Class Skills
Author: Silver
Class Skills! They’re important!
Every Servant gains a small selection of Skills from the class container they’ve been placed into.
I have no doubt that everyone reading this is familiar with that much! What some of you may not be familiar with though exactly what some of these Class Skills do...and I really wouldn’t blame you!
Fate’s writing is already pretty purple-prosey, but then this is compounded by the lack of officially translated materials.
This means that since translations keep being done by multiple people, four translations of the same thing can all end up sounding different!
And this isn’t very fun to deal with when you’re trying to create within these guidelines.
So, some time ago, I made a little personal list of all the Class Skills and the descriptions I wrote for them, as succinct and understandable as I could get without oversimplifying.
Now I’m sharing it with you! With all that out of the way, below you will find:
- Descriptions of Class Skills held by the seven standard Servant classes.
- Descriptions of Class Skills held by the handful of non-standard classes.
- Descriptions of Class Skills held by Beasts (which are not Servants, don’t listen to the T-M wiki on this I swear to g—)
What you will not find would be:
- Descriptions of Class Skills that aren’t actually Class Skills! This is something that’s happened because of FGO. It classifies all of its passive gameplay abilities as such, which on its surface, is fine! But what this means is that many Servants have something listed as a Class Skill that, well, isn’t, because it’s coming from something about them personally rather than their container. I’ve not put any of those Skills here. Please see my Personal Skills Repo instead if you’re looking for descriptions of those.
- Variants of Class Skills that only really exist for FGO gameplay purposes.
Let me be clear with one last thing before we move on!
This is just, firstly, my attempt at writing things down in a way that is, hopefully, understandable for everyone who reads it.
And secondly, it’s to give examples of what each Class Skill can do at different ranks and on different figures!
It isn’t gospel that you need to copy down exactly when you write your own stuff, so don’t take it as such!
With all that out of the way, each Class Skill lists what classes use it, and in some cases I’ve included alternate TLs of the Class Skill’s name.
I’ve also included personal conjecture in bold where I felt necessary.
Magic Resistance
A Skill of the [Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Shielder, Ruler, Watcher] class, granting protection from magical effects.
[EX]: This rank of Magic Resistance averts spells targeting the holder entirely, rather than just canceling them.
[A]: No matter what kind of high level magecraft they may be, spells of insufficient strength cannot touch the holder. They are practically invincible by the standards of modern magi.
[B]: It cancels spells with a chant below three verses, leaving it difficult for the holder to be affected by most magecraft, even if targeted by High Magecraft or Greater Rituals.
[C]: It cancels spells with a chant below two verses, but cannot defend against magecraft on the level of High Magecraft or Greater Rituals.
[D]: Only enough to cancel Single-Action spells.
[E]: Such an abysmal rank can’t actually cancel spells at all, but it does somewhat reduce magical damage.
Independent Action
A Skill of the [Archer, Faker] class, the ability to function without a Master's support.
[EX]: One’s existence is almost similar to a human’s at this rank, as they don’t face resistance from the World or require magical energy to manifest.
[A+]: A Master is almost completely unnecessary. Even if the Holy Grail War has ended, the holder is able to maintain themselves for a potentially indefinite amount of time.
[A]: The holder is able to take action by themselves and survive for a week without a Master, but they’d still require backup to use their Noble Phantasm.
[B]: So long as the holder conserves their magical energy, they’re able to survive for around two days without a Master.
[C]: Without a Master’s support, the holder can only survive for a day on their own.
[E-]: It’s impossible for one of this rank to act on their own, so they’re only able to stick around for half an hour.
Riding
A Skill of the [Saber, Rider, Shielder] class, one's ability to handle mounts and vehicles.
[EX]: At this rank, one can ride pretty much anything.
[A+]: Even Phantasmal and Divine Beasts can be handled as mounts. This doesn’t apply to dragonkind though.
[A]: Almost anything at all can be handled, excluding Phantasmal or Divine Beasts.
[B]: Most mounts and vehicles can be handled with above average Skill, including ones that didn’t even exist during the holder’s lifetime. They still can’t handle the likes of a Phantasmal Species though.
[C]: Most normal mounts and vehicles can be handled with average skill.
[E]: A rank indicative of one’s utter inexperience with all manner of mounts.
Territory Creation
A Skill of the [Caster] class, the ability to build a personal domain that collects mana from the land.
[EX]: No matter where they are, the holder is able to set up an impressive and completely unique kind of territory all on their own.
[A+]: An impressive rank denoting that one can quickly set up a specialized territory of considerable quality.
[A]: One can build a “temple,” a large structure that is vastly superior to a normal magus’ workshop.
[B]: A “workshop” is an absolute necessity for any self-respecting magus, and it’s at this rank that one can be built.
[C]: Creating something the size of an average workshop isn’t easy, but a smaller, more personal domain is still possible.
[D]: Only a very small area can become one’s territory.
Item Construction
A Skill of the [Caster] class, one's ability to create objects both magical and mundane in nature
[EX]: Having it at this rank either means that one is able to create a truly vast amount of items, or that they’re able to create one type of item with extraordinary quality.
[A]: The holder is able to manufacture a wide array of objects—perhaps even something as extravagant as a potion of limited immortality.
[B+]: Though the quality of one’s works are impressive, their variety is limited.
[B]: Various tools and objects are among the holder’s specialties.
[C]: The holder is really only able to create one or two kinds of items.
Presence Concealment
A Skill of the [Assassin] class, the ability to hide oneself.
[EX]: Seeing an existence on this level is virtually impossible—and if you do, it’s likely too late.
[A+]: Even other Servants will have trouble detecting the holder, as they’re able to become almost completely imperceptible. Taking offensive action still drops it considerably.
[A]: One is able to hide themselves well enough to be nearly undetectable, but even so, its rank will still fall if the holder makes a hostile move.
[B]: It’s extremely difficult for the holder to be detected once they’ve disappeared. Its rank decreases if one attempts an attack.
[C]: Even if one’s hidden themselves the best that they can, this is a rank that’s really only suitable for spying, as an attack would be extremely obvious.
[D]: A rank unbecoming of an Assassin, as though it’s still barely suitable for spying, an enemy Servant could infer their presence almost immediately.
Mad Enhancement
A Skill of the [Berserker] class, increasing one's parameters in exchange for their sanity.
[EX]: Though one’s parameters are increased, they possess a uniquely volatile and strange state of mind.
[A+]: All parameters are increased, but every shred of what could be called a “normal” mind has been lost.
[A]: All parameters are increased, but almost all of one’s reason has been robbed from them.
[B]: All parameters are increased, but most of the holder’s sanity has been taken away.
[C]: All parameters except Magic and Luck are increased, but their sanity is skewed.
[D]: Strength and Endurance are increased, but one’s ability to think clearly is hazy and imperfect.
[E]: While one’s parameters are left as-is, so is their natural sanity. Some might still have a particular “trigger,” however.
[E-]: The holder’s sanity is left completely intact, but of course, this also means they don’t receive any parameter increases whatsoever.
Territory Defense
A Skill of the [Shielder] class, reducing the damage done to allies within a certain range of the holder.
[C]: Though one's allies have their defense increased, the user isn't included in that boost.
True Name Discernment
A Skill of the [Ruler] class, sight that automatically reveals the status information of other Servants. A Luck check is necessary to bypass abilities that conceal such things, however. There’s no information regarding what different ranks give, but I assume it denotes how much information the Ruler sees.
[B]: Jeanne, Amakusa
[C]: Karl
Divine Judgement
A Skill of the [Ruler] class, the privilege to use Command Seals against other Servants. In a Grail War, the summoned Ruler is granted two Command Seals per each participating Servant. There’s no information regarding what different ranks give, but I assume it denotes the strength of the Ruler’s commands.
[A]: Jeanne
[B]: Karl
[C]: Amakusa
[—]: Amakusa during Apocrypha. None of the Command Seals he was given were valid for the current Holy Grail War, so this Skill was useless.
Avenger
A Skill of the [Avenger] class, the existence of an Anti-Hero who converts the hatred and resentment others feel towards them into a temporary power increase. There’s no information regarding what different ranks give, but I assume it denotes how much one’s power is able to increase, and the speed at which it does so.
[EX]: Space Ishtar
[A]: Angra, Alcides, Dantes, Lobo
[B]: Jalter, Gorgon, Castor
[C]: Salieri
Oblivion Correction
A Skill of the [Avenger] class, the constant state of one who will never forget the wrongs they've suffered. There’s no information regarding what different ranks give, but as its function is to “increase critical hit effectiveness,” I assume the rank denotes how strongly it does so.
[A]: Jalter, Angra
[B]: Dantes, Lobo, Salieri
[C]: Gorgon, Castor
Self-Replenishment (Mana)
A Skill of the [Avenger] class, a need for retribution that causes one's magical energy to endlessly surge forth.
[A+]: Jalter. The amount of magical energy is higher than it normally would be, because she’s been spawned by a wish on the Holy Grail.
[A]: Gorgon
[B]: Lobo
[C]: Salieri, Maou
[D]: Dantes, Castor
[E]: Angra. Recovers only a miniscule amount of energy every minute.
Counter Hero
A Skill of the [Savior] class, causing parameter reductions in Heroic Spirits who face te holder in combat. However, it isn't as effective on Anti-Heroes.
[B]: Reduces the parameters of enemy Heroic Spirts by two ranks, and reduces the parameters of Anti-Heroes by one rank.
Camouflage
A Skill of the [Faker] class, allowing one to disguise their status information.
[B]: Iskandar’s Shadow. At this rank, one’s class and parameters can be obfuscated.
Territory Infringement
A Skill of the [Watcher] class, allowing one's prying eyes to bypass the magical barriers and territories established to keep others out. DISCLAIMER! Though this is based on what we’ve seen Watcher do in SF combined with what the name itself implies, Territory Infringement lacks a proper description.
[A]: Watcher
Entity of the Outer Realm
A Skill of the [Foreigner] class, denoting the holder's connection to a realm beyond man's comprehension. It doesn’t seem to impart any special effect, and merely denotes the strength of one’s foreign connection.
[EX]: Abby, Hokusai, Yang
[A]: Van Gogh
[B]: Summer BB. Her eyes “just happened to meet” those of an Outer God, and from that a contract was made.
[C]: Voyager (FGO)
[D]: MHXX