain. All rights reserved. (Last updated: 27 January 2007)

---(C)---
Calligraphy (Professional Skill) [DEX]

This Professional Skill is all-but-required for a wizard in a fantasy setting, and is also available to other characters in other settings. This Professional Skill can be based on Dexterity (instead of Intellligence).

Caltrops (Weapon Familiarity; use Marbles/Caltrops)
Camel (Transport Familiarity)

Cannon/Howitzer (Weapon Familiarity)

This Weapon Familiarity covers the use of modern cannons: i.e., tank guns, modern artillery, and so on. (For black-powder cannons, use Archaic Cannon instead.)
Depending on the size of the actual weapon and/or on the operating range of the weapon, the character may have to use Systems Operation, instead of the usual OCV-vs-DCV combat roll. Basically, if the weapon requires a team to operate, or else fires at well beyond the range of (normal) human sight , then the weapon requires the character to use Systems Operation.

Car, aka Automobile, aka Groundcar (Transport Familiarity)

This specific category of common land vehicles primarily covers light automobiles, but it also covers station wagons, vans, and pick-up trucks.

Card Games (Knowledge)

This is a popular Complementary Skilll to Gambling.

Cardiology (Science; see Specialized Field of Medicine)
Carousing (Professional Skill) [CON]

This "sport" is known by many different names: Bar Hopping; Clubbing; Drinking; (etc.). This skill can be based on Constitution (instead of Intellligence).

Carpenter, aka Woodworking (Profession)

Cartography (Knowledge)

This is the professional science of map-making. It does not necessarily include any knowledge of any particular Geography.

Cartoonist (Profession)

Most successful cartoonists have a good grasp of comedy.

Carving (Profession) [DEX]

This Hobby is not necessarily the same as Engraving/Etching. Carving implies a certain depth to the cutting (possibly the entire object), whereas Engraving implies just the surface. This Hobby is known by several different names, such as Woodcarving, Whittling, Bonecarving, Scrimshaw, and so on. This Profession can be based on Dexterity (instead of Intellligence).

Cashier/Teller (Profession)

Chain/Rope Weapons (Weapon Familiarity)

This category of melee weapons frequently used in the more common martial arts covers the use of chain and/or rope weapons.

Chandler (Profession)

This is the historical profession of candle-making.

Charioteering (Transport Familiarity; see Teamster/Charioteering)
Chef (Profession; see Cooking)
Chemical Engineering (Science)

Chemistry (Science)

Chess (Knowledge)

Chinese Medicine (Knowledge; see Yin-Yang Medicine)
Civil Engineering, aka Architecture (Science)

Club (Weapon Familiarity)

This default category of common melee weapons covers the use of all club-like weapons (including maces). This includes certain martial arts weapons, such as Baton, Escrima Stick, and Jo (Stick).

Clubbing (Professional Skill; use Carousing)
Cobbler (Profession)

This is the historical profession for the making and repair of shoes and boots.

Comm Protocols (Knowledge; see Flight/Comm Protocols)
Common Aerospace Vehicles (Group of Transport Familiarities)

This group contains the Transport Familiarities Glider/Light Plane, High-Performance Plane, Helicopter, Heavy Plane, Antigrav, Smallcraft, and Lander. However, this group is available only in a superhero or futuristic setting.

Common Air Vehicles (Group of Transport Familiarities)

This group contains the Transport Familiarities Glider/Light Plane, High-Performance Plane, Helicopter, Heavy Plane, and Antigrav. Depending on the campaign's setting, this group may also contain the Transport Familiarity Airship.

Common Beasts of Burden (Group of Transport Familiarities)

This group contains the Transport Familiarities Horse/Equine, Teamster/Charioteering, Ox/Bovine, and Dog/Canine. Although this is a group of Transport Familiarities, this skill works as much (if not more) with Animal Handler as with Riding.

Common Black-Powder Firearms (Group of Weapon Familiarities; see Archaic Firearms)
Common Heavy Weapons (Group of Weapon Familiarities)

This group contains the Weapon Familiarities Flamethrower, Grenade Launcher/Mortar, HMG, Missile Launcher, and Recoilless Rifle.

Common Martial Arts Weapons (Group of Weapon Familiarities; see Common Oriental Melee Weapons)
Common Melee Weapons (Group of Weapon Familiarities)

This group contains the Weapon Familiarities Axe/Mace/Pick, Polearm, Sword/Knife, and Weapon and Shield. (It can also be said to include the default Weapon Familiarities Club and Fist-Load.)

Common Missile Weapons (Group of Weapon Familiarities)

This group contains the Weapon Familiarities Bow, Crossbow, Javelin/Thrown Spear, Thrown Knife/Axe/Dart, and Thrown Rock/Ball/Grenade.

Common Motorized Seacraft (Group of Transport Familiarities)

This group contains the Transport Familiarities Motorboat, High-Performance Motorship, Heavy Motorship, and Hovercraft.

Common Oriental Melee Weapons, aka Common Martial Arts Weapons (Group of Weapon Familiarities)

This group contains the Weapon Familiarities Chain/Rope Weapons, Kama, Nunchaku, Polearm, Sai, Staff, Tonfa, and War Fan. (It can also be said to include the default Weapon Familiarities Club and Fist-Load.)

Common Pre-Industrial Seacraft (Group of Transport Familiarities; see Early Seacraft)
Common Small Arms (Group of Weapon Familiarities)

This group contains the Weapon Familiarities Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, and SMG/LMG.

Common Space Vehicles (Group of Transport Familiarities)

This group contains the Transport Familiarities High-Performance Plane, Antigrav, Smallcraft, and Lander.

Common Surface Vehicles (Group of Transport Familiarities)

This group contains the Transport Familiarities Car, Bus/Heavy Truck, Tracked, Motorboat, Off-Road, and Hovercraft.

Composer (Profession)

This Profession grants the character some ability with musical composition. (For ability with lyrics, use the Poet Profession.)
This Profession requires that the character have first acquired proficiency with at least one Musical Instrument, and the skill roll with this Profession cannot exceed the best skill roll among these Musical Instruments by more than six points (e.g., a character with no more than a mere Familiarity with a Musical Instrument cannot have a skill roll in Composer better than "14-").

Computer Science (Science)

Conspiracy Theory (Knowledge)

This is the secret information that "THEY" don't want you to have!

Cooking (Profession)

This can be a very useful hobby to have.

Cooper (Profession)

This is the historical profession of barrel-making.

Cosmonaut (Profession; see Astronaut)
Criminal Law (Knowledge)

This is obviously a specialization of Law.

Criminal Psychology, aka Criminal Profiling (Science or Knowledge)

A character may buy this specialization of Psychology as a Knowledge (instead of as a Science).

Crocheting (Profession; use Knitting)
Crossbow (Weapon Familiarity)

This category of common missile weapon covers the use of crossbows (as opposed to bows).

Cryonics (Science)

Cryptozoology (Science)

This is the formal study of hypothetical creatures (i.e., creatures that may or may not exist), such as Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman, the Loch Ness Monster, and so on, usually with an emphasis on gathering proof that a particular creature actually exists.

[Culture Knowledge] (Area Knowledge)

This is a specialized sub-type of Area Knowledge. This type of skill benefits from the Traveler Skill Enhancer (not from Scholar).

[Sub-Culture] (Culture Knowledge)

This Culture Knowledge covers a specific sub-culture or mini-society. Here are some specific examples:

Academia Sub-Culture (scholars, professors, and scientists)
"Hollywood" Sub-Culture (stars, producers, and agents)
Mafia Sub-Culture
Martial Arts Sub-Culture (martial artists)
Mercenary/Terrorist Sub-Culture
Military Sub-Culture
Music Sub-Culture (musicians and bands; can be further specialized by music type)
Mystic Sub-Culture
Pro Sports Sub-Culture (professional athletes, coaches, and trainers; sports commentators and associated network executives)

(This replaces the skills "Martial Arts World" and "Military/Mercenary/Terrorist World" from Ninja HERO and Dark Champions.)

Cybernetics (Science)

This Science is a specialization of both Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and requires at least one of these Sciences as a prerequisite. Furthermore, the skill level in this Science cannot exceed the greater skill level of these two prerequisite Sciences by more than six points.
(A Note to Would-Be Cyberpunks: This is not the same thing as Neuroelectronics!)

Cycle (see below)

Which do you want: Bicycle, or Motorcycle?

---(D)---
Dagger (Weapon Familiarity; see Sword/Knife)
Dancing (Professional Skill) [DEX or CON]

This Professional Skill can be based on Dexterity (instead of Intellligence). If the player wants, he may have his character base this on Constitution instead.

Dentist (Profession)

This Profession requires the Science Dentistry as a prerequisite, and the skill level in this Profession cannot exceed the skill level in that Science by more than six points.

Dentistry (Science)

Technically, this Science is a "specialized form of medicine." However, this Science does not require Medicine as a prerequisite.

Detective (Profession)

This covers professional detectives (i.e.: sleuths who earn their living by solving cases; amateur sleuths don't need this Profession).

Dimensional Engineering (Profession; see Transdimensional Engineering)
Dimensional Magics (Science; see Transdimensional Magics)
Dimensional Navigation (Profession; see Transdimensional Navigation)
Dimensional Physics (Science; see Transdimensional Physics)
Dirigible (Transport Familiarity; see Airship)
Dirk (Weapon Familiarity; see Sword/Knife)
Disk Jockey, aka DJ (Profession)

Doctor, aka Physician (Profession)

This Profession requires that the character have first acquired the Science Medicine, and the skill roll with this Profession cannot exceed the skill roll in Medicine by more than six points (e.g., a character with a mere Familiarity with Medicine cannot have a skill roll in Doctor better than "14-").

Dog/Canine (Transport Familiarity)

This is a category of (common) beasts of burden. When used as a true "Transport Familiarity," they're most commonly used for pulling a sled.

Drinking (Professional Skill; use Carousing)
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All original work herein is copyright © by Franklin W. Cain. All rights reserved. (Last updated: 27 January 2007)