What are some uses for Super-Skills?

[graymachine]

I remember (from somewhere) that high level skills (70+) can be used for some truly outlandish things, like a Tumble 70+ check to run up rain. What are some other things that various high level skills could be used for? I was curious what everyone could come up with for high level skill uses.

[Gralamin]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm

[Nebo_]

There was recently a thread on the WotC CharOp boards where someone wanted to optimise escape artist to the point where he could climb into another character's sphincter. Turns out the DC for that is 80. o_O

[Xefas]

There was recently a thread on the WotC CharOp boards where someone wanted to optimise escape artist to the point where he could climb into another character's sphincter. Turns out the DC for that is 80. o_O

I would think that'd take a Diplomacy check, too, at some point.

[JMobius]

I've never played an epic campaign, but aren't a lot of these DCs ridiculous even for epic level characters? Where would they get the modifiers to pull this off?

[Chronicled]

Actually, I've gotten the epic use of Bluff as a level 6 Beguiler with only a partial focus toward bluff (I was focusing more on spells). Glibness is an amazing, amazing spell.

Against any NPC without a very good Sense Motive who rolled under 10, the epic bluff came into play. If I'd focused on Bluff (taken Skill Focus: Bluff and the like), it would have gotten ridiculously easy to plant those Suggestions.

[Ganurath]

I would think that'd take a Diplomacy check, too, at some point.

Nah, Tumble or a grapple check work just as well.

Also, wasn't there something previously posted somewhere about using Craft to create a Star Destroyer? Get an Effigy Master to pull that off... Then again, the DM may not allow it. Now Castle Heterodyne...

I believe the argument was asking the DM:

"Would you say that the difference in difficulty between making a wooden spoon and a (detail mechanical trap with arbitrarily large Craft DC) is the same as the difference between the difficulty of making (the same trap) and (sentient clockwork castle ladden with simpler traps?)

[BRC]

18 ranks in Perform String Instrument+ Lyre of building.

[graymachine]

I've never played an epic campaign, but aren't a lot of these DCs ridiculous even for epic level characters? Where would they get the modifiers to pull this off?

The cost to make a +50 skill item is 250,000 gp (50 squared times 100), so the marked price would be 500,000. While not an inconsiderable amount, it is certainly affordable in high epic levels. Furthermore, if you have an epic wizard in the party that makes magic items (something I think is a must have in an epic game) then they typically won't charge you full market price. If I recall correctly the XP cost is 1/25 of the market value, so 10,000 XP, which isn't a terrible sum for an epic wizard.

So, assuming that the character has max ranks in the skill in question and is level 25, for example, then that character would have 25 ranks in the skill, plus 50 from the item, making the lowest possible score on that skill check a 76. There are also plenty of other ways to get that skill check higher. There is a game breaking build out there for a Diplomacy-focused character that can never be defeated at 20th level. I think that the character's Diplomacy check is 106 or so.

[Ganurath]

The cost to make a +50 skill item is 250,000 gp (50 squared times 100), so the marked price would be 500,000. While not an inconsiderable amount, it is certainly affordable in high epic levels. Furthermore, if you have an epic wizard in the party that makes magic items (something I think is a must have in an epic game) then they typically won't charge you full market price. If I recall correctly the XP cost is 1/25 of the market value, so 10,000 XP, which isn't a terrible sum for an epic wizard.

So, assuming that the character has max ranks in the skill in question and is level 25, for example, then that character would have 25 ranks in the skill, plus 50 from the item, making the lowest possible score on that skill check a 76. There are also plenty of other ways to get that skill check higher. There is a game breaking build out there for a Diplomacy-focused character that can never be defeated at 20th level. I think that the character's Diplomacy check is 106 or so.

Ah, but the price is based on bonus squared. So, break it into multiple items that have bonuses that accumulate to 50, and you're golden. You can break it into as many as seven different items, although your DM may frown upon trying to stake sacred and profane bonuses. List:

Spoiler

Show

Circumstance
Competence
Insight
Luck
Morale
Profane
Sacred

Four +5 items and three +10 items accumulate to the same bonus, for the meer cost of 40,000 gp.

[Gralamin]

Ah, but the price is based on bonus squared. So, break it into multiple items that have bonuses that accumulate to 50, and you're golden. You can break it into as many as seven different items, although your DM may frown upon trying to stake sacred and profane bonuses. List:

Spoiler

Show

Circumstance
Competence
Insight
Luck
Morale
Profane
Sacred

Four +5 items and three +10 items accumulate to the same bonus, for the meer cost of 40,000 gp.

The price given is for a Competence bonus.

Skill bonus (competence) Bonus squared × 100 gp

[Dumbledore lives]

So theretically you could walk on water, or on a twig? That's absolutely ridiculous! Plus, you could create an army with diplomacy, that's a game I want to play.

[graymachine]

So theretically you could walk on water, or on a twig? That's absolutely ridiculous! Plus, you could create an army with diplomacy, that's a game I want to play.

I've played in and heard of high level epic games like that before, where you go beyond the pale. It's rather fun, not just because on all the neat things you can do, but because you deal with the politics of nations and the problems of whole worlds.

[Ganurath]

The price given is for a Competence bonus.

It doesn't specify different prices for different bonuses, does it? Note: The question is only in regard to skill check increase.

[BRC]

I've played in and heard of high level epic games like that before, where you go beyond the pale. It's rather fun, not just because on all the neat things you can do, but because you deal with the politics of nations and the problems of whole worlds.

My next character (Epic Campaign) will have a cha bonus of +7 when we start, if I put 18 ranks into diplomacy I'll be guarenteed to get anybody whose hostile to indifferent.

[Kaelik]

My next character (Epic Campaign) will have a cha bonus of +7 when we start, if I put 18 ranks into diplomacy I'll be guarenteed to get anybody whose hostile to indifferent.

You can also build level 3 bards with the same success rate. Thus diplomancers.

[graymachine]

My next character (Epic Campaign) will have a cha bonus of +7 when we start, if I put 18 ranks into diplomacy I'll be guarenteed to get anybody whose hostile to indifferent.

What level are you going to start at?

Also, I would recommend talking to your DM about refining the Diplomacy rules if you are going to be an Epic Diplomat. This is because you can easily get to the point where you can change targets from completely hostile to fanatically friendly as a standard action (maybe even a free one.) When you do this without warning and the DM blinks and says, "No, you don't" even though the rules back you up, your entire build while be ruined.

[Chronicled]

Interestingly enough, there's a way to make a diplomancer build without boosting diplomacy. You max out your bluff score with a bard/beguiler, then cast Glibness (+30 to bluff) and use the appropriate skill trick from Complete Scoundrel (the one that lets you reroll a failed diplomacy check as a bluff check with a -10 penalty).

I haven't run the numbers yet, but it would let you be good at Diplomacy AND Bluffing.

[UglyPanda]

It doesn't specify different prices for different bonuses, does it? Note: The question is only in regard to skill check increase.

It doesn't specify ANY prices for bonuses other than the ones listed. You're simply not allowed to make items that use different bonuses. There is nothing in the price guidelines stating that you can.

Also, a bonus of more than +30 to a skill counts as an epic item, so that's another x10.
+30 x of skill y = 90,000 gp
+31 x of skill y = 961,000 gp

[Worira]

I believe the records are +205 without leadership, +140 without items, and +94 at level six.

[Ganurath]

It doesn't specify ANY prices for bonuses other than the ones listed. You're simply not allowed to make items that use different bonuses. There is nothing in the price guidelines stating that you can.

Also, a bonus of more than +30 to a skill counts as an epic item, so that's another x10.
+30 x of skill y = 90,000 gp
+31 x of skill y = 961,000 gp

Luckstone doesn't like you very much.

[Danzaver]

Nah, Tumble or a grapple check work just as well.

Also, wasn't there something previously posted somewhere about using Craft to create a Star Destroyer? Get an Effigy Master to pull that off... Then again, the DM may not allow it. Now Castle Heterodyne...

Reminds me of a Star Wars d6 system game where a jedi character was shot out of an airlock of a star-destroyer, used some body control power with an epic roll to survive in space, then used absorb/dissipate energy to not burn up on re-entry (another epic roll), telekinesis to slow his descent till he lightly landed on the ground (epic roll..), and then turned around and deflected a death-star laser with his lightsabre (most epic roll yet).

*facepalm*

How 'bout no.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Wow, who did that, the gestalt of every Jedi who as ever lived?

[Danzaver]

Wow, who did that, the gestalt of every Jedi who as ever lived?

No, just a powergamer with a pushover DM and a bit of luck.