HERO System (5th ed.)
Franklin's List of Background Skills ("S" through "T")
All original work herein is copyright © by Franklin W. Cain. All rights reserved. (Last updated: 16 October 2006)

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Sai (Weapon Familiarity)

This is a common Oriental melee weapon.

Sailboat (Transport Familiarity)

This specific category of early seacraft covers all small (and most medium-sized) sailing craft.

Sailor, aka Seamanship, aka Shiphandling (Profession)

This maritime Profession covers a general, all-purpose proficiency in seamanship, with an emphasis on sailcraft.

Sap/Blackjack (Weapon Familiarity)

Savoir-Faire (Culture Knowledge; see the appropriate Sub-Culture)

Scrimshaw (Profession; see Carving)

Scuba Diving (Professional Skill)

Seamanship (Profession; see Sailor)

Seamstress (Profession; see Tailor)

Security Guard (Profession; see Police)

Seismology, aka Geophysics (Science)

This Science covers a specialized intersection of Geology and Physics.

In order to have a skill roll with this Science better than "11-", it is required that the character must have either the Science Geology or the Science Physics. Furthermore, the skill roll with this Science cannot exceed, by more than six points, whichever of these two skill rolls (Geology or Physics) is the greater. (For example, if a character has a mere Familiarity with either Geology or Physics, than his skill roll in this Science cannot exceed "14-".)

Semaphore (Literacy)

Anyone wanting this signalling language must must actually purchase it (i.e., must actually spend a point), regardless of whether or not the campaign assumes literacy to be the norm...

Sensei (Profession)

This is a variation of Instructor specifically for teaching the arts and techniques of combat. This profession has several alternate names, such as Blademaster, Swordmaster, Warmaster, and so on.

Sewing (Profession; see Tailor)

Shiphandling (Profession; see Sailor)

Shipwright (Profession)

This is the historical profession for the making and repair of boats and ships (usually, wooden boats and ships).

Shotgun (Weapon Familiarity)

This category of common small arms covers the use of shotguns.

Shuriken (Weapon Familiarity; see Thrown Knife/Axe/Dart)

Siege Weapons (Weapon Familiarity)

This Weapon Familiarity covers the use of all siege engines appropriate to the character's milieau.

Signalling (see below)

Characters may learn Morse Code and/or Semaphore, spending just one point on each. Characters with the appropriate background (military, paramilitary, or espionage) may learn Hand Gestures/Signals, usually spending no more than two points on this.

Singing (Profession) [CML or CON]

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

Skating (Professional Skill) [DEX]

This recreational sport includes both roller skating (including inline skating) and ice skating. This Professional Skill can be based on Dexterity (instead of Intellligence).

Skiing (Professional Skill) [DEX]

This recreational sport includes both water skiing and snow skiing. This Professional Skill can be based on Dexterity (instead of Intellligence).

Sled Team (Transport Familiarity; see Teamster/Charioteering)

Sleuth (Profession; see Detective)

Sling (Weapon Familiarity)

This Weapon Familiarity covers all types of slings, including slingshots and staff slings.

Small Arms (Group of Weapon Familiarities; see Common Small Arms)

Smallcraft (Transport Familiarity)

This category of common spacecraft deals with all forms of small spacecraft, such as pinnaces and cutters.

SMG/LMG (Weapon Familiarity)

This category of common small arms covers the use of all submachineguns and light machineguns. It also covers the use of machine pistols and assault rifles when firing in full-auto mode.

Snowshoes (see Arctic Terrain)

Soccer/Rugby (Profession)

This Sport is not to be confused with (American) Football.

Sociology (Science or Knowledge)

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

Soldier, aka Soldier/Mercenary (Profession)

This is a modern-era version of Warrior. This is similar to, but not identical to, Bodyguard.

Space Missiles

For missiles to be used against relatively stationary targets in orbit, use Ballistic/Orbital Missile. For missiles to be used against relatively agile targets in space, use Anti-Spacecraft Missile.

Space Vehicles (Group of Transport Familiarities; see Common Space Vehicles)

Spacer (Profession)

This Profession is the future (interplanetary/interstellar) version of Astronaut.

Some other game system might call this Profession a high-tech version of Sailor.

Spaceship Architecture/Engineering (Science; see Astronautical Engineering)

Spear (see below)

If using a spear in melee combat, use Polearm. If throwing the spear, use Javelin/Thrown Spear.

[Sport] (Profession) [varies]

This covers any specific sport, whether amateur or professional, such as Baseball, Football (i.e., American Football), Soccer/Rugby, Basketball, Hockey, Tennis, Skiing, Skating, and so on.

The specific Sport will determine which Characteristic the Sport can be based on. The usual Characteristic is Dexterity.

Staff (Weapon Familiarity)

This melee weapon -- common to Oriental combat styles, yet uncommon to European combat styles -- covers the use of quarterstaves, bo staves, (etc.).

Staff Sling (Weapon Familiarity; see Sling)

Starship Architecture/Engineering

This is a combination of Astronautical Engineering and Hyperspace Engineering.

Steam Engines/Turbines (Profession)

Storytelling (Professional Skill) [PRE]

This Professional Skill can be based on Presence (instead of Intellligence).

Style Analysis (see elsewhere)

[Sub-Culture] (Culture Knowledge; look under Culture)

Subatomic Physics (see below)

If you want your character to have scientific knowledge about nuclear particles (protons, neutrons, electrons) and their interactions, then get Nuclear Physics. If you want your character to have scientific knowledge about the really bizarre happenings at the quantum level (which is one or more steps smaller than that of the previously mentioned nuclear particles), then get Quantum Mechanics.

Submarine (Transport Familiarity)

This uncommon form of seacraft deals with all forms of submersible vehicles.

Surface Vehicles (Group of Transport Familiarities; see Common Surface Vehicles)

Surgeon (Profession)

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

Surveying (Profession)

This Profession is related to Cartography.

Sword/Knife (Weapon Familiarity)

This category of common melee weapons covers the use of swords and knives.

Swordmaster (Profession; see Sensei)

Systems Analysis (see elsewhere)

[Systems Familiarity], aka [Systems Technician] (Professional Skill)

This specialized form of Professional Skill is similar in many ways to Weapon Familiarity and Transport Familiarity.

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Tailor/Seamstress (Profession) [DEX]

This Profession can be based on Dexterity (instead of Intellligence).

Tank Gun (Weapon Familiarity; see Cannon/Howitzer)

Taser/Stungun (Weapon Familiarity)

Tax Codes (Knowledge)

This is obviously a specialization of Law.

Teacher (Profession; see Instructor)

Teamster/Charioteering (Transport Familiarity)

This Transport Familiarity covers the use of a team (i.e., two or more) beasts of burden (horses, oxen, dogs, etc.) to pull a conveyance (wagon, plow, chariot, or sled). This Transport Familiarity is the Complementary Skill for Combat Driving (when making a control roll, for example) as well as for Animal Handling (when hitching or unhitching the animals).

The name "Teamster/Charioteering" is meant to be all-inclusive. However, if appropriate (due to the character's background), this can be renamed to something more exclusive, such as Teamster (for wagons and plows only), Charioteering, or Sled Team.

Technician (Profession; see Systems Familiarity)

Teleportation Engineering (Profession; see Transdimensional Engineering)

Teleportation Magics (Science; see Transdimensional Magics)

Teleportation Physics (see Transdimensional Physics)

Teller (Profession; see Cashier)

Temporal Engineering (Profession; see Transdimensional Engineering)

Temporal Magics (Science; see Transdimensional Magics)

Temporal Navigation (Profession; see Transdimensional Navigation)

Temporal Physics (Science; see Transdimensional Physics)

[Terrain Knowledge]

This is a specialized type of Area Knowledge. This type of skill benefits from the Traveler Skill Enhancer.

Here are some examples of the different types of terrain:

(Common Terrain Types): Forest/Woodland Terrain Grassland/Prairie Terrain Mountain Terrain	(Uncommon Terrain Types): Arctic Terrain Desert Terrain Jungle Terrain Swamp/Marsh Terrain
(Exotic Terrain Types): Underground Terrain (i.e., Caves and Caverns)

Terrorist World (Culture Knowledge; see Mercenary/Terrorist Sub-Culture)

Thaumatology (Science; see Magical Theory)

Thaumaturgical Engineering (Science)

This Science covers the practical application of the principles of magics. (In other words, as Engineering is to Physics, so Thaumaturgical Engineering is to Magical Theory.)

In order to have a skill roll with this Science better than "11-", it is required that the character must have either the Science Mathematics or the Science Magical Theory. Furthermore, the skill roll with Thaumaturgical Engineering cannot exceed, by more than six points, whichever of these two skill rolls is the greater. (For example, if a character has only a mere Familiarity with just one of the afore-mentioned skills, and the other skill not at all, than his skill roll in Thaumaturgical Engineering cannot exceed "14-".)

Theology (Knowledge; see Philosophy/Theology)

Theoretical Physics (Science)

This is obviously a specialization of Physics.

Three-Section Staff (Weapon Familiarity)

Thrown Knife/Axe/Dart (Weapon Familiarity)

This category of common missile weapon also includes Shuriken.

Thrown Rock/Ball/Grenade (Weapon Familiarity)

Please note that this category of common missile weapon is a default Weapon Familiarity. (Everyone knows how to throw a rock.) It also covers such things as throwing a Molotov cocktail.

This skill does not include over-sized or odd-shaped balls, such as footballs or basketballs. These objects are instead covered by the relevant Sport.

Thrown Spear (Weapon Familiarity; see Javelin/Thrown Spear)

Tonfa (Weapon Familiarity)

This is a common Oriental melee weapon.

Tracked (Transport Familiarity)

This specific category of common land vehicles covers all forms of (mostly large) tracked vehicles, whether military, construction, or recreation/exploration.

Traffic Law (Knowledge)

This is obviously a specialization of Law.

Train (Transport Familiarity)

This uncommon type of land transport deals with all forms of railed vehicles, such as steam-driven locomotives, mag-lev trains, and monorails.

Transdimensional Engineering (Profession)

This Profession covers the practical application of the principles of the physics of other dimensions -- including the dimension of Time (i.e., time travel) -- specifically with regards to the engineering of the electrical (or electromagnetic) systems needed to transition to and from (and to survive while in) these other dimensions. Thus, it is very similar to Hyperspace Engineering. (Hyperspace Engineering is for space travel; Transdimensional Engineering is for transdimensional travel.)

This Science is known by other names, such as Teleportation Engineering or Temporal Engineering.

In order to have a skill roll with this Profession better than "11-", it is required that the character have first acquired the Science Transdimensional Physics, and the skill roll with this Profession cannot exceed the skill roll in Transdimensional Physics by more than six points (e.g., a character with a mere Familiarity with Transdimensional Physics cannot have a skill roll in Transdimensional Engineering better than "14-").

Transdimensional Magics (Science)

This Science covers that specialization of Magical Theory dealing with other dimensions, including the dimension of Time (i.e., time travel).

This Science is known by other names, such as Teleportation Magics or Temporal Magics.

In a (hard science) science fiction campaign, wherein magic does not exist at all, this Science is replaced with Transdimensional Physics.

In order to have a skill roll with this Science better than "11-", it is required that the character must have the Science Magical Theory. Furthermore, the skill roll in this Science cannot exceed the skill roll in Magical Theory by more than six points (e.g., a character with a mere Familiarity with Magical Theory cannot have a skill roll in this Science better than "14-").

Transdimensional Navigation (Profession)

This Profession covers the practical application of the principles of the physics of other dimensions, specifically with regards to the determination of one's location among other dimensions (with regards to one's home dimension), and reaching one's desired destination. This Profession is the required Complementary Skill to enable someone to use Navigation to calculate one's position and movement among other dimensions.

In order to have a skill roll with this Profession better than "11-", it is required that the character must first have either the Science Transdimensional Physics or the Science Transdimensional Magics (depending on the nature of the campaign). Furthermore, the skill roll with this Profession cannot exceed, by more than six points, whichever of these two skill rolls (Transdimensional Physics or Transdimensional Magics) is the greater. For example, a character with a mere Familiarity with either Transdimensional Physics or Transdimensional Magics cannot have a skill roll in Transdimensional Navigation better than "14-".

Transdimensional Physics (Science)

This Science covers that specialization of Physics dealing with other dimensions, including the dimension of Time (i.e., time travel). Thus, it is very similar to Hyperspace Physics. (Hyperspace Physics is for space travel; Transdimensional Physics is for transdimensional travel.)

This Science is known by other names, such as Teleportation Physics or Temporal Physics.

In a fantasy or superhero campaign, wherein magic exists and works, this Science can be replaced with Transdimensional Magics.

In order to have a skill roll with this Science better than "11-", it is required that the character must have the Science Physics. Furthermore, the skill roll in this Science cannot exceed the skill roll in Physics by more than six points (e.g., a character with a mere Familiarity with Physics cannot have a skill roll in this Science better than "14-").

[Trivia] (Knowledge)

This is an all-encompassing category of Knowledges. Calling a Skill a "Trivia" is an effective way of documenting that the character in question has an extensive body of knowledge on the subject without necessarily having any practical, real-world experience or any underlying understanding of the scientific principles involved (if any). (In other words, it's a means of making it unambiguous that the character has a Knowledge Skill, and not a Profession or a Science.)

Examples include Baseball Trivia, "Star Trek" Trivia, Espionage Trivia, and so on.

Typing (Professional Skill) [DEX]

This Professional Skill can be based on Dexterity (instead of Intellligence).

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All original work herein is copyright © by Franklin W. Cain. All rights reserved. (Last updated: 16 October 2006)