Streetwise (Cunning)

Some call it the “school of hard knocks,” while others refer to it as “street smarts” or “gut instincts,” but in all cases, the Streetwise skill is your character’s ability to survive and thrive in rough and dangerous urban areas. If your character has ranks in Streetwise, they instinctively know how criminals tend to operate, which locations to avoid after dark, where to go to obtain illicit drugs and services, and other information crucial for making their way in the seedy underbelly of a major city.
In many ways, Streetwise can be thought of as the urban counterpart to Survival. They both represent many of the same activities, but Streetwise applies to urban areas, while Survival applies to the wilderness.
Your character should use this skill if…
• Your character looks for a merchant who sells black-market goods or illegal services.
• Your character wants to understand particular references or slang in a conversation.
• Your character tries to approach criminals and start up a conversation without appearing like an outsider or a threat.
• Your character tries to find their way around an unfamiliar city.
• Your character tries to track and hunt someone somewhere in a city.
Your character should not use this skill if…
• Your character tries to find their way around a rural or wilderness environment. In this case, your character should be using Survival.
• Your character interacts with the upper crust of society. Charm (or possibly Deception or Coercion) may serve the character better here.
• Your character has already established themself as a member of the criminal underworld, and is continuing to interact with other criminals. Streetwise lets your character fit in, know how to act, and know what topics to bring up and what to avoid. However, it shouldn’t replace social skills.