More on Tasks

I did some work coming up with Tasks for my Rogue sub-classes

Individual Tasks

Area of Knowledge (Type)
Hard: INT, Average: INTx2
Area of Knowledge represents a field of study that the character specializes in. Recommended areas include: Accounting, Geography, Herblore, History, Law, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Physician, Strategy, Thaumatalogy, Theology. Rolls using Area of Knowledge should only have to be made during situations where time is important such as a debate, haggling, or a trial.

Accounting
Represent knowledge of local finances and the management of goods and money. This is useful for merchant characters interested in setting up trade deals.

Geography, History, Law, Theology
If cultures, religions and different regions are important to the campaign these skills may be further limited in scope. Still working on coming up with tasks for these.

Herblore
Finding common herbs takes one week and is an average task. If successful 2d6 doses are found.
Finding rare components is a hard task and often requires killing of specific monsters. If successful 1d6 dose are found. If a individual monster is slain only one dose may be harvested.

Mathematics
This skill is typically used in construction, building siege engines and other engineering tasks. It is an average task to reduce the amount of time and materials by 10%. Success at a hard task can reduce the amount of time and materials by 20%.

Natural Philosophy
This represents knowledge of botany, zoology, geology, and other natural phenomena. In most fantasy campaigns technological development hasn’t reached the point where these fields have separated.

If the character has a complete round to observe it is a average task to identify a unknown monster.
It is a hard task to identify a unknown monster in the middle of combat.

If the character has a complete round to examine a passageway it is a average task to tell whether it is sloping or rising.
It is a hard task to examine a cavern or dungeon passage to see if it is unstable and prone to collapse.

Physician
This can be used to help a character to accelerate healing. It is an average task to help a character heal 2 hp/day with the character completely healed in 3 weeks. It is a hard task to help a help a character heal 4 hp/day with the character completely healed in 2 weeks. It is a hard task to tend to a character that has been poisoned. On a successful roll a physician will reduce the damage taken from the poison by ½ well as cut the duration of any ill-effects by ½.

Strategy
If the character succeeds on a hard task roll he may inflict damage on the opposing unit in the first round of combat. If the character succeeds on a average task he may modify any favorable or unfavorable terrain modifier by 1.

Thaumatalogy
This aids in researching magic. Success at a hard task will identify the powers of an item that is known to be magic in the heat of combat.


Bending & Lifting
Hard: STR, Average: STRx2
This is useful for task involving feats of raw strength.

It is a hard task to bend bars ½” or larger in diameter.
It is a hard task to smash open a locked or barred door.
It is an average task to lift a locked heavy gate.

It is an average task to push open a stuck door.
It is an average task to lift an unlocked heavy gate.

Climbing
Hard: DEX, Average: STR+DEX
It is an average task to climb with a rope or a steep incline. It is a hard task to climb a sheer face. If the character is encumbered then he is at -2 to his task roll.

Climbing with a rope is at 12 feet per round
Climbing a steep incline is at 8 feet per round
Climbing a sheer face is at 6 feet per round.

Eavesdrop
Hard:INT, Average: INT+WIS
It is a hard task to listen to a single conversation in a crowded tavern.
It is a hard task to listen through a stone wall or other thick surface.
It is a average task to listen through a door or shuttered window.

Intimidation
Hard:STR Average:STR+CHA

It is a hard task to force somebody to talk. For every hp of damage you inflict up to 4 you gain +1 to the task roll.
It is a average task to force an attacking crowd to check morale. This will fail if you are outnumbered by more than 2 to 1.

Jumping
Hard: STR Average:STR+DEX

It is a Average Task to Jump over a 2’ foot obstacle.
If the character is encumbered then it becomes a Hard Task.
For every foot over 2 foot it is -1 to the Task Roll.
If the task fails the character will stumble and not clear the height. A roll of a 1 means the character fall prone to the ground.

Legerdemain
Hard:DEX Average: DEX+2
This aids in performing tasks involving manual dexterity.

It is a hard task to pickpocket a mark that is alone.
It is a average task to pickpocket a mark that is in the midst of a crowd.
It is a average task to perform a sleight of hand trick when you are 5’ feet or more away from an audience
It is a hard task to perform a sleight of hand trick when you are closer than 5’ feet to an audience.

Locution
Hard:CHA Average:INT+CHA

It is a hard task to rally a broken unit in mass combat

In the initial round of a combat a character may engage in a repartee with the enemy. This is a average task and if successful will halt everybody in earshot for 1 round that understands the speaker’s language. The enemy may counter with a repartee of their own. It is stressed that character should role-play this before making the roll. A repartee may not be done in if the character is surprised.

In the initial round of combat, a character may attempt a Witticism on a single individual that understand his language. This is a hard task and if successful the character will gain the initiative due the target laughing or being angered. It is stressed that character should role-play this before making the roll. A witticism may not be done in if the character is surprised.

It is a average task to haggle a price that is 10% better in favor of the character.
It is a hard task to haggle a price that is 20% better in favor of the character.

Manipulate
Hard:DEX Average: INT+DEX
This aids in performing tasks in manipulating small mechanical devices.

It is a average task to disable a known trap.
It is a average task to pick a lock open with thieves picks.
It is a hard task to pick open a trapped lock or a trapped chest with a lock without triggering the trap.
It is a hard task to pick a lock open with inadequate tools.

Perceive
Hard:WIS Average:INT+WIS
It is a hard task to spot a target that hidden in shadow or well covered.
It is a average task to spot a target sneaking through a well-lit or open area.
Note these task assume that the target has made his stealth task roll.

It is a average task to notice an medium size or large feature of an area in the middle of combat.
It is a hard task to notice a small feature of a an area in the middle of combat.

Professional (type)
Hard: varies Average: varies+Wis
The referee may define additional rules for crafting items made by different professions. Baker, Blacksmith, Cooper, Jeweler, etc. The hard task characteristic will vary based on the profession. For example STR for blacksmith, and DEX for a Jeweler.

It is a hard task to create a masterwork item.
It is a average task to evaluate the worth of a item made by that profession.
It is a average task to reduce the time and material cost by 10%.
It is a hard task to reduce the time and material cost by 20%.

Research
This aids in magical research.
It is a average task to reduce the time and material cost by 10%.
It is a hard task to reduce the time and material cost by 20%.

Riding
Hard: STR Average: STR+CON
Need to come up with stuff under riding.

Stealth
Hard: DEX Average: WIS+DEX
It is a average task to sneak around or hide in areas with heavy shadowed or have heavy cover.
It is a hard task to sneak around or hide in areas that are well-lit or are open.

Survival (type)
Hard: CON Average: CON+WIS
This represents the combined skills of hunting, tracking, and foraging in the wilderness. This may be limited by the referee to specific types of terrain.

It is a Average Task to track a trail less than 6 hours old.
It is a Hard Task to track a trail between 6 hours and two days old.
The terrain may modify the task roll. -2 for rocky terrain, -2 for well trodden pathways or game trails. -4 for high traffic paths like city streets. +4 for snow and sandy surfaces, however the weather may quickly erase tracks.

It is a Average Task to identify the type of creature by its tracks.
It is a Average Task to find 1 day’s ration in Jungle, Forest, and Plains; takes 6 hours to complete.
It is a Hard Task to find 1 day’s ration in Desert, Mountains, Tundra, and Ice Terrain; takes 8 hours to complete.