Skills represent some of the more mundane abilities your character possesses. As your character advances in level, you can gain new skills and your existing skills improve.
Table 5–1: Skill Points
Class | Skill Points |
---|---|
Barbarian | 4 + Int modifier |
Bard | 6 + Int modifier |
lCleric | 2 + Int modifier |
Druid | 4 + Int modifier |
Fighter | 2 + Int modifier |
Monk | 4 + Int modifier |
Paladin | 2 + Int modifier |
Ranger | 6 + Int modifier |
Rogue | 8 + Int modifier |
Sorcerer | 2 + Int modifier |
Wizard | 2 + Int modifier |
Acquiring Skills
At first level, your character gains a number of skill points dependent upon your class plus your Intelligence modifier. At every level after that, you gain additional skill points. These skill points can be spent to purchase ranks of any skill, but you can only acquire a number of ranks in a specific skill equal to your total Hit Dice. In addition, each class has a number of favored skills, called class skills. Your character is most proficient in these skills, as they represent part of his professional training and constant practice. You gain a +3 bonus on all class skills that you put ranks into. If you have more than one class and both grant you a class skill bonus, these bonuses do not stack.
The number of skill ranks you gain when taking a level in one of the base classes is shown on table 5–1. Humans gain one additional skill point per class level. Character’s who take levels in their favored class can also chose to gain 1 additional skill point. At each level after 1st, you gain a number of skill ranks dependant upon your class. If you select a level in a new class, all of its class skills are automatically added to your list of class skills, and you gain a +3 bonus on these skills if you have ranks in them.
Table 5–2: Skill Check Bonuses
Skill | Skill Check is Equal To1 |
---|---|
Untrained | 1d20 + Ability modifier + racial modifier |
Trained | 1d20 + Skill ranks + ability modifier + racial modifier |
Trained Class Skill | 1d20 + Skill ranks + ability modifier + racial modifier + 3 |
1 Armor check penalty applies to all Strength and Dexterity-based skill checks. |
Skill Checks
Whenever your character is required to make a skill check, roll 1d20 and add the appropriate modifier. If the skill is one that you have put ranks into, you are considered trained. Each rank you place in a skill gives you a +1 bonus on checks made using that skill. When making a skill check, add your ranks and the appropriate ability score modifier to a 1d20 check. If the skill is a class skill and you have invested ranks into that skill, you also add +3 to the check. If you are not trained in the skill (and it may be tried untrained) you may attempt the skill using only the bonus (or penalty) provided by the associated ability score modifier. Any racial modifiers apply to all of these rolls. These values are summarized on Table 5–2.
Table 5–3: Altered Skills
Old Skill | New Skill | Old Skill | New Skill | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Balance | Acrobatics | Move Silently | Stealth | |
Concentration | Spellcraft | Open Lock | Disable Device | |
Decipher Script | Linguistics | Search | Perception | |
Forgery | Linguistics | Speak Languages | Linguistics | |
Gather Information | Diplomacy | Spot | Perception | |
Hide | Stealth | Tumble | Acrobatics | |
Jump | Acrobatics | Use Rope | — | |
Listen | Perception | — | — |
Skill Summary
The following skill descriptions are either entirely new or altered from recent editions. For a complete summary of all of the skills, see Table 5–4. Some previous skills have been combined into one unified skill. For a summary of these changes, see Table 5–3.
Table 5–4: New Skills
Skill | Bbn | Brd | Clr | Drd | Ftr | Mnk | Pal | Rgr | Rog | Sor | Wiz | Untrained | Ability |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acrobatics | C | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Dex1 |
Appraise | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | C | Yes | Int |
Bluff | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | — | Yes | Cha |
Climb | C | C | — | C | C | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Str1 |
Craft | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | Yes | Int |
Diplomacy | — | C | C | — | — | — | C | — | C | — | — | Yes | Cha |
Disable Device | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | — | No | Dex1 |
Disguise | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Cha |
Escape Artist | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Dex1 |
Fly | — | — | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | No | Dex1 |
Handle Animal | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | C | — | — | — | No | Cha |
Heal | — | — | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | — | — | Yes | Wis |
Intimidate | C | — | — | — | C | C | — | C | C | C | — | Yes | Cha |
Knowledge (arcana) | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (dungeoneering) | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (engineering) | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (geography) | — | C | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (history) | — | C | C | — | — | C | — | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (local) | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (nature) | C | C | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (nobility) | — | C | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (planes) | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
Knowledge (religion) | — | C | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
Linguistics | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | C | No | Int |
Perception | C | C | — | C | — | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Wis |
Perform | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Cha |
Profession | — | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | No | Wis |
Ride | C | — | — | C | C | C | C | C | — | — | — | Yes | Dex1 |
Sense Motive | — | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | — | — | Yes | Wis |
Sleight of Hand | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | — | No | Dex1 |
Spellcraft | — | C | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | C | Yes | Int |
Stealth | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Dex1 |
Survival | C | — | — | C | C | — | — | C | — | — | — | Yes | Wis |
Swim | C | — | — | C | C | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Str1 |
Use Magic Device | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | — | No | Cha |
C = Class Skill; 1Armor check penalty applies |