"Mechanics" as a new skill? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

"Mechanics" as a new skill?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
vman3force
May 15, 2009 1:00:29 the current skill set is general enough to address most issues, however i can't put a finger on one that could be used to repair machinery. Thievery comes closest, but really that skill is for disarming traps, not working with complex parts.

so i'm proposing a new skill that can fill this role: the Mechanics skill. Obviously it would be intelligence based. It could be used for several different things:

-Operating machinery found during a dungeon delve
-Repairing machinery that is broken or damaged
-Drawing up schematics and constructing new items (i really like the idea of PCs creating new and improved stuff for themselves)
-If the campaign contains firearms, maintaining and repairing these weapons.

Another idea would be to call it "Engineering" and expanding it to include construction and the like. i feel like that makes it too broad, however.

Feedback?
#2
jaxgaret
May 15, 2009 1:20:34 It would probably be easier to make it a feat than a skill.
#3
CraggleRock
May 15, 2009 3:03:28 I would say it depends on how often it is likely to come up in your adventures: once or twice a session, and with possible uses in skill challenges? I'd say go for making it a new skill.

If, however, it's only likely to be used once or twice in a whole campaign then it's not worth the players investing their resources into the skill. In this case, I'd say don't make it a skill and any rolls that do come up to repair mechinery are handled with Thievery and basic Intelligence rolls, giving players from +0 to +5 bonus to the roll depending on how much their background incorporates their familiarity with such things into their characters.
#4
gregt_314
May 15, 2009 3:05:45 Unless you're playing Eberron or something, you're really not going to come across any machinery in a 4E game more complex than a spinning jenny unless it's a trap (thievery), lock (thievery), or magical (arcane).
#5
ctsshaw
May 15, 2009 12:23:23
Unless you're playing Eberron or something, you're really not going to come across any machinery in a 4E game more complex than a spinning jenny unless it's a trap (thievery), lock (thievery), or magical (arcane).

Assuming he isn't homebrewing of course.

I'd encourage making it an engineering style skill. While broad that seems to fit the 4E skill set pretty well.
#6
vman3force
May 15, 2009 12:52:26 just for the record, it is a homebrew campaign that im using this for. in it there is an emphasis on technology blended with magic. Obviously you could use a general INT check, but in general people who deal with machinery are trained to do so.

looking at the skills, the broader engineering would probably allow it to be used more often. i guess it comes down to whether you're concerned about it matching the simplified style that 4E adopts with skills.
#7
rikiji
May 15, 2009 14:13:21 The skill system is designed to represent the 'dynamic' skills that you would use in a typical fantasy environment. (Skills that would be appropriate in an encounter). If you're expanding the environment so that another skill could reasonably have a use in a dynamic environment, then I don't see the problem of adding it in.

That said, I like the idea of adding a 'mechanic' feat that maybe gives you a +2 feat bonus to Theivery and allows you to apply your thievery skill to mechanical items. Logically, a skilled mechanic would be good with traps - as well as a host of other machinery. Adding a feat is probably the easiest way to integrate it into the system. (You might also want to peek at the Artificer playtest - that class is designed to be good with machines, after all).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 vman3force May 15, 2009 1:00:29	the current skill set is general enough to address most issues, however i can't put a finger on one that could be used to repair machinery. Thievery comes closest, but really that skill is for disarming traps, not working with complex parts. so i'm proposing a new skill that can fill this role: the Mechanics skill. Obviously it would be intelligence based. It could be used for several different things: -Operating machinery found during a dungeon delve -Repairing machinery that is broken or damaged -Drawing up schematics and constructing new items (i really like the idea of PCs creating new and improved stuff for themselves) -If the campaign contains firearms, maintaining and repairing these weapons. Another idea would be to call it "Engineering" and expanding it to include construction and the like. i feel like that makes it too broad, however. Feedback?
#2 jaxgaret May 15, 2009 1:20:34	It would probably be easier to make it a feat than a skill.
#3 CraggleRock May 15, 2009 3:03:28	I would say it depends on how often it is likely to come up in your adventures: once or twice a session, and with possible uses in skill challenges? I'd say go for making it a new skill. If, however, it's only likely to be used once or twice in a whole campaign then it's not worth the players investing their resources into the skill. In this case, I'd say don't make it a skill and any rolls that do come up to repair mechinery are handled with Thievery and basic Intelligence rolls, giving players from +0 to +5 bonus to the roll depending on how much their background incorporates their familiarity with such things into their characters.
#4 gregt_314 May 15, 2009 3:05:45	Unless you're playing Eberron or something, you're really not going to come across any machinery in a 4E game more complex than a spinning jenny unless it's a trap (thievery), lock (thievery), or magical (arcane).
#5 ctsshaw May 15, 2009 12:23:23	Unless you're playing Eberron or something, you're really not going to come across any machinery in a 4E game more complex than a spinning jenny unless it's a trap (thievery), lock (thievery), or magical (arcane). Assuming he isn't homebrewing of course. I'd encourage making it an engineering style skill. While broad that seems to fit the 4E skill set pretty well.
#6 vman3force May 15, 2009 12:52:26	just for the record, it is a homebrew campaign that im using this for. in it there is an emphasis on technology blended with magic. Obviously you could use a general INT check, but in general people who deal with machinery are trained to do so. looking at the skills, the broader engineering would probably allow it to be used more often. i guess it comes down to whether you're concerned about it matching the simplified style that 4E adopts with skills.
#7 rikiji May 15, 2009 14:13:21	The skill system is designed to represent the 'dynamic' skills that you would use in a typical fantasy environment. (Skills that would be appropriate in an encounter). If you're expanding the environment so that another skill could reasonably have a use in a dynamic environment, then I don't see the problem of adding it in. That said, I like the idea of adding a 'mechanic' feat that maybe gives you a +2 feat bonus to Theivery and allows you to apply your thievery skill to mechanical items. Logically, a skilled mechanic would be good with traps - as well as a host of other machinery. Adding a feat is probably the easiest way to integrate it into the system. (You might also want to peek at the Artificer playtest - that class is designed to be good with machines, after all).