Norrathians: Skills

The Norrathian Adventures campaign setting uses the EQrpg rules for skills, though some are updated to d20 3.5. The following changes are to the rules as found in the EQrpg PHB.

Skill Alterations

When d20 upgraded to version 3.5, a number of the ways in which skills work were altered and streamlined. Because we are using 3.5 rules in this version of EQrpg, the skills also must be altered. However, EQrpg uses an already-altered list of skills, so we won’t be able to use either resource as the hard-and-fast reference on all skills.

The following changes should be made to the EQrpg list of skills to bring them closer in line with d20 3.5:

Animal Empathy – no longer a skill; instead, beastlords, druids, and rangers all gain the Wild Empathy class ability that d20 druids have. Beastlords have a +5 bonus to Wild Empathy checks. All references to “Animal Empathy” now refer to “Wild Empathy.”

Hide – this skill has been folded into the Sneak skill.

Listen – this skill has been folded into the new Perception skill (see below).

Perception – this is a new skill to the setting. It combines the use of both Listen and Spot into one skill. A Perception check can be auditory, visual, or both, depending on the circumstance. Rules for both Listen and Spot from the d20 SRD apply to all Perception checks.

Pick Pocket – this skill has been folded into Sleight of Hand, which works according to the d20 SRD rules.

Read Lips – this skill has been folded into Spot in the d20 SRD. However, Spot has been folded into Perception. Use the Perception skill when attempting to read lips, as per the Spot skill notation on the action.

Sense Heading – it’s arguable that the Sense Heading skill in EQo was one of the most annoying skills to develop as a character, especially considering that they eventually negated it’s usefulness by making it immediately possible for any character to know which direction he was facing using an on-screen compass. However, it did have a nice correlation to the D&D skill Intuit Direction. In the upgrade to 3.5, this skill was folded into the Survival skill, so in this EQrpg setting, Sense Heading is as well.

Sleight of Hand – this skill has been added to the setting. It uses the d20 SRD rules for the skill. It is a class skill for rogues.

Spot - this skill has been folded into the new Perception skill (see below).

Survival – this skill has been added to the setting. It uses the d20 SRD rules for the skill. It is a class skill for bards, beastlords, druids, rangers, and shamans.

Undead Empathy – no longer a skill; instead, necromancers and shadow knights gain the Undead Empathy class ability. This is similar to the d20 druid ability Wild Empathy, except that it works only on undead, and allows the character to use the Taunt skill on all undead creatures.

Wilderness Lore – this skill has been folded into Survival, which works according to the d20 SRD rules.

EQrpg-Specific Skill Notes

Some skills in the EQrpg setting are unique, or have unique terminology. They are as follows:

Alcohol Tolerance – this is a fun skill that allows characters to actually benefit from ingested spirits. It is used as-is, according to the EQrpg rules.

Channeling – this skill functions the same way the d20 skill Concentration does. The rules for either skill apply to the Channeling skill. Because spells in EQrpg use mana to power them, rather than solely the art and craft of the caster, the name given in the setting better applies to this skill.

Meditation – a crucial skill for spellcasters, Meditation allows a character to regain mana at an increased rate while meditating.

Pick Lock – this skill is the same as the d20 skill Open Lock. Either name applies just as well, so the EQrpg name is used for this setting. Either nomenclature is acceptable.

Play (instrument) – this group of skills is specific to the bard class. Bards without ranks in a Play skill find it next to impossible to successfully maintain the craft.

Class Skill Changes

Make these changes to the list of class skills for each class:

Diplomacy – This is a class skill for enchanters.

Knowledge Skills – The skill Knowledge (local) is always a class skill for every character when it pertains to the location from which they hail. When Knowledge (local) is listed as a class skill, it refers only to localities where the character’s allies have influence (e.g. A rogue from Freeport may gain ranks in Knowledge [local – Neriak] because rogues are active in that city, but Knowledge [local – Erudin] is a cross-class skill because of the lack of organized rogues in this location.)

For other classes, change the Knowledge skills listed as class skills to the following:

• Bard: all Knowledge skills
• Beastlord: monster lore (natural), nature, religion
• Cleric: arcana, history, local, religion
• Druid: geography, monster lore (natural), nature, religion
• Enchanter: arcana, monster lore (any)
• Hexblade: arcana, history, local, monster lore (humanoids and rallosian), warcraft
• Magician: arcana, monster lore (unnatural), planes
• Monk: none
• Necromancer: arcana, monster lore (undead), religion
• Paladin: construction, history, local, religion, warcraft
• Ranger: geography, local, monster lore (any), nature
• Rogue: construction, local, monster lore (humanoids and rallosian)
• Shadow Knight: arcana, history, monster lore (undead), warcraft
• Shaman: arcana, history, local, nature, religion
• Warrior: construction, monster lore (any), warcraft
• Wizard: all Knowledge skills

Further clarification on common Knowledge skills can be found on the Knowledge domains page.

Language – The language skill is a class skill for all classes. Even a necromancer might need to learn Old Erudian in order to translate archaic texts.

Perception – This is a class skill for the bard, beastlord, druid, hexblade, monk, ranger, and rogue.

Sneak – The Sneak skill, while different from the skill in the core rules, remains a class skill for the same classes (bard, beastlord, hexblade, monk, ranger, and rogue).

Bluff

In addition to the information already presented:

You can use Bluff to get a message across to another character without others understanding it. The DC is 15 for simple messages, or 20 for complex messages, especially those that rely on getting across new information. Failure by 4 or less means you cannot get the message across. Failure by 5 or more means that some false information has been implied or inferred. Anyone listening to the exchange can make a Sense Motive check opposed by the Bluff check you made to transmit in order to intercept your message.

Intimidate

In addition to the information already presented:

You can change another’s behavior with a successful check. Your Intimidate check is opposed by the target’s modified level check (1d20 + character level or Hit Dice + target’s Wisdom bonus [if any] + target’s modifiers on saves against fear). If you beat your target’s check result, you may treat the target as friendly, 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. See the Diplomacy skill for additional details.) The effect lasts as long as the target remains in your presence, and for 1d6x10 minutes afterward. After this time, the target’s default attitude toward you shifts to unfriendly (or, if normally unfriendly, to hostile). If you fail the check by 5 or more, the target provides you with incorrect or useless information, or otherwise frustrates your efforts.

Knowledge

The typical fields of study are as follows:

• Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases)
• Construction (architecture, engineering, dams, buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications)
• Geography (lands, terrain, climate, people)
• History (factions, cultural lore, royalty, wars, colonies, migrations, lineages, heraldry, founding of cities)
• Local (factions, legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, gangs)
• Monster Lore (habits, habitat, strengths, weaknesses, vulnerabilities)
  • Dragon (dragon)
  • Humanoids (humanoid, monstrous humanoid)
  • Natural (fey, beast, magical beast)
  • Rallosian (giants, goblins, ogres, orcs)
  • Unnatural (aberration, ooze, outsider)
  • Undead (undead)
• Nature (animals, plants, seasons and cycles, weather, vermin)
• Planes (magic related to the planes, various planes, planar inhabitants, planar travel)
• Religion (factions, deities, mythic history, temples, religious symbols)
• Warcraft (tactics, leaders, strategy, siegecraft, cultural histories of warfare)

Synergy

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (construction), you get a +2 bonus on Search checks made to find secret doors or hidden compartments.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (geography), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made to keep from getting lost or to avoid natural hazards.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), you get a +2 bonus on Bardic Knowledge checks.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), you get a +2 bonus on Gather Information checks in that locality.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (monster lore [any]), you get a +1 bonus on all skill checks made against that type of opponent. Every further 5 ranks gives you another +1 bonus. If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature) you get similar bonuses against animals, plants, and vermin. Note that this bonus applies only to skill checks – checks made for an action granted by an ability, such as an Undead Empathy check, are not skill checks.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (monster lore [unnatural]), you get a +2 bonus on turning checks against elementals and outsiders.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (monster lore [undead]), you get a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made in natural environments.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion), you get a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (planes), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made while in other planes, and you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks relating to planer travel spells.

If you have 5 or more ranks in Survival, you get a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks.

Perception (Wis)

The skills Listen and Spot have been removed; instead characters attempt to sense their surroundings using all senses at once. Certain circumstances may affect a character’s ability to hear and see separately, but the single skill is still used. In all manners, the information for the skills Listen and Spot are used for the Perception skill.

Sense Motive

In addition to the information already presented:

You may use Sense Motive to detect that a hidden message is being transmitted via the Bluff skill. In this case, your Sense Motive check is opposed by the Bluff check of the character transmitting the message. For each piece of information relating to the message that you are missing, you take a -2 penalty on your Sense Motive check. If you succeed by 4 or less, you know that something hidden is being communicated, but you cannot learn anything specific about its content. If you beat the DC by 5 or more, you intercept and understand the message. If you fail by 4 or less, you don’t detect any hidden communication. If you fail by 5 or more, you infer some false information.

Sneak (Dex)

Sneak is a single skill that allows a character to act without being seen or heard by others. Rather than only applying to moving silently, Sneak checks are made as a combination of these abilities. Certain situations may affect a character’s ability to sneak visually versus audibly, and these can remain separate. In all other ways, the rules for the Hide skill apply to the Sneak skill, and Sneak is opposed by the Perception skill.

In addition to the information already presented for Hide:

If you’ve already successfully hidden at least 10 feet from your target, you can make one ranged attack, then immediately hide again. You take a -20 penalty on your Sneak check to conceal yourself visually after the shot.

Trade Skill

Note: when using Training Points (see EQrpg PHB pg. 50) to purchase ranks in Trade Skills, 1 Training Point buys 1 rank (normally 3 Training Points buys 1 skill rank). Additionally, there is no level-based limit to the amount of ranks you may have in trade skills. It is possible to be level 1 with 20 ranks in nothing but Trade Skill (Pottery).

While this does make it sound easy to master a profession, one must still practice the craft in order to excel. Every time a character gains a rank in any type of Trade Skill, she must succeed on 4 challenging crafting attempts before she is qualified to gain a new rank in that Trade Skill. In this case, a “challenging attempt” is any DC equal to 14 + the character’s current skill rank.

Production time varies from one trade to another; it takes days to create a suit of armor, and only minutes to make some stew. When you decide on a trade skill, consult with your game master about production times. You may hurry production, reducing it by half, for a DC cost of 150% of normal.

Though the EQrpg PHB does not include information on how to actually use Trade Skill, the normal rules for the Craft skill from the SRD apply.

Trade Skill (Arcana)

All material components used in spells are created using Trade Skill (Arcana). This skill requires an arcanist’s toolkit. Items that normally could be used in the casting of a spell must be prepared via this spell in order to be effective. One cannot simply use any peridot for the symbol of Marzin spell.

Trade Skill (Calligraphy)

The Calligraphy trade makes mantras and recitations that can be used to produce magical effects. The details on this new trade skill can be found in Al’Kabor’s Arcana.

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EQrpg: Norrathians