Academics Ability

Academics is a wide-ranging Ability that represents the sum of a person’s higher education in the Arts and Humanities—everything from history to linguistics, literature, theatre and the study of law. Characters don’t necessarily have to be college graduates in order to possess this Ability. An inner-city kid with access to a library and a voracious appetite for knowledge could have a high rating in Academics. A college graduate who spent more time partying than studying could have a very low rating.

Characters use Academics to better understand the World around them. Knowledge of history and divine legend are crucial to the children of the Gods, for example—and familiarity with the legal system couldn’t hurt, either. This Ability is also used to research topics with which the character is unfamiliar, using either the library or the Internet.

Trait Effects: A character with Academics 1 has a basic, working knowledge of the liberal arts. She’s familiar with the basic disciplines (English, history, art, etc.), and can find her way around a library with difficulty. A character with Academics 3 is a well-read and knowledgeable individual, and she can learn what she doesn’t know in a few hours of focused research. A character with Academics 5 is highly educated or extremely well read. She’s a veritable font of information, able to speak knowledgeably on a wide variety of subjects.

Note: A multilingual character can speak a maximum number of languages equal to her (Intelligence + Academics). A character must still actually learn the additional languages she speaks, though—whether doing so is part of her upbringing or happens over time in game. She does not spontaneously understand new languages each time she gets a new Academics dot.