Skills using different ability scores

cbwjm · Jan 16, 2019

I'm sure most (all?) are aware that you can use a different ability score to determine the bonus to use skills. I was wondering if people have used, or have ideas to use, different scores.

Some alternates I can think of or have used are:

Strength (Intimidation) to showcase the big scary muscle man vs the Lord Vetinari school of intimidation.
Intelligence (Persuasion). This is Spock using logic to persuade instead of Kirk using an... impassioned... plea.
Charisma (Investigation). This is what we used for what used to be the old gather information check.
Wisdom (Nature). I think this one was mentioned in the ship UA.

iserith · Jan 16, 2019

When I DM, I usually just ask for the ability check without the skill proficiency attached. The player then applies whatever proficiency he or she thinks is appropriate based on what he or she described as wanting to do. I only have to remember 6 things as a result and there's never a case of mismatched expectations as to which skill proficiency may apply to the ability check since the player decides.

BookBarbarian · Jan 16, 2019

Constitution (Athletics) for a distance swim or distance run is one I would easily go for.

Charisma (Insight) while trying to discern someone's intent in a duel of words, rather than watching body language or other typical insight stuff.

the Jester · Jan 16, 2019

cbwjm said:
I'm sure most (all?) are aware that you can use a different ability score to determine the bonus to use skills. I was wondering if people have used... different scores.

All the time- probably close to every session.

Last night I think I called for an Intelligence (Perception) check to suss out exactly where a noise was coming from. I have used Constitution (Athletics) for long-distance running/swimming, Dexterity (Performance) when the intricacy of getting exactly the right notes of a complex musical piece matters more than putting on a good show, Intelligence (thieves' tools) when trying to figure out a puzzle lock, etc.

WaterRabbit · Jan 16, 2019

iserith said:
When I DM, I usually just ask for the ability check without the skill proficiency attached. The player then applies whatever proficiency he or she thinks is appropriate based on what he or she described as wanting to do. I only have to remember 6 things as a result and there's never a case of mismatched expectations as to which skill proficiency may apply to the ability check since the player decides.

This seems like a good approach. I know when I ask for a Skill (Ability) that is different than the norm my players tend to grumble a bit. Usually they are Skill (CON) checks. I think it comes from them having to do simple math or something.

cbwjm · Jan 16, 2019

BookBarbarian said:
Constitution (Athletics) for a distance swim or distance run is one I would easily go for.

Charisma (Insight) while trying to discern someone's intent in a duel of words, rather than watching body language or other typical insight stuff.

the Jester said:
All the time- probably close to every session.

Last night I think I called for an Intelligence (Perception) check to suss out exactly where a noise was coming from. I have used Constitution (Athletics) for long-distance running/swimming, Dexterity (Performance) when the intricacy of getting exactly the right notes of a complex musical piece matters more than putting on a good show, Intelligence (thieves' tools) when trying to figure out a puzzle lock, etc.

These are all great ideas. The Constitution (Athletics) seems obvious to me now that I see it written down, until now I don't think I had considered it.

The Intelligence (Thieves' tools) reminds me of the Acquisitions Inc. episode where they used Intelligence (Sleight of Hand) to piece back a badly burnt and broken piece of parchment.

cbwjm · Jan 16, 2019

iserith said:
When I DM, I usually just ask for the ability check without the skill proficiency attached. The player then applies whatever proficiency he or she thinks is appropriate based on what he or she described as wanting to do. I only have to remember 6 things as a result and there's never a case of mismatched expectations as to which skill proficiency may apply to the ability check since the player decides.

This is a good approach and I can see it leading to player creativity with their skill use.

iserith · Jan 16, 2019

cbwjm said:
This is a good approach and I can see it leading to player creativity with their skill use.

I'm not sure it does. It just means I have fewer disagreements about which skill proficiency applies (e.g. "Persuasion? I was actually lying so is Deception okay?"). Players can't "use skills," after all. They can only describe what they want to do.

Aiden_Keller_ · Jan 16, 2019

iWhat would imagination fall under? My players asked me if they had an 8 (-1) in Wisdom or Intelligence if they would not be imaginative...

BookBarbarian · Jan 16, 2019

Aiden_Keller_ said:
iWhat would imagination fall under? My players asked me if they had an 8 (-1) in Wisdom or Intelligence if they would not be imaginative...

It would depend on how a player describes using imagination in response to a scenario by the DM.

A low Wisdom character might be very imaginative, but they daydream to much to notice what's going on around them.

Likewise a low Intelligence character could be very imaginative, but not able to recall anything they read or heard yesterday.