Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Taigis Dec 09, 2008 15:20:16	I had an idea when I was contributing to another thread on how to include culture as a variable influencing a character. I'd like to get feedback on what others think about this. Culture plays a role in the skills in which each race have bonuses. A race that is part of that culture can choose to switch one or more of their skill bonuses to one of the skills for which the culture is known. Humans can choose one of these skills as their bonus skill even if it is not on their class list. For example, the Ruethi are a religious people and Religion is a highly practiced skill in their culture. The Ruethi culture includes humans and halflings. A Ruethi halfling could switch either its bonus in Acrobatics or Thievery to Religion. A Ruethi human thief could use its bonus skill to acquire Religion even though it isn't on its class list. You could say that a particular culture is comprised of only one race; perhaps the Seficans are only dragonborn and they are known for their skills in Arcana and History. Or they could have more than one: The Delian culture is highligh cosmopolitan having members of every race. They are highly skilled in Diplomacy. You could even adjudicate that even though a race isn't commonly associated with that culture, a character of that race may have access to that cultures skills given by its history. The dwarven king, Toldor, has an adopted elven daughter whom he has raised from birth. Toldor's culture is highly traditional and is only dwarven; so their skills are Dungeoneering and Endurance. His elven daughter might have access to these skills instead of the ones traditional for her heritage.
#2 tacktix Dec 09, 2008 15:43:34	This seems like a more detailed version of the backgrounds bonuses available in Scales of War and Forgotten Realms. Look into those for some further inspiration.