Last Emperor: Skills

This article is the discussion of the Last Emperor D20 Dragonstar conversion to the Storytelling system, specifically addressing skills and skill use.

The Skills

D20 Skill	ST Skill
Alchemy *	Science (Chemistry)
Animal Empathy *	Animal Ken
Appraise	Academics
Balance	Atheletics
Bluff	Persuasion
Climb	Atheletics
Concentration	Resolve + Composure
Craft (Speciality)	Crafts (Speciality)
Cryptrography +	Science or Computer
Decipher Script	Academics
Demolitions +	Crafts (EOD Speciality)
Diplomacy	Persuasion
Disable Device	Crafts or Larceny
Disguise	Subterfuge
Escape Artist	Atheletics or Larceny
Forgery	Science
Freefall +	Atheletics
Gather Information	Socialize
Handle Animal	Animal Ken
Heal	Medicine
Hide	Atheletics or Larceny
Inneuendo *	Expression
Intimidate	Intimidate
Intuit Direction *	Survival
Jump	Atheletics
Knowledge (Speciality)	Academics or Science
Listen	Wits + Composure
Move Silently	Atheletics
Navigate +	Survival
Open Lock	Larceny
Perform (Specialtiy)	Expression
Pick Pocket or Sleight of Hand *	Larceny
Pilot +	Drive (Pilot Speciality)
Profession (Speciality)	Academics or Science
Read Lips *	Expression or Language
Repair +	Craft (speciality)
Research +	Investigation or Academic
Ride
Scry *	Occult
Search	Investigation
Sense Motive	Empathy
Spellcraft	Occult
Spot	Wits + Composure
Survival &	Survival
Swim	Atheletics
Tumble	Atheletics
Urban Lore	Streetwise
Use Device +
Use Magic Device	Occult
Use Rope	Atheletics
Wilderness Lore *	Survivial

The D20 system has 50 skills (including a few added by Dragonstar), with several of which cascade, requiring selection of specific subskills. Storytelling system has 24, rather broader skills. So as skills are converted there will be overlap.

In general converting a skill requires looking up the original skill on the table to the right, and dividing the number of skill ranks by four to get the number of dots the corresponding ST skill.

Skills marked with a '+' are skills introduced by the Dragonstar rules, in addition to the base D20 rules. Skills marked with a '*' are D&D 3.0 skills which were removed (or changed) for the the D&D 3.5 rules. Skilles marked with an '&' are new to D&D 3.5.

Language skills

In D20, languages are a skill (called Speak Language), each new language costs two skill points to learn, in addition to the skills learned as a racial ability and due to their intelligence modifier.

Language skills in ST are merits, and should be purchased as one point Language merits.

Perception skills

ST does not use a skill for quick perception tasks, so a character with five or more ranks in Spot or Listen skill should get a bonus dot to either their Wits or Composure attributes (players choice) and 10 or more ranks should get a two dots bonus.

Cascade skills

In D20, Craft, Knowledge, Profession, and Perform skills are all cascade skills, the player must select a specific focus to these skills. In addition to the dots in the base skill, the character should get specializations in each of these skills.

Base Attack Bonus

The D20 BAB represents a general attack skill. In ST, the attack skills are either Brawl, Weapondry or Firearms. As with other skills, divide the BAB by four and distribute the points to the three combat skills.