D&D 5E D&D Next Blog: Beyond Class & Race

[Mattachine]

Race, class, theme, and background sound great. I liked what the article had to say. As always, implementation will be the determining factor.

 

[El Mahdi]

I'm not sure what kind of D&D you'd be playing if you didn't ever deal with skills. Feats I can take them or leave them provided there's some form of customization. But skills are well...the other two pillars of the game, I don't think it'd quite be D&D if you ran the whole thing off the 6 ability scores.

Yeah, it wouldn't feel like D&D to me either, but I can understand the attractiveness some players would have of not having to deal with them.

I do believe that just working off the six ability scores if going to be the base system (at least that's what they've been saying so far), but that there will be the option for players to have more granularity (hopefully variable, so one can have a 2E, 3E, or 4E level of skill granularity).

This is one of the places where players have the ability to choose their complexity level as far as there character goes. Though there may be others also (we'll have to wait and see what info WotC_Trevor can get out of Monte and Company concerning this).

 

[Sunseeker]

Yeah, it wouldn't feel like D&D to me either, but I can understand the attractiveness some players would have of not having to deal with them.

I do believe that just working off the six ability scores if going to be the base system (at least that's what they've been saying so far), but that there will be the option for players to have more granularity (hopefully variable, so one can have a 2E, 3E, or 4E level of skill granularity).

This is one of the places where players have the ability to choose their complexity level as far as there character goes. Though there may be others also (we'll have to wait and see what info WotC_Trevor can get out of Monte and Company concerning this).

I'm not opposed to the 6 scores as a more creative way to use skills. One of my biggest objections to previous incarnations of skills was that some of the stat choices for them just didn't make sense. Why can't Climb be str or dex? Why is profession wisdom and not int? Couldn't intimidate be str, con, or cha?

I think it's possible to see a list of "skills" as mostly a DM tool, when players need to use one for something, the DM will ask for them to make a check, and the player will RP the score they feel is most fitting to accomplish that task. But skills have to be there, in some form.

 

[Savage Wombat]

I've played a "use the appropriate stat for skill rolls" game like you described. I personally found it to be a pain.

I like to be able to have my skill check figured on my sheet, instead of having to refigure it because this time the DM said I should use Charisma instead of Wisdom.

 

[Greg K]

Why can't Climb be str or dex? Why is profession wisdom and not int? Couldn't intimidate be str, con, or cha?

Check out the 3.0 DMG p.91-p.92 (someone with the 3.5 DMG can tell you if it is there and the page). There is a variant starting at the bottom of page 91 for Skills with alternate Ability Scores. It, specifically, mentions Climb using dex instead of strength and using Ride (modified by Wisdom) to Appraise horses.

 

[Sunseeker]

I've played a "use the appropriate stat for skill rolls" game like you described. I personally found it to be a pain.

I like to be able to have my skill check figured on my sheet, instead of having to refigure it because this time the DM said I should use Charisma instead of Wisdom.

That's the thing, the DM wouldn't be able to tell you what score you use. You'd have to make the case that your ability score choice is fitting based on good roleplay. I'd imagine skills would be more like 4e's "trained" as opposed to 3e's point system. There'd be nice, even intervals for skills, 5, 10, 15, ect... That way it keeps the math simple. If you're trained +5 to roll, if you're not, no bonus.

Now the DM could determine that specific skill checks require a specific score. Trying to sleep with the king in order to get more money, probably a charisma check. Might be dexterity later that night though.

Check out the 3.0 DMG p.91-p.92 (someone with the 3.5 DMG can tell you if it is there and the page). There is a variant starting at the bottom of page 91 for Skills with alternate Ability Scores. It, specifically, mentions Climb using dex instead of strength and using Ride (modified by Wisdom) to Appraise horses.

Huh, I had no idea. I'm so used to just printing off a standard sheet and filling it out. That's cool though, I'd like to see more flexibility on what scores tie into what skills in 5e.

 

[WheresMyD20]

I'm not sure what kind of D&D you'd be playing if you didn't ever deal with skills. Feats I can take them or leave them provided there's some form of customization. But skills are well...the other two pillars of the game, I don't think it'd quite be D&D if you ran the whole thing off the 6 ability scores.

Up until 3e, there wasn't a skill system in D&D. It worked just fine. (Thieves technically had "skills", but they were essentially % based class abilities.)

 

[Argyle King]

I've played a "use the appropriate stat for skill rolls" game like you described. I personally found it to be a pain.

I like to be able to have my skill check figured on my sheet, instead of having to refigure it because this time the DM said I should use Charisma instead of Wisdom.

It's not hard to figure out. I haven't done it with D&D before, but some of the other games I play (one in particular I think 3rd Edition borrowed quite liberally from) use the idea of using a skill with a different attribute when appropriate.

Just jot down how many points or ranks you have in a skill. Look at the skill; add the modifier for the ability currently being used, and roll.

 

[Greg K]

That's the thing, the DM wouldn't be able to tell you what score you use. You'd have to make the case that your ability score choice is fitting based on good roleplay.

In 0-3e, the DM can always tell you what score to use or they can tell you "No!" if they disagree with the score you want to use. The 3.0 DMG even went as far as telling the DM that they are in charge of how the game is played, what rules are used and how they are used

(Not familiar enough with 4e to know its position. However, it wouldn't matter with myself or the DMs we know. We are in charge of the game when we run).

 

[Klaus]

Up until 3e, there wasn't a skill system in D&D. It worked just fine. (Thieves technically had "skills", but they were essentially % based class abilities.)

Nonweapon Proficiencies and Background Skills beg to differ. They might be marked as Optional, but they were there.