Are all skills created equal and the ring of UMD?

[Fergie]

Looking over the magic item creation rules, it seems there is a precedent for creating rings that enhance skills by +5 for 2,500gp or +10 for 10,000gp. There are also a variety of other ways to increase a skill such as a masterwork tool, feats, etc.

This brings up the question of applying these to other skills such as knowledge, spellcraft, disable device, or perhaps the most powerful - use magic device. I don't think anyone would have a problem with spending a feat on any skill, but what about a masterwork tool (say eyeglasses or goggles) that increase your UMD? How about a ring of UMD?

Should all skills be treated equally, or should some skills be easier then others to increase? What are the skills that should be easier to increase (perhaps those that involve opposed checks)? What skills should be very difficult to increase?

[mplindustries]

You're kind of asking two different questions here:

Are all skills treated equally by the system? Bafflingly, yes.

Should all skills be treated equally by the system? Absolutely not.

So, by the rules, it's no more difficult to get a bonus to UMD than it is to Appraise.

As for what skills should be harder to get a bonus to?

I would suggest that Diplomacy, Perception, and UMD are the most useful skills.

I don't think the knowledges are that valuable, Disable Device is almost pointless by midlevel, and Spellcraft is mostly good for making magic items you lack the prereqs for.

If you want a second tier of power, maybe Acrobatics, Bluff, Intimidate, Sense Motive, Stealth, and Survival. Appraise and Linguistics would have to be at the bottom of any list.

[Cheeseweasel]

If you're going to allow magical skill enhancement at all -- which is a whole 'nother topic (but given the ease of skill enhancement without directly using magic, I'd say 'no, this is a Bad Idea') -- then there really is no good, solid, substantial reason to differentiate between skills.

A skill rank buys you the same utility regardless of the skill into which you sink it. There aren't any skills that cost more to advance with ranks, for example, REGARDLESS of how relatively-useful the skills are (I get a lot more out of Linguistics than I do from Knowledge/Geography, and I get LOTS more out of Perception than I do from ANY Profession skill... but Linguistics and Perception don't cost any more to acquire than Knowledge/Geography and Profession).

So, my opinion here is: all skills should be treated equally, and magical skill enhancement is neither needed nor a good area to exploit.

:)

[StreamOfTheSky]

There's items to boost perception, so balance-wise, an item to boost UMD certainly wouldn't be stronger than what already exists...

[Fergie]

StreamOfTheSky wrote:

There's items to boost perception, so balance-wise, an item to boost UMD certainly wouldn't be stronger than what already exists...

I see a difference between using Eyes of the Eagle to spot someone wearing a cloak of elvenkind, and skills that have generally limited DCs, that don't ramp up super fast.

Then again, you could do some interesting things with massive diplomacy or bluff modifiers...

I don't know, +5 or +10 is a bigger boost to some skills then others.

[Ciaran Barnes]

Arguably, perception has more of a passive effect on the game compared to the active use of UMD. Perception can save your ass from a surprise round or allow you to find a critical secret door or trap, but you can't defeat enemies with it. That being said I would allow the bonus to UMD on a ring before I allowed it on an item that can being created by craft wondrous item or craft magin arms and armor.