geekling's page

Thanks for refocusing the conversation over here!

No problem, as you said the general discussion on it probably belongs more here than in that thread.

In that spirit, I'll reply to the first part of your question from that one here. Where you asked something along the lines of should save-or-die be limited to spellcasters?

Now I might not be of the position that they should dissapear completely out of the game. But that they absolutely should be much more rare and access to them should be very limited.

So yes, they should be limited to spell casters, and even more than that. I would like to see them as something that can only be gained through wizard school necromancy, or through the cleric domain death.

Not even spells that any old wizard or cleric can learn and toss around with impunity.
Or possibly come with an XP cost unless you have chosen the school necromancy or the domain death.

I'll say the same as I did on your called-shots-save-or-die thread.

We need less save-or-die, not more. A certain amount of save-or-die might be unavoidable to keep backward compatability with 3.5 D&D.

But please, the game isn't in any way shape or form made more fun by _increasing_ the rate of combat encounters that basically boils down to:

Who wins init and can fire off the end-of-encounter / roll-up-new-character, save or die effects first.

There's too much of that already.

Save or die effects are a thing of the past, lets not re-introduce them...

QFT

But please, the game isn't in any way shape or form made more fun by _increasing_ the rate of combat encounters that basically boils down to:

Who wins init and can fire off the end-of-encounter / roll-up-new-character, save or die effects first.

There's too much of that already.

3. Combination: Using the system in the 3.5 OGL for characters, and using the system in the Skills chapter of the Pathfinder RPG for NPCs and monsters (noting that they would not get additional skill choices at higher levels). This system gives NPCs and monster that multiclass a slight edge (depending on the class), but makes them quite a bit easier to create.

This one sounds like the the best compromise to me. And this is from someone that took one look at the new skill system in the alpha test and went something in the line of 'faugh! NOOOO! Do Not Want! gimme my skillpoints back.'

Only, please, not as a this one is for PCs and this one for NPCs presentation.

But more the simplified PathfinderRPG skill-system presented as a side-bar variant.

Some groups surely will adopt it, both for PCs and NPCs.
While others (like mine) are too fond of the system that allowes them jack-of-all trades characters with total control in the custimisation of skills.

But yes as a DM, it would be a nice option for NPCs when I'm feeling lazy. Like using an array for ability scores even if that's not what we use for PCs when it comes to ability scores.
As a player, I loathe and detest the mere thought of using it for my character. (Both array and this new system for skills. :) )

Even if it does give those NPCs slight edge, skillwise on paper vs. PCs using the 3.5 OGL system. I can't see that it is going to make much of a difference in actual gameplay. There are very few skills that come into play for NPCs, vs. the skills PCs use during the course of the game.

The absolute main bulk of NPCs are created for one encounter, or one purpose only. Even with the 3.5 OGL system, the skills they are expected to have to use during that one encounter will generally be maxed out during the creation process. Ain't many DM's that throw a couple or ranks into craft or profession for their NPCs - right?

Giving them a few extra maxed-out skills, ain't going to tip the scales. More likely just result in NPCs with a bunch of maxed-out skills that they never even use.

Adding an other voice to the NOOOOOOOOOO! Please don't take my skillpoints away, loathe and detest this saga-style way of doing it chorus.

Actaully this one posted way back on page 1 seems fairly ideal. Well, at least after I deleted the 'more skillpoints for each class' from the list.

• Skill points instead of Saga style
  
• Complex skill checks
  
• No cross-class skills, all skills available for all characters
  
• Combine similar skills as presented in Alpha

If you gave them Average manuverability and made it so that they could only fly for a limited time, than it wouldn't be too overpowered.

Or perhaps even a glider, rather than an outright flyer.

One that can not flap their wings and take off into flight as much as need to jump off something providing a minimum altitude (say 5-10ft if it's a tiny creature, and a PC race in the tiny category would be very, very nifty) to get them started. Then need apropriate skillchecks to keep from loosing that altitude at a certain rate, or even to gain altitude.