Swim, Climb, Fly...

[Mark Gedak 27]

I don't understand the need for these skills. We don't have a skill for Walk or Breathe, yet characters routinely do these. We also don't have a Burrow skill (and don't need one).

I think anyone with a Swim speed should never make a Swim check. Swim checks should be reserved for those who are not natural swimmers.

I think anyone with a Climb speed should never make a Climb check. Climb checks should be reserved for those who are not natural climbers.

I think anyone with a Fly speed should never make a Fly check. Fly checks should be reserved for ... wait there is no need for fly at all because its not a trainable ability.

Thanks.

[Grimcleaver]

I like the idea of combining all the strength and stamina skills (climb, swim, pushing boulders uphill) be combined into a single Athletics skill.

Fly, by contrast, I would lump with the other more dexterity based activities (tumbling, balance, dirty dancing) into Acrobatics.

Those two skills--much like Stealth and Perception have done, would keep all the essential meat of their respective subskills but would also cover a whole lot of other activities which have hitherto had no stat attached to them. You make a more concise system, and it lets you do more things.

No downside to that that I see.

[Arnim Thayer]

While this subject has been discussed to death, I like the idea of a atttribute based skill for certain categories.

Acrobatics for Dex (Balance + Tumble)
Athletics for Str (Climb + Jump)
Endurance for Con (Run + Swim)

[Mosaic]

Arnim Thayer wrote:

Endurance for Con (Run + Swim)

So far I've tossed these in with Athletics, but I can see your point. With both Run and Swim, you're probably not trying to do anything tricky, just keep it up longer or go faster. Interesting.