Must-Have Skills?

Guest · Unread post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:34 pm

What, no Climbing skill?

Cinos · Unread post by **Cinos** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:14 pm

And Streetwise is very useful (at least in every game I've been in), though I guess only one of the party really needs it.
Also, Land Navigation/Astronomy to get around, Climbing are both musts as far as I see it.

Cinos

Sentinel · Unread post by **Sentinel** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:49 pm

No matter what game I've run or played, must have skills have included:

Wilderness Survival
Advanced Mathematics.
Swimming.
Climbing.
Multiple Languages.
WP Knife or Blunt.

J. Lionheart · Unread post by **J. Lionheart** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 4:55 am

I won't call them "must have" skills, but perhaps "priority picks" at any rate. If available I will try anything possible to take -

First Aid
Wilderness Survival
Swimming
Climbing
Prowl
Language: Elven
Literacy: at least one language.
HtH in some form
At least one W.P.

It won't break my heart, but I also very much like to take Lore: Demon & Monster, Horsemanship: General, Mathematics: Basic, and as many scholar/technical skills as I can reasonably manage :-P

Maddog · Unread post by **Maddog** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:10 am

My "Must haves" are:

Boxing- an extra attack c'mon!

Swimming- we all do it sometimes

Math: Basic- advanced is a bit much unless your a wizard or serious merchant

Literacy: Elven- universal tongue anyone?

Speak: Elven- as above!

Wilderness Survival- for " field work "

and Cooking-why has no one chosen cooking yet? we do it 2 or 3 times a day!

Natalya · Unread post by **Natalya** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:08 pm

Mine are:

Climbing
Cook
Prowl
Pick Locks

Braden Campbell · Tue Feb 07, 2006 4:25 pm

WP. Knife
WP. Sword
WP. Paired

Now you're good to go!

Narsis · Unread post by **Narsis** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:14 pm

My must have skills:

Cook: always take it twice if possible for pro. cooking
swimming
one w.p.
climbing
HtoH
Speak one language
write one lanugage
first aid
wilderness survival

UR Leader Hobbes · Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:59 pm

Basic math and one language..

Thats all the basics you need.. Why basic math?? Beacuse with out it you can't even count. Thats why.

Nekira Sudacne · Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:10 pm

ALWAYS take at least one domestic skill. usually cooking, sometimes singing or dancing. usually multiple.

Guest · Unread post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:09 pm

I guess no one likes sewing...

Zenvis · Unread post by **Zenvis** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:31 am

Keldonus wrote:So, when playing recently, we got into a discussion of skills that we give to our characters. Obviously, it;s going to change a lot based on who the character is, but I have a set that everyone gets. I'd like to hear what other people consider to be Critical.

Every character I make has the following:
First Aid
Swimming
Horsemanship (unless it's a special case where they can't, like for Monks)
Hand to Hand, and
at least one W.P.

Most characters have some of the following:
Wilderness surivival
Speak at least two additional languages
Literacy in at least one language
Lore: Demons & Monsters

Many characters have some of these:
History
one additional Lore skill
at least one art skill
Recognize Weapon Quality (for combat folks, when available)
Land Navigation

So, let's see some others.

My players can count on a couple of things. First there will be a body of water. Second there will be injories and battles in every session. Third, some dude is going to speak some language that no one has or only one guy has. Fourth there will be cryptic writing in a language that one guy might know. Fifth, they are always in the forest and need navigation or wilderness survival. And finally I alway have lots of monsters and faeries so better be packing some heat. With that said you could guess what skills are basically needed.

Borast · Unread post by **Borast** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 10:42 pm

"Critical" skills depends on the character, campaign, and likely encounters.

After all, if you're playing a character who's never even SEEN a body of water larger than a small stream...where did (s)he learn to swim? If you're playing a character who lives in a mideval city, where did a (non-"rogue") character learn to climb? If you're playing a character who's spent his/her entire life in the bush, where did they learn the streetwise skill? etc...

Generally...
WP: Blunt
At least one language (I have an ogre character that speaks Gigantese [milk tongue], Western [he was enslaved at an ealry age], and Elvish [Grandpa was the tribe's Shaman])

Other than that...anything goes! (If I can justify it legitimately, gymnastics or acrobatics.)

sinestus · Unread post by **sinestus** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:58 pm

back in my rifts/N&SS days it was always

Boxing
Acrobatics
Gymnastics
Wrestling

and if it was a man-of-arms type, i'd just sac the 14 skills for "Every Physical"

...

then i realized how dull resolving every encounter with combat was...

so then the Rogue/Espionage set got into the act

Streetwise
Seduction
Streetwise (Drugs) - Or Botany

my last memorable PFRPG character was a changeling Metamorph, and had practically no physical skills whatsoever...

and the one before that a Hytril "PR specialist" (kept getting the group's Palladin into pit fights for money...) again with little to no physicall skills

Shawn Merrow · Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:42 pm

The only one I always pick is Prowl the rest vary by O.C.C. and character background.

Sentinel · Unread post by **Sentinel** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:33 pm

killstorm wrote:Absolutely need dance and cook. The rest can rot. What else does a dancing bard need? =)

How about Singing, Play Musical Instument, and/or Public Speaking?
As I recall, there are some good entertainment oriented skills in Palladium: High Seas.

pblackcrow · Unread post by **pblackcrow** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:48 pm

*Swimming,
*Climbing,
Cooking,
Detect concealment & traps,
First aid or Holistic meds,
*Speak Elven/dragonese,
Locate secret compartments/doors,
Identify plants and fruits,
Land Navigation,
WP Archery,
Track & trap animals,
*Wilderness Survival,
*Sailing,
and; last but not least; Pick locks.

I expect everyone in my games to have the ones with a star in front of them at level 1. And for the group as a whole to know them all.

pblackcrow · Unread post by **pblackcrow** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:36 pm

Forgot one...

*Horsemanship

Guest · Unread post by **Guest** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:40 pm

pblackcrow wrote:Forgot one...

*Horsemanship

Since a person can walk, I don't see why Horsemanship would be a required skill.

pblackcrow · Unread post by **pblackcrow** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:14 pm

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:
pblackcrow wrote:Forgot one...

*Horsemanship

Since a person can walk, I don't see why Horsemanship would be a required skill.

In my games, you are sorta expected to travel. And you didn't say anything about sailing being a required skill. I do both sea and land advertures.

Guest · Unread post by **Guest** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:19 pm

pblackcrow wrote:
Kuseru Satsujin wrote:
pblackcrow wrote:Forgot one...

*Horsemanship

Since a person can walk, I don't see why Horsemanship would be a required skill.

In my games, you are sorta expected to travel. And you didn't say anything about sailing being a required skill. I do both sea and land advertures.

Neither skills are required to travel, so there's no reason to require them. Sailing is even more unnecessary than horsemanship, since you can charter a boat or ship to take you places.

pblackcrow · Unread post by **pblackcrow** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:45 pm

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:
pblackcrow wrote:
Kuseru Satsujin wrote:
pblackcrow wrote:Forgot one...

*Horsemanship

Since a person can walk, I don't see why Horsemanship would be a required skill.

In my games, you are sorta expected to travel. And you didn't say anything about sailing being a required skill. I do both sea and land advertures.
Neither skills are required to travel, so there's no reason to require them. Sailing is even more unnecessary than horsemanship, since you can charter a boat or ship to take you places.

Not when they like to do everything on there own. Besides, ships in my game world require everyone to help out. Besides, they don't like to share stuff with each other, muchless with a captain or crew.

And I am sorry, but walking it would take an estimation of several weeks to get from wisdom to haven. And longer still to get to Credia. And I get rather bored with the open trail bit again, and again, and again. As do they.

Borast · Unread post by **Borast** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:14 pm

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:
pblackcrow wrote:Forgot one...

*Horsemanship

Since a person can walk, I don't see why Horsemanship would be a required skill.

Neither do I...my Ogre is tall enough that some (normal) horses can walk between his legs without touching "anything." That and he weighs about 200 or so kilos... Add the fact that his Spd factor is 40... He doesn't need a horse.

pblackcrow · Unread post by **pblackcrow** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:31 pm

Borast wrote:
Kuseru Satsujin wrote:
pblackcrow wrote:Forgot one...

*Horsemanship

Since a person can walk, I don't see why Horsemanship would be a required skill.

Neither do I...my Ogre is tall enough that some (normal) horses can walk between his legs without touching "anything." That and he weighs about 200 or so kilos... Add the fact that his Spd factor is 40... He doesn't need a horse.

I am talking normal characters. Not ones with wings nor overly tall ones.

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Must-Have Skills?

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