Zaq
2011-03-20, 08:50 PM
So, skills are cool. Skillmonkeys are cool. A lot of the time, though, skill use tends to take a backseat after initiative is rolled. That's not to say that skills are useless in combat—far from it, if you do it right. The purpose of this topic is to compile a list of uses for skills in combat. I'm going to divide them into three categories: things that work out of the box, things that require something specific (a feat, a skill trick, a certain class, an epic (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/epicSkills.htm) check, etc.) to work, and things that aren't quite RAW but are reasonable enough to ask your GM about. I'll start with as many as I can think of offhand, but I'm sure there are plenty of others out there, which is where you come in.
Things That Work out of the Box:
UMD's uses are obvious. Using wands and staves in combat is a staple tactic, and even scrolls can be useful if you have a really high UMD check or can take 10.
Handle Animal can be used to command your animal buddy (whether they're a class-granted AC or something you trained normally) to do or not do things.
Tumble is the archetypical movement skill in combat. I've even seen a lot of characters take it cross-class; it's that good.
Bluff can be used to feint or to create a diversion to hide.
Intimidate can demoralize an opponent. I also like the "duel of wills" use (found in Tome of Battle and the Rules Compendium), though some GMs get tired of it easily.
Hide and Move Silently can be used in combat, though doing so after the fight has started generally requires either Hide in Plain Sight or very interesting terrain.
Jumping in combat tends to be difficult since it's hard to get a running start (especially if you want or need to Tumble to avoid AoOs), but it's useful for getting around difficult terrain.
Escape Artist can be used to get out of a grapple. I rarely see people pump this skill, but I consider it to be a priority on any DEX-based character who doesn't like being held down.
Concentration's uses are obvious.
Sleight of Hand can be used to pilfer things from an opponent. Most GMs will get wary of you asking "and what's in his pockets?" for every single orc and giant, so use this sparingly or talk with your GM first. In addition, Sleight of Hand can be used to produce a hidden dagger and catch a foe flat-footed (check the Rules Compendium; I don't know where that rule originated, but it's in there).
Sense Motive can be used to size up an opponent. There's a whole table for it in Complete Adventurer.
Ride's uses are patently obvious.
Heal can stabilize an ally, treat a caltrop wound, or help against poison.
Iaijutsu Focus pretty much ONLY works in combat.
Subset: Automatic or Reactive Skills
Spot and Listen oppose Hide and Move Silently. Spot is also used to counter Sleight of Hand. (Yes, Spot and Listen can be used actively, but I find that this occurs less frequently once combat starts.)
Sense Motive counteracts a feint.
Bluff counteracts an attempt to size you up.
Spellcraft can tell you what kind of magical hoodly-poodly you're going to have to deal with in a second or two.
Knowledge checks can help ID monsters and opponents.
Things That Require Certain Abilities:
Note: This will be a really long section, so I'm going to just use a lot of wildcards. Also, it's nowhere near complete.
With 5 ranks in Balance, you aren't consider flat-footed while balancing. With 10 ranks, you can use it to resist a trip.
Meaningfully Climbing or Swimming in combat usually requires a climb speed or swim speed.
This kind of thing is the whole point of skill tricks (CS), many of which can be used in combat. I might list them all later, but you know where to find them.
Many Diamond Mind (ToB) maneuvers require Concentration.
Many Tiger Claw (ToB) maneuvers require Jump.
A Justiciar (CW) can use Use Rope as a grapple check to pin or eventually normally grapple an opponent.
Using pretty much any Truenamer (ToM) ability requires a Truespeak roll.
Having Naberius bound (ToM) allows you to meaningfully use Diplomacy in combat.
The feat Mad Alchemist (PHB2) gives in-combat uses for Craft:Alchemy.
Knowledge Devotion (CC) makes Knowledge checks to ID creatures even better.
Leap Attack (CAd) makes Jump a staple of any Power Attacker's repertoire.
Hear the Unseen (CAd) lets you use Listen to find invisible opponents.
Deft Strike (CAd) lets you use Spot to make your next attack roll easier. (CAd has a lot of these.)
Disguise Spell (CAd) lets you use Perform to hide your spellcasting.
Extraordinary Spell Aim (CAd) lets you use Spellcraft to slightly shape a spell.
Mobile Spellcasting (CAd) lets you use Concentration to move while casting.
Combat Acrobat (PHB2) makes Tumble and Balance better.
Fade Into Violence (PHB2) gives Bluff a new use.
Vatic Gaze (PHB2) lets you use Sense Motive to determine an opponent's casting abilities.
Combat Panache (PHB2) gives new uses for Bluff and Intimidate.
Stuff That You Might Get Your GM To Agree To:
You might use Sleight of Hand to slip something dangerous (caltrops, oil, something with a dangerous rune on it, etc.) underneath an opponent's feet, possibly even without them noticing.
Disable Device might get you a bonus against the more obviously mechanical constructs and golems.
You might use Bluff to play dead.
Perhaps Use Rope would let you string a tripwire across a narrow hallway.
As I've said over and over, there's plenty more things out there, and I don't pretend to be able to list them all on my own.
The purpose of this is to find ways to actually make skill rolls in combat, ideally to give more options to (or, perhaps more clearly, to make more options visible and available to) characters who want to focus on skill use to a greater or lesser degree. Someone who opts to be a skillmonkey at the expense of combat will, obviously, never be a combat beast, but the choice to be a skillmonkey should not necessitate that you be weak or useless (or, for that matter, bored) after rolling initiative.
I welcome your suggestions and additions.
Things That Work out of the Box:
UMD's uses are obvious. Using wands and staves in combat is a staple tactic, and even scrolls can be useful if you have a really high UMD check or can take 10.
Handle Animal can be used to command your animal buddy (whether they're a class-granted AC or something you trained normally) to do or not do things.
Tumble is the archetypical movement skill in combat. I've even seen a lot of characters take it cross-class; it's that good.
Bluff can be used to feint or to create a diversion to hide.
Intimidate can demoralize an opponent. I also like the "duel of wills" use (found in Tome of Battle and the Rules Compendium), though some GMs get tired of it easily.
Hide and Move Silently can be used in combat, though doing so after the fight has started generally requires either Hide in Plain Sight or very interesting terrain.
Jumping in combat tends to be difficult since it's hard to get a running start (especially if you want or need to Tumble to avoid AoOs), but it's useful for getting around difficult terrain.
Escape Artist can be used to get out of a grapple. I rarely see people pump this skill, but I consider it to be a priority on any DEX-based character who doesn't like being held down.
Concentration's uses are obvious.
Sleight of Hand can be used to pilfer things from an opponent. Most GMs will get wary of you asking "and what's in his pockets?" for every single orc and giant, so use this sparingly or talk with your GM first. In addition, Sleight of Hand can be used to produce a hidden dagger and catch a foe flat-footed (check the Rules Compendium; I don't know where that rule originated, but it's in there).
Sense Motive can be used to size up an opponent. There's a whole table for it in Complete Adventurer.
Ride's uses are patently obvious.
Heal can stabilize an ally, treat a caltrop wound, or help against poison.
Iaijutsu Focus pretty much ONLY works in combat.
Subset: Automatic or Reactive Skills
Spot and Listen oppose Hide and Move Silently. Spot is also used to counter Sleight of Hand. (Yes, Spot and Listen can be used actively, but I find that this occurs less frequently once combat starts.)
Sense Motive counteracts a feint.
Bluff counteracts an attempt to size you up.
Spellcraft can tell you what kind of magical hoodly-poodly you're going to have to deal with in a second or two.
Knowledge checks can help ID monsters and opponents.
Things That Require Certain Abilities:
Note: This will be a really long section, so I'm going to just use a lot of wildcards. Also, it's nowhere near complete.
With 5 ranks in Balance, you aren't consider flat-footed while balancing. With 10 ranks, you can use it to resist a trip.
Meaningfully Climbing or Swimming in combat usually requires a climb speed or swim speed.
This kind of thing is the whole point of skill tricks (CS), many of which can be used in combat. I might list them all later, but you know where to find them.
Many Diamond Mind (ToB) maneuvers require Concentration.
Many Tiger Claw (ToB) maneuvers require Jump.
A Justiciar (CW) can use Use Rope as a grapple check to pin or eventually normally grapple an opponent.
Using pretty much any Truenamer (ToM) ability requires a Truespeak roll.
Having Naberius bound (ToM) allows you to meaningfully use Diplomacy in combat.
The feat Mad Alchemist (PHB2) gives in-combat uses for Craft:Alchemy.
Knowledge Devotion (CC) makes Knowledge checks to ID creatures even better.
Leap Attack (CAd) makes Jump a staple of any Power Attacker's repertoire.
Hear the Unseen (CAd) lets you use Listen to find invisible opponents.
Deft Strike (CAd) lets you use Spot to make your next attack roll easier. (CAd has a lot of these.)
Disguise Spell (CAd) lets you use Perform to hide your spellcasting.
Extraordinary Spell Aim (CAd) lets you use Spellcraft to slightly shape a spell.
Mobile Spellcasting (CAd) lets you use Concentration to move while casting.
Combat Acrobat (PHB2) makes Tumble and Balance better.
Fade Into Violence (PHB2) gives Bluff a new use.
Vatic Gaze (PHB2) lets you use Sense Motive to determine an opponent's casting abilities.
Combat Panache (PHB2) gives new uses for Bluff and Intimidate.
Stuff That You Might Get Your GM To Agree To:
You might use Sleight of Hand to slip something dangerous (caltrops, oil, something with a dangerous rune on it, etc.) underneath an opponent's feet, possibly even without them noticing.
Disable Device might get you a bonus against the more obviously mechanical constructs and golems.
You might use Bluff to play dead.
Perhaps Use Rope would let you string a tripwire across a narrow hallway.
As I've said over and over, there's plenty more things out there, and I don't pretend to be able to list them all on my own.
The purpose of this is to find ways to actually make skill rolls in combat, ideally to give more options to (or, perhaps more clearly, to make more options visible and available to) characters who want to focus on skill use to a greater or lesser degree. Someone who opts to be a skillmonkey at the expense of combat will, obviously, never be a combat beast, but the choice to be a skillmonkey should not necessitate that you be weak or useless (or, for that matter, bored) after rolling initiative.
I welcome your suggestions and additions.