Locksmyth's page

My group removed multiclass penalties long ago, we've never looked back.

My group(s) use max hit die + modifiers at first level, we've never had an issue with character survival. I wouldn't be opposed to a moderate increase, but I feel doubling is probably too much. I suppose I should play test the different suggestions to have a better opinion.

NPCs and Monsters don't have random HP, they instead have a fixed (average) amount of HP. Their ability scores also follow a standard array. (not much verisimilitude here)

I think that players are *special" in some way, and should not be weaker than average monsters because of bad random dice rolls.

An hybrid system keeps some randomness and at the same time prevent a player of being stuck with a sub-caracter.

I'm not against a hybrid system if it doesn't remove too much of the randomness. But as a side note: I also think players are special, and capable enough to work as a team with combining their strengths and overcoming their weaknesses. Also I've never had a character made 'sub' due to rolling a series of 1's for HP, that only ever improved the game forcing me to take low hp into account.

I always viewed the expert as the NPC rogue, I've never had any problem with the commoner skill list, it makes sense from a point of view of what a commoner is supposed to be. As far as having skills that are denied to other classes, the average Joe Blow is going to be proficient at things that the intensely trained do not have the opportunity to do. A the typical commoner is going to climb, ride and swim much more often then the typical apprentice wizard or cleric. As for profession, I see no go reason to remove profession, as was mentioned in another thread the farmer would have profession(farmer).

I definitely agree that the commoner class should share the illiteracy barbarian class feature.

Randomness is for me a key aspect of the game. I understand the reason for point buys systems but I find they lack verisimilitude. Unpredictability is fun and I would hate to think a mechanic would be excised because some groups prefer to use an alternate method.
I believe that in the spirit of D&D the die rolls should remain for both stats and hit points, however the text should indicate acceptable point buy systems for use in tournaments, with unfamiliar groups or people that want the appearance of 'fairness'. I know that regardless of what is in the core rules my games will be run with dice.