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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nonei" data-source="post: 5153560" data-attributes="member: 88176">I'm resurrecting this thread, because - heck, why start a new one when this one already has some great information <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> . And it's been in the ground so long it doesn't even stink anymore...  I have been working on combining skills lately, and so was looking for feedback from others as well - what they've done and what they did. The challenge is making the skills equivalent in power, and that is just about impossible. A skill point in craft(alchemy) != a skill point in spot (especially if combined with listen). I combined the skills tentatively as follows:Spot, listen = observeHide, move silently = stealthcraft/profession combined (but still separated into the various fields)Survival separated into the related knowledge skillsSpellcraft separated into the related knowledge skillsAppraise, Forgery, decipher script = examineBluff, intimidate, and diplomacy = influence person (not sure I like this one)Ride absorbed into handle animal (not sure I like this one either)Balance, tumble, escape artist = acrobaticsClimb, jump, (maybe swim?) = athleticsopen lock, disable device, (maybe sleight of hand too?) = thieveryUse Magic Device absorbed into the related knowledge (arcane/divine) The drawbacks I see to this are:Difficult to re-balance skill point distribution - I initially tried by taking the percentage of skills lost numerically for each class and applying it to the number of skill points per level, and the 2+, 4+, 6+, 8+ became about 1.5, 3, 4, 4.5. Rounded to 2,3,4,5. However, because of the combining of many skills, it still was seeming to be more powerful than needed for the rogue, and should probably be 2,3,4,4. There is still a problem with some skills being vastly more useful than others. This is mitigated somewhat by the skill point cap of level+3. I have considered separating the skills into groups or categories, and then having certain groups or categories be able to be selected as class skills (instead of the current way) but I haven't been able to think of a good way to do that. Another option would be to have certain skills get +2 ranks for each point spent (with the normal max, though), but that could get complex. How to choose? Well, personally - the ones that are more likely to be chosen for flavor. Honestly, to me the skill point system itself starts being a bit broken after about 6th level. The bonuses get so high when something is maxed out that many things are a cakewalk. Some DCs scale - monster knowledge checks, concentration checks - but most do not. edit - the other drawback to combining skill points is less individuality.  For example, by combining forgery and appraise, I took away the option of having someone be good at one and not the other.  Combining bluff, intimidate, and diplomacy would be an issue for someone that wants bluff for the feinting (which I disagree with anyway) or that just wants to be an intimidator.</blockquote>

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