Background Skills - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Background Skills

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
unrealgeek
Jul 26, 2008 11:30:57 One thing that I noticed and bothers me deeply is the slicing down of skills. I actually enjoyed the 3.X Craft, Perform, and Profession skills because they gave players a way to add something. Of course, there were DMs that said that if you didn't have the skill, you couldn't do it at all. But now, there's the occasional player who states that their char is good at something, but how do you quantify how good? The answer. Background skills. You get 3+Int mod at 1st level and one more with every ability jump. What are they? They are the direct equivalents of Craft, Perform, and Profession. Keep the same key abilities: Craft- Int, Perform- Cha, Profession- Wis. Your characters can now say such things as "I was toddling on ships before I crawled on land.", "I born with my tools.", and "I'm just a great singer. Everyone listens to my voice." and be able to back it up.
EDIT:
Knowledge and Language. Knowledge cannot cover what is already covered by the skills. If Language is a Hobby, then only part of it is known.

Hobbies. you get 5+Int mod.

Background Skills: +5 Trained bonus
Hobbies: +2 Competence bonus
Specialization: +2 Specialization bonus
The difference? It's the difference between a degree in chemistry and someone with a Junior Chemistry set.
What do you guys think?
#2
colman
Jul 27, 2008 6:39:19 I was just wondering about that: I've never played 3e - my eyes started glazing over and I stayed with 2e for a while before taking a break for a while - but I gather that each skill was broken down into sub-skills? So you're have Perform(Singing), Perform(Dance) as different skills?
#3
leowulf
Jul 27, 2008 11:39:05 I'd allow everyone one or two craft or profession skills as part of their background, and give them the standard +5 for being trained in the skill. Usually skills like that don't come into play often and if it makes a player happy to say his PC is a skilled scribe or weaponsmith, then it could only enhance the game.
#4
greatfrito
Jul 27, 2008 11:44:05
I'd allow everyone one or two craft or profession skills as part of their background, and give them the standard +5 for being trained in the skill. Usually skills like that don't come into play often and if it makes a player happy to say his PC is a skilled scribe or weaponsmith, then it could only enhance the game.

Ditto. If any player asked, I'd let them all pick one or two appropriate craft or profession skills, and just treat them like normal skills.
#5
Reyemile
Jul 27, 2008 13:54:37 I'd treat them like languages; You start with 1-3 depending on race, and can take a feat to gain three more.
#6
need_a_life
Jul 27, 2008 15:58:00 I'd give it for free if the player handed in a background justifying it.

Seriously, how many encounters has ever been saved by Craft (Basketweaving)? Or even Perform (singing)*?

If my PC wants to be a professionel actor on the side of adventuring, then by all means. It just means I have a new plot hook... [As he's standing on the stage on the premier night, he spots [Nemesis #1, believed to be dead] watching him from the audience, smiling as they make eye-contact] :D

So, if it won't have too big an influence on your campaign, then just go with the flow!

* Which had an actual class dedicated to it!
#7
morgonraug
Jul 28, 2008 0:14:27 I give each of my players a bonus trained background skill in something seemingly irrelevent, hoping they find ways to make it relevant. My only stipulation is that it can't be anything which will give them an advantage in combat-- but in skill challenges these sort of background skills are great. For example, when running "the negotiation" skill challenge, maybe one of your character decides to sing an analogous ballad to the duke rather then use diplomacy? Why not! It makes for more variety in the 4th ed. skill set, that's for sure. Craft checks are kind of iffy though, since we don't have official rules for handling them yet; however, it's easy for someone trainined in "weapon smithing" to use the skill to identify flavor distinct arms and armor.

- J
#8
unrealgeek
Jul 28, 2008 0:44:33 Well, one of the reasons that I created that sort of thing was to define a characters non-adventuring abilities. I created a char who's main income (aside from adventuring) comes from writing trashy romance novels.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 unrealgeek Jul 26, 2008 11:30:57	One thing that I noticed and bothers me deeply is the slicing down of skills. I actually enjoyed the 3.X Craft, Perform, and Profession skills because they gave players a way to add something. Of course, there were DMs that said that if you didn't have the skill, you couldn't do it at all. But now, there's the occasional player who states that their char is good at something, but how do you quantify how good? The answer. Background skills. You get 3+Int mod at 1st level and one more with every ability jump. What are they? They are the direct equivalents of Craft, Perform, and Profession. Keep the same key abilities: Craft- Int, Perform- Cha, Profession- Wis. Your characters can now say such things as "I was toddling on ships before I crawled on land.", "I born with my tools.", and "I'm just a great singer. Everyone listens to my voice." and be able to back it up. EDIT: Knowledge and Language. Knowledge cannot cover what is already covered by the skills. If Language is a Hobby, then only part of it is known. Hobbies. you get 5+Int mod. Background Skills: +5 Trained bonus Hobbies: +2 Competence bonus Specialization: +2 Specialization bonus The difference? It's the difference between a degree in chemistry and someone with a Junior Chemistry set. What do you guys think?
#2 colman Jul 27, 2008 6:39:19	I was just wondering about that: I've never played 3e - my eyes started glazing over and I stayed with 2e for a while before taking a break for a while - but I gather that each skill was broken down into sub-skills? So you're have Perform(Singing), Perform(Dance) as different skills?
#3 leowulf Jul 27, 2008 11:39:05	I'd allow everyone one or two craft or profession skills as part of their background, and give them the standard +5 for being trained in the skill. Usually skills like that don't come into play often and if it makes a player happy to say his PC is a skilled scribe or weaponsmith, then it could only enhance the game.
#4 greatfrito Jul 27, 2008 11:44:05	I'd allow everyone one or two craft or profession skills as part of their background, and give them the standard +5 for being trained in the skill. Usually skills like that don't come into play often and if it makes a player happy to say his PC is a skilled scribe or weaponsmith, then it could only enhance the game. Ditto. If any player asked, I'd let them all pick one or two appropriate craft or profession skills, and just treat them like normal skills.
#5 Reyemile Jul 27, 2008 13:54:37	I'd treat them like languages; You start with 1-3 depending on race, and can take a feat to gain three more.
#6 need_a_life Jul 27, 2008 15:58:00	I'd give it for free if the player handed in a background justifying it. Seriously, how many encounters has ever been saved by Craft (Basketweaving)? Or even Perform (singing)? If my PC wants to be a professionel actor on the side of adventuring, then by all means. It just means I have a new plot hook... [As he's standing on the stage on the premier night, he spots [Nemesis #1, believed to be dead] watching him from the audience, smiling as they make eye-contact] :D So, if it won't have too big an influence on your campaign, then just go with the flow! Which had an actual class dedicated to it!
#7 morgonraug Jul 28, 2008 0:14:27	I give each of my players a bonus trained background skill in something seemingly irrelevent, hoping they find ways to make it relevant. My only stipulation is that it can't be anything which will give them an advantage in combat-- but in skill challenges these sort of background skills are great. For example, when running "the negotiation" skill challenge, maybe one of your character decides to sing an analogous ballad to the duke rather then use diplomacy? Why not! It makes for more variety in the 4th ed. skill set, that's for sure. Craft checks are kind of iffy though, since we don't have official rules for handling them yet; however, it's easy for someone trainined in "weapon smithing" to use the skill to identify flavor distinct arms and armor. - J
#8 unrealgeek Jul 28, 2008 0:44:33	Well, one of the reasons that I created that sort of thing was to define a characters non-adventuring abilities. I created a char who's main income (aside from adventuring) comes from writing trashy romance novels.