Skills

The Elemental Order uses skills instead of classes to define what character's are capable of. Skills are the basic building blocks of what a character can actually do. They represents general areas of competence, not narrow, specific abilities. Skills are measured in ranks from 1 to 10

Skill Types
Skills can be divided into several categories based upon their function in the game.

Adventuring Skills
Adventuring skills represent the basic physical and magical abilities that adventurers would use in combat and such.
 * Combat
 * Knacks
 * Spells
 * Talents

Racial Skills
Racial skills are how non-human characters are created. Rather than trying to create "power-neutral" races where the benefits and penalties balance out, the Element Order allows for power non-human characters. Of course, since they are represented by skills, just being non-human requires skill points that could have been used to enhance other skills. A non-human is required to keep their racial skill's rank at no less than half the character's current level (up to Rank 10, of course). If a half-breed character is allowed, it doesn't have that requirement. The following races are standard:
 * Dwarf
 * Elf
 * Fae
 * Halfling
 * Weres (bear, pard, and wolf)

Class Skills
Class skills are use to represent areas of skill often aquired by adventurers that don't involve basic magic or combat. They are:
 * Alchemist
 * Bard
 * Enchanter
 * Monk
 * Ranger
 * Thief

Trade Skills
The final type of skill represents non-adventuring professions. Most PCs don't bother with these skills except for background/flavor. The following is a list of example skills, with their cost. Detailed descriptions of each don't seem necessary.
 * Animal Trainer (2)


 * Artist (2)
 * Bowyer (1)
 * Castellan (4)
 * Chirurgeon (2)
 * Courtier (1)
 * Farmer (1)
 * Herbalist (3)
 * Innkeeper (2)
 * Jeweler (4)
 * Linguist (2)
 * Luthier (4)
 * Merchant (3)
 * Miner (2)
 * Musician (2)
 * Sailor (2)
 * Smith (3)
 * Stonewright (3)
 * Woodworker (2)

Skill Levels
Each skill can be from Rank 1 to Rank 10 (plus those that aren't known, of course). There are three restrictions on a skill's rank: Skill ranks are bought with Skill Points. A Level 1 character starts with 20 Skill Points, and gains additional Skill Points as experience by adventuring. Each skill has a base cost which is how many Skill Points it takes to learn the Skill at Rank 1. Each additional rank costs one more Skill Point than the previous rank.
 * 1) No skill can have a rank higher than 10.
 * 2) No skill can have a rank higher than the character's level.
 * 3) No skill can be increased with the GM's permission.