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Berserk Monk
2009-07-14, 04:43 PM
What's your favorite skill you like to use in D&D? Could be for any reason: easiest to get a high modifier with it, most useful, easiest to abuse, most frequently used?

I think mine would have to be Bluff and all the fun things you can do with it, although swimming up a waterfall and balancing on a cloud are also fun (I love epic level skill rolls).

Signmaker
2009-07-14, 04:45 PM
Perform(Sing).

Alejandro
2009-07-14, 04:47 PM
Tumble.

*ducks*

Dhavaer
2009-07-14, 04:49 PM
Concentration (with Unnerving Calm) or Sense Motive (with Combat Intuition).

9mm
2009-07-14, 04:54 PM
ijitsu focus.

Delaney Gale
2009-07-14, 04:59 PM
I love Bluff as well. Being able to fast-talk people and get random sneak attacks from feint combos makes me happy.

My favorite skills I've ever seen were skill points awarded by the DM for in-character actions-

Perform (scream like a little girl)

and

Perform (strip)

Hadrian_Emrys
2009-07-14, 05:01 PM
Auto-hypnosis or Disable Device. I'm all about getting the job done.

Eldariel
2009-07-14, 05:12 PM
ijitsu focus.

I assume you're referring to Iaijutsu Focus from Oriental Adventures? Technically not 3.5, but yeah.

Anyhow, my favourite? Probably Lucid Dreaming, just for how obscure it is (again, I don't think it's gotten 3.5 update). Other than that, Use Magic Device, Tumble and Spot (<3 the epic uses (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#spot), though it's a pity you have to be epic to counteract magic with skills).

Also, hmm, Forgery is the hotness! It's countered by a Forgery-check...and no officials have it so all you need is high Int and few ranks and you'll never be caught!

Cruiser1
2009-07-14, 05:14 PM
I have to go with Use Magic Device (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm). Fun, good for all characters (and certain classes like Rogue depend on it to be useful at higher levels), and features funny mishaps if you fail. :smallbiggrin:

Hadrian_Emrys
2009-07-14, 05:29 PM
UMD isn't a skill, it's a primary class feature in disguise. 'Gonk' builds show that. :smalltongue:

Ravens_cry
2009-07-14, 05:32 PM
Spot.
I hate been told, "make a spot check" and been basically blind. If I am playing a fighter or other low skill point character, this is where I'll put the point, cross-class skill or no.

Indon
2009-07-14, 05:32 PM
Having looked at the epic skills a bit thanks to this thread, I think I can confidently say my new favorite skill is now Handle Animal.

"Beholder, I choose you!"

ericgrau
2009-07-14, 05:52 PM
Disguise, only because I wish to see more of it than I do. You need a high freedom campaign with some roleplaying to be able to use it at all.

Elfin
2009-07-14, 06:06 PM
Craft, especially armor and weapon smithing.
There's nothing I like better than finding a large city, making tons of equipment, selling it and making quite a bit of profit, and then going out adventuring with way better gear than is normal.

Twilight Jack
2009-07-14, 06:21 PM
Tumble.

*ducks*

I love you.

Aneantir
2009-07-14, 06:24 PM
Proffession (Accountant).

I take this on about half my characters. Someone has to be able to quickly balance the parties books.

Jack_Simth
2009-07-14, 06:26 PM
Speak Language.

Yes, it's rendered 99% moot by a single 3rd level spell. But it's just fun to be able to listen in on everything...

Berserk Monk
2009-07-14, 06:28 PM
Proffession (Accountant).

I take this on about half my characters. Someone has to be able to quickly balance the parties books.

One profession I wanted to try and take is health inspector. Go into a tavern and see what happens.

Glyde
2009-07-14, 06:34 PM
Profession (Sailor), Disguise, Jump and Perform (Weapon Drill) are my favorites, and all for different reasons.

Toliudar
2009-07-14, 06:38 PM
Sense Motive is my favourite. But then, that's my fondness for games with layers of deception.

Jallorn
2009-07-14, 06:42 PM
Profession (soldier)... what, haven't you ever heard of a career soldier before?

In all seriousness, probably either the stealth or diplomacy skills. Of course, in a nice high roleplaying campaign, the knowledge skills can often be killers. (That's a good thing)

Typewriter
2009-07-14, 07:18 PM
Profession(Midwife)

Every male dwarf I've ever played has had this.

Anxe
2009-07-14, 07:28 PM
Pick Pocket. I like taking stuff.

Assassin89
2009-07-14, 07:29 PM
Knowledge(Religion), Knowledge(Planes) and Knowledge(Arcana). Those come up in games I have played.

erikun
2009-07-14, 08:34 PM
Some ones I like:

Decipher Script, for the researching explorer who wants to know what he just found.

Disable Device + Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), for taking stuff apart and putting it back together.

Sense Motive, for knowing what the heck is going on.

Knowledge (Planes) + Speak Language, for anyone who'd like to take a vacation outside the Prime.

Zeta Kai
2009-07-14, 08:48 PM
Truenaming FTW!

Ahem, seriously though...

I'm a big fan of Rich's Diplomacy (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/jFppYwv7OUkegKhONNF.html). Search is fun, too, on both sides of the screen; DM's get to make fun things to find, & players get to find them. And the interaction of Hide/Move Silently with Listen/Spot make for much of the excitement & tension in my low-level games.

Jack_Simth
2009-07-14, 09:36 PM
I'm a big fan of Rich's Diplomacy (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/jFppYwv7OUkegKhONNF.html). Search is fun, too, on both sides of the screen; DM's get to make fun things to find, & players get to find them. And the interaction of Hide/Move Silently with Listen/Spot make for much of the excitement & tension in my low-level games.
Due note: Rich's Fix, while it fixes things for the diplomancer, is mostly just broken differently. Sure, it works okay for the guy who who maxed out Diplomacy, but for anyone who doesn't invest in Diplomacy:

1) 20th-level characters can't convince their equal-level lovers to give them the time of day without bribery or investing in the Diplomacy skill: DC 15 + Character level -10 intimate relationship, +0 for "Risk Vs. Reward" = DC 25. Unless the 20th level character has at least a +5 Diplomacy modifier, probability of success = 0.
2) You can't give away a castle (or other highly valuable object) to the leader of a strong church (who are, classically, the recipients of such). Cleric-10 with a Wisdom of +6, say: DC: 15 (base) + 10 (level) + 6 (Wisdom) -10 (Fantastic deal) = DC 21; you need at least a +1 modifier to have any chance whatsoever.
3) It's more certain if you arrange to fail the proposed deal by making the deal something that would be to your detriment - basically, propose that they help you get slaughtered, or stand idly by while the other person beats you up, and you fail the absurd DC check - in which case, they can't stand idly by, and they can't help your opponents, because those two deals were rejected.

There's lots more absurd examples. Basically, for those who don't invest in the skill, after about 5th or 10th level, Rich's Diplomacy breaks down to "it works if the DM says it isn't worth a roll; it doesn't work if the DM says it is worth a roll".

VestigeArcanist
2009-07-14, 09:41 PM
Sleight of hand with quick draw, they won't know what it hit 'em. Thank you Complete scoundrel.

shadow_archmagi
2009-07-14, 09:48 PM
1) 20th-level characters can't convince their equal-level lovers to give them the time of day without bribery or investing in the Diplomacy skill: DC 15 + Character level -10 intimate relationship, +0 for "Risk Vs. Reward" = DC 25. Unless the 20th level character has at least a +5 Diplomacy modifier, probability of success = 0.


They're TWENTIETH LEVEL. They cannot be expected to do things like "Tell the time" unless it's more like "Tell the time WHAT TO DO BECAUSE TIME IS THEIR %*#("

tiercel
2009-07-14, 10:05 PM
Spot (and Listen) is kind of a love/hate relationship thing for me -- it sucks being surprised, but much beyond, oh, 7th level or so there's no point in anyone rolling a Spot check unless they have it as a class skill and max ranks.

Ditto on Sense Motive -- I've had too many DMs where you might as well just declare "Sense Motive" every time one of their NPCs opens their mouths. Like above, though, if the DM is interested in telling you a significant lie guess what? The NPC has max ranks in Bluff as a class skill.

Nothing is quite as handy as UMD (once you have enough ranks). UMD makes your character Batman. ("Where does he get all these wonderful toys?") --Notably on bards, which gotta have decent Cha generally anyway, like to wear Cha boosters, and have enough Cha-based skills that something like a circlet of persuasion is a really good idea. (Plus you already have your own caster level, when you are UMDing staves.) Plus if you go the extra mile with the Obtain Familiar feat, now you've got a *critter* that can UMD as well. Mwuhahahaha.

FMArthur
2009-07-14, 10:54 PM
Knowledge (dungeoneering). Knowing what to expect out of a dungeon is nice, but the real benefit is getting to learn about the only kind of creatures that are interesting to learn about: aberrations.

Riffington
2009-07-15, 12:06 PM
I loved Forgery, and was very sad to see it gone from 3.5

quick_comment
2009-07-15, 12:12 PM
Animal Husbandry.

There is nothing that cannot be accomplished by vigorous use of animal husbandry

JeenLeen
2009-07-15, 12:20 PM
Speak Language.

Yes, it's rendered 99% moot by a single 3rd level spell. But it's just fun to be able to listen in on everything...

Also some orbs you can swallow for 600 gp/language. Forget what they're called, but MiC.


For me, the Knowledges. A wizard with at least 5 ranks in everything and 'Collector of Stories' skill trick from Complete Scroundel: I know most enemies we run up against.

Second, probably UMD or Tumble. Utility.
Probably Forgery or Decipher Script if my group did more RP-intensive games.

Eloel
2009-07-15, 12:20 PM
I loved Forgery, and was very sad to see it gone from 3.5

Except it's not gone.

Sinfire Titan
2009-07-15, 12:24 PM
I loved Forgery, and was very sad to see it gone from 3.5

That's a core skill. It's not in 4E, but 3.5 still has it.

Edit: Martial Lore/Spellcraft.

Riffington
2009-07-15, 12:27 PM
Except it's not gone.

Hooray!
Little things sometimes make me happy:elan:

Piedmon_Sama
2009-07-15, 12:28 PM
Tumble. It's just badass to be all acrobatic, like I never could be IRL. :3

EDIT:

Innuendo, which is sadly gone from 3.5. I mean, come on. Innuendo!

Haha, I totally forgot that one. To my amazement we've actually had several moments in my campaign where an Innuendo skill would have made sense (not in the funny way, sorry) but we were left going "should I use Bluff.... Diplomacy... Sleight of Hand?"

Flickerdart
2009-07-15, 12:29 PM
Innuendo, which is sadly gone from 3.5. I mean, come on. Innuendo!

AmberVael
2009-07-15, 12:29 PM
Autohypnosis.
It's just a really unusual and versatile skill. I like it.

Zaq
2009-07-15, 05:32 PM
Knowledge skills. So many knowledge skills. I like playing smart characters, and it's nice to have someone who knows what that thing is.

Plus, then I don't have to actively bat away my decent strategies in the name of metagaming. It's just easier when both the player and the character know what the monster is capable of. There's a lot of gray area, but Knowledge helps remove it.

mabriss lethe
2009-07-15, 10:27 PM
The Dm in a game I'm playing in loves the fact that I took ranks in Profession (fortune teller). Goblin Fighter 5/binder4. No it's not optimal in the slightest, but we're running a 3 person party and we needed someone to be able to fill in the largest number of gaps in one level. The fortune telling just plays right into it. I make a roll and the DM gives us some vague hints as to what's going on.

Deepblue706
2009-07-15, 10:36 PM
Ride.

You can use a Ride check as your Mount's AC.
You can use a Ride check to command your mount to attack, as a free action.
You can use a Ride check to use your Mount as Cover.
You can use a Ride check to attack while using your Mount as Cover.

So, with enough skill, you can hop on your horse with a lance, hang over the side so you can't be seen, but still charge things, and then after impaling them you can add insult to injury by having your horse kick them.

And that's one turn.

Ride is also a prerequisite skill for the Mounted feats, all of which being totally awesome.