"Modified" skill caps, What counts? Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[sorcel]

Proviso: I'm not saying a player necessarily should be allowed to play a character like the one I'm about to describe, especially if it's imbalancing. I'm just trying to figure out where certain lines get drawn. Also, I don't have my BBB here -- I'm at a public library -- so go easy with the "go look it up" stuff. :)

Let's say an adept has Agility 5 and Clubs (staff) 6. He also takes Improved Ability (Clubs) 1, and buys a Force 2 weapon focus (a staff) at character creation.

Wielding his magical staff, he'd have 5 (Agility) + 8 (Clubs, w/ specialization) + 1 (Improved Ability) + 2 (weapon focus) + 2 (staff's natural reach) = 18 dice.

But then you have to figure in the "modified" skill cap, i.e., base skill x 1.5. My question is, what counts as "base," what as "modified," and what as "bonus dice"?

According to errata, specializations don't modify the base. So his base, evidently, remains Clubs 6, with a "modified" cap of 9. Does that mean all those other bonuses fall under "modified"? If so, the result would be that a character can't benefit from, e.g., more than 1 level of Improved Ability while wielding a staff -- since the staff's reach is 2, for a total of +3, making a modified skill of 9.

Or are things like weapon reach and the force of a weapon focus just "bonus dice" that don't come under the cap?

Clarification would be appreciated.

-S