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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 4532829" data-attributes="member: 3424">Yes. <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/blogs/firelance/knacks/" target="_blank">Knacks</a>.Reproduced below, after some consolidation and editing.[SBLOCK]The knacks sub-system addresses an issue that I have with 4e attributes: the lack of a unique advantage for having a high Intelligence. Under the knacks sub-system, a character gains one knack for every point of Intelligence bonus. A knack is effectively a "mini-feat", and balance-wise, a knack should be worth approximately a third of a Heroic-tier feat. A knack could also grant a bonus to a specific type of skill check, or make a slight change the way in which an action works. Lunge, in particular, fixes a pet peeve of mine.Knack Bonuses and Feat BonusesCertain knacks provide a bonus to skill checks. I am not keen on allowing thse bonuses to stack with feat bonuses, as the combination of Jack of All Trades and Skill Knack would result in a net +4 bonus to skill checks for that skill, which is almost as good as Skill Training. On the other hand, if knacks simply provide feat bonuses, Jack of All Trades would make Skill Knack irrelevant. My compromise solution is for knacks to provide a +1 feat bonus to skill checks and an additional +1 bonus to untrained skill checks. While this is more complicated, it has the effect that Skill Knack by itself provides a +2 bonus to a skill check, and Skill Knack and Jack of All Trades together provide a +3 bonus to a skill check. This seems about right to me, balance-wise.Some ideas for knacks are as follows:Language Knack Choose one language. You can speak, read, and write that language fluently. Special: You can take this knack more than once. Each time you select this knack, choose a new language to learn. Skill Knack Choose one skill. You gain a +1 feat bonus to skill checks with that skill. If you are not trained in that skill, you gain an additional +1 bonus to skill checks with that skill. Special: You can take this knack more than once. Each time you select this knack, choose a different skill. Background Select a background, such as farmer, blacksmith or sailor. You gain a +1 feat bonus to skill checks and an additional +1 bonus to untrained skill checks for skills related to your background. Your DM may disallow backgrounds that he considers inappropriate for his campaign. Easy Escape Prerequisite: Trained in Acrobatics or Athletics Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus and an additional +1 bonus to Acrobatics and Athletics checks to escape from a grab. Forager Prerequisite: Trained in Dungeoneering or Nature Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus and an additional +1 bonus to Dungeoneering or Nature checks to forage. Monster Lore Prerequisite: Trained in Arcana, Dungeoneering, Nature, or Religion Benefit: Select a specific monster origin or keyword covered by a skill you are trained in, e.g. elemental, fey or shadow for Arcana, immortal or undead for Religion, etc. You gain a +1 feat bonus and an additional +1 bonus to monster knowledge checks related to monsters with that origin or keyword. Special: You can take this knack more than once. Each time you select this knack, choose a different monster origin or keyword. Lunge Benefit: When you charge, you may attack after moving only one square from your starting position. However, you do not gain the +1 bonus to attack rolls that you would normally get for a charge. Weapon Knack Choose two weapons of the same handedness (one-handed or two-handed) and group (mace, light blade, heavy blade, etc.) that you are proficient with. When you wield one of your chosen weapons, you may adjust your grip (or make some other change to the way in which you wield it) as a minor action and use it as if it was the other weapon instead. For example, a rogue with Weapon Knack (dagger, short sword) may choose to use his dagger as a short sword and gain a damage die of 1d6 instead of 1d4, but would not be able to make ranged attacks with it or gain the bonus to attack rolls from his rogue weapon talent while doing so. Reverting to a weapon's original usage requires another minor action. When you draw one of your chosen weapons or otherwise ready it for usage, you may choose to use it as either weapon as a free action. Special: You can take this knack more than once. Each time you select this knack, choose two different weapons.[/SBLOCK]</blockquote>

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