Duke of URL
2008-05-30, 01:01 PM
Skills, Revisited
This is a combination of ideas I've had for some time about 3.5 skills in general, mixed with a dash of 4e design concepts. The basic premise is to simplify skill selection, make skills hopefully more scalable, and have ability modifiers play a bigger role in skill adjudication throughout all levels.
So, on to the new mechanic...
Focused, Familiar, and Foreign Skills
Your class skill list represents the types of skills that all members of your class should have at least passing familiarity with. Even should they choose not to use those particular skills, they are familiar with the basic concepts behind how they work, and the skills in which they take specific training have enough similarity with the others that they still show better signs of mastery than those whose class skills do not cover such skill.
Rather than assigning skill points at each level, when you first take a level in a class, you may choose which of the class' skills you wish to focus on, equal to the number of skill points normal for the class plus your intelligence modifier, plus any additional bonus skill points (such as for being a human), to a minimum of 0 skill points. [You no longer gain the x4 multiplier at first level, however.] These become your Focused skills, which increase in utility at the fastest rate. Your remaining class skills are your Familiar skills, which progress more slowly, but still faster than as if you had no familiarity. Finally, Foreign skills are those that you would have little exposure to from your class; you still, slowly, gain more competence in these skills simply by adventuring, but you'll never be a match for those with familiarity or training.
Focused skills gain one rank per level*. Familiar skills gain one rank per two levels (rounded down). Foreign skills gain one rank per four levels (rounded down).
*This will lead to lower maximum ranks at a given level than the existing system, but also a broader base of skills for each character. The lower maximum is offset by increasing ability score influences. Add 3 ranks the first time a skill is focused; add 1 rank the first time a skill is familiar, this does not stack with the 3 rank bonus for focused
Trained Only Skills
Edit: This whole section got too clunky, so I've basically done away with it.
Given that the concept here is that character pretty much learn all skills at some rate, there is no such thing as a "trained-only" skill in this system.
Cross-Class Training
When selecting skills for a class, you may use a skill point to make any cross-class skill an in-class (Familiar) skill. You may then use an additional skill point to make that skill a Focused skill for that class. This is subject to DM approval to ensure that the character background/history justifies such familiarity.
Multiclassing
You choose a separate set of Focused skills for each of your classes upon taking the first level in that class. Your skill ranks accumulate at the rate for the current class, that is, Focused skills for that class at +1/level, Familiar skills (which include in-class skills from all of your classes) at +1/2 levels, and Foreign skills at +1/4 levels. Ranks obtained from all classes are cumulative.
Carry over fractions from all classes, for example, a Rogue 2 / Wizard 2 would still have 1 rank of Ride (1/2 rank from each class), even though it is a Foreign skill for both classes.
Gaining Additional Skill Points
If an intelligence score increase, a feat, or some other source increases the number of skill points you would receive, you gain the benefits from that point forward, including becoming Focused in an additional class skill or making a cross-class skill an in-class skill (so that it can be considered Familiar).
Ability Score Modifiers
To make ability score modifiers scale better with level, the skill modifier for an ability is ( base ability score modifier x ( 1 + 0.05 x character level ) ), rounded down, that is:
(table deleted)
Characters with near-average ability scores will see little difference, but those on the further extremes will see that their natural talents (or lack thereof) still have a significant impact on their ability to accomplish tasks, even at higher character levels.
Only the base ability score modifier is adjusted to scale. Ability scores enhancements by spells, items, etc., add enhancement / 2 (rounded down) to the check.
Example
A 14th level Rogue attempts a Use Magic Device (Focused skill) check to use a scroll. Her Charisma score is 16 and she has a Cloak of Charisma +6. Her skill check modifier is:
14 (ranks) + 5 (base CHA, adjusted for level) + 3 (+6 enhancement / 2) = +22
Qualifying for Feats and Prestige Classes
Certain feats and prestige classes have skill rank requirements before they may be taken. The rank requirements should, in general, be reduced by 3 so that prestige classes, feats, etc., can still be taken at equivalent levels.
New Feat
Skill Training [General]
Benefit: Choose any skill from the skill list. Any time it is (without this feat) treated as Foreign, you may instead treat it as Familiar; any time it is (without this feat) treated as Familiar, you may instead treat it as Focused.
Special: This has no effect on skills already treated as Focused nor do the effects apply to skill ranks earned from previous levels.
Special: You may take this multiple times, each time applied to a different skill.
Variant Method
A variation on the above that requires a lot less math (or table lookups) would be to eliminate the sliding scale for abilities, leaving them at their normal modifiers, but applying a one-time (in the case of multiclassing or PrCs) bonus of +3 ranks the first time a skill is taken as "focused" and +1 ranks the first time a skill is taken as "familiar". (If a "familiar" skill is later upgraded to "focused", it only gains an extra +2 ranks.)
This would make the progression:
Skill ranks by level (including one-time bonuses)
{table] Level | Focused | Familiar | Foreign
1 | 4 | 1 | 0
2 | 5 | 2 | 0
3 | 6 | 2 | 0
4 | 7 | 3 | 1
5 | 8 | 3 | 1
6 | 9 | 4 | 1
7 | 10 | 4 | 1
8 | 11 | 5 | 2
9 | 12 | 5 | 2
10 | 13 | 6 | 2
11 | 14 | 6 | 2
12 | 15 | 7 | 3
13 | 16 | 7 | 3
14 | 17 | 8 | 3
15 | 18 | 8 | 3
16 | 19 | 9 | 4
17 | 20 | 9 | 4
18 | 21 | 10 | 4
19 | 22 | 10 | 4
20 | 23 | 11 | 5 [/table]
Under this variant mechanism, there would be no need to change existing PrC requirements.
This is a combination of ideas I've had for some time about 3.5 skills in general, mixed with a dash of 4e design concepts. The basic premise is to simplify skill selection, make skills hopefully more scalable, and have ability modifiers play a bigger role in skill adjudication throughout all levels.
So, on to the new mechanic...
Focused, Familiar, and Foreign Skills
Your class skill list represents the types of skills that all members of your class should have at least passing familiarity with. Even should they choose not to use those particular skills, they are familiar with the basic concepts behind how they work, and the skills in which they take specific training have enough similarity with the others that they still show better signs of mastery than those whose class skills do not cover such skill.
Rather than assigning skill points at each level, when you first take a level in a class, you may choose which of the class' skills you wish to focus on, equal to the number of skill points normal for the class plus your intelligence modifier, plus any additional bonus skill points (such as for being a human), to a minimum of 0 skill points. [You no longer gain the x4 multiplier at first level, however.] These become your Focused skills, which increase in utility at the fastest rate. Your remaining class skills are your Familiar skills, which progress more slowly, but still faster than as if you had no familiarity. Finally, Foreign skills are those that you would have little exposure to from your class; you still, slowly, gain more competence in these skills simply by adventuring, but you'll never be a match for those with familiarity or training.
Focused skills gain one rank per level*. Familiar skills gain one rank per two levels (rounded down). Foreign skills gain one rank per four levels (rounded down).
*This will lead to lower maximum ranks at a given level than the existing system, but also a broader base of skills for each character. The lower maximum is offset by increasing ability score influences. Add 3 ranks the first time a skill is focused; add 1 rank the first time a skill is familiar, this does not stack with the 3 rank bonus for focused
Trained Only Skills
Edit: This whole section got too clunky, so I've basically done away with it.
Given that the concept here is that character pretty much learn all skills at some rate, there is no such thing as a "trained-only" skill in this system.
Cross-Class Training
When selecting skills for a class, you may use a skill point to make any cross-class skill an in-class (Familiar) skill. You may then use an additional skill point to make that skill a Focused skill for that class. This is subject to DM approval to ensure that the character background/history justifies such familiarity.
Multiclassing
You choose a separate set of Focused skills for each of your classes upon taking the first level in that class. Your skill ranks accumulate at the rate for the current class, that is, Focused skills for that class at +1/level, Familiar skills (which include in-class skills from all of your classes) at +1/2 levels, and Foreign skills at +1/4 levels. Ranks obtained from all classes are cumulative.
Carry over fractions from all classes, for example, a Rogue 2 / Wizard 2 would still have 1 rank of Ride (1/2 rank from each class), even though it is a Foreign skill for both classes.
Gaining Additional Skill Points
If an intelligence score increase, a feat, or some other source increases the number of skill points you would receive, you gain the benefits from that point forward, including becoming Focused in an additional class skill or making a cross-class skill an in-class skill (so that it can be considered Familiar).
Ability Score Modifiers
To make ability score modifiers scale better with level, the skill modifier for an ability is ( base ability score modifier x ( 1 + 0.05 x character level ) ), rounded down, that is:
(table deleted)
Characters with near-average ability scores will see little difference, but those on the further extremes will see that their natural talents (or lack thereof) still have a significant impact on their ability to accomplish tasks, even at higher character levels.
Only the base ability score modifier is adjusted to scale. Ability scores enhancements by spells, items, etc., add enhancement / 2 (rounded down) to the check.
Example
A 14th level Rogue attempts a Use Magic Device (Focused skill) check to use a scroll. Her Charisma score is 16 and she has a Cloak of Charisma +6. Her skill check modifier is:
14 (ranks) + 5 (base CHA, adjusted for level) + 3 (+6 enhancement / 2) = +22
Qualifying for Feats and Prestige Classes
Certain feats and prestige classes have skill rank requirements before they may be taken. The rank requirements should, in general, be reduced by 3 so that prestige classes, feats, etc., can still be taken at equivalent levels.
New Feat
Skill Training [General]
Benefit: Choose any skill from the skill list. Any time it is (without this feat) treated as Foreign, you may instead treat it as Familiar; any time it is (without this feat) treated as Familiar, you may instead treat it as Focused.
Special: This has no effect on skills already treated as Focused nor do the effects apply to skill ranks earned from previous levels.
Special: You may take this multiple times, each time applied to a different skill.
Variant Method
A variation on the above that requires a lot less math (or table lookups) would be to eliminate the sliding scale for abilities, leaving them at their normal modifiers, but applying a one-time (in the case of multiclassing or PrCs) bonus of +3 ranks the first time a skill is taken as "focused" and +1 ranks the first time a skill is taken as "familiar". (If a "familiar" skill is later upgraded to "focused", it only gains an extra +2 ranks.)
This would make the progression:
Skill ranks by level (including one-time bonuses)
{table] Level | Focused | Familiar | Foreign
1 | 4 | 1 | 0
2 | 5 | 2 | 0
3 | 6 | 2 | 0
4 | 7 | 3 | 1
5 | 8 | 3 | 1
6 | 9 | 4 | 1
7 | 10 | 4 | 1
8 | 11 | 5 | 2
9 | 12 | 5 | 2
10 | 13 | 6 | 2
11 | 14 | 6 | 2
12 | 15 | 7 | 3
13 | 16 | 7 | 3
14 | 17 | 8 | 3
15 | 18 | 8 | 3
16 | 19 | 9 | 4
17 | 20 | 9 | 4
18 | 21 | 10 | 4
19 | 22 | 10 | 4
20 | 23 | 11 | 5 [/table]
Under this variant mechanism, there would be no need to change existing PrC requirements.