This is an update of the Q&A thread for Arrows of Indra. You can find the full thread here; and if you wish to submit any question at all to me related to Arrows of Indra, you'll get a response here and on that thread shortly!
Now, as for today's update:
Q:I'm reading through my brand-spanking-new copy of Arrows of Indra, and a question pops up for me going through the Skills section (p 33 - p 43).
The text under Explanation of skills reads: "All regular skills
(including special skills or actions based on bonuses granted by class
or race) are checked by rolling a d20 ... "
I get this applies to background skills, but I'm not clear on what regular
skills are (I don't see the term elsewhere). More specifically, do
class skills follow this skill check rule (or perhaps some of them; some
don't seem to reasonably call for rolls).
Likewise, are Enlightenment Powers subject to skill checks? I'd think
not, given both what they represent and the fact that they aren't skills
(or at all regular), per se.
Apologies if I'm being obtuse, or if I missed a prior explanation.
... as I continue to read, the The Task Resolution notes on p 64 seem to
indicate yes, re: class skills. I'd still appreciate any
clarifications. I feel particularly daft.
A: First, thanks for your enjoyment of Arrows of Indra, and for sharing that here!
Second, Skill checks are done with any skill that actually requires a
roll. "Regular" as a word in the description you mentioned was perhaps a
mistake. It might have been better to just say "many skills use rolls;
those that do all use the same mechanic...", but I suppose its too late
now; though that's what this Q&A is for, in part!
Which ones require rolling? Any skill that has a relevant skill
presented in parentheses somewhere in its entry. So in the background
skills you see things like "Farming(CON)", Accountant(INT),
Herbalist-doctor (INT), Merchant (CHA), Religious Dancer (CHA), or even
something like "Spy (usually CHA)". Any of those can require rolling.
Note that this doesn't mean they MUST always be rolled. As the rules
note, a big part of having even a +1 in an skill means that you don't
necessarily have to roll. For very basic things related to the skill,
the GM can just rule your character knows it, or how to do it. Even for
simple tasks, you can now "take 10", rather than actually rolling.
You'll note that among background skills listed in the main book, only
"Translator" would never be rolled. However, with class skills its
quite different: only a few class skills are actually rolled. For
example; the priest's "Theology (INT)" and "Demonology (INT)"; fighters'
"Charioteering (DEX)" and "horsemanship (DEX)"; the siddhi's "Astrology
(INT)"; or the thief's "Poison Knowledge (INT)", "Urban Survival
(WIS)", "Appraisal (INT)", "Sense Motivation (WIS)", "Disguise (CHA)",
and "Object Lore (INT)".
All the other class skills, things like the priest Arcana; fighter's
Proficiencies, combat Maneuvers, or Command; siddhi's Asanas, Mantras,
and Mudras; or the thief's Language/Literacy, Manipulation, kukri,
katar or sling Training; all of these are NOT rolled. No standard checks
are performed; they all do what they do. Some of the descriptions of
these skills clearly provide bonuses to other types of rolls (attacks,
damage, reaction checks, etc), others require other types of roll (saving throws
on the part of the victims of a Mudra to avoid mind control, or
disintegration or to believe an illusion, etc). But there's no "D20+
attribute vs DC" check for the skill itself.
Likewise, Enlightenment powers require no checks.
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That's all for this week; please feel free to send us your questions, on theRPGsite thread, and check out Arrows of Indra if you haven't yet!
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