Overview
Skill power utilities are often a great way to give a class more options. This guide will cover the various useful skill powers and point out which ones are generally the more useful.
They're often really effective for classes that lack options, such as Vampire or other classes that never really got a upgrade for utilities. And Skill Power, the feat, is often a great choice due to the variety if you're ever going, "I have no idea what I want."
Important: You must always have at least 1 class utility power if you can do so. So no taking Skill Powers in replacement until then...
The guide will use the following rating system
Gold - A must have. You're literally hurting your character if you don't take this. I don't expect to rate any Skill Powers at this level.
Sky blue - "Very Strong" - An exceptionally strong choice.
Blue - "Strong"- A solid choice but nothing awe-inspiring.
Black - "Average" -This is generally a fairly mediocre choice, or an otherwise good power with a noticable drawback. Optimizers will try to avoid these, but in most games you won't notice a discrepancy in power level if you go with a few of these.
Purple - "Weak" This option is weak, underpowered, or very situational. These choices won't show up in most optimized builds.
Red - "Very Weak" - Either totally overshadowed by another option, or just completely bad. These kinds of choices are generally avoided.
Green- "Too variable to rate"- Sometimes something is so variable that giving an overall rating is impossible or misleading.
Note: I tend to ding powers that cost a surge by a color or two unless it is clear that they consistently:
Save 2+ surges by their use.
Prevent TPKs.
Saving say your turn by spending an action might feel really good. But unless ultimately, that did the above, it probably wasn't worth the slot.
Glossary
The guide will use the following abbreviations
CA= Combat Advantage
DrM= Dragon Magazine
DSH= Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook
MBA= Melee basic attack
NAD= Non-AC defense
PHB 3= Player's Handbook 3
Skill power utilities are often a great way to give a class more options. This guide will cover the various useful skill powers and point out which ones are generally the more useful.
They're often really effective for classes that lack options, such as Vampire or other classes that never really got a upgrade for utilities. And Skill Power, the feat, is often a great choice due to the variety if you're ever going, "I have no idea what I want."
Important: You must always have at least 1 class utility power if you can do so. So no taking Skill Powers in replacement until then...
The guide will use the following rating system
Gold - A must have. You're literally hurting your character if you don't take this. I don't expect to rate any Skill Powers at this level.
Sky blue - "Very Strong" - An exceptionally strong choice.
Blue - "Strong"- A solid choice but nothing awe-inspiring.
Black - "Average" -This is generally a fairly mediocre choice, or an otherwise good power with a noticable drawback. Optimizers will try to avoid these, but in most games you won't notice a discrepancy in power level if you go with a few of these.
Purple - "Weak" This option is weak, underpowered, or very situational. These choices won't show up in most optimized builds.
Red - "Very Weak" - Either totally overshadowed by another option, or just completely bad. These kinds of choices are generally avoided.
Green- "Too variable to rate"- Sometimes something is so variable that giving an overall rating is impossible or misleading.
Note: I tend to ding powers that cost a surge by a color or two unless it is clear that they consistently:
Save 2+ surges by their use.
Prevent TPKs.
Saving say your turn by spending an action might feel really good. But unless ultimately, that did the above, it probably wasn't worth the slot.
Glossary
The guide will use the following abbreviations
CA= Combat Advantage
DrM= Dragon Magazine
DSH= Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook
MBA= Melee basic attack
NAD= Non-AC defense
PHB 3= Player's Handbook 3
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