Secret skill

Secret or hidden skills are skills that a Sim can gain with practice but will not appear in the interface. Cleaning is a secret skill in The Sims. There are several secret skills in The Sims 2 and The Sims 3.

The Sims

 * Cleaning
 * In The Sims, Cleaning is a hidden skill that's mostly used by the maid, community lot janitors, Servo and Bonehilda. All playable Sims and Townies have Cleaning skill, even if it's zero. However, the skill doesn't appear in the Control Panel. It cannot be changed or improved within the game, unless Sims use an object that has been hacked to affect Cleaning. Some third-party character-editing programs may allow the player to edit a Sim's Cleaning skill.

The Sims 2

 * Study
 * If a household member who is a teen or older offers or is asked to Help with a child's or teen's homework, that Sim will be able to learn how to study. This usually takes one homework session, and the child/teen being helped and the helper will each get a memory when it is completed. Then, the child or teen Sim will be able to complete homework much quicker.


 * Chess
 * Sims who play chess regularly will have more chances of winning against other Sims


 * Yoga
 * Sims who have three or more Body points get the "Do Yoga" self-interaction. Yoga is not only a skill in its own right, but doing yoga builds fitness and Body skill. However, skill at doing yoga is related to Body skill, not yoga experience. Unlike many Body-building activities, yoga does not cause a fast drop in the Hygiene meter.


 * Painting


 * The more paintings a Sim paints, the more he/she will be paid for them &mdash; even if (especially if) he/she has already maxed his Creativity.


 * Writing
 * One Writing skill point is gained whenever a Sim completes a novel. Like the Painting skill, the higher the Writing skill, the more a Sim's novels will sell for.


 * Meditation
 * Meditation is a skill that Sims from teens on up acquire if they have three Logic points and eight or less Playful. (Note that if a Sim's Playful score is exactly 8.00, he or she will be able to meditate.) While a Sim meditates, their motives; such as Energy or Hunger do not decay; neither does their Aspiration. This makes meditation useful to "save" a Platinum mood for later, such as for a promotion. If a Sims meditates for a certain amount of time, they could learn to teleport. Meditation takes half a Sim hour to begin and another half an hour to stop.


 * Dancing


 * This is a hidden skill that involves Sims getting better at the activity of dancing. Sims who are at the bottom end of the skill have very entertaining actions and moves. Teen Sims that get to the top of the dancing skill can qualify for the Tsang Footwork Scholarship. A Sim with a relatively good Dancing skill has access to the social "Entertain. . . Bust a Move", which is available to use on Sims at a relatively low Lifetime Relationship of 20-30 and increases lifetime relationship by one or two points.


 * Pool
 * A skill learned by playing pool/billiards. Teens can receive the Phelps-Wilsonoff Billiards Prize of §1000 for having a high pool skill. The better a Sim is at the Pool skill, the more likely he is to succeed at Hustling pool.

The Sims 3

 * Adventure
 * The more a Sim goes on adventures, the better the rewards, and easier it is to win/finish every adventure. Statistics for this set of hidden skills is kept in the Adventure Journal.


 * Chess
 * Sims can play chess on the chess table board. This does not work with playing chess on the computer. The skill goes up to level 10, with that level determining whether a Sim likely to win or lose, and what rank they hold in ranked chess tournaments. This skill is essential for completing the Chess Legend Lifetime Wish.


 * Cutting
 * Sims can cut various rocks. As they cut, their ability to use different cuts increases. The type of cut can also vary on the stone, but most stones have 10 different cuts.


 * Dancing (only goes up to level 3)
 * Sims can dance alone when music is on. This does not work on dancing with someone else. The level a Sim has in this skill determines how well they dance.


 * Diving (only goes up to level 5)
 * If Sims use the dive wells often, they can increase their skill level.


 * Hacking
 * Sims with the Computer Whiz trait can hack on the computer and earn simoleons. Hacking goes up to a level of 10, with the level determining how much money a sim makes.


 * Homework
 * A Teen or child Sim can do Homework. Regularly doing homework increases school performance.


 * Mooch
 * A Sim with the Mooch trait can just mooch off of his or her neighbors. This skill goes up to a level of 10. Sims with the Mooch Trait can beg for money and food from Sims around them. The higher the Sim's Mooching skill, the more likely they will be able to mooch large quantities of money. It is harder to mooch from Sims with the Frugal trait.


 * Pyromania & Immunity To Fire traits
 * This skill is gained by having children with a Firefighter NPC or by children of a Sim in the Firefighter Profession. Children of these NPCs have a higher chance of inheriting the hidden Pyromaniac or Immune To Fire traits. There is no guarantee of getting these hidden traits. Children with Pyromania have the ability to transmogrify apples into flame fruit. Teenagers and older keep that ability, but also gain the ability to burn anything on their home lot (the Base Camp lot on World Adventures counts). They can't go to other places and burn things. Sims with the Immune To Fire trait cannot die from fires, and they get a +200 mood boost while burning. Hidden traits stack over the normal five traits, so it is possible to get a Sim that has both these skill-like traits combined.


 * Video game
 * A Sim can play video games on a gaming console. This does not work with computer games or VR goggles. Sims can play against each other. The skill goes up to level 10, with that level determining nothing more than whether a Sim likely to win or lose against other Sims. There is not reward for winning or losing, only animations.


 * AirGuitar
 * The Sim will randomly play air guitar (playing guitar without guitar in hands) and get some fun from it.


 * Foosball
 * A Sim or Sims can play on the Foosball Table. It is not playing football or baseball with a ball. The skill goes up to level 10, with that level determining nothing more than whether a Sim likely to win or lose against other Sims. There is no reward for winning or losing, only animations.


 * Snake charming
 * The more a Sim charms snakes the better they get at it. Eventually, at later levels, the Sim can kiss the snake or make it go into other Sims' clothes.


 * Meditation
 * Level 5 of Martial Arts skill is required.


 * Tattooing
 * Each time a Sim gives another a tattoo, their tattooing skill increases. It goes up to Level 10. Only Young Adults and above can get this skill.


 * Trampoline
 * This skill increases each time a Sim uses the trampoline. It goes up to Level 10. Everyone from children above get this skill.


 * Gnubb
 * This skill is used whenever Sims use the Sim Gnubb toy. This is available for Child and above.


 * Styling
 * This skill increases every time a stylist gives a makeover, or through the use of the drafting table. It goes up to Level 10 and is only available for Young Adults and above.