Dungeons and Dragons character creation, AD&D 2nd edition character creation, Skills: nonweapon and weapon proficiency

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Camouflage (Mental 1, Wisdom/Intuition) — By using this skill, the character can attempt to conceal himself, his companions and inanimate objects by using natural or man-made materials. Successful use assumes the availability of all necessary materials. In forests and jungles, the character can use shrubbery, mud and other readily available resources. Arctic or similarly barren terrain usually requires special clothing, paints or other artificial materials (although “digging in” is an old trick which may be applicable in such terrain, depending on local conditions). It takes a character a half-hour to camouflage himself or another person, two or three hours to conceal a cart or inanimate object of comparable size, and a half-day to hide a small building.
Neither human, demihuman, monster, nor animal passersby will be able to see a camouflaged character, presuming the character makes a successful skill check. Camouflaged companions will also go unnoticed; only one skill check is required for the entire group.
On a successful skill check, a camouflaged creature can ambush an opponent, gaining a free round of attack, before the normal surprise roll.
The chance to camouflage a creature or object is modified by terrain, situation and the size of the object as listed on Table 5.4.04 below. The DM may adjust penalties based on these guidelines.

Table 5.4.04: Camouflage Modifiers

Terrain or Object Skill Score Modifier

Tiny creature/object +15%

Small creature/object +5%

Man-sized creature/object 0%

Large creature/object (cart-sized) -5%

Huge creature/object (small building) -15%

Gargantuan creature/object -75%

No vegetation nearby -20%

Rocky, hilly, broken terrain +5%

Very rocky terrain +10%

Wooded, high grass, etc. +15%

Dense vegetation, jungle, swamp +25%

Inadequate time for preparation -10% per five minutes of preparation time remaining

Camouflaging has no effect on predators that locate prey by scent or other keen senses; a hungry wolf can still sniff out a camouflaged human. A camouflaged person has no protection against a passerby who accidentally brushes against or bumps into him. Likewise, a camouflaged person may reveal himself if he sneezes, cries out from the sting of a bee or makes any other sound.
Note, camouflaging is only necessary for persons or objects that would otherwise be partially or entirely exposed. A person hiding behind a stone wall wouldn’t need to be camouflaged to avoid detection, nor would a buried object.
Racial modifiers: Lizard men and orcs are extremely skilled at Camouflage and receive a +15% bonus to their skill. Goblins and Kobolds are also skilled, but only receive a +5% bonus in any above ground setting, below ground the bonus is +10%.
Cartography (Mental 1 Intelligence/Knowledge -2) — This skill grants proficiency at map making. A character can draw maps to scale, complete with complex land formations, coastal outlines and other geographic features. The character must be reasonably familiar with the area being mapped. The DM makes a skill check in secret to determine the accuracy of the map. A successful skill check means that the map is correct in all significant details. If the roll fails, the map contains a few errors, possibly a significant one. A roll of 96-00 means the map contains a serious errors, making it useless.
A small travel kit consisting of a waterproof leather case (with stiff sides so that it may be used as a drawing surface), two bottles of ink, a half-dozen quills and a like number of parchment sheets will cost the cartographer about 25 gp. Additional colored inks and drawing instruments should be available in most cities.
The Reading/Writing skill is not a prerequisite for Cartography. However, if the mapmaker cannot read or write, his maps, while accurate, will have keys understood by himself only.
Prerequisites: Navigation (50%) or Orienteering (50%) is a prerequisite for this skill.
Chanting (Mental 1, Charisma/Leadership +2) — The character is an accomplished chanter and can use this ability to help fellow workers or soldiers keep pace. Skill checks are used to determine the effectiveness of the Chanting.
On a successful skill check, those who can hear the chanter become slightly hypnotized by the rhythmic sound, causing the time spent on arduous, repetitive tasks to pass quickly. The DM can, at his option, adjust results for forced marching, rowing, digging and other such tasks accordingly.
Racial modifiers: Lizard Men, who actually drone more than chant, are especially effective at establishing a rhythm through “chant” and receive a +15% bonus to this skill. Dwarves, Svirfneblin, hobgoblins and kobolds receive a +10% bonus when using this skill. Rock gnomes, goblins and orcs receive a +5% bonus when using this skill.
City Familiarity (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge) — A character with this skill is unusually knowledgeable about one specific community, chosen when the skill is purchased. City Familiarity gives the character a good knowledge of the important political and financial figures in the community, an understanding of which families (and criminal organizations) are most important and how they relate to one another and a good grasp of the city’s main streets and byways.
The character need not make a skill check to call on this information. When the character wants more detailed information — such as the precise layout of streets when he’s running away from city guards, the name of the number-two man in a specific crime organization or the knowledge of which politicians are cheapest to bribe — the character must make a skill check with a difficulty modifier determined by the DM.
A character must chose a particular city and have lived there for at least three months before he can learn the City Familiarity skill. And, except for the town in which he grew up — he can do so only with the DM’s permission.
Comedy (Mental 1, Charisma/Appearance, Intelligence/Knowledge) — A character with this skill is an entertainer who tells jokes, riddles and funny stories and/or performs various other comic acts. The character can make anything funny, but DM may require a skill check to see if the audience responds well to the comedy or not.
When performing, the comedian can raise morale by two on a successful skill check. A failed check lowers morale by one, or if the roll is 96-00, by two. In addition, on a roll of 96-00 the crowd tries to kill the comedian, or at least throws him out. The comedy was that bad!
On a roll of 01-05 the comedy was so good that people are falling out of their chairs and rolling on the floor. The comedian might have to stop until people regain their composure. The comedian will also gain a bonus modifier of +5% to +20% (5d4) when performing for this audience again.
On a failed skill check, the audience must make a morale check after each joke or after the entire performance (DM’s decision). Usually, a tougher crowd requires more morale checks. If the audience succeeds in a morale check, then the audience will tolerate the comedian, for now. If the audience fails a morale check, then the audience acts unfavorably, if not hostile, towards the comedian.
Note, alcohol effects the morale of the audience. If the audience, in general, is slightly intoxicated their morale is modified by +1. If the audience is moderately intoxicated their morale is modified by +2. If the audience is greatly intoxicated their morale is modified by +3.
The DM may allow modifiers to the comedian’s skill check. For comedians who prepare well for a comedy routine (i.e. the player prepares for a good roleplaying session), the skill check is modified by +5%. Failure to prepare gives a modifier of -5%.

Commerce (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge -1) — Characters with this skill know how business works in a particular city and its surrounding towns and villages, and can predict when certain commercial activities will take place (i.e. when the market is at its fullest, when and where some smaller street markets open, etc.). While the skill doesn’t allow for any special contacts, the character knows:

The guilds and their duties (and guild contacts);
The location of major shops and their wares; and
Where to find particular nonmagical goods for sale.

Concentration (Mental 2, Ego/Willpower -2) — A character with this talent has rigorously trained himself to ignore distractions of all kinds, deadening his mind to pain or sensation. This allows a wizard to ignore annoyances or disturbances that might otherwise interfere with the casting of a spell.
In order to use this ability, the player must state that his character is concentrating when he begins to cast a spell. If the character is struck by any attack, he is permitted to attempt a skill check to ignore the distraction and continue to cast his spell (unless, of course, the damage is enough to render him unconscious.) The wizard can try to ignore grappling or restraining attacks that cause no damage, but suffers a -20% penalty to his check. Spells that incapacitate without damaging, such as hold person or command, still interrupt the caster if he fails his saving throw.
A character using this ability must focus on the casting of his spell to the exclusion of all other activity, even direct attacks. Any Dexterity adjustment to his Armor Class is lost, and in addition, flank or side attacks are treated as rear attacks, with a +2 bonus to hit instead of a +1.
Connoisseur (Mental 2, Intelligence/Knowledge, Wisdom/Intuition) — A character with this skill is an excellent judge of art, cuisine, wine or another area of interest chosen by the player. The character has more than a special interest in the his area of expertise; rather than simply conveying knowledge of the subject, the character has an exquisite appreciation for the subject of his interest.
On a successful skill check, the character may not only identify the peculiar qualities of the object of his expertise (i.e., naming the vineyard and year of a wine), but may also make fine value judgments and commentary about the work. This skill is especially useful in determining the difference between an original or authentic work and an imitation and in appraising its value (as the Appraising skill, but limited to the character’s subject of interest).
When first learned, this skill must be limited to a particular category cuisine of a nation, wine, beer, liquors, painting, sculpture, music and so forth. Furthermore, the character may specialize in a particular subcategory of the chosen category, be it the cuisine of the city of Verbronia (rather than just Eirbronian), Paladondian winemaking, primitive halfling art or pre-emancipation Lizard Man chants. In his specialized category the character gains a +10% bonus to his skill score.
Failure of a Connoisseur skill check means the character has failed to grasp some important qualities of the subject matter; failure on a roll of 96-00 means that the character makes a blindingly bad judgment — potentially embarrassing if other connoisseurs of the same field are present. Separate Connoisseur skills must be taken for different areas of interest.
Creature Lore (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge, Wisdom/Understanding) — A character with this skill has specific knowledge about the ecology, organization, combat techniques and other relevant information (as found in the Monstrous Manual and other sources) about a specific monster type or a closely related group. For example, a character with this skill might be an expert on bulettes, dragons, giants, trolls, etc. In general, the broader the creature category chosen, the less specific the knowledge attained.
Intelligence/Knowledge is the relevant ability for most forms of Creature Lore, however, Wisdom/Understanding is the relevant ability for any form of Creature Lore that deals with supernatural or outer planar creatures. Skills with Wisdom/Understanding as the relevant ability include Fiend Lore, Necrology and Spirit Lore.
Some specific types of Creature Lore are listed below.
Fey Lore: This is the knowledge of the fey folk and their ways. A character can use this skill to discern what sort of faerie would lurk in a specific area or terrain, whether or not an item was made by the fey folk or simply to gather some clue in dealing with such creatures in a diplomatic matter.
Fiend Lore: A character who takes this skill can pick one broad category of evil outer planar beings to be knowledgeable about. For example, baatezu, tanar’ri, yugoloth, etc. are all eligible broad categories. However, Fiend Lore is a highly speculative science and those who use it are often exposed to false information. The DM is encouraged to occasionally feed false information to the player characters, allowing the characters to prove or disprove new rumors.
The character with this skill has a good understanding of the stories and legends surrounding lower planar creatures. This information is never, of course, entirely accurate. The character knows all current superstitions and may have developed his own theories as well.
The character is aware of the tales surrounding half-demons. For example, he might believe that half demons’ births are accompanied by storms and petty natural disasters and that if a man commits suicide his wife may give birth to a half-demon.
When making a physical examination of a suspect, true “demon-marks” may be distinguished from birthmarks if a skill check is made, and the smell of fiendish sulfur is rarely confused with natural scents (such as rotten eggs or burnt meat).
A character with the Tracking skill may distinguish fiend tracks from animal tracks if a successful skill check is made for both skills. Similarly, a character with the Animal Lore skill may tell whether or not an animal’s erratic behavior is fiendishly induced.
Character’s with the Fiend Lore skill are also familiar with the nature of fiendish contracts and have a rudimentary knowledge of the various types of common magical items created and used by fiends. A character with this skill can identify an item (magical or nonmagical) originating in the lower planes if he successfully makes a skill check at -40% penalty. This ability does not allow the character to determine the properties of the item in question, only that it has a fiendish origin.
Study of fiends and the lower planes takes a toll on the mortal mind. For every five skill points a character acquires in this skill, his Sanity score is permanently reduced by one percentile point. This reduction cannot be avoided by any means (including wish, limited wish, and alter reality).
Genie Lore: Characters with this skill are versed in the nature and background of all geniekind, from the smallest elemental gen to the grandest noble pasha or caliph. They know the proper manner for greeting and conversing with a genie — in other words, the manner least likely to offend the creature. In contrast, other characters must rely on successful Charisma checks both initially and every time they commit a potential faux pas (in the DM’s opinion).
Characters who have Genie Lore also know the hierarchy and organization of geniekind. At a glance, they can tell whether a creature is a marid, djinni, dao or efreeti. They can also say whether a creature they’re conversing with is noble or base.
If a genie is masquerading as a common human, a successful skill check reveals the ruse. If this check fails, perception is completely reversed from the truth. In other words, the genie seems definitely to be a common person and a common person seems definitely to be a genie. A character with Genie Lore can perform only one check per “suspect.” The DM rolls this check separately and secretly (not revealing the true results). If an individual with Genie Lore has no reason to be suspicious, the check is made at a -40% penalty.
Genie Lore also enables a character to detect the work of genies — that is, the physical manifestations of genie spells, as well as items created by a genie’s spell-like abilities. The chance of success is limited. The character makes the skill check at a -40% penalty. If successful, the individual may discern, for example, whether a wall has been constructed by genie-magic, whether a meal was summoned into being by a djinni or whether a princess is enamored magically by the effects of a dao-granted limited wish.
Genie Lore does not enable a character to detect genies moving invisibly through the immediate area. Nor does it help the character see through an extraordinary disguise unless the genie is working some wonder of magic at the time.
Necrology: A character with this skill, also known as Undead Lore, is well versed in the lore of undead creatures. This skill may be used to help determine the probable lairs, dining habits and history of such creatures (no ability check needed). Whenever a character with this skill confronts an undead, he may be able to specifically identify the creature (discerning between a ghast and a common ghoul, for instance). In addition, providing the character makes a successful skill check, he recalls the creature’s specific weaknesses and natural defenses or immunities. At the DM’s discretion, a failed ability check (in either of these cases) will reveal misleading or even completely erroneous information which may actually strengthen or otherwise benefit the undead.
Spirit Lore: This skill enables a character to make sensible decisions concerning the spirits. It means that they have some idea what powers spirits have and what aid they can give shamans.
Further, although it does not include the knowledge of ritual details covered by the Shamanic Ritual skill, it does allow the character to identify shrines and other sites dedicated to the spirits, tools created for use in shamanic rituals and to determine what sacrifice is required by a known spirit for any given reason. DMs may also use this skill as a way warn players who are about to commit errors which their characters simply would not make. (“The spirits might just find that insulting...”).
Crowd Working (Mental 1, Charisma/Appearance) — Almost every bard is familiar with the ways of a crowd. However, a character who takes Crowd Working learns all the tricks of the trade. Such characters are skilled at observing crowds and adjusting their performances accordingly.
This skill also can be used to adjust the encounter reaction of a crowd. A successful skill check will alter the crowd’s reaction by two levels.
If the bard (or other character) or his group is soliciting money from a crowd, a successful skill check indicates that the bard or other performer is particularly appealing and the crowd willingly donates twice as much money as it normally would (or conditions improve one category if using the performance rules in the Complete Bard’s Handbook.)

Crystal Focus (Mental 1, Ego/Willpower -1) — Many psionicists find that they can achieve a deeper and more productive psionic trance by focusing their meditations on an inanimate object. Crystals and gemstones are the most frequently used foci, because of their clarity and durability. However, any object which is sufficiently intricate in design or complexity can be used as a focal object. A crystal focus gives the psionicist a +1 bonus on power checks for one particular science or devotion.
To use this skill, the psionicist must first attune a focal object to one of his psionic powers. This requires a skill check and two hours of meditation. After that, he can use the +1 bonus any time he initiates the power if he has the crystal (or other focal object) in contact with his body. A psionicist may only attune one crystal at a time. If he rolls a natural 20 on his power check, the crystal burns out and is destroyed.
The focal object doesn’t have to be very valuable — a plain quartz crystal is usually enough to establish focus.
In Fälgorna this skill has also been developed on a parallel track by users of magic. A priest or a wizard can use the techniques of the Crystal Focus skill to cast one spell (which is determined when the focal item is attuned) at one level higher than his current level at no additional cost in spell points.
When a priest or wizard uses this skill, a skill check must be made each time the focal object is used. In order to gain the bonus, the character must concentrate for one round, starring into the focal object, in addition to the normal casting time of a spell. During this extended casting the caster loses all bonuses to Armor Class for Dexterity and flank attacks are treated as rear attacks (+2 to hit instead of the normal +1). If the check fails, the caster may still cast the spell normally, but with the extended casting time. On a skill check of 96-00 the magic consumes the focal object and is wasted.

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