Novus 2.0 tidbits -- Skills

[imported_Rasyr]

Novus contains 3 types of skills

• Base Skill (Bs) -- fully encapsulated and self contained.
• Specialty Skill (Sp) -- A skill that has both a base a one or more specialties. When using it as a base, there is a negative impact, like a generic -5 or perhaps  limited to half your normal ranks, etc.
• Sub Skills (Sb) -- This is a skill that must be learned separately for each variation of this type of skill

Note: and yes, any of the skills listed below which may affect others does get Saves against.

Skill List
[/list]

• Acrobatics (Bs) - a base skill, used for many maneuvers, including things like climbing, swinging, etc.  
• Athletics (Sp) - this skill can cover many athletic endeavors, such as climbing, swilling, running, etc.  
• Casting (Sb) - this is learned for each school of magic known, usually only 2 are ever learned    
• Combat (Sb/Sp) - This is actually a group of 5 related Sub skills, each of which can have its own Specialties.    
• Crafts (Sb) - each craft type would be learned seperately
• Diplomacy (Bs) - think of this as streetwise for the upper classes.  
• Foraging (Sp) - automatic specialty for home region, can get specialties for other region types  
• Gimmickry (Bs) - mechanical things, traps, locks, etc.    
• Healing (Bs) - first aid and other medical skills
• Influence (Bs) - how to make others do what you want using words alone    
• Lore (Sb) - could be a broad or narrow focus of skill, each learned separately.  
• Magecraft (Bs/SP) - The base skill has several capabilities under it, then can add specialties for various magic-related categories (example, while a Demon lore skill might only tell info about demons, a magecraft specialty of Demon Lore would include information on rituals and so forth for summoning and controlling, etc..)
• Negotiation (Bs) - trade skills, let's make a deal  
• Perform (Sb) - separated into types of performance    
• Play Instrument (Sp) - the basic skill includes one specialty and the ability to read/write music, other musical instrument groups can be specialized in  
• Riding (Sb) - a single rank lets you stay in the saddle, more complex actions could use a higher bonus. recommended that land and flying mounts use separate skills  
• Search (Bs) - how to look for things  
• Stealth (Bs) - being sneaky  
• Streetwise (Bs) - get along with the underworld crowd, how to meet and greet, and act, etc..  
• Survival (Sp) - how to survive in a specific type of region (can be specialized for other regions as well
• Targeting (Sb) - aim those magical attacks!  
• Thievery (Bs) - pick locks, disarm traps, etc..  
• Tracking (Bs) - reading and following tracks  
• Trickery (Bs) - sleight of hand skills, juggling, picking pockets, etc.  

Note: yes, there is some overlap in some skills, that is okay, you would simply use the highest bonus of any applicable skill[/list]

[Heimdallsgothi]

I used to love crazy kill lists, but I've grown old
Consider
A single skill (Influence)
Add specialization Diplomacy, Negotiation, Seducation, Courtesy, Acting, even streetwise etc
Depends on if you have specializations and allow Multiple ones or not

Perform and Play instrument could be considered the same skill
Perform (Stage Actor), Perform (Lute Player), Perform (Singer)

Wheres Observation or is that all search now?

Ill have to get my hands on the beta

[imported_Rasyr]

OOohhh... Good suggestions (somebody else may have made them before, but for some reason I didn't follow them -- if so, my apologies). Augh, but now I have more work to do before I can release the beta..... ROFL.....

Observation -- this is replaced with an Insight Roll for passive observation, and Search for active observation

As for Influence, I can see it for negotiation, Seduction, diplomacy, and even acting (slightly), but Streetwise would not be under that. Streetwise encompasses knowing where to find those in the underworld, how to approach them, what signs get used (for marking places and such, similar to how hobos would mark places as they traveled the country), and much more.

I will have to think about Perform...

[Heimdallsgothi]

I prefer a tighter list with broader skills since I've left the Rolemaster family of games
If you tighten down Perform to a single skill then that's where acting would fall rather than under the influence area

Consider
Why is Foraging separate from Survival? Is there a game mechanics reason for it? Does knowledge of game fall under foraging or survival?
Perhaps Survival (Terrain Type) Covers basic knowledge of foraging, basic knowledge of kinds of game to be found, water location and how to build shelters/find campsites?

[imported_Rasyr]

Ok, I have decided upon the following:

Combine Diplomacy, Influence, & Negotiation into Influence (with listed Specialties of Diplomacy, Duping, Interrogation, Trading (i.e. negiotiation))

Combine Perform and Play Instrument into Perform

Rewrote Craft and add 28 Sample Crafts

Divided Magecraft into MageCraft & MageLore -- Magecraft was too inclusive overall, unlike normal Lores, which are a series of sub-skills, Magelore is a basic magic knowledge skill, with multiple Specialties involved.

[AresLunthar]

I think perform should actually be tale-telling and be described as knowing simple stories, songs, etc appropriate to the characters culture.  Play instrument etc. should be trainable talents.

[imported_Rasyr]

I think perform should actually be tale-telling and be described as knowing simple stories, songs, etc appropriate to the characters culture.  Play instrument etc. should be trainable talents.

Perform could be that, but it could be other things as well -- also depending on culture.

As for Play Instruments -- as a Talent, that does not feel right since it should be an improvable skill, not a static buy once talent

[AresLunthar]

I know it can be a developed skill- but I think from a game play perspective it will be left behind in favor of other skills.  So, to me a trainable talent that allows you to earn X coins/hour by using it would be a really cool implementation.  Remember that we're not creating a music skill to represent writing complex arrangements.  Most often the ballad was sung to tell a story over top of simple rhythm to encourage audience participation.  That way in practice you could have a talent that earns X coins then a tale-telling roll that could modify the X coins.  Does that make sense?  At the very least it gives the PC a reason to have those abilities.

[imported_Rasyr]

Yeah, I need to add something about how much a character may earn at various jobs.... Perhaps as part of the backgrounds.......

[AresLunthar]

IMO- it's an aspect that can be ported in from video gaming into RPGs to add layers of play-ability.  Ultimately, the goal is to create a system where players want to and have a reason to play peripheral classes like Bards or pursue being an Herbalist because there is a unique advantage to being that class.  Right?

[imported_Rasyr]

Yup