"No skill points" variant

[Zzyzx]

Anyone tried this out in a game yet:

d20srd.org: Alternative Skill Systems:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/b...veSkillSystems.htm#maximumRanksLimitedChoices

Basically, pick some skills as "trained" at character creation. These are effectively always at max ranks, and everything else is at 0 ranks forevermore.

No messing with skill points, because you just decide at character creation which skills you are going to be good at, and don't think abou it later.

Any input welcome.

 

[Crothian]

I didn't realize skill points were so complicated to need this. I'm not a fan, I perfer characters that are a bit more well rounded and usually have skils spread out instead of just havign a few that are maxed.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I'm not a fan, I prefer characters that are a bit more well rounded and usually have skils spread out instead of just having a few that are maxed.

I suppose that instead of having some skills at maximum ranks you could have twice as many skills at half maximum ranks. Should still be simpler than the default method, but the characters could be less specialized.

 

[Zzyzx]

I wonder if the problem that one specific player of mine with assigning skill points at leveling up has less to do with a complicated system and more to do with a poor character "vision."

I thought for some players this might take less focus off of out-of-character decisions at leveling. My fear is exactly as hinted at above -- everything maxed means fewer trained skills.

But Crothian's point is well taken -- skill points aren't that complicated to assign at each level.

 

[Eternalknight]

Those are rules from Unearthed Arcana. It is also the rules that the True20 system uses. We are playing with True20 today for the first time, so I'll let you know later how it goes.

 

[Crothian]

I suppose that instead of having some skills at maximum ranks you could have twice as many skills at half maximum ranks. Should still be simpler than the default method, but the characters could be less specialized.

Its not so much about that, but I don't what to choose what my character will know always at first level. I've had fighters at 5th level choose to learn decipher script or other odd skills as it related to things in game. But in this type of system you can't do that.

 

[Eternalknight]

You can with the Skill Knowledge feat.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I agree with Crothain.. my characters always end up picking up some odd-ball skill/knowledge that is generally not associated with the archetype but comes up in play.

A good example of this is a WEG SW character I had that ended up picking up Prof:Cook during an extended time hiding from the Empire..had to do something for a living and didn't like washing dishes.. his fur always stinks when it gets wet!