Let me start by congratulating Paizo with this bold move!
Moving on to the important stuff:
Having a Skill called Acrobatics and a Feat called Acrobatic is going to get... problematic (people are going to get confused). I would suggest changing the skill name to something else (suggestion: Stunts), or you could keep the old name, Balance.
All the feats that only add +2 to two skills are incredibly boring, they really need some love. I would suggest adding an ability to the feat that isn't incredibly strong but still unique to the feat, this would motivate folks to choosing these kinds of feats. An idea might be to add the ability to have critical successes with these feats, if you throw a 20 while performing a skill check you score a critical success (if you confirm it, same as with combat critical hits). Alternatively, if rules are already in place for critical successes for skills (or are added) increase the threat range by one for the relevant skills. What the exact results are for each critical success are of course skill dependant, but think along the lines of faster completion of a task, or additional bonuses on Opposed checks or bonuses to future/next attempts.
...All the feats that only add +2 to two skills are incredibly boring, they really need some love. I would suggest adding an ability to the feat that isn't incredibly strong but still unique to the feat, this would motivate folks to choosing these kinds of feats. An idea might be to add the ability to have critical successes with these feats, if you throw a 20 while performing a skill check you score a critical success (if you confirm it, same as with combat critical hits). Alternatively, if rules are already in place for critical successes for skills (or are added) increase the threat range by one for the relevant skills. What the exact results are for each critical success are of course skill dependant, but think along the lines of faster completion of a task, or additional bonuses on Opposed checks or bonuses to future/next attempts.
I change the +2 to two skill feats by also making both of those skills class skills for that character. Maybe a bit powerful, but characters don't get many feats to choose from in their 20 level career and it allows for some fun stuff (the stealthy fighter or acrobatic wizard for example).
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I change the +2 to two skill feats by also making both of those skills class skills for that character.
That's one of my house rules as well, applying to the +2 to 2 skill feats *and* to Skill Focus.
I also consolidate some skills;
Hide + Move Silently = Stealth
Listen + Spot = Notice (which also includes using scent, taste, etc. to notice something)
Balance + Tumble = Acrobatics
Disable Device + Open Locks = Disable Device
If a class has any one of the original skills, then it has the new combined skill. If a feat affects one of the original skills, then it applies to the new combined skill. Obviously any Feat that affects both of the original skills becomes redundant, and can be dropped in favor of Skill Focus for the new combined skill.
Yeah, Spycraft pumps up the skill enhancer feats. The same exact approach wouldn't work here, but +2/+2 seems a little weak in retrospect.
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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I despise the +2 to two skill feats. They are the biggest waste of space. Just make a generic feat that lets you give +2 to any two skills and be done with it. It's such a waste of time trying to find that one feat, which could be in any number of splat books, to boost the two skills that you want to boost. If there are two skills that are too powerful to get the +2 bonus, make them an exception.
Can you imagine if there was a separate feat for each skill that did what Skill Focus does. Ugh.
I despise the +2 to two skill feats. They are the biggest waste of space. Just make a generic feat that lets you give +2 to any two skills and be done with it. It's such a waste of time trying to find that one feat, which could be in any number of splat books, to boost the two skills that you want to boost. If there are two skills that are too powerful to get the +2 bonus, make them an exception.
Can you imagine if there was a separate feat for each skill that did what Skill Focus does. Ugh.
I am with Sebastian here. Iron Heroes uses a feat called Skill Affinity to do the +2 to two skills of the player's choice (such as Perception and Stealth in the case of the Pathfinder skills).
Totally agreed. Have a "generic" feat for +2/+2 and don't waste any more space with it.
I agree with the above sentiment. A generic "two skills of your choice get +2" would be just fine. Say you wanted to gain a bonus to Spellcraft and Fly. Just take the Skillful (Spellcraft and Fly) feat. Easy as cake.
Honestly, though, I don't see my players taking the skill bonus feats very often.
Yeah, the endless variety of them are confuzzling. Stick with one feat and be done with it. Two skills of choice, +2 to each.
I'm with the "make it a generic feat that adds +2/+2 to two skills" crowd. It is useful in some aspects, especially when creating NPCs. Few players I know take them though, because they do not offer new options, something that I think is key to feats.
In the same vein, my suggestion would be to let Skill Focus as a feat add new options. Somehow.
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I like two varieties of this.
One feat adds +2 to two skills and makes them class skills
OR
A whole range of feats adding +2 to two specific and related skills but also providing new combat and or social uses for them.
For example who wouldn't like a feat that adds +2 to Bluff and Diplomacy and allows you to increase morale by two steps when trying to seduce a certain succubus on here?
Damn blew that roll again!
lol