Skills 301: A Collection of Guides to Bettering Your Skills (by ignis_fatuss, songnsilence, skandranon-sg and others)

Rather than post a bunch of one-page guides, I decided to put them together in hopes of using them to help build a larger general guide to skills and their usage. Please pardon the mess.

Comprehensive Skill Substitution List

Originally posted by skandranon-sg:

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So, of course I'm sure that I've missed tons. This was created with the goal in mind to be able to condense almost all skills checks onto one or two skills. I'm also sure there is a much easier way to display a table like this. Feel free to post away with more feats, items, and mistakes. I've sorted the table according to the skill being replaced.[/SIZE]

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Originally posted by Scatterbrained:

Nimble Shoes, PsP 158, lv 12, replace athletics with acrobatics

Originally posted by Jay_Ibero_911:

Nice work, though I would recommend breaking the list down into categories (Items, paragon paths, powers, feats etc).

Originally posted by vonlazuli:

So... basically Arcana is the greatest skill there is.

Fun question, how many of these things can you chain together on a character?

i.e Use Improvisational Arcana to replace Religion from a ritual with Bluff, then use Initiate of Three Masks to replace Bluff with Stealth, then use Deep Shadows to replace Stealth with Dungeoneering, then use All-Encompassing Nature to make a Nature check to perform a religion ritual.

Laz

Originally posted by tobascodagama:

Bonus points if you find a way to do a full circle substitution so that, at the end of the chain, you're using the same skill you started with.

Originally posted by skandranon-sg:

Nimble Shoes, PsP 158, lv 12, replace athletics with acrobatics

Click to expand...

Added.

Nice work, though I would recommend breaking the list down into categories (Items, paragon paths, powers, feats etc).

Click to expand...

Done.

So... basically Arcana is the greatest skill there is.

Fun question, how many of these things can you chain together on a character?

i.e Use Improvisational Arcana to replace Religion from a ritual with Bluff, then use Initiate of Three Masks to replace Bluff with Stealth, then use Deep Shadows to replace Stealth with Dungeoneering, then use All-Encompassing Nature to make a Nature check to perform a religion ritual.

Laz

Click to expand...

That's actually the goal of a bard build I'm going to post soon. Nature is actually the best one out there, because with the Druid utility, it can replace arcana (and everything arcana replaces) as well as Dungeoneering and Religion. This is what I have so far:

All-Encompassing Nature
Sorcerous Vision
Arcane Mutterings
Arcane Trickster
Autohypnosis

This gives us Arcana, Religion, Dungeoneering, Perception, Insight, Endurance, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Athletics all under Nature. Note that this is an encounter power, so some way to recover spent utility powers of level 6 or lower is a big necessity to the build.

For those not keeping track, this means I still have Acrobatics, Heal, History, Stealth, Streetwise and Thievery to get onto Nature.

Originally posted by monkeygentleman:

I saw this a few weeks ago - plugged it into the CB and it worked like a charm. Filling in the rest of the slots with good Rogue stuff makes the in-combat application not useless, either!

You have untrained skills and you call yourself a skills monkey?

Eladrin Thief/Sorcerer/Jack of All Trades

Str 11, Con 11, Dex 24, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 18
Prison Conversion Background
Level 16

Trained Skills: Acrobatics+25, Arcana+22, Bluff+22, Diplomacy+22, Dungeoneering+17, Endurance+18, Heal+17, Intimidate+22, Nature+17, Stealth+25, Streetwise+25, Thievery+25
Tagged to Trained Skills: Athletics+25, History+25, Insight+22, Perception+22, Religion+25
Untrained Skills: Nada.

Feat 8: Disciple of Lore
Feat 10: Arcane Prodigy
Feat 11: Sorcerous Vision
Utility 2: Secrets of the City
Item 2: Ioun's Revelation
Item 12: Nimble Shoes

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Originally posted by mellored:

There's an streewise->arcana ritual (?).
As well as thivery->arcana (knock).

Originally posted by awaken_D_M_golem:

Goal #1 --- PC winning their own participation in all skill challenges
Goal #2 --- PC insta-buffing Party to win all skill challenges
Goal #3 --- PC winning all skill challenges on their own, by-passing Party participation

There's a few thingies in the MP2 Martial Practices.
iirc I made a thread about one of them, basically 3e UMD for 4e.
No access, so details are idk.


Originally posted by alandmj:

As far as I can push:
Tiefling Int/Cha Cunning Bard/Sorceror　ｆｏｒ　Ｉｎｓｉｇｈｔ　ａｎｄ　Ｐｅｒｃｅｐｔｉｏｎ　/Rogue　ｆｏｒ　Ａｔｈｌｅｔｉｃｓ　ａｎｄ　Ａｃｒｏｔａｔｉｃｓ/Psion for Endurance/Ritual Casting for an extra +5 to Endurance (Song of Sustenance) and Streetwise and Thievery
and then go Sage of Ages for free rerolls and +2 to attacks and defenses and +5 sv all day, using utilities (and Secret of Belial) to make up for the rest of the skills.

Besides unlike the rest of the skills you only need one Runic Armor to boost the Arcana (and Sage of Ages provides another hefty +6). The rest of the item slots are completely free to fill out.

So basically it covers these skills
All STR skills (Cha to Athletics)
All Int skills (with bardic knowledge and Sage of Ages)
All Cha skills (Main stats Cha and Bard of All Trades)
All Wis Skills except Heal (At least you get the most important Perception and a very useful Insight, Nature and Dungeoneering is covered by Bardic Knowledge and Sage of Ages (+8, which is generally like Wis 26)).
All Con Skills (Endurance)
A few Dex skills (Acrobatics and thievery in certain condition).
Maybe the only skills that are not fully covered by this build is Stealth and Thievery and Heal.

And this build does not cost too much and is totally functional unlike some builds that does not work effectively once they spend resources to boost their skills. High Int also covers the AC problem. At least you can Staggering Note with Thunderous Anguish Wand and slides (and grants MBA to those with that feat). Also the PP is unoccupied so one can either go life singer fo happy reroll or Jack of All Trades for another +2 boost.

Int/Arcana class just rules, no matter in combat or in the realm of skills.
The rest just sucks at skills, Scholar with Traveler's Insight and Ghost Panther excluded.


Originally posted by JRedGiant1:

Legend Lore (2nd level Skill Power) seems like a glaring omission to me. It allows you to make a History check for any knowledge check, and almost any Nature, Religion, Arcana or Dungeoneering check outside of a ritual is a knowledge check.

Originally posted by curiousdragon:

Zuoken's Centering isn't a skill replacement, but it does allow a Githzerai Monk to use Wisdom instead of Strength for Atheltics.

Originally posted by skandranon-sg:

Legend Lore (2nd level Skill Power) seems like a glaring omission to me. It allows you to make a History check for any knowledge check, and almost any Nature, Religion, Arcana or Dungeoneering check outside of a ritual is a knowledge check.

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Added.

Originally posted by tedium:

2 from the rituals article a while back (Dragon 405):

Exploration Mastery: Arcana/religion/nature for Endurance
Binding Mastery: Arcana/religion +2 for diplomacy/intimidate when dealing with non-natural creatures

Both require a specific ritual (Endure Elements/Magic Circle) and one other of the correct type (Exploration/Binding), and give a 1/day free cast of a ritual of that type.

Exploration is a godsend in some skill challenges (endurance is quite a common "make this check or lose a surge" for LFR at least), and Binding is a better version of Arcane Mutterings when it works.

Figured I might as well add something useful as well as shamelessly bumping this thread because I want to be able to find it easier!

Originally posted by Be3Al2:

Just thought I might mention the lvl 2 History utility power Perfect recall:

Perfect Recall
Your mind is a steel trap; nothing escapes it.

At-Will
Free Action Personal

Trigger: You would make an Intelligence check

Effect: You make a History check in place of the Intelligence check.

Published in Player's Handbook 3, page(s) 170.



Originally posted by Snafuy:

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Skill-Power: A mini-guide to optimizing skill challenges

Originally posted by ignis_fatuus:

Do you hate feeling useless whenever your DM introduces a skill challenge? This mini-guide is intended for those players that like to optimize not only for combat encounters but (a bit) for skill challenges as well. In it I will try to focus mainly on game elements that are easy to plug into an existing character, but I'll also mention some of the more powerful race and class related stuff.

Before I'll begin I just want to point out a few things this mini-guide isn't:

• It isn't a handbook, so I will not be rating things, only listing them
• It isn't intended to discuss the viability of skill challenges, anybody needing advice on improving them can go here where the good folks of Critical Hits collected a wealth of discussions, examples and alternative systems!

General Advice
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• If you want to become better at skill challenges without sacrificing your focus on combat I'd suggest to look primarily at slotless items or items that you wear merely when in town or at the skill powers, especially those that let you use one skill instead of another.
• If a skill challenge comes along in which you have little to no chance of succes, remember that you can always aid another and steal a bit of your ally's glory! Remember, though, that with the latest updates this might also hurt rather than help your ally, so make sure you have a reasonable chance.
• Try to spread your skill training so that you have something to contribute in social, physical and investigative skill challenges.
• Although there are exceptions, for example where beating the DC by more than 10 can grant certain benefits, mostly you won't be needing a completely optimized skill to get a success. In those cases it might be better to get that racial/background/item/familiar bonus to a mediocre skill so that you become more versatile.
• There are more backgrounds than Windrise Ports and Born under a Bad Sign, they can also mean the difference between a succes and a failure due to getting a +2 to your best skill or add to your versatility
• Take note of what you partymembers have. If nobody is trained in social skills and you have a decent charisma, you might want to invest a bot in them. Or when your allies are horrible at sneaking, you might want to take something that will help them with it.

[/sblock]Races
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• Deva: The racial power is great for turning a failure into a succes and has a lot of feat support as well
• Eladrin: Free skill of your choice, don't forget to look at the skill power section before you choose
• Kenku: Granting a +3 makes aiding another a bit more useful
• Human: Free skill!
• Shardmind: Get a bonus to three skills instead of two

[/sblock]Classes
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• Bard: You're trained in 5 skills, a bit better at untrained skills and you have access to the Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Dilettante and Bard of All Trades feats
• Druid: the utility encounter power All-Encompassing Nature let's nature stand in for Arcana, Dungeoneering and Religion
• Runepriest: Has some very helpful utility powers like Mark of Skilled Effort and Compact of Peace
• Shaman: Nice class power to be able to succeed on a difficult check, can be shared with others as well.

[/sblock]Paragon Paths and Epic Destinies
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• Devoted Orator: Makes your diplomatic speeches intelligent instead of charismatic (Invoker only)
• Gray Guard: Free perception and streetwise training in a PP that is already rather nice (Paladin only)
• Half-Elf Polymath: Get training in two additional skills and a daily utility that gives you one more on-the-fly! (Half-Elf only)
• Jack-of-All-Trades: A bonus to all skills, an action point based bonus to skill checks, three additional skills and a utility power to reroll a failure: good times! (Rogue only)
• Life Singer: Make your allies more useful by granting them a nice bonus to all skills (Bard only)

[/sblock]Feats
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• Multiclass feats: probably the easiest way of getting a new skill and add to your versatility
• Arcane Familiar: for a nice untyped bonus to skills! (Arcane characters only)
• Agile Athlete: Because rolling acrobatics and atheltics twice is nice!
• Awaken God Fragment (Ioun): for if you get a lot of investigative skill challenges (Invoker only)
• Bardic Dilettante: two MC feats for the price of one! (Bard only)
• Bardic Knowledge: That's a lot of skills that get a +2! (Bard only)
• Bard of All Trades: makes your untrained skills almost as good as your untrained skills (Bard only)
• Duelist's Panache: Add your cha tot acrobatics/athletics (Rogue only)
• Holy Speech: Buy a cheap gem and be twice as succesful once/challenge (Divine characters only)
• Inner Compass: If your DM often uses skill challenges for traveling this might be an interesting feat for you.
• Jack of all Trades: makes your untrained skills a bit better.
• Power of Skill: does not only turn an at-will into a basic attack, it also makes your trained skills better!
• Remembered Knack: another skill from your MC class and a untyped +2 as well (Revenant only)
• Skill Focus: especially useful if you can use your skill instead of other skills as well
• Skill Power: care less about your feats than your class' utility powers? Use this to get one of the skill powers mentioned above
• Sorcerous Vision: Use Arcana instead of Perception and Insight, add Arcane Mutterings for even more substititution fun! (Sorceror only)
• Wild Sage: If knowledge of nature often comes up in your skill challenges this grants a decent bonus.

[/sblock]Skill Powers
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• Arcane Mutterings: Make your arcane book nerd into a socially capable spokesperson for a moment!
• Fast Talk: Turn a social failure into a success!
• Insightful Comment: If you have a high wisdom this can really help your party get a good round of social checks!
• Try the Stick: So you invested in a high intimidate and your DM tells you you're not allowed to use it? Try the stick!

[/sblock]Items
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• Instead of creating a long list of all the items that grant atheir enhancement bonus to skill checks let me just point out that these are not only useful to make your best skills better but can also add to your versatility by making an untrained skill almost as good or eventually even a bit better than your trained skills
• Assassin's Cloak: roll twice on stealth!
• Bracers of Mental Might: basing a strength based skill check on your best mental stat makes your puny character able to contribute to physical skill challenges
• Cincture of the Dragon Spirit: basing your intimidate on strength instead of charisma makes your brute able to contribute to social skill challenges! You could even wear it only when in town.
• Ioun's Revelation: a bonus to all skills and a daily to make your party a bit better at one (Divine Boon)
• Lamp of Discerning: a small but slotless and untyped bonus to insight/perception for the whole party!
• Talent Shard: Carry a few around for when a difficult and important skill challenge comes up

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For the moment I just put in some of the basics, more will follow soon (I hope ).

Thanks to those that made suggestions, if anybody else has suggestions for things that should be added, please post them as I'll be needing all of the community input I can get!

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Originally posted by Jay_Ibero_911:

Well there is the Jack-of-all-Trades rogue paragon path for +2 untyped to all skills. Arcane Familiars grant untyped bonuses to various skills as well as other beneficial effects. Holy Speach feat gives an extra success in skill challenges using bluff/diplo/intimidate. Ioun's Revelation boon for item bonus to all skills.

Originally posted by mortalsalazar:

First thing that comes off the top of my head is the Gray Guard PP for Paladins, free skill training in Perception and Streetwise. Very flavorful PP. Requires training in Insight and Intimidate.

Originally posted by langeweile:

Yey, short and sweet !

Maybe add (sooner or later) a list of class related stuff. Eg:
-- Mark of Skilled Effort (Runepriest L2: +2 to a trained / +5 to untrained skill check, ENC)
-- Compact of Peace (Runepriest L6: +5 to Diplomacy for one round, ENC)
-- an Assassin L2 Daily Stance to share the Stealth skill with your party
-- Duelsist's Panache to add Cha to Athletics & Acrobatics as Rogue
There's some great stuff out there.

Some general stuff:
-- Agile Athlet: Paragon feat to reroll all Athletics & Acrobatics.
-- Eg Dwarven Armor (L2+, any heavy - not only a free & free action surge, but also +Enh to Endurance) and Assassin's Cloak (L14+ Neck, roll twice on Stealth) might deserve some special mention as they give much more than just some +Skill-X.

Maybe also add a short advise on how ways to easily gain good Skill Challenge performance without significantly weakening your combat performance.


Originally posted by guest1185447559:

Shaman: Nice racial power to be able to succeed on a difficult check, can be shared with others as well.

Think this was meant to be Class not racial.

All looking very nice IF.

Originally posted by sigfile:

Invokers - Holy Speech = a two-for-one free success, every social skill challenge.
Devoted Orator PP - Use INT for diplomacy!


Originally posted by Hasdru:

I second the Jack-of-All-Trades PP, also for the level 16 PP (gain training in 3 skills) and utility power (re-roll a skill check you messed up 1/encounter).

Originally posted by ignis_fatuus:

Thank you for all the input!

I added most of the suggestions mentioned so far, as well as a little bit of advice on the easiest ways of becoming more useful in skill challenges. I didn't add class powers yet, because I'm not entirely sure yet whether I'll give them their own section or whether I want to make a section called class-related where I can group powers/feats/PP's by class. I now simply put a (... only) behind the class/race specific stuff.

I'll hope to have some time soon where I can go through the compendium systematically to hunt for goodies, in the meantime: please keep suggesting!

By the way: if anybody knows the name of the feat (I think from Dragon magazine) that did something with intimidate in skill challenges, that would make me really happy!

Originally posted by furious_kender:

You should point out the with the new errata aid another can penalize a check, so a player needs to figure out if they're more likely to help or hurt the check.


Originally posted by ignis_fatuus:

You should point out the with the new errata aid another can penalize a check, so a player needs to figure out if they're more likely to help or hurt the check.

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Good point!


Originally posted by kilpatds:

Probably WAY more work than you thought you signed up for... but splitting out your semi-standard skill challenge types (athletic, Investigative, social, combat), with notes about how to better use each skill or traps might by handy.

Social:
* Intimidate: Frequently a trap. If you expect this to be your contribution to a skill challenge, you'll want to have some way (like Use the Stick) to turn it into a diplomacy check.
* Diplomacy: Your one shop stop. Spam it until you get bored.
* Insight: Usually an Aid skill for Bluff/Diplomacy. Only worry about if your Diplomancer actually can use help.

Athletic:
* Athletics/Acrobatics: Many SCs allow either approach to work at the same DC, so prefer whichever one has a higher stat.
* Stealth: Comes up less than you'd expect
* Endurance: Very popular as a "mitigate loss" mechanic. Frequently will be the default "everyone has to make it" check. Try and get to the 2/3 success rate against the low DC for your level...

Investigativeknowledge, insight, perception, dungeoneering)

Originally posted by FlashbackJon:

I decided to make a little build based on this guide. It's sitting at level 12 presently, just because that's the level my group is playing at currently, but Shardbard the Shardmind Bard/Rogue/Sorcerer/Jack-of-all-Trades. (I wasted a couple skill trainings in that specific arrangement, but I didn't feel like whoring myself out to Windrise Ports - I might try it both ways.)

Right now, he's +24 Arcana, which can be used as Perception or Insight at-will, or in place of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate 1/encounter. +20 with trained Bardic Knowledge INT skills, +17 or +15 for most everything else.

As far as suggestions for the guide:

• Ioun's Revelation is a flat +2 item bonus to all skills, if your DM lets you buy Divine Boons.
• Duelist's Panache (Rogue) gives you +CHA as a feat bonus to Acrobatics and Athletics.
• Inner Compass allows a reroll for Nature or Dungeoneering for navigating.
• Wild Sage gives +5 feat bonus to Nature knowledge and monster knowledge for natural creatures.
• Mnemonic Staff gives +2 item bonus to creature knowledge checks.

Originally posted by kilpatds:

One thing that's important to remember in the context of skill challenges: the DCs are relatively well known.

If you're using stealth to hide, the bigger the bonus the better. My 14th level Avenger with a +23 steath may want more. (16th level monster can reasonably have a +18 perception, making my effective DC to stealth 28. If I'm moving any, that's effectively 33, and I need an 10. I need a 15 if I need to move a lot. Could use more work)

But in a skill challenge, his "take 1" is an auto success on a hard check. He needs a 2 to succeed on a level 18 skill challenge hard check. Ok, that's (more than) enough stealth for any relevant skill challenge check.

This is usually only relevant for Bards and Diplomacy though.

Originally posted by Mengu74:

I don't think you can max out a skill to where more bonuses are pointless. Even in skill challenges, sometimes beating the DC by 10 can give you additional success or other rewards. Of course, there is always an opportunity cost for increasing a skill, that needs to be considered.

Things like group skill checks also mean that even a low skill could sometimes use a bit of attention. It's not unusual for me to ask my group for a group stealth check. Only one person is really good at it, the rest not so much. But speaking with spirits and maybe adding a d6, the deva shaman can usually bring his score to a success, and they only need one more lucky roll at that point to make the group check.

Ultimately in a party, you want some skill specialization, some overlap, some assist potential (bard is the ultimate assistant when not taking the lead), and some versatility (like shamans or devas, or miscellaneous utility powers that let you fake one skill with another, such as Fast Talk).

Originally posted by kilpatds:

I don't think you can max out a skill to where more bonuses are pointless. Even in skill challenges, sometimes beating the DC by 10 can give you additional success or other rewards

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I've never seen that in my experience, outside specific DMs. I assume that LFR is generally run pretty strict-by-the-book, and rarely see it there. And outside of LFR, I have a faint hope that skill challenges are not used very much, outside of the group check concept for stealth.


Originally posted by langeweile:

Oh, we use them quite a bit...
... but of course not as written in the rules. The Stalker system (slightly modified) with a little narrative freedom and some creativity from the DM how the results actually affect the story can go a long way. The idea of skill challenges as narrative framework was quite good - just the implementation was, well... botched.

Originally posted by ignis_fatuus:

Probably WAY more work than you thought you signed up for... but splitting out your semi-standard skill challenge types (athletic, Investigative, social, combat), with notes about how to better use each skill or traps might by handy.

Social:
* Intimidate: Frequently a trap. If you expect this to be your contribution to a skill challenge, you'll want to have some way (like Use the Stick) to turn it into a diplomacy check.
* Diplomacy: Your one shop stop. Spam it until you get bored.
* Insight: Usually an Aid skill for Bluff/Diplomacy. Only worry about if your Diplomancer actually can use help.

Athletic:
* Athletics/Acrobatics: Many SCs allow either approach to work at the same DC, so prefer whichever one has a higher stat.
* Stealth: Comes up less than you'd expect
* Endurance: Very popular as a "mitigate loss" mechanic. Frequently will be the default "everyone has to make it" check. Try and get to the 2/3 success rate against the low DC for your level...

Investigative

knowledge, insight, perception, dungeoneering)

Click to expand...

I think I'll steal this list from you and add some ideas for creative use of other skills for each of these categories for those players that have DMs that are willing to go a bit less by the book and allow for creativity. In my experience coming up with why you are going to roll athletics in an investigative skill challenge or endurance in a social one is one of the most fun aspects of skill challenges, and can give way to great joined storytelling.

I'll also try to make a comment under the general advice heading regarding the DC advice you and Mengu74 were discussing.

I decided to make a little build based on this guide. It's sitting at level 12 presently, just because that's the level my group is playing at currently, but Shardbard the Shardmind Bard/Rogue/Sorcerer/Jack-of-all-Trades. (I wasted a couple skill trainings in that specific arrangement, but I didn't feel like whoring myself out to Windrise Ports - I might try it both ways.)

Right now, he's +24 Arcana, which can be used as Perception or Insight at-will, or in place of Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate 1/encounter. +20 with trained Bardic Knowledge INT skills, +17 or +15 for most everything else.

Click to expand...

That's cool! Maybe I'll do something similar once I'm more or less satisfied with the guide. I'll also add the suggestions you made!


Originally posted by Jay_Ibero_911:

Awaken God Fragment for invokers of Ioun...roll twice and take best result on all knowledge checks...

Originally posted by Herid_Fel:

The Half-Elf Polymath gives a half-elf an extra two trained skills. There's also All-Encompassing Nature (druid utility 2), which allows you to replace an Arcana, Dungeoneering, or Religion check with a Nature check.

Originally posted by Jay_Ibero_911:

Lifesinger bard paragon path gives +2 to ALL your allies skills and ability checks...helpful I think..

Originally posted by Hasdru:

Knowledge skills (Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, Religion): get to know your opponents to better handle them, and learn lots of rituals!

Originally posted by ignis_fatuus:

Awaken God Fragment for invokers of Ioun...roll twice and take best result on all knowledge checks...

Click to expand...

The Half-Elf Polymath gives a half-elf an extra two trained skills. There's also All-Encompassing Nature (druid utility 2), which allows you to replace an Arcana, Dungeoneering, or Religion check with a Nature check.

Click to expand...

Lifesinger bard paragon path gives +2 to ALL your allies skills and ability checks...helpful I think..

Click to expand...

Added!

Knowledge skills (Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, Religion): get to know your opponents to better handle them, and learn lots of rituals!

Click to expand...

Are there any rituals in particular you find useful for skill challenges?


Originally posted by keldar:

Bards have Aria of Revelation to provide a +5 to +20 to a single knowledge check for allies. Very handy if you expect that type of skill challenge to crop up. Song of Sustenence (again for Bard) provides a +5 to Endurance for two days at a time, a huge boost for a level 8 ritual. Bards should never leave home without it!
Tune of Merriment and Glib Limerick can grant double rolls for Diplomacy and Bluff checks repsectively, though GL only helps the Bard.

Outside of Bard rituals, Discern Lies looks good, adding a religion check to an insight check for a decent cost. Traveler's Camoflauge can help with stealth challenges.

I lack Insider status, so I have no clue if any rituals have been published there that would be relevant.

Originally posted by Hasdru:

A few examplesof rituals that have applications in skill challenges:
- Peerless Exploration (Stealth): when travelling over an extended period, useful to secure an encampmentn and forage
- Tune of Merriment (Arcana): roll twice when making a Diplomacy check
- Seek Rumor (Arcana): make an Arcana roll instead of a Steetwise check
- Worrd on the Street (Steetwise): make a Steetwise Check instead of another knowledge check
- Discern Lies (Religion): uneful in any social encounter
etc.

Originally posted by langeweile:

Rituals useful in Skill Challenges ? Plenty - you just need a bit of creativity every now and then !

Highlights:
-- pretty many of the Bard only rituals
-- Comprehend Language (1)
-- Silence / Wizard's Curtain (1)
-- Traveller's Carmouflage (1)
-- Endure Elements (2)
-- Last Sight vision (2)
-- Seek Rumor (2)
-- Water Walk (2)
-- Dark Light (4)
-- Feat of Strength (4)
-- Hand of Fate (4)
-- Knock (4)
-- Object Reading (5)
-- Speak with Nature (5)
-- Vistani Passkey (5)
-- Ancestral Whispers (6)
-- Call Wilderness Guide (6)
-- Discern Lies (6)
-- Mordenkainen's Ascent (6)
-- Speak with Dead (6)
-- Wizard's Escape (6)
-- Inquisitive Eyes (8)
-- Shadow Bridge (8)
-- Tenser's Lift (8)
-- Water Breathin (8)
-- Consult Mystic Sages (10)
-- Eagle's Flight (10)
-- Water's Gift (10)

Wow, that's many... and I just went through the list for Heroics (aka cheap) and wrote down those that would have had an immediate and undisputable usage in a Skill Challenge I remember - up to completely winning them outright !

Originally posted by crayne:

While this thread is a bit older, i also found something interesting, while looking at this guide. The PP "Traveler's Harlequin" allows you to ignore the "one MC feat" rule starting at level 11 and gives you one MC feat for free. With this i created a character just for fun, who is trained in all skills (using only MC feats).

Originally posted by Zathris:

How could you forget Phantom Steed, langeweile! DC 20 for Speed 12 and ignoring difficult terrain gave free successes in some chase SCs, DC 30 for water walk, and DC 40 Flight.

SC's come in 3 types (in LFR mods anyway) ones that forget about ritual use and the DM has to wing it, ones that give a bonus (usually free success) for some ritual use, and ones that don't care if you have the ritual or not - it doesn't work.

Originally posted by feralspirit:

Alright, this is actually not the guide I was hoping for... Do we have a guide for Skill Powers somewhere?

Originally posted by awaken_D_M_golem:

There may have been one thread only early on,
but (most) Class guides are where they've ended up.
Check whatever specific class you're thinking about.[/sblock]

Arcana Skill Optimization

Originally posted by songnsilence:

Last Update: April 2011

Optimizing Arcana

The Sage of the Ages epic destiny utility power allows for some very very beautiful things, assuming you get your arcana check high enough:

Trick of Knowledge (Utility 26)
Encounter * Arcane
Minor Action * Personal
Effect: Make an arcana check and gain a benefit based on your check result until the end of the encounter.
30 or lower: no effect
31-35: +5 to saving throws
36-40: +2 bonus to all defenses
41-45: +2 to arcane attack rolls
46-50: make saves at the beginning of your turn instead of end.
51-55: pick 2 of the below benefits
56-60: pick 3
61 or higher: pick 4

... in other words, with good optimization you will get +5 to saves, +2 to all defenses, +2 to attacks, and save at the start of your turn.

Other benefits of high Arcana
Sorcerous Vision (feat, AP): Use Arcana check for Insight and Perception checks (requires Sorcerer class or MC Sorcerer)
Suggestion (free mage utility power, HotfL): Use Arcana instead of Diplomacy
Arcane Mutterings (lvl2 encounter skill power, dragon 379): Use Arcana instead of Bluff, Intimidate or Diplomacy check
Fools Gold (lvl2 ritual, AP): Create illusionary gold, worth x100 component cost. DC to find out: your arcana check. 10 gp -> 1000gp
Seek Rumor (lvl2 ritual, FRPG): Substitute Streetwise with Arcana to find out everything there is to know...
Knock (lvl2 ritual, PHB): Arcana+5 instead of Thievery to open locks
Mythic Senses feat (PH3, requires Minotaur) - use Perception checks in place of initiative checks  - combine with sorcerous vision -> arcana for initiative
Cunning Artifice (Dragon 387, requires Artificer, Changeling) - use Arcana for Bluff in changeling racial power
Autohypnosis (heroic feat, Psionic Power): Use Arcana for Endurance Checks if not bloodied
Arcane Trickster (PP): Use Arcana for Athletics Checks

 


items bonus:
iron of spite (head, phb) +6 item bonus
runic armor (armor, av2) +6 item bonus
ring of wizardry (ring, phb) +3 item bonus
mirror of secrets (Artifact, Open Grave) +2/+4/+6 item bonus (concordance dependent)
opal ring of remembrance (ring, AV): +4 item bonus
staff of psicraft(staff, phb3): +1/+2/+3 item bonus

feat bonus:
skill focus (phb) +3 feat bonus
highborn drow (Dragon 364, requires drow) +2 feat bonus
power of arcana (Divine Power, domain) +2 feat bonus
yuirwood feyfriend (Dragon 370) +1 feat bonus
bardic knowledge (phb2) +2 feat bonus
Drowning of Nhalloth (Dragon 391, requires Shadar Kai) +2 feat bonus

Power bonus:
Inspire Competence +2 power (Bard encounter or Wand of Aptitude daily power)
Good Omens (Cleric PP Divine Oracle daily util, phb): +5 power bonus
Fevered Certainty of Caiphon (warlock daily util, dragon 366): +5 power bonus
Elexir of Aptitude (consumable, AV): +1/+3/+5 to skill check, lasts 1 hour, requires healing surge
Symbol of Excellence (holy symbol, AV): +1-6 power bonus, requires daily item use
CD: Ancestral Guidance is a power bonus of +Wisdom for one check.  Requires Spirits of the Past.
CD: Divine Excellence is +2 power to you, and grants a +2 power on the same skill to you and all allies until the end of your next turn.  Requires skill domain.

Good Races:
Eldarin (phb) +2 to int, +2 to arcana
Gnome (phb2) +2 to int, +2 to arcana
Deva (phb2): +2 to int, Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes -> reroll with +1d6 bonus (+1d8 with feat)
Shardmind (phb3): +2 to int, +2 to arcana
Changeling (eberron) + feat: becomer (dragon 386): +2 int, +2 to arcana

Backgrounds
+2 (generic, phb2)
High Imaskar (FRPG): reroll arcana check, keep second result
Netheril (FRPG) +1
The Great Dale (FRPG) +1

Untyped bonuses
Paragon of Learning (ED Sage of Ages feature, AP) +6 untyped
Arcane Underpinning (PP Academy Master feature, dragon 374) +2 untyped
Dabbler (PP Jack-of-all-Trades feature, MP2) +2 untyped
Unseen Aid (Sorcerer encounter util, PHB2) +2 untyped
Mage class (for free, at level 21) +3 untyped
Disciple of Lore (heroic feat, HotFL) +1 untyped to all trained skills
Talent Shard (Consumable, minor action, PHB3)  +1 to +6 untyped
Resourceful Action (Halfling PP Halfling Scoundrel feature, PHB2) +5 untyped, requires AP
Fate of the Void (Star Pact Warlock pact boon, PHB) +1 untyped/ enemy killed
Morans Eye (P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens, wonderous item/implement, probably unique) +5 untyped for posession
Moonstone Sphere (E1 Deaths Reach, wonderous item/implement, probably unique) +2 untyped for posession
Head of Vyrellis (H3 Pyramid of Shadows, wonderous item/implement, probably unique) +2 untyped for posession
Tacticans Armor (Armor, AV): +1 untyped (maybe, check wording with DM)Familiar: Book imp +2 (Dragon 374)
Familiar: Crafter Homunculus +2 (Dragon 374)
Familiar: Rakshasa Claw +2 (Dragon 374, paragon) + free action item stow/retrieve (could allow to switch head slot items?)
Familiar: Skull +2 (Dragon 374)
Familiar: Greyspawn Shortfang +2 (paragon) (Dragon 374)
Familiar: Blazing Skull +2 (epic) (Dragon 374)
Familiar: Chaos Shard +2 (epic) (Dragon 374)
Familiar: Coure Attendant +2 (Dragon 290)
Relics of Creation (AV2, epic item set): +2 to +6 (depending on # of setitems)

Bonuses granted by Allies
Aid Another: +2 untyped per character helping BUT: requires standard action -> not practical
Clockwork Precision (Bard daily util, AP): aid another adds +3 untyped per character helping, but still requires standard action -> not practical
Find Another Way (Bard PP Lifesinger feature, AP) : +2 untyped for allies within 5 squares
Speak with Spirits (Shaman Class Feature, phb2) + feat Spirit Speaker: +wis bonus to skill check
Crucial Advice (Ranger Util 2, phb, encounter, immediate reaction): reroll check, with +wis power bonus, but works only on allies (not oneself)
Fatesinger Bard: Majestic Word -> roll twice, use better result
Glittergold's Gambit (Channel Divinity feat, FRPG) -> reroll attack roll or skill check
Golden Mean (Lord of Fate ED daily utility power, AP): take 10 on any check
CD: Sune's Touch is for an ally.  One ally in Close Burst 1 gets +2 power to his next skill check until the end of his next turn.

Rerolls
Potion of Clarity (consumable, AV, costs healing surge): reroll with +1 to +6 bonus
Arcane Insight (Wizard Util 2, Dragon 366, encounter, free action): reroll arcana check, use better result
Keeper's Prescience (Sage of the Ages 24 ability): roll d20 each round, switch result with any roll during that round
Dark One's Own Luck (Warlock Daily Util 6, PHB): reroll an attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw
Kensei Control Action (Fighter PP Kensei feature, PHB): AP->reroll attack roll, damage roll, skill check or ability check (no extra action)
CD: Divine Fate is Revenant-only, but not tied to a deity and gives a RtB on any skill check.
CD: Imminent Luck is GOOD.  If you spend a power to reroll, and the reroll is lower, you can expend CD: ID not to expend the power.  Requires only the luck domain.  Note that this works with RtB powers.

Bonus to specific Arcana Checks
Note: These bonuses won't work with Trick of Knowledge. But they might still be of interest to get a high arcana result in other circumstances...
Consult Mystic Sages (ritual, skill:religion): Get +10 to an arcana check (specific purposes given in a list)
Arcane Ritualist (feat, AP): Get a untyped +2 bonus for one specific ritual
Foreign Memories (feat, Dragon 389): +5 feat bonus, only related to aberrant creatures
Oghmas Recall (feat/channel divinity power, FRPG): Get a +10 power bonus for a knowledge check
CD: Aureon's Instruction is RtB (reroll take better) with knowledge or monster knowledge checks until the end of your next turn.  Requires Aureon.
CD: Sure Knowledge is RtB for a knowledge check.  Candidate for an ally feat, as it's you or an ally.
Historical Revelation (enc. Skill Power): ally can reroll knowledge check
Let your Familiar also make the check: especially useful for knowledge checks (since they are free actions)

Current maximum:
15(lvl)+9(int)+6(item)+5(trained)+2(race)+2(background)+6(ED)+2(familiar)+2(PP)+3(feat)+6(items of creation)+6(talent shard) = +64

Which would allow us to always roll 65 for all 4 benefits. Or roll Insight/Perception/Bluff/Intimidate/Diplomacy/Streetwise/Thievery/Endurance/Athletics +65. And Initiative +65. And your fools gold will be more real than normal gold . But more versality is always better, since you usually don't want to optimize arcana only, more ways to get there or even higher are welcome...

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