My gaming group has been having some difficulty completely understanding the "use a skill" action.  More specifically, skills with the -> icon associated with them, versus skills that do not. 

Our present interpretation is that skills with the -> can be used as one of the two actions a player has per round, and doing so exhausts that card (allowing it to be refreshed at the start of the next turn). 

Conversely, we have interpreted skills without a -> cost to be usable at any time (more specifically, the knight card 'advance' or 'defend').

Any assistance in clarifying this would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

We have always played the arrow indicates the card costs an action to perform, but unless the card specifically says exhaust, the card does not exhaust.

And if there is no arrow associated with the card, the card can be played anytime its conditions allow.

FuriousG said:

Descent != Magic the Gathering. =P

The rulebook says the arrow icon represents an action, it doesn't say anything about exhausting the card at the same time.