|
|
|
- Appraising (Mental 1, Intelligence/Reason, Wisdom/Intuition) — This skill
allows the character to make generally accurate (plus or minus
10 percent) assessments of the value of common objects, including
items made of precious metals and gemstones. The character can
also assess within plus or minus 25 percent, the value of objects
of art, tapestries, furniture, weapons, etc. — provided a variety
of these items are present in the game world. These assessments
require no skill check.
- A character who passes a skill check (rolled by the DM) will be
able to identify a forgery of a valuable object, to make a very
accurate assessment of the value of a common item (within 5 percent
of the value), or make a general assessment of the worth of an
uncommon item, including an artifact. The character must have
the item in hand to examine. On a failed check, the character
cannot get a better estimate of value. On a roll of 01-05, the
character knows the exact value of the item and some of its history
(when applicable). However, on a roll of 96-00, the character
wildly misreads the value of the item, always to the detriment
of the character.
- On a successful skill check a character with this skill can evaluate
the amount of cargo a ship, beast of burden or caravan is carrying
(judging by how a ship sits in the water, how heavily laden a
beast is or how many animals in a caravan, etc.). With a skill
check the character can determine the weight (by plus or minus
25 percent), but not the value of any cargo. As with other uses
of this skill, a failed check indicates that the character cannot
tell how much cargo is present. While on a roll of 01-05 or 96-00
the character is either exact in his estimate or wildly inaccurate.
- Racial modifiers: Dwarves gain a +15% bonus to their initial skill score. Rock
Gnomes gain a +5% bonus to their Appraising skill and all gnomes
gain a +20% bonus when appraising any kind of gemstone or jewelry
item. Oldanquasti elves gain a +10% bonus to their skill score
and Eradan humans a +5% bonus.
- Archaeology (Mental 2, Intelligence/Knowledge -2) — A character with this
skill is well studied in the area of antiquarian lore. He can
gain intriguing clues about past races and cultures by studying
material remains (such as fossil relics, nonmagical artifacts
and monuments) of past human, demihuman and humanoid life and
activities. Certain skills such as Ancient Geography, Local and Ancient History, Ancient Languages, and Appraising greatly enhance the effectiveness of Archaeology.
- In addition, the character has specific knowledge of techniques
and methods of safely unearthing these material remains. The two
subskills listed below provide detail on how the archaeologist
plies his trade.
- Excavation: The character with this subskill has learned the techniques
for the careful unearthing of a site or ruin. This process involves
shoring up crumbling foundations, choosing the proper tools and
protecting exposed finds. Without the proper use of this skill,
delicate finds may be destroyed by crude and reckless digging.
Characters with knowledge of excavation techniques can ensure
that the structural details of a dig are left intact so that further
visits to the excavation site can still yield useful knowledge.
- A character with the Mining skill may conduct an excavation using his Mining skill alone with
a -25% chance of success. A character with both the Mining and
Archaeology skills gains a +10% bonus when conducting an excavation.
- Relic dating: This subskill proves useful whenever the character comes upon
an object of questionable age. He can use this subskill to gain
an educated guess as to when the item was made. There is no roll
necessary for those objects fashioned in the last 20 years (the
age of these will be obvious to the character), unless it has
been altered through nonmagical means to appear much older; in
which case, a successful skill check reveals the fraud. This skill
can be combined with Ancient History to give more accurate information regarding the past of a relic.
- Racial modifiers: Dwarf and gnome characters gain a +10% bonus to their skill
score when performing an excavation.
- Arena Acting (Mental 1, Charisma -1) — The Arena Acting skill allows a gladiator
or other character to feign a weakness to trick his opponent.
If the check is successful, he has shown a weakness he does not
really possess. For example, he could convince an enemy that his
left side is overexposed or that his weapons are unfamiliar in
his hands. More often than not, these tricks succeed. If the enemy
attacks against the character’s assumed weakness, the PC attacks
his foe with a +3 bonus to attack and damage on the following
round. These bonuses reflect the surprise the target feels upon
realizing he has been duped.
- Arena Acting can work only once against any given opponent. Thereafter,
the enemy if far more cautious in his attacks.
- Racial modifiers: Kobolds receive a +5% bonus when using this skill.
- Arithmology (Mental 2, Intelligence/Reason -2) — Arithmology is the practice
of finding the numerical values of letters, words, and names,
and using those values in magical equations to discover truths
about the subject. Names, even assumed names, carry power, and
knowing the values of these names grants power over the named
individual.
- In game terms, using Arithmology to find the value of a subject’s
name (real or given) gives the subject a -2 penalty on all saving
throws against the spellcaster’s magic. If the true name of an
outer planar creature (such as a fiend) is known and calculated,
this penalty becomes -4. Of course, a fiend’s true name is a closely
guarded secret. Its discovery may be as dangerous as an encounter
with the fiend itself!
- Arithmology has two requirements aside from knowledge of the craft:
materials and time.
- Materials are easily acquired: paper and writing tools and perhaps
a book of tables and an abacus.
- The time factor can be more prohibitive. When using the Arithmology
skill, the player must add the numerological value of the subject’s
name (where A=1, B=2, etc.). The sum of the letters is the total
number of rounds the calculation will take.
For instance, Benjamin Harrison (U.S. President from 1889-1893)
has a numerical value of 170. This translates to two hours and
50 minutes required to use the skill. Note, any mathematical error
by a player is the equivalent of failing the Arithmology skill
check.
Only part of a name or an alias provides appropriate negative
modifiers to the skill check
- In any event, its user must be free from distraction, making Arithmology
impossible to use in combat. Practitioners should discover necessary
names and equations before confronting an enemy.
Table 5.4.02: Arithmology modifiers
|
Name portion
|
Modifier
|
|
Alias
|
-50%
|
|
Last name only
|
-40%
|
|
One missing name
|
-20%
|
Because Arithmology taps into the magical energies of the world
and reveals patterns not meant to be seen by mere mortals, a Sanity
check must be made each time this skill is successfully used.
The check is made at the end of the required calculation time.
- If the character also possesses the Omen Reading — Numerology skill, Arithmology may be used with Numerology to
divine the future. A character who knows both skills gains a +10%
bonus when using Omen Reading—Numerology.
- Priests: This skill is required of any priest who uses spells from the
Numbers sphere.
- Assimilation (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge) — The character with this
skill is able to study a different culture well enough to pretend
to be a member of it. Assimilation allows the character to pick
up cultural mannerisms (common rituals, expressions of speech,
taboos, etc.).
- It is distinct from Acting but helpful to that skill. A character who has both Acting and
Assimilation skills receives a +5% bonus to checks with either
skill when portraying a member of another culture. (This is not
cumulative with the Acting/Disguise bonus; if a character has
all three skills, he does not receive a +10% bonus.)
- Astral Combat (Mental 2, Intelligence/Reason) — In the unique arena that is
the Astral, combat takes on a new perspective. Attacks come from
any of the three dimensions, weapons carry little mass, and blows
are driven by the force of Intelligence rather than Strength.
Those able to adapt to these conditions gain a considerable advantage
over their foes.
- Much like the Blindfighting skill gives those who have mastered it an edge in the darkness,
Astral Combat gives a character the ability to fight on the Astral
plane without penalty. Those who use this skill suffer no penalty
for firing missile weapons. Foes of the character gain no benefit
for higher position, but the trained astral combatant can make
a successful skill check to gain such a position over his opponent
just in time to strike with a + 1 bonus.
- Astral Navigation (Mental 2, Intelligence/Reason -2) — By using the strange astral
energies which permeate the Silver Void, a character can find
his way through the Astral. While anyone can navigate the Astral
Plane, a successful skill check allows a traveler to cut the normal
travel time in half. A character accomplishes this by observing
the flows of energy through the plane, noting familiar “landmarks,”
and avoiding mental quagmires. Essentially, learning this skill
entails discovering how to perceive the astral energies and recognize
them for what they are which is something the untrained observer
simply cannot do.
- Astral Running (Mental 50) — The ability to move on the Astral Plane comes naturally
to any being with a thinking mind. Though speed depends upon Intelligence,
even those of average wits can move fairly quickly. Those who
wish to move very fast, as fast perhaps as the githyanki themselves,
need training and skill. The ability to move at greater than normal
speeds is called Astral Running, although it has little to do
with the physical activity of the same name.
- Astral running entails a special method of focusing thoughts,
beyond just simply “thinking really hard.” Those who are taught
the secret can travel at an astral movement rate equal to their
Intelligence/Reason score multiplied by six, to a maximum of 96.
A character can sustain this movement for up to one round per
point of Constitution/Health. While using the Astral Running skill,
it is not possible to perform any other actions.
- Even with the skill, a non-githyanki still cannot fully achieve
a githyanki’s skill in astral movement. While characters with
this skill can probably keep up with githyanki (for a while),
the near-natives can maintain these speeds while performing other
actions.
- Astral Tracking (Mental 2, Wisdom/Intuition) — Similar to Astral Navigation in
ways that normal tracking and navigational skills never are, this
skill also utilizes the unnamed astral energies of the plane.
With Astral Tracking, the path of a creature can be found and
followed through the strange environs of the plane. A body can
determine only the race of the maker of the “tracks” using this
skill, but no other special information.
 
|
