Criminal underworld (Draw Steel)

Skills

Definition

Criminal Underworld covers the unwritten rules of illegal life: which gang owns which streets, what a fence will pay, how to ask for a forger without getting robbed, what a tattoo or hand sign means. It is an Intuition skill because it depends on reading a situation and the people in it. It comes up when the party needs contraband, wants to move stolen goods, hunts a fugitive who has gone to ground, or has to walk into a smuggler's den and walk out again.

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How it works

**Characteristic**: Intuition. **Skill group**: Intuition skills. **Test**: 2d10 + Intuition; 11 or lower is tier 1, 12 to 16 tier 2, 17 or higher tier 3. Training grants a benefit and unlocks attempts untrained heroes cannot make. **How it is used**: Tier 3 finds the right contact or reads the situation exactly. Tier 2 gets a lead at a cost or a partial picture. Tier 1 asks the wrong person, which can mean a shakedown or a tip-off to the target. **Edges and banes**: A known reputation, a mutual contact, or a city you have worked before grants an edge (+2). Being obviously law-abiding, a foreign city, or a recent crackdown imposes a bane (-2).

Tips

**Best for**: Shadows and any hero whose backstory runs through the gutters, and parties that operate outside the law. **Character concepts**: Criminal career fixer, Beggar who knows every alley, Agent who infiltrated a syndicate. **Synergies**: Gather Rumors for what the street is saying, Deceive for passing as one of them, Pick Lock and Pick Pocket for doing the work yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Does this skill let me commit crimes better?

No. It covers knowing the world of crime. Actual theft, stealth, and lockpicking use their own skills.

Is Criminal Underworld useful in a new city?

Yes, with a bane at first. Underworlds share patterns, so a trained hero still knows what to look for and how to approach.

Criminal underworld (Draw Steel)

Definition

How it works

Tips

Frequently asked questions

Further Reading