Query on skills.

[Wiz]

Let's say I'm running a wizard.

I really want appraise and search as skills... but they aren't in my possibles, so I spend 4 points on each and only half applies. Later, I become a Loremaster, and Appraise is no longer cross class... do all the points I spent on it now become full points? Later I become an archimage... does the same happen for search? What about points I apply later to Appraise, but I'm no longer advancing as a loremaster?

[Raolin_Fenix]

'Fraid not.

Your use a number of skill points to purchase ranks in a given skill. Your class skills cost only one skill point per rank, while cross-class skills cost two. Once those cross-class skills become class skills, you've already paid for what you have, and there's no buy-backs. In the future, though, you can buy your ranks at the appropriately reduced price.

EXCEPTION: With a Miracle, Lesser Wish, Wish, or Psionic Reformation, you can alter the expenditure of your skill points. ('Course, that costs money and/or XP, so you win some, you lose some.)

[Kurald Galain]

EXCEPTION:

IIRC the PHB2 has retraining rules, allowing you to do the same only easier.