Judge Dredd Skills

Combat Engineering

The Judge is trained in the rapid construction of field
fortifications, large-scale camouflage, the appraisal of
a structure’s ability to withstand enemy fire, landmine
placement and removal and/or placement of passive ground
sensors. Essentially the battlefield is the character’s to mould
as he sees fit.
Specialities
Fortifications: The character is trained how to build field
defences from trenches to bunkers.
Building a field fortification (trench, sandbag wall, etc.): 1-
6 Hours, Education or Endurance, Average (+0). Resulting
fortification grants maximum cover equal to half Effect (round
up).
Building a defensive fortification (wall, bunker, etc.): 10-60
Days, Education, Difficult (–2). Resulting fortification grants
maximum cover equal to Effect.
Finding weak point in enemy fortifications: 1-6 Seconds,
Intelligence, Difficult (–2). Character can ignore the cover
DM of targets behind fortification, up to an amount equal to
Effect.
Camouflage: The character is trained to camouflage
vehicles, fortifications and field sites.
Constructing sufficient camouflage to hide a single vehicle:
10-60 Minutes, Intelligence, Average (+0). Grants a Stealth
skill to the vehicle equal to Effect until vehicle is moved.
Constructing sufficient camouflage to hide a single small
building or defensive fortification: 1-6 Hours, Intelligence,
Average (+0). Applies a skill DM penalty to those looking to
visually find it equal to Effect until discovered.
Hiding a doorway or hatch from view: 1-6 Minutes,
Intelligence, Average (+0). Grants a Stealth skill to the
doorway/hatch equal to Effect until discovered.
IEDs and Mines: The ability to place, search for and
remove Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and land
mines.
Avoiding previously placed minefields: 1-6 Minutes, Dexterity
or Intelligence, Average (+0)
Removing an active land mine: 1-6 minutes, Dexterity, Very
Difficult (–4)
Sensor Surveillance: The use and placement of
specially crafted ground sensors.
Properly placing a ground sensor:10-60 Minutes, Intelligence,
Routine (+2)
Avoiding triggering existing ground sensors: 10-60 Seconds,
Dexterity or Intelligence, Difficult (–2)

Gun Combat (Lawgiver)
The Lawgiver is a sophisticated sidearm with many features
simply not found on standard handguns. Judges are trained
specifically in handling the Lawgiver to greatest effect
(especially important, given the different types of ammunition
the Lawgiver fires), almost to the exclusion of other handguns.
However, a Judge can pick-up any other handgun and use
it at a skill level 1 less than his Gun Combat (Lawgiver) skill,
rather than at the –3 DM for untrained skill use.

Flyer (personal)

This branch of the Flyer skill covers the use of persona
devices such as jetpacks, powerboards and bat-gliders –
any form of single-user flying aid, whether it is jet-propelled
(solid/liquid fuel), anti-grav or, as in the case of the bat-glider
using thermals and air currents for lift.

Interrogation
Judges are frequently forced to draw information out of
sources that do not wish to give it – both perps and witnesses.
This places the Judge in a position to use any number of
methods to extract it. This skill governs several ways to force
others to give up what they know – knowingly or not.

Specialities

Doubletalk: The Judge knows how to talk circles around
most people, getting them to say or admit to things they
never meant to with pressured conversation. With enough
time to grill them properly, the character can get anyone to
spill their secrets.
Badgering an admission of guilt out of a captive: 1-6 Hours,
Intelligence, Difficult (–2).
Uncovering a secret through focussed conversation: 10-60
Minutes, Intelligence, Difficult (–2)

Torture: This speciality governs the collection of emotional,
physical and psychological methods in which an interrogator
can get a victim to break. Through an assortment of devious
and unsavoury tactics, the character can get anyone to
say what he needs them to. NOTE: Using this technique
against innocent citizens is a crime. It may be used against
particularly vicious or dangerous perps if all other methods
have been exhausted and the Sector Chief or Chief Judge
sanctions it.
Knowing a true confession from a false one: 1-6 Seconds,
Intelligence, Routine (+2).
Using pain or discomfort to elicit an answer to an inquiry: 1-6
Hours, Influence or Strength, Average (+0).
Using emotional or psychological response to elicit an
answer to an inquiry: 10-60 Hours, Influence or Intelligence,
Average (+0)

Drive (Lawmaster)

The Lawmaster is more than just a hefty motorcycle: it is the
workhouse of the Justice Department and a sophisticated
crime-fighting machine in its own right. A Lawmaster is fitted
with a staggering array of devices, special adaptations,
crime detection technology and weapon systems. The Drive
(Lawmaster) skill therefore covers more than simply riding
the most advanced road-going bike in existence; it covers
the use of the onboard weapons and technology and the
special riding techniques a Judge needs to use to get the
best out of his vehicle. A Judge can use Drive (wheeled) at a
skill level 1 less than his Drive (Lawmaster) skill, rather than
at the –3 DM for untrained skill use.
Swerving around a routine obstacle: Instantaneous, Average
(+0)
Cracking a perp round the back of the head with a daystick
whilst keeping the Lawmaster under control: Significant
Action, Average (+0)
Blasting away with bike cannon whilst travelling at speed
and avoiding oncoming traffic: Instantaneous, Difficult (–2)
Skidding the bike under a low-hanging obstacle, coming
through the other side and getting back into an upright
position: Significant Action, Very Difficult (–4)
Using a ramp or other piece of debris to leap over an obstacle,
chasm or span: Instantaneous, Very Difficult (–4)

Law

Understanding the law is fundamental to a Judge. This skill covers how the law works; sentencing, exceptions, leniency, specific cases and so forth. Every Judge emerges with Law when he graduates and undergoes regular refresher courses to remain competent; but some, like Judge Dredd, even study the huge and complex tomes of Mega-City Law in their spare time.
The Referee may apply a DM to the standard target number of 8+ depending on the circumstances. If, for example, a Judge sees a crime in progress, has witnesses and is in absolutely no doubt about the perp’s guilt, then a +4 DM is warranted. If circumstances are tenuous, based on hearsay or evidence is absent altogether, than a DM of –2 or –4 might be warranted. For the most part, though, Judges need to roll Law 8+.
Sentence a perp correctly for a routine crime: 1-6 seconds, Very Easy (+4)
Sentence a perp for a more complex crime with different elements that might conflict: 1-6 minutes, Average (+0)
Assess a complex criminal case, with many disparate elements, each requiring separate consideration and sentencing elements: 10-60 minutes, Difficult (–2)
Assess the most fiendish, complex cases, taking into account alibis, counter-claims, multiple, conflicting witness
statements and clear expressions of guilt and mitigation: 1-6 hours, Very Difficult (–4)
If a Law skill attempt is failed, then the Judge has failed to apply the law fairly and correctly, whether in interpretation or
sentencing. Although appeals in Mega-City One are difficult to lodge (Judges are, after all, meant to be infallible), they are possible. Note the Effect of the Law roll’s failure. To successfully lodge an appeal, a perp needs to roll Advocate 10+; he can use the Effect of the Judge’s failed Law roll as a positive DM to his appeal lodgement. If successful, another Judge reviews the case and adjusts sentencing accordingly – and may even set a perp free as a result. If the case is especially sensitive or contentious, the Judge who passed the original judgment may find himself called to account for his actions and even be subject to retraining, disciplinary action or, in the worst case, investigation by the SJS.
For example, Judge Madison has Law 2 and is sentencing a perp for jay-walking a skedway. The result of his roll is 2, modified to 4 for Madison’s Law skill: Madison sentences the jay-walker to 10 years in an Iso-Cube. However, this is still a failure with an Effect of 4 (4-8 = –4). The perp decides to appeal. He must roll Advocate 10+ but Madison’s overzealous behaviour has given the perp a +4 DM to his dice roll. The perp rolls 7; the DM takes this to 11 and the perp successfully appeals. Madison has some explaining to
do as the perp walks free with a Cr. 1,000 fine

Mega-City One Geography

Every good Judge knows the general layout of Mega-City
One, its sector locations, old names and so forth and how they
connect together; but you have an aptitude for the more detailed
geography of the city, spending many hours pouring over the
old maps, vid-displays, tri-dees and so on. The city’s layout and
development fascinates you. This skill allows you to understand
the geography of a particular district or sector intimately, recalling
its layout and key landmarks/buildings without having to refer to
your hand computer, bike computer or MAC.
Understand the general layout of a sector or area: 1-6
minutes, Easy (+2)
Work out the best and fastest route between A and B: 2-12
minutes, Average (+0)
Pinpoint a specific but unobvious building in an area or
sector: 1-60 Minutes, Difficult (–2)
Recall the hidden, underground facilities, service shafts,
tunnels and so forth, of a sector: 1-6 Hours, Very Difficult (–4)

Mega-City One History

You have studied the history of Mega-City One, since its
onception, right up to the present day (including all the
wars, strange occurrences and, in particular, the history of
s crime). This skill allows you to call on that knowledge to
ecall facts about a particular district or sector which may
provide an insight into current happenings.
Recalling the general history of a sector: 1-6 minutes, Easy (+2)
Recalling a specific historical event of a sector: 2-12 minutes,
Average (+0)
Recalling an obscure, very specific fact about a sector: 1-6
hours, Difficult (–2)
Recalling an obscure, very specific fact about a specific
building, person or event: 1-6 hours, Very Difficult (–4)

Street Perception

The Judge knows and understands how, to read the nuances
of Mega-City One’s sprawling, chaotic streets. He can spot
which areas are the likely hangouts of perps, when a Block
War is likely to kick-off, when a gathering of juves is likely to
result in a mugging and whether that illegally parked car has
been strategically placed to assist with a robbery just about
to happen. The Judge’s training has run through just about
every criminal habit manifested and displayed in Mega-City
One, its symptoms distilled and, through study, sleep training
and simulations, the Judge is attuned to the environment.
Assessing the likelihood of a crime about to happen: 1-6
seconds, Average (+0)
Spotting something incongruous that might signal something
bigger: 1-6 minutes, Difficult (–2)
Getting the feel for the mood of a particular group of people,
a city block and so on, even when all appears calm: 1-6
minutes, Very Difficult (–4)