Skill increasing tricks for early entry into prestige classes?

[RoboEmperor]

What are some skill increasing tricks for early entry into prestige classes?

[MisterKaws]

I don't think there's any barring TO, since the rule explicitly forbids getting any skills to over 3+class levels.

[Doctor Despair]

There's a feat called "Favored Contact" from Cityscape I believe. It increases your cap by 1 in a skill.
Taking three bloodline levels (most optimally after level 1 but before level 2), while not granting skill points in and of themselves, do grant an increase of 3 in the maximum skill ranks you can have in all skills. If I remember correctly, there is technically no limit on how many bloodlines you are allowed to take, but legend has it that if you apply too much cheese to your progression, you character actually turns into a pizza.
There's always the Inspire Greatness trick if you are able to find a capable bard to play while you are leveling up for those temporary hitdie shenanigans :)

[thethird]

Primary contact works for this, while not being TO. Bonus temporal HD also allow this, but that might be pushing it.

[Shalist]

Using the RHD from lycanthropy to meet various skill/BAB/whatever prereqs, then curing yourself after you no longer need those RHD to qualify. (edit: credit to this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401453-Using-Lyconthropy-for-early-entry))

[Doctor Despair]

Using the RHD from lycanthropy to meet various skill/BAB/whatever prereqs, then cure yourself after you no longer need those RHD to qualify.

Oooh, that's a good one! I hadn't heard of that one before! :)

[RoboEmperor]

Using the RHD from lycanthropy to meet various skill/BAB/whatever prereqs, then curing yourself after you no longer need those RHD to qualify. (edit: credit to this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401453-Using-Lyconthropy-for-early-entry))

How does that work exactly? I've never used lycanthropy before.

[The Viscount]

When you acquire lycanthropy, you add the HD from the animal to your HD (something like having them as racial HD) this means you have the total of class +animal HD for determining skill ranks. Note that if the PrC is from CWar, or you DM is the type that applies continuous qualification rules from it to all PrCs that this trick does not work.

[Doctor Despair]

When you acquire lycanthropy, you add the HD from the animal to your HD (something like having them as racial HD) this means you have the total of class +animal HD for determining skill ranks. Note that if the PrC is from CWar, or you DM is the type that applies continuous qualification rules from it to all PrCs that this trick does not work.

By RAW, outside of those specific books, the continuous qualification rules don't apply. Some PrCs would disqualify themselves through the course of their progression irrc if that were the case, in any event.

[Troacctid]

It works just fine. You just don't cure the lycanthrope until you've gained enough levels to have the correct amount of skill ranks without animal HD.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Temporary lycanthropy if your DM will let you use the GOOD version of curse of lycanthropy. Because the other one is stupid.

You can also explicitly use illithid savant to gain ranks above your level.

There are a couple more than I could swear I found before, but I don't remember what they are, off-hand.

[Efrate]

Positive levels theoretically exist and you could conceive of a way to grant them to yourselves. Bloodlines and lycanthropy are easier. Also, since you can be a were-any animal, a were titanic-something lets you get a massive HD I think allowing you to qualify for epic stuff at level 1, assuming you count at least as huge size since you gotta be within one size range of target animal. Still worth it if you want to maximum cheese, something large with powerful build perhaps? Eat a +1 or +2 ecl,be epic at said level. Pretty good.

Be sure to dodge books thrown at your head by the DM. My DM tends to go right so I dodge down and left.

Edit: legendary tiger has 26 HD and is large. No titantic nor huge starting size needed. Remember down and to the right.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Positive levels theoretically exist and you could conceive of a way to grant them to yourselves. Bloodlines and lycanthropy are easier. Also, since you can be a were-any animal, a were titanic-something lets you get a massive HD I think allowing you to qualify for epic stuff at level 1, assuming you count at least as huge size since you gotta be within one size range of target animal. Still worth it if you want to maximum cheese, something large with powerful build perhaps? Eat a +1 or +2 ecl,be epic at said level. Pretty good.

Be sure to dodge books thrown at your head by the DM. My DM tends to go right so I dodge down and left.

Edit: legendary tiger has 26 HD and is large. No titantic nor huge starting size needed. Remember down and to the right.

A were-legendary tiger afflicted of any la 0 humanoid Class X 1 would still have 27 HD and an ECL of 29. You hit epic, yes but you'd never adventure with normally non-afflicted adventurers until they are suitably epic.

[Shalist]

Ah, here's another one from the previously linked thread:


If you're going this far out of your way to get the extra hit dice for skill ranks and BAB and such, why not instead use Reincarnate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/reincarnate.htm)? There's an extraordinarily funny rules-break in the text:


A reincarnated creature recalls the majority of its former life and form. It retains any class abilities, feats, or skill ranks it formerly possessed. Its class, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and hit points are unchanged.

And you still lose the level or hit die, keeping your skills. Admittedly, the main utility of this is to be able to level into spellcasting prestige classes multiple times on the first level, gaining massively-increased effective level for learning and casting spells. However, it could also be used to eat the lycanthrope levels more cleanly than removing them by getting rid of the curse, since you'd keep your skill points, BAB, saves, and abilities off the race/savage progression, then be able to go into anything else :smallbiggrin:Not to mention keeping the 'every 4 HD' stat bump, if it's to a mental stat.

Dunno if you could start as a drider (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/drider.htm) and retain their ability to "cast spells as a 6th level sorcerer, wizard, or cleric." Terrible shame that it took 9 reincarnate attempts before Lolth let you change into something else.

One other bit of advice from that thread: however you plan to ditch the unwanted RHD, make sure you cuddle up to your favorite thought bottle first so all that exp doesn't go to waste.

edit: If you're actually playing a lycanthrope, don't forget you can permanently level drain unwanted RHD, leaving you with just the raw template, meaning your level 1 legendary were-tiger barbarian could still have an ECL of...3?

[Bullet06320]

Dungeon magazine 88 p. 104 features "Yenejg Togan's Planar Syllabus", which grants actual ranks in Knowledge (the planes). In fact, anyone who has read the book and has sufficient knowledge (the planes) ranks, the scribe scroll feat, and the ability to cast Contact Other Plane and Legend Lore can just make one of these. Reading one takes 3 days, consumes the writing, and then grants half as many ranks as the creator had. Cost is 500 gp per rank conferred.

flat out gives you ranks in Knowledge (the planes) if that's the one you need, but also allows for custom skill rank granting items if you have a willing DM



Magic Mantle - Complete Psionic - pg 70
Must be an Ardent, Divine Mind, Psychic Warrior with Mantled Warrior ACF, or Wilder with Mantled Wilder ACF, both here http://archive.wizards.com/default.a.../psm/20070214a

granted power gives you Use Magic Device as a class skill, and if you had bought ranks in Use Magic Device or Use Psionic Device at cross class prices you get a bonus in skill ranks as if it was originally a class skill.

that will get you extra UMD or UPD, more like a retroactive bonus in ranks based on what you previously purchased

for going over the normal limit tho
3rd party

Laborious Training (General) Ravenloft: Legacy of the Blood pg 91
Prerequisites: Int 13, Knowledge (any one) 5ranks.
Benefit: Your maximum rank in any Intelligence-based skill equals 5 + your character level.



The Practical Enchanter http://www.rpgnow.com/product/51242/The-Practical-Enchanter
Intensive Study (General) pg 124
You may reach exceptional levels in a skill through concentrated study.
Prerequisites: Int 12+, Level 3+
Benefit: Apply this feat to a skill currently inclass for you. Your maximum rank in that skill is six higher than usual. You must still spend skill points to take advantage of this increase.
Normal: Your maximum rank in an in-class skill is (Level + 3).
Special: This feat may be taken more than once on the same skill, but may not more than double the maximum rank.