I’m using a simplified version of the system with my players. I removed Tests of Wills, letting them be absorbed by Tricks (and letting go of the Intimidation and Taunt Skills, check out this post about it). I reduced the Skill list, letting some Skill become part of others. Others, like Notice and Persuasion, got separated in others Skills. It’s a personal project, but if this house rule interest you, here is the character sheet:

The modified Skills are:

Athletics: incorporates Climbing and Swimming .

incorporates and . Piloting: includes Boating and the old Piloting . It’s the “unusual” means transportation for the setting, like airships or submarines.

includes and the old . It’s the “unusual” means transportation for the setting, like airships or submarines. Riding: incorporates Driving and the old Riding . It’s the “normal”, land-based means of transportation, like cars and horses.

incorporates and the old . It’s the “normal”, land-based means of transportation, like cars and horses. Shooting: includes Shooting and Throwing .

includes and . Investigation: besides researching, investigation covers some areas of the regular Notice skill, like searching for clues and noticing details.

besides researching, investigation covers some areas of the regular skill, like searching for clues and noticing details. Knowledge: instead being several different skills, the new Knowledge is how well learned the character is or how much hours of academic study he has. You can use it like a regular skill or use specializations. For each point in this skill, you get a specialization (Religion, arcana, war, computers etc. Each setting have a list of relevant knowledges). You only can roll Knowledge if you have a corresponding specialization. If you don’t, roll an unskilled test (d4-2 ). When you upgrade the skill, you get a new specialization. You can also buy a new specialization with a Skill point. This Skill don’t replace Common Knowledge. It depicts formal education, knowledge that you get from formal studying or specific training. This house rule means to emulate action drama rules, so, for example, a CSI doesn’t have to spend 12 points to have Knowledge (Biology) d8, Knowledge (Medicine) d8 and Knowledge (Forensic Science) d8. If you think that needing to having the specialization to roll is harsh, you can use the Skill Specialization setting rule (SW Deluxe, page 110). Remember, you can ignore specializations altogether and use it like a single Education or Lore skill. (Or just ignore this house rule and write the specific knowledge skill).

instead being several different skills, the new is how well learned the character is or how much hours of academic study he has. Notice: split between Investigation (looking for clues and details), Noticing (general alertness and perception) and Empathy (social perception).

split between (looking for clues and details), (general alertness and perception) and (social perception). Survival: includes the old Tracking skill.

includes the old skill. Bluffing: it’s the art of concealing your feelings. Can be used to outright lie or retain composure in face of provocation. Includes the Gambling skill.

it’s the art of concealing your feelings. Can be used to outright lie or retain composure in face of provocation. Includes the skill. Empathy: it’s your social perception and ability to discern other person’s emotions.

it’s your social perception and ability to discern other person’s emotions. Persuasion: it gets split between Bluffing and Persuasion.

Click here to download the Savage Worlds Light Character Sheet.

If you think that 15 Skill points are too much for this list of 17 Skills, try to reduce them to 12 starting points.

If you don’t like this house rule, but enjoy the sheet design, Savage Worlds regular Character Sheet. Here it is: