jiriku
2011-05-29, 01:29 AM
This is a library of tools I use in my games to enhance the importance and utility of skill use. While the most important thing a DM can do to encourage PCs to use skills is to create challenges that beg for a skill-based solution, certain adjustments to existing mechanics can encourage players to start thinking with their skills.
LET IT RIDE
(Borrowed from the Burning Wheel RPG)
During non-combat scenes, a player shall test a skill for a given intent only once per encounter. Pass or fail, neither DM nor player can call for a retest of the skill for the same intent in the same encounter by the same character. Success from the initial roll stands for the remainder of the encounter. The same goes for failure. Players can still Take 10 or Take 20 as usual.
The DM cannot call for multiple rolls of the same skill to accomplish a player's stated intent (for example, it does not require three successful Hide checks to avoid the guard, nor five Diplomacy rolls to convince the duke to send aid). Nor can a player retest a failed roll simply because he failed. If a player is unhappy with his failed result, he must attempt to use other skills or actions to accomplish his intent in the current encounter.
Let it Ride does not apply during combat.
Let it Ride is primarily a fairness tool, used to build player trust in the system. With Let it Ride in force, players know that I won't fabricate reasons for them to test their skill over and over until they fail, and I need not deal with players who try to create ridiculous outcomes by constantly retrying long-shot tasks until probability winks at them. Let it Ride ensures that everyone has the same expectations when skill use is attempted, and that the playing field is level.
DIPLOMACY [CHA]
(Borrowing from Rich Burlew's Diplomacy house rule)
Use this skill to ask the local baron for assistance, to convince a band of thugs not to attack you, or to talk your way into someplace you aren't supposed to be.
Check: You can propose a trade or agreement to another creature with your words; a Diplomacy check can then persuade them that accepting it is a good idea. Either side of the deal may involve physical goods, money, services, promises, or abstract concepts like "satisfaction." The DC for the Diplomacy check is based on three factors: who the target is, the relationship between the target and the character making the check, and the risk vs. reward factor of the deal proposed.
The Target: The base DC for any Diplomacy check is equal to the 15 + level of the highest-level character in the group that you are trying to influence + the Wisdom modifier of the character in the group with the highest Wisdom. High-level characters are more committed to their views and are less likely to be swayed; high Wisdom characters are more likely to perceive the speaker's real motives and aims. By applying the highest modifiers in any group, a powerful king (for example) might gain benefit from a very wise advisor who listens in court and counsels him accordingly. For this purpose, a number of characters is only a "group" if they are committed to all following the same course of action. Either one NPC is in charge, or they agree to act by consensus. If each member is going to make up their mind on their own, roll separate Diplomacy checks against each. Modifiers for the relationship between the characters and the risk vs. reward of the proposed deal are shown below.
The Relationship: Whether they love, hate, or have never met each other, the relationship between two people always influences any request.
Table 1-1: Relationship Modifiers to DC
Modifier
Relationship
Example
-10/Intimate: Someone who with whom you have an implicit trust./Example: A lover or spouse.
-7/Friend: Someone with whom you have a regularly positive personal relationship./Example: A long-time buddy or a sibling.
-5/Ally: Someone on the same team but with whom you have no personal relationship./Example: A cleric of the same religion or a knight serving the same king.
-2/Acquaintance (Positive): Someone you have met several times with no particularly negative experiences./Example: The blacksmith that buys your looted equipment regularly.
+0/Just Met: No relationship whatsoever./Example: A guard at a castle or a traveler on a road.
+2/Acquaintance (Negative): Someone you have met several times with no particularly positive experiences./Example: A town guard who has arrested you for drunkenness once or twice.
+5/Enemy: Someone on an opposed team with whom you have no personal relationship./Example: A cleric of a philosophically opposed religion or an orc bandit who is robbing you.
+7/Personal Foe: Someone with whom you have a regularly antagonistic personal relationship./Example: An evil warlord whom you oppose or a bounty hunter who is hunting you.
+10/Nemesis: Someone who has sworn to personally do you harm./Example: The brother of a man you murdered in cold blood.
Risk vs. Reward Judgement: The amount of personal benefit must always be weighed against the potential risks for any deal proposed. It is important to remember to consider this adjustment from the point of view of the NPCs themselves and what they might value; while 10 gp might be chump change to an adventurer, it may represent several months' earnings for a poor farmer. Likewise, a heroic paladin is unlikely to be persuaded from his tenets for any amount of gold, though he might be convinced that a greater good is served by the proposed deal. When dealing with multiple people at once, always consider the benefits to the person who is in clear command, if any hierarchy exists within the group.
Table 1-2: Risk vs. Reward DC Modifiers
Modifier/
Deal/
Example
-20/Fantastic: The best-case scenario is a virtual guarantee.Example: a request to perform a minor favor at a later date in exchange for the saving the individual's life or the life of a loved one right now.
-10/Very Good: The reward for accepting the deal is very worthwhile, and the risk is either acceptable or extremely unlikely./Example: An offer to pay a lot of gold for something of no value to the subject, such as information that is not a secret.
-5/Favorable: The reward is good, and the risk is tolerable. If all goes according to plan, the deal will end up benefiting the subject./Example: A request to aid the party in battle against a weak goblin tribe in return for a cut of the money and first pick of the magic items.
+0/Even: The reward and risk are more or less even, or the deal involves neither reward nor risk./Example: A request for directions to someplace that is not a secret.
+5/Unfavorable: The reward is not enough compared to the risk involved; even if all goes according to plan, chances are it will end up badly for the subject./Example: A request to free a prisoner the subject is guarding (for which he or she will probably be fired) in return for a small amount of money.
+10/Highly Unfavorable: The proposed deal represents substantial personal sacrifice or a dire risk of harm./Example: Asking a king to risk war by canceling an arranged marriage to the prince of a rival kingdom so his daughter can wed the commoner she loves.
+20/Horrible: There is no conceivable way the proposed plan could benefit the subject, or the worst-case scenario is guaranteed to occur./Example: Asking an NPC to sacrifice his life in return for a pittance given to his family.
Success or Failure: If the Diplomacy check beats the DC, the subject accepts the proposal, with no changes or with minor (mostly idiosyncratic) changes. If the check fails by 5 or less, the subject does not accept the deal but may, at the DM's option, present a counter-offer that would push the deal up one place on the risk-vs.-reward list. For example, a counter-offer might make an Even deal Favorable for the subject. The character who made the Diplomacy check can simply accept the counter-offer, if they choose; no further check will be required. If the check fails by 10 or more, the Diplomacy is over; the subject will entertain no further deals, and may become hostile or take other steps to end the conversation.
Action: Making a request or proposing a deal generally requires at least 1 full minute. In many situations, this time requirement may greatly increase. You can attempt a rushed Diplomacy check as a full-round action (such as an attempt to head off a fight between two angry warriors), but doing so imposes a -10 penalty on your Diplomacy check. If you fail a rushed Diplomacy check by 10 or more, taking more time will not entitle you to a retry.
Try Again: If you alter the parameters of the deal you are proposing, you may try to convince the subject that this new deal is even better than the last one. This is essentially how people haggle. As long as you never roll 10 or more below the DC on your Diplomacy check, you can continue to offer deals.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty), you get a +2 synergy bonus to Diplomacy. No other skill provides a synergy bonus to Diplomacy.
Taking the body of Rich's work on Diplomacy, reducing synergies, and adding additional modifiers for the quality of the deal proposed, this variant of the Diplomacy skill turns Diplomacy into a fairly smooth and effective tool. Players should find it easy to use once they get a handle on the idea that NPCs won't give them something for nothing.
SPEAK AUTHORITATIVELY
(Borrowed from the Burning Wheel RPG)
If you have at least 5 ranks in a Knowledge or Profession skill, once per game session you may speak authoritatively on the subject. Simply state a fact about a topic covered by the skill and attempt a skill check at a DC determined on the table below. If you succeed, the fact is indeed true and is now truth in the game world. If you fail, then the fact is false, or the opposite may even be true. Alternately, the fact may be true, but you believe it false on second thought. The DM adjudicates the result of a failure.
Your statement of fact may not contradict the D&D rules or established canonical information about the campaign setting (for example, you may not state that undead are vulnerable to mind-affecting spells or that all dwarves were wiped out by a mysterious plague ten years ago). You should use your ability to speak authoritatively to advance the plot and contribute to the story, not to derail adventures or create ridiculous situations.
TABLE 2: SPEAKING AUTHORITATIVELY
DCGUIDELINE
10Common Knowledge ("There's a town east of here called Demotos.")
15An Interesting Fact ("Demotos has a large garrison because of an uprising last year.")
20Uncommon Facts ("A cult in Demotos believes a lost pharoah will soon return to free them.")
25Obscure ("Three centuries ago, Hakizimana-Ra swore beyond death to reclaim Demotos.")
30Extremely Obscure ("Hakizimana-Ra's staff of the magi can animate its owner as a mummy.")
35Obscure Specifics ("Livia, a baker in Demotos, found the staff but doesn't know what it is.")
40Extremely Obscure Specifics ("The staff's secret command word is Ahkoptos Risen.")
Speak Authoritatively and Bardic Knowledge: A bard of 2nd level or higher may use Bardic Knowledge to speak authoritatively. It is important to note that speaking authoritatively about your bardic knowledge works differently than speaking authoritatively about a Knowledge or Professions skill. Because Bardic Knowledge covers legends and stories, rather than actual facts, you may only speak authoritatively about legends and stories.
For example, with Knowledge (local), you could speak authoritatively to state that "the town's guard captain has a severe drinking problem." If you are successful, the fact is true. With bardic knowledge, you could speak authoritatively to establish that "everyone is talking about the guard captain's drinking problem". If you are successful, then the guard captain's reputation for heavy drinking is indeed widely known, but the actual truth of the matter might differ from the conventional wisdom.
Class features that are similar to Bardic Knowledge, such as the Lore ability of the cloistered cleric and loremaster, or the Elemental Lore ability of many elemental spellcasters, should be adjudicated in a similar manner.
Speak Authoritatively is a TREMENDOUSLY powerful tool for creating player agency. This option isn't right for all campaigns, as many DMs may feel uncomfortable granting this level of narrative control to their players, and some players may lack the maturity to use this tool wisely. Used well, however, players will quickly begin using Speak Authoritatively to manufacture friendly local NPCs, political power plays, dungeon sites, secret hideouts, vendors for their gear, and more. In the right group, Speak Authoritatively harnesses the creativity of everyone at the gaming table and puts that energy to work making the game world a more interesting and exciting place.
LET IT RIDE
(Borrowed from the Burning Wheel RPG)
During non-combat scenes, a player shall test a skill for a given intent only once per encounter. Pass or fail, neither DM nor player can call for a retest of the skill for the same intent in the same encounter by the same character. Success from the initial roll stands for the remainder of the encounter. The same goes for failure. Players can still Take 10 or Take 20 as usual.
The DM cannot call for multiple rolls of the same skill to accomplish a player's stated intent (for example, it does not require three successful Hide checks to avoid the guard, nor five Diplomacy rolls to convince the duke to send aid). Nor can a player retest a failed roll simply because he failed. If a player is unhappy with his failed result, he must attempt to use other skills or actions to accomplish his intent in the current encounter.
Let it Ride does not apply during combat.
Let it Ride is primarily a fairness tool, used to build player trust in the system. With Let it Ride in force, players know that I won't fabricate reasons for them to test their skill over and over until they fail, and I need not deal with players who try to create ridiculous outcomes by constantly retrying long-shot tasks until probability winks at them. Let it Ride ensures that everyone has the same expectations when skill use is attempted, and that the playing field is level.
DIPLOMACY [CHA]
(Borrowing from Rich Burlew's Diplomacy house rule)
Use this skill to ask the local baron for assistance, to convince a band of thugs not to attack you, or to talk your way into someplace you aren't supposed to be.
Check: You can propose a trade or agreement to another creature with your words; a Diplomacy check can then persuade them that accepting it is a good idea. Either side of the deal may involve physical goods, money, services, promises, or abstract concepts like "satisfaction." The DC for the Diplomacy check is based on three factors: who the target is, the relationship between the target and the character making the check, and the risk vs. reward factor of the deal proposed.
The Target: The base DC for any Diplomacy check is equal to the 15 + level of the highest-level character in the group that you are trying to influence + the Wisdom modifier of the character in the group with the highest Wisdom. High-level characters are more committed to their views and are less likely to be swayed; high Wisdom characters are more likely to perceive the speaker's real motives and aims. By applying the highest modifiers in any group, a powerful king (for example) might gain benefit from a very wise advisor who listens in court and counsels him accordingly. For this purpose, a number of characters is only a "group" if they are committed to all following the same course of action. Either one NPC is in charge, or they agree to act by consensus. If each member is going to make up their mind on their own, roll separate Diplomacy checks against each. Modifiers for the relationship between the characters and the risk vs. reward of the proposed deal are shown below.
The Relationship: Whether they love, hate, or have never met each other, the relationship between two people always influences any request.
Table 1-1: Relationship Modifiers to DC
Modifier
Relationship
Example
-10/Intimate: Someone who with whom you have an implicit trust./Example: A lover or spouse.
-7/Friend: Someone with whom you have a regularly positive personal relationship./Example: A long-time buddy or a sibling.
-5/Ally: Someone on the same team but with whom you have no personal relationship./Example: A cleric of the same religion or a knight serving the same king.
-2/Acquaintance (Positive): Someone you have met several times with no particularly negative experiences./Example: The blacksmith that buys your looted equipment regularly.
+0/Just Met: No relationship whatsoever./Example: A guard at a castle or a traveler on a road.
+2/Acquaintance (Negative): Someone you have met several times with no particularly positive experiences./Example: A town guard who has arrested you for drunkenness once or twice.
+5/Enemy: Someone on an opposed team with whom you have no personal relationship./Example: A cleric of a philosophically opposed religion or an orc bandit who is robbing you.
+7/Personal Foe: Someone with whom you have a regularly antagonistic personal relationship./Example: An evil warlord whom you oppose or a bounty hunter who is hunting you.
+10/Nemesis: Someone who has sworn to personally do you harm./Example: The brother of a man you murdered in cold blood.
Risk vs. Reward Judgement: The amount of personal benefit must always be weighed against the potential risks for any deal proposed. It is important to remember to consider this adjustment from the point of view of the NPCs themselves and what they might value; while 10 gp might be chump change to an adventurer, it may represent several months' earnings for a poor farmer. Likewise, a heroic paladin is unlikely to be persuaded from his tenets for any amount of gold, though he might be convinced that a greater good is served by the proposed deal. When dealing with multiple people at once, always consider the benefits to the person who is in clear command, if any hierarchy exists within the group.
Table 1-2: Risk vs. Reward DC Modifiers
Modifier/
Deal/
Example
-20/Fantastic: The best-case scenario is a virtual guarantee.Example: a request to perform a minor favor at a later date in exchange for the saving the individual's life or the life of a loved one right now.
-10/Very Good: The reward for accepting the deal is very worthwhile, and the risk is either acceptable or extremely unlikely./Example: An offer to pay a lot of gold for something of no value to the subject, such as information that is not a secret.
-5/Favorable: The reward is good, and the risk is tolerable. If all goes according to plan, the deal will end up benefiting the subject./Example: A request to aid the party in battle against a weak goblin tribe in return for a cut of the money and first pick of the magic items.
+0/Even: The reward and risk are more or less even, or the deal involves neither reward nor risk./Example: A request for directions to someplace that is not a secret.
+5/Unfavorable: The reward is not enough compared to the risk involved; even if all goes according to plan, chances are it will end up badly for the subject./Example: A request to free a prisoner the subject is guarding (for which he or she will probably be fired) in return for a small amount of money.
+10/Highly Unfavorable: The proposed deal represents substantial personal sacrifice or a dire risk of harm./Example: Asking a king to risk war by canceling an arranged marriage to the prince of a rival kingdom so his daughter can wed the commoner she loves.
+20/Horrible: There is no conceivable way the proposed plan could benefit the subject, or the worst-case scenario is guaranteed to occur./Example: Asking an NPC to sacrifice his life in return for a pittance given to his family.
Success or Failure: If the Diplomacy check beats the DC, the subject accepts the proposal, with no changes or with minor (mostly idiosyncratic) changes. If the check fails by 5 or less, the subject does not accept the deal but may, at the DM's option, present a counter-offer that would push the deal up one place on the risk-vs.-reward list. For example, a counter-offer might make an Even deal Favorable for the subject. The character who made the Diplomacy check can simply accept the counter-offer, if they choose; no further check will be required. If the check fails by 10 or more, the Diplomacy is over; the subject will entertain no further deals, and may become hostile or take other steps to end the conversation.
Action: Making a request or proposing a deal generally requires at least 1 full minute. In many situations, this time requirement may greatly increase. You can attempt a rushed Diplomacy check as a full-round action (such as an attempt to head off a fight between two angry warriors), but doing so imposes a -10 penalty on your Diplomacy check. If you fail a rushed Diplomacy check by 10 or more, taking more time will not entitle you to a retry.
Try Again: If you alter the parameters of the deal you are proposing, you may try to convince the subject that this new deal is even better than the last one. This is essentially how people haggle. As long as you never roll 10 or more below the DC on your Diplomacy check, you can continue to offer deals.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty), you get a +2 synergy bonus to Diplomacy. No other skill provides a synergy bonus to Diplomacy.
Taking the body of Rich's work on Diplomacy, reducing synergies, and adding additional modifiers for the quality of the deal proposed, this variant of the Diplomacy skill turns Diplomacy into a fairly smooth and effective tool. Players should find it easy to use once they get a handle on the idea that NPCs won't give them something for nothing.
SPEAK AUTHORITATIVELY
(Borrowed from the Burning Wheel RPG)
If you have at least 5 ranks in a Knowledge or Profession skill, once per game session you may speak authoritatively on the subject. Simply state a fact about a topic covered by the skill and attempt a skill check at a DC determined on the table below. If you succeed, the fact is indeed true and is now truth in the game world. If you fail, then the fact is false, or the opposite may even be true. Alternately, the fact may be true, but you believe it false on second thought. The DM adjudicates the result of a failure.
Your statement of fact may not contradict the D&D rules or established canonical information about the campaign setting (for example, you may not state that undead are vulnerable to mind-affecting spells or that all dwarves were wiped out by a mysterious plague ten years ago). You should use your ability to speak authoritatively to advance the plot and contribute to the story, not to derail adventures or create ridiculous situations.
TABLE 2: SPEAKING AUTHORITATIVELY
DCGUIDELINE
10Common Knowledge ("There's a town east of here called Demotos.")
15An Interesting Fact ("Demotos has a large garrison because of an uprising last year.")
20Uncommon Facts ("A cult in Demotos believes a lost pharoah will soon return to free them.")
25Obscure ("Three centuries ago, Hakizimana-Ra swore beyond death to reclaim Demotos.")
30Extremely Obscure ("Hakizimana-Ra's staff of the magi can animate its owner as a mummy.")
35Obscure Specifics ("Livia, a baker in Demotos, found the staff but doesn't know what it is.")
40Extremely Obscure Specifics ("The staff's secret command word is Ahkoptos Risen.")
Speak Authoritatively and Bardic Knowledge: A bard of 2nd level or higher may use Bardic Knowledge to speak authoritatively. It is important to note that speaking authoritatively about your bardic knowledge works differently than speaking authoritatively about a Knowledge or Professions skill. Because Bardic Knowledge covers legends and stories, rather than actual facts, you may only speak authoritatively about legends and stories.
For example, with Knowledge (local), you could speak authoritatively to state that "the town's guard captain has a severe drinking problem." If you are successful, the fact is true. With bardic knowledge, you could speak authoritatively to establish that "everyone is talking about the guard captain's drinking problem". If you are successful, then the guard captain's reputation for heavy drinking is indeed widely known, but the actual truth of the matter might differ from the conventional wisdom.
Class features that are similar to Bardic Knowledge, such as the Lore ability of the cloistered cleric and loremaster, or the Elemental Lore ability of many elemental spellcasters, should be adjudicated in a similar manner.
Speak Authoritatively is a TREMENDOUSLY powerful tool for creating player agency. This option isn't right for all campaigns, as many DMs may feel uncomfortable granting this level of narrative control to their players, and some players may lack the maturity to use this tool wisely. Used well, however, players will quickly begin using Speak Authoritatively to manufacture friendly local NPCs, political power plays, dungeon sites, secret hideouts, vendors for their gear, and more. In the right group, Speak Authoritatively harnesses the creativity of everyone at the gaming table and puts that energy to work making the game world a more interesting and exciting place.