Secondary Skills Updated

Just a little fun.  My background generator as it stands offers 110 possible backgrounds from which the player character can derive.  Some are common, some are very rare.  These would represent the households in which the character grew up, so professions that a father, mother or other ancestor would have practiced, around which the character was raised.  This is how I define the origin of "secondary skills."  If your parents did it, then you have some skill at it.  These are bonus abilities and features that the character adds to their other trained class skills.

Alchemist: able to read & write; 10 knowledge points in the study of druidic alchemy, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Alchemist's apprentice: +1 damage when throwing acid, -1 damage per die from all chemical attacks.

Architect: able to read & write; can plan shape of wooden or stone structures.

Armorer: fashion armor. Party's armor saves at +2.

Artillerist: 10 knowledge points in the study of combat artillery, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Artist: 10 knowledge points as a bardic artist, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Baker: make breadstuffs; subtract 1 damage taken from heat.

Banker: character has access to credit, equal to 25 times the character's starting wealth.  Character can read & write, and possesses a writ of passage throughout the kingdom.

Baron: the character's elder sibling is the rightful heir of the land. The character is entitled to use the title 'Sir' and has been granted a manor estate as a member of the family. The character's manor includes 385 acres, with 77 landed tenants and servants. The land receives 50 c.p. per tenant per month from each in taxes, tolls & goods, for a total income of 20 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 32 g.p. per year, or 16 c.p. per acre. Able to read & write.

Blacksmith: ability to work a forge. Party's ironmongery saves at +1; character has +1 bonus to hit with hammer.

Boatman: navigate rivers, +2 to dexterity checks when aboard boats.

Bookbinder: lay our and design books, shape leather into book covers; character is able to read and write.

Bounty hunter: has amateur scouting knowledge (see Ranger), gains bonus proficiency in a hurled or fired weapon.

Brewer: brew beer; double resistance to alcohol.

Buccaneer: character has both sailing and swimming ability; and also possesses a writ promising the building of a single-masted vessel up to 2,000 g.p. value, at the character's behest.

Butcher: chop and preserve meat properly; add proficiency with cleaver (damage as dagger).

Carpenter: able to build wooden structures; +1 attacks against wooden defenses.

Chandler: reduce fats and tallow; subtract 1 damage taken from heat.

Cobbler: make and repair leather shoes; party's boots and shoes save at +3.

Confectioner: make candy and preserve meat and vegetables properly; subtract 1 damage taken from heat.

Cooper: make and repair barrels; party's wooden containers save at +3.

Count: the character's elder sibling is the rightful heir of the land. The character is entitled to use the title 'Sir' and has been granted a manor estate as a member of the family. The character's manor includes 385 acres, with 77 landed tenants and servants. The land receives 50 c.p. per tenant per month from each in taxes, tolls & goods, for a total income of 20 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 32 g.p. per year, or 16 c.p. per acre. Able to read & write.

Crusader: the character is entitled to use the title, 'Sir.' The character is also a member of a Knight-Order, and may make introduction of self to the Grand Wizard of that order, with whom correspondence can be sent or reasonable requests made. Gains a +2 bonus to the moral of any man-at-arms.

Curate: possesses a bonus 1st level cleric spell, regardless of class.

Diemaker: amateur bardic skill in dies and minting, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level.

Dispossed Noble: the character is entitled to use the title 'Sir' when referring to oneself. The title carries no legitimate power or ownership. Gains a +2 bonus to the moral of any hireling from the character's realm. Able to read & write.

Draper: make and repair curtains, tents, cloth shelters; +1 bonus to constitution checks.

Engraver: amateur bardic skill in craft, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level.

Explorer: able to read & write; 10 knowledge points of clerical history, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level. Character has pathfinder ability.

Farmer: can sow crops, +1 to strength checks in the outdoors.

Fence: character begins game with 161 g.p. in stolen

Fisherman: fishes as a full angler and is able to swim.

Fishmonger: has fishing ability; +3 save against nausea and odors.

Fuller: transform fibres to thread or yarn, with or without spinning wheel; +1 bonus to strength checks.

Furniture maker: make and repair furniture; party's wooden goods save at +2.

Furrier: make and repair fur clothing; party's fur goods save at +2.

Gambler: character possesses the thieving gambling ability, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level.

Gameskeeper: has amateur scouting knowledge.

Gladiator: causes +1 damage when fighting mammals or mammal-like beasts.

Glassmaker: make and repair glass products; party's vials and other glass saves at +2 (or breaks with +2 bonus if desired). Subtract 1 damage taken from heat.

Glazier: make and repair glass windows; fabricate stained glass and mirrors with shop. Remove glass easily when using tools.

Graverobber: +1 armor class against undead.

Guardsman: +1 damage when using fists as a weapon or when grappling.

Guildmaster of the leather worker's guild: able to make and repair leather goods. Gains a +1 bonus to the moral of all artisan hirelings. Able to read & write.

Guildmaster thief: enjoys the recognition of the criminal faction in one's own realm, with freedom from infringement by all but ignorant wrongdoers. Reasonable requests can be made, with give & take expected. Gains a +2 bonus to the morale of all criminals. Able to read & write.

Gypsy: +1 saving throw against magic.

Herbalist: has 10 knowledge points in druidical studies of bushes & shrubs, flowers & sprigs, fungi or grasses & grains (player choice), with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Hermit: has foraging ability, applied to both rural and urban settings.

Husbandman: +2 morale bonus for all domestic animals; those owned by the character - or within 1 combat hex - receive a +2 save.

Innkeeper: owns a three-story merchant's house and yard, in 65% repair, with kitchen, hall, 2nd floor common room and 3 private rooms on the top floor, receiving 46 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 170 g.p. annually.

Instrument maker: make and repair musical instruments; complex items require a shop and much time. Party's instruments save at +2. Play instrument of choice.

Jeweller: amateur bardic jewellery designer, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level.

Juggler: amateur bardic skill in craft, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level; +2 bonus to hit with sling or dart.

Killer: character adjusts their bonus for all rear attacks by +1 to hit.

King: the character's elder sibling is the rightful heir of the land. The character is entitled to use the title 'Sir' and has been granted a manor estate as a member of the family. The character's manor includes 385 acres, with 77 landed tenants and servants. The land receives 50 c.p. per tenant per month from each in taxes, tolls & goods, for a total income of 20 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 32 g.p. per year, or 16 c.p. per acre. Able to read & write.

Laborer: reduce degree of diseases contracted by 1-4 points.

Landed Knight: the character is entitled to use the title, 'Sir.' Owns 308 acres, with half-timbered hall-house, 54 landed tenants, receiving 40 c.p. per tenant per month from each in taxes, tolls & goods, for a total income of 11 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 22 g.p. per year, or 14 c.p. per acre. Gains a +1 bonus to the morale of all men-at-arms.

Landlord: owns land near their place of birth, inside town walls: an empty quarter-acre lot, inside town walls, without earnings. Taxes on the property equals 74 g.p. annually.

Lapidary: amateur bardic stone-setter and cutter, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level.

Lawyer: able to read & write; has amateur knowledge of law and policy.

Leather worker: make and repair leather goods; party's leather goods save at +2.

Librarian: able to read & write; gain a +3 knowledge point bonus to all initial in-field studies.

Marshal: the character is entitled to use the title, 'Commander' or 'General.' Owns 385 acres, with manor house, 77 landed tenants and servants, receiving 50 c.p. per tenant per month from each in taxes, tolls & goods, for a total income of 20 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 32 g.p. per year, or 16 c.p. per acre. Gains a +1 bonus to the morale of all hirelings. Able to read & write.

Mason: able to build stone structures; +1 attacks against stone defenses.

Master-at-arms: gain two bonus proficiencies in weapons that can only be used hand-to-hand.

Medicant: able to read & write; 10 knowledge points in the study of clerical medicine, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Mercenary: gain bonus proficiency in any weapon that can be used by class.

Metallurgist: mix refined metal into special alloys; subtract 2 damage taken from heat.

Mine foreman: 10 knowledge points in druidical geology, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level; character has dwarven underground skills.

Miner: 10 knowledge points in the study of combat sapping, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Monk: character's natural armor class is permanently increased by 1 point.

Mortician: +1 bonus to saves, attacks and damage when fighting undead.

Outrider: gain 10 points horseback riding knowledge.

Papermaker: make paper, parchment or papyrus; reduce degree of disease by 1 to 4 points.

Political advisor: able to read & write; 10 knowledge points in the study of clerical politics, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Porter: double bonus to character's encumbrance limit.

Potter: make and repair clay vessels and products; party's flasks and other pottery saves at +3 (or breaks with +3 bonus if break is desired).

Priest: able to read & write; 10 knowledge points in the study of clerical dweomercraft, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Professor: able to read & write; gain a +4 knowledge point bonus to all initial in-field studies.

Prospector: has prospector ability, +1 morale bonus for donkeys and mules.

Puddler: transform rock ore to metal; subtract 2 damage taken from heat.

Rat catcher: +1 saving throw vs. poison.

Sailor: has sailing ability, +2 to dexterity checks when aboard ship.

Scribe: able to read & write.

Sculptor: amateur bardic sculptor, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level.

Shipwright: make and repair ships and ship parts of all sizes. Give +2 bonus to rolls keeping ships from sinking.

Sinecure: able to read & write; has a writ of passage for the realm, exempt from paying tolls or fees; has the ear of the local nobility, with whom correspondence can be sent; permitted to dine at any of the realm's town halls at will, where the character was born.

Singer: 10 knowledge points in the study of bard's performance, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Squire: owns 283 acres, with timber-frame hall-house, 31 landed tenants, receiving 30 c.p. per tenant per month from each in taxes, tolls & goods, for a total income of 4 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 17 g.p. per year, or 12 c.p. per acre.

Steward: +1 moral bonus for all hirelings and followers.

Stonecutter: cut stone blocks or shapes from surface rock; +3 bonus to strength checks.

Surgeon: able to read & write; 10 knowledge points in the study of magical physiology, with the character gaining 1d4-1 per level.

Tailor: make and repair clothing; party's clothing saves at +2. 

Tanner: strip hides from animals and tan leather; party's leather goods save at +2.

Tavern keeper: near their place of birth, the character owns a one-floor village drinking house, with kitchen, hall, extensive pantry & outbuilding smokehouse., receiving 94 g.p. per month. Taxes on the property equals 153 g.p. annually.

Teamster: can drive a donkey, a team of oxen (four in hand) or draft horses (2 in hand).

Tobacconist: dry and prepare cigarillos; +3 save against nausea and odors.

Toll keeper: character possesses the thieving bribery ability, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level; +1 to ability checks in the outdoors.

Tomb robber: begin game with a magic item: a shield +1.

Toolmaker: make and repair tools; has amateur ability at thieves' setting and removing traps, regardless of class, with character gaining 1d6-1 points per level.

Trapper: +2 to dexterity checks when setting traps.

Tutor: able to read & write; gain a +2 knowledge point bonus to all initial in-field studies.

Usurer: character has access to credit, equal to 10 times the character's starting wealth. Character can read and write.

Veterinarian: has diagnose & treat farmyard disease ability.

Village witch: begin game with a bonus spell, regardless of class: dancing lights.

Vintner: ferment wine; double resistance to alcohol.

Wagoneer: make and repair wagons, axles and wheels; jury rig broken vehicles so that they may travel 5-20 miles before hopelessly breaking down.

Weaponsmith: fashion weapons. Party's armor saves at +2.

Weaver: transform thread or yarn into cloth, sew and repair cloth; party's cloth goods save at +2.

Witchhunter: +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. magic.

A few points.  The list is not intended to be "balanced."  You're lucky or you're not, and most are unlucky.  This works fine if your party is the sort that works together, as anyone becoming the offspring of a guildmaster thief or a banker becomes a benefit to the whole party, not just self.

Second, much of the list above swaps out for other details.  For example, since the actual background of the character is also generated, with family details, this adjusts what the status the character has with the king, count or baron appearing on the list.  As well, things like the "guildmaster of the leather workers" only shows the random generated artisan type for that guildmaster.  Anything that's a guild (vintner, baker, engraver) also has a chance of being generated.  I haven't included them all and I've left up the selected choice in the list to give an example.

There are different amounts of land that can be owned, different classes of vehicle and ship, different total taxes, different buildings, etcetera.  I've been expanding this for awhile, and not all of this is included on my free character generator, which I finished in 2012.  I'm hoping I can get an updated version in place this year.

Remember always that the character is not a "marshal" or a "guildmaster."  That was Dad and Mum's job.  But inheritance is possible, and it is possible to be born of the king and yet be the 4th or 5th sibling.  So just because you're royal or noble blood doesn't mean you'll be in charge of a kingdom or territory.  'Course, usurpation is always an option.

Still, everything after the title DOES apply directly to the character. So some players do start owning land, taverns, inns and boats.

Feels good to post some simple, pure rules for a change.