Guild memberships and their benefits.

[Jesterface]

For a few months now, on and off, I've been working on a homebrew setting, based in the Magic the Gathering world of Ravnica: the City of Guilds. (All copyright for Ravnica belongs to WotC and this work is purely non-commercial for myself and my friends to use).

Ravnica, is a world almost covered by cities that have becomes so large they're practically one city, and the workings of these cities are governed by the ten guilds of the ancient Guildpact.

For the purposes of gaming, I thought that each Guild should come with benefits and penalties related to their goals and beliefs, but not make it so that being a Guild member is essential. Each Guild grants its members an in-class skill, as well as a bonus to that skill and one other appropriate skill, while also applying penalties on two skills, and restricting one of the penalised skills (meaning that no ranks may be put in it by members of that Guild), and also a small benefit, similar to a racial ability or the likes.

For example; the Boros Legion, who are the lawful martial force of Ravnica, and are responsible for the League of Wojek, the polive force, grants Gather Info as it's class skill, providing a +2 bonus to Gather Info checks as well as Know Local checks, whilst penalising Disguise and Bluff (restricting Disguise) and granting the 'Great Ally' ability (similar to the Kenku ability from Monster Manual III).

My designs have reached a small snag when it came to applying this idea to the 'Orzhov Syndicate', a sinister blend of the Maffia, the Catholic Church and a bank (referred to as 'the Church of Deals'). Whilst providing religious services to the masses, they also control much of Ravnica's financial matters. Their benefits are Know Religion as a class skill, with a +2 bonus on it and Diplomacy (as they're often involved in legal matters), penalties on Heal and Disguise (Heal being their restricted skill), and I have yet to think of an appropriate ability to go with this.

Can anyone help me out at all, please? And any input on the skill choices for the bonuses and penalties will be much appreciated as well.

Many thanks in advance.

~Jesterface

[Poppatomus]

Do you want an existing ability only, or can it be one we make up on the fly?

If the latter, I would consider something like a loan, giving them access to some item which can be traded in for other items/items of greater when they gain levels. Don't have a set mechanic for it at the moment, but might be an approach to consider.

[Jesterface]

I'm more than open to either choice. Picking an existing ability (like I did with the other guilds, mostly based on racial abilities) has proven to be difficult, but would be easier in the long run, but homebrewing one will make it a little more custom-job.

Edit: I had considered including the feature available to the fighters in the Iron Kingdoms (Privateer Press) setting, who have military backgrounds, allowing them (at DM's discretion) to receive a 25% discount on equipment.