What's the point with Skill Tricks?

[BryonD]

In my experience, when people want to kip up, swing from a chandelier, jump up on a table, etc., they don’t like to hear, “Roll for it.” They want to *do* it. I’ve had Players argue with me over “Roll for it,” in much the same way as:I’ve seen Players with +20 modifier spend time arguing over having to roll rather than just rolling and being done with it.

I don’t know this skill trick thing from anything, but I do see where the concept would make some Players happy to be able to do something automatically.

Quasqueton

Just because they can do a kip up doesn't mean they can do it without drawing an AoO.
It isn't just about the phsyical action, it is about the results and potential consequences.
Your player's kip up may be less equal than others.

But again, I agree that options for getting to an end are good things. (in theory, at least)

 

[VirgilCaine]

Mah, our 1st level PCs never provoke AoOs when standing up. We're all 3.0

I play 3.0--or I thought I did. 3.0 doesn't provoke AoOs for standing up?

 

[Seeten]

I love skill tricks, its too bad there are so few skill points going around. Sad for fighters again, as usual.

 

[orcmonk220]

Too true Seeten. I believe the martial class most likely to benefit is the Ranger, correct? (6 + Int Skill Points = Highest for +1/lvl BAB?)

 

[Vanuslux]

Tricks sound great to me. I like mechanics that are more towards squeaking out a bit more flavor with a little more power rather than ones that are more about a lot more power with a little more flavor. It at least sounds significantly more balanced than reserve feats in Complete Mage seem to be to me (I haven't actually seen them put into play yet, but reading them makes me a little wary of them...but I will allow them if anyone wants to use them until they prove to be a problem.

 

[Li Shenron]

I love skill tricks, its too bad there are so few skill points going around. Sad for fighters again, as usual.

There will surely be a feat soon that grants you 2 tricks.

 

[Li Shenron]

In my experience, when people want to kip up, swing from a chandelier, jump up on a table, etc., they don’t like to hear, “Roll for it.” They want to *do* it. I’ve had Players argue with me over “Roll for it,” in much the same way as:I’ve seen Players with +20 modifier spend time arguing over having to roll rather than just rolling and being done with it.

Well yes this is possible...

However keep in mind at least the following:

- out of combat Take10 allows many things to be done automatically

- very high ranks basically allow automatic success even in combat

- an automatic ability such as a trick requires no roll, and no roll means no chance for DMs to apply circumstance modifiers (unless of course she re-instates a roll, but it feels a bit artificial then)

For example: "Walk up walls: Run straight up wall for 1 round". What does that mean? Does it make a difference whether the wall is rocky-rough or flat iron? What if it's a wall of ice, or if you have ten goblins shooting arrows at you?

I don't actually know if these skill tricks actually require a roll or not (based on the preview it seems that some of them do and others don't), I'm just saying that automatic as "no roll" isn't always a good thing. Take10 can by definition be disallowed, and high enough ranks who always succeed are theoretically still requiring to roll (even if you skip the roll when you know you can't possibly fail), but what about these tricks?

 

[hong]

I love skill tricks, its too bad there are so few skill points going around. Sad for fighters again, as usual.

Skill tricks : rogues :: bonus feats : fighters

 

[solkan_uk]

Didn't Alternity have something similar. though admitedly that didn't use feats at all.

 

[Sejs]

Skill tricks : rogues :: bonus feats : fighters

Skill tricks AND bonus feats : martial rogues.