Secondary Skills
Summary:
Details
Secondary Skill checks cover a broad range of skills. Some obviously related skills may not even be listed with the Secondary Skill Category. It is up the CK to determine certain related skills associated with the Secondary Skill Category which may come up during play.
Every SECONDARY SKILL listed is associated with a related attribute. Example: Armorer (Intelligence) – make, repair and evaluate all types of armor, as well as evaluating weapon quality.
Primary & Secondary attributes (Check Base 12 or 18) + "Challenge Level" will be used to determine the Challenge Class of a Secondary Skill check.
d20 + Level of Skill + associated attribute modifier to = or beat the Challenge Class for a Secondary Skill check.
Level of Skill: Normally, this number is equal to the character's level. However, the CK will determine if the character has been practicing this skill. For example, a fighter goes up a level because he has been fighting while adventuring and practicing his weapon skills. If his secondary skill choice was "Mason" and he's not done any stonework… no. Whereas, if he's adventuring in the woods and his secondary skill is Trapper…yes. The CK may allow limited advancement for a character experiencing/seeing new ideas or techniques. For example, our fighter still is not actively doing any stonework, but he is exposed to dwarven stonework and sees some new ways of fitting stone together…so, yes for one isolated level advancement in stonework - wandering dwarven tunnels and never picking up a chisel will not make a master stonemason!
For example, Grok the 4th level fighter is going to attempt to fix his mounts’ horseshoes. Grok has the Armorer Secondary Skill (fixing horseshoes is easily a related skill to Armorsmithing, if the CK deems it so) and is trying to attach them to a bad-tempered mare. The CK sets the Challege Class at 21 because Grok’s intelligence is not one of his primary attributes (therefore making the Check Base an 18), plus a Challenge Level of 3, for a total Challenge Class of 21. Grok rolls a d20. He gets to add his level (because Blacksmithing is one of his Secondary Skills and he has found opportunities to practice this skill in his character's 'off-time', so Grok gets +4), plus he gets to add the relevant attribute modifier (for Blacksmithing the associated attribute is intelligence) of -1. Grok rolls a 10 on the d20; he gets a +4 (level), -1 (intelligence), for a total of 13. Grok has not beaten the Challenge Class of 21, so his attempts at the Blacksmithing Secondary Skill are unsuccessful.
Choosing a Secondary Skill
Players get to choose their secondary skill.
The chosen skill is a major component of the character's backstory. Before she was adventuring, what did your character do for a living/how was she raised? Consider this aspect carefully. If you were a farmer, then you're likely sympathetic to farmers and see the world through that lens. You will see a flat area of woodland as a great place to clear and grow crops (even if you took up adventuring so you never had to farm again). A forester or trapper will see the same place much differently.
It is probable that your secondary skill inspired your choice of character class. A forester leads naturally to a ranger - a cut purse from the city is unlikely to become a ranger. As a result, if your class and secondary skill reinforce each other (e.g. ranger and forester or trapper or herbalist), then your skill will likely advance the same rate as your class and you will have an expanded list of skills. For instance, the Ranger's Survival skill or his Traps skill will be expanded. The Ranger and herbalist combination could enhance and expand the Delay/Neutralize Poisons skill to include curing other inflictions. The Player should look for these possibilities and bring them up. As always, the CK and common sense dictates what will be allowed.
Certain secondary skills may require a little more thought to your backstory or might not be allowed at all. For instance, "Sailor" needs constant access to ships - is there a nearby body of water that is significant enough to allow ships? Can the little village that you are all from really support the Alchemist or Armorer or Historian…. who gave you your initial training? So, you will need to have some explanation how it's possible. Keep it simple - you moved to the area recently or your mother cooks for the oddball guy who lives by himself after moving from the big city…. See the Backstory section for a few more details.
Lastly, different skills are learned at different rates/ages. For example, let's presume a human character. At 18 years of age, he decides to be an adventurer. That means his secondary skill represents what he learned before the age of 18. Farm children start chores at 4 years of age so an 18 year old would have a pretty good command of all aspects of farming. On the other hand, a weaponsmith would just know the basics of simple smithing. He might have fetched and carried for several years; but actually doing forge work (to have the strength, dexterity, and knowledge necessary) would have only begun a few years earlier and at basic levels. An 18 year old could run a farm competently; an 18 year old could make a spear, not a sword. So, the more complicated the skill and how long the character would have been able to actually do the skill will affect the Challenge level along with the actual difficulty of the task. Again, common sense.
SECONDARY SKILL LISTINGS
(If a secondary skill is not listed here, negotiate with the CK to adapt an existing secondary skill to a different area - e.g. Armourer to Blacksmith (INT) - make, repair and evaluate basic tools and implements, as well as working iron and steel).
ALCHEMIST (INT) – knowledge and prep. of chemical substances, math.
ARMORER (INT) – make, repair and evaluate all types of armor, as well as evaluating general weapon quality.
BOWYER / FLETCHER (INT) – make, repair and evaluate arrows, bows and fletching.
CLERGY (WIS) – religious doctrine and histories, accounting (math).
COOK (WIS) – prepare and preserve all types of food, ingredients.
CUTPURSE (DEX) – disguise, hiding, general larceny, underworld dealings.
FARMER / SERF (INT) – basic agriculture, farm lore.
FISHER (WIS) – swimming, nets, small boat handling.
FORESTER (INT) – lumbering, construction, forest and wood lore.
GAMBLER (INT) – knowledge of gambling, games of chance, and luck.
GROOM (WIS) – animal care/handling.
HERBALIST (INT) – medicinal herbs and poultices.
HISTORIAN (INT) – history, ancient cultures.
HUNTER (WIS) – basic wood lore, butchering, basic tracking.
INNKEEPER (CHA) – general maintenance, information gathering.
JEWELER (WIS) – appraisal of gems, jewelry, jewelry making.
LEATHER WORKER (WIS) – animals, skinning, tanning.
LIMNER / PAINTER (INT) – map making, appraisal of art objects.
LINGUIST (INT) – linguistics, spoken languages (1d4).
MAGICIAN (INT) – arcane knowledge, ancient scripts, simple illusions.
MASON (WIS) – mining, stone-cutting, stone workmanship.
MILITARY (STR) – endurance, survival, siege skills, military doctrine.
MUSICIAN (CHA) – play various musical instruments (1d4).
NAVIGATOR (WIS) – astronomy, sailing, swimming, navigation.
SAILOR (WIS) – boating, sailing, swimming.
SCRIBE (INT) – reading, writing, simple mathematics.
SERVANT (CHA) – general maintenance, acute observation.
SHIPWRIGHT (INT) – sailing, carpentry, rope work.
TAILOR / WEAVER (INT) – sewing, embroidery, cloth and textiles.
TEAMSTER / FREIGHTER (INT) – animal-handling, wagon repair.
TRADER / BARTERER (CHA) – appraisal of common goods, negotiation, simple mathematics.
TRAPPER / FURRIER (WIS) – basic wood lore, trapping, skinning.
WEAPONSMITH (INT) - make, repair and evaluate hand weaponry.
WOODSMAN (CON) – endurance, survival, wood lore.
WOODWORKER / CARPENTER (INT) – carpentry, carving.
- 1. Secondary skills cover a broad range of skills - essentially careers. Some sub-skills are listed and any additional skills associated with that secondary skill/career are up to the CK.
- 2. Each secondary skill has an associated attribute. Practicing the skill will involve an attribute check (see attributes and attribute checks).
- 3. Challenge level will depend on: 1. Primary or secondary attribute? 2. The difficulty of the task/challenge. 3. Judgement of the CK on how much background the character would have in regards to the challenge being faced. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the character will be an apprentice - apprentices do not have experience in higher level crafting (gave up craft to go adventuring). Also, has the character practiced the craft recently? Finally, some crafts are easier to master than others.
- 4. Players get to pick their secondary skill in consultation with the CK. Choices may be limited by the campaign world/character's background and class. See the list below.
Details
Secondary Skill checks cover a broad range of skills. Some obviously related skills may not even be listed with the Secondary Skill Category. It is up the CK to determine certain related skills associated with the Secondary Skill Category which may come up during play.
Every SECONDARY SKILL listed is associated with a related attribute. Example: Armorer (Intelligence) – make, repair and evaluate all types of armor, as well as evaluating weapon quality.
Primary & Secondary attributes (Check Base 12 or 18) + "Challenge Level" will be used to determine the Challenge Class of a Secondary Skill check.
d20 + Level of Skill + associated attribute modifier to = or beat the Challenge Class for a Secondary Skill check.
Level of Skill: Normally, this number is equal to the character's level. However, the CK will determine if the character has been practicing this skill. For example, a fighter goes up a level because he has been fighting while adventuring and practicing his weapon skills. If his secondary skill choice was "Mason" and he's not done any stonework… no. Whereas, if he's adventuring in the woods and his secondary skill is Trapper…yes. The CK may allow limited advancement for a character experiencing/seeing new ideas or techniques. For example, our fighter still is not actively doing any stonework, but he is exposed to dwarven stonework and sees some new ways of fitting stone together…so, yes for one isolated level advancement in stonework - wandering dwarven tunnels and never picking up a chisel will not make a master stonemason!
For example, Grok the 4th level fighter is going to attempt to fix his mounts’ horseshoes. Grok has the Armorer Secondary Skill (fixing horseshoes is easily a related skill to Armorsmithing, if the CK deems it so) and is trying to attach them to a bad-tempered mare. The CK sets the Challege Class at 21 because Grok’s intelligence is not one of his primary attributes (therefore making the Check Base an 18), plus a Challenge Level of 3, for a total Challenge Class of 21. Grok rolls a d20. He gets to add his level (because Blacksmithing is one of his Secondary Skills and he has found opportunities to practice this skill in his character's 'off-time', so Grok gets +4), plus he gets to add the relevant attribute modifier (for Blacksmithing the associated attribute is intelligence) of -1. Grok rolls a 10 on the d20; he gets a +4 (level), -1 (intelligence), for a total of 13. Grok has not beaten the Challenge Class of 21, so his attempts at the Blacksmithing Secondary Skill are unsuccessful.
Choosing a Secondary Skill
Players get to choose their secondary skill.
The chosen skill is a major component of the character's backstory. Before she was adventuring, what did your character do for a living/how was she raised? Consider this aspect carefully. If you were a farmer, then you're likely sympathetic to farmers and see the world through that lens. You will see a flat area of woodland as a great place to clear and grow crops (even if you took up adventuring so you never had to farm again). A forester or trapper will see the same place much differently.
It is probable that your secondary skill inspired your choice of character class. A forester leads naturally to a ranger - a cut purse from the city is unlikely to become a ranger. As a result, if your class and secondary skill reinforce each other (e.g. ranger and forester or trapper or herbalist), then your skill will likely advance the same rate as your class and you will have an expanded list of skills. For instance, the Ranger's Survival skill or his Traps skill will be expanded. The Ranger and herbalist combination could enhance and expand the Delay/Neutralize Poisons skill to include curing other inflictions. The Player should look for these possibilities and bring them up. As always, the CK and common sense dictates what will be allowed.
Certain secondary skills may require a little more thought to your backstory or might not be allowed at all. For instance, "Sailor" needs constant access to ships - is there a nearby body of water that is significant enough to allow ships? Can the little village that you are all from really support the Alchemist or Armorer or Historian…. who gave you your initial training? So, you will need to have some explanation how it's possible. Keep it simple - you moved to the area recently or your mother cooks for the oddball guy who lives by himself after moving from the big city…. See the Backstory section for a few more details.
Lastly, different skills are learned at different rates/ages. For example, let's presume a human character. At 18 years of age, he decides to be an adventurer. That means his secondary skill represents what he learned before the age of 18. Farm children start chores at 4 years of age so an 18 year old would have a pretty good command of all aspects of farming. On the other hand, a weaponsmith would just know the basics of simple smithing. He might have fetched and carried for several years; but actually doing forge work (to have the strength, dexterity, and knowledge necessary) would have only begun a few years earlier and at basic levels. An 18 year old could run a farm competently; an 18 year old could make a spear, not a sword. So, the more complicated the skill and how long the character would have been able to actually do the skill will affect the Challenge level along with the actual difficulty of the task. Again, common sense.
SECONDARY SKILL LISTINGS
(If a secondary skill is not listed here, negotiate with the CK to adapt an existing secondary skill to a different area - e.g. Armourer to Blacksmith (INT) - make, repair and evaluate basic tools and implements, as well as working iron and steel).
ALCHEMIST (INT) – knowledge and prep. of chemical substances, math.
ARMORER (INT) – make, repair and evaluate all types of armor, as well as evaluating general weapon quality.
BOWYER / FLETCHER (INT) – make, repair and evaluate arrows, bows and fletching.
CLERGY (WIS) – religious doctrine and histories, accounting (math).
COOK (WIS) – prepare and preserve all types of food, ingredients.
CUTPURSE (DEX) – disguise, hiding, general larceny, underworld dealings.
FARMER / SERF (INT) – basic agriculture, farm lore.
FISHER (WIS) – swimming, nets, small boat handling.
FORESTER (INT) – lumbering, construction, forest and wood lore.
GAMBLER (INT) – knowledge of gambling, games of chance, and luck.
GROOM (WIS) – animal care/handling.
HERBALIST (INT) – medicinal herbs and poultices.
HISTORIAN (INT) – history, ancient cultures.
HUNTER (WIS) – basic wood lore, butchering, basic tracking.
INNKEEPER (CHA) – general maintenance, information gathering.
JEWELER (WIS) – appraisal of gems, jewelry, jewelry making.
LEATHER WORKER (WIS) – animals, skinning, tanning.
LIMNER / PAINTER (INT) – map making, appraisal of art objects.
LINGUIST (INT) – linguistics, spoken languages (1d4).
MAGICIAN (INT) – arcane knowledge, ancient scripts, simple illusions.
MASON (WIS) – mining, stone-cutting, stone workmanship.
MILITARY (STR) – endurance, survival, siege skills, military doctrine.
MUSICIAN (CHA) – play various musical instruments (1d4).
NAVIGATOR (WIS) – astronomy, sailing, swimming, navigation.
SAILOR (WIS) – boating, sailing, swimming.
SCRIBE (INT) – reading, writing, simple mathematics.
SERVANT (CHA) – general maintenance, acute observation.
SHIPWRIGHT (INT) – sailing, carpentry, rope work.
TAILOR / WEAVER (INT) – sewing, embroidery, cloth and textiles.
TEAMSTER / FREIGHTER (INT) – animal-handling, wagon repair.
TRADER / BARTERER (CHA) – appraisal of common goods, negotiation, simple mathematics.
TRAPPER / FURRIER (WIS) – basic wood lore, trapping, skinning.
WEAPONSMITH (INT) - make, repair and evaluate hand weaponry.
WOODSMAN (CON) – endurance, survival, wood lore.
WOODWORKER / CARPENTER (INT) – carpentry, carving.