Nonweapon Proficiency Descriptions
The following proficiency descriptions are arranged alphabetically, not
according to character class. Each description gives a general outline of what a character
with the proficiency knows and can do. Furthermore, some descriptions include rules to
cover specific uses or situations, or exact instructions on the effects of the
proficiency.
Agriculture: The
character has a knowledge of the basics of farming. This includes planting, harvesting,
storing crops, tending animals, butchering, and other typical farming chores.
Ancient History: The character has learned the legends, lore, and history
of some ancient time and place. The knowledge must be specific, just as a historian would
specialize today in the English Middle Ages, the Italian Renaissance, or the Roman
Republic before Caesar. (The DM either can have ancient periods in mind for his game or
can allow the players to name and designate them.) Thus, a player character could know
details about the Age of Thorac Dragonking or the Time of the Sea-Raiders or whatever else
was available.
The knowledge acquired gives the character familiarity with the principal legends,
historical events, characters, locations, battles, breakthroughs (scientific, cultural,
and magical), unsolved mysteries, crafts, and oddities of the time. The character must
roll a proficiency check to identify places or things he encounters from that age. For
example, Rath knows quite a bit about the Coming of the Trolls, a particularly dark period
of dwarven history. Moving through some deep caverns, he and his companions stumble across
an ancient portal, sealed for untold ages. Studying the handiwork, he realizes (rolls a
successful proficiency check) that it bears several seals similar to those he has seen on
"banned" portals from the time of Angnar, doorways to the legendary realm of
Trolhel.
Animal Handling: Proficiency in this area enables a character to exercise
a greater-than-normal degree of control over pack animals and beasts of burden. A
successful proficiency check indicates that the character has succeeded in calming an
excited or agitated animal; in contrast, a character without this proficiency has only a
20% chance of succeeding in the attempt.
Animal Lore: This
proficiency enables a character to observe the actions or habitat of an animal and
interpret what is going on. Actions can show how dangerous the creature is, whether it is
hungry, protecting its young, or defending a nearby den. Furthermore, careful observation
of signs and behaviors can even indicate the location of a water hole, animal herd,
predator, or impending danger, such as a forest fire. The DM will secretly roll a
proficiency check. A successful check means the character understood the basic actions of
the creature. If the check fails by 4 or less, no information is gained. If the check
fails by 5 or more, the character misinterprets the actions of the animal.
A character may also imitate the calls and cries of animals that he is reasonably familiar
with, based on his background. This ability is limited by volume. The roar of a
tyrannosaurus rex would be beyond the abilities of a normal character. A successful
proficiency check means that only magical means can distinguish the character's call from
that of the true animal. The cry is sufficient to fool animals, perhaps frightening them
away or luring them closer. A failed check means the sound is incorrect in some slight
way. A failed call may still fool some listeners, but creatures very familiar with the cry
automatically detect a false call. All other creatures and characters are allowed a Wisdom
check to detect the fake.
Finally, animal lore increases the chance of successfully setting snares and traps (for
hunting) since the character knows the general habits of the creature hunted.
Animal Training: Characters with this
proficiency can train one type of creature (declared when the proficiency is chosen) to
obey simple commands and perform tricks. A character can spend additional proficiencies to
train other types of creatures or can improve his skill with an already chosen type.
Creatures typically trained are dogs, horses, falcons, pigeons, elephants, ferrets, and
parrots. A character can choose even more exotic creatures and monsters with animal
intelligence (although these are difficult to control).
A trainer can work with up to three creatures at one time. The trainer may choose to teach
general tasks or specific tricks. A general task gives the creature the ability to react
to a number of nonspecific commands to do its job. Examples of tasks include guard and
attack, carry a rider, perform heavy labor, hunt, track, or fight alongside soldiers (such
as a war horse or elephant). A specific trick teaches the trained creature to do one
specific action. A horse may rear on command, a falcon may pluck a designated object, a
dog may attack a specific person, or a rat may run through a particular maze. With enough
time, a creature can be trained to do both general tasks and specific tricks.
Training for a general task requires three months of uninterrupted work. Training for a
specific trick requires 2d6 weeks. At the end of the training time, a proficiency check is
made. If successful, the animal is trained. If the die roll fails, the beast is
untrainable. An animal can be trained in 2d4 general tasks or specific tricks, or any
combination of the two.
An animal trainer can also try to tame wild animals (preparing them for
training later on). Wild animals can be tamed only when they are very young. The taming
requires one month of uninterrupted work with the creature. At the end of the month, a
proficiency check is made. If successful, the beast is suitable for training. If the check
fails, the creature retains enough of its wild behavior to make it untrainable. It can be
kept, though it must be leashed or caged.
Appraising: This proficiency is highly useful for thieves, as it allows characters to
estimate the value and authenticity of antiques, art objects, jewelry, cut gemstones, or
other crafted items they find (although the DM can exclude those items too exotic or rare
to be well known). The character must have the item in hand to examine. A successful
proficiency check (rolled by the DM) enables the character to estimate the value of the
item to the nearest 100 or 1,000 gp and to identify fakes. On a failed check, the
character cannot estimate a price at all. On a roll of 20, the character wildly misreads
the value of the item, always to the detriment of the character.
Armorer: This character can make all of the types of armor listed in the Player's
Handbook, given the proper materials and facilities. When making armor, the proficiency
check is rolled at the end of the normal construction time.
The time required to make armor is equal to two weeks per level of AC
below 10. For example, a shield would require two weeks of work, whereas a suit of full
plate armor would require 18 weeks of work.
If the proficiency check indicates failure but is within 4 of the
amount needed for success, the armorer has created usable, but flawed, armor. Such armor
functions as 1 AC worse than usual, although it looks like the armor it was intended to
be. Only a character with armorer proficiency can detect the flaws, and this requires
careful and detailed inspection.
If the flawed armor is struck in melee combat with a natural die roll of 19 or 20, it
breaks. The character's AC immediately worsens by 4 additional classes (although never
above 10), and the broken armor hampers the character's movement. Until the character can
remove the broken armor (a process requiring 1d4 rounds), the character moves at ½ of his
normal rate and suffers a -4 penalty to all of his attack rolls.
If an armorer is creating a suit of field plate or full plate armor,
the character who will use the armor must be present at least once a week during the
creation of the armor, since such types of armor require very exact fitting.
Artistic Ability: Player characters with artistic ability are naturally accomplished in
various forms of the arts. They have an inherent understanding of color, form, space,
flow, tone, pitch, and rhythm. Characters with artistic ability must select one art form
(painting, sculpture, composition, etc.) to be proficient in. Thereafter they can attempt
to create art works or musical compositions in their given field. Although it is not
necessary to make a proficiency check, one can be made to determine the quality of the
work. If a 1 is rolled on the check, the artist has created a work with some truly lasting
value. If the check fails, the artist has created something aesthetically unpleasing or
just plain bad.
Artistic ability also confers a +1 bonus to all proficiency checks requiring artistic
skill--music or dance--and to attempts to appraise objects of art.
Astrology: This proficiency gives the
character some understanding of the supposed influences of the stars. Knowing the birth
date and time of any person, the astrologer can study the stars and celestial events and
then prepare a forecast of the future for that person. The astrologer's insight into the
future is limited to the next 30 days, and his knowledge is vague at best. If a successful
proficiency check is made, the astrologer can foresee some general event--a great battle,
a friend lost, a new friendship made, etc. The DM decides the exact prediction (based on
his intentions for the next few gaming sessions). Note that the prediction does not
guarantee the result--it only indicates the potential result. If the proficiency check is
failed, no information is gained unless a 20 is rolled, in which case the prediction is
wildly inaccurate.
Clearly this proficiency requires preparation and advance knowledge on the part of the DM.
Because of this, it is permissible for the DM to avoid the question, although this
shouldn't be done all the time. Players who want to make their DM's life easier (always a
good idea) should consider using this proficiency at the end of a gaming session, giving
the DM until the next session to come up with an answer. The DM can use this proficiency
as a catalyst and guide for his adventures--something that will prompt the player
characters to go to certain places or to try new things.
Characters with the astrology proficiency gain a +1 bonus to all navigation proficiency
checks, provided the stars can be seen.
Blacksmithing: A character with
blacksmithing proficiency is capable of making tools and implements from iron. Use of the
proficiency requires a forge with a coal-fed fire and bellows, as well as a hammer and
anvil. The character cannot make armor or most weapons, but can craft crowbars, grappling
hooks, horseshoes, nails, hinges, plows, and most other iron objects.
Blind-fighting: A character with blind-fighting is skilled at fighting in conditions of
poor or no light (but this proficiency does not allow spell use). In total darkness, the
character suffers only a -2 penalty to his attack roll (as compared to a -4 penalty
without this proficiency). Under starlight or moonlight, the character incurs only a -1
penalty. The character suffers no penalties to his AC because of darkness.
Furthermore, the character retains special abilities that would
normally be lost in darkness, although the effectiveness of these are reduced by one-half
(proficiency checks are made at half the normal score, etc.). This proficiency is
effective only against opponents or threats within melee distance of the character.
Blind-fighting does not grant any special protection from missile fire or anything outside
the immediate range of the character's melee weapon. Thus, AC penalties remain for missile
fire. (By the time the character hears the whoosh of the arrow, for example, it is too
late for him to react.)
While moving in darkness, the character suffers only half the normal movement penalty of
those without this proficiency.
Furthermore, this skill aids the character when dealing with invisible
creatures, reducing the attack penalty to -2. However, it does not enable the character to
discover invisible creatures; he has only a general idea of their location and cannot
target them exactly.
Boat Piloting: This proficiency is useful for negotiating challenging waters with a rowboat, canoe, or small dory. When shooting a rapids, trying to stay afloat in a storm, or trying to row upstream against a strong current, the character will succeed without a proficiency check—unless the water conditions are very extreme. In this case, the DM will require an appropriately modified roll; a successful roll means that the character negotiates the challenge and no further checks are necessary (until the next stretch of rapids, etc.). Failure does not necessarily mean that the boat sinks, but it gets swept away by the current, or turned about, or moderately swamped—with everything and everyone inside getting wet. If the rough water continues, the character must make additional proficiency checks (every 1-6 rounds). The character's proficiency rating suffers a -1 modifier for each failed check, indicating the difficulty of steering a boat that is slowly filling with water.
The character also knows the basics of sailing, and can effectively maneuver a single-masted sailboat. As above, challenges will require proficiency checks, with failed checks leading to increasingly dire straits.
Bowyer/Fletcher: This character can make
bows and arrows of the types given in Table 44.
A weaponsmith is required to fashion arrowheads, but the bowyer/fletcher can perform all
other necessary functions. The construction time for a long or short bow is one week,
while composite bows require two weeks, and 1d6 arrows can be made in one day.
When the construction time for the weapon is completed, the player
makes a proficiency check. If the check is successful, the weapon is of fine quality and
will last for many years of normal use without breaking. If the check fails, the weapon is
still usable, but has a limited life span: An arrow breaks on the first shot; a bow breaks
if the character using it rolls an unmodified 1 on his 1d20 attack roll.
Option: If a character wishes to create a weapon of truly fine quality and the DM allows
it, the player can opt to use the following alternative procedure for determining the
success of his attempt. When the proficiency check is made, any failure means that the
weapon is useless. However, a successful check means that the weapon enables the character
to add Strength bonuses to attack and damage rolls. Additionally, if the proficiency check
is a natural 1, the range of the bow is increased 10 yards for all range classes or is of
such fine work that it is suitable for enchantment.
Brewing: The character is trained in the art of brewing beers and other strong drink. The
character can prepare brewing formulas, select quality ingredients, set up and manage a
brewery, control fermentation, and age the finished product.
Carpentry: The carpentry proficiency enables the character to do woodworking jobs:
building houses, cabinetry, joinery, etc. Tools and materials must be available. The
character can build basic items from experience, without the need for plans. Unusual and
more complicated items (a catapult, for example) require plans prepared by an engineer.
Truly unusual or highly complex items (wooden clockwork mechanisms, for example) require a
proficiency check.
Charioteering: A character with proficiency in this skill is able to safely guide a
chariot, over any type of terrain that can normally be negotiated, at a rate 1/3 faster
than the normal movement rate for a chariot driven by a character without this
proficiency. Note that this proficiency does not impart the ability to move a chariot over
terrain that it cannot traverse; even the best charioteer in the world cannot take such a
vehicle into the mountains.
Cobbling: The character can fashion and repair shoes, boots, and sandals.
Cooking: Although all characters have rudimentary cooking skills, the character with this
proficiency is an accomplished cook. A proficiency check is required only when attempting
to prepare a truly magnificent meal worthy of a master chef.
Dancing: The character knows many styles and varieties of dance, from folk dances to
formal court balls.
Direction Sense: A character with this proficiency has an innate sense of direction. By
concentrating for 1d6 rounds, the character can try to determine the direction the party
is headed. If the check fails but is less than 20, the character errs by 90 degrees. If a
20 is rolled, the direction chosen is exactly opposite the true heading. (The DM rolls the
check.)
Furthermore, when traveling in the wilderness, a character with direction sense has the
chance of becoming lost reduced by 5%.
Disguise: The character with this skill is
trained in the art of disguise. He can make himself look like any general type of person
of about the same height, age, weight, and race. A successful proficiency check indicates
that the disguise is successful, while a failed roll means the attempt was too obvious in
some way.
The character can also disguise himself as a member of another race or
sex. In this case, a -7 penalty is applied to the proficiency check. The character may
also attempt to disguise himself as a specific person, with a -10 penalty to the
proficiency check. These modifiers are cumulative, thus, it is extremely difficult for a
character to disguise himself as a specific person of another race or sex (a -17 penalty
to the check).
Endurance: A character with endurance proficiency is able to perform continual strenuous
physical activity for twice as long as a normal character before becoming subject to the
effects of fatigue and exhaustion. In those cases where extreme endurance is required, a
successful proficiency check must be made. Note that this proficiency does not enable a
character to extend the length of time that he can remain unaffected by a lack of food or
water.
Engineering: The character is trained as a
builder of both great and small things. Engineers can prepare plans for everything from
simple machines (catapults, river locks, grist mills) to large buildings (fortresses,
dams). A proficiency check is required only when designing something particularly
complicated or unusual. An engineer must still find talented workmen to carry out his
plan, but he is trained to supervise and manage their work.
An engineer is also familiar with the principles of siegecraft and can detect flaws in the
defenses of a castle or similar construction. He knows how to construct and use siege
weapons and machines, such as catapults, rams, and screws.
Etiquette: This proficiency gives the
character a basic understanding of the proper forms of behavior and address required in
many different situations, especially those involving nobility and persons of rank. Thus,
the character will know the correct title to use when addressing a duke, the proper steps
of ceremony to greet visiting diplomats, gestures to avoid in the presence of dwarves,
etc. For extremely unusual occurrences, a proficiency check must be made for the character
to know the proper etiquette for the situation (an imperial visit, for example, is a
sufficiently rare event).
However, having the character know what is correct and actually do what is correct are two
different matters. The encounters must still be role-played by the character. Knowledge of
etiquette does not give the character protection from a gaffe or faux pas; many people who
know the correct thing still manage to do the exact opposite.
Fire-building: A character with
fire-building proficiency does not normally need a tinderbox to start a fire. Given some
dry wood and small pieces of tinder, he can start a fire in 2d20 minutes. Flint and steel
are not required. Wet wood, high winds, or other adverse conditions increase the time to
3d20, and a successful proficiency check must be rolled to start a fire.
Fishing: The character is skilled in the art of fishing, be it with hook and line, net, or
spear. Each hour the character spends fishing, roll a proficiency check. If the roll is
failed, no fish are caught that hour. Otherwise, a hook and line or a spear will land fish
equal to the difference between the die roll and the character's Wisdom score. A net will
catch three times this amount.
Of course, no fish can be caught where no fish are found. On the other
hand, some areas teem with fish, such as a river or pool during spawning season. The DM
may modify the results according to the situation.
Forgery: This proficiency enables the character to create duplicates of documents and
handwriting and to detect such forgeries created by others. To forge a document (military
orders, local decrees, etc.) where the handwriting is not specific to a person, the
character needs only to have seen a similar document before. To forge a name, an autograph
of that person is needed, and a proficiency check with a -2 penalty must be successfully
rolled. To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large
sample of his handwriting is needed, with a -3 penalty to the check.
It is important to note that the forger always thinks he has been successful; the DM rolls
the character's proficiency check in secret and the forger does not learn of a failure
until it is too late.
If the check succeeds, the work will pass examination by all except
those intimately familiar with that handwriting or by those with the forgery proficiency
who examine the document carefully. If the check is failed, the forgery is detectable to
anyone familiar with the type of document or handwriting--if he examines the document
closely. If the die roll is a 20, the forgery is immediately detectable to anyone who
normally handles such documents without close examination. The forger will not realize
this until too late.
Furthermore, those with forgery proficiency may examine a document to learn if it is a
forgery. On a successful proficiency roll, the authenticity of any document can be
ascertained. If the die roll is failed but a 20 is not rolled, the answer is unknown. If a
20 is rolled, the character reaches the incorrect conclusion.
Gaming: The character knows most common
games of chance and skill, including cards, dice, bones, draughts, and chess. When playing
a game, the character may either play out the actual game (which may take too much time
for some) or make a proficiency check, with success indicating victory. If two proficient
characters play each other, the one with the highest successful die roll wins. A character
with gaming proficiency can also attempt to cheat, thus gaining a +1 bonus to his ability
score. If the proficiency check for the game is 17 to 20, however, the character has been
caught cheating (even if he won the game).
Gem Cutting: A character with this proficiency can finish the rough gems that are
discovered through mining at a rate of 1d10 stones per day. A gem cutter derives no
benefit from the assistance of nonproficient characters. A gem cutter must work with a
good light source and must have an assortment of chisels, small hammers, and specially
hardened blades.
Uncut gems, while still of value, are not nearly as valuable as the
finished product. If the cutting is successful (as determined by a proficiency check), the
gem cutter increases the value of a given stone to the range appropriate for its type. If
a 1 is rolled, the work is exceptionally brilliant and the value of the gem falls into the
range for the next most valuable gem (the DM has the relevant tables).
Healing: A character proficient in healing knows how to use natural medicines and basic
principles of first aid and doctoring. If the character tends another within one round of
wounding (and makes a successful proficiency check), his ministrations restore 1d3 hit
points (but no more hit points can be restored than were lost in the previous round). Only
one healing attempt can be made on a character per day.
If a wounded character remains under the care of someone with healing
proficiency, that character can recover lost hit points at the rate of 1 per day even when
traveling or engaging in nonstrenuous activity. If the wounded character gets complete
rest, he can recover 2 hit points per day while under such care. Only characters with both
healing and herbalism proficiencies can help others recover at the rate of 3 hit points
per day of rest. This care does not require a proficiency check, only the regular
attention of the proficient character. Up to six patients can be cared for at any time.
A character with healing proficiency can also attempt to aid a poisoned individual,
provided the poison entered through a wound. If the poisoned character can be tended to
immediately (the round after the character is poisoned) and the care continues for the
next five rounds, the victim gains a +2 bonus to his saving throw (delay his saving throw
until the last round of tending). No proficiency check is required, but the poisoned
character must be tended to immediately (normally by sacrificing any other action by the
proficient character) and cannot do anything himself. If the care and rest are
interrupted, the poisoned character must immediately roll a normal saving throw for the
poison. This result is unalterable by normal means (i.e., more healing doesn't help). Only
characters with both healing and herbalism proficiencies can attempt the same treatment
for poisons the victim has swallowed or touched (the character uses his healing to
diagnose the poison and his herbalist knowledge to prepare a purgative).
A character with healing proficiency can also attempt to diagnose and treat diseases. When
dealing with normal diseases, a successful proficiency check automatically reduces the
disease to its mildest form and shortest duration. Those who also have herbalism knowledge
gain an additional +2 bonus to this check. A proficient character can also attempt to deal
with magical diseases, whether caused by spells or creatures. In this case, a successful
proficiency check diagnoses the cause of the disease. However, since the disease is
magical in nature, it can be treated only by magical means.
Heraldry: The knowledge of heraldry enables the character to identify the different crests
and symbols that denote different persons and groups. Heraldry comes in many forms and is
used for many different purposes. It can be used to identify noblemen, families, guilds,
sects, legions, political factions, and castes. The symbols may appear on flags, shields,
helmets, badges, embroidery, standards, clothing, coins, and more. The symbols used may
include geometric patterns, calligraphed lines of script, fantastic beasts, religious
symbols, and magical seals (made for the express purpose of identification). Heraldry can
vary from the highly formalized rules and regulations of late medieval Europe to the
knowledge of different shield patterns and shapes used by African tribesmen.
The character automatically knows the different heraldic symbols of his homeland and whom
they are associated with. In addition, if the character makes a successful proficiency
check, he can correctly identify the signs and symbols of other lands, provided he has at
least a passing knowledge of the inhabitants of that land. His heraldry skill is of little
use upon first entering a foreign land.
Herbalism: Those with herbalist knowledge
can identify plants and fungus and prepare nonmagical potions, poultices, powders, balms,
salves, ointments, infusions, and plasters for medical and pseudo-medical purposes. They
can also prepare natural plant poisons and purgatives. The DM must decide the exact
strength of such poisons based on the poison rules in the DMG. A character with both
herbalism and healing proficiencies gains bonuses when using his healing talent (see the
Healing proficiency).
Hunting: When in wilderness settings, the character can attempt to stalk and bring down
game. A proficiency check must be made with a -1 penalty to the ability score for every
nonproficient hunter in the party. If the die roll is successful, the hunter (and those
with him) have come within 101 to 200 yards (100+1d100) of an animal. The group can
attempt to close the range, but a proficiency check must be made for each 20 yards closed.
If the stalking is successful, the hunter automatically surprises the game. The type of
animal stalked depends on the nature of the terrain and the whim of the DM.
Juggling: The character can juggle, a talent useful for entertainments, diversions, and
certain rare emergencies. When juggling normally (to entertain or distract), no
proficiency check is required. A check is made when trying spectacular tricks ("Watch
me eat this apple in mid-air!"). However, juggling also enables the character to
attempt desperate moves. On a successful attack roll vs. AC 0 (not a proficiency check),
the character can catch small items thrown to harm him (as opposed to items thrown for him
to catch). Thus, the character could catch a dagger or a dart before it hits. If this
attack roll fails, however, the character automatically suffers damage (sticking your hand
in the path of a dagger is likely to hurt).
Jumping: The character can attempt exceptional leaps both vertically and horizontally. If
the character has at least a 20-foot running start, he can leap (broad jump) 2d6+his level
in feet. No character can broad jump more than six times his height, however. With the
same start, he can leap vertically (high jump) 1d3 plus half his level in feet. No
character can high jump more than 1-½ times his own height.
From a standing start, a character with this proficiency can broad jump
1d6 plus half his level in feet and high jump only three feet.
The character can also attempt vaults using a pole. A vault requires at least a 30-foot
running start. If a pole is used, it must be four to 10 feet longer than the character's
height. The vault spans a distance equal to 1-½ times the length of the pole. The
character can clear heights equal to the height of the pole. He can also choose to land on
his feet if the vault carries him over an obstacle no higher than ½ the height of his
pole. Thus, using a 12-foot pole, the character could either vault through a window 12
feet off the ground (tumbling into the room beyond), land on his feet in an opening six
feet off the ground, or vault across a moat 18 feet wide. In all cases, the pole is
dropped at the end of the vault.
Languages, Ancient: The character has
mastered a difficult and obscure tongue, now primarily found in the writings of pedantic
sages and sorcerers. The main use of the language is to read tomes of ancient secrets
written by long-dead mystics. This proficiency enables the character to either read and
write or speak the language (his choice).
Languages, Modern: The character has
learned to speak a language of the known world. To do so, there must be a teacher
available. This could be another player character, an NPC hireling, or simply a local
townsman.
Leatherworking: This proficiency enables a character to tan and treat leather and to make
clothing and other leather objects. The character can make leather armor, as well as
backpacks, saddlebags, saddles, and all sorts of harnesses.
Local History: The character is a storehouse of facts about the history of a region the
size of a large county or a small province. The character knows when the ruined tower on
the hill was built and who built it (and what happened to him), what great heroes and
villains fought and fell at the old battlefield, what great treasure is supposed to be
kept in a local temple, how the mayor of the next town miraculously grew hair on his
balding pate, and more.
The DM will provide information about local sites and events as the character needs to
know them. Furthermore, the character can try to retell these events as entertaining
stories. Once the subject is chosen, he can either make a proficiency check and, if
successful, add that tale to his repertoire, or actually tell the story to other
characters. If the character succeeds in entertaining them, the player need not make a
proficiency roll for the character, since he has succeeded. The character can tell these
stories to entertain others, granting him a +2 bonus to his Charisma for the encounter.
But telling stories to hostile beings is probably not going to do any good.
Mining: A character with mining proficiency is needed to site and supervise the operations
of any mine. First, the character can attempt to determine what types of ores or gems can
be found in a given area. To do this, he must spend at least a week searching a
four-square-mile area. The DM may rule that more area must be searched to find anything of
value and may thus increase the amount of time required. At the end of the search, the
character can say what is likely to be found in this area. After this, the character can
site the mine. On a successful proficiency check (made secretly by the DM), the character
has found a good site to begin mining for any minerals that may be in the area. The check
does not guarantee a successful mine, only that a particular site is the best choice in a
given area. The DM must determine what minerals, if any, are to be found in the region of
the mine. On a failed check, the character only thinks he has found a good site. Much
effort is spent before the character is proved wrong, of course.
Once the mine is in operation, a character with mining proficiency must remain on site to
supervise all work. Although this is a steady job, most player characters will find it
better to hire an NPC for this purpose.
Mountaineering: A character with this
proficiency can make difficult and dangerous climbs up steep slopes and cliffs with the
aid of spikes, ropes, etc. If a character with mountaineering proficiency leads a party,
placing the pitons (spikes) and guiding the others, all in the party can gain the benefit
of his knowledge. A mountaineer can guide a party up a cliff face it could not otherwise
climb. A character with this proficiency gains a 10% bonus per proficiency slot spent to
his chance to climb any surface. Note that mountaineering is not the same as the thief's
climbing ability, since the latter does not require aids of any sort.
Musical Instrument: The character can play a specific musical instrument. An additional
instrument can be added for every extra slot devoted to this proficiency. The character
plays quite well, and no proficiency check is normally required. The DM may direct the
character to make a proficiency check in what he feels are extraordinary circumstances.
Navigation: The character has learned the
arts of navigating by the stars, studying currents, and watching for telltale signs of
land, reefs, and hidden danger. This is not particularly useful on land. At sea, a
successful proficiency check by the navigator reduces the chance of getting lost by 20
percent.
Orienteering: This is the
ability to keep one's bearings on roadless, trackless land. Proficient characters will not
get lost as long as they can either see the sky or have the use of a compass. This means
that they can maintain track of a given direction, keeping themselves and their companions
traveling in a straight line.
Pottery: A character with this proficiency
can create any type of clay vessel or container commonly used in the campaign world. The
character requires a wheel and a kiln, as well as a supply of clay and glaze. The
character can generally create two small- or medium-sized items or one large-sized item
per day. The pieces of pottery must then be fired in the kiln for an additional day.
The raw materials involved cost 3 cp to make a small item, 5 cp to make
a medium-sized item, and 1 sp to make a large item.
Reading Lips: The character can understand the speech of those he can see but not hear.
When this proficiency is chosen, the player must specify what language the character can
lip read (it must be a language the character can already speak). To use the proficiency,
the character must be within 30 feet of the speaker and be able to see him speak. A
proficiency check is made. If the check fails, nothing is learned. If the check is
successful, 70% of the conversation is understood. Since certain sounds are impossible to
differentiate, the understanding of a lip-read conversation is never better than this.
Reading/Writing: The character can read and write a modern language he can speak, provided
there is someone available to teach the character (another PC, a hireling, or an NPC).
This proficiency does not enable the character to learn ancient languages (see Languages,
Ancient).
Religion: Characters with religion proficiency know the common beliefs and cults of their
homeland and the major faiths of neighboring regions. Ordinary information (type of
religious symbol used, basic attitude of the faith, etc.) of any religion is automatically
known by the character. Special information, such as how the clergy is organized or the
significance of particular holy days, requires a proficiency check.
Additional proficiencies spent on religion enable the character either to expand his
general knowledge into more distant regions (using the guidelines above) or to gain
precise information about a single faith. If the latter is chosen, the character is no
longer required to make a proficiency check when answering questions about that religion.
Such expert knowledge is highly useful to priest characters when dealing with their own
and rival faiths.
Riding, Airborne: The character is trained
in handling a flying mount. The particular creature must be chosen when the proficiency is
chosen. Additional proficiency slots can be used to learn how to handle other types of
mounts. Unlike land-based riding, a character must have this proficiency (or ride with
someone who does) to handle a flying mount. In addition, a proficient character can do the
following:
• Leap onto the saddle of the creature (when it is standing on the ground) and spur it
airborne as a single action. This requires no proficiency check.
• Leap from the back of the mount and drop 10 feet to the ground or
onto the back of another mount (land-based or flying). Those with only light encumbrance
can drop to the ground without a proficiency check. In all other situations, a proficiency
check is required. A failed roll means the character takes normal falling damage (for
falling flat on his face) or misses his target (perhaps taking large amounts of damage as
a result). A character who is dropping to the ground can attempt an immediate melee
attack, if his proficiency check is made with a -4 penalty to the ability roll. Failure
has the consequences given above.
• Spur his mount to greater speeds on a successful check, adding 1d4
to the movement rate of the mount. This speed can be maintained for four consecutive
rounds. If the check fails, an attempt can be made again the next round. If two checks
fail, no attempt can be made for a full turn. After the rounds of increased speed, its
movement drops to 2/3 its normal rate and its Maneuverability Class (see Glossary) becomes
one class worse. These conditions last until the mount lands and is allowed to rest for at
least one hour.
• The rider can guide the mount with his knees and feet, keeping his hands free. A
proficiency check is made only after the character suffers damage. If the check is failed,
the character is knocked from the saddle. A second check is allowed to see if the
character manages to catch himself (thus hanging from the side by one hand or in some
equally perilous position). If this fails, the rider falls. Of course a rider can strap
himself into the saddle, although this could be a disadvantage if his mount is slain and
plummets toward the ground.
Riding, Land-Based: Those skilled in land riding are proficient in the art of riding and
handling horses or other types of ground mounts. When the proficiency slot is filled, the
character must declare which type of mount he is proficient in. Possibilities include
griffons, unicorns, dire wolves, and virtually any creatures used as mounts by humans,
demihumans, or humanoids.
A character with riding proficiency can perform all of the following
feats. Some of them are automatic, while others require a proficiency check for success.
• The character can vault onto a saddle whenever the horse or other
mount is standing still, even when the character is wearing armor. This does not require a
proficiency check. The character must make a check, however, if he wishes to get the mount
moving during the same round in which he lands in its saddle. He must also make a
proficiency check if he attempts to vault onto the saddle of a moving mount. Failure
indicates that the character falls to the ground--presumably quite embarrassed.
• The character can urge the mount to jump tall obstacles or leap
across gaps. No check is required if the obstacle is less than three feet tall or the gap
is less than 12 feet wide. If the character wants to roll a proficiency check, the mount
can be urged to leap obstacles up to seven feet high, or jump across gaps up to 30 feet
wide. Success means that the mount has made the jump. Failure indicates that it balks, and
the character must make another proficiency check to see whether he retains his seat or
falls to the ground.
• The character can spur his steed on to great speeds, adding 6 feet
per round to the animal's movement rate for up to four turns. This requires a proficiency
check each turn to see if the mount can be pushed this hard. If the initial check fails,
no further attempts may be made, but the mount can move normally. If the second or
subsequent check fails, the mount immediately slows to a walk, and the character must
dismount and lead the animal for a turn. In any event, after four turns of racing, the
steed must be walked by its dismounted rider for one turn.
• The character can guide his mount with his knees, enabling him to
use weapons that require two hands (such as bows and two-handed swords) while mounted.
This feat does not require a proficiency check unless the character takes damage while so
riding. In this case, a check is required and failure means that the character falls to
the ground and sustains an additional 1d6 points of damage.
• The character can drop down and hang alongside the steed, using it
as a shield against attack. The character cannot make an attack or wear armor while
performing this feat. The character's Armor Class is lowered by 6 while this maneuver is
performed. Any attacks that would have struck the character's normal Armor Class are
considered to have struck the mount instead. No proficiency check is required.
• The character can leap from the back of his steed to the ground and
make a melee attack against any character or creature within 10 feet. The player must roll
a successful proficiency check with a -4 penalty to succeed. On a failed roll, the
character fails to land on his feet, falls clumsily to the ground, and suffers 1d3 points
of damage.
Rope Use: This proficiency enables a
character to accomplish amazing feats with rope. A character with rope use proficiency is
familiar with all sorts of knots and can tie knots that slip, hold tightly, slide slowly,
or loosen with a quick tug. If the character's hands are bound and held with a knot, he
can roll a proficiency check (with a -6 penalty) to escape the bonds.
This character gains a +2 bonus to all attacks made with a lasso. The character also
receives a +10% bonus to all climbing checks made while he is using a rope, including
attempts to belay (secure the end of a climbing rope) companions.
Running: The character can move at twice
his normal movement rate for a day. At the end of the day he must sleep for eight hours.
After the first day's movement, the character must roll a proficiency check for success.
If the die roll succeeds, the character can continue his running movement the next day. If
the die roll fails, the character cannot use his running ability the next day. If involved
in a battle during a day he spent running, he suffers a -1 penalty to his attack rolls.
Seamanship: The character is familiar with boats and ships. He is qualified to work as a
crewman, although he cannot actually navigate. Crews of trained seamen are necessary to
manage any ship, and they improve the movement rates of inland boats by 50 percent.
Seamstress/Tailor: The character can sew and design clothing. He can also do all kinds of
embroidery and ornamental work. Although no proficiency check is required, the character
must have at least needle and thread to work.
Set Snares: The character can make simple snares and traps, primarily to catch small game.
These can include rope snares and spring traps. A proficiency check must be rolled when
the snare is first constructed and every time the snare is set. A failed proficiency check
means the trap does not work for some reason. It may be that the workmanship was bad, the
character left too much scent in the area, or he poorly concealed the finished work. The
exact nature of the problem does not need to be known. The character can also attempt to
set traps and snares for larger creatures: tiger pits and net snares, for example. A
proficiency check must be rolled, this time with a -4 penalty to the ability score. In
both cases, setting a successful snare does not ensure that it catches anything, only that
the snare works if triggered. The DM must decide if the trap is triggered.
Thief characters (and only thieves) with this proficiency can also attempt to rig
man-traps. These can involve such things as crossbows, deadfalls, spiked springboards,
etc. The procedure is the same as that for setting a large snare. The DM must determine
the amount of damage caused by a man-trap.
Setting a small snare or trap takes one hour of work. Setting a larger
trap requires two to three people (only one need have the proficiency) and 2d4 hours of
work. Setting a man-trap requires one or more people (depending on its nature) and 1d8
hours of work. To prepare any trap, the character must have appropriate materials on hand.
Characters with animal lore proficiency gain a +2 bonus to their ability score when
attempting to set a snare for the purposes of catching game. Their knowledge of animals
and the woods serves them well for this purpose. They gain no benefit when attempting to
trap monsters or intelligent beings.
Singing: The character is an accomplished
singer and can use this ability to entertain others and perhaps earn a small living (note
that bards can do this automatically). No proficiency check is required to sing. The
character can also create choral works on a successful proficiency check.
Spellcraft: Although this proficiency does not grant the character any spellcasting
powers, it does give him familiarity with the different forms and rites of spellcasting.
If he observes and overhears someone who is casting a spell, or if he examines the
material components used, he can attempt to identify the spell being cast. A proficiency
check must be rolled to make a correct identification. Wizard specialists gain a +3 bonus
to the check when attempting to identify magic of their own school. Note that since the
spellcaster must be observed until the very instant of casting, the spellcraft proficiency
does not grant an advantage against combat spells. The proficiency is quite useful,
however, for identifying spells that would otherwise have no visible effect.
Those talented in this proficiency also have a chance (equal to ½ of their normal
proficiency check) of recognizing magical or magically endowed constructs for what they
are.
Stonemasonry: A stonemason is able to
build structures from stone so that they last many years. He can do simple stone carvings,
such as lettering, columns, and flourishes. The stone can be mortared, carefully fitted
without mortar, or loosely fitted and chinked with rocks and earth. A stonemason equipped
with his tools (hammers, chisels, wedges, block and tackle) can build a plain section of
wall one foot thick, ten feet long, and five feet high in one day, provided the stone has
already been cut. A stonemason can also supervise the work of unskilled laborers to quarry
stone; one stonemason is needed for every five laborers. Dwarves are among the most
accomplished stonemasons in the world; they receive a +2 bonus when using this skill.
Survival: This proficiency must be applied to a specific environment--i.e., a specific
type of terrain and weather factors. Typical environments include arctic, woodland,
desert, steppe, mountain, or tropical. The character has basic survival knowledge for that
terrain type. Additional proficiency slots can be used to add more types of terrain.
A character skilled in survival has a basic knowledge of the hazards he
might face in that land. He understands the effects of the weather and knows the proper
steps to lessen the risk of exposure. He knows the methods to locate or gather drinkable
water. He knows how to find basic, not necessarily appetizing, food where none is
apparent, thus staving off starvation. Furthermore, a character with survival skill can
instruct and aid others in the same situation. When using the proficiency to find food or
water, the character must roll a proficiency check. If the check is failed, no more
attempts can be made that day.
The survival skill in no way releases the player characters from the hardships and horrors
of being lost in the wilderness. At best it alleviates a small portion of the suffering.
The food found is barely adequate, and water is discovered in minuscule amounts. It is
still quite possible for a character with survival knowledge to die in the wilderness.
Indeed, the little knowledge the character has may lead to overconfidence and doom!
Swimming: A character with swimming
proficiency knows how to swim and can move according to the rules given in the Swimming
section (Chapter 14: Time and Movement). Those without this proficiency cannot swim. They
can hold their breath and float, but they cannot move themselves about in the water.
Tightrope Walking: The character can attempt to walk narrow ropes or beams with greater
than normal chances of success. He can negotiate any narrow surface not angled up or down
greater than 45 degrees. Each round the character can walk 60 feet. One proficiency check
is made every 60 feet (or part thereof), with failure indicating a fall. The check is made
with a -10 penalty to the ability score if the surface is one inch or less in width (a
rope), a -5 penalty if two inches to six inches wide, and unmodified if seven inches to 12
inches wide. Wider than one foot requires no check for proficient characters under normal
circumstances. Every additional proficiency spent on tightrope walking reduces these
penalties by 1. Use of a balancing rod reduces the penalties by 2. Winds or vibrations in
the line increases the penalties by 2 to 6.
The character can attempt to fight while on a tightrope, but he suffers a -5 penalty to
his attack roll and must roll a successful proficiency check at the beginning of each
round to avoid falling off. Since the character cannot maneuver, he gains no adjustments
to his Armor Class for Dexterity. If he is struck while on the rope, he must roll an
immediate proficiency check to retain his balance.
Tracking: Characters with tracking proficiency are able to follow the trail of creatures
and characters across most types of terrain. Characters who are not rangers roll a
proficiency check with a -6 penalty to their ability scores; rangers have no penalty to
their ability scores. In addition, other modifiers are also applied to the attempt,
according to Table 39.
Table 39:
Tracking Modifiers
Terrain
Modifier
Soft or muddy ground
+4
Thick brush, vines, or reeds
+3
Occasional signs of passage, dust +2
Normal ground, wood floor
0
Rocky ground or shallow water -10
Every two creatures in the group +1
Every 12 hours since trail was made -1
Every hour of rain, snow, or sleet -5
Poor lighting (moon or starlight) -6
Tracked party attempts to hide trail -5
The modifiers in Table 39 are cumulative--total the modifiers for all
conditions that apply and combine that with the tracker's Wisdom score to get the modified
chance to track.
For example, if Thule's Wisdom score is 16 and he is trying to track through mud (+4), at
night (-6), during a sleet storm (-5), his chance to track is 9 (16+4-6-5). (Thule is a
ranger so he does not suffer the -6 penalty for non-rangers tracking.)
For tracking to succeed, the creature tracked must leave some type of
trail. Thus, it is virtually impossible to track flying or noncorporeal creatures. The DM
may allow this in rare instances, but he should also assign substantial penalties to the
attempt.
To track a creature, the character must first find the trail. Indoors, the tracker must
have seen the creature in the last 30 minutes and must begin tracking from the place last
seen. Outdoors, the tracker must either have seen the creature, have eyewitness reports of
its recent movement ("Yup, we saw them orcs just high-tail it up that trail there not
but yesterday."), or must have obvious evidence that the creature is in the area
(such as a well-used game trail). If these conditions are met, a proficiency check is
rolled. Success means a trail has been found. Failure means no trail has been found.
Another attempt cannot be made until the above conditions are met again under different
circumstances.
Once the trail is found, additional proficiency checks are rolled for the following
situations:
• The chance to track decreases (terrain, rain, creatures leaving the
group, darkness, etc.).
• A second track crosses the first.
• The party resumes tracking after a halt (to rest, eat, fight,
etc.).
Once the tracker fails a proficiency check, another check can be rolled
after spending at least one hour searching the area for new signs. If this check is
failed, no further attempts can be made. If several trackers are following a trail, a +1
bonus is added to the ability score of the most adept tracker. Once he loses the trail, it
is lost to all.
If the modifiers lower the chance to track below 0 (for example, the modifiers are -11 and
the character's Wisdom is 10), the trail is totally lost to that character and further
tracking is impossible (even if the chance later improves). Other characters may be able
to continue tracking, but that character cannot.
A tracking character can also attempt to identify the type of creatures
being followed and the approximate number by rolling a proficiency check. All the normal
tracking modifiers apply. One identifying check can be rolled each time a check is rolled
to follow the trail. A successful check identifies the creatures (provided the character
has some knowledge of that type of creature) and gives a rough estimate of their numbers.
Just how accurate this estimate is depends on the DM.
When following a trail, the character (and those with him) must slow down, the speed
depending on the character's modified chance to track as found from Table 39.
Table 40:
Movement While Tracking
Chance to Track Movement Rate
1-6
¼ normal
7-14
¼ normal
14 or greater
3/4 normal
In the earlier example, Thule has a modified tracking chance of 9, so
he moves at ½ his normal movement rate.
Tumbling: The character is practiced in
all manner of acrobatics--dives, rolls, somersaults, handstands, flips, etc. Tumbling can
only be performed while burdened with light encumbrance or less. Aside from entertaining,
the character with tumbling proficiency can improve his Armor Class by 4 against attacks
directed solely at him in any round of combat, provided he has the initiative and foregoes
all attacks that round. When in unarmed combat he can improve his attack roll by 2.
On a successful proficiency check, he suffers only one-half the normal damage from falls
of 60 feet or less and none from falls of 10 feet or less. Falls from greater heights
result in normal damage.
Ventriloquism: The character has learned
the secrets of "throwing his voice." Although not actually making sound come
from somewhere else (like the spell), the character can deceive others into believing this
to be so. When using ventriloquism, the supposed source of the sound must be relatively
close to the character. The nature of the speaking object and the intelligence of those
watching can modify the character's chance of success. If the character makes an obviously
inanimate object talk (a book, mug, etc.), a -5 penalty is applied to his ability score.
If a believable source (a PC or NPC) is made to appear to speak, a +2 bonus is added to
his ability score. The observer's intelligence modifies this as follows:
Intelligence Modifier
less than 3 +6
3-5 +4
6-8 +2
9-14 0
15-16 -1
17-18 -2
19+ -4
A successful proficiency check means the character has successfully
deceived his audience. One check must be made for every sentence or response. The
character is limited to sounds he could normally make (thus, the roar of a lion is
somewhat beyond him).
Since ventriloquism relies on deception, people's knowledge of speech,
and assumptions about what should and shouldn't talk, it is effective only on intelligent
creatures. Thus, it has no effect on animals and the like. Furthermore, the audience must
be watching the character since part of the deception is visual ("Hey, his lips don't
move!"). Using ventriloquism to get someone to look behind him does not work, since
the voice is not actually behind him (this requires the ventriloquism spell). All but
those with the gullibility of children realize what is truly happening. They may be
amused--or they may not be.
Weaponsmithing: This highly specialized proficiency enables a character to perform the
difficult and highly exacting work involved in making metal weapons, particularly those
with blades. The character blends some of the skill of the blacksmith with an ability to
create blades of strength and sharpness. A fully equipped smithy is necessary to use this
proficiency.
The time and cost to make various types of weapons are listed on Table
41.
Table 41:
Weapon Construction
Construction Material
Weapon Time Cost
Arrowhead 10/day 1 cp
Battle Axe 10 days 10 sp
Hand Axe 5 days 5 sp
Dagger 5 days 2 sp
H. Crossbow 20 days 10 sp
L. Crossbow 15 days 5 sp
Fork, Trident 20 days 10 sp
Spear, Lance 4 days 4 sp
Short Sword 20 days 5 sp
Long Sword 30 days 10 sp
2-hd Sword 45 days 2 gp
Weather Sense: This proficiency enables the character to make intelligent guesses about
upcoming weather conditions. A successful proficiency check means the character has
correctly guessed the general weather conditions in the next six hours. A failed check
means the character read the signs wrong and forecast the weather incorrectly. The DM
should roll the check secretly. A proficiency check can be made once every six hours.
However, for every six hours of observation, the character gains a +1 bonus to his ability
score (as he watches the weather change, the character gets a better sense of what is
coming). This modifier is cumulative, although sleep or other activity that occupies the
attention of the character for a long period negates any accumulated bonus.
Sometimes impending weather conditions are so obvious that no proficiency check is
required. It is difficult not to notice the tornado funnel tearing across the plain or the
mass of dark clouds on the horizon obviously headed the character's way. In these cases,
the player should be able to deduce what is about to happen to his character anyway.
Weaving: A character with weaving proficiency is able to create garments, tapestries, and draperies from wool or cotton. The character requires a spinning apparatus and a loom. A weaver can create two square yards of material per day.