Two extra skill points per level (and character backgrounds)

[silvermane]

IMC (currently 13th level) the PCs gain 2 "education skill points" each level (and 2x4 = 8 at 1st level). These ESPs can only be spent on Knowlege, Craft, Perform or Profession.

So far, no ill effects.

-- N

Isn't that because those skills come into play rather sparingly? Unlike, for example, Concentration or Spellcraft?

 

[CGoat]

Clerics take a beating. I can't see how they would just get 2/lvl you have 4 key skills Concentration, Heal, Knowledge religion and Spellcraft.... Now compare them to druids and druids have sp's to burn.

Another one I have problems with is why do fighters have less than Barbarians? They should at least be equal.

I really like the extra 4 at first and +1 per level. Or the 2 education points per level I would leave the barbarian out of the education one tho. Or limit them to 1/lvl

 

[Sadrik]

I agree with what you are doing.

I personally feel the skill system falls flat. Here is one argument:

The game is based on four encounters a day and thirteen encounters before you go up a level. In my game it never works out like this but follow me on this.

So, that means that every 3 1/4 days a character goes up a level. They gain skills every 3 1/4 days. Characters start with 4/23rds of their potential skill points and over the course of their other nineteen levels they gain the rest.

I have run campaigns that the characters go into a module/dungeon and come out three levels higher easy. Now where did they get all that extra training? While they are in there?

I think that it should not be 4/23rds of your potential. I think it should be a much higher percentage for a starting character. Then gain (percentage wise) few skill points as you go up.

How about adding 10 to the starting skill ranks so you begin with 14/33rds of your skill points. I think 2 per level would be fine then.

Or you could scrap the whole system and use my skill system that I am very happy with. It is here: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=138310

Good luck!

 

[Odysseus]

What i've tried is, to give out skill ranks as bonuses, like experience points. No more than 2 per level. Usually in knowledge skills, but it varies depending on what the character has been doing.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

I think that adding 2 more skill points would in part reduce the values of:

1) intelligence scores
2) human bonus skill points
3) to a lesser extent other races flat bonuses
4) rogues, bards & rangers as proportionally they will offer less

You may well see skill duplication across characters (cc spot for e.g.). The benefit may outweigh the cost for individual campaigns but as a general rule I think it is a bad idea.

 

[Nifft]

Isn't that because those skills come into play rather sparingly? Unlike, for example, Concentration or Spellcraft?

Yes, and certainly less often than Spot, Listen, Sense Motive, and other "passive" skills.

This is why they're seldom taken -- and this is stinky, because they're excellent ways for a PC to show some character.

-- N

 

[Psion]

Clerics take a beating. I can't see how they would just get 2/lvl you have 4 key skills Concentration, Heal, Knowledge religion and Spellcraft.... Now compare them to druids and druids have sp's to burn.

Clerics are one of the main arguments for this change.

In fact, the straw that broke the camel's back for me was Eldritch Sorcery. It has some pretty cool domains that give you new class skills... but what good are they? As a cleric, you don't have the Int points a wizard is going to have to help you out, arguably you need concentration, spellcraft, and knowlege just as bad. What good are some new class skills going to do you?

 

[Psion]

Or you could scrap the whole system

Those are usually not words that endear me.

I'm all about the support. I tend to avoid systems that aren't "plug-in" in nature.

 

[Psion]

I think that adding 2 more skill points would in part reduce the values of:

4) rogues, bards & rangers as proportionally they will offer less

I think I have already explained why I think this is not a concern. The same reason applies to the other points to some extent as well: if you increase the importance of skills, the value of things that enhance skills, and classes that are strong in skills to begin with, goes up.

 

[IndyPendant]

The problem with a flat increase in skill points per level is that everyone will then just take the 'power' skills--i.e. whatever is used most in your campaigns--most often. What I've done instead is designated some skills as only costing 1/2 the base, and eliminated a couple entirely. (i.e. 1/2 SP/rank for class skills, 1 SP/rank for cross class.) Half-cost skills: Balance, Climb, Craft (Excluding Alchemy), Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Jump, Perform, Profession, Swim, Use Rope. --I then removed Decipher Script (the most utterly incredibly putridly USELESS skill in the game) and Open Lock (which is mechanically similar to Disable Device, and thus absorbed into it--which D20 Modern does anyways).

I haven't been using these rules long enough to see if they work for certain yet--but no hiccups so far. Makes the less-powerful skills more attractive, whereas increasing skill points would simply allow players to top up all the uber skills better.