Gnorman
2013-01-11, 08:25 PM
Hello, playgrounders. Hope you are all doing well.
I am writing you today because I've been kicking around an idea for a slight revamp of my E6 project. I was working on a "Tactics" subsystem, functionally similar to ToB, for my martial classes. Give them something to put them on slightly more even footing with the casters. But I always wanted something for the skilled classes, and after some deliberation I think I may have decided on an idea: skill tricks.
The way I envision it is this: like maneuvers or spells, you have skill trick levels, skill trick disciplines/schools. Each skilled character learns a certain number of skill tricks per level (I am toying with keeping the 2 skill point cost, but feel that may have an adverse effect on what I am trying to accomplish), and can use each trick 1/encounter. So already we have a different resource schedule than spells (though I would be interested to hear other ideas on that subject - I want to differentiate this system). They'll probably be weaker than spells and contingent on a successful skill check, to compensate for their more frequent use. DCs would be based on the attribute that controls the skill used. Opposed checks might be relevant (say, if you lay a trap, your Craft (trapsmithing) check is the DC of the Spot check needed to see it).
I've come up with a few broad categories for them. I'd like each one to have in-combat and out-of-combat utility, but some lend themselves more readily to one or the other.
Stealth: Fairly obvious in use - how to hide from your enemies, get places you're not supposed to be, the art of misdirection.
Perception: This is where you might find skill tricks that allow you to see/hear things you normally could not or find new uses for your senses, perhaps use ranged weapons more effectively.
Acrobatics & Athletics: Running on walls, flipping and leaping over your opponents' heads, holding your breath for ten minutes, that kind of thing.
Gadgets & Traps: This is your James Bond category, with whatever the D&D equivalent of laser watches and pen guns might be. Cool mechanical stuff, deadly traps, will probably draw on my Inventions subsystem heavily.
Alchemy & Poisons: Here you might see stereotypical ninja/assassin stuff like smoke bombs, tranquilizer darts, poisons that are semi-useful in combat rather than having to wait ten rounds.
Guile: Social proficiency. The art of convincing someone that you're their long-lost cousin and in need of a temporary loan. Learn how to con and know when you're being conned. Make friends, influence people, and persuade that rampaging orc barbarian that you're an avatar of Gruumsh.
Lore: The art of knowledge, spellcraft, et cetera. Knowing that an illithid's left knee joint is particularly fragile, or that a certain spell was transcribed by a wizard with a thick accent (so most people will pronounce it wrong). Healing herbs and medical techniques might also have a fit here. Monstrous knowledge, occult lore, et cetera.
Larceny: The more hands-on applications of stealth - manipulating objects like locks, picking pockets, using misdirection. Would cover feinting, stealing, feats of manual dexterity or legerdemain. Probably also disguise and forgery.
Underhanded Tactics: This one is less skill based and more just about fighting dirty. Hitting below the belt, cheap shots, sucker punches. This would probably hinge more on combat maneuvers and attack rolls than anything else, and may be a better fit in the Tactics system (albeit still accessible by rogues).
Any thoughts? Suggestions? Criticisms? The idea is still germinating and taking shape in my head, so I appreciate any insight offered.
I am writing you today because I've been kicking around an idea for a slight revamp of my E6 project. I was working on a "Tactics" subsystem, functionally similar to ToB, for my martial classes. Give them something to put them on slightly more even footing with the casters. But I always wanted something for the skilled classes, and after some deliberation I think I may have decided on an idea: skill tricks.
The way I envision it is this: like maneuvers or spells, you have skill trick levels, skill trick disciplines/schools. Each skilled character learns a certain number of skill tricks per level (I am toying with keeping the 2 skill point cost, but feel that may have an adverse effect on what I am trying to accomplish), and can use each trick 1/encounter. So already we have a different resource schedule than spells (though I would be interested to hear other ideas on that subject - I want to differentiate this system). They'll probably be weaker than spells and contingent on a successful skill check, to compensate for their more frequent use. DCs would be based on the attribute that controls the skill used. Opposed checks might be relevant (say, if you lay a trap, your Craft (trapsmithing) check is the DC of the Spot check needed to see it).
I've come up with a few broad categories for them. I'd like each one to have in-combat and out-of-combat utility, but some lend themselves more readily to one or the other.
Stealth: Fairly obvious in use - how to hide from your enemies, get places you're not supposed to be, the art of misdirection.
Perception: This is where you might find skill tricks that allow you to see/hear things you normally could not or find new uses for your senses, perhaps use ranged weapons more effectively.
Acrobatics & Athletics: Running on walls, flipping and leaping over your opponents' heads, holding your breath for ten minutes, that kind of thing.
Gadgets & Traps: This is your James Bond category, with whatever the D&D equivalent of laser watches and pen guns might be. Cool mechanical stuff, deadly traps, will probably draw on my Inventions subsystem heavily.
Alchemy & Poisons: Here you might see stereotypical ninja/assassin stuff like smoke bombs, tranquilizer darts, poisons that are semi-useful in combat rather than having to wait ten rounds.
Guile: Social proficiency. The art of convincing someone that you're their long-lost cousin and in need of a temporary loan. Learn how to con and know when you're being conned. Make friends, influence people, and persuade that rampaging orc barbarian that you're an avatar of Gruumsh.
Lore: The art of knowledge, spellcraft, et cetera. Knowing that an illithid's left knee joint is particularly fragile, or that a certain spell was transcribed by a wizard with a thick accent (so most people will pronounce it wrong). Healing herbs and medical techniques might also have a fit here. Monstrous knowledge, occult lore, et cetera.
Larceny: The more hands-on applications of stealth - manipulating objects like locks, picking pockets, using misdirection. Would cover feinting, stealing, feats of manual dexterity or legerdemain. Probably also disguise and forgery.
Underhanded Tactics: This one is less skill based and more just about fighting dirty. Hitting below the belt, cheap shots, sucker punches. This would probably hinge more on combat maneuvers and attack rolls than anything else, and may be a better fit in the Tactics system (albeit still accessible by rogues).
Any thoughts? Suggestions? Criticisms? The idea is still germinating and taking shape in my head, so I appreciate any insight offered.