D&D 4E Keith Baker on 4E! (The Hellcow responds!)

[UngeheuerLich]

And someone who's used absolutely every trick I can find (and who has a Charisma of 18) will have a Diplomacy modifier of +17. Again, that's the uber-specialist, who's devoted every selection they could to things favoring Diplomacy; I haven't seen an actual player in any group I've been in have a skill over +12 at 2nd level, and you couldn't reach this level of talent with more than one skill. But you COULD reach it. (This also touches on that point that everyone has a +5 Diplomacy at 10th level - good for you, my specialist diplomat had a +17 at 2nd level.)

are you sure skill focus is +5 and are you sure you can take it at Level 1 or 2?

 

[Lurker59]

Note: I'm not a playtester so I don't have any inside information. But as I understand it you could get +17 even at 1st level in some builds.

For example an elf with skill training, skill focus, and 20 wisdom would have +17 perception. For a human you could use the extra feat to take alertness and still have a +17 perception. With a racial skill bonus, racial stat modifiers, and skill focus it shouldn't be too difficult to do.

For example the character mentioned above maybe a half-elf. They (likely) have a +2 to diplomancy and +2 Cha by virtue of race and could have a 20(+5) charisma if they were willing to take a hit in other stats. The +10 skill bonus from skill training and focus would put the character at +17 diplomancy at level 1 without using any feats.

 

[coyote6]

Anyhow, now I'm actually heading out on travels and won't be checking the boards, so I really am signing off. Have fun!

I just wanted to note that I hope you are submitting an invoice for your time to WotC marketing.

 

[Hamburger Mary]

are you sure skill focus is +5 and are you sure you can take it at Level 1 or 2?

I was actually mistaken in my numbers - I was thinking about a 3E feat that doesn't exist in 4E.