Michael Morris
First Post
Writing this completely off the cuff - it's based off an idea Mearls kicked around shortly before the D&D Next playtest was announced. What I'm thinking on is a way to make diversify skills without sending ranks off to the moon. This is a set of thoughts in progress. Here goes.
There are five named skill ranks -- Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Expert, Guru, or some other set of five names - the point is they are ranks. A 1st level characters proficiency translates to the first rank, and along with this optional rule they can give up a proficiency to start with a skill at second rank. A rogue's expertise is just a jump in rank.
Like skills, tasks are ranked. A character has advantage on a check one rank below his skill rank, and simply succeeds on a check two ranks below. Similarly, a character has disadvantage on something 1 rank above his skill and can't attempt something two ranks above. Situational and circumstance modifiers change up the rank of the task - so walking a tight rope for example would be rank III difficulty, doing it with a balancing pole rank II
Under this system the DC is locked to 20 (or some other number) and never changes.
At this point it's a thought to float around, not something concrete.
There are five named skill ranks -- Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Expert, Guru, or some other set of five names - the point is they are ranks. A 1st level characters proficiency translates to the first rank, and along with this optional rule they can give up a proficiency to start with a skill at second rank. A rogue's expertise is just a jump in rank.
Like skills, tasks are ranked. A character has advantage on a check one rank below his skill rank, and simply succeeds on a check two ranks below. Similarly, a character has disadvantage on something 1 rank above his skill and can't attempt something two ranks above. Situational and circumstance modifiers change up the rank of the task - so walking a tight rope for example would be rank III difficulty, doing it with a balancing pole rank II
Under this system the DC is locked to 20 (or some other number) and never changes.
At this point it's a thought to float around, not something concrete.