UA: Level Based Skills

[Dark Psion]

I am thinking of adding this one to my game and for those who have not yet got a copy of Unearthed Arcana, this variant skill system grants you all of your class skills and assumes you have your level in skill ranks. Cross class skills are assumed to be at 0 ranks.

I like this one because it removes the problem of players trying to Min/Max their skills and if all 5th level Rogues have 5 ranks in their skills, the one with a Dex 20 and the other with Alterness and Skill Focus feats are going to stand out.

One problem here is Craft, Profession and Knowledge. These have a lot of sub-skills, how many should they get?

They should get any class related versions, Knowledge(Psionics) for a Psion or Knowledge(Nature) for a Druid, but then what?

Should they get their Ability Modifier in sub-skills (Int 18= 4 Craft Skills)?
Can they leave a few open for newly learned trades or lore?

 

[Li Shenron]

Are you sure the variant gives ranks in ALL your class skills? Isn't it simply about choosing as many class skills as your amount of skill points/level + Int and considering them at max ranks (which is basically what you can do with core rules, only that you ignore the possibility of spreading the skill points more)?

 

[Frostmarrow]

Are you sure the variant gives ranks in ALL your class skills? Isn't it simply about choosing as many class skills as your amount of skill points/level + Int and considering them at max ranks (which is basically what you can do with core rules, only that you ignore the possibility of spreading the skill points more)?

Both options are in the UA.

 

[Particle_Man]

I am thinking of adding this one to my game and for those who have not yet got a copy of Unearthed Arcana, this variant skill system grants you all of your class skills and assumes you have your level in skill ranks. Cross class skills are assumed to be at 0 ranks.

One problem here is Craft, Profession and Knowledge. These have a lot of sub-skills, how many should they get?

Should they get their Ability Modifier in sub-skills (Int 18= 4 Craft Skills)?
Can they leave a few open for newly learned trades or lore?

Remember, this variant is for people that don't like to worry about skills, and so (presumably) are not out to min/max along the skills lines, because it is abusable. So the simple answer to how many sub-skills they should get is, if Craft or Profession or Perform are class skills, ALL of them, otherwise NONE; if any Knowledges are sub-skills, ALL of the knowledge skills that are class skills for that class, and NONE of the other ones. As for leaving skills open, that is inapplicable. No cross-class skills are ever going to gain ranks, and all class skills are already known and will all increase at one rank per level.

Now to the potential abuse. Multi-class characters can be powerful. A fighter 19/rogue 1 has effectively 20 ranks in all fighter and all rogue class skills. So as long as everyone is aware of this, this may not be a problem (note: a ban on multi-classing can remove this particular "feature")

The option gives up realism and a bit of skill power and gains extreme simplicity in skill choice and use. If your players like to decide how to spend skill points, or would not be happy at having effectively 3 less points in "maxed out" skills, then this option may not be for you.

 

[Rel]

For me personally, that rule sounds simultaneously ripe for abuse and boring as hell.

YMMV

 

[Silveras]

For me personally, that rule sounds simultaneously ripe for abuse and boring as hell.

YMMV

Well, I note that people are focusing on the part about it being for people who "don't want to worry about tracking skill points". Unfortunately, the same people seem to be ignoring the OTHER half of the advice, that says "this variant is for games where skills are not important AND people don't...".

In other words, this simple variant is not a good choice for a game where the DM requires a lot of skill checks, because of the potential for abuse. If you do not make a lot of skill checks, investing the time to choose skill ranks is somewhat wasted; so, the simple skill systems are proposed.

 

[Coredump]

How hard is it to put points in to skills once in a while???

If you want to simplify it, just always max out your skills....


Not sure what the benefit/need for this variant is...

 

[Particle_Man]

You are trapped in the boonies. The only people you can game with are your 8 year old twin kid sisters and your almost-senile grandparents, who usually only play bridge. They like the idea of having long-term characters and resist you giving them any advice on what to do with their characters, so pre-gens or DM-made alterations are not an option.

Do you really want to waste time explaining the allocation of skill points to these people? It will be hard enough to explain feats.

Every variant has its use in one campaign or another.

 

[Dark Psion]

Well as to Multi-classing, Class skill= Class level will be better. That Fighter 19/ Rogue1 wouls only have 1 rank in most of his rogue skills in my game. Character level would only apply to those skills shared by all classes.

As to why, I think sometimes the game can become weighed down with just too many numbers. Remember Skill Proficiencies were not even a part of D&D till the Wilderness and Dungeoneers Survival Guides came out in 1986.

This is one aspect of the game that can be streamlined a bit for those that need to refocus on the fantasy aspects over the more mundane aspects.