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- Begging (Mental 1, Charisma) — A character with this skill can pose as
a convincing beggar and procure food, spare change, and the like.
While beggars never become rich, each successful use of this skill
allows the beggar to collect enough money to meet a his basic
needs at the squalid state for a single day (see Table 22 in Chapter
6 of the DMG). Nonplayer characters always fork over a little something to
successful a beggar. Player characters are never affected by this
ploy; they respond to a character with the Begging skill as they
see fit.
- This skill enables a character to pose as beggars automatically;
his real status is disguised. A skill check determines whether
a character actually receives any money or food.
- A character who begs from the same NPC more than once suffers
a -10% cumulative modifier for each attempt after the first. Location
also modifies the skill check. In small towns, beggars incur a
-10% penalty, along trade routes and in villages the penalty becomes
-25%, and begging in a rural region incurs a -35% penalty. Attempts
to use the Begging skill fail automatically in the wilderness,
in the desert and at sea. No penalty applies for begging in a
city.
- These modifiers do not take into account the wealth of a particular
locale, just population density. Impoverished regions may have
a greater penalty, as might certain affluent regions with long
traditions or a great reputation for stinginess.
- Begging is not a good way to become rich or powerful. It can,
however, prove useful as a masquerade. A Character who wishes
to be “invisible” knows that beggars are often ignored in public.
In a crowded square, a bum either blends in or becomes a faceless
annoyance, much like a droning fly. However, even flies should
pick their hangouts carefully. In the wrong spot, such as a palace
court, such insects risk being cast out or brusquely swatted.
- Priests: A priest who begs from followers of his religion gains a +10%
bonus to his skill score.
- Blood Oath (Mental 50) — Much like the ranger’s special racial enmity, this
option allows the player to select a certain type of creature
as his character’s blood enemy. Whenever he is faced with his
chosen foe, the character receives a +2 bonus to attack and damage
rolls. However, his hatred toward this enemy is so great that
it requires an enormous effort of willpower to resist an opportunity
to combat his foe.
- If the character wishes to avoid a confrontation, he must first
make an Ego/Willpower check to see if he has the force of will
to turn around and walk away. If he fails, his Blood Oath gets
the best of him, and he charges forward, teeth bared and weapons
flashing.
Table 5.4.03: Typical Bluff Modifiers
|
Condition
|
Skill Score
Modifier
|
| Target knows he’s been bluffed before by character |
-5% to -25%
|
| Character has convincing props, costumes etc. |
+5% to +15%
|
| Target has high Wisdom/Intuition |
+5% per point over 14 (15+)
|
| Character can demonstrate partial truth of bluff |
+5% to +15%
|
| Player tells story especially well |
+5% to +15%
|
| Player tells story especially poorly |
-5% to -15%
|
| Target is already suspicious |
-10%
|
- Bluffing (Mental 2, Charisma/Appearance -2) — The Bluffing skill allows
a character to fool his subject convincingly. When the character
attempts to use this skill, the DM should decide on any modifiers
to the skill check. If the roll is successful, the target believes
the bluff. If the roll fails, the target calls the character’s
bluff. If the character makes his skill check by less than 10
points, the target is suspicious but still buys the story. If
the character makes the roll by 25 or more, the target buys the
story “hook, line and sinker.”
- When trying to bluff a group, only the leader needs to believe
the bluff. If there is not a clear leader and the bluff succeeds,
check the margin by which the bluff succeeds (if the bluffer needs
a 75 and rolls a 60, the margin is 15). The portion of the group
that believe the bluff is 50% + two times the margin). The DM
can determine which individuals believe the bluff randomly or
assign belief.
See Table 5.4.03: Typical Bluff Modifiers for examples of situations
that should alter the skill check. The DM can, of course, assign
more.
- Boating (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge, Wisdom/Intuition) — This skill
allows the character to pilot any small boat, such as a kayak
or canoe, operating it at maximum speed. It also allows the character
to make minor repairs and improvements in these boats, such as
waterproofing them and patching holes.
- A successful skill check enables the character to handle the craft
in treacherous situations; for instance, maneuvering the boat
through choppy water without capsizing it or avoiding collisions
when guiding it through a narrow channel choked with rocks or
ice.
- Note, the Navigation and Seamanship skills deal with ships in oceans, seas and other large bodies
of water; the Boating skill is confined to small craft on rivers,
lakes, on oceans close to shore and over similar terrain, usually
on relatively calm waters.
- Barbarians: A barbarian may not take this skill unless water vessels are
common in his homeland.
- Racial modifiers: Dwarves have a distinct dislike for water and thus receive a
-15% penalty to their Boating skill.
- Body Language (Mental 1, Wisdom Intuition -2) — A character with the Body Language
skill is able to interpret subtle changes in the behavior of another
creature that give away its moods and attitudes. Sitting posture,
vocal tone, gesticulations, facial movements and expressions all
contribute to this.
- This skill is effective only on beings of the same race as the
user or of a closely related race (for most characters this includes
all the PC races except lizard man). For example, a human could
not read a dragon’s body language. Only creatures of low intelligence
(Int 5+) or higher can be “read” with Body Language, and the reader
must be able to see the subject’s body.
- On a successful skill check (rolled by the DM), the reader can
judge the general mood of the subject — happy, scared, depressed,
etc. A failed check indicates the character attempting to use
this skill is unsure of the subject’s mood or on a roll of 96-00,
the character misreads the subject’s mood (usually as the opposite
of the true mood).
- If he concentrates, the reader can also tell whether a subject
is lying. This requires a skill check at -20% and the player must
announce he is doing this; it is not automatic.
- Bureaucracy (Mental 2, Intelligence/Knowledge) — Characters who boast this
skill are proficient at dealing with large organizations such
as local governments, court systems, and Church hierarchies. Bureaucrats
at heart, they can obtain favors, justice and information when
others would fail. The skill gives them knowledge of the system,
patience with its component parts and mental quickness in realizing
whom to talk to and when.
- The Bureaucracy skill is only effective when a character is dealing
with organizations of 10 or more people. The governing body of
a good-sized city, the adjudication of a docket of cases before
a judge, the decisions of the official Church — all require a
large number of individuals, and the Bureaucracy skill makes a
difference. However, a group of village elders in a small town
and the lord of an oasis have no need of complex organizations
nor are they impressed by a character who has skill in handling
them.
- Paperwork and red tape are no problem for characters with this
skill. They know the proper protocol for dealing with clerks.
They can prepare (or make sure others prepare) the required documentation
and they can vouch that all such matters are performed correctly.
The normal issuing time for any documentation or permit is halved
and cases for reviews are guaranteed quick attention. No skill
check is required.
- This skill also may be used to turn organized groups against a
certain individual or to make sure that important documents are
lost, information is given to the wrong person or casework is
brought up too soon (or forgotten entirely while a prisoner languishes
in a dungeon). This kind of bureaucratic maneuver requires a successful
skill check. If a natural 96-00 is rolled, the character attempting
to pervert the wheels of truth and justice suddenly falls prey
to the bureaucracy’s own scrutiny. (At the DM’s discretion, bribes
may be required to set things right or to prevent a short-term
jail sentence.) Otherwise, a failed check doubles or halves the
normal amount of time for all decisions and/or issuances (whichever
is least beneficial).
- If individuals on both sides of an issue are trying to speed or
slow the process, they cancel each other out if both skill checks
succeed.
 
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