Lemmy
2012-05-11, 06:33 PM
Hello, Playgrounders.
Some time ago, I asked what were your thoughts on a level-based bonus to skill, armor and initiative.
In the end, I was convinced that bonus to armor/initiative made sense from a story telling point of view, but could mess with game balance.
Bonus to skill points could be abused, but were nowhere near as problematic. In fact, in the game I'm currently DMing, I house-ruled that every character (including NPCs) had an skill bonus of +1 for every 4 class levels.
Why? Because I like skills. Higher skill bonuses = less dependancy on magic and more awesome deeds from the players!
In my Fighter Revision I added a class feature that allowed to choose any one class skill. She would get a bonus to this skill equal to half her fighter levels.
My thinking is "Why isn't every class absolutaly great at its most iconic skills?"
So I was thinking about this, why not give every class a few skills for which it'd get the same "half-class level bonus"? This would be based on the class' role and overall power/versatility. PF Inquisitors have a similar class feature named Stern Gaze (1/2 Inquisitor level to Intimidate and Sense Motive, IIRC)
For the Core eleven, I was thinking:
(Note that I'm using the PF skills, as that is what I'm currently playing. It shouldn't be too different from 3.5, though.)
Barbarian: Intimidate and Survival
Bard: Any 2 Performances of the player's choice (In PF, this is the same as having the bonus to 6 different skills, including the Perfomances themselves)
Cleric: Knowledge(Religion)
Druid: Knowledge(Nature)
Fighter: Any 2 skills (in the fighter's Class Skills list) of the player's choice.
Monk: Acrobatics, Knowledge(History) and Escape Artist.
Paladin: Knowlege(Religion) and Sense Motive.
Ranger: Perception, Survival and Stealth.
Rogue: Any 5 skills (in the rogue's Class Skills list) of the player's choice)
Sorcerer: Knowledge(Arcana) or the Bloodline's extra class skill.
Wizard: Knowledge(Arcana)
These bonuses are based on class level. If the character multiclasses in two classes who add the bonus to the same skill, the levels in both classes stack to determine the bonus of said skills.
(e.g.: A ranger 4/Barbarian 2 would have a +1 to Intimidate, a +2 to Stealth and Perception, and a +3 to Survival.
How much of a power boost is this?
The rogue potentially having a huge bonus to UMD may be too good, but on the other hand, he kinda needs all the help he can have.
I didn't want to give Spellcraft to any caster, as the skill is pretty powerful and they are already too good.
Also, I'm not sure about the skills I picked for Paladins and Monks.
Some time ago, I asked what were your thoughts on a level-based bonus to skill, armor and initiative.
In the end, I was convinced that bonus to armor/initiative made sense from a story telling point of view, but could mess with game balance.
Bonus to skill points could be abused, but were nowhere near as problematic. In fact, in the game I'm currently DMing, I house-ruled that every character (including NPCs) had an skill bonus of +1 for every 4 class levels.
Why? Because I like skills. Higher skill bonuses = less dependancy on magic and more awesome deeds from the players!
In my Fighter Revision I added a class feature that allowed to choose any one class skill. She would get a bonus to this skill equal to half her fighter levels.
My thinking is "Why isn't every class absolutaly great at its most iconic skills?"
So I was thinking about this, why not give every class a few skills for which it'd get the same "half-class level bonus"? This would be based on the class' role and overall power/versatility. PF Inquisitors have a similar class feature named Stern Gaze (1/2 Inquisitor level to Intimidate and Sense Motive, IIRC)
For the Core eleven, I was thinking:
(Note that I'm using the PF skills, as that is what I'm currently playing. It shouldn't be too different from 3.5, though.)
Barbarian: Intimidate and Survival
Bard: Any 2 Performances of the player's choice (In PF, this is the same as having the bonus to 6 different skills, including the Perfomances themselves)
Cleric: Knowledge(Religion)
Druid: Knowledge(Nature)
Fighter: Any 2 skills (in the fighter's Class Skills list) of the player's choice.
Monk: Acrobatics, Knowledge(History) and Escape Artist.
Paladin: Knowlege(Religion) and Sense Motive.
Ranger: Perception, Survival and Stealth.
Rogue: Any 5 skills (in the rogue's Class Skills list) of the player's choice)
Sorcerer: Knowledge(Arcana) or the Bloodline's extra class skill.
Wizard: Knowledge(Arcana)
These bonuses are based on class level. If the character multiclasses in two classes who add the bonus to the same skill, the levels in both classes stack to determine the bonus of said skills.
(e.g.: A ranger 4/Barbarian 2 would have a +1 to Intimidate, a +2 to Stealth and Perception, and a +3 to Survival.
How much of a power boost is this?
The rogue potentially having a huge bonus to UMD may be too good, but on the other hand, he kinda needs all the help he can have.
I didn't want to give Spellcraft to any caster, as the skill is pretty powerful and they are already too good.
Also, I'm not sure about the skills I picked for Paladins and Monks.