Rough Skill Benchmarks in MEGS

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Is this character considered competent at that Skill?

At some point, APs can feel like meaningless numbers. Concept is more important than number crunching, especially in an exponential system where each "number" is meant to represent a large range of proficiency ratings. We know that in Mayfair's Exponential Gaming System, an AP rating of 2 in "Vehicles (Land)" ought to be a reasonable skill level for a non-adventuring Character who drives an automobile, commercial transport truck, motorcycle, or tank around a typical city on a daily basis.

We also know that the same "Vehicles (Land)" Subskill at a rating of 3 APs ought to be up to twice as proficient.

It is all too easy to only see that 3 APs fall into a different row or column when checking The Action Chart and The Result Chart. What does it matter to the character concept if that rating is 3 APs or 4 APs?

Fortunately, the Writeups dot Org trio of Sébastien Andrivet, Roy Cowan, and Mike Davies put together a rough chart of benchmarks for Skills of all sorts. Think of this chart as a guideline, not a strict rule!

Level	Rough description
1	Vague knowledge about the skill. Reliable ability to produce shoddy results. Maybe also the level of a lazy/indifferent/casual hobbyist.
2	Amateur with some talent or basic training. Will not provide professional results most of the time.
3	Indifferent professional. Good enough to make a living, but rarely gets cool results. Or skilled amateur/avid hobbyist – good enough to impress most people, but not professionals in the field.
4	Competent professional. A skilled person you’d want to hire.
5	Expert. By virtue of superior talent or experience, the character produces results and has knowledge a step above most professionals’. Level of a typical R&D head, conductor of major symphonies, etc.
6	Renowned expert. The character’s name comes up in discussion about the skill ; he has illustrated himself with newsworthy exploits in his discipline.
7	Cinematic expert. The characters can achieve results you’re not likely to see in real life and that make people go “wow”.
8	Heroic, world class expert. A contender among the pantheons of the very best musicians, doctors, scientists, Formula One drivers, etc. in the world. Called a genius by some.
9	Cinematic genius in that area. Author of various breakthroughs and impossibly knowledgeable in the discipline. This level, or perhaps a 10, would be equivalent to a Feynman or an Einstein.
10	Comic-book genius in that area. Will do impossible stuff twice over breakfast.
11	The highest level of Physical Skills before they begin to be considered superhuman. The domain of the greatest human practitioners, but only in a comic-book setting or similar over-the-top genre.
12	Physical Skills at this level or higher are usually considered beyond unenhanced human ability even in a cinematic/comic-book setting. Mental Skills at this level are at the tipping point between the greatest human potential and a truly preternatural level of competence.
13+	Those with Mental Skills in this range are superhuman geniuses. Can casually make amazing breakthroughs in several different disciplines simultaneously while working a problem.

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Jarissa.

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Generic, Table: Rough Skill Benchmarks in MEGS