Academic Life?

[Notmousse]

I've not yet settled on a price, but here's what I'm thinking so far with costs and benefits.

University (or Trade school, what have you) costs 100*bonus gp and a week for every 50gp spent, these costs stack much as XP does for levels. Thus a +3 competence bonus would cost 600gp and require 3 months education. Those costs are just for tuition and do not represent costs for lifestyle which I've my own rules for.

Comments appreciated.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

For comparison on cost: Someone a while back suggested a point buy system. The thread included a conversation about the 'cost' of a feat... anyone remember what that GP cost was? We should be targeting a +3 competance to hit the same general cost as a 'skill focus' feat'..

For the time, I prefer to figure it as months equal to current skill level. This further sets up for training to be a low/mid level activity when the GP cost matters instead of a free-cheese at high level when GP would of these amounts would be easy to toss around.

I like your GP calculation, altho I would still retain the additional XP cost.

 

[Phlebas]

hmm, alternatively gain a level in Expert (Student) for every year completed

basically a level with less XP cost, real skill points, and no complications to the ECL etc

but that may not be what people want.....

 

[Notmousse]

That would work great if I used the normal Expert (useless except for the skill points), but I've changed the NPC classes to useful ones.

Though, I do like the idea. Perhaps a PrC for someone who wanted to become a full time student for awhile if they needed a break for a business trip or vacation... It does leave something to think about.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I think for full time 'student' stuff, using an 'Expert' class would be appropriate.

However I like the implication of allowing a Guild to offer 'free' +2 Competance bonuses to guild members. This gives Guilds and Houses an actual power to weild in the games economy.
However, that has to be balanced for allowing PCs to gain that benefit as well... which is where it gets sticky. I would not want to go the route of a 'Guild Membership' feat, nor do I want a system that can be used to spend 'excess' cash. Something in between that costs the character in a tangable fashion, enough to deter abuse of the benefit.

 

[BobbyMac]

The Master/Apprentice rules for Unearthed Arcana seem to kinda fit the spirit of what I think you want to do.

Perhaps more types of Masters or some other rules changing might be close...


FWIW I like your idea (OP) of being able to buy skill bonuses during downtime...