06-24-2010, 10:41 PM | #1 |
"Gimme 18 minutes . . ."
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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[House Rules] Crakkerjakk's Reduced Skill List
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.
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 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. Last edited by Crakkerjakk; 06-24-2010 at 11:14 PM. |
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