Starting the iteration at DDXP: Reimagining Skills and Abilities

[Number48]

... yake ranks. ...

I think you mean rake yanks.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I think you mean rake yanks.

Yup. Every autumn I always have piles and piles of Jeters lying around my yard.

 

[Frostmarrow]

I think the way NWP worked is a good foundation. Ability score is the basis of your chance to succeed, and this can increase as you take ranks. It is so much more contained than the skill system of 3e plus. I really hope they consider doing this as a roll under ability check rather than d20 + modifier. Yes it is less streamlined, but I think in practice it works a lot better.

I remember for instance that Ride was a function of Wis +3. Which was kind of weird as it made Clerics the best riders. Nowadays we've learned that even attacks can be made with different abilitys scores. So the NWP Ride could be Wis +3 or Dex -2, or some such. (Never mind the exact modifier.) A skill can be based on either one of a number of ability scores and your score and the modifier could be vastly different depending on what score is used. Take for instance Sense Motive. It could be high when used in an intuitive fashion; Wis +2; or just alright when used actively; Int +0.

 

[Anselyn]

I think the way NWP worked is a good foundation. Ability score is the basis of your chance to succeed, and this can increase as you take ranks. It is so much more contained than the skill system of 3e plus. I really hope they consider doing this as a roll under ability check rather than d20 + modifier. Yes it is less streamlined, but I think in practice it works a lot better.

I've cracked this. You're chance to succeeed is your chance to not-fail.
[See Mearls talking about resisting poison with your CON]

Your swim rating going up (Ability + possibly skill) is your abilty to not drown (c.f not be poisoned).

You don't roll to see if you swim. The DM rolls for the river/water/waterfall to see if it beats you.

This carries on a theme of saves becoming resistances to attack. The DM is in control.

 

[TerraDave]

Standard d20 ability scores, basis for checks. Skills will be an add on, small numeric bonus and or some other uses/benefits.

What I am wondering: level based bonus, ala 4E? It has pretty big implications either way.

 

[Szatany]

You don't roll to see if you swim. The DM rolls for the river/water/waterfall to see if it beats you.

This carries on a theme of saves becoming resistances to attack. The DM is in control.

So the players feel they are not in control of their actions? I would not play a game set up like this.

 

[Anselyn]

So the players feel they are not in control of their actions? I would not play a game set up like this.

While that reaction had occurred to me too, you see to be confusing a player's actions (I climb the wall) and generating a random number (I roll the dice to see if I can climb the wall). Do you really think that touching a die is equivalent to control of the actions? The chance of success can be the same either way - the possible actions are the same either way.

Also, haven't some player saves already been shifted to rolls to hit against a defence? Are you equally dis-empowered by the dragon rolling to hit with a breath weapon rather than you rolling a save against breath weapon.

 

[darjr]

I like the idea for a few reasons. But I now realize that I'd rather the PC's make all the rolls except the 'secret' ones so I, as a DM, wouldn't have to.

 

[Spatula]

I am curious how to have a Skills and no-Skills option exist and still be able to produce game material for both at the same time. Or to have both in play at the same table, even. If being trained provides a numerical bonus of any kind, then DCs should be different when using the Skills option.

I suppose the alternative to numerical bonuses is that skills provide extra capabilities instead of bigger numbers. I quite like that idea, but it's quite different from how skills have been presented in D&D to-date.

 

[Rhenny]

I think that having all PC rolls an attempt to beat DC of some sort too elegant and easy to change. Less bulk and less for PCs to remember (and DMs) has to be the best option. This gives DM so much leverage when running a game, and it makes each check/attempt to do something standard and easy to follow. I can't see another way.

The types of skills may be the issue since many people like expanding the skill lists to include many more options.