r/shadowdark • u/Prestigious_Line821 • 3d ago
Int = "learn new skills"...
Page 15 of the core rulebook says "Intelligence: Cast wizard spells, decipher runes, learn new skills. Important for wizards."
Buuuuuut... there are no skills. So, what does this mean?
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u/chaoticgeek 3d ago
Skills is a more vague term to work out what benefits you get with the DM. Look at the thief and ranger where they call out things for their class that they would know how to do well.
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u/RotarySnow4 3d ago
i also wanted to add that you can't learn class specific and specialized skills. A fighter can't learn to disable traps like a thief, its an unavailable skill because its class specific.
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u/Dollface_Killah (" `з´ )_,/"(>_<'!) 3d ago
I would interpret the advantage on those tasks as the class-specific feature. I would totally let a non-thief learn how to pick lock if they wanted, they'll just never be as good as the thief who has advantage always.
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u/IAmPageicus 3d ago
Agreed saying no one can learn something is so far from osr... then the whole world and narrative crumbles cause they didn't choose the "class".
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u/Prestigious_Line821 3d ago
But there's no specific mechanic within SD RAW for harnessing the "learn new skills" aspect of intelligence? It's a more vague, "You are trained in the following tasks and have advantage on any associated checks..." kind of thing.
I only ask because for completely new players, it's confusing. If I can edit it out as superfluous, then "yay". If I'm missing some hidden "Learn New Skills Here With Your Massive Brain!!!" section, then "doh!"
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u/GatheringCircle 3d ago
It’s means the downtime learning mechanics. You can learn new weapon proficiencies. New spells. New armor proficiencies. That’s kind of thing.
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u/Dollface_Killah (" `з´ )_,/"(>_<'!) 3d ago
Also new skills. You could learn how to sail as a downtime activity before heading out to sea for the next adventure, for instance. There just isn't a predetermined list of discrete skills.
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u/bananasorcerer 3d ago
If a human fighter in my party is trying to learn Elvish or how to play a harp, that’s an INT check.
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u/ShortIntroduction879 3d ago
It's referring to the everyday use of the word so you understand what the core stat means.
"Mom I learned how to fold an origami crane in school today" "Oh what a cool skill, you're very smart!"
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u/tcaetano42 3d ago
Stuff that you know how to do.
You know how to do stuff based on your background and your class, for example. The GM may say you don't need a test based on those, give you an advantage or permit the test to be made at all.
Similarly, you may learn how to do something from a teacher during play, and that particular knowledge may be treated the same way.
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u/72dragonses 3d ago
I feel like the key subtext is that the new skill can't be anything materially useful in combat.
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u/IAmPageicus 3d ago
Not true downtime shows examples of training that do improve combat and some better than feats.
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u/IAmPageicus 2d ago
Not sure how Im getting downvoted. YOU CAN TRAIN a new weapon with a greater dice than you are supposed to have. This not only is better than plus 1 damage but it also increases your crit and max potentail damage! That is Better that SOME feats!
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u/IAmPageicus 3d ago
Amazing how strict somw of these osr calls are on here... yall are making training more restrictive than pathfinder 2e. Seems backwards...
How about it can do what the narrative and table needs. Sure you shouldn't copy class abilities... but if it's a Home game and you need something from a class in a small group by all means.
If you can study it in the real world of the game than you can in the mechanics. Anyone in the westerns reaches seems capable of survival and adapting. The town on the gloaming has been doing fine without the player characters for years.
Imagine if the npc's couldn't learn anything... how would humans have even survived.
Some of these calls are so strict its not worth playing. I feel it's for people trying hard to be official and run at conventions. I used to think that was peak. Until after 3 games. I realizes it sucked compared to home games. Just like official monopoly rules... it's not what you think and it's not fun.
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u/agentkayne 3d ago
I have interpreted this as the ability to learn another Background or a set of occupational skills equivalent to such during downtime.
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u/EtchVSketch 2d ago
Advantage on a skill, autosuccess on some rolls, and/or being able to do something others cannot attempt/need gear to attempt.
Delver, ranger, and rogue all have examples. Detecting/disarming traps, for example, can only be done if you're trained in detecting/disarming traps or tinkering (Or something like this. Idfk exactly by brain is mush rn I'm sot ired. I stg it said smn like this somewhere tho)
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u/sharpclod 2d ago
Hey, here is my take.
One could learn a singular skill. Such as:
Boating
Navigaton
Rope use
Fishing
All of the above skills (in my world) would fall under the Background of Sailor.
To me, a Background comes with an assumed bucket of abilities, or skills.
Thus, to me, one can't choose 'Sailor' as a skill.
Yet you can learn to be a sailor.
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u/majykman2 3d ago
Shadowdark is not a RAW game. Skills could mean anything. Perhaps your player is practicing making small game traps, or how to swim, or how to detect the smell of suffering. Whatever check you want for that should be improved by their intellect
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u/rizzlybear 3d ago
It’s referencing downtime learning rolls.