Expert PC Class

[lottrbacchus]

We don't get to game all that often so level progress is sloooow, and we pretty much stick to the core rules.

But the players still want cool characters. How to get great skills and necessary feats for prestige classes?

Expert PC: Still gets 6+int skill points per level, but adds TWO points instead of 1 to max skill. Also, can spend up to 4 points instead of 2 on skills that aren't maxed.

I need Geography 8 for Horizon Walker? Ranger 3 and Expert 1 does the trick now, instead of Ranger 5. When progression is slow, 1 level is important.

Also, Expert gives 1 bonus feat per level. So a 3rd level Expert has max level of 9 in each skill with 3 bonus feats. That gets characters in the prestige class range fairly quickly.

NB- they don't get double the skill points, they just can spend double the points on a given skill, and have to keep to the 10 skills they chose at creation. So with an 18 int, they could spend 2 points per level on 5 skills.

Obviously, NPCs can do this as well, so I can make up some interesting baddies that aren't super high level (Oh how I love NPC shadowdancers!)

 

[GreatLemur]

Powering up an NPC class just so it can be used as a stepping stone to prestige classes? I'd just lower the prestige classes' prerequisites, personally. And maybe focus on story-based prereqs more than mechanical ones, even.

 

[lottrbacchus]

Thanks for the reply GL. Our group seems to like this option. Expert 1 doesn't give a BAB bonus or, say, move a Rogue/Shadowdancer up the uncanny dodge/evasion ladder.

Also, it can be useful, say, for a Fighter who wants a specific skill set. Take a d6 instead of d10 for hps, lose 1 BAB advance, but get a bonus feat and whatever those skills you really want. "Wow, Bob sure knows a lot for a Fighter!" That's because he is an Expert Fighter!