Where to spend Fighter skill points- what do you think are good skills for a fighter?

[RedSwan78]

Hello all!

Well, (like always) my title pretty much explains the brunt of the question. After Savage Species came out and we found out that my DM and I where doing Skills wrong, I need to re-do my fighter's skill points. (if you don't want to read all the flavor/explanation, the basic question IS: What do you, as a Fighter, like to spend your skill points on? Also, I'm not really interested in Mounted Combat)

He's a 3rd lvl Half-Dragon(Gold)/half Human Fighter that uses a spiked chain and focuses on tripping (and soon) disarming people I really like the whole concept that I have going for him, and he has an *excellent* background/flavor to him, great fun to roleplay!

Here's the stats: after 32-point buy and Half-dragon racial ability mods and my 1 point bump-up (4th "lvl" ability increase) this is what I have:

Str- 27
Dex- 14
Con- 16
Int- 14
Wis- 8
Cha- 10

See, before we thought that I got "Dragon skill points" for my "3 levels of Half-Dragon", well we know we're wrong now and my game is Saturday and I need to re-do his skills. Before I was allowed to pick things from the "Dragon" skill list, but that's obviously not the case now. I had had a few ranks in bluff, diplomacy, escape artist, knowledge Dragons, and Tumble. (like I said, these where on the Dragon "skill list" so I had access to them). I also used cross-class points to learn some cool languages. (Elven, Dwarven, Giant, Undercommon and 2 regional dialects, Baklunish and Suloise)

Sooo, after finding out how things really work, I'm looking at a 3rd lvl Human Fighter with a 14 intelligence, so I get 4 extra points at 1st lvl, and then 5 points for all fighter lvls afterwards. So that's:

20 at 1st lvl--(2+2int) X 4 (+4human)
5 at 2nd lvl
5 at 3rd lvl

I'm wondering, what do you, as a Fighter like to spend your skills on? Since I use the spiked chain and focus on Tripping and Disarming people, I don't see that great of a need to do the Ride skill, I won't be taking Mounted Combat feats.. We play in the Greyhawk world.

So, I'd love to here your opinions and thoughts and what *you* like to do with your Fighter.. even if it doesn't particularly pertain to me, it still would open my eyes a bit perhaps! Thanks!

 

[Crothian]

I like climb, balance, and swim. Movement is always important.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Balance is good. Climb and swim are significantly less important (to the point that you may as well not bother - you'll never be good enough at swimming to carry even half of the gear of an average fighter, and you'll almost always be good enough to swim once you dump your gear. Practically the same goes for climb - either you're not ready to climb, and you'll fail, or your ready and you'll succeed).

I'd consider going out and cross-classing into all your old skills, even though they'll be lower level, and you might not be able to afford all of them.

 

[Celebrim]

A fighter has a real limited skill list and few skill requirements to do what they do. As such, they benifit more than most from cross classing. The only class skill they have which might qualify as essential is swim. You might also want to pick up a few ranks in Craft(Weaponsmith), but that will depend on the campaign and the DM.

It seldom hurts to have ranks in spot and listen, so if you know nothing else to do - buy ranks in those skills cross class. This is a particularly good idea given your miserable wisdom score. (I hope you are planning to buy Iron Will. You have a powerful character with a huge achilles heel or two.)

Balance is also cross class for a fighter, but is definately a good skill since it helps against one of the primary armor check penalties.

Of your existing skills, escape artist is probably the best skill, but with that insane strength score you have it might not be all that useful. Tumble is a great skill, but I don't think you have enough points to make much of it. Keep at least one rank though, because it is trained only.

So I'd be tempted mostly to keep the languages, unless you happen not to be traveling with a cleric, paladin, or bard - in which case having a few points in diplomacy and bluff couldn't hurt.

 

[ArcOfCorinth]

Cross-class with Spot and Listen. Its good to know you have enemies to fight.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

cross-class spot/listen and SWIM.

I am a strong proponent for not-sinking-while-wearing-fullplate club.

 

[Bauglir]

Speak Language is fun. NOONE expects the fighter to be the one translating the strange runes

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Spot, Listen, Move Silently, and Hide. These are the difference between being a peasant with a can opener and being the deadly death soldier of death.

Also, you're a Half Dragon. Intimidate. Even with your substandard Charisma, intimidation is the lifeblood of any dragon, even a diluted one.

 

[Stalker0]

Fighters get skills!!!!????

 

[isoChron]

Fighters get skills!!!!????

Oh, my god !!!! Nobody told me !