The Sims 3/Skills

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Athletic

• Who: Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders
• Equipment Needed: Treadmill, Exercise Queen, TV, Stereo, Swimming Pool
• Ways to Earn Athletic Skill: Use Exercise Equipment, Read Athletic Books, Take Athletic Class, Workout with TV or Stereo

Sims can use the gyms in town to workout for free. Athletic Sims are more likely to win fights – such as with a robber who breaks into their home. Massage takes away Sore moodlet. Body Builder Skill unlocks Flex social which impresses romantic interests during conversations.

Athletic Skill Levels

• Level 1: Sims can jog for exercise.
• Level 3: Sims earn Pumped moodlet.
• Level 5: Sims can run faster wherever they are directed to go.
• Level 6: Sims learn "Train" Interaction. Requires an exercise machine.

Athletic Tones

• "Don't Break A Sweat": No heavy hygiene decay.
• "Good Pacing": Exercise longer before receiving Fatigued moodlet.
• "Push Self": Increases speed muscle is gained, weight is lost and skill is gained. Sims gain Sore moodlet with this tone upon waking up.
• "Quick Burst": Sim gains body shape change and athletic skill faster.

Athletic Skill Challenges

• "Body Builder": 60 hours strength workouts. Never fatigued after strength workouts.
• "Marathon Runner": Run 500 kilometers. Sims will have a longer, healthier life.
• "Fitness Nut": 75 hours cardio workouts. Never fatigued after cardio workouts.

Charisma

• Who: Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders
• Tools Needed: Mirrors, Books, Socials, Parties
• Ways to Earn Charisma Skill: Read Books on Charisma, Practice Speech in Mirror, Take Charisma Class

Charisma Socials

• "Charming Introduction": Charming Introduction.
• "Get To Know": Helps Sims discover traits and interests of other Sims.
• "Smooth Recovery": Sims can revive a conversation.

Charisma Skill Challenges

• "Celebrity": Have at least 25 local Sim acquaintances. Celebrities build relationships faster.
• "Personable": Learned at least 50 traits of friends and neighbors.
• "Super Friendly": Have at least 20 friends. Friendships never decay.

Cooking

• Who: Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders
• Tools Needed: Books, Cook Meals, Recipes, Foodstuffs
• Ways to Earn Cooking Skill: Prepare Meals, Read Cookbook, Take Cooking Class

Children can't cook, but can take snacks out of the fridge. Quick meals and snacks are free. If a Sim does not have the required ingredients for a meal, the amount the ingredients cost shows up next to the dish in the menu. The better the fruits and veggies used to make a meal, the higher quality the meal. Feeding meat to a Vegetarian Sim makes them sick.

Meal Times

• 3 AM- 10 AM: Breakfast
• 9 AM- 3 PM: Brunch (On Weekends)
• 12 PM-5 PM: Dinner
• Dessert- Anytime

Cooking Skill Challenges

• "Star Chef": Prepare at least 50 meals. Star Chefs prepare higher quality meals.
• "World Class Chef": Prepare at least 75 dishes. World Class Chefs prepare meals faster.
• "Menu Maven": Learn to prepare all recipes. Menu Mavens prepare higher quality food.

Fishing

• Who: Children, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders
• Equipment Needed: Bait (optional), Sim has fishing pole, must be near lake, ocean or fish hatchery
• Ways to Earn Fishing Skill: Books, Take Fishing Class, Go Fishing

Deathfish can be found in the Graveyard between 12 AM and 5 AM. Need Level 10 Fishing Skill to catch Deathfish. "Love the Outdoors" trait makes a better fisherman.

Fish list

Fish	Skill	Location	Rarity	Bait
Minnow	0	Lakes, Ocean	Common	Apple
Anchovy	0	Ocean	Common	Tomato
Goldfish	1	Lakes	Common	Lettuce
Alley Catfish	1	Lakes, Ocean	Uncommon	Cheese
Jelly Fish	2	Ocean	Common	Grapes
Rainbow Trout	2	Lakes	Common	Egg
Red Herring	3	Lakes, Ocean	Common	Hot Dog
Tuna	3	Ocean	Common	Onion
Piranha	4	Lakes	Uncommon	Watermelon
Tragic Clownfish	4	Lakes, Ocean	Uncommon	Bell Pepper
Siamese Catfish	5	Lakes, Ocean	Common	Minnow
BLowfish	5	Ocean	Uncommon	Potato
Salmon	6	Ocean	Common	Lime
Black Goldfish	6	Lakes	Common	Gold Fish
Shark	7	Lakes, Ocean	Uncommon	Red Herring
Swordfish	7	Ocean	Common	Anchovy
Anglefish	8	Lakes, Ocean	Uncommon	Alley Catfish
Vampirefish	8	Graveyard	Rare	Garlic
Robot Fish	9	Science facility	Rare	Piranha
Lobster	9	Lakes, Ocean	Common	Tuna
Deathfish	10	Graveyard	Rare	Anglefish

Fishing Skill Challenges

• "Amateur Icythyologist": Catch at least one type of every fish.
• "Commercial Fisherman": Caught at least 350 fish. Can catch fish in less time.

Gardening

• Who: Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders
• Tools: Gardening Books, Seeds, Empty land to grow plants
• Ways to Earn Garden Skills: Read Gardenng Book, Take Gardening Class, Garden

Omni Plant will grow into whatever you give it. Use a sprinkler (Found under Hobbies) to water the garden. You can upgrade the sprinkler so it waters the garden automatically. If you grow a money tree and don't care for it – it will turn into a tree full of bills that have to be paid. Rare and uncommon seeds can be found the farther away from community lots and houses you go. Sims with Insane and Green Thumb traits can "Talk To" plants to help them grow. Do not use Deathfish as a fertilizer. It will kill the plant you put it on.

Gardening Skill Interactions

• Weed: Pull weeds. (Level 2)
• Fertilize: Fertilize plants. (Level 3)
• Uncommon Seeds: Plant Uncommon seeds. (Level 5)
• Revive Plant: (Green Thumb trait) Rescue dying plants. (Level 6)
• Rare Seeds: Plant rare seeds (Level 7)
• Special Plants: One opportunity in Levels 8,9,& 10 of Gardening Skill. Complete all three opportunities and Sim will receive Omni Plant in the mail and can plant them.

Fertilizers

Ingredient	Effectiveness	Fish	Effectiveness
Cheese	1	Anchovy	1
Patty	1	Goldfish	1
Egg	1	Alley Catfish	1
Lettuce	1	Rainbow Trout	2
Onion	1	Minnow	3
Potato	1	Jelly Fish	3
Apple	1	Tuna	3
Lime	1	Salmon	4
Grapes	1	Black GBoldfish	4
Watermelon	2	Swordfish	4
Steak	3	Red Herring	5
Bell Papper	3	Tragic Clownfish	5
Garlic	3	Siamese Catfish	5
Flame Fruit	3	Piranha	5
Life Fruit	4	Blowfish	5
		Shark	6
		Lobster	6
		Anglefish	7
		Vampire Fish	7

Gardening Challenges

• "Master Planter" : Must plant every plant at least once.
• "Botanical Boss": Harvest 75 perfect fruits and veggies. Plants almost never die from neglect.
• "Master Planter": Harvest at least 650 fruits and veggies. Plants remain watered and fertilized longer.

Guitar

• Who: Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders (Toddlers get a hidden skill boost for the Guitar if they play with the xylophone toy.)
• Equipment Needed: Guitar
• Ways to Earn Guitar Skills: Take Guitar Class, Play Guitar

Playing a guitar at a party can help make the party great. Buy sheet music from the Bookstore. Sheet music disappears once used.

Guitar Skill Levels

• Level 1-4: Learn 2 basic practice songs per level.
• Level 5: Eearn 3 new songs.
• Level6-10: Learn 1 new song per level and can perform songs without fail.

Guitar Skill Challenges

• Master Guitarist: Learn to play every song awardedand available at the Bookstore. They will recieve a special master track.
• Guitar Star: Play at 10 parties and venues in tow. Guitar Stars earn more tips for performances.
• Money Maker: Earn $5000 through tips or by completing Opportunities to earn a new master track to perform.

Handiness

• Who: Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders
• Tools: Handiness Skill Books, Repairing, Upgrading, and Tinkering with Objects
• Ways to Gain Handiness Skills: Repair an Object, Read Handiness Skill Book, Take Handiness Class

Upgrading Objects

Object	Upgrade	Failure Effect	Skill Level Needed
Inexpensive Shower	Never get a Cold Shower moodlet	Puddles	3
Dishwasher	No annoying noise	Makes loud noise	3
Doorbell	Pleasing sound	Annoying noise	3
Stereo	Increase area of effect	Electrocution	3
Window	Lowers Bills/ Improves Insulation	None	3
Stove	Fireproof	Stove catches fire	4
Coffee Maker	Adds timer	Electrocution	4
Trash Compactor	Improves capacity	Electrocution	6
Shower	Improves water pressure/ Get Exhilirated moodlet	Puddles	6
Gas Fireplace	Fireplace starts when Sim enters room	Fire breaks out	7
Stove	Improves food quality	None	7
Stereo	Increase mood gain Enjoying Music	Electrocution	8
Stereo	Music plays in all rooms	Electrocution	8
Computer	Improves graphics/ Games more fun for Sims	Electrocution	8
Grandfather Clock	Increases clock value	Clock value goes down	9
Television	Unlock extra channels/Higher skill-more channels unlocked	Electrocution	6-10

Handiness Skill Challenges

• Electrician: Repair at least 10 electrical objects. Never electrocuted by electrical objects.
• Plumber: Repair at least 10 plumbing objects. Repaired objects never break again.
• Tinkerer: Finish at least 10 unique upgrades. Tinkerers never fail when upgrading objects.

Each object can only have one upgrade at time. Channels that help with certain skills aren't available on all TVs. An object that has been repaired and breaks time and again will eventually stop working. Objects that have stopped working need to be replaced by new ones.

Logic

• Who:Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Elders (Toddlers that play with the Baby Braniac Peg Toy Box get a jump start in the logic skill. This will help later on when they become children. As children they can play chess on the computer and do their homework faster.
• Tools: Chess Table, Telescope, Computer, Logic Books
• Ways to Gain Logic Skill: Play Chess on computer or at Chess table, Read Logic books, Look through Telescope, Take Logic Class

Logic Skill Levels

• Level 3: Sims can "Search the Galaxy" through the telescope.
• Level 5: Sims can Tutor other younger Sims (Children and Teens). Sims can talk about things they've found through the telescope.
• Level 10: Sims can tutor any other Sim (from Teen to Elder) in any skill except for Charisma and Athletic.

Logic Skill Challenges

• Grand Master: Reached Level 5 of competitive chess circuit. Sims who engage Chess masters improve in Logic and Chess twice as quickly.
• Celestial Explorer: Discovered 20 celestial bodies through the telescope. They can discuss stars with their friends and neighbors.
• Teacher Extraordinaire: Spent 20 hours tutoring other Sims. They are twice as effective when tutoring others.
• Skill Professor: Spent 30 hours tutoring other Sims. They are twice as effective when tutoring others.

There's a hidden Chess Skill. The better a Sim gets at playing chess, the more they win chess matches and games. At level 5 logic a Sim can tell another Sim they have named a star after them, which will increase the two Sims' relationship and even help a developing a romantic relationship.