What skill would a character use to do a primal dance? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

What skill would a character use to do a primal dance?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
jadebrain
Jun 08, 2011 6:53:05 Basically, I have a friend whose character is a Dwarven Swarm Druid, and while preparing a caravan for an encounter with goblins, he tried (and failed) a diplomacy check to rally our makeshift group of soldiers. That got me to thinking about how he could have been more useful, given his skills. After a while of deep thought and watching Futurama reruns, I figured he could have done a primal dance in order to ask for a favor from the primal spirits. Which brings me to my question...

What skill would a character use to perform a primal dance in order to gain favor with the primal spirits? I was thinking that it would either be Acrobatics or Nature, the former of which my friend's character sucks at, the latter of which my friend's character is pretty good at. I was thinking that it was likely going to be Nature, since requiring an Acrobatics check would be reserved for things such as jumping through hoops or performing various other stunts, but I'm not sure.

And now, for your enjoyment, here's the clip from Futurama that gave me this idea.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWGII3GWRG0
#2
slobo777a
Jun 08, 2011 7:39:14 I would go "Nature", with perhaps a bonus for having Ritual Caster feat depending on context.

This use of "Nature" skill needs to be kept relevent though - "a favour from the primal spirits" is such a generic statement, that if it were allowed without qualification, then it could be used on almost anything. You need to describe that actual effect you hope achieve E.g. "During his friend's motivational speech, the Druid tries to influence the local nature spirits so that the wind blows through the trees dramatically at the right moments, to make him seem more impressive" - I would perhaps allow this as an assist, +2 to someone else's Diplomacy check.

#3
jadebrain
Jun 08, 2011 8:32:29 I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills.
#4
salla
Jun 08, 2011 8:37:55
I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills.

That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain.
#5
jadebrain
Jun 08, 2011 8:56:52
I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills.

That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain.

Well, it would be a skill check to ask for the primal spirits to grant some sort of tactical advantage before the battle, wouldn't it? I was using the roots idea as an example.
#6
slobo777a
Jun 08, 2011 11:13:47
I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills.

That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain.

Well, it would be a skill check to ask for the primal spirits to grant some sort of tactical advantage before the battle, wouldn't it? I was using the roots idea as an example.

It's a reasonable description of a Nature skill check that you ask the primal spirits to help.

However, I think Salla's angle is more that, the kind of effect you are looking for has got to be at a relevent power level. If you expect to gain an advantage in combat equivalent or better than you could get from using a Daily power or Ritual, then that is a bit too ambitious, unless your DM has made it clear that there is a good reason you might get this sort of effect (for instance there is a Druidic ritual circle here, and this gives you a chance to set magical snares versus goblins). If I were DM I might allow this, if I were also allowing a Athletics or Thievery checks to set physical traps, and I would make the effects roughly equivalent in power level. However, I'd also reserve the right to say "no" to random primal dancing :-) . . . ok - not "no" to the dancing, just "no" to it having a powerful combat-changing effect.

#7
jadebrain
Jun 08, 2011 11:27:38
I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills.

That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain.

Well, it would be a skill check to ask for the primal spirits to grant some sort of tactical advantage before the battle, wouldn't it? I was using the roots idea as an example.

It's a reasonable description of a Nature skill check that you ask the primal spirits to help.

However, I think Salla's angle is more that, the kind of effect you are looking for has got to be at a relevent power level. If you expect to gain an advantage in combat equivalent or better than you could get from using a Daily power or Ritual, then that is a bit too ambitious, unless your DM has made it clear that there is a good reason you might get this sort of effect (for instance there is a Druidic ritual circle here, and this gives you a chance to set magical snares versus goblins). If I were DM I might allow this, if I were also allowing a Athletics or Thievery checks to set physical traps, and I would make the effects roughly equivalent in power level. However, I'd also reserve the right to say "no" to random primal dancing :-) . . . ok - not "no" to the dancing, just "no" to it having a powerful combat-changing effect.

I see your point. However, and I'm sorry for not making this clear earlier, the battle will be larger than just between the player characters and a small band of goblins. We're on a caravan, see, and the caravaneers will also be doing their own side-battles. I figure, if the primal spirits help the other combatants, it would have a lessened impact on the party, and so, considering the roots example as being just an exmple, any help that they would give would probably amount to a storyline benefit of having a few more caravaneers survive the battle, rather than the in-game benefit of actually knocking some goblins prone in a burst.

I mean, just for perspective, my character used the improvised Intimidate check suggested in the essentials books to badger the caravaneer-turned-soldiers into a fighting mood so that they'll fight better, our warlord used history to give them a crash-course in small unit tactics, and our paladin actually didn't even use a skill check, instead lighting some fires around the perimeter of the caravan to help establish a more defendable position.
#8
slobo777a
Jun 08, 2011 12:54:08

I see your point. However, and I'm sorry for not making this clear earlier, the battle will be larger than just between the player characters and a small band of goblins. We're on a caravan, see, and the caravaneers will also be doing their own side-battles. I figure, if the primal spirits help the other combatants, it would have a lessened impact on the party, and so, considering the roots example as being just an exmple, any help that they would give would probably amount to a storyline benefit of having a few more caravaneers survive the battle, rather than the in-game benefit of actually knocking some goblins prone in a burst.

I mean, just for perspective, my character used the improvised Intimidate check suggested in the essentials books to badger the caravaneer-turned-soldiers into a fighting mood so that they'll fight better, our warlord used history to give them a crash-course in small unit tactics, and our paladin actually didn't even use a skill check, instead lighting some fires around the perimeter of the caravan to help establish a more defendable position.

In which case I think your primal dance suggestion is cool as part of that scenario. Personally I'd pitch it that minor spirits play pranks on the goblins, lessening their ability to be stealthy and creep up on the caravan by having roots mysteriously trip them up, or dust blow in their faces, that kind of thing. If you can suggest a resource you use up for what is effectively an ad-libbed but minor primal ritual, then that might help too. It's a matter of pitching your skill use description into the DM's game world (and his brain), by coming up with something that's cool, relevent, and matched to what the other players are achieving in terms of power level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jadebrain Jun 08, 2011 6:53:05	Basically, I have a friend whose character is a Dwarven Swarm Druid, and while preparing a caravan for an encounter with goblins, he tried (and failed) a diplomacy check to rally our makeshift group of soldiers. That got me to thinking about how he could have been more useful, given his skills. After a while of deep thought and watching Futurama reruns, I figured he could have done a primal dance in order to ask for a favor from the primal spirits. Which brings me to my question... What skill would a character use to perform a primal dance in order to gain favor with the primal spirits? I was thinking that it would either be Acrobatics or Nature, the former of which my friend's character sucks at, the latter of which my friend's character is pretty good at. I was thinking that it was likely going to be Nature, since requiring an Acrobatics check would be reserved for things such as jumping through hoops or performing various other stunts, but I'm not sure. And now, for your enjoyment, here's the clip from Futurama that gave me this idea. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWGII3GWRG0
#2 slobo777a Jun 08, 2011 7:39:14	I would go "Nature", with perhaps a bonus for having Ritual Caster feat depending on context. This use of "Nature" skill needs to be kept relevent though - "a favour from the primal spirits" is such a generic statement, that if it were allowed without qualification, then it could be used on almost anything. You need to describe that actual effect you hope achieve E.g. "During his friend's motivational speech, the Druid tries to influence the local nature spirits so that the wind blows through the trees dramatically at the right moments, to make him seem more impressive" - I would perhaps allow this as an assist, +2 to someone else's Diplomacy check.
#3 jadebrain Jun 08, 2011 8:32:29	I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills.
#4 salla Jun 08, 2011 8:37:55	I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills. That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain.
#5 jadebrain Jun 08, 2011 8:56:52	I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills. That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain. Well, it would be a skill check to ask for the primal spirits to grant some sort of tactical advantage before the battle, wouldn't it? I was using the roots idea as an example.
#6 slobo777a Jun 08, 2011 11:13:47	I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills. That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain. Well, it would be a skill check to ask for the primal spirits to grant some sort of tactical advantage before the battle, wouldn't it? I was using the roots idea as an example. It's a reasonable description of a Nature skill check that you ask the primal spirits to help. However, I think Salla's angle is more that, the kind of effect you are looking for has got to be at a relevent power level. If you expect to gain an advantage in combat equivalent or better than you could get from using a Daily power or Ritual, then that is a bit too ambitious, unless your DM has made it clear that there is a good reason you might get this sort of effect (for instance there is a Druidic ritual circle here, and this gives you a chance to set magical snares versus goblins). If I were DM I might allow this, if I were also allowing a Athletics or Thievery checks to set physical traps, and I would make the effects roughly equivalent in power level. However, I'd also reserve the right to say "no" to random primal dancing :-) . . . ok - not "no" to the dancing, just "no" to it having a powerful combat-changing effect.
#7 jadebrain Jun 08, 2011 11:27:38	I was actually thinking that my friend's character would have used Nature instead of Diplomacy to gain a favor to be granted during tha battle with the goblins. Like, perhaps, roots come up and trip the goblins or something to that effect. But, since my friend has already attempted his skill check for the preparation for the upcoming battle, what I was originally asking would be more useful as a future reference for when my friend can't think of anything to contibute with regarding his skills. That's not a skill check, that's using a power that restrains or immobilizes or creates difficult terrain. Well, it would be a skill check to ask for the primal spirits to grant some sort of tactical advantage before the battle, wouldn't it? I was using the roots idea as an example. It's a reasonable description of a Nature skill check that you ask the primal spirits to help. However, I think Salla's angle is more that, the kind of effect you are looking for has got to be at a relevent power level. If you expect to gain an advantage in combat equivalent or better than you could get from using a Daily power or Ritual, then that is a bit too ambitious, unless your DM has made it clear that there is a good reason you might get this sort of effect (for instance there is a Druidic ritual circle here, and this gives you a chance to set magical snares versus goblins). If I were DM I might allow this, if I were also allowing a Athletics or Thievery checks to set physical traps, and I would make the effects roughly equivalent in power level. However, I'd also reserve the right to say "no" to random primal dancing :-) . . . ok - not "no" to the dancing, just "no" to it having a powerful combat-changing effect. I see your point. However, and I'm sorry for not making this clear earlier, the battle will be larger than just between the player characters and a small band of goblins. We're on a caravan, see, and the caravaneers will also be doing their own side-battles. I figure, if the primal spirits help the other combatants, it would have a lessened impact on the party, and so, considering the roots example as being just an exmple, any help that they would give would probably amount to a storyline benefit of having a few more caravaneers survive the battle, rather than the in-game benefit of actually knocking some goblins prone in a burst. I mean, just for perspective, my character used the improvised Intimidate check suggested in the essentials books to badger the caravaneer-turned-soldiers into a fighting mood so that they'll fight better, our warlord used history to give them a crash-course in small unit tactics, and our paladin actually didn't even use a skill check, instead lighting some fires around the perimeter of the caravan to help establish a more defendable position.
#8 slobo777a Jun 08, 2011 12:54:08	I see your point. However, and I'm sorry for not making this clear earlier, the battle will be larger than just between the player characters and a small band of goblins. We're on a caravan, see, and the caravaneers will also be doing their own side-battles. I figure, if the primal spirits help the other combatants, it would have a lessened impact on the party, and so, considering the roots example as being just an exmple, any help that they would give would probably amount to a storyline benefit of having a few more caravaneers survive the battle, rather than the in-game benefit of actually knocking some goblins prone in a burst. I mean, just for perspective, my character used the improvised Intimidate check suggested in the essentials books to badger the caravaneer-turned-soldiers into a fighting mood so that they'll fight better, our warlord used history to give them a crash-course in small unit tactics, and our paladin actually didn't even use a skill check, instead lighting some fires around the perimeter of the caravan to help establish a more defendable position. In which case I think your primal dance suggestion is cool as part of that scenario. Personally I'd pitch it that minor spirits play pranks on the goblins, lessening their ability to be stealthy and creep up on the caravan by having roots mysteriously trip them up, or dust blow in their faces, that kind of thing. If you can suggest a resource you use up for what is effectively an ad-libbed but minor primal ritual, then that might help too. It's a matter of pitching your skill use description into the DM's game world (and his brain), by coming up with something that's cool, relevent, and matched to what the other players are achieving in terms of power level.