Last week, we talked about not judging ourselves for what we can and cannot do. This week, you get the fun stuff, noting what you can do and building off of that with your skills.
Like in every RPG, the basis of your skills starts off in your ability scores. I would like you to give yourself bonuses, starting off with 10+0 as a base score. You don’t have certain a limit of points to allocate; you can put in as much as needed. Benchmarks are: 10/11, normal adult; 12/13, above average (+1); 14/15, well above average (+2); 16-17, gifted (+3); and going all the way to 24-25, best ever peak of human capacity (+7). Be honest with yourself: your wisdom score isn’t 25 and you know it. Give yourself the normal six abilities STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, and CHA. Honestly, I would play a bit on the humble side for all of these.
Example:
Name: Justin Dean
STR: 14 (About 175 pounds is a heavy load; I know that from picking up roommates and squating them) +2
DEX: 12 (I can balance decently) +1
CON: 14 (I don’t get sick often) +2
INT: 15 (I am not dumb) +2
WIS: 14 (I am foolish but I try) +2
CHA: 16 (Apparently the same score as Han Solo according to the Star Wars RPG BUT we all know Han’s is much higher) +3
It’s easy. Just take the time and do that for yourself.
If you are wondering what system I am using, I am using parts of a bunch of RPGs like D&D and Mutants and Masterminds along with my own ideas.
Pression on, I think that there are two basic ways of gaining skills: though learning and environment. You either gained proficiency through dedicated teaching or you grew up around it, having to do it. I list only the two because anyone can make a untrained check on anything. The ones that we should be focused on are the ones we know. Benchmark bonuses are: +1-4 (basic); +5-8 (professional); and +9-12 (expert). Again, I would again aim low on these. This is namely because, when I get to Feats next week, I’ll be able to add conditional bonuses. For example: you have +5 in Computers with the feat “Hacker.” This gives you +3 to Hacking checks, thus an overall Computers skill bonus of +8 while hacking. This shows that, while a person could be great at Hacking, she or he could perform miserably at Coding or Programming (slam this last sentence as you will, tech guys). Remember that your ability score does add bonuses to your skills with relevant modifiers. You can choose which modifier to add to the skill based on how you feel. Example, you could feel that your Medicine is more INT or WIS; I have heard decent arguments on each side, so add whichever one about which you feel stronger.
Furthermore, here is a skill bank from which you could choose your relevant skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Computers, Craft, Diplomacy, Drive, Escape Artist, Handle Animal, Insight, Intimidate, Knowledge, Medicine, Perform, Perception, Pilot, Profession, Ride, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival, Swim. Feel free to add any relevant skill you think need to be developed for yourself. I will use myself again as an example:
Bluff +5 (+7); Craft: Cooking +3 (+5); Handle Animal +3 (+6); Insight +3 (+5); Knowledge: Theology/Philosophy +3 (+5); Knowledge: Video Games +5 (+7); Medicine +2 (+4); Perform: Acting +5(+8); Perform: Trombone +4 (+6); Perception +3 (+5); Survival +2 (+4).
This is my current breakdown for my being an acting student, my interests for which I have hard information, the fact I know and am certified for First Aid/CPR, and skills and talents that were a part of my upbringing. I’m not super skilled in anything; my two highest skills are Acting and Bluffing. Therefore, if I am at the top of my game with these, they are, in fact, at a professional level. Take the time to do this for yourself.
As this is a work in progress and very much the beta version of this idea, I need feedback. Pure and simple, I need to know what points you need me to explain, address, or overhaul to make a better product to help all of us. So, please comment below or send me an e-mail. I will respond to all.