Skill Synergies


Skills & Feats


I have an idea I think could work well. Skill synergies should work like Aid Another. Basically you roll the first skill check against DC 10 (possibly there could be more difficult DCs if the skills are less connected) and if you succeed you get a +2 bonus on the second. Which skills synergize is up to the DM.

I can also think of a potential feat that allows characters to use Concentration to add to attack using the same Mechanics.

Liberty's Edge

lordzack wrote:

I have an idea I think could work well. Skill synergies should work like Aid Another. Basically you roll the first skill check against DC 10 (possibly there could be more difficult DCs if the skills are less connected) and if you succeed you get a +2 bonus on the second. Which skills synergize is up to the DM.

I can also think of a potential feat that allows characters to use Concentration to add to attack using the same Mechanics.

I've always had a house rule that allows for flexible synergies; there are plenty of scenarios where certain skills can give you a boost that don't normally apply.

For example, sometimes if a player gets a good knowledge or profession check i'll throw them a situational +2 bonus. This happens a lot with knowledge local and social interactions, if a player can figure out what an NPC's business and reputation are. Sometimes certain traps can get a bonus with a good engineering roll (for dungeons) or nature (for wilderness snares).

I do that a lot, and the players seem to enjoy it. It promotes the use of often neglected skills. I tend not to award anything over a +2, but sometimes I'll go as high as +4.

Dark Archive

lordzack wrote:

I have an idea I think could work well. Skill synergies should work like Aid Another. Basically you roll the first skill check against DC 10 (possibly there could be more difficult DCs if the skills are less connected) and if you succeed you get a +2 bonus on the second. Which skills synergize is up to the DM.

The probelm I have with this system is that I always seem to roll a 20 on the first check and a 1 on the second.


amethal wrote:
lordzack wrote:

I have an idea I think could work well. Skill synergies should work like Aid Another. Basically you roll the first skill check against DC 10 (possibly there could be more difficult DCs if the skills are less connected) and if you succeed you get a +2 bonus on the second. Which skills synergize is up to the DM.

The probelm I have with this system is that I always seem to roll a 20 on the first check and a 1 on the second.

Skill synergies are a great idea but i am not sure that having to roll another check just to add a bonus is the way forward. We have a current house rule in our game that gives you +2 for 5 ranks, +3 for 10 and so on. that way the more you know the more you can apply it to something else.

Kendrik


So combining something from what everyone has said so far...

1. Players can check a single Profession skill to generate a synergy bonus on skill checks related to their profession if the DM agrees the profession is relevant.

I.e. Someone with Profession (sailor) might feel that they could use their professional knowledge to get a bonus on checks Climb checks to climb a robe, Survival checks to find their way by using stars, Swim checks while in the sea, Knowledge(local) checks about a disreptable tavern, etc.

2. To avoid the need to roll you can always take 10 on Profession checks used in this way. This allows ranks to be used to give a bonus in general but gives the option to roll when it really matters.

3. To fit the 3.5 normal and epic skill synergy bonuses the DC and their corresponding bonuses would be...

DC 15 = +2 (+5 for automatic success)
DC 25 = +3 (+15 for automatic success)
DC 35 = +4 (+25 for automatic success)
DC 45 = +5 (+35 for automatic success)
DC 55 = +6 (+45 for automatic success)

4. Profession can still be used as an income skill.

Is that enough to make Profession a worthwhile skill?

Liberty's Edge

Hmm, I like that. I actually like that a lot; +2 for a 15, and +1 per 10 more.

I think clever use of knowledge (or craft) skills might offer similar bonuses.

Liberty's Edge

Kendrik, Lion of Ratik wrote:
amethal wrote:
lordzack wrote:

I have an idea I think could work well. Skill synergies should work like Aid Another. Basically you roll the first skill check against DC 10 (possibly there could be more difficult DCs if the skills are less connected) and if you succeed you get a +2 bonus on the second. Which skills synergize is up to the DM.

The probelm I have with this system is that I always seem to roll a 20 on the first check and a 1 on the second.

Skill synergies are a great idea but i am not sure that having to roll another check just to add a bonus is the way forward. We have a current house rule in our game that gives you +2 for 5 ranks, +3 for 10 and so on. that way the more you know the more you can apply it to something else.

Kendrik

I agree that a simple +2 per 5 never worked well.

Under the new system that "static" synergy bonuses don't make sense though; and even with some of the skill variants being proposed they still don't work.

I like the idea of taking extra time (maybe a round or so) to make a check to give yourself a boost as a temporary synergy.

Sovereign Court

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lordzack wrote:

I have an idea I think could work well. Skill synergies should work like Aid Another. Basically you roll the first skill check against DC 10 (possibly there could be more difficult DCs if the skills are less connected) and if you succeed you get a +2 bonus on the second. Which skills synergize is up to the DM.

I can also think of a potential feat that allows characters to use Concentration to add to attack using the same Mechanics.

I had a similar idea but never got around to posting it.

While I like the system with different bonus for different DCs suggested above, it adds complexity and that is something a lot of people seem to want to get away from.

Just sticking to the Aid Another mechanic ("Aid Self"?) simply requires someone to make two skill checks instead of one. Simple, to the point. And it doesn't fiddle with folks skill ranks. It only comes up when it gets used.

The best part about it is that if you hate the idea or forget to ever use it ... nothing bad happens. You could play for 100 years and never miss it. BUT if you like skill synergies and would be sad to see them go, there you go. (The converse, I suppose, is that if it doesn't make it into the official rules, it would be an easy house rule.)


An intriguing compromise. For synergies I was expecting to just move them back under the DMs option of +2/-2 roll modifications and then let the players RP for them. This proposal seems a more equitable solution.

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