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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Irda Ranger" data-source="post: 4484080" data-attributes="member: 1003">Although not sold as a "Secondary Skill" system, I saw a mechanic under the Corsair of the Sword Coast Paragon Path in the recent Forgotten Realms Player's Guide that sure could be used as a secondary skill system for 4E.  It looked like this:Skilled Sailor<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Under normal condition you can perform normal sailing-related actions without rolling any checks (e.g., piloting a ship in fair weather). You know normal things for a person of your profession.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Under difficult conditions you can make a Stat check to perform sailing-related actions (e.g., make a Dex check to pilot a ship through a storm, or a particularly narrow channel).  Skill Challenge mechanics are good fit here so you don't sink the ship on a single bad roll.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Untrained Skills are considered Trained when used aboard for sailing-related actions (e.g., an Acrobatics check to balance on a yard-arm).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trained Skills receive an additional +2 when used aboard for sailing-related actions.</li> </ul>I certainly never give stuff for any kind for a background. The most common form of "gaming the background" I used to see was people who used to try to get "free" weapons and armor at first level by making it themselves.  Particularly armor and compound longbows.  I said "Ok, fine, but the weapons are at -1 Att, the armors are at -1 AC and the best armor you can make is scale mail."  When they complained about that I said "Look, you either spent your youth half-assing smithery while learning how to fight, or half-assing learning how to fight while applying yourself to smithery. Which is it gonna be, -1 Att with these weapons, or -1 Att with all weapons?"Backgrounds are nice to fill out a character, but everyone's "real" profession is Adventurer.  To be really any good at that other thing you'd have to be doing that other thing on a daily basis.</blockquote>

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