So, I have some problems with the GURPS skill system. I like the granularity, but find tracking the various skills that I think are required for a complete character to be a chore. Heck, the Barbarian template from DF has 24 skills, despite missing several of Kromm's "Strongly recommended for action heroes" skills. And the character sheet in the back of the book only comes with 25 lines to list skills!
The three current RAW skill systems are the standard skill system in the Basic Set, the skill system in GURPS Lite, and Wildcard skills. The system in the basic set is too granular for some of my players and is a pain to get on a character sheet, as mentioned. The GURPS Lite skills (84 in total) is closer to the number I think is manageable, but has some holes in it. Wildcard skills are okay for superhero or more cinematic pulp games, but rapidly become uneconomical if you're buying more than one. Plus, they go a little too far for what I had in mind, completely throwing granularity out the window.
Anyway, my tweak had several design goals. First, allow the people who
like the way the system currently is to retain the granularity of the current skill system without compromising their effectiveness. Second, allow those who think that 256 skills before counting specializations is too many access to a streamlined list of skills, while retaining some element of balance with the more detail oriented. Finally, attempt to remain within the confines of the current rule system as much as possible.
- The first step was eliminating what I view as redundant skills. Some skills are better represented as techniques of other skills, as specializations of other skills, or as worked examples of a expert, hobby, or professional skill, IMO. These were simply struck from the skill lists, still purchasable if vital to a character concept but no longer cluttering up the list.
- The second step was to harness the power of specialties. Basically you can cut down a lot of clutter if instead of three specialties of Driving on the sheet you can just put down Driving. So almost all of the skills with required specializations are a difficulty class higher and no longer require a specialization.
- Finally, some skills were packaged into even broader higher difficulty skills. An additional difficulty of skill, Extremely Hard, was added to accommodate skills like Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, etc. These are just a step past Very Hard, with 1 point giving you the skill at attribute-4. This means that they cost 12 points just to bring up to the level of attributes, meaning that at a reasonable human level of attributes they do tend to be expensive enough not to be too good of a deal, IMO.
So, without further ado, first a list of 57 skills folded into other skills or eliminated:
Code:
Name Reason
Architecture Now a specialty of Engineering (Civil)
Body Language Skill eliminated. Detect Lies gets a +2 bonus if you can see your target's body language.
Body Sense Hard Technique of Acrobatic Movement, default skill -4
Brainwashing Now a specialty of Psychology
Cartography Now a specialty of Navigation
Cooking One example of a professional skill
Counterfeiting Now a specialty of Artist
Cryptography Now a specialty of Mathematics
Dancing Now a specialty of Performance
Enthrallment Skills These work more like spells than normal skills. Move them elsewhere.
Esoteric Medicine Skill eliminated. This is just a different name for Physician/TL1-4
Exorcism Now a specialty of Religious Ritual.
Falconry One example of a Sport skill for hunting, Animal Handling for training
Farming One example of a professional skill
Fast-Draw Weapon skill-specific Average technique, default skill -4
Filch Skill eliminated. Roll v. Sleight of Hand
Fire-Eating Now a specialty of Performance
Fishing One example of a hobby skill
Forgery Now a specialty of Artist
Forced Entry Skill eliminated. Use appropriate weapon or unarmed skill.
Fortune Telling Now a specialty of Performance
Freight Handling One example of a professional skill
Games One example of a hobby skill
Gardening One example of a hobby skill
Geography One example of an expert skill
Group Performance One example of a professional skill
Guns(SMG, Shotgun, Rifle, and LMG) Replaced by Guns(Longarm), which is for any weapon fired by placing in the shoulder and aiming down the weapon.
Herb Lore Skill eliminated. This is jusst a different name for Pharmacy(Herbal)/TL1-4
Knot Tying Skill eliminated. Subsumed under related skills (Climbing, Sailing, Professional Skill(Boy Scout), etc)
Lance Skill eliminated. Use Spear skill capped by Riding
Makeup Optional specialty of Disguise
Market Analysis One example of a professional skill
Saber Skill eliminated. Subsumed under related skills (smallsword, shortsword, broadsword, etc)
Musical Composition Now a specialty of Artist
Musical Influence This is simply an Enthrallment skill with an instument
Packing One example of a professional skill
Panhandling Skill eliminated. Use influence skills instead. Which depends on the beggar's aproach.
Parachuting Now a specialty of piloting
Parry Missile Weaps Hard Technique of any weapon skill, defaults to skill -4
Photography One example of a professional skill
Pickpocket Now a specialty of Sleight of Hand
Poetry Now a specialty of Artist
Poisons Now a specialty of Pharmacy
Politics One example of a professional skill
Propoganda One example of a professional skill
Prospecting One example of a professional skill
SCUBA Now a specialty of Submarine
Sewing One example of a hobby skill
Singing Now a specialty of Performance
Soldier One (very common) example of a professional skill
Speed-Reading Skill eliminated. Now a perk. Roll v. IQ to see if you recall what you read.
Sports One example of a professional skill
Stage Combat Now a specialty of Performance
Thrown Weapon Skill eliminated . This is just a specialty of Throwing
Typing One example of a hobby skill
Urban Survival Now a specialty of Survival
Vetriloquism Now a specialty of Mimicry
With those out of the way, some new super-skills were created to fold multiple skills under a larger, more difficult skill.
Agile Movement (DX/VH) contains Acrobatics, Aerobatics, Aquabatics, and Climbing.
Atheletics (HT/VH) contains Breath Control, Flight, Hiking, Jumping, Lifting, Running, and Swimming.
Business (IQ/VH) contains Accouting, Finance, Administration, and Merchant.
Computers (IQ/EH) contains Computer Hacking, Computer Programming, and Computer Operation.
Crafting (IQ/VH) contains Armoury, Jeweler, Mechanic, Smith, Electrician, Machinist, Carpentry, Leatherworking, and Masonry.
Electronics (IQ/VH) contains Electronics Operation and Electronics Repair.
Humanities (IQ/EH) contains Artist, History, Philosophy, Theology, Connoisseur, and Literature.
Investigation (IQ/VH) contains Detect Lies, Forensics, Observation, and Search.
Medicine (IQ/EH) contains Pharmacy, Physiology, Surgery, Diagnosis, and Physician.
Natural Sciences (IQ/EH) contains Biology, Paleontology, Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Geology, Metallurgy, and Meteorology.
Persuade (IQ/VH) contains Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Interrogation, Intimidation, Savior-Faire, Sex Appeal, and Streetwise.
Social Sciences (IQ/VH) contains Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Linguistics, Psychology, and Sociology.
Sneaking (DX/H) contains Disguise, Shadowing, Smuggling, and Stealth.
Some skills DO retain the need to specialize. They are:
Hidden Lore
Musical Instrument
Religious Ritual
Ritual Magic
Symbol Drawing
A note on melee weapon skills.
I always found it silly that my skill dropped four points if I used both hands to swing my Broadsword. Hence, you may now take the weapon categories listed under Melee Weapon (B208) as skills one difficulty class higher than the hardest skill within that class. You can take Fencing (DX/H), Flails (DX/VH), Impact Weapons (DX/H), Pole Weapons (DX/H), Swords (DX/H), and Whips (DX/VH).
So, at the end of all this, what do we end up with?
The new skill list is at ~120 skills. The DF barbarian can be built with ~18 skills if someone so chooses, and if they go that route they'll be more broadly competent but at a lower skill level than the person who chooses to specialize.
I've uploaded an .ods file to my site (link is in the sig) that has lists of skills from the Basic Set, GURPS Lite, an expanded list of skills (though not with all the optional specialties from basic entered) and the compressed list.
So, at the end of this, aside from presenting this work for others to use, I'd love some constructive criticism. If you think that RAW is just fine, please don't post just to say that. But if you think a skill I turned into a technique should be a specialty, or vice versa, or that one super-skill is too powerful for the cost, or if this gimps certain types of players, or doesn't meet my design goals, I'd love to hear your thoughts. This hasn't been playtested at all (although I have a game starting up that will probably use it) so there are almost certainly some flaws.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Look forward to hearing your thoughts.