Underused skills

[Pyske]

In my Rokugan campaign, I been thinking that there are several skills that people have invested in that I think are underused. I'd love to hear any ideas people have for situations which would prompt my PCs to roll on the following skills:

Appraise, Balance, Decipher Script, Escape Artist, Forgery, Handle Animal, Innuendo, Intimidate, Open Locks (!), Pick Pockets, Ride, Scry, Swim, Use Rope

I don't mind introducing new elements to the campaign to boost these skills... for example, I'm considering creating a lower level Scry Ward spell which pits the defenders Scry skill against the attacker's.

. . . . . . . -- Eric

 

[Mahiro Satsu]

1. Ride: chasing some semi-nasty beastie (or being chased) through some rough country on horse back

2. Innuendo: Trying to tell a friend to stab the overly inquisitive gaurd while trying to act like a merchant

3. Appraise: anytime yer sellin' something and dont want to get your pants pulled down over the price

4. Forgery: trying to fake a document to get you past the gaurd in number 2 without having to signal your friend

5. decipher script: instructions to open some tricky door in some wizards tower written in a dead language

6. pick pockets: to either steal the key to the door in number five from the gaurd in numbers 2 and 4 or to slip by him with a dagger

7. balance: to walk a tightrope or avaid being tripped in combat or by a trap

8. Intimidate: scare the gaurd in numbers 2,4, and 6 into giving you what you need and not telling his captain.

9. Use rope and Escape Artist: A) tying up prisoners who surrender, or tying up the gaurd in numbers 2,4,6, and 8 after you subdue him, or getting out of being tied up by anybody. B) fixing lengths of rope together so that you may climb out of the prison after using escape artist successfully.

10. Swim: swim across any water without drowning

11. Handle Animals: train your horse from number 1 to knock out gaurds in numbers 2,4,6,8, and 9 at the sound of the proper command word.

12. Scry: find out when the gaurd in all numbers is going to the bathroom via some magic spell

13. Open Locks: pick the lock on the backdoor to the tower so that you dont have to use a spell or make a lot of noise breaking it down, thus alerting all the gaurds on duty and having to escape using your horse in number 1 and 11.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Pyske,

IMC, I have a little mini-ritual associated with scry that covers a 5x5 area (one "square" or one medium-sized creature). I then use that scry roll used in the ritual as the basis for scrying attempts against that square or creature for a period of time. And yes, I permit taking 10 and 20. This way, the big spellcasting honchos are effectively warded while anyone below them (like the players) are fair game.

I nixed the idea of a spell because I wanted sorcerors and bards to be able to use this ability and I didn't think socerors and bards would go for it.

However, I have yet to test the mechanic in a sustained high-level game.

 

[GILGAMESH]

craft: daisey chains. My Paladin never uses this skill at all.

 

[Xarlen]

Inuenndo: I had a few rogues in a drug cartell use Inuendo to tell the boss what magical items the PCs had on them. One had a wand of Detect Magic, and was telling the bossman about the disguise the PCs had, and their equipment. They never understood. The guy used lingo about drugs, and instruments.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

I've never seen Ride be a problem, because it always seems to come with the Mounted Combat feat, and the AC dodge for one's horse alone is enough to justify the skill.

Balance actually isn't all that hard to feature. It just requires some prep work up front to introduce more hazardous footing circumstances to your adventures. Escape Artist can be dealt with somewhat similarly, for navigating tight spaces such as are found in many caves, but this is a hard thing to use as regularly as Balance problems without it becoming contrived. But it's also just more generally useful, since you can use it to escape from grapples.

The big problem with Decipher Script is comprehend languages. This can be addressed by using Decipher Script as the skill to crack codes and ciphers, which are unaffected by language-based spells.

The best use of Forgery in many campaigns is to detect forged documents. This is also the only use where presenting the circumstances of the check is fully under the DM's control (since actually forging documents relies on decisions that players may or may not undertake).

Appraise can reasonably be used in social situations where one must display discernment and taste. Think of being asked to choose the wine for a meal, for example. Avoiding a faux pas can be a big deal in an eastern-style campaign.

Is this the sort of stuff you're looking for?

 

[MerakSpielman]

Of those skills on your list that my pcs use all the time:

Appraise: The Dwarf loves gemstones (a little too much... She won't sell them...)

Balance: We've had lots of slippery situations. I require it for Grease spells.

Intimidate: When Diplomacy stops working

Scry: They're addicts. Gotta scry every situation first. Gets old after a while.

 

[Luddite]

Appraise is one skill I sort of find useless. Lets say you find a gem that is worth 600gp (as listed in the module you are playing). You do an appraise check and think that it is worth 700gp. Does this mean you will get some fraction of 700gp from the buyer, or will the buyer, who should have a high appraise, realise that it is only worth 600gp?

Appraise seems to add too much complexity to add a little uncertenty in the value of the players treasure.

One fix, make Appraise the bargining skill. Haggling is a game of wits and not charismia. (though Bluff and Diplomacy should grant synergies).

Dicpher Script is useful when you are in a Tomb or Temple where the script is all around. Comprehend Languages only lasts 10 minutes/level so you can only get a few hours (unless you extend it and user higher slots). Also It is used in Coding and Decoding messages.

Pick pocket. Depends on the player. Mostly used for slight of hand tricks and not for "working the tavern patrons"

Forgery. That realy depends on the campaign. As a DM, I try to set up situations where forgery could be used, but my players usualy find more clever ways to a solution.

-The Luddite

 

[Drawmack]

Appraise, Balance, Decipher Script, Escape Artist, Forgery, Handle Animal, Innuendo, Intimidate, Open Locks (!), Pick Pockets, Ride, Scry, Swim, Use Rope

1) Appraise - Anytime treasure is found. You tell the PCs you find a green gem about ___ big. They have to attempt to appraise it in order know its value.
2) Balance - They come to a gourge they have to cross, only way across is on a rope. It can also be used for fighting on a ledge etc.
3) Decipher Script - They find a scroll, got to decipher it to know what it is.
4) Escape Artist - The party is captured and tied up.
5) Forgery - You can't enter the party the BBEG is at without an invitation.
6) Handle Animal - This one is tough but generally could be used to sooth an animal out of attacking the party.
7) Innuendo - The PCs can use this when talking to one another to pass messages covertly without third parties knowing.
8) Intimidate - This is a great interrogation technique.
9) Open Locks - You can't open that door it's locked, but it's the only way out.
10) Pick Pockets - this is up to the character. If he's got this and he's not using it every time he's in a crowd then it's his fault.
11) Ride - Don't they every ride horses? Place a battle while they are ridding.
12) Scry - Cast scry on them.
13) Swim - Opp the bridge collapsed, or there isn't one, and they must swim across.
14) Use Rope - gotta tie the horses while you're in that dungeon.

 

[Pyske]

I've never seen Ride be a problem, because it always seems to come with the Mounted Combat feat, and the AC dodge for one's horse alone is enough to justify the skill.

Balance actually isn't all that hard to feature. It just requires some prep work up front to introduce more hazardous footing circumstances to your adventures. Escape Artist can be dealt with somewhat similarly, for navigating tight spaces such as are found in many caves, but this is a hard thing to use as regularly as Balance problems without it becoming contrived. But it's also just more generally useful, since you can use it to escape from grapples.

The big problem with Decipher Script is comprehend languages. This can be addressed by using Decipher Script as the skill to crack codes and ciphers, which are unaffected by language-based spells.

The best use of Forgery in many campaigns is to detect forged documents. This is also the only use where presenting the circumstances of the check is fully under the DM's control (since actually forging documents relies on decisions that players may or may not undertake).

Appraise can reasonably be used in social situations where one must display discernment and taste. Think of being asked to choose the wine for a meal, for example. Avoiding a faux pas can be a big deal in an eastern-style campaign.

Is this the sort of stuff you're looking for?

You nailed it exactly, Doctor R. In particular the comment about "the circumstances of the check [...] under the DM's control."

Basically, I'm looking for ways to prompt the PCs to use these skills, and haven't found that the classic uses tend to come up in a non-contrived way (i.e. many doors are sliding paper with guards instead of locked wooden doors IMC).

My PCs also don't tend to wander the countryside much, since the campaign is mostly intrigue / politics based.

Basically, I'm looking for new and interesting prompts to let the PCs use their skills. Things that are unique enough or critical enough that the players will look back and remember "oh, yeah, that skill definitely proved useful when we were..."

. . . . . . . -- Eric

PS -- Ideas I found particularly cool or helpful: the anti-scrying ritual, code use for Decipher Script, Appraise as discernment and taste, etc. Not that the other suggestions weren't appreciated... these were just the cream of the crop!