Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7106958" data-attributes="member: 12731">One final piece of the skills puzzle is the way I like games where you don't make all your choices at game start and then remain static throughout the campaign. I know you can learn a skill through downtime and I know you can pick the Skilled feat. Both those options are too expensive in my mind - the first because most prewritten campaigns don't have any downtime, and the second because it doesn't help when you only want a single new skill.So I'm toying with the idea to give out a free (class) skill at levels 6, 12 and 18.Not only does this mean characters will grow automatically (simulating downtime and getting rid of the super-expensive feat option), it also provides an answer for multiclass characters. When you multiclass it's only natural to ask if you can't pick any of your new class' skills. So I'm considering to allow you to pick your "level 6 bonus" (or 12, or 18) at the time when you multiclass, even if that happens before level 6 (or 12, or 18). The only restriction is that you can't pick a bonus skill more than five levels ahead of when you would otherwise gain it. So even if you multiclass a lot, you can only gain the level 6 bonus before you reach level 7. Then you can pick the level 12 bonus. You need to reach level 13 to pick the level 18 bonus.Even if you never multiclass, you still gain your bonus skills at (character) levels 6, 12 and 18.Now, this might seem mighily generous. But will it really be in practice?In practice, skills are not important enough to influence a minmaxer's decisions. So my rule is intended to work both for two-level dips and more regular multiclassing, which happens in chucks of four levels at the very least. I truly believe that most practical multiclass builds will only use this rule in moderation - perhaps picking the level 12 bonus at level 10 (taking five levels of one class for the extra attack, then four levels of fighter for Action Surge and ASI, before going back to the first class). Conversely, the two-level dips involve spellcasters taking Warlock or Fighter, and they will never again multiclass, so they will pick the level 6 bonus at third level, but that's it for them.A couple of extra skills simply isn't worth gimping your long-term build strategy over. If you like many skills, how about simply building a high-Int Rogue and/or taking the Skilled feat?If you want more, maybe pick two Fighter levels at mid level for the juicy Action Surge and then do that at character levels 11 and 12 (to pick up the level 18 bonus at level 13 when you return to Rogue), but I can live with that level of "abuse".</blockquote>

Verification