Aptitudes

These dots represent a more focused and learned set of abilities and skills, and are easier for a person to narrowly focus into. It also shows what kind of focuses you put on various activities in your life. Some don't focus so much, and are free to spread the points thinly, while others are very focused with getting up to 4 dots in any one thing.

Your focus should not exceed 4 dots without explicit approval.

Most people might only have a single dot in a thing they feel they know how to do. 2 dots would be something done often, and not just commuting, but actual tasks and challenges. 3 dots could easily be someones profession, something they would pride themselves in. 4 dots is the pursuit of a lifes work, this level of skill is rare and spectacular.

5 dots is peak human. People who have 5 dots are probably very rich and probably very famous for their capacity to do whatever this aptitude is. When they are challenged in their field, they win, plain and simple.

6+ dots are Beyond Human. Humans don't have a innate capacity to exceed the 5th dot. Some aliens are good enough and some things that they might reach 8th dot. The best Saurothrop might have 8th dot Personal. The best Plant might have 8th Persuasion. The Best Javvan might have 8th dot Occult. The best Bug might have 8th dot Mining.

Humans can attempt to reach these heights when they themselves become Beyond Human. This may include advanced alien technologies, implants, genetic sequencing, etc.. I don't want to just charge an absurd amount of Xp; This is extremely hard to get in game. Period. Xp is as xp does, you don't waggle Xp points at your sheet and get that +6th dot. Your character must have become something Beyond Human to get a +6th aptitude.

Personal
Engaging in melee combat using your fists, gloves, brass knuckles, martial arts, etc

Example Specialties: Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing

Armed
Hitting people with swords, knives, clubs, staves, etc..

Example Specialties: Katana, Baseball Bat, knife

Ranged
Shooting people with guns, bows, etc..

Example Specialties: Hypersonic SMG, Long Bow, Tazer

Fire-Control
Operating guns using a console based interface (Eg. spaceship guns)

Example Specialties: Drones, Railguns, Cannons

Athletics
Your physical abilities such as Running, Jumping, Climbing, Dodging, etc

Example Specialties: Acrobatics, Long distance running, Rock Climbing

Computer
Your proficiency with a computer, often times allowing you to Hack private files or networks, code your own programs or even develop your own complex network and all other general uses of a computer fall under this category.

Example Specialties: Hacking, Networking, Programming, etc... See 0s&1s powerset

Culture
This sums up questions about various nations and species way of doing things, history, language, art, etc.. This covers learnable Lore from academically sound sources.

Example Specialties: History [Insert Race/Civilization]

Empathy
You understand the emotions of others, and can sympathize with, feign sympathy for, or play on such emotions as you see fit. You are an easy hand at discerning motive, and might be able to pick up on when someone's lying to you. However, you may be so in tune with other people's feelings that your own emotions are affected.

Example Specialties: Lie Detector, Actor, Emotional Crutch

Engineering
Your ability to design, build and improve a multitude of different devices and structures.

Example Specialties: Building architecture, Construction, Weapon Design, etc.

Intimidation
Your ability to frighten or impose your will on others. Intimidation takes many forms, from outright threats and physical violence to mere force of personality. You know the right method for each occasion, and can be very… persuasive.

Example Specialties: Veiled Threats, Pulling Rank, Physical Coercion, "Bad Cop", etc.

Investigation
The ability to drill into a series of observations to deduce deeper truths.

Example Specialties: Pattern Recognition, Detect Trap, Sleuthing

Larceny
Your ability to steal the property of others, employ tools like lock picks and safe cracking, and to do this without being noticed.

Example Specialties: Lock picking, Safe opening, pickpocket, shaped charges.

Medicine
You have an understanding of how the human [and alien] body works. This ability entails knowledge of medicines, ailments, first-aid procedures, and diagnosis or treatment of disease.

Example Specialties: Organ Transplants, Emergency Care, Poison Treatments, etc.

Mining
This aptitude isn't just blaping rocks with a laser. An intimate and ever-changing knowledge base is required for being able to extract the most yield, in the fastest time, in the safest way.

Example Specialties: Ore recognition, shaft drilling, shaped charges, fraking.

Observation
The ability to notice things even when not paying attention to them.

Example Specialties: Spot Checks, Attention to Detail, Situational Awareness

Occult
This covers everything in the weird. Psychic powers, bizarre and ancient rituals, and interesting alien artifacts all fall under this category. This covers Lore from dead races, or extra enigmatic species, where one must fill in the blanks a lot.

Example Specialties: Chronokinesis, Death sight, check Psionics.

Persuasion
Your ability to make someone to believe or agree with your point of view.

Example Specialties: Smooth talk, making deals, "good cop", seduction.

Piloting
Make spaceship go good. Oddly, one of the rolled skills, the pilot must operate the craft with great care. Making a landing from space, or getting a ship into space. Executing tight or precise maneuvers, etc.

Example Specialties: Landing, Take off, Precision docking (or absorbing).

Science
Your general knowledge falls under this; such as Math, chemistry, biology and so on.

Example Specialties: Mathematics, Biology [Insert Race], chemistry, physics, etc.

Stealth
This talent is the ability to avoid being detected, whether you're hiding or moving at the time.

Example Specialties: Hiding, Silent Movement, Shadowing,

Streetwise
Your ability to have the social graces of a diplomat or socialite. Perhaps after you successfully make your Culture rolls, you'd have to roll this to actually use that knowledge. This also includes the darker side of life, gathering info, getting in on the black market, avoiding social/status based dangers (Cant talk to an admiral the same way as a pirate).

Example Specialties: Dinner Parties, Statesmanship, Carousing, Bar Hoping, Javvan orgy domes, black markets, gangs, rumors.

Subterfuge
You know how to conceal your own motives and project what you like. Furthermore, you can root out other people's motives, then use those motives against them. This talent defines your talent for intrigue, secrets and double-dealing; mastery of Subterfuge can make you the ultimate seducer, or a brilliant spy

Example Specialties: Seduction, Impeccable Lies, Acting

Survival
Still a super useful skill in space. Police, Military, and Firefighters all practice this now - getting suited up and geared up rapidly. If your air becomes vacuum, you will make this roll. If anything happens to your ship or suit that involves good air leaving or bad air entering, you'll make a roll. Failing this roll is a fast way to die. This game contains no saving throws.

Example Specialties: Suit Donning, Rapid Patching, Improvised tools.

Technician
Any taking apart, putting together, putting on, or pulling off; Any fixing, repair, recalibrating, rotating, adjusting; It's all here. If existing technology is being altered in any way, it is most likely a Technician roll.

Example Specialties: MacGuyver'ing, Optimizing, Field stripping.