Sorry about the subject, its a movie quote, but it DOES have to do with my question.

I am trying to make a list of skills. A giant master list of every kind of skill you can think of. A grimore of every human activity that could possibly be boiled down to rules and played in a RPG.

I just wrote down some Social skills today on my lunch break

Diplommacy
Flattery
Intimidation
Leadership
Bargaining
Scheming
Promotion
Mediating
Bribery
Blackmail
Bluff
Sense Motive
Empathy
Sympathy

its a start anyway.
help me out.

Hi Z,

Might I suggest something? A bigger list of skills doesn't necessarily make a better list. :) Consider the similarities and differences between Bluffing, Fast Talking, Lying, Confabulating, Confidence Scams, Half Truths, Distracting Blather, Small Talk, Elusive Answers, etc., etc. etc. The ways to describe an activity, or field of activities is almost limitless.

What would be useful to ask- is if you need that many different detailed options, or if a single skill will cover it all. Most games usually boil things down to Negotiation, Lying, and Oratory, with a couple of random extras. Some games narrow it all down to "Social" and leave it at that. The same argument can be made of all the various fighting skills, knowledge skills, and whatever else you might conceive of putting in a game.

The question to ask is if it add to your gameplay and make things fun? Theoretically, you could break down combat into "Moving Left Foot", "Moving Right Foot", "Downward swing with swords that weigh 3.3 lbs and have a length of 42 inches", "Reacting to folks who stand 34 degrees to your left", etc. etc. But this is too detailed and meaningless for actual play.

Finding a good level of granularity depends completely on how you intend your game to work. Instead of looking for a list of all the possible ways of describing a general activity("social interactions"), it might be better to ask yourself how many different ways do you need to divide the general activity in order to keep your game credible and detailed enough for its needs. :)

Chris

Bankuei wrote: Hi Z,

Might I suggest something? A bigger list of skills doesn't necessarily make a better list. :) Consider the similarities and differences between Bluffing, , etc., etc. etc. The ways to describe an activity, or field of activities is almost limitless.

Hi Z,

Then perhaps this is what you're looking for?

http://thesaurus.reference.com/

Chris

Where do you end? Do you want to to end up with 1000's of skills like "Ice cream machine repair" and "Shine shoes" on the uber list of skills? There are plenty of designs from the 80's and 90's that do this. It seems to me that players will ignore 85% of the skills (like beekeeping and hairdressing) that don't relate to having an exciting life or they will just figure out which ones you want them to take ("Be sure to take football and weight lifting") or both.

Best,

Pete

hmm
i thought you people liked games

I think we're just not getting why you want this list... If it's just to have a list for reference, well, I could care less. If it's for a game then the question arises: What in the world do you need all these skills for?

Thomas

Hi Z,

Please don't get me wrong- I understand the value of having color for games.

Consider if someone said, "Hey, I'm making a game around space travel- please provide for me all the information on astrophysics you possibly can!" While that information might be useful to this person to make their game- it's unrealistic to expect people whose focus is on games to produce research information for you. The most reasonable thing you can get is "Here's a link" or "Here's some books" to help you research.

Now- examples of related questions that people can and will help you with on this site:

"What mechanical/strategic/thematic value is there in splitting up an activity X amount of ways?"
"Which of these terms best conveys a setting around this genre?"
"How can I make social conflicts work mechanically with my game?"
"What kinds of social interactions typically appear in these genres, and how can I encourage and model that or convey it as color?"

The Forge focuses on games- not infinite amounts of information. For that, I recommend www.wikipedia.org

Chris

In line with what's been said, you can get several hundred skills from Multiverser: Referee's Rules (which I hear one online book store has on sale so cheap right now I'm tempted to buy another copy myself). I'm sure you can get other games that are skill-driven and provide more fodder. Star Frontiers probably has a few that aren't too common elsewhere.

I guess that, too, is part of the point. I could copy for you all the skill names and descriptions from a couple hundred pages out of the Multiverser rules, but what value is that here? Anyone who wants it (including you) can buy Multiverser to get it, and have a better understanding of the framework in which these appear and what they mean. It saves me the trouble of copying vast amounts of text, the publication of which here would undermine the company that has invested in putting the book on the shelves. Ron and Clinton pay for the space here, and they don't begrudge us the use, but I think that that much text in a single thread would raise their ire.

And even though Multiverser's skill system is comprehensive in the sense that it covers everything, it doesn't necessarily provide the kind of detail you seem to want in every area.

So let me help you reach your stated objective by recommending you buy a copy of Multiverser and read through the information on skills; but I think some of the other advice raised here might be important for you to consider.

--M. J. Young

I once tried to make List of All Skills, then gave up. I finally decided that the only real list of all skills was the dictionary :-)

There's a big question on skills here: do you want a MECE (mutually exclusive completely exhaustive) list, where every possible activity falls under one and only one skill, or can skills overlap? Then if somebody has Flattery and Empathy, how do they work together?

==Ed

Don't forget canning! (Canning: preserving foodstuffs in small sterile containers using 19th-century technology.) I've never seen an RPG with the canning skill. Which is a shame because if you happen to be making a game about rural survival in recent-pre-modern economies, or running a game situation in which player-characters find themselves facing the demands of subsistence farming, then the importance of canning skills to long-term survival cannot be overestimated.

More seriously, you seem to be seeking a list of just about every gerund in the English language. Even verbs describing acts impossible for humans such as "proinking" and "hibernation" and "bifurcating" could conceivably be skills in some SF or magical setting. Even verbs describing trivial acts like "breathing" or "sleeping" could conceivably be skills when required to be performed in special ways or special circumstances (the controlled breathing learned by actors for the purpose of playing dead; the ability to sleep in uncomfortable positions that many soldiers acquire with experience...).

A skill list in an RPG can only be useful because it's not "universal," it's selected to represent appropriate (examples of) PC skills for the sort of play being described. Without some filter or another, some criteria for selecting useful entries out from the background noise, your list is basically the dictionary.

So, can you describe your filtering criteria? What characteristics do you require each skill on the list to have? Why is or is not "canning" a good candidate? How about "vacuum tube engineering?" Is that too specific? How about "succeeding?" Is that too general? How about "bigotry" -- it's generally regarded as requiring teaching and practice, but is it a skill or just a personality trait? How about "walking?" Is that too easy (even though many people cannot, for various reasons, do it)? How about "levitating?" It would probably be too specific to be its own skill in a magical fantasy setting, and too fantastic for a realistic modern setting, but a character whose only magical skill is levitatiion would work quite well in some pulp settings. So, does it go on the list? You need selection criteria to be able to decide.

- Walt

I'll just add agreement to everything that's been said here so far, and add another layer of complexity - the fact that some verb skills would become verb-noun skills. "Drive Car" is somewhat different to "Drive Truck", "Longsword Attack" is somewhat different to "Katana Attack". Now, one would assume a degree of similarity. But how about the difference between a Drive Car (Citroen) and Drive Car (Honda)? Are these different skills as well? There's a very good argument to say that they actually are (ever looked under the hood of a citroen? It's ... fascinating!)

I am not impaccably opposed to your intention - to have a comprehensive skill list - but a great deal of care has to be taken in what level of complexity you want to use, otherwise you will - as one poster suggested - just end up with a list as long as a theasurus.

Hi,

I am not impaccably opposed to your intention - to have a comprehensive skill list - but a great deal of care has to be taken in what level of complexity you want to use, otherwise you will - as one poster suggested - just end up with a list as long as a theasurus.

If zobmie is still here, I happen to have a list I made years ago (okay, decades), taken from FASA's Star Trek, Prime Directive, Hero, Call of Cthulhu, D&D and more games I can't even remember. I have to say, however, that I still agree with the other posts here, ultimately, that a bigger list doesn't make a better one and I myself hate large skill and equipment lists, but here is my contribution to your cause, for what its worth - good luck.

accounting/actuary
acrobatics
acting
actuary, insurance/claims
acupuncture
administration
advertising
aerodynamics
agriculture/agronomy
alchemy
analysis
anatomy
ancient history
animal anatomy
animal behavior
animal disease
animal evaluation
animal genetics
animal handling
animal health
animal husbandry
animal lore
animal management
animal nutrition
animal selection
animal training
anisthesiology
anomolistics
anthropological linguistics
anthropology
antiques
appraisal
arbitration
archaeology
archery
architecture
archivist
area knowledge (area)
armorer
art
art critic
artifact lore
astrogation
astrogeology
astrology
astronautics
astronomy
astrophysics
auto mechanic
autopsy
backstab
banking, general
bard
bargain
barter
battle-ready
bicycling
biochemistry
bioclimatology
bioelectricity
bioengineering
biofeedback
biology (bacteriology, entomology)
biomechanics
biogeography
biomedicine
bionics
biophysics
biopsy
biotechnology
bioassay
bioastronautics
bioautography
hepatology
bioequivelance
biocatalyst
biocenosis
biochemistry
bioethics
bioenvironment
bioengineering
biofeedback
biointrumentation
biology
biomaterial reconstruction (prosthetics)
biomedicine
biomonitoring
bionics
bionomics
biophysics
biopsy
bioscience
biosensors
biospeleology
biostereometrics
biosynthesis
biotelemetry
biotranspformation
biomorphology
biomolecular fusion (gene sequencing)
biomolecular fission (gene splicing)
blacksmith
blindfighting
boating
bootlicking
boozing
botany
bowyer
boxing
brainwashing
brawling
breath control
brewing
bribery
business
calligraphy
camouflage
camping
candlemaking
caravan (drive)
carousing
carpentry
cartography
chariot (drive)
charm
chemical hydrology
chemistry
chiropractic
chromatography
chronography
climatology
climbing
coach (drive)
coach (sports)
cobbler
coding
commodities
communication systems technology
comparative religion
computer operation
computer programming
computer technology
computer science, general
computer theory
con
conceal
connoiseur
conservation
construction
contortionist
conversation
cooking
cooper
corrections
cosmetology
cosmology
counter-espionage
counterfeit/identify
courtesan
craft/create
credit rating
criminology
cryptography
cryptozoology
cultures
current events
customs inspection
cybernetics
cytology
damage control
dancing
deduction
demolition
dendrochronology
dentistry
dermatology
detect lies (psych)
diagnose
dietician
diplomacy
disguise
diving
dodge
drive (Automobiles, MotorCycles, Heavy Equipment, Military Vehicles)
drugs
dry cleaning
endocrinology
ecology
economics
education
electronic countermeasures
electronics operation
electronics technology
embryology
energy systems
engineering, general
engineering, aerospace
engineering, automotive
engineering, civil
engineering, electrical
engineering, naval
engineering, environmental
engineering, mining
engineering, nuclear
entomology
environmental geology
epidemiology
escape
espionage
etiquette
ethology
ethnology
evaluate
explosives
extreme sports
falconry
familiarity (subject)
farming
fast-draw
fast-talk
fencing
filching
filmmaking
fine arts
firearms
firebuilding
first aid
fishing
fitness
fletcher
fluid mechanics
forgery
foraging
forensics
forestry
forward observer
freefall
gadgetry
gambling
gaming (type)
gastroenterology
gemcutting
general physical science
general earth-space science
general practice/family medicine
genetics
genetic engineering (cloning)
geochemistry
geochronology
geography
geology
geomorphology
geophysics
gesture
gastrointerology
geriatrics
glassblower
golf course management
gourmet
graphology/forgery
gunner
gunsmith
gymnastics
H.A.M.
handwriting analysis
hang-gliding
hawking
health sciences
heavy weapons
hematology
hepatology
homeopathy
heraldry
herbalism
herding
herpatology
hiding
history
holdout
hologram
hunting
hygiene
hydrology
hydrometeorology
hydroponics
hypnotism
ichthyology
identify
illustarator
immunology
improvisation
impersonation
industrial trade
instruction
intelligence analysis
internet
interrogation
investigation
intimidation
investigation
jack of all trades
jeweler
journalism
jousting
juggling/sideshow
jumping
language
laser technology
lasso
laundry
law
leadership
leatherworking
legends/lore
liason
library science
library use
linguistics
lip reading
listen
literacy language
literature
lockpicking
locksmith
lying
machinist
macrobiology
mammology
manual labor
marine geology
marine geophysics
marketing
martial arts
massage
masonry
mathematics
mechanics
melee weapon
medicine
merchant
metallurgy
metaphysics
meteorology
microbilogy
mid-wife
military operations
military science
mindblock
minerology
mining
modeling
molecular biology
motivation
mountaineering
move silently
musical instrument
music appreciation
mysticism
natural history
naturalist
navigation
negotiation
neurology
neuro-physiology
nuclear physics
nephrology
orthopedics
oncology
observation
obstetrics/gynecology
oceanography
occult lore
optics
optometry
osteopathy
oratory
ornithology
orthodontics
packing
paleaentology
palynlogy
paleoclimatology
pantomime
parachute
paramedic
parapsychology
parasailing
parasitology
pathology
pediatrics
pedology
performance
persuasion
petrology
pharmacy
photography
philosophy
physical education
physical science, general
physics
physiology
pick pocket
pilot (Aircraft, Boats)
plumbing
podiatry
poetry
poisons
police procedure
politics
pottery
practical jokes
prestidigitation
propaganda
prospecting
prosthetics
proctology
protozoology
psionics*
psychoanalysis
psychology
public speaking
public service
quick-draw
radiation technology
radio
radiology
random theories
range management
read/write
recreational activities
religion
research
ride (Animals)
robotics
rope use
running
rheumatology
sabotage
safecracking
savoir-faire
seafaring
sewing
scrounging
S.C.U.B.A.
sculpting
seismology
security systems/procedures
sedimentology
seduction
seismology
semaphore
sex appeal
shadowing
shipbuilding
shiphandling
sign language
singing
skate (Board, Inline, Ice)
ski (Water, Snow)
sled
sleight of hand/prestidigitation
small equipment systems
smuggling
sneak
social sciences
sociology
spacecraft operation
spacecraft technology
speak language
spells*
spelunking
sports
spot hidden
spurious logic/babble
stand-up comedy
statistics
stealth
steward
stormchasing
storytelling
strategy
streetwise
surf (Wave, Wind)
surgery: general, specific - brain, neuro, cardiac, micro, cosmetic, procto, gyno, osteo
surveillance
surveillance technology
survival
swimming
tactics
tanning (furrier)
taxidermy
taxonomy
taylor/seamstress
team driving
tectonics
telegraphy
telekinesis
television, repair
television, production
teratology
theology
thermodynamics
throw
thrown weapon
tightrope walking
topography
torture
toxicology
tracking
trivia
trade, industrial
traps, animal
traps, combat
trapcraft
trivia
tumbling
underwater demolition
urban legends
urology
ufology
ventriloquism
veterinary
video equipment
voice mimicry
vulcanology
weaponsmith
weapon lore
weaving
wheelwright
wildlife
woodworking
wrestling
writing, professional
writing, technical
writing, creative
xenobiology
xenobotany
x-ray operation
x-ray repair
zero-G maneuvers
zoology

Aw heck, here are some others:

SPELLS/POWERS
Arc Fire
Absolute Depth
Absolute Healing
Absolute Location
Absolute Peripheral Vision
Absorb Intellect
Absorb Soul
Accuracy
Adhere
Advanced Illusions
Affect Normal Fires
Age
Agility
Air Armor
Airy Water
Alarm
Alertness
Alter Power
Alter Probability
Alter SElf
Analyze Magic
Analyze Poison
Anchor
Animal Empathy
Animal Growth
Animate Dead
Animate Object
Animate Weapon
Anti-Magic
Antipathy
Apothecary
Apport Arcane
Area Enchant
Armor
Astral Chains
Astral Travelling
Atone
Attraction
Audible Glamour
Augury
Aura
Aura of Protection
Automatism (ouija, automatic writing)
Autoteleport
Aversion
Avoidance
Awaken
Awaken
Awe
Banishment
Barkskin
Battleskill
Beacon
Beast Soother
Become Tree
Berserk
Bestow Curse
Beyond Death
Bind
Bind/Control Creature
Bird Control
Black Tentacles
Bless
Blinding
Blink
Blur
Bravery
Breathe Water
Brittle
Bubbles of Survival
Burning Hands
Call Entity
Call Lightning
Call Woodland Beings
Cantrips
Cat Eyes
Cause Insanity
Cause Wounds
Cell Rot
Chain Lightning
Change Self
Change Staff
Channeling (meditative, mediumistic)
Chaos
Chariot
Charm Creature
Charm Person
Charm Person
Charm Plants
Chill Touch
Clairvoyance
Clenched Fist
Cloak of Bravery
Clone
Cloudkill
Clouds
Cold
Color Spray
Coma
Combine
Commune
Communicate
Comprehend/Speak Languages
Computer Empathy
Conceal Thoughts
Cone of Cold
Confusion
Conjure Animals
Conjure Elemental
Contact Plane
Contagion
Contingency
Continual Light
Control Body
Control Elemental
Control Temperature
Control Undead
Control Undead
Control Weather
Convergance
Convincing Lie
Courage
Create Earth
Create Elemental
Create Fire
Create Food/Water
Create Water
Creeping Doom
Crushing Hand
Cryokinesis
Cure
Cure Insanity
Cure Paralysis
Curse
Dancing Lights
Darkness
Daydream
Daze
Deafen
Death Fog
Death Shield
Death Spell
Deathstrike
Decrease Accuracy
Decrease Armor
Decrease Attacks
Decrease Damage
Decrease Mass
Deep Pockets
Deflect
Delay Blast Fireball
Delude
Demand
Demon Bane
Demon Strike
Destroy Water
Detect Charm
Detect Curse
Detect Disease
Detect Evil/Good
Detect Intentions
Detect Invisible
Detect Lies
Detect Magic
Detect Object
Detect Person
Detect Poison
Detect Portals/Stairs
Detect Scrying
Detect Secret Doors
Detect Traps
Determine Spell
Dig
Disarm Trap
Disbelieve
Disintigrate
Disjoin
Disjunction
Dismiss Creature
Dismissal
Dispel
Dispossess
Disrupt Illusion
Dominate
Dragon Breath
Dream
Dream Link
Druidsm/Wicca
Dry
Duplicate Power
Dust Devil
Earth to Air
Earth to Stone
Earth Vision
Earthquake
Ectoplasmic Bolt
Effigy Link
Ejection
Electrokinesis
Emotion
Empathic Projection
Empathy
Enchant
Encumber
Energy Armor
Energy Ball
Energy Blast
Energy Bolt
Energy Shield
Energy Spray
Energy Storm
Energy Stream
Energy Strike
Energy Weapon
Enervation
Enhance Attribute (+1 STR)
Enlarge
Ensnare
Enthrall
Erase
Exaction
Exorcism
Exoteleport
Explosive Runes
Extension I
Extinguish Fire
Eyebite
Fabricate
Faerie Fire
Faithful Hound
False Senses
False Vision
Fate Link
Fear
Feather Fall
Feeblemind
Feel Light
Feel Sound
Feign Death
Find Familiar
Finger of Death
Fire Charm
Fire Shield
Fire Trap
Fire Web
Fireball
Fireseeds
Firestorm
Firewall
Flame Arrow
Flame Beam
Flame Blade
Flame Throw
Flamewalk
Flaming Sphere
Flesh Anew
Flesh Fuse
Flesh Restore
Floating Disk
Fly
Fog
Foolishness
Fool's Gold
Forbiddance
Force Cage
Forceful Hand
Foresight
Forget
Fortify
Free Action
Free Creature
Freeze Foes
Freezing Sphere
Friends
Fumble
Fury
Gale
Gate
Gatewalk
Gaze Reflection
Geas
Glassee
Glitter Dust
Globe of Invulnerability
Glue
Grasping Hand
Grease
Greater Revelation
Greater Summoning
Guard
Guilt Strike
Gust of Wind
Hallucinatory Terrain
Harden
Harmonize
Haste
Healing
Hear Light
Hear Noise
Heat
Hellfire
Heroes Feast
Hide Object
Hold Monster
Hold Person
Hold Undead
Holy Strike
Holy Water
Howling Winds
Hurricane
Hypersensitivity
Hypnosis
Hypnotic Image
Ice Sphere
Ice Storm
Icewall
Identify
Identify Spell
Ignite Fire
Illusory Script
Illusory Wall
Immolate
Implode
Imprison
Improved Sight
Incarnation
Incarnation Awareness
Incendiary Cloud
Increase Accuracy
Increase Armor
Increase Attacks
Increase Damage
Infravision
Instant Ogre
Instant Wolf
Interposing Hand
Interrogate
Interrupt
Invisibility
Invisible Stalker
Irresistable Dance
Irritation
Jump
Knock
Know Alignment
Legend Lore
Lend Health
Lend Strength
Lesser Revelation
Lesser Summoning
Levitation
Light
Light
Lighten
Lightning
Limited Wish
Locate
Locate Traps
Lower Water
Lubricate
Mage Flame
Mage Gauntlets
Magestar
Magic Compass
Magic Jar
Magic Mirror
Magic Missile
Magic Mouth
Magical Aura
Magical Stone
Magical Vestment
Magnokinesis
Maintain
Major Creation
Major Healing
Mammal Control
Manifest
Manna Ball
Mansion
Mass
Mass Charm
Mass Invisibility
Mass Suggestion
Maze
Meditation
Meld Into Stone
Melt
Mending
Message
Metal to Wood
Meteor Swarm
Mind Blade
Mind Blank
Mind Bolt
Mind Fist
Mind Jab
Mind Reading
Mind Screen
Mind Shield
Mind Storm
Mind Warp
Mindblast
Mindchange
Mindease
Mindprobe
Mindwipe
Minor Creation
Minor Healing
Minor Invulnerability
Minute Meteors
Mirage Arcania
Mirror Image
Mislead
Mithril Might
Moisten
Molecular Alteration
Monster Summoning II
Moonbeam
Mount
Move Earth
Mystic Chain
Mystic Circle
Mystic Link
Mystic Plate
Mystic Shield
Necromancy
Non-Detection
Obscurement
Ogre
Ogre Strength
Oracle (tarot, dice, pendulum, tea leaves, palms, runes)
Parmanency
Part Water
Pass Without Trace
Passtree
Passwall
Path Find
Permanent Illusion
Persuasion
Pervert
Phantasmal Force
Phantasmal Killer
Phantasms
Phantom Steed
Phase Blur
Phase Door
Phobia Amplification
Plant Control
Plant Growth
Poison
Poison Sense
Poison Strike
Polymorph Object
Polymorph Other
Polymorph Self
Possess
Post Hypnotic Suggestion
Power
Power Bolt
Power Word Blind
Power Word Stun
Powerstone
Prayer
Precognition
Predict Outcome
Predict Weather
Prime Summoning
Prismatic Sphere
Prismatic Spray
Prismatic Wall
Produce Flame
Program Illusion
Project Image
Protection from Acid
Protection from Cold
Protection from Electricity
Protection from Evil/Good
Protection from Heat
Protection from Lycanthropes
Protection from Normal Missiles
Protection from Undead
Psi Sense
Psi Static
Psychic Impersonation
Psychic Messenger
Psychic Shout (Flash)
Psychic Surgery
Psychic Tap
Psychokinetic Shield
Psychometry/Retrocognition
Puissance (+1 THR)
Purify Air
Purify Food
Purify Water
Pyrokinesis
Pyrotechnics
Quest
Radial Navigation
Rain
Rainbow Pattern
Rapid Healing
Ray of Enfeeblement
Read Languages
Read Magic
Recover Strength
Reflecting Pool
Regenerate
Reincarnation
Rejoin
Relax
Remote Viewing
Remove Curse
Remove Enchantment
Remove Fear
Rend
Repair Artifact
Repair Corpse
Repel Undead
Reptile Control
Repugnance
Repulsion
Resilient Sphere
Resist Cold/Heat
Resist Fire
Restoration
Restore Limb
Resurrect
Reverse Gravity
Ritual of Desecration
Rock Mutation
Rock to Mud
Rope Trick
Sanctuary
Scare
Screen
Scroll
Scry
scrying
Second Sight
Secret Chest
Secret Page
Secure Shelter
Seek Earth
Seek Water
Seeker
Seeming
Sending
Sense Creature
Sense Emotion
Sense Foes
Sense Life
Sensory Block
Sensory Link
Sequester
Shades
Shadow Door
Shadow Monsters
Shadow Travel
Shamanism
Shant
Shape Air
Shape Fire
Shape Water
Shatter
Shock Sphere
Shocking Grasp
Shout
Shrink
Sigil
Silence
Simulacrum
Sink
Size
Skill Switch
Sleep
Slow
Snow
Soften
Solid Fog
Sonic Beam
Soothe
Sorcerer Shield
Sorcerer Sight
Speak With Creature
Speak With Dead
Speak With Object
Spectral Force
Spectral Hand
Spectral Touch
Speed
Spell Absorption
Spell Aid
Spell Bind
Spell Immunity
Spell Negation
Spell Spirit
Spell Turning
Spider Climb
Spirit Blast
Spirit Drain
Spirit Hammer
Spirit Sense
Spirit Travel
Split Personality
Spook
Staff
Stamina
Starflare
Starshine
Statue
Steal Skill
Steelight
Sticks to Snakes
Stinking Cloud
Stone Missile
Stone Shape
Stone to Flesh
Stone Touch
Stonelight
Stoneskin
Strength
Strike
Stun
Succor
Suffocate
Suggestion
Summon Creature
Summon Elemental
Summon Shadow
Summon Swarm
Summon Undead
Sunray
Suspension
Sustenance
Switch Personalities
Symbol
Target Dummy
Taunt
Telepathic Hypnotic Suggestion
Telepathy
Teleport
Telikenesis
Temporal Stasis
Thorn Wall
Tickle
Time Stop
Time Travelling
Tiny Hut
Tornado
Trace
Trance
Transchanneling
Transdimensional Travelling
Transfer
Transformation
Translocation
Transmutation
Trap Soul
Trap Zap
Treemorph
Trip
True Seeing
Truthsayer
Turn Wood
Uncontrollable Laughter
Unencumber
Unseen Servant
Vacancy
Vampirism
Vanish
Vanish
Veil
Ventrloquism
Vision
Voodoo
Vorpal Plating
Walk on Air
Walk on Water
Wall of Fog
Wall of Force
Wall of Iron
Wall of Stone
Wallspeak
Ward Against Undead
Warding
Warp Wood
Warstrike
Water of Healing
Water to Dust
Weaken
Weather Control
Web
Weird
Whispering Wind
Wightstrike
Wind Dragon
Wind Giant
Wind Ogre
Wind Wall
Wind Warrior
Wind Wolf
Wish
Withdraw
Witherstrike
Wizard Eye
Wizard Lock
Wizard Mark
Wood to Metal
Word of Fear
Word of Healing
Word of Recall
Wraithform
Wyvernwatch
Youth

ADVANTAGES
Absolute Direction
Absolute Timing
Accuracy
Acute Sense: Hearing
Acute Sense: Smell
Acute Sense: Taste
Acute Sense: Touch
Acute Sense: Vision
Alertness
Allies
Ambidexterity
Animal Empathy
Animal Speak
Appearance
Armor Skin
Artistic Talent, Natural
Aura of Protection
Aura Sight
Balance
Berserk
Blessed
Body Conditioning
Breathe Water
Chameleon
Charisma/Charm
Clerical Investment
Cling
Combat Reflexes
Common Sense
Contacts
Cramming
Danger Sense
Destiny
Detect Evil
Detect Magic
Detect Psi
Directional Hearing
Double Jointed
Eidetic Memory
Eloquence
Empathy
Endurance
Enhanced Senses
Entangle
Equipment
Extra Attack
Extra Limb
Fast Learner
Favor
Find Weakness
Follower
Frequential Hearing
Fringe Benefits (Marry, Diplomatic Immunity, etc)
Gliding
Healing
Immunity: Disease, Poison, etc.
Infravision
Intuition
Inventive
Jumping
Knighted
Language Ability, Natural
Legal Enforcement Powers
Lightning Calculator
Lightsleep
Longevity
Luck
Magical Abilities
Mathematical Ability, Natural
Mechanical Inclination
Mentor
Microscopic Vision
Military Rank
Mindlink
Multi-Cultural
Natural Armor
Natural Weapon
Night Vision
Occular Independence
Odor Masking
Oxygenesis
Patron
Peripheral Vision
Precognition
Psi Abilities
Rapid Healing
Regeneration
Reknown/Reputation
Resistance: Magic, Disease, etc.
Royal Blood
Shapechange
Sight Link
Simulate Death
Sixth Sense
Social Standing
Sonar
Spatial Awareness
Special Weapon/Item
Speed Reading
Spellcasting
Status
Telescopic Hearing
Telescopic Vision
Tongues
Toughness/Resiliency
Tunnelling
Turn Undead
Unusual Background
Visions
Voice, Natural
Wealth
Weather Sense
Willpower/High Pain Threshold
X-Ray Vision

DISADVANTAGES
Absent Minded
Accidental Change
Addiction
Age
Albinism
Alcoholism
Allergy
Appearance
Austistic
Bad Sight
Bad Temper
Berserk
Bisexuality
Blindness
Bloodlust
Code of Honor
Colorblind
Combat Paralysis
Compulsive Behavior
Cowardice
Cross Dressing
Deafness
Decreased Peripheral Vision
Delusions
Dependents
Depression
Diseased
Distinctive Features
Duties
Dwarfism
Dyslexia
Elevated Blood Pressure
Enemies
Enslaved
Epilepsy
Eternal Child
Eunuch
Fanatacism
Fat
Feminine Male
Fetish/Deviant: Bestiality, Necrophile, Voyeur, Asexual
Gigantism
Gluttony
Greed
Gullibility
Hard of Hearing
Hemophilia
Homosexuality
Honesty
Hunted/Watched
Illiteracy
Illness
Impotent/Infertile
Impulsiveness
Intolerance
Jaundice
Jealousy
Kamikaze
Kleoptomania
Lame: One Leg, Legless
Lazy
Lecherous
Low Pain Threshold
Masculine Female
Masochism
Megalomania
Miserliness
Mute
Naive
Narcolepsy
No Sense of Smell/Taste
Normal Human Max
Nymphomaniacal
Odious Personal Habit
One Arm
One Eye
One Hand
Overconfidence
Overweight
Pacifism
Paralyze
Paranoid
Phobic
Physical Limitation
Poison
Poverty Stricken
Primitive
Psychological Limitation
Public Identity
Pyromaniacal
Quirk
Reputation
Rivalry
Sadism
Secret Identity
Sense of Duty
Shyness
Skinny
Social Stigma
Spatial Awareness
Split Personality
Status
Stubborness
Stuttering
Susceptibility
Truthfulness
Tuberculosis
Unlucky
Vow
Vulnerability
Weak Will
Youth

ATTRIBUTES
accuracy
agility
analytical
appearance
attractiveness
aura
balance
beauty
body
brains
brawn
charisma
charm
chastity
chutzpah
class
comeliness
common sense
conditioning
confidence
constitution
cool
coordination
creativity
deftness
determination
dexterity
discipline
education
ego
empathy
endurance
essence
faith
fate
fatigue
fellowship
fitness
focus
health
honor
immunity
influence
integrity
intellect
intelligence
intimidation
intuition
joss
knowledge
leadership
life force
logic
looks
luck
magic
manna
memory
mental prowess
mind
moves
morality
nimbleness
perception
personality
physique
piousness
power
precision
presence
prowess
psi
psyche
quickness
reasoning
resilient
sanity
size
social standing
soul
speed
spirit
stamina
strength
stun
toughness
vigor
vitality
wealth
willpower
wisdom
wit

Dr Velocity: Copy, Paste, Save
thats what i was looking for thank you.

To the rest of you, i was looking for a list of skills/advantages/disadvantages as a means of inspiration for myself mainly. What would qualify as a "good" skill. Something that could feasibly be used in a game, and be made fun.

As for how I personally plan on using a list like this.

I am sort of brainstorming a role-playing CCG. Dr. Velocities list will be INVALUABLE in coming up with different cards. Sorry if i wasn't clear as to the reason for this post, but i figured it would just be a fun discussion with or without a clear reason.

Glad I was able to help, though as noted, that list is years out of date for some skills.

I also mostly used it as a reference and starting point for various ideas I was brainstorming, and it did provide some usefulness and I could help remind myself of something else I was thinking of as I looked through it again ("Oh yeah, I was gonna figure out how to include Surgery"). I guess thats the sort of thing you do when you collect rpgs for their mechanics and lists and not necessarily to play them.

Bo staff skills
Nunchucks skills...






sorry, couldn't resist :-)

I notice that Dr. Velocity's list doesn't have the essential "Hard-Hat Diving," something which is covered by Kromm's List (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/krommlist.html).

Kromm's List is a summation of every skill, advantage, and disadvantage ever to see the light of GURPS.

Just chucking another log on the fire,
-Matt

Garbanzo wrote: I notice that Dr. Velocity's list doesn't have the essential "Hard-Hat Diving," something which is covered by Kromm's List (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/krommlist.html).

Kromm's List is a summation of every skill, advantage, and disadvantage ever to see the light of GURPS.

Just chucking another log on the fire,
-Matt

Of course, if you want the majority of your players to care about your game and use the majority of your skills, you could simply write up some rules for skill/advantage/attribute creation and selection, and let all your players come up with all the strange skills/advantages/attributes themselves. The GM knows the type of setting he wants, and can give the players a synopsis of what kind of game he wants to run (just like every good GM normally would), and let the players come up with their own custom skills. The GM approves or disapproves of his players' creations, and the players change their characters accordingly. This allows you to have a limitless amount of skills and still (ideally) have every skill matter, in terms of game mechanics. Of course, that assumes that the players use all the skills that they choose and the GM uses some common sense to determine which skills would have been available in the setting.

Cribbed from the Dream Park RPG (the best RPG ever written about playing characters playing an RPG):

Unarmed Combat
Melee Combat
Ranged Combat

Athletics
Stealth
Dodge

Willpower
Lore
Tinkering

Yes, there are no social skills. If you have social skills in your game then your game should be about being social (ie: The Dying Earth).