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Message: <blockquote data-quote="eriktheguy" data-source="post: 5509124" data-attributes="member: 83662">Most of my characters do have a 1 or 2 page background, and this describes their areas of expertise for the most part. Elements on character sheets get used very often. Most skill checks get used every session or two, most defenses get used, etc. These non-adventuring skills might get used two or three times one session, and then never again in the next four adventures. My characters are in hell right now, so weaving isn't likely to come up.I overlooked a few of those skills. I recall blind fighting actually, I think I remember it taking up most of the non-weapon proficiency 'slots'. That was a long time ago though <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":P" title="Stick out tongue    :P"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":P" />.Your pointers on Role-master are interesting. It seems like the difference is that Role-master uses a detailed character sheet to better define characters.  I'm suggesting a character background to help define characters in more detail than the character sheet does. They're definitely similar concepts.I'm assuming that RoleMaster gives you a relevant way to improve a large range of skills at character creation to make up for the large selection available, so that increasing two or three doesn't leave you inept at the rest (I found this to be a problem in 3e). This is one of the main reasons I wouldn't introduce new skills to 4e. In my view the main difference is scaling. In 4e you can encounter 'epic level challenges', but you have the +1/2 level to skill checks as you advance. Characters aren't just heroic, they're fantastical. Without the +1/2 level bonus the characters would still have some advancement from magic items, ability score increases, feats and skill powers. They could probably handle a more realistic skill challenge, say one up to level 6. This would probably be more similar to RM.You do make some good points about letting player non-adventuring skills affect the direction of your adventures, and granting exp. This rules system is designed to encourage that. Within a few sessions of offering bonuses to players, they will probably realize they can use their backgrounds to their advantage and try to do it more often. In my current campaign a few choices on where to adventure next have been based on character backgrounds. I personally haven't used exp is about a year.</blockquote>

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