Skill Techniques

Skill Techniques are techniques that enhance a character's ability to perform checks.

General Skill Techniques

Skill Proficiency

Effect: Choose a skill. You become proficient in that skill, and gain its Proficiency Bonus

Special: You can choose this technique more than once, but only once per skill.

Skill Focus

Prerequisites: Proficiency in a skill

Effect: Choose a skill in which you are proficient. You have advantage to skill rolls for that skill when not threatened.

Special: You can choose this technique more than once, but only once per skill.

Note: Proficiency gives you a +5 bonus to skill rolls, and unlocks additional use cases for the skill.

Skill Prodigy

Prerequisites: Skill Focus

Effect: Choose a skill for which you have Skill Focus. You have advantage to skill rolls for that skill under all circumstances.

Special: You can choose this technique more than once, but only once per skill

Adventuring Skill Techniques

Adventurer

Effect: You gain a +2 technique bonus to all Adventuring skill checks

Careful Maneuvering

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Acrobatics

Effect: If you would Disengage, you may move a number of squares equal to one half of your relevant movement speed.

Up and Over

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Acrobatics

Effect: If you succeed in performing a Combat Manoeuvre against a single target, you may shift to any square adjacent to that target.

All Terrain Traveller

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Athletics

Effect: Gain a Land, Swim, and Climb speed equal to half the highest of all of your movement speeds. If you already have one of these speeds and it is not the highest speed, it is increased by 2 squares. You may also gain a Fly or Burrow speed of the same value, if you are capable of flying or burrowing, respectively.

Sprinter

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Athletics

Effect: The Run action allows you to move at 5x your normal movement speed. Charging allows 1.5x movement for a Standard Action charge, and 3x movement for a Full Round charge.

Night Eyes

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Perception

Effect: You gain Low Light Vision. If you have Low Light Vision, gain Darkvision 30ft. If you have Darkvision, increase it by 30ft.

Split the Shaft

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Perception

Effect: You ignore the penalty for a number of range increments equal to 1/2 of your character level, rounded up.

Natural Guru

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Survival

Effect: When you attempt to use Battlefield Poultice, you may do so without disadvantage.

Stormweathered

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Survival

Effect: You have advantage to save against any effects caused by weather or the ambient environment. This does not include effects caused by powers.

Big Sleeves

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Stealth

Effect: You may attempt to conceal one-handed weapons.

Normal: You may only attempt to conceal light weapons.

Hide in Plain Sight

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Stealth

Effect: If you break direct line of sight with an opponent during your turn, you may immediately attempt a Stealth check to hide from them, even if you are in the middle of a movement. This includes passing behind another enemy/ally.

Normal: You may attempt a Stealth check as a Move action, if your opponent does not currently have line of sight to you.

Pain Tolerance

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Concentration

Effect: You may ignore your level in damage for the purposes of needing to make concentration checks.

Hard Head

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Concentration

Effect: You gain Damage Reduction equal to 1/3 of your level, rounded up, against non-lethal damage.

Social Skill Techniques

Socialite

Effect: You gain a +2 technique bonus to all Social skill checks

A Thousand Paths

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Insight

Effect: You have advantage when you defend against any combat manoeuvres.

Instinctive Reactions

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Insight

Effect: If there is a surprise round, you may take an additional move action during it.

Giving the Slip

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Bluff

Effect: You may make an Insight-opposed Bluff check against one target per round in order to move without provoking an Attack of Opportunity

False Confidence

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Bluff

Effect: You may use your Bluff bonus in place of the relevant total skill bonus for other social skills.

Note: This does not allow you to qualify for techniques, classes, or other prerequisites that you would not otherwise meet.

Reoccuring Villain

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Intimidate

Effect: Your Intimidate duration is measure in hours. Additionally, you have advantage to Intimidate checks against anyone you have successfully intimidated before.

Intrusive Thoughts

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Intimidate

Effect: If someone attempts to read your mind, implant thoughts, or otherwise directly contact your consciousness, you may attempt to Intimidate them as a free action.

De-escalation

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Diplomacy

Effect: You may always attempt to use Diplomacy to end combat, as per Talking Down. However, the DC is 3 higher for each opponent who isn't bloodied.

Leadership

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Diplomacy

Effect: You gain an apprentice. They are 4 levels below your own, they level with you, and you must provide them with equipment. When they gain a level, they must choose a class that you also have, but may choose techniques or skills outside your purview. They will join you in any areas that would be appropriate for a character of their level. They will follow instruction to the best of their ability, unless they have reason to believe it will cause them undue harm; if they are a Paladin, they will expect to get into melee combat, but an apprentice Wizard would not. If you are responsible for the death of your apprentice, you cannot get another until you have atoned for it, as per GM decision. If you have a base of operations, you may choose to have your apprentice study theory and maintain the base. A well maintained base may attract other followers willing to work for you, but they will never have class levels or be willing to fight for anything other than the defence of their homes and property while under your command. A follower may become an apprentice, if you are without one and are eligible to gain one. They will expect to be paid a fair wage, either by you or by making a livelihood in your protection.

Note: Discuss with your GM how you wish to use Leadership; they may wish to alter or replace its effects, depending upon the nature of the game.

Education Skill Techniques

Scholar

Effect: You gain a +2 technique bonus to all Education skill checks

Frugal Crafter

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Craft

Effect: When you create mundane items, you only have to pay 1/4 of the cost for material goods. When you create magic items, you only have to pay 1/3 of the cost for material goods.

Practiced Methods

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Craft

Effect: Crafting takes you half the time it normally would.

Artisan

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Profession

Effect: When you attempt to ply your profession to gain money, what you gain is measured in silver coins.

Normal: With proficiency in Profession, your gains are measured copper coins.

Internship

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Profession

Effect: You gain an intern for each Profession you have the prerequisite ranks in. They have no relevant classes or statistics other than their Profession rank, which is 4 below yours. They are proficient in their Profession. As long as they have somewhere to ply their trade, they will spend 8 hours a day making money, of which you will keep 50%. They may encounter problems which they will expect you to solve, as their sponsor. They will not come on adventures with you.

Street Performer

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Perform

Effect: When you attempt to perform to gain money, what you gain is measured in silver coins.

Normal: With proficiency in Perform, your gains are measured copper coins.

Rousing Performance

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Perform

Effect: When you are making another skill check for which you have a relevant Perform proficiency, you may make the relevant Perform check with the same DC. If you succeed, you have advantage on the triggering check.

Note: For example, Diplomacy could be augmented by a successful Perform (Comedy) check, Bluff could be augmented by a successful Perform (Oratory) check, and Concentration could be augmented by a successful Perform (Sing) check. Be sure to check with your GM, and be ready to justify your choices.

Practised Methods

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Spellcraft

Effect: When you use a power, the cost of a second upgrade is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1.

Countermeasures

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Spellcraft

Effect: Once per round, you may make a Spellcraft check as an immediate reaction to a power being used. The DC of the check is 15 + the number of power points used by the power. If you succeed, you know the power source of the power. If you have access to the same source, you may spend half as many power points to counter the effect.

Charletanism

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Use Magic Device

Effect: In addition to emulating race and class, you can also emulate required alignments, languages, and most other requirements. The cost to emulate a techniqueure is reduced to +2 DC.

Educated Guesswork

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Use Magic Device

Effect: You can activate magical items without knowledge of how, by taking disadvantage on the roll.

Transferable Information

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Knowledge

Effect: You may use Knowledge in place of other skills, when relevant. If you do, you have disadvantage on the check.

Note: For example, Knowledge (Society) could be used in place of Diplomacy, and Knowledge (Nature) could be used in place of Survival.

Practical Application

Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Knowledge

Effect: As a minor action, you may make a Knowledge check to determine the weaknesses of an enemy. If you succeed, you get a +2 technique bonus to attack or to damage against that enemy and others like it until the end of the encounter. You may only use this ability once per encounter per type of enemy. The Knowledge check must be relevant to the enemy. As a minor action, you can explain these weaknesses to your party, conferring half the bonus to anyone who can hear it who does not already have the bonus.

Note: For example, an encounter involving Goblins and Bugbears would allow you to make two Knowledge (Dungeoneering) checks to determine the weaknesses of each, and choose Attack for one, and Damage for the other. If the encounter were Goblins and Demons, then you would use one Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check, and one Knowledge (Religion) or Knowledge (Planes) check.

Proficiency Bonuses

Acrobatics: Three Point Landing

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Acrobatics

Effect: When you would take fall damage, you may make an Acrobatics check. If you do, subtract 10 from the result and divide by 5, rounding down. You negate this many squares of the fall. You may not take this action if you are helpless.

Athletics: Pack Mule

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Athletics

Effect: Your Heavy Load limit is increased by half, and the distance you can travel before you are fatigued is increased by half.

Perception: Sixth Sense

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Perception

Effect: You are entitled to an active Perception check whenever Passive Perception is used

Survival: Battlefield Poultice

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Survival

Effect: You can attempt to Heal and cure illnesses and poisons without proper tools, by making a Survival check at disadvantage.

Stealth: Mechanical Understanding

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Stealth

Effect: You can use Stealth to disable mechanical traps and mechanisms.

Concentration: Supreme Focus

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Concentration

Effect: You can ignore minor distractions, such as flashing lights, loud noises, mild weather effects, or low level fatigue.

Insight: Intellectual Reversal

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Insight

Effect: If you succeed in defending against a Bluff or Intimidate attempt, you may attempt a similar check of your own with advantage.

Bluff: Three-Headed Monkey Tactics

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Bluff

Effect: You may attempt to Bluff as a minor action to gain advantage on your next attack or opposed roll against a target.

Intimidate: Not So Gentle Reminder

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Intimidate

Effect: Your Intimidate durations are measured in minutes.

Normal: Your Intimidate durations are measured in rounds.

Diplomacy: Talking Down

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Diplomacy

Effect: You may attempt a Diplomacy check to persuade your opponents to end combat if all opponents are bloodied. The DC for this check is 10 + 3 for every enemy beyond the first if you allow them to flee, or 15 + 5 for every enemy beyond the first if you intend to take them prisoner. If you are successful, this counts as succeeding the encounter. However, if the enemies escape, or you allow them to flee, do not be surprised if some of your loot flees with them.

Craft: Improvisational Methods

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Craft

Effect: You do not suffer disadvantage when attempting to create or repair something without plans or experience.

Profession: Practical Experience

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Profession

Effect: You may make a Profession check to spend 4 hours plying your trade. You gain that many copper pieces.

Perform: Busker

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Perform

Effect: You may make a Perform check to spend an hour plying your trade. Subtract 10 from your check. If the result is positive, you gain that many copper pieces.

Spellcraft: Practical Applications

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Spellcraft

Effect: When you use a power, the cost of 1 upgrade is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1.

Use Magic Device: Empathy

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Use Magic Device

Effect: When you are activating a magic device, you may emulate being other races or classes by adding 5 to the DC per requirement emulated

Knowledge: Theoretical Understanding

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Knowledge

Effect: When you are making another skill check for which you have a relevant Knowledge proficiency, you may make the relevant Knowledge check with the same DC. If you succeed, you have advantage on the triggering check.