Skill feats, anyone?

[Aus_Snow]

So. Anyone played characters who've taken feats that provide just straight skill bonuses (e.g. Persuasive, Skill Focus [ _____ ] . . . ) ?

Oh, there's a poll too, btw.

If you have, how often have you, would you say? Also, which ones are faves (e.g., SF [Concentration], SF [UMD], etc.)?

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I took Skill Focus (Spellcraft) for my al-Qadim warmage. But that was only because it was required for Archmage, and believe me, only the idea that I'd be able to get the abilities out of Archmage made me choke that turkey down.

I can sort of countenance taking one of the two-skill bonus feats, but only for the open-ended skills that come up often, like Alertness. But even then, that's still painful.

Brad

 

[Rystil Arden]

I had a hal-elf character once that took Skill Focus[Diplomacy] and Negotiator. It was part of how she managed to get +35 to Diplomacy at level 3 without magic

A 21st-level Archmage in my face-to-face game took Skill Focus[Decipher Script] and Epic Skill Focus[Decipher Script]

 

[Aus_Snow]

I had a hal-elf character once that took Skill Focus[Diplomacy] and Negotiator. It was part of how she managed to get +35 to Diplomacy at level 3 without magic

Um. So what was the other part? I have to know, now.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

Had a cleric of a god of healing that had Skill Focus healing and a "+2 on Heal and Kn (Religion) checks" feat that the GM created.

 

[Mercule]

I've got a thief-acrobat who took *gasp* Acrobatic. I think I took Athletic, too, but I'm not sure. Seriously debated taking Skill Focus, but I couldn't decide what skill (Balance, Climb, Jump, Tumble) I should start with.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

In D&D, not often.

My wife actually took Magical Aptitude for her Wizard, the one that gives +2 Spellcraft and +2 UMD. The group we're with gives Wizards a less punative number of skill points (since they're "learned" spellcasters and knocking down their SP because they'll have high Int seems silly). With the extra SP she's kept full cross-class ranks in UMD. Between ranks and Aptitude and synergy, she can use a 1/1 Divine scroll pretty nicely. Which opens up some interesting things. She's just about to taking 10 with wands, which will be pretty nice.

On the whole, I think it worked out alright. Perhaps not super-specialized for traditional roles, but she's come through in the clutch with a Cure scroll before, which was rather nice.

Those types of feats are VERY popular in my Grim Tales games, games that involve stuff other than beating the hell out of monsters and taking their stuff. Investigative games, etc etc.

Which is when Diplomacy needs a TOTAL overhaul. It was designed, apparently, with the assumption that nobody would have more than a handful of ranks to put into it.

--fje

 

[Rystil Arden]

Um. So what was the other part? I have to know, now.

It only works if your GM allows a Wizard familiar that gives +3 Diplomacy (perhaps a Mink. It isn't on the list, but it doesn't seem unreasonable). Otherwise, you are stuck with +32.

Here goes:

Half-Elf Telepath1/Warlock1/Wizard1. Int 14 and Cha 18. Other stats don't matter.

Skills:
Level 1: 4 ranks in Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Bluff, Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty (all class skills)
Level 2: 1 rank in Sense Motive and Bluff (class skill) and a rank in Diplomacy (costs 2, cross-class)
Level 3: 1 rank in Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty (class skill) 1 rank in Diplomacy (costs 2, cross-class), 1 rank in something else

Feats: Diplomacy and Negotiator.
Psion Bonus Feat: Psicrystal Affinity [Friendly]
Warlock Invocation: Beguiling Influence
Familiar: Mink (or any other +3 Diplomacy)

Bonus: +4 (Cha) +6 (ranks) +6 (synergy) +6 (Beguiling Influence) +3 (Psicrystal) +3 (Familiar) +3 (Skill Focus) +2 (Negotiator) +2 (half-elf) = +35!

(You can get +36 with that feat for half-elves from Races of Destiny that increases Synergy to +3 instead of +2--take it instead of Negotiator)

 

[NiTessine]

Skip the wizard level, take marshal instead. Skill Focus (Diplomacy) is a bonus feat at first level and you get the minor aura Motivate Charisma, which gives you a bonus equivalent to your Cha modifier to all Cha skill checks. The build I whipped up got a total of +49 at third level. If I used an obscure Greyhawk regional feat, Celestial Scion (Cranden), instead of Negotiator, I could get +50. Even though Cranden is a human noble house, the character would techically be eligible.

To answer the original question... Yeah, I've taken both. Latest was Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]) to get my wizard eligible for Divine Oracle, and my bard has taken both Negotiator and Investigator. Alertness is also pretty common.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Skip the wizard level, take marshal instead. Skill Focus (Diplomacy) is a bonus feat at first level and you get the minor aura Motivate Charisma, which gives you a bonus equivalent to your Cha modifier to all Cha skill checks. The build I whipped up got a total of +49 at third level. If I used an obscure Greyhawk regional feat, Celestial Scion (Cranden), instead of Negotiator, I could get +50. Even though Cranden is a human noble house, the character would techically be eligible.

To answer the original question... Yeah, I've taken both. Latest was Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]) to get my wizard eligible for Divine Oracle, and my bard has taken both Negotiator and Investigator. Alertness is also pretty common.

Marshal is a 3.0 class though, so it's unlikely for a GM to allow it in a 3.5 combo. Also, that would seem to raise the bonus to +39, anyways.