Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AnonymousInternets 03-15-07, 09:01 PM	Pretty much everyone in my group does a house rule that effectively says "once something is a class skill for you, it's always a class skill for you; Skill Focus makes its chosen skill a class skill for you." Although this is pretty lenient, I must admit that it makes it considerably easier to manage skill points and keep up in ranks when multiclassing. What do you think of it?
CowMasterTrojan 03-15-07, 10:10 PM	Sounds fine to me. Makes alot of people do a quick dip into rogue at level 1 though.
Seldriss 03-16-07, 08:09 AM	If you control your players to avoid abusive multiclassing in the above example given by Cowmastertrojan, or better, if your players are responsible and objective enough to avoid this kind of exploit by themselves, then your rule is fine.
jokey665 03-16-07, 10:15 AM	I would dip into Factotum with any character that could spare the level, probably.
Thomar_of_Uointer 03-16-07, 12:43 PM	Almost. The PHB says that if a skill is a class skill for any of your classes, you get the favorable 3 + level maximum ranks. However, I think that the class skills are as such for a reason. Otherwise I would have fighters dipping a level into Rogue for Search and Disable Device, getting the full benefit of Trapfinding with only one rogue level.
UAMDB 03-19-07, 12:32 PM	I use this all the time, in evey game. i have not seen a problem with it at all. My players take levels in classes that fit their concept, not because it gives them a few more classes to choice from. Unless they need a class skill to meet a pre-req. Which they would do even if I did not have this rule.
Ghenesh 03-20-07, 12:48 PM	I won't use such rule, because every class has its own class skills that represents the knowledge related to the class, so the skill points granted by such class must be spent the way the class suggests it. To avoid the first level dip I like this house rule: *** Classes with 2 + Int modifier skill points each additional level start with ( 4 + Int modifier ) x 4 skill points at first level (Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Sorcerer, Wizard, etc). *** Classes with 8 + Int modifier skill points each additional level start with ( 6 + Int modifier ) x 4 skill points at first level (Rogue, Scout, etc). Making the feat Skill Focus grant you the benefit of a class skill for every character level is fine too, after all is a feat.
Otto the Bugbear 03-20-07, 07:00 PM	I do this... Once you have a class where it's a class skill, the maximum ranks is your total class levels +3. If you've never had a class where it's a class skill, the maximum ranks is (class levels +3)/2. Cross class skill points are 1:1 (instead of 2:1 as the core rules have it). The way the rules are written, nobody sinks a lot of points in cross-class anyway, so it's not really amounting to that much more bonus on skill checks to do it this way. I say, "You want to put a few sorcerer skill points into Jump so you can have a +5 instead of a +1? Fine. Go ahead. Happy birthday. I don't care enough to fret over that."
Dheran 03-23-07, 10:34 PM	I use this rule, and also add that all those feats that give +2 to two skills also make those skills class skills. This somewhat reduces the tendency for Fighters to dip into Rogue just for the class skills.
Xavon 03-24-07, 01:02 PM	I think it should be slightly different: If you ever put skill points into a skill while it was a class skill, it shall forever more be a class skill for you. So if you want to dip into Rogue and get a ton of class skills, you'll have to spread your skill points around.
Nathreet 03-24-07, 03:07 PM	Skills If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, then character level determines a skill’s maximum rank. (The maximum rank for a class skill is 3 + character level.) If a skill is not a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, the maximum rank for that skill is one-half the maximum for a class skill. Each skill point you spend on a class skill gets you 1 rank in that skill. Class skills are the skills found on your character’s class skill list. Each skill point you spend on a cross-class skill gets your character ½ rank in that skill. Cross-class skills are skills not found on your character’s class skill list. (Half ranks do not improve your skill check, but two ½ ranks make 1 rank.) You can’t save skill points to spend later. The maximum rank in a class skill is the character’s level + 3. If it’s a cross-class skill, the maximum rank is half of that number (do not round up or down). Regardless of whether a skill is purchased as a class skill or a cross-class skill, if it is a class skill for any of your classes, your maximum rank equals your total character level + 3. Let's so you go fighter 1/rogue 1/fighter 2. That means your maximum ranks in disable device is 7. Obviously while taking the 1st level of fighter it costs 2 skill points to get a rank in disable device. But, while taking further fighter levels, do you spend 2 points to get a rank in disable device or 1 point?
Dheran 03-24-07, 03:21 PM	Let's so you go fighter 1/rogue 1/fighter 2. That means your maximum ranks in disable device is 7. Obviously while taking the 1st level of fighter it costs 2 skill points to get a rank in disable device. But, while taking further fighter levels, do you spend 2 points to get a rank in disable device or 1 point? By the rules, you spend 2 points because it's fighter level skill points you're spending, and those buy Disable Device at 2 skill points/rank. The easy way to determine the cost is to use the chart at the beginning of the "Skills" chapter, with • representing 1 point/rank cost and x representing 2 point/rank cost.
Horus_Sungod 03-24-07, 03:51 PM	I always use this house rules in my games. It's just much simpler! Never seen any abuse with it (not like somone would lose a level to dip in rogue).