Kerrick
First Post
I think I found a workable solution to the cross-class skills problem. To wit: there are no cross-class skills. All classes retain a skill list, but all skills, whether or not they're on your list, cost one point per rank, and the most you can have in any one skill is equal to your character level. For all skills that are on your list (for all classes), you gain a +3 bonus.
For example: Kurth is a Rog 3. He gets all the skills on the rogue list. If he takes a level in fighter, he gains all the skills on the fighter list also. If he has to make, say, a Handle Animal check, he can do so with a +3 bonus, because it's on the list of class skills. If he has to make a Spot check, or Search, or Listen - they're all +3 too. If he has to make a Survival check, he's out of luck - he might have 4 ranks in it, but since it's not on either of his class skill lists, he doesn't get a bonus.
The benefits of this system:
It's easy, especially for designers and editors - no more worrying about what ranks were taken cross-class.
It lets PCs (especially those with fewer skill points) be more useful (spending fewer skill points for the same result), while still allowing those who actually have the skills to stay ahead of those who don't.
The drawbacks:
It could encourage more dipping into classes/PrCs with greater skill lists. My take on this is that if the DM allows dipping in the first place, it likely won't matter anyway.
PCs who are heavily multiclassed (either from dipping, or legitimate multiclassing) will have a huge spread of skills... but this reflects the training gained from all those classes.
PrCs with skill requirements might need to be revised to take the changes into account - if a PrC requires, say, a multiclass PC, it may be easier to acquire.
For example: Kurth is a Rog 3. He gets all the skills on the rogue list. If he takes a level in fighter, he gains all the skills on the fighter list also. If he has to make, say, a Handle Animal check, he can do so with a +3 bonus, because it's on the list of class skills. If he has to make a Spot check, or Search, or Listen - they're all +3 too. If he has to make a Survival check, he's out of luck - he might have 4 ranks in it, but since it's not on either of his class skill lists, he doesn't get a bonus.
The benefits of this system:
It's easy, especially for designers and editors - no more worrying about what ranks were taken cross-class.
It lets PCs (especially those with fewer skill points) be more useful (spending fewer skill points for the same result), while still allowing those who actually have the skills to stay ahead of those who don't.
The drawbacks:
It could encourage more dipping into classes/PrCs with greater skill lists. My take on this is that if the DM allows dipping in the first place, it likely won't matter anyway.
PCs who are heavily multiclassed (either from dipping, or legitimate multiclassing) will have a huge spread of skills... but this reflects the training gained from all those classes.
PrCs with skill requirements might need to be revised to take the changes into account - if a PrC requires, say, a multiclass PC, it may be easier to acquire.