From: [d 2 dcblu] at [fre.fsu.umd.edu] (L.L. Cool Ranch Dressing) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives Subject: SUPPLEMENT: LIST OF NWP'S Date: 29 Mar 1996 14:49:51 -0500 NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES # OF RELEVANT CHECK NAME SLOTS ABILITY MODIFIER Group Accounting 1 Intelligence 0 General Alternate Magics Knowledge 1 Intelligence see below General Battle Sense 1 Intelligence 0 Warrior Blazoning 1 Intelligence +1 General Boasting 1 Charisma +3 Warrior Boating 1 Wisdom +1 General Bureaucracy 1 Intelligence see below General Cryptography 1 Intelligence see below General Distillation 1 Intelligence 0 General Divining 1 Wisdom -2 Mg./Pr. Draftsmanship 1 Dexterity 0 General Dweomercraft 2 Intelligence -3 Mage Fencing 2(4) Dexterity n/a Warrior Genelogyy 1 Intelligence see below General Haggling 1 Charisma 0 General Heraldic Law 1 Intelligence -1 General Librarian 1 Intelligence 0 Mg./Pr. Magical Engineering 1 Intelligence -1 Mage Meditation 1 Intelligence n/a Mage Monster Lore 1 Intelligence see below General Read/Tie Quipu 1 Intelligence -1 Mg./Pr. Revelations 1 Intelligence 0 General Riding, Seaborne 2 Wisdom -2 General Signaling 1 Wisdom -2 General Street Illusion 1 Dexterity -2 General Specific Spell 3 Intelligence -3 Mage Speed Casting 2 Wisdom -2 Mage Strategy/Tactics 2 Wisdom see below Warrior Subtle Casting 2 Dexterity -2 Mage Teaching 1 Wisdom -2 General Theory of Magic 2(3) Intelligence n/a Mage Trailing/Tailing 1 Dexterity see below General Voice Mimicry 2 Charisma see below General Accounting A character with the accounting proficiency can save himself and his party from 11-18% (1d8+10%) of the taxes and/or levies they would pay on their treasure and income. The amount saved may have to be invested in some business or public project, but the value of the money would stay with the character or party (i.e., a business has a specific value, but it is not in currency form). Note that this does not necessarily exempt PC-owned businesses from paying income taxes... this proficiency is describing the ability to find some form of tax shelters. Alternate Magics Knowledge This proficiency grants a familiarity with magic that does not originate with conventional spellcraft. Examples of this include the innate abilities of fairies, demons, djinn, and other known magical creatures, as well as the unusual spellcasting done by dragons and their ilk. A successful proficiency check indicates that the wizard has correctly identified the source and nature of the magical phenomenon. The check modifier for non-mages is -1; 0 for mages. Battle Sense This proficiency allows a warrior to have a sense of what is going on in the battle around him. It is a proficiency that is often taken by combat leaders (lieutenants in militia and so forth.) The warrior can tell when members of his troop have taken severe wounds, when the other side is leading an advance or attempting to herd his group in a certain direction, which are the enemy leaders, and so forth. This allows him to give orders about troop movements while still involved in the melee himself. None of the above abilities require a proficiency check. On a successful proficiency check, the warrior can determine whether an area is ripe for an ambush, and which part of a terrain holds the advantage for combatants. This check cannot be performed while in melee combat. Blazoning A blazon is a formula describing exactly what a certain heraldic device looks like. Characters with this proficiency can reconstruct a coat of arms from its written description or encode an image in blazon form. This skill must be used to perform several other heraldic arts. Boasting Heralds use this seeming simple skill to proclaim their lord's ancestry and triumphs. By making a successful boast, a herald can improve the morale of one unit of troops by 5% (one point under 1st or 2nd Ed. BATTLESYSTEM miniature rules). A boast can also impress other nobles in diplomatic missions. When a herald successfully boasts for his liege, give the noble +10% on reaction rolls. One cannot use boasting without a history proficiency that applies to the noble who is the subject of the boast. A person who studies both boasting and family history can boast effectively for himself. Boating A character with this proficiency is needed to guide a boat down a rapid stream or to reduce the chance of capsizing a canoe or kayak. In addition, a boat guided by a person with this proficiency is propelled at maximum speed. This proficiency is distinct from Navigation and Seamanship which apply to oceans, seas, or large lakes rather than small craft on smaller lakes and rivers. Bureaucracy A character with this proficiency gains a number of benefits. They know and understand the nature of how government works, and the paperwork that goes along with it. Each proficiency slot allows the character to have the knowledge of the bureaucracy of one government (be that a country, land, or region). The benefits are as follows: - Can get government permits of any kind in 50% of the time that it would normally take. - 50% base chance of getting to meet with someone in charge and authority within the government structure. -Thieves who have the Fast Talking proficiency gain a bonus of -4 to their proficiency check when Fast Talking government officials. Cryptography This proficiency allows the character to create and break codes and ciphers. Reading/writing is required in order to learn this proficiency. Multiple slots to this proficiency are often very helpful. Codes and ciphers fall into four levels of difficulty (equivalent to the number of slots of "cryptography" taken by the person that does the encryption). Their specific requirements are as follows: Difficulty Base Breaking Time Check Modifier 0 10 minutes +1 1 1 day 0 2 1 week -1 3 1 month -2 The person encrypting the text can use a difficulty level no higher than the level of cryptography proficiency he/she possesses. The base breaking time is the unit of time that a person must spend to have any chance of "breaking" the code. Each day of code-breaking must be 8 hours of uninterrupted thought or the period must be begun anew. The check modifier is an additional bonus/penalty applied to breaking a code that is dependent on its difficulty only. The DM may choose to add more modifiers because of the length of the text or successive failures. Codes/ciphers can only be broken by a person familiar with the language that the normal text is in. If encrypted documents are to be used for general communications, both the encryptor and decryptor must know the key. The impracticality of changing keys frequently is the only thing that tends to keep codes in use for long enough that breaking them becomes worthwhile. In order to change codes, the encryptor must merely decide to. It is a very quick job to create a code, generally taking 4 hours per proficiency level. Codes should be referenced (code A, code B, etc) so that the DM can remember which ones are in use. Distillation This is a specialized function of alchemy which deals in condensing a substance to its most potent form. It allows the creation of various essences and extracts, and allows almost any substance to be concentrated. This skill can also emphasize one function or effect of the substance in question over another effect. For example, if a nightshade leaf were to be distilled, the distiller would have two options (or more) available to him. He could choose to emphasize the poisonous qualities of the leaf, which would result in a very concentrated substance which would cause the exact same poisonous effects as a large quantity of nightshade. The smell and taste of this essence would be reduced (might be eliminated if a 1 is rolled for a proficiency check) as the chemicals causing these effects are reduced or eliminated. If the charcter wished, however, to condense it such that it emphasized it's spicy flavor, rather than poisonous qualities, then an extract would be produced which would act as a strong spice, but would have only mild, if any, poisonous effects on the victim. A character MUST take the Alchemy proficiency first in order to take this proficiency. Divining When a character put a slot on this proficiency, he must chose a Way of Divining. He can gain as many Ways as he puts slots (one per slot), or he can specialize in a single Way (up to a max. of 4 slots per way). By means of this proficiency, the character can divine things, by observing the components required, which must be in sight (e.g. pyromancy needs a fire source). These components cannot be used more than in a single power per day, e.g. if a pyromaniac uses a fire source to detect magic means that this fire source will only function to detect magic that day. But another fire source can be used. Ways of Divination Divination By/Through/Using Acultomancy needles Aeromancy observation of atmospheric phenomena (comets, etc) Alectormancy sacrifice of a rooster Aleuromancy flour Alomancy salt Alphitomancy means of loaves of barley Alveromancy means of the sounds Amniomancy means of the caul (afterbirth that envelops the head of a newborn) Anthropomancy means of human entrails Apantomancy means of any objects which happen to present themselves Arithmancy means of numbers Armomancy means of inspection of ones's shoulders Aspidomancy means of drawing a circle, sitting within it, and chanting conjurations Axinomancy means of a hatchet or woodcutter's axe Batraquomancy frogs Belomancy arrows Botanomancy means of burning branches Capnomancy studying smoke Cartomancy means of cards (tarot...) Catop/Enoptromancy means of a mirror Causimomancy means of fire Chaomandy examination of the phenomena of the air Ceroscopy wax Cleromancy study of thrown black & white beans/ stones/ bones/ dice/ whatever Critomancy study of viands and cakes Crystalomancy use of a crystal globe Dactylomancy rings Daphnomancy means of a laurel Emonomancy means of demons Eromancy a water's vessel Gastromancy from the belly Geomancy the signs of the world Grafology writing Gyromancy continually going in a circle marked by letters on the circumference Hippomancy study of movements by white horses Hydromancy water Ichthyomancy inspection of fish entrails Kephalonomancy inspection of the baked haed of an ass Lithomancy use of stones Margaritomancy pearls Myomancy rats or mice Necromancy means of spirits of the dead Onomancy a donkey Onychomancy studying one's fingernails Ornithomancy studying the flight or songs of birds Palmistry looking at the lines and marks on the human hand Pyromancy fire Rhabdomancy rod or staff Rhapsodomancy means of opening the works of a poet at random and reading the verse which first presents itself oracularly Sortilege lots Stolisomancy from observing the manner in which one dresses oneself Sycomancy the leaves of a fig tree Tephramancy ashes of a fire that consumed a sacrifice Tiromancy means of cheese Xylomancy means of wood found in one's path Powers list First slot - detect magic - detect undead - detect evil/good - detect poison - detect snares & pits - detect charm Second slot - detect lie - detect invisility - know alignment - locate object Third slot - augury - speak with spirits (as per speak with dead) Fourth slot - legend lore Draftsmanship This skill is used to physically draw the coat of arms. It is most useful when combined with a blazoning proficiency, since the character can then create a perfect achievement from written records. Without blazoning, the draftsman must work from a perfect copy of the achievement and is penalized by a +2 modifier on the die roll. Draftsmanship requires a set of paints and brushes, as well as the shield or other materials to be emblazoned. If the color "or" (gold) is to be used, a jeweler must be employed to apply gold leaf. Dweomercraft This rare non-weapon proficiency is generally only available in a world with a high degree of magical knowledge. It represents much in-depth study of metamagic (i.e. the forces which underlie magic itself). Hence, it usually must be learned from a university or academy. On a successful proficiency check during spell research, the wizard can reduce the time required to complete the spell by 25%. The expenses that would have arisen during this extra time are, naturally, not accrued. Fencing Fencing is a special way of fighting with a sword unlike the regular method. To fence a character must use a long sword, short sword, rapier, or scimitar only; other swords are ineligible. It is also impossible to fence while using a shield larger than a buckler. In addition, the character must already have proficiency with the sword before he/she can learn fencing. There are two levels of fencing, each costs two non-weapon proficiency slots. The first level of fencing allows the character to use his/hers sword as a piercing weapon regardless of the normal usage of the sword type. It also gives him a bonus of -1 on the weapon speed. The second level gives an additional -1 on weapon speed. Also, it allows the character to parry once per round and still attack normally. This parry is only effective against frontal or flank attacks, not rear or missile attacks. It gives a bonus of +1 on AC for a single attack only. The parry can be announced at any time, but it must be announced before the to hit roll. Fencing must be taught to the character be someone who is at least two levels higher in actual level than the character and at least equal to the fencing level that the character wants to obtain. Fencing masters are very secretive about their abilities and selective as to their students. Note that fencing proficiency is independent of the fighter's ability to specialize and the bonuses are cumulative. Genelogyy This proficiency allows a character to understand the genealogy and great deeds of a certain noble family. A separate proficiency slot must be used for each family studied, although this skill applies even to very distant relatives of the same house. History can be used as a minor, nonmagical form of legend lore, which is useful only for researching ancestors of the appropriate family. The character must make a successful roll to learn accurate information, modified by +1 for every 100 years old or 100 miles distant the subject of research is. Haggling A successful roll allows the PC to buy an item at 10% less than its asked price (or 10% over the base price if selling); a roll of 4 or less means a 25% change. A roll of 19 or 20 means the other party is outraged by the last offer and refuses to negotiate further. DMs might require that this be role-played; naturally charming characters should have an edge, while PCs who are arrogant or simply demand the 'right' price may blow it on any die roll. Heraldic Law A character uses this proficiency to understand the nuances of custom and law that govern heraldry. Heraldic law not only controls heraldry but also regulates jousts and lethal duels. Whenever a character requests a special favor from the college of heralds or is summoned before a court of chivalry, the heraldic law skill becomes vital. Characters who do not have it may hire NPC lawyers to argue for them. Librarian This proficiency allows much knowledge on the proper handling, care, and filing of tomes. If a Librarian wishes to find a tome in a filing system he is familiar with, no roll is required. An unfamiliar filing system requires a proficiency check, while a library that has no standardized classification system calls for a check at -3 (the Librarian asks himself, "Where would I put that book if this were my library?"). The handling of brittle tomes is best left to a Librarian. A proficiency check allows them to handle brittle pages without further damage to rare, ancient tomes. In addition, Librarians are experts at quick research, and can skim any book they could normally read at 2-4 (1d3+1) times the speed it would take the average person to read the tome. Because one is actually only looking for key words and ideas, one cannot skim one's spells to decrease memorization time, but it may help reduce spell research time at the DM's option. The skill assumes that the Librarian speaks the language that the books are written in, or has some similar method to discern the contents of the book or piece of information he is looking for. Magical Engineering A character that has this proficiency can determine the nature of a magical item more easily. He/she does this by examining the item and looking for clues in its composition, form, and decoration. A successful proficiency check indicates that the character has correctly identified the item. Some particularly unusual magic items would apply significant penalties to this roll (e.g. while a Sword +1 and Ring of Invisibility would have no modifiers, a Sword of Sharpness and Staff of the Magi might be harder to identify correctly). Whether or not the ability check succeeds, the character using this proficiency will think that he/she has correctly identified the item. However, if the roll fails, the DM should tell the character that it is something that it in fact is not. This proficiency also reduces the amount of time needed to construct a magical item by a percentage equal to the intelligence of the wizard. Meditation The meditation non-weapon proficiency allows a bonus to all intelligence checks if they follow an hour of meditation. For example, if a wizard wanted to use his Magical Engineering proficiency on a ring, he would get a +1 bonus to his intelligence check if he spent an hour beforehand meditating on the problem. The method of meditating varies considerably from wizard to wizard. For some, it involves measured breathing while in lotus position -- for others, it means puffing silently on a pipe while watching the clouds. It is up to the player and DM to come up with an appropriate meditation method. Monster Lore The character has learned the legends, lore and history of monsters. The knowledge is vague and possibly incorrect. However, the knowledge acquired gives the character a helpful clue to a newly encountered monster. The clue could be the name of the creature, special ability of the creature, way of defeating the creature, or other interesting tidbit of information. Because the knowledge is based on legends and lores, the information may be exaggerated or even incorrect. The check modifier is based on the frequency of the monster (i.e. the likelihood the creature is encountered). very rare -4 rare -3 uncommon -2 common -1 The modifier may be adjusted for environment. For example, an elf encounters a unicorn in the woods. Because he is in his personal locale the modifier is adjusted +1. This can work against the character as well. If the elf was on a ship in the middle of the ocean, he would suffer an adjusted -1 modifier. Read/Tie Quipu The character can read and tie quipus. Quipus are a means of recording information by the use of knotted strings of differing colors and lengths. Since each culture ties their quipus uniquely, the character must select the language in which he is proficient; examples are Common, Elven, and Halfling. Other options may exist to these standard languages, such as the dialect of the merchant houses, at the DM's discretion. Whenever, a PC attempts to read or tie a quipu, a proficiency check must be made. When tying a quipu, characters add any reaction adjustment for high or low dexterity as an additional check modifier; for example, a PC with a DEX of 17 would need to roll under his INT +1 (-1 + 2). A failed check means that the quipu is unreadable by that character until he gains a level or that the quipu has been tied incorrectly and is unreadable. On a roll of 20, the character misreads/misties the quipu in such a manner that the mistake is undetectable and results in an outcome to the character's detriment (e.g., a spell memorized from a mistied quipu might not function or have the reverse effect). Additional languages may be added by devoting more slots. This proficiency does not convey the ability to read quipus from ancient cultures. This nonweapon proficiency was written for the Dark Sun setting, where wizardry magic is illegal and paper more scarce than water. While originally designed for Dark Sun, it is quite transferable to other settings (e.g., you're not having that barbarian witch-doctor using a paper spellbook are you? tsk-tsk). Revelations Coats of arms reveal a myriad of details about their owners, and this skill lets a character learn them. A character who makes a successful revelations check can learn about any of the following features of an arms-bearer: alliances, marriages, conditions of birth (rank of family and order of birth), disgraces, magnitude of political authority (offices held, size of land, etc.), and triumphs. This includes any major exploits of the armsbearer or his ancestors. For game purposes, it lets heralds roughly determine a character's experience level. Riding, Seaborne A character with this proficiency may ride either a sea horse, hippocampus, or other sea-creature (must specify which). The proficiency allows him to steer the mount with his knees and urge it to greater speed, as with the other riding proficiencies. This skill is exempt from the restriction that clerics of Poseidon ride only horses. Signaling Herald's play a vital role in war. A shouting army commander cannot be heard on a battlefield, so orders must be broadcast to the units with flags, drums and shrill horns. A herald with this proficiency can communicate over a distance of one mile, or as far away as banners can be seen, whichever is greater. Refer to the Wilderness Survival Guide p. 72-75. Obviously, big banners can be seen from far away, so many kings regulate the size of their vassals' standards to hinder rebellion. In the BATTLESYSTEM rules, it is easiest to simply assume that signaling always works, unless there is some interference such as an imposter herald or bad weather. However, when an army is being raised in the campaign world, each brigade commander or army commander must find someone with the signaling proficiency. Signaling might also be useful during any standard adventure. Street Illusion Street illusion allows the character the ability to perform tricks that involve the palming of small items. He or she can make such an item (no larger than a knife) appear to vanish, and then to make the item appear wherever the character can reach (pulling the coin from an ear or something) on a successful proficiency check (with the -2 penalty). By using flash powder (available for 1 sp per dose), the character can add +1 bonus. The character can also do many card tricks and is able to run a game of 3-card-monte on a successful check. If the character uses this ability to entertain at a bar or to peasants on the street, he or she can add +1 to encounter rolls as the people are taken to like the person doing such nice tricks. In combat, the character can appear unarmed, but can pull a knife or dagger that was palmed if need be. It is recommended that the player uses imagination as to just what the character can do with this proficiency. Specific Spell This very special non-weapon proficiency represents that a wizard might, through much study and dedication, be able to specialize in a spell in the same way that a fighter can specialize in a weapon. Wizards can only specialize in a given spell once, and they can never begin at first level specialized. When the wizard first decides to specialize in a particular spell, he must decide what component of the spell he wishes to emphasize. This can never be changed. Offensive Spell: 1) Reduce target's saving throw by 1. 2) +1 point of damage per die. Any Spell: 1) Increase duration by +50%. 2) Increase range by +50%. 3) Increase area of effect by +50%. Note that some spells can have any of these applied (e.g. Melf's Minute Meteors), while others cannot. For instance, any spell with an "instantaneous" or "permanent" duration cannot be increased by +50%. Likewise, a spell with a range that is either "0" or "touch" cannot have its range improved by +50%. Finally, a spell with an area of effect of "caster only" cannot be increased. Speed Casting This proficiency, taken once, allows the wizard to reduce the initiative modifier of any spell by one if he/she makes his/her proficiency roll. If the wizard has chosen this proficiency more than once, he/she must make a proficiency roll for each level of speed casting he/she possesses. This proficiency cannot be taken more than three times, and no spell may have its initiative modifier reduced below one. Examples of use: The wizard in these examples has three levels in speed casting and a wisdom of 13 (thus, he has a +1 modifier because he has three levels of speed casting). Example one: The wizard wants to cast Chaos (initiative modifier of 5). He rolls a 10, 5, and 13. Since he made all of his proficiency checks, the initiative modifier on Chaos is reduced to 2. Example two: Again, the wizard wants to cast Chaos. This time, he rolls a 12, 2, and 20. The Chaos spell has its initiative modifier reduced to 3. Example three: This time, the wizard rolls a 5, 19, and 4. Since the second roll failed, it does not matter what the third roll was (in this case, it would have passed). The Chaos spell has its initiative modifier reduced only to 4. Spells that have an explicit casting time instead of an initiative modifier are in no way speeded up by this spell. Design note: Wisdom is the relevant ability here because it was felt that mental toughness and concentration are required to rush out the spell without distraction, rather than memory or analytical ability (i.e. intelligence). Strategy/Tactics A character with this proficiency understands strategies and tactics of large scale combat. The character can predict the actions of armies in combat. The parties are generally of more than 20 men, and must be under command, acting in unison, and with intelligence. It is impossible to predict the actions of a mob or any other party that acts without direction. A successful proficiency check allows the character to hear the plans of the enemy before making his/hers own. A new check must be made each round. When leaders with this proficiency are attempting to outguess each other, the DM makes secret checks for each leader. The leader with the highest margin of success gets the real information, the other general gets false information. The character can set successful ambushes with a proficiency roll at a -1 penalty. He/she can also avoid ambushes by making a check at -3, thus negating the ambush and the surprise. The proficiency is also somewhat useful in single combat situations. The character gains a +1 on his/hers surprise roll due to his/hers alertness in combat situations. In addition, because soldiers appreciate professionalism, armies lead by someone with this proficiency add +1 to their morale. Subtle Casting A wizard with this proficiency can cast spells so sneaky that no observer can detect any somatic spell components unless they make a successful Spellcraft proficiency check. If the wizard combines this with a Vocalize spell, the only outward sign that he is casting a spell might be the visible effects of the spell itself. Teaching The Teaching proficiency allows a character who is not specialized in a skill to teach that skill to others. The teacher must still be proficient in the skill that is to be taught. For example, a character that has the Teaching, Swimming, and Longsword proficiencies can teach others to swim and to be proficient (but not specialized) in fighting with a Longsword. When attempting to teach a skill (thieving skill, weapon proficiency, NWP, new spells, access to new spell levels) to another, the character with the Teaching proficiency must roll a Teaching proficiency check at the end of each day. The teaching is complete as soon as a check is made for a particular skill. The teacher can attempt to impart no more than one skill at a time. When a character that has the Teaching proficiency also has Animal Training, the training time for the animal is cut in half. The Teaching proficiency is not self-referential. That is, to teach the Teaching proficiency, a character must have devoted at least two slots to the Teaching proficiency. Theory of Magic This proficiency represents an extensive study of the general theory of magic, and requires access to a magical library (see notes on spell research in DMG). The effect is to move the mage up one point of Intelligence with respect to the 'Chance to Learn Spell' column in Table 4 of the PHB, page 16. A second study of this proficiency will require 3 slots, twice the time, and five times the cost, but will also include at least one "publishable result" that the mage might take advantage of (see Academician, from CWHB). Optional: Theory of Spellpower, Theory of Spellbooks, which are similar to the above proficiency, except that they apply to the Spell Level, and Max. # of Spells/Lvl columns, respectively. Trailing/Tailing This is basically tracking in major urban centers. It is the talent of tailing someone or catching them. A proficiency check is made to determine if the character is noticed. This is made at -5 if the target has the Alertness proficiency. If the character is noticed the target may attempt to evade requiring another check at -3 to +3. The DM may apply situational modifiers such as for clear or crowded streets. For any Trailing proficiency roll, a -3 penalty applies if the person followed has the Trailing proficiency as well. OR This skill involves tracking in cities. By keeping the subject in sight without being noticed, the character can follow him with a base chance of 10% plus 5% for each level after the 1st. If the character fails his roll, he may make a second one, at +4 to pick up the trail again. On a 19 or 20, the victim knows he's being shadowed; if the victim tries to shake the tail, roll again at +6. Voice Mimicry A character is able to imitate any accent he has heard. Success is automatic unless his listeners speak the language imitated; in such cases a proficiency roll is required with a +2 bonus. When imitating a specific voice, success is automatic against strangers, there is no modifier to the check when dealing with acquaintances of the person imitated, -2 to fool a friend, and -5 to fool a close friend. If a disguise is first successful then a +5 bonus to the voice mimicry roll is applied. If voice mimicry is successful then there is a +1 modifier to the disguise check.