Should fighters be skill monkeys?

CubicsRube · Mar 16, 2018

I've always wondered why traditionally fighters seem to end up with less skill points/proficiencies than casters.

I would think that witth intense study of the arcane arts or devotional practice to your god or patron, you would have less ti e and energy to devote to learning other skills.

Fighters on the other hand are perfectly positioned to become skill monkeys, yet it has never been so. Sure they train extensively with weapons, but they have time to carouse or learn languages or learn tools etc. Even a bard must extensively train in music to the point where it id literally magic.

What if a fighter started with 3 proficiencies and gained expertise in one at 3rd level? Would it break the game? Wpuld it trip over a rpgyes niche too much?

I enjoy fighters in 5e more than any other edition but its always been true that theyve been somewhat limited compared to other classes, and i think that giving them a boost in the proficiencies front would give them much more versatility.

delericho · Mar 16, 2018

To a large extent, the reason Fighters are limited in skills is to avoid stepping on the Rogue's toes - they've been the skill monkey pretty much since they were introduced.

A part of me thinks that actually all the non-caster classes could usefully be combined into a single class (Hero, maybe), with the fighting abilities and the skills that that implies.

CubicsRube · Mar 16, 2018

I suspect youre right [MENTION=22424]delericho[/MENTION] but the rogue still has a niche in 5d in my mind as a skirmish fighter. With bonus action movement and dashes and evasion etc plus sneak attack they have a specific combat niche different to a fighter. Most rogues though not all are likely to devle towards theives tools, sleight of hand, stealth and the like to enhance their class, but fighters dont really have that same "skill burden". You could easily have an intelligent fighter learned in history and religion, or a charismatic fighter skilled at persuading people and reading moods.

delericho · Mar 16, 2018

CubicsRube said:
I suspect youre right [MENTION=22424]delericho[/MENTION] but the rogue still has a niche in 5d in my mind as a skirmish fighter. With bonus action movement and dashes and evasion etc plus sneak attack they have a specific combat niche different to a fighter.

Sure. Ever since 4th Ed (at least), the Rogue has had enough combat capability that they no longer need to corner the market in the skills.

Indeed, they've done a pretty good job in ensuring that all characters can contribute very well to the combat pillar of the game. But they're a little light on ensuring they all have contributions to make to Exploration and Interaction - ideally, every character should have something to offer in all three.

Krachek · Mar 16, 2018

A dex fighter who invest one level in rogue, or in the skilled feat can be a nice skill monkey.

Cap'n Kobold · Mar 16, 2018

There was a suggestion a while back to just give Fighters a second background: their training and nature didn't separate them from the non-adventuring world as much as the other classes' did.

This would include the additional skills/languages/tool proficiencies, putting fighters on a footing closer to rogues in terms of skill breadth.
I would still keep expertise as a class feature in the realm of the rogue and bard however: they specialise more.
I do use some of the UA skill and tool-based feats though: a fighter could take one of these to get the effect of expertise using their additional class ASIs for example.

Hriston · Mar 16, 2018

My feeling about this is: no, the fighter should be the class that specializes in fighting, mostly with weapons and armor. They should probably get Athletics for free to reflect training in the martial arts, but otherwise, I thinks skills are just icing on the cake.

Warmaster Horus · Mar 16, 2018

I like it how it is. If a Fighter wants more skills there are ways to get them - MC, Feats, etc. As a class they don't need to be front-loaded with more skills.

Rossbert · Mar 16, 2018

I always thought the reverse was weird, Wizards are supposed to be super intense with studying, but had very few skill points as well. it is like they wanted fighters to have only the physical skills and wizards only knowledges.

Coroc · Mar 16, 2018

To OP:

Well they get less skill Points since they mainly honed their (physical) combat skills, not so much crafting skills which require intelligence.

So to your question should they be skill monkeys?

No, thats the Task for rogues and bards.

Now next question: should wizards be expert fighters? Nah, forget it i am just foolin around