Once you put points into a skill you unlock the option to gain the abilities connected to the skill. The higher your skill level the decisively more powerful abilities you can unlock. Abilities range from active and reactive to passive and often demand a certain amount of Concentration to pull them off. A lot of them will help you to stay alive in combat but others allow you to avoid confrontation in the first place or to sweet talk your way to your goal.
Because all of the 24 skills in DoC have their own abilities there are over 350 abilities in the game. Offering countless combinations and character builds.
Some examples?
No Time to Bleed (Discipline; passive)
What is the last thing you worry about if somebody tries to take your head off with a giant sword? EVERYTHING ELSE! You just don't have the time to bleed out your feelings while you stare into the eyes of somebody hell bent to eviscerate you. While you are in CQC with an enemy you are immune to fear and panic.
Gun Kata (Dual Wield Pistols; active, full turn)
Time to kick some serious ass. If you get swarmed by a bunch of goons you need an ability that says: I'm not only super deadly but also incredibly cool. And nothing says cool like swirling around with two guns and shooting wildly. You may attack every enemy in range (max. [Pistols] enemies) once while alternating your pistols. All attacks against you have +2 DC based on your amazing movements and incredible style until the start of your next turn. The Gun Kata ends if you are out of ammo or interrupted.
Web of Words (Rhetoric; active)
There are a lot of good things you can do with a silver tongue. OR you can just trap a person in an endless discussion while your friends sneak by and rob them for all they are worth. Life is all about choices. You can use Web of Words to distract a person (not in combat). Make a Rhetoric test against the targets Discipline or Rhetoric. If you win the target is focused on you and gains an increased DC equal to your success level to all Awareness tests. Repeat every 10 seconds or so.
Charge! (2h Melee Weapons; active)
The most common problem with a melee weapon is that enemies try to stay as far away from it as possible. That is frustrating. But here is a solution! Just run really fast to your enemy and hit them with your weapon! You can make a run or jump action and follow with a normal melee attack +1 Strength with a two handed melee weapon. You may scream while running! Minimum running distance 10m.
Want to see all the abilities? Spent hours comparing and planing? Please follow me to the Appendix.
I see you want more.
The Gifted archetype has access to several unique skills and with it to some seriously powerful abilities. From moving objects with their minds to changing temperature, violently shaking objects, EMP blasting machines and the old party favorite creating magnetic fields for fun and profit.
Not only are these abilities strong by themselves they can even be modified to become stronger or more versatile. For example a shield of compressed air against bullets can become a 360° dome and large enough to cover several meter. An ability to control ambient temperature can become strong enough to negate nearly any thermal attack against the Gifted and the ability to create magnetic fields can evolve into you freely bending metal objects into any shape.