Falling Icicle
Adventurer
While I think that their attempt to make skills an optional and easily removed component of the game was noble, let's face it, it's just not going to work. Skills are something that most people have simply come to expect to be a part of the core rules of an RPG. I really think the core rules should assume that skills exist. I, for one, think the game would be greatly diminished without a solid skill system.
Don't get me wrong. I like the emphasis on ability scores. I think the DCs of actions should be made assuming that people don't have skills, so that those who do truly have an advantage, rather than skills being a requirement to even try. But that said, all the wavering back and forth by the developers on skills has accomplished nothing. Now they're talking about not having skills in the core rules at all, and even suggest adding to the DCs of checks if you choose to use them. Ugh. They are trying to please everyone, and will please no one.
I liked the way they were doing skills a couple packets ago (aside from the skill list itself, which needed some work). I like the skill die. I like classes giving you a couple free skills (rather than this new stuff that gives advantage on certain types of checks, this is exactly what I don't want to see: core rules that doesn't play well with skills and assumes that they don't exist.) Using advantage is especially problematic, IMO. Advantage is something that should be given out by class abilities and the like very rarely, since it doesn't stack. The DM might want to gvie a wizard advantage on an Int check to recall lore if he spends time in a library, for example. But since wizards already have advantage, they have no incentive to do such things. There's no reason to try and roleplay for circumstancial benefits because they don't do anything when you already automatically have advantage on your check. If the wizard simply got the magical lore skill for free, on the other hand, this wouldn't be a problem.
They can still have options for replacing skills with something else (such as a simple class/background based use of the skill die). That's fine. But I hope they don't make the core rules a hollow shell of a game just because there are some people that want to play a bare-bones game without things like skills and feats. Give the minimalists options to play their way, but don't do so at the expense of everyone else. It's alot easier to remove something like skills at one's table than it is to add them in.
Don't get me wrong. I like the emphasis on ability scores. I think the DCs of actions should be made assuming that people don't have skills, so that those who do truly have an advantage, rather than skills being a requirement to even try. But that said, all the wavering back and forth by the developers on skills has accomplished nothing. Now they're talking about not having skills in the core rules at all, and even suggest adding to the DCs of checks if you choose to use them. Ugh. They are trying to please everyone, and will please no one.
I liked the way they were doing skills a couple packets ago (aside from the skill list itself, which needed some work). I like the skill die. I like classes giving you a couple free skills (rather than this new stuff that gives advantage on certain types of checks, this is exactly what I don't want to see: core rules that doesn't play well with skills and assumes that they don't exist.) Using advantage is especially problematic, IMO. Advantage is something that should be given out by class abilities and the like very rarely, since it doesn't stack. The DM might want to gvie a wizard advantage on an Int check to recall lore if he spends time in a library, for example. But since wizards already have advantage, they have no incentive to do such things. There's no reason to try and roleplay for circumstancial benefits because they don't do anything when you already automatically have advantage on your check. If the wizard simply got the magical lore skill for free, on the other hand, this wouldn't be a problem.
They can still have options for replacing skills with something else (such as a simple class/background based use of the skill die). That's fine. But I hope they don't make the core rules a hollow shell of a game just because there are some people that want to play a bare-bones game without things like skills and feats. Give the minimalists options to play their way, but don't do so at the expense of everyone else. It's alot easier to remove something like skills at one's table than it is to add them in.