Skills

Skills are activities that are learned and improved over time with study and practice. These include things like gardening, a weapon skill, picking locks, etc. The initial cost for a skill at 1st rank is 1 point. The cost to raise a skill to the next higher rank (level) is will be equal to the rank to which the skill is being raised. During character creation, a skill may not be raised to higher than 4 ranks. The maximum number ranks in any skill may not exceed 10. Most skills are linked to specific Attributes. Tests using that skill may apply the relevant attribute modifier to their test rolls. A listing of skills is presented as Table 1 below.

As a general rule a novice in a skill will have 1 rank, an apprentice 2 ranks, a journeyman 3-4 ranks, a master 5-6 ranks, and guild master 7 or more ranks of a skill.

When attempting to use a skill, the task is assigned a target number. The test for completing a task will be 1d20 + (linked attribute) + (ranks in skill) versus the target number.  To succeed the resulting number must equal or exceed the target number.Some tasks may be tried multiple times, others only once per a given situation at the discretion of the gamemaster.  Some skills can be attempted without any ranks in a skill, others require that at least one rank be purchased in the skill before attempts can be made.  Skills that require specific training include skills like lock picking, herbalism, alchemy, ancient languages.  If a skill can be attempted unskilled a penalty of  -1 to -4 points will be applied to the test roll, but the level of the attribute will still be applied.   The penalty should be under almost all circumstances -4 equivalent to a 20% penalty.

A character without training in a particular skill, but with ranks in a similar skill, will have a chance to use experience gained from this similar skill to increase this base chance of success. In the case of combat and mundane skills the character can opt to add his ranks in this similar skill as a bonus to his test roll.  The penalty of 0 to -4 points would still apply to the attempt.  A penalty of  0 to -1 would be applied for using a highly similar skill, while the full -4 penalty would be applied for remotely similar skill.  If the gamemaster determines that this alternate skill is not sufficiently similar to what the character is attempting to accomplish, then no bonus will be given.   The character's attribute ranks can still be applied to any test rolls.   For mystical skills a character must have that specific skill and can not substitute ranks in a similar skill.

A roll of a natural 20 is generally a success, an unmodified roll of 2 or less is always a failure. However, the game master may determine that a character with no ranks in the skill or few ranks in a skill, could not succeed, even considering considerable luck, regardless of the roll.

Critical skill successes occur if a character has at least one rank in that skill and a natural 20 is rolled on the first attempt to use that skill. This represents a bit of luck or random knowledge the character may have acquired during his lifetime. This may be  ruled a success regardless of the target number, but there are no other benefits.  If an attempt fails to succeed, the character may be able to try the attempt again, depending on the skill and the circumstances. However any subsequent rolls must equal or succeed the target number or the attempt is unsuccessful. A roll of a natural 20 on a subsequent roll is not an automatic success. 

Target Numbers for Mundane Skills

The target number for any skill test is determined by the gamemaster.  Common or average tasks can be completed without the need for a test roll under normal circumstances.  Completing these tasks in an unusual situation or without the proper tools will require a roll as determined by the gamemaster.

Above average tasks:  Completing a task that is above average in difficulty or an item of above average in quality.  Target Number = 14.

Difficult tasks or Fine quality items:  Target number = 16 - 18.

Very difficult tasks or Masterwork quality items:  Target number = 20 - 24

Exceptionally difficult or Exceptional quality items:  Target Number = 25 - 29

Almost impossible tasks or Legendary quality items: Target number 30 - 30+

  The gamemaster may apply situational modifiers as he determines to be appropriate on any test rolls.

Commentary:

Non-proficiency Modifier:

There is a non-proficiency modifier of 0 to -4 to their dice roll for characters attempting to perform a skill without specific training in that skill.  Some skills of course can not be attempted at all without training.  I strongly recommend that the -4 modifier be used in the vast majority of attempts. Some gamemasters may think that particular task isn’t a hard thing to do, so the roll should not have as big of a penalty.  That is the wrong way to look at the situation.  If a task isn’t difficult, then it’s target number should be lowered, not the np penalty.  If characters can try a task untrained, then that chance is a d20 roll with the modifier built in.  The character can try the task, but is not going to be exceptionally good at it.  It is also implying that someone who has taken the time (and spent the skill points) to gain a base level  of proficiency in the skill will perform it at least 05% to 25%  (1 to 5 points) better than someone trying to just wing it.  It really isn’t so much a penalty for people who are non-proficient as it is a bonus for people with training.  Therefore in most cases a non-proficiency modifier of -4 should be applied to people without training attempting a task.

Levels of Expertise:

On the face of it the idea that someone who has a rank of 5 in a skill and is considered an expert has only a 20% greater chance on a test attempt than someone with 1 rank in that skill, a virtual novice.  I believe this is the proper structure for comparing various skill levels.  I will give two examples.  Say two characters are each painting a house, a novice and an expert.  At the end of the job, would I be able to tell which house was painted by which person?  Probably not.  The main difference would be that the expert is likely to have finished the job more quickly, but not necessarily done a more quality job.  A second example would be a cabinetmaker.  A novice can make a cabinet.  It will be a box with shelves and a door.  An expert will make a better quality cabinet.  It will have tighter joints, doors will fit better, there may be fancier decorations.  Overall it will be a much nicer looking piece.  But the cabinets made by each are still just cabinets.  Functionally the better cabinet made by the expert may only be 20% better than that made by the novice.  But it took more skill to make that cabinet.  A rank 5 expert has spent 15 times as many skill points, reflecting 15 times as much skill, to achieve this level of expertise over the novice. This is reflected in the only modest improvement overall in quality.  Financially the increased quality of those few percentage points could boost the items cost 10 fold or 100 fold.   I believe this is a fair and appropriate approach to the level of expertise questions.  An expert will have  a better chance at completing difficult tasks than a novice, and will be able to successfully complete the most difficult tasks for which the novice has no chance at all.  For most simple, common tasks a character with a proficiency in a skill should  not even be required to make a proficiency check.