Skills for Specialists

This skill system enhances the existing Dungeons & Dragons fifth-edition (D&D 5e) ability and skill system. It is specifically designed to maintain the generally flat easy-to-play style and skill check style. These changes should work in any of the online virtual tabletop and player character tracking applications.

Every Player Character Skills

D&D 5e players' characters are considered exceptional and highly trained individuals. They have lived a life that toughened them up, trained them physically and mentally preparing them to be the great heroes or villains of the world. Therefore, exactly as written in the D&D 5e Players' Handbook (PHB), except for the tool kit skills address below, every player character is considered trained in a wide and robust set of skills. All players start with the same skills and feats as described in the PHB. All skill checks and ability modifiers and proficiency bonuses work as written.
Every player has knowledge of the following skills and may use their stat bonus for any roles against them.
Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, and Survival.

Player Skill Notes

1. Some backgrounds as written will also provide proficiency in a tool kit. That will automatically add proficiency with one of the new Professional Skills.
2. Every player's background and backstory will provide proficiency in one Professional Skill.
3. All characters will grow and learn adding more skills. See Gaining Skills below.

Tool Kits

Every profession, artisan craft, or science will have specialized tools that enhance the practitioner's performance. However, in Leeland's game, knowing the tools available and how they are to be used does not imply having mastered the skill and knowledge of the specific profession, craft, or science. Various tool kits are available and players may gain proficiency in their use. In order to use a given tool kit, the player must have proficiency with that specific kit. However, proficiency in a given tool kit does not include all the additional knowledge and professional skills as written in the PHB on page 154.
Skill checks which require a tool kit may are not possible if the tools or a DM allowed alternative is not available. If the tools are available but the player does not have proficiency with them the skill check does not gain the bonus modifiers the tools normally provide. When a player needs to use tools they are not proficient but they are proficient in the appropriate specialization they may make a DC10 Intelligence check to half of the tool's bonus modifier.
When a task requires specialized tools which are not available a player character may be able to substitute alternative tools, manufacture the needed tool, or improvise using an alternative. Players with a tool kit proficiency may build or manufacture a replacement tool kit "in the wild" with a DC15 check. If they are in a major city they can assemble the tool kit by spending the associated costs and rolling a DC5 check. The DM may decide some very specialized tools are not available locally which might impose a temporary minus to rolls needing the tools. Players who gain double proficiency with a tool kit gain the added benefits of treating improvised tools like actual tools, gain additional +3 to rolls with normal tools and may rebuild or manufacture a sufficient replacement tool kit "in the wild" with a DC10 check.
For example, the players may need to repair their armor in the wild. If none of them have smithing skills they are stuck banging out the dents and maybe strapping on non-tooled hides to cover the holes for little effect and will have to live and die with the results. But, if a character has armor tools and specialization they can find someplace safe and repair their equipment. If they've lost everything that character with a successful DC10 check (with the group helping out) may still build a dirt forge and use flat rocks to make a hammer from a dagger. Then go on to improvise enough tools in the wild to repair their critically damaged gear. Now the party re-armored and properly equipped can spring that trap and stop the villain.
Another example is the players are captured, stripped of everything, and staked out in the desert to die. No such bindings will hold the players long and they gain their freedom. Yet, they are still in a desert, lost, and without survival gear. They can all use their Every Player Skill "Survival" to try and find their way out against all odds (this is a serious DC25 situation). They might get some natural 20s or not. But, if one of them has lived in the Desert and has the Desert Survival specialization and is proficient with the Desert Survival Tool Kit. That character can make a DC15 roll (with help from the party) to rebuild a group survival kit. Then using the kit and other skills they can pull that survival check down to DC20 with proficiency bonuses and modifiers achieving a +8. That is doable, and the party is ecstatic they have a desert survival expert! What a tale to tell!
The opportunities for roleplaying and problem solving are endless, as are the possible tool kits, this is a list of the more common tool kits, but players and DMs alike may invent others as needed for the adventure and roleplaying needs.

Tool Kit Notes

1. Some backgrounds as written will also provide proficiency in a tool kit.
2. Gaining proficiency in a tool kit costs 1 skill point.
3. To assemble a tool kit (in a city or trade center) the player must:
   • make a:
     1. DC20 tool kit check if not proficient with the tool kit
     2. DC10 tool kit check if proficient with the tool kit
     3. DC5 tool kit check if double proficient with the tool kit
   • spend the kit's assembly cost -10% for every +3 points rolled above the DC
   • failed assembly roles still spend the money but the tool kit is missing some components and is considered to be "Improvised Tools" for skill check rolls until finished.
4. To assemble a tool kit "in the wilderness" the player must:
   • be proficient in the tool kit
   • make a:
     1. DC15 tool kit check if proficient with the tool kit
     2. DC10 tool kit check if double proficient with the tool kit
   • if specific items are impossible in the wilderness then the kit is considered as "Improvised Tools" for skill check rolls until finished
   • if a natural 20 is rolled the player miraculously finds replacements for otherwise impossible to replace in the wilderness tools
5. Only one attempt may be made per day to assemble a tool kit by a character or group.
6. Some kits have expendables (e.g. Medical kits have ointments, bandages, etc.) such kits should be given a usage count which if depleted to zero reduces the kit to "improvised tools" grade until refreshed with a build roll. The cost to replenish kit uses should be around 25% to 50% of the kit cost and determined in advance.
7. Anyone with the tool kit proficiency can assess the condition and completeness of a tool kit as a standard action.

	Without Specialization Proficiency	With Specialization Proficency
Tools not available	not possible	not possible
Improvised Tools, without Tool Kit Proficiency	-3	+0
Improvised Tools, with Tool Kit Profiency	+0	+3
Tools, without Tool Kit Proficency	+0	+0
Tools, without Tool Kit Proficiency and successful DC10 INT Check	+1	+3
Tools, with Tool Kit Proficiency	+3	+5

Gaining Skills

Player characters start with the "Every Player Character Skills" and the four or so proficiencies provided by the background choices per new character creation rules in the PHB. In addition, players receive their skill points to spend on adding new skills and proficiencies. At each new level, including 1st level, players gain skill points to allocate on adding new skills or enhancing proficiency on already known skills.

1. Each Player Starts with standard skills per new character creation rules.
2. If the background includes a professional or other named specialization like riding a class of animal players automatically get proficiency in the appropriate specialization. Like nobles or knights will receive "Riding, basic (animal class)" for the specific class of animals (e.g. horses, giant spiders, giant bats, giant eagles, etc.).
3. If the background states proficiency in a tool kit the player may add proficiency with the tool kit and an appropriate specialization skill. Note if the player does not have proficiency in the parent all player skill for the specialization they must use one of their first level skill points for proficiency in the parent skill.
4. Player receive their skill points based on their intelligence ability in the skill points per level chart for each level including level 1. Skill.
5. In order to add a specialization proficiency characters must be proficient in the parent skill.
6. Specialization Skills are learned in the order:
   1. Not Known (use parent skill)
   2. Proficient (gain your proficiency bonus +5 for skill checks)
   3. Double Proficiency (gain double your proficiency bonus +5 for skill checks)
   Skills may not be advanced more than one proficiency level per class level increase. For example, a player who gains 2 new skills on the next level may not take one skill from Not-Known directly to Double Proficient at the next level up.
7. Tool Kit proficiency is learned in the order:
   1. Not Known
   2. Proficient (may rebuild or manufacture a sufficient replacement tool kit "in the wild" with a DC15 check.)
   3. Double Proficiency (treat improvised tools like actual tools, gain additional +3 to rolls with normal tools, and may rebuild or manufacture a sufficient replacement tool kit "in the wild" with a DC10 check.)
8. If a player's Intelligence modifier is altered (up or down) that does not affect their existing skills but does affect the ability to gain future skills. DM's may strip some skills as the results of deep trauma from permanent INT decreases.
9. Players must inform the DM what additional skills, specialization, or tool kit they wish to gain at the next level. The DM should require them to spend some money and perform some Free Time activities gaining the study tools and instructions to practice during their travels so that when they level up they gain the new skills they've been practicing/studying. (Really this is just telling the DM what you are studying for and possibly spending a few pence before heading out for your adventures.) Note, training tools (books, scrolls, exercises, etc.) may at the DM's discretion apply to more than one level advance.

Intelligence Score	Skill Points Per Level
1	0
2-3	1
4-5	1
6-7	2
8-9	2
10-11	3
12-13	3
14-15	4
16-17	4
18-19	5
20-21	5
22-23	6
24-25	6
26-27	7
28-29	7
30	8

Skill Check

Skill Difficulty Classes (PHB pg 174)

Task Difficulty	Knowledge Check	DC
Very Easy	Innate Knowledge	5
Easy	Common Knowledge	10
Medium	Expert Knowledge	15
Hard	Master Knowledge	20
Very Hard	Paragon Knowledge	25
Nearly Impossible	Transcendental Knowledge	30

* Specialized Skill Checks start at DC15

Knowledge Level Definitions

• Innate Knowledge: information that is instinctive and inborn
• Common Knowledge: general information that is commonly known about a given topic by anyone with professional training
• Expert Knowledge: detailed information that only highly trained and experienced specialists in the given field of study could know
• Master Knowledge: esoteric information that only someone who has spent decades studying and practicing a specific profession or line of study could possibly know
• Paragon Knowledge: rarified information which only a genius could possibly come to understand after a lifetime of dedicated research
• Transcendental Knowledge: information so arcane even immortals and gods may not know or understand it

Skill Roll Modifiers

State	Modifier
player skill, no proficiency	+ ability modifier
player skill, proficiency	+ ability modifier + proficiency bonus
double proficiency	+ ability modifier + (2x proficiency bonus)
no specialization familiarity	use parent player skill (max of 1x proficiency bonus)
specialization proficiency	+ ability modifier + proficiency bonus + 5
specialization double proficiency	+ ability modifier + (2x proficiency bonus) + 5

Skills

Strength

Root Skill	Specialization Skills
Athletics	Combat Driving Combat Piloting Swimming Swimming, diving/scuba (requires special tools)
Skill, Professional (specify)	PS: Smith, armor (Smith's Tools) PS: Smith, ferrier (Smith's Tools) PS: Smith, weaponsmith (Smith's Tools)

Dexterity

Root Skill	Specialization Skills
Acrobatics	Breakfall Climbing (Climber's Tools) Contortionist
Sleight of Hand	Fast Draw Lockpicking (Thieve's Tools) Pickpocket Plant bug
Stealth	Shadowing, urban Shadowing, wilderness Stealth, urban Stealth, wilderness

Intelligence

Root Skill	Specialization Skills
Arcana	Bugging Create/Disable/Counteract (Tinker's Tools) Cryptography creation/breaking (Scholar's Tools) Cryptography usage (Scholar's Tools)
History	Historical Research (Scholar's Tools) Fae Pre-Cataclysm Human Pre-Cataclysm Noble Histories Secret Histories
Investigation	Bugging (special, Investigator's Tools) Cramming (Scholar's Tools) Criminology collecting evidence (Investigator's Tools) Forensic Medicine, investigation (Investigator's Tools or Medical Tools) Forgery, detection (Investigator's Tools) Security Systems, detection (Investigator's Tools) Tracking, urban (Investigator's Tools)
Language (specify)	read/write (specify) lipread (specify)
Nature	Biome, Artic Biome, Deserts Biome, Forests Biome, Grasslands Biome, Jungles Tracking, wilderness
Religion	Pre-Cataclysm Religions Immortal Society & Law
Science	Science: Alchemy Science: Astronomy Science: Chemistry Science: Computer Hacking Science: Computer Programming Science: Computer Security Science: Computer Stealth Science: Electronics Science: Mechanical Science: Physics Science: SPECIFY

Wisdom

Root Skill	Specialization Skills
Animal Handling	Driving, (Carts/Ships/Planes/Submarines/etc) Driving, combat (Carts/Ships/Planes/Submarines/etc) Riding, basic (Equestrian/Giant Spiders/Giant Rats/etc) Riding, combat (Equestrian/Giant Spiders/Giant Rats/etc)
Insight	Criminology analyze evidence (Scientist's Tools) Deduction (*) Gambling (Gambler's Tools) Tactics (Navigator's Tools)
Medicine	Apothecary/Pharmacist (Apothecary's Tools) Forensic Medicine (Medical Tools) Herbalist (Herbalist's Tools) Field Medicine (Medical Tools) Pediatric (Medical Tools) Surgery (Medical Tools) Toxicologist/Poisoner (Apothecary's Tools)
Perception
Skill, Professional (specify)	Demolitions analysis/creation/disarm (*) Mechanics (Tinker's Tools) Navigation (Navigator's Tools) Security Systems, creation/disarm/counter (Tinker's Tools)
Survival	Survival, Artic (Artic Adventurer's Tools) Survival, Deserts (Desert Adventurer's Tools) Survival, Forests (Adventurer's Tools) Survival, Jungles (Adventurer's Tools)

Charisma

Root Skill	Specialization Skills
Deception	Disguise (Actor's Tools) Forgery, creation (Artist's Tools)
Intimidation	High Society (cultural) Interrogation (Torturer's Tools)
Performance	Acting Mimicry Trading Ventriloquism
Persuasion	Bribery Bureaucratics Conversation Oratory

Tool Kits

Every profession has unique tools specifically for performing its complex tasks. Tools are not always required but having the correct tool often times increases the chances for success and reduces the time needed to perform the work. A player with tool kit proficiency may build, assemble, or manufacture the tool kit. Some tools are naturally not easily found in remote areas or without access to commercial markets. If a toolkit is lost, stolen, or destroyed the player may make a replacement (within reason) in the wild with a DC15 skill check or assemble it if in a city with a DC5 skill check plus spending the kit's general cost. If building a kit with limited resources then specialized items like a surgical scalpel, custom glasswork, or similar cannot be replaced and the tool kit should receive a minus 1 to 3 modifier until it can be fully restored.

Tool Kit	Price	Notes
Artisan (specify)	1gp - 100gp	An artesian is an expert at some profession or science or craft. The specialized tools needed for a given specialization are surprisingly varied and unique. Proficiency with a given toolset allows characters to ply their advanced knowledge.
Actor's Tools	25gp	Pouches of cosmetics, dyes, wigs, and props to allow characters to portray themselves as someone else.
Apothecary's Tools	50gp	A wide variety of instruments such as pinpoint tweezers, clips, mortar and pestle sets of various sizes, magnifying glasses, vials, beakers, and other delicate glassworks, as well as a collection of common ingredients and solutions.
Artist's Tools	15gp	Paints, colored chalks, pens, quills, lead and charcoal pencils, a varsity of papers and bottles of rare earth powders for color dyes and paint mixing.
Adventurer's Tools, Artic	30gp	Specialized insulated canteen, sealed cook set, white insulated tent, snowshoes, skies, snow walking sticks, ice climbing ax, and other special gear needed to survive in the artic.
Adventurer's Tools, Desert	25gp	Special water collection gear, heat repelling and breathable fabric clothes, boots with metal sides, and reinforced soles to protect from stinging creatures and plants, plant water tap, and other specialized gear to survive in deserts.
Adventurer's Tools, General	10gp	sectional backpack, waterskin, bedroll, etc. All the standard adventuring and camping gear.
Smith's Tools	45gp	Tongs, various hammers, portable anvils, thick leather gloves, smoked glass goggles, files, and other gear needed to perform or make the tools needed to forge and work with metals.
Gambler's Tools	5gp	Betting chips, special markers, cards, dice, and other gear needed. You need to specify chips, cards, or dice and the general type of games the kit applies to.
Herbalist's Tools	10gp	A variety of plant clippers, trowels, strings, pouches, drying racks, a medium sized mortar and pestle and other tools needed to create herbal remedies, treatments, and collect/preserve/transport delicate plants.
Investigatior's Tools	10gp	Magnifying glass, evidence pouches, labels, tags, small evidence stakes, sketchbook, small brushes, fingerprint collection supplies, and other special tools for the collection of evidence and investigate the doings of criminals and or lost ancient societies.
Medical, first aid	10gp	Sterile bandages, splints, healing balms, anticeptic salves, common herbal remedies, and other field first aid tools needed to treat wounds in the wilderness.
Medical, surgery	75gp	Scapels, clamps, spreaders, bone saws, bandages, standard medicines, simple anesthesia and other delecate equipment needed to perform internal surgery to living creatures.
Medical Kit (specify)	10gp+	Specialized medical equipment for a profession. For examples kiro puncture needles, aroma therapy oils, massage table and oils, etc.
Musical Instrument (specify)	10gp+	Pick an instrument and all the tools needed to keep it in good repair.
Navigator's Tools	30gp	Tools to measure stars, track progress and calculate positions.
Poisoner's Tools	-	use Apothecary's Tools
Religious Tools	5gp+++	Special clothing, thuribles, specialized ritual bowels and gear. The list of what this kit contains is endless and should be worked out to match the character's needs and diety's service style.
Thieve's Tools	25gp+	Picks, mirrors, smokeless candles, files, hooked purse cutting knife, etc. All the tools needed for a thief to liberate items of interest. Note pick sets and other identifiable items for thieves are generally illegal with imprisonment or execution punishments if caught possessing them.
Scholar's Tools	10gp	Book stands, scroll holders, markers, notepads, quills, inks, and a variety of magnifying glasses for researching almost anything.
Torturer's Tools	35gp	Skinning knives, pins, vials of acids and other nefarious tools.
Tinker's Tools	75gp+	Multi-lens loop glasses, smoked lens goggles, gloves, leather ties, grips, tongs, tweezers, wrenches, and all manner of interesting-looking things. Everything needed to dabble in almost any mechanical or scientific project.

Reasoning

Each edition of Dungeon and Dragons rules dealt with skills differently. The rules have swung from super complex to the current 5e almost nonexistent super flat.
Without skill specializations, every player character is a super-genius capable of successfully making the perfect disguise as creating a master brewer's ale or climbing the unscalable wall. The 5e tools are especially troubling, the assumption being that if you are trained in how to use a small set of tools you are also versed in everything those tools would normally be used for. It is possible to learn or even intuit the correct usage of every tool in a blacksmith's kit, a brewer's kit, an herbalist's kit, or a poisoner's kit. But, that knowledge does not teach you the subtle uses of metals to make armor or swords nor does it let you know volumes of plants and chemical reactions to blend the perfect ale, a curative salve, or a deadly poison. Well actually, making a deadly poison by experimenting with various plants and herbs isn't all that hard but getting one that has specific effects is.
The solution for this is to separate the tools from the knowledge and add a little bit more depth to the skill tree. That keeps things still flat enough to be easily playable while also making it worthwhile to seek out or become subject matter experts.
Oh, any rogue can pick a lock. But, that thieve's guild master of locks can open locks without breaking stride. That a player can pick the pockets of everyone with ease while the other players are bumbling fools who'd surely be caught instantly. That specialization adds a wonderful color and depth to every character in the game.
Page 174 of the Players' Handbook provides the base for skills. Each player has the exact same set of skills, receives a little characteristic bonus based on their stats, and if they have proficiency they may add in their level proficiency bonus, which is the same for every character type as they level up.
The base skills are Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, and Survival. In addition to the base skills, there are also some common languages which as written by the rules all players know how to speak like a native, read and write a number of languages (PHB, pg 17). This means players are better skilled than anyone in history and better educated than most nobles in history or fantasy settings from level 1.
In the more lifelike setting of Niya-Yur, and in Leeland's fantasy adventure role-playing games that level of competence is simply too much. It eliminates the need of seeking out subject matter experts for help and makes leveling up characters more a resource calculation for more hitpoints, a wider selection of special powers to deal even more damage. Being better at combat does not make for better roleplaying.