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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5760414" data-attributes="member: 92511">In reflecting on some of the comments here, particularly [I believe it was] Hassassin's statement about "weapon proficiency v. alternate skills", I was reminded in one of the old original D&D books (in the front of the 1e PHB I think) about the many different definitions/clarifications for the use of the term "Level".It occurred to me that the various abilities a character might have/choose might better be served by "repackaging" the terminology...not to mention bundles into another nice little block of Four that might be more disgestable for players.So, instead of Weapon Proficiencies, Non-weapon Skills/Proficienies, General Skills, Class Abilities, Feat, Powers, etc. etc...You just have various categories of "Skills". Which, really, was what I was doing anyway. But the different titles for everything does seem to get potentially confusing/overwhelming for beginning play. So, you'd role your abilities, pick race and class (not necessarily in that order) and then you go about selecting your starting "Skills", as follows.[Note: The order in which I am listing them is based off a sense of what are most likely to be "most to least often used"...generally speaking.] Weapon Skills: What weapon(s) you are proficient in/can use without any "to hit" penalty. Of course, anyone can pick up any weapon and swing it around, but if you are not proficient with it you suffer a standard -4 penalty to hit. Obviously, this Skill is directly related to Combat situations. The number of Skill points/slots you have to start is determined by class and increases with level (at various speeds depending on class).Innate Skills: These are the skills outlined under each Class that a PC receives, automatically, within their given profession (class). Some are useful for combat, some are not, but it can be sure that anyone of a particular adventuring occupation will possess these Skills. All Thieves get starting Thief Skills, all MUs can "Read Magic" and cast spells, all Fighters can XYZ, etc. No Skill Points are required to have these skills, though some do allow SPs to be added to them to increase their effectiveness as the character gains levels/increases in power.Class Skills: These are skills that, while being class-dependent lists, are chosen by the player. You receive a starting amount of Skill Points/slots (possibly increased/decreased by your high/low Intellect score) and accrued as you increase in level. Many, but not all, Class Skills convey bonuses or special tricks that can be/are related to or useful in Combat. Others may be important for/useful in other non-combat scenarios that inevitably occur during a life of adventuring. This is where the player can begin to tailor their character to be a "bookish, know-it-all wizard" vs. an "above average, powerful spell-blaster" or the "devastating damage-doling fighter, specialized with his battle axe" vs. "an agile armored shield-basher [extra high AC], always out to 'protect the innocent'", etc.General Skills: These are lists of skills that are not Class dependent. They are normal day-to-day skills, tricks, and abilities that anyone can learn (with the SPs to spend on them). They are, generally, not related to Combat, but may prove useful in other elements of game play. So, your thief might be an expert jewelry maker/gem-cutter and have an interest/hobby in Ancient Religions and History. The Cleric may be a savant when it comes to Languages but might also have a passing knowledge of Astrology or be well-versed in (perhaps have an addiction to?) Gambling/games of chance. The MU might have spent some time learning Blacksmithing to eventually fulfill her dream of forging magical weapons someday. While the Fighter from the rural farming village has been very conscious in his travels through strange lands to learn Geography and the finer points of "Persuasion" and Diplomacy among the higher rungs of society.Through a mixing and matching (not a "min-ing and max-ing" <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> ) of these four categories of Skills any player may tailor their PC to just about any concept (or at least close to for the purposes of Levels 1-4) they want to come up with.So, I'm now imagining a "basic" beginner's All-Four's Character Sheet that would look somethin' like this.NameRace/GenderClass/LevelHPAC(Abilities)StrengthDexterityIntellectPresenceSkill Points (SP):Weapon Skills (WS)Innate Skills (IS)Class Skills (CS)General Skills (GS)[EDIT] (Defenses)Physical (vs. those attacks that neglect/negate armor-AC)Fortitude (poison, exhaustion, "constitution-based" stuff)Reflex (Dex-based stuff)Will (Presence-based, mind-effecting magics n' stuff)Forgot Defenses. heh heh. oops.[/EDIT]That's pretty much all you need. Obviously then, Thieves have their Thieves Abilities, MUs have their spells (allotment and spellbook/list), Clerics have their spell allotment and maybe their Turning Undead numbers if the player wants them/doesn't want to have to look it up, etc.But the core of the character is just those 4 blocks of Fours (not counting the name, obviously)Does that seem to be a bit too much/confusing for a new player?</blockquote>

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