Skill alternatives or additional common skills?

[SirGalrim]

I find the skillset for TOR solid. Good names on the skills and a good structure. But a few times I've found the skillset a bit lacking. The players have tried to accomplish tasks that there is no clear indication any of the existing skills covers. So I have two questions:

1. Has someone made additional common skills for TOR and put this in system and on a character sheet?

2. The other question is what existing skill or attribute would you use when a player tries to accomplish the following tasks:
- Disguise: Dressing up as a guards from the area they are trying to scout / free prisoners from.
- Legerdemain: Nimbleness with ones fingers for doing tricks or for getting something unseen. (Not the task of sneaking to the area or try to stay hidden with Stealth)
- Animal handling/Ride: Getting scared or enraged animals calmed. Making animals to tasks they are hesitant to do like approaching fire, crossing water etc.

[Magus76]

I would say that it depends on the manner in which they approach the situation.

Disguise
If they rely on avoiding as much attention as possible, blending in and choosing common clothing etc, I would use Stealth.
If they rely on a more elaborate disguise and not trying to avoid attention so much, using their skills instead to portray a fake persona like in a drama, I would use Song.
If they simply put on a guards clothes and try to blend in by appearing to be a new receuit who knows the routines, customs and tricks of the trade, I would use Courtesy.

Legerdemain
I would use Stealth or Riddle for most cases. Riddle could apply more if it's a case of a trick of the mind.

Animal handling
If it was a question of figuring out how to ease the mind of the horse to make it feel safe, then I would use Insight.
It could also be possible to use Persuade, relying on tricks of the trade to make the horse move forward.

These examples all assume that the character already has some knowledge of the area of expertice.

Hope that helps
/magus76

[Falenthal]

2. The other question is what existing skill or attribute would you use when a player tries to accomplish the following tasks:
- Disguise: Dressing up as a guards from the area they are trying to scout / free prisoners from.
- Legerdemain: Nimbleness with ones fingers for doing tricks or for getting something unseen. (Not the task of sneaking to the area or try to stay hidden with Stealth)
- Animal handling/Ride: Getting scared or enraged animals calmed. Making animals to tasks they are hesitant to do like approaching fire, crossing water etc.

As Magus76 has pointed out, I would allow for a broad range of options, depending on how the player explains what he's doing.

Disguise could be also Riddle (if they've stolen the uniform and just want to enter the place without rousing suspicion) or even Craft if they have to tailor their own uniforms.

Pickpoketing, "magic" tricks,... could use Stealth, the trait Burglary or Riddle.

Animal Handling. Insight would be my first choice, but if the character has some horse handling background (he comes from the Leofrings, or from Rohan or such), even Craft could be used. If the character is forcing the horse to cross a river, or pursuing them and trying to jump on a horse to force it to calm, Athletics could be used.

My advice is to avoid telling your players what skill is the one indicated for a certain task. Ask them how they want to accomplish that task and tell them to choose which skill they think fits their description. Personally I allow anything that seems reasonable, specially if it is original and interesting for the rest of us.

[Majestic]

Remember too, that each of the six skills has an accompanying Attribute (located above it on the character sheet).

So if a character is doing something 'movement related', go with Athletics if they're more using their physical prowess or agility (Body) and Stealth if they're relying more on their intellect and smarts (Wits).

[Rich H]

I think previous posts have pretty much nailed the skill use for the examples provided but these two comments are worth mentioning/highlighting in my opinion... Both are great advice.

My advice is to avoid telling your players what skill is the one indicated for a certain task. Ask them how they want to accomplish that task and tell them to choose which skill they think fits their description. Personally I allow anything that seems reasonable, specially if it is original and interesting for the rest of us.

This puts the onus on the players and allows them to think up clever ways to apply those Common Skills. It also gets them thinking of using their skills more proactively (tasks) rather than waiting for the LM to tell them how to do something (more associated with tests). Mechanically within the game, there is no difference, but getting the players to actively contribute, suggest things for their character, and be more proactive within the game's narrative is a good thing; whatever game being played!

Remember too, that each of the six skills has an accompanying Attribute (located above it on the character sheet). So if a character is doing something 'movement related', go with Athletics if they're more using their physical prowess or agility (Body) and Stealth if they're relying more on their intellect and smarts (Wits).

I often use this 'trick'. Just because a Common Skill is listed under a specific Attribute doesn't mean it is always tied to that attribute for the purposing of spending Hope and applying the applicable Attribute Bonus. By shifting the focus of the Attribute on a skill between the three that are available, you can really give the players different perspectives on particular skills and also give them the confidence to try and suggest things that previously they may have shied away from. For example, recently in my campaign the player-heroes were trying to Inspire a group of men to aid them in the fortification of their village by 'leading through example' and repairing and fortifying the walls, gate, etc of the hamlet. They used the Inspire skill but any Attribute Bonus we applied was keyed to their Body attribute as they were physically exerting themselves on behalf of the villagers. This really worked a treat and showed how flexible the system is without needing to add new skills or rules; simple rulings can often be used to convey things and move the story forward.