Separate knowledge skill points

[Akhkharu]

This is something I thought of while I'm taking a break from D&D and playing Shadowrun.

When we make our character, we get INT x 1/2 class skill bonus (Ex. rogue would get INT x 4) to knowledge skills only, such as Knowledge Local(town), knowledge monsters, etc. Then as we advance, we can get 1/2 INT score, min of 1, to add to knowledge skills. This way we actually spend points to knowledge other than for PrCs, which in turn will help in figuring out if our characters will know something related to the skill.

Ex. Would be when fighting a monsters we haven't encounted before. As we fight it, we notice that we are unable to damage it. The fighter takes a few second to search his memory (makes a Knowledge Monster test) and realize that this is a Troll and fire or acid can only damage it.

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Magius del Cotto]

Um... Are you saying that the characters get bonus (relevant) knowledge skill points by level? Wouldn't it be easier to just make Knowledge more useful overall by letting it give you synergy bonuses in the relevant areas (IE, knowledge(goblins) would give a bonus when fighting goblins)?
Well?

 

[Crothian]

Shouldn't the Bard and Wizard get more points for knowledges then the rogue?

However, I perfer a system that allos character to make knowledge checks based off of background. These checks are easier as long as the background supports it.

 

[da chicken]

IMO, Craft, Profession, Speak Language, and Knowledge should probably be separated from the other skills in a manner similar to this.

But D&D is a simple RP game, and it really doesn't add much to the game doing it.

 

[Crothian]

IMO, Craft, Profession, Speak Language, and Knowledge should probably be separated from the other skills in a manner similar to this.

But D&D is a simple RP game, and it really doesn't add much to the game doing it.

Actually it adds a lot as long as the DM makes these skills worth while. Of course if you ingore this part of the game the skills are worthless. No different if you run a high role playing game and never have combat, all of a sudden all the fighting options are not adding anything to the game.

 

[poilbrun]

I think you should take a look at Cyberzombie's article on page 36 of Asgard #5, it covers this kind of problem.

The main problem with giving more skill points, be it only for knowledge skills or for any skill, is that the skill prerequisite for prestige classes are more easily obtained.

 

[da chicken]

Actually it adds a lot as long as the DM makes these skills worth while. Of course if you ingore this part of the game the skills are worthless. No different if you run a high role playing game and never have combat, all of a sudden all the fighting options are not adding anything to the game.

*shrug* Whatever. I don't think it is worth the effort to come up with a mechanism that would make every PC, NPC, and monster entry in everything WotC has published out of date just to add a more mechanical representation of background info.

Players who want those skills will already take them under the current system, and players who don't won't care if they're forced to. In fact, I guarantee you'd get players asking to use background skills for "more useful skills". "He's a thief! He should be really good at all thief-ey skills and he doesn't care about Knowledge skills!"

It's too much of a change to too much of the game to add greater support for something which you can easily consider already built in to the game (automatic languages, etc). All you have to do is let your PCs make ability checks if they would know something regardless of the DC. Or give them a +2. Revamping the whole system is overkill.

If you really want to do this, require your PCs to start out at level 1 as Experts, Aristocrats, Warriors, or Commoners.