Tome of Prowess (3.5e Sourcebook)

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Tome of Prowess, Skills for the Mundane and the Masterful

Introduction: The Importance of Skills

A Note on Balance

This modification, on its own, will add substantial power to the poor non-casters in the game, and a bit of power to the half casters. If completely utilized, it should bring the monk and fighter level classes up to or above rogue level, and allow all characters to contribute to the game longer than their chassis would normally allow. Keep in mind that if you prefer a lower power game, or your games don’t run past 9th level, this may not be something you should consider implementing. If your games often run into the high levels and you’re tired of fighters depending on magic items or casters to do their jobs, this is absolutely something you should consider thoroughly.

In the multiverse that DnD represents, people can begin their life as serfs and, through trials and challenges, end up as legendary heroes capable of amazing feats that rival the gods themselves. Some accomplish this by learning and exploiting the secrets ways of the multiverse, using magic to accomplish what some look on as miracles. Others train themselves extensively, and accomplish feats beyond lesser mortals through will and skill alone. Skill points represent that skill and training, and they are the primary method of advancement for those who put in hard work instead of cheating with magic.

Or at least this is what D&D would like you to think, given the weight the designers placed on skill points and skills themselves. In reality though, the skill totals required to do amazing things are only acquired up in the epic levels, and by that point spellcasters have been doing all of your fancy skill tricks for many levels and your neat trick just isn’t relevant. You’ve probably been doing it yourself with magic items and don’t even know or care that you can do it with that skill you’ve brought up with you.

This supplement for the 3.5 D&D game presents skills to correct that, but it does so by sacrificing the simplicity (and with it the irrelevance) of skills at mid and high levels. There’s a lot more abilities for each skill to keep track of with this modification. And that’s ok, because that’s what the non-spellcasting classes really need.

Contents

Chapter 1: Rules

General Rules

Skill Bonus Changes

Retraining

Converting to the Tome of Prowess

Chapter 2: The Revised Skills

Acrobatics

Affability

Animal Handling

Appraisal

Arcana

Athletics

Bluff

Ciphers

Concentration

Cultures

Devices

Disguise

Dowsing

Dungeoneering

Endurance

Escape Artistry

Geomancy

Healing

Intimidation

Jump

Legerdemain

Perception

Psychology

Stealth

Survival

Thaumaturgy

Chapter 3: Supporting Changes

Character Knowledge and Skills

Altered Class Features

Revised Spellcasting Interruption

Revised Pickpocketing Rules

Revised Movement and Fatigue Rules

Revised Ride Rules

Revised Animal Training Rules

Saving Throw Adjustments

Chapter 4: Playing the Skills Game

The Combat Game

Skills as Mobility

Skills as Offense

Skills as Defenses

The Infiltration Game

The Stealth Mini-Game

The "Walk Right In" Mini-Game

Combining Skills

Chapter 5: Characters in a Skilled Game

Skilled Classes

Feats for the Skilled

Gear for the Skilled

Magic for the Unskilled

Chapter 6: Running a Skilled Game

Skillful Monsters

Running a Skilled City

Skilled Gear

Magic in a Skilled World

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