Level Up (A5E) What skills do you add to your games?

[xiphumor]

LU added Engineering and Culture to the game, which I think was a good call, especially in Engineering’s case. However, the character sheet also left some blank spaces, which I normally just use for an extremely relevant tools (like thieves’ tools), but I imagine some of y’all have some additional skills that you like to include in your games, and inquiring minds want to know.

If anything needs to be broken up, it’s Perception. If CritRoleStats is anything to go by, Perception alone accounts for 31% of skill checks in the game. (The next highest is Stealth, at 19%.) That being said, having a single number for the Narrator to measure against for the purposes of stealth is probably preferable.

A Constitution skill would be nice so the outcome of a drinking contest wouldn’t be purely class dependent, but you get into the weeds of what that would be and how to differentiate it from a saving throw.

 

[foxblade]

LU added Engineering and Culture to the game, which I think was a good call, especially in Engineering’s case. However, the character sheet also left some blank spaces, which I normally just use for an extremely relevant tools (like thieves’ tools), but I imagine some of y’all have some additional skills that you like to include in your games, and inquiring minds want to know.

If anything needs to be broken up, it’s Perception. If CritRoleStats is anything to go by, Perception alone accounts for 31% of skill checks in the game. (The next highest is Stealth, at 19%.) That being said, having a single number for the Narrator to measure against for the purposes of stealth is probably preferable.

A Constitution skill would be nice so the outcome of a drinking contest wouldn’t be purely class dependent, but you get into the weeds of what that would be and how to differentiate it from a saving throw.

I've added a Spirituality (WIS) skill to differentiate Mystical/Runic/Gut Feeling type magics from Arcana (which I typically think of as book-learning type magic)

 

[foxblade]

I also use Survival as a CON quite a bit, but that's base rules.

 

[xiphumor]

I've added a Spirituality (WIS) skill to differentiate Mystical/Runic/Gut Feeling type magics from Arcana (which I typically think of as book-learning type magic)

Why not a WIS(Religion) check?

 

[foxblade]

Why not a WIS(Religion) check?

You could for sure, depending on your campaign setting: runic could be that, especially. In my campaigns, that kind of magic more vibe based than religion/deity based. Magic spelled with a "k," if you will. Older than or outside of the gods.

 

[foxblade]

But you're not wrong - I should probably change the name from Spirituality. It's not particularly clear, now that you mention it.

Edit: Maybe Mysticism?

 

[Micah Sweet]

I added Data as a research skill, mostly used in modern and sci-fi versions of the game. It would include computer use.. In such settings Engineering is expanded as a general technology use/knowledge skill

 

[dave2008]

I've added a Spirituality (WIS) skill to differentiate Mystical/Runic/Gut Feeling type magics from Arcana (which I typically think of as book-learning type magic)

Could you use Religion for that? Remember skills are not tied to ability scores so it could be a Wisdom (Religion) check.

Edit: ninja'd by @xiphumor

 

[arms]

I often add Crafts as a skill, I know that tools are technically there for that, but it just feels right to me

 

[Pedantic]

I've been fiddling with a total skill rewrite, taking my cues from 3e-3.5. I've come to the conclusion no game is every going to publish an attempt at a comprehensive skill list again, so I'm working on building one from past sources myself.

Unfortunately, it's going to require a lot of changes from the 5e base to work. Proficiency isn't big enough a scale to put everything I want at an appropriate place on the randomizer.