Skill Master (3.5e Class)

Skill Master

The Skill Master is the person who, from a child, decides they want to be good at everything. Some know everything that can be known by a mortal mind; some are master thieves; some decide to be the best crafters in existence. Either way, they are known as the talented ones.

Making a Skill Master

Skill masters have incredible prowess with skills; however, because of that focus, their battle abilities are somewhat lacking. Their only techniques in battle are ones that are specifically skill-based, or ones that they get from feats.

Abilities: Any abilities could be very important, depending on the skill path desired. Intelligence is almost always important in order to maximize the number of skills learned every level. Strength and Constitution are important for a skill master wishing to use more fighting-type skills, while Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma will be extremely useful for social types or scout types.

Races: The skill master class is very much based on the intelligence of a person; therefore, half-orcs, orcs, ogres, and other creatures with sub-par intelligence typically will not become them. Elves and humans, because of their strong desire for knowledge, are the most common skill masters.

Alignment: Any. To be trained in skills is not something that is aligned.

Starting Gold: 6d4×10 gp (150 gp).

Starting Age: As [Rogue].

Table: The Skill Master

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	[Bonus Feat], Trapfinding, Magical Influence
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	[Bonus Feat], Jack of All Trades
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Trap Sense +1
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	[Bonus Feat]
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Skill Proficiency +1
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	[Bonus Feat], Trap Sense +2
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	[Bonus Feat]
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Trap Sense +3
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	[Bonus Feat], Skill Proficiency +2
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Skill Mastery
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	[Bonus Feat], Trap Sense +4
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	[Bonus Feat]
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Trap Sense +5, Skill Proficiency +3, Skill Mastery
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	[Bonus Feat]
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	[Bonus Feat], Trap Sense +6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Skill Mastery
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	[Bonus Feat], Skill Proficiency +4
Class Skills (10 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) A Skill Master has every skill on his class skill list.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Skill Master.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Skill masters are proficient in the use of all simple weapons, plus the hand-crossbow, rapier, and short sword. Skill masters are not proficient in the use of any armors.

Bonus Feat: At 1st level and every even level after, a skill master can choose one bonus feat. The feat must be chosen from the following: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Investigator, Magical Aptitude, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Open Minded (Complete Adventurer), Persuasive, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus (any), Stealthy

Trapfinding: With this ability, skill masters (like rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.

Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

Skill masters can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

A skill master who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his party) without disarming it.

Magical Influence: A skill master has been trained in the basic magical arts. While he does not have enough magical energy to cast spells himself, the skill master has studied and knows spells. When a skill master attempts to use a magical device, he can make a Knowledge (Arcana) check with a DC equal to the Use Magic Device DC +2. If he succeeds the Knowledge check, he knows how the spell works, and can from then on use the magic device without making a Use Magic Device check. (If he fails the Knowledge check, he cannot retry; he can, however, research that specific spell the next time he can put a skill point into Knowledge (Arcana).)

A skill master also can use the Craft (Alchemy) skill as though he were a spellcaster.

Jack of All Trades: By the time they reach 2nd level, a skill master has had at least a little experience in every skill he could possibly know. 2nd level and higher skill masters can use any untrained skill as though they had 1/2 rank in that skill.

Trap Sense: At 3rd level, a skill master gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the skill master reaches 6th level, to +3 when he reaches 9th level, to +4 when he reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.

Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
Skill Proficiency: Starting at 5th level, a skill master receives a +1 competence bonus to any skill check he makes. This bonus increases to +2 at 10th level, +3 at 15th level, and +4 at 20th level.
Skill Mastery: A skill master can become so certain in the use of certain skills that he can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. At 11th, 15th, and 19th levels, a skill master selects a number of skills equal to 1 + his Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, he may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent him from doing so.

Epic Skill Master

Table: The Epic Skill Master

Hit Die: d6

Level	Special
21st	Trap Sense +7
22nd	[Bonus Feat]
23rd	Skill Mastery
24th	[Bonus Feat], Trap Sense +8
25th	Skill Proficiency +5
26th	[Bonus Feat]
27th	Trap Sense +9, Skill Mastery
28th	[Bonus Feat]
29th
30th	[Bonus Feat], Trap Sense +10, Skill Proficiency +6
10 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Trap Sense: Every 3rd level (21, 24, 27, 30), the bonus granted by Trap Sense increases by +1.

Skill Mastery: Every 4 levels (23, 27), the skill master can select a number of skills equal to 1 + his intelligence modifier. He can take 10 with these skills even when in stressful conditions.

Skill Proficiency: Every 5 levels (25, 30), the bonus granted by Skill Proficiency increases by +1

Bonus Feats: The epic skill master gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic skill master bonus feats) every 2 levels after 20th (so long as he meets the prerequisites).

Epic Skill Master Bonus Feat List: Augmented Alchemy, Dexterous Fortitude, Dexterous Will, Epic Reputation, Epic Skill Focus, Epic Trapfinding, Extended Life Span, Legendary Climber, Legendary Leaper, Legendary Rider, Legendary Tracker, Polyglot.

Human Skill Master Starting Package

Weapons: Short Sword, Light Crossbow.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 11 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Craft (Alchemy)	4	Int	—
Knowledge (Geography)	4	Int	—
Knowledge (History)	4	Int	—
Knowledge (Local)	4	Int	—
Move Silently	4	Dex	0
Open Lock	4	Dex	—
Search	4	Int	—
Sense Motive	4	Wis	—
Spellcraft	4	Int	—
Spot	4	Wis	—
Use Magic Device	4	Cha	—

Feat: Dodge.

Human Bonus Feat: Armor Proficiency (Light).

Skill Master Bonus Feat: Negotiator

Gear: Leather Armor, 20 Crossbow Bolts, 2 flasks Alchemist's Fire.

Gold: 53.

Campaign Information

Playing a Skill Master

Religion: Skill Masters are very different from person to person. There is no common deity that they all worship.

Other Classes: Skill masters are so variable in personality that it their interactions highly depend on that. Most skill masters resemble rogues or wizards, so they are treated like those classes.

Combat: Skill masters try to stay out of combat if possible. They often attempt to talk their way out, or if they can't, they find a way for the terrain or surrounding objects to aid them.

Skill Masters in the World

“	I can do that!	”
—Johnathan Krigg, Human Skill Master

Daily Life: Skill masters will often go adventuring, but many will stay in their hometown and will have many professions, working with people all day.

Notables: The Doctor (Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey).

Organizations: Skill Masters do not have many organizations, as they are very independent outside of battle.

NPC Reactions: NPCs usually like skill masters and try to use them to complete tasks for their town.

Skill Master Lore

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Local)

DC	Result
5	Skill masters are people that learn as much as they can.
10	Skill masters are usually very independent.
15	Skill masters have very little combat prowess.
20	Skill masters are trained in magic study.

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