Trade/Craft/Profession skills...detailed enough?

Kealios · Aug 30, 2005

I'm searching for books that cover Trade/Craft/Profession skills in more detail. ive recently located the Gemerator by Tangent Games (btw, anyone who has used this awesome product, if you have a spreadsheet or program that quickly makes gems for this system, shoot me an email at kealios@sbcglobal.net teling me about it...I want one!), and I am on the prowl for more.

I dont particularly care what Craft skills the books cover, because I feel 3.5 has done a poor job representing these most-essential roleplaying skills. I am trying to cover these holes with more information for the players who want to be detailed craftsmen as they adventure across the countryside.

Your opinions and experiences would be helpful.

Thanks,
Kealios

Crothian · Aug 30, 2005

I've found the craft and proffesion skills to be useful for those who want to make them useful. Our party already made use of proffesion miner. I'm not sure what more you want from the skills? Craft allows one to make things, profession allows one to do a job. I like that they are a bit undefined as that allows me to give them flexibility.

Warehouse23 · Aug 30, 2005

Craft/Profession skills are often a lot like social skills in that roleplaying them is often more enjoyable than rolling them. The case in point would be Profession (lawyer), where a tense courtroom scene could take place and be totally roleplayed out, only to go south when the opposing barrister NPC rolls better than the PC with his profession (lawyer) check.

What kind of content are you looking for to expand the skills?

Crothian · Aug 30, 2005

Warehouse23 said:
Craft/Profession skills are often a lot like social skills in that roleplaying them is often more enjoyable than rolling them. The case in point would be Profession (lawyer)

Actually, that's the exception. Role playing out Craft weaponsmith or role playing out profession miner are really not that fun for most groups. I'd have to say that most if not all craft skills, and more then half professions are better to roll then to role play.

Warehouse23 · Aug 30, 2005

I would disagree. It all depends how the player wants to use craft skills beyond the normal, mechanical item-creation rules in the game. There are huge roleplaying opportunities for something as simple as a "craft (jewelry-making)" check. Say the PC wants to impress a noble NPC with a gift. What does a check of 5 mean? Of 35? What are the effects of exotic components (e.g., the dragon's tooth comb, though largely ineffective at hair coiffing, is, shall we say, a status symbol)? I could see how expaneded craft skill rules could make for excellent roleplaying opportunities and plot hooks.

Crothian · Aug 30, 2005

Warehouse23 said:
I would disagree. It all depends how the player wants to use craft skills beyond the normal, mechanical item-creation rules in the game. There are huge roleplaying opportunities for something as simple as a "craft (jewelry-making)" check. Say the PC wants to impress a noble NPC with a gift. What does a check of 5 mean? Of 35? What are the effects of exotic components (e.g., the dragon's tooth comb, though largely ineffective at hair coiffing, is, shall we say, a status symbol)? I could see how expaneded craft skill rules could make for excellent roleplaying opportunities and plot hooks.

You aren't role playing the creation though. You are roile playing the giving of a gift and descripting the materials used, which is great. The skill gives basic DCs so a 5 would be a failure and a 35 would be a success. d20 does not have critical successes for skills, though it would allow you to create the item faster. Extoc materials make the cost hjigher, effect the DC of the skill check, and the time it takes to create. That's all there in the skill.

Kealios · Aug 31, 2005

I suppose I just really like detailed lists of DC's, and expanded abilities for a player to put into their skills. Costs and such, which are pretty vague for a lot of things, would be nice, as well as other...flavor, I guess.

Hard to know exactly what I am asking for, really...lol. Just...something to be slightly better, different, stronger, faster.

Thanks for hanging with the vague request

Kealios

LeapingShark · Aug 31, 2005

There's a 3.0 d20 product I have lying around somewhere that does just what you're asking for. It's called "Experts". Lots of extra details about profession / craft ranks and skill check results. It's a great book.

Kealios · Sep 1, 2005

Any chance you can give me the publisher of that book, and maybe it's full title? A quick search of some vendor websites didnt turn anything up, but it sounds like what I am looking for.

Thanks!

tjoneslo · Sep 1, 2005

Some details
http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/d20/experts.htm

The home page of the publisher
http://www.skirmisher.com/

Trade/Craft/Profession skills...detailed enough?

Kealios

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Crothian

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Warehouse23

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Crothian

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Warehouse23

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Crothian

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Kealios

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LeapingShark

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Kealios

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tjoneslo

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