Configuring FS3 - Skills List

To configure the FS3 Skills List:

1. Select Admin -> Setup.
2. Edit fs3skills_action.yml, fs3skills_attrs.yml, fs3skills_bg.yml, fs3skills_langs.yml and fs3skills_advantages.yml.

Before You Start

You should read the article Customizing FS3, which contains important information to help guide you in customizing your game.

Attributes

You can configure the list of Attributes, specifying a name and description for each.

- name: Reflexes
  desc: 'Reflexes, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination.'
- name: Brawn
  desc: Physical strength and toughness.

default_linked_attr

This is the Attribute used by default when someone rolls a Background or Language skill and doesn’t specify an Attribute. For example, if you set this to ‘Wits’ then someone rolling Basketweaving will really be rolling ‘Basketweaving+Wits’.

attributes_blurb

This is the instructional blurb used in the abilities screen and in chargen help. It supports markdown text.

Action Skills

You can configure the list of Action Skills, specifying a name, description and linked Attribute for each.

- name: Alertness
  desc: Noticing things and being aware of your surroundings.
  linked_attr: Perception
- name: Athletics
  desc: General running, jumping, climbing, etc.
  linked_attr: Brawn

You may optionally specify a list of specialties for a skill.

- name: Medicine
  desc: Tending to the ill and injured.
  linked_attr: Wits
  specialties:
  - Doctor
  - Surgeon

action_skills_blurb

This is the instructional blurb used in the abilities screen and in chargen help. It supports markdown text.

Languages

You can configure the list of Languages, specifying a name and description for each.

- name: Standard
  desc: Spoken across the colonies.
- name: Gemenese
  desc: Dead language known by academics and religious scholars.

language_blurb

This is the instructional blurb used in the abilities screen and in chargen help. It supports markdown text.

Advantages

Advantages are an optional part of the system. You can use them for things that aren’t skills, but that you want people to pay points for in chargen - rank, resources, powers, etc.

You can configure the list of Advantages, specifying a name and description for each.

- name: Resources
  desc: Wealth and other tangible possessions.
- name: Rank
  desc: Rank or social status.

use_advantages

You can disable Advantages entirely by setting use_advantages to false. This is the default setting.

advantages_blurb

This is the instructional blurb used in the abilities screen and in chargen help. It supports markdown text.

Changing an Existing Ability

If you want to remove, rename, or change the category of an existing ability (e.g., moving it from Action Skill to Background Skill or vice-versa), you will either need to:

1. Make sure no existing character has that ability.
2. Use a code tinker to update existing abilities behind the scenes.

You’ll also need to update any chargen or combat configuration that references that ability (e.g., a weapon skill or CG starting skill).

If you remove, rename, or change a skill category when characters already have that ability on their sheets, you will cause errors. Characters may not be able to change/remove the modified skills, or you might get configuration errors such as:

Error: "Error in skills configuration -- action skill Archery not found."

To avoid these problems, you will need to fix everyone’s character sheet.

• If you are just removing an ability, use the wipeability <name> admin command.
• If you are just renaming an ability, use the renameability <old name>=<new name> admin command.
• If you want the nuclear option, just have everyone do reset in chargen to clear all their abilities and start fresh.

If you need more advanced handling - like refunding XP, or changing skill categories - you will need to use a custom Tinker snippet to update everyone’s sheets. For example, if you wanted to do something for everyone who had the “Archery” action skill:

def handle
  FS3ActionSkill.all.each do |ability|
     if (ability.name == 'Archery')
       # Your code goes here
     end
  end
end

Don’t be shy to ask for help if you need to.