Is poetry/lit Craft? No. Perform? No. What?

[Scaramanga]

I can't find a reference to poetry/literature/prose under Craft or Perform. The former involves creating a physical object and the latter involves physical movement.

Would it be Knowledge? No. Because knowing about poetry is much different than writing it.

So . . . Profession (Poet)? If so, what kind of skill check would be required?

 

[Knight Otu]

It can really be all of them, but Craft is the most logical of them, since you are creating something, with a synergy bonus for Perform (oratory). Perform (Oratory) could possibly used as well, but I'd use Craft (Poetry). For skill checks, you could use the information from d20 Modern:

Craft (writing) (Int)
This skill allows a character to create short stories, novels, scripts and screenplays, newspaper articles and columns, and similar works of writing.
When creating a work of writing, the player simply makes a Craft (writing) check, the result of which determines the quality of the work.
No Wealth check is necessary to use this Craft skill.
Skill Check Result Effort Achieved
9 or lower Untalented amateur
10–19 Talented amateur
20–24 Professional
25–30 Expert
31 or higher Master
Creating a work of writing requires at least 1 hour, but usually takes a day, a week, or more, depending on the scope of the project.
Special: A character with the Creative feat gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (writing) checks.

Remember that the lists under Craft and Profession are not meant to be complete, but the lists under Perform and Knowledge are for the most part.

 

[Sejs]

Profession (Writer) or Profession (Poet). Craft is the assembly of physical objects from their composite raw materials, and the acting-type performance skills cover the believable conveyance of a situation that is not real, to an audience. So if you wanted a character who was a playwrite (Profession: Writer) and a dramatic actor (Perform: Drama) who could also make his own sets (Craft: Carpenter) and costumes (Craft: Tailor), you've got a couple skills to work on. A Bard could pull it all off still have skill points to spare, on top of his moderate combat and spellcasting abilities, as could an Expert.

Personally, as for synergies I'd probably give a +2 for having 5 ranks in Knowledge (History), Diplomacy, or an appropriate Perform skill. For having a good grasp of historical reference for use in similie and metaphor, knowing what sort of things evoke different reactions in people, and being familiar with what works well when performed, respectively.


Edit/Additional:
KO has valid point with the d20 Modern reference to Craft(Writing); not one I personally agree with given the natures of the different skills, but it is from an official source. Even if I think that official source was mistaken in their choice, heh. ^_^

 

[Knight Otu]

Craft is the assembly of physical objects from their composite raw materials,

Sorry to disagree, but to me, it doesn't seem to be limited to physical objects:

A Craft skill is specifically focused on creating something. If nothing is created by the endeavor, it probably falls under the heading of a Profession skill.

Certainly, there is something created - the poem.

 

[dcollins]

Just looking at the examples, I'd actually have to say this more falls in the realm of Perform. It includes "ballad... comedy... drama... epic... limericks... ode... storytelling".

This is the kind of thing that can be debated, but remember that in a pre-modern milieu, there wasn't a separate career for "writers". Entertainers and storytellers and plays were all basically delivered as songs. In D&D terms you need Perform (storytelling) to create a story and Profession (scribe) to make a written copy of it, and that makes sense.

 

[Ferret]

It can really be all of them, but Craft is the most logical of them, since you are creating something, with a synergy bonus for Perform (oratory). Perform (Oratory) could possibly used as well, but I'd use Craft (Poetry). For skill checks, you could use the information from d20 Modern:
Remember that the lists under Craft and Profession are not meant to be complete, but the lists under Perform and Knowledge are for the most part.

I would have said that proform would entitle more... well performing, rather then writing or creating the poems or other writing. A bonus would be good if you wrote it and are now performing though.

What about making poems or limericks (more likely) ad lib?

 

[The Souljourner]

Poetry is definitely perform. Just because you write it down, doesn't make it any less a performance. It's just like recording music - it's still a performance, it's just one that can be repeated by the audience as often as they like.

-The Souljourner

 

[Laman Stahros]

I can't find a reference to poetry/literature/prose under Craft or Perform. The former involves creating a physical object and the latter involves physical movement.

Would it be Knowledge? No. Because knowing about poetry is much different than writing it.

So . . . Profession (Poet)? If so, what kind of skill check would be required?

In Races of Stone, on page 131, it says that writing and musical composition are Craft skills and then lists a chart.

Comp Type Value Craft DC
Poem 5 sp - 2 gp 12
Novel 5 gp - 15 gp 15
Reference Book 25 gp - 100 gp 18
Epic 50 gp - 500 gp 20
Song 5 sp - 5 gp 12
Quartet Comp 5 gp - 15 gp 15
Symphony 25 gp - 100 gp 20
Dramatic Monologue 1 gp - 5 gp 15
Comedic Play 10 gp - 30 gp 15
Dramatic Play 15 gp - 50 gp 15

Sorry, I don't know the forum codes for making a table.

 

[Len]

Certainly, there is something created - the poem.

Then surely apothecary, brewer, farmer, lumberjack would be Craft too - but they're examples of Professions in the PHB. Come to think of it, there's something wonky about the division between Craft and Profession, looking at the canonical examples of each.

However, I put poetry under Perform. In a D&D setting, it seems to me that poetry would more often originate from a live performance by a bard, skald, minstrel, troubadour than a book written by an author. Like Beowulf or the Iliad.

 

[dcollins]

In Races of Stone, on page 131, it says that writing and musical composition are Craft skills and then lists a chart.

Bleagh. And that's actually a WOTC supplement, isn't it? Honestly, looking at the core rules, Craft would be the last possible skill I would pick for this. I would vote: (1) Perform, (2) Profession, (3) Knowledge before (4) Craft.

That alone convinces me to never look at that book.