Drolyt Homebrew Project 3: Skill Condensation 3.5(PEACH)

[Drolyt]

I am working on various homebrews as a sort of test for when and if I make my own D20 variant. Previous homebrews can be found here and here. This particular homebrew is much simpler, I'm simply condensing the skill system by combining closely related skills. Later on I'll try modifying the skills themselves to both make them simpler and more useful. The format will be Skill Name (Primary ability) [skills subsumed in the new skill]. Please comment on the following: 1. Whether condensing the Skills was a good idea 2. Whether my new system has too many or too few skills 3. Whether the combinations of skills I've chosen makes sense and 4. Anything else you think is important.

Spoiler

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Acrobatics (Dex) [Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble]
Athletics (Str) [Climb, Jump, Swim]
Awareness (Wis) [Listen, Search, Spot]
Bluff (Cha)
Craft (Int) [Now one skill; unrealistic, but better represents the archetype of the master craftsmen; also includes Appraise]
Decipher Script (Int) [Decipher Script, Forgery]
Diplomacy (Cha) [Diplomacy, Gather Information]
Disable Device (Dex) [Disable Device, Open Lock]
Handle Animal (Cha) [Handle Animal, Ride]
Heal (Wis)
Intimidate (Cha)
Knowledge (Int) [Still ten separate skills]
Perform (Cha) [Now one skill, similar rational as for Craft]
Profession (Wis) [Still many skills]
Sense Motive (Wis)
Sleight of Hand (Dex) [Sleight of Hand, Use Rope]
Spellcraft (Int) [Spellcraft, most abilities of Concentration]
Stealth (Dex) [Hide and Move Silently]
Survival (Wis)
Use Magic Device (Cha)

That's 28 skills, counting all ten Knowledge skills but Profession as one skill.

[FlamingKobold]

Looks pretty good. I think it is, from a brief lookover, pretty balanced. Not much to really add or critique. I like the idea, because people in 3.5 get so few skills, and now a rogue's skills can be unique!

[Drolyt]

Looks pretty good. I think it is, from a brief lookover, pretty balanced. Not much to really add or critique. I like the idea, because people in 3.5 get so few skills, and now a rogue's skills can be unique!

The Rogue's reliance on a few skills that basically use all your skill points is one of the main reasons for the revision. As a side note, what does everyone think of class skills with this variant?

[FlamingKobold]

For what are your class skills, you mean? If so, then I think that you should get all the same ones, and if it happens to come in a bundle package, all the better.

[Drolyt]

For what are your class skills, you mean? If so, then I think that you should get all the same ones, and if it happens to come in a bundle package, all the better.

That's the obvious solution. I was thinking of doing away with class skills entirely, but maybe making certain powerful skills (UMD in particular) cost two points for everyone (but not have the (level+3)/2 limit.

[Latronis]

i'm not sure moving concentration into spellcraft is a particularly good idea

and i also disagree with craft + appraise together, though i can buy any of the other combinations

[Drolyt]

i'm not sure moving concentration into spellcraft is a particularly good idea

and i also disagree with craft + appraise together, though i can buy any of the other combinations

Yeah maybe concentration should be its own skill, but the main thing with appraise is that alone it is rather useless.

[Eldan]

An alternate suggestion:
Make several craft and profession skills, for different areas, however, merge craft, profession and appraise.
So, as an example, someone taking Profession: Blacksmith could earn money as a blacksmith, craft metallic items and appraise them.
Of course, it doesn't work with all professions...

[Drolyt]

An alternate suggestion:
Make several craft and profession skills, for different areas, however, merge craft, profession and appraise.
So, as an example, someone taking Profession: Blacksmith could earn money as a blacksmith, craft metallic items and appraise them.
Of course, it doesn't work with all professions...

In some ways (making gp per week) craft already functions as profession. The way I see it that should be profession (Blacksmith), Craft should be for PCs and significant NPCs who want to make cool stuff. As part of making skills more useful I'm going to involve the Craft skill in crafting magic items, so it makes sense for it to be one skill, otherwise it would cost too many points to be good at crafting.

[npc revolution]

Perhaps appraise would fit better with the perception skills (spot, search etc.) because you're perceiving the value of something...

might make perception too powerful as a skill, though.

[Drolyt]

Perhaps appraise would fit better with the perception skills (spot, search etc.) because you're perceiving the value of something...

might make perception too powerful as a skill, though.

Condensing Spot, Listen, and Search into one skill already makes it one of the most valuable skills. Adding appraise is a little ridiculous. I think appraise fits better with the master craftsmen shtick.

Since the thread has been revived anyways, another thing I was thinking of recently was just dumping all the knowledge skills into a single Lore skill (that's how Neverwinter Nights does it). Good idea? Bad idea?

[Andy0]

Hi, I guess this is my first post here but I've been lurking for ages.

I've been trying a similar reworking of the skill system myself and drew immense inspiration from (read as: never would have succeeded without) Fax's d20 Rebirth skill system. It's an amazing system. Personally I found the "skill set" system works as a great replacement for the original class skill system.

As for your grouping of skills, I would suggest removing search from perception and keeping it as a separate skill. Search can encompass small and useful sub-skills like reading lips, investigating crime-scenes, even adding appraise.

[Drolyt]

Hi, I guess this is my first post here but I've been lurking for ages.

I've been trying a similar reworking of the skill system myself and drew immense inspiration from (read as: never would have succeeded without) Fax's d20 Rebirth skill system. It's an amazing system. Personally I found the "skill set" system works as a great replacement for the original class skill system.

As for your grouping of skills, I would suggest removing search from perception and keeping it as a separate skill. Search can encompass small and useful sub-skills like reading lips, investigating crime-scenes, even adding appraise.

I am aware of Fax's system. Well I think Fax does a good job overall I don't really like where D20 Rebirth is going. At any rate I've been thinking about ditching "class skills" altogether, or having your class skills give you a bonus in those skills rather than affecting how many points you can buy.

As for Search I'll think about it. I haven't really finalized this yet it was just a search for ideas.

Edit: Also thanks for the post. Participating is always more fun than lurking (although I lurk all the time ).