Skills

There are a variety of skills in EverQuest, and learning and developing those skills are the keys to a character's success in the game. How a skill works in game depends on the type of skill. Some skills are triggered automatically, while others are used at the player's discretion. Also, some skills are very general and shared by all, while others are specific to certain races and classes. In general, the more the character attempts to use a skill, the better he or she will become at it. The following is a list of several skills, including a short description of each. Keep in mind, however, that this list is intentionally incomplete – some skills are limited to individual classes, some to players over a certain level and some are simply more obscure and difficult to learn. It will be up to the player to discover them as they explore the world of Norrath.

Abjuration
One of the several skills related to the art of magic, abjuration deals with defensive magic; for example, a spell that enables the character to take less damage from extreme cold.

Alchemy
A shaman of accomplished experience is capable of brewing various potions, many of which are magical in nature. Most of these potions are beneficial in some way, offering enhanced physical ability for example, so they are in demand by many adventurers.

Alteration
Another of the several skills related to the art of magic, alteration deals with changing things, whether it is illusion or an actual physical change. An example would be a spell that teleports something, or that enables a character to move faster, or forces him or her to move more slowly.

Archery
In addition to the skills dealing with melee combat, range weapons are also prevalent in the world. The skill of archery deals with a character’s efficacy in using bows, crossbows, and other, similar devices.

Apply Poison
An ability that is limited to rogues, apply poison enables them to inflict even more damage to their foes after the initial strike. There are numerous steps to learn and perfect in order to use this skill effectively.

Backstab
The rogue has many unique skills in his repertoire, including the ability to strike at his opponent from behind, often inflicting a great deal of damage in one blow.

Bash
Certain races and classes have the ability to disorient an opponent, thereby lowering his defenses and also interrupting the process of spellcasting.

Bind Wound
Bandages can be used to stanch the flow of blood from a wound, thereby healing the victim to some extent. This can only be used on seriously injured patients who are not actively pursuing some other activity.

Block
Negating an attack by deflecting the blow with one's body is a skill unique to the monk, and blocking is one of several skills available to that class.

Channeling
One of the several skills related to the art of magic, channeling allows you to continue casting without being interrupted if you are hit while casting the spell.

Conjuration
Another of the several skills related to the art of magic, conjuration brings something from elsewhere into the world, whether they are elemental creatures or powerful clouds of energy.

Disarm
This skill allows the combatant to dislodge a wielded weapon from his opponent’s hands, knocking it to the ground and forcing him, at least for the moment, to fight hand-to-hand.

Divination
Another of the several skills related to the art of magic, spells of divination allow the caster to both detect things previously concealed and conceal things previously visible.

Dodge
One of the better ways to negate damage is to completely avoid the blow itself, and the skill of dodging allows the combatant to do just that.

Double Attack
When a fighter becomes particularly adept at his craft, he may become fast enough to hit his opponent twice in the time it would normally take to hit once. Needless to say, this can be very advantageous in a difficult battle.

Dual Wield
Certain classes are able to wield a weapon effectively in both hands, thereby increasing the number of attacks and thus the amount of damage inflicted in a given period of time.

Evocation
Another of the several skills related to the art of magic, evocation deals with things that go boom. Fireballs, force spells, etc., all fall under the auspices of this offensive skill.

Feign Death
Some creatures are said to pretend to be dead, in order to fool their attackers into leaving them alone. Clever monks have mimicked this behavior and found it to be very effective for them, too.

Flying Kick
The monk’s body is a finely honed weapon, as this rather acrobatic strike demonstrates. The force of a flying kick is much greater, due to the length of one’s legs, than a blow from the upper extremity.

Foraging
Being at home in the wilderness has many benefits, including the ability to forage food. This skill has been known to save quite a few trips back to town when the supplies have inadvertently run out mid-quest. Only those whose classes bring them in tune with nature have refined this ability to any degree.

Hand-to-Hand
Although this skill can be mastered only by monks, most every other class can at least throw the occasional punch. Besides, one never knows when one might be relieved of one's weapon, both during combat and at other times.

Hide
Hiding from an opponent can be a valuable skill to learn, particularly if one finds oneself without defenses unexpectedly. It should be mentioned, however, that some creatures are able to see better than others. Therefore, this skill is not foolproof.

Kick
Being able to dish out a bit more damage during combat is attractive to many of the melee classes in the game, and kicking one's opponent in unpleasant places in between sword swings does just that.

Meditate
Another of the several skills related to the art of magic, meditation allows casters to memorize spells and regain their mana more quickly.

Melee Weapons
Combat is rather integral to the game, and there are a variety of weapons available to the combatant. In general, these weapons are broken up into three categories, blunt, slashing, and piercing, as well as whether they require one or two hands to wield. The better one is at any of these separate skills, the more effective they are with that weapon.

Musical Instruments
Certain bard songs require certain instruments, and the better the minstrel is at playing these instruments, the more effective he or she will be at playing those songs. Each type of instrument learned, whether it is percussion, string, brass or wind, can improve the musician’s effectiveness by enhancing their magical compositions.

Pick Lock
Oftentimes finding that precise key is just too time consuming or expensive, and the lock picking abilities of the Rogue class come in very handy. Bards, being somewhat roguish themselves, also have this ability.

Pick Pocket
Rogues, particularly the halfling variety because of their unique and convenient size, have a tendency to lighten those overly heavy pockets of passers-by, but only as a courtesy, of course. Their intended victims, however, will at times detect this activity and will rarely appreciate the attempt.

Safe Fall
Monks, being typically unencumbered by heavy armor and weapons, often work on their ability to fall great distances, yet still land on their feet incurring minimal if any damage. Bards and rogues also practice this skill.

Sense Heading
Although compasses are known to exist, they are also typically rare and expensive. Nearly anyone can learn to determine their heading and direction if they are persistent. Then again, they are also often times wrong.

Singing
Bards (one can at least hope) have great singing voices. And the better they are at this art, the more effective their songs, which are themselves often magical in nature.

Sneak
Some races are better at sneaking than others because of size, but class is also an important factor. In order to bypass a dangerous enemy, it might be advisable to slow one’s movement and creep cautiously along, being very quiet.

Specialization
Magic users of advanced experience levels tend to specialize in one or another of the skills available to them, depending on which type of magic they find most useful. Specializing in one of those areas allows casters to cast spells using less mana and with a higher rate ofsuccess.

Swimming
Many areas in the world of Norrath are covered by water, and one's ability to maneuver in that environment is directly related to one's skill level in swimming. As one becomes more adept at this skill, it is possible to move much faster in the water, and possibly even remain underwater for a bit longer as well.

Tracking
Rangers, druids and bards, through natural or magical abilities, are able to follow traces of others over varying distances. They have never been known to share the secret of this ability with the other classes, which leads one to believe that it is a very difficult skill.

Taunt
Taunting an attacker to attack oneself instead of another is a method by which one member of a team or group can help prevent the death of another, if successful. Warriors in particular are known to do this in order to protect the physically weaker magic users of their parties.

Trade Skills
The citizens of Norrath have also developed a number of trade skills over the course of their history, as would any civilized world. Merchants on all continents buy and sell components to supply those who opt to learn these skills, be they apprentice or master. Some learn the skills to feed themselves, to earn money, or simply to provide themselves with items they would otherwise lack, due to their cost. Some of the trade skills widely practiced on Norrath are: fishing, tinkering, baking, tailoring, blacksmithing, jewelry, and pottery.