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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bret" data-source="post: 1110368" data-attributes="member: 713">Since I like GURPS, I don't happen to agree that character classes are good for simplicity or flavor.I've had to teach new people DnD rules. They usually have an idea (such as the one given above) that is not unbalancing but does not fit the stereotypes that the designers put in for the classes. The current system basically forces certain classes to be incompetent in some skills.I know that GMs are allowed to modify the rules. Every time you do this, it makes it a little bit harder to explain just what your character is or does.Lets take a simple example of a Big Bad Evil Guy. The tyrant wizard who rules a country.I have trouble imagining such a person not being good at skills such as Intimidate and Diplomacy. They should probably also have some skill with Ride, since that would be a common mode of transport for nobility.All of those are cross-class skills for a wizard or sorcerer.Just what is so unbalancing about allowing a Fighter to take Profession: Fisherman?Yes, there are skills that have combat utility. Fix the broken skills, then give everyone an opportunity to choose what skills they will be competent in.When in a group running GURPS, after a little while everyone tends to get some skill in commonly used skills. There is still the specialist healer, but everyone knows enough first aid to be able to bandage wounds. There is still the specialist climber who leads the climb, but everyone knows the basics of how to climb. The groups tend to look more realistic, because no one stays incompetent at the skills that the group always needs. There will be a character that is clearly superiour at one skill, they are needed to handle the tough problems.The way the DnD skill system is set up, even at high level it is quite likely that the wizard skill can't swim across still water or climb a rock wall with ropes and climbing gear and the fighter can't do simple first aid to handle a bleeding wound or put together a lean-to in the wilderness if the tents get destroyed.The reason I say that the class/cross-class skill system is not simple is the volumn of messages I've seen about people misunderstanding how it works with multiclassed characters. I've also personally had to explain to new players why it is so tough for a certain character concept to be done in DnD when there is nothing wrong with the concept.I've suggested a slightly different varient for fixing what I perceive as the problem. You never pay cross-class for the first 4-5 ranks of a skill, but are still limited to the lower cross-class skill maximum. This way a person can be halfway competent at a cross-class skill, but they will not outshine someone who has it as a class skill. It also allows a character to learn the basics of a skill that they never forsaw as being appropriate for their character, but during the campaign things evolved in that direction.</blockquote>

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