Character background skills - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Character background skills

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
bedeverekm
Jul 06, 2008 9:05:53 I'm sure we all had characters in 3rd edition / 3.5 that had 'signature skills' so to speak, things like cooking, or perform skills (assuming you weren't a bard, of course). The skills did nothing mechanically for the character, but certainly added 'character', so to speak.

Well, I understand that in 4th edition, you are free to say 'im good at singing', or 'im a good cook'. However, I'd come up with this idea to try and make it a bit more rules based than simply saying you're good at it.

Each character gets a set number of signature skills, that are judged by the DM to be completely background, non combat, etc. I was thinking the number is either one for each proper skill you have, or perhaps one per each positive modifier in each ability, where they have to be taken in that ability.

Skills would be things like crafts, professions and performs, from 3.5. I'm sure that other suitable skills could be created, but those ones cover most of them. Coming up with ones for strength / constitution would be hard, but a lot would have some crossover. Blacksmithing for example, could reasonably be based off either. Dancing could be charisma or dexterity, and so on.

Anyone got any insights or suggestions for this system idea?
#2
ariasilverhands
Jul 06, 2008 9:23:24 I like the idea of signature skills and will be adding them to my collected house rules.
#3
Shiftkitty
Jul 06, 2008 10:24:41 Wow. You'd have to have a decent background drawn up. A lot of players focus on what their character is, not what it was. Even my own boys (they think DM stands for "Den Mother"!, but I love this bunch of drunks!) usually only do a rough-out. "Kelgas was an orphan raised by the priests. " Questions about personal history usually get answered during the course of roleplay. "Cripes, Ronin! You didn't have to cut his friggin' head off! We still needed to talk to him!" "There's nothing that piece of **** could say that I'd care to hear. After what his kind did to my parents' farm..."

But how many skills would you allow for such flavor? I'd say one or two at the most with a two or three point boost for these skills. You don't want these skills to outshine the main skills. "He can't swing a sword worth a damn, but man, can he cook!" I agree they should not be combat-type skills, but nothing could stop a player from finding a way to use his skills in combat. A skilled weaver may be able to effect a good repair on a tattered rope bridge, a geologist type may know what rocks are combustible and use them to create a flame for the enemy to deal with, and who knows what players may come up with, crafty little buggers that they are.

Good idea. I like it!
#4
ariasilverhands
Jul 06, 2008 10:29:39 I see nothing wrong with non-combat skills outshining the characters prowess in combat. Limiting the number of signature skills though is something that does need some careful thought.
#5
Ra-Tiel
Jul 06, 2008 14:53:22 I give my players the option to select 3 "fluff" skills in which they are considered trained. These skills include stuff like good singing, good dancing, crafting of all kinds, and special professions like architect or gambler.

The skills follow the normal rules, with the exception that you cannot take Skill Focus for them and Jack of all Trades doesn't influence any fluff skill you don't have.
#6
Daybreaker
Jul 06, 2008 15:19:19 What about using feats to take up the slack?

Mind you, you would have to make a non-combat feat pretty cool in order to make up for not taking a combat feat. I would figure that a non-combat feat would have to be pretty useful at either preventing a fight, or else helping the character's survival in a meaningful way, in order to qualify as useful.

Inspired Performance
Prerequisite: Charisma 13+
Benefit: Once per non-combat encounter (defined as an encounter in which no one has attacked anyone else), after you have role-played a musical performance, all characters with an intelligence of 5 or higher will move to a position where they have line of sight to you if they are able (hidden characters may remain hidden -- characters who are hidden but are able to move without emerging from hiding will do so if necessary). For the rest of the encounter, you receive a +5 bonus to diplomacy checks with all characters who both heard and saw your performance.

Little complicated, maybe -- still working on it -- but it would give a character who was a little more Gabrielle, a little less Xena, something cool to contribute.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bedeverekm Jul 06, 2008 9:05:53	I'm sure we all had characters in 3rd edition / 3.5 that had 'signature skills' so to speak, things like cooking, or perform skills (assuming you weren't a bard, of course). The skills did nothing mechanically for the character, but certainly added 'character', so to speak. Well, I understand that in 4th edition, you are free to say 'im good at singing', or 'im a good cook'. However, I'd come up with this idea to try and make it a bit more rules based than simply saying you're good at it. Each character gets a set number of signature skills, that are judged by the DM to be completely background, non combat, etc. I was thinking the number is either one for each proper skill you have, or perhaps one per each positive modifier in each ability, where they have to be taken in that ability. Skills would be things like crafts, professions and performs, from 3.5. I'm sure that other suitable skills could be created, but those ones cover most of them. Coming up with ones for strength / constitution would be hard, but a lot would have some crossover. Blacksmithing for example, could reasonably be based off either. Dancing could be charisma or dexterity, and so on. Anyone got any insights or suggestions for this system idea?
#2 ariasilverhands Jul 06, 2008 9:23:24	I like the idea of signature skills and will be adding them to my collected house rules.
#3 Shiftkitty Jul 06, 2008 10:24:41	Wow. You'd have to have a decent background drawn up. A lot of players focus on what their character is, not what it was. Even my own boys (they think DM stands for "Den Mother"!, but I love this bunch of drunks!) usually only do a rough-out. "Kelgas was an orphan raised by the priests. " Questions about personal history usually get answered during the course of roleplay. "Cripes, Ronin! You didn't have to cut his friggin' head off! We still needed to talk to him!" "There's nothing that piece of **** could say that I'd care to hear. After what his kind did to my parents' farm..." But how many skills would you allow for such flavor? I'd say one or two at the most with a two or three point boost for these skills. You don't want these skills to outshine the main skills. "He can't swing a sword worth a damn, but man, can he cook!" I agree they should not be combat-type skills, but nothing could stop a player from finding a way to use his skills in combat. A skilled weaver may be able to effect a good repair on a tattered rope bridge, a geologist type may know what rocks are combustible and use them to create a flame for the enemy to deal with, and who knows what players may come up with, crafty little buggers that they are. Good idea. I like it!
#4 ariasilverhands Jul 06, 2008 10:29:39	I see nothing wrong with non-combat skills outshining the characters prowess in combat. Limiting the number of signature skills though is something that does need some careful thought.
#5 Ra-Tiel Jul 06, 2008 14:53:22	I give my players the option to select 3 "fluff" skills in which they are considered trained. These skills include stuff like good singing, good dancing, crafting of all kinds, and special professions like architect or gambler. The skills follow the normal rules, with the exception that you cannot take Skill Focus for them and Jack of all Trades doesn't influence any fluff skill you don't have.
#6 Daybreaker Jul 06, 2008 15:19:19	What about using feats to take up the slack? Mind you, you would have to make a non-combat feat pretty cool in order to make up for not taking a combat feat. I would figure that a non-combat feat would have to be pretty useful at either preventing a fight, or else helping the character's survival in a meaningful way, in order to qualify as useful. Inspired Performance Prerequisite: Charisma 13+ Benefit: Once per non-combat encounter (defined as an encounter in which no one has attacked anyone else), after you have role-played a musical performance, all characters with an intelligence of 5 or higher will move to a position where they have line of sight to you if they are able (hidden characters may remain hidden -- characters who are hidden but are able to move without emerging from hiding will do so if necessary). For the rest of the encounter, you receive a +5 bonus to diplomacy checks with all characters who both heard and saw your performance. Little complicated, maybe -- still working on it -- but it would give a character who was a little more Gabrielle, a little less Xena, something cool to contribute.