Background Points (3.5e Variant Rule)

Author: Spazalicious Chaos (talk) Date Created: July 18 2011 Status: Sketch Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Background Points

Introduction

Let's be honest- characters do not get enough skill points. This is just salt on the wound that a good half of all skills are flavor, at best. By contrast, some skills are simultaneously vital and specialized, creating only further deficit. This variant will hopefully end all that nonsense.

Rule Mechanics

Skills are hereby divided into two categories- active and background skills.

• Active Skills are Strength, Dexterity and Constitution based skills. Active skills are purchased as per the standard skill point method detailed by class. These skills represent refinement of physical abilities honed by exercise.
• Background Skills are Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma based skills. These are gained by Background Points, which equal (4+Wisdom modifier)x4 at first level and 4+Wis at every level past first. These skills represent prior training and experience in an occupation, refined by further education and personal experience.

Background points and Active points are not interchangable. Human must decide at first level whether they gain extra Active or Background points. This choice cannot be changed once made.

Bonus Optional Rule- Age

As an optional rule, character who start in or become an older age category than adult exchange Active points for Background points per level on a one per one per age category difference. For example, Roderick the Fighter has celebrated his 35th birthday before going up another level, becoming Middle Aged. Because of his advanced age, this time instead of gaining 3+Int Actives and 4+Wis Backgrounds, he gains 2+Int and 5+Wis respectively. These points can go into the negatives, which subtract from existing skills. By contrast, those who start at ages younger than Adult Trade Backgrounds for Actives on a one per one per category difference, quadrupling this trade at first level, until Adult age is achieved. For example, Arian Blade is a rogue but only 85, a Young Adult by elf standards, thus at first level she gains (9+Int)x4 Actives and (3+Wis)x4 Backgrounds at first level, so it it shall continue for 26 years.

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