4/ Another idea, that is the most realistic I think.
- When you're beginner, you have only general idea about how to do things, according you character background.
- Ok, during your childwood, you killed a monster in a cave with a sword. You have 1 or 2 skill points at sword. Then you can use it. If you try to use an axe, you just drop it : don't know how to handle it, and don't know at all how to use it.
- Next, you go to the sewers. You meet a rat, and fight. During the fights, you should gain some sword xp (not skills) and some parade, etc. xp. When you're at 100%, you just raise a skill level. I mean, if you don't practice mining by exemple, you're fighting experience is useless and you won't be able to raise the mining skill.
- After some levels, you have to see a master, and learn (theorical) the skills you want. Then it unlock the next X levels for this skill. You have to practice to effectively gain these levels.
- The first time you learn a new skill, you should gain the level 1 at this skill immediately, and being able to use it.
In other words, with an example.
I'm Sarah. I used to paint and cooking during my childwood. I had a very clam childwood, and I don't know how to fight or anything else.
So, when I start the game, I can't handle any weapon. I won't be able to fight.
Then I find a pencil and some paper, then start to paint. After some nice pictures, I automatically get a second level at painting skill. Other skills didn't change. I continue painting, until I raise the 5th level at this skill. Now, I can't progress at this skill, as my theorical formation isn't enought. My technic is fine, but I don't have new ideas anymore to improve my pictures.
So, I decide to sell my picture, then get some money.
Next, I find an artist teacher, and ask him for a formation for arts. It should be quite expensive.
After this formation, I have a theorical level than allow me to raise my painting level until lvl 10.
So I start new pictures, then my skill slowly grow. At lvl 6 or 7, my pictures are too simple. I can't use the new technics I learned. I can't progress anymore. So I start finding other models, then draw nicer pictures. My painting skill level will raise until 10, then I'll need again a formation in arts to progress again.
Now, painting is boring me. I would prefer cooking... But to cook something, I have to kill animals first and find vegetables in dangerous forests. So, I go to a sword master, then ask for a sword formation.
I can buy a sword and handle it now.
I kill some rabits, then my sword skill will raise until 5, then I'll need to learn again to know new secret thrusts ("botte secrète" in french, unsure about the translation). I'll train sword again, and parade or shield, and so on.
What about it ?