The old skill and powers could neatly be added to your frame work is that something included in the players companion .
Or has anyone else used this?
Your thoughts good or bad appreciated.
“The Player's Companion extends the core rules by adding a series of new classes, the dwarven machinist and spelunker, the elven ranger, and some human classes - mystic (monk), shaman (druid), and priestess. I'll come out and say it though, the thing that got me fired up with the book-love was the extensive list of templates. (I think they claim there are 144 of them). An ACKS template is basically some pre-selected options that speeds up character generation and gives the character a bit of early flavor. ACKS supports the old school roll-and-go - it's got basic 3d6 in order for abilities and simple classes, like classic D&D. The templates take it the rest of the way, by adding a preconfigured set of starting equipment, starting money, and suggested proficiency selections.”
As someone who's DMing heyday was under 2nd Ed Players Option, I'd say the class creation rules in the ACKS Player's Companion serve the same function as Skills and Powers, and are a lot more manageable.
Many thanks is the companion book available ?
Not yet. It just finished the playtest period really so it'll be a little while before it's out.
Actually, if you pre-order it, you get a copy of the final draft.
Though I also think that you could easily slot in some of the ideas from Skills and Powers into the Class Creation guidelines. You know, create new 'custom powers' from AD&D class abilities that are not in ACKS. I don't think that would break anything.
I'm not familiar with how Skills & Powers work, I went from AD&D to 3e to 4e.
Could somebody forward me to where I can find out what they do?
Is it a proficiency system like ACKS, or is it point based like 3e skills?
It's still a class-ability system, like AD&D. You could build your own class, though, as each ability had a point cost.