D&D 5E 5e Skills whats your opinion

[dave2008]

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.

Isn't that essential the 13th age skill system as well?

 

[iserith]

Perhaps this will help:

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.

Investigation is for deducing; Perception is for noticing. Investigation is typically when a player is fishing to confirm an assumption or theory and there is some uncertainty on the part of the DM as to whether the character can make the deduction based on the available evidence e.g. "I try to deduce whether these scorch marks on the wall opposite the door indicate the presence of a trap." The player may strongly suspect that is the case, but wants to confirm before taking further action. If the DM decides that it is uncertain the character can make the deduction, he or she calls for an Intelligence (Investigation) check. I think that Investigation comes up more when the DM is diligent about placing clues that telegraph threats or other important elements in the game.

Also, on the topic of "actively trying to look for something," I'm not sure what you mean.

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.

I would say your distinction is a good one. Knowing a thing versus applying a skill set, though it's possible that Intelligence (Nature) can be a "roll-to-do" skill rather than just "roll-to-know" in some cases.

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.

Right, ability checks are only required when the DM thinks the outcome of a player's stated action is uncertain. There probably isn't a lot of meaningful uncertainty in riding a horse around town whereas in a harrowing nighttime chase on that town's uneven roads might have uncertainty as to the outcome.

I would also say that Vehicles (Land) also only applies to driving carts, wagons, chariots, or the like though which skill applies is largely up to how the player frames his or her goal and approach. I would be inclined to grant advantage to any check related to this if the character has both skill and tool trained.

Performance vs musical instrument proficiency likewise has some blurred crossover.

To keep it simple, any activity with an uncertain outcome that doesn't involve an instrument could call for Performance. Anything that involves a musical instrument could call for the tool proficiency check. As above, I'd be inclined to grant advantage if the character has both skill and tool trained.

In practice though, when DMing I'm happy enough with a player using whatever skill they are better at in blurred circumstances.

I think that's a good move.

 

[Draegn]

We've added additional skills to our game. Without including language skills we use 170 different skills.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

I like the 5th edition approach to skills. Enough options to give some characters meaningful differences from each other even with same race/class options chosen.

And the system doesn't facilitate a player getting into the mindset I've seen when a significant modifier, often assumed as present to get fair chances to pass typical check DCs, is restricted to only certain classes. I count that as a bonus. Same investment = same result is a good thing, in my opinion.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Same stat same level all skills are equal, even if the one person/NPC makes a living off being a guide (survival) the cleric with the skill and same stat and level is equal.

Most NPC experts should have expertise in the relevant skill, so they're better than a PC with just proficiency.

 

[Shaghayegh]

I just started reading through the PH, I have not seen the DMG. So far, the skill rules look totally inadequate. The list is too short and some the skills are way too broad. Athletics? How do you simulate a desert nomad who lives in rocky hills but has never swam in her life? She just sees the ocean for the first time in her life and she knows how to swim because she is "athletic"? That makes sense how?

Also, should not smart people know more skills? I have trouble with Grug the Dumbass (Int. 7) having the same number of skills as Sheeralla the Sage (Int. 18). And when did "simulationist" become anslur? RPGs are similations!

 

[Blue]

I have no issue with skills in D&D 5e. They cover all the necessary bases in my view.

There was a mechanically small but flexibily large difference in the D&D Next play-test system that became 5e. Skills weren't tied to specific abilities.

So you could provide a critique of a performance with Int (Perform) or look at a blueprint of the estate grounds to devise a route to take the party in unseen with Int (Stealth). Bend an iron bar and use Str (Intimidation). It gave a lot more flexibility. Sure, there's a default for the common use-case, but it handles all of the cases intuitively.

 

[iserith]

How do you simulate a desert nomad who lives in rocky hills but has never swam in her life?

Give her disadvantage to the ability check.

Though, notably, swimming and climbing are both just hits to speed. Only in some cases does the DM call for an ability check.

 

[Blue]

Isn't that essential the 13th age skill system as well?

13th Age give multi-dimensional backgrounds, not just a profession. And also try to work it into the world. For instance, perhaps you have a background of "Quartermaster of the pirate ship Roll-yer-Bones +4". From that, you're probably familiar with sailing and pirate life, also fencing, buying goods, and making deals with scum and villainy. And probably the dock areas of the coastal cities. Might have contacts around. And poof, insta-hooks for the DM. That gives a different set of skilsl than "First Mate of His Royal Emperor's Frigate Fearless out of Axis".

Rob Heinsoo (of 3.5, 4e and 13th Age) told a story of running at a convention and one player had a background as a retired army commander. At one point they were trying to console a grieving mother who's child was killed by a monster and he asked if the character had any applicable backgrounds to add to the roll. The player looked at him and said "Do you know how many of those letters I've had to write to young widows of men under my command?". Yeah, you can add that background in.

(Hope I didn't butcher that story too much, it's from memory of a blog.)

 

[NotActuallyTim]

I dislike the athletics skill. Taking away from it results in an annoying system with lots of unnecessary skills . Leaving it as is makes it too strong. It needs an optional rule for breaking the athletics skills into many smaller skills.