D&D 5E Skill Ranking

[TwoSix]

I can’t stand the arcana, history, religion triad for the simple reason that most DMs I’ve seen make any kind of knowledge check one where having any one of those three is acceptable for attempting the check, therefore watering down their value. Better to simply have Knowledge as a check then.

I’d argue that most of the time Acrobatics is in the same boat as the Knowledge triad. It’s allowed to be substituted for Athletics almost all the time.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I do think some of this is DM specific. (While also acknowledging that I've absolutely seen DMs who run the way you've described.)

In my games, Arcana covers magical processes and creation, Religion covers pretty much anything extraplanar or otherwordly, and History covers everything to do with current or past material world civilizations. There isn't a ton of overlap, and I often don't allow checks unless the character is proficient.

Likewise with Acrobatics; most DMs in my groups are very firm that Acrobatics can NOT be used for climbing, jumping more than a small amount of height, or swimming.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Stretching on my 4th choice, but went for Sleight of Hand. It IS a useful skill, but you can go entire campaigns and never notice it missing if you don't intentionally try to use it.

It’s good-ish if you have it but never necessarily (and most uses might have a dm call for stealth instead.)

 

[Guest 7037866]

In my game I combined religion and history into lore skill, which entails knowing all sort of mundane things about history, culture etc. I left arcana as separate esoteric skill that covers magic theory and occult stuff. Nature got combined into survival.

I could get behind this in the typical medievl-fantasy setting certainly.

Arcana and Nature see more use IME than History or Religion. Nature is more unique but overlaps for most groups enough that combining it into Survival works well enough.

 

[TiQuinn]

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I do think some of this is DM specific. (While also acknowledging that I've absolutely seen DMs who run the way you've described.)

In my games, Arcana covers magical processes and creation, Religion covers pretty much anything extraplanar or otherwordly, and History covers everything to do with current or past material world civilizations. There isn't a ton of overlap, and I often don't allow checks unless the character is proficient.

Likewise with Acrobatics; most DMs in my groups are very firm that Acrobatics can NOT be used for climbing, jumping more than a small amount of height, or swimming.

I agree, it takes a concerted effort to maintain those distinctions. I just think it’s a harder job than it appears, and makes those skills weaker as a result.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

I choose Innuendo.

I mean, I would choose Innuendo but it's not on the list. That's because this list has been culled a couple of times already.

We've had this discussion a few times over the decades. In the end we'll have a list of 6 or 7 skills and still be confused.

 

[overgeeked]

The worst skill, by far, is perception. It’s so overused it’s a meme. Save me from referees who make you roll perception for everything and players trained to automatically roll perception for everything.

Runners up: all three social skill. Deception, intimidation, and persuasion. They’re not mind control and yet most people use them that way.

 

[Clint_L]

I think the strength of the consensus on the bottom three is striking.

 

[Guest 7037866]

I think the strength of the consensus on the bottom three is striking.

It really is quite crazy to my mind...

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

I think we aren't taking advantage of tumbling enough.

 

[Minigiant]

I think we aren't taking advantage of tumbling enough.

With the increased damage on 2024 monsters due to them not being limited to the same weapon and spell attacks as PCs, tumbling with Acrobatics to get past a monster without using Disengage would likely be more powerful.