Open-Minded Adventurers Wanted for Extravagant Planes-Hopping!

Ferrix · Oct 21, 2004

Would you also accept this feat from Mongoose? If not would Open Minded from the XPH be fine?

Gifted Learner (General)

Benefit: From this point on, you can add one additional skill point for each level you gain.

Kelleris · Oct 22, 2004

Okay, Gifted Learner is okay. I'd slightly prefer Open-Minded, because it's (more) core, but it's only a slight preference.

However, I don't like how easily Skill Mastery lets you get into a mid-level rogue ability. How does this sound instead:

Cool Under Fire (General)

You maintain your poise under the most adverse circumstances, due to your endless reserves of self-control and utter confidence.

Prerequisites: Level 6th+, Cha 13+.

Benefit: Select a number of skills equal to your Charisma modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, you may Take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent you from doing so.

Special: Characters may take this feat multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.

It's a bit weaker, and quite a lot harder to get itno, but I think it's better as a feat because it steps on high-level rogue toes less. Also, I changed the stat in question to Cha to make it appeal to bards (the other especially skill-using class), and because the archetype you're thinking of has a uniformly good Charisma. High-level rogues can get skill mastery just because they've practiced long enough, but it takes Charisma (aka a pair of brass ones) to pull it off at lower levels. 6th level was chosen because that's the level at which an adventurer is considered fully-trained in my CS.

Does it sound okay?

Ferrix · Oct 22, 2004

Ummm charisma actually has nothing to do with my rogue concept. Skill has nothing to do with strength of personality in this character. Yes the skill mastery feat does step on the mid-level rogues toes, but skill mastery itself isn't that exceptionally powerful. Perhaps changing it to grant the ability to only a number of skills equal to the characters Intelligence modifier (rather than 3 + Intelligence modifier) would take it a step down from the Rogue ability of the same name.

Kelleris · Oct 22, 2004

Hm, that's surprising. :\ Most skill-type rogues tend to be at least mildly dashing. Do you actually want the skill mastery-like ability, or do you just want to get into the PrC. I'm perfectly fine with waiving that requirement.

And, in any case, the skill mastery ability doesn't really have anything to do with your skills either; it doesn't grant any kind of bonus. What it represents is the surety and confidence necessary to do something exactly how you were trained to do it in adverse conditions.

Failing that, I think the Int-based one would be okay.

Zerth · Oct 23, 2004

Kelleris, can you please email me the part you deleted from the adventure thread. My email is: [zerth02@yahoo.com]

Kelleris · Oct 23, 2004

Sure. Unfortunately, I don't have the file with me (it's saved on my computer back at college), but I'll send it to you as soon as I get back Sunday afternoon. Apologies for forgetting it, though. In the meantime, are there any specific questions you might have? I still remember it (fairly) well.

Ferrix · Oct 23, 2004

Kelleris said:
Hm, that's surprising. :\ Most skill-type rogues tend to be at least mildly dashing. Do you actually want the skill mastery-like ability, or do you just want to get into the PrC. I'm perfectly fine with waiving that requirement.

And, in any case, the skill mastery ability doesn't really have anything to do with your skills either; it doesn't grant any kind of bonus. What it represents is the surety and confidence necessary to do something exactly how you were trained to do it in adverse conditions.

Failing that, I think the Int-based one would be okay.

I generally like the idea of skill mastery as a feat, it generally means I can do an average job most of the time and when that fails I can actually make an effort (i.e. roll).

Do you mean by the Int-based one, the change I mentioned?