It's time for a post again, after my very long hiatus.
Cuurent thoughts in skills:
A skill is a (generally) non-competitive activity that a character performs which must be trained (rather than being innate). Examples include Stealth, Blacksmithing, Disabling Devices, Climbing, Instrument Playing, etc.
Every skill has an ability score associated with it (dexterity for Climbing, for example). Some skills have multiple associated ability scores. Use the lower of them in these cases (Musical Instrument is associated with dexterity and charisma).
Every skill has a standard effect, which can be performed with no risk of failure. This is specific to each skill (Stealth allows a character to move within 2d6 hexes of an observer without being noticed, with no chance of failure).
Every skill also has a challenge percentage, which is rolled whenever the character steps outside the standard effect while using the skill (in the case of Stealth, movement through every hex closer than the 5d4 first rolled requires a roll of the challenge percentage).
If a character is not "trained" in a skill, their challenge percentage is equal to the relevant ability score (no training in stealth for a character with dexterity 13 means a 13% challenge percentage). An unskilled character must also roll an additional challenge percentage on every attempted use of the skill. A character untrained in blacksmithing must make a challenge roll even if they are attempting a project within its standard effect. That same character, when attempting a challenging project, will roll their percentage twice (or more, depending on the difficulty).
Increasing one's ability in a skill requires time and money. First training takes 1 month and 1000 g.p., and makes the character "trained" in the skill, as well as doubling their challenge percentage (from 13% to 26% in the last example). At this point, they now have full access to the skill's standard effect.
From there, increasing a skill takes a number of months equal to the ten's digit of the current percentage, and the same x 1000 in g.p. This increases the skill by 5%.
Some classes (notably the thief) gain these skill increases automatically by gaining levels. This obviously takes no additional time or money. Thieves and other skilled classes may supplement their automatic increases with the time and money system on the side.
No skill may rise above its associated ability score x 5.
One of the simplest skills:
Stealth (dexterity): The character may move within 2d6 hexes of an observer without being detected. Add 1 to this number for every 10 lbs of equipment carried. Thieves may subtract their level from this roll. This number of hexes assumes evening light or torchlight, and no background noise; DMs may add or subtract up to 3 from the number based on worse or better conditions. Movement through every hex closer than this number requires a challenge roll.
I'll be doing a series of posting various skills as I design their particulars.
Next up, I'll be covering craft skills specifically.
Cuurent thoughts in skills:
A skill is a (generally) non-competitive activity that a character performs which must be trained (rather than being innate). Examples include Stealth, Blacksmithing, Disabling Devices, Climbing, Instrument Playing, etc.
Every skill has an ability score associated with it (dexterity for Climbing, for example). Some skills have multiple associated ability scores. Use the lower of them in these cases (Musical Instrument is associated with dexterity and charisma).
Every skill has a standard effect, which can be performed with no risk of failure. This is specific to each skill (Stealth allows a character to move within 2d6 hexes of an observer without being noticed, with no chance of failure).
Every skill also has a challenge percentage, which is rolled whenever the character steps outside the standard effect while using the skill (in the case of Stealth, movement through every hex closer than the 5d4 first rolled requires a roll of the challenge percentage).
If a character is not "trained" in a skill, their challenge percentage is equal to the relevant ability score (no training in stealth for a character with dexterity 13 means a 13% challenge percentage). An unskilled character must also roll an additional challenge percentage on every attempted use of the skill. A character untrained in blacksmithing must make a challenge roll even if they are attempting a project within its standard effect. That same character, when attempting a challenging project, will roll their percentage twice (or more, depending on the difficulty).
Increasing one's ability in a skill requires time and money. First training takes 1 month and 1000 g.p., and makes the character "trained" in the skill, as well as doubling their challenge percentage (from 13% to 26% in the last example). At this point, they now have full access to the skill's standard effect.
From there, increasing a skill takes a number of months equal to the ten's digit of the current percentage, and the same x 1000 in g.p. This increases the skill by 5%.
Some classes (notably the thief) gain these skill increases automatically by gaining levels. This obviously takes no additional time or money. Thieves and other skilled classes may supplement their automatic increases with the time and money system on the side.
No skill may rise above its associated ability score x 5.
One of the simplest skills:
Stealth (dexterity): The character may move within 2d6 hexes of an observer without being detected. Add 1 to this number for every 10 lbs of equipment carried. Thieves may subtract their level from this roll. This number of hexes assumes evening light or torchlight, and no background noise; DMs may add or subtract up to 3 from the number based on worse or better conditions. Movement through every hex closer than this number requires a challenge roll.
I'll be doing a series of posting various skills as I design their particulars.
Next up, I'll be covering craft skills specifically.
Interesting system. I've been having trouble with skills lately. I always come up with a system that I think is great, start making rules for it, and then give up halfway through without properly implementing it. It's a mess. This system seems pretty logical, and I look forward to seeing more of the specifics.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm glad to see this blog active again. The whole blogosphere seemed to just die a few months ago. It's been pretty lonely lately. I'm glad to see new stuff finally appearing. Keep it up!
Thanks, Oz! I didn't know anyone read this blog...
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