Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kresalak 04-18-07, 10:12 AM	I'm writing a d20 rule set for Magic: the Gathering, and in the process I've been rewriting most every mechanic used in D&D because most of them only function thanks to duct-tape and hamster wheels. Skills, for example, have been broken into opposed skills and static skills, with the opposed skills being ranked and the static skills represented by feats which you get 1 of per level (and a bonus one at 1st level). But I've come to a roadblock in this-I can't figure out what should go where. So I ask you: what skills does a hero need to have? So far I have, for opposed skills: Stealth, opposed by Observation and Persuasion, opposed by Intuitivity And for static skills: Acrobatics (tumble, balance, flip around, hang from chandeliers, etc.) Artifice (build magic things) Biology (know things about living things) Engineering (know things about mechanical things, build/take apart mechanical things) Spellcraft (know things about magic) Sudden Athletics (physical activity that involves short bursts of energy, like climbing or jumping. Anaerobic activities, basically) Sustained Athletics (physical activities that involve constant energy use, like swimming or running. Aerobic activites, basically)
Millennium 04-18-07, 10:40 AM	Just collapse them all into a single skill called Do Stuff. It's about as realistic as Stealth/Perception and Persuasion/Intuitivity.
Kresalak 04-18-07, 01:38 PM	Why would I want to do that? If I collapse everything into one skill, then there can be no meaningful difference between characters of level X. There is no customization, no difference in ability, and every character is exactly the same. A "Do Stuff" skill might make for an ideal world, but it doesn't make a very good game.
Sunchilde 04-18-07, 02:52 PM	Well it all depends on how many things you want to attribute skills to. Do you want one for every opposed roll? Because you could institute a lot of fun things like a counterspelling system that actually made sense/worked. You have limited yourself somewhat because persuasion kinda covers diplomacy bluff and intimidate, so those three opposed rolls are narrowed down, other opposed rolls are grapple, caster level checks (for counter spells/dispels etc) and opposition of the same checks (where two people are trying to convince one onlooker it is a persuasion vs persuasion check and so forth.) Sorry but that is all I can think of.
Kresalak 04-18-07, 03:04 PM	Persuasion is intended to cover those three, because there's no real reason to split them up, since they do the same thing. I think Bluff, though, combined with Disguise and Sleight of Hand, could be split off from Persuasion. I don't have any real limits to skills, just that there need to be a manageable number (enough that 6+Int modifier could cover about 1/2 to 1/3 of them) and they need to cover all the things you'd expect to do in a heroic fantasy game.