New Skills

Deadlands 1876
New Skills, Edges, & Hindrances

Skills

Archery (Agility)
In Deadlands 1876, the Archery skill is required to effectively use a bow and arrow, while Shooting applies only to firearms. A standard bow does 1d6+STR DAM. The Archery skill may also be used to craft a simple bow and arrows, providing the materials are actually available. It is also applicable to crossbows.

Artillery (Smarts)
Like rolling out the big guns? The Artillery skill grants a character the ability to use mortars and cannons. This skill is not only used for the attack roll, but also helps characters maintain and repair their pieces, adjust for adverse conditions, and understand the various types of projectile needed to best serve the target.

Analytics (Smarts)
Representing the cutting edge of modern science, a skill in Analytics enables a character to operate, maintain, and programme Difference Engines.

Demolitions (Smarts)
From fashioning grenades from a kerosene-filled whiskey bottle to laying out the dynamite required to bring down a railroad bridge, the Demolitions skill ensures the character will blow up the enemy, and not himself and his allies.

Gunsmith (Smarts)
Some folks know their life’s work the moment they first field strip a rifle. From working the lathe to reloading cartridges, a Gunsmith knows how to case-harden steel, understands why brass is better than copper, and takes delight in checkering the perfect grip. Able to repair, modify, and even craft firearms, characters with the Gunsmith skill are only limited by the quality of their materials.

Medicine (Smarts)
More than a simple “Knowledge” skill, Medicine grants a character a basic understanding of common ailments, treatments, and general physiology. The Medicine skill may be used to diagnose, but it is separate from the Healing skill, and cannot be used to treat injuries during the Golden Hour. However, Medicine does allow the treatment of long-term injuries and disease, and helps foster Natural Healing. At the start of each day, a wounded character is permitted a Vigor roll. A success heals one Wound level, with each raise healing another. If the character is being treated with Medicine, a single practitioner may assist the Healing process by making a Medicine roll. Each success/raise adds +1 to the wounded character’s Vigor roll.

Ranching (Smarts)
The skill of Ranching permits competence in areas associated with running a cattle ranch, and includes knowledge of animal husbandry, cattle driving, branding, and general history. Although this is a Smarts-based skill, some Agility is also useful, and a character’s Ranching skill can never be more than one die higher than his Riding skill. Ranching includes knowing how to make and use a lariat; however, actually lassoing a target requires a successful Throw roll.

Surgery (Agility)
This skill represents traumatic procedures and operations, which are judged on a case-by-case basis. Unlike Medicine, it can stand in for the Healing skill, but allows the practitioner to perform more invasive procedures. Often, the use of Surgery is at the Marshal’s discretion, and the terms and game mechanics must be clearly defined before any rolls are made.

Edges

Knacks (Weird Edge)
Inspired by various fictional milieu such as Orson Scott Card’s “Alvin Maker” series and (God help me) Piers Anthony’s “Xanth” books, “Knacks” are inherent magical powers that serve very limited functions. Knacks are taken as Edges, and may only be used once per day. They are always at the Marshal’s discretion. A character possessing a Knack is not considered an Arcane, and has no greater supernatural powers. For instance, Bob the town dowser who can find water with his forked stick; Esmeralda the fortune-teller who reads Tarot cards; Nigel West Dickens the snake-oil salesman who brews vigor tonics; Samantha the “witch” who makes love charms; all of these characters may be seen as possessing appropriate Knacks.

Rapid Loading (Combat)
Requirements: Novice, Agility d6+
A hero with this Edge has been trained to reload quickly and under pressure. For muzzle-loading weapons, Rapid Loading reduces the Rate of Fire by one full action round. For instance, a Kentucky rifle with a Rate of Fire 1/5 may be considered RoF 1/4. For single-shot breech-loaders with a standard Rate of Fire 1/2, Rapid Loading allows an Agility roll vs. TN-12 on each “reloading” round. If this roll is successful, the shooter may fire at the end of his “off” combat round, as if he drew a Two of Clubs for initiative. For weapons with a refillable magazine such as loading-gate repeaters and metal-cartridge revolvers, Rapid Loading allows a reloading rate of four bullets/action round instead of the usual three. Cap and ball revolvers may be reloaded at the rate of one chamber/action round without risking safety concerns. The reloading speed of other more specialized weapons, such as the Spencer repeater or the Porter Turret gun, may be adjusted at the Marshal’s discretion.

Improved Rapid Loading (Combat)
Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Rapid Reloading
A hero with this Edge has been trained to reload even more quickly while under pressure. For muzzle-loading weapons, Rapid Loading reduces the Rate of Fire by two full action rounds. For instance, a Kentucky rifle with a Rate of Fire 1/5 may be considered RoF 1/3. For single-shot breech-loaders with a standard Rate of Fire 1/2, Rapid Loading allows an Agility roll vs. TN-10 on each “reloading” round. If this roll is successful, the shooter may fire at the end of his “off” combat round, as if he drew a Two of Clubs for initiative. For weapons with a refillable magazine such as loading-gate repeaters and metal-cartridge revolvers, Rapid Loading allows a reloading rate of six bullets/action round instead of the usual three. Cap and ball revolvers may be reloaded at the rate of two chambers/action round without risking safety concerns. Paper cartridge revolvers may be reloaded at the rate of three chambers/action round, and a metal cartridge revolver may be loaded in a single action round. The reloading speed of other more specialized weapons, such as the Spencer repeater or the Porter Turret gun, may be adjusted at the Marshal’s discretion.

Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 3 January 2019
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
PDF Version: Deadlands Rules – New Skills