Note to my weekend D&D Players: Changes are a-comin'

In my weekend game, I'm introducing a series of changes to D&D that I call "D&D 4.0". I'm trying to fix the AC/BAB disparity at higher levels, and flatten out the skill system. I'm doing this in a limited campaign on a trial basis just to see if I'm right about these fixes.

1. Armor no longer provides an AC bonus. It provides damage reduction/+0 of the same value. Critical hits ignore this DR (you strike a chink in the armor). Armor bonus increases the + value of the DR. +0 indicates that a magic weapon bypasses the DR, even if it doesn't have a plus to hit.

2. Dodge is now a DEX skill. Taking the Dodge skill allows you to add your dodge skill bonus to your AC versus one target. Taking the Dodge feat allows you to apply your Dodge skill to your AC against a number of targets up to and including your DEX modifier. Using the Dodge skill is a move-equivalent action; you may use a DC10 Tumbling check to apply the dodge skill while moving (this can be combined with the DC15 Tumbling check for moving without drawing attacks of opportunity). Rogue and Ranger gain the Dodge skill as class skills - it is cross-class for all other classes (Subject to change).

3. The weapon proficiency feats are eliminated. They are replaced by skills for Simple Handheld weapons, Simple Ranged weapons, Martial Handheld weapons, and Martial Ranged weapons (this may not be the right terminology - use the category breakdown in the equipment section of the PHB). Using a weapon without a skill imparts a -4 penalty. Using a category skill reduces the penalty to -2 (so a level 1 character with 4 ranks gets +2 to attack rolls). Ranged weapon skills are DEX based; handheld skills are STR based. Some classes do not get Martial Weapons skills as class skills (TBD, but expect Wizard, Sorceror, and Cleric to have fewer weapons skills as class skills).

4. Fighters can take a skill for a specific weapon as a class skill. They add the full skill roll to their To-Hit roll (no -2 penalty). The category and specific weapon skills do NOT stack. Rangers can take a skill for a Ranged weapon as a class skill. All other classes can take specific weapon skills as cross-class skills*.

*mathetmatically you are better off improving the category skills, unless you use Talent (see 5, below).

5. A new feat is added called "Talent". It allows a player to take a cross-class skill and treat that skill as a class skill from the time the feat is taken, regardless of what classes the player advances in the future. (This is called "Hobby" in T20). (Hint: Think "Dodge").

6. All classes gain a base of 4 skill points plus their INT modifier. This allows warriors to buy weapon skills, and forces rogues to specialize (it takes a very smart burglar to be an expert trapspringer, lockpicker, acrobat and pickpocket all at the same time).