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In my opinion, PF2’s best version includes a mechanic for player character’s to perform certain skills more consistently than their party members, not just slightly better.
Modifiers have been reeled in to make the critical success/failure system viable. In PF1, to make a consistently successful character, players just blow the top off of their modifier to ensure a high likelihood of success in a d20 system. In PF2, the super specialization for modifier building goes away, but we retain the variability of the d20 system.
This makes for a very unsatisfying experience of player’s trying to build a character that’s good at “that”. Whether “that” is being stealthy, jumping, lying, whatever. It’s most apparent when the group is trying to stealth, the rogue rolls poorly while the cleric, with an abysmal DEX and heavy armor, sneaks by just fine. This happens more often than is fun due to RNG and the d20, as many who have played THE GAME THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED can attest to. I believe a large portion of the player base likes to create characters that are good at “that”.
The Assurance Feat is there, and it’s ok, but I’d prefer something more universal.
Even in the worst circumstances, you can perform basic tasks with your skill. Choose a skill you’re trained in when you first select this feat. You can forgo rolling a skill check for your chosen skill to instead receive a result of 10 (do not apply any of your bonuses, penalties, or modifiers).
If you’re an expert in your chosen skill, you receive a result of 15; if you’re a master, you receive a result of 20; and if you’re legendary, you receive a result of 30.
Ideas (some from other threads and posters):
- Assurance feat comes 15/20/30 (or some variant) instead of 10/15/20.
- Assurance feat is scrapped. Take 10 is reinstated.
- Assurance feat is scrapped. You gain Assurance in Signature Skills.
- Assurance feat is scrapped. Assurance becomes an automatic part of all skills, regardless of signature skill status, and connected to TEML.
- My preference: Players can roll alternatives to a d20 in Signature Skills to provide for more consistent roll results. For example, an expert skill could choose to roll 2d10, a master could roll 1d10+2d6, and a legend could roll 4d6. This option provides for more consistent success while still making critical successes and failure possible. Players could still roll d20 if they want a better chance at critical success.
What else can we come up with? What would be more fun? Anyone willing to test out a different mechanic and report back?
Honestly, I'd prefer a mixture of the ideas that you suggested.
Allow players to 'Take a 10' on Signature Skills and get 10 + All Modifiers or 10/15/20/30 based on TEML. Whichever is higher.