An idea for a small addition to the skill system...

[Voxden]

I think characters should be able to choose a cross-classed skill to advance as if they had taken a level in another class before that has that skill as part of its hat(in simple terms, advancement of said skill is half a skill-point per investment, but can reach the 23 cap instead of 11.50). Any single skill cross-class skill(excluding UMD or class restricted skills for obvious reasons!) could be taken and considered more of a skill the character has taken an interest in either due to a major hobby, or a skill that they take interest in due to it meshing well with their role even tho it isn't possible to learn it along side their base skills and need to spend free time to master it instead.

The entire concept for this is since some people seem to always need one extra skill their class(es) don't offer, but the investment could be a useful place for leftover skill-points, or just due to it being useful to invest in for a certain (multi)classes, but isn't a full skill.

This could be part of the main system during character creation, or perhaps something someone can pay for as a service from a trainer that has the skill as their main territory(only once for a single skill, and permanently).

Thoughts?

[Sunnie]

It's an idea that I don't think would do much harm (though most people would choose UMD, a few others perform or possibly spellcraft), but I don't think it would be very easy to code. I'm speculating here, but I imagine that back in the day some developer went "ok, so one skill point per level, 3 extra at first, how do I do those cc-skills easiest... let's go with skill_level=number_of_skill_points/2 for them". As I said, this is speculation, but it's a good bet that the highest number of points you can have in a skill is hard-coded to be character_level+3. Your suggestion might mean the devs have to venture into the deepest recesses of ancient code and recode that thing, and then possibly a lot of other things that build up on it to allow the exception that one skill can go up to 2*(character level+3).
As you describe it it would have to be added to character creation somewhere, which is a whole different can of spaghetti-code.

As is I can not endorse this suggestion, what benefits do you think it would have?

[Voxden]

It's an idea that I don't think would do much harm (though most people would choose UMD, a few others perform or possibly spellcraft), but I don't think it would be very easy to code. I'm speculating here, but I imagine that back in the day some developer went "ok, so one skill point per level, 3 extra at first, how do I do those cc-skills easiest... let's go with skill_level=number_of_skill_points/2 for them". As I said, this is speculation, but it's a good bet that the highest number of points you can have in a skill is hard-coded to be character_level+3. Your suggestion might mean the devs have to venture into the deepest recesses of ancient code and recode that thing, and then possibly a lot of other things that build up on it to allow the exception that one skill can go up to 2*(character level+3).
As you describe it it would have to be added to character creation somewhere, which is a whole different can of spaghetti-code.

As is I can not endorse this suggestion, what benefits do you think it would have?

Well you do bring up an interesting subject, but I made this post figuring that the developers are used to ripping open the code in some spots to fix issues(after all they probably need to rip the old code open to fix old, or newer unforeseen issues that have to do with the old hard-code being the source)... also I figure the additions of all the new races and classes over the years required at least some way to make the new additions simple and easy, but my idea is a different addition that indeed might be... much harder. We do not know what the Devs have to go through so it is up in the air just in case.

As for the Benefits... well the aim of the suggestion is to merely add another way to define our characters slightly more in-depth by allowing them to possibly master a skill that isn't in their job descriptions. as in, allowing them to mesh something that might help them either break the mound a bit, or maybe use it to enhance a specific role(pale-masters with heal to give them a slight boost to negative energy, fighter kensei with a bit more tumble then usual, and a paladin with some balance for tanking, etc). Tho this comes with possible restrictions(UMD should not be a skill that can be taken with this option for good reasons).

back on the coding: I will say the whole idea could be something to be disregarded, but if they for some reason want to do a bit of overhauling to the base character creation for some reason or another, then they could possibly slip this in as a side feature during such an update... tho I think it could be done in a way it doesn't require any real complexity aside from adding and going without needing to do much editing to pre-existing code.

Another way to do simple might be to possibly instead of tweaking with character creation, just make an existing NPC(or add a new one) that can do you a service of granting you a changeable permanent buff that doubles the base skill points you spent in only one skill. while also making it cost a certain amount of platinum that increases if done to much in a certain period of time(like enhancement respecs).