Skill systems in relation to OSR games are a funny thing, and in my opinion, not often required or needed. I’ve had a game running for a year and a half that, in no way, required skills, and I’ve typically defaulted to the standard “roll a d6 with a range of 1-2 for success,” modified by attribute bonuses, of course.

And I think, for the majority of old school D&D style games, this is a completely adequate and fun way of handling rolls that do not fall under any sort of specific mechanic.

However, for those games that require a bit more depth in the way skills are handled, I came up with an alternative I quite like and plan on using, as well as having it in the design doc for a game I’m making.

This method has a bit of inspiration from GURPs, of all things, and also stems from my mild annoyance in standard “roll under attribute” systems being too binary. While simple, they have shortcomings compared to the standard d6 range modified by attribute. For one thing, they aren’t simpler while at the same time adding nothing substantial.

Likewise, I much preferred “roll under attribute” as, at least, it was not arbitrary, unlike the way 5th editon D&D handled it, with a d20 vs difficulty class, as that often forced a DM to come up with a number on the spot to roll against.

The System⌗

This concept is a bridge between a skill list and “Roll under Attribute.”

All skills you can roll for start as Attribute Score -4 so a fighter with 18 strength has an effective skill of 16. To pass an athletics check, they must roll d20 < 16.

The same fighter who gets 2 skill points in athletics now only needs to roll below 18.

Progression⌗

Characters start with 3 + INT mod, and every level thereafter gain 3 more skill points. The skill points can be allocated any way the player wishes, though they should be spent logically and make sense as to why the character would have those skills.

Likewise, certain skills cannot be even attempted without formal or prior training, so if you have no skill points in a certain skill, you don’t even get to attempt it.

Skill List⌗

I pretty much straight lifted this from 5th edition D&D, and while not my favorite nor a skill list I even like, it serves as a good enough example.

For a better skill list, I recommend using the one in Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia 1991.

Skill Required Training
Acrobatics No
Arcana Yes
Athletics No
Deception No
History Yes
Insight No
Intimidation No
Investigation No
Medicine Yes
Nature No
Perception No
Performance No
Persuasion No
Religion Yes
Sleight of Hand Yes
Stealth No
Survival No

Another thing of note is that skills should be used with several different ability scores, not merely one, hence why I did not list attributes next to the skills they belonged to.

Constitution + Stealth for belly crawling across a field.

or Strength + Medicine put enough pressure on a wound to prevent bleed out.

Just as some examples.