Adjusted Firsthammer skill system

If and when I'm going to play Firsthammer as RPG I'll pretty much run it by the book. However, I will have a few modifications and house rules in place which hopefully improve the experience. One of the most involved modifications is an edit of the skill-system presented. My gripe with it is that it does not describe most skills and has a few superfluous skills. So here is my first draft of that.

(HUMAN) SKILLS
This is my modification of the original skill list. Starting characters have D4-1 skills (as described in WH1 vol.3). Characters with Intelligence of 10 or better have 1 additional skill.

Roll a d100
1-10 Trapper 
Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)


11-18 Tracker
Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.


19-25 Trader
Will be aware of most commodity prices and their differing values in differing areas. May “haggle” to reduce an item's price by 10%.


26-30 Sailor
Can perform general ship-board duties


31-32 Carpenter
Can construct and repair wooden items and structures.


33-34 Servant
May dodge close combat attacks on an unmodified roll of 6 on a d6.


35 Herdsman
Can train and direct dogs.


36-40 forger
Can make fake documents and counterfeit coins with the right equipment.


41-44 con man
+1 to bluff rolls.


45-53 pick pocket
Characters with this skill can attempt to pick pockets. The GM determines the number of pockets -roll a d4+2 if this is not specified. Money or treasure is randomly distributed amongs these pockets. To pick pockets the thief must contrive to bump into the target or make some other form of physical contact. A drunken embrace or even a handshake will suffice. At each contact the player may choose 1-4 pockets to 'dip'. After each attempt the GM should roll a d100 to see if the theft has been noted. The base chance is 10% per pocket dipped minus the thief's Initiative, +10% for each pocket dipped and +10 for each subsequent attempt/contact. (I.e a thief with I 6 who 'dips' 3 pockets has a 24% chance of getting caught in the act).


54-60 pharmacist
Identify potions and poisons, may brew potions and poisons of various kinds.


61-67 actor
Good at pretending to be other people (disguise)


68-75 minstrel
Can always earn a little money by singing and telling stories.


76 Barber-surgeon
Can perform surgery and apply medicine to injured or sick characters and gain the bonuses of Healers when performing first aid as described in the Injury and Death chapter. Also they may perform surgery on characters to remove permanent effects of injuries. This will require a successful Intelligence test (modified by GM at his discretion). Failed surgery may have additional adverse effects.


77-81 Jeweller
Is aware if the value and rarity of various gems and can identify forgeries.


82-85 Woodsman
Can walk silently in woods and may subsist and feed other people safely in a wilderness. He can identify most naturally poisonous plants.


86-88 Fisherman
Can safely operate a row boat with ease, knows the best spots in a body of water to fish


89-92 Thug
Has only a -1 to-hit penalty when fighting unarmed, no to-hit penalties when using an improvised weapon. If this skill is rolled twice, a thug may make an unarmed attack in addition to normal (armed) melee attacks (if armed with weapon+shield, double handed or two weapons, this attack would be a kick or head-butt).


93-95 Armourer
May, given the use of a forge, make weapons, armour and sundry special gadgets.


96 Miner
A miner will be able to tell if a dungeon or mine is safe. He will be able to recognise most of the characteristics of goblin, dwarf, human and other tunnelling.


97 Engineer
Can supervise the construction of engines (cranes, catapults, ballista's), buildings and fortifications.


98-100 Linguist
Can understand the basics of any language by passing an Int-test. May be fluent in one additional language other than his own.

Social status and skills

As I will be using the Social Standing characteristic too (RAW) I'll give any aristocratic player character the option of having a servant-retainer with the generated skill rather than the aristocrat knowing a skill that is obviously beneath their station (such as miner, thug, fisherman etc.).

OPTIONAL RULE: ALTERNATIVE ELVES

In warhammer, Elves are nothing but a sort of ubermensch with aptitude for magic. Below an alternative skill list for Elf characters to use instead of the normal skill-list. The abilities are a mix of mundane skills and stuff inspired by European Myth and some excellent blogposts (Middenmurk, Jrients and others) on making elves more alien/weird/fey

Fey Feats

Elves are fey and otherworldly beings and sometimes have magical powers. If an elf generates a skill that requires life energy to use, generate life energy as for a wizard, even if the elf is not a wizard character.
At each 1500 experience points the elf acquires, generate a new Fey Feat.

Roll a d100
1-10 Trapper
 Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)

11-18 Tracker
Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.


19-25 Animal spirit 
The elf is a were-creature. Generate the were-factor as normal (d6)
wood elf: Were boar, bear, wolf or tiger
High elf: were-tiger
Sea elf: were-rat or were-wolf
Dark elf: were-rat


26-30 Sea Elf
Can perform general ship-board duties. May breathe under-water at -1 life energy/10 minutes


31-32 Scout
Excellent vision and excellent hearing (+1 to spot checks)


33-34 Wardancer
Lightning reflexes (always strike first or in initiative order if surprised)

35 Magical Sleep 
Put d6 foes to sleep for 2d6 turns. Expend 1 life energy per foe per turn.


36-40 Fey
 At night, the Elf appears otherworldly and ghost-like, causing fear in domestic animals, humans, halflings, orcs and beastmen and terror to Goblins.
drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)


41-44 White (wo)man 
At night, the elf may turn into a Spectre (WHTMCFRPG vol.1 p. 50) for 1 life energy per turn, and operate under the rules as detailed for such creatures. The spectre cannot use other abilities or cast spells, nor can s/he use any equipment. To revert to corporeal elf-form, the elf must pas a WP-test at -1 for each 3 turns spent as spectre. A number of failed tests equal to the Elf's WP indicates the elf cannot rematerialize in mortal form and will vanish when his life energy runs out or when caught in sun-light. The elf-spectre will continue to haunt the area where he was last seen every night until banished by an exorcism or banish undead spell.
drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)

45-53 Marshlight
may cast magic light for 2 energy without the use of a philtre or amulet
drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)

54-60 Herbalist
Heal injury, identify plants, poisons and potions

61-67 Tree-spirit 
May turn into a dryad at-will for 1 life energy. While in dryad-form the elf loses 1 life energy per turn. To turn back into a normal elf, the elf must pass a willpower test at -1WP per 3 turns spent as Dryad. If a number of tests equal to the Elf's WP have failed, he remains in Dryad-form. Once the Dryad's life energy runs out, the Dryad becomes a normal, immobile tree.

Dryad stats: BS:-1, S+1, T+1, W+1, I:-2, A:+1, armour save 5+. While in Dryad form, the elf attacks with natural weapons and cannot use any other equipment. The elf may still cast spells or use other special abilities that do not require the use of tools or weapons.


68-75 minstrel
Can always earn a little money by singing and telling stories.


76 Elf-guest 
Open locks


77-81 Elf shot 
Treat all bows as an Elf Bow (range, strength)


82-85 Woodsman
Can walk silently in woods and may subsist and feed other people safely in a wilderness. He can identify most naturally poisonous plants.


86-88 Sense magic 
If not a wizard, the elf gains the sense magic ability. If a wizard, the elf knows one additional spell.


89-92 Hypnotist
-still need some rules for that


93-95 magic awareness  
If not a wizard, the elf gains the magic awareness ability, if a wizard, the elf knows one additional spell.


96 speak to animals
The elf can speak to animals and understand their language.


97 Alien 
-1/10 to reaction tests


98-100 Linguist
Can understand the basics of any language by passing an Int-test. May be fluent in one additional language other than his own.

OPTIONAL RULES: DWARVES

Like elves, though I like Warhammer's characterization of Dwarves, I want to do some de-humanization of these creatures too. Making them a bit more like their mythological counterparts outside fantasy gaming. Therefore dwarfs may go for Dwarven Crafts instead of the normal skills:

Dwarven crafts

Roll a d100
1-10 Trapper 
Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)


11-18 Tracker
Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.


19-25 Trader
Will be aware of most commodity prices and their differing values in differing areas. May “haggle” to reduce an item's price by 10%.


26-30 Greedy 
Gains double experience for any gold looted. If of avarice alignment, the dwarf earns experience at a rate of 1:1 (i.e. acquiring 8 gold crowns is 8 XP.).


31-32 Carpenter
Can construct and repair wooden items and structures.


33-34 alcoholic
 Subject to alcoholism. However, each pint of strong drink consumed gives +1 strength for the next turn.


35 Conman
+1 to bluff rolls.


36-40 forger
Can make fake documents and counterfeit coins with the right equipment.


41-44 Ugly 
-1/10 to reaction tests, cause fear to children, imbeciles (humans with INT 3 or lower) and Halflings in night and darkness.


45-53 pick pocket
Characters with this skill can attempt to pick pockets. The GM determines the number of pockets -roll a d4+2 if this is not specified. Money or treasure is randomly distributed amongst these pockets. To pick pockets the thief must contrive to bump into the target or make some other form of physical contact. A drunken embrace or even a handshake will suffice. At each contact the player may choose 1-4 pockets to 'dip'. After each attempt the GM should roll a d100 to see if the theft has been noted. The base chance is 10% per pocket dipped minus the thief's Initiative, +10% for each pocket dipped and +10 for each subsequent attempt/contact. (I.e a thief with I 6 who 'dips' 3 pockets has a 24% chance of getting caught in the act).


54-60 Alchemist
Identify potions and poisons, may brew potions and poisons of various kinds.


61-67 sense magic
 If not a wizard, the Dwarf gains the sense magic ability, if a wizard, the Dwarf knows one additional spell.


68-75 Immune to poison 
Poisons have no effect on this dwarf.


76 Berserker
subject to frenzy


77-81 Jeweller
Is aware if the value and rarity of various gems and can identify forgeries.


82-85 Hard-headed 
Half the time unconscious and change of death for head wounds.


86-88 Sniffer
 Detect the presence of metals, minerals and gemstones (1 type per level)


89-92 Thug
Has only a -1 to-hit penalty when fighting unarmed, no to-hit penalties when using an improvised weapon. If this skill is rolled twice, a thug may make an unarmed attack in addition to normal (armed) melee attacks (if armed with weapon+shield, double handed or two weapons, this attack would be a kick or head-butt).


93-95 Armourer
May, given the use of a forge, make weapons, armour and sundry special gadgets.


96 Miner
A miner will be able to tell if a dungeon or mine is safe. He will be able to recognise most of the characteristics of goblin, dwarf, human and other tunnelling.


97 Engineer
Can supervise the construction of engines (cranes, catapults, ballista's), buildings and fortifications.


98-100 Runecraft
 Can engrave runes on metal items (blades, rings, bracelets etc, see warhammer magic)