Professions Reference
All 12 professions from the Basic Roleplaying SRD with complete skill lists, key characteristics, and descriptions.
How Professions Work
A profession determines which skills a character can allocate professional skill points to during character creation. Professional skill points equal the sum of the profession’s two primary characteristics, multiplied by a setting-dependent factor (typically x10 or x20).
Characters may also receive personal interest skill points (typically INT x10) to allocate freely to any skill.
Profession Table
| Profession | Primary Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboy | DEX + POW | Frontier rancher, wrangler, or mounted herder of livestock |
| Detective | INT + POW | Investigator specializing in solving crimes and finding clues |
| Doctor | INT + POW | Physician trained in medicine, surgery, and patient care |
| Hunter | CON + POW | Wilderness tracker and skilled marksman living off the land |
| Lawman | INT + POW | Officer of the law enforcing justice and keeping order |
| Noble | INT + APP | Person of high social standing, wealth, and political influence |
| Sailor | DEX + STR | Seafarer experienced in navigation, rigging, and ocean survival |
| Scientist | INT + POW | Academic researcher advancing knowledge through experimentation |
| Soldier | CON + DEX | Trained military combatant skilled in weapons and tactics |
| Spy | INT + DEX | Covert operative gathering intelligence and working undercover |
| Thief | DEX + INT | Criminal skilled in stealth, theft, and breaking into secure areas |
| Warrior | STR + CON | Professional fighter excelling in combat and physical prowess |
Detailed Profession Skill Lists
Cowboy
Primary: DEX + POW
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Craft (choose) | 05% | Leatherwork, rope-making, farrier, or other frontier craft |
| Dodge | DEX x2% | Avoiding dangers on horseback and on foot |
| Firearm (Rifle) | 00% | Marksmanship with long guns for hunting and defense |
| First Aid | 30% | Treating injuries sustained in the field |
| Knowledge (Natural History) | 10% | Understanding wildlife, weather, and terrain |
| Navigate | 10% | Finding trails and orienting across open country |
| Ride (Horse) | 05% | Expert horsemanship and mounted control |
| Throw (Lasso) | 25% | Roping cattle, horses, and other targets |
| Track | 10% | Following animal and human trails |
Detective
Primary: INT + POW
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Disguise | 01% | Going undercover to gather information |
| Fast Talk | 05% | Getting suspects to reveal information quickly |
| Firearm (Pistol) | 00% | Sidearm proficiency for self-defense |
| Insight | 05% | Reading people and detecting deception |
| Knowledge (Law) | 10% | Understanding legal procedures and criminal behavior |
| Listen | 25% | Eavesdropping and detecting unusual sounds |
| Persuade | 15% | Interviewing witnesses and convincing people to cooperate |
| Research | 25% | Investigating records, archives, and evidence |
| Spot | 25% | Noticing physical clues and evidence at crime scenes |
| Stealth | 10% | Shadowing suspects without being detected |
| Track | 10% | Following suspects through urban and rural environments |
Doctor
Primary: INT + POW
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| First Aid | 30% | Immediate emergency medical treatment |
| Insight | 05% | Understanding patient concerns and psychology |
| Knowledge (Biology) | 10% | Anatomical and biological science |
| Language (Latin) | 00% | Medical terminology and classical texts |
| Medicine | 05% | Diagnosing and treating illness and disease |
| Persuade | 15% | Communicating with patients and colleagues |
| Psychotherapy | 01% | Treating psychological and emotional disorders |
| Research | 25% | Studying medical literature and case histories |
| Science (Pharmacy) | 01% | Knowledge of drugs, dosages, and prescriptions |
| Status | 15% | Professional standing in the medical community |
Hunter
Primary: CON + POW
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Climb | 40% | Scaling terrain to reach vantage points |
| Firearm (Rifle) | 00% | Primary weapon for hunting game |
| First Aid | 30% | Field treatment of injuries |
| Hide | 10% | Concealing oneself from prey and predators |
| Listen | 25% | Detecting animal sounds and approaching threats |
| Navigate | 10% | Orienting in wilderness without getting lost |
| Spot | 25% | Sighting game and reading animal sign |
| Stealth | 10% | Approaching prey silently |
| Throw | 25% | Hurling weapons at game and targets |
| Track | 10% | Following animal trails and spoor |
Lawman
Primary: INT + POW
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bargain | 05% | Negotiating with suspects and informants |
| Command | 10% | Directing deputies, posses, and subordinates |
| Dodge | DEX x2% | Avoiding gunfire and physical attacks |
| Firearm (Pistol) | 00% | Standard sidearm for law enforcement |
| First Aid | 30% | Treating wounded people at crime scenes |
| Insight | 05% | Judging character and detecting criminal intent |
| Knowledge (Law) | 10% | Legal authority, warrants, and procedures |
| Persuade | 15% | De-escalating situations and gaining cooperation |
| Spot | 25% | Observing suspicious behavior and evidence |
| Status | 15% | Official authority and community standing |
Noble
Primary: INT + APP
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bargain | 05% | Managing financial affairs and trade agreements |
| Command | 10% | Directing servants, soldiers, and subordinates |
| Etiquette | 05% | Navigating high society customs and protocols |
| Insight | 05% | Reading political motives and social dynamics |
| Knowledge (History) | 10% | Understanding lineage, politics, and precedent |
| Language (choose) | 00% | Speaking the languages of allied courts and nations |
| Persuade | 15% | Diplomatic negotiation and political influence |
| Ride (Horse) | 05% | Horseback riding as a noble pursuit |
| Status | 15% | High social rank, wealth, and political connections |
Sailor
Primary: DEX + STR
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Climb | 40% | Climbing rigging, masts, and ship structures |
| Craft (Rope) | 05% | Knot-tying, splicing, and rope work |
| Dodge | DEX x2% | Avoiding hazards on a moving ship |
| Grapple | 25% | Close combat aboard ships and boarding actions |
| Navigate | 10% | Plotting courses by stars, charts, and instruments |
| Pilot (Boat) | 01% | Handling watercraft from dinghies to sailing ships |
| Repair | 15% | Fixing damaged ship components and equipment |
| Swim | 25% | Surviving in water after falling overboard |
| Throw | 25% | Heaving lines and throwing grappling hooks |
Scientist
Primary: INT + POW
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Craft (choose) | 05% | Building laboratory equipment and prototypes |
| Knowledge (choose) | 10% | Expertise in chosen academic disciplines |
| Language (choose) | 00% | Reading international research publications |
| Medicine | 05% | Applied medical knowledge for life sciences |
| Persuade | 15% | Presenting findings and securing funding |
| Research | 25% | Primary method of advancing knowledge |
| Science (choose) | 01% | Core specialty (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, etc.) |
| Teach | 10% | Instructing students and sharing discoveries |
| Technical Skill (choose) | 05% | Operating specialized laboratory instruments |
Soldier
Primary: CON + DEX
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Brawl | 25% | Hand-to-hand combat training |
| Climb | 40% | Scaling obstacles and fortifications |
| Dodge | DEX x2% | Evading enemy fire and explosions |
| Firearm (choose) | 00% | Proficiency with issued military weapons |
| First Aid | 30% | Battlefield medical treatment for wounded comrades |
| Heavy Weapon (choose) | 00% | Operating crew-served and heavy military weapons |
| Melee Weapon (choose) | varies | Close combat with bayonets, knives, or entrenching tools |
| Navigate | 10% | Land navigation using maps and compass |
| Stealth | 10% | Moving undetected in combat zones |
| Strategy | 01% | Understanding tactical and strategic operations |
Spy
Primary: INT + DEX
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Disguise | 01% | Assuming false identities and appearances |
| Fast Talk | 05% | Quick deception and cover story delivery |
| Firearm (Pistol) | 00% | Concealed sidearm for emergency situations |
| Fine Manipulation | 05% | Lockpicking, planting bugs, and safecracking |
| Hide | 10% | Avoiding detection during surveillance |
| Insight | 05% | Reading targets and identifying weaknesses |
| Language (choose) | 00% | Operating in foreign countries and languages |
| Listen | 25% | Eavesdropping and electronic surveillance |
| Sleight of Hand | 05% | Planting or stealing documents and objects |
| Stealth | 10% | Covert movement and infiltration |
Thief
Primary: DEX + INT
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Appraise | 15% | Evaluating stolen goods and potential targets |
| Climb | 40% | Scaling walls and entering through upper windows |
| Dodge | DEX x2% | Evading guards and physical confrontation |
| Fast Talk | 05% | Talking out of trouble when caught |
| Fine Manipulation | 05% | Lockpicking, disabling alarms, and cracking safes |
| Hide | 10% | Concealing oneself during break-ins |
| Listen | 25% | Hearing approaching guards or occupants |
| Sleight of Hand | 05% | Pickpocketing and palming small objects |
| Spot | 25% | Finding valuables, traps, and security measures |
| Stealth | 10% | Moving silently through buildings and past guards |
Warrior
Primary: STR + CON
| Skill | Base | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Brawl | 25% | Unarmed fighting in close quarters |
| Dodge | DEX x2% | Avoiding enemy attacks in melee |
| Grapple | 25% | Wrestling and restraining opponents |
| Melee Weapon (choose) | varies | Primary weapon proficiency (sword, axe, mace, etc.) |
| Missile Weapon (choose) | varies | Ranged combat with bows, javelins, or slings |
| Ride (Horse) | 05% | Mounted combat and cavalry skills |
| Shield | varies | Active defense using a shield to block attacks |
| Spot | 25% | Battlefield awareness and threat detection |
| Throw | 25% | Hurling weapons and objects in combat |
Character Creation Summary
- Roll characteristics (STR, CON, SIZ, INT, POW, DEX, APP)
- Choose a profession from the list above
- Calculate professional skill points (primary characteristics x multiplier)
- Allocate professional points to the profession’s listed skills
- Calculate personal interest points (INT x10)
- Allocate personal interest points to any skills
- Calculate derived characteristics (HP, PP, MOV, db)
- Equip the character with appropriate gear for the setting