While playing homm 4 I am always concerned about not getting seamanship on a non water map and its not so easy doing it with scouts. In the other case if there's too much of water then getting seamanship is vital, it provides almost all the tactics for fights on a ship. Even unboard penalties are nullified in equilibris.
On the other hand pathfinding is a skill everyone tries to get, it's a core reason to get scouting. 50% movement on land with no penalties, specially great for fast creatures on map.
Scouting is pretty fair and interesting skill for me, every level of it has its use, goes well with all the rest scouting skills.
Stealth, a unique skill that makes you invisible to the enemy with no scouting and creatures if they don't have enough level, also you can level the hero just from walking near the neutrals. Still it's requirements are big hence it has its ups and downs.
Change1: I think that pathfinding and seamanship should be changed, even their names can be changed. In my opinion they should be like:
B.Path the same as is now + 25% move on water (+tactics on ship)
A.Path the same as is now + 50% move on water (+tactics on ship)
E.Path the same as is now + 75% move on water (+tactics on ship)
M.Path (15%-20% movement not sure yet) 100% move on water (+ tactics on ship)
GM.Path (30%-35% movement not sure yet) 150% move on water (+tactics on ship)
B.Seamanship would be called Backstabbing and would provide some map and combat abilities. Description would be "Thieves are hero types that live among the common population and tend to use every means necessary to achieve their goals." For example this ability can give:
B.Backs Every once in a while goes to take drinks for the long roads. (every 5 days gets one potion or vial)
B.Backs Every once in a while finds someones hidden treasure. (every 3 days gets one potion or vial)
E.Backs Every once in a while wins a bet. (every 4 weeks gets a treasure artifact) (like Cloak of Warding) +3 day potion/vial
M.Backs Every once in a while kills someone that prepares his assassination. (every 3weeks gets treasure artifact) (like Cloak of Warding) +3 day potion/vial
GM.Backs Every once in a while finds out about competitive thieves and arranges their assassination. (every 2 weeks gets treasure artifact) (like Cloak of Warding) +3 day potion/vial
Change2: Divide moving and terrain from pathfinding and seamanship skill into two skills like logistics and pathfinding in homm 3, something like:
B. logistics 10%mov on land, (30%-40%) ship
A logistics 20% mov on land, (60%-80%) ship
...
GM logistics 50% movement on land and (150%-200%) on water
B pathfinding reduces terrain movement penalties by 0.25 points.
A path reduces by 0.5 points
E path No penalties on land
M path 50% onboard ship penalty
GM path 0% onboard ship penalty.
Pathfinding also has ship tactics bonuses from basic to grandmaster like seamanship in normal homm 4.
Post what you think about the current or changed scouting skill.
DARRR PARROT!
