Unknown Armies:Skill Checks

Minor skill checks

For minor skill checks, you need a 15% or higher skill rating for an automatic success—no dice needed. These are situations where you have plenty of time and no risk, like taking a photograph of your house or reading up on Greek history.

Significant skill checks

Higher skill levels are important for significant skill checks. These happen when you aren't in an intense situation such as combat, but there's still some pressure on you or what you're doing has a high element of uncertainty. Spending a day hacking an unfamiliar operating system, keeping an eye on your husband in a big crowd, or studying for a weekly test could qualify. For these tasks, you have a strong success if you roll under your skill level. If you fail the roll, you get a weak success if that roll is still under the related stat. You only fail completely if you roll above your stat.

Major skill checks

Major skill checks are the big ones, and in the occult underground they happen all the time. All combat rolls are major checks, as are any actions you attempt under stress and risk. If it really matters, it's a major check.