Going without class skills?

[frost890]

I am thinking about trying to DM and was woundering will letting the party pick any skill to use there skill points in upset the game in a unforseen way? it seems silly to be restricted in what skills you have, nut I might not see something.

[Hirax]

I regularly play without having class skills, it's not a problem. Sure, you might be giving someone easier access to bluff or sleight of hand, which have several broken uses, but all it would take to get access to them is a feat anyway. Any problems that exist are the fault of the uses of skills, making the skill easier or more difficult to access doesn't change that.

[frost890]

Thanks. That is what I thought. Just wanted to be sure.

[Ranting Fool]

I am planning on doing the same next time we start a new campaign. Able Learner hasn't upset the game and it really really bugs me that basic Guards (Fighters) can't get sense motive/spot/listen as class skills. And the "Oh it's class X they won't have skill Y ever"

[Telonius]

There will probably be some early entry to PrCs that were otherwise designed to (more or less) require multiclassing. But unless you have a serious munchkin in the group, I wouldn't worry about it.

The biggest beneficiaries would be classes and PrCs with wretched skill selection to begin with (I'm looking at you, Fighter). It might also make Master of Masks a bit more viable for a Rogue-entry.

[Slipperychicken]

I've played in a few "All Skills Are Class Skills For Everyone" games. It doesn't change much on its own. Fluffwise, it makes much more sense, like the Inquisitor-styled Cleric having Sense Motive maxed, or Mage-Killers having ranks in Spellcraft or Knowledge: (Arcana) so they can identify Fireballs.


The other guys covered this part, but I'll hit it again; The only problems come from skill use, not characters' access to skills. If a Fighter is (ab)using UMD, that just makes him a worse Rogue or Bard (don't tell him that, of course, that'll hurt his feelings).

[Curmudgeon]

Basically you're doing two things here:

Devaluing skillful classes with respect to non-skillful classes.
Making a lot of difficult prestige classes easier to enter.