Wild Talent 2 5
20 points/level
You can simply do things without
knowing how. Once per game session
per level of this advantage, you may
attempt a roll against any skill, using
your score in the appropriate
attribute: IQ for IQ-based skills, DX
for DX-based skills, etc. You do not
incur any default penalties, but situational
and equipment modifiers apply
normally, as do any modifiers for
advantages or disadvantages. Tech
level is irrelevant: a TL3 monk could
make an IQ roll to use Computer
Programming/TL12!
Wild Talent does apply to skills that
normally have no default, provided
you meet any advantage requirements.
For instance, you could cast
unknown magic spells provided you
had Magery, or use unknown cinematic
martial-arts skills provided you
have Trained By A Master.
Wild Talent has no effect on skills
you already know.
Special Enhancements
Retention: You can learn the skills
you use! To do so, you must have one
unspent character point available
when you attempt the skill roll. On a
success, you may buy the skill at the
one-point level. You cannot improve a
skill learned this way for one month,
during which time you use it at -2. On
a critical success, you can start
improving the skill immediately, and
there is no -2. On a failure, you cannot
learn the skill; on a critical failure, you
also lose your unspent character
point! Regardless of success, if you
lack any of the skill’s prerequisites,
your skill is at -4 until you acquire
them, and you cannot improve the
skill in the interim. This enhancement
does not let you learn skills from a TL
higher than your own. +25%.
Special Limitations
Emergencies Only: Your Wild
Talent only works in life-threatening
situations, such as mortal combat. To
use it, you must ask for a particular
result related to your predicament.
Your request must be specific (e.g.,
“Get him away from me.”), but you
cannot specify a skill (e.g., “Use Judo”
or “Cast the Command spell”). The
GM will then choose a skill that could
bring about the desired result. He is
not limited to mundane skills; he may
choose a spell if you have Magery, a
cinematic martial-arts skill if you have
Trained By A Master, and so forth.
Once the GM has chosen, roll against
the governing attribute, as usual. If the
GM feels you already have skills equal
to the task, he will advise you on
which skill to use. This still counts as
one of your uses of Wild
Talent! -30%.
Focused: You can only use (and if
you have Retention, learn) one specific
class of skills. Options include
Mental (mundane skills based on IQ,
Perception, or Will), Physical (mundane
skills based on ST, DX, or HT),
Magical (spells), and Chi (cinematic
martial-arts skill). -20%.