Introducing an easy way to incorporate a more in-depth skill system in your 5e game! Give your characters greater customization and elevate your game with Skill Focuses.
The Skill Focuses presented in this book are a tool to provide greater depth, variety, and customization in character creation for fifth edition D&D. With this expansion, players can choose from more than 64 specialized skills to further define their characters.
These rules borrow, in part, from the non-weapon proficiencies and secondary skills of earlier editions, combined with original concepts. They are fully compatible with fifth-edition rules and are easy to implement without applying cumbersome new mechanics. Generally speaking, a skill focus will provide characters with advantage to their skill checks in very specific circumstances and may provide other benefits and/or uses as described.
Importantly, Skill Focuses are tied to a character's Intelligence score. This creates a broader incentive for PCs, especially those not playing wizards, to give this ability more consideration during character creation.
These Skill Focuses appear in the DMsguild title City of Coin, A Guide to Adventure in Athkatla but have now been updated and published separately, available for just $1!
I examined the sample item in preview. It is basically half feats without the +1 to a stat. All characters with an int of 8 or higher get at least 1, maxing out at 7 for a intelligence of 20.
While I applaud the idea of giving Intelligence more power in the game, this is way too much of a boost for Artificers and Intelligence.
I would suggest something that wizards and artificers do not need in particular, but could be helpful to others. Perhaps a percent chance to know information about Poison, Bludgeoning, Slashing and Piercing Vulnerabilities, Resistances, or Immunities. Int x 4.
The Skill Focuses presented in this supplement provide advantage to skill checks in very specific circumstances and do not have the same broad utility or significant combat applications of feats.
The system does indeed favor wizards and artificers whose main stat is Intelligence. This was intended because it was written as part of *City of Coin:A Guide to Adventure in Athkatla*, a setting wherein wizards and other arcane magic-users face social disadvantages.
Just as Dexterity gives all characters bonus to AC and initiative, and Constitution gives all characters bonus to Hit Points, this system provides a general benefit for any character to invest in the Intelligence stat. In fact, it would be even more useful to high-intelligence rogues or other characters who can combine these advantages with Expertise.
The main purpose of this rules supplement is to give more nuance to a character's skillset, and a greater feeling of depth and customization. Imagine if you will two 1st level fighters with the same Stength score and both skilled in Athletics. They would be equal in any Athletics skill contest. But perhaps they come from wildly different backgrounds - one is from a plains tribe, the other born on a pirate ship. Would they be equals when it comes to swimming? Or running? Perhaps. But with this system, you now have a game mechanic to represent that your pirate-born fighter excels at swimming or that the plains tribesman is a skilled runner. If you so wish. They could have other skill focuses to set them apart.
For me, this is a way to introduce more variety and specificity to the skills and give players a chance to define their characters' individuality based on those skills. I understand it's not what everyone wants to add to their game and thank you for your feedback.
Introducing an easy way to incorporate a more in-depth skill system in your 5e game! Give your characters greater customization and elevate your game with Skill Focuses.
The Skill Focuses presented in this book are a tool to provide greater depth, variety, and customization in character creation for fifth edition D&D. With this expansion, players can choose from more than 64 specialized skills to further define their characters.
These rules borrow, in part, from the non-weapon proficiencies and secondary skills of earlier editions, combined with original concepts. They are fully compatible with fifth-edition rules and are easy to implement without applying cumbersome new mechanics. Generally speaking, a skill focus will provide characters with advantage to their skill checks in very specific circumstances and may provide other benefits and/or uses as described.
Importantly, Skill Focuses are tied to a character's Intelligence score. This creates a broader incentive for PCs, especially those not playing wizards, to give this ability more consideration during character creation.
These Skill Focuses appear in the DMsguild title City of Coin, A Guide to Adventure in Athkatla but have now been updated and published separately, available for just $1!
I examined the sample item in preview. It is basically half feats without the +1 to a stat. All characters with an int of 8 or higher get at least 1, maxing out at 7 for a intelligence of 20.
While I applaud the idea of giving Intelligence more power in the game, this is way too much of a boost for Artificers and Intelligence.
I would suggest something that wizards and artificers do not need in particular, but could be helpful to others. Perhaps a percent chance to know information about Poison, Bludgeoning, Slashing and Piercing Vulnerabilities, Resistances, or Immunities. Int x 4.
The Skill Focuses presented in this supplement provide advantage to skill checks in very specific circumstances and do not have the same broad utility or significant combat applications of feats.
The system does indeed favor wizards and artificers whose main stat is Intelligence. This was intended because it was written as part of *City of Coin:A Guide to Adventure in Athkatla*, a setting wherein wizards and other arcane magic-users face social disadvantages.
Just as Dexterity gives all characters bonus to AC and initiative, and Constitution gives all characters bonus to Hit Points, this system provides a general benefit for any character to invest in the Intelligence stat. In fact, it would be even more useful to high-intelligence rogues or other characters who can combine these advantages with Expertise.
The main purpose of this rules supplement is to give more nuance to a character's skillset, and a greater feeling of depth and customization. Imagine if you will two 1st level fighters with the same Stength score and both skilled in Athletics. They would be equal in any Athletics skill contest. But perhaps they come from wildly different backgrounds - one is from a plains tribe, the other born on a pirate ship. Would they be equals when it comes to swimming? Or running? Perhaps. But with this system, you now have a game mechanic to represent that your pirate-born fighter excels at swimming or that the plains tribesman is a skilled runner. If you so wish. They could have other skill focuses to set them apart.
For me, this is a way to introduce more variety and specificity to the skills and give players a chance to define their characters' individuality based on those skills. I understand it's not what everyone wants to add to their game and thank you for your feedback.