Favorite non-core skill.

[Dark Jezter]

This thread is to ask people which skill not from the core rulebooks they've found the most useful in their campaigns.

Personally, I like the Battle skill from the Rokugan Campaign Setting book. It provides a good way to gauge how good characters are at commanding armies. I'm currently playing a Scarn campaign where the DM included the Battle skill. I also plan on including the Battle skill when I DM a Forgotten Realms campaign in the near future.

 

[Chun-tzu]

Having just gotten Quintessential Monk (a great book), I really like the Heal: Acupuncture skill. It offers rules for using acupuncture to remove paralysis, blindness, and a few other uses. It also has cool uses for Concentration (breaking boards, walking on fire) and Knowledge: Arcana (Feng Shui).

These are all technically under "New Uses for Skills," but they really only apply to certain characters (i.e., primarily Monks). I don't see any DM allowing a Cleric to suddenly know Acupuncture, or a Wizard to start breaking boards. But they offer good uses for what used to be useless skills for a Monk.

 

[Chauzu]

I'll second Battle.

 

[Sixchan]

Having just gotten Quintessential Monk (a great book), I really like the Heal: Acupuncture skill. It offers rules for using acupuncture to remove paralysis, blindness, and a few other uses. It also has cool uses for Concentration (breaking boards, walking on fire) and Knowledge: Arcana (Feng Shui).

These are all technically under "New Uses for Skills," but they really only apply to certain characters (i.e., primarily Monks). I don't see any DM allowing a Cleric to suddenly know Acupuncture, or a Wizard to start breaking boards. But they offer good uses for what used to be useless skills for a Monk.

Hmm, I think any cleric who adventured into Oriental Lands could take Heal: Acupuncture as a skill provided they got their first few points while in the right places.

As for a favourite skill, I can see Knowledge: (D&D) in KV's In Character PbP being very useful...Especially if traditional D&D characters ended up getting it...

 

[haiiro]

Iaijutsu Focus from OA.

I'm also oddly fond of Tea Ceremony from Rokugan -- it's a simple yet innovative idea.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

The five Psi Skills from Aedon: Glory, Ice and Pain.