HERO System (5th ed.)
Franklin's List of Background Skills ("O" through "R")
All original work herein is copyright © by Franklin W. Cain. All rights reserved. (Last updated: 27 January 2007)
---(O)--- Obstetrics/Gynecology (Science; see Specialized Field of Medicine) Occultism (Knowledge)Oceanography (Science)
Off-Hand (Weapon Familiarity)
Off-Road (Transport Familiarity)
This specific category of common land vehicles covers all forms of off-road vehicles, whether military or recreation/exploration. Optical Physics, aka High Energy Optics (Science)
This Science deals primarily with lasers, and can be thought of as a predecessor of Photonics (i.e., it deals with the theories behind photonics, while photonics would be the applied engineering of optical physics). Orbital Missile (Weapon Familiarity; see Ballistic/Orbital Missile) Orderly (Profession; see Nurse) Organic Chemistry (Science)
Oriental Medicine (Knowledge; see Yin-Yang Medicine) Oriental Melee Weapons (Group of Weapon Familiarities; see Common Oriental Melee Weapons) Origami (Professional Skill)
This Hobby is the Japanese art of paper-folding. Oversized Motorship (Transport Familiarity)
This uncommon type of seacraft deals with oversized motorized sea vessels, such as luxury liners, super-tankers, and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Ox/Bovine (Transport Familiarity)
This is a category of (common) beasts of burden. ---(P)--- P-Suit (Professional Skill; see Vac Suit) [DEX] Painting (Profession)
This covers the creative and artistic type of painting. In other words, this Profession is not the Skill to be used for (re)painting someone's house. Paleontology (Science)
This Science deals with the fossilized remains of all kinds of lifeforms, and not just dinosaur fossils.
;-) Parachute (Professional Skill) [DEX]This Sport can be based on Dexterity (not Intelligence). Patent/IP Law (Knowledge)
This is obviously a specialization of Law. Specifically, it covers those laws dealing with intellectual property (and thus, with patents, trademarks, and/or copyrights). Pathology (Science; see Specialized Field of Medicine) Pets (see Animals) Pharmacology (Science)
This Science can be thought of as either a special field of medicine or a specialization of biochemistry (or both). As such, this Science requires that the character have first acquired either the Science Medicine or the Science Biochemistry. Furthermore, the skill roll with Pharmacology cannot exceed, by more than six points, whichever of these two skill rolls (Medicine or Biochemistry) is the greater. (For example, if a character has a mere Familiarity with either Medicine or Biochemistry, than his skill roll in Pharmacology cannot exceed
"14-".) (Afantasy/ historical version of this would be Apothecary.) Philology (Science; see Linguistics) Philosophy/Theology (Knowledge)This confers a general overview of popular, prevalent philosophies and theologies, and an understanding of the principles behind them. It does not necessarily mandate an active belief in any of those teachings. A character could specialize in a particular philosophy or theology, such as Zen Bhuddism, Confucianism, Medieval Christianity, Church of the Subgenius, and so on. Photography (Profession)
Photonics (Science)
This Science covers the engineering of optical circuitry (i.e., photonic circuitry). Just as electrical circuitry utilizes electrons, photonic circuitry utilizes photons. Photonics is the applied engineering of Optical Physics. Photonics is required as a Complementary Skilll for Electronics when trying to work on optical circuits (such as the fiber-optical back-ups for starship computers in Traveller, first published over twenty years ago, in Book 5: High Guard from Classic Traveller). Physician (Profession; see Doctor) Physics (Science)
This Science covers the basic principles of the forces of mass and energy. In order to have a skill roll with this Science better than
"11-", it is required that the character must have the Science Mathematics. Furthermore, the skill roll in this Science cannot exceed the skill roll in Mathematics by more than six points (e.g., a character with a mere Familiarity with Mathematics cannot have a skill roll in Physics better than"14-"). Pigeons/Messenger Birds (Profession)This animal-related skill deals with pigeons and other birds commonly used as messengers. Pistol (Weapon Familiarity)
This category of common small arms covers the use of revolvers and semi-automatic handguns. It also covers the use of machine pistols when firing in single-shot mode (when firing machine pistols in full-auto mode, use SMG/LMG instead). Planetology, aka Ecology (Science)
Plumbing (Profession)
Poet (Profession)
This skill is extremely dependent upon the poet's fluency with the Language being used. In other words, the (effective) skill roll for this skill cannot exceed the Language's skill roll at all. (However, since most poets will be using their native language, which has a base skill roll of
"14-", this is usually not a problem...) Poker (Knowledge)This card game is very popular with professional gamblers. Polearm (Weapon Familiarity)
This melee weapon, common to both European and Oriental combat styles, covers the use of polearms. Police, aka Security Guard (Profession)
Powered Armor (see Battlesuit)
Pre-Industrial Seacraft (Group of Transport Familiarities; see Early Seacraft) Pressure Suit (Professional Skill; see Vac Suit) [DEX] Prospecting (Profession)This Profession is related to Geology. Psionic Engineering, aka Psychotronics (Science)
Psionics (see below)
If used as a required skill roll (for the Limitation of the same name) for a Power write-up, this is a "Power" Skill that is based on Ego (instead of Intelligence). If acquired just as a Background Skill, this is either a Knowledge or a Science, depending on the general theme of the character (PC or NPC) in question. Psychiatry (Science)
This is a variation of Psychology that is a specialized field of medicine. Psychology (Science or Knowledge)
A character may buy this Skill as a Knowledge (instead of as a Science). On the other hand, a character who is a Doctor should probably get this skill as Psychiatry. A common specialization of this Skill is Criminal Psychology (aka Criminal Profiling).
Psychotronics (see Psionic Engineering)
[Puzzles] (Knowledge)Please specify what type of puzzles and/or games your character knows. Examples include Crossword Puzzles, Jigsaw Puzzles, Math Games, Trivia Games, (etc.). ---(Q)--- Quantum Mechanics (Science)
This Science is a specialization of Physics, and requires that Science as a prerequisite. Furthermore, ths skill level in this Science cannot exceed the skill level in Physics by more than six points. ---(R)--- Raptors (Profession; see Falconry) Recoilless Rifle (Weapon Familiarity)
This is a category of (common) heavy weaponry. Research (see below)
If the type of research you're thinking of involves searching through various publications and/or documents (whether hardcopy or electronic), then you need Library/Internet Research. On the other hand, if the type of research you're thinking of involves scienticific experimentation in a laboratory, then you need Lab Procedures (as well as the relevant Sciences, and maybe Deduction and/or Inventor). Riddles (Knowledge)
Rifle (Weapon Familiarity)
This category of common small arms covers the use of all modern single-shot rifles, whether bolt-action or semi-automatic. It also covers the use of assault rifles when firing in single-shot mode (when firing assault rifles in full-auto mode, use SMG/LMG instead). Robotics (Science)
This Science covers the design of self-guided, autonomous (to varying degrees) mechanisms; i.e., robots and robotic systems. Rocket Launcher (Weapon Familiarity; see Missile Launcher) Rocket Science (Science; see Astronautical Engineering) Rowboat (Transport Familiarity)
This specific category of early seacraft also includes canoes and kayaks. Rugby (Profession; see Soccer/Rugby)
https://fcain.tripod.com/h5skills/background_oa_rz.html
All original work herein is copyright © by Franklin W. Cain. All rights reserved. (Last updated: 27 January 2007)