dose putting 1 rank in a class skill make it 4 ranks?
If you put 1 rank in a skill, you have one rank in that skill.
However, if it is a class skill, you get a +3 bonus to all checks made with it - so it's functionally the same as putting 4 ranks in it was under the old 3.5 system.
If you put 1 rank in a skill, you have one rank in that skill.
However, if it is a class skill, you get a +3 bonus to all checks made with it - so it's functionally the same as putting 4 ranks in it under the old 3.5 system.
so if a prc req 5 ranks i have to wait for lvl 5?
Yes.
EDIT: However, that's only for Prestige Classes intended for use with Pathfinder. If you're converting a Prestige Class, subtract 3 from the number of ranks needed.
Does the plus 3 to the skill rank count for every level, or just one time at the start?
You get the +3 as soon as you a) add a rank to a class skill or b) a skill that you have a rank in becomes a class skill. Either way, the +3 applies only once.
So much for actually reading the book/rules
But we have other things that apply points and they also raise the effective number rank such as:
No, these things *add to the bonus* which is not at all the same as raising the effective number of ranks.
Several things go into calculating the bonus you add when rolling for a skill:
1) The number of ranks you have added to the skill (max 1 per current level)
2) The ability bonus (a number based on how high your ability score is)
3) The class bonus (+3 points if it is a) a class skill for you and b) you have at least one rank in that skill)
4) Other bonuses available to you because of race, traits, feats, etc.
The number of *ranks* you have in the skill is the number of ranks you have added at each level. You may not add more ranks than you have levels.
You can add 0 ranks at one level and then add 2 ranks at the next level, but you can never have more ranks in a skill than your current level.
You will almost always have more bonus points for a skill than you have ranks in that skill.
I have been doing research on the rank requirements for pre-requisites and still am confused. I am seeing in some places that as your character advances you may add one point to raise a rank in a skill per level. That is standard.
But we have other things that apply points and they also raise the effective number rank such as:
It is a class skill
You take Skill focus
You have trait the impact the numberWhat I am basically trying to determine is for things like trick riding were the prerequisite is 9 ranks if basically you have to be 9th level or if any of these elements allow you to qualify at lower level...
The +3 class skill bonus, Skill Focus, and anything else like it is not a rank. A skill rank only ever comes from putting a skill point in a skill 9Also one of the possible options of gaining a level in a favored class). Everything else just grants a bonus on the check, but is not a rank.
If something requires 9 ranks in a skill, there is no way to get that until 9th level.
It doesn't make it 4 ranks but it does make it +4
This was done to avoid 3.5's very confusing number of skill points you had whether you were a rogue 1 fighter 5 or a fighter 5 rogue 1.