The Ancient Parchments Perk System

A system of minor feats inspired by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s levelling up system and perks. The following is material for playtesting to judge the various strenghts and shortcomings of the system. Please submit all feedback to d3m0n@live.ca or @NoNotTheInsane on twitter.

The system

The rules for TAP are intended to be used in conjunction with the D&D 5th edition ruleset, though it will make your average adventurer’s slightly more powerful due to having more abilities at their disposal. My goal in designing this system is to provide an alternatie to feats, that offers more options to players, while also offering some intersteing progression choices aside from their class features and spells. All content is subject to change through playtest and my design process.

To begin. Starting at 1st level, a new character will receive 3 starting perks. These perks must be justified fictionally by the characters race, class, and background. They must also be within the first tier of perks.

For example, a 1st level Dwarf Cleric with the Acolyte background might decide to select the following perks:

• Restoration, due to their acolyte background.
• Smithing, due to their dwarven heritage.
• Block, due to their clerical training.

This approach offers flexibility in the hands of the player, but also helps them to consider how their backstory is reflected in a mechanical way. As a DM, it is your purogative as to whether or not to enforce this approach.

Perks at Higher levels. To gain perk points at further levels, you must decide. Since this is a variant ruleset much like feats, it is optional. Whenever a character would gain an ability score increase, a player character may instead opt to gain 3 perk points instead. Any character can choose any perks using their points.

At 4th level, a character can choose tier 2 perks, if they have the tier 1 prerequisite perk. At 8th level they can begin to select tier 3 specializations perks, or any lower perks if they have the prerequisites.

For example, a 4th level Wizard can have 3 perks from 1st level (At tier 1) and at 4th they can choose 3 more. They can be different tier 1 perks, to have more variety, or focus in on the trees that they already have points invested in, to gain access to tier 2 perks.

The Perk List

On the following pages is the perk list. It is divided into 3 primary categories, and 18 secondary categories, with 6 perk trees in each primary category. These categories were derived from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim but have been adapted to include language familiar with Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. Many of the secondary categories are self explanatory as to their main function, and may change depending on how effective they are in reflecting their intent.

The Perk Trees

Each perk tree contains one tier 1 perk (T1), one tier 2 perk (T2), and three tier 3 perks or specializations (T3). Perks at T1 are intended for 1st level adventurers to be able to gain and use, without increasing their power level significantly, but still offering some fun and interesting gameplay mechanics. T2 perks continue the progression, becoming significantly more substantial than T1 perks, to reward investment in the perk tree. Both T1 and T2 perks are in nature more general than the T3 perks, to benefit a wide varienty of adventurers. T3 perks or specializations, are perks that focus on one particular aspect of a perk tree. For example, in the marksmane tree, the T3 perks are split into a perk focussed on crossbows, one on bow, and one on thrown weapons, to offer a variety of options and hopefully allow for a wide range of characters to feel good about their choices.

Credit: PNG Mart

Perk list

Magic

Note: If a character that does not have the spellcasting class feature selects a magic perk that grants the ability to cast a spell, they may select a relevant spell from the Wizard's spell list. This spell cannot be changed once it is selected.

Alteration

Practiced Alteration (T1)

Your understanding of alteration makes casting second nature to you. Once per day, you may cast one transmutation or abjuration spell you know or have prepared without expending a spell slot up to the current level you can cast up to a maximum of a 3rd level spell.

Conjuration

Practiced Conjuration (T1)

Your understanding of the conjuration school of magic makes casting second nature to you. Once per day, you may cast one conjuration spell you know or have prepared without expending a spell slot up to the current level you can cast up to a maximum of a 3rd level spell.

Destruction

Practiced Destruction (T1)

Your understanding of the destruction school of magic makes casting second nature to you. Once per day, you may cast one evocation spell you know or have prepared without expending a spell slot up to the current level you can cast up to a maximum of a 3rd level spell.

Enchantment

Practiced Enchantment (T1)

Your understanding of the enchantment school of magic makes casting second nature to you. Once per day, you may cast one enchantment spell you know or have prepared without expending a spell slot up to the current level you can cast up to a maximum of a 3rd level spell.

Illusion

Practiced Illusion (T1)

Your understanding of the illusion school of magic makes casting second nature to you. Once per day, you may cast one illusion or divination spell you know orhave prepared without expending a spell slot up to the current level you can cast up to a maximum of a 3rd level spell.

Restoration

Practiced Restoration (T1)

Your understanding of the conjuration school of magic makes casting second nature to you. Once per day, you may cast one healing or necromancy spell you know or have prepared without expending a spell slot up to the current level you can cast up to a maximum of a 3rd level spell.

Combat

Marksman

Adept Archer (T1)

You use your quick reflexes and pinpoint accuracy to aid your allies. As a reaction, when an enemy creature in range makes an attack of opportunity against an ally, you may use your reaction to make a ranged weapon attack roll against that creature.

Block

Proficient Protector (T1)

Due to your training and experience with shields, when standing within 5 ft. of an allied creature, they receive a +1 bonus to their armor class.

One-Handed

At-Arms (T1)

Your general expertise wielding one-handed weapons improves your potential. When you make a melee attack with a one-handed weapon, you gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll.

Two-Handed

Built Like a Brickhouse (T1)

Through wielding heavy weaponry, you have gained the strength to wield them with control and accuracy. When you make a melee attack with a two-handed weapon, you gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll.

Armor

Defensive Awareness (T1)

Because of your time spent in armor, you intimately understand its weak points. As part of an attack action, you can choose to deal damage to sunder the target creature’s armor. On a successful hit, the target creature’s AC is lowered by 1. You can sunder a single creature’s armor up to your proficiency bonus, but you can sunder multiple creature’s armor.

Blacksmith

Field Maintenance (T1)

You gain proficiency with blacksmiths tools. If you already have proficiency, add double your bonus on crafting checks with blacksmiths tools.

During a long rest, you take the time to maintain and sharpen your party's weapons and armor with the appropriate materials.

Until the next short rest, you can improve one weapon or armor per party member. Armor can get a +1 bonus to AC and weapons gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls. In order to successfully maintain equipment you must make a crafting roll with a DC of 8 + max damage dice for weapons, and for armor the DC is 4 + the AC of the armor.

Perk List Continued

Stealth

Alchemy

Herbal Knowledge (T1)

You have spent a considerable amount of time studying the flora of the land, and you know which plants are useful, and which to avoid. You gain proficiency in the herbalism kit if you do not already have it. While out in the wilds or adventuring you can roll an herbalism check or a nature check to find helpful herbs. (Under construction, currently creating rolling tables based on location. Use DM fiat for the time being.)

Evasion

Elusive Combatant (T1)

You believe in avoiding being hit altogether, instead of using armor or shields. You can move past a threatening foe, or attempt to move through their space by using acrobatics. To move past a threatening enemy creature, you must succeed on an acrobatics check equal to 8 + the creature’s highest attack bonus. To move through an enemy creature’s space, you have disadvantage on the check.

Sneak

Helping Hand (T1)

Your skills in stealth and subterfuge have given you tools to mitigate your companions’ bumbling and bumping around. When an ally would roll a stealth check with disadvantage, but before the roll is made, you can give them advantage, negating the effects of their potentially heavier armor.

Speech

Shrewd Bargainer (T1)

You know the language of trade and commerce, haggling and bartering are your forte. When negotiating a price, be it buying or selling, you gain advantage on deception and persuasion checks to get a better deal.

Lockpicking

Locksmith Apprentice (T1)

You gain proficiency in thieves’ tools if you do not already have it. You have knowledge and understanding of the inner mechanisms of locks. When you fail a sleight of hand (lock picking) check, you do not alert any creatures in the vicinity of your presence.

Sleight of Hand

Nibmle Fingers (T1)

You have always had quick reflexes and deft hands when it mattered most. In combat on your turn, you receive one more free item interaction and can drink potions or alcohol from a flask as a bonus action.