'Even if your character doesn't have any of the skills listed'

[Chad Brunner]

I'm a bit confused on when you roll the d4 to attempt a check. All of the cards that I've seen list both the stat and the skill to acquire/defeat (such as Intelligence/Arcane).

Since you can roll the stat if the skill isn't listed, when would you ever roll the d4 because you 'don't have the skill listed'?

Is this rule just for a small subset of cards I haven't seen that -only- list a skill?

Thanks!

[Hawkmoon269]

You are correct that most of the time, there is a "universal" skill and a "special" skill on checks. But there are occasions where there is only a special skill. This is most common not on the check to defeat or acquire, but a "Before the encounter" affect or a location requirement. Shrine to Lamashtu is an example, which offers two ways to close: Succeed at a Divine 6 check or banish a blessing.

It also comes up with playing cards. If you wanted to play Force Missile, but didn't have the Arcane skill, you could roll a d4 for your Arcane skill.

There are also times where choosing the special skill you don't have listed would be better than choosing the universal skill you do have listed. If you needed to succeed at a Wisdom/Divine 6 check and you had a d6 for Wisdom, but no Divine skill listed, but you also had Father Zantus or an Acolyte ally, you'd be better off choosing d4 Divine and playing the ally to roll 2d4 then to roll your simple d6.