Talk:Discipline/Proposed

Changes from Pen and Paper
The discipline skill does not exist in pen-and-paper D&D. Instead, special attacks are opposed by non-skill checks. For example, in pen-and-paper, disarm is opposed by an attack roll, and the analogies to knockdown (trip and overrun) are opposed by strength checks. While discipline is working as intended by BioWare, there has been debate over whether or not it is a good addition to the game.

The case for:
 * NWN does not implement the full breadth of skills available in pen-and-paper D&D. From this perspective, discipline is merely consuming the skill points that often get spent on pen-and-paper skills such as climb, jump, and swim.
 * Counter: Climbing, jumping, and swimming are not as central to survival as discipline.


 * Using a skill-based defense allows some of the more resilient quasi-fighters (i.e. bards, harper scouts, monks, and red dragon disciples) to defend against special attacks. Thus, for some classes, the discipline skill is a boon.
 * Counter: This detracts from the advantages of the fighter-types.

The case against:
 * This skill drains skill points from characters who don't get that many. In pen-and-paper, a strength-based fighter would naturally have the high base attack and strength needed to counter special attacks, while in NWN, the same character (assuming an intelligence of 10 or 11) would need to spend half his skill points in order to have a similar resistance to these attacks.
 * Counter: In the interest of game balance, fighters are intentionally short on skill points.


 * This skill violates the principle (held by some) that skills should only oppose skills, not feats.
 * Counter: This priniciple is not part of the design philosophy of NWN.