Skills

All skills in the Player's Handbook are valid for use in Vermin, and players should be encouraged to make up their own names for skills, and make up their own skills as well. Many of the skills in the Player's Handbook are not listed as class skills for any class in Vermin, though, and should be not only regarded as cross-class skills, but very hard to get, and a character should have a very good in-character method by which to get them, especially: Alchemy, Disable Device, Forgery, Handle Animal, Innuendo, Open Lock, Ride, and Wilderness Lore.

New/changed skills

City Lore (Wis): This is the Vermin counterpart to Wilderness Lore. It can be used to track in the city, and to hunt food--you know where the best dumping spots are, and who lives on what turf.

Pilfer (Dex): This is the exact same skill as Pick Pocket. Almost no one in Vermin has pockets, so this just seems more fitting.

Sense (Wis): Animals have highly developed senses of smell, as well as a better sense of hearing than humans. Use this skill whenever you would normally have a Spot or Listen roll. This, however, can be used to detect vermin around a corner (hearing), that are invisible (smell), and more. This is used in the exact same manner as Spot and Listen.

Sneak Attack (Int, exclusive): Explained under the 'Sneak' rules. This skill is exclusive, and Storytellers are the only other class that may purchase it.

Spellcraft (Int): Because the magic of the vermin is split into Tricks and Gifts, this skill works only on the magic you are familiar with. It should be called Trickcraft and Giftcraft. If a character is multi-classed and can use Tricks and Gifts, she must buy two different skills.

Use/Disable Human Items (Int): This skill is used to understand, use, or disable human machinery, including traps. Most traps are DC 20, although particularly complex traps may be of a higher DC. For simple human gadgets, like a window lock, the DC should be 10. As the gadget rises in complexity, raise the DC. Using an apple corer (the new kind with the crank) might be as high as DC 20.

Feats

Weapon Proficiency: Vermin start out with absolutely no weapon proficiency. Instead, they have natural attacks. A vermin must buy this feat to use a particular type of weapon, classified into spears, swords, bows, clubs/hammers/maces, and individual Feats for anything more interesting.

Bipedal Training: Most vermin (except squirrels) are not used to standing on their hind legs, and so receive a -2 to attack when using a hand-held weapon and move at half-speed when standing on their hind legs. By buying this Feat once, that penalty is reduced to -1. By buying it twice, the vermin can walk on his hind legs normally, receiving no penalty, and moving at full speed.