Skills, Feats...other? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Skills, Feats...other? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lluks
12-04-07, 11:51 PM I'm sure I'm not the first to come up with this, but perhaps I have a new take on a third level of customization: Umm, actually, I don't know what to call it. Basically, it's one of those things that's entirely up to the DM and requires some DM experience to keep things balanced, but say every so many levels you can customize something about your character that's too qualitative to be a skill, but too individual to be a feat. I'm talking about Heroic Qualities (tentative name). You sit down with your DM and work out some advantage that suits your character concept. For example:

Mike the Wizard wants to use intelligence to provide a bonus to concentration instead of Constitution. It makes his character more functional, and he reasons that his character has memorized certain mind-focusing tricks that would help him.

This might seem unfair, but then everyone else has something like that too:

Johnny the Monk/Sorcerer wants to be able to multiclass freely between Monk and Sorcerer, and use his Charisma bonus instead of Wisdom to AC. His character smooths out a lot and becomes functional (I know there's a feat that does this, but he now gets to have this earlier and doesn't have to waste a feat).

Rolly the Cleric wants to be able to Turn Undead in a focused beam of positive energy, so that it affects whatever target he chooses first instead of the smallest undead first.

Tia the fighter is always getting enlarged by the Sorcerer, so she wants to be able to pick up creatures smaller than her (as long as they are a light load) and hurl them, making the equivalent of a jump check to determine the distance, and having the target take damage equal to the distance (if they hit something) or the distance fallen (if they didn't). Tia would have to make grapple checks as though pinning the opponent to do so.
Tordak
12-05-07, 08:56 AM I don't see a question, so I suppose you want to discuss about it.

It's not bad, but some of the idea are already covered in the rules.

Johnny the Monk/Sorcerer wants to be able to multiclass freely between Monk and Sorcerer, and use his Charisma bonus instead of Wisdom to AC. His character smooths out a lot and becomes functional (I know there's a feat that does this, but he now gets to have this earlier and doesn't have to waste a feat).

There's a feat, I think it's in complete adventurer (or perhaps complete mage) that covers this.

Tia the fighter is always getting enlarged by the Sorcerer, so she wants to be able to pick up creatures smaller than her (as long as they are a light load) and hurl them, making the equivalent of a jump check to determine the distance, and having the target take damage equal to the distance (if they hit something) or the distance fallen (if they didn't). Tia would have to make grapple checks as though pinning the opponent to do so.

This is already somewhat covered in grappling, but you can find explanation on it here

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050315a.

You can add the damage to the fall if you want.

All in all, the idea to add another customization is a good one, and if you want idea there D20 Modern that does some of that already, it could give you ideas. Also go onto WoTC website on the D&D page and type 'Dead levels', this will give you additionnal ideas. This might not be enough though because your heroic qualities seem to be a little more then what you get in dead levels. You can also have a look at True20 (different publisher, so please don't go see it ... ) for interesting ideas on customisation. I believe the 4th edition will have something similar, akin to the rule of the new Star Wars Saga.
LSMFT
12-06-07, 02:10 PM Everything you have here is either an existing feat: Like the monk/sorcerer thing or Fling Enemy from RoS. Or on par with feats (using one stat in place of another).

So, it doesn’t really seem to me like you need or even really want a new mechanic. You just want to give more feats, some of which may be homebrewed.
InkBlot
12-06-07, 04:15 PM Have you seen the Skill Tricks in Complete Scoundrel? They all go along this line of thinking.

Each skill trick costs 2 skill points to learn, you can only learn one each level, and they generally give you new uses for existing skills. Things like "when you start climbing, make a jump check and add the result to your climb check."

There are also feats which grant extra skill tricks (circumventing the skill point cost and 1/level clause).
Lluks
12-06-07, 06:23 PM Have you seen the Skill Tricks in Complete Scoundrel? They all go along this line of thinking.

Each skill trick costs 2 skill points to learn, you can only learn one each level, and they generally give you new uses for existing skills. Things like "when you start climbing, make a jump check and add the result to your climb check."

There are also feats which grant extra skill tricks (circumventing the skill point cost and 1/level clause).

Skill tricks seem kinda cool, and may be the first good reason I've seen to pick up the complete scoundrel. Thanks.

I still want to have a third level of customization, because while yes, one could just pick up feats to do certain things, the problem with that is players usually already have other feats that are extremely important for their character functionality, and feats don't have that individualized feel. Anyone can have a certain feat. But only one person has a "Heroic Trait," and that is tied to their character description/background, in another effort of mine to blend RP and Mechanical elements of dnd.
Lluks
12-06-07, 06:24 PM All in all, the idea to add another customization is a good one, and if you want idea there D20 Modern that does some of that already, it could give you ideas. Also go onto WoTC website on the D&D page and type 'Dead levels', this will give you additionnal ideas. This might not be enough though because your heroic qualities seem to be a little more then what you get in dead levels. You can also have a look at True20 (different publisher, so please don't go see it ... ) for interesting ideas on customisation. I believe the 4th edition will have something similar, akin to the rule of the new Star Wars Saga.

Thanks, good idea.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lluks 12-04-07, 11:51 PM	I'm sure I'm not the first to come up with this, but perhaps I have a new take on a third level of customization: Umm, actually, I don't know what to call it. Basically, it's one of those things that's entirely up to the DM and requires some DM experience to keep things balanced, but say every so many levels you can customize something about your character that's too qualitative to be a skill, but too individual to be a feat. I'm talking about Heroic Qualities (tentative name). You sit down with your DM and work out some advantage that suits your character concept. For example: Mike the Wizard wants to use intelligence to provide a bonus to concentration instead of Constitution. It makes his character more functional, and he reasons that his character has memorized certain mind-focusing tricks that would help him. This might seem unfair, but then everyone else has something like that too: Johnny the Monk/Sorcerer wants to be able to multiclass freely between Monk and Sorcerer, and use his Charisma bonus instead of Wisdom to AC. His character smooths out a lot and becomes functional (I know there's a feat that does this, but he now gets to have this earlier and doesn't have to waste a feat). Rolly the Cleric wants to be able to Turn Undead in a focused beam of positive energy, so that it affects whatever target he chooses first instead of the smallest undead first. Tia the fighter is always getting enlarged by the Sorcerer, so she wants to be able to pick up creatures smaller than her (as long as they are a light load) and hurl them, making the equivalent of a jump check to determine the distance, and having the target take damage equal to the distance (if they hit something) or the distance fallen (if they didn't). Tia would have to make grapple checks as though pinning the opponent to do so.
Tordak 12-05-07, 08:56 AM	I don't see a question, so I suppose you want to discuss about it. It's not bad, but some of the idea are already covered in the rules. Johnny the Monk/Sorcerer wants to be able to multiclass freely between Monk and Sorcerer, and use his Charisma bonus instead of Wisdom to AC. His character smooths out a lot and becomes functional (I know there's a feat that does this, but he now gets to have this earlier and doesn't have to waste a feat). There's a feat, I think it's in complete adventurer (or perhaps complete mage) that covers this. Tia the fighter is always getting enlarged by the Sorcerer, so she wants to be able to pick up creatures smaller than her (as long as they are a light load) and hurl them, making the equivalent of a jump check to determine the distance, and having the target take damage equal to the distance (if they hit something) or the distance fallen (if they didn't). Tia would have to make grapple checks as though pinning the opponent to do so. This is already somewhat covered in grappling, but you can find explanation on it here http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050315a. You can add the damage to the fall if you want. All in all, the idea to add another customization is a good one, and if you want idea there D20 Modern that does some of that already, it could give you ideas. Also go onto WoTC website on the D&D page and type 'Dead levels', this will give you additionnal ideas. This might not be enough though because your heroic qualities seem to be a little more then what you get in dead levels. You can also have a look at True20 (different publisher, so please don't go see it ... ) for interesting ideas on customisation. I believe the 4th edition will have something similar, akin to the rule of the new Star Wars Saga.
LSMFT 12-06-07, 02:10 PM	Everything you have here is either an existing feat: Like the monk/sorcerer thing or Fling Enemy from RoS. Or on par with feats (using one stat in place of another). So, it doesn’t really seem to me like you need or even really want a new mechanic. You just want to give more feats, some of which may be homebrewed.
InkBlot 12-06-07, 04:15 PM	Have you seen the Skill Tricks in Complete Scoundrel? They all go along this line of thinking. Each skill trick costs 2 skill points to learn, you can only learn one each level, and they generally give you new uses for existing skills. Things like "when you start climbing, make a jump check and add the result to your climb check." There are also feats which grant extra skill tricks (circumventing the skill point cost and 1/level clause).
Lluks 12-06-07, 06:23 PM	Have you seen the Skill Tricks in Complete Scoundrel? They all go along this line of thinking. Each skill trick costs 2 skill points to learn, you can only learn one each level, and they generally give you new uses for existing skills. Things like "when you start climbing, make a jump check and add the result to your climb check." There are also feats which grant extra skill tricks (circumventing the skill point cost and 1/level clause). Skill tricks seem kinda cool, and may be the first good reason I've seen to pick up the complete scoundrel. Thanks. I still want to have a third level of customization, because while yes, one could just pick up feats to do certain things, the problem with that is players usually already have other feats that are extremely important for their character functionality, and feats don't have that individualized feel. Anyone can have a certain feat. But only one person has a "Heroic Trait," and that is tied to their character description/background, in another effort of mine to blend RP and Mechanical elements of dnd.
Lluks 12-06-07, 06:24 PM	All in all, the idea to add another customization is a good one, and if you want idea there D20 Modern that does some of that already, it could give you ideas. Also go onto WoTC website on the D&D page and type 'Dead levels', this will give you additionnal ideas. This might not be enough though because your heroic qualities seem to be a little more then what you get in dead levels. You can also have a look at True20 (different publisher, so please don't go see it ... ) for interesting ideas on customisation. I believe the 4th edition will have something similar, akin to the rule of the new Star Wars Saga. Thanks, good idea.