SJ Skills and Feats for 3rdEd

I've been looking at various cuts on the web at SJ Skills and
Feats for 3rdEd.  My main aim is to have something with the same
'look-and-feel' as original SJ, but which is as compatible with
standard 3rdEd as possible.

A major consideration is what is needed to take a groundling and
put them into space, and how much of the limited resources that
skills and feats represent for a character need to be dedicated
to being a passable spelljammer.

Looking at various people's ideas quite a lot of existing SJ NWP
look as though they fold into the skills Knowledge or Profession,
which makes sense.  The skills of a water sailor look as though
they mostly fit a space sailor, and adding a new Profession skill
looks as though it covers any details.  The big stumbling block
is operating a spelljamming helm, which 2ndEd spelljamming makes
very clear is possibly just by being a spellcaster, and 3rdEd
looks as though some sort of skill is required to provide skill
rolls against various SJ tasks.


I propose that there be a Helm Pilot skill, which is unique in
that the stat it is based on depends on the sort of spellcaster
that you are.  For example, a Wizard would use Int, a Cleric or
Druid or Paladin or Ranger Wis, a Sorcerer or Bard Cha.  Someone
who was not a spellcaster and was using a helm not powered by
spells, such as a Lifejammer, Series Helm, Forge or Furnace,
would use their Cha; spellcasters using a non-spell-powered helm
would still use their spellcasting stat.  This is considered to
be a class skill for all spellcasters, and a cross-class skill
for others.  This is allowed as an Untrained skill, but not for
non-spellcasters.

If someone is using a helm without the Helm Pilot skill they
would be strongly advised to 'take 10', or even 'take 20', which
explains the really slow docking maneuvers of novice helmsmen.

(There is some reference to psijamming, but I've not even cracked
open my 3rdEd psionics rules - I suspect that psionics would use
Wis as their stat for this skill.  But, I could be quite wrong!
[grin] )


The Spacefarer feat looks like a good idea, as long as you can
sell DMs on the idea of you very rarely buying it with a
character's initial and level-based feats.  Handing out 'free
feats' seeming to be something that some DMs are very much
opposed to.  Maybe it would help to explain that this is a
character background or experience mechanic, which is described
as a Feat so as to fit in better with the D&D 3rd Edition system.


I think the Spelljammer Helmsman feats are usable, which makes a
non-spellcaster into someone who can power and direct a
spelljamming helm (presumably by developing their latent magical
talent).  On the other hand, this can consume Feats and is
useless except while sitting at a helm. I don't think these are
really 'core' Feats.


The 3rdEd DMG says under 'Seige Engines' that Profession (seige
engineer) is the skill used for operating a Light or Heavy
Catapult, and you make a straight attack roll with no modifiers
(except for range) to use a Ballista.  There are also rules for
use of a (small) Ram.

The implication is that this is all you need to be able to
operate seige weapons, and by extension ship-mounted weapons in
SJ.

Should we pay attention to these rules, in doing the SJ weapons?

Quite a few of the proposed SJ Feats seem to do with weapons, and
things like ramming.


Do we need to add a feat Ship Weapons, which gives access to all
standard ship's weapons, qualifying someone to operate a weapon,
or run a crew that is doing so?

Should you be able to run these weapons without this feat?  (Yes,
I know there is a -4 non-proficiency penalty rule.)

The PHB and DMG seem to imply between them that you don't treat
seige weapons as Exotic Weapons, needing a Feat each to use them.


Other feats can be added to suit DMs; I think we just need to
work out a core set of Feats.

-- 
Dreamer
dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk
http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/