So I compiled the ones that I like in this list. link
There are some rules that I like that I didn't post, mainly because I thought they were confusing.
Here's one that I stopped using after I stopped using the alignment system: Paladins may be of any good alignment, and may serve any good or neutral deity.
Hit points: Take the best of yours or the DM's role.
Charge: You can charge to any space you can attack from and "clothes line" the victim. Without this change ride by attack simply does not work as per raw.
Surprise: If you're specifically waiting for it, you can't get surprised. If you find a door marked "yeti" and start banging on it, it doesn't matter that the yeti technically can hear you but you can't hear him. When you break down the door its not a surprise round.
Dealing with stealthing parties.
This is a little odd because the perception vs stealth rolls set the encounter distance, but the encounter distance determines the penalties on the perception role.
Case 1: ambush. The ambushers declare a distance that they would like to try to ambush the other party at. The ambushers roll stealth, the ambushees roll perception. If no one makes their perception roll at the desired distance, the ambush is completely successful.
Ambush : The ambusher (those who are stealthed) gain a +10 initiative bonus for the surprise round.
Monks and Barbarians lack alignment restrictions.
The vital strike feats are given for free to anybody who meets the BAB requirements.
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The atonement spell does not exist. Anything that requires it's use is handled via RP.
YES. +1 and then some.
My current campaign house rules are here. I think that I need to update them, but remember what I was planning to add at the moment.
@Kelsey, you already mentioned the Vital Strikes as a bonus feat to anyone who meets the requirements :P
yeah. with experience points, I do an altered version of the PFS system. specific numbers of sessions per level. Of course, I hide this by adding experience numbers that were carefully calculated.
Uh, experience what exp...?! Oh, that experience! I don't use experience points - PCs get level when I say they get. It was so basic assumption of my campaign that I never bothered to add it to house rules list I linked.
Dot!
Some good stuff here!
I'm working some house rules up to do away with the d20. Using 2d10 instead, as you use 2d10, you at least have some semblance of a curve. This of course causes an issue with criticals, which is what I'm working out. Notably, that 15+ criticals happen 21% of the time to the 1% chance of the natural 20 critical. (no confirmation rolls) This gives an average roll of 11, instead of 10.5.
Criticals automatically cause max normal damage, plus roll the dice.
Knowledge (local) and Perception are class skills for all classes.
All classes have a minimum of 4+Int skill points (bump 4+ classes to 5+)
A class skill may be used even at 0 ranks but without the +3 trained bonus. (this is to off-set the x4 skill points from 3.5. With this house rule you can still use all your class skills, without having to worry about whether to focus on only 4 or 5 of them.)
My fumbles work this way, when you fumble, you provoke an AoO. Characters with multiple attacks must fumble all the attacks with a single hand to fumble. So a TWF fighter would usually fumble more than a 1H fighter.
Double ones on a skill check (using 2d10 mind you) is an automatic failure...[that's a 1% chance]
I'm borrowing something from the Dr. Who RPG also,
if you completely fail (5 or more)you fail "AND" something bad happens You failed to open the lock and broke your picks
if you fail a skill check by 1 or 2, you fail, "but" something beneficial happens. perhaps you partially succeeded on the lock, which would allow a second chance with a +2 bonus
If you just succeed "you succeed" "but" something bad happens.you unlock the chest but you broke your lockpicks.)
If you totally succeed (by 5 or more) you succeed "AND" something amazing happens. you disarmed the trap, AND gain an insight into the traps of this manufacture, giving a +2 competence bonus to all disable trap checks in this dungeon
Joke House Rule:
When failing a check to avoid becoming petrified, you may roll a Charisma check to strike a pose before turning completely. If the party has no access to a means of reversing the damage and the player wishes to rewrite a character, the statue can be sold for a value based on the check.
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All medium armor uses the stats for either hide or breastplate, and all heavy armor uses full plate stats. Armors can still be made out of unusual materiels (such as adamantine or mithril). The reason for this house rule is that there is no reason to wear medium armor that isn't a breastplate (unless you are a druid or first level character) or heavy armor that isn't full plate once you have the gold for it, and I dislike that, so I prefer for medium and heavy armor to have the same stats, with the differences being aesthetic. That way, you can wear chainmail instead of a breastplate or heavy lamellar instead of full plate without being less effective for it.
That certainly makes finding a characterful miniature much easier.
I find that many manufacturers sculpt figures that are historically based or aesthetically pleasing, without necessarily allowing for what kinds of PCs are actually used as PCs in play.Eg "Dwarf in chainmail, no 27438" <groan> "I'd like to play a dwarf character over level 2, please!"
Xaaon, that is a beautiful house rule, however I think I'll use it in the future. not now. it's tyoo much of a sudden change.
Xaaon, I went ahead and did the calculations for you.
with d20, there is a 5% chance to get a 20, a 10% chance to get 19 or higher, etc.
with 2d10, criticals are as follows.
(d20 equivalent) closest percentile= new equation range
(20) 6%= 18-20
(19, or 20 keen) 10%= 17-20
(18) 15%= 16-20
(19 keen) 21%= 15-20
(18 keen) 28%= 14-20
a natural 1 on a d20 is equivalent to getting a 1-3 on a 2d10
The atonement spell does not exist. Anything that requires it's use is handled via RP.YES. +1 and then some.
Actually, I always made them do both. =)
Joke House Rule:
When failing a check to avoid becoming petrified, you may roll a Charisma check to strike a pose before turning completely. If the party has no access to a means of reversing the damage and the player wishes to rewrite a character, the statue can be sold for a value based on the check.
How high is the penalty if the Medusa works at the DMV?
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All spellcasters use Charisma to determine spell save DCs. It's the force of your personality that makes them hard to resist, not your intelligence or wisdom.
That helps offset Wizards single-attribute dependency, evens things for Sorcerers; knowing hardly any spells, but the ones they do know, they're well practiced at.
Multiclass characters do not get a +2 for each new class with good saves, only gaining a +1 at the first level. Progression continues as normal afterwards.
Would the official 'fractional saves' option achieve the same end?
(I.e. tot up all levels with good save; gain +2 + level/2.
Tot up all levels with bad saves; add level/3.)
I've got a Lab Page on d20PFSRD. Woefully incomplete and I"m not working on it full-time at the moment.
My favorite-- though it relies on my multiclassing system-- is XP options, which allow you to improve your class features for an XP penalty.
Magic is divided into Arcane, Divine, Primal, and Psionics. If you're a spellcaster, you can learn spells from the lists of the other classes of the same type at +1 spell level. Bards choose which type of spellcaster they are at 1st, and Sorcerers choose whether to use the Wizard spell list or the Witch list.
I like the concept of racial classes, but I'm not proud of my implementation of some of them. I think Elf, Halfling, and Dwarf came out well, but Gnome and Orc are kinda sad.
Combined Monk and Psychic Warrior into one class.
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Yes, that was basically what I was describing, but most people get confused when I give the in-depth explanation. :/
Wait. What were you describing? I'm confused.
=P
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Each PC gets +1 point buy point per level. These can be saved up to increase stats further like normal point buy. So a 4th level PC built with 15 standard point buy will have an effective 19 points to spend. This replaces the +1 stat increase every 4 levels.
I do like this one; it addresses the issues of single-attribute classes vs multiple-attribute classes, and flattens the discrepancy between their highest stats.
It has become rather tiresome to see the default point-buy be to ‘stick an 18 on it, get +2 for race, keep adding +1/4 levels.’. Under the core rules, it makes far too much sense not to do so, especially when you are rewarded more for doing so.
I would prefer to see more PCs with a flatter, more believable stat array, and this option means that you don’t lose out for doing so. Why should a PC who put an 18 in his prime stat gain an extra +4 point-buy, while his fellow PC who took several 14s gain +2?
Now both PCs will have the same point buy at every level, and you aren’t feeling you’ve fallen behind if you improve an a score that’s just above average, or (God forbid!) buy off a penalty.
Each PC gets +1 point buy point per level. These can be saved up to increase stats further like normal point buy. So a 4th level PC built with 15 standard point buy will have an effective 19 points to spend. This replaces the +1 stat increase every 4 levels.I do like this one; it addresses the issues of single-attribute classes vs multiple-attribute classes, and flattens the discrepancy between their highest stats.
It has become rather tiresome to see the default point-buy be to ‘stick an 18 on it, get +2 for race, keep adding +1/4 levels.’. Under the core rules, it makes far too much sense not to do so, especially when you are rewarded more for doing so.
I would prefer to see more PCs with a flatter, more believable stat array, and this option means that you don’t lose out for doing so. Why should a PC who put an 18 in his prime stat gain an extra +4 point-buy, while his fellow PC who took several 14s gain +2?
Now both PCs will have the same point buy at every level, and you aren’t feeling you’ve fallen behind if you improve an a score that’s just above average, or (God forbid!) buy off a penalty.
I kinda like it, but I think it's too much. Maybe every other level.
There is no level or stat loss when being raised from the dead. However, it does cause mental stress. Roll a will save (DC 10 + character level + days dead). If you fail, you gain an insanity (3.5 Unearthed Arcana insanity, not Gamemastery Guide insanity).
LOVE this! Stolen!
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Other skills beyond diplomacy can be used to gather information, like perception (overhearing conversations), bluff (trying to make the guard let some information slip), and so on, so long as the player justifies it. This is all information that I, the DM, want the players to have, so giving them additional ways to obtain it makes every town more interesting than just "I gather information" followed by a die roll. Now, the druid is hanging out in the tavern, listening to the sailors talk, the cleric's healing the town's sick and trying to work them for info, the barbarian's cornering street rats and squeezing information out of them... And hey, the Bard can still just roll a diplomacy check and gather all the information he wants, if that's how he wants to play it.
I'd like to see Diplomacy taken round the back of the glue factory, too.
I just find it incredibly lazy, for a player to say "I use Diplomacy on him."That's okay, but WHAT do you say?
I'm not trying to cheat you out of having a good roll, or good Cha; I'll also allow for the fact that the PC may be much more suave than the player.
I'm asking because I want to be able to adjudicate what the likely outcomes are, of a good or bad roll. And not just "He becomes friendly" or "He becomes hostile".
How does he show his friendship? How does he let his hostility show?
I want to know what angle you're using to start the conversation, what favours you're asking, what you might let slip.
And depending on what you use as your introduction affects what skill you'd roll against, but substituting Cha for the usual ability mod.
So, you schmooze at the Duke's ball, using Knowledge (nobility)(Cha) to identify the factions without a faux pas, to get an audience with your mark, and find out he's a wine snob, you use your Craft (brewer/vintner)(Cha) to impress him with your knowledge, and get him in a good mood, and get an invitation to his house. You use your Knowledge (history)(Cha) to flatter his father that you studied his old war record, and Knowledge (geography)(Cha) to persuade him that the eastern pass should be bolstered with a few hundred more troops this winter. Job done.
You've used four Diplomacy checks, but none of them used a Diplomacy skill; rather 'Diplomacy' is a special use of each of those skills, in the same way as 'Moving Through a Threatened Square' is a specific use of Acrobatics, 'Treat Poison' is a specific use of Heal, etc.
It adds variety, stops Johnny One-Trick from sailing through every situation with one maxed skill, rewards PCs for those hobby skills and traits, and keeps the whole party working the hustle. No one person can monopolise all the skills required for every situation, so you avoid the party where four guys have Dip +0, and one has Dip +30.
"He does all the social stuff, while we play on the X-Box."
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Each PC gets +1 point buy point per level. These can be saved up to increase stats further like normal point buy. So a 4th level PC built with 15 standard point buy will have an effective 19 points to spend. This replaces the +1 stat increase every 4 levels.
I kinda like it, but I think it's too much. Maybe every other level.
Well, given that the typical use is to point-buy a 17 or 18 (with or without a +2 racial mod on top), then raise it by 1 at level 4, that is effectively an extra 4 point-buy.
I don't have a problem with the guy raising a 14 getting his payoff a level early, then banking a point toward something else.
Or the Con 9 wizard being shocked out of his sedentary life, and finding the fresh air and exercise raise his Con to 12 by level 4.
Over the course of the campaign, having some PCs' low-to-average scores rising to mildly good is less disruptive that That Guy who's always trying to break the extremes of the power assumptions, with his lobotomised ape, or his feeble Str 3, Int 25 wizard, having to be carried round on a tray like the Mekon (or MODOK, for you young'uns).
I just find it incredibly lazy, for a player to say "I use Diplomacy on him."
That's okay, but WHAT do you say?
I'm not trying to cheat you out of having a good roll, or good Cha; I'll also allow for the fact that the PC may be much more suave than the player.
I'm asking because I want to be able to adjudicate what the likely outcomes are, of a good or bad roll. And not just "He becomes friendly" or "He becomes hostile".
I agree that this can be a problem.
Proper procedure at my table is to ask what you say, then roll. Quality of argument can in some cases be a modifier, but in most cases the player speech determines what kind of roll is called for (Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate...)
This lets people make characters who are better or worse than themselves at real-life social skills. The inarticulate player can get a boost from the dice, and the articulate player has a chance for his PC to be less competent making the identical case.
None of this is spelled out in the rules, of course, but it is a common approach as I understand it.
One of mine, done pretty much upon first reading of the Core Rulebook:
Simulacrum spell/alchemical discovery require a piece of the creature to be duplicated - either a bone or a hunk of flesh (a hair or nail won't do it).
Otherwise, it's pretty much open season for high level wizards/alchemists to build whomever or whatever, they need.
Xaaon, I went ahead and did the calculations for you.
with d20, there is a 5% chance to get a 20, a 10% chance to get 19 or higher, etc.
with 2d10, criticals are as follows.
(d20 equivalent) closest percentile= new equation range
(20) 6%= 18-20
(19, or 20 keen) 10%= 17-20
(18) 15%= 16-20
(19 keen) 21%= 15-20
(18 keen) 28%= 14-20a natural 1 on a d20 is equivalent to getting a 1-3 on a 2d10
yeah, I've done the calculations, I just need to extensively playtest it before I make it a solid house rule.
I actually wrote I about it on my blog, with the full calculations heh.
Each PC gets +1 point buy point per level. These can be saved up to increase stats further like normal point buy. So a 4th level PC built with 15 standard point buy will have an effective 19 points to spend. This replaces the +1 stat increase every 4 levels.I kinda like it, but I think it's too much. Maybe every other level.Well, given that the typical use is to point-buy a 17 or 18 (with or without a +2 racial mod on top), then raise it by 1 at level 4, that is effectively an extra 4 point-buy.
I don't have a problem with the guy raising a 14 getting his payoff a level early, then banking a point toward something else.
Or the Con 9 wizard being shocked out of his sedentary life, and finding the fresh air and exercise raise his Con to 12 by level 4.
Over the course of the campaign, having some PCs' low-to-average scores rising to mildly good is less disruptive that That Guy who's always trying to break the extremes of the power assumptions, with his lobotomised ape, or his feeble Str 3, Int 25 wizard, having to be carried round on a tray like the Mekon (or MODOK, for you young'uns).
This reminds me, I forgot one important aspect to this houserule. Normally you can't point buy higher than 18. For this houserule, after level 1, you can point buy above 18, each time costing 4 points. So in essence, those who like to increase their main stat every time can and it's effectively functions like the normal +1 Ability score every 4 levels. This houserule is mainly for MAD PCs giving them that added flexibility they so desperately need IMO.
Virtue and vice system from New World of Darkness to supplement hero point system.
Hit die rolled twice every level. Take the highest.
Brutal pugilist gets flurry, a weaker unarmed damage progression, stunning fist tree, no weapon proficiency, and d10 HD.
Dot!
In the current game we're playing, you must roll CMD (base atttack+dex+str+other bonuses). Needless to say, I'm not very happy about it as a barbarian - since weaklings can disarm/trip me with a bit of luck.
Tho it sometimes helps the casters vs. those I-grab-you monsters.
Uhm,
I may be missing something, but this really doesn't sound like a house rule. It sounds like the core rules. You use CMB vs CMD for combat manuevers, like disarm, trip, grapple, etc.
In the current game we're playing, you must roll CMD (base atttack+dex+str+other bonuses). Needless to say, I'm not very happy about it as a barbarian - since weaklings can disarm/trip me with a bit of luck.
Tho it sometimes helps the casters vs. those I-grab-you monsters.Uhm,
I may be missing something, but this really doesn't sound like a house rule. It sounds like the core rules. You use CMB vs CMD for combat manuevers, like disarm, trip, grapple, etc.
core rules dex is only applied in defense. That house rule also has it applied on offense.
core rules dex is only applied in defense. That house rule also has it applied on offense.
In the current game we're playing, you must roll CMD (base atttack+dex+str+other bonuses). Needless to say, I'm not very happy about it as a barbarian - since weaklings can disarm/trip me with a bit of luck.
Tho it sometimes helps the casters vs. those I-grab-you monsters.Uhm,
I may be missing something, but this really doesn't sound like a house rule. It sounds like the core rules. You use CMB vs CMD for combat manuevers, like disarm, trip, grapple, etc.
Actually it looks like the houserule portion is rolling for CMD instead of adding 10.
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our houserules:
equipment:
- wearing an helmet gives you a +1 to concentration but a -2 to perception checks
- medium armors give a Damage reduction of 1. heavy armors give 2 DR
hitpoint/lvl
every level (but the 1st)take the best of the player's roll and the dm'roll.
retrain:
starting at the 4th level and every lelvel thereafter; 1feat or 1 spell can be retrain. The spell must be of the same lvl (or lower). if the feat is un a "tree" the depending feats are no more available.
spell:
you canot cast flaming and ice on the same weapon/ effect
bonus language:
regional languages are eligible for a character living in the place regarding his/her race. (so a dwarf in Korvosa can get Varisian as a bonus language).
if you have 1rank in kn(geography) you can take a remote regional language
if you have 1rank in history you can take a dead language
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That's a fascinating idea, Snorter.
It has precedent in earlier editions.
3.5 listed the option to base an ability mod off a different stat than normal, at the DM's discretion.
In 1st/2nd Ed., we would do the same with non-weapon proficiencies.
Ride would be a Wisdom ability, when used to push your mount, and a Dex ability to avoid falling off.
I don't recall if that was our house rule, or if it was a printed option.
What I dislike about there being a 'Diplomacy' skill, is that it implies that a person can impress, and get what he wants from any segment of society, regardless of their background, knowledge or experience in the target demographic. Which runs counter to my experiences.
I haven't started running my campaign yet, but there are two rules I'm going to be implimenting:
1. Character creation: Characters start with 10 in each stat and have 18 points to spend increasing/decreasing them on a one-for-one basis. No stat can be greater than an 18 or less than an 8 prior to racial modifiers. Furthermore no more than two stats can be 8 or less.
2. Hit points are not rolled; all characters get max hit points at 1st level and 75% of the max roll for their hit die every level after that.
I wish there was a way to make Charisma more universally useful, although I do like having all save DCs Charisma based (at least for arcane casters).
So here are some that we have used:
Charge is a standard action. This way, melee characters can do something in a surprise round, and the dude who spent three feats on mounted combat to get spirited charge can usually line up a decent charge with his horse.
I've done the "no weapon finesse" thing before. I'm not married to the idea yet. It seems to me that precision weapons like the rapier may require more instruction to use properly. Then again, I don't really like penalizing rogues and dex based fighters.
I've been thinking about the item creation feats. I feel like there are too many. I think that all casters should get scribe scroll for free, that potions should be made with the alchemy skill with no feat required, forge ring should be part of craft wonderous item, and Rods, Staffs, and Wands should be one feat. Since Crafting feats allow the chracters to break the Wealth By Level rules though, I'm not sure if this is overpowered. Then again, my experience is the DMs don't give out enough loot to meet those wealth levels anyway.
I usually allow players to role HP, but average results are the minimum. So if they roll a d10, the lowest they can get is a 6.
I like the idea of more expensive horses being available. Especially since the pathfinder horse was gutted for some odd reason.
Swords can pierce as well as slash, and vice versa. They're pointy.
Hobgoblins are a core race, at least in my setting.
You can stand up from prone as a full round action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
I have also been toying with the idea of using the point buy per level thing. I haven't decided on that one yet either. My wife played a middle aged wizard just to get the age bonus to Int. Her character, at level 10, has something like a 28 Int. It's a bit crazy, and I don't think it would have happened with point buy per level.
1. I don't allow any archtypes.
2. Alchemists, magi, summoners, oracles, gunslingers, and inquisitors don't exist. They are figments of your imagination. Witches are only allowed with my express permission.
3. Feats and spells not in the Core Rulebook are allowed only with my express permission.
4. Races not in the Core Rulebook are allowed only with my express permission.
5. 20- or 25- point buy is used to create characters. Unless the character has a negative racial modifier, no starting ability score can be less than 10.
6. The only favored class bonuses are skill points or hit points.
7. Sleeping in armor (even chain shirts or studded leather) is not a healthy activity. If you do so anyway, then you do not regain hit points for resting AND you are fatigued the following day. You can sleep in leather or padded armor.
8. Swimming in full plate armor (or carrying a heavy load) is contraindicated as hazardous to your health. Take a -1 penalty on Swim checks (in addition to ACP) for every 10 lbs. of armor, weapons, and equipment you are carrying and/or wearing.
9. The following class conversions and/or revisions are allowed in my game and may be chosen by any player.
This is only a partial list of my house rules. But when in doubt, remember Rule Zero. I certainly do.
Master Arminas
Spoiler:1. I don't allow any archtypes.2. Alchemists, magi, summoners, oracles, gunslingers, and inquisitors don't exist. They are figments of your imagination. Witches are only allowed with my express permission.
3. Feats and spells not in the Core Rulebook are allowed only with my express permission.
4. Races not in the Core Rulebook are allowed only with my express permission.
5. 20- or 25- point buy is used to create characters. Unless the character has a negative racial modifier, no starting ability score can be less than 10.
6. The only favored class bonuses are skill points or hit points.
7. Sleeping in armor (even chain shirts or studded leather) is not a healthy activity. If you do so anyway, then you do not regain hit points for resting AND you are fatigued the following day. You can sleep in leather or padded armor.
8. Swimming in full plate armor (or carrying a heavy load) is contraindicated as hazardous to your health. Take a -1 penalty on Swim checks (in addition to ACP) for every 10 lbs. of armor, weapons, and equipment you are carrying and/or wearing.
9. The following class conversions and/or revisions are allowed in my game and may be chosen by any player.
This is only a partial list of my house rules. But when...
So basically you're running a 3.5P game...
My favorite gets its own post. Evil Lincoln's hit point variant: Readiness/Injury
One of the best houserule around IMHO. One with the most enhancing experience of game for least obtrusion in RaW at any point. A must for low(er) magic gamers who want to keep as RaW as possible.
A character may carry up to its Strength score worth of burden points before being encumbered. Up to twice its Strength score, the character is now under medium encumbrance (character is fatigued or exhausted if already fatigued). Up to three times its Strength score in burden points, the character is under heavy encumbrance (character is overwhelmed).
Shields and armors have a burden value = armor check penalty.
Weapons have a burden value of 1 (if 1-handed) or 2 (if 2-handed), including sheathes. Light weapons have negligible burden.
Bows and crossbows = 2 burden points, including quiver of bolts or arrows.
Trail rations = 1 burden point per week
Water and perishable rations = 1 burden point per day
Coins = 1 burden point per 100 coins
Any small-ish item or collection of items (coil of rope, spellbook, component pouch, extra set of clothes, woolen blanket, package of 10 torches etc) = 1 burden point.
Any big-ish or cumbersome item or collection of items (2-people tent, small wooden chest, keg of beer, battery of cooking gear etc) = 2 burden points.
Any item bigger than that directly causes the character to be medium or heavily encumbered (DM’s call).
Creatures in combat gain a bonus to their attack rolls equal to the numerical advantage that they have over the other 'team'.
For example, 2 goblins attacking one PC both gain a +1 to each of their attacks against that PC. Should a second PC join the melee, the bonus would be negated. Should a third PC engage the two goblins, each PC would gain a +1 in their attack rolls.
Gang-up does not replace flanking, but provides a bonus of the same 'source' (i.e. it doesn't stack). Therefore, the two goblins could double their gang-up bonus by directly opposing the PC on the battle grid, but would not gain advantage in doing so if there where three (or more) of them against a single PC.
overland round: Decomposing the adventuring day as if it was a combat round.
Homebrewed Herbalism: Magic without spellcasters.
Random Encounter Chart: My good old simple random encounter and event chart.
For the whole collection: For the houserule freaks...
'findel
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Profession skills can be used in a variety of situations in place of other skills. For example...
Prof. Soldier can be use as Appraisal for weapons and armor. Heal check for wounds caused but weapons and natural physical attacks. As a knowledge skills for identifying military uniforms, banners, formations, tactics. Also feats an opponent has that warriors are able to get as a bonus feat.
Basically that's just the stuff off the top of my head. Once my players got the idea that it worked like that they just started thinking of thinks a particular profession might teach a person. The benefits are awesome for the actual character I get from the players. The halfling with profession cook for example prizes his trophies from the various village food festival cook offs he has insisted the party attend.