NULL_POINT() // SYSTEM REFERENCE // SKILLS v0.4

Active Skills

Six categories. Scale 1–6. Point budgets set by lifepath.

GENERAL

The broad skill category. Your rating applies here. Using outside chosen Focus costs −2 dice compression.

FOCUS

A directed area within the General. 2 free Focus slots per skill at creation. No compression when acting within Focus.

SPECIALIZATION

Specific refinement within a Focus. Grants +1 die when applicable. 1 free Spec per skill at creation.

Combat

Violence, threat, and the body as a weapon or a shield

FirearmsDEFAULT: REFLEX

All projectile weapons fired through a trigger mechanism. The broadest combat skill — nearly every runner carries something. Focus determines what they're actually good with; grip, reload pattern, and recoil profile are muscle memory, not general knowledge.

GENERAL

Any firearm — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Pistols — compact carry, one-handed use, concealed draw, point shooting
Submachine Guns — burst fire discipline, close quarters, suppression, transitions
Rifles — mid-range accuracy, semi-auto control, barrier penetration
Shotguns — spread management, breaching loads, stopping power at range
Sniper Systems — long-range precision, wind calculation, cold bore shots
SPEC+1 die

Favored sidearm model — suppressed fire — shooting from cover — hip-fire at range — dual wield — moving targets

Close CombatDEFAULT: PHYSIQUE / REFLEX

Everything within arm's reach — strikes, holds, takedowns, improvised weapon use. Physique governs power-based approaches; Reflex governs speed and technique. The GM calls which applies based on how the action is described.

GENERAL

Any melee engagement — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Unarmed — trained strikes, joint locks, specific martial discipline
Blades — knives, short swords, monofilament, draw speed
Blunt Weapons — clubs, batons, pipes, improvised heavy objects
Grappling — holds, chokes, takedowns, controlling without injury
Improvised — whatever's in reach, environmental weapons, furniture
SPEC+1 die

Disarming — chokeholds — fighting in confined spaces — specific martial style — fighting while moving — protecting another

Ranged WeaponsDEFAULT: REFLEX

Non-firearm projectile weapons — anything launched by physical technique rather than a trigger pull. The mechanics of draw, aim, and release are fundamentally different from Firearms; cross-training doesn't transfer automatically.

GENERAL

Any non-firearm projectile — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Bows — draw weight discipline, instinctive aim, moving targets
Crossbows — reload under pressure, scoped use, silent operation
Thrown — knives, grenades, improvised objects, arc calculation
Net & Restraint — entanglement weapons, capture tools, non-lethal takedown
SPEC+1 die

Armor-piercing loads — snap-shots at short range — specific weapon model — blind or low-light throws — suppressed crossbow

Heavy OrdnanceDEFAULT: PHYSIQUE / LOGIC
LOCKED — requires rating 1 to attempt

Crew-served weapons, vehicle-mounted systems, and anything requiring setup, targeting calculation, or a team to operate. Physique governs physical operation; Logic governs targeting and fire management. Untrained attempts produce results no one wants to be near.

GENERAL

Any heavy weapons platform — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Rocket Systems — shoulder-fired, backblast management, anti-armor targeting
Vehicle Weapons — mounted guns, turret systems, fire-on-the-move
Grenade Launchers — arc fire, fragmentation patterns, smoke and incendiary deployment
Drone Armament — remote targeting, payload management, coordinated strikes
SPEC+1 die

Anti-vehicle targeting — suppression patterns — fast setup — specific platform — firing from partial cover

DefenseDEFAULT: REFLEX

Active avoidance — getting out of the way, deflecting, using cover, and protecting others. Distinct from Physique's passive wound absorption; Defense is the decision to not be where the attack lands. Intuition may substitute when anticipating an attack before it's fully committed.

GENERAL

Any active avoidance — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Evasion — full-body dodges, repositioning under fire, slipping strikes
Blocking & Parrying — intercepting strikes, weapon deflection, using arms as shield
Cover Use — reading sightlines, moving between positions, suppression management
Protecting Others — interposing, bodyguard positioning, pushing others clear of harm
SPEC+1 die

Fighting retreat — protecting a specific person — evasion in confined spaces — vehicle evasion — static defensive position

DemolitionsDEFAULT: LOGIC
LOCKED — requires rating 1 to attempt

The precise application of explosive force — setting charges, timing detonation, calculating structural weak points, and disposing of ordnance left by others. Untrained use is as dangerous to the user as to the target. Also covers recognition and disarmament of existing devices.

GENERAL

Any explosive application — untrained use is actively dangerous

FOCUSno compression
Breaching — doors, walls, vaults — fast entry with controlled damage radius
Structural Demolition — building collapse, bridge drops, deliberate infrastructure damage
IED Construction — improvised devices, trigger mechanisms, concealment
Disarmament & EOD — render-safe procedures, reading trigger types, working carefully
Shaped Charges — directional force, precision cutting, minimal collateral damage
SPEC+1 die

Silent breach — timer precision — salvaged materials — anti-tamper triggers — working blind or in low-visibility

Physical

Movement, concealment, and the body doing things that are not violence

AthleticsDEFAULT: PHYSIQUE / REFLEX

The full range of physical activity that isn't combat. Physique governs power applications — climbing, swimming against current, carrying load. Reflex governs agility and speed — sprinting, parkour, balance. One of the most-rolled skills whenever a run goes sideways.

GENERAL

Any physical exertion — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Running & Sprinting — pursuit, escape, covering ground fast, running under load
Climbing — vertical surfaces, ropes, urban ascent, without gear
Swimming — current resistance, underwater duration, harbor approaches
Parkour — rooftop movement, gap jumps, fall management, flow state
Endurance — sustained exertion, resisting fatigue, pushing past the wall
SPEC+1 die

Moving while armored — rooftop running specifically — recovery from falls — zero-g movement — swimming in gear

StealthDEFAULT: REFLEX / INTUITION

Moving without being detected and staying undetected once in place. Reflex governs physical concealment quality; Intuition governs when and where to move — reading patrol patterns, anticipating sweeps, knowing when stillness beats motion. Often contested against Perception.

GENERAL

Any covert movement or concealment — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Shadowing — following targets through crowds, distance management, switching
Infiltration — moving through secured areas, bypassing guards, timed movement
Hiding in Place — staying still under active search, controlled breathing, patience
Urban Concealment — crowds as cover, blending, appearance management
Countersurveillance — detecting tails, identifying observation posts, clean routing
SPEC+1 die

Armed and silent — moving a group without detection — specific environment — thermal or acoustic evasion — long-duration holds

PilotingDEFAULT: REFLEX / INTUITION

Operating vehicles under conditions that require actual skill — pursuit, evasion, precise maneuvering, and keeping something moving after it's been damaged. Most people can drive. Focus is what separates handling from survival.

GENERAL

Any vehicle in demanding conditions — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Ground Vehicles — cars, trucks, cycles, pursuit and evasion on streets
Aircraft — drones, VTOL, rotary wing, low-altitude threading
Watercraft — harbor craft, fast boats, running dark without Nav assist
Drone Operation — remote piloting, swarm coordination, sensor tasking
SPEC+1 die

Specific vehicle model — pursuit driving — evasion patterns — operating without instruments — combat maneuvering

Technical

Systems, hardware, and the knowledge to take things apart or keep them running

ElectronicsDEFAULT: LOGIC

Physical electronic systems — hardware you can touch, modify, bypass, or break. Where Hacking handles what runs on top of systems, Electronics handles the layer underneath. Security hardware, comm equipment, cyberware maintenance, and improvised devices all live here.

GENERAL

Any physical electronic system — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Security Systems — cameras, sensors, alarm hardware, access control bypass
Comm Equipment — radios, signal boosters, interception hardware, jamming
Cyberware Maintenance — hardware diagnostics, field repair, rejection management
Drone Hardware — chassis work, sensor rigs, weapon mounts, field modifications
Improvised Devices — building from salvage, jury-rigging, one-shot gadgets
SPEC+1 die

Bypass without traces — field repair under fire — specific corp hardware line — low-power or degraded environments

HackingDEFAULT: LOGIC
LOCKED — requires rating 1 to attempt

Software intrusion, system manipulation, and navigating hostile Net architecture. Where Electronics handles the physical layer, Hacking handles what runs on top of it. Untrained attempts produce noise that competent ICE notices immediately.

GENERAL

Any software manipulation — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Data Extraction — finding, copying, and exfiltrating target files cleanly
System Manipulation — altering records, triggering systems remotely, overrides
Cover & Spoofing — false credentials, identity masking, erasing traces
Exploit Development — building custom intrusion tools, zero-days, tailored payloads
SPEC+1 die

Silent entry — corp architecture familiarity — credential theft — data forgery — rapid in-and-out operations

MedicineDEFAULT: LOGIC
LOCKED for surgery — basic first aid is open

Keeping people alive and functional — trauma care, surgery, pharmaceuticals, and the intersection of biology and cyberware. In The Sprawl, a good medic knows as much about chrome rejection as gunshot wounds. Basic first aid is open; anything more requires training.

GENERAL

Any medical intervention — basic first aid open, advanced care locked

FOCUSno compression
Trauma & Field Care — stabilizing wounds under fire, keeping someone alive long enough
Surgery — planned intervention, extraction of objects, implant installation
Pharmaceuticals — chems, stims, suppressants, black market compound identification
Cyberware Integration — rejection management, hardware-tissue interface, diagnostics
Toxicology — identification, antidotes, dosage calculation, poisoning
SPEC+1 die

Combat medicine under fire — black market compounds — cyberware removal — synthetic biology — forensic analysis

EngineeringDEFAULT: LOGIC

Building, modifying, and understanding mechanical and structural systems. The breadth is wide enough that Focus is essential — a mechanical engineer and a structural engineer share the General skill and little else. At its core: understanding how things are built well enough to make or unmake them.

GENERAL

Any mechanical or structural system — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Mechanical Systems — engines, actuators, hydraulics, anything with moving parts
Structural — load-bearing analysis, weak points, building modification
Vehicle Modification — performance, armor plating, weapon mounts, field fixes
Weapon Modification — suppressors, custom stocks, barrel work, illegal conversions
Fabrication — building from raw materials, machining, 3D print work, salvage
SPEC+1 die

Rapid field modification — specific vehicle platform — armorer work — salvage fabrication — structural weak point exploitation

Net

The digital layer — navigation, intrusion, and the Static that runs beneath everything

InterfaceDEFAULT: INTUITION / LOGIC
LOCKED — requires rating 1 for meaningful Net navigation

Moving through the Net — navigating node architecture, reading data weather, orienting in hostile or unfamiliar topologies. The foundational Net skill; without it, a decker or Technomancer is blind in the digital layer. Intuition governs instinctive navigation; Logic governs methodical mapping and path planning.

GENERAL

Any Net navigation — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Node Navigation — moving efficiently between nodes, reading topology quickly
Architecture Reading — understanding network structure, identifying chokepoints and vaults
Data Weather — interpreting signal conditions, ICE density, timing entry windows
Ghost Routing — moving without leaving a signal trail, dead-drop pathing
SPEC+1 die

Corp subnet layouts — hostile ICE topologies — low-signal dead zones — black site architecture — rapid re-orientation after disruption

IntrusionDEFAULT: LOGIC
LOCKED — requires rating 1 to attempt

Forced entry into protected Net systems — breaking past ICE, defeating authentication, navigating countermeasures deployed in depth. Where Hacking handles software broadly, Intrusion is specifically the art of getting through defenses built to stop people like you.

GENERAL

Any defensive Net bypass — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
ICE Bypass — going around defenses without triggering alert states
Authentication Defeat — credential cracking, biometric spoofing, session hijacking
Trace Evasion — staying off the backtrack while active in a hostile system
Active ICE Engagement — fighting through defenses directly rather than finding a way around
SPEC+1 die

Specific ICE family — cold-entry without triggering alerts — simultaneous multi-node — legacy system vulnerabilities

SignalTECHNOMANCER ONLY — INTUITION / LOGIC
LOCKED — Technomancer path required

The learned discipline of channeling the Static deliberately rather than simply reacting to it. Pairs with Intuition for Technoshamans, Logic for TechMages. Without Signal, a Technomancer's Sensitivity is passive and uncontrolled; Signal is what makes it a tool rather than a condition.

GENERAL

Any Static effect — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Effect Casting — clean execution of known effects, consistency under pressure
Buffer Management — reading your own exposure, pacing output, timing recovery
Idol Attunement (Shaman) — deepening the Idol connection, reading domain conditions, AoE shaping
Flux Precision (Mage) — surgical single-target application, extra success spending
Overreach Management — pushing past Sensitivity thresholds with intent, reading the edge
SPEC+1 die

Specific effect (e.g. Bind) — Idol-aligned environments — casting while damaged — buffer recovery under fire — silent casting

Social

In The Sprawl, everyone is performing — skill is the only differentiator

NegotiationDEFAULT: INTUITION

Reaching agreements and making the other party feel they came out ahead. Not manipulation — that's Deception. Negotiation is the legitimate exchange of value, real or perceived, between parties who both want something. Every run starts and ends at a table; this pays for itself.

GENERAL

Any negotiated outcome — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Contract & Pay — run rates, deliverables, kill fees, renegotiating mid-job
Black Market Dealing — street prices, barter, reading desperation in the other party
Hostage Situations — de-escalation, buying time, finding the exit everyone needs
Brokering Information — valuing intel correctly, trading up, knowing what to withhold
SPEC+1 die

Leverage play — reading counteroffers — specific faction culture — negotiating from weakness — distress negotiation

IntimidationDEFAULT: PHYSIQUE / INTUITION

Producing compliance through fear — physical presence, implied threat, or the quiet certainty the alternative is worse. Physique governs physical menace; Intuition governs psychological pressure and knowing which nerve to press. Doesn't require violence. Often works better without it. Contested by target's Grit.

GENERAL

Any fear-based compliance — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Physical Presence — size, stillness, the promise of violence, making space
Psychological Pressure — pressing the right nerve, sustained threat, reading and using fear
Interrogation — sustained pressure across time, breaking someone methodically
Reputation Leverage — letting what people already know about you do the work
SPEC+1 die

One-on-one versus crowds — silent intimidation — specific social tier — working with a partner — remote or mediated threat

DeceptionDEFAULT: INTUITION

Creating false impressions that hold under scrutiny. Not just lying — it's the full architecture of misdirection, cover identity, and impersonation. Intuition governs reading what the target needs to believe; Logic can substitute for technical bluffing. Contested by target's Intuition.

GENERAL

Any deliberate false impression — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Impersonation — inhabiting another identity — voice, manner, history
Cover Identity — building and sustaining a false persona across time
Misdirection — making the target look at entirely the wrong thing
Fast Talking — improvised lies under pressure with no preparation time
Long Con — sustained deception across days or weeks, trust construction
SPEC+1 die

Corp persona — technical bluffing — recovering a blown cover — deceiving high-Intuition targets — group deception

StreetwiseDEFAULT: INTUITION

Reading and navigating the unwritten social architecture of The Sprawl — who runs what block, how to ask for something without getting robbed for asking, where information flows, and how to present yourself in environments where the wrong word ends the conversation permanently.

GENERAL

Any street-level social navigation — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Gang & Crew Culture — reading affiliations, showing respect correctly, avoiding triggers
Black Market Access — finding vendors, vetting product, not getting taken
Information Networks — knowing who knows what, finding the right ear, trading gossip
Reading Territory — who owns this block, what the rules are here, what's changed
SPEC+1 die

Specific district — specific faction — finding people who don't want to be found — operating credibly as an outsider

PerformanceDEFAULT: INTUITION

Deliberate social presentation for an audience — one person across a table or a crowd. Distinct from Deception, which is about false content; Performance is control of delivery, presence, and impact. Sometimes the truest thing you can do is perform it.

GENERAL

Any deliberate social presentation — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Oratory & Speech — moving crowds, formal address, holding a room's attention
Music — specific instrument or voice, live performance, session work
Acting — inhabiting a role with full commitment, emotional availability
Emotional Display — calculated affect, crying on cue, projecting feelings you don't have
Digital Persona — curated online presence, influencer craft, synthetic identity performance
SPEC+1 die

Corporate presentation — street-level credibility — media appearance — specific instrument — improvised performance

Support

The skills that keep everyone else functional and the run from falling apart

PerceptionDEFAULT: INTUITION

Active observation — using the senses deliberately to find what isn't meant to be found. Distinct from the passive awareness Intuition provides; Perception is the skill of looking for something specific, scanning methodically, or maintaining surveillance over time. Often contested against Stealth.

GENERAL

Any active observation — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Visual Scanning — sweeping an area, spotting concealed threats, reading body language
Surveillance — sustained observation, pattern recognition, overwatch
Tracking — following sign, reading disturbance, trailing without losing the thread
Electronic Sensor Use — interpreting drone feeds, thermal, acoustic, radar returns
Detecting Deception — reading tells, inconsistencies, the detail that doesn't fit
SPEC+1 die

Spotting ambushes — reading micro-expressions — drone-assisted overwatch — low-light environments — countersurveillance detection

TeachingDEFAULT: INTUITION / LOGIC

Transferring knowledge and capability to others effectively. Intuition governs reading what the learner needs and meeting them there; Logic governs structured instruction. Limited in-run application but significant in downtime — characters with Teaching can accelerate skill growth in others.

GENERAL

Any knowledge transfer — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Tactical Coaching — real-time instruction during an operation, correcting under pressure
Technical Instruction — structured skill transfer, procedural knowledge, hands-on demonstration
Cover Story Drilling — stress-testing a cover, finding weak points, building muscle memory for lies
Field Training — bringing someone up to speed fast with incomplete time and resources
SPEC+1 die

Fast-tracking under pressure — specific skill domain — teaching non-native speakers — remote instruction — trauma-affected learners

SurvivalDEFAULT: INTUITION / PHYSIQUE

Staying alive in unmanaged environments — industrial waste zones, collapsed infrastructure districts, The Barrens, or anything outside corp-maintained perimeters. Covers shelter, resource identification, off-grid navigation, and the specific hazards of The Sprawl's broken outer zones.

GENERAL

Any unmanaged environment — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Urban Wasteland — The Barrens, condemned zones, collapsed infrastructure districts
Wilderness — outside The Sprawl entirely, pre-collapse terrain
Toxic Environments — contaminated zones, chemical spill areas, radiation management
Navigation Off-Grid — moving without Net access, dead reckoning, landmark reading
SPEC+1 die

Specific district — contaminated zone protocols — extended solo operation — moving a group — evading pursuit in wasteland

LogisticsDEFAULT: LOGIC / INTUITION

Planning, coordination, and movement of people and things through complex systems. Supply acquisition, escape routing, safe house management, and keeping a crew's operational needs met across a run. The skill nobody notices until it's absent. Logic governs systemic planning; Intuition governs whether a plan holds under real conditions.

GENERAL

Any operational coordination — −2 dice outside chosen Focus

FOCUSno compression
Operational Planning — run structure, contingencies, timing windows, abort conditions
Supply Acquisition — sourcing gear, vetting vendors, moving materials without attention
Extraction Routes — getting out clean, secondary exits, rally points, pursuit management
Safe House Management — establishing, stocking, securing, and burning a location
Smuggling Networks — moving things across checkpoints that aren't supposed to move
SPEC+1 die

Last-minute improvisation — corp supply chain exploitation — crew resupply mid-run — operating across faction lines

NULL_POINT() SYSTEM REFERENCE SKILLS v0.4 — DRAFT