Class special based on skill ranks.

[Mauron]

Each time a mystic gains 5 ranks in each of three different knowledge skills, he automatically gains the Skill Emphasis feat, which may apply to any of his Knowledge skills. This occurs again for gaining 10 ranks in each of three different knowledge skills.

I've been scratching my head trying to code this. I've got user tags assigned when the appropriate skills have 5 and 10 ranks.

Originally I was going to bootstrap multiple copies of a modified Skill Emphasis feat, but I need to count the tags before skill ranks are assigned for that.

I've considered multiple copies of the Class special, but that seems messy, since I can't seem to get Helper.ShowSpec to delete properly.

Any input would be appreciated.

[Sendric]

I think using tags is a good idea, but you wouldn't need more than two. One for when you have three knowledge skills with 5 ranks, and another for 10 ranks. I'm not sure what the SKill Emphasis feat does, but it seems likely you only need one copy of that as well. You can bootstrap the same thing multiple times.

The biggest issue you'll run into here is that you can't find out how many ranks in a skill you have until Pre-Levels/5001 (right-click on any skill and select "Show Debug Tasks" and look at Pre-Levels/5000 to see what I mean).

So, you could run the following script at Pre-Levels/5001:

var test as number

foreach pick in hero from BaseSkill where "Helper.SkCatKnow"
 if (eachpick.field[kUserRanks].value >= 5) then
  test += 1
 endif
nexteach 

if (test >= 3) then
 perform hero.assign[User.KnowSkill5]
endif

This searches through all of your knowledge skills and looks for those that have at least 5 ranks, then adds 1 to the variable "test". Once test equals at least three, it assigns the appropriate tag.

It's important to note the timing of this, because your bootstrap condition is going to look for this tag. It can't search for the tag before Pre-Levels/5002. This, in turn, means that anything that the Skill Emphasis feat does must take place after this. I can't test whether this is possible since I don't know what the feat does, but it probably is. In that case, this is how I would do it (you can modify it for the 3 skills with 10 ranks pretty easily). If its not possible, we can look at other options, but it might mean having the feat on the character before they reached 5 ranks in 3 knowledge skills.

Hope this helps!

[Mauron]

Originally Posted by Sendric

I think using tags is a good idea, but you wouldn't need more than two. One for when you have three knowledge skills with 5 ranks, and another for 10 ranks.

My interpretation of the text (Each time) was that it would happen for three knowledge skills with 5+ ranks, and again for six knowledge skills with 5+ ranks, etc.

I'm not sure what the SKill Emphasis feat does, but it seems likely you only need one copy of that as well.

For reference, it's Farscape d20's version of the D&D 3.5 Skill Focus (+3 to a skill). They renamed it and made something else Skill Focus for some unfathomable reason.

If its not possible, we can look at other options, but it might mean having the feat on the character before they reached 5 ranks in 3 knowledge skills.

Unfortunately creating the dropdown of skills happens at First/10999. I guess I'd have to it show all the time and assign Helper.FtDisable?

[Mathias]

I'd use a bonus feat table for this. The only feat allowed in that table would be Skill Emphasis. A script on the class can calculate the allowed number of feats, and then set the bonus feats allowed value to that amount. Then, it's up to the user to add the correct number of skill emphasis feats.

This way, once epic is available, and there's no theoretical limit on the number of ranks that can be placed in a skill, this ability isn't limited by the number of bootstraps you've set up.

[Mauron]

Mathias, that worked as intended. The only minor complaint is I had to make the modified Skill Emphasis (limited to knowledge skills) on the main feat chooser, but that is livable.

Thanks.

[Sendric]

Originally Posted by Mauron

My interpretation of the text (Each time) was that it would happen for three knowledge skills with 5+ ranks, and again for six knowledge skills with 5+ ranks, etc.

You may be correct. To me, the phrase "... in each of three different knowledge skills..." is a bit vague. I can't tell from the quote here if that's talking about three specific knowledge skills previously mentioned or just three knowledge skills in general. I assumed the latter, but I could easily have been wrong. I know nothing about Farscape.

Unfortunately creating the dropdown of skills happens at First/10999. I guess I'd have to it show all the time and assign Helper.FtDisable?

Not sure why the dropdown needs to get created there. Ultimately, you are probably better off using Mathias's suggestion.