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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 5151343" data-attributes="member: 4937">We think alot alike, though I haven't yet got my pure skill monkey to the point that I think its PC worthy.  I think your class suffers from the same basic problem mine does at present, which is although you can make it quite potent out of combat, without feats to make it combat relevant, its not going to be that useful.  I personally think you can go ahead and provide Professional Development at 12th and 16th.Here are some feats currently on my Expert bonus feat list that you may find inspiring.  Add as you will:Arcane Schooling [Trait, EXPERT]You grew up in a magical school, or in the company of wizards, or received specialized training in the magical arts.Prerequisite: Appropriate backgroundBenefit: You may always treat Spellcraft and Knowledge (Arcane) as class skills. You may treat either Wizard or Bard as a favored class in addition to your normal favored class.Special: Experts may take Arcane Schooling as a bonus feat even if they are not 1st level, provided that they meet the required background sometime after 1st level but before taking the feat.CATFALL [GENERAL]Your ability to survive falls has become so extraordinary as to seem supernatural.Prerequisite: Clean Fall, jump 12 ranks, tumble 12 ranks, +6 base Reflex saveBenefit: When using the tumble skill to reduce the effective distance of a fall, for each 10 points you beat DC 15, you reduce the effective distance of a fall or throw by and additional 10’.Clean Fall [General]You are trained not to fall on your head.Prerequisite: +2 base Reflex save, tumble 1 rankBenefit: You gain a +4 bonus on reflex saves to catch ledges when falling or jumping.  You also have a +4 bonus to tumble checks to reduce damage from falling or being thrown.CLEVER TRICKSTER [TRAIT]You don’t have to be likeable to be tricky, just good at it.Benefit: Bluff, Disguise, and Use Magic Device depend on intelligence rather than charisma.Special: Experts may take Clever Trickster as a bonus feat even if they are not 1st level.Cosmopolitan [Trait]You have a broad range of experiences.Benefit: Choose any one skill (even one that is class exclusive).  That skill is always a class skill for you, and you have a +2 bonus on all skill checks made with it. Special: Experts and Explorers may choose this as a bonus feat even if they are not 1st level.Craftsman [TRAIT, General]You have had a formal education in a craft guild and are extremely skilled with your hands.Prerequisites: 1 rank in at least 3 craft skills.Benefit: You have a +2 bonus in all craft skills.CROWD TACTICS [GENERAL]You are at home in a crowd.Prerequisite: Dodge, Hide 5 ranksBenefit: When you are within a crowd (no fewer than 50 individuals) which is indifferent or friendly, you may use the following maneuversMoving with the Flow: Moving through a crowd is not considered difficult terrain for you.Just Another Face: +4 to hide checks while within a crowd.Whip up the Mob: +4 to diplomacy checks to direct a crowd.Dabbler [Trait, General]You have learned sufficient magic to cast a pair of arcane cantrips.Prerequisite: Int 10Benefit: Choose any three cantrips from the wizard spell list.  You can cast any of those cantrips as a 1st level Wizard twice per day - regardless of your actual class, caster level, or normal limits on spell casting.  Normal Arcane spell failure chances still apply for characters that wear armor.Special: You may take this feat more than once.  Each additional time you take it you gain knowledge of two additional cantrips and the ability to cast any of these cantrips one additional time per day.DEFT HANDS [TRAIT]Your hands know things that the mind cannot.Benefit: Craft, Disable Device, and Forgery are dexterity based skills for you, rather than intelligence based skills.Special: Experts may take Deft Hands as a bonus feat even if they are not 1st level.Educated [Trait, Expert]You have the benefit of a more or less formal education.Prerequisite: Appropriate background.Benefit: All Knowledge skills are treated as class skills for you.  You have a +2 bonus in two Knowledge skills of your choosing.Special: Experts may learn this feat as a bonus feat even if they are not first level.IMPOSING [TRAIT]Sometimes, all that is necessary is to show something who is boss.Prerequisite: Str 13Benefit: Handle Animal, Intimidate, and Use Magical Device are treated as Strength based skills.Master Diver [General]You are skilled at diving from heights and into great depths.Prerequisite: Swim 5 ranksBenefit: Whenever you leap into water, you get a +5 bonus to your swim skill check to dive correctly.  You may hold your breath when underwater for twice your normal duration, and you have a +4 bonus on fortitude saves to survive at depth.  MASTER OF DISGUISE [GENERAL]You have such an amazing ability to delude and deceive that it seems almost magical.Prerequisite: Bluff 4 ranks, Disguise 4 ranks, Reflex save +2Benefit: Deep Cover: You go so deeply into character that your surface thoughts become those of the identity you assume. You have a +5 bonus on bluff and disguise checks to resist any spell that attempts to discover your real identity, alignment, thoughts.  If you succeed, you may determine what, if anything, you wish the spell to discover.Quick Change Artist : You can change or don a disguise in as little as a single round.Ventriloquist: You can throw your voice so effectively that you can almost completely duplicate the effects of the ventriloquism spell.  No save is allowed, but you must win an opposed disguise check vs. the targets spot, listen, or sense motive (which ever is better) to succeed.Master Orator [General]You are an extremely skilled speaker and rise to the occasion of any debate.Prerequisite: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Perform 5 ranksBenefit: You get a +5 bonus on any opposed Diplomacy check to sway your audience to your opinion.Master Porter [General]You are especially skilled at carrying heavy loads.Benefit: You have a +2 bonus to effective strength for the purposes of calculating encumbrance.  You reduce the penalty to balance skill checks due to encumbrance by up to 2.MASTER TACTICIAN [GENERAL, FIGHTER]You are adept at reacting to changing circumstances.Prerequisite: BAB +2, Int 13, Knowledge(Tactics) 5 RanksBenefit: Whenever you take the Ready action, you may ready two separate actions each with its own trigger.Militia [Trait]You have been trained in the local militia.Prerequisite: Appropriate background.Benefit: Tactics and Leadership are additional class skills for you.  You have proficiency with one martial weapon of your choosing.  Fighter is an additional favored class for you.Special: Experts may choose Militia as a bonus feat even if they are not first level, provided that they meet the background prerequisite after 1st level but before taking the feat.Natural Linguist [Trait, Expert]The character can learn languages with astonishing speed and ease.Prerequisite: Int 13Benefit: Speak Language is always a class skill for you.  If you are a bard or an explorer, you start with 9 extra points to spend on languages.Special: Experts may choose Natural Linguist as a bonus feat even if they are not 1st levelPious [TRAIT, General]You have great faith in your chosen deity.Prerequisite: Wis 10Benefit: Choose three orisons.  You may prepare and cast two of these orisons each day.Special: You may take this feat more than once.  Each time you do, you gain access to two more orisons and may cast one additional orison a day.Roofwalker [General]You are at home above the city.Prerequisite: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Balance 5 ranks, Jump 5 ranksBenefit: You may use the following 3 tactical maneuvers:Fleet of Feet – You can walk across a precarious surface at full speed without a penalty on your Balance check.Graceful Drop – If you intentionally jump from a height, you take less damage than if you had fallen. On a successful Jump check, you take falling damage as if you had dropped 20’ fewer rather than 10’ fewer.Master of the Roof – Gain a +1 Dodge bonus to AC against any opponent at a different elevation than you.Sage [General]You are a well studied individual.Prerequisite: Educated.Benefit: You gain a number of skill points equal to your intelligence bonus.  These may only be spent on Knowledge skills.  Each time you gain a level, you gain an extra skill point that may only be spent on Knowledge skills.Special: You make take this feat any number of times.  Its effects are cumulative.Sea Legs [General]You’re an old sea dog.Prerequisite: Trained in Profession (Sailor)Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to balance and climb skill checks when aboard a water craft.  Additionally, you do not suffer from sea sickness.SHREWD MIND [TRAIT]What you lack in perceptiveness, you more than make up for in your ability to analyze what you percieve.Benefit: Heal, Innuendo, and Sense Motive depend on intelligence rather than wisdom.Special: Experts may take Shrewd Mind as a bonus feat even when they are not 1st level.SLIPPERY CUSTOMER [TRAIT]Your reflexes may be slow, but your mind isn't.Benefit: Hide, Open Lock, and Use Rope are intelligence based skills rather than dexterity based skills.Special: Experts may take Slippery Customer as a bonus feat even when they are not 1st level.Skill Aptitude [TRAIT, General]You have a natural advantage that makes you especially suited for two particular skills.Benefit: Choose two skills that you can logically connect in some fashion.  You gain a +2 bonus in all skill checks with those skills. Some examples:    Acrobatic: +2 bonus on all Jump checks and Tumble checks.    Agile: +2 bonus on all Balance checks and Escape Artist checks.    Animal Affinity: +2 bonus on all Handle Animal checks and Ride checks.    Arcane Expert: +2 on Knowledge(Arcana). +2 on Use Magic Device.    Artist: +2 on Perform. +2 on a single Craft skill that involves art.    Athletic: +2 bonus on all Climb checks and Swim checks    Born to Intrigue: +2 to Sense Motive. +2 to Innuendo.    Cat Burglar: +2 on Balance. +2 on Climb.    Charlatan: +2 on Bluff. +2 on Disguise.    Cunning: +2 on Bluff. +2 on Pick Pocket.    Deceitful: +2 bonus on all Disguise checks and Bluff checks.    Deft Hands: +2 bonus on all Sleight of Hand checks and Use Rope checks    Diligent: +2 bonus on all Appraise checks and Decipher Script checks.    Eye for Detail: +2 on Appraise. +2 on Search.    Fast Talker: +2 on Bluff. +2 on Diplomacy.    Flair: +2 aptitude bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks.    Investigator: +2 bonus on all Diplomacy checks and Search checks    Low Key: +2 on Disguise. +2 on Hide.    Keen Vision: +2 on Search. +2 on Spot.    Magical Talent: +2 on Spellcraft. +2 on Knowledge (Arcana).    Negotiator: +2 bonus on all Diplomacy checks and Sense Motive checks                Nimble Fingers: +2 bonus on all Disable Device checks and Open Lock checks.    Persuasive: +2 on Bluff. +2 on Intimidate.    Self-sufficient: +2 bonus on all Heal checks and Survival checks    Stealthy: +2 bonus on all Hide checks and Move Silently checksSpecial: You may gain take this feat multiple times.  Each time you do, it applies to two different skills.  Its effects do not stack.TAUNT [GENERAL]Anyone can talk smack, but when you do it, it isn’t lame.  Prerequisite: Chr 13, 4 ranks diplomacy, 4 ranks bluffBenefits: You can use your voice to your tactical advantage.  By making people who dislike you, dislike you even more, you can provoke them to engage in rash behavior.  In order to make use of the following benefits, the target of your action must understand the language you are speaking.  You cannot taunt a creature without an intelligence score.“Fight me, you son of a pig!”: You can use your diplomacy skill in place of the disguise skill when engaging in the Distract maneuver.  If you succeed you have a +8 circumstance bonus to AC vs. the opponent’s attack rather than the usual +4.   “Hey, Ugly!”: As an immediate reaction on another players turn, you can use your bluff skill to create diversion on behalf of another character who wishes to hide, or you can aid another character’s attempt to create a diversion as a free action.“My kid sister fights better than you.”: Once per round, as an immediate reaction at the beginning of an opponent’s turn in response to being attacked, you can attempt to enrage any foe so that they unconsciously adopt a reckless fighting style.  If you win a Diplomacy skill check vs. your opponent’s Sense Motive check, you force them to fight offensively for that round.“What are you chicken?”: One per round, as an immediate action at the beginning of an opponent’s turn, if you have not yet been attacked in the round, you may attempt to provoke an opponent into attacking you. If you win a Diplomacy skill check vs. your opponent’s Sense Motive check, you force them to direct all of their attacks at you for that round.  You suffer a -5 penalty on the check if you are not currently threatened by the target, but would be threatened if the target made a 5’ step.  You suffer a -10 penalty on the check if the target currently threatens another character he is hostile to, and must take a move equivalent action attack in order to attack you.  You suffer a -15 penalty on the check if the target threatens another character he is hostile to, and must make a charge attack or ranged attack in order to attack you.   Finally, you suffer a -20 penalty on the check if the target cannot move so as to attack you this round.  If the target both threatens another character he is hostile to and cannot move so as to threaten you, your attempt automatically fails.  Temple Educated [Trait, Expert]You received formal education in a temple.Prerequisite: Appropriate background.Benefit: You may always treat Knowledge (Religion) and one other skill of your choosing as class skills.  Cleric is an additional favored class for you.Special: Experts may choose Temple Educated as a bonus feat, even if they are not 1st level provided they meet the background requirement sometime after 1st level.TRAP FINDER [GENERAL]Prerequisites: 2 ranks Search, 2 ranks SpotBenefit: You can detect traps with a search DC higher than 20.Special: Rogues receive this ability at 1st level even if they do not meet the prerequisites for the feat.UNCANNY INTUTION [TRAIT]You may not always be the sharpest tool in the shed, but nothing slips past you.Benefit: Navigation, Search, and Read Lips depend on wisdom rather than intelligence.Special: Experts may take Uncanny Intuition as a bonus feat even when they are not 1st level.Valuable Advisor [General]You have a way of seeing into the heart of a problem.Prerequisite: Int 13Benefit: Whenever you take an aid other action to assist another character, that character gets a +4 circumstance bonus.Normal: Whenever you take an aid other action to assist another character, that character gets a +2 circumstance bonus.Wild Rider [Trait, General]Prerequisite: Ride 1 rank.Benefit: You suffer no penalty to your ride skill when riding bareback. Normal: The normal penalty for riding bareback is -5.</blockquote>

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