This is the first topic of a series I might post about different skills in relation to a selective skill system: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1459321-selective-skill-system/#entry22642891

Like many out there, I love the 'Idea' of speechcraft in the game, but have yet to see a decent implementation of it so far. I don't blame Beth too much because it seems to be the most challenging skill to make worthwhile without creating a game that centers entirely on that one skill. But I figure that if Dragonwarrior IV was able to make the character Taloon enjoyable (on 8-bit NES) it must be possible to create a system of skills that makes playing a merchant or bard character in TES really amazing.

Instead of listing all the things I would like to see, I decided to simply make a Skyrim type perk tree that illustrates the sort of elements I would like to see in some form or another.

There could be about 4 perks for mercantile, 4 perks for speech, and 3 perks which might apply to both speech and mercantile. Finally there would be one "basic perk" which becomes active when the Speech skill is selected.

The "basic perk" could allow for at least 3 things.

1) Characters that are usually hostile could be neutral at first when the speech skill is selected. The idea behind this would be that as a renowned merchant or bard, one gains a certain reputation as being neutral/harmless. As a merchant, people think you are motivated by money alone which makes you neutral in a way. As a bard, it works too, because even scumbags need to be entertained and entertainers have a sort a neutrality (they are not seen as threats). This neutrality would not last forever though; one would have limited chances to make a person/group/gang like you enough to let you "hang around". It could be possible to make a gang like you by selling them things they need (which they could ask for) which might depend on the type of gang, ex. thugs like booze, vampires like fresh "meat" or blood, mages like books and soulgems etc. etc. If you sell them what they want, they will like you more and trust you, allowing certain freedoms in places that would usually require killing everyone or sneaking. Of course the freedom in these semi-hostile places would be limited, they would keep an eye on you at all times, not allowing you to go past certain points in most places. It would just be a foot in the door basically. Higher speech skills would allow neutrality with more hostile types of people. Ex secret necromancer sects and vampires would require a very high skill to "infiltrate" (if ever).

2) Another interesting possibility would be the option of playing in taverns for money. Similar but more complex than certain mods already out there ex: "become a bard". It might also be possible to play certain songs that are requested by thugs, gangs that would usually be hostile to non bards. This could work like in (1) above but with entertainment instead of selling merchandise. Well, basically the merchandise would be the entertainment. You would have to know the songs they request, or else, get the hell out! (I will talk about learning songs, jokes etc in relation to possible perks)

3) Also, at higher speech skills it might be possible to have the option of paying by credit. The higher the skill, the higher the credit. If the money due is not paid after a while, thugs could come after you to get the money back etc.

I'll talk about the ideas for possible speech and mercantile perks in another post since this post is already pretty long. I'll try to talk about the first 3 perks I have in mind which I will call: vendor, bard, and seduction (obviously the names I gave to these perks are arbitrary).

P.S. Some of the ideas I have about Speech/Mercantile are similar or identical to some of the previous posts I have read about such topics. I'm only trying to put these ideas together in a coherent way. Also, I wanted to post an image of a possible the perk tree i made up for Speech and talk about ideas related to each perk, but I haven't yet figured out how to post an image on these forums.