If you notice when it comes to Fighters. Most of the Fighters that came in future installments do something like give you new proficiencies with the exception of the Echo Knight (and the rune Knight if your one that thinks Smith's tools don't really count for some reason). Most of them are Proficiencies in one or more skills and usually is a choice of what skill you want. The Psi-Warrior is technically also an exception but it actually does help your proficiencies by having Intelligence be important so it actually gives you more skills by the Design of being somewhat more MAD in a stat that actually improves several skills which lends towards a more skill based warrior as well because of it.
I'd argue that the Rune Knight leans into skills (not necessarily new proficiencies, although it quasi does that) by giving advantage to multiple different skills (or expertise in all your tool proficiencies) at level 3,7,10,15, which at low to mid levels is mostly mathematically better than proficiency, or even expertise if you're already proficient. Or it shores up an existing lack in that primary skills attribute.
I know that it doesn't come up in most campaigns, but that tool expertise really makes me happy, I love the RP options that Rune Knight has.
I will look at the Champion and Battle Master more thoroughly now, they've never interested me as character choices, but people have made good arguments here for me to look at them again with a fresh eye, thank you.
Your right. I did miss that a couple of the runes actually leans into skills as well. For this I apologize.
But this just reinforces my point by taking yet another Subclass off the list that doesn't have that as a secondary focus somewhere. And I actually think Smithing Does count all on it's own. I've talked to a couple DM's to find ways to make use of it when I could for various reasons. Including Creating things over time. I actually like various tool profiencies and try to look for interesting ways they might actuall add to game play. And I've seen game proficiencies used a couple times for things like Gambling.
No apologies necessary, you're exactly correct that the new fighter subclasses (for the most part) have secondary focuses, I've not given the others enough credit in the past though.
I really like tool proficiencies, and with the right backgrounds you can really take advantage of that Fire Rune, which is particularly awesome. If you have Xanathar's Guide to everything there are a couple of awesome sections about using tools and downtime activities, which can really elevate people's appreciation and enjoyment of those tools.
No apologies necessary, you're exactly correct that the new fighter subclasses (for the most part) have secondary focuses, I've not given the others enough credit in the past though.
I really like tool proficiencies, and with the right backgrounds you can really take advantage of that Fire Rune, which is particularly awesome. If you have Xanathar's Guide to everything there are a couple of awesome sections about using tools and downtime activities, which can really elevate people's appreciation and enjoyment of those tools.
So if you did a Rune Knight with a grey dwarf (racial enlarge) would the extra range of huge from Runic Juggernaut apply starting at level 3?