Craft - Forgery

[Epic Meepo]

Forgery should be a Craft skill, not part of Linguistics. Here are my reasons:

1) Craft skills create items from raw materials; a forged document is an item that must be created from raw materials. "I can't fake a Chelaxian passport with any old ink. I'm going to need special supplies to produce a similar enough pigment."
2) Not all forgeries are text; some are symbols or images, to which Craft applies better than Linguistics. "As you can see here, all of the vases from that period are marked with this particular diamond pattern. If we add that pattern to our vases, we might be able to pass them off as antiques."
3) Forged documents should have creation DCs, creation times, and market prices; Craft skills already have detailed rules for creation DCs, creation times, and market prices. "Hmm. Faking a historical document that well known might require a few days. And quite a bit of gold!"

Also, the ability to spot a forgery should be a function of Appraise. Here's why:

1) Appraise identifies physical objects; a forged document is a physical object. "This passport isn't authentic. Chelaxian passports use a rare ink that's much purer and more valuable than the one used to make this."
2) Not all forgeries are text; some are symbols and images, to which Appraise applies better than Linguistics. "This vase is a modern imitation, not an antique. You can tell by the way these distinctive diamond patterns are clearly made with modern tools."
3) Forged documents should have market prices; the Appraise skill has rules for identifying market prices. "We've been had! This is just a cheap fake, barely worth hundred gold, let alone a thousand!"

[Kirth Gersen]

Yes! I've merged Forgery into Craft (Fine Arts), which includes painting, sculpture, drafting, etc. Detecting forgeries is of course an Appraise check. This is not only more logical, but it gives Craft (fine arts) some potential game use, rather than being six or eight separate useless "fluff" skills.

[Subversive]

I like this idea too, but with some reservations.

Take for a counter-argument the fact that for a forgery to be successful, it needs to use the right language. I don't mean language in the sense of elven, common, sylvan, etc. I mean that it has to use the right terminology and phrasing.

For a lieutenant to follow the forged orders of a captain, the document has to read like it came from a captain of the guard.

For a passport to be accepted, it needs to use all the proper phrases and terminology.

I'm not saying this is enough to keep me from using your idea, but it's worth debating over.

-Steve

[Epic Meepo]

Somehow, this thread got double posted. The main discussion is here.