How about a script that allows a character, upon entering the server, to pick a bonus skill if they have a bonus to Intelligence? For example, an Elf Fighter has 14 Intelligence, and takes Concentration, Discipline, Parry, and Lore for his 4 skills. Now, if that elf is of the Sun variety, it gets a list of the remaining, unchosen skills to put points towards. It chooses Craft Armor, and gets a skill bonus put on its racial hide when it enters the server!

How's that?

I considered a similar suggestion before. The "manufactured" or "EfU" bonus to intelligence is essentially only a bonus to int.-based skills. Another entire skill that was available to make up for the loss of skill points would be nice.

don't know if you can add an entire skill to the game engine. Sounds pretty invasive.

djspectre don't know if you can add an entire skill to the game engine. Sounds pretty invasive.

No, no, no. Not "add" as in create, just provide 1skillpoint per level to a specific skill chosen at game start to make up for the +2 int that doesn't provide it.

But then again, what about the sub-race who have -2 int? Sounds hard to balance that out too.

You get more wizard spells, and a +1 to all int based skill checks. But yea, the skill points you would have gotten arent there. Maybe grant those races the "quick to master" feat or something?

Gods, no. Quick to Master far outweighs a few skill points. I suspect this would be fairly easy to script, the question is more if it's really desired (at which I'm undecided).

I think its too much trouble to script, since you would have to check for each class- which skill is crossed-class, etc.

Sounds like a pain for little value, I mean.. sure its an impact but it doesn't matter in the end, does it?

It couldn't be too tough. Maybe have some sort of panel like the deity panel in the OOC area, only accessable by the races with positive INT modifiers. From there, you select a skill, and get the bonus.

9lives It couldn't be too tough. Maybe have some sort of panel like the deity panel in the OOC area, only accessable by the races with positive INT modifiers. From there, you select a skill, and get the bonus.

Thank you!

And Mort, thanks for your contribution. I didn't consider that it would require a lot of calculations. That is a very good point.

If all else fails, you could make the script provide a full bonus (level + 3) to one of the generic skills that are class skills for almost every class (Heal, Lore, the Craft skills) or a cross-class bonus (level/2 + 1, rounded up) if any other skill is chosen. AE, Perform and UMD not being options ever. It's a flawed solution but I imagine it'd be a lot easier to script. Plus, Heal and Lore are far from useless as skills.

Shadowdancer and Weapon Master don't have the Craft Skills as class skills, but I think we could live with that.

Mort I think its too much trouble to script, since you would have to check for each class- which skill is crossed-class, etc.

Sounds like a pain for little value, I mean.. sure its an impact but it doesn't matter in the end, does it?

For example, if you are a level eight sun elf character with three levels of bard, two levels of rogue, and three levels of fighter, what happens if you pick Tumble? (class skill for rogue/bard, cross-class for fighter) What happens if you pick UMD? (not even available to fighter?) Or Perform? (only available to bards)

Anthee's proposal might work. I will look into it.