Chapter 6: Proficiencies
| Weapon Proficiencies and Weapon Specialization | NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES | Optional Peaceful Proficiency Bonus | Success and Failure | Contests |
| Proficiency Tables | Artisan Proficiencies | Barbarian Proficiencies | Common Proficiencies | Court Proficiencies |
| - | - | - | - | Oriental Adventures |
The concept of proficiencies is expanded
in the Oriental AD&D© game to include
training in painting,
poetry, singing, calligraphy, horsemanship,
and other artistic and practical areas besides weapons and fighting.
These artistic and peaceful skills are
as important to a character as his ability to fight, since the society
of
OA emphasizes
the character's creative talents almost as much as his combat prowess.
All characters receive a number of proficiency
slots at 1st level. Depending on the character's class,
some or all of these can be filled with
weapon training. Any that aren't devoted to weapons can be filled with
other skills until the character has used
all his available slots. The character is not required to fill all his
proficiency slots; those not filled can
be saved and used at a later time. Once a proficiency has been selected
it
cannot be changed for any reason. The
number of proficiencies allotted to each character class, the number
gained per level, and the penalty for
using a weapon without the appropriate proficiency are listed on Table
56:
Character Proficiencies.
Table 56: CHARACTER PROFICIENCIES
| Class of Character | Initial #
of Prof. |
Add Proficiency
per Level |
Non-proficiency
Weapon Penalty |
| Samurai | 5 | 1/1 | -2 |
| Shukenja | 6 | 1/2 | -4 |
| Sohei | 4 | 1/3 | -2 |
| Kensai | 3 | 1/2 | -3 |
| O. Barbarian | 9 | 1/3 | -2 |
| Bushi | 4 | 1/2 | -2 |
| Wu Jen | 6 | 1/2 | -5 |
| Ninja | 2 | 1/3 | -4 |
| Monk | 5 | 1/2 | -3 |
| Yakuza | 3 | 1/3 | -3 |
Initial Number of Proficiencies
shows the number of proficiencies the character has at 1st level.
The number after the slash lists
the total number of proficiencies available.
Add Proficiency per Level lists
the number of experience levels that must be earned to gain one
additional proficiency. Thus, 1/4 indicates
the character must have four levels to earn an additional proficiency
(1st level is included when counting levels).
The notation 1/1 indicates the character gains a proficiency each
time he advances in level.
Weapon Non-Proficiency Penalty lists
the minus that is applied to the character's chance to hit when
using a weapon he is not proficient in.
Ninja characters can only use their proficiencies
for ninja weapons. The Non-Proficiency Penalty applies only
when using ninja weapons. For all other
weapons, the other character class penalty is used.
| Character
Class |
"Free"
Proficiencies |
Required
Proficiencies |
Remaining
# of Slots |
Notes |
| Barbarian | none | none | 9 | maximum of 6 slots used for weapons |
| Bushi | armorer, bowyer,
weaponsmith |
none | 4 | - |
| Kensai | one weapon or
martial arts style |
none | 3 | max. of 1 slot for additional weapon |
| Monk* | one MA style and
two of its special maneuvers |
religion and
calligraphy |
3 | - |
| Ninja | none | none | 2 | ninja weapons or tools only |
| Samurai | weapon specialization
(katana) |
katana | 4 | - |
| Shukenja* | one MA style | religion and
calligraphy |
4 | max. of 2 slots for weapons |
| Sohei | none | none | 4 | - |
| Wu Jen | none | none | 6 | - |
| Yakuza | gaming | none | 3 | - |
* Monks and shukenja receive calligraphy at the cost of only 1 proficiency slot.
Weapon Proficiencies and Weapon Specialization
A character can select a weapon proficiency
in any weapon that is allowed to his character class.
This is noted on the character's sheet.
Each weapon proficiency costs one proficiency
slot from those the character has available.
Unarmed combat cannot be taken as a weapon
proficiency, unless the character is studying under a master.
In addition, only samurai
and bushi can choose to use weapon specialization.
Weapon specialization represents the character's choice to practice and discipline himself in the USE of a single weapon.
This dedication is not as a fierce as a
kensai's,
hence the character does not gain the abilities of
a kensai, but the character can learn
the use of other weapons with greater ease than a kensai character. Weapon
specialization in any melee weapon or
crossbow counts as two proficiency slots, while specialization in any
other missile weapon counts as three proficiency
slots. The bushi can choose any one weapon to specialize in.
The selection must be made as soon as
the character is created (except for samurai). Only the samurai can
specialize in two weapons at once-the
katana and the bow. The samurai can only specialize in these weapons.
The samurai must specialize in the katana
as soon as the character is created. However, he can choose to delay
specialization in the bow for a later
time.
When specializing with a melee weapon,
the weapon must be a specific type, not a general class of
weapons. A character can choose to specialize
in the katana, but could not claim specialization in all swords, for
example. The character is + 1 on to hit
rolls and + 2 on damage rolls when using the specialized weapon. The
character has also learned the art of
laijutsu (fast draw) with the specialized weapon and receives the benefits
explained under that proficiency. In addition,
the character can make extra multiple attacks with his specialized
weapon beyond those given on the Multiple
Attacks Table. The character is able to utilize the next higher rank
on the Multiple Attack Table when fighting
with his specialized weapon. Thus, a first-level samurai would be
able to make 3/2 attacks per round when
fighting with his specialized weapon. At fifth level, the same character
would be able to make 2 attacks per round
with his specialized weapon.
Once the character advances beyond 1st
level, the character can spend an additional proficiency slot to
double specialize in his weapon. This
increases the character's bonuses to + 3 on to hit and damage.
When specializing in
the bow, the character gains the range category "point blank" in addition
to the
normal short, medium, and long ranges.
Point blank has a range from 5 to 30 feet. The character is + 2 to hit
and
damage at any target in this range and
the base damage done is automatically doubled. However, bonuses to
damage for strength and magic (if applicable)
are not doubled; they are added to the final total. At short range,
the character is + 1 on his to hit rolls;
at medium range and longer the character has no special bonus to hit. At
all ranges beyond point blank there are
no bonuses to damage. In addition, a bow specialist who begins the
round with his arrow ready (pocked, drawn,
and aimed on a target) can automatically fire before any initiative
check is made. At higher levels the bow
specialist gains additional attacks with his weapon that are not
normally available to any other character.
These are listed on the Missile Weapon Specialization Table.
When specializing with a crossbow, the
character has a point blank range of 5 to 60 feet. Within this
range, the crossbow specialist receives
the same benefits as a bow specialist. At short range, the crossbow
specialist is + 1 on to hit and damage
rolls. At medium range, the crossbow specialist is + 1 on his chances to
hit. The crossbow specialist receives
the same benefit as the bow specialist for having his weapon ready at the
start -of the round. In addition, depending
on the type of crossbow, the character gains multiple attacks per
round not available to other characters.
Q: Does a crossbow
specialist using a
crossbow of distance or
crossbow
of accuracy get an extension
of his
point-blank range? Will
an accuracy
spell extend point-blank
range?
A: No, on all counts.
The point-blank range
category is a function of
the specialist?s
skill, not the missile nor
the device that
propels it. Each magical
item or spell
works normally in all other
respects.
(121.20)
When specializing in other missile weapons,
the character gains a + 1 on to hit rolls and a +2 on
damage. In addition, the character gains
increased rates of fire as he improves in level. These are listed on Table
57.
TABLE 57: MISSILE WEAPON SPECIALIZATIONS
Number of Attacks Per Round With:
| Level of Specialist | Bow | Light
Crossbow |
Pellet Bow &
Heavy Crossbow |
Lasso &
Staff Sling |
Large Shuriken,
Thrown Dagger |
Dart and
Small Shuriken |
Other |
| 1-6 | 2/1 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 1/1 | 3/1 | 4/1 | 3/2 |
| 7-12 | 3/1 | 3/2 | 1/1 | 3/2 | 4/1 | 5/1 | 2/1 |
| 13 & up | 4/1 | 2/1 | 3/2 | 2/1 | 5/1 | 6/1 | 5/2 |
Weapons not permitted to a character of
a certain class may be picked up and used, but the
non-proficiency penalty for that class
always applies (the worst penalty in the case of split class characters)
and
such disallowed weapons cannot be kept
and carried by the character for use later.
<add the above to the class &&
weapon tables>
These prohibitions override the stipulation in the preceding note; the non-proficiency penalty is immaterial, since these weapons cannot be wielded at all.
In addition to weapons, characters can
learn proficiencies in various peaceful arts.
Characters will find this knowledge useful.
It is customarily expected that characters
are more than warriors, priests, or magicians.
To be complete, they must also be well-versed
in artistic skills.
For the well bred, contests in poetry,
painting, or other arts is a popular and frequent event.
Winners of these contests gain honor
(and experience) while losers risk humiliation and loss of favor.
Players are well advised to see that their
character is adept at many different skills beyond those of his immediate
profession.
Peaceful skills are divided into the categories
of Common, Artisan, Court, and Barbarian Proficiencies.
Only barbarian characters can learn barbarian
proficiencies. The other categories are given to determine the type
of environment the character must be in
to learn the proficiency. The categories also assist the DM when
determining proficiencies for NPCs. Thus,
a common peasant would know proficiencies from the Common list,
while a noble would know those from the
Court list.
There are no required times of study for
the peaceful proficiencies. The time a character spends on an
adventure does not cover every minute
of his life. There are normally gaps between adventures and even odd
hours unoccupied during the course of
an adventure. It is assumed that during these times the character is
involved in some type of activity. It
may be practice with a weapon or it may be the refinement of another
proficiency. In any case, these unrecorded
moments present sufficient time for the character to learn and
develop. The only requirements for learning
a proficiency are that the character have the necessary tools at hand
and, when first learning the skill, be
in an environment where he can receive training and guidance from those
skilled in the art. To learn to write
effective poetry, a character would have to have been in a court or noble
setting, where the arts of poetry are
practiced regularly. There he would be able to compare his works to those
of masters and receive guidance in proper
structures, imagery, subjects, and the like. To learn weapon-smithing,
the character would have to live among
craftsmen learned in the skill, benefiting from their knowledge and
skill. The amount of contact the character
must have with these masters is purposely left undecided.
Weapon proficiencies automatically increase
in skill as the character advances in level. This is built into
the combat tables of the character. This
is not the case with peaceful proficiencies.
All peaceful proficiencies
have a base number for success, listed under the description of the proficiency.
This number is identical to the
to hit roll of combat--this number or
greater must be rolled on 1d20 to successfully use the proficiency. This
number never improves simply because the
character improves in level. However, the character can choose to
improve his skill in a peaceful proficiency
by spending additional proficiency slots on the skill, once the
character advances to second level or
beyond. Each additional slot spent on the proficiency adds + 1 to the
character's die roll when using the proficiency.
There is no limit to the number of proficiency slots that can be
spent on a single peaceful proficiency,
although the chance of success after all modifiers can never be less than
a 3 on 1d20.
Finally, the character may obtain magical
items that increase a peaceful proficiency.
These items are only useful if the character
already knows that proficiency.
If he does, the magical item improves
the character's ability in that proficiency according to the description
of the item.
For example, the samurai Torimatsu Akimori
decides to learn the peaceful proficiency of calligraphy.
This is a Court Proficiency and is thus
available to Akimori, since he is a samurai character. At first level he
spends the required two proficiency slots
to gain calligraphy. The base chance of success with calligraphy is 17.
At third level, Akimori decides to increase
his calligraphy skill and spends an additional proficiency slot. This
makes his chance of success 16 (since
he is now + 1 on the die roll). At fourth level, in preparation for a major
court contest, he decides to improve it
again, spending two proficiency slots. His chance of success is now 14,
as he is now + 3 on the die roll.
Q: The rules say that
the chance to
perform a peaceful skill
?can never
be less than a 3 on 1d20?
(page 52).
Does this mean that a character
must roll under the number
given
for the proficiency in order
to succeed?
How does a charter get bonuses
to his roll? Do high ability
scores help? How can a character
ever roll more than a 20
on 1d20?
A: The character
must roll the number
listed or better on 1d20.
Three is the lowest
adjusted chance for success.
That is, no
matter how good the character
is, he will
always fail on a roll of
1 or 2. Scores
greater than 20 can be achieved
by adding
bonuses from extra slots
spent in the
proficiency (see page 52)
or from a magical
item (or both). Ability
modifiers do not
apply to peaceful skills.
(151.9)
Optional Peaceful Proficiency Bonuses
If the DM desires, he can award one-time
bonuses to a character's proficiency in a peaceful skill based
on the actions of the player, not the
character. If the player can provide an example of the skill (a piece of
Chinese or Japanese poetry) that fits
the situation, the DM can chose to award a bonus of + 1. If the player
can
actually perform the skill (write a haiku,
etc.), the DM can allow a bonus of + 2. This is strictly an optional rule.
DMs and players who wish to use this must
find their own information about the styles and forms of various
peaceful arts used in the Orient.
For the majority of peaceful proficiencies,
there is no clear-cut success or failure.
Once a character knows a peaceful proficiency,
it is assumed that he can use that proficiency correctly, no matter what
his die roll may be.
Once a character learns agriculture, he
knows how to raise plants and does not check to see if he remembers correctly
how to farm each time he does so.
Likewise, a carpenter does not fail to
build a house simply because the die roll was bad.
He still manages to build the house.
In normal cases, the die roll for success
and failure is not even required.
However, there are times when the quality
of the work done is as important as getting the work done.
In these cases, the die is rolled and
compared to the character's base chance of success.
If the die roll is equal to or higher
than the base chance of success, the character has done superior work.
If the die roll is lower, the work is
of average quality (or below average on an exceptionally bad die role.
Thus the farmer may have an exceptionally
good harvest, an average harvest, or a poor harvest.
The carpenter may build a particularly
beautiful and well-designed house or one that is drafty and leaks badly.
In these cases and others, the chance
of success determines the overall quality of the work.
In some proficiencies, such as weapon-smith
or armorer, there is a clear-cut success or failure.
The character's effort may be botched
badly, making the item unusable for its purpose.
Peaceful proficiencies where a die roll
must always be made are noted on the Proficiency Tables.
Contests in peaceful proficiencies are
a regular feature of life in the world described in Oriental
Adventures.
They are tests of skill in the noncombat
arts characters are expected to know. Victors of such
contests gain honor and experience for
their skill, while those defeated lose honor. The outcome of contests can
greatly affect a character's social position.
Formal contests occur most often at the
court or noble households. These are announced in advance,
giving all the participants time to prepare.
Often a specific subject matter is chosen, in which case the
participants bring a finished work on
that subject. Sometimes, no subject is given and the contest is a test
of the
improvisational abilities of the participants.
Characters are not required to attend, but those seeking the favor of
their lord or some type of political position
seldom miss a chance to appear at court. Indeed, those who do not
attend suffer a small loss of honor. Of
course, circumstances can make attendance impossible and therefore may
prevent a loss of honor.
Contests can also be impromptu events that
occur whenever a group of nobles gather. For example,
characters who gather to watch a particularly
beautiful moonrise may suddenly be asked by their host to
compose a poem about the event. This would
be considered a contest, although since it is informal, the gains
and losses of honor are less than for
a formal affair. Characters will find they need to be prepared for any
event.
To determine the victor of a contest,
each character involved rolls 1 d20 and compares the result to his
chance of success. If the die roll is
failure, the character is out of the contest (and has lost). This is repeated
until
there is only one remaining contestant,
who is declared the winner. If all entrants fail the first die roll, the
contest is deemed to be inauspicious (perhaps
being held on an unlucky day, etc.) and there is no winner. In this
case, no honor bonuses or penalties are
awarded to any character. The exact amount of honor and experience
gained for a contest is detailed under
these sections.
The experience gained for winning an informal
contest is 50 times the host's level; the experience is 100
times the host's level for winning a formal
contest.
In Tables 58-61, Proficiency slots required
lists the number of proficiency slots that must be used to
initially gain that proficiency. Thereafter,
increasing a character's skill in a given proficiency requires only one
proficiency slot, regardless of the number
required to initially gain the proficiency.
Table 58: ARTISAN PROFICIENCIES
| Proficiency | Proficiency Slots
Required |
Base Chance of
success |
| Armorer * | 2 | 16 a |
| Blacksmith | 1 | 14 |
| Bowyer * | 1 | 15 a |
| Brewer | 1 | 16 |
| Carpenter | 1 | 15 |
| Civil engineer | 2 | 18 |
| Herbalist * | 2 | 17 a |
| Jeweler | 2 | 16 |
| Masseur | 1 | 14 |
| Navigator * | 1 | 12 a |
| Paper-maker | 1 | 18 |
| Potter | 1 | 16 |
| Seamstress/Tailor | 1 | 17 |
| Silk maker | 1 | 19 |
| Stonemason | 1 | 16 |
| Tanner/Leatherworker | 1 | 15 |
| Weaponsmith | 3 | 17 a |
| Weaver | 1 | 15 |
* Further explanation
of this proficiency is given in the text.
The use and function of other proficiencies
is self-explanatory.
a This proficiency requires a die roll to determine success.
Armorer (2, 16, a)
Bowyer (1, 15, a):
Navigator (1,
12): The character has learned the art of navigating by the stars,
studying currents and watching
for tell-tale signs of land, reefs, and
hidden danger. This is not a particularly effective skill on land. At sea,
a
successful die roll by the navigator reduces
the chance of getting lost by 20%.
Weaponsmith
:(3, 17, a)
Table 59: BARBARIAN PROFICIENCIES
| Proficiency | Proficiency Slots
Required |
Base Chance of
success |
| Chanting | 1 | 15 |
| Fire building * | 1 | 8 a |
| Running * | 1 | 16 a |
| Signaling * | 1 | 12 a |
| Snare building * | 1 | 14 a |
| Sound imitation * | 2 | 16 a |
| Survival * | 2 | 15 |
| Tracking * | 3 | 17 a |
* Further explanation
of this proficiency is given in the text.
The use and function of other proficiencies
is self-explanatory.
a This proficiency requires a die roll to determine success.
Fire Building
(1, 16 a): On a successful die roll, the character can start a fire,
given a few pieces of dry wood and
some tinder. The process takes 30 minutes.
Running (1, 16 a) +
Signaling
(1, 12 a): The character can use the method of long-distance signaling
commonly used by his tribe
(drums, mirrors, smoke, etc.) and understands
the import of the various messages. This is essentially another
language, although the messages are simple
and limited to war, etc. A successful roll indicates the message was
received and understood.
Snare building
(1, 14 a): This allows the character to prepare deadfalls, rope snares,
pit traps, and the like for
creatures up to large and even very large
sizes.
Sound Imitation
(2, 16 a): The character can mimic various creatures of his native
land-bird calls, seal barks,
and other natural animal sounds. These
can be used for signaling, distraction, etc. A successful roll indicates
the
imitation is good enough to fool other
animals and those skilled in sound imitation.
Survival (2,
15): The barbarian is skilled at finding food, shelter, and water in
the territories of his homeland and other
areas of similar terrain. The barbarian
is always able to find enough for his
own needs. A sucessful roll
indicates the barbarian has done well
enough to provide for others in his
party. The food found is not large game
(which comes under hunting) but
berries, bark, roots, grubs, small animals,
etc.
Tracking (3,
17 a): The character is an accomplished tracker. Conditions modify
the base chance of success as
follows:
Terrain: (only one condition applies)
| Soft or muddy ground | +4 |
| Occasional signs of passage | +2 |
| Normal earth | 0 |
| Hard rocky ground, water | -10 |
Other Modifiers: (use if they apply)
| For each two <2> creatures in the group tracked beyond the first | +1 |
| For every 12 hours since the trail was made | -1 |
| For every hour of rain (or snow) | -5 |
| Poor illumination (moonlight, etc.) | -6 |
The tracker moves at the following movement rates when tracking:
| Chance to Track | Movement Rate |
| 1-6 | 1/4 normal |
| 7-14 | 1/2 normal |
| 14 or greater | 3/4 normal |
In addition, the tracker can identify the
creature that made the trail and the direction of movement, if he
is familiar with that type of creature
(barbarians are considered to automatically know the common creatures of
their homeland). To be familiar with unusual
creatures or monsters, the character must have encountered that
creature at least once before.
Some creatures do not leave trails. They
may fly or have incorporeal bodies. Obviously, these creatures
cannot be tracked.
Normally, the AD&D
game rules use a percentile system to determine tracking. In cases where
a
creature reduces its ability to be tracked
by percentage points, each 5% equals one point off the tracking ability
given above. Thus, a creature which is
20% harder to track than normal would be -4 on the die.
Table 60: COMMON PROFICIENCIES
| Proficiency | Proficiency Slots
Required |
Base Chance of
success |
| Agriculture | 1 | 15 |
| Animal handling * | 2 | 14 a |
| Cooking | 1 | 16 |
| Dance | 1 | 17 |
| Fishing * | 1 | 14 |
| Gaming * | 1 | 16 a |
| Horsemanship | 1 | 18 a |
| Hunting * | 1 | 16 a |
| Husbandry | 1 | 14 |
| Iaijutsu | 1 | - |
| Juggling | 1 | 13 a |
| Music | 1 | 17 |
| Reading/writing * | 1 | 10 |
| Sailing craft * | 1 | 15 |
| Singing | 1 | 17 |
| Small water craft | 1 | 13 |
| Swimming | 1 | 10 a |
* Further explanation
of this proficiency is given in the text.
The use and function of other proficiencies
is self-explanatory.
a This proficiency requires a die roll to determine success.
Animal
Handling (2, 14 a): Characters trained in animal handling are skilled
in the care, taming, and training of
animals. This includes dogs, wild cats,
small birds, and other animals commonly trained for work or
amusement. This proficiency does not include
training birds for the hunt, as this requires specialized skills.
Wild animals can be tamed only when they
are young. Taming requires one month of work with the
creature (although the character can also
undertake other activities during this time). At the end of the month,
a
die roll is made. If it is passed, the
creature is tamed and suitable for training. If the die roll fails, the
creature
still retains enough of its wild behavior
to make it unsuitable for training. Such creatures can still be kept,
although they have to be constantly caged
or chained.
Tame creatures can be trained to perform
simple tasks-fetching, hunting for their master, herding sheep,
etc. Each task takes from 2d6 weeks of
training. Again, the character can engage in other activities during this
time. Furthermore, the DM can rule that
the training takes a greater than normal time if he feels the task is
difficult of can divide the task into
several smaller tasks. At the end of the training, the success is checked
for. If
the attempt is a failure, the creature
cannot be trained in that task. Each creature can learn 2d4 different tasks.
Once trained, the creature must be regularly
exercised in those tasks it knows, using them at least once a week.
Failure to do so results in the creature
losing the ability to do that task.
Fishing (1, 14):
The character is skilled in fishing with hook and line and nets. Every
day spent fishing, the
character catches enough to feed himself.
On a successful die roll, the character also catch enough other fish to
feed 1d6 others if using hook and line
or 1d20 others if using a net.
Gaming (1, 16 a):
The character enjoys and can play most forms of games, including go, dicing,
shoji, and other
entertainments of the noble class. A die
roll for success is made to determine if the character wins the game or
not (as if in a contest). In addition,
the character can also attempt to cheat on games of chance, improving his
odds by + 1 on the die roll. Again, a
die roll must be made to see if the character is successful. If the die
roll is
1-4, the character has been caught cheating
(even if he wins the game).
Horsemanship (1, 18 a) +
Hunting (1, 16 a) +
Although this is a skill learned and used
with a weapon and not a peaceful proficiency, it is
one that can be learned by anyone willing
to devote the time and effort. laijutsu is the art of fast drawing a
melee weapon--unsheathing and sheathing
it with blinding SPEED. Characters with weapon specialization in a
melee weapon automatically learn laijutsu
for that type of weapon. However, laijutsu can also be learned
separately for weapons the character is
not specialized in. Upon selecting this proficiency, the player must state
what weapon it applies to. The weapon
must be specific, not a general class. Thereafter, the character can
change to or from that weapon without
penalty (changing a weapon normally requires one round) and under
certain situations (as
explained in the Combat section of this book) has a better chance of
surprising the
opponent.
Q: What is the initiative
modifier for
a character who knows iaijutsu?
A: There is none.
The character simply has
the ability to draw or change
the weapon
at no penalty. The character
also has a
better chance to surprise
opponents under
certain circumstances. See
Oriental Adventures,
page 99.
(151.58)
Reading/Writing (1, 10): The character
can choose to learn to read && write any language of those available
in the campaign. The restrictions on the
number of languages the character can read and write are the same as
for learning to speak a language. This
proficiency does not give the character the ability to speak the language
and it is possible to read &&
write a language the character cannot speak.
Sailing craft
(1, 15): The character is skilled and knowing of sea-going vessels.
These include junks, sampans,
and ships. He can serve as a sailor on
these. This does not give the character the ability to navigate.
Small water craft (1, 13): +
Swimming (1, 10 a):
Table 61: COURT PROFICIENCIES
| Proficiency | Proficiency Slots
Required |
Base Chance of
success |
| Calligraphy * | 2 | 18 |
| Etiquette * | 1 | 16 a |
| Falconry * | 2 | 17 a |
| Flower arranging | 1 | 15 |
| Heraldry * | 1 | 12 a |
| Landscape gardening | 1 | 16 |
| Noh * | 1 | 17 |
| Origami | 1 | 14 |
| Painting | 1 | 19 |
| Poetry | 1 | 19 |
| Religion * | 1 | 12 |
| Tea ceremony * | 2 | 15 |
* Further explanation
of this proficiency is given in the text.
The use and function of other proficiencies
is self-explanatory.
a This proficiency requires a die roll to determine success.
Calligraphy (2, 18) +
Etiquette
(1, 16 a):
Falconry (2, 17 a):
Heraldry (1, 12 a):
Noh (1, 17): Noh
is a type of drama performed in some lands of Kara-Tur. It combines speech,
singing, and
dance in a single performance. There are
a great number of noh plays, mostly dealing with historical subjects.
These plays are very exacting and stylized.
Each move and word is meant to be done in a specific way, each
costume represents a specific person,
etc. Mastering the art of noh requires the character to learn the parts,
movements, and rituals associated with
the drama, to perform them correctly, demonstrate grace and beauty,
and provide an individual interpretation
of the play within the restrictions of the form. Noh masters are highly
prized, often being requested to perform
for important nobles.
Religion (1, 12): A character with
religion proficiency knows the basic tenets and teachings of religions
common to the land. He can to use this
skill to identify religious artifacts, scriptures, or anything else related
to
religion.
Tea
ceremony (2, 15):
by Zeb the Destroyer
Mr. Awesome wrote:
Heya, Gary.
A few quick questions: Did you have anything to do with the non-weapon proficiencies in Oriental Adventures or were those David Cook's?
"those were all from Zeb
the Destroyer 
"
- Gary Gygax
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