Background-Based Skills (3.5e Variant Rule)
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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.
New Feat
Rich History [General]
Your background is deeper and richer than you originally realized.Benefit: You gain an additional 3 background points with which to increase your current backgrounds, or take completely new backgrounds. This may not increase any one background to more than a total of 7 points invested.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, each time gaining an additional 3 background points.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Variant Rules
| Ghostwheelv |
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| Author | Ghostwheel + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Variant Rule + |
| Prerequisite | None + |
| Rating | Unrated + |
| Title | Background-Based Skills + |
| Type | General + |
