Skills

In most role-playing games, skills are abilities that represent the training or knowledge your character has gained throughout his or her life and career. In most systems, there is an explicit list of skills a character can take, representing actions that the designers thought were important or common in to play.

In a stat-based system, skills often provide a bonus to the attribute that "governs" the skill. In these systems, the skill acts as bonus to the base given by the governing stat. For example, having points in the Climb skill will improve your chances of succeeding at a Strength check to climb a surface.

Don't worry, I don't need aircraft proficiency.

When a game system calls a skill a "proficiency," it means the skill's purpose isn't to give a bonus to attempting an action, but cancels out a penalty that anyone else would have when making an attempt.

Getting the spell skill for Shrink Object is dead easy.

Certain games use a "cascade" system, where skills can be used as poor-quality replacements for other skills, or some skills are prerequisites for others. The "Pilot" skill in a sci-fi setting can cascade to "shuttlecraft," "fighters," "frigates," capital ships," etc. GURPS is the most (in)famous of these systems, where it's normal to consult flowcharts.

Skills and D&D

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Dungeons & Dragons has made use of skills throughout its lifespan. Originally, they were a semi-optional system called "Nonweapon Proficiencies", before becoming a mandatory, mainstream part of the game in 3rd edition. 4th and 5th editions have the smallest list of skills of any edition, which particularly in 4th edition's case has led to them being denounced as not properly supporting roleplay or being too combat-focused.

3e Skills

• Appraise
• Balance
• Bluff
• Climb
• Concentration
• Craft
• Decipher Script
• Diplomacy
• Disable Device
• Disguise
• Escape Artist
• Forgery
• Gather Information
• Handle Animal
• Heal
• Hide
• Intimidate
• Jump
• Knowledge
• Listen
• Move Silently
• Open Lock
• Perform
• Profession
• Ride
• Search
• Sense Motive
• Sleight of Hand
• Spellcraft
• Spot
• Survival
• Swim
• Tumble
• Use Magic Device
• Use Rope

4e Skills

• Acrobatics
• Arcana
• Athletics
• Bluff
• Diplomacy
• Dungeoneering
• Endurance
• Heal
• History
• Insight
• Intimidate
• Nature
• Perception
• Religion
• Stealth
• Streetwise
• Thievery

5e Skills

• Acrobatics (Dex)
• Animal Handling (Wis)
• Arcana (Int)
• Athletics (Str)
• Deception (Cha)
• History (Int)
• Insight (Wis)
• Intimidation (Cha)
• Investigation (Int)
• Medicine (Wis)
• Nature (Int)
• Perception (Wis)
• Performance (Cha)
• Persuasion (Cha)
• Religion (Int)
• Sleight of Hand (Dex)
• Stealth (Dex)
• Survival (Wis)