Proficiencies 101: Traits

This post is the eighth in a series of posts that will take a closer look at proficiencies in the Adventurer Conqueror King system main rulebook.

In my first post in this series, I defined several proficiency categories for analysis and discussion.  I mentioned that I would delve into each category in a future post, and this post will delve into proficiencies I categorize as traits.  A trait provides a bonus to other functions in the game, such as initiative or attack throws.

In the Adventurer Conqueror King system main rulebook, there are 41 proficiencies that include a trait benefit.

Five proficiencies that include a trait benefit also include a scaling benefit: acrobatics (save bonus), black lore (spell effects/research bonus), eavesdropping (hear noise bonus), goblin-slaying (attack bonus) and swashbuckling (armor class bonus).  The latter three proficiencies’ trait benefit is the aspect of the proficiency that scales.  All five of these proficiencies and scaling are discussed in my fifth post on proficiencies.

Four proficiencies that include a trait benefit also include a skill benefit: dwarven brewing (craft bonus), land surveying (hide bonus), magical engineering (magic research bonus) and military strategy (mass combat initiative bonus).  Skills are discussed in my seventh post on proficiencies.

There are a whopping twenty-two “pure” trait proficiencies:

Proficiency	Bonus to
Alertness	hear noise, detect secret doors, surprise
Battle Magic	initiative, dispelling magic, penetrating magic resistance
Combat Reflexes	surprise, initiative
Combat Trickery(disarm)	attack, saving throw penalty
Combat Trickery(force back)	attack, saving throw penalty
Combat Trickery(incapacitate)	attack, saving throw penalty
Combat Trickery(knock down)	attack, saving throw penalty
Combat Trickery(overrun)	attack, saving throw penalty
Combat Trickery(sunder)	attack, saving throw penalty
Combat Trickery(wrestle)	attack, saving throw penalty
Command	morale
Diplomacy	reaction roll
Divine Blessing	save
Dungeon Bashing	feats of strength
Illusion Resistance	save
Intimidation	reaction roll
Leadership	henchman, domain morale
Righteous Turning	turning undead
Running	movement speed
Seduction	reaction roll
Skulking	hide, move silently
Transmogrification	spell effects/research, saving throw penalty

These proficiencies provide a trait benefit and nothing else. As a procedural matter, note that in my totals I count each combat trickery maneuver as a separate proficiency, but all fighting styles count as a single proficiency, as is done when counting proficiencies using the ACKS Player’s Companion approach to creating a custom class.

Ten proficiencies that include a trait benefit also include a feat benefit:

Proficiency	Bonus to
Bargaining	reaction roll
Beast Friendship	reaction roll
Elementalism	damage per die, saving throw penalty, hp per Hit Die
Fighting Style(pole weapon)	initiative
Fighting Style(missile weapon)	attack
Fighting Style(single weapon)	attack
Fighting Style(two weapons)	attack
Fighting Style(two-handed weapon)	damage
Fighting Style(weapon and shield)	armor class
Lip Reading	hijinks
Lockpicking	open locks
Mystic Aura	reaction roll
Navigation	avoid getting lost
Survival	supply
Trap Finding	find/remove traps

A feat provides an ability or power that a character would not otherwise have.  Bargaining, beast friendship and mystic aura are similar to each other in that they provide an ability plus a reaction roll bonus related to that ability.  A Judge might create similar campaign-specific proficiencies, such as an ability to take a type of monster as a henchmen and a reaction roll bonus when dealing with that type of monster.

This concludes this week’s post in my Proficiencies series.  I plan to post in this series irregularly until it finishes.