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freetobeuandme
2008-02-04, 11:12 PM
i am a druid lvl 2 with (40+3)x4 +7= 35 skill points
druids have class skills
is their a limit number of skill points for 2nd lvl?

Toliudar
2008-02-04, 11:13 PM
You can have up to 5 ranks in any class skills, or 2 ranks for any cross-class skills.

AslanCross
2008-02-04, 11:21 PM
The max amount of ranks in any class skill is <level> + 3. Any cross-class skill is restricted to (<level>+3)/2.
If you're multiclassed, the max ranks for the class skills of either class is your total level +3. You still only get half a rank per point you spend on a cross-class skill for the current level you're taking, though.

Shhalahr Windrider
2008-02-05, 09:02 AM
You can have up to 5 ranks in any class skills, or 2 ranks for any cross-class skills.
2.5 ranks for cross-class, actually.

Though the extra half doesn't really do anything for ya.

de-trick
2008-02-05, 11:34 AM
max concentration, listen, spot, survival

then put rest as evenly as possible into the rest of druid skills

Jimbob
2008-02-05, 11:36 AM
And not forgetting things like skill tricks some very good ones there, but cant rememeber what book they are from but only cost you 2 skill points to gain 1.

Chronos
2008-02-05, 03:14 PM
Skill tricks are from Complete Scoundrel. I don't know which ones would be good for a druid, though.

In addition to the ones mentioned by de-trick, I would also recommend Spellcraft (good for any caster), and Knowledge (Nature). The latter can be especially important, since some DMs require that you be familiar with a creature before you can turn into one or take it as an animal companion, and rolling Knowledge can justify your character being familiar with it.

sonofzeal
2008-02-05, 03:28 PM
Skill tricks are from Complete Scoundrel. I don't know which ones would be good for a druid, though.

In addition to the ones mentioned by de-trick, I would also recommend Spellcraft (good for any caster), and Knowledge (Nature). The latter can be especially important, since some DMs require that you be familiar with a creature before you can turn into one or take it as an animal companion, and rolling Knowledge can justify your character being familiar with it.
Knowledge Nature also gives you information on the widest range of monsters (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, vermin) and is hence invaluable for gaining that extra edge in combat ("Hey guys, that shambling mound is resistant to fire! Don't use electricity either!").

Devils_Advocate
2008-02-05, 04:30 PM
i am a druid lvl 2 with (40+3)x4 +7= 35 skill points
druids have class skills
is their a limit number of skill points for 2nd lvl?
I'm guessing that you mean 4, not 40. Anyway, you told us yourself how many skill points you've got; I assume your Int modifier is +3, or you're a human with an Int mod of +2. Those skill points are used to purchase skill ranks. One rank in a class skill costs one skill point, and one rank in a cross-class skill costs two skill points. You can buy a maximum of 3 + your character level ranks in a class skill, and a maximum of half that in a cross-class skill. Since your character is 2nd level, that means that you can put up to 5 ranks in a class skill and up to 2.5 ranks in a cross-class skill.


max concentration, listen, spot, survival

then put rest as evenly as possible into the rest of druid skills
Are you seriously suggesting that Swim, Ride and Heal are of equivalent value to Spellcraft and Knowledge (Nature)? Please tell me you're not suggesting that.

I recommend maxing out Spot, Listen, Knowledge (Nature), Concentration, and Spellcraft. I don't see any good reason to put more than 5 ranks into Survival unless you have the Track feat. Between your Wisdom bonus, Nature Sense, and taking 10, you should be able to make most non-tracking Survival checks easily without investing any more ranks than that. That said, Track isn't a bad feat choice if your party doesn't have a ranger, and if you take it, max out Survival too.

Handle Animal will help you with your animal companion.

Draz74
2008-02-05, 04:54 PM
Diplomacy never hurts, though it's not a high priority unless no one else in the party has it.

Chronos
2008-02-05, 06:07 PM
I recommend maxing out Spot, Listen, Knowledge (Nature), Concentration, and Spellcraft. I don't see any good reason to put more than 5 ranks into Survival unless you have the Track feat.Those five would be my first choices, but he's got enough points to max out seven skills, and Survival would be a better choice than many for skill number six or seven.

As a general rule of thumb, it's usually better to max out a smaller number of skills, than to dabble in a bunch of them. There are exceptions, though, since some skills provide benefits at particular numbers of ranks (for instance, if you have less than five ranks in Balance, you're considered flat-footed when balancing, and several skills give synergy bonuses if you have 5 or more ranks), and there are a few skills for which the DCs are relatively easy, but which are trained only.

What I usually do, if I have enough skill points, is spend all but one of my skill points each level on maxing out the most important skills, and then using the last point to dabble in other things.

Illiterate Scribe
2008-02-05, 06:19 PM
Those five would be my first choices, but he's got enough points to max out seven skills, and Survival would be a better choice than many for skill number six or seven.

As a general rule of thumb, it's usually better to max out a smaller number of skills, than to dabble in a bunch of them. There are exceptions, though, since some skills provide benefits at particular numbers of ranks (for instance, if you have less than five ranks in Balance, you're considered flat-footed when balancing, and several skills give synergy bonuses if you have 5 or more ranks), and there are a few skills for which the DCs are relatively easy, but which are trained only.

What I usually do, if I have enough skill points, is spend all but one of my skill points each level on maxing out the most important skills, and then using the last point to dabble in other things.

I think you'll find that Divine Power UMD'd off a wand synergises very well with a druid's abilities.

Glyphic
2008-02-05, 06:55 PM
Depending on your Dm, you may actually need ranks in handle animal, even with your +4 bonus.

Chronos
2008-02-05, 07:27 PM
I think you'll find that Divine Power UMD'd off a wand synergises very well with a druid's abilities.I'm sure it would, but I'm not sure it's really a worthwhile investment. The druid doesn't have any other real use for charisma (handle animal and wild empathy are both easy anyway), he doesn't get UMD as a class skill, he has a bunch of his own magic, so he doesn't gain as much from UMD, and he'd have to shift back into human(oid) form to use the wand.

Illiterate Scribe
2008-02-05, 07:48 PM
I'm sure it would, but I'm not sure it's really a worthwhile investment. The druid doesn't have any other real use for charisma (handle animal and wild empathy are both easy anyway), he doesn't get UMD as a class skill, he has a bunch of his own magic, so he doesn't gain as much from UMD, and he'd have to shift back into human(oid) form to use the wand.

No, I believe that it will help them - their use of Diplomacy, as well as the Leadership feat (look at the Charisma synergy), will make them easily playable, and not as underpowered as most people think them to be.

:smallwink:

Devils_Advocate
2008-02-06, 12:46 AM
I suppose that if you're going to go out of your way to combine Divine Power with Wild Shape, you might as well max Diplomacy and take Leadership too. Why half ass breaking the game?


Now I'm imagining a druidic BBNG who rules over a stretch of woodland with all sorts of fey and magical beasts and treants and awakened animals and stuff at his beck and call. "Come to me, oh denizens of the forest!" he shouts, and they all appear out of nowhere, to tear evil intruders limb from limb or put on a big musical number about the interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of protecting the environment, as the situation warrants.