Optional Skill

Resolution Rules
by Mark L. Chance

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 Optional Skill Resolution Rules
by Mark L. Chance
Playtesting, Help, and/or Editing by Christopher Chance, Katrina Chance,
Alexander Hay, Jason Hicks, Gary Wilson

Table of Contents
Introduction...................................................................................3
2d12, Please.....................................................................................4
Let's Define Some Terms.........................................................4
Learning from Your Mistakes..................................................5
Skill Check Modifiers................................................................5
The Skills.........................................................................................5
Communication.........................................................................6
Crafting........................................................................................6
Knowledge..................................................................................6
Medicine......................................................................................6
Physical........................................................................................6
Subterfuge...................................................................................6
Survival........................................................................................7
Degrees of Proficiency.............................................................7
How Long for a Skill Check?...................................................7
What Can My Character Do?....................................................8
Starting Skill Points...................................................................8
Race .............................................................................................8
Background.................................................................................8
Class.............................................................................................9
Race & Background vs. Class................................................10
Improving Skills..........................................................................10
What About Higher Level PCs?.............................................11
Putting It All Together..............................................................12
Determining Surprise.............................................................12
Finding Secret Doors..............................................................12
Example of Play.........................................................................12

Swords & Wizardry, S&W, and Mythmere

Games are trademarks of Matthew J. Finch.
Mark L. Chance and Spes Magna Games are
not affiliated with Matthew J. Finch,
Mythmere Games™, or Frog God Games.
Optional Skill Resolution Rules is compatible
with the core rules of Swords & Wizardry.

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 Introduction
Many years ago, I GMed an adventure using the first
edition rules of the world's most popular
roleplaying game. I don't remember much about
that game session. I think it happened when I was
stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, so that'd
put it between 1985 and 1988. During part of the
adventure, the PCs fought a pitched battle in the
upper story of a tower.
One of the players, who I think was running a thief,
said something like this: “I want to toss a grappling
hook out the window up onto the roof so that I can
swing around to the other side of the tower.”
“You can't do that,” one of the players promptly
informed all of us. Let's call this player Jack.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because there's not a rule for it,” Jack said.
This is my earliest gaming memory of the disparity
between that style of play that permits only exactly
what there is a rule for and that style that permits ad
hoc adjudication to make up a rule on-the-fly for a
specific situation. The incident remains in my
memory because Jack devolved into a jerk about the
issue. He derailed the game for several minutes by
objecting to each and every proposed method of
resolution suggested by me and the other players.
I don't remember the method of resolution we
settled on. The player's thief did get to toss the
grappling hook out the window up onto the roof to
swing around to the other side of the tower, coming
in through a different window to get a backstab
attack. I remember that because it was cool. It fit the
genre of heroic sword and sorcery.
Today, I prefer games with some sort of defined
skill system. I also prefer games that do not have an
over-defined skill system. For example, I recall
another game session where a GM told me that my
character couldn't tell how far away the advancing
enemy was because my character didn't have an
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Estimate Distance nonweapon proficiency (or some
such thing). Having a rule for everything is not
preferable to there being no rule at all.
“That's nice, Mark,” you might be saying, “but
what's the point?”
Good question. I'm not just rambling pointlessly.
Nowadays, when I want some Old School gaming
fun, my preferred ruleset is Swords & Wizardry
(perhaps combined with Black Streams by Sine
Nomine Publishing for rollicking good solo player
games). It excels in many ways, including the fact
that author Matt Finch lives in Texas.
Swords & Wizardry does not have a system for skill
checks. It doesn't need one, but I'd still like to have
one for the game. After all, if I limited myself to
only the things I need, I wouldn't have single malt
whiskey, a dog, or a comic book collection.
Of course, I could just surf the Interwaves and find
a system. For example, there's this blogpost by
ChicagoWiz. In his tavern, Erik Tenkar lays out the
basics of "the dead ass simple solution" found in
Crypts & Things by D101 Games. There's nothing
wrong with these (or other) options, but they're not
really what I'm looking for. I want a system that is
easy to use, flexible, and that permits player
customization of characters.
Also, I enjoy luring various games into the dark alley
of my mind so that I can whomp them over their
heads and take their stuff, which is what I've done
with these completely optional rules. The main
victims of my mental mugging are the excellent
Barbarians of Lemuria, the inspired Dungeon World,
and the delightfully minimalist Microlite20.
But enough introductioning. Let's get to the rules.
As always, if you have any comments or criticisms,
please do not hesitate to e-mail me.
Mark L. Chance
Spes Magna Games
 2d12, Please
Whenever a skill check is necessary1, the player Table: Skill Resolution
rolls 2d122 to generate a total ranging from 2 to
24. Modifiers that may adjust this total are
discussed a bit later.
Let's Define Some Terms
Natural...: A natural total is one that results
without modifications. So, a natural 23-24
means that the 2d12 have come up with either
an 11 and a 12 or two 12s. This means a
character has about a 2% for a success with
major benefit, about a 5% chance for a
success with a minor benefit, and about a
24% chance for a success with no
complication.
Major Benefit: A major benefit benefits the unnecessary. On the the way down off the starboard bow, he spots
character majorly. Yes, I know that's not very three sahuagin swimming through the kelp.
helpful, but there are simply too many
variables to provide a hard-fast definition. I
recommend asking your players for
suggestions, especially the player whose
character just succeeded so smashingly.
Examples: completing a task in half or less
the normal time, gaining twice as much
benefit from the task, or performing the task
with such subtlety that no one is likely to
notice the results. If all else fails, award a +2 air bubble under the deck that he can use to refill his lungs up to four
bonus to the character's next action.3
Minor Benefit: A minor benefit is like a
major benefit, only to a lesser degree. A
minor benefit should provide about half the
advantage as a major benefit; therefore, if all
else fails, award a +1 bonus to the character's
next action.
Minor Complication: A minor
complication accompanies a success. The
character sets out to do what he wanted to
do, but not everything works out quite the
way the character would've liked. Again, if
you're stuck for ideas, ask your players for
2d12 Result
Natural 23-24 Success with a major benefit
Natural 21-22 Success with a minor benefit
16-20 Success
14-15 Success, but with a minor complication
Below 15 Failure
Natural 2-4 Failure with an additional complication
Example: Narrating Different Results
Gentleman Starkey wants to swim down to a submerged shipwreck.
He grabs an iron cannonball before jumping into the water. Given
this extra weight, a skill check to descend to the shipwreck seems
“Starkey swims quickly through a hole in the deck to avoid being
seen!”
This seems like it should require a check since Starkey not succeeding
could lead to some exciting underwater combat. The player rolls 2d12.
Let's further imagine some possible results.
Success with a Major Benefit: Starkey is unseen, and finds an
times.
Success with a Minor Benefit: As above, but the bubble hold
enough air for two breaths.
Success with a Minor Complication: Starkey remains
unseen, but he jostled the cannonball, sending it rolling across the
ship's canted deck. Will it make a noise?
Failure: Starkey makes it through the hole, but bangs around and
kicks up a cloud of silt, alerting the sahuagin.
Failure with an Additional Complication: The sahuagin
not only spot Starkey, but the unlucky thief gets stuck in the hole.
Can he get free before the sea devils attack?

1 If a character failing a skill check won't make the game more tense, funny, exciting, et cetera, don't require a roll. Similarly, if
there is simply no chance of success, don't bother rolling.
2 Because I like 12-sided dice.
3 The “if all else fails” option is usually the least satisfying. It tends to divorce the consequence from the narrative.

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 suggestions. If all else fails, apply a -1 Table: Difficulty Modifiers
penalty to the character's next action. Task Is... Modifier
Failure: The character doesn't accomplish Easy +2
what he wanted to accomplish. Moderate +0

Additional Complication: Not only did Tricky -2

the character fail, but something else goes Hard -4
wrong, maybe the result of his failure but Tough -8
maybe the result of bad luck or
coincidence. If all else fails, apply a -2 Demanding -12
penalty to the character's next action.
Table: Ability Score Modifiers
Learning from Your Mistakes Score Modifier Optional Rule: The Referee may allow
When a skill check results in failure or 3-8 -1 Fighters to use their Strength to-hit bonus for
failure with an additional complication, the Strength-based skill checks. This fits the idea
character who attempted the check earns 9-12 +0 that Fighters use Strength more effectively than
some experience points. For a failure, tell 13-18 +1 others.
the player to mark experience once. For a
failure with an additional complication, tell Table: Degree of Proficiency Modifiers
the player to mark experience twice. Each Degree of Proficiency Modifier N.B.: Degrees of
experience mark equals 15 XP. Proficiency are
Trained +2
discussed below in the
Skill Check Modifiers Advanced +4 next section.
The player's 2d12 skill check is modified Mastered +8
by difficulty and ability score. The tables
on this page summarize those adjustments. Heroic +8/3d12
Also, any skill check receives a bonus equal
to +1 for every four levels of experience
the character has (meaning +1 at levels 1-4, +2 at levels 5-8, +3 at levels 9-12, et cetera). As a character gains
levels, he gets better at doing things. Finally, a skill check may be modified by the character's degree of
proficiency.

Difficulty is a subjective quality. It takes into account not only the nature of the task itself, but also
considerations related to environment and opposition as well as the character's condition. Return to the
example of Gentleman Starkey on the previous page. Swimming through hole in the deck doesn't seem
especially easy or hard, so let's call it Moderate (+0). What if the water were particularly murky? That could
make the task Easy (+2). Suppose clear water but also that Starkey had suffered through several days of
seasickness. Perhaps his weakened state makes the task Tricky (-2), a problem that another character might
not have to deal with.

The Skills
I'm not a huge fan of skill lists. They seem to encourage assumptions that lead to play styles I dislike. For
example, a skill list on a character sheet encourages players to assume that this skill list defines his character's
limits. “I don't have any ranks in that skill” becomes “I can't do that.” This situation is made worse when
skill lists are defined by character class. Why can't a d20 System fighter be stealthy? 4

4 Yes, I know the fighter could spend his two skill points on Stealth as a cross-class skill, which I think only further reinforces
my point.

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 Rather than a skill list, I present seven broad categories of skills, lifted pretty much whole cloth from
Microlite20. These categories are described below.

Communication
This skill covers interaction with others. Bluffing,
seduction, diplomacy, bribery, out and out lying:
It's all here. Communication skill checks are
usually modified by Charisma, but this isn't always
so. An effort to impress a bishop with one's
religious devotion may be more appropriately
modified by Wisdom, whereas an attempt at
intimidation backed up by violent display of
physical aggression could be modified by
Strength.
Crafting
There's a bit of overlap between this skill and
Knowledge, but keep this distinction in mind:
Knowledge is about knowing things, and Crafting
is about actually doing them. Knowledge lets you
identify styles of ancient architecture. Crafting
lets you build that architecture. This skill covers
such things as repairing arms and armor, forging
horseshoes, and digging out a dugout canoe.
Crafting skill checks are usually modified by
Intelligence or Wisdom.
Knowledge
Knowledge is a character's grasp of the academic
arts. It covers everything from languages to archeology, from ancient cultic rituals to zoology. Knowledge
skill checks are almost always modified by Intelligence.
Ability Score Considerations
Strength measures muscle and physical power. Strength
modifies skill checks related to climbing, swimming, breaking
things, and so forth.
Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes,
and balance. Dexterity modifies skill checks related fine motor
skills, stealth, wriggling out of bonds, and so forth.
Constitution represents health and stamina. Constitution
modifies skill checks related to endurance, resisting pain, and so
forth.
Intelligence represents learning and reasoning ability. It
modifies skills related to memory, knowledge, languages, and so
forth.
Wisdom measures willpower, common sense, awareness, and
intuition. It modifies skill checks related to understanding
motives, noticing details, and mental stamina.
Charisma measures personal magnetism, leadership ability,
and strength of personality. Charisma modifies skills related to
social interactions, some arts such as singing, and so forth.

Medicine
Medicine is the ability to heal the body.5 Medicine skill checks are modified by either Intelligence (when it
comes to identifying a disease by its symptoms) or by Wisdom (when it comes to wisely applying the healing
arts to alleviate pain and suffering).

Physical
If it's something physical that you do, this skill probably covers it. This covers running, jumping, climbing,
swimming, dancing, et cetera. Physical skill checks are modified by Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.

Subterfuge
Subterfuge overlaps with a bit with out categories, but Subterfuge always includes the intent to remain
undetected, to be sneaky, to bypass security, et cetera. More than any other skill category, Subterfuge
encroaches directly on a class's niche, that class being the Thief, of course. Using this skill, pretty much any

5 I recommend these effects for successful Medicine skill checks: restore 1d4 hit points by binding wounds after a fight, permit
a new saving throw against a disease or poison if care is given in a timely manner, and double the daily rate of healing of
patients under effective care.

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 character can sneak around, pick locks, and so forth, but not as well as a Thief (or even a class with Thief-
like abilities such as the Monk). Subterfuge skill checks are most often modified by Dexterity or Intelligence.

Survival
Survival is used for things like tracking, foraging, setting or spotting snares, hunting, finding water or rare
herbs, determining direction, and the like. Survival skill checks cover a wide variety of tasks, and they may
be modified by a wide variety of ability scores. Dexterity and Wisdom tend to be the most common.

Degrees of Proficiency
At 1st level, a character has the trained degree of proficiency with any one broad skill category. Any
character can use any skill category to attempt an action. The bonus a character receives to a skill check
based on his level reflects basic understanding of the skills.

All characters also have additional training in specific tasks. Once again, there is no list of specific tasks.
What is acceptable as a specific task depends on your imagination, the type of campaign you're participating
in, and the judgment of the Referee.

That said, there is one important criterion to remember about a specific task, namely that a specific task is
not necessarily restricted to a single skill category. For example, consider a character skilled in Ancient
History. Obviously, Ancient History connects with the Knowledge skill category, but what if the character
needed to use Ancient History in order to convince an uncooperative duke to render assistance? In this case,
the character's Ancient History task would apply to the Communication skill category.

Any character may have a specific task at one of four degrees of proficiency: trained, advanced, mastered,
and heroic. Each level of proficiency provides a different benefit.

Trained: This is the lowest degree at which a character's specific task functions. A trained specific task
enjoys an additional +2 bonus to skill checks.

Advanced: A character may increase his degree of proficiency in a trained specific task, turning it into an
advanced specific task. Advanced specific tasks enjoy an additional +2 bonus to skill checks, for a total +4
bonus including the +2 bonus gained at the trained degree.

Mastered: The next step after advanced is specialized. The character retains the bonuses mentioned above,
and gains a further +4 bonus. This brings the total bonus to +8 for that specific task.

Heroic: The master degree of proficiency represents the pinnacle of training. When a character uses a
master degree skill, the player rolls 3d12 instead of 2d12. The player selects the two most desirable dice to
generate the base total for the skill check. He retains the +8 bonus acquired by the specialized degree for
that specific task.

A character's race, background, and class set the parameters for that character's starting trained specific
tasks, all of which are explained in the very next section.

How Long for a Skill Check?

No hard-fast rule for how long a skill check takes is possible. Some skill checks may take hardly any time at
all. Others may require several minutes, hours, or even days to accomplish. How long a skill check takes,
whether a skill check occur in conjunction with another action, and similar questions are answered by the
Referee.

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 What Can My Character Do?
Each character has several qualities that modify skill checks: ability scores, character level, degree of
proficiency, race skills, background skills, and character class skills. When it comes to skills, the rules
deliberately introduce a degree of vagueness, especially pertaining to background.

Starting Skill Points

A 1st-level character receives 5 skill points to divide between race and background skills. 6 For 1 skill point, a
character receives one degree of proficiency, starting at trained. So, for 2 skill points, a skill starts at the
advanced degree. No 1st-level character can have a race or background skill with a degree higher than
advanced.

Race
Dwarfs, elves, and half-elves have skill-like racial abilities already defined by S&W's rules. A Dwarf “easily
takes note of certain features of stonework: sloping corridors, moving walls, and traps made of stone” as
well as “whether stonework is recent or not.” In the rules-as-written, there is no roll to note these features.
The Referee decides what a dwarf does or doesn't notice. In contrast, elves and half-elves excel at finding
secret doors, but this requires a roll.7 In contrast, halflings and humans aren't particularly good at anything
skill-like, unless we're talking about halfling thieves, in which case they excel at delicate tasks and traps, hide
in shadows, move silently, and open locks.

Here comes that vagueness mentioned above. The Referee and players should have a discussion about race
in their game. Every race should be good at one thing. For example, sticking to the rules-as-written, dwarfs
are good at noting unusual stonework. Elves and half-elves are good at spotting secret doors. But, maybe in
your campaign, the dwarfs were forced out of their mountain halls in the last age, and they now live in
coastal agrarian communities. These dwarfs excel at piloting watercraft up and down rivers and along the
coast. In your campaign's large cities, halflings experience widespread discrimination due to long-standing
hostility between the human majority's dominant faith and the ancient faith of the halflings. Consequently,
halflings in the cities must live in ghettos, and they are often forced to do jobs the human majority finds
distasteful, such as banking. In this sort of campaign, perhaps dwarfs get bonuses to skill checks related to
watercraft while halfling bonuses relate to business and finance.

Background
Every character did something before he took up the life of adventuring. In order to benefit from
background modifications to skill checks, a player must write a short background. For best results, this
background shouldn't be too detailed or written with an eye toward milking these skill rules for every
advantage possible.8

Once this background is written, players should sit down with their Referee and review the background.
Answer questions that seem to demand answers. Ask, “Is my character good at any specific tasks?” Take
these background details and turn them into specific tasks. Background skills can relate to professions (such
as Blacksmith or Burglar), areas of knowledge (such as Life in the Jungle or Elven Proverbs), or even
hobbies (such as Plays Checkers or Tavern Songster). The idea, players, is to customize your character,
6 As optional rules, the Referee may decide to grant a character +1 skill point for having a 13+ in Intelligence. Some rules like
to emphasize the versatility of certain races, usually Humans. A Referee may decide to grant any Human character +1 skill
point.
7 I'm not saying this is some sort of design flaw, even if it does strike me as a bit odd. Of course, I've been known to have
players roll dice and then let the best roll determine who finds a secret door rather than whether the secret door is found. I do
think that an unfound secret door that derails an adventure is a design flaw.
8 Min-maxing or optimizing characters appears to be part of the fun of some RPGs, but it isn't one of the attractions of Swords
& Wizardry, at least not as far as I can see.

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 Example: Race & Background

Lord Jon Korbok was my first character made for the original rules of the World's Most Popular Roleplaying Game. Let's
re-imagine him using these skill rules. Korbok was a typical Dwarf Fighter, so he is trained in Identifying Unusual
Stonework (which costs 1 skill point). He starts with the trained degree of proficiency in Survival (which costs no skill
points).

Next, a summary of his pre-adventurer background. Korbok hailed from Ironspyre, a city I invented and located in the
Yatil Mountains. As a youth, he was captured by hobgoblins in a raid and taken as a slave. He earned his freedom by
defending his master’s wife and children when the hobgoblin camp was attacked by orcs of the Vile Rune clan. Korbok views
the Vile Rune clan as his arch-nemesis. He actively seeks to destroy the entire clan.

Looking at this brief background, I decide Korbok starts the game with these skills:

Trained Survival +2 (no cost) Trained Identifying Unusual Stonework +2 (1 skill point)
Trained Former Slave +2 (1 skill point) Trained Lived with Hobgoblins +2 (1 skill point)
Advanced Hunts Orcs +4 (2 skill points)

During an adventure, whenever Korbok attempts a skill that could benefit from one of these background details, he gets the
relevant bonus. For example, when deep within orc territory, Korbok might gain a +6 bonus on Survival skill checks to
notice man-traps laid by the orcs to capture or kill trespassers. When confronted with hobgoblins, he could enjoy a +2 bonus
on Communication skill checks to negotiate safe passage.

making him more vivid and fun to play.

When determining race and background skills, always remember this caveat: No race or background skill
can fully duplicate a class skill, which are discussed in the next section.

Class
Each character class enjoys certain skill benefits, but not to the same degree. Some classes, such as the Thief,
emphasize skill use. Others, such as the Fighter, do not. Consequently, we must consider each class
individually.

Assassin: At 1st level, an Assassin has the trained degree of proficiency with Assassin Skills, which covers
Disguise Oneself and Use Poison. At 3rd level, an Assassin gains the trained degree of proficiency with
Thieving Skills, which covers Climb Walls, Delicate Tasks and Traps, Hear Sounds, Hide in Shadow, Move
Silently, Open Locks. The Assassin is the only class with two class skill sets.

Cleric: At 1st level, a Cleric has the trained degree of proficiency with Cleric Skills, which includes The
Undead, Divine Magic, and Religious Beliefs.

Druid: At 1st level, a Druid has the trained degree of proficiency with Druid Skills, which includes Flora
and Fauna, Nature Magic, and Druidic Mysteries.

Fighter: At 1st Level, a Fighter has the trained degree of proficiency with Fighter Skills, which includes
Arms and Armor, and Tactics.

Magic-User: At 1st level, a Magic-User has the trained degree of proficiency with Magic-User Skills, which
includes Arcane Magic and Ancient Knowledge.

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 Monk: At 1st level, a Monk has the trained degree of proficiency with Monk Skills, which includes Ascetic
Practices, Climb Walls, Delicate Tasks and Traps, Hear Sounds, Move Silently, Hide in Shadows, and Open
Locks.

Paladin: At 1st level, a Paladin has the trained degree of proficiency with Paladin Skills, which includes
Arms and Armor, Chivalrous Codes, and Forces of Chaos.

Ranger: At 1st level, a Ranger has the trained degree of proficiency with Ranger Skills, which includes The
Wilderness, Tracking, Alertness, and Giants and Goblin-Types.

Thief: At 1st level, a Thief has the trained degree of About Non-Human Thief Bonuses
proficiency with Thief Skills, which includes Climb Walls,
Delicate Tasks and Traps, Hear Sounds, Hide in Shadows, In the rules-as-written, a non-human Thief receives
Move Silently, and Open Locks. At 3rd level, a Thief gains bonuses to certain thieving skills. For example, a
the advanced degree of proficiency with Thief Skills and Dwarf gets a +10% bonus to Delicate Tasks and
gains the trained degree of proficiency Decipher Normal Traps. If you want to retain racial bonus to a Thief's
Languages. thieving skills, use Table 18, but make the skill
check bonus equal to the listed value divided by 5.
Race & Background vs. Class Thus, a Dwarf Thief would get a +2 bonus Delicate
As mentioned above, no race or background skill can fully Tasks and Traps, and a +1 bonus to Hide in
duplicate a class skill. For example, a Magic-User could Shadows, Move Silently, and Open Locks.
have the trained degree of proficiency with Stalk Like a
Cat. This specific task could apply to moving silently and remaining unseen. That same Magic-User could
not any degree of proficiency with Thief Skills. Likewise, a Thief could have the trained degree of
proficiency with Ancient Arcana, but he could not have degree of proficiency with Magic-User skills. In
short, enforce the distinction between class skills, including the specific tasks included in a class skill, and
those specific tasks gained from race or background. Some overlap between race or background and class
skills is certainly acceptable, but class skills should retain their superiority.

Perhaps thinking of the matter like this will help: Any skill -- be it a broad skill category, a race skill, a
background skill, or a class skill -- functions like a container. Within that skill are several different areas of
expertise. Broad skill categories are the largest containers,
but also the most general. Communication, for example, Table: Cost of Improving Skills
covers any attempted interaction. Race and background skills Type of Skill Skill Point Cost
are smaller containers. They are more focused and,
consequently, less likely to apply except in specific Broad Skill 2 points
circumstances. Class skills, on the other hand, are larger Class Skill Container 2 points
containers than race and background skills. A Magic-User
Race/Background 1 point
might be able to move silently as well as a Thief, but he'll
never be able to do everything a Thief can do as well as a Class Skill Specialty 1 point
Thief can. N.B. Improving any skill to specialized costs
+1 skill point. Improving any skill to master
Improving Skills costs +1 skill point.
Each time a character gains a level, he earns 1 skill point.
Skill points can be spent immediately, or they can be banked Table: Maximum Degree of Profiency
in order to pay for more expensive improvements. Type of Skill Maximum Degree
Broad Category Mastered
For 2 skill points, a character can increase his proficiency
with a broad skill category, such as Subterfuge, by one Class Skill Container Mastered
degree. If a character has no degree of proficiency with a All Other Skills Heroic

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 Example: Improving Skills

At 1st-level, Korbok's skills were as follows:

➔ Broad Skill: Trained Survival +2

➔ Race/Background Skills: Trained Identifying Unusual Stonework +2, Trained Former Slave +2, Trained
Lived with Hobgoblins +2, Advanced Hunts Orcs +4
➔ Class Skill: Trained Fighter Skills +2

After some rough adventuring, Korbok reaches 2nd level, and he earns 1 skill point. What can he do with it?

Well, for 1 skill point, Korbok can improve any of his race and background skills. He can also improve a skill within his
class skill container. He could add a new race, background, or class skill specialty. Lastly, he could bank the skill point,
saving it until he reaches 3rd level, at which time he'd have 2 skill points, enough to improve a broad skill or his class skill
container.

Let's say Korbok decides to improve Tactics, one of his class skill specialties. This costs him 1 skill point, and that skills
degree of proficiency becomes advanced.

Now imagine Korbok has reached 4th level. He's banked 2 skill points, and he spends them to raise Fighter Skills to
advanced. Since he'd improved Tactics, this class skill specialty increases automatically to specialized at no additional cost.

broad skill category, spending 2 skill points makes him trained. Likewise for 2 skill points, a character can
increase his proficiency is a class skill container, such as Thief Skills or Druid Skills.

For 1 skill point, a character can increase his degree of proficiency in a race, background, or class skill
specialty. A class skill specialty is any of the skills included within a class skill container. For example, Fighter
Skills includes Arms and Armor and Tactics. Either can be improved one degree of proficiency for 1 skill
point.

In a similar vein, a character can add a new race, background, or class skill specialty for 1 skill point. The
new skill usually starts at the trained degree of proficiency. Class skill specialties are the exception. A class
skill specialty's degree of proficiency is always at least the same as its container. A class skill specialty that
has been improved to a degree higher than its container remains that number of steps higher than its
container (up to the master degree). This increase occurs automatically at no additional skill point cost.

Improving a skill to mastered costs 1 additional skill point. Improving a skill to heroic costs 1 additional skill
point. For example, a character who has Advanced Fighter Skills may gain Mastered Fighter Skills for 3 skill
points.

What About Higher Level PCs?

All of the rules above assume you're making up a 1st-level character. What if you're not? What if your
starting characters at 4th level, or you've been running a character for a while now and you want to covert
him to these rules?

First, come up with a short background just like you would for any 1st-level character. Then, make note of
which background skill the character was trained in at 1st level. Spend 5 skill points on race and background
skills just like creating a 1st-level character. Make note of the character's class skill. Then, spend a number
of skill points equal to the character's level, doing so one level at a time. It's that simple.

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 Putting It All Together
A skill check always starts with narration. The player says what he wants his character to accomplish and
how the character goes about it. Based on this description, determine the general skill category, ability score,
an applicable race skill or background skill, and an applicable class skill. The player rolls the dice, and adds
the relevant modifiers. The Referee applies a difficulty modifier. The total is compared to Table: Skill
Resolution to determine the check's results. To sum up:

Skill Check = 2d12 + ability score modifier + level modifier + broad skill category degree
modifier + race or background skill modifier + class skill modifier + or - difficulty modifier

Determining Surprise
Surprise is normally determined for the characters' side by rolling 1d6. On a 1 or a 2, the characters' are
surprised. A skill check system requires something different. Have one player make a skill check for the
group using the best applicable modifier for each category. Wisdom is usually the ability score modifier.
Survival is usually the relevant general skill category. Most monsters do not modify difficulty. Exceptionally
large and/or unsubtle monsters may make the check Easy +2. Sneaky monsters, such as bugbears, may
make the check Tricky -2 or worse. The Referee determines surprise against a group of monsters the
normal way unless the characters are attempting to use stealth or guile skills.

Finding Secret Doors

In the rules-as-written, Elves and Half-Elves actively searching for secret doors find them 4 in 6 times.
Other races find them 2 in 6 times. Elves have a 1 in 6 chance of noticing secret doors even when not
looking for them. Again, this skill system changes the task into a skill check. Modify the difficulty based on
relevant considerations. Some secret doors might be harder to find than others.

Example of Play
Mark, Wes, Terry, Gary, Alex, and Christopher assemble for Man Day Adventures at Mark's home. Mark's
the Referee. The players' characters are all 1st-level; therefore, they have a +1 level bonus to skill checks.

➔ Wes is playing Clovis the Giant, a Dwarf Fighter. Skills: Trained Physical +2, Trained Identifying
Unusual Stonework +2 (race), Advanced Ancient Ruins +4 (background), Advanced Land
Navigation +4 (background), Trained Fighter Skills +2.
➔ Terry is playing Mack Corkindale, a Human Druid. Skills: Trained Survival +2, Trained Life in the
Arctic +2 (race), Advanced Amateur Zoologist +4 (background), Advanced Ladies' Man +4
(background), Trained Druid Skills +2.
➔ Gary is playing Tiern Longshot, a Human Ranger. Skills: Trained Communication +2, Trained
Canine Whisperer +2 (race), Advanced Bowyer & Fletcher +4 (background), Advanced Bodyguard
+4 (background), Trained Ranger Skills +2.
➔ Alex is playing Grister, an Elven Magic-User. Skills: Trained Knowledge +2, Trained Finding Secret
Doors +2 (race), Advanced Forbidden Lore +4 (background), Advanced Go Unnoticed +4
(background), Trained Magic-User Skills +2.
➔ Christopher is playing Gentleman Starkey, a Human Thief. Skills: Trained Subterfuge +2, Trained
Light on His Feet +2 (race), Advanced Keen Ears +4 (background), Advanced Streetwise +4
(background), Trained Thief Skills +2.

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 Referee: After traveling for several hours through the
jungle swamp, you've reached the island on which
the ancient lizardman ziggurat stands. The structure
looks about 60 feet to a side, and it is situated near
the center of the island. Much of the structure is
obscured from view by the riotous overgrowth of
jungle plants. What do you do?
Tiern: We need to scout the area. I need two
volunteers.
Mack and Gentleman Starkey: We can handle that! We
sneak off into the jungle, maintaining cover and
concealment while looking for threats.
Referee: That sound good? Okay then. Mack and
Starkey slink off, quickly disappearing from sight
behind tangles of vines, giant ferns, and what not.
Y'all need to make a skill check to scout the area.
Use your best asset for each part of the skill check.
Y'all also need make skill checks to remain
undetected.
The Referee knows that several bog zombies lair in the area.
The bog zombies are normally inactive, animating when they
detect intruders. Since the bog zombies are hard to detect, the
Referee applies a -4 penalty to notice them. Terry and
Christopher compare notes. Mack has Trained Survival +2.
Starkey has Advanced Keen Ears +4 and Trained Thief
Skills +2. That's a +8 total, +9 considering the level
bonus, adjusted to +5 due to the difficulty. Terry rolls 2d12
and gets an 18 total, including the bonus.
Referee: As y'all press through a clump of
undergrowth, you spot several water-bloated
corpses. They lean against trees, lay on the ground,
and one is a few feet off the ground, caught in a Y-
shaped branch. You examine the corpses closely for
a few seconds. One of them reaches out, trying to
catch a dragonfly.
Gentleman Starkey: Zombies! Ick!
Referee: Let's find out if the zombies detect your
presence.
Mack: Mack relies on his wilderness knowledge to
maintain camouflage.
Gentleman Starkey: Fortunately, I'm light on my feet. I
hardly make a sound when I move.
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Terry rolls 2d12, modified by Trained Survival +2 and +1
for level. He ends up with a total of 12, a failure.
Christopher rolls 2d12, modified by Trained Subterfuge +2,
Trained Light on His Feet +2, Trained Thief Skills +2,
and +1 for level. Christopher's total equals 19, a success.
Referee: Unfortunately, as Mack was parting the
undergrowth, he disturbed a few vines hanging from
the canopy, dislodging several broken branches and
dead leaves that had been snagged overhead. The
cascade of foliage alerts the zombies, which begin
to groan and shuffle in your direction. Terry, mark
experience. Starkey remains hidden from the
zombies. Starkey, you can make a surprise attack if
you want. Otherwise, roll initiative!
A fight ensues between the characters and the bog zombies.
During the battle, Alex wants Grister to Go Unnoticed after
lobbing a Magic Missile at a bog zombie.
Grister: I want to zap that bog zombie with a Magic
Missile and remain unseen at the same time. I can
launch the spell from behind a big tree.
Referee: Sounds good. Make a skill check.
Grister has Advanced Go Unnoticed +4 and +1 for level.
The Referee decides that remaining unseen after casting the
spell is Tricky (-2). Alex rolls 2d12 and gets a natural 3. A
failure with an additional complication! Alex gets to mark
experience twice.
Referee: Bummer for Grister, who not only fails to
remain unnoticed by the bog zombies, but also fails
to notice the batch of quicksand around the tree he
tried to hide behind. Grister is stuck up to his thighs
in thick, sucking muck.
Alex: I hate you, Mark.
Referee: But I love you, Alex.
More combat occurs. A bog zombies closes on Grister, who is
struggling to free himself from the quicksand. Things look
grim for Grister.
Tiern: I've worked as a bodyguard. I want to throw
myself between Grister and the bog zombie so that
it attacks me instead of him.
Referee: Excellent. Go for it.
 Gary rolls 2d12 +4 for Advanced Bodyguard and +1 for Clovis the Giant has a +2 ability modifier for Strength,
level. The Referee is feeling generous and doesn't modify the Trained Physical +2, and +1 for level. The Referee figures it
difficulty. The skill check total equals 15, a success with a is Hard -4 to pull this stunt off. Wes rolls 2d12 and gets a
minor complication. natural 22. A success with a minor benefit!

Referee: Tiern lunges in between Grister and the bog
zombie as it attacks. Tiern is off-balance and can't
defend himself as well as normal. The bog zombie
gets a +1 to its attack roll. Two more bog zombies
notice the commotion near the quicksand and lurch
in that direction.
Clovis the Giant: I need to get Grister out of that
quicksand. I throw a loop of rope around him and
use my huge muscles to yank him free.
Referee: What should the minor benefit be?
The players quickly offer suggestions. The Referee picks the
one he likes the best.
Referee: The rope loops over Grister, and Clovis the
Great tugs mightily. The Magic-User pops free from
the quicksand with a loud sucking sound. This
causes the ground near the edge of the quicksand to
shift a bit, and one of the bog zombies falls. It'll lose
its action next round as it frees itself from the muck.

Open Gaming Content

This product is produced under the terms of the Open Gaming License v1.0a. All text is Open
Content except as identified below under Designation of Product Identity.

Designation of Product Identity

The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity:

1. The name "Spes Magna Games" as well as all identifying marks of Spes Magna Games,
including but not limited to the Spes Magna logo. Spes Magna logo by Darren Calvert.

2. The product name "Optional Skill Resolution Rules" except for its use within Section 15 of
the Open Gaming License.

Cover Image
Buffoon Playing a Lute by Franz Hals (circa 1623)

Copyright and Trademark Notice

Optional Skill Resolution Rules. Copyright 2014, Mark L. Chance, published by Spes Magna Games.

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 OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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15.COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast,
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System Reference Document. Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the
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Optional Skill Resolution Rules. Copyright 2014, Mark L. Chance,
published by Spes Magna Games.