d20 skill fixes

[ckafrica]

Hey y'all,

I'm looking at running a spycraft 2.0 game but while they seem to have made the skill section more relevant, they have partly integrated it into the combat system so that there are a fairly large set of skills that can be essential for combat as defenses (atheletics for grapple, acrobatics for trip, resolve for taunt etc...) these are skill vs skill checks which means character with no investment in a defense skill will be bum raped by the same tactic over and over.

Never having been a fan of skill points in the first place I'm wondering on what people would say is the best replacement.

One thought is a saga like system where the it's lvl/2+attribute + training bonus (+5/10 in saga's case) training would be a skill feat which could be passed out as needed. The advantage would be that everyone would be able be guaranteed some defense above and beyond their attribute as they progressed but specialised characters would have a large upper hand.

The setting warrants everyone being have some basic skill across the board. Spies in a modern setting better damned know how to turn on a computer so their are few skills that I can see being problematic in that regard.

Are there any other variations that people are fond of?