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Per some suggestions in another thread, here's my idea of what to do with the skill system. If it sucks, fine, get rid of it. I think it's a good solution to both simplify things, give the ability to "dabble" a bit, and keep the benefit of high-skill prestige classes.
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My group has so far been extremely happy with the Alpha system as presented, with the extra option of taking a class skill selection and splitting it into two class skill selections, but at the cross-class level.
Example:
A fighter starts with an INT of 12; this gives them three selections. They could pick Climb and Intimidate as class skills at full rating. They could them pick a third skill, say, Ride, at full rating, or split that choice out into two class skills at the lower cross class rating: They could take Ride and Swim in this case.
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The one thing I don't agree with is the set skill progression not based on class, but only level. It seems that classes with high skill counts should gain more skills than those with less. That also makes prestige classes that had high skill values more desirable.
This is a fix we're going to test, we'll see how it works out:
2 skills: 1/8 per level
4 skills: 1/4 per level
6 skills: 1/3 per level
8 skills: 1/2 per level
INT bonus: + 1/8 per +1 INT mod bonus.
It's a little funky because it's adding fractions in, which adds a HUGE level of complexity to an otherwise quick and simple system that was devised to cut down on number crunching. It's got a similar feel to fractional BAB and save bonuses fro UA (which we also use).
Example: I've got a rogue swashbuckler in my game; INT 14.
He started off with 10 skill selection (8 + 2 for his INT rating). His second rogue level gives him +1/4 for his INT and +1/2 for his class, for 3/4...so no new skill yet.
His third level he starts advancing as swashbuckler, so he gets another +1/4 skill for his INT and now +1/4 for his class. This puts him at 1 and 1/4, so he snags a new skill at third level and still has 1/4 hanging, wating for a new pick.
Fourth level he goes Swashbuckler again, getting another +1/4 from INT and +1/4 from class, or + 1/2, for a total of 3/4...so no new skill at fourth.
Fifth level he goes back to rogue, gaining another +1/2 from the rogue class and 1/4 from his INT. This gives him 1 and 1/2 now, so he snags a new skill and has 1/2 a selection left over.
Sixth level he goes swashbuckler again, gains 1/4 from his INT and 1/4 from his class, and is now at a full new skill selection, with none left over.
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Anyway, this is not a pretty system because of the fractions, but it's working very well and my group really likes it, so I'm making a tweak to switch from fractions to simply use "training points" this weekend when we start up again:
2 skills: 1 training point per level
4 skills: 2 training points per level
6 skills: 3 training points per level
8 skills: 4 training points per level
INT bonus: 1 training point per +1 INT mod bonus
and you need to accumulate eight points to purchase a new skill selection...or with our alternate "1/2 selection for a class skill at CC level" you can spend four points to snag a 1/2 CC rated class skill.
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I think this system is pretty good.
It retains the simplicity of the Alpha skill-slots, making generating NPC's a piece of cake and avoiding too much pointless number crunching.
It adds in more "splash" or "dabble" options without the nonsensical one-point shotgun or the overly restrictive core alpha slot rules.
It retains the feel and intent of the original skill points you get as you advance in levels, and makes the skill points from prestige classes or second classes still meaningful.
Still avoids arbitrary synergy bonuses.
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My group likes this enough that we're probably going to use this variant no matter what paizo decides to ultimately go with.
While an excellent idea, that's essentially what skill points are/were. I'd say, for sake of simplicity, nay on this idea.
Although it'd be great as a houserule! :)
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While an excellent idea, that's essentially what skill points are/were. I'd say, for sake of simplicity, nay on this idea.
Although it'd be great as a houserule! :)
Yeah, I was thinking that too, but you're removing a lot of the number crunching while keeping backwards compatibility high.
Picking a new skill every 4 or 8 points seems pretty easy; much easier than juggling a batch of points and recalculating skill synergies and such. Obviously it's not as simple as just getting a new skill slot, but I think that mechanic is already too far simplified: it makes skill "points" outside of first level completely irrelevant.
I would simply say one additional skill at level 2 and every 4 levels there after. That would be a total of 5 skill points over 20 levels, which is a bit more reasonable I think.
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I would simply say one additional skill at level 2 and every 4 levels there after. That would be a total of 5 skill points over 20 levels, which is a bit more reasonable I think.
That's a viable option.
Still doesn't solve the problem that the skill points for prestige classes are, currently, meaningless, however... :P