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DFRPG / Some advice on skill choice
« on: January 29, 2014, 07:12:50 PM »
In making a new character that apart from being a wizard is also a goldsmith. My idea for practical use of this in game is mostly going to revolve around declarations and assessments, and of course his foci and enchanted items will mostly be various kinds of personalized jewelry. However - thinking about skills for him I ran into a bit of trouble: Goldsmithing does not fit comfortably in either Performance or Craftsmanship, to my eyes.
At first I though "oh, of course it's Craftsmanship - this is a craft, there's no "performing" part in this!" Until I looked closer at the trappings...
Breaking, Building, Fixing. These are all really a lot more suited to "practical" crafts, repairing machinery, building houses etc. Being a goldsmith really doesn't help all that much when you try to shore up the door against some oncoming beastie trying to beat it down...
"All right, I guess it might actually be Performance then..." Well, some actually seem to fit better here, at least!
Art Appreciation - transplanted to Jewelry and other fine metalwork, sure!
Composition - This would then be the actual "making the stuff" trapping.
Creative Communication - Eehh... I don't really see how this fits what he's doing...
Playing to an Audience - Most decidedly No.
Now, I understand some trappings (or other areas of the skill) might not be appropriate for every character, especially for those skills that can have a multitude of specializations (a plumber has craftsmanship - doesn't mean he'll be able to fix the bad wiring so you can get the electric lights to work). But in this case I'm really not sure which way to go.
Looking at the trappings, Performance seems a better fit; but at the same time I think the tool use and handiwork translates better over to Craftsmanship when he tries to improvise other stuff...
Sure, I could use either as long as the GM and I agree on the limits of his capabilities, but I'd like input on which skill you people would chose for this.
At first I though "oh, of course it's Craftsmanship - this is a craft, there's no "performing" part in this!" Until I looked closer at the trappings...
Breaking, Building, Fixing. These are all really a lot more suited to "practical" crafts, repairing machinery, building houses etc. Being a goldsmith really doesn't help all that much when you try to shore up the door against some oncoming beastie trying to beat it down...
"All right, I guess it might actually be Performance then..." Well, some actually seem to fit better here, at least!
Art Appreciation - transplanted to Jewelry and other fine metalwork, sure!
Composition - This would then be the actual "making the stuff" trapping.
Creative Communication - Eehh... I don't really see how this fits what he's doing...
Playing to an Audience - Most decidedly No.
Now, I understand some trappings (or other areas of the skill) might not be appropriate for every character, especially for those skills that can have a multitude of specializations (a plumber has craftsmanship - doesn't mean he'll be able to fix the bad wiring so you can get the electric lights to work). But in this case I'm really not sure which way to go.
Looking at the trappings, Performance seems a better fit; but at the same time I think the tool use and handiwork translates better over to Craftsmanship when he tries to improvise other stuff...
Sure, I could use either as long as the GM and I agree on the limits of his capabilities, but I'd like input on which skill you people would chose for this.