The Link Below Will Take You To The Page That Explains
How This AD&D Skill System Works

How The Secondary And Tertiary AD&D Skill System Works (The Page That Explains This Page)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Unlike the old system where one's skill started out around 5 times a particular statistic score (on percentile dice, or simply started with that number on a 1d20 roll), this new skill system DOES NOT work that way. The starting score is given, and then class modifiers are giving. Each skill has an ATTRIBUTE given for it. This statistic score, or average of two or three statistic scores, is the attribute for this skill. (Round to the nearest integer). Compare your attribute for a particular skill on the table below and adjust your percentage skill rating accordingly. This will adjust your skill score by a few percentage points in most cases, so do not confuse this with thinking that skill starts out at 5 times that number.

ATTRIBUTE TABLE

ATTRIBUTE

Adjustment

ATTRIBUTE

Adjustment

01

-15

11

+0

02

-10

12

+01

03

-08

13

+02

04

-06

14

+03

05

-05

15

+04

06

-04

16

+05

07

-03

17

+06

08

-02

18

+08

09

-01

19

+10

10

+0

20

+15

THE SKILL TABLE OF AD&D SKILLS

SKILL

ATTRIBUTE

STARTING %

WARRIOR

MAGE

PRIEST

ROGUE

Acting

(INT + WIS + CHR) / 3

15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Agriculture

INT

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Ancient History

(WIS + INT)/ 2

15%

+0%

+15%

+15%

+15%

Ancient Languages

INT

10%

+0%

+15%

+15%

+0%

Animal Handling

WIS

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Animal Lore

(WIS + CHR)/ 2

30%

+15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Animal Training

(WIS + CHR)/ 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Appraising

See Evaluate

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Armorer

(INT + STR)/ 2

25%

+15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Artistic Ability

WIS

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Bard +15%

Astrology

(WIS + INT)/ 2

25%

+0%

+15%

+20%

+0%

Astronomy

INT

25%

+0%

+20%

+0%

+0%

Barter

(WIS + CHR) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Binding Wounds

See Healing 0

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Boating

(STR + INT) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Black Smiting

(STR + INT) / 2

30%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Blind Fighting

(WIS + DEX) / 2

15%

+15%

+0%

Monk +25%

+15%

Bowyer/Fletcher

(INT + DEX) / 2

15%

+15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Brewer

INT

40%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

SKILL

ATTRIBUTE

STARTING %

WARRIOR

MAGE

PRIEST

ROGUE

Carpentry

(STR + INT) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Cartography

INT

25%

+05%

+15%

+10%

+10%

Charioteering

(DEX + WIS) / 2

15%

+15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Climb

(DEX + STR) / 2

30%

+0%

+0%

Monk +15%

+15%

Climb Walls

(DEX + STR) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +60%

+60%

Cobbling

(DEX + INT) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Conceal

(INT + WIS) / 2

10%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+10%

Cooking

INT

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Cryptography

(INT + WIS) / 2

15%

+0%

+15%

+15%

+0%

Dancing

(DEX + CHR) / 2

30%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Deep Diving

(DEX + CON) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Defensive Stance

(INT + WIS + DEX) / 3

15%

+15%

+0%

Monk +15%

+0%

Detect Noise

WIS

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +15%

+15%

Direction Sense

(INT + WIS) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Disguise

(WIS + CHR) / 2

10%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Dodge Missile

(DEX + INT + WIS) / 3

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +25%

+0%

Endurance

CON

05%

+15%

+0%

Monk +15%

+0%

Engineering

(INT + WIS) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Etiquette

(CHR + WIS) / 2

40%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Evaluate General

(INT + WIS) / 2

40%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

SKILL

ATTRIBUTE

STARTING %

WARRIOR

MAGE

PRIEST

ROGUE

Evaluate Art

INT + WIS) / 2

20%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Evaluate Gems/Jewelry

INT + WIS) / 2

25%

+0%

+15%

+0%

+15%

Fast Talk

(INT + CHR) / 2

15%

+05%

+15%

+15%

+20%

Find Remove Traps

(INT + WIS + DEX) / 3

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +05%

+05%

Fire Building

(INT + WIS) / 2

40%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Fishing

(INT + WIS) / 2

30%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

First Aid 0

See Healing 0

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

First Aid 1

See Healing 1

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

First Aid 2

See Healing 2

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

First Aid 3

See Healing 3

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Fletcher/Bowyer

See Bowyer/Fletcher

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Forgery

(DEX + WIS) / 2

10%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Gaming

(INT + WIS) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Gem Cutting

DEX

15%

+0%

+15%

+0%

+15%

Hit Points/Longevity

(STR + CON) / 2

15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Healing 0

(DEX + WIS + INT) / 3

25%

+70%

+70%

+70%

+70%

Healing 1

(WIS + CHR) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

+20%

+0%

Healing 2

(WIS + CHR) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

+20%

+0%

Healing 3

(WIS + CHR + INT) / 3

05%

+0%

+0%

+10%

+0%

Herbalism

(INT + WIS) / 2

15%

+0%

+15%

+15%

+0%

SKILL

ATTRIBUTE

STARTING %

WARRIOR

MAGE

PRIEST

ROGUE

Heraldry

INT

40%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Hide In Shadows

(INT + DEX) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +05%

+05%

Hunting

WIS

20%

+15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Juggling

DEX

20%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Jumping

(STR + DEX) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Languages, Ancient

See Ancient Languages

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Languages, Modern

See Modern Languages

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Leather Working

(INT + DEX) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Listen

See Detect Noise

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Local History

(INT + CHR) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+15%

+15%

Martial Arts

(DEX + WIS) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +25%

+0%

Mental Discipline

(INT + WIS) / 2

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Mining

(STR + WIS) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Modern Languages

INT

45%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Move Silently

(DEX + WIS) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +10%

+10%

Mountaineering

(STR + WIS) / 2

20%

+15%

+0%

Monk +10%

+10%

Musical Instrument

CHR

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Bard +15%

Navigation

(INT + WIS) / 2

30%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Open Locks

(DEX + INT) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +10%

+10%

Orate

CHR

05%

+0%

+0%

+10%

Bard +15%

SKILL

ATTRIBUTE

STARTING %

WARRIOR

MAGE

PRIEST

ROGUE

Orienteering

See Direction Sense

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Painting

(DEX + WIS) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Pick Pockets

(DEX + WIS) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

Monk +05%

+15%

Piloting

See Boating

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Pottery

DEX

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Reading Lips

(INT + WIS) / 2

20%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Reading/Writing

INT

40%

+0%

+20%

+20%

+15%

Religion

WIS

15%

+0%

+15%

+15%

+0%

Riding, Airborne

(WIS + DEX) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Riding, Land

(WIS + DEX) / 2

40%

+10%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Rope Use

(WIS + DEX) / 2

40%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Running

(STR + CON) / 2

10%

+15%

+0%

Monk +25%

+0%

Scan

(INT + WIS) / 2

05%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Sculpting

(WIS + DEX) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Seamanship

(WIS + DEX) / 2

40%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Seamstress/Tailor

(DEX + INT) / 2

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Search

(INT + WIS) / 2

15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Set Snares

(WIS + DEX) / 2

15%

+25%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Sign Language

See Modern Language

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Singing

CHR

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

SKILL

ATTRIBUTE

STARTING %

WARRIOR

MAGE

PRIEST

ROGUE

Sleight Of Hand

(DEX + WIS) / 2

10%

+0%

+0%

Monk +30%

+30%

Spell Craft

INT

20%

+0%

+15%

+15%

+0%

Stonemasonry

(STR + WIS) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Survival

(WIS + INT) / 2

15%

+15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Swimming

STR

45%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Tailor/Seamstress

See Seamstress/Tailor

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Tracking

WIS

05%

Ranger +30%

+0%

Druid +05%

+0%

Tightrope Walking

DEX

10%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Throwing

(DEX + STR) / 2

25%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Tumbling

(DEX + STR) / 2

20%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Ventriloquism

(INT + CHR) / 2

20%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+15%

Weapon Smithing

(INT + DEX) / 2

05%

+15%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Weapon THAC0

(INT + WIS + DEX) / 3

N/A

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Weather Lore

WIS

35%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Weaving

(INT + DEX) / 2

30%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

Writing/Reading

See Reading/Writing

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

+0%

SKILL

ATTRIBUTE

STARTING %

WARRIOR

MAGE

PRIEST

ROGUE

AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF AD&D SKILLS

Acting: The ability to counterfeit moods, emotions and voices, and lie convincingly over a period of time. The more intelligent the audience or victim or target, the less likely this skill will work against them.

Agriculture: This skill includes automatic success at planting, harvesting, storing crops, using an existing irrigation system, tending animals, and butchering. Tasks that require proficiency checks include designing or making an irrigation system, weed and pest control, or other more difficult tasks. If your character already has Weather Lore, add 10% to this skill.

Ancient History: Characters with this proficiency are familiar with the legends, rulers, and writings of a specific historical period in the campaign world. They will recognize, without a proficiency check, items, scrolls, artwork, etc. of that period. They will know the main historical figures, such as kings and powerful villains, and the major circumstances of those individuals' lives and deaths. With a successful proficiency check they will recall lesser figures, such as lords, knights, and heroes, and recall legendary tales, important sigils, and perhaps be able to decipher a small bit of text, symbols, or hieroglyphics.
The DM need not create detailed information FIRST before your character takes this skill, but then he or she should volunteer any pertinent information when it comes up in the scenario. For example, your character knows well the period of King Shaleroot of the Dwarves. The DM has none of this written at first, but one day he decides to include some dwarven things, ties them to that era, and says "The portal you found has markings on it from the time of King Shaleroot." Then, your character may need to roll to obtain further knowledge. To do it in a different manner can be done, but requires a lot more work on the DM's part to set up, and a lot more memorization on the part of the player.

Ancient Languages: Adventurers with this proficiency are familiar with at least one ancient language - i.e. they have the reading/writing proficiency with the chosen languages. If confronted with an example of a historically related language, they can decipher about a paragraph of that tongue with a successful proficiency check.
Each time this skill is taken, the character will gain knowledge of one additional ancient language within the campaign's history.

Animal Handling: This proficiency allows characters to automatically steer carts, plow horses, etc. With a successful proficiency check, they can soothe domesticated animals and beasts of burden which become agitated or frightened.

Animal Lore: Adventurers with animal lore have a store of knowledge about animal behavior, and without any proficiency check will know the basic feeding and social habits (i.e. herding, nesting, etc.) of animals with which they have past experience.
With a proficiency check, a character can determine whether an observed animal is intending to attack or to flee, or predict that animals will come along a trail at a certain time of day. The character can imitate the calls of wild animals (except for very large creatures). A successful check means that the imitation is virtually perfect, and even fools animals of the same type. A failed check might fool other characters, but will not deceive the animals.

Animal Training: Each time this skill is taken, the character may learn how to train one particular type of animal, such as a dog, falcon, parrot, horse, pigeon, elephant, ferret, or something like that. The DM may allow or disallow other animals (even monsters) as they see fit. None of these creatures may have an intelligence of 5 or more to fall under this rule.
Without a roll, the character can train an animal; it just takes time. A few weeks, perhaps, for every trick, and no more tricks than the animal has points of intelligence. If the tasks are simple, no roll is required. Such tasks include dogs being trained to stay, come when summoned, and guard a specific location, pigeons returning to the roost, falcons hunting and killing game, and horses bearing saddles and obeying simple riding commands. But if the tasks are difficult, it will require a roll and may take more than a single point of intelligence (hence cutting down on the total number of tricks that can be taught). Dogs patrolling a circuit, or retrieving specific objects, and horses performing the maneuvers of a knightly charger are examples. Failure of the training roll usually indicates the animal can't learn that trick. The roll is made AFTER the attempt and the time is lost.

Appraising: See Evaluate General.

Armorer:
A character with this proficiency can make the types of armor typically available in the campaign world. The armorer requires the proper raw materials (plate metal, tough leather, etc.) and enough time to do the job properly. Time ranges from about two weeks for a shield to 20 weeks for a suit of plate mail armor. No proficiency check is required generally, though if the armorer tries to rush the job or work with less than adequate materials a proficiency check should be rolled to determine if the character is successful.
The armorer can also make a field repair to armor that has been damaged through use. These repairs always require proficiency checks, and if the check fails the armor or shield is lost.
In order to produce quality armor (sufficiently good so the item may be enchanted), requires a roll and double the normal time, OR a special success roll and the same amount of time.

Artistic Ability: Each time this skill is taken during character generation, the character will have a gift for a particular artistic endeavor such a painting, sculpting, songwriter or composition, drawing, etc. This skill normally cost one non-weapon proficiency slot, and you may take as many as you wish during character generation. After that (unless you are a bard or the DM allows it), the skill will require the player to pay 2 slots (to demonstrate the gift is more learned rather than a natural talent). Bards may always pick up another skill here for the cost of one slot.
No roll is normally required for this skill, but you may roll to determine relative quality. Only a critical success may have lasting value. Remember, this skill may take time, sometimes years (a sculpture, for example), so ask you DM how often you may attempt to make such a work of art.
If your character has this skill, it may add 5% to any Evaluate Art roll IF the art is in your field.

Astrology: To the extent the DM has these mystical astrological things working in their campaign, a character with this skill may, upon a successful roll, glean vague portents of the up coming events. Usually, these things are quite vague and cryptic, and the DM will probably require you to let them know in advance for next session that your character intends to use this skill. This will give them time to prepare something appropriate. Without this warning, the results may be less than appealing or the may make little sense.
The character will know about stars, moons, constellations and other celestial objects as well as the legends behind them. They may entertain people by telling their horoscopes and "predicting" the future, vague though it may be (no roll is required for entertainment purposes, and one does not have to give the DM advanced warning). What attempting to predict the future, special or critical successes will be more accurate than simple successes, while fumbles will give contrary results.
Characters with this skill may add 10% to their Navigation skill.

Astronomy: This skill indicates a character has detailed knowledge of the motion of planets, moons, stars, etc. They can predict eclipses, comets, and other cosmic phenomenon (evening and morning stars, full moons, etc.) The astronomer can identify numerous stars and constellations and most celestial objects.
Characters with this skill may add 15% to their Navigation skill.

Barter: This skill allows a character to get a good deal on trades where items are traded or bartered. It is not very effective where prices are set or fixed or when dealing with the help, but where prices are open to negotiation and when dealing with the boss or the owner of the items, they may expect to pay 10% less than what the DM would otherwise expect, or get 10% more when trading their items. This requires a successful roll. Special success may be 15%, and critical success may get as much as 25% more than normal. A fumble will usually get -10% (a penalty). Note: No one knows this skill succeeds or fails until after the deal is struck and they may have time to think about it.

Binding Wounds: Also known as Healing 0 or First Aid 0, this skill is automatically acquired by all adventurers for free. No roll is normally required. With this skill, a character may take an entire round to stabilize a victim of injury. This will stop them from bleeding to death (unless the injuries are internal), start their breathing (drowning victims), and, in general, prevent the further loss of hit points. The skill usually takes 10 SP worth of bandages (though some bit of cloth ripped from some clothing may suffice), and will stabilize a patient. Note: During this activity, the character administering aid cannot attack, will not have dexterity bonuses to their AC, and may be open to attack (attacker at +2 to +4 depending).

Boating: This proficiency is useful for negotiating challenging waters with a rowboat, canoe, barges, rafts, or small dory. When shooting 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 1d6 rounds).
Though higher to start with, this skill is superseded by Shiphandling. A character with Shiphandling automatically may do whatever they could do with the boating skill. A roll is not normally required unless shooting the rapids or doing something difficult.

Black Smiting: A character with the Black Smithing proficiency can handle a forge, bellows, hammer and tongs, to create tools and other objects out of iron. The character cannot make weapons or armor, but can make (without a proficiency check) simple items such as horseshoes, nails, brackets and buckles. By making a successful proficiency check, the character can create intricate objects such as wire cages and locks. A blacksmith can make an iron hoop for a wheel that has been made by a carpenter; this combination of proficiencies is required for a strong wheel.

Blind Fighting: Normally, when one cannot see what they are fighting, they incur penalties. (-4 to hit AND their AC is 4 worse, for example, goes from AC 2 to AC 6). With this skill, the character automatically negates some of this penalty. They are only -2 to hit (not -4) and suffer no penalty to their AC. If dim light is available (star light, cloudy night with a full moon), they may only be -1 to hit. Furthermore, most character's movement rates are curtailed while they cannot see, but this skill allows one to move at their normal rate IF they make a roll.
Finally, with this skill one can also negate some of the penalty incurred when attacking invisible creatures. Normally at -4 to hit, a character with this skill is only at -2.

Bowyer/Fletcher: This character can make bows and arrows (though not arrowheads) of the types normally available in the campaign. With the appropriate materials, they can make 2d6 arrows in a day. Finding the right branch from a tree to make a bow may take some time, however. The DM will let you know how long, but this process may take weeks to months to complete a fine bow.
A roll is not normally required, but a roll will be required to make exceptional bows (as for exceptional strength). The cost for these things is given for my campaign in the article on ES bows, and the time to make them should reflect this cost. A weapon smith is required to make the arrow heads.

Brewing: This skill includes the brewing of malt beverages (beer, ale, whisky, etc.), the making of wine, and the distilling of stronger drink. All basic skills do not require a roll. If trying for something special, however, they may roll. Simple success is just that, special success is fine drink, perhaps worth 1.5 times the normal rate, critical success is exceptional drink, perhaps sought after for years as "that wonderful vintage." It is these critical successes that may be laid down for long term storage more often than not and may command amazing prices years, decades, or even centuries after the fact. Failure is a ruined batch. A fumble may actually make someone sick.

Carpentry: This skill is basic woodworking and small items (fences, platforms, carts, gallows, cabinets, wagons, shacks) will not require a roll. More complex items will, however, such as small bridges, dumbwaiters, wooden clocks, etc. Very large bridges or buildings will require additional skills such as Engineering.

Cartography:
This is a map making skill and map reading skill. With no required rolls, the character may follow a map or make simple makes to find their way back. With a successful roll, the DM will assume you have done such a good job they may point out map anomalies to your character. This skill assume you have paper or parchment and charcoal or some other writing implement, as well as you taking the time necessary to draw the map. Running away down a hall is hardly a good way to map a dungeon.

Charioteering: A character with this skill can move a chariot at its normal speed, and effectively drive it over a smooth, wide road. The proficient character requires no check to drive or steer the chariot, including traveling across relatively flat, open countryside, charging into battle, and performing the turns, stops, and starts that might be required on the battlefield.
By making a proficiency check, the character can guide the chariot through obstacles such as deep fords, steeply climbing terrain, ditches, and rough or rocky ground. Also, with a successful check, the character can add 1/3 to a chariot's movement rate for the duration of a charge or a march. However, failure of this check means that the chariot moves at its normal rate, but that the horses fatigue in half the normal time.
Note that certain obstacles are simply impassable to chariots, including walls, water too deep (or too muddy on the bottom) to ford, thick forests, and mountainous terrain.

Climb: This skill allows a character to climb normal things (trees, rocky hills, anything where numerous hand and foot holds may be. No roll is required with this skill. This skill does NOT allow you to climb sheer walls. Most people without this skill will have to make some sort of roll vs. a statistic or fall.

Climb Walls: This is the Rogue's skill at climbing sheer walls. Members of the Rogue's character class add 60% to the base chance as part of their normal training. Like a Rogue, characters may attempt to climb sheer walls but may not be more than lightly encumbered or wear armor heavier than studded leather.
Rogues get this skill for free.

Cobbling: A character with this skill can makes shoes, boots, and sandals. No checks are normally required, but if the character attempts a field repair of damaged footwear, or tries to fashion shoes from wood or leather that has been scrounged up, a successful check is needed.

Conceal: With this skill an object may be hidden such that it will take a successful Search roll to discover it. The items may be of any size, so hiding it may be simply putting it in a drawer, rigging a false bottom to a chest, making a secret door, or hiding an enormous statue in plain sight, perhaps making it looks like a tree with vines hanging from it. You can even hide yourself or your friends (assuming they do not make noise or move). Of course, this may take time and materials so the DM may rule you do not have one, the other, or both in most instances, but if you do, then you may conceal the object. Anyone watching you conceal an object can, naturally, go right to it and need not make a Search roll.

Cooking: This character knows the basics of food preparation, and he can generally cook, bake, fry, and so forth without a proficiency check. Checks are required if the character attempts to prepare truly gourmet meals, or tries to make a palatable dinner out of unpalatable ingredients (grubs, roots, and bark, for example).

Cryptography: This skill deals with codes and hidden messages within messages. It assumes the character must know the language (though not the code) and may be able to determine the hidden contents. A roll is required. Normally, this is a bit of fun in a game when the DM creates a code and a character tries to crack it, but when reduced to skill rolls, this fun may be lost. However, it is available when appropriate use of it will add something to the game. For example, the busy DM didn't have time to make a code, but assume the intercepted letter from the front line in a war is in code. The character may crack it with a successful roll. Failure means he could not crack it, and a fumble means to deciphered part of it but got the wrong idea and drew erroneous conclusions.

Dancing: The character knows and can perform the moves of many types of dances, including some that involve precise and detailed steps. All dances common to the character's society will be familiar. Rare, archaic, or unusual dances will be known with a proficiency check. Also, characters who have had a chance to observe an unknown dance can perform it (-10% modifier, +5% for each time after the first that it is seen performed).
Truly spectacular dances (the kind that win character's campaign-wide acclaim) combine elements of dance proficiency with skills of Tumbling, Tightrope Walking, and Jumping.

Deep Diving: A character with this proficiency can add 10 feet per round to his speed of descent when diving into the water, or from the surface. Thus, a character with the deep diving proficiency can descend 30 feet per round, plus modifiers for encumbrance, running start, and/or height. Likewise, a character with the deep diving proficiency can surface at a rate of 30 feet (not 20 feet) per round.
This proficiency provides characters with the ability to hold their breath for 2/3 their Constitution scores in rounds, not the 1/3 allowed to most characters. Effects of exceeding the allotted time are the same, regardless of proficiency ratings.
Note: Characters with this proficiency may hold their breathes longer than most, and may give them +1 to their saving throws vs. gas attacks.

Defensive Stance: This skill, with a successful roll, will add 1 to the character's AC (improve it) for that round. They may not move more than half their normal movement rate while defending, but they still may attack as normal. If the roll fails, their AC is normal. If they fumble, their AC is one worse for that round. A special success does no more, but a critical success adds 2 to their AC (improves it by 2) for that round.

Detect Noise: This is the Rogue's skill. A Rogue will initially have +15% more than others who take this skill will have. With this skill and a successful roll, one may hear things normally too faint to be heard and thus alert themselves to possible dangers, or gather other information not normally available.
Rogues get this skill for free.

Direction Sense: 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.
Characters who possess a map and can track their direction of travel can arrive at specific points (towns, ferry crossings, bridges, monuments, wells, springs, etc.) without proficiency checks.
If the map is slightly erroneous, or lacking in crucial details, the characters will have to make successful proficiency checks to accurately arrive at a specific point. This check can be modified for increased difficulty based on poor weather or major problems with the map.

Disguise: With makeup and costuming, a character may alter their appearance to the degree they could fool a stranger. With a successful roll, they may fool a friend. Harder tasks require a roll as well. To appear to be a member of a different race or gender takes a successful roll. Characters who try to appear to be some specific person may be discovered if they fail their roll when confronting a person who knows the individual. Otherwise, the disguises will normally work.

Dodge Missile: This is the monk's skill. Non magical missiles (those that do not require a roll to hit) or thrown weapons that normally hit may yet be dodged with a successful skill roll. To use this skill, however, requires that the character forgo one attack they may yet have for the remainder of the round for each such missile they attempt to dodge. Furthermore, this also assumes the character has told the DM AHEAD of time that they will be doing this against any missile attacks. If the skill is at 50% or less, only one such missile may be dodged AND only if the character still has at least one attack coming later in the round. However, the character may attempt to dodge one additional such missile for each 10% (of fraction thereof) beyond 50% with this skill. Failure means the missile will hit like it should have. Note, these rolls are only made after the DM scores a hit but BEFORE any results of that hit are mentioned. For example, the character may not decide to dodge the blow only AFTER the DM reveals the arrow also does massive acid damage or contained poison.
Monks get this skill for free and start out 25% higher than other people. Character with the Juggling skill add 5% to this skill.

Endurance: A character with this proficiency can perform continual strenuous physical activity for twice as long as a normal character before becoming exhausted. If the character is ever required to make a Strength check or a Constitution check, the character can add 10% OR +2 to that roll.

Engineering: This proficiency is required for the design and construction of objects and installations of all sizes. Note that Carpentry, Stonemasonry, Black Smithing, or other proficiencies also might be necessary for the actual building. Characters can design and supervise the building of houses, boats, small bridges, palisades, and towers - up to about 30 feet high without proficiency checks.
Characters with this skill can try to design large bridges, fortresses, ships, war machines, locks and dams, and other more complicated projects. Plans for these types of objects generally require at least a week (more if an exceptionally large project is being attempted). Complicated tasks require successful proficiency checks before a workable design can be made. A normal failure indicates the engineer will be aware of the failure and can seek to create a new design (go back to the drawing board, so to speak), but a fumble means they will not know of the design flaw until they try to build the object.

Etiquette: Characters with this skill are familiar with the typical manners of formal interaction (at least as they relate to the culture in the campaign world). They know what fanfares are required to greet royal visitors, how to seat the lords and ladies at a table, how to organize the reception line, and how everyone is to be addressed. None of these tasks require a proficiency check.
When dealing with a foreign or completely unknown culture, the characters must pass proficiency checks to correctly gauge the required etiquette. The check should be modified x/-10% if the foreigners are the same race as the character, +5% or more if the character has had some time to observe the foreigners.

Evaluate General: This skill allows a character to know the value, more or less, of most mundane items (non-magical and common, though they may be valuable). These items include trade goods, silks, clothing, furniture, non-magical weapons, and most other items, but exclude art and/or gems and jewelry. The Evaluate General Skill does not require a roll in most instances and is quite high in comparison to more specialized knowledge. If a character attempts to evaluate an art item or gem or piece of jewelry with this skill, they will require a special or critical success to succeed. Otherwise, they cannot tell.

Evaluate Art: Many items, though their material make up may be readily evaluated, contain artistic endeavors which may make them much more valuable. For example, the cash value a gold cup weighing a quarter of a pound is easily known, but a gold chalice with artistic engravings is another matter. Unless the character is already familiar with very similar items (or the item is historically important and they have Ancient History from that period), a roll is required to determine the item's value. Failure usually means the character does not know. A fumble will give a very misleading result. A success will get within 10% of its value, a special success within 5%, and a critical success will nail it down to within 1%. If your character already has Artistic Ability in the area of said item, add 5% to the evaluate roll. A character that passes a proficiency check will be able to identify a forgery of a valuable object.

Evaluate Gems/Jewelry: A successful roll with this skill will give the value of the item within 20%, a special success within 10%, and a critical success within 1%. Failure means the character is not sure whereas a fumble may give very misleading results.

Fast Talk: With a successful roll, a character using this skill may make nearly any proposition seem true. If the target had time to think or is very intelligent, the success is less likely. Subtract 5% for each minute the target has to think and subtract 5% for each point of intelligence above 13 the target has. If the roll is still successful, the fast talker may get by guards, close deals and run, or in general scam someone. Note, the victim will eventually figure this out, so disguise is a good idea or clearly never intending to pass this way again also helps.

Find/Remove Traps: This is the Rogue's skill. Rogues will initially have this skill at +5% more than others will. With a successful roll, a character may find a trap, mechanical or magical. Another successful roll is required to remove or deactivate or simply avoid the trap.
Rogues get this skill for free.

Fire Building: A character with this proficiency can build a fire in 1d20 minutes, as long as there is dry wood and some small bits of tinder. Add another d20 minutes for each of these factors: the wood (or tinder) is wet, it's raining or foggy, or the winds are strong. A proficiency check is required if conditions are bad and the character is forced to work without shelter.

Fishing: A character with this proficiency knows how to catch fish with hook and line, net, and spear. If fish are present in a body of water, a successful proficiency check means the character has caught something. Typically, with a successful check, the fisherman he will catch 1d6 fish in an hour. This number can be doubled if many fish are present. It is reduced to one fish per hour if the character is seeking large quarry (such as sturgeon, muskellunge, giant carp, or salt-water fish). Naturally, this skill will not aid in capturing monsters of the lakes and seas.

First Aid 0 to First Aid 3: See Healing.

Fletcher/Bowyer: See Bowyer/Fletcher.

Forgery: This proficiency indicates a skill at creating false documents, mimicking the handwriting of others, and detecting forgeries. No check is required if the character is simply trying to duplicate a style of writing - the issuing of an anonymous military decree, for example. Characters trying to duplicate the signatures of specific individuals must see those signatures; the DM rolls the proficiency checks secretly to see if the forgeries are successful. If a character writes a longer message in a specific hand, the DM rolls the check with a -10% modifier. The DM should also roll the check if a character seeks to determine if another document is a forgery. On a fumble, the character makes the wrong assumption, whereas a normal failure means that the character is not sure of the truth or falsehood of the sample.

Gaming: A character with this proficiency is familiar with all manner of gambling games. A successful proficiency check usually means the character will win a given game being played with characters without this skill. If facing an opponent with the skill, a skill vs. skill roll will determine the winner.
The character might try to cheat, and this will confer a +15% to the gaming proficiency score and requires a check. If the proficiency check rolled is a fumble. The character gets caught cheating. For every opponent with the gaming skill, subtract 10% from the cheaters roll unless they are "in on it and helping the cheater," in which case add 10%.

Gem Cutting: A character with this proficiency can work 1d10 uncut stones into finished gems each day. The worker needs good light and an assortment of chisels, hammers, and hard cutting blades as well as grinding stones or discs.
The gem cutter can do decent work without a proficiency check; the stones cut will be valued in the typical range for that type of gem. However, if the cutter seeks to do a unique and very high-quality job, a proficiency check is called for. Failure means the stone is destroyed, but success results in a gem of double the usual value.
As much as 50% of the weight of a stone may be lost during normal cutting, but the final value is usually higher. The bits and ices lost almost always need to be gathered for use as abrasives for future cuttings, but a mage may use them as material components (ask the DM what their value is).

Hit Points and Longevity: By taking this skill, a character may exercise and toughen themselves up, thus gaining an advantage to their hit points. For normal people (non-adventurers), this skill usually adds 1 hit point to existing hit points. For adventurers, this skill prohibits the roll of a 1 for each hit dice on the first roll. All ones are rerolled. A second one for the same hit dice, however, will remain a one. This skill may be taken only once and requires the character to exercise at least 1 hour/day while not physically exerting themselves (adventuring or training). If more than a week goes by without this exercise, the hit point is lost, but may be regained when exercises resume.
While faithful to the exercise program, the character adds about 10% to their longevity (about 1 day for every 10 days they exercise). Thus, a man normally may die at 88 years old, but since he exercised, he'll die at 97 years old instead. Furthermore, he will feel better and be in better shape in his declining years and probably enjoy the last 16 years (twice the addition) of his life much, much more with noticeable benefits of strength, endurance, sexual performance, etc., etc.
No roll is normally required, but if the skill increases past 50%, one may cut down on the length of time one needs to exercise each day.

Healing 0:
Also known as Binding Wounds or First Aid 0, this skill is automatically acquired by all adventurers for free. No roll is normally required. With this skill, a character may take an entire round to stabilize a victim of injury. This will stop them from bleeding to death (unless the injuries are internal), start their breathing (drowning victims), and, in general, prevent the further loss of hit points. The skill usually takes 10 SP worth of bandages (though some bit of cloth ripped from some clothing may suffice), and will stabilize a patient. Note: During this activity (all healing skills are similarly afflicted), the character administering aid cannot attack, will not have dexterity bonuses to their AC, and may be open to attack (attacker at +2 to +4 depending).

Healing 1:
If you begin the round after an injury was just inflicted, and you spend 3 rounds administrating to the wound, and if you then make your Healing 1 roll, you may heal a patient for 1D4 damage (not to exceed the damage done by the injuries inflicted in the last round). Failure of the roll simply indicates the extra healing did not occur (unless you rolled a critical fumble in which case you may further injure the patient by 1d2). Likewise, critical and special success rolls may be given a bonus healing by the DM. No scaring, extra healing, etc. may be indicated by special or critical successes.
You may not learn Healing 1 unless you already know Healing 0 and your percentage with this healing skill may not exceed your percentage with Healing 0.

Healing 2:
Similar to Healing 1, but you must spend 5 rounds tending the wound, though you may start within a turn (10 minutes) of any and all injuries. If your roll succeeds, you will heal the patient for up to 1D8 points (not to exceed the damage done by the all injuries in the last turn).
You may not learn Healing 2 unless you already know Healing 1, and your percentage with this healing skill may not exceed your percentage with Healing 1.

Healing 3:
This is more like surgery and requires special equipment (which can be purchased for 100 gp and weighs 10 lbs. and comes in a little black bag) and takes 1D4 hours to perform, but any unhealed (normal) injuries may be treated, and if the roll succeeds they will heal the patient for 2d8 damage (not to exceed all remaining damage) OR 1D4 damage for each injury (not to exceed the damage for each separate wound). As some of this basic equipment is alcohol, and the PCs know about germs and how to combat them, infections are not generally a problem. In fact, the very best that can be hoped for is to bring someone back to maximum hit points - 1 for a single injury, or -1d4 for multiple injuries. A small amount of damage must remain somewhere as this is more realistic, still takes some recovery time, and will leave scars. If you need better than this, then you'll have to resort to actual magic. Of course, for people like you and me (the masses) one hit point or 1d4 hit points is a lot, and the recovery time can be measured in days or weeks, but typical adventurers may just walk it off due to superior constitutions and a greater attunement to the universe and the powers that be (part of the justification of their hit points).

The Justification Of The Hit Point System (Are Hit Points Realistic Or What?)
You may not learn Healing 3 unless you already know Healing 2 and your percentage with this healing skill may not exceed your percentage with Healing 2.

Herbalism: This skill indicates that a character is familiar with the uses of natural plant products for good and ill. If a character spends a day searching the woods, and makes a successful proficiency check, enough herbs, fungi, roots, leaves, pollen, and pulp has been gleaned for 2d6 doses of something or another.
The most common use of these herbs is as an aid to healing; one dose of herbs can be used in conjunction with the Healing proficiency (by the herbalist or another healer). This dose adds +1 hit point to the wounds cured by a successful healing proficiency check. Even if the healing check fails, the herbs still restore the 1 hit point. With no healing proficiency, the herbs can still be used, but the herbalist needs to roll a successful check to restore the 1 hit point.
The herbs also can be used to create a poison, either ingested or injected. A single use of poison requires two doses of herbs. The lethality or other effects of the poison (paralysis, unconsciousness, delusions, etc.) must be worked out with the DM.

Heraldry: These characters are familiar with the heraldic symbols of their own lands, and those of neighboring lands. The characters can make proficiency checks when confronted with unusual or rare symbols; success means that they can identify the symbols.

Hide In Shadows: This is the Rogue's skill. Rogues initially start out 5% higher than others who take this skill. With this skill, the character can hide in shadows, conceal themselves behind bushes, or use whatever cover is afforded them to keep from being seen. Normally, they may be trying to advance while doing this. If they only wish to hide, motionless, they may add 10% to their roll. If they wish to move, however, a person with the skill Scan may detect them even if they make their roll. This will be a skill vs. skill roll.
Rogues get this skill for free.

Hunting: The hunting proficiency allows a character to find game and get reasonably close to it. The actual kill is handled using rolls to hit and for damage. Hunting is a proficiency that always requires a successful proficiency check when it is used.
If the check is successful, the hunter will reach a position within 1d100 + 100 yards of the quarry. Generally it will take about 2 to 12 daylight hours to reach this position, though an abundance or scarcity of game can decrease or increase this time at the DM's option. Night hunting might be possible for characters with infravision.
The hunter also possesses a basic skill at removing skin from an animal, and butchering the carcass into usable meat. These tasks require no checks.

Juggling: A character with this proficiency can juggle up to three small objects without a proficiency check. Additional objects can be added, but a check is required; use a -5% modifier for each item beyond the fourth, and a -10% modifier for each beyond the seventh, and finally a -25% modifier for each item the character's dexterity points. Checks are also required for spectacular feats, such as juggling lighted torches or whirling scimitars, with failure meaning that 1d4 items are dropped. The potential for damage or disaster is left to the DM.
This skill is primarily useful for entertainment or diversions, though characters with the juggling proficiency have a chance to catch small objects (such as darts or daggers) that are thrown at them. They must be facing the source of the attack to make such an attempt, and they must make a proficiency check with a -10% modifier. Fast items (such that they have a strength modifier they are thrown with such force) will automatically fail to be caught, but the juggler may not know this until they try, and thus they will automatically be hit since failure means they are automatically hit by the thrown objects.

Jumping: This skill means that a character has unusual abilities to jump across distances, leap incredible heights, and vault with a pole.
A human or elven character with the jumping proficiency can perform a running broad jump of 20 feet without a proficiency check; a jump of more than 20 feet requires a check, with a -5% modifier for each foot above 20. The jumper can do a standing broad jump of 8 feet without a check; longer jumps require proficiency checks with the same penalties.
The character can high jump 4 feet without a check, higher obstacles require a check, with a -5% modifier for every 6" of additional height. If jumping from a standing start, the beginning height is 3 feet, not 4 feet.
Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings are more limited in their jumping ability. For these characters, the basic distances in each category are reduced to 75% of the listed amount (e.g. 15 feet instead of 20 for the broad jump).
A vaulting pole must be at least as tall as the character using it, but no more than twice as tall. The character can vault over obstacles up to the height of the pole. If the obstacles are within 2 feet of the pole's length, however, the character must make a proficiency check. The vaulter can also jump across a space no more than the width of the pole's length. If the gap is greater than the length of the pole, a proficiency check is required. Not even a critical success may make the jump if the gap is more than twice the pole's length.

Languages Ancient: See Ancient Language,

Languages Modern:
See Modern Language.

Leather Working: The character with this skill can skin animals, tan leather, and work that leather into clothing, armor, backpacks and saddlebags, harnesses, etc. These tasks are automatic successes, but the leather worker will have to make a proficiency check when attempting unusual jobs (making a leather patch for a boat hull, for example, or making a usable tent of scraps of hide).

Listen: See Detect Noise.

Local History: The character knows all about the background of a specific area in the campaign world and can use this knowledge to entertain and enlighten others, gaining a +2 bonus to the reaction rolls of NPCs from that area. If a specific question comes up (the identity of a knight's banner seen in the distance, for example) the character can make a proficiency check, with success indicating the correct tidbit of information.

Martial Arts: This is the monk's ability to fight in unarmed combat with increased damage from fist, feet, or other body weaponry, as well as increases to one's AC. One may only be lightly encumbered or less to use this skill. This skill, however, must be taught. It cannot be self taught, nor can one gain knowledge of it from experience since it draws too heavily upon secrets and techniques gleaned from nature and her animals over the centuries.
Done properly, a character may follow a similar path and essentially be a monk, performing at incredible levels. However, most people do not follow this path and learn only the basics. The basics will allow the character to have one better AC than normal (though they must still be lightly encumbered or less), and their blows do 1d3 points of damage instead of 1d2 as fists normally do. Thus, the average man in the street may have an AC of 9 and do 1d3 with a first rather than have an AC of 10 and do 1d2. To do better than this, one must study with a master. It may take half a lifetime to learn this skill well enough to perform at levels higher than this. Monks start with this skill at 25% higher than others do.
Monks get this skill for free.

Mental Discipline: With this skill, the character may add +1 to their saving throws vs. mental attacks, or increase their MAC (Mental Armor Class) by one. This skill may only be taken once.
No roll is normally required for this skill.

Mining: A character with the mining proficiency can select the site of a mine and supervise its excavation and operation. Mining proficiency checks are best made for a player by the DM since the character will not learn for some time whether his suppositions about a potential mine were accurate.

Modern Languages: The character has learned one or more languages, other than his native tongue, that are contemporary to the campaign world. For each additional non-weapon proficiency slot used on modern Languages, the character can speak one additional language. One's native language always cost ZERO slots and is taken for free, though even races that normally have several languages must pay for them beyond the first (native language) of their race.
A bard character gets two languages for each NWP slot instead of one.

Move Silently: This is the Rogue's skill. Rogues initially have this skill at +10% more than others who take this skill do. With this skill, a character may creep silently into area unnoticed, but this requires a successful roll. While creeping, movement rates are at 1/3rd normal.
Rogues get this skill for free.

Mountaineering: A character with this proficiency is skilled in the use of hammer and pitons (spikes) to secure a route up a mountainside. He also knows how to use the rope and brackets that can link a party of climbers. A proficient character can make a route across a steep section of rocks, and by the use of ropes allow other, non proficient characters to follow.
No proficiency check is required unless the DM declares that a route is very perilous (steeply pitched, with few hand and footholds, and those that exist are tiny or loose). If a character connected to the mountaineer by rope falls, the mountaineering character can make a proficiency check. Success means that the other's fall has been arrested. Failure means that the other character continues to fall, and a fumble means that the mountaineer is pulled down as well.
Add 10% to this skill roll if the character has the Rope Use skill. Also, add 10% if the character is a Rogue.

Musical Instrument: The character can play a specific type of musical instrument. For each slot taken, they may add an extra instrument. The skill enables the character to play the instrument very well, though a proficiency check might be required when attempting a very difficult piece.
A bard character gets two instruments for each slot instead of one.

Navigation: Characters with the navigation proficiency know how to fix their locations on the seas and oceans of the campaign world by observing celestial clues. Characters with a sextant (not necessarily available in all campaigns) and a compass (also perhaps scarce), and who can see the stars or observe a sunrise or sunset, will know where they are (no proficiency check is necessary). Such a skilled character can navigate across entire oceans without becoming lost, though bad weather can obscure the celestial clues and blow a vessel far off course.
If a character does not have the proper tools, or is forced to work with only a general idea of direction (fog obscures the sunset, for example), the DM should secretly make the proficiency check. Success means the character is reasonably accurate in plotting the day's course. Failure means an off course error that varies by the extent of the failure (a fumble has the character going practically the exact opposite direction.) Characters with Astrology may add 10% to their Navigation skill. Characters with Astronomy may add 15% to their Navigation skill.

Open Locks: This is the Rogue's skill. Rogues initially have this skill at 10% more than others do. With this skill, a character may open locks, but this will require the proper tools and a successful roll. Rogues may improvise tools (DM's discretion) while others may not and must have them. Improvised tools probably will incur a penalty. A successful roll is required to open a lock without the key or combination. Some locks may be poorly constructed while others may be exceptional. The DM will secretly adjust the rolls before making them. The character will be able to tell after their first attempt what those adjustments may be, more or less.
Rogues get this skill for free.

Orate: Public speaking. A character with this skill may impress an audience with a speech and entice them to act as they wish (enrage a mob, calm a mob, etc.). A successful roll is required to do this. Add 5% to this skill if the character knows the language better than 60%; Add 10% if they know it better than 80%.

Orienteering: See Direction Sense.

Painting: A character with this proficiency is skilled at rendering images with oil, brush, and canvas. The artist can create reasonable portrayals of people, landscapes, and monsters, and he possesses a knowledge of perspective, shading, and composition.

Pick Pockets: This is the Rogue's skill. Rouges initially have this skill at +15% more than others who take it do. With this skill, the character may pick pockets, filch small items, etc. Failure mean the attempt didn't succeed but does not necessarily mean the pocket picker was caught or noticed. To determine this, subtract the level of the picker from the level of the victim, multiply by 3, and subtract this result from 100. If the picker rolls higher than this number, they were noticed. Note, it is possible the picker gets the item AND is noticed.
100-3x(victim-picker) or higher is noticed. Ignore results over 100. Critical fumbles are always noticed.
Example 1: The picker has a 57% chance to pick pockets and he is a 4th level warrior. If he attempts to pick the pocket of a 2nd level mage, 100-3X(2-4)=106%. The >100 result is ignored, so the picker will only be notice in this example if he fumbles (98, 99, or 100 at the 57% skill level).

Example 2: Picker, 57%, 4th level warrior as before. Victim, 13th level Priest. 100- 3x(13-4)= 73%. 57% or lower succeeds, 58 to 73% failure but is unnoticed, and 74% or higher is noticed.

Example 3: Picker 76%, 9th level mage. Victim, 21st level Arch Mage. 100-3x(21-9)=64%. 64% or lower succeeds and is unnoticed. 65 to 76% succeeds but is noticed. 77% or higher fails and the attempt is noticed.

Rogues get this skill for free.

Piloting: See Boating.

Pottery: The character can create ceramic vessels (jars, bottles, plates, bowls, etc.) of whatever type are in use in the campaign world. A serviceable piece of crockery can be made without a proficiency check. If the character attempts to make a fine quality piece, it will take about three days for an average sized object (and a successful proficiency check). Failure means the object is useless; success indicates the degree of excellence, with a critical success indicating that the character has created a work of unique value.

Reading Lips: Characters possessing this proficiency have a chance to understand the speech of those they can see but not hear. The speaker must be clearly visible, less than 30 feet away, and well illuminated (characters cannot lip read with infravision). If the speaker is addressing the lip reader and intends to be understood, no proficiency check is necessary. If the lip reader's attempt to "overhear" speech not directed to them, a proficiency check is required. Success means the gist of the words come through. The language must still be known by the lip reader, and their reading skill can be no higher than their skill level for that language.

Reading/Writing: The character is literate in ALL languages that he or she can normally speak at least at 50%.

Religion: A character with this proficiency is familiar with the basic tenets of the major and minor faiths practiced in the campaign world within one particular pantheon (i.e. Greek, Norse, Egyptian, etc.). Observing an act of religious significance (a blessing of warriors before battle, for example) means the character understands the importance of the ritual without a proficiency check. Checks are required to understand the activities of unique or foreign religions (different pantheons). Additional non-weapon proficiency slots may be taken to know more pantheons.

Riding, Airborne: The riding proficiencies are well detailed in the Player's Handbook. Add 5% to this skill if your character already has Animal Handling.

Riding, Land: The riding proficiencies are well detailed in the Player's Handbook. Add 5% to this skill if your character already has Animal Handling.

Rope Use: A character with this proficiency can tie knots of most kinds without a proficiency check. The character adds +10 to all mountaineering proficiency checks that involve rope and also gains +10% to climbing chances while using a rope if the DM says a rope will help.
If the character is tied up with ropes, or seeks to untie a tricky knot, a proficiency check is required. Success means that the bonds or knots come undone in 2d6 minutes.

Running: Characters can add 1/3rd their normal top speed to their movement rates for up to 1 turn. After this, they must spend a turn resting, or 6 turns engaged in normal activity before they can sprint again. Also, characters can jog steadily, moving at twice their normal movement rates over the course of a day. Eight hours of rest is mandatory after such a stint. Following rest, the characters can make proficiency checks. Success means they can run normally during the upcoming day; failure indicates they cannot use the running ability that day but may again the day after that.

Scan: This is the ability to see moving objects, whether it is night or the objects are cloaked in darkness and shadow or even harder to see amongst the trees and bushes. A successful roll indicates the character has penetrated any such attempt to hide. If used against a character who is actively trying to hide (as in Hide In Shadows), use a skill vs. skill roll between the characters to see what happens.

Sculpting: The character with this proficiency can render realistic objects out of stone and clay. A high level of sculpting proficiency means the character can create statues, statuettes, busts, and other objects of rare and valuable beauty.

Seamanship: These characters are trained to help operate galleys and sailing ships. They can row, hang rigging, steer a helm, patch canvas, and repair hulls (with tar or pitch, assuming they are not sinking at the time). This proficiency does not allow characters to navigate.
The captain of a vessel, who presumably possesses this skill at a high level, must make proficiency checks to avoid certain hazards of the sea. Such a seaman might take the ship into a reef-lined bay with no difficulty if a local pilot is there to act as a guide or he has an accurate map. But if the captain has to pick a path through coastal breakers, a failed check might mean a bump on the bottom of the hull, or that the ship has run aground. Bad weather and treacherous currents can penalize these proficiency checks, while fair breezes and superb visibility should convey positive modifiers.

Seamstress/Tailor: A character with this proficiency can sew garments out of all types of cloth (wool, cotton, silk, and well-tanned leather being the most common in the typical campaign world). The character can use needle and thread. The amount of time required for a job naturally varies by its complexity, but proficiency checks are only required if the character is attempting to make something truly unique and spectacular (a coronation gown for the queen, perhaps).
The character can also make field repairs on clothing that has been damaged by the vagaries of adventuring. These repairs typically require proficiency checks, with failure indicating that the patch will hold for only a very short time. A halfling character gains a +5% to this proficiency rating.

Search: Using this skill, a character may locate objects that have been hidden, concealed, or camouflaged. The DM should make this a skill vs. skill (i.e., my scan against you conceal skill vs. skill roll), or assign a % to a hidden object.
Elves add +15% to this skill.

Set Snares: A character with this skill can place small traps and snares along a game trail (a useful aid to gaining food in a non-civilized setting). Given proper materials (supple branches, bowstring or heavy thread), the character can make two snares in an hour without a proficiency check. The character can check the snares after eight hours, rolling a proficiency check for each. Success means that a small animal, such as a rabbit or partridge, has been snared. The checks can be modified up or down by the DM to reflect the population of animals in the area.
The character can create a larger snare, such as a pit trap, by making a proficiency check. An 8' deep, 6' square pit requires at least eight hours to make if the ground is soft and a decent shovel is available. Rocky ground, larger pits, and makeshift equipment can increase this time dramatically. Whether anything falls into the large pit is a matter of the DM's interpretation and generosity. Add 10% to this ability if your character has Animal Lore.

Sign Language: This is similar to a modern language and cost the same. However, the language is nonverbal, though usually translated to another language. Thus, the characters employing sign language must speak the same language (such as elven or common or dwarven for example). A character that knows sign language and common but not elven, for example, could not understand two people communicating in sign since they are effectively speaking Elvish. Once a character knows sign language, they may sign in any language they know.

Singing: The character knows and can perform the many types of songs, including some that involve complex or difficult notes. All songs common to the character's society will be familiar. Rare, archaic, or unusual songs will be known with a proficiency check. Also, characters who have had a chance to hear an unknown song can perform it -10% modifier, +5% for each time after the first that it is heard).
The character can compose songs, including choral works, with a successful proficiency check.
A bard character has this skill for free.

Sleight Of Hand: This is the ability to hide small items using misdirection. Similar to pick pockets, in a way, this skill is easier to master but is, at best, only half of the pick pocket skill. For example, if your Sleight of Hand skill were 40%, you would also have pickpockets at 20%. Sleight of Hand normally, however, does not involve contact with others, is safer, and still comes in handy when trying to hide small things, filth them from a table or desk while talking to someone, or the like.

Spellcraft: A character with this proficiency gains no actual spell use abilities, but does possess significant knowledge about spell casting. Observing or overhearing a spell being cast, or a getting a good look at the spell components, lets the character make a proficiency check. Success means the enchantment is recognized. Modify the check by +10% if the character can both see and hear, and add another +10% if the spell components are spotted.
Wizards using this proficiency gain +10% to checks made if the spell being studied is one from their own specialty or school.

Stonemasonry: A character with this skill knows how to excavate stone from quarries, cut that stone into blocks, make bricks, mix mortar, lay stone or brick, and carve simple designs and symbols into stone. The mason can lay cobblestones or bricks for roads and courtyards, and the work can include small arches and cantilevered platforms. None of these tasks require proficiency checks. The character's tools include hammers, chisels, trowels, block and tackle, plumb lines, shovels, and wedges. If fully equipped, a typical mason can build a wall, 10' long, 5' high and 1' thick, in one day - if the stone is already cut. The character can erect walls, buildings, pillars, stone abutments for bridges, etc.
The character can step up the work by making a proficiency check. Also, if the stonemason doesn't have the benefit of the engineering proficiency, checks must be made for wall sections higher than 10', and for structures involving arches or elaborate corners.
A dwarven character receives a +10% bonus when taking this proficiency.

Survival: A character with this proficiency has a basic knowledge of the dangers and challenges in certain wilderness terrain: arctic, woodland, desert, plains, or tropical. Mountains are not usually a separate terrain type (a mountain range may be tropical, wooded, snow covered, etc).
Survival skill means the character has a good chance of finding food or water in that environment (if there is any to be found). The character can roll a proficiency check once a day for each category. Success means food, water, or shelter is found. Typically it will take 1d6 hours to find water, and 2d6 turns to forage enough food for one person.
A character with this skill also understands the perils inherent in sudden storms and dangerous topical features (avalanches, quicksand, sandstorms, and landslides, for example). The DM might allow a player to roll a proficiency check when one of these dangers appears on the horizon (success means the character has noticed the menace).

Swimming: This useful proficiency allows characters to swim according to the AD&D game rules for water movement (see the Player's Handbook for more information). Characters without this proficiency are considered untrained swimmers, and they can do little more than hold their breath and float. Proficient characters can perform most swimming tasks without any checks.
For each 10% (or fraction thereof) beyond 50% with this skill, a character may add 1" to their movement rate while swimming.

Tailor/Seamstress: See Seamstress/Tailor.

Tracking: This skill allows the character to follow the trail of creatures or characters across most types of terrain. Modifiers include:

+20% Soft or muddy ground,
+15% Thick brush, vines, or reeds,
+10% Occasional signs of passage, dust,
+0% Normal ground, wood floor,
-50% Rocky Ground or shallow water,
+5% Every two creatures in the group being tracked,
-5% Every 12 hours since the trail was made,
-25% for every hour of rain, hail, snow or sleet,
-30% poor lighting conditions,
-25% tracked party attempts to hide trail
-50% tracked party attempts to hide trail and has a ranger or someone skilled at tracking.


Tightrope Walking: The character with this proficiency can balance on ropes, wires, slender beams, and other narrow, precarious surfaces. A typical movement rate is 60 feet a round, though an upward angle will slow this. Ascents and descents of 45 degrees or more are not possible.
The character does not require a proficiency check if the surface is at least 4" wide. Narrower surfaces require checks, with failure indicating a fall. The DM may allow a second roll to immediate catch yourself. A second failure is a fall.
If walking on a flat surface more than an inch wide, the character receives a +15% modifier to the check. A balance pole adds another +10% modifier, though high winds or a moving surface can contribute significant negatives (as much as -50%).
If the character makes an attack or suffers damage while balanced on a rope, a proficiency check is required. Failure signals a fall. Attacks made while on the rope suffer -5 penalties on attack rolls. Also, a character walking on a tightrope has limited maneuverability and therefore does not gain an AC bonus for Dexterity.

Throwing: Characters with this proficiency add 10' to each range category of thrown weapons, and increases the damage OR the attack roll by +1 each time they throw a weapon. The player can elect to improve either the damage or attack roll, but the choice must be announced before the attack is made.
For each 10% (or fraction thereof) beyond 50%, a character adds another 5' to thrown weapon ranges.

Tumbling: Characters with this proficiency can roll, somersault, stand on their hands, flip forward and backward, and otherwise perform feats of acrobatics. They can only perform tumbling feats if unencumbered or lightly encumbered.
Tumbling characters can improve their AC by 4 on a given round if: they are avoiding attacks directed against them, win initiative, and elect not to attack that round at all. A tumbling character can move up to 20 feet, or remain in one place, during the course of this evasion. In unarmed combat a character with tumbling ability improves attack rolls by +2.
The character can attempt to dodge through obstacles or escape through narrow apertures, but successful proficiency checks are required. If the character topples from a height of 60 feet or less, a successful proficiency check results in suffering only half damage from the fall.

Ventriloquism: Characters using this skill can make others believe that sounds and voices are coming from somewhere else. Such a character must pass a proficiency check to deceive an audience. This roll might be modified by some of these factors: the intelligence of the listeners (+/-15%); the distance from the ventriloquist to the apparent source of the sound (not more than 20 feet); the believability of the ventriloquist's words and sounds; whether the audience can observe the proficient character; and the length of the ventriloquism display.

Weaponsmithing: This proficiency allows a character to create metal weapons. The Player's Handbook gives the time and material cost requirements for various types of weapons.
A character who seeks to create a truly exceptional weapon, can make a proficiency check after the item is completed. If the check fails, the weapon is useless, melted down for its bare metal; if the check succeeds, the character has created a weapon that is worth 50% more than the typical example. These are the kinds of weapons selected by wizards for enchantment.
Dwarves get a +5% bonus to their rating with this proficiency.

Weapon THAC0: This skill is similar to a weapon proficiency, but not quite. One may not, for example, use this slot to fulfill a weapon proficiency requirement for your class or for specialization, or even use it for missile weapons, but otherwise, this may be used to become proficient with a melee weapon.
Normally, however, this skill is used to augment existing weapon proficiency. The skill may only be used once thus, and it will add 1 to your character's THAC0 for a particular weapon. For example, your ranger may take it and their THAC0 with short sword will always be one better than their normal THAC0 would indicate.
However, a character may repeatedly take this skill to improve in the same weapon, but each time they take it after the first requires double the effort. Thus, one non-weapon proficiency slot the first time, then two, then 4. etc. Effectively, this means if characters wanted to, they could become quite good with a single weapon. Most adventures would not do this, but a few NPCs might, effectively becoming pretty darn good with their weapon of choice, even if it does mean they have few skills elsewhere.

Weather Lore: A character with this proficiency has a knowledge of winds, humidity, clouds, and seasons and can accurately predict the immediate weather simply by looking at the sky. With a proficiency check the character can predict what will happen during the next 12 hours. Modify the check up to +/-30% if only looking up to 6 hours ahead.

Weaving: A character with this skill can weave yarn into cloth, and he can create tapestries, cloaks, and other large swaths from thread. The character can spin wool into yarn with a spinning wheel, and he needs a loom to artfully weave that yarn. Halflings get a +5 bonus to their rating with this proficiency.

Writing/Reading: See Reading/Writing.

Posted March of 2000
by
James L.R. Beach
Waterville, MN 56096