Skills

The points in a skill, or the skill's “level” act as a limiting factor on the cards you can play when determining skill resolution. If you have a skill of 6 points for example, any Minor Arcana card you play that is numerically higher than 6 (such as a 10 or a Queen) will be counted as being a 6. If you play multiple Minor Arcana cards, the sum of the cards is also limited by your skill level (i.e. for a skill of 6, playing a 3, an Ace and a 4 would still add up to a 6).

The use of Major Arcana cards is the only way to exceed a skill level.

The primary skill used in Versailles is Repartee, which is broken down into four different areas.

• Wit - Staves (Clubs)
• Conviction - Swords (Spades)
• Flattery - Chalices (Hearts)
• Spite - Coins (Diamonds)

Suit: Chalices (Hearts)

• Acting — Performing in the theatre.
• Bribery — Knowing when and where, and how much is appropriate.
• Bureaucratics — Knowing of the proper paperwork and procedures of parliament.
• Dog handler — The breeding and training of hunting dogs.
• Falconer — The breeding and training of hunting falcons and hawks.
• High Society — The etiquette of the table.
• Horse handler — The breeding and training of horses.
• Interrogation — Discovering information through less gentlemanly means.
• Oratory — Declamation, the giving of speeches and toasts.
• Seduction — The ability to gain the intimate trust of another.
• Storytelling — Weaving a story in an entertaining manner.
• Streetwise — The ability to realise you are about to be mugged, and where to go to get items of dubious legality.
• Trading — Also includes Haggling

Suit: Coins (Diamonds)

• Accounting — Knowing how fast you are getting into debt.
• Alchemy — How the various humors of the body and the alignments of the stars cause this unusual metal of sodium to burn in water.
• Astrology — Interpreting God's plan for your client through his movements of the heavens.
• History — Can be specialised to different areas or families.
• Knowledge — Specialty knowledge of a particular area you define.
• Literacy — Not so much ability to read, as to how well read one is. Mainly pertaining to current popular literature.
• Natural Sciences — Observing natural forces and postulating on the causes.
• Poetry — Not just the ability to listen and appreciate it, but also to write it.

Suit: Staves (Clubs)

• Climbing — Useful for walls and ropes.
• Dancing — One of the primary skills used at court.
• Fencing — Using swords for duelling.
• Firearms — Primarily the use of pistols in duelling.
• Lockpicking — Some nobles still insist on privacy.
• Riding — Staying on the back of a horse no matter what speed or the terrain.
• Sleight Of Hand — Palming coins or cards without being seen.
• Stealth — How not to be seen when sneaking from boudoir to boudoir.

Suit: Swords (Spades)

• Appraisal — Evaluating the worth of an object based on its materials, the artistic interpretation and the breeding of the artist.
• Concealment — Hiding secret letters, or discovering where they might be hidden.
• Cryptography — Letter substitution codes are all the rage. With this skill you can attempt to convert them back into the French.
• Deduction — You know, on reflection, considering their state of undress, I don't really think that was his visiting niece.
• Demolitions — Remember, remember the fifth of November, The gunpowder, treason and plot, I know of no reason why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot.
• Disguise — With the use of the correct wig, false nose, and sufficient padding you may appear like another courtier.
• Forgery — Imitating someone else's hand in personal letters or for signatures.
• Gambling — The skill to use so as not to immediately destitute yourself when playing at cards or dice.
• Language — Non-French languages as spoken in less civilised courts. Specify which language you wish to know. Multiple languages can be learnt. You should also use this skill for the classical languages of Latin and Greek for which most educated persons are familiar.
• Lipreading — Understanding most of a conversation from across the room merely by observing the lip movements of those present.
• Mechanics — Being able to understand or even repair these new mechanical devices.
• Mimicry — Imitating another person's mannerisms or voice.
• Navigation — Determining where you are and how to get to other places using the stars or landmarks.
• Medicine — How the various humors of the body and the alignments of the stars cause this person to have a headache and the chewing of willow bark to be efficacious.
• Professional Skill — Define a general skill for your profession that isn't listed separately. Such as fishing, farming, scribe etc.
• Shadowing — Following someone without them being aware of you.
• Survival — Being able to live off the land, mostly through poaching.
• Tactics — Knowing how quickly musketeers can walk, and how quickly concentrated musket fire will reduce their ranks.
• Tracking — Being able to follow a fleeing person who is incautious of their trail.