Terraism
Explorer
Was that a catchy enough title to get people in here? Hm... 
I'm going to be starting a new game in a few months, and I'm taking the intervening time to look over rules that I've found troublesome in the past. One of the things I find most irksome is how skills are handled - and the distinct superiority some skills have over others. I'd like to address this, a bit, either by strengthening some skills or combining others. (Note - I'm working this from a rules perspective only. That means that my assumptions are all based on the core rules, including world-information. I'm aware that's not always the case - it won't be in my game, even - but I'd prefer to address things in that fashion.) That said, here's my list of Skills That Suck TM (err - just kidding.
)
Skills That Suck (aka Skills Nobody Takes)
- Decipher Script
- Disable Device
- Escape Artist
- Forgery
- Use Rope
Ok. Now for some explanations. I'll start from the top.
I'm going to be starting a new game in a few months, and I'm taking the intervening time to look over rules that I've found troublesome in the past. One of the things I find most irksome is how skills are handled - and the distinct superiority some skills have over others. I'd like to address this, a bit, either by strengthening some skills or combining others. (Note - I'm working this from a rules perspective only. That means that my assumptions are all based on the core rules, including world-information. I'm aware that's not always the case - it won't be in my game, even - but I'd prefer to address things in that fashion.) That said, here's my list of Skills That Suck TM (err - just kidding.
)Skills That Suck (aka Skills Nobody Takes)
- Decipher Script
- Disable Device
- Escape Artist
- Forgery
- Use Rope
Ok. Now for some explanations. I'll start from the top.
Decipher Script: I love this skill. I really do - it's neat. Unfortunately, it's nearly useless. The only folks who're going to have points to dump into this to meet a (low-end) DC 25 (!) check for basic documents are those with lots of skill points (often from a high intelligence.) With the way D&D languages work, it's often easier just to pick up a large number of languages. I mean, heck - there's only twenty languages, including Common, in the core rules. Assuming a character has a 16 Intelligence, he'll start with four of those (five if he's non-human.) With Speak Language, it's two points for each additional one, costing 32 (30) skill points total. Now, 30 points in Decipher Script would certainly allow someone to consistently read just about anything, I'll grant - but not speak it. That many points in Speak Language allows both speech and reading (and writing!). Personally, this seems like more of a problem with the D&D language system than the skill itself, but...
Disable Device - This is just a pet peeve; I'll admit it's actually a very useful skill... if you use traps. If you don't, there's not really anything much harder than DC 15 to do with it. I imagine I'll probably follow the example set by d20 Modern and combine it with Open Locks.
Escape Artist - Aside from the occassion when someone needs to slip out of bonds - which hasn't happened too often in my games (does it happen often enough that this skill is decently useful in other's?) - the only benefit to this skill is in grappling, but only after you're already grappled. Would it be unbalanced to allow an Escape Artist check instead of an opposed grapple check (when you're resisting) at the very outset?
Forgery - This skill really brings to mind the problem with a number of skills. They - like Forgery - really are useful skills. The problem is that, compared to things such as Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Listen, Spellcraft, Spot (the list goes on,) they're used so rarely that putting points into it is often a relative waste. (If you've got only enough points to boost Forgery or Spot, as an average, adventuring rogue, which are you likely to do?) That, then, begs the question - how to bring some skills up to the comparative value?
Use Rope - Do I really need to detail this? With one exception - where the character was a sailor - I've never seen anyone point ranks into this skill. In addition, hell - the DC's are a bit whacked. DC 10 to tie a firm knot. Your average individual, with no training and a Dexterity of 10, will fail at that half the time. Now, I've never had training with knots, and can't get the simplest one undone without a knife (slice!), but I can tie a firm knot. It's not pretty, I'll grant you, and I might loose a few feet of rope (and never, ever get it undone,) but it'll hold. It'll hold *lots.*
Appraise/Balance/Climb - These aren't listed above, because they're useful skills. But I do see them taken very rarely, and I'd like to increase their occurence a bit. Any ideas? (Also, Swim was on this list at one time, until a fellow with a 24 Strength, wearing full plate, fell into the water. He rolled a natural twenty on his swim check, and sank like a stone. My players are very, very afraid of drowning now.)
So - ideas? Is combining skills a horrible thing? Am I missing obvious benefits of some of these? Are there other Skills That Suck I'm missing? What d'you think?Disable Device - This is just a pet peeve; I'll admit it's actually a very useful skill... if you use traps. If you don't, there's not really anything much harder than DC 15 to do with it. I imagine I'll probably follow the example set by d20 Modern and combine it with Open Locks.
Escape Artist - Aside from the occassion when someone needs to slip out of bonds - which hasn't happened too often in my games (does it happen often enough that this skill is decently useful in other's?) - the only benefit to this skill is in grappling, but only after you're already grappled. Would it be unbalanced to allow an Escape Artist check instead of an opposed grapple check (when you're resisting) at the very outset?
Forgery - This skill really brings to mind the problem with a number of skills. They - like Forgery - really are useful skills. The problem is that, compared to things such as Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Listen, Spellcraft, Spot (the list goes on,) they're used so rarely that putting points into it is often a relative waste. (If you've got only enough points to boost Forgery or Spot, as an average, adventuring rogue, which are you likely to do?) That, then, begs the question - how to bring some skills up to the comparative value?
Use Rope - Do I really need to detail this? With one exception - where the character was a sailor - I've never seen anyone point ranks into this skill. In addition, hell - the DC's are a bit whacked. DC 10 to tie a firm knot. Your average individual, with no training and a Dexterity of 10, will fail at that half the time. Now, I've never had training with knots, and can't get the simplest one undone without a knife (slice!), but I can tie a firm knot. It's not pretty, I'll grant you, and I might loose a few feet of rope (and never, ever get it undone,) but it'll hold. It'll hold *lots.*
Appraise/Balance/Climb - These aren't listed above, because they're useful skills. But I do see them taken very rarely, and I'd like to increase their occurence a bit. Any ideas? (Also, Swim was on this list at one time, until a fellow with a 24 Strength, wearing full plate, fell into the water. He rolled a natural twenty on his swim check, and sank like a stone. My players are very, very afraid of drowning now.)
