{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/role-playing-systems--t055","type":"mechanic","id":"role-playing-systems--t055","lang":"en","title":"Learning skills through use","summary":"A skill improves through relevant use, letting players practice while also addressing a current objective.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/role-playing-systems--t055/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/role-playing-systems--t055.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/role-playing-systems--t055.md","aliases":["Improving skills through use"],"tags":["Role-playing systems","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-3817d420df0baa92","source-7e8cddf5bd2df8d5"],"sources":[{"id":"source-3817d420df0baa92","title":"Robert Nystrom: State","url":"https://github.com/munificent/game-programming-patterns/blob/master/book/state.markdown","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-7e8cddf5bd2df8d5","title":"Melvor Idle","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1267910/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"A skill improves through relevant use, letting players practice while also addressing a current objective."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t055-variants\"></a>\n\n- A successful action grants skill experience. <a id=\"t055-v1\"></a>\n- A novel situation gives more than rote repetition. <a id=\"t055-v2\"></a>\n- A mentor unlocks the next development ceiling. <a id=\"t055-v3\"></a>\n- Practice transfers to related abilities. <a id=\"t055-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"Opening new lock types improves the craft more than repeatedly reopening one easy box.\n\nPrototype check: Test whether meaningless safe repetition outperforms applying the skill to its intended challenges."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Role-playing systems connect character identity, party composition, equipment and consequential choices. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map."}],"relations":[{"type":"uses","direction":"outgoing","label":"Sources in the selection","key":"resource/state-pattern","title":"State: Game Programming Patterns","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-state-pattern","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/resource/state-pattern.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/resource/state-pattern.md"}],"placements":[{"catalogId":"role-playing-systems","id":"t055","title":"Role-playing systems","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/role-playing-systems/#t055","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Improving skills through use","description":"A skill improves through relevant use, letting players practice while also addressing a current objective.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/rpg-melvor-idle-04.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Melvor Idle","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1267910/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1267910/ss_1033d8584e0525c823c813f2fc252d05ee00f6e3.1920x1080.jpg?t=1789749689","credit":"Games by Malcs / Jagex Ltd","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Official game guide or publisher-distributed screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Mining ore increases the Mining skill","alt":"Mining ore increases the Mining skill","markers":[{"x":51,"y":7,"label":"The notification confirms Mining has reached level 72"},{"x":89,"y":73,"label":"Repeated mining advances the corresponding skill"}]},"tips":["Show which action grants experience and what the next threshold unlocks."],"examples":[{"title":"Melvor Idle","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1267910/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/role-playing-systems"}}