History Analysis / SkillScoresAndPerks

* Arbitrarily investing "skill points" into them, which are gained after {{Level Up}}s (in CharacterLevel systems) or completed quests (in the PointBuildSystem)

* '''Weapon skills''': Usually further subdivided by [[WeaponOfChoice weapon type]]

* '''Diplomacy skills''': Relevant during interactive dialogue

** Journeying: Ability to traverse the WorldMap faster and with less RandomEncounters

** Spotting: Ability to sense ambushes, traps, and other dangers inadvertently while exploring

** Detection: Ability to spot ambushes, hidden doors, items, traps, and resources

** Assessment: Ability to discern enemy threat level and abilities at a distance

* '''Sustained perks''', a.k.a. auras, likewise require manual activation by the player but remain in effect for a certain time (followed by a cooldown) or until they either have drained the character of mana/stamina or are deactivated. Their effects can vary from passive bonuses, through dealing continuous damage to surrounding enemies, to enabling the usage of otherwise restricted active perks (e.g. certain sword techniques only available from a certain combat stance).

** Assessment: Ability to figure out item properties and enemy abilities and threat level

** Traveling: Ability to traverse the WorldMap faster and with less RandomEncounters

** Procurement: Ability to obtain crafting resources from the environment, be it harvesting, mining, looting, etc.

** Detection: Ability to spot hidden doors, items, traps, and resources[[note]]This may also be tied to a Perception stat instead of a skill.[[/note]]

** [[NonstandardSkillLearning Clearing certain story events or similar extra-systemic ways]] (in which case the new perk is often learned automatically)

** Clearing certain story events (in which case the new perk is often learned automatically)

Both skill scores and perks can, in some rare cases, be acquired through [[NonstandardSkillLearning special ways]] that the others don't use and are unique to it.

** Athletics and acrobatics: Ability to move faster and leap further and higher

** Hacking: Ability to extract necessary information from digital systems

** Smithing: Ability to create weapons and armor from gathered resources and repair existing gear

** Detection: Ability to spot hidden doors, items, traps, and resources[note]This may also be tied to a Perception stat instead of a skill.[/note]

** Detection: Ability to spot hidden doors, items, traps, and resources

** Swimming: Ability to move faster across and under the water surface

** Trap spotting and disarming: Ability to detect traps and remove them more reliably

* '''Story perks''' unlock hidden sidequests and conversation options, i.e. affecting the story instead of the gameplay. They are distinct from regular {{Event Flag}}s in that they can be acquired at any point in the game by spending skill points.

* Repeatedly applying the corresponding basic action (in the so-called Training System)

Skill scores are not so much "acquired" as "improved", since most characters start off with at least minimal scores in them and then decide which ones to improve. Raising a skill score can be accomplished by:

* Arbitrarily investing "skill points" into them, which are gained after {{Level Up}}s (in CharacterLevel systems) or quests (in the PointBuildSystem)

* '''Passive perks''' provide constant bonuses after they are learned. Said bonuses are usually an order of magnitude larger than the ones provided by regular stat or skill score increases. For instance, if each Wisdom stat point gives the character 2% to hostile magic resistance, the [[MageKiller Magebane perk]] can give up to 50%.

* Perks usually have to be "unlocked" for a character before she can learn them. Unlocking a perk often entails one or more of following:

Skill scores are not so much "acquired" as "improved", since most characters start off with at least minimal scores in them and then decide which ones to improve by:

Listed below are further classifications of RPG characters' skills and perks.