Unmodified Skill Points

[DanMcS]

IMC, Charisma bonus adds to (or subtracts from) action points.

That's what I would do, too. In fact, rather than 5 + 1/2 level, I'd do Cha modifier + 1/2 level.

 

[Nim]

I mean, really, what does INT have to do with being able to jump or swim well. Or to intimidate. Or any one of a number of things. Classes like the fighter get hosed considerably when INT determines how 'skilled' they are.

The logic, I believe, is that Intelligence affects how quickly you learn. If two characters get the same basic training (read: are the same class) over the same time (read: are the same level), the smarter one will learn more from it than the dumb one. That's why Int doesn't increase your skill at jumping or swimming, but does give you more skill points to spend on them. Basically, it represents you being a quick study.

There are certainly other ways you could do it. For instance:

a) Give each character two pools of skill points: one for 'physical' skills and one for 'mental' skills. They get bonus mental-skill points based on Int, because these are skills you study. They get bonus physical-skill points based on Dex, because these are skills that are less about brainpower-learning, and more about muscle memory and coordination.

b) Go whole hog: Give bonus skill points for EVERY stat, but they can only be used on skills that are based on that stat. Your base skill points for your level can be spent however you like.

I'm not sure either of those would actually work, but if you really want to change it around, they're things you could consider.

Either of those options would need something extra to be added to Int, to make it worthwhile for non-wizards. Option a) would also want something to be taken away from Dex, to keep it from being TOO useful. Pulling from a different thread...one option would be to base Init bonus on Int instead of Dex.

 

[Nim]

The problem I have with the current system is that, for example, fighters are screwed. They already have too many stats they need (STR, DEX, CON) that INT is usually a dump stat.This means that fighters have nothing as far as skills when that shouldn't be the case.

Answering this separately...PCs who complain about that basically need to make different choices. Every class would like to have high scores in EVERY stat. It's all about setting priorities, and it's nothing other classes don't suffer from. Clerics and Sorcerors would certainly like to have skill points, but they've got other stats that are pretty important to them, too.

Dumping Int is a choice, and it needs to cost something. Of course, it'd be nice if the same were true of Charisma.... The problem there is that everyone benefits from having a decent Int, but having a crappy Charisma is generally meaningless as long as there's at least one person in the party who isn't an ill-mannered leper.

 

[Crothian]

The problem I have with the current system is that, for example, fighters are screwed. They already have too many stats they need (STR, DEX, CON) that INT is usually a dump stat.This means that fighters have nothing as far as skills when that shouldn't be the case.

Well, that's not true though. A archer doesn't need a high stength or con. A heavy armor weaing fighter doesn't need a high Str. And any fighter can survive with a 10 or 12 con, they get good hitpoints and fort save so the con bonuses are not as important.

My last fighter had a 14 intellegence and that worked great.

 

[Mortis]

A heavy armor weaing fighter doesn't need a high Str.

I think you may have meant Dex. About the only use of Dex for a heavily armoured fighter would be his Reflex save. (or possibly the Ride skill if he's gone done the mounted route).

Regards,
Mortis

 

[Nifft]

I think you may have meant Dex. About the only use of Dex for a heavily armoured fighter would be his Reflex save. (or possibly the Ride skill if he's gone done the mounted route).

Er, and Initiative. That's important for everyone.

-- N

 

[Mortis]

Er, and Initiative. That's important for everyone.

Indee. How could I have forgot Initiative?

Regards,
Mortis

 

[ThirdWizard]

I always forget initiative too.

 

[Anax]

Wow... I'd hate to play in a game where skill points was a set amount, unlinked to Int... When I build a fighter, I usually rank Int ahead of Con. (I know, I know, I'm a bit odd.)

It's not just that a high Intelligence provides a way to differentiate characters (a fighter can be strong/fast/tough/smart to various degrees), but that not being able to pump up Int to get more skill points can be a serious problem for certain goals. For example, if you made fighters have 2 skill points per level, that makes it nearly impossible for a fighter to get mobility-enhancing skills. (Admittedly, a fighter who wants to do a lot of mobility-related skills should probably take one level of some other class to increase the cross-skill cap on Tumble.)

It also means that a fighter who has an Int of 13+ is doing it pretty much *just* for Combat Expertise... A +1 bonus to all Knowledge skills isn't that interesting when you don't have any skill points to spend getting ranks in Knowledge skills.


Anyway, what it really comes down to is that I like to play fighters with an Int of at least 14, so such a system would piss me off to no end. ;> Heck, one of my favorite 3E characters was such a fighter who was the most intelligent character in the party.