HOUSE RULES
HISTORY = SCHOLARSHIP
Since the range of academic skills in 5e is limited, the History proficiency will now include all types of formal humanities education. It now functions as a broad Scholarship skill.
If you are proficient, then choose a sub-discipline (or Knack) such as Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Philosophy, History, Astronomy, Literature, Law, Geography, Mathematics, etc...
If you go with History, you can specialize it to Military History, Heraldry, Ancient Civilizations, etc...
If you go with History, you can specialize it to Military History, Heraldry, Ancient Civilizations, etc...
TOOL SKILLS
Tools will mostly follow the expanded descriptions from Xanathar's Guide to Everything.
Tool Skills are not limited to the use of the tool itself. It will be treated as an artisanal trade or craft, with the specialized knowledge base that accompanies the use of the tool. These skillsets are applicable even when the tools in question are not available.
SKILL CHECKS
Success on Skill Checks will be assessed based on the total roll and the degree of relative success, rather than only a PASS / FAIL measured against a DC.
Critical Success and Critical Failure will also be taken into consideration, representing spectacular success, dismal failures, or simply unexpected positive or negative outcomes.
ATTRIBUTES and SKILL CHECKS
Occasionally you may be asked to make a Skill Check with another base attribute other than the attribute usually associated wth that check. This represents circumstantial conditions.
Example:
Using Intimidation, you attempt to scare someone by breaking a brick on your head, or by bending a steel bar. In that situation you would likely use Intimidation+Strength, instead of Intimidation+Charisma, depending on how you are 'selling' the Intimidate attempt.
Example:
Example:
A winged monster is doing a speeding fly-by. You want to leap off the battlement onto its back. If raw leap distance is not in question, you may be asked to make an Athletics+Dexterity check instead of an Athletics+Strength, representing the necessary bodily precision. Possibly you will have the option of either attribute (since grip strength may also be key in successfully landing the jump).
