UpNext

7.1 Skill Overview

This section describes how you learn and use skills. Most skills are used to make checks. For details about how checks are made, see Checks.

7.1.1 Skill Modifiers

You are either trained or untrained with each skill. If you are untrained in a skill, your bonus with that skill is equal to its associated attribute (if any). If you are trained in a skill, your bonus with that skill is equal to 3 + half your level + its associated attribute (if any). Many abilities can increase or decrease your bonus with particular skills.

7.1.2 Class Skills

Each class has an associated set of skills that members of that class often know. These are called class skills. Your base class automatically grants you training with a specific number of skills from among your class skills. The class skills from each class are summarized in Table 7.1: Class Skills.

Table 7.1:Class Skills
Skill

Bbn

Clr

Drd

Ftr

Mnk

Pal

Rgr

Rog

Sor

War

Wiz

Key Ability

Climb

C

—

C

C

C

—

C

C

—

—

—

Str

Jump

C

—

C

C

C

—

C

C

—

—

—

Str

Swim

C

—

C

C

C

—

C

C

—

—

—

Str

Balance

C

—

C

C

C

—

C

C

—

—

—

Dex

Flexibility

C

—

—

C

C

—

—

C

—

—

—

Dex

Perform

—

—

—

—

C

—

—

C

—

—

—

Dex

Ride

C

—

—

C

—

C

—

—

—

C

—

Dex

Sleight of Hand

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

C

—

—

—

Dex

Stealth

—

—

—

—

C

—

C

C

—

—

—

Dex

Endurance

C

—

C

C

C

C

C

—

—

—

—

Con

Craft

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

Int

Deduction

—

C

C

—

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

Int

Devices

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

C

—

—

—

Int

Disguise

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

C

—

—

—

Int

Knowledge

—

C

—

—

C

—

—

—

C

C

C

Int

Medicine

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

—

—

—

—

Int

Awareness

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

Per

Creature Handling

C

—

C

—

C

C

C

—

—

—

—

Per

Deception

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

Per

Persuasion

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

Per

Social Insight

—

C

—

—

C

C

—

C

—

C

—

Per

Survival

C

—

C

—

C

—

C

—

—

—

—

Per

Intimidate

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

Varies1

Profession

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

Varies1

C: class skill.
1. Any attribute could apply depending on how the skill is used.

7.1.3 Tasks

Each skill contains a brief description of how the skill is usually used. This description is followed by a series of specific ways in which the skills can be used. These tasks are simply examples, and do not list everything the skill can be used for. You should be creative with your skills, rather than only using the tasks explicitly listed.

7.1.4 Learning Languages

You can replace skill training from your class or Intelligence with learning languages. For each trained skill you forgo, you learn two common languages or one rare language (see Communication and Languages).

7.1.5 Improvising

Unlike maneuvers or spells, skills have a broad and ambiguous purview. They are not just a set of specific actions with precise rules. As a player, you should feel free to improvise actions that sound related to skills you have. However, you generally shouldn’t use a skill to try to duplicate the effect of another ability, especially a combat ability. Skills are primarily intended to be useful out of combat, not to replace the power of manuevers and spells.

UpNext