Alternate skill system. What do you think?

[Modin Godstalker]

Was just mulling around an alternative skill system.

To preface it, we will assume, that your ability scores represent your potential ability performing a task. Your training (represented by skill ranks), would represent how consistent you are at performing to the best of your ability, but you should not be able to perform at a higher level than your potential.

Here is what I propose: Skill ranks are represented as different dice types. d20 would be untrained, and d4 would be highly trained with the other dice d6, d8, d10, and d12 represent various levels of training in between.

When attempting something, you roll your appropriate skill dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, or d20) and subtract it from the ability score that is appropriate to the situation.

The more skilled you are (the smaller the die) the less randomness involved when performing skills. If you want to increase your potential then you must increase the ability score. If you want to increase your consistency than you obtain a lower skill die.

Just a thought. Feel free to discuss.

 

[accipiter]

Intriguing, but I'm confused (heh, not a new state for me). If I were untrained in Tumble. to make a Tumble check I'd roll a d20, then subtract it from my Dex score, say, 16. If the number is less than zero I don't succeed? Or is there a target DC set by the DM? I'm thinking that someone with a D4 would never fail (except on a natural 1?) if the target number is zero?

This sort of reminds me of The Window system, in a way. And I definitely like the idea of being able to represent both potential and actual training, with essentially two ways to improve your skills.

 

[Modin Godstalker]

In case of tumble the dm could set a target number that you had to go over. Ability score minus your die roll would have to tie or beat the target number.

Or in some situations it could be an opposed roll. Your ability minus die roll vs opponent ability minus die roll, highest total wins.

In your tumble example, there could be sample target numbers for different types of tumble situations. Easy tumble would be doing a simple forward roll, really difficult would be tightrope walking.

Or you could work it so there was always an opposed roll that would generate the target number. So, you would have the difficulty number always minus a d4.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

I could see this as another dump stat issue. If you have a poor Dex, why bother trainning anything Dex related when even at a D4 you would have a poor chance to do anything?

It would be more in line with 3.x to have a skill check rolled on a D4 untrained, and bump up the dice, capping at D20. By keeping ranks you will allow PCs with low sores to put points into skills, so as to take of some basic negatives, while still allowing them to focus on their strong skills. I could see a clumsy wizard take a few ranks in ride, but leave the dice at D4. He would have little chance of falling off of his horse because of the ranks, just like with 3.x skills as they are, but would have no chance of pulling off any trick ridding, which he would if he rolled a 20 with the current skill system.

The same Wizard would naturally have a D20 in Spellcraft, with maximum ranks. A Bard or Sorcerer may not take the ranks or dice that high, so the Wizard would always be the go to guy on spell knowledge.