Darkmatter
2008-11-16, 08:35 PM
I've been trying to come up with a comprehensive list of masterwork skill items that are at least slightly realistic. This is as per the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#toolMasterwork). I've got decent items for only some of them, and in the interest of having a complete and accessible list, I decided to post it here to let everyone comment. I'll update the list if anyone comes up with good items that aren't on there.
I've decided to make three categories of tools: tool kits, single tools, and combat tools. Tool kits are multiple items, many of which may need to be replaced - a medical kit with aspirin (or willow bark) for the heal skill for example. Items in kits that are expendable will be marked as such. Single tools are just that - single tools which could be reused indefinitely - a pair of jeweler's goggles for appraise, for example. Combat tools are those which could conceivably be used to boost a character's skill in a situation in which s/he could not take ten, without needing to produce a non-combat item from their bag - war paint, for example, could be worn and used to increase the intimidate skill in combat, while a painstakingly made nasty looking dagger would require a move action to draw. Some tools, of course, will fall into multiple categories.
I'll list each of the skills in the SRD along with the current best candidates for masterwork items. Any skill that has a '?' next to it indicates that I couldn't come up with a plausible item, or that the item I thought up is pretty questionable in and of itself. Like
Tool kits:
Appraise: Magnifying glasses, scratch test samples [expendable], a small manual of prices [expendable - exchange rates change...]
Autohyptnosis: Shiny disk on a chain, scented candles [expendable], "worry rock" - smooth, soothing stone to hold
Balance: A light 6 ft. pole
Bluff: Sunglasses
Climb: Pitons, rope, harness, carabiners, small pick
Concentration: Earplugs, scented candles [expendable], small gong, "worry rock" - smooth, soothing stone to hold
Craft: Saws, chisels (adamantine tipped), hammers, files, sandpaper, etc.
Decipher Script: A magnifying glass, a book of ancient writings
Diplomacy: Appropriate clothes (including heraldry, if applicable), scented soap [expendable], breath freshener [expendable]
Disable Device: Masterwork thief's tools
Disguise: An assortment of clothing, makeup [expendable], false nose with a moustache
Escape Artist: Grease [expendable], a crowbar, a small sharp knife, saw
Forgery: Inks [expendable], paper [expendable], wax [expendable], soapstone and knife (for carving seals)
Gather Information: As diplomacy. Also, a few GP worth of silver [expendable]
Handle Animal: Padded arm guards/gloves, animal treats [expendable], leash, whip
Heal: Bandages [expendable], simple medicines [expendable], antiseptics [expendable], sling/splint material [expendable]
Hide: Camouflaged cloaks (for different terrain), makeup [expendable], tar (for shiny weapons) [expendable]
Intimidate: War paint [expendable], a nasty looking weapon (crafted to look painful, not for combat)
Jump: A light 10 ft pole, padded soles for shoes (jumping down)
Knowledge: Books on the appropriate subject
Listen: Listening horn, listening pills (increase aural sensitivity) ? [expendable]
Move Silently: Soft soled shoes, tiedowns for metallic items
Open Lock: Thief's tools
Perform [instrument]: Masterwork instrument, tuning fork
Perform [vocal]: Throat spray [expendable], tuning fork
Perform [visual]: Appropriate clothes (e.g. tap shoes, top hat, cane)
Profession: Too many variations to list
Ride: Saddle, reins, brushes, hoof cleaner, whip
Search: Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass, candles [expendable], tindertwigs [expendable]
Sense Motive: ?
Sleight of Hand: Sock puppet (for performance), razor blade (for pickpocketing), specially designed sleeves
Speak Language: Phrasebook ?
Spell/Psicraft: Reference manual, arcane indicators (magically active substances) [expendable], arcane barometer (nonmagical, but moves with magical influx)
Spot: Telescope, seeing pills (increase visual sensitivity) ? [expendable]
Survival: Fishhooks, line, snares, survival book, warm, waterproof cloak
Swim: Flippers, snorkel, flotation bladder
Tumble: Tight, well made clothing with knee/elbow/shoulder pads
Use Magic/Psionic Device: As spellcraft
Use Rope: Really nice rope, book of knots
Single tools:
Appraise: Magnifying glass
Autohyptnosis: Shiny disk on a chain
Balance: A light 6 ft. pole
Bluff: Sunglasses
Climb: Climbing harness
Concentration: ?
Craft: Depends on craft - not likely a single tool, though.
Decipher Script: A book of ancient writings
Diplomacy: Appropriate clothes (including heraldry, if applicable)
Disable Device: Masterwork thief's tools (no single tool)
Disguise: False nose with a mustache (again, no single tool)
Escape Artist: ?
Forgery: ?
Gather Information: As diplomacy.
Handle Animal: ?
Heal: ?
Hide: Camouflaged cloak
Intimidate: A nasty looking weapon (crafted to look painful, not for combat)
Jump: A light 10 ft pole
Knowledge: Book on the appropriate subject
Listen: Listening horn
Move Silently: Soft soled shoes
Open Lock: Thief's tools (no single tool)
Perform [instrument]: Masterwork instrument
Perform [vocal]: Tuning fork
Perform [visual]: Appropriate clothes (e.g. tap shoes, top hat, cane)
Profession: Too many variations to list
Ride: Saddle
Search: Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass
Sense Motive: ?
Sleight of Hand: Sock puppet (for performance) or razor blade (for pickpocketing)
Speak Language: Phrasebook ?
Spell/Psicraft: Reference manual
Spot: Telescope
Survival: ?
Swim: Flippers
Tumble: Tight, well made clothing with knee/elbow/shoulder pads
Use Magic/Psionic Device: Arcane barometer (lets you know when you're close to getting it to work)
Use Rope: Really nice rope
Combat-useful (always 'on', once applied) tools:
Appraise: n/a
Autohyptnosis: Worry rock ring - non-magical, always on finger
Balance: ?
Bluff: Sunglasses
Climb: Climbing gloves ?
Concentration: Worry rock ring - non-magical, always on finger
Craft: n/a
Decipher Script: n/a
Diplomacy: Nice clothes
Disable Device: ?
Disguise: Makeup [expendable]
Escape Artist: Grease [expendable]
Forgery: n/a
Gather Information: As diplomacy.
Handle Animal: ?
Heal: ?
Hide: Camouflage makeup [expendable]
Intimidate: Warpaint [expendable]
Jump: ?
Knowledge: ?
Listen: Listening pills ?
Move Silently: Soft soled shoes
Open Lock: ?
Perform [instrument]: Masterwork instrument (you need the instrument already...)
Perform [vocal]: Throat spray [expendable]
Perform [visual]: Appropriate clothes (e.g. tap shoes, top hat, cane)
Profession: Too many variations to list
Ride: Saddle
Search: ?
Sense Motive: ?
Sleight of Hand: ?
Speak Language: ?
Spell/Psicraft: ?
Spot: Seeing pills (increase visual acuity) [expendable] ?
Survival: ?
Swim: Snorkel (though you'd look pretty funny)
Tumble: Tight, well made clothing with knee/elbow/shoulder pads
Use Magic/Psionic Device: ?
Use Rope: Really nice rope (you need the rope already...)
I've decided to make three categories of tools: tool kits, single tools, and combat tools. Tool kits are multiple items, many of which may need to be replaced - a medical kit with aspirin (or willow bark) for the heal skill for example. Items in kits that are expendable will be marked as such. Single tools are just that - single tools which could be reused indefinitely - a pair of jeweler's goggles for appraise, for example. Combat tools are those which could conceivably be used to boost a character's skill in a situation in which s/he could not take ten, without needing to produce a non-combat item from their bag - war paint, for example, could be worn and used to increase the intimidate skill in combat, while a painstakingly made nasty looking dagger would require a move action to draw. Some tools, of course, will fall into multiple categories.
I'll list each of the skills in the SRD along with the current best candidates for masterwork items. Any skill that has a '?' next to it indicates that I couldn't come up with a plausible item, or that the item I thought up is pretty questionable in and of itself. Like
Tool kits:
Appraise: Magnifying glasses, scratch test samples [expendable], a small manual of prices [expendable - exchange rates change...]
Autohyptnosis: Shiny disk on a chain, scented candles [expendable], "worry rock" - smooth, soothing stone to hold
Balance: A light 6 ft. pole
Bluff: Sunglasses
Climb: Pitons, rope, harness, carabiners, small pick
Concentration: Earplugs, scented candles [expendable], small gong, "worry rock" - smooth, soothing stone to hold
Craft: Saws, chisels (adamantine tipped), hammers, files, sandpaper, etc.
Decipher Script: A magnifying glass, a book of ancient writings
Diplomacy: Appropriate clothes (including heraldry, if applicable), scented soap [expendable], breath freshener [expendable]
Disable Device: Masterwork thief's tools
Disguise: An assortment of clothing, makeup [expendable], false nose with a moustache
Escape Artist: Grease [expendable], a crowbar, a small sharp knife, saw
Forgery: Inks [expendable], paper [expendable], wax [expendable], soapstone and knife (for carving seals)
Gather Information: As diplomacy. Also, a few GP worth of silver [expendable]
Handle Animal: Padded arm guards/gloves, animal treats [expendable], leash, whip
Heal: Bandages [expendable], simple medicines [expendable], antiseptics [expendable], sling/splint material [expendable]
Hide: Camouflaged cloaks (for different terrain), makeup [expendable], tar (for shiny weapons) [expendable]
Intimidate: War paint [expendable], a nasty looking weapon (crafted to look painful, not for combat)
Jump: A light 10 ft pole, padded soles for shoes (jumping down)
Knowledge: Books on the appropriate subject
Listen: Listening horn, listening pills (increase aural sensitivity) ? [expendable]
Move Silently: Soft soled shoes, tiedowns for metallic items
Open Lock: Thief's tools
Perform [instrument]: Masterwork instrument, tuning fork
Perform [vocal]: Throat spray [expendable], tuning fork
Perform [visual]: Appropriate clothes (e.g. tap shoes, top hat, cane)
Profession: Too many variations to list
Ride: Saddle, reins, brushes, hoof cleaner, whip
Search: Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass, candles [expendable], tindertwigs [expendable]
Sense Motive: ?
Sleight of Hand: Sock puppet (for performance), razor blade (for pickpocketing), specially designed sleeves
Speak Language: Phrasebook ?
Spell/Psicraft: Reference manual, arcane indicators (magically active substances) [expendable], arcane barometer (nonmagical, but moves with magical influx)
Spot: Telescope, seeing pills (increase visual sensitivity) ? [expendable]
Survival: Fishhooks, line, snares, survival book, warm, waterproof cloak
Swim: Flippers, snorkel, flotation bladder
Tumble: Tight, well made clothing with knee/elbow/shoulder pads
Use Magic/Psionic Device: As spellcraft
Use Rope: Really nice rope, book of knots
Single tools:
Appraise: Magnifying glass
Autohyptnosis: Shiny disk on a chain
Balance: A light 6 ft. pole
Bluff: Sunglasses
Climb: Climbing harness
Concentration: ?
Craft: Depends on craft - not likely a single tool, though.
Decipher Script: A book of ancient writings
Diplomacy: Appropriate clothes (including heraldry, if applicable)
Disable Device: Masterwork thief's tools (no single tool)
Disguise: False nose with a mustache (again, no single tool)
Escape Artist: ?
Forgery: ?
Gather Information: As diplomacy.
Handle Animal: ?
Heal: ?
Hide: Camouflaged cloak
Intimidate: A nasty looking weapon (crafted to look painful, not for combat)
Jump: A light 10 ft pole
Knowledge: Book on the appropriate subject
Listen: Listening horn
Move Silently: Soft soled shoes
Open Lock: Thief's tools (no single tool)
Perform [instrument]: Masterwork instrument
Perform [vocal]: Tuning fork
Perform [visual]: Appropriate clothes (e.g. tap shoes, top hat, cane)
Profession: Too many variations to list
Ride: Saddle
Search: Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass
Sense Motive: ?
Sleight of Hand: Sock puppet (for performance) or razor blade (for pickpocketing)
Speak Language: Phrasebook ?
Spell/Psicraft: Reference manual
Spot: Telescope
Survival: ?
Swim: Flippers
Tumble: Tight, well made clothing with knee/elbow/shoulder pads
Use Magic/Psionic Device: Arcane barometer (lets you know when you're close to getting it to work)
Use Rope: Really nice rope
Combat-useful (always 'on', once applied) tools:
Appraise: n/a
Autohyptnosis: Worry rock ring - non-magical, always on finger
Balance: ?
Bluff: Sunglasses
Climb: Climbing gloves ?
Concentration: Worry rock ring - non-magical, always on finger
Craft: n/a
Decipher Script: n/a
Diplomacy: Nice clothes
Disable Device: ?
Disguise: Makeup [expendable]
Escape Artist: Grease [expendable]
Forgery: n/a
Gather Information: As diplomacy.
Handle Animal: ?
Heal: ?
Hide: Camouflage makeup [expendable]
Intimidate: Warpaint [expendable]
Jump: ?
Knowledge: ?
Listen: Listening pills ?
Move Silently: Soft soled shoes
Open Lock: ?
Perform [instrument]: Masterwork instrument (you need the instrument already...)
Perform [vocal]: Throat spray [expendable]
Perform [visual]: Appropriate clothes (e.g. tap shoes, top hat, cane)
Profession: Too many variations to list
Ride: Saddle
Search: ?
Sense Motive: ?
Sleight of Hand: ?
Speak Language: ?
Spell/Psicraft: ?
Spot: Seeing pills (increase visual acuity) [expendable] ?
Survival: ?
Swim: Snorkel (though you'd look pretty funny)
Tumble: Tight, well made clothing with knee/elbow/shoulder pads
Use Magic/Psionic Device: ?
Use Rope: Really nice rope (you need the rope already...)