The last skill list I'll ever need...

...because it'll work for everything!

Fantasy?  Check.

Historical?  Of course.

Modern?  Yup!

Superheroes?  Absolutely!!

TRON-style interprogram conflict within a computer system?  Uh...

Maybe not everything.  I guess.  But I do want to have one that I can apply across most genres I'll be playing...and potentially mixing into the games that sprout from my fantasy heartbreaker.

Well...I wanna create stats for Mutt from the G.I. Joe team, right?  So let me think through this...

The core of the game is D&D Fifth Edition.  It has 18 skills, which were kept identical in the transition from the 2014 to 2024 editions and which are used as-is by the 5e-forked rules of Tales of the Valiant.  They're a solid set for fantasy and in general hit a nice level of broadness (breadth? too weird a word for this use...).  Some of the really specific choices from 3e/3.5 have been absorbed by others, and we're left with a selection of nouns that feel more specific than ability/attribute descriptors, but that all could also be subdivided into more specific tasks.  So...no Use Rope.  They should all stay; here's our base:

• Athletics

-----

• Acrobatics
• Sleight of Hand
• Stealth

-----
• Arcana
• History
• Investigation
• Nature
• Religion

-----
• Animal Handling
• Insight
• Medicine
• Perception
• Survival

-----
• Deception
• Intimidation
• Performance
• Persuasion

And vehicles, FWIW, are treated as Tools, so a different kind of proficiency entirely.

Now, I consulted with a couple of modern takes on 5e to see how they deal with the skill list -- Everyday Heroes and Ultramodern5.  They're both worth looking at!  And since both games are pretty open and have SRDs just a search away, I think it's probably safe to talk about their skill selections pretty...er, openly.

So...both end up with 22 total skills.  Ultramodern5 does this by just adding four more on top of the 5e list: Computer Use, Demolitions, Engineering, and Sciences (all designated for use with Intelligence, although I'm not TOO concerned with that yet, as I think it might be best to just let every skill check have its associated ability determined at the time of the check).  And vehicles, once again, are handled by a proficiency separate from skills.

Image from DriveThruRPG

Everyday Heroes, meanwhile, also has a list of 22 but goes about it in a different way.  For one thing, as you might have imagined I would get to by my mentions of them above, Vehicles is a skill in itself.  The rules also drop Arcana, History, Nature, Religion, and Animal Handling.  Arcana is arguably gone just to fit the modern setting better.  It's also possible that it is simply taken up into the new skill Social Sciences, much as History and Religion must be.  Natural Sciences can then absorb Nature.  (Getting rid of Animal Handling is a little bit of a head-scratcher for me, though.)

Image from DriveThruRPG

The other additions are Endurance, Computers, Mechanics, Security, Arts and Crafts, and Streetwise.  (Oh...and if it matters, Medicine is moved from Wisdom to Intelligence as the standard base ability.  I do like it better with INT...)

As I mentioned above, I want to take the Ultramodern5 route and just keep the basic 18 from 5e, adding on what's necessary.  So, from what I see here...what's necessary?  Both games have a computer skill...that's a good one.  Demolitions?  Nah...I definitely had a phase where I thought Demolitions made sense as a skill, but that just seems so...specific.  It can be a Talent/Aptitude/whatever I end up choosing to call the proficiencies that work kind of like Tools but don't have to be tools.  Same with Security from Everyday Heroes.

I'm fine with just one Sciences skill and letting Nature hang around as a related but not identical set of knowledge that someone may have.  After all, quantum mechanics seems to be at the root of how nature works, but that's not what we mean when we say someone has an understanding of Nature.

Arts and Crafts?  It's broad enough to fit the theme, but just seems...unnecessary.  And do we need Streetwise when we already have Insight, Perception, Survival, and all the skills that describe characters' impact on those around them?  (I don't think so.)

Engineering and Mechanics hit a similar note for the games, and I'm definitely tempted to run with one of those...there is something a bit different about these approaches as compared to the more theoretical angle of the Sciences.  That's a tough one, though...especially since we so often think of the scientists in a story/RPG as the ones who come up with all the gadgets.  I'm leaning no, but with these and Endurance, I could still be convinced either way.

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Alright...uh, drumroll please...?  The WIP skill list for the Monstrous Heartbreaker stands at (and please feel free to check my math on this):

• Athletics

-----

• Acrobatics
• Sleight of Hand
• Stealth

-----
• Arcana

• Computers
• History
• Investigation

• Medicine
• Nature
• Religion

• Sciences

-----
• Animal Handling
• Insight
• Perception
• Survival

-----
• Deception
• Intimidation
• Performance
• Persuasion

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I think it might work.  And I'm definitely up for whatever criticisms you may have to send my way...!

Geeky SKAturday: Some love for Skapara!

For today's Geeky SKAturday, I wanted to look once again at Haruto Suzuki, the first agent known to be a member of the Agents of SKA (Sentinel Khrononaut All-Stars).  He was created/introduced back in February when I tried to highlight how much of an international phenomenon the ska scene is.  And then in March, Haruto got some stats and became the first representative of one of the SKA classes, the Three Minute Hero.

Born in Tokyo in 1981, Haruto has undoubtedly been greatly influenced by the multigenerational champions of Japanese ska, the Tokyo Ska Paradise Ochestra.

Image from TokyTunes

Formed in 1988, the band (often simply called Skapara) have become legendary over their 35+ year history.  They've played on video games, on tokusatsu, and at the Olympics.  Their sound is rooted in ska but influenced by styles from all over the map, and their musicianship is always top-tier.  It just seemed worthwhile to give them a bit of a shout out this week.

This year, they released a "best of" album, but they also continue to drop new singles.  I don't think this week's song of note is previously released, but I could definitely be wrong about that.  And for some reason, the YouTube video seems be blocked from embedding here...BUT, if you'd like to hear the track "Toi Toi," recorded with actor (and singer) Murotsuyoshi (Tsuyoshi Muro), just click here for it...

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I think the track does a pretty good job showing off their technical prowess and skill across genres.  I really wish I could embed it.  And I bet there's a way, and I just don't know it, which bugs me.  The GOOD THING, though, is there's a possibility I like the instrumental version even more (with apologies to Murotsuyoshi), and I CAN embed that one!  I could easily see myself using this in the soundtrack for an Agents of SKA game...

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So...for Haruto Suzuki, I really think I'd like to put together a custom action figure that will let him cross over from my SKA adventures to my POA (People of Adventure)...er, adventures.  I've never ordered from them before (and I think their website could probably be a little easier to navigate), but I'm thinking of grabbing a custom combo from Marauder "Gun-Runners."  This head and body combo looks pretty perfect for Haruto as a Rude Boy.  I can give him a few guns.  And instruments.  And if I can find a 1:18 porkpie hat somewhere, even better!

link

link

Marauder even has some pretty solid G.I. Joe cred after dipping into the Red Shadows faction for their own figures.  I'll definitely post here if I get Haruto put together and skanking...!

All the best on this Fourth of July

It has become a minor Linneman tradition to spend the morning of July 4 on Liberty Island, taking part in the 5k around the statue.

With all the ways that American iconography has been co-opted to represent division, opposition to "outsiders," and denying others the benefits we enjoy simply for being born in the right place at the right time (and if some folks get their way, to the right people), I love that the Statue of Liberty has been a tough symbol to peel away from its representation of a promise made to anyone who sincerely wants to take part in the American Dream^TM.

On the ferry, with Ellis Island in the background

Laura's mom has a true-to-archetype immigrant story, arriving in the United States by way of New York Harbor, being greeted by Lady Liberty and processed through Ellis Island.  I hope we...and future generations...can maintain sight of this as representative of a foundational American value.  The American Experiment^TM has obviously had some pathways in need of course correction, but I thought this was one most of us could agree on.  Unfortunately, I don't hear many self-proclaimed patriots saying "Give me your tired, your poor..." anymore.

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But I can save some of that fretting for another day.  As it pertains to the usual fare of this blog, I should also celebrate the Statue of Liberty's role in this masterpiece of animation...

And here are Mutt and Junkyard enjoying a photo op on her massive left foot:

(I'll let you in on a secret, though.  That isn't really the foot of the Statue of Liberty.

It's a replica in the museum on the island.  I've had my picture taken with it too...)

I'm sure any scaling issues are...a perspective thing...

Hmm.

Anyway, happy Fourth, everyone!  I think I'll bring more Mutt and Junkyard to the blog this upcoming week.  Enjoy your weekend!

Wheeled Wednesdays: The start of something big(!)

I've actually done...eh, okay...in keeping up with occasional Geeky SKAturday and Meta Monday posts on here.  So...clearly...it's time for me to push my luck and start another series that will bring some consistency to the content found on Monstrous Matters.  My reasoning goes something like this:

1. At the moment, I am mildly fascinated by the 1985 toyline Wheeled Warriors, as well as the lore presented in its associated cartoon (which was profoundly disconnected from the toys themselves), Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.  (Looking for a Jayce figure?  Save the effort...there wasn't one!)

2. The alliteration in "Wheeled Warriors" is pleasing to the ear.  Both words start with W.

3. Wednesday, which occurs in the middle of every week, also starts with W.

4. That's just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Image from the Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors Wiki

So, as I work through this temporary obsession, I shall share thoughts related to the IP that I think are worth talking about.  On Wednesdays.  (Those are the Wheeled Wednesdays.)  In general, I really do believe this is a bit of nostalgia worth talking about.  And while there's a wiki, the toys and cartoon don't even have a permanent home on Reddit as far as I can tell.  Criminal.

When I was a kid, I cycled through these phases of intense interest in one topic or another, much as I still do as someone well into adulthood.  The focus was often a specific toyline, maybe with an accompanying cartoon, and I may or may not have even maintained the interest long enough to acquire any merchandise connected to it (so much depended upon the timing of my obsessions relative to my birthday or Christmas, y'know?).

Wheeled Warriors was one that lasted for a while, though.  I even "created" my own knockoff IP, "Wheeled Battlers," and wrote a little book about them for a third grade assignment.  And then in fourth grade...maybe for another school assignment(?)...I remember drawing a cereal box that had a Wheeled Battlers tie-in.  Crossing over school years is pretty big for one of my toy obsessions that wasn't among the pillars of my childhood (G.I. Joe, Star Wars, superheroes, Masters of the Universe, maybe MASK...?).  I even had three of the vehicles, although I'm not 100% certain which ones I had.  (Other than Saw Boss.  I'm pretty sure I had Saw Boss.)  BUT...I ended up trading all three of them to my cousin Leighton for a MASK Switchblade.  No regrets.

But I have to admit, it'd be pretty cool to still have those.

Image from the identification guide at Wheeljack's Lab

I'll keep things simple today.  If you look around for modern takes on the Wheeled Warriors, one constant reaction you'll find is that the cartoon's theme song absolutely rocks...literally and metaphorically.  It is, as the kids have said for probably decades at this point, a certified banger.  You'd better prepare yourself for this...

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Obviously I'm going to do my best to take these nostalgic (and quasi-nostalgic) reflections to the next level of nerddom by wrapping them up into gaming.  I'm not sure exactly what form that will all take, but I'm pretty sure it means I need to figure out how to make a character sheet for the guy the arrow's pointing at...

Image from eBay

My third season of competition in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

(Hopefully, that title is unambiguous enough that no one will be tricked into clicking into this post without knowing exactly what they're getting into...)

This post is about my third season of competition in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket (once more for emphasis), the mobile simplification of the IRL TCG that's been hugely popular since it came out last October.  I previously wrote about my journeys through the first two competitive seasons:  For the season designated A2b, my summary is here, and the season A3 recap can be found here.  As long as I'm trying to climb the ladder, I'm going to post about it here on Monstrous Matters for the few who might stumble upon it and take some interest.  There is definitely a chance that this will be the last entry for a little while; after hitting the Master Ball rank a third time, I now have enough emblems to fill in all three slots we're allotted to show off on our account...

Charizard's replacement with another Master Ball logo will definitely prove my dedication to the game!

...and honestly, it probably wouldn't be bad for me to force myself to just not worry about being "successful" in this quest for a little while.  As I've hinted at previously, I'm not really sure why I'm so driven to get to that that top level (especially since it isn't really the top level, as that would be those who place highly enough to earn numerical rankings)...and it probably occupies more of my mental space than it should when I'm in the midst of the grind.  BUT...the new season (that started last Friday, after the new set dropped on Thursday) has already tempted me to get in a handful of games.  A generous handful of games.  It's my worst start yet, so the smart move at this point would be to let it rest this month.  I guess that means I'm probably in it for the long haul...

SO...season A3a!  Going into last month's matches, it didn't seem as clear where the biggest forces shaping the new format would come from.  There weren't any individual cards that were going to so obviously boost or burden popular strategies as the two high-impact entries from the last set (all individual card images are from Game8).

The focus of season A3a's new set ("Extradimensional Crisis") is the group of Pokémon known Ultra Beasts.  These visitors from beyond our concepts of time and space are actually kind of cool; I've always thought they had some Lovecraftian implications surrounding their appearance.  And for some reason, I've always dug the appearance of the Ultra Beast known as Buzzwole...

Sure enough, a couple of strategies focused on the synergy of Ultra Beasts and their related cards were probably the biggest additions to the metagame.  Darkness decks based on poison and Guzzlord as a finisher saw some success, and Grass decks running Buzzwole ex were pretty much at the top of the meta at one point.  And they all made use of Celesteela to cheat on the cost of moving Pokémon into and out of the active spot every turn.

As with the first two seasons, I jumped around with the decks I played, giving up way too soon on some that were generally strong but happened to hand me some bad luck for a few games straight.  And as with both of the earlier seasons, somewhere around the time it looked like I was doomed to endlessly spin my wheels on the treadmill of the ranked ladder (yes, I do realize that just one of those...spinning wheels or a treadmill...would do the trick...), I somehow "locked in" with a specific deck and was able to hit Master Ball.

The key for me was finally embracing the hard-hitting Stage 1 Pokémon Silvally, especially in combination with the even harder-hitting Stage 2 dinosaur Rampardos...

To make sure I'm in "full disclosure" mode here: I did not have a good record for the season overall (166-174-4).  But looking back over the portions of the run that I kept track of...which may have included all of the games I played pairing Silvally with a Fossil Pokémon...the results were pretty solid for those pairings (58.5% win rate with Aerodactyl and 66.0% with Rampardos).  I probably would have been smart to stick it out a little longer through some of the runs of bad luck I had with them (Rampardos especially) so that I didn't have to "rediscover" the deck in order to hit my goal.

But, I mean...there's always next season.  For good or ill, it's always around the corner...

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And now, of course, it's time to give RPG stats to a 'mon based on its TCG card.  Silvally and its pre-evolution Type: Null (yeah that's its name) are honestly pretty cool creations.  I don't know a ton about their lore, but as synthetic creatures designed with the express goal of battling the Ultra Beasts, they seem to be used as vehicles to explore some potentially interesting themes like trust and free will.  At some point I'll have to take a little time to learn more about them and their crazy Frankensteinian anatomy.  For now, I'll just whip up a simple take on Type: Null...

Type: Null

HD 2 (8 HP), AC 12

Type: Colorless

Weakness: Fighting

Attack: Quick Blow +4 (1d6 damage)

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The fantasy heartbreaker rolls on: Drafting a Thief class

Image from the Forgotten Realms Wiki

Listening to the Pomps' "World Full of Traps" this past weekend eased me into thinking about how a Rogue should be set up in this fantasy heartbreaker I'm currently dedicating my heart and soul to (eh, more or less). This is, of course, the skill class...the one that became an Expert in the True20 system and a Specialist in Lamentations of the Flame Princess.  So I have to really start working out the answer to two big questions if I'm going to make any progress:

1. Do I want a general "skill user" class, or one that maintains the old school Thief flavor?

...and probably more importantly...

2. How the heck are skills even gonna work in this game?

For the first...as I noted on Saturday, I really think I want to go with a Thief in both style and name.  I like the idea of the class having an explicit connection to previous editions of D&D.  Calling it The Thief will certainly do that, as will giving it some of the classic Thief/Rogue abilities...the climbing and the listening and the backstabbing and the Thieves' Canting.  I'm fine with having some sort of Expert class as well...and in fact, that almost seems like it will eventually become a necessity.  BUT...I don't think it makes sense to have a character that's an expert in...well, pretty much any random skills that aren't related to thievery...and then carry on with, "Oh, yeah, and they're good at sneaking around and killing people from behind.  Just because."

So, for now at least, a Thief it is...

That second question is one that's surely going to take more actual play to determine if I'm moving in the right direction or not.  This whole Monstrous Heartbreaker is essentially 5e-based, with some quirks in how the modifiers are derived from ability scores -- and in how proficiency is treated -- that will hopefully make it suitable for older editions of D&D as well.  Fifth Edition has an interesting approach to skills in that most of them are REALLY broad...like they almost occupy a space in between the broad application of an ability score and the more specific skills that would be used in something like D6 Star Wars.

I want to build on that and also snag the approach that 5e takes with Tool proficiency...although classifying those proficiencies specifically as "Tools" has always felt a little too limiting for me.  I think the term should be open-ended enough that anything you want to work into a character concept is feasible.  I've been going with the word Talents for now (the name for skills in D6 Star Wars' predecessor, WEG's Ghostbusters).  Having recently realized that Tales of the Valiant uses the term Talent for an aspect of its rules, I may need to rethink that...but there really don't seem to be a lot of great options as synonyms.  I mean, I don't know, I've never had much of a knack for words.  You might say I lack prowess with vocabulary, so obviously I keep consulting a thesaurus to compensate for my lack of aptitude in this area.  But maybe something will come to me.

Oh!  Two other important things to note: (1) As in 5e, Expertise will denote a higher level of capability in a skill, and (2) The rules are going to be very clear in how to handle situations where both a broad Skill and a Talent (or whatever) apply.  This seems like it is bound to happen a lot, and it's another spot where 5e has just never felt quite right to me.

So, anyway, here's what I've got so far...

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The Thief

Art by David A. Trampier from the 1e Player's Handbook

Hit Die: d8

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, swords, hand crossbows

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Talents: Climbing, Lockpicking

To represent your experience up until Level 1, choose one additional Skill and one additional Talent; you gain those proficiencies.

Equipment

Begin with a set of campaign-appropriate equipment (per DM). This should definitely include what are usually known as “thieves’ tools,” which include lockpicks and instruments used to disable traps.

Thieves’ Cant

At Level 1, you are able to read, write, and speak in the heavily coded jargon known as Thieves’ Cant.

Backstab

Beginning at 1st level, you are exceptionally good at harming an unsuspecting foe. When you make an attack at an enemy’s back, and the target is is unprepared to be attacked from behind, you get a +1 Class Bonus to the attack roll and a +1d6 Class Bonus to any damage dealt. These bonuses go up to +3 / +2d6 at Level 3 and +5 / +3d6 at Level 5.

And do you really consider yourself a thief...?

At Level 2, you determine which of the many capabilities of the Thief you will take on as your specialty. This decision will file you into one of the following less-broad categories within the broad Thief class. However…I mean, hey, being called a Thief doesn’t even mean you’re actually a thief (just that you’re good at thief things), so being called one of these doesn’t define you as a character, either. (Unless you want it to...)

•  Assassin – You gain proficiency with the Talent Poisons and an extra 10% chance of achieving a critical hit. (For example, if a weapon normally provides a critical hit on a 20 only, you score one on an 18-20 instead.)

•  Burglar – You gain proficiency in Investigation; you also gain expertise in Stealth and the Talents Climbing and Lockpicking.

•  Cutpurse – You gain proficiency in Deception and the Talent Picking Pockets; you also gain expertise in Sleight of Hand and Stealth.

•  Scam Artist – You gain proficiency in Deception, Intimidation, Performance, and Persuasion 

•  Scout – You gain proficiency in Survival and the Talent Finding/Disarming Traps; you also gain expertise in Athletics and Perception.

Move Like Lightning

Starting at 3rd level, whenever you make a Dexterity saving throw, you only fail on a roll of natural 1.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Only the first of these can be used to Backstab, as you will no longer have the element of surprise with your second attack.

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Geeky SKAturday: The Pomps' "World Full of Traps"

The Pomps just made their way onto my radar this year as they started releasing songs from their newest record, Partial Eclipse of the Pomps.  They bring a really interesting sound to the scene with this album...it's certainly ska, but with an especially New Wave influence, and even some touches of quirky indie rock. 

I think this was the second song released for Partial Eclipse..., and I really dig it.  I've gone back and listened to a bit of their previous stuff, and man, am I glad to have gotten them into my rotation, even if I am pretty late to the party.

Alright, enough blathering...here's a song with a title that's oh so appropriate for a blog that often discusses old school roleplaying..."World Full of Traps"...

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Now...to really geek out this Skaturday, I'll tie this into the RPG setting of time-traveling, universe-saving ska musicians that is slowly taking shape, Agents of SKA.  Let's talk about traps!  In D&D-style gaming, those are ideally tackled by a Rogue, or...in games old enough or cool enough to use it...a Thief.  I haven't squared away that portion of my own fantasy heartbreaker yet (although I'm pretty sure I'm gonna use a Thief), so I'll just brainstorm here about the Agents of SKA analogue, which I think should probably be the Gangster.

Working on the premise that the classes among the Agents of SKA will operate like Monstrous Heartbreaker classes...and therefore be five levels of an approximation of 5e, but (hopefully) simpler...there are four levels to work with (since 4th is set aside to raise ability scores).  I definitely want to have a backstab/sneak attack type of ability.  That and some of the essential skills of thievery and sneaking around seem like they'll fit both a fantasy Thief and a time-traveling Gangster.  And among the Agents of SKA, everyone is a "spellcaster," in that they all have the ability to harness the spirit of ska songs as they play out out their adventures.  Surely the Gangster shouldn't be a full caster though...half or less...

Eh...if I'm gonna beat midnight, I should quit brainstorming there.  First to come this week though: The Thief for the fantasy heartbreaker...then I'll work from there...

(Hope you're all having an awesome weekend!)