Cross-Guild Abilities

[Karjus]

Just random spewing in OOC earlier, and was poked to post this.

What about having some Guild/Class abilities be learnable by the general population and different specializations, but with the possible requirements.
- Spend 2+ ability points for the ability
- Require higher skill to unlock it

For example, Wanderer's Eye could be learned by other Adventurers, for 2 ability points but they'd also need 300 Perception.

At the same time, the Bard might be able to learn Trailblazing for 2 ability points, but they'd also need 100 Bushcraft and 100 Tracking.

Just a thought. Hybrids!

[Agelity]

I'm not sure how sold I am on the 2+ ability point cost if it were per ability, but a separate ability - either one per guild or one per specialization - giving access to a few of the available abilities and I'd totally be on board for that (with certain skill requirements). Sort of like a crash-course tactic learning, but minor tactics. I can definitely see it for Adventurers, probably Warriors as well though they already tend to have enough guild-shared abilities where the shared abilities make sense. Scholars would be a little odd due to the distinct difference between each specialization, so unless we're going to have primalists with minor control of the nether (actually this sounds awesome) or arcanists working at the infirmary as a side gig, I don't see them having a ton of abilities to share that aren't guild-wide already. Artisans sound like they won't have specializations, per se, so any abilities they'd learn outside of the guild would likely be general abilities that everyone else has access to (maybe with some exceptions?). TBD

Honestly, this could just be a unique Adventurer type of trait as well, due to their experience traversing and learning about the world in a way most don't so they have some flexibility (especially Bards). For Warriors I could maybe see something where some inter-guild abilities could be learned that are dependent on weapon affinity (I imagine this may apply mostly to Marauders & Berserkers, who are more versatile weapon-wise), but at that point you may as well just have the abilities available to them and let them decide whether or not they wish to take it. Unless we added some type of combat specialty path for warriors to unlock weapon-specific abilities or something.

...actually, that sounds kind of cool too. For another thread.

Either way, I'm a sucker for hybrids so I'm all for some options there, but if the desire is to have each spec feel and function uniquely (not to mention balancing them; mix-maxers are everywhere just waiting to come up with new builds), then the extent of the hybrid options would want to be minimal.

Edit: read a tiny bit of the convo on OOC, I did wish to agree that I like the idea of specializations having access to some abilities right off (or tiers for abilities) with the same ability only being available to someone outside of that specialization if they have 300-400 in that given skill. Or something to that degree. Mixing those sorts of abilities in with tiers, unique abilities, etc. I imagine could get annoying to balance, but I do like the idea for an alternative way of obtaining something that could add some fun or flavor to your character that seems reasonable and accessible, if not a little unique. Or just because it's a cool ability.

[Acarin]

It could actually be cool to group some types of abilities that are very similar and allow skill based access. An example would be tumble/flip/flip flank. So anyone can invest in the tree at the cost of 2 ability points... but most people can't get past tumble (or get flip at 400 acrobatics points). Lower thresholds might be there for adventurers, duelist and night blades (they might unlock flip at 100 acrobatics and flip flank at 200). The idea would be that you use less ability points overall if it is actually a guild ability and you train in the related skill (3 abilities at the cost of 2 points and some skill) versus a huge investment for general use (2 ability points for a single ability). You could do things like this for sorcery, combat, arcana, etc. So a sorcery - stealth tree (cloak , orb, maybe one other) and a sorcery - binding (tendril and couple of advanced abilities). You could make channeling or tactics pre-reqs for specific ability trees just to make sure that some things remain entirely restricted. It goes with the tiering system that has been recently implemented... and allows some grouping of abilities that make sense together as well, with training requirements to unlock.

[Acarin]

This is actually probably more in line with what Rias was imagining for arcana with glyphs not being separate. There are already quite a few abilities that are highly related... would love to see them consolidated in systems like this and have them all feel more related rather than just dropping an ability point for an instant bonus or command that may not feel like it ties into what I've been heading for but is a nice to have (and I took it because it was available).