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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ValhallaGH" data-source="post: 2899838" data-attributes="member: 41187">1) I dislike the idea of a sorcerer being a better tank than a fighter so much that I use a completely different type of hit die (1d4 + Constant Bonus; I'd have stolen it from IH but I'm playing IH so it's all good).2) I didn't complain about your skill generation method, though I was sorely tempted to, that was a different poster.  I just have a nasty habit of answering rhetorical questions.Now that that's out of the way, let's see if I can produce a useful post.The easiest method is to create several new combat skills (melee, ranged, defense for examples, though you can have as many as you want) that follow all the normal rules for ranks and purchasing, remove BAB from all classes, and let the players choose which combat skills, if any, they will have ranks in.  If you're feeling merciful you can grant bonus points to the classes based upon how much BAB they lost.  The principle disadvantage of this method is that the ability to attack will either be slightly better or will be a good deal worse.  The priciple advantage is that this allows for compromises, such as Clerics get melee as a class skill but not ranged or defense (varries by diety), Rogues get defense but not melee or ranged, Rangers get defense and either melee or ranged, Fighters get all three, Paladins get any two, etc.  Honestly, the more I read over your idea the less I think that the class basis of D&D (or any d20 system) is for you.  The class-level design concept assumes that certain things improve at a certain rate for people in certain classes, Period.  One of those things is combat ability.  By removing those assumptions you remove the foundation of the class system and begin to approach a classless system where you only have one "class" because everyone gets the same basic benefits per level, then uses their various character resources to purchase extras, including combat skill, 3.X skills, magic and potentially anything else.  If you wish to hand out skill points in game as a reward then you've removed the need for level as a guide to power and it becomes all about how many skill points the character has.  Very soon you'll be playing a d20 based GURPS, WoD or ShadowRun-esc game.If  that is what you want, or you don't mind that, then carry on!  This work is headed in an interesting direction and could be most enlightening for all players.  However, I know many people get uptight about the very concept of classless games, and if you're one of them then you'll need to carefully evaluate just how good and useful you make your new skill system, as well as how you balance the granting of extra skills, lest you end up with a system that has classes in name only.I would also like to say one, slightly different, thing.  If you do implement a skill-basis for you combat, and you want to give out skill points at the table as a reward, then you'll need to put all skills (or all the useful ones) on either the same purchase scale or you'll need to leave the level-based cap on ranks for the non-combat skills.</blockquote>

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