Toolkits as an alternative to skills
There has been so much written regarding skills systems and their place in OSR gameplay already, that I am not going to rehash it here. My position is that I generally don’t like them, but I don’t outright hate them as others do. So I have been thinking about tools instead.
Reading through Gus L.’s house rules document for his Crystal Frontier campaign, among the various neat ideas there was one that really stuck with me, and it was the note on toolkits and their relation to skills:
So it got me thinking about my own campaign and whether or not I want to deal with skills in it - currently the Greylands thief doesn’t even have separate d6 skills, instead just using a single Thievery score similarly to White Box FMAG’s version of it (and I am sure others too).
But what if I simply take the toolkit idea and dispense with the skills concept? I am planning on trying it out and seeing if it works. Plus some of these would allow me to provide players with actions they seem to desire in the game, such as a way to actually identify magical items.
The right tool for the job
Sticking with Gus’s idea above, a toolkit is a single bundled “item” that you can buy or potentially even assemble if given enough time, money and negotiation with the referee. Toolkits can be used by anyone, but certain classes would be better at using certain tools compared to others.
Improvised tools. Lockpicks made out of paperclips
A toolkit can also have 3 specific items in it defined by the player during the course of play, or alternatively special items found throughout the course of play can be added to a toolkit to improve it in some way. That is definitely the element in Gus’s write up above that I like the most.
Toolkits can allow characters to attempt certain actions, either rolled as an X-in-6 chance or as a number of d6s under a relevant attribute. Especially good toolkits, higher levels or specific circumstances within the game can allow for bonuses to those, either permanent or temporary ones.
Possible Toolkits (a non-exhaustive list)
Alchemical Research Toolkit
Used to manufacture potions during downtime by magic-user types. Must spend downtime actions, money, and a roll under Wisdom to recreate a potion. Having the potion at hand can help, knowing what the potion actually is supposed to do helps further.
This toolkit is not portable, instead requiring a dedicated space where it can be set up. It could include various beakers and glass vials, alchemical reagents or body parts of rare or magical animals.
Arcanist Toolkit
Usable only by magic-users, elves and other similar classes to try and discern various arcane secrets. This toolkit can be used to replace spells like detect magic, read magic or identify. This would be done by rolling under Intelligence.
The toolkit is also required in order to perform broader magical research activities like creating scrolls, copying spells, researching new spells, and so on. These activities still require the usual sum of materials and reagents. Possible items in the arcanist toolkit include precision cut gem lenses, high quality and enchanted inks, or a vial of demon ichor.
Armour Repair Toolkit
If armour degradation is an element in your game, then this toolkit can be used by fighters, dwarves, or similar classes to do quick field maintenance and repair on their armour. A roll is not needed if the damage is minimal. Fixing more substantial damage requires a roll under Strength. Possible materials in this kit would be a container of oil, pliers, or spare leather straps.
####Barber-Surgeon’s Toolkit
Usable by anyone with the training to perform mediaeval surgery and hair cutting. Could be used to heal ailments through bloodletting or patch someone up in the field with rolls under Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity—whichever seems appropriate to the task at hand. It would likely include items such as sharp and well-maintained razors, a vial of mercury (to heal bad humours), or needles and thread.
Hunter’s Pack
Elves, rangers, and other outdoor explorers carry these tools to find and prepare food in the wild. When used to trap small game, field dress a kill, or extract valuable reagents from a magical beast, roll under Wisdom. Hunting large-scale game is out of scope for this pack (as this can fall into the combat system, at the referee’s discretion). Items contained in this pack might include fish nets, rope for snares, or pheromone bait.
Orienteering Pack
This toolkit is used by an expedition’s guide to lead their party through uncharted wilderness. Test Wisdom to avoid getting lost while traveling off road, to discover new sites of interest while exploring, or to successfully navigate to a known landmark. This pack can include items such as star charts, local maps, or a lodestone compass.
Shot Making Toolkit
Allows fighters and similar military-adjacent classes to create firearms ammunition out of salvaged lead. This requires a downtime action and a roll under Intelligence. Items in this kit might include sturdy leather gloves, long-nose pincers (for extracting spent bullets out of corpses), or a small metal pot.
Thieves' Toolkit
You know what they do. Thieves can use these to pick locks, disable delicate traps, and so on by rolling under their Dexterity. Possible items included would be a vial of acid, a set of lockpicks, or small metal files.
Tinkerer’s Satchel
A toolkit used for the creation, repair, or maintenance of precise mechanical implements. Using this toolkit requires downtime as it is work that requires finesse and time. Creating, resetting, or repairing mechanical traps can be done with this kit, but often requires additional raw materials (oil for flame traps, arrows for dart traps, and so on). Successfully repairing precision mechanics requires a Dexterity roll. This kit could include items such as delicate metal tweezers, spare cogs and springs, or a jeweler’s hammer.
Woodworker’s Toolkit
A toolkit in case characters want to pursue woodworking. Creating woodworking projects requires downtime actions and a roll under Dexterity or Strength (depending on what project the character is trying to make). Usual tools found inside would be a set of chisels, a wooden mallet, or an awl.