Some can sing, some can fight, some can think, and some can cast spells. Some may even fly, stop time, or control forces of the universe… but can’t boil an egg properly. What can your characters do?
Skills, talents, and abilities make us who we are. While many embrace their gifts, others fight and claw against nature to learn new skills. Talents can come to the fore easily or may rest latent for years. Some talents may lead to regret and disappointment while others may be used to literally save the world. Use this page to see what abilities your characters may discover, and don’t forget to check out our Cre8opedia homepage for more posts with lots of ideas for creative writing and roleplaying!
Character Skills and Talents – Writing Prompts
- Your character grew up as an underachiever, with others never expecting much from them. One day, they discover a strange object that imbues them with an outrageous ability. What is it and how will they use it — for good or for evil?
- At a family reunion, your character meets an old aunt for the first time. She says to your character, “I see myself in you.” Before the end of the reunion, she will reveal the strength to which she is referring and will give your character some epic advice on how to move forward.
- Ever since you were young, you have tried to be the best at pinball (or whatever… I’m just being inspired from growing up in the early 80s). But you’ve never been able to prove yourself. A second place winner a few times but never quite the best. One day you meet a stranger who offers you a little push to the top… for a price. Are you willing to pay the price for greatness?
- You are chosen by your village elders to complete a quest to save your community from an impending doom. You doubt that you are able to do it and express such to the council, but they insist that they see the strength in you. Can you do what they expect or will you let everyone down?
- Your character has come of age and is expected to choose a path in one of the six great guilds of the realm. Of course, they have no idea what to pick, so blurt out the name of one of the schools. Was it the right choice?
Talents and Strengths
There are some things that characters are just born with, that are integral parts of their personality. We all know someone who is just “good” at something without even seeming to try. These inherent talents and strengths are like gifts that your character is given; they can be the source of success for your character, yet they may be under-utilized and neglected. Some may even ironically cause your character great distress, leading to some incredible character-vs-self struggle. These talents and strengths can present great opportunity or they can heap on burdensome expectation and regret. Check out this list of talents and strengths to set your character up for success or struggle.
- smart, intelligent, quick learner, learn-by-osmosis, breezed through school
- cunning, sly, witty, clever, quick,
- wise, thoughtful, considerate, empathetic, generous
- charming, confident, charismatic, magnetic
- attractive, good looking, alluring, handsome, beautiful, natural beauty
- quick, fast, swift, deft, dexterous, agile,
- strong, physical, naturally athletic, trim, tough,
- tough, hardy, built, solid
- proficient with magic, weapons, a sword, a whip, a hockey stick,
- problem solver, analytical, critical thinker,
- adaptable, trainable, coachable, teachable,
- gifted, a savant, adroit, a natural,
- team worker, collaborator, interpersonal, relationship builder,
- mathematical, orderly, sequential, linear,
- reflective, intrapersonal, self-reflective,
- social, good communicator, networking, socializing,
- patient, reserved, handles pressure,
- linguistic, wordsmith, writer, storyteller, poetic, good with words,
- musical, rhythmic,
- logical, measured,
- spinning the positives, characterizing, pivoting, politicking, redirecting, refocusing, deflecting, seeing the silver lining, reframing, denying,
- visual, artistic, spatial, design,
- conceptual, existential, theoretical,
- imaginative, creative, inventive, innovative,
- emotional, empathetic, compassionate, sympathetic, understanding,
- working with hands, hands -on,
- strong memory, photographic memory, facial memory, names and dates recall,
- natural leader, inspirational, motivational,
Skills for characters who train
Does your character train, practice, or rehearse to develop their crazy skills? Talent only goes so far, but with some training, the sky is the limit. Unless you’re an astronaut; then, even the sky ain’t the limit.
- weapons, sword fighting, jousting,
- building, masonry, stone work, bricklaying,
- speaking with the dead, necromancy, zombie control,
- whittling, carving, woodworking, carpentry,
- superhero flying techniques, levitation, telekinesis,
- metal work, smithing, millwright,
- mutant tail-whipping, six-limbed juggling,
- ship building, sailing, seamanship, navigation
- craftsmanship, artisanry,
- spell casting, prestidigitation, fireball aiming, summoning accurately,
- tactician, strategist, military analyst,
- computer programming, tech, IT, systems analysis,
- speaking foreign languages, linguistics, public speaking,
- typing, communications,
- heavy machinery operation, automotives, mechanics, repair, maintenance,
- hunting, tracking, scouting, survival, fishing, trapping,
- dungeoneering, spelunking, rock climbing, parkour,
- healing, first aid, first response, medicine,
- performance, dance, musical instrument, singing,
- divination, prediction, psychic connection, contacting spirits,
- firearms, guns, shooting, ballistics,
- horsemanship, husbandry, animal training, dog whispering, monster quelling,
- martial arts, hand-to-hand combat,
- lock picking, safe cracking,
- sleight of hand, pick-pocketing,
- sneaky, quiet movement, stealth,
Knowledge Sets
Sometimes, a character’s abilities can be defined more by the knowledge they possess than by the things they actually do. Some of these will give you an idea…
- arcana, mysterious forces, magic, spellcraft, spells, potions, scrolls, wands, amulets, talismans,
- science, physics, biology, chemistry,
- nature, natural world, earth science, geology,
- politics, diplomacy, negotiation,
- history, archaeology, paleontology,
- medicine, healing, treatments,
- psychology, the mind, mental health, brain science, learning, behaviour,
- spirituality, theology, religion, mythology, legends, gods, divinity,
- dungeoneering, exploration, navigation, spelunking, mining, travel,
- mechanics, engineering, industrial design, automotives, inventions,
- space travel, starship engineering, interstellar travel, astrophysics, space-time continuum, fabric of time,
- analysis, research, investigation,
- art, design,
- aerodynamics, flight,
- management, scheduling, hiring, human resources, bookkeeping, accounting, auditing, economics, investing,
Words for Character Skills and Abilities
- skill, talent, ability,
- aptitude, prowess, virtuosity, mastery, aptness,
- expertise, profession, trade, volition, drive,
- proclivity, propensity,
- proficiency, power,
- competency, capacity, forte, strength, facility, acumen,
- artistry, craftsmanship, art, craft,
- bent, leaning, means, knack, flair, feel, panache,
- area of ability, prodigy in, area of interest,
- attribute, endowment, gift, genius, sense, instinct, capability, predilection, penchant, set, inclination, druthers, savvy, slant, predisposition, persuasion, passion, bias,
- liking, leaning, penchant, preference,
- training, learning, grasp,