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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 5999581" data-attributes="member: 7006">The real issue we're facing right now is that we're still stuck in what I think is the wrong mindset... that of still seeing "skills" or where we get a +3 as the primary motivator of the system.  Which I don't think is how it's supposed to be.  It's supposed to be your ABILITY SCORES which are important.  For everything.Ferratus asked a few posts ago why the Bounty Hunter couldn't pick locks, and he felt like he might have been being a bit too generous by allowing it.  But the thing is... OF COURSE the Bounty Hunter can pick locks!  So can the Noble.  So can the Priest.  So can the Sage.  Why?  Because they're only making DEX checks!  That's it!  If you can make a DEX check... you can pick locks!  (And we'll put aside for the moment you technically are required to also own a set of Lock Picks, but since anyone can buy them it's not an issue.)We're still stuck with this idea that the Rogue-Thief is the only lockpicker we have... when truth be told, yes, he gets a +3 BONUS when doing it... but ANYONE with a substantial DEX modifier is going to be pretty darn good at it TOO.  And for this whole "ability modifier" system to work... we need to stop thinking of who has which +3 bonuses as being the only ones who can do these skills, and more that if you have a strong ability score YOU CAN DO IT AS WELL.So I'd LOVE to see a playtest where there are NO "skills" listed under each Background.  Rather, each Background in its descriptive paragraph just goes into a bit more detail about what it is you do... and then the rules instruct the DM that any time a player makes an ability check to do something and either he or you think that he's had prior experience in doing it because of his Background... he gets a +3 bonus.  And thus we put the onus back onto the ability scores to describe our characters and off of the standard "list of 17 things all characters can possibly do".And if... IF... we really need something more than this to help distinguish our characters... then maybe allow each player to select something UBER-SPECIFIC that the character might have a "Master's Degree" in (for lack of a better term.)  So none of this generic "Athletics" or "Religious Lore" or "Streetwise" crud.  Instead... each player CREATES something cool his PC has extensive knowledge in.  Like your Priest chooses a special knowledge in "The Summer Court", or the Soldier chooses "The History of Myth Drannor" or your Thug selects "Sewers and Aqueducts", or your Knight takes "Sleeping In Armor", or your Artisan recognizes "Heraldry of the Goblin Clans".  And if THAT every comes up... then your PC gets a really nice bonus for it (like perhaps he rolls the ability check with Advantage.)At least this way though, the thing the PC's really good at is tied DIRECTLY to his Background, and is so specific that the player doesn't need to waste time checking his sheet seeing if "he has anything that might apply" to his check.  He will just KNOW it.</blockquote>

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