Profession skill and the use there of.

[doghead]

How do you use the profession skill, or how have you seen it used?

Do you usually take it for your characters?

 

[Evilhalfling]

So far it has had two uses in my campagin, a druid had profession farmer, and he used it to replant a tree. Next session he is trying to move a totem pole.
since no one has kn(engineering) Prof (farmer) can be used as well.


Profession Merchant - used to haggle prices of reselling magic items.
resale value is 40% + (skill check x1%) opposed to generic 50%

It is really only taken to flesh out the background, and it rarely gets more than a few points. IMC humans have to spend thier starting bonus skill points on a regional skill, and that is how they ended up with both of the above.

 

[JBowtie]

There just aren't that many Profession checks. In theory, you can use Profession to generate an income, but most adventurers get their income from killing things. Skill points are sunk in for background or flavor; not because it's useful.

That said, there are a number of ways to make Profession more attractive.
* Profession(merchant) can be used during the buying and selling sessions. I'm sure many people have or can suggest mechanics for this.
* Profession(writing) can be used to enhance the production of magical books and tomes. Ink and Quill has some concrete mechanics for this; with a bit of tinkering it would be appropriate for producing the Arcana Unearthed mudane "Book +X".
* Profession(sailor) is very handy for seafaring campaigns; all the naval supplements I own have suggestions for its use.

 

[drdevoid]

Typically, if a PC really wants more than a few flavor points with the Profession skill you can:

A.) Grant synergy bonuses somewhat liberally

B.) Have spans of downtime where the PCs actually use their profession and craft skills to make a living.

C.) As Evilhalfling wrote, you can let a profession skill fake for another skill situationally (typically not as well as the correct skill). Eg prof (groomer) could fake for handle animal.

D.) Let the profession skill fake as a social skill (Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Info) when among professionals from that field or grant a circumstance bonus to said social skills.

I always use it for flavor. I use the knowledge or craft skills when I want to represent a character that's not dead set on just adventuring and being a mercenary, but in fact has a side focus.

 

[niastri]

How do you use the profession skill, or how have you seen it used?

Do you usually take it for your characters?

5+ ranks in a related profession skill will get you a synergy bonus in a skill related.

Profession:Archivist gives to Decipher Script
Profession:Acrobat gives to Tumble
etc.

The skills themselves often don't have much use in game, as mentioned, they are often for flavor. HOWEVER, if a character who has high tumble tries to make a living off his tumbling skills, and doesn't have Acrobat as a skill, he will find that he doesn't make half what a character with both does. And if he wants acclaim for his characters skills, he better have Perform: Tumble as well.

Profession implies that a character has the talents to do something in other than an adventuring environment, and is able to make himself fit into a working environment.

Also, if a character is going to try and infiltrate a group of acrobats, he BETTER have some profession: acrobat, or he is going to stand out like a sore thumb. In this case, the bluff roll would get a bonus as well if he had ranks in the appropriate profession skill.

There are lots of ways to encourage use of profession besides requiring it...

 

[CRGreathouse]

Let me think about the Profession skills in the 2 groups I DM:

Profession (oracle): A popular choice, since it actually works in my campaign. Choose one type (eg astrology or pyromancy) per 5 ranks [round up]

Profession (groom): I gave it a synergy bonus to Handle Animal, as I recall.

Profession (fence) and Profession (buyer? merchant?): While no PCs have it, the followers of two PCs have the skills (which grant mutual synergies), which they use to make faster transactions and get better prices. This became a major plot point once... they needed a scroll of wish, and every hour counted. The party put a custom 'no-need-for-sleep' spell on both and paid them lavishly -- and were willing to accept just about any price.

Profession (digger): Normally this has two functions -- gravedigger and ditch digger -- but it has come up for escaping situations and setting crude traps...

 

[Jeff Wilder]

The three Profession skills in most common use in my game (set in Freeport) are Profession (lawyer) and Profession (merchant) -- both used by the paladin in negotiating and finalizing deals for the merchant house of which she's a scion -- and Profession (sailor) -- used by several characters, since it's a sea-voyage-heavy campaign.

My view on Profession is that it's the skill you use for a job that actually combines many different lesser skills. Profession (sailor) involves climbing, knot-tying, balance, weather-gauging, navigation by the stars, and so on and so on. A sailor isn't going to be as good at, e.g., knot tying, as someone who takes Use Rope, but he doesn't need to be. He just needs to know what knots are appropriate where on a ship.

I like the Profession skills, and I reward players who invest in them.

 

[Doctor Bomb]

Typically, if a PC really wants more than a few flavor points with the Profession skill you can:

A.) Grant synergy bonuses somewhat liberally

B.) Have spans of downtime where the PCs actually use their profession and craft skills to make a living.

C.) As Evilhalfling wrote, you can let a profession skill fake for another skill situationally (typically not as well as the correct skill). Eg prof (groomer) could fake for handle animal...

Yeah,
What they said. A Profession skill is a much more specific set of information than a Knowledge skill, and usually includes hands-on skills, but more general knowledge than a single Craft covers. As such, any of the three can (and should) give each other synergy bonuses.

Generally, I give the PC's +2 synergy to a profession for one craft and or knowledge skill, as well as allow them a skill check that seems appropriate. Profession (Sapper) gives my players (and NPC's) the ability to make a skill check to automatically destroy small structures, battlements, or wall sections in a set ammount of time.

I also give them a +2 synergy bonus to a Perform or other skill for a related Profession (see the Tumble example further up the thread...)

And yes, Profession (Sailor or Seaman) can be IMPORTANT in many sea-intensive campaigns, as it can be used in place of a Climb check in rigging, in place of a Balance check in heavy seas, in place of a Survival check to determine the weather, etc.

 

[doghead]

Yeah, This is pretty much along the lines that I have seen it. I like Profession, and usually try and take some ranks in it for my PC's (along with some Knowlege or perform skills if possible) to give them a bit more depth/colour/flavour. As a DM I would look to reward those who take it, but the opportunities are not always common.

This idea came to mind the other day. Your professional experience (ranks in Profession) acts a safety net for other skill checks in the same field. So if you have Profession (fence) rank 7, and if you roll a 3 on a Appraise skillcheck, the 7 is used instead. This rewards those who invest in Profession skills, without changing their capablity to do things (as synergies do).

Of course, it can still be used as a regular skill as described by people above.

just a thought.

 

[Beholder Bob]

...The skills themselves often don't have much use in game, as mentioned, they are often for flavor. HOWEVER, if a character who has high tumble tries to make a living off his tumbling skills, and doesn't have Acrobat as a skill....he better have Perform: Tumble as well...

In a nice way - this is insane!!! To be a professional tumbler I need:
Tumble (the skill)
tumble (the perform skill)
acrobatics (the profession)

To be good, I need, what, 5 ranks in each? 15 skill points to be a tumbler!

In my game, I have removed profession and craft and replaced it with vocation. It functions as both, as they apply to the task at hand.

Vocation cook: you can make a living at it (like a professional), and you can try to make elaborate dishes for the king (as a craft).

Vocation weapon/armor smith: I run a shop (like a professional), and make armor & weapons (craft)

Vocation sailor: I earn a decent wage (like a professional), and keep the ship 'ship-shape' with repairs and replacements (craft).

Skill points are far and few between, and most seem to feel profession is only taken for a rank or two for flavor. This seems silly - a sacrifice of a few skill points to show others your character has 'depth'? Please!

Perform is its own profession/craft - you should not need to buy a skill twice. Perform harp does not require a separate vocation (or profession) in harp.

As to the rolls:​

When a vocation is used to interact with fellows in the same field, I allow it to substitute for diplomacy (a glazier speaking with another glazier can 'talk shop') so long as the subject of the diplomacy remains relevant to the profession. The skill uses charisma for this check.
When the vocation is used to evaluate the value of an item produced by the vocation (a gemcutter evaluation a gem), the vocation can substitute for appraise. The skill uses intelligence for this check.
When trying to make a day to day living, use wisdom.
When making a product, use intelligence.

5+ ranks in diplomacy gives a synergy bonus with a social check, 5+ ranks in appraise gives synergy for appraisal in your specialty (a 6 rank appraisal, 6 rank vocation gem-cutter knows his gems!)

Vocation basket weaving 4 ranks
___________________social 5
___________________living 6
_________________appraise 8
_____________create/repair 8

BB