Using Skills in Combat

[trentonjoe]

I am toying around with allowing skill checks to be used as a bonus action in combat. As of right now, I have these:


Investigate:A DC 15 (modified by circumstances) check allows the character to notice a weak spot in his opponents defenses, the character does 1d4 extra damage. On a roll of 1, the character is widely mistaken and the opponent is resistant to her attacks until the start of her next turn.

Bluff: A DC 20 check allows the character to fool her enemy. Her next attack is made with advantage.

Tumble: A PC makes an opposed check vs the enemy. The opponent may use ACROBATICS, ATHLETICS, PERCEPTION or INVESTIGATE. With a success the the opponent attacks with disadvantage on the first strike against the PC. Failure allows the opponent to use a reaction to take an opportunity attack.

Athletics: A PC makes an opposed check vs the enemy. The opponent may use ACROBATICS, ATHLETICS, PERCEPTION or INVESTIGATE. With a success the the PC may use the shove attack as a bonus. Failure allows the opponent to use a reaction to take an opportunity attack.
***I don't like this because it requires two straight opposed rolls*****

Perception: A DC 15 (modified by circumstances) check allows the character to perceive a vulnerability in his opponents defenses, the character rolls an extra 1d4 her next attack roll. On a roll of 1, the character is widely mistaken and subtracts 1d4 from her next attack.

Working on a CON one....

 

[bedir than]

An interesting twist on CON as a check may be to allow someone to ignore a move up on the exhaustion level until post-combat. This would represent the adrenaline of the situation driving the PC beyond what their body "should" be doing.

 

[MoutonRustique]

Sorry for the wet blanket-ing :

Seems like this will add a great many rolls and a good bit of time to your rounds - being this generic, useful and always possible, I don't really see a character not trying one of these every single round.

More constructive comments :
Investigation - +1d4 on success, -1d4 dmg on fail (not just on 1); lasts entire combat; success offers advantage to allies if able to communicate; if foe is made aware, lose the bonus and impose disadvantage on anyone's further attempts.
there's a better way to phrase this, I'm sure

Bluff: A DC 20 check allows the character to fool her enemy. Her next attack is made with advantage.

- very powerful, no reason not to try for everyone on every round unless bonus action is needed elsewhere. I've got nothing very useful for this...

Tumble: A PC makes an opposed check vs the enemy. The opponent may use ACROBATICS, ATHLETICS, PERCEPTION or INVESTIGATE. With a success the the opponent attacks with disadvantage on the first strike against the PC. Failure allows the opponent to use a reaction to take an opportunity attack.

How about, the check result becomes the AC against the opportunity attack when the character provokes one by moving?

Athletics: A PC makes an opposed check vs the enemy. The opponent may use ACROBATICS, ATHLETICS, PERCEPTION or INVESTIGATE. With a success the the PC may use the shove attack as a bonus. Failure allows the opponent to use a reaction to take an opportunity attack.
***I don't like this because it requires two straight opposed rolls*****

Athletics check (opposed), on success, a successful attack shoves, on fail, character is prone after next attack (character has the option to not attack - the consequence doesn't carry over in the next round.)

... not sure I'd use the ideas I presented, but they might strike a spark for you. Here's hoping it was useful.

 

[trentonjoe]

They in fact do strike a spark. Thanks to both of yous guys.

 

[AlmirEldignor]

At my games we use Acrobatics to contest attack rolls for attacks of opportunity directly, so if you beat it they miss, but if you fail they hit you, even if the roll wouldn't normally beat your AC, so less agile characters wearing more armour aren't gonna just spam it when moving.

 

[trentonjoe]

Awesome idea