Chapter III: Skills

From D20advanced

1 Skill Basics
2 Acquiring Skills

Skill Basics

Skills are learned abilities acquired through a combination of training (the skill) and natural talent (an ability score). Each skill has a rank, used as a bonus to the die roll when using the skill. To use a skill roll:


d20 + skill rank + ability modifier + miscellaneous modifiers

The higher the roll, the better the result. You’re usually looking for a total that equals or exceeds a particular Difficulty Class (DC) or another character’s check total.

Skill Rank: Your rank in a skill is based on the number of points you have invested in skills. If you have ranks in a skill you’re considered trained in that skill. You can use skills even if you don’t have any ranks in them, known as using a skill untrained.
Ability Modifier: Each skill has a key ability, the ability modifier applied to the skill’s checks. Each skill’s key ability is noted in its description and on the Skills table.
Miscellaneous Modifiers: Miscellaneous modifiers to skill checks include situational modifiers for favorable or unfavorable conditions, bonuses from feats or powers, or penalties for not having proper tools, among others.

Option: Simple Skill Check DCs

The skill check DCs listed in the different entries of this chapter are meant to be used as suggestion for setting check DCs in your game. However, at the GM's option, the following table may be used in place of those check DCs. With this simpler method of determining skill check DCs, the game can move more quickly and less time is spent flipping through the book in search of the DC to achieve a certain effect with the skill.

Note, however, that this method does rely more heavily on GM judgment-calls, and puts more of the work-load onto the GM's shoulders. The GM is encouraged to work with the group to get a feel for where everyone is most comfortable placing skill check DCs. Players are encouraged to avoid arguments such as these with the GM if they feel the DCs are unreasonable, at least until after the game is over.

Also note that the DCs given on this table are indeed based on skill check DCs given for individual skills later in this chapter. That is to give GMs a firm baseline for determining where different skill check DCs should fall.

GMs may also wish to use a mixture of DCs, some based off the figures from this table, some straight from the DCs given in the skill entries themselves. This is a perfectly acceptable approach, so long as the group is comfortable and having fun.

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Acquiring Skills

Characters gain skill ranks by spending character points at the cost of 1 skill rank per character point. Skill ranks do not all need to be assigned to the same skill. Characters can perform some tasks without any training, using only raw talent (as defined by their ability scores), but skilled characters are better at such things. Characters with the right skills and feats can even hold their own against opponents wielding supernatural powers.


Skill Cost = 1 character point per skill rank.

Option: More Skills, Fewer Skills

Abstract Versus Particulate Skills If a GM wishes to stress skills more than normal in a game, it may be wise to break up the existing skills. Rather, make each sub-use of a skill an option during character creation, so that each skill is purchased individually at 4 skill ranks per character point.

Removing Skills As still another option, a GM may not wish to use skills at all. In that case, relying entirely on ability checks may be the best way to go. The GM is encouraged to apply circumstance modifiers on these ability checks to represent a situation a character would be well-trained or highly skilled at, such as a nimble gymnast attempting to jump between buildings. In this situation, all characters at character creation should choose a single ability score as their prime ability score. All checks made with this ability score are made with a +5 bonus (to represent training and experience with applications of this ability score). Characters also gain a bonus equal to one-half their PL, which lets the GM keep skill check DCs at similar levels to those described in this chapter.

Skill feats (in Chapter IV: Feats) should also be removed, or re-worked to account for becoming ability checks. Consider which skill feats would still fit in the game carefully: some may function better as a simple ability score check (like Inventor). For specific areas in which a character is especially talented, the GM should allow players to choose the Talented feat.

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