The Shaman
First Post
According to the d20 Modern SRD and core rules, the GM may decide that having one skill provides a bonus when a character uses another skill in certain situations. The character must have at least five ranks in the related skill to gain this synergy bonus, and the GM must agree that the two skills can complement each other in the given situation. In such cases, the character receives a +2 synergy bonus on the skill check.
Knowledge skills are a good source of skill synergies. The following is a table listing possible skill synergies to consider, based on five or more ranks in a Knowledge skill. Synergies are listed as dependent or contingent. Dependent skill synergies apply to nearly all checks– the skill and its related Knowledge field are so closely linked that most applications of the skill calls on the related knowledge. Contingent skill synergies are applied depending on the specific circumstances of the skill check – these synergy bonuses are subject to connection by the player and the GM.
Balance: - none -
Bluff: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Bluff attempt)
Climb: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life science (e.g., climbing a natural surface such as a cliff)
Computer Use: (dependent) technology; (contingent) physical sciences (e.g., hardware engineering)
Concentration: - none -
Craft (chemical): (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., alchemy)
Craft (electronic): (dependent) technology or physical sciences; (contingent) - none -
Craft (mechanical): (dependent) technology or physical sciences; (contingent) - none -
Craft (pharmaceutical): (dependent) earth and life science; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., alchemy)
Craft (structural): (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) art (e.g., adding architectural details), tactics (e.g., siting and constructing fortifications), technology (e.g., using special materials)
Craft (visual art): (dependent) art; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., drawing magical symbols), business (e.g., creating a chart, diagram, or presentation), earth and life sciences (e.g., incorporating specific cultural elements), streetwise (e.g., graffiti), technology (e.g., technical drawings)
Craft (writing): (dependent) - none -; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Craft (writing) attempt, e.g., business for a business report, civics for a legal brief, physical sciences or earth and life sciences for a research report, etc.)
Decipher Script: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., runes), earth and life sciences (e.g., Mayan glyphs)
Demolitions: (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) tactics (e.g., placing mines or booby traps)
Diplomacy: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Diplomacy attempt, e.g., business for a business negotiation, civics for making a political speech, streetwise for meeting a crime boss, etc.)
Disable Device: (dependent) technology or physical sciences; (contingent) - none -
Disguise: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) art (e.g., reproducing clothing), behavioral sciences (e.g., capturing mannerisms), earth and life sciences (e.g., adopting appropriate native dress), popular culture and streetwise (e.g., selecting appropriate clothing styles, mannerisms, and slang)
Drive: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., operating in natural terrain), tactics (e.g., avoiding fields of fire)
Escape Artist: - none -
Forgery: (dependent) art; (contingent) civics (e.g., reproducing government documents), history (e.g., reproducing historical documents)
Gamble: (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) behavioral sciences (e.g., identifying tells)
Gather Information: (dependent) popular culture or streetwise; (contingent) behavioral sciences (e.g., gaining the confidence of groups)
Handle Animal: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., understanding animal behavior)
Hide: (dependent) tactics; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., using natural terrain advantages such as vegetation), streetwise (e.g., using urban terrain advantages)
Intimidate: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) streetwise (e.g., making credible threats based on criminal knowledge)
Jump: - none -
Listen: - none -
Move Silently: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., using vegetation to screen sound), tactics (e.g., tactical acumen)
Navigate: (dependent) earth and life sciences; (contingent) physical sciences (e.g., astronomical knowledge of constellations and the position of the sun)
Perform: (dependent) art; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., performing an aboriginal dance), popular culture (e.g., performing popular dance styles), streetwise (e.g., performing credible gangsta rap or street poetry)
Pilot: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences or physical sciences (e.g., understanding wind and terrain relationships or identifying cloud types and associated storm activity), tactics (e.g., avoiding fields of fire)
Profession: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) business (e.g., managing investments), streetwise (e.g., criminal activities)
Repair: (dependent) physical sciences or technology; (contingent) - none -
Research: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Research attempt)
Ride: - none -
Search: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) art (e.g., noting architectural details), earth and life sciences (e.g., finding tracks), history (e.g., understanding archeological features), tactics (e.g., detecting a mine or a booby trap)
Sense Motive: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) - none -
Sleight of Hand: - none -
Spot: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., natural terrain), tactics (e.g., lines of advance), streetwise (e.g., knowing the neighborhood)
Survival: (dependent) earth and life sciences; (contingent) - none -
Swim: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., knowledge of waves or currents)
Treat Injury: (dependent) earth and life sciences; (contingent) - none -
Tumble: - none -
One of my goals in compiling this list is to offer it to players during character creation, so they can get the most out of their Knowledge skill ranks.
I’d like to hear how you’ve used skill synergies based on Knowledge skills in your game, or your suggestions for fleshing out this list – your comments and observations are welcome and encouraged.
Knowledge skills are a good source of skill synergies. The following is a table listing possible skill synergies to consider, based on five or more ranks in a Knowledge skill. Synergies are listed as dependent or contingent. Dependent skill synergies apply to nearly all checks– the skill and its related Knowledge field are so closely linked that most applications of the skill calls on the related knowledge. Contingent skill synergies are applied depending on the specific circumstances of the skill check – these synergy bonuses are subject to connection by the player and the GM.
Balance: - none -
Bluff: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Bluff attempt)
Climb: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life science (e.g., climbing a natural surface such as a cliff)
Computer Use: (dependent) technology; (contingent) physical sciences (e.g., hardware engineering)
Concentration: - none -
Craft (chemical): (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., alchemy)
Craft (electronic): (dependent) technology or physical sciences; (contingent) - none -
Craft (mechanical): (dependent) technology or physical sciences; (contingent) - none -
Craft (pharmaceutical): (dependent) earth and life science; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., alchemy)
Craft (structural): (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) art (e.g., adding architectural details), tactics (e.g., siting and constructing fortifications), technology (e.g., using special materials)
Craft (visual art): (dependent) art; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., drawing magical symbols), business (e.g., creating a chart, diagram, or presentation), earth and life sciences (e.g., incorporating specific cultural elements), streetwise (e.g., graffiti), technology (e.g., technical drawings)
Craft (writing): (dependent) - none -; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Craft (writing) attempt, e.g., business for a business report, civics for a legal brief, physical sciences or earth and life sciences for a research report, etc.)
Decipher Script: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) arcane lore (e.g., runes), earth and life sciences (e.g., Mayan glyphs)
Demolitions: (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) tactics (e.g., placing mines or booby traps)
Diplomacy: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Diplomacy attempt, e.g., business for a business negotiation, civics for making a political speech, streetwise for meeting a crime boss, etc.)
Disable Device: (dependent) technology or physical sciences; (contingent) - none -
Disguise: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) art (e.g., reproducing clothing), behavioral sciences (e.g., capturing mannerisms), earth and life sciences (e.g., adopting appropriate native dress), popular culture and streetwise (e.g., selecting appropriate clothing styles, mannerisms, and slang)
Drive: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., operating in natural terrain), tactics (e.g., avoiding fields of fire)
Escape Artist: - none -
Forgery: (dependent) art; (contingent) civics (e.g., reproducing government documents), history (e.g., reproducing historical documents)
Gamble: (dependent) physical sciences; (contingent) behavioral sciences (e.g., identifying tells)
Gather Information: (dependent) popular culture or streetwise; (contingent) behavioral sciences (e.g., gaining the confidence of groups)
Handle Animal: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., understanding animal behavior)
Hide: (dependent) tactics; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., using natural terrain advantages such as vegetation), streetwise (e.g., using urban terrain advantages)
Intimidate: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) streetwise (e.g., making credible threats based on criminal knowledge)
Jump: - none -
Listen: - none -
Move Silently: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., using vegetation to screen sound), tactics (e.g., tactical acumen)
Navigate: (dependent) earth and life sciences; (contingent) physical sciences (e.g., astronomical knowledge of constellations and the position of the sun)
Perform: (dependent) art; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., performing an aboriginal dance), popular culture (e.g., performing popular dance styles), streetwise (e.g., performing credible gangsta rap or street poetry)
Pilot: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences or physical sciences (e.g., understanding wind and terrain relationships or identifying cloud types and associated storm activity), tactics (e.g., avoiding fields of fire)
Profession: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) business (e.g., managing investments), streetwise (e.g., criminal activities)
Repair: (dependent) physical sciences or technology; (contingent) - none -
Research: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) - any - (i.e., apply the Knowledge skill most closely related to the character’s Research attempt)
Ride: - none -
Search: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) art (e.g., noting architectural details), earth and life sciences (e.g., finding tracks), history (e.g., understanding archeological features), tactics (e.g., detecting a mine or a booby trap)
Sense Motive: (dependent) behavioral sciences; (contingent) - none -
Sleight of Hand: - none -
Spot: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., natural terrain), tactics (e.g., lines of advance), streetwise (e.g., knowing the neighborhood)
Survival: (dependent) earth and life sciences; (contingent) - none -
Swim: (dependent) - none -; (contingent) earth and life sciences (e.g., knowledge of waves or currents)
Treat Injury: (dependent) earth and life sciences; (contingent) - none -
Tumble: - none -
One of my goals in compiling this list is to offer it to players during character creation, so they can get the most out of their Knowledge skill ranks.
I’d like to hear how you’ve used skill synergies based on Knowledge skills in your game, or your suggestions for fleshing out this list – your comments and observations are welcome and encouraged.
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