It wasn't spelled out in the book (not that I saw), so I figured I'd ask the question:
How many skill points does a starting character have? Is it the amount listed in each class or quadruple at first level?
Also, how many languages does a character start with? The same as 3.5 (1 per INT modifier)?
You're right, it's not explicit. Weird. You should bring this back up when they're working on the Skills chapter. Right now folk are working on Ability Scores and Races.
You might get an answer over "General Discussion".
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i thpugh it was pretty clear in the fact that you get the skills (+int mod) mentioned in the class, since the faxct that you only get max rank equal to your level.
this is obnly an issue with people who already played 3.5 (and i thinkmost got the right idea, we actually liked it) but for new players it would eb confused to state it any thing more clearly than its already...
at elast that is how i see it
i thought it was pretty clear in the fact that you get the skills (+int mod) mentioned in the class, since the fact that you only get max rank equal to your level.
this is only an issue with people who already played 3.5 (and i think most got the right idea, we actually liked it) but for new players it would be confused to state it any thing more clearly than its already...
at least that is how i see it
PEDANT ALERT:
Beta page 52
Acquiring Skills
At first level, your character gains a number of skill
points dependent upon your class plus your Intelligence
modifier.
The Beta book does not say whether you get only the base number or a multiplier. "a number dependant upon your class plus int" is not the same as "the number listed for your class plus int". the first leaves it open to interpretation for the possiblity for a multiplier.
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You're going off the assumption that everyone reading this book has played 3.5 though, and thus has that x4 mentality. If they aren't listing a multiplier, there's no reason to assume there is one. A new player would look at that and just think they get 4+int or whatever, not some x4 they've never heard of.
You're going off the assumption that everyone reading this book has played 3.5 though, and thus has that x4 mentality. If they aren't listing a multiplier, there's no reason to assume there is one. A new player would look at that and just think they get 4+int or whatever, not some x4 they've never heard of.
AH! Yes, I agree that a completely new player would probably not think to multiply. However, it seems to be the standard throughout the book and forums to assume at least a familiarity with previous editions. I'm too lazy to look up the threads right now, but if you're curious, I'll go find them. ~grin~
I've never played 3.5, and have no idea where 4x came from. I was just pointing out that the wording left some room for interpretation.
Montalve: No worries at all - not offended, just being a pedant.
edited for typo
I hope we can get an official answer soon ... before we make our PC...
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Under the class it lists the number of skill points per level. There is no multiplier.
Thus, if you have 2+Int skill points at each level, that includes at 1st level.
Regarding starting languages, it is equal to (free racial languages) + Int Modifier.
This is described under the Linguistics skill, where it indicates that each rank purchases a new known language (in addition to the number of languages known equal to your Int Modifier).
Hope that helps.
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Under the class it lists the number of skill points per level. There is no multiplier.
Thus, if you have 2+Int skill points at each level, that includes at 1st level.
Regarding starting languages, it is equal to (free racial languages) + Int Modifier.
This is described under the Linguistics skill, where it indicates that each rank purchases a new known language (in addition to the number of languages known equal to your Int Modifier).
Hope that helps.
Not only that, but in 3.5 every class had the special line "Skill Points at first level: (X+Int modifier)x4"
Without this line, there is no reason to multiply by four.
MORE MORE MORE skill points.
Maybe get rid of cross-class skills. Keep all skills at a point each. Skill points are the best way to customze your character- besides how you you play them. Spending skill points in near useless things like cooking, pottery making, taxidermy, and scrubbing barnacles off ships is what defines your character Pre-adventurer. i'm not saying add these to the skill list. No way! Just give more skill points at creation or dump the cross-class thing.
I'm tired as I type this. So, I may read this a day or two from now and wonder what the heck I typed. But in half-sleep mode this, for some reason, makes sence.
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MORE MORE MORE skill points.
Maybe get rid of cross-class skills. Keep all skills at a point each. Skill points are the best way to customze your character- besides how you you play them. Spending skill points in near useless things like cooking, pottery making, taxidermy, and scrubbing barnacles off ships is what defines your character Pre-adventurer. i'm not saying add these to the skill list. No way! Just give more skill points at creation or dump the cross-class thing.
I'm tired as I type this. So, I may read this a day or two from now and wonder what the heck I typed. But in half-sleep mode this, for some reason, makes sence.
Are you still reading one of the Alpha versions? The Beta has no cross-class. Everything costs 1 skill point, if you buy ranks in a class skill you get a +3 bonus on the skill.
I have the beta. Must have read that wrong.
Sorry there.
I do love skills. More than feats, actually. Skills are the best thing for customizing characters, beyond a written background and role-playing.
I read this on page 68 :
Learn a language : Whenever you put a rank into this skill, you immediately learn to speak and read a new language.
I think it is a little too much. Maybe, each time you put 2 rank into this skill would be better.
You put 4 ranks in this skill and you know how to talk 4 more languages. It seems a little much.
Am I alone to think like this ?
Nope. Especially considering that PRPG seems to have consolidated the Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran languages into a single "Elemental" language, at least based on the bonus languages under the race entries.
However, without having had a list of PRPG languages listed anywhere, we can't be sure of what all changes to languages have been done.
My initial idea for Linguistics was 1 language per 5 ranks, though others have suggested different numbers, with 3 being one that seems good without being too good.
Director of Brand Strategy
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My initial idea for Linguistics was 1 language per 5 ranks, though others have suggested different numbers, with 3 being one that seems good without being too good.
Considering that one also gets the Decipher Script benefits of the consolidated Linguistics skill, I think that a single rank is a bit low.
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I'm actually ok with it. Yes, it looks like if a player really wanted to he could just keep putting ranks into this and eventually learn every language. How useful that is depends on your campaign. With the original 2 per language skill point cost though, I hardly had anyone EVER buy a new language past their starting ones. So having it be a bit cheaper and encouraging new languages (which can help a lot in a campaign) I am all for.
However, given that Decipher Script and Forgery are now included with those languages, you'll probably find more people taking Linguistics than you would Speak Language.
Even if Speak Language were one language per rank, I think you'd still find more people putting a lot of ranks into Linguistics, because it does more.
10 ranks=10 languages /= 10 ranks, +10 to deciphering texts and a +10 to making/identifying forgeries.
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Director of Games
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Hey there all,
Starting languages work just like they did in 3.5. This is spelled out under Intelligence, but I will make it a bit more implicit in the final book.
Starting skills work a bit more simply than in 3.5. There is no x4 multiplier. Instead, you get a +3 bonus on any class skill that you have at least one rank in. In addition, there are no cross class skills anymore. Finally, you cannot have more ranks in a skill than your total level. All of these changes were made to make assigning skills a simpler process for both players and GMs.
I should also note that this is more of a skill issue. Although it relates to Int, it should be discussed in the Skills portion of the playtest. As such, I am moving this to the General Discussion Forum.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
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I am playing a wizard character in Curse of the Crimson Throne.
I chose to have Linguistics, though if it were 3.5 I would have put those ranks into Decipher Script. I gain 1 language each time I advance a level. This makes no sense from a role-playing point of view. For my last level I chose not to take linguistics because I had not been exposed to a language. I'm making a point of 'spending time learning the native languages of the other party members' so I can justinfy a new language at next level (and I'll take 2 skill points in it so I can not suck at decipher script).
Considering my base Int of 20, I had 6 languages to start (5+Common), and I'll have 9 at level 3.
I liked Speak Language as it's own skill. I think Decipher Script had value in other areas, and is great for rounding out a character. But I'll certainly bring that up when we talk about skills.
For the most part, I'd like the 3.5 skill list (except combine Spot/Listen into Perception and Open Lock/Disable Device into Disable Device) and +2 skill points to each class.