Skill Focus - Please Critique [Revised: See Version 2.0]

[Angel Tarragon]

Skill Focus - version 1.0
Transmutation [Scalable]
Level: Brd 1, Clr 1, Drd 1, Pal 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: Swift Action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 1 round/caster levels + 1 round
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

When you cast this spell, choose a specific skill you wish to grant a bonus to. The target gains a competence bonus to said skill equal to twice the spells level +2.

For example, Mialee casts Skill Focus (Open Locks) on Lidda as a 4th level spell as a 7th level Wizard. Lidda now has a +10 bonus on her Open Lock skill checks for 8 rounds.

Focus: A small token to represent the skill granting the bonus to. For example, a spider for climb checks, a tome for Knowledge checks, flippers for swim checks, a key for open locks, etc. The DM is free to come up with a list of what tokens are acceptable for certain skills, or can leave the decision up to player and can deny it if she doesn’t think the focus isn’t appropriate for the skill. The focus must have a 100 gp value.

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Skill Focus - version 2.0
Transmutation [Scalable]
Level: Brd 1, Clr 1, Drd 1, Pal 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: Swift Action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 1 round/caster levels + 1 round
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

When you cast this spell, choose a specific skill you wish to grant a bonus to. The target gains a competence bonus to said skill equal to twice the spells level +2 if the target has the skill as a class skill. If the target treats the skill as a cross class skill, the competence bonus is equal to the spell’s level +1. Unless the target is trained in the skill, the spell is wasted. The caster is only allowed to use one focus per casting of this spell.

Example 1
Mialee casts Skill Focus (Open Locks) on Lidda as a 4th level spell as a 7th level Wizard. Being that open locks is a class skill for Lidda and because Lidda has invested ranks in the skill and is therefore trained in it, she gains a +10 competence bonus to open locks for 8 rounds.

Example 2
Hennet casts Skill Focus (Escape Artist) on Tordek as a 6th level spell as a 12th level sorcerer. Being that escape artist is a cross class skill, and that it can be used untrained, Tordek gains +7 bonus to escape artist checks for 12 rounds.

Focus: A small token to represent the skill granting the bonus to. For example, a spider for climb checks, a tome for Knowledge checks, flippers for swim checks, a key for open locks, etc. The DM is free to come up with a list of what tokens are acceptable for certain skills, or can leave the decision up to player and can deny it if she doesn’t think the focus isn’t appropriate for the skill. The focus must have a value equal to 100 times the spell level used in gp.

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Thoughts?

 

[Goolpsy]

Do you need heighten spell to make it cost more? Else the "level" part seems mis leading.

Maybe you should add a section "This spell can be prepared at higher levels for a greater effect" ?

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Do you need heighten spell to make it cost more? Else the "level" part seems mis leading.

Maybe you should add a section "This spell can be prepared at higher levels for a greater effect" ?

No. Scalable spells originated with Kalamar. Here is a snippet of info:

Scalable spells allow the caster to increase the relative power levl of either that particular spell or another, making them much more ffective. Once a spellcaster knows the spell, she may use any spell slot available to her to cast it.

Effectively, the level listed is the minimum spell level it can be cast at.

 

[monboesen]

IMO the power of the spell is not problematic, but the effect on gameplay is.

The spell makes skills and skill points mostly irrelevant. Any caster (and especially a sorcerer) is suddenly competent in any possible skill. Pretty much sucks to play a skill focused character in such a game.

I would possibly allow it if each skill required a separate spell. That way you would have to prepare the correct one.

Scalable spells seem to favor spontaneous casting very very heavily too. Don't really like that mechanic.

 

[Dog Moon]

I think you should check out Divine Insight in Spell Compendium. Lasts like 1 hour per level or something like that, basically until discharged, but it adds 5+caster level as an insight bonus to a single Skill Check.

It CAN get a little ridiculous at higher levels, but I don't think that a 9th level spell slot, for example, should give you only +20 to a Skill as a one-time use. There are so much better things around and 9th-level slots are too precious. It also means that keeping it at low level means practically nothing at higher levels.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I would possibly allow it if each skill required a separate spell. That way you would have to prepare the correct one.

I thought that by including the focus this problem was pretty much taken care of.

 

[AnonymousOne]

I thought that by including the focus this problem was pretty much taken care of.

Hmmm .... makes Eschew Materials nearly a must for this spell to be worth casting on any kind of regular basis.

 

[Claudius Gaius]

Inconsistent with the Item Creation rules

This doesn't match up at all well with the item creation rules. The ability you want to enhance is chosen at the time of casting and foci are only required in items when they're created - and aren't even used up in the creation. Ergo an item which effectively grants +4 to all skills costs a mere 2000 GP base instead of 1600 per skill. +6 woud cost 12,000 base instead of 3600 per skill, and +8 would cost 30,000 base instead of 6400 per skill. Net effect? All charcters who rely on skills invest in such an item, game master increases all skill target numbers, characters who want to use the money elsewhere cease bothering to even try to use skills save for the occasional spontaneous caster who wants to do something specific - and even they aren't really likely to waste a high-level spell on a skill roll when they could be saving it for something more impressive. Might be worth considering if you want a really sharp distinction between skill-based and non-skill based characters, otherwise simply disruptive. If you want a set of comparison spells which are consistent, try the Skill Mastery spell template (Shareware version of The Practical Enchanter, linked in the signature, page 14).

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Hmmm .... makes Eschew Materials nearly a must for this spell to be worth casting on any kind of regular basis.

It's a focus, not a material component.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Interesting spell...and interesting problem balancing it against the 'why use skills' argument to its existance.

Having a focus doesn't matter unless the focus has a significant cost.

Perhaps:
The foci has a gp cost based on how high a level the scalable spell can be used at, 50gp per spell level?

or

When you cast this spell, choose a specific skill you wish to grant a bonus to. You cannot select a skill unless you have at least 3 ranks in it.

If the skill is a class skill for you, the target gains a competence bonus to said skill equal to twice the spells level.
If the skill is a cross class skill for you, the target gains a competence bonus to said skill equal to the spells level.

In either case, the target gains a competance bonus to said skill of +2 for every 5 ranks you have in the skill.

I prefer the latter...