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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greg K" data-source="post: 5500568" data-attributes="member: 5038">I came to see it as freeing, rather than limiting, because it suddenly meant that I didn't have to split points between improving "game" stats and "character" fluff. If I want my character to be an amazing seamstress, or a professional baker, or whathaveyou, (s)he just is. The end. No need to redirect some of those points I otherwise would have put into endurance, or stealth. No need to weaken my character mechanically to have a better roleplaying experience..I think it was that mode of thinking that set a lot of folks up on the roll-playing vs. roleplaying argument. Specifically the one about how if you were an optimizer, then you were roll-playing. While I recognize that this is not necessarily the case all the time, the argument does hold some weight. In earlier editions, 3.x in particular, that mentality is present and not inaccurate because you are forced to make choices that pit RP against mechanics. It is inherent to the system. It takes work (and probably some houserules) to break out of it.</blockquote>See, for us, it is not that. It is, ok, my character had time to pick up a little bit of training and experience for a few other skills (e.g., Disable Device and Bluff) on an adventure (urban or dungeon) which is represented by a few ranks in those skills.  The character, then, does not use them a couple of adventures/ levels, because they have been in the wilderness away from civilization during which time he learned more about Survival and Move silent (puts a couple of ranks into those).  When  they finally  go back to an urban environment, the character than gets to put the little bit of training and experience to use. Afterwards, the ranks  can be increased to  reflect the use and experience. It is the player getting to control the pace of the bonus to reflect thier interpretation of the character's training rather than the system telling us, you are level x so you have this bonus in these areas that your character never encountered and  knows nothing about. Now, someone is going to say, just to apply the bonus. However, there DMs and players that are going to consider that a dick move! I have seen it happen. Yet, they wouldn't say anything in a skill point system when no ranks are applied.Then, for myself and those I know, a key part is exploring the setting and developing the character along the way to reflect the growth and changes.[/QUOTE]

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