Skills – Eschalon: Book I

During character creation, you’re allowed to pick one or more Skills for your character, and even increase your rank in them. You can also gain and improve Skills during the course of the game. Skills will help you in many ways during your journey, improving your ability to fight, cast spells, map your surroundings, detect traps, and more.

The 24 Skills are listed below.

Alchemy

The arcane skill of Alchemy deals with the production of potions and elixirs through the mixing of reactants and reagents. The higher your skill in Alchemy, the more potent a mixture you can create. Master Alchemists may also learn the process of applying these mixtures to weapons and armor, imbuing them with extra abilities.

Arcane, Divination

The arcane skill of Divination deals with magicks of the spiritual and organic realms, used most frequently by Healers and persons of the Druidic faith. The higher this skill is, the more powerful the Divination spells you can cast, and the lower your chance of spell failure during combat. Wisdom complements this skill.

Arcane, Elemental

The arcane skill of Elemental deals with magicks of the elemental realms: fire, earth, air and water. The higher this skill is, the more powerful the Elemental spells you can cast, and the lower your chance of spell failure during combat. Intelligence complements this skill.

Armor, Light

Light Armor encompasses the use of lightweight protection such as soft, hard and studded leathers. The more skilled you are with any armor, the less injury you take from physical attacks. Wearing Light Armor on your torso, legs or feet increases the noise of your movements by 15%, affecting your ability to move silently.

Armor, Heavy

Heavy Armor encompasses the use of heavyweight protection such as any armor fabricated from metal alloys. The more skilled you are with any armor, the less injury you take from physical attacks. Wearing Heavy Armor on your torso, legs or feet increases the noise of your movements by 30%, affecting your ability to move silently.

Armor, Shields

The Shield skill deals with the effective use of hand-held shields in combative situations.

Cartography

Cartography is the ability to accurately map your surroundings as you explore. The on-screen automap does not work unless you have at least one point in the Cartography skill. The automap becomes more accurate and informative as your Cartography skill increases.

Dodge

Dodge allows you to avoid being attacked through evasive actions, such as a carefully timed sidestep or a twist of your body. When you perform a successful dodge, your opponent is thrown off balance granting you a +10% ToHit probability on your follow-up attack. Dodge is a passive skill and is checked automatically each combat round. Your chance of successfully dodging any attack is 1% per point you have in the Dodge skill.

Hide in Shadows

Hide in Shadows is the ability to utilize shadows and darkness to cover your movement. It is an automatic skill that is always active, and it grants the effect “Hidden in Shadows” if your character is in a darkened area. The higher the skill, the less darkness is required to successfully hide. Also, standing next to a wall or large object increases the effect. Dexterity complements this skill.

Lore

Lore is the ability to identify any strange items you discover during your journeys. Intelligence and Wisdom complement this skill.

Meditation

Meditation is the ability to focus your mind to better resist the effects of magickal attacks and extreme elements such as heat and cold. It also allows you to restore your spent Mana Points at a faster rate.

Mercantile

Mercantile is the ability to negotiate better prices when buying and selling items from merchants. The higher the skill is, the more money you make.

Move Silently

Move Silently is a stealth skill that allows you to move without producing sound so you can avoid detection. The higher the skill is, the more it offsets the penalty imposed by wearing armor, and the closer you can approach enemies before they notice you. When no enemy can hear you moving, the effect “Silent” is displayed in the Effects window. Dexterity complements this skill.

Pick Locks

The Pick Locks skill is the ability to utilize lock picks to release locks on doors and chests. Intelligence and Dexterity complement this skill.

Skullduggery

Skullduggery is the mechanical understanding of traps and trickery, and the ability to effectively disarm them. Concentration and Dexterity complement this skill.

Spot Hidden

The Spot Hidden skill is the ability to passively detect hidden items, doors, traps and abnormalities. This skill is complemented by the Perception attribute.

Survival

Survival is the ability to dress wounds and utilize common herbs for faster recovery of Hit Points, as well as resist the effects of toxins and diseases.

Unarmed Combat

Unarmed Combat is the ability to attack a target using only your hands or feet and inflict as much damage as you would if you were holding a blunt weapon. Strength and Speed are the attributes that complement the Unarmed Combat skill.

Weapon, Bludgeoning

Bludgeoning weapons include staves, maces, hammers, clubs and similar blunt-force weapons. They work equally well at bashing in chests as well as skulls. Bludgeoning weapons are considered melee devices, and as such Strength and Speed complement this skill.

Weapon, Bows

Bow weapons include any variation of archery devices that utilize arrows. Concentration and Dexterity are the attributes that complement the Bow skill.

Weapon, Cleaving

Cleaving weapons include axes, machetes, and similar chopping weapons. Cleaving weapons are considered melee devices, and as such Strength and Speed complement this skill.

Weapon, Short Bladed

Short bladed weapons include knives, daggers and similar stabbing or cutting devices. Short swords, being larger and heavier, are considered swords and not short bladed weapons. Short bladed weapons are considered melee devices, and as such Strength and Speed complement this skill.

Weapon, Swords

Swords include all forms of medium to long-bladed, single or double-handed weapons. Short swords are considered true swords, not short bladed weapons. Swords are considered melee weapons, and as such Strength and Speed complement this skill.

Weapon, Thrown

Thrown weapons include special knives, hatchets and spears designed to be hurled at targets. Thrown weapons generally cause more damage to a target than other ranged weapons (such as arrows) due to heavier weight and additional inertia, and, unlike bows, thrown weapons can be used while holding a torch or shield. The down side is that thrown weapons are heavier in your inventory and more costly per unit than arrows. Strength and Dexterity are the attributes that complement the Thrown Weapons skill.