New Skills That You Use, Or Wish, Were In Your Game - Homebrew & House Rules - Dungeons & Dragons Discussion - D&D Beyond Forums (2024)

So, I have been putting some thought into the skills available in the game, and it occurred to me that an addition of one or two to the list might be in order.

An Engineering (Intelligence) skill could be useful when figuring out how to get past an obstacle, prepare the battlefield, or double checking if your insane-off-the-wall-cross-your-figures-and-pray trap is actually going to work. I know that it steps on the toes of Investigation a little bit, but I always thought Investigation wasmore about recognizing what you are looking at than understanding the inner workings of something. Engineering also seems like it matches up with various tool proficiencies (especially carpenter's and mason's tools) better than History does.

I have also toyed with the idea of creating a Common Knowledge (Intelligence) and Common Sense (Wisdom) set of skills almost as a type of role playing aids for players who ask themselves would my character even be aware of this. I am less sure about Common Sense since it really feels like a combination of Insight and Perception which seems either horribly weak or broken depending on how it is interpreted, but I really like the idea of Common Knowledge encompassing all the things a character would know that are not written down in books or recorded in ballads. A rogue with expertise in that skill could be incredibly street smart even if they have never cracked open a book in their life.

What do you all think, and are there any skills that you think are missing?

Quote from Zbum >>

I think a lot of those examples you provided are covered with, insight, survival, nature, history. Insight doesn't have to be relegated to just a lie detector, and history isn't always what you've read.

Insight

/ˈɪnsʌɪt/

noun

1. the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.

   "his mind soared to previously unattainable heights of insight"

I think the best way to find what skills d&d 5e is missing is to come up with as many examples as you can, and any that you cannot realistically use a skill for, then you should probably try and think of a skill to "fix" that. Sorry if what I say sounds condescending.

I think common knowledge and sense are covered already across survival, nature, medicine, history, religion, animal handling, and arcana.

I don't think insight is the same because it is a way to cut through the bull crap and get to the reality of someone or something, not already having basic knowledge on it or already having basic wisdom.

I think something like engineering is great, like a nonbiological version of medicine. Maybe even a technological skill for nonbiological mechanical version of nature.

Like I wrote when I mentioned common knowledge and common sense, I have only been toying with the idea and have pretty much talked myself out of the common sense skill for essentially the same reasons you all have given. However, I do think there is a place for common knowledge if it is interpreted as street level information, and I am not really worried about infringing on the skills of arcana, history, nature, and religion since they commonly infringe upon each other. Common knowledge could give much the same information but from a different and likely simpler perspective.

Quote from Mykels56 >>

I think something like engineering is great, like a nonbiological version of medicine. Maybe even a technological skill for nonbiological mechanical version of nature.

I hadn't thought of comparing engineering to medicine before, but that is exactly why I think it would be a good addition to the skill list.

Quote from Wragged >>

Like I wrote when I mentioned common knowledge and common sense, I have only been toying with the idea and have pretty much talked myself out of the common sense skill for essentially the same reasons you all have given. However, I do think there is a place for common knowledge if it is interpreted as street level information, and I am not really worried about infringing on the skills of arcana, history, nature, and religion since they commonly infringe upon each other. Common knowledge could give much the same information but from a different and likely simpler perspective.

Quote from Mykels56 >>

I think something like engineering is great, like a nonbiological version of medicine. Maybe even a technological skill for nonbiological mechanical version of nature.

I hadn't thought of comparing engineering to medicine before, but that is exactly why I think it would be a good addition to the skill list.

I still think common knowledge is in RAW already as through other skills, maybe even as INT itself.

Now Engineer and Technology sound unique and needed even. Thank you for the exposure to such concepts! I think I will use this!

My thoughts...

Technology "Skill" (INT) - You bring forth knowledge about nonbiological vehicles, weapons, armor, shields, or structures. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

Engineer "Skill" (WIS) - You can try to understand how to repair some broken technology such as a nonbiological vehicle, weapon, armor, shield, or structure. You can also have some understanding as to the time needed to repair it and even the potential materials needed to do so. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

Quote from Zbum >>

I think a lot of those examples you provided are covered with, insight, survival, nature, history. Insight doesn't have to be relegated to just a lie detector, and history isn't always what you've read.

Insight

/ˈɪnsʌɪt/

noun

1. the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.

   "his mind soared to previously unattainable heights of insight"

   See Also

   D&D 5E: How To Use Skill Points? - DND Made Simple

I think the best way to find what skills d&d 5e is missing is to come up with as many examples as you can, and any that you cannot realistically use a skill for, then you should probably try and think of a skill to "fix" that. Sorry if what I say sounds condescending.

I don't think what you are saying is condescending, you make a fair point though I disagree with your interpretation. I read this definition of insight to be more a description of learning about something rather than recognizing something or knowing how to actupon it, but you are rightabout how insight is much more than a lie detector. I would honestly rule that a character proficient with insight could train in a new proficiency faster than another character because they can get more out of each hour/day of training they receive.

However, I don't think history can reasonablywork as a stand in for an engineering skill. To give an example, history is knowing what a water screw is and what civilization/s invented them while engineering is knowing how a water screw works and how to build one.

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Technology "Skill" (INT) - You bring forth knowledge about nonbiological vehicles, weapons, armor, shields, or structures. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

Engineer "Skill" (WIS) - You can try to understand how to repair some broken technology such as a nonbiological vehicle, weapon, armor, shield, or structure. You can also have some understanding as to the time needed to repair it and even the potential materials needed to do so. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

I wouldsay that engineering would be an intelligence-based skill that would already encompass most of the aspects of your technology skill as well as other subsets like demolitions much like nature includes both botany and zoology. However, I also think medicine should be an intelligence-based skill sincenoticing what the problem is doesn't do you a whole lot of good if you do not have the knowledge of how to treat it. For example, people trained in first aid do not put people in the recovery position because they have intuited or observed from their experience that people rest and recover better in that position but because they are taught to do it that way. Now, noticing a creature is in need of a medicine check would be a wisdom-based skill, but that could be covered by insight and/or animal handling depending on the subject since both of those skills involve interacting with and observing the actions of another

The closest thing I have come across was probably Pillars of Eternity's "Mechanics" skill for your "Engineering" skill. Not quite the same game rules as DnD 5e, but the skill was involved with...mechanical devices such as traps, levers, gears, and other contraptions. It's more active uses were disarming and laying traps in that particular game. For more story driven parts, it was used for resolving broken devices, or physically piecing together seemingly disparate parts (which can be encroaching on Investigation's territory if your deducing the technology's intent). It should be noted that I think D&D 5e has a Dexterity check for disarming traps under other uses (DMs might let the use of tools affect it further). So allowing this skill to also disarm traps could replace or enhance that function.

But you can name it whatever you wish. Personally, I am one of those weird people that thinks some of the skills could be consolidated. However, there is a niche that Engineering/Mechanics could fulfill (maybe more so in Eberron for example).

Quote from BumkinsMumpkins >>

The closest thing I have come across was probably Pillars of Eternity's "Mechanics" skill for your "Engineering" skill. Not quite the same game rules as DnD 5e, but the skill was involved with...mechanical devices such as traps, levers, gears, and other contraptions. It's more active uses were disarming and laying traps in that particular game. For more story driven parts, it was used for resolving broken devices, or physically piecing together seemingly disparate parts (which can be encroaching on Investigation's territory if your deducing the technology's intent). It should be noted that I think D&D 5e has a Dexterity check for disarming traps under other uses (DMs might let the use of tools affect it further). So allowing this skill to also disarm traps could replace or enhance that function.

But you can name it whatever you wish. Personally, I am one of those weird people that thinks some of the skills could be consolidated. However, there is a niche that Engineering/Mechanics could fulfill (maybe more so in Eberron for example).

Which skills would you consolidate?

Quote from Wragged >>

Quote from Zbum >>

I think a lot of those examples you provided are covered with, insight, survival, nature, history. Insight doesn't have to be relegated to just a lie detector, and history isn't always what you've read.

Insight

/ˈɪnsʌɪt/

noun

1. the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.

   "his mind soared to previously unattainable heights of insight"

I think the best way to find what skills d&d 5e is missing is to come up with as many examples as you can, and any that you cannot realistically use a skill for, then you should probably try and think of a skill to "fix" that. Sorry if what I say sounds condescending.

I don't think what you are saying is condescending, you make a fair point though I disagree with your interpretation. I read this definition of insight to be more a description of learning about something rather than recognizing something or knowing how to actupon it, but you are rightabout how insight is much more than a lie detector. I would honestly rule that a character proficient with insight could train in a new proficiency faster than another character because they can get more out of each hour/day of training they receive.

However, I don't think history can reasonablywork as a stand in for an engineering skill. To give an example, history is knowing what a water screw is and what civilization/s invented them while engineering is knowing how a water screw works and how to build one.

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Technology "Skill" (INT) - You bring forth knowledge about nonbiological vehicles, weapons, armor, shields, or structures. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

Engineer "Skill" (WIS) - You can try to understand how to repair some broken technology such as a nonbiological vehicle, weapon, armor, shield, or structure. You can also have some understanding as to the time needed to repair it and even the potential materials needed to do so. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

I wouldsay that engineering would be an intelligence-based skill that would already encompass most of the aspects of your technology skill as well as other subsets like demolitions much like nature includes both botany and zoology. However, I also think medicine should be an intelligence-based skill sincenoticing what the problem is doesn't do you a whole lot of good if you do not have the knowledge of how to treat it. For example, people trained in first aid do not put people in the recovery position because they have intuited or observed from their experience that people rest and recover better in that position but because they are taught to do it that way. Now, noticing a creature is in need of a medicine check would be a wisdom-based skill, but that could be covered by insight and/or animal handling depending on the subject since both of those skills involve interacting with and observing the actions of another

I originally agreed with medicine being a int, but I think wis fits the skill better, just not the name medicine. Maybe medical. I think common knowledge/sense in medical care is wis, but expert level medicine is int. Stabilizing an injured is wis, but healing them with medicine is more int. The name and effect don't line up with me. So I agree RAW is weird here.

To that same effect: If engineer is like medicine, then it should be wis. If technology is like nature, then it should be int. Engineer/medicine are both basic common sense/knowledge while technology/nature are int understanding beyond common sense/knowledge.

Int vs Wis is a fine line anyways that I think is confusing at times, if not gray.

Quote from BumkinsMumpkins >>

The closest thing I have come across was probably Pillars of Eternity's "Mechanics" skill for your "Engineering" skill. Not quite the same game rules as DnD 5e, but the skill was involved with...mechanical devices such as traps, levers, gears, and other contraptions. It's more active uses were disarming and laying traps in that particular game. For more story driven parts, it was used for resolving broken devices, or physically piecing together seemingly disparate parts (which can be encroaching on Investigation's territory if your deducing the technology's intent). It should be noted that I think D&D 5e has a Dexterity check for disarming traps under other uses (DMs might let the use of tools affect it further). So allowing this skill to also disarm traps could replace or enhance that function.

But you can name it whatever you wish. Personally, I am one of those weird people that thinks some of the skills could be consolidated. However, there is a niche that Engineering/Mechanics could fulfill (maybe more so in Eberron for example).

Even RAW realized Skill overlap with athletics and acrobatics in variant skills. It's like there is a black and white difference, but some situational gray areas. Same with things like daggers, is it a DEX range weapon or STR melee weapons. Yes... and no..., but both.

Quote from Wragged >>

Now on the topic of another proposed skill we can all discuss, should there be a constitution-based endurance skill? Endurance is something you can train, and when characters intentionally push themselves beyond the bounds of what their other abilities say they should be able to do, doesn't an ability check make more sense than a saving throw? For example, the characters are performing a forced march, no outside force is acting upon them, they are simply choosing to push there physical abilities. I understand that most of the places you would use this ability (skill) check are already covered in the rules by constitution saving throws, but I think endurance training which by definition would make it a skill fits some of those situations better.

I think maybe so. I did make a house rule involving CON in my attempt to balance all abilities, instead of DEX being the only king of abilities.

CON - When your HP becomes 0, you can attempt a CON sav against a DC of 20 + your lvl of exhaustion. Apply modifiers and bonuses. If successful, you gain HP equal to your CON modifier - your level of exhaustion. (Force house rule of exhaustion. When your HP goes from 0 to 1 or more, you gain a level of exhaustion. Exhaustion is now 7 levels with ability checks and saving throws separated into two different levels of exhaustion. A long rest removes all levels of exhaustion and you can remove levels of exhaustion during a short rest by spending hit die equal to a level of exhaustion.)

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Quote from Wragged >>

Quote from Zbum >>

I think a lot of those examples you provided are covered with, insight, survival, nature, history. Insight doesn't have to be relegated to just a lie detector, and history isn't always what you've read.

Insight

/ˈɪnsʌɪt/

noun

1. the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.

   "his mind soared to previously unattainable heights of insight"

I think the best way to find what skills d&d 5e is missing is to come up with as many examples as you can, and any that you cannot realistically use a skill for, then you should probably try and think of a skill to "fix" that. Sorry if what I say sounds condescending.

I don't think what you are saying is condescending, you make a fair point though I disagree with your interpretation. I read this definition of insight to be more a description of learning about something rather than recognizing something or knowing how to actupon it, but you are rightabout how insight is much more than a lie detector. I would honestly rule that a character proficient with insight could train in a new proficiency faster than another character because they can get more out of each hour/day of training they receive.

However, I don't think history can reasonablywork as a stand in for an engineering skill. To give an example, history is knowing what a water screw is and what civilization/s invented them while engineering is knowing how a water screw works and how to build one.

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Technology "Skill" (INT) - You bring forth knowledge about nonbiological vehicles, weapons, armor, shields, or structures. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

Engineer "Skill" (WIS) - You can try to understand how to repair some broken technology such as a nonbiological vehicle, weapon, armor, shield, or structure. You can also have some understanding as to the time needed to repair it and even the potential materials needed to do so. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

I wouldsay that engineering would be an intelligence-based skill that would already encompass most of the aspects of your technology skill as well as other subsets like demolitions much like nature includes both botany and zoology. However, I also think medicine should be an intelligence-based skill sincenoticing what the problem is doesn't do you a whole lot of good if you do not have the knowledge of how to treat it. For example, people trained in first aid do not put people in the recovery position because they have intuited or observed from their experience that people rest and recover better in that position but because they are taught to do it that way. Now, noticing a creature is in need of a medicine check would be a wisdom-based skill, but that could be covered by insight and/or animal handling depending on the subject since both of those skills involve interacting with and observing the actions of another

I originally agreed with medicine being a int, but I think wis fits the skill better, just not the name medicine. Maybe medical. I think common knowledge/sense in medical care is wis, but expert level medicine is int. Stabilizing an injured is wis, but healing them with medicine is more int. The name and effect don't line up with me. So I agree RAW is weird here.

To that same effect: If engineer is like medicine, then it should be wis. If technology is like nature, then it should be int. Engineer/medicine are both basic common sense/knowledge while technology/nature are int understanding beyond common sense/knowledge.

Int vs Wis is a fine line anyways that I think is confusing at times, if not gray.

Under certain circ*mstances, you can decide a character’s proficiency in a skill can be applied to a different ability check. For example, you might decide that a character forced to swim from an island to the mainland must succeed on a Constitution check (as opposed to a Strength check) because of the distance involved. The character is proficient in theAthleticsskill, which covers swimming, so you allow the character’s proficiency bonus to apply to this ability check. In effect, you’re asking for a Constitution (Athletics) check, instead of a Strength (Athletics) check.

~DMG under using ability scores

Quote from Wragged >>

Quote from BumkinsMumpkins >>

The closest thing I have come across was probably Pillars of Eternity's "Mechanics" skill for your "Engineering" skill. Not quite the same game rules as DnD 5e, but the skill was involved with...mechanical devices such as traps, levers, gears, and other contraptions. It's more active uses were disarming and laying traps in that particular game. For more story driven parts, it was used for resolving broken devices, or physically piecing together seemingly disparate parts (which can be encroaching on Investigation's territory if your deducing the technology's intent). It should be noted that I think D&D 5e has a Dexterity check for disarming traps under other uses (DMs might let the use of tools affect it further). So allowing this skill to also disarm traps could replace or enhance that function.

But you can name it whatever you wish. Personally, I am one of those weird people that thinks some of the skills could be consolidated. However, there is a niche that Engineering/Mechanics could fulfill (maybe more so in Eberron for example).

Which skills would you consolidate?

What RAW eludes to with variant skills.

Athletics and Acrobatics.

Animal Handling and Nature (maybe even medicine and survival)

Maybe insight, perception, and investigation

Maybe persuasion absorbing intimidation

Possibly deception absorbing sleight of hand

Possibly history absorbing religion

I personally don't think this, but a variant could be made to simplify (especially since that is 5e's thing). I like the variations which allow for those gray areas to use different ability modifiers and proficiencies.

Quote from hollowtpm >>

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Quote from Wragged >>

Quote from Zbum >>

I think a lot of those examples you provided are covered with, insight, survival, nature, history. Insight doesn't have to be relegated to just a lie detector, and history isn't always what you've read.

Insight

/ˈɪnsʌɪt/

noun

1. the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.

   "his mind soared to previously unattainable heights of insight"

I think the best way to find what skills d&d 5e is missing is to come up with as many examples as you can, and any that you cannot realistically use a skill for, then you should probably try and think of a skill to "fix" that. Sorry if what I say sounds condescending.

I don't think what you are saying is condescending, you make a fair point though I disagree with your interpretation. I read this definition of insight to be more a description of learning about something rather than recognizing something or knowing how to actupon it, but you are rightabout how insight is much more than a lie detector. I would honestly rule that a character proficient with insight could train in a new proficiency faster than another character because they can get more out of each hour/day of training they receive.

However, I don't think history can reasonablywork as a stand in for an engineering skill. To give an example, history is knowing what a water screw is and what civilization/s invented them while engineering is knowing how a water screw works and how to build one.

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Technology "Skill" (INT) - You bring forth knowledge about nonbiological vehicles, weapons, armor, shields, or structures. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

Engineer "Skill" (WIS) - You can try to understand how to repair some broken technology such as a nonbiological vehicle, weapon, armor, shield, or structure. You can also have some understanding as to the time needed to repair it and even the potential materials needed to do so. Any magical nature involved with it is beyond this kind of understanding.

I wouldsay that engineering would be an intelligence-based skill that would already encompass most of the aspects of your technology skill as well as other subsets like demolitions much like nature includes both botany and zoology. However, I also think medicine should be an intelligence-based skill sincenoticing what the problem is doesn't do you a whole lot of good if you do not have the knowledge of how to treat it. For example, people trained in first aid do not put people in the recovery position because they have intuited or observed from their experience that people rest and recover better in that position but because they are taught to do it that way. Now, noticing a creature is in need of a medicine check would be a wisdom-based skill, but that could be covered by insight and/or animal handling depending on the subject since both of those skills involve interacting with and observing the actions of another

I originally agreed with medicine being a int, but I think wis fits the skill better, just not the name medicine. Maybe medical. I think common knowledge/sense in medical care is wis, but expert level medicine is int. Stabilizing an injured is wis, but healing them with medicine is more int. The name and effect don't line up with me. So I agree RAW is weird here.

To that same effect: If engineer is like medicine, then it should be wis. If technology is like nature, then it should be int. Engineer/medicine are both basic common sense/knowledge while technology/nature are int understanding beyond common sense/knowledge.

Int vs Wis is a fine line anyways that I think is confusing at times, if not gray.

The great part is in RAW, they tell you you can mix and match skills with ability scores. So if someone asks to perform open heart surgery on someone, you can make it a Intelligence (Medicine) check instead.

Under certain circ*mstances, you can decide a character’s proficiency in a skill can be applied to a different ability check. For example, you might decide that a character forced to swim from an island to the mainland must succeed on a Constitution check (as opposed to a Strength check) because of the distance involved. The character is proficient in theAthleticsskill, which covers swimming, so you allow the character’s proficiency bonus to apply to this ability check. In effect, you’re asking for a Constitution (Athletics) check, instead of a Strength (Athletics) check.

~DMG under using ability scores

Agree, that is why I like variant skill option.

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Quote from Wragged >>

Quote from BumkinsMumpkins >>

The closest thing I have come across was probably Pillars of Eternity's "Mechanics" skill for your "Engineering" skill. Not quite the same game rules as DnD 5e, but the skill was involved with...mechanical devices such as traps, levers, gears, and other contraptions. It's more active uses were disarming and laying traps in that particular game. For more story driven parts, it was used for resolving broken devices, or physically piecing together seemingly disparate parts (which can be encroaching on Investigation's territory if your deducing the technology's intent). It should be noted that I think D&D 5e has a Dexterity check for disarming traps under other uses (DMs might let the use of tools affect it further). So allowing this skill to also disarm traps could replace or enhance that function.

But you can name it whatever you wish. Personally, I am one of those weird people that thinks some of the skills could be consolidated. However, there is a niche that Engineering/Mechanics could fulfill (maybe more so in Eberron for example).

Which skills would you consolidate?

What RAW eludes to with variant skills.

Athletics and Acrobatics.

Animal Handling and Nature (maybe even medicine and survival)

Maybe insight, perception, and investigation

Maybe persuasion absorbing intimidation

Possibly deception absorbing sleight of hand

Possibly history absorbing religion

I personally don't think this, but a variant could be made to simplify (especially since that is 5e's thing). I like the variations which allow for those gray areas to use different ability modifiers and proficiencies.

To clarify. By design the main Attributes can cover most of everything, but the Skills are more specific. If I were to consolidate Skills we might be talking about a different game because of the outright removal/merging of too many Skills would change game balance (maxing out skill proficiency and expertise would be easier for example). Rather I think I was trying to say I would not add too many skills into the game either as it increases the list (which also changes game balance). I noted Eberron because it could be fitting to have "Engineering" there, so I mean to say it might be dependent on your campaign's setting for changing Skills (e.g. if gods did not existhow would you deal withReligion?). Then of course I mentioned a similar looking skill from another game.

As for examples of consolidating. Persuasion, in the general sense, is an action that attempts to influence another's behavior or belief. Whereas the Skill, Persuasion, tends to be made in good faith using tact or diplomacy to affect another. Deception influences another by misleading them. Intimidation relies on threats or appearances of hostility to convince another. All three are effectively flavors of the general term, Persuasion. You could in theory consolidate them, but I don't recommend this as we get back to what is discussed in my previous observation with game balance, and Charisma being the general stat anyway (or with the variant, Strength for Intimidation).

For 5e, it's easier for me to use their variant rules when there might be a mix (or gray area). Even in the "Other [Insert Attribute] Checks", say Dexterity, you might be able to perform string instruments where players/DMs tend to use Performance in Charisma. If you're feeling picky, Performance doesn't necessarily say using an instrument but we can infer when it mentions music.

Quote from BumkinsMumpkins >>

Quote from Mykels56 >>

Quote from Wragged >>

Quote from BumkinsMumpkins >>

The closest thing I have come across was probably Pillars of Eternity's "Mechanics" skill for your "Engineering" skill. Not quite the same game rules as DnD 5e, but the skill was involved with...mechanical devices such as traps, levers, gears, and other contraptions. It's more active uses were disarming and laying traps in that particular game. For more story driven parts, it was used for resolving broken devices, or physically piecing together seemingly disparate parts (which can be encroaching on Investigation's territory if your deducing the technology's intent). It should be noted that I think D&D 5e has a Dexterity check for disarming traps under other uses (DMs might let the use of tools affect it further). So allowing this skill to also disarm traps could replace or enhance that function.

But you can name it whatever you wish. Personally, I am one of those weird people that thinks some of the skills could be consolidated. However, there is a niche that Engineering/Mechanics could fulfill (maybe more so in Eberron for example).

Which skills would you consolidate?

What RAW eludes to with variant skills.

Athletics and Acrobatics.

Animal Handling and Nature (maybe even medicine and survival)

Maybe insight, perception, and investigation

Maybe persuasion absorbing intimidation

Possibly deception absorbing sleight of hand

Possibly history absorbing religion

I personally don't think this, but a variant could be made to simplify (especially since that is 5e's thing). I like the variations which allow for those gray areas to use different ability modifiers and proficiencies.

To clarify. By design the main Attributes can cover most of everything, but the Skills are more specific. If I were to consolidate Skills we might be talking about a different game because of the outright removal/merging of too many Skills would change game balance (maxing out skill proficiency and expertise would be easier for example). Rather I think I was trying to say I would not add too many skills into the game either as it increases the list (which also changes game balance). I noted Eberron because it could be fitting to have "Engineering" there, so I mean to say it might be dependent on your campaign's setting for changing Skills (e.g. if gods did not existhow would you deal withReligion?). Then of course I mentioned a similar looking skill from another game.

As for examples of consolidating. Persuasion, in the general sense, is an action that attempts to influence another's behavior or belief. Whereas the Skill, Persuasion, tends to be made in good faith using tact or diplomacy to affect another. Deception influences another by misleading them. Intimidation relies on threats or appearances of hostility to convince another. All three are effectively flavors of the general term, Persuasion. You could in theory consolidate them, but I don't recommend this as we get back to what is discussed in my previous observation with game balance, and Charisma being the general stat anyway (or with the variant, Strength for Intimidation).

For 5e, it's easier for me to use their variant rules when there might be a mix (or gray area). Even in the "Other [Insert Attribute] Checks", say Dexterity, you might be able to perform string instruments where players/DMs tend to use Performance in Charisma. If you're feeling picky, Performance doesn't necessarily say using an instrument but we can infer when it mentions music.

Agree