D&D (2024) How would you change skills in 5.5e

[The Myopic Sniper]

I would dump skills altogether and give players 2 ability scores to be proficient in which would give players their proficiency bonus to all d20 rolls in addition to their ability bonus including what are now skill rolls, attack rolls and saving throws.

 

[Yaarel]

That sound amazingly hostile and distressing for a lot of types of players.

LOL

Not everyone is an actor and improver or aspires to be. They also might not be comfortable being put on the spot trying to make up speeches or new terms to backbend around game terms.

But at what cost?

Actually, no one does any "method acting".

They just need to describe what their character does by referring to the scene, not the game mechanics.

 

[Vaalingrade]

LOL

Thank you for the well-reasoned and thoughtful response to a serious issue that keeps a lot of people from playing RPGs. It is heartening to see the empathy and consideration of the community on full display.

Actually, no one does any "method acting".

They just need to describe what their character does by referring to the scene, not the game mechanics.

Why is 'method acting' in quotes when that's not a thing anyone said?

 

[Yaarel]

Why is 'method acting' in quotes when that's not a thing anyone said?

Scare quotes.

You said "actor".

I never said anyone needs to act or be an actor.

 

[ART!]

[...] a serious issue that keeps a lot of people from playing RPGs.

This might be especially true given the popularity of actual-play shows that focus on player (and GM) performance.

 

[Emberashh]

They just need to describe what their character does by referring to the scene, not the game mechanics.

This is what we call descriptive roleplaying, and in fact its even in the 5e DMG.

You don't have to write and act out a rousing speech to play, but you ought to say your character gives a rousing speech, and then the DM can call for a roll as appropriate.

Inclusivity is important but I cannot think of any sort of person who can play this game at all in the first place but can't do descriptive roleplaying.

 

[CreamCloud0]

while i don't strictly endorse this method of resolving the impotent skills issue i feel that it is one of the most plasuable solutions that wizards might implement and that is every skill has a shortlist of spells that a good enough ability check in the associated skill would let you replicate their effects, 'cast' them nonmagically with your skill check(DC scales with spell level), jump or haste through athletics, cure wounds, lesser restoration or revivify with medicine, find familiar, animal messenger, summon beast using animal handling and so on.

 

[Vaalingrade]

This might be especially true given the popularity of actual-play shows that focus on player (and GM) performance.

It's way older than that. I remember this 'roleplayer' vs 'LOL-rollplayer' thing back at least to the turn of the century. I've watched a lot of people be nearly run off from the game by GMs that demand what at the time people called 'immersive table talk' and get pretty bullying about it.

Of course then, it was usually White Wolf STs and they painted all D&D players this way. Ironic!

 

[Minigiant]

Add in

Browbeat (STR)
Dungeoneering (Int)
Endurance (Con)
Current Events (Int)
Streetwise (Cha)

 

[Tonguez]

Skill

Add in

Browbeat (STR)
Dungeoneering (Int)
Endurance (Con)
Current Events (Int)
Streetwise (Cha)

browbeat? Is that the headbutt skill? Or just intimidation