New Skill - Knowledge (Criminology)

[DungeonmasterCal]

The Investigator in our party is becoming the one who seems to have a knack for solving mysteries and crimes more than the others. So we wondered "Why not make a new skill?" But we're having trouble coming up with everything a Criminology skill would entail. Any help and advice are welcome!

[Andostre]

What sort of things are you wanting this skill to tackle that's not covered by an Investigator's inspiration and talent abilities? Or just any PC's Perception or intelligence checks?

[DungeonmasterCal]

I was thinking more along the lines of the psychological aspects of criminal motives. The Perception, Knowledge, Survival, and other checks are great. We were just wondering how we could incorporate the original idea into it. It may not be possible.

[I'm a grizzly Bear, you're not]

I think with the right PC and a willing GM the possibility of the Mystery genre flowering in the Fantasy genre garden might be a good thing. Why would you limit a PC by restricting them with the burden of the rules? The rules are for those without imagination.
On the side of the PC are the usual question: What, When, Where, How, and Why. Using these five questions you can solve every mystery. It is more a role-playing thing than rules thing. The rest just use your common sense.

[Cyrad]

That would probably be covered under Knowledge (local) but it's a great thing to think about. It could also entail general crime lore, like knowing the crime syndicates and usual places for criminal activity.

[Jeven]

Isn't it better split over multiple skills?

A single skill doesn't require any player thought, just roll the dice.
But if a variety of skills are required then you need to put some thought and creativity into the situation by deciding when, where and how to use particular skills to solve a mystery -- Sense Motive, Perception, various Knowledge skills, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Survival, Heal, etc. -- as the party interacts with various locations and NPCs.
This is then followed by the players piecing together all the clues they have gleaned from a variety of applied skills and magic to come to a conclusion.

A one size fits all skill might trivialize any investigation-type adventure.

So, I think, the first question to ask is how would a Criminology skill affect a mystery adventure. Would it make it more fun and interesting or simply reduce it to a series of one-skill dice rolls? Would it focus too much on one specialized PC instead of requiring the combined skills and abilities of the whole team?

////But something like Knowledge (Forensics) might work combined with Perception. So someone spots something, like blood splatter or the marks on a corpse, and the Knowledge skill can deduce a useful clue from it (without actually solving the mystery). You could get some inspiration from TV shows for how to apply it in-game.////
Edit: Scrap that ... the Heal, Knowledge(Local, Nature, etc.) and Survival skills basically cover the various aspects of forensics from the cause of death to identifying unusual items found at the crime scene to footprints.

[I'm a grizzly Bear, you're not]

The use dice in the resolution of the story [mystery] gives me the heebeegeebees. Your PCs could have a bad night of throwing dice, and miss some key clues. Ending up hanging the wrong suspect and releasing the actual murderer. It is better to give out clues at the time the PCs asks a question, then you know the character has all of the information to make a deductive conclusion. Then you also know that the red-herrings have their effect.
If you want to burden a character down with skills why not have a Forensics skill that would allow characters to read blood spatter to determine the size and shape of the weapon. To follow a trail ( similar to the ranger skill ) gaining information on the size, weight speed. gait, the number of suspects in a group the race if barefoot, if not the style of shoe or boot. How to read a corpse and determine a time and cause of death.
Then there is Sleuth Skill which would be the interpersonal aspects such as methods interrogation of experts, witnesses, and suspects. How to build a case. How to find and process information
As for these skills they can be used for other specialties such as during gathering information for dungeonering or spycraft.
Remember the dice gods can be fickle. Why let them ruin a good story?

[DungeonmasterCal]

Well, it was worth a try.

[Indagare]

I included two different possible Knowledge Skills below since criminology and forensics are different things, and it sounds like the skill you need is more forensics-related:

Knowledge (Criminology):

You have studied criminal behavior in order to better understand crime and criminals in general. You have not only knowledge of the nature of crimes and criminal behavior on an individual level, you have studied the causes of it on a social level as well. This includes knowledge of laws or customs used to manage, control, and punish various crimes. Beyond such studies, you also look into the prevention of crime.

Task DC

Know local laws, rulers, and popular locations 10
Know locations of local bars and taverns and their reputations 10
Know locations of local thieves or smugglers dens 15
Know a common rumor or local tradition 15
Know hidden organizations, rulers, and locations 20

Knowledge (Investigation):

You are skilled at picking out subtle clues that other people tend to miss. In addition you have a good knowledge of criminal behavior.

Task DC

Know local laws, rulers, and popular locations 10
Identify a creature’s ethnicity or accent 10
Identify a common plant or animal 10
Know current rulers and their symbols 10
Recognize a common deity’s symbol or clergy 10
Know locations of local bars and taverns and their reputations 10
Recognize common tattoos, piercings, or similar markings 10
Recognize uncommon tattoos, piercings, or similar markings 15
Know locations of local thieves or smugglers dens 15
Know a common rumor or local tradition 15
Know common mythology and tenets 15
Know proper etiquette 15
Identify an uncommon plant or animal 15
Recognize rare or exotic tattoos, piercings, or similar markings 20
Know line of succession 20
Know hidden organizations, rulers, and locations 20
Know location of nearest community or noteworthy site 20
Identify a rare or exotic plant or animal 20
Accurately identify a substance or material Varies*
-Mud, blood, wool, or other common substance or material 10
-Wood or metal shavings or similar particulates, silk or other 15
uncommon materials
-Exotic materials 20
*With proper equipment such as chemicals, magnifying glasses, microscopes, and so on, the DC goes down by 5. Knowing exactly where something came from either increases the DC by 5 (knowing that the mud on someone's shoes came from a particular location in town is a DC 15) or requires an appropriate roll in another area (identifying some plant material, for instance requires a roll under identifying plants or animals).

Optional Rule: Monographs:

Holmes rather famously wrote a few monographs on different subjects. If a character has extensively studied a particular area and spends a full round in observation, the character may always take ten on the results, regardless of the normal DC check (unless the character is under attack or similarly distracted or unable to examine). A character may have three monographs per +1 Intelligence bonus. The areas for a monograph must be separate, though correlated topics are allowed within one. A study of cigarette and cigar ashes, tattoos and their inks, or ear shapes would be three examples of separate monograph areas.

[DungeonmasterCal]

Thank you! Those are just what my group and I had in mind but couldn't quite work out.