D&D 5E 5e Skills whats your opinion
Rod Staffwand
aka Ermlaspur Flormbator
I don't like 5e's skill system. I wish they were far more optional. Unfortunately, they're intimately tied to the Background system so if you want to ditch skills you have to rewrite or ditch Backgrounds. Tools proficiencies are weird. The Proficiency Bonus progression seems rather lackluster and Expertise (and that Double Expertise thing) is too hard to come by. It's a whole lot of fiddly crud just so players can write Perception (Wisdom) down on their sheets. Yawn.
Azurewraith
Explorer
I preferred the more specific 3.5 skill system really gave skill full classes a space to shine.
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
I have no issue with skills in D&D 5e. They cover all the necessary bases in my view. I don't understand the same stat/same level objection though it sounds like a game-as-simulation disconnect.
Training in new skills can be done via rules provided in DMG, page 231, as mentioned.
Training in new skills can be done via rules provided in DMG, page 231, as mentioned.
Horwath
Legend
I dont like the proficiency rule for skills. It's great for attack/saves for bounded accuracy but I would like to see skills be more customable.
It would be great if you get some amount of skill training per level and every skill could be trained 5 times. 6 times for expertise.
1st level training would give +4 to that skill
2nd lvl training would give +7 to that skill
3rd lvl +9,
4th lvl +11,
5th lvl +13,
(6th lvl +15),
Expertise would be free level of skill training in already trained skill.
you can have 2nd training at lvl4, 3rd at lvl8, 4th at lvl12 and 5th and lvl16,
expertise is added extra over lvl limit, so 1st level rogue can have +7 to two skills and possibly +15 at lvl16 if he trained that skill 5 more times.
all classes and races would get their normal amount of skill training plus extra per level(including first).
Fighters, wizards, sorcerers,clerics,paladins would get +1 training per level. (20 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
barbarians, druids, monks, warlocks would ger +1,25 training per level. (25 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
rangers would get +1,5 trainings per level. (30 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
bards would get +1,75 trainings per level. (35 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
rogues would get +2 trainings per level. (40 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
It would be great if you get some amount of skill training per level and every skill could be trained 5 times. 6 times for expertise.
1st level training would give +4 to that skill
2nd lvl training would give +7 to that skill
3rd lvl +9,
4th lvl +11,
5th lvl +13,
(6th lvl +15),
Expertise would be free level of skill training in already trained skill.
you can have 2nd training at lvl4, 3rd at lvl8, 4th at lvl12 and 5th and lvl16,
expertise is added extra over lvl limit, so 1st level rogue can have +7 to two skills and possibly +15 at lvl16 if he trained that skill 5 more times.
all classes and races would get their normal amount of skill training plus extra per level(including first).
Fighters, wizards, sorcerers,clerics,paladins would get +1 training per level. (20 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
barbarians, druids, monks, warlocks would ger +1,25 training per level. (25 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
rangers would get +1,5 trainings per level. (30 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
bards would get +1,75 trainings per level. (35 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
rogues would get +2 trainings per level. (40 skill trainings extra at lvl20 plus starting class and race).
Imaro
Legend
1. Why not only give the roleplaying ability of the background if you want to skip skills all together... seems fairly simple and doesn't require rewriting at all.
2. What's weird about tool proficiencies? I've seen this complaint before and I just don't understand it... could you expound?
3. Expertise/Dbl Expertise keeps the skill monkey niche squarely with the rogue... IMO, that's a bonus not a flaw.
4. I don't find the 5e skill system fiddly at all (now 3.x was a fiddly system)... essentially Prof Bonus + Attribute Modifier... not sure how much more simple it could get. I also don't understand your comment about "Perception (Wisdom)"... with bounded accuracy in play around modifiers... your prof bonus becomes much more important as you level up.
Horwath
Legend
as usual.
It would get to +20 for maxed ability and expertise. Now the max is +17. not much of a difference. And you must invest in skills. they do not raise automaticaly.
Also skilled feat would give 4 skill trainings.
Illithidbix
Explorer
Overall I like it and find it easy enough to use.
There are some skills I feel are somewhat redundant. (Animal Handling, Investigation, Performance, Nature)
Exactly when to use Investigation rather than Perception can lead to weird cases of seeming less effective because you're actively trying to look for something.
Exactly when to use Survival (most of the time) vs Nature (less of the time) can be odd in practicality, I get that Nature is meant to represent more academic biological/zoological knowledge.
Animal Handling vs vehicles (land). I think a few people were slightly confused by the fact that Ride is not it's own skill, nor is it a tool proficiency. Or rather you don't need a skill or proficiency to casually ride a horse around places.
Performance vs musical instrument proficiency likewise has some blurred crossover.
I would also allow use of Acrobatics instead of Athletics for jumping.
In practice though, when DMing I'm happy enough with a player using whatever skill they are better at in blurred circumstances.
What I really do like though is that you get two of your Skills from your background rather than your class, which kills off the problem of cross class skills fantastically.
There are some skills I feel are somewhat redundant. (Animal Handling, Investigation, Performance, Nature)
Exactly when to use Investigation rather than Perception can lead to weird cases of seeming less effective because you're actively trying to look for something.
Exactly when to use Survival (most of the time) vs Nature (less of the time) can be odd in practicality, I get that Nature is meant to represent more academic biological/zoological knowledge.
Animal Handling vs vehicles (land). I think a few people were slightly confused by the fact that Ride is not it's own skill, nor is it a tool proficiency. Or rather you don't need a skill or proficiency to casually ride a horse around places.
Performance vs musical instrument proficiency likewise has some blurred crossover.
I would also allow use of Acrobatics instead of Athletics for jumping.
In practice though, when DMing I'm happy enough with a player using whatever skill they are better at in blurred circumstances.
What I really do like though is that you get two of your Skills from your background rather than your class, which kills off the problem of cross class skills fantastically.
Satyrn
First Post
I want to go back to something more like AD&D's secondary skill rule. Essentially the player would select a profession, and then when they go to do something, if they can relate the task to their profession in some way they get to add their proficiency bonus. I might have them supplement their secondary skill with a couple non weapon proficiencies from their background for variety.
If I was to bother house ruling.
If I was to bother house ruling.
