8.9 Suit ratings and proficiency

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Suit ratings and proficiency 

All PCs have a rating in each of the non-Sull suits: A, B, C or D, where A the highest and D is the lowest.

A PC’s rating in a suit typically doesn’t provide any inherent advantage - generally speaking, a PC with a Spades rating of A has the same chances of succeeding in cardplay as a PC with a rating of D. The advantages of a higher rating are:

• Better starting equipment: a higher rating will allow a PC to start the campaign with more useful and impactful equipment. For example, a PC with a D rating in Pistols will typically begin the campaign with a derringer, while a PC with a rating of B or higher might start with a service revolver, coach gun or other powerful ranged weapon (see Equipment);
• Useful traits: a PC with an A or B rating will typically start the campaign with a useful Trait that enhances or provides some advantage involving that suit, while a character while a character with a D rating will typically start with a Trait which restricts or negatively influences that suit (see Traits);
• Proficiency: some courses of action might require a certain degree of skill or knowledge from a PC to even attempt, and as such require a certain rating in a relevant suit to even attempt. See Proficiency below.

Proficiency

If pursuing a course of action or using a piece of equipment would require some level of training or expertise, then the Dealer may require a character to have a particular rating in a suit before engaging in cardplay (see Player Characters).

The proficiency requirements to use certain equipment is listed in that piece of equipment’s entry (for example, a Service Revolver requires a rating of B or higher in Pistols). The proficiency requirements for other courses of action should follow the below guidelines:

• if a course of action would require some degree of familiarity, experience, training or general learning to make an attempt, then it will require at least a ‘C’ rating;
• if a course of action would require a high level of expertise, mastery, specialised knowledge or dedicated study to make an attempt,  then it will require at least a ‘B’ rating;

As examples:

• if a character wishes to repair a steam engine, they would require at least a ‘B’ rating in Spades
• If a character wishes to design and build a barn, they would require at least a ‘C’ rating in Spades
• any character could dig a ditch, regardless of their rating in Spades

Note: it is important not to conflate proficiency requirements with difficulty or likelihood of success. Any character should typically be allowed to follow a course of action, however unlikely, unless their lack of knowledge and training would preclude them from even making a reasonable attempt or knowing where to start.

Next: Equipment