Getting the Most out of 4E Skills

The 4e skill list is very functional, and there are some great ideas for tying it to powers, but sometimes you just want to stretch the bounds of what a skill can do, or as a GM you want to create challenges that might be a little bit more creative than just using skills by the numbers. For folks in that situation, I present the following list that I started pulling together when I was trying to write some non-typical skill challenges.

Unexpected Things Skills May Be Useful For
Acrobatics – Catching spilled drinks, making a dramatic entrance, dancing with style.

Arcana – Droning on and on and on, make fake magic look authentic, repairing old magical widgets.

Athletics – Flexing of muscles or otherwise generally putting on a show, dancing without embarrassing yourself

Bluff – Sincere sounding compliments, pretending you’ve met someone before.

Diplomacy – Insult someone without them being able to call you on it, say the right thing about someone’s outfit.

Dungeoneering – Find exits, talk about architecture.

Endurance – Look attentive through intensely boring conversations, drink all night.

Heal – Discuss hangover cures, spot a limp.

History – Recognize someone’s name, explain politics.

Insight – Read the subtext of a work of art, judge who is really important in a room.

Intimidate – Exude subtle menace, make someone angry, escalate to a superior

Nature – Cook, get along with someone’s dog.

Perception – Judge the quality of someone’s clothes, spot a cheater.

Religion – Give a sermon, discuss philosophy at great length.

Stealth – Escape a conversation, cut into a line.

Streetwise – Know the odds on a horse race, know who’s on an invitation list.

Thievery – Entertain small children, repair small knick-knacks, slip something into someone’s drink.


Feel free to add your own!

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