I am trying to make a campaign where the players would be given a "Sailing/Sea-fairing" skill. I intended to do this by adding STR and DEX Modifiers and then dividing it by 2. Since very few characters my group plays with have bonus' in both areas, I was hoping to make it where it would cap out at -2<(Skill)<+2.
Then this skill would affected them as they travelled through the many islands and such in the world I'm making. And giving the following Benefits/Punishments whenever they are sailing:
Benefits:
Attack Rolls; Tasks on the ship; Dexterity and/or Strength skill checks
Can anyone offer any advice or tips? I am trying to make it somewhat fair and not too... damaging for the group. Has anyone done anything like this in the past?
There's already proficiency with water vehicles (see backgrounds like Sailor or Pirate), which would allow players to add their proficiency bonus to any relevant check.
Honestly, I'd take a clue from the Sailor background and not overcomplicate things too much beyond that. Frequent penalties aren't interesting or fun, in my experience. Averaging ability modifiers isn't the 5E way - the skill determines whether the character is proficient and how the skill is applied determines which single ability mod is used; it can be any of the six - so that one I'd definitely scrap. You do you if you want to have the nautical surroundings have a significant mechanical impact though.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Mixing up the STR+DEX modifiers is more complicated than it needs to be.
Any particular task should require either DEX or STR, depending on which seems most relevant to the task being performed; and having certain tasks for STR based and others more DEX based also allows PCs to "specialise" in the types of ship tasks for which their abilities are best suited.
There's already proficiency with water vehicles (see backgrounds like Sailor or Pirate), which would allow players to add their proficiency bonus to any relevant check.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
Honestly, I'd take a clue from the Sailor background and not overcomplicate things too much beyond that. Frequent penalties aren't interesting or fun, in my experience. Averaging ability modifiers isn't the 5E way - the skill determines whether the character is proficient and how the skill is applied determines which single ability mod is used; it can be any of the six - so that one I'd definitely scrap. You do you if you want to have the nautical surroundings have a significant mechanical impact though.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Proficiency with water vehicles, proficiency with navigator’s tools
Mixing up the STR+DEX modifiers is more complicated than it needs to be.
Any particular task should require either DEX or STR, depending on which seems most relevant to the task being performed; and having certain tasks for STR based and others more DEX based also allows PCs to "specialise" in the types of ship tasks for which their abilities are best suited.
My usual advice is not to add crunch you don’t have to.