Tinkering a System

[Loswaith]

For a while now I have been pondering on making a system, its not that far into things just currently some basic ideas.  Not having decided on a good dice mechanic to use tends to stifle how one goes about writing up more detailed info.  Thought I would share what I have so far for aspects I would like to include.

Skills:
I'm looking for it to be a pure skill system.  Often games use base attributes modified by skills (or skills modified by base attributes).  The core of that often comes down to shoehorning a skill to an attribute that only makes partial sense.  For example climbing or swimming are often tied to strength, however it is far more than just strength that plays its parts, ones agility, stamina, and perception all play just as much a part in the skill.
Pure skills don't have the associated baggage if its tied to nothing, it can be whatever the player wants for reasons they are good at a skill.  Letting it be more inline with a characters concept than mired in mechanics.  The why a character is good is more a background decision and they are just good or bad at it.
To keep it simple I was thinking 10 ranks on skills, whether that will be from 0-9 or 1-10, I'm uncertain at this point.


Talents:
Talents will be the equivlent to talents, feats or special abilities in other games that you can develop across 3-5 ranks (Novice, Journeyman, Expert and Master most likely being the ranks).
 I first came across this in Arcanum and quite liked the concept, but kind of forgot about getting it into an RPG until Dragon Age did a similar thing.

Mechanics:
Modifiers:
  -5 to +5 -- I like this kind of range because its small enough to be functional but still with enough granularity for fairly complex variety
Test Results:
  Success/Failure degrees-- I like the idea of having some kind of measuring system to show how well or how poorly one does.
  Passive results -- effectively "what you know", these will work on the basis of not needing rolls, you either know what you need to know based on how good your skill is, or you don't.  There is no roll in case you may know something.  This also covers things that characters are capable of doing but still don't need to roll for it.  For example crafting a sword relies on that you have time and sufficient skill to make it.  If you have that then you can make it, no roll is really needed because its unlikely you will fail due to your skill.
  Active results -- effectively "what you can achieve", these are your typical skill checks in games where you roll some dice, it covers things you can attempt, deduce or discover.  Anything that has an ambiguous pass or fail result.

Time and Tests:
Tests:
Normal -- activities that have clear success/fail conditions, they typically will take but a single unit of time
Extended -- any activity that you can keep working on that you can make partial steps towards completing.  usually they will have a certain number of successes to succeed or fail if you hit a certainnumber of degrees of failure.

Time:
  Sometimes you want or have to rush tasks or other times you can take longer than needed.  this covers those factors.  giving character the ability to do things faster but making it more difficult to achieve, or taking more time to do a good job of things.
At this stage I'm tending to 5 ranks (recless, rushed, normal, considered, meticulous) though may go with only 3 (reckless, normal, meticulous).  They will have different effects on the types of tests but in most cases will alter the target number and the frequency of degrees of success or failure.

Character Development
Will be a system without defined classes and levels.  I prefer the ability to develop characters as a player wants and generally speaking classes and levels hinder that more so than add to it.
Starting builds I'm tending to a 3 stage approach of package options giving you bonuses to a set number of skills based on childhood, apprenticeships/training, and what you have been doing since then (background for lack of a better term).  Likely whether I use background as a free spend or include some after it im not yet certain.

Dice:
The base dice mechanics aim looking at is a bell curve system; multiple dice that add their results together to give a total.  I like the effect because it makes results more frequently occurring in the middle and less likely at the extremes.
Dice mechanics I have been looking at so far are (sweet spot is best bonus to have the roll before greatly hitting the diminished returns):

Code: [Select]

Dice     Range   Sweet spot
3d6      3-18      +7
3d8      3-24      +10
2d10     2-20      +9
3d10     3-30      +13
2d12     2-24      +11
3d12     3-36      +16
2d10*    0-18      +9
3d10*    0-27      +13
* these dice use side number on a d10 of 0-9 rather than 1-10


[Loswaith]

For stat modifiers I'm assuming a 3d6 or 2d10 system for the simplicity of nailing down and giving an idea of concepts and benefits.

So on that, some more stuff

Skill Stages
As a character learns skills they go through various stages of what they actually know and are able to achieve, from having no training to becoming a master specialist.

Untrained: When a character has no training in a skill and little knowledge of the practices needed to achieve tasks within that skill set.  As such the character always suffers a -3 penalty to any active task they attempt and have no passive knowledge of any kind.  For example Lester has no training what so ever in engineering, so at best he can only guess at how to do even rudimentary tasks of engineering, thusly suffering -3 to any roll he makes for engineering.

Related: Sometimes when training in a skill a character will learn things that can be applied to a skill that they otherwise haven't had any training in.  As such these related skills provide the basics for a character to transfer some of that knowledge in a different application, thusly reducing the untrained penalty they otherwise would receive to an active task (to a minimum of 0), while giving them the most basic of passive knowledge.  For example Lester has never trained in wielding axes but is a well trained swordsman, which gives him some related knowledge in how to best use an axe in combat.  Lester can reduce his unskilled penality to axes based on the value of his sword skill.

Trained: A character that has learnt anything within a skill be they just a beginner or a master, is considered trained in a skill and has both active and passive capabilities.

Specialised: Generally a character will learn all aspects of certain skills to be able to use them in all situations, but occasionally some choose to focus on a smaller area within that frame as a specialisation.  A character specialised in a certain field gain a bonus of +2 to any active tasks within that field and will have a greater passive knowledge than others of similar general training.  For example Lester while trained in swords is a specialist in using the rapier and is able to achieve more with a rapier than other swordsman of equivalent skill.

[Loswaith]

A preliminary set of skills and a brief description of what they cover (by no means a completely list I'm sure).

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Acrobatics: The ability to preform tasks using a combination of strength, physical agility, flexibility, coordination and balance.
Alchemy: Making, or identifying salves, potions, tinctures and other remedies or concoctions.
Animal Care: Taking care of animals. Such as routine care, feeding and grooming (such as for parades or market) as well as noticing disease or discomfort and the ability to heal injuries.
Animal Handling: Calming, training and other simple communication with animals.
Animal Lore: Knowledge of animal (including birds, fish and insects) behaviours, habitats and development.
Architecture: Knowledge of large structures and buildings, including designs, defences and plans.
Art: The production of physical works of art such as paintings, sculptures and other fine art.
Awareness: An individuals scenes and ability to notice things around them, consciously or otherwise.
Axes: The ability to use axes in battle.
Blades: The ability to use daggers, knives and light swords in battle.
Bludgeons: The ability to use maces and hammers in battle.
Botany: Knowledge of plants, growing locations and their potential effects and uses.
Bows: The ability to use bows or crossbows in battle.
Bowyer: Making, repairing and identifying bows and crossbows as well as arrows and bolts
Brawling: The ability to fight while unarmed or using make-shift weaponry
Brewing: Making or identifying drinks, be they alcoholic or not in nature.
Carousing: Resisting the effects of alcohol and similar drugs
Carpentry: Making, repairing or identifying things made from wood.
Cartography: Making and reading maps and charts
Channelling: Controlling and focusing of magic and other supernatural powers.
Climbing: Scaling walls, cliffs, trees and other surfaces.
Concentration: Keeping focused on a task in the face of other distractions.
Contortion: Twisting and turning ones body to escape bonds or fit through tight spaces
Cooking: Preparing, making and identifying various types of prepared foods.
Cosmology: Knowledge of the sky, space and time.
Courage: Confidence and the ability to overcome fear.
Culture Lore: Knowledge of a certain culture's behaviours, beliefs, structure and traditions.
Dance: Performing and identifying various forms of dance for entertainment of yourself or others.
Deception: Lying, tricking or otherwise deceiving others.
Diplomacy: Knowledge of the procedures and practices to gain strategic advantages or mutually acceptable outcomes.
Disguise: Changing the appearance of oneself or others to look as if they are someone or something else.
Dodge: The ability to avoid or evade attacks, traps or similar harmful effects.
Driving: Controlling and manoeuvring land based vehicles.
Eldritch Lore: Knowledge of magic and the supernatural
Empathy: Sensing and feeling other emotional states
Engineering: Making, repairing or identifying mechanical machines or their procedures
Etiquette: Knowing the correct behaviours, structure and traditions of different social classes.
Evaluation: Determining the value goods, art and other valuables.
Explosives: Using, disarming, identifying or creating explosives and incendiaries.
Faith: Knowing religious practices and traditions and developing inner strength from those teachings.
Farming: Growing, harvesting and preparing of plants. Including the ability to identify afflictions and health of said crops.
Firearms: The ability to use rifles and pistols in battle.
Fishing: Finding and catching food from bodies of water.
Gambling: Knowing and playing games of chance, including cheating at said games.
Geography: Knowledge of terrain, lands, borders and topography
Gossip: Gaining rumours, latest news, and engaging in informal conversations.
Haggle: Negotiating deals and prices with others.
Heal: Providing medical assistance to the sick and wounded
Heraldry: Identifying crests, symbols and markings of note.
History: Knowledge of past events, beliefs, behaviours and traditions.
Hunting: Finding and catching live food on land.
Hypnotism: The ability to put someone into a trance to gain truths (as they know it) or other knowledge they may or may not consciously be aware of.
Intimidation: Overawing others with threats or physical presence to coerce or frighten them.
Interrogation: Extracting truthful information from others.
Investigation: Gaining information from places, situations and events through observation and deduction.
Jeweller: Making, repairing and identifying objects of decorative value.
Law: Knowledge of laws, procedures and punishments of governing bodies.
Leadership: The knowledge and ability to guide, direct or inspire others
Leather-work: Making, repairing and identifying objects made from animal hides.
Legerdemain: Manual dexterity of the hands.  Typically used for slight of hand, picking pockets, and other tricks or deceptions.
Lip Reading: The ability to discern what others are saying through watching them, without the need to hear them.
Lock Picking: The ability to open locks without a key or manipulate other small mechanical devices
Mason: Making, repairing and identifying things made of stone.
Might: The ability to perform tasks using physical power.  While not just brute strength, this also covers an individuals ability to use that raw power to achieve a goal.
Mining: Finding, unearthing and identifying raw materials of value or use.
Morale: Maintaining confidence and good spirits in yourself and your group.
Music: The ability to play or compose for a musical instrument, typically to entertain others.
Navigation: Find and plot directions and paths on land or sea.
Numeracy: The ability to use maths and numbers.
Persuasion: The ability to convince others of something.
Philosophy: The investigation and study of truth, being, knowledge and conduct.
Poison: Make, use or identify poisons
Reading: The ability to read and decipher written language.
Research: Gathering information from books, archives, records, tales, legends or other similar areas.
Riding: Directing or controlling a mount.
Rituals: Knowledge of rituals, ceremonies or traditions, as well as knowing the paraphernalia and procedures to conduct them.
Rope Use: Making knots and hitches in rope, strap, string, webbing, twine, etc.
Rowing: Controlling and manoeuvring water-born craft through the use of oars and poles.
Sailing: Controlling and manoeuvring waterborne craft propelled by wind and sails.
Searching: Actively looking for things hidden or concealed
Secret Language: Communicating with others using code and signals as well as markings and signs.
Seduction: The ability to persuade or entice towards amorous activity.
Self-Discipline: Controlling ones impulses or emotions and the ability to focus ones mind.
Science: The study and application of the natural world.
Singing: Performing, identifying and composing songs and other vocal tunes.
Smithing: Making, repairing and identifying things created from metals.
Spears: The ability to use spears and similar thrusting type weapons in battle.
Stamina: Enduring physical shock, stress, fatigue, privation and disease.
Staves: The ability to use staves and other pole-like weapons in battle.
Stealth: Hiding or concealing oneself or objects from the notice of others.
Streetwise: Knowing the correct behaviour, procedures and traditions of interacting with the underclass.
Survival: The ability to find shelter, potable water, and forage for basic 'food'.
Swimming: The ability to stay afloat and propel oneself through water.
Swords: The ability to use sword type weapons in battle.
Tactics: Knowledge of strategy and manoeuvres, typically in battle or by military organisations.
Tailor: Making, repairing or identifying clothing.
Torture: Extracting or compelling information through physical or mental stress.
Traps: Disarming, setting, making, repairing or identifying traps.
Tracking: Following or gaining information from tracks, trails or other signs of disturbance
Ventriloquism: The ability to throw ones voice to another location.
Wrestling: The ability to use holds, locks and grabs to incapacitate an opponent.
Writing: The ability to write a language for communication.
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Current considerations are combining reading and writing into one skill. 

Also let me know if any other skills seem to overlap allot, or if there area any glaring omissions.
Also if I seem way of on a skill description from what it is, let me know too as I'm trying to keep skills as intuitive as possible.

[Benesato]

Some ideas for additional skills that I don't think were covered entirely in your list.  Where I feel an explanation is warranted (as there's a distinction I see that perhaps others don't) I've given a brief reasoning in italics.

Wrestling: The ability to use weight, grip, and positioning to control an opponent and gain a position of dominance over them.  Should be distinct from brawling I think as it's more the art of getting a winning position than actually causing damage, and extremely useful for subduing somebody rather than beating them into unconsciousness.

Herbology: Knowledge of a wide variety of herbs and naturally-occuring remedies, and how to accurately identify them.  Alchemy, as I see it, is more related to knowing combinations of on-hand herbs and such, and the processes changing them through processes such as boiling, mixing, etc.  An alchemist may have no clue how to procure his ingredients, or what they can do in pure form, and likewise a herbalist may have no clue of the potential properties that can be extracted from herbs if processes through alchemy.  In reality many alchemists would likely study some herbology, though.

Reasoning and logic: The (generally trained) ability to objectively dissect a system in one's mind and determine the function of its parts and ramifications of altering them.

Oratory: The skill of giving rousing, convincing, pursuasive speeches that appeal to and pursuade the masses.  Often involves more charisma and rhetoric, and far less logic and fact than pursuasion.

Physical laws: Knowledge of many of the observable physical properties of the world (friction, gravity, pressure, etc).  Primarily useful for solving simple physical problems such as how to slow a wheel, how to move a heavy object, etc.  While related to engineering, the skill differs in that it is more a practical, rudimentary knowledge, and does not involve complex inter-related forces (such as torque in gearing).

I'll edit and add anything as I think of it.

Benesato.

[Loswaith]

Wrestling and herbology ive added equivlents as I see the need to cover those aspects.

Reasoning and Logic: just about everything a character learns and does will require some of this, and is far to general to be used as a distinctive skill, fitting more in veign with an overlying attribute.

Oratory: Is not needed as persuasion is any means of convincing others (thus covers it), not just logic and fact.  While for different characters it can be used in different ways.  Some may use logic, others retoric, others fact, and others still, confusion.  The act of persuading comes in many forms. 
This is a good example of the player deciding how the charcter comes about to be good at a skill and how they (the character) individually implements it, rather than the mechanics of an attribute saying its due to X or Y.

Physical laws is either covered by science, player decision or a myriad of other skills.

[Loswaith]

A brief uncomplete list of talents and the aspects they are likely to effect:
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Armour Training: You have learned to fight while wearing armour and can thusly overcome the hinderances of maneuvering while wearing armour.
Archery: You are trained in the use of projectile weapons, such as bows, cross bows and slings.
Command: You have learned to direct and lead others
Dual Weapons: You have trained to fight with a melee weapon in each hand.
Durability: You are able to withstand more injury.
Good Reflexes: You are able to react quicly and instinctivly to situations around you.
Horseman:  You are skilled and experienced in the use of horses and other beasts of burden.
Lore: You have an inquisitive mind and are skilled at absorbing facts and information easily.
Medic: You have trained at healing yourself and others.
Public Speaking:  You have trained in speaking to larger groups.
Scouting: You have trained in gathering information from reconnaissance.
Shield: You have trained to use a shield in battle and can turn one into a formiddable defencive or offencive tool.
Single Weapon: You have trained to use just a single handed melee weapon in battle while keeping the other hand free.
Thievery: You have trained in recovering goods that dont belong to you.
Thrown Weapons: You have trained to fight wth weapons designed to throw, fling or hurl.
Unarmed: You have trained to fight without using weapons.