Secondary Skills

Secondary Skills

There will be times when a player character tries to do something in the game that seems to have no rule or skill covering it. In some of those cases, the only attribute the PC has that seems appropriate may be an Ability Score.
The player rolls 1d20 and adds his or her Ability Bonus for the score the GM thinks is most appropriate, as well as any situational bonus or penalty the GM assigns.
Any additional skills from a character's background are considered secondary skills. These are skills that the character has from before their adventuring lives or skills that could be considered part of their character class. It is a method to flesh out a character and make them more unique.
All of the character's skills start at level 1 and use the target number on an ability roll chart. When the player performs a skill action, he or she rolls the d20, modified by the ability score of the skill as well as any situational bonus or penalty the GM assigns. The roll must be greater than or equal to the target number on the Ability Rolls chart. Every level after 1st, the character gets 3 skill level points that he or she can apply to any skill or skills as sees fit, so long as the skill level does not exceed his or her character level.
If the character has a background or additional knowledge in a skill (like the son or daughter of a blacksmith), then that character receives a +1 situational bonus on skills that deal with the additional knowledge. The player and the GM should consider this option together.
All skills on another class list are considered non-skilled and have a target number of 20. Using a non-skilled skill from the general list or your character's class list has a target number of 17. A character may take a skill not normally allowed to his or her class; however, the cost of the skill is three skill points. For example, a 2nd level fighter takes the Escape Artist skill. It costs 3 skill level points and the character may not select another skill until he or she reaches 3rd level. The target number is still 17 for these skills.

STRENGTH SKILLS

• Jump: A long jump is a horizontal jump, made across a gap like a chasm or stream. At the midpoint of the jump, you attain a vertical height equal to one-quarter of the horizontal distance. The target number for the jump is equal to the distance jumped in feet. A high jump is a vertical leap made to reach a ledge high above or to grasp something overhead. The target number is equal to 4 times the distance to be cleared.

• Swim: Make a Swim check once per round while you are in the water. Success means you may swim at up to one-half your speed. Swimming in armor is normally impossible.
  

INTELLIGENCE SKILLS

• Appraise: You can appraise common or well-known objects with an Appraise check. Failure means that you estimate the value at 50% to 150% (2d6+3 times 10%,) of its actual value. Appraising a rare or exotic item requires a successful check against a Target Number of 17 or higher. If the check is successful, you estimate the value correctly; failure means you cannot estimate the item’s value.

• Craft: (a single type of craft, e.g., armorer, bowyer, glass blower, leather-worker, potter, shipbuilder, silver-smith, wheelwright, weaver) A Craft skill is specifically focused on creating and/or repairing something. If nothing is created by the endeavor, it probably falls under the heading of a Profession skill rather than Craft. The character would be considered a “Master Craftsmen” with this skill. Time and proper materials are required to be present to succeed.

• Decipher Script (MAGIC-USER AND THIEF SKILL): You can decipher writing in an unfamiliar language or a message written in an incomplete or archaic form. This includes intricate, exotic, or very old writing. If the check succeeds, you understand the general content of a piece of writing about one page long (or the equivalent). If the check fails, another check should be made to see if you avoid drawing a false conclusion about the text. (Success means that you do not draw a false conclusion; failure means that you do.)

• Forgery (THIEF SKILL): Forgery requires writing materials appropriate to the document being forged, enough light or sufficient visual acuity to see the details of what you’re writing, wax for seals (if appropriate), and some time. To forge a document on which the handwriting is not specific to a person (military orders, a government decree, a business ledger, or the like), you need only to have seen a similar document before, and you gain a +4 bonus on your check. To forge a signature, you need an autograph of that person to copy, and you gain a +2 bonus on the check. To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large sample of that person’s handwriting is needed. The Forgery check is made secretly by the GM, so that you’re not sure how good your forgery is. A document that contradicts procedure, orders, or previous knowledge, or one that requires sacrifice on the part of the person checking the document can increase that character’s suspicion (and thus create favorable circumstances for the checker’s opposing Forgery check).

• Knowledge: (alchemy / apothecary / arcana / Chaos / engineering / history / religion / tactics / wilderness) The character has understanding of one of these fields of study:

• Alchemy (chemistry and the elements of nature)
• Apothecary (use of herbs and ingredients from animals or even minerals in order to create common (non-magical) cures or poisons)
• Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases, constructs, dragons, magical beasts)
• Engineering (buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications, etc.)
• History (royalty, wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities)
• Town Rumors (THIEF SKILL) The character is knowledgeable of events in their home town or city. An evening’s time, a few gold pieces for buying drinks and making new friends, and a Knowledge (rumors around town) check get you a general idea of a city’s major news items, assuming there are no obvious reasons why the information would be withheld. The higher your check result, the better the information.
• Wilderness (various flora and fauna of the region)

• Spellcraft (CLERIC AND MAGIC-USER SKILL): You can identify spells and magic effects.
  

WISDOM SKILLS

• Ceremony (specific deity) (CLERIC SKILL): The character is proficient in the ceremonies of a single deity (usually his or her own deity). The character has a deep understanding of the meanings of every action taken in the ceremonies.

• Handle Animal: This task involves commanding an animal to perform a task or trick that it knows. If the animal is wounded or frightened, the Target Number increases by 2. If your check succeeds, the animal performs the task or trick. “Push” an Animal- To push an animal means to get it to perform a task or trick that it doesn’t know but is physically capable of performing. This category also covers making an animal perform a forced march or forcing it to hustle for more than 1 hour between sleep cycles. If the animal is wounded, the Target Number increases by 2 levels. If your check succeeds, the animal performs the task or trick on its next action. Teach an Animal a Trick- You can teach an animal a specific trick with one week of work and a successful Handle Animal check. An animal can learn a maximum of six tricks.

• Heal (CLERIC SKILL): The character understands how to give first-aid to save the dying. When a character falls below zero hit points, but not below negative hit points, another character with the heal skill and attempt first-aid to save the life of the dying character. A Heal skill check, if successful, will stabilize the dying character. The character must spend one week in bed rest to restore the first hit point; after this, healing proceeds that the normal rate.

• Sense Motive: This use of the skill involves making an assessment of the situation. You can get the feeling from another’s behavior that something is wrong, such as when you’re talking to an impostor. Alternatively, you can get the feeling that someone is trustworthy.

• Spot: The Spot skill is used primarily to detect characters or creatures who are hiding or to detect someone in disguise, and to read lips when you can’t hear or understand what someone is saying.

• Survival: You can keep yourself and others safe and fed in the wild or to follow tracks in the wilderness.
  

DEXTERITY SKILLS

• Balance (THIEF SKILL): You can walk on a precarious surface. A successful check lets you move at half your speed along the surface for 1 round. A failure by 4 or less means you can’t move for 1 round. A failure by 5 or more means you fall.

• Escape Artist (THIEF SKILL): The character with the Escape Artist skill has the uncanny ability to get loose from ropes when tied up.

• Ride: The character is knowledgeable in the means of riding one type of mount. He or she can saddle, mount, ride, and dismount without a problem if not rushed but special actions while mounted require a skill check (e.g., guide your mount with knees, stay in saddle to avoid falling when your mount rears or bolts, get your mount to leap obstacles, attempt to control a mount not trained for combat while riding in battle).

• Tumble (THIEF SKILL): You can land softly when you fall. You can also tumble to entertain an audience (as though using the Perform skill). Treat a fall as if it were 10 feet shorter than it really is when determining damage upon a successful skill check.
  

CONSTITUTION SKILLS

• Endurance (FIGHTER SKILL): The character has the ability to perform tiring tasks for long periods of time. Each successful check allows the character to perform the task for one hour. Another check must be made every hour with a -1 cumulative penalty to the roll. When the character has completed the task or fails the check, they collapse and must rest for three times the amount of time used performing the task.

• Labor: (type of manual labor, e.g., brick layer, carpenter, farmer, miner, sailor) The character is very accomplished at a particular type of manual labor. These are the types of labor that do not require large amounts of skill but do require some training.

CHARISMA SKILLS

• Bluff (THIEF SKILL): A successful Bluff check indicates that the target reacts as you wish, at least for a short time (usually 1 round or less) or believes something that you want it to believe. A bluff requires interaction between you and the target. Creatures unaware of you cannot be bluffed.

• Diplomacy: You can change the attitudes of others with a successful Diplomacy check. In negotiations, the GM adds the number of skill points in the character's diplomacy skill to the Reaction roll on the Reaction Roll table. More than one roll may be required for checks to resolve situations when two advocates or diplomats plead opposite cases in a hearing before a third party.

• Disguise (THIEF SKILL): This is the ability to change your character's appearance or impersonate another character. Your Disguise check result determines how good the disguise is. The target number of the check is determined by the situation the character is going to use the disguise. If you don’t draw any attention to yourself, the GM may grant up to a +5 to the checks. If you come to the attention of people who are suspicious (such as a guard who is watching commoners walking through a city gate), a -5 may be appropriate to apply to the check.

• Intimidate (FIGHTER SKILL): You can change another’s behavior. If you make your skill check result, you may treat the target as very favorable, but only for the purpose of actions taken while it remains intimidated. That is, the target retains its normal attitude, but will chat, advise, offer limited help, or advocate on your behalf while intimidated. The effect lasts as long as the target remains in your presence, and for 1d6×10 rounds afterward. After this time, the target’s default attitude toward you shifts to unfavorable (or, if normally unfavorable, to immediate attack).

• Leadership (FIGHTER SKILL): A successful Leadership skill check will add +1 to the Retainer's Loyalty score. It can also be used to convince non-retainer NPCs to follow an order, but in this case, the NPCs will not follow the order if there is a good reason to not do so. The use of the Leadership skill upon an NPC does not shift their attitude to unfavorable afterward.

• Perform: The character is proficient in one of the following: Act (comedy, drama, mime), Comedy (buffoonery, limericks, joke-telling), Dance (ballet, waltz, jig), Musical Instruments (one of bells, chimes, drums, fiddle, flute, gong, harp, harpsichord, lute, mandolin, pan pipes, piano, pipe organ, recorder, trumpet), Oratory (epic, ode, storytelling), Vocals (ballad, chant, melody)

• Profession: (type of non-labor profession, e.g., estate management, cartography, cooking, lawyer, laymen clergy) You can practice your trade and make a decent living. You know how to use the tools of your trade, how to perform the profession’s daily tasks, how to supervise helpers, and how to handle common problems.