Skills in Pirates and Traders

This section lists the different skills in Pirates and Trader (although not the vocational skills that are specific to your crew specialists).

The Skill Check
There are many different skill checks in Pirates and Traders. All of them are tied to some particular skill, and in most cases, it should be fairly obvious which one will be relevant. Each skill is also tied to a specific aptitude.

The base chance of success at a skill check is 10% per level of aptitude for the skill, plus the bonus provided by the skill, and of course any additional bonuses provided by items, ship improvements, or crew specialists. The difficulty of the tasks and other factors can modify the chances of success.

Regardless of the odds, you always have a 5% chance of success (a critical success) and a 5% chance of failure (a critical blunder).

Gaining New Skills
New skills are purchased using skill points. Under normal circumstances, your character will receive one skill point each year for the first 15 years of the game.

Skills cost one skill point to learn if you exceed the minimum aptitude requirements of the skill, and two skill points if you exactly meet the aptitude requirements. It is impossible to learn skills if the minimum requirements are not met.

Strength
Strength is checked when the player needs to carry out any feats of strength (obviously), but is is also used for intimidation attempts.
 * Well Trained
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10 to strength checks.
 * Muscular
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20 to strength checks. Adds +1 to combat damage with physical weapons.
 * Strong
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30 to strength checks. Adds +1 to combat damage with physical weapons.
 * Powerful
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40 to strength checks. Adds +2 to combat damage with physical weapons.
 * Peak Strength
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50 to strength checks. Adds +2 to combat damage with physical weapons.

Dexterity
Dexterity is checked when the player needs to carry out any feats of dexterity and when the player needs to dodge getting hit.
 * Flexible
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10 to dexterity checks. Adds +10 to dodge attempts.
 * Agile
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20 to dexterity checks. Adds +10 to dodge attempts. Adds +10 to hit.
 * Swift
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30 to dexterity checks. Adds +20 to dodge attempts. Adds +10 to hit.
 * Acrobatic
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40 to dexterity checks. Adds +20 to dodge attempts. Adds +20 to hit.
 * Pure Acrobat
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50 to dexterity checks. Adds +30 to dodge attempts. Adds +20 to hit.

Fighting
Fighting is the skill used when fighting unarmed (boxing) or using weapons that require more brute force than finesse, such as clubs, axes, and so on.
 * Basic Fighter
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +10 to hit with associated weapons.
 * Skilled Fighter
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +20 to hit with associated weapons.
 * Expert Fighter
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +30 to hit with associated weapons.

Fencing
Fencing is the skill used when fighting with bladed weapons requiring more finesse than force. Swords and some daggers use this skill.
 * Basic Fencer
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +10 to hit with associated weapons.
 * Skilled Fencer
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +20 to hit with associated weapons.
 * Master Fencer
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +30 to hit with associated weapons.

Shooting
Shooting is the skill used for firing missile weapons.
 * Basic Marksman
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +10 to hit with associated weapons.
 * Skilled Marksman
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +20 to hit with associated weapons.
 * Expert Marksman
 * Minimum physical aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +30 to hit with associated weapons.

Cunning
Cunning is checked whenever you need to trick someone, whether it is to pull off a sneaky maneuver, disguise yourself as someone else, or smuggle goods into a port. It is also often used for situation that require intellect and bluff; such as for example cards.
 * Crafty
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10 to cunning checks.
 * Cunning
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20 to cunning checks.
 * Devious
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30 to cunning checks.
 * Schemer
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40 to cunning checks.
 * Master Schemer
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50 to cunning checks.

Perception
Perception is checked whenever the player needs to search or check for awareness of his surroundings. It is used for determining how well the character picks up rumors, and for searching after ships.
 * Awareness
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10 to perception checks.
 * Alert
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20 to perception checks.
 * Sharp
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30 to perception checks.
 * Eagle Eyed
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40 to perception checks.
 * Sixth Sense
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50 to perception checks.

Sailing
Sailing is checked when the player needs to perform feats of navigation or maneuvering with a sailing ship.
 * Apprentice Sailor
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10 to sailing checks.
 * Practiced Sailor
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20 to sailing checks.
 * Journeyman Sailor
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30 to sailing checks.
 * Master Sailor
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40 to sailing checks.
 * Grandmaster Sailor
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50 to sailing checks.

Gunnery
Gunnery directly improves your chance of hitting with cannon fire during ship combat.
 * Skilled Gunner
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 1
 * Requires: "Awareness"
 * Effects: Adds +10% to hit with each cannon.
 * Superb Gunner
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +20% to hit with each cannon.
 * Master Gunner
 * Minimum intellectual aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +30% to hit with each cannon.

Bargaining
Bargaining is checked when the player needs to haggle and reduces the profit margin of the opposing merchant when trading in port (thus resulting in cheaper prices on average).
 * Haggler
 * Minimum social aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10% to bargaining skill checks. 15% reduction in merchant profit.
 * Effective Haggler
 * Minimum social aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20% to bargaining skill checks. 30% reduction in merchant profit.
 * Shrewd Bargainer
 * Minimum social aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30% to bargaining skill checks. 45% reduction in merchant profit.
 * Artful Bargainer
 * Minimum social aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40% to bargaining skill checks. 60% reduction in merchant profit.
 * Master Trader
 * Minimum social aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50% to bargaining skill checks. 75% reduction in merchant profit.

Charm
Charm is checked when the player needs to persuade or convince another person to do something which may be against their best interests. Very useful for bribery and trials.
 * Pleasant
 * Minimum social aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10% to charm skill checks.
 * Persuasive
 * Minimum social aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20% to charm skill checks.
 * Charming
 * Minimum social aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30% to charm skill checks.
 * Captivating
 * Minimum social aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40% to charm skill checks.
 * Mesmerizing
 * Minimum social aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50% to charm skill checks.

Leadership
Leadership is checked when the player has to convince his or her crew to carry out dangerous or hazardous actions. Whenever the crew takes losses (in a boarding action or port battle), a leadership check is taken to determine whether morale is lowered. In addition, the leadership skill also provides a bonus to your crew's combat strength in a port battle.
 * Leader
 * Minimum social aptitude: 0
 * Effects: Adds +10% to leadership skill checks. +10% combat strength in port battles.
 * Rational Leader
 * Minimum social aptitude: 1
 * Effects: Adds +20% to leadership skill checks. +20% combat strength in port battles.
 * Good Leader
 * Minimum social aptitude: 2
 * Effects: Adds +30% to leadership skill checks. +30% combat strength in port battles.
 * Inspired Leader
 * Minimum social aptitude: 3
 * Effects: Adds +40% to leadership skill checks. +40% combat strength in port battles.
 * Exalted Leader
 * Minimum social aptitude: 4
 * Effects: Adds +50% to leadership skill checks. +50% combat strength in port battles.