Built from archive taxonomy
This page mirrors the fixed SCD archive category tree so users can understand what each lane is supposed to capture before reading dossiers or battles.
Category Sheet
Archive Taxonomy
A user-facing guide to every main SCD archive category, what it is supposed to measure, and how the subcategory lanes are organized.
Adapted from SSC glossary logic
The language here follows the spirit of the SSC document: categories are separated by process, not just by vibe. Strategy is not the same thing as planning, and observation is not the same thing as cold reading.
Subcategories are operational lanes
A subcategory is not just a tag. It is a smaller judging lane inside the main category, used to sort feats and make comparisons more precise.
This guide is descriptive, not adjudicative. It explains what the archive categories mean for users; it does not decide who wins a matchup by itself.
Quick Access
Jump To A Category
Use this index if you want to move straight to a specific category block.
Core Category
FSIQ
FSIQ covers classic IQ-style cognition lanes: reasoning, memory, verbal handling, spatial handling, processing speed and other core indexing buckets.
In archive terms, FSIQ is not just 'book smart'. It is where users look for raw cognitive machinery: how fast someone processes, how well they retain and manipulate information, how clearly they abstract patterns, and how efficiently they solve novel problems.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside FSIQ.
Fluid Reasoning Index FRI
Working Memory Index WMI
Verbal Comprehension Index VCI
Visual Spatial Index VSI
Processing Speed Index PSI
Cognitive Proficiency Index CPI
General Ability Index GAI
Nonverbal Index NVI
Quantitative Reasoning Index QRI
Abstract Reasoning Index ARI
Core Category
Reasoning
Reasoning tracks how a character reaches conclusions, forms hypotheses and works through logical structure.
This is one of the most methodology-heavy categories. Deduction, induction and abduction are treated as different processes, so a character can be strong in one lane without automatically dominating every other reasoning lane.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Reasoning.
Deductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning
Abductive Reasoning
Logical Reasoning
Analogical Reasoning
Causal Reasoning
Abstract Reasoning
Perceptual Reasoning
Probabilistic Reasoning
Strategic Reasoning
Core Category
Thinking
Thinking covers modes of thought: how a character approaches problems, generates ideas, critiques information and chooses solution paths.
Where reasoning asks 'how valid was the inference?', thinking asks 'what kind of mental style is being shown here?'. This category helps separate analytical, creative, lateral and strategic thought patterns.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Thinking.
Analytical Thinking
Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking
Abstract Thinking
Strategic Thinking
Linear Thinking
Nonlinear Thinking
Lateral Thinking
Divergent Thinking
Convergent Thinking
Core Category
Intelligence
Intelligence is the broadest umbrella category and describes large domains of applied intellect rather than one narrow process.
Use this lane to describe the overall direction of a character's intellectual strengths: practical, linguistic, interpersonal, strategic, intrapersonal and so on.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Intelligence.
Fluid Intelligence
Crystallized Intelligence
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence
Visual-Spatial Intelligence
Interpersonal Intelligence
Intrapersonal Intelligence
Practical Intelligence
Strategic Intelligence
Social Intelligence
Core Category
FSEQ
FSEQ is the emotional-intelligence block: perceiving emotion, understanding it, regulating it, facilitating thought through it and sustaining control under pressure.
The glossary in SSC treats emotional perception, understanding and management as distinct lanes. A character can read emotion well but still be weaker at regulating their own emotional state or managing other people's reactions.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside FSEQ.
Emotional Perception EQP
Emotional Understanding EQU
Emotional Management EQM
Emotional Regulation ER
Emotional Control EC
Emotional Facilitation EF
Emotional Realization ERe
Emotional Resilience ERs
Cognitive Empathy
Emotional Empathy
Core Category
FSSQ
FSSQ tracks social functioning, social awareness, self-management, relationship handling, leadership and social influence.
SSC treats this as closely tied to FSEQ and cultural intelligence. It is less about isolated emotional reads and more about moving through social systems effectively.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside FSSQ.
Social Awareness
Social Understanding
Social Skills
Social Adaptability
Self Awareness
Self Management
Relationship Management
Leadership
Charisma
Social Engineering
Core Category
Planning
Planning is about implementation: structuring a route from current conditions to a target outcome.
The document explicitly separates planning from strategy. Strategy is choice and direction; planning is how that choice is prepared, organized, covered, executed and adapted.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Planning.
Short-Term Planning
Long-Term Planning
Planning Coverage
Planning Practicality
Planning Accuracy
Planning Contingency
Planning Preparation
Planning Execution
Planning Adaptability
Planning Invisibility
Core Category
Strategy
Strategy covers selecting the course of action itself: the larger choice architecture behind a move, not just its execution steps.
This lane cares about option selection, efficiency, complexity, risk, resilience, shielding and control. It is one of the cleanest places to separate 'good idea' from 'good execution'.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Strategy.
Strategy Execution
Strategy Control
Strategy Complexity
Strategy Effectiveness
Strategy Resilience
Strategy Adaptability
Strategy Shielding
Strategy Risk Assessment
Strategy Timing
Tactical Strategy
Core Category
Foresight
Foresight handles prediction, anticipation and future-reading behavior across near-term and long-term horizons.
It is not simply guessing the future. Archive-wise, this category looks for pattern-based anticipation, consequence reading, opponent forecasting and preparation against future branches.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Foresight.
Anticipation
Logical Prediction
Intuitive Prediction
Risk Calculation
Risk Assessment
Short-Term Anticipation
Long-Term Anticipation
Opponent Move Forecasting
Trap Evasion
Consequence Reading
Core Category
Perception
Perception covers observation, pattern recognition, situational reading and sensory interpretation.
SSC treats observation and perception as more than 'seeing things'. The category is about noticing details, interpreting context and connecting separate inputs into usable information.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Perception.
Observation
Pattern Recognition
Connecting the Dots
Situational Awareness
Behavioral Perception
Emotional Perception
Intuition
Anomaly Detection
Body Language Reading
Bias-Free Observation
Core Category
Deception
Deception covers misleading actions and information distortion: bluffing, concealment, fabrication, acting, misdirection and control of what others believe.
This category is broader than lying. A character can dominate deception through false signaling, disguises, performance, selective omission or information flow control.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Deception.
Fabrication
Falsification
Misdirection
Concealment
Verbal Deception
Bluffing
Strategic Deception
Information Control
Acting Skills
Deception Invisibility
Core Category
Manipulation
Manipulation covers influence over other people through pressure, leverage, emotional steering, psychological exploitation or direct control tactics.
The SSC glossary treats manipulation as a wide operational family: persuasion, gaslighting, coercion, social engineering, psychological pressure and many other control methods can all scale here.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Manipulation.
Direct Manipulation
Indirect Manipulation
Mass Manipulation
Individual Manipulation
Logical Manipulation
Emotional Manipulation
Psychological Manipulation
Gaslighting
Guilt Tripping
Isolation
Core Category
Psychology
Psychology is the archive lane for profiling, motive reading, weakness detection, psychological warfare and deeper analysis of mental state.
Where FSEQ and FSSQ focus more on emotion and social function, Psychology focuses on explicitly reading, modelling and exploiting the mind.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Psychology.
Psychological Profiling
Psychological Analysis
Psychological Insight
Psychological Warfare
Psychological Exploitation
Psychological Defense
Motive Analysis
Personality Analysis
Weakness Detection
Mental State Analysis
Core Category
STP
STP stands for 'Seeing Through' lanes: personality, mind, strategy, deception, manipulation and motive reading.
This block is especially useful in SCD because it isolates penetrative reading feats. Cold reading, contradiction detection and deception reads often live here rather than under raw perception alone.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside STP.
Seeing Through Personality
Seeing Through Mind
Seeing Through Strategy
Seeing Through Deception
Seeing Through Manipulation
Seeing Through Motives
Cold Reading
Hot Reading
Contradiction Detection
Behavioral Reading
Core Category
Tactics
Tactics covers close-range tactical handling: precise timing, counterplay, trap setting, improvisation and execution under immediate conditions.
Think of it as the battlefield-scale or moment-to-moment counterpart to broader planning and strategy lanes.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Tactics.
Tactical Complexity
Tactical Adaptability
Tactical Potency
Tactical Execution
Tactical Timing
Tactical Precision
Tactical Deception
Tactical Counterplay
Tactical Trap Setting
Tactical Improvisation
Core Category
Knowledge
Knowledge tracks what the character knows and how effectively that information is learned, stored and applied.
Archive-wise, knowledge is not only raw facts. It also includes strategic knowledge, social knowledge, practical knowledge, experience and knowledge application.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Knowledge.
General Knowledge
Academic Knowledge
Practical Knowledge
Scientific Knowledge
Psychological Knowledge
Strategic Knowledge
Social Knowledge
Experience
Learning Ability
Knowledge Application
Core Category
Adaptability
Adaptability tracks how well a character adjusts when circumstances, information or pressure change.
This category rewards recovery speed, improvisation, retooling, learning from failure and shifting method without collapsing performance.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Adaptability.
Situational Adaptability
Strategic Adaptability
Tactical Adaptability
Social Adaptability
Emotional Adaptability
Cognitive Adaptability
Improvisation
Resourcefulness
Recovery Speed
Learning from Failure
Core Category
Adversity Capacity
Adversity Capacity is the pressure-handling category: composure, mental toughness, stress tolerance, resilience and discipline under duress.
This is not about being fearless in the abstract. It is about whether cognition and execution remain stable when the environment is trying to break them.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Adversity Capacity.
Mental Fortitude
Mental Toughness
Stress Tolerance
Emotional Resilience
Cognitive Discipline
Impulse Control
Perseverance
Willpower
Composure
Focus Under Stress
Core Category
Decision Making
Decision Making tracks judgment quality: choice speed, accuracy, trade-off handling, crisis choice and action under uncertainty.
This category matters because many smart characters are impressive in analysis but weaker when forced to commit. Decision Making isolates the commitment layer.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Decision Making.
Decision Speed
Decision Accuracy
Risk-Reward Judgment
Trade-Off Evaluation
Priority Setting
Option Evaluation
Consequence Evaluation
Crisis Decision Making
Uncertainty Decision Making
Optimal Choice Selection
Core Category
Outsmarting
Outsmarting is the direct matchup lane: fixed situations, non-fixed situations, cat-and-mouse dynamics and counter-based victory patterns.
This is where SCD often cashes out the rest of the taxonomy. Outsmarting asks how those traits convert into actual superiority over an opposing mind in a contest.
Use this category when the feat record is primarily showing this lane rather than only brushing against it secondarily.
Subcategory lanes
These are the smaller judging lanes currently used inside Outsmarting.
Fixed Situation FS
Non-Fixed Situation NFS
Cat and Mouse
Strategic Outsmarting
Tactical Outsmarting
Psychological Outsmarting
Social Outsmarting
Deceptive Outsmarting
Counter-Strategy
Counter-Deception
Methodology Link
Want The Philosophy Too?
If you want the archive rules for scores, staff overrides and battle outputs, read the methodology page as the companion sheet to this taxonomy guide.