Find Your Path: Skill

 

 

H'aanit from Octopath Traveler, strongest party member, change my mind

"What is locked... can be opened... What is hidden... can be found... What is yours... ...can be mine." - Garrett, Thief: Deadly Shadows

Note: all of the rules discussed are based on the current version of the game, 1.2.2.

 

In this post, I'll be going over the Path of Skill for my in-development game, Miasma and Monsters. If you are unfamiliar with the game, please read my post introducing it here.

Not the type looking to solve all their problems with blunt force trauma? Do you prefer to use finesse instead of raw power? Then read on about the Path of Skill. Within it, you will find Bonuses and Traits that will help your character fit archetypes such as the Assassin, Ranger, and Thief.

Passive Skill Bonuses! What are our options?

1. +5' Movement
   
2. +20% to ranges with ranged attacks
   
3. +1 to Skill Saves
   

Nothing game-breaking, but a nice-to-have Bonus that, if taken the maximum six times, allows a player to move up to 70' per Round! Helpful for many Skill archetypes, providing plenty of maneuverability options and working hand-in-hand with many of the Traits contained in this Path. Combine with Shifty to easily get far away from your opponents after Backstabbing them, or pull off charges from super long distances.

Wanna stay far in the back lines and pick off your opponents? Don't like the smell of your foes after they've been stuck with your arrows? Take this Bonus and never fear being too close to combat again! Just don't stray too far from the party, lest you get ambushed. Pair with Rapid Shooter for many shots at far range.

Improving your Skill saves allows one to be much more consistent when performing Stunts, which is a great way to get the tactical advantage necessary for overcoming long odds. Also handy when dodging a dragon's breath or a projectile is the difference between a minor wound and rolling a new character.

Traits

• Accurate 
• "You may reroll any of your ranged attack roll L times per day. You must use the new result and it cannot be rerolled."
• You like it when you successfully hit things, so why not increase those chances? Very handy to keep in your back pocket when you roll a 1 on your nearly broken longbow. Can also be used to help when you have disadvantage. Combine with Lucky for even more insurance!
  
• Backstab
• "When you successfully attack a foe who is already engaged by an ally, you inflict an additional HLd6 damage. You must use an extra light or light melee weapon. You can only do this with one attack per round."
• The bread-and-butter of many Rogues in TTRPGs, this allows you to make up for the lower damage dice of light and extra light weapons.
  
• Block Missile
• "As a Reaction, the character can attempt to grab a missile out of the air that is fired at them or an adjacent creature. The character must make a Skill saving throw to succeed. Saves to grab a missile away from an adjacent creature have disadvantage."
• "How did you just do that!? That was flying right for your face!" - your allies the first time you use this Trait. Yes, you could use this to grab hand-axes and the like too, just make sure to grab them by the handle. I guess you can protect your allies with this too, but we know you took this to protect numero uno.
  
• Dual Wielder
• "You can add your SB to your offhand attacks. Instead of only gaining one additional attack per round with the offhand weapon, you can attack with it for free whenever you use an Action to attack or perform a Stunt."
• Improve your offhand attacks AND get the ability to attack whenever you use a Stunt? Oh yeah, that's a keeper for any dual-wielding ruffian.
  
• Hunter
• "You have Advantage to track, navigate, hunt, and forage in the wilderness. You deal an extra L damage to beasts, mutants, and plants."
• When you and your party are trying to clear hexes, scavenge resources, and hunt monsters, this can prove to be invaluable. Need to track a rampaging weresquid clan back to their lair? Or how about locating the lost colonists sent from Cromar? Hunter will get you there.
  
• Lucky
• "HL times per day, you may reroll a natural 1 on a D20 or force a foe to reroll a natural 20 on a D20."
• You must have cooked your dice in the oven, because you never seem to roll a damn 1. Critical (heh) when you need to protect an ally from being merked by a rampaging baloth or just really don't want to lose a Quality from your nice brigandine coat.
  
• Pack Tactics
• "If you and at least one conscious ally are adjacent to the same creature, then you have Advantage on attacks against that creature. This can only be applied to one attack roll per Round."
• Got a thick-skulled companion that loves to jump into the fray? Join them and revel in your greatly increased accuracy. Needless to say, you should take Backstab with this and go "crit fishing".
  
• Rapid Shooter
• "If you do not move beforehand, then when you use an Action to attack with a ranged weapon, you can attack again with the same weapon as part of that Action. You can only do this once per round and it does not apply to weapons that take 1 or more Rounds to reload."
• Your elementary school dreams of being Legolas have come true! While your foolish allies will have to wait until they're 4th level to make multiple attacks per Round, you can stand back in safety with your arrows spiked into the ground and fell your enemies without fear. Combine with Accurate and/or Lucky if you really want to emulate the Fellowship's Elf.
  
• Shifty
• "After making a successful melee attack against a creature, they can’t opportunity attack you until the beginning of the next round."
• Like dealing melee damage but hate being a target yourself? Take this to perpetually annoy your Referee who keeps rolling melee-only creatures for encounters.
  
• Slippery Target
• "You can use a Reaction to reduce damage taken by half your SB (rounded down), if you can see its source."
• You've got a sixth sense for danger and always seem to come out of scraps looking better than your allies. You can still commiserate with their agony, but on a much reduced scale. Oh yeah, did I mention this can be used every Round?
  
• Sneaky
• "You gain Advantage on Skill Saves to hide in shadows, move silently, and pick locks assuming you have the proper tools."
• Tell your shouty barbarian pal to take a backseat for just a smidge, you need to do some skullduggery. For when you don't want to alarm your foes, because who needs a full stronghold running after you when you can just slip in through a window and make off with their most prized MacGuffins?
  
• Zippy
• "Before or after making an attack roll, you can use your Reaction to move half your movement speed. In addition, you have Advantage on Skill Saves to dodge harmful effects."
• Fly across the battlefield and duck below dragon breath with ease! Great for speeding after a fleeing enemy or when you really need that extra couple dozen feet to introduce that Miasma Man with your short steel. Take with Shifty so you can safely escape melee combat.
  

Capstone Traits

When a character reaches 9th level, they get to choose a Capstone Trait. To choose one of these, one must have at least three Traits from the same Path, demonstrating their devotion to it. 

• Bravo 
• "When an enemy misses you with a melee attack, you can spend your Reaction to make a melee attack against that enemy. You have Advantage for this attack, and if you hit, the attack deals an extra HL damage."
• Remember how the knight on your team has a chance to riposte enemies when they miss? That's cute. Show them how comeuppance is really done with this flamboyant Capstone Trait.
  
• Deadly Assassin 
• "Whenever you hit with Advantage, you score a critical hit. If your attack roll would have crit normally, double your SB when calculating damage."
• Have your Shield Master ally knock enemies prone then you give them the business. Works with ranged attacks too, so take out your targets at range in spectacular fashion.
  
• Sniper 
• "You deal an additional HL damage to targets when using a ranged weapon, ignore the penalties when shooting past combatants, and can use ranged weapons at their ineffective range with no penalties."
• Shoot enemies from long distances, thread crossbow bolts through keyholes, and deal an extra 4 damage per attack when you take this at 9th level. What's not to love? No longer worry about your allies being in the way of your shots, you have mastered the technique of timing their swings to get in a few extra shots.
  

Guild

"Ah, yes. Another scoundrel who served time in an imperial prison. The Gray Fox is offering you a chance to join the Thieves Guild."

 

You've stabbed, sneaked, and arrowed your way to the top of the food chain and now every back-alley thug wants to be on your payroll. You deserve to start a Guild and retire with all your fantastic treasures. You customize each aspect of your guild, from uniform, tenets, and taboos. Will yours focus on the honest pursuit of thievery? Perhaps the more noble profession of assassinations? I guess if you're less bold, you could go for the more socially-acceptable foci such as hunting, crafting, or ranging too. Regardless, once established in a settlement, applicants will flock to your front desk demanding to be interviewed for membership. Remember that they must all pay their dues!

Sample Character Progress 

Below is a sample character progressing from 1st to 12th level. Brawn and Skill were improved upon each level increase until Skill was maxed out at 25. Then Brawn and Mind were increased until 12th level. This is a melee-focused character, taking one Brawn Trait, Riposte, that is eventually traded for Weapon Master when the Bravo Capstone Trait is attained.

• Level 1 
• HP 8, Brawn 12, Skill 16, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +5' Movement Trait: Shifty
  
• Level 2
• HP 12, Brawn 13, Skill 17, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +1 to Skill Saves Trait: Pack Tactics
• Level 3
• HP 3d8 + 6, Brawn 14, Skill 18, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +1 to Skill Saves Trait: Backstab
• Level 4
• HP 4d8 + 8, Brawn 15, Skill 19, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +5' Movement Trait: Zippy
• Level 5
• HP 5d8 + , Brawn 16, Skill 20, Mind 7, Charm 7 PBB: +1 to melee damage rolls Trait: Riposte
• Level 6
• HP 6d8 + , Brawn 17, Skill 21, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +1 to Skill Saves
• Level 7
• HP 7d8 + , Brawn 18, Skill 22, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +1 to Skill Saves
• Level 8
  
• HP 8d8 + , Brawn 19, Skill 23, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +1 to Skill Saves
• Level 9
• HP 9d8 + , Brawn 20, Skill 24, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB: +1 to Skill Saves Capstone Trait: Bravo Exchange Riposte for Weapon Master
• Level 10
• HP 9d8 + , Brawn 21, Skill 25, Mind 7, Charm 7 PSB:  +5' Movement
• Level 11
• HP 9d8 + , Brawn 22, Skill 25, Mind 8, Charm 7 PSB: +5' Movement
• Level 12
  
• HP 9d8 + , Brawn 23, Skill 25, Mind 9, Charm 7 PSB: +5' Movement

May your enemy's purses be heavy and your actions undetected when you travel down the Path of Skill!