Number Crunching (Proto-3e fix)

[unbeliever536]

So, I'm thinking of making a 3.x varient/fix based on a proficiency system. You get something like 5-6 proficiencies, each of which give you a +1 bonus per level, and you have a class-based number which I am temporarily calling a "value" that applies to situations where you are called to do something you aren't proficient with (including combat with weapons you lack proficiency with, for example).

By selecting a different set of proficiencies, you can wind up proficient with stuff and not have your maximum possible bonus, but you can never go over the +1/level mark. I don't want [whatever] value to ever be equal to the max you could get, so the highest level for that is the current "medium" BAB progression from 3.5. For combat situations (and probably all situations), though, I'd like to still have "good," "medium," and "bad" values. I just did the numbers for +2/3 level, and this is what I got:

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{table=head]

level

|

+1 * level

|

+3/4 * level

|

+2/3 * level

|

+1/2 * level

1|+1|+0|+0|+0
2|+2|+1|+1|+1
3|+3|+2|+2|+1
4|+4|+3|+2|+2
5|+5|+3|+3|+2
6|+6|+4|+4|+3
7|+7|+5|+4|+3
8|+8|+6|+5|+4
9|+9|+6|+6|+4
10|+10|+7|+6|+5
11|+11|+8|+7|+5
12|+12|+9|+8|+6
13|+13|+9|+8|+6
14|+14|+10|+9|+7
15|+15|+11|+10|+7
16|+16|+12|+10|+8
17|+17|+12|+11|+8
18|+18|+13|+12|+9
19|+19|+14|+12|+9
20|+20|+15|+13|+10
[/table]

My issues are:

-I want to use fractional bonuses, because otherwise multiclassing gets weird, but that's awkward with fractions that aren't powers of 2.

-"Good," "medium," and "bad" values are not all different until level 7. I'm fine with them being the same at level 1-2, when adventurers are just starting out, but it's weird that the medium numbers bounce between the good and bad numbers for levels 3-7.

-I'm not sure how I want saving throws to work, or if I want to include a save/DC system in any way similar to 3.5's.

Thoughts? Ideas for different progressions?

[TuggyNE]

What all do you intend to use proficiencies for? Just weapons? Weapons and magic? Weapons, magic, skills, saves, and miscellaneous class features like rage or animal companion?

In any case, I've thought using a 1/3 progression for bad and a 2/3 for medium might provide a more dramatic difference.

Alternatively, use 1/1, 3/4, and 2/3 with a +2, +1, and +0 starting bonus respectively to make them distinct.

[unbeliever536]

These proficiencies would cover weapons (and a few other combat things that aren't strictly weapons), skills, psuedo-vancian casting and a modified psionics system that would bridge the gap between daily and at-will abilities. Proficiencies with a particular school of magic would replace caster level in prety much all cases. I was thinking AC would scale with combat value (or maybe armor proficiency. I'm not sure I want that much scaling though). If it does scale to combat value, I could easily see scaling saving throws and DCs to a "magic value" rather than the current semi-scaling mess.

Your numerical ideas are interesting, but I can't do the numbers at the moment.