Combat Roles #6 - Skills Monkey

The Skills Monkey is not necessarily a combat role, but the idea behind it is applicable in combat as well. The Skills Monkey focuses on having access to as many skills as possible, so that they are useful in as many situations as possible. They would dabble in some social skills, a knowledge skill or two, and whatever else they want.

This is the easiest role to define since the only requirements are that you have access to a variety of skills as class skills (in 3.5. Pathfinder has changed the skills monkey completely) and a good number of skill points. You want to have at least 6 skill points per level, before you add your intelligence modifier. Rogues, Bards and Monks do this best.

The Pathfinder skill system made this much easier, and also less crucial. "Cross class skills" cost as much as class skills and nearly every skill is available to every character. On top of that, they've combined many skills together reducing the overall number of skills. This opens up the skills to every class. Fighters now have access to more than just 4 skills that are completely useless; they can now bluff or be diplomatic, tumble around the battlefield, or creep along to ambush foes.

In the context of combat, the Skills Monkey makes use of the movement related skills the most. Jump allows you to cross difficult terrain easier and tumble allows you to position yourself to flank (or retreat if things have gone pear shaped). Hide and Move Silent let you ambush or vanish from a fight (or make use of the Sniping Rules). Bluff and Sleight of Hand play a role in feinting in combat to surprise the enemy.