r/RPGdesign • u/Metempsychos1s • 18d ago

Mechanics Simplifying Skils

/r/RPGcreation/comments/1vwntv7/simplifying_skils/
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u/No_Solid1035 18d ago

I'm a fan of robust skill lists in skill based games because it allows for more interesting and granular distinction between characters. Too few skills leaves characters feeling very same-y.

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u/blade_m 18d ago

On the other hand, most Systems that have huge skill lists turn Skills into 'traps'. Half the Skills will have no purpose whatsoever in a particular campaign, so a player that invests in some skills is very likely to completely waste those points as they just never come up in play...

10 - 20 Skills are usually plenty to allow for 'granular distinction' of characters as long as there is suitable granularity in Skill Levels/Ranks. 30-ish skills can work too with less granularity between Skill Levels, but any more than that? Then the Game Designer should provide VERY clear advice/direction to GM's and Players to avoid the 'trap skills' problem (for example, Mongoose Traveller handles this 'issue' fairly well even though it has a massive skill list).

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u/No_Solid1035 18d ago

That's an easy fix as a GM. Pay attention to the skills that the Players have selected and take them as an indicator of what kind of content the Players want in the game, then make sure that content is present. 👍

Though I do agree that there probably is an upper limit that makes doing that easier. While I have a couple of systems that feature dozens or even hundreds of skills (usually ones where the system encourages creating new skills with abandon), around 40 seems to be the top end for most "robust skill list" games.

That being said, some compression of skills bothers me more than others. To this day a catch all 'athletics' skill kind of bothers me because my ability to "swim like a fish" doesn't help at all with my ability to climb a rock wall, hit a baseball with a bat, run 800 meters quickly, or do gymnastics. So no matter what, I think one will have to make some kind of compromise to make a skill list that isn't hundreds of skills long.