House Rule - Skill rolls, when the character doesn't have the skill..

 

There comes a time in game a player will want to do something with his character, but does not have the skill for it and its frustrating to that player and even more frustrating when no one in the party has the skill as well. 

 

So now the group sits there, trying to figure out ways around the situation or a different path to take, because of this skill they don't have.

Well good news is that anyone can attempt MOST of the skills and its the GM's call on which skills would fall under "anyone can attempt".

Common sense applies here for a GM, and when I need opinions, I will ask my group for their HONEST opinion on the matter in hopes of an honest logical answer. For the most part I've never run into players trying to bullshit or lie just so they can move past the situation in recent years.

Can a character do surgery with out any training? NOT REALLY. Sure they can remove a bullet that's not lodged too deep, or clean up a wound.. but do a heart transplant or reattach a nerve? NOPE.

You have to take it on case by case basis here.

First ask, "would it seem logical that anyone can attempt it?" If the answer is yes, then we proceed. If its no, then you have to tell them no and you can provide your logic behind the no and as the GM, your decisions are final. If a player has an issue with the call, they can speak to you privately on a break or after the game.  A good GM will always listen to a player who has an issue.

Okay, so you decided the character can do it, now what?

Then we decide which attribute does it falls under? 

Once we decide that, we ask the player to roll percentile, just like a normal skill roll using that attribute number as the target to roll under.

You as the GM can add a bonus to the roll depending on the situation at hand or just leave it as straight roll.

Example: 

Let's say a PC is attending a ball and he's there to impress some of the nobles. After a while of watching and looking around, he's asked to dance. Well he can shake his head and say no thank you and disappoint people, or he can take this chance to impress people. 

Dancing has a skill, but anyone who watches can attempt to try to dance, its matter of coordination and agility. They may not be perfect but in this situation, its possible.

So we look at the character's P.P., which is a 22. That would give the character a 22% chance of pulling it off. 

Its a method I've used plenty of times, rolling under the attribute to give a character a CHANCE at something when there is no other options.

What do you think?