*Image from https://www.chaosium.com/basic-roleplaying-universal-game-engine-hardcover/
As much as I like the BRP and Cthulhu Eternal family of games, I’ve always been bothered by the skill list. There are several problems with them in my opinion. Not all skills are “equal”. Which is not a problem in general, but it’s especially egregious in the BRP family of RPGs.
On the one hand, you have very broadly “useful” skills like Firearms, Alertness, Persuade. On the other hand, you have entries like Swim, Disguise or Ride. Putting your points in the former is not the same as putting your points in the latter.
As much as I’ve tried to try to condense this list of skills to something more concise and equal, I haven’t figured out the right one. Until then I have devised some general house rules in how I GM BRP games:
- If a crucial clue is hidden behind a skill check, just give the clue to the PC with the highest relevant skill.
- When asking for a roll of a very niche skill, err on the side of giving bonuses.
Only roll in stressful situations!
Remember that you should only roll for STRESSFUL or DANGEROUS situations. GMs, don’t ask for Drive rolls when the character is simply driving to work; do ask for one when they are chased by a Bat Thing!
- The points spent in a very niche skills should be “worth more” than the points spent in a generally useful skill. Double the amount of points gained on Improvement rolls (or, in BRP, the Experience Roll). It’s up to the GM to determine which exact skills count as “niche”.