An Explanation

I figured I might as well break down that whole skill thing from last post and explain my point of view. I think I'll start from the 3.5 Edition skill set, rather than 3.0. 3.0 had some serious jank that I am happy to see gone. Anyway, let's get with it.

Craft skill are where we start and if you look at the seventeen for 4th Edition, you see there is no analogue. Except for Martial Practices and Alchemy, if you're speaking of creating magic crap, Rituals handle that.

Climb has been folded into Athletics, which makes sense, and because it saves time, Swim has been folded in there as well.

Appraise, hmm. One.

Balance, Jump, and Tumble are handled by Acrobatics, and Escape Artist as well.

Bluff is Bluff, simple enough. It also incorporates Disguise.

Diplomacy is Diplomacy.

Gather Information is covered by the Word on the Street Martial Practice, maybe even Streetwise.

Concentration is irrelevant to the game mechanics of 4th Edition, two.

Decipher Script is covered by the Martial Practice of the same name.

Forgery is covered by the Martial Practice Precise Forgery.

Speak Language is replaced by the ability to take the Linguist feat.

Disable Device, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand have become Thievery.

Handle Animal, hmm, sounds like Nature. Nature also handles Knowledge (Nature), and Survival.

Heal is Heal.

Hide and Move Silently are combined into Stealth.

Knowledge (Arcana), along with Spellcraft, are Arcana.

Knowledge (Architecture). Hmm, three.

Knowledge (Dungeoneering) is Dungeoneering.

Knowledge (Geography), it doesn't say it implicitly, but this is goes with Nature in my book.

Knowledge (History) is History.

Knowledge (Local), this is Streetwise.

Knowledge (Nobility), four.

Knowledge (Religion) is now Religion. Which is a lot easier to type than Knowledge (Religion).

Knowledge (The Planes), depending on the plane, I would say this falls under Arcana or Religion. Call it a cop out, but I'm a GM and Rule 0 applies.

Listen, Search, Spot, and even Read Lips are now Perception, and Perception is used for tracking now.

Perform...five? I guess.

Profession, six.

Ride, Nature if you're riding an animal. If you're riding something magic, you could probably just use Arcana to control it. I dunno.

Sense Motive has become Insight, not Streetwise like the chart says.

Use Magic Device, seven.

Use Rope, you got me. Eight.

I know I said two in my last post, that is now eight (or more if you want to be picky). So, when dropping from thirty-six to seventeen, it looks like only eight have actually been removed from the game, and I'll get to that in a moment. I've written all this knowing very little about Martial Practices, Rituals, and Alchemy. Plus, there are Skill Tricks as well. I feel like the argument against 4th Edition's "weak" skill list is kind of rendered invalid at this point. Granted, not all of this was available right out that gate when 4th Edition came out, but we're two years in here and 3.5 Edition had a lifespan of five years, plus three years for the developers to figure out what they were doing during 3.0's run. On to the next part.

The following is just my ruling on things, its kind of the GMs job to fill in the rough spots, or at least try to until the publishers produce something.

Appraise, ok, I don't know what do do with this one. Concentration, the whole purpose of this skill has been removed from 4th Edition, to hold spells while being distracted. Its not really necessary anymore and I think any non-spell related effects it handled could be probably handled by Endurance. Knowledge (Architecture), I've never seen it used, but I would allow a Dungeoneering check to handle this. Knowledge (Nobility) could be handled by History or Streetwise I think. Perform, I think Bluff would work for plays or acting. Anything else, I dunno. I guess if you play an instrument, indicate whether you are good or not in your background and play that way. If you're guy is funny, make funny jokes.

Profession deserves its own spot here on the old blog, it really grinds my gears. Fuck this skill, it is dumb. Ok, you were a blacksmith or a leatherworker before you became an adventurer. Are you one of those now? Yes? Why are you adventurer? Why aren't you in your shop? You are going to die if you go into a dungeon, that's why they send the Fighters and Wizards in there and not the tanners and coopers. I understand the purpose behind the skill, but it seems like the game can lose it without losing anything. If you really really want being a cooper to be in your background, say so, then go on Wikipedia and spout off random barrel based quips during game time. That is role-playing. If that isn't enough, take the Master Artisan Martial Practice and make a damn barrel while everyone else goes off into the dungeon and makes a few hundred marks killing bandits.

Use Magic Device. Magic items have lost a lot of their "only this class can use this item" stuff. Any character can take the Alchemist of Ritual Caster feat. If you really want to use magic holy symbols and wands and such, most multiclass feats allow that when you take them.

Use Rope, hmm, just tie a damn knot I guess.

There are fewer skills, but each skill is more useful, so in effect, the 4th Edition Fighter with his three skills gets more bang for his buck than the 3.5 Edition Fighter with two skill points per level. the removal of skill ranks removes a lot of the balls ass crazy skill point distribution from the game. Pick a skill, trained, bam, +5. If you want to be a generalist and have a decent ability with a lot of skills, take skill training feats or the Jack of All Trades feat, or take the Bard multiclass feat and the Bard of All Trades feat. It has worked out quite well for my Eladrin Bard. Combined with the +1 to each skill check per two levels, everyone can do decently at a wide range of skills if its really that important.

I guess those are my thoughts on 4th Editions "limited" skills.