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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greenfield" data-source="post: 7482629" data-attributes="member: 6669384">I made the distinction between "Skills" and combat abilities because the game mechanics do.  They're acquired differently, they work differently.Even in 4e, which used the universal proficiency bonus, skills were acquired at time of creation and then never changed, unless you spent a feat on one, or picked something up through cross classing.  They advanced in an inflationary manner, but couldn't be enhanced whether you used/practiced them or not.By "inflationary", of course I mean the UPB bumped them by a point every so often, but since the target numbers advanced at the same rate, the "advancement" was an illusion.  We talked about that before.  A meaningless numbers game.3rd edition introduced meaningful choices in skills, and made them an actual part of play.  4th Edition took those choices away again.But since you keep going there, let's talk AD&D then.Wizards were proficient with staff, dart and dagger, and probably a few more things but not many.Did they use them?  That's a question for the individual character more than the class.  Some will, some won't.But even there the advancement of their THAC0 was slower.  Why?  Because they don't use those abilities very often.  Other skills they had?  (i.e. non combat proficencies)  They didn't advance at all.  You either had the skill and could do it, no dice roll or check, or you didn't have it and couldn't do it.So let's just say it:  Generic advancement (i.e. the UPB) is an idiot simple way to handle a mechanic. It emphasizes the "Level" part of a class/level system, and ignores the differences between the classes, or the differences between individuals of differing ability. It's far less realistic/believable than the 3.* approach, or the AD&D or 0D&D, but if idiot simple is what you're looking for then go for it.For those of us who like a more active hand in guiding the character growth and advancement, the class/level approach that actually cares about the classes is a better fit.  It recognizes that some people are faster learners than others, not just at creation but as an ongoing aspect of character development.</blockquote>

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