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View Full Version : Profession skills : How do you handle them?



Quietus
2011-02-20, 07:43 PM
I ask only because I've been thinking, and I'm considering letting players put points into a profession skill, and have them transfer over into related skills - but only if that use of the skill makes sense for the profession. For example, a Sailor could use his points in Use Rope for tying knots, but not for tying up a person, because a sailor doesn't regularly have a need to tie up a person.

This would mean that for some classes, the Profession skill would have more use than some more typical skills; A Guardsman, for instance, could use his ranks in Profession for spotting thieves, and general duties involving standing around guarding a gate. This would also include seeing through Forgeries, since no one ever bothers to get ranks in Forgery.

The other option I was considering is allowing for them to be used at "half power" for related skill checks, but not limiting it so much - so the Guardsman with 4 ranks in Profession would treat his Spot and Forgery skills as though they had 2 ranks each. This seems a little abusable though, particularly for a player who's good at BSing. I know I need to put some more thought into what I'm looking at, but I'm curious how other DMs handle it in their games.

arguskos
2011-02-20, 07:50 PM
Personally, if I have PCs who put ranks in Profession, I treat it as a scaling synergy bonus for related skills, as depends on the Profession in question. For every 5 ranks in Profession, you gain a +2 synergy bonus on related checks.

For example, Bob has 9 ranks in Profession (barkeep). He gains a +2 synergy bonus to Intimidate checks (ever get run out of a bar by the barkeep?). Next level, he puts one more rank into Profession (barkeep), bringing his ranks to 10, and boosting that synergy bonus to +4.

This works for me, and helps to incentivize players to actually use Profession skills.

Starbuck_II
2011-02-20, 08:27 PM
I ask only because I've been thinking, and I'm considering letting players put points into a profession skill, and have them transfer over into related skills - but only if that use of the skill makes sense for the profession. For example, a Sailor could use his points in Use Rope for tying knots, but not for tying up a person, because a sailor doesn't regularly have a need to tie up a person.

That seems a decent rule of thumb.


This would mean that for some classes, the Profession skill would have more use than some more typical skills; A Guardsman, for instance, could use his ranks in Profession for spotting thieves, and general duties involving standing around guarding a gate. This would also include seeing through Forgeries, since no one ever bothers to get ranks in Forgery.

So while on the job he can spot, but off the job he can't?

dgnslyr
2011-02-20, 11:58 PM
Off the job he isn't paid and therefore usually doesn't care enough to try.

ThirdEmperor
2011-02-21, 12:02 AM
I think he retains his skills when off the job, but only for stuff he learned to do on the job. For instance, even when not guarding a gate he could use his Profession to spot people sneaking by, but not to spot, say, a hidden switch. Or at least that's how I read it.

faceroll
2011-02-21, 05:10 AM
For example, Bob has 9 ranks in Profession (barkeep). He gains a +2 synergy bonus to Intimidate checks (ever get run out of a bar by the barkeep?).

Nah, it's always been the bouncer. I'd think barkeeps have good gather information.

arguskos
2011-02-21, 03:35 PM
Nah, it's always been the bouncer. I'd think barkeeps have good gather information.
Really? I've been "asked" to leave by barkeeps before. But yeah, Gather Info too. Forgot that one.

Cogidubnus
2011-02-21, 04:19 PM
One of my favourites is Profession: Soldier. Let the PCs use it to build rudimentary fortifications to protect a camp, use it to "pull rank" on guards and officials, maybe a synergy bonus to initiative.

Quietus
2011-02-22, 10:32 AM
I think he retains his skills when off the job, but only for stuff he learned to do on the job. For instance, even when not guarding a gate he could use his Profession to spot people sneaking by, but not to spot, say, a hidden switch. Or at least that's how I read it.

Yeah, that's what I had in mind. A Guard's duties would include things like : Checking passports/papers (detect forgeries, but can't make them), and preventing thievery/people sneaking into town (spot to oppose sleight of hand and hide checks, but no special ability to notice details or simply take note of people at long distances).

RndmNumGen
2011-02-22, 11:05 AM
Hmm... Synergy bonus might be a bit much, but I like the idea of using Profession in lieu of another skill if it would fit(as mentioned previously, using Profession(Sailor) to tie knots on a ship.)

LibraryOgre
2011-02-22, 12:10 PM
I have generally used the "synergy" rule. If you can reasonably explain why your profession skill should give you a synergy bonus for that activity, you can get it. Profession: Guard can easily get synergy bonuses to Spot checks. Profession: Sailor can get it to pretty much any Use Rope or Swim check (because even if you don't regularly tie people up as a sailor, you still know a lot of knots), or climb checks when there are ropes involved.

Of course, I strictly forbid Profession: Batman, since that adds a +2 to EVERYTHING.

Profession skills are, in many ways, simply "dead weight" from a player's perspective... unless they need them for a PrC, there's not too many things that can be done with them. But they DO tend to serve illustrative points, and someone willing to spend 5 points on skill should get a floating +2 on more useful skills that further their character concept.