D&D 5E What should the skill list look like?

Mattachine · Sep 30, 2012

I actually prefer the free-form skill idea from the 1st playtest packet.

No matter what happens, I am treating skills that way for the 2nd and 3rd playtests. I love the idea of skills being tied to training and experience, but not necessarily an ability score.

For instance, a character might have a +3 bonus for removing traps. That might be Dex in some Cases, but Int in others.

Some other game systems do skills this way, too.

Minigiant · Sep 30, 2012

Perhaps it could work this way

Acrobatics
- Balance
- Escape Artist
- Tumble
- Sleight of Hand
Athletics
- Climb
- Escape Artist
- Jump
- Swim
Conversation
- Bluff
- Diplomacy
- Intimidate
- Insight
- Streetwise
- Society
Endurance
- Dungeoneering
- Nature
- Planar
- Resistance
- Underdark
Lore
- Geography
- Heraldic
- Professional
- Magic
- Nature
- Planar
- ...
Perception
- Find/Remove Traps
- Listen
- Spot
- Track
- Survival
Stealth
- Find/Remove Traps
- Hide
- Move Silently
- Track
- Survival
Underworld
- Find/Remove Traps
- Open Locks
- Sleight of Hand
- Streetwise

You could either use the first tier skill, the second tier, or both with a +2 bonus to the narrow skills.

JamesonCourage · Sep 30, 2012

Minigiant said:
You could either use the first tier skill, the second tier, or both with a +2 bonus to the narrow skills.

I'm not sure what you mean here. But, if you're proposing -on basically any level- about 8 skills (with optional specializations for a higher bonus to a more focused area), then it won't work for me. The idea of "Conversation" being a skill would just never, ever work for me. But yeah, it's preference. As always, play what you like

Jeff Carlsen · Sep 30, 2012

JamesonCourage said:
I'm not sure what you mean here. But, if you're proposing -on basically any level- about 8 skills (with optional specializations for a higher bonus to a more focused area), then it won't work for me. The idea of "Conversation" being a skill would just never, ever work for me. But yeah, it's preference. As always, play what you like

I get why conversation as a skill won't work, but that's more of a naming issue, but what doesn't work about a branching skill system?

Minigiant · Sep 30, 2012

JamesonCourage said:
I'm not sure what you mean here. But, if you're proposing -on basically any level- about 8 skills (with optional specializations for a higher bonus to a more focused area), then it won't work for me. The idea of "Conversation" being a skill would just never, ever work for me. But yeah, it's preference. As always, play what you like

What about a "Speaking" or "Social" skill?

JamesonCourage · Sep 30, 2012

Jeff Carlsen said:
I get why conversation as a skill won't work, but that's more of a naming issue, but what doesn't work about a branching skill system?

My problem is that trying to cram every social skill into one skill that people can learn is way too broad for my personal taste. I have the same feeling about combat, though. I guess I prefer more nuance.

Minigiant said:
What about a "Speaking" or "Social" skill?

It's the same thing, and just as bad (for my style and preference). Athletics and Acrobatics and Endurance are all separate, but "Social" is one skill? That's just not striking any chord with me.

bbjore · Sep 30, 2012

While I think the idea of a branching skill system is intriguing, I think skills are a perfect place for modules. You could have the no skill modules where PCs use double their attribute bonus (range from 0 to 10). A 4E broad style skill module where PCs have four or five broad skills such as commerce or athletics which provide a +3 to +7 bonus to whichever attribute they are using for that particular check (range of 0 to 12), or you could get really gritty where PCs have multiple specific skills, say 6-12, possibly even gaining them four at a time at specific levels from various backgrounds or occupations. Your PC could start out as a soldier, progress to a coachman, then noble, and end as a ruling lord, gaining skills along the way. Each of these skills would be fairly narrow (jump vs. acrobatics or persuade or seduce vs. diplomacy) and again provide a floating +3 to +7 bonus to whichever attribute is being used (again a range of 0 to 12).

It's very easy to plug in any of the above, they would all use similar DCs, and each would allow specific groups to get as in depth as they'd like about what their PC is or is not good at.

Regardless of the skill module chosen, I think the game should have both feats, and talent trees for each class that gives them a unique way to deal with the second and third pillars of exploration and interaction. For instance, a fighter might be able to chose some talents that make them good at intimidating people or breaking doors while the rogue should be able to chose some talents for fast talking or trap finding. That way, while everyone can use skills to interact in those other pillars, each class would have some unique tricks they could pull off in those pillars as well.

Minigiant · Sep 30, 2012

JamesonCourage said:
My problem is that trying to cram every social skill into one skill that people can learn is way too broad for my personal taste. I have the same feeling about combat, though. I guess I prefer more nuance.

It's the same thing, and just as bad (for my style and preference). Athletics and Acrobatics and Endurance are all separate, but "Social" is one skill? That's just not striking any chord with me.

How about

Deception
- Bluff
- Disguise
- Intimidate
- Use Magic Device
Diplomacy
- Appraise
- Intimidate
- Negotiation
- Persuade

JamesonCourage · Sep 30, 2012

Minigiant said:
How about

Deception

Bluff

Disguise

Intimidate

Use Magic Device

Diplomacy

Appraise

Intimidate

Negotiation

Persuade

I'll leave it for other people to judge. Basically, if you end up with a skill list that is 8-12 skills long, I'll end up very disappointed with it. Being able to specialize is nice, since it's more nuanced, I'll give it that. But I'm not looking for that level of broad skills.

However, a ton of people want a small skill list. So, on that note, I'll step out and let them judge your stuff for now. Who knows, maybe it'll be a huge hit. As always, play what you like

Greg K · Sep 30, 2012

Minigiant said:
How about

Deception

Bluff

Disguise

Intimidate

Use Magic Device

Diplomacy

Appraise

Intimidate

Negotiation

Persuade

Having Intmidate and UMD under Deception and both Appraise and Intimidate under Diplomacy does not work for me and would be unacceptable for my gaming tastes. However, as a module that I would not have to use, it would be fine for those that want it.