[4e] - A new way to use that Intelligence

[Shadow_Elf]

Here's new idea for a skill that I thought of: Mathematics
Intelligence-based skill, class skill for Wizards, Warlords, Clerics? and Swordmages

I haven't developed DCs and stuff yet, but here's the general concept:

The boulder is rushing down the hall. With a quick calculation, you determine that it won't even hit you, and you tell the party to keep on going.
You take a quick look at the trap, count a few things off on your fingers, and tell your allies how far you figure that catapult can chuck things
The Kobold arrives brandishing javelins. Quickly taking into account his apparent muscle mass, race and the weight of the weapon, you can inform your allies how far he can throw those.
A mercenary demands double pay, insisting that he is worth it. To illustrate his point, he tells you he can knock an apple off a tree from fifty paces. After a quick calculation, you inform your friends that it is most likely not a bluff.

Most of these features would require that you be trained to execute them. Untrained mathematics is essentially for quick assessments and arithmetic, rather than the advanced uses listed above. Everyone has some basic adding skills, so everyone is represented as having a bonus to mathematics, but only trained people can actually do the cool stuff.

Thoughts? I'd be willing to develop some tentative DCs if enough people think its a good idea.

[Rigon]

and what about Numbers?!

most people are drinking coffee with sugar but that we did not calculate the diabetes factor... so the only hacker who could pull the trigger of the gun was most likely the one who lived in a shack near nevada.

i would grant it a feat... so you get a free move action for calculation... but you would have to give a loooooong description about what and how can be calculated. and i mean long. you know like war and peace.

[Mando Knight]

A mercenary demands double pay, insisting that he is worth it. To illustrate his point, he tells you he can knock an apple off a tree from fifty paces. After a quick calculation, you inform your friends that it is most likely not a bluff.

And, because he's working for free right now, you figure you can counter-offer him 100 times his current pay easily.:smalltongue:

Besides, most of those calculations are more of the realm of Physics, with some Nature to account for knowledge of which muscles will aid in the actions...

[Shadow_Elf]

and what about Numbers?!

most people are drinking coffee with sugar but that we did not calculate the diabetes factor... so the only hacker who could pull the trigger of the gun was most likely the one who lived in a shack near nevada.

i would grant it a feat... so you get a free move action for calculation... but you would have to give a loooooong description about what and how can be calculated. and i mean long. you know like war and peace.

Numbers is an awesome show. Unfortunately, I don't know how half the math works :smalltongue:.

It is workable as a skill, I think, although "mathematics" may not be the best name for it...

Something like: Determine the range of an attack based on sufficient data
DC15 +10/tier (not including heroic): Determine one fact about a trap
Modifiers: -5 for magical traps (Arcana check negates)
+10 for seen the trap operate at least once
There'd be other modifiers, but something like this would work as a base
You can determine its range, speed, or an estimate of its damage*

*Estimate is: The DM rolls the damage, and tells you the result. The trap or enemy is capable of inflicting at least that much damage, but you can't be sure if that's min/max or somewhere in between.