INT Penalties and Bonus Skill Points

[Jack Zander]

Let's say you've got a human sorcerer with a -2 INT. Does he get 2 skill points a level ([2+int:minimum 1]+1 bonus skill point) or only 1 (2+int+1:minimum 1)?

[Vladislav]

It's the second answer.


You apply your character’s Intelligence modifier to:

•The number of languages your character knows at the start of the game.
•The number of skill points gained each level. (But your character always gets at least 1 skill point per level.)
•Appraise, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Forgery, Knowledge, Search, and Spellcraft checks. These are the skills that have Intelligence as their key ability.

[Jack Zander]

The bolded part doesn't make things any less vague for me.

[King Atticus]

You would get 1

2 (sorc) -2 (crappy int) +1 (human) =1

The bolded part is saying even if you had a crappier int of -3 or worse that number will never drop below 1 skill point gained per level.

[Deepbluediver]

As far as I know, the "minimum +1 per level" only kicks in after all other factors have been calculated. Because you have a net gain of 1 skill point from being human, it doesn't factor into the equation.

[Namfuak]

Based on the SRD, it's ambiguous. Ask your DM.

EDIT: I would agree with the post below mine though, in part due to his reasoning and in part because it does not make sense to me to negate a racial feature based on your stats.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

"The number of skill points gained each level. (But your character always gets at least 1 skill point per level.)"

That is a singular effect, the entire thing is applied, and you're left with an end result which is nothing but the modified number. If you would get two skill points/level from your class, and you have a -2 Int penalty, then you're sitting at one skill point/level. You're not left with a floating penalty that's incapable of reducing it below 1, so it lays in wait to gobble up whatever bonus is later applied. Once an effect is applied to a number that effect is finished and over with. Your end result is nothing but a whole number.

After that you can apply the Human bonus skill point, and add +1 skill point/level to your adjusted 1 skill point/level, and end up with 2/level.

[King Atticus]

After that you can apply the Human bonus skill point, and add +1 skill point/level to your adjusted 1 skill point/level, and end up with 2/level.

I stand corrected. I've always (incorrectly it seems) applied the human bonus during calculation not after. Makes a lot of sense.

[Jack Zander]

That's how I thought it worked, but I couldn't really find anything that cleared it up for me. I guess it's still kind of ambiguous, but at least I have some solid reason to show my DM if this crops up.