I have seen a lot of calls to increase the number of skill points classes receive in order to enable them to flesh out their characteristics better. With the combining of skills, though, I feel that that might be too much. Wouldn't it be better to give each character one 'background skill point' per level and enable him to spend it only on Profession, Craft or Perform skill groups? I think that might work better than just giving more skill points to classes and thus decreasing the usefulness of rogues (particularly given the removal of cross-class skills).
It may also be useful to give characters who take a level of their favored class +1 skill point per level (instead of the +1 hit point per level [or perhaps even in addition to the +1 hit point per level]), which would give characters more skills and help lessen hit point inflation that seems to be taking place in Pathfinder with some classes getting upgraded hit dice.
It may also be useful to give characters who take a level of their favored class +1 skill point per level (instead of the +1 hit point per level...Great idea. This gets at what being in your preferred class is better than adding hit points. I agree that hit points seem to be going up quite rapidly.
Why not give the players a choice each time they take a level of their favored class? After all +1 hit points starting around 4-5th level is pretty small potatoes, especially for fighter types.
I really like the +1 skill point for favored classes, it does make more sense than +1 hp.
I think it sounds like a great idea. I'm not really taken with the +1 HP thing anyways, just doesn't make a lot of sense.
My question is, would humans then get +2 skill points? +1 for being a human and +1 since they can choose any class as a preferred class?
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And characters should be allowed to put background skill ranks into Knowledge as well as Craft, Perform, and Profession.
This might make a better house rule than official rule, only because it begins to create two tiers of skills, ones that matter and ones that are just fluff. Why put any of your regular skill points into Knowledge, Craft, Perform, or Profession if you get special points that can only be put into those skills?
Roman,
Your plan is infinitely superior to merely throwing skill points at everyone willy-nilly ("Now at Pathfinder: two-for-one special on skills!"). I also like the swapping of 1 skill point for 1 hp for taking a level in your favored class. Those seem to me to be rational, well-balanced, and mechanically-sound suggestions, which I endorse wholeheartedly.
Meepo -- Seems like I tend to agree with you more often than not, but in this case I'm not sure I like everyone getting 6 or 8 background skills as they progress in their class. One at the start seems OK, and ranks in others could be purchased using those favored class bonus ranks, if the player wanted them. For more knowledge skills, I'd maybe create a Versatile Sage feat, that gives you "virtual ranks" (equal to the number of ranks you put in any one Knowledge skill) in a number of additional Knowledge skills equal to your Int modifier (does that make any sense?)
Man, I should have checked this thread earlier. I've been houseruling the +1 Skill Points for Favored Class for the last 2 years. I vote yes!
I am glad to see that most people like the idea. :)