Academics (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)
Definition
Academics is formal education and the habits that come with it: history, literature, philosophy, law, linguistics, and knowing how to find an answer in an archive rather than guessing. It is the humanities half of knowledge, with Science and Technology covering the rest. Kindred use it for something mortals cannot: continuity. An elder with Academics does not read about the eighteenth century, they remember it and can check their memory against the record. For younger vampires it is the skill that decodes what the old ones are talking about, since a court argument about a boon granted in 1802 is a research problem before it is a political one.
How it works
Tips
Frequently asked questions
Does Academics cover computer science?
No. Modern technical subjects are Science or Technology. Academics is humanities and social sciences, including law and languages.
Do I need Academics to read old documents?
For anything in a dead language or an archaic hand, yes, and a Linguistics specialty helps. Kindred politics runs on old paper, so somebody in the coterie should have it.
Is Academics or Investigation better for finding things out?
Academics searches records and knowledge. Investigation works a live case: evidence, witnesses, and trails. A thorough character wants both, since most mysteries have a paper half.