Background-Based Skills (3.5e Variant Rule)

Background-Based Skills
Rather than the usual skill system currently used in D&D, this system allows you to take wide-reaching backgrounds that allow you to use various skills.

Upon character creation, every creature gets 8 background points to invest in various backgrounds ranging anywhere from "assassin" to "wilderness trekker" to "street rat", up to a maximum of 5 in any background.

When a skill check would normally be called for, rather than rolling a specific skill, the DM decides what ability score is appropriate. The player then rolls 1d20 + HD + appropriate ability modifier + miscellaneous + background points invested (if applicable, though only the highest-invested background applies).

The player may attempt to convince the DM how or why a specific background might be applicable to any specific check rolled, though the DM, as always, has the final call whether any specific background may be used.

''Note: Miscellaneous modifiers include racial bonuses, armor check penalties, and bonuses provided by feats, among others. If, for example, a character got a miscellaneous +2 bonus to Spot checks, they would get the bonus only when attempting to spot something regardless whether or not they were able to use any background with it.''