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Old 04-23-2012, 01:33 PM   Top  -  End  -  #3
tarkisflux
Dwarf in the Playground
 
RedSorcererGirl
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: 
Magic Mountain, CA, USA
Gender: Male
Default Re: Tome of Prowess - A complete skills rewrite and revision [3.5e]

This is a sample of the skill abilities available in the Tome of Prowess, compressed into summary form and hidden in spoiler blocks to try to mitigate tl;dr responses. It's not a complete list of the skills, because this is already long enough. The full summary list can be found here
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Acrobatics
Acrobatics is a movement skill. It allows you to land a fall more gracefully, maneuver around opponents, and move over terrain that would otherwise block or simply not support you. Those really skilled in acrobatics can even walk on the air itself or catch a ride on bolts of lightning.
Key Attribute: Dexterity
Spoiler


Affability
Affability is a social skill. It allows you to influence how people feel about you, and use their fondness for you to push them a bit farther than they would go for others. Those with exceptional skill in affability can talk others out of blinding rages or into potentially suicidal actions.
Key Attribute: Charisma
Spoiler


Appraisal
Appraisal is an analysis skill. It signifies an attention to detail that allows you to recognize forgeries, doctored goods, or knockoffs as well as price and identify goods and even share your insights with those suffering from a lack of logic. Those with attention to detail are also those who make good adulterers and forgers of work, so this skill is also used to make objects appear to be worth more than they are. Those with substantial skill in appraisal can even determine the functions of magical objects simply by examination.
Key Attribute: Intelligence
Spoiler


Arcana
The Arcana skill represents dedicated study into the workings of arcane magic. While that study manifests itself most strongly as the ability to better understand and recognize arcane magics, those who study Arcana also learn the underpinnings of creatures created and maintained with those magics, constructs and the undead. Characters with substantial training in Arcana can even use arcane spell completion items containing spells not normally accessible within their class and ignore attribute requirements on magical items.
Key Attribute: Intelligence
Spoiler


Athletics
The athletics skill is a movement skill. It allows you to ascend surfaces, swim through waters, or swing through a jungle on vines that would otherwise block you. Those with a lot of skill in athletics can even climb walls of force or swim against tsunamis and in other conditions that have no terrestrial analogue.
Key Attribute: Constitution
Spoiler


Bluff
The bluff skill is a social skill involving the art of trickery. With it you can convincingly lie, hurt the image of others, and take on the identity of another individual. Those with advanced training in Bluff can even implant false thoughts in their own heads and lie to divination sensors.
Key Attribute: Intelligence
Spoiler


Ciphers
Ciphers is an analysis skill. With it you can piece together patterns in written work, translating ancient languages, cracking codes that hide meaning, and even determining what is missing from a scroll to release its power. Those with a great deal of skill in Ciphers can even become fluent in dead languages or avoid triggering written trap effects.
Key Attribute: Intelligence
Spoiler


Concentration
Concentration is a purely mental skill. Those trained in it can ignore distractions and focus on a complicated task and perfectly memorize complicated things. Those with a great deal of skill in concentration can even focus their way past spell effects that would paralyze or alter their minds.
Key Attribute: Wisdom
Spoiler


Creature Handling
Creature handling is a social skill, where you spend a lot of your time talking to creatures unlikely to talk back. It allows you to make a creature perform a trick (even those it hasn't been trained for), influence how creatures feel about you, train creatures to perform tasks, and even keep rabid beasts at bay without drawing blood. It is also the default skill used in riding, though there are alternative methods of acquiring the ability to ride well. Those with exceptional skill in animal handling can even train animals almost instantly, a skill prized among those who would teach their creature friends to defend their territory against invaders.
Key Attribute: Wisdom
Spoiler


Cultures
The cultures skill represents your dedication to the studies of the peoples of the world, their languages, and cultures. Those who spend time learning about others learn their language and can better recognize them when they meet, in peace time or war. Those who learn a great deal about others can also use that knowledge to try to activate magic items, even when they have no idea what the item would do. They can also pick up new languages just by being exposed to them.
Key Attribute: Charisma
Spoiler


Devices
The devices skill is an applied skill that helps you bypass dangers. With it you can disarm mechanical traps, disable waiting magics, open secured locks, and sabotage complex devices. Those with advanced training in devices can even trap magical items, lay false traps to slow pursuit, and even disable spell effects like arcane lock or wall of fire.
Key Attribute: Intelligence
Spoiler


Disguise
The disguise skill is an applied skill that allows you to change appearances and form. With it you can change your features, change the appearance of others, and even change your weight or height. Those with substantial skill in disguise can craft elaborate costumes to appear as more fantastic creatures, emulating their abilities and even operating in places they normally couldn’t.
Key Attribute: Charisma
Spoiler

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Skills without a complete summary appear below. As I get around to fixing that, the line will be moved down.

Dowsing

Endurance

Escape Artistry

Geomancy

Healing

Intimidation

Jump

Legerdemain

Perception

Psychology

Stealth

Survival

Thaumaturgy

The full summary list can be found here.
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My skills rewrite: Making mundane a level range, not a descriptor.

Warning About My Comments:
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