Quote Originally Posted by Stubbazubba View Post
Re: Combat vs. Non-combat

The issue isn't necessarily that game-time is divided into combat and non-combat parcels, nor that abilities are grouped thusly, but rather that both combat and non-combat abilities are bought with the same character building resources, so becoming better at one means you don't keep up in the other. That creates the problems. If everyone could choose the combat Nice Things they get and choose some non-combat Nice Things, there wouldn't be the issue. The non-combat game is just not developed enough to make that really work. Also, if non-combat abilities are too useful in combat, then you're back to the same problem.
That sounds nice on paper (in fact, I think I was arguing for it at some point a while back) but in practice it doesn't work out.

The reason it doesn't work out is that the line between combat and non-combat is not so easily drawn. Unless you make your abilities very bland and straightforwards, there's going to be overlap. And if there's overlap, then you still need to choose between combat and non-combat abilities. For example, if you want to be great in combat, then you'll pick all the non-combat feats that help you out in combat. If you want to be great at non-combat things, then you're sacrificing the combat power of those combat non-combat feats, and thus sacrificing combat power.

At any rate, I don't think it's actually a problem for combat and non-combat abilities to use the same character resources. If there is any issue there, it's simply that non-combat abilities are not strong enough. In 3.5, for example, if you wanted non-combat feats you'd basically be stuck with skill training. A situational +2 bonus is very weak, so even if you were really focused on non-combat stuff, you'd still be better off with a combat feat, since it would be useful every time you went into battle.

The obvious solution is to make non-combat feats and abilities much more powerful, versatile, and interesting. Those who want to focus on combat will of course still take the combat-oriented feats, but if you want to have a character who excels at one or more skills, then you should be able to do that with your feats.