Using skills to differentiate cultures

[Caesar]

I am starting a new campaign that has multiple human and dwarven cultures. Back in 3.5, one of the popular ways to differentiate a race among cultural lines, was to give different skill ranks along those lines. For example, the devious city humans might get two free ranks in slight of hand and bluff, whereas the forest dwellers might get two in stealth and survival.

How does this work out in 5e? One thing I see is that 5e is much more restrictive on proficiencies (which kind of replace ranks), but far less restrictive in terms of untrained skill checks.

What I did (and still might change as nobody has come with a character concept much less build as of yet) was to say "a human character from X region can add these two skills to their list of possible skill proficiencies." I hesitated to give an extra proficiency outright (a human character from region X gains proficiency in Y) as this seemed maybe too powerful, but maybe its ok?

Im also on the fence on how to differentiate other races, for example dwarves which are already pretty strong mechanically speaking. I suppose though there isnt much to do other than give skills to every culture.

[Unoriginal]

You could use tool proficiencies, maybe?

[Caesar]

Yeah one culture can choose vehicle(water) but thats kind of the same thing, tools and skills.

[JackPhoenix]

Giving extra skill proficiency won't be too powerful if everyone gets it. Skills won't directly make you more effective at combat, where "power" matters.

However, expect the players to choose the most advantageous cultures... not all skills are equal, and Athletics or Perception will see more use in typical campaign than Sleight of Hand or Medicine. It's also better if everyone is proficient with them, while you can get away with only one character in the party being proficient in more specialized skills.

It's similar with tools: nobody care about artisan tools if they won't get the chance to use them (and there's not much of a point anyway, as you can get the same or better gear for gold) or vehicle (water) proficiency unless it's naval campaign, but thieves' tools and herbalism kit have direct benefits for adventurers.

[Millstone85]

I think the easiest way to do this would be custom backgrounds.

A background includes:
* Two skill proficiencies.
* Two tool profiencies or languages.
* Some equipment.
* A feature that is mostly a ribbon.
* Suggested traits, ideals, bonds and flaws.

I would make backgrounds that give expertise in place of two proficiencies.

Expertise is when you add double your proficiency bonus to a roll.

[Pelle]

Backgrounds?

IMO, you don't really need any special mechanics on the PC side. Either the characters has the appropriate profs. from their cultures, making them typical members, or they don't. Whether the prof. comes from your cultural background or not doesn't matter, you're still a skilled individual.

For NPCs, just say that culture A commoners have prof. in sleight of hand, and of culture B have in survival.

[PhoenixPhyre]

One variant I've been considering is offering players a choice:

Either take the base package or

* Non-variant human removed.
* Each race gives +2 to whatever ability score they do currently (or a floating +1 for variant human) but all other stat bonuses are removed.
* Each sub-culture (each of which applies to multiple races) gains the following:
** +1 to a particular ability score. (Sub)Races that are normally +2/+2 gain +2 instead.
** A culturally-determined proficiency (usually a language, but possibly one of the "weaker" skills)
** A choice from a set of culturally-flavored proficiencies, including tools, skills, languages, and occasional weapons.

This does increase power slightly (giving at most 2 extra skills, but all are the lesser-used ones), but I don't play with powergamers so I think the increase in flavor would win out. But it still needs testing.

The only oddity is the +2/+1/+1 of half-elves. I haven't pinned down how I'd handle them. They'd get +2 CHA base, +1 from a culture...maybe get to pick two same-nation cultures for their stats? Dunno.

[jiriku]

Backgrounds are the way to go. Preferably several for each culture.

So for example:

The humans of Midlandia are a group of nomadic hunters who ride howdah-equipped war elephants into battle against their Uplandian foes, and use shamanic totem magic, you can easily make backgrounds called Midlandian hunter, Midlandian elephant master, and Midlandian shaman.


Meanwhile, the humans of Uplandia manage herd animals in the arid highlands, craft their yurt frames, weapons, and most gear from dragon bones scavenged from an ancient draconic graveyard, and revere tribal chanters who record their people's history through a system of notches on dragonbone sticks. You make backgrounds called Uplandian shepherd, Uplandian dragonbone carver, and Uplandian chanter.

[Caesar]

Yeah i dont know why i didnt think to just make custom backgrounds...