Tome of Prowess (3.5e Sourcebook)

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Author: Tarkisflux (talk)
Date Created: June 22, 2008
Status: In progress
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Tome of Prowess, Skills for the Mundane and the Masterful

Introduction: The Importance of Skills

In the multiverse that DnD represents, people can begin their life as serfs and, through trials and challenges, end up as legendary heroes capable of amazing feats that rival the gods themselves. Some accomplish this by learning and exploiting the secrets ways of the multiverse, using magic to accomplish what some look on as miracles. Others train themselves extensively, and accomplish feats beyond lesser mortals through will and skill alone. Skill points represent that skill and training, and they are the primary method of advancement for those who put in hard work instead of cheating with magic.

Or at least this is what D&D would like you to think, given the weight the designers placed on skill points and skills themselves. In reality though, the skill totals required to do amazing things are only acquired up in the epic levels, and by that point spellcasters have been doing all of your fancy skill tricks for many levels and your neat trick just isn’t relevant. You’ve probably been doing it yourself with magic items and don’t even know or care that you can do it with that skill you’ve brought up with you.

This supplement for the 3.5 D&D game presents skills to correct that, but it does so by sacrificing the simplicity (and with it the irrelevance) of skills at mid and high levels. There’s a lot more abilities for each skill to keep track of with this modification. And that’s ok, because that’s what the non-spellcasting classes really need.

Contents

A Note on Balance
This modification, on its own, will add substantial power to the poor non-casters in the game, and a bit of power to the half casters. If completely utilized, it should bring the monk and fighter level classes up to or above rogue level, and allow all characters to contribute to the game longer than their chassis would normally allow. Keep in mind that if you prefer a lower power game, or your games don’t run past 9th level, this may not be something you should consider implementing. If your games often run into the high levels and you’re tired of fighters depending on magic items or casters to do their jobs, this is absolutely something you should consider thoroughly.


Chapter 1: Rules

General Rules
Skill Conversions
Character Knowledge and Skills
Updated Base Class Skills
Skill Points per Level
Retraining
Altered Class Features

Chapter 2: The Skills

Acrobatics
Affability
Animal Handling
Appraisal
Arcana
Athletics
Bluff
Ciphers
Concentration
Cultures
Devices
Disguise
Dowsing
Dungeoneering
Endurance
Escape Artistry
Geomancy
Healing
Intimidation
Jump
Legerdemain
Perception
Stealth
Survival
Thaumaturgy

Chapter 3: Combining Skills

Chapter 4: Going Further


Back to Main Page3.5e HomebrewSourcebooks

Article BalanceUnquantifiable +
AuthorTarkisflux +
Completeness2 +
Identifier3.5e Sourcebook +
Rated ByLeziad +, Undead Knave +, MisterSinister +, Wildmage +, TK-Squared +, Foxwarrior +, Surgo + and DanielDraco +
RatingRated 3.8 / 4 +
SummarySkills for the mundane and the masterful. Skills that scale to all levels of the game and offer the skilled classes some of the utility previously only found within spells or items. +
TitleTome of Prowess +