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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Moorcrys" data-source="post: 395895" data-attributes="member: 7814">Not to refute the proficiency slot automatic mastery problem because you're absolutely right about it.However, 3E's skill system is certainly not the end-all be-all of game balance either.  When we first started gaming with 3E characters (especially rogue types) would have absolutely ridiculous bonuses to their major skills by 3rd-6th level... and this was following (and even being a little bit frugal with) the book with regards to treasure/magic gained, with characters rolled up in front of my eyes.  The DC rules in the DMG are so underpowered it's silly to even use them.  I'd also say that the way skill points are distributed between the classes in 3E is unbalanced in favor of classes with one or two prime attributes.  Classes with multiple 'prime' attributes that don't include intelligence (such as monks, bards, paladins) have a tougher time making any use of their skill lists.  Not to mention class-needed skills like perform (why not give bards 5 skill points per level since they basically need to drop a point in perform every single level to make use of a standard class ability -- or is the 'jack of all trades' with a juicy skill list basically meant to have 3 skill points per level?), or pathetic skill lists for classes like the sorcerer, which make absolutely no use of that classes prime attribute (why, yes, new player, pretty much every sorcerer you meet has a strong personality and a palpable presence, but NONE of them no how to use it to their advantage without casting a spell -- puh-lease).  We've been house-ruling the heck out of the skill system since we started playing to try and balance it (or at least give it some common sense).  Is it better than the nonweapon proficiency system?  In my opinion sure -- if you house-rule it a bit.  But I'd consider it one of the weaker mechanics that 3E uses if you try to use it 'as written'. Does it work fine for some people as written?  absolutely.  So does the nonweapon proficiency slot thing from the older editions.  Is it well-thought out and well-balanced between all the classes?  I say without a doubt no.  I'm sure you could argue that it's a choice whether to sacrifice something else to add two points in intelligence to add that extra skill point for your character.  But I believe that the game was constructed in such a way that makes that choice relatively minor for a few classes and a major hit to others -- with no game-definable or justifiable reason why.  To me that smacks of design flaw and imbalance.It does guarantee that most sorcerers will have spellcraft and concentration and most intimidating fighters will want to look at the cosmopolitan feat from a supplemental rulebook.Moorcrys</blockquote>

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