While the system for using NW Proficiencies as given is OK, it does have a couple of odd features. The first is that it doesn't allow for someone unskilled at a NW Proficiency to have a try at the task in question. The second is that new NW Proficiencies are given out only when a character goes up levels; it's difficult to rationalise why killing twenty or so Ogres should provide you with the conceptual leap to learn Literacy... I try to solve these problems below. The system for increasing ability with a NW Proficiency should be applied carefully, in order to avoid PCs rapidly becoming over-skilled.
PCs gain the normal range and number of NW Proficiencies when created. The NWP they choose begin at the Base value, with a +3 to this value for each extra Proficiency slot spent on it. Their chance to use the other NWPs is at Default value. See the table below.
No further NWPs are gained by Level increases. Instead, any successful use of an NWP in stressful or difficult circumstances allows a chance to improve that NWP. No more than one opportunity to improve a given NWP may be gained each month. The chance to improve is (20 - Current value of NWP), roll under on 1d20. A successful roll adds 1 to that NWP.
Alternatively, a skilled teacher may instruct a character in any NWP that the teacher has at higher than both his own Default value and the pupil's current value. The instruction takes a solid month of work by both, and as long as the teacher succeeds at their own Teaching NWP roll, the pupil will gain a free roll for improvement at a -4. Note that Per is Perception; a new attribute given here.
| NW Prof | Default | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Acting | (WIS+CHA)/3 | (WIS+CHA)/2 |
| Agriculture | WIS-6 | WIS-2 |
| Animal Handling | WIS-6 | WIS-2 |
| Animal Lore | INT-4 | INT |
| Animal Training | WIS-6 | WIS-2 |
| Appraising | (WIS+PER)/3 | (WIS+PER)/2 |
| Area Knowledge | WIS-6 | WIS-2 |
| Armourer | WIS-10 | WIS-3 |
| Artistry | PER-6 | PER-3 |
| Astrology | INT-10 | INT-2 |
| Blacksmithing | WIS-8 | WIS-3 |
| Blind-Fighting | PER-8 | PER-4 |
| Boating | (STR+DEX)/3 | (STR+DEX)/2 |
| Boatwright | (DEX+WIS)/3 | (DEX+WIS)/2 |
| Bowyer/Fletcher | WIS-8 | WIS-3 |
| Brewing | INT-6 | INT-2 |
| Butchery | WIS-8 | WIS-2 |
| Carpentry | WIS-6 | WIS-3 |
| Cartography | INT-8 | INT-2 |
| Charioteering | DEX-6 | DEX-2 |
| Cobbling | WIS-6 | WIS-2 |
| Cooking | WIS-6 | WIS-3 |
| Dancing | DEX-4 | DEX |
| Disguise | (WIS+PER)/3 | (WIS+PER)/2 |
| Endurance | CON-6 | CON-2 |
| Engineering | INT-8 | INT-3 |
| Escapology | DEX-12 | DEX-4 |
| NW Prof | Default | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Etiquette | CHA-4 | CHA |
| Fire-Building | DEX-8 | DEX-3 |
| Fishing | (WIS+DEX)/3 | (WIS+DEX)/2 |
| Forgery | (INT+DEX)/3 | (INT+DEX)/2 |
| Gaming | (INT+DEX)/3 | (INT+DEX)/2 |
| Gem-Cutting | (DEX+PER)/3 | (DEX+PER)/2 |
| Healing | INT-8 | INT-2 |
| Heraldry | INT-8 | INT-3 |
| Herbalism | INT-10 | INT-3 |
| History, Ancient | INT-6 | INT |
| History, Local | INT-4 | INT |
| Hunting | (DEX+PER)/3 | (DEX+PER)/2 |
| Jumping | STR-6 | STR |
| Languages, Ancient | INT-12 | INT |
| Languages, Current | INT-8 | INT |
| Leadership | (WIS+CHA)/3 | (WIS+CHA)/2 |
| Leatherworking | WIS-8 | WIS-3 |
| Lipreading | PER-6 | PER |
| Locksmithing | INT-12 | INT-3 |
| Magecraft | INT-8 | INT-2 |
| Mining | (WIS+CON)/3 | (WIS+CON)/2 |
| Milling | WIS-12 | WIS-4 |
| Mountaineering | (STR+CON)/3 | (STR+CON)/2 |
| Musical Instrument | (DEX+PER)/3 | (DEX+PER)/2 |
| Navigation | INT-10 | INT-3 |
| Pottery | (DEX+WIS)/3 | (DEX+WIS)/2 |
| Riding, Land | (DEX+WIS)/3 | (DEX+WIS)/2 |
| NW Prof | Default | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Rope Use | DEX-8 | DEX-3 |
| Running (Distance) | CON-8 | CON-2 |
| Running (Sprinting) | STR-8 | STR-2 |
| Seamanship | (DEX+WIS)/3 | (DEX+WIS)/2 |
| Set Snares | (DEX+PER)/3 | (DEX+PER)/2 |
| Shipbuilding | WIS-10 | WIS-3 |
| Sign Language | (INT+DEX)/3 | (INT+DEX)/2 |
| Singing | 2d6 roll | 3d6 roll |
| Sleight of Hand | DEX-8 | DEX-2 |
| Smelting | WIS-10 | WIS-3 |
| Stonemasonry | WIS-10 | WIS-3 |
| Style | (WIS+CHA)/3 | (WIS+CHA)/2 |
| Survival | WIS-8 | WIS-3 |
| Swimming (Distance) | CON-14 | CON-2 |
| Swimming (Speed) | STR-14 | STR-2 |
| Tailoring | (DEX+PER)/3 | (DEX+PER)/2 |
| Teaching | WIS-8 | WIS-2 |
| Tightrope Walking | DEX-10 | DEX-3 |
| Tracking | (INT+PER)/3 | (INT+PER)/2 |
| Trading | WIS-6 | WIS-2 |
| Tumbling | DEX-8 | DEX-2 |
| Ventriloquism | PER-10 | PER-4 |
| Weaponsmithing | WIS-10 | WIS-3 |
| Weather Sense | (WIS+PER)/3 | (WIS+PER)/2 |
| Weaving | WIS-8 | WIS-3 |
| Whitesmithing | (DEX+PER)/3 | (DEX+PER)/2 |