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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Chris Lawrence" data-source="post: 2856993" data-attributes="member: 38308">I've never liked the fact that A) if an expert such as a jeweller goes up in levels, he gets much better at fighting (thanks to HP, save and BAB improvement) even if he's never lifted a sword in his life, and B) experts who don't advance in levels can't actually be experts in their craft--at best a jeweller will have seven to ten skill points in his chosen profession. The solution I've been mulling over in my head is the following:* In addition to level-based skill improvement, characters can also improve their skills independently of level as a result of doing their profession.* At the end of every year, each character in the game world may get a chance to improve one of those skills that he or she uses in his or her profession. The chance is the number of months he or she has spent at his or her profession that year out of 12, rolled on a d12. So, for example, Sallis the Blade spent 2 months adventuring and 10 months at her regular job (she's an officer in the Corran army); so, if her player rolls 1-10 on a d12, then Sallis will have a chance to improve her profession (soldier) skill. However, because her job involves leadership, the DM rules that her player may instead choose to roll to see if she'll have a chance to improve her diplomacy skill if she likes. Let's say for the example's sake that her player chooses diplomacy.* If a character is granted, through the d12 roll, the chance to improve a skill, then the player (PC) or DM (NPC) makes a skill check with the relevant skill. The DC is 15 for a low-pressure environment, 20 for a medium-pressure environment and 25 for a high-pressure environment. So, for example, if the Corran army is a rag-tag bunch of mercenaries and conscripted criminals in a kingdom which cares little about military efficiency, then there will be little pressure on Sallis to be a great officer and the DM will rule that it is a low-pressure environment. If, however, the Corran army is one of the finiest on the continent, then there will be a lot of pressure on Sallis to do her job well and the DM will rule that it's a high-pressure environment. * If the skill check succeeds, then the skill does not improve (i.e. the character's present skill level was good enough to do her job well that year). If, however, the skill check fails, then the relevant skill goes up by one point (the character's skills were really put to the test this year and she was forced to get better).I'm hoping that this system will allow the existence of lots of experts/commoners who are crap at fighting (level 1) but very good at their jobs. I'm also hoping that it's low-key enough to prevent abuse by PCs. Well, what do you think? Anything I should change? Anything I've overlooked?</blockquote>

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