Increasing Intelligance and Skill points


Rules Questions


When i level a character up to level 4 say i had 11 int and now i up it too 12 do i gain the skill points retroactivly?


Nubzcrymore wrote:
When i level a character up to level 4 say i had 11 int and now i up it too 12 do i gain the skill points retroactivly?

Yes.

This change from 3.5 was done to make the creation of non-starting characters and NPCs easier

You should note, however, that when you gain an INT from an item (like a headband of vast intelligence), the skill points are usually predetermined and do not stack with what you already have. Paizo has confirmed this.

INT increases from level increases, wish, and Tomes do grant retroactive skill points.


Nubzcrymore wrote:
When i level a character up to level 4 say i had 11 int and now i up it too 12 do i gain the skill points retroactivly?

I'm pretty sure this is covered in a section of the handbook but I can't remember where...

I think so as you receive retro HP from con why not skill points as long as the INT gain is permanent and in this case it is.


Watcher wrote:


You should note, however, that when you gain an INT from an item (like a headband of vast intelligence), the skill points are usually predetermined and do not stack with what you already have. Paizo has confirmed this.

I don't think I understand that statement buddie. Can you explain it?

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Xum wrote:
Watcher wrote:


You should note, however, that when you gain an INT from an item (like a headband of vast intelligence), the skill points are usually predetermined and do not stack with what you already have. Paizo has confirmed this.
I don't think I understand that statement buddie. Can you explain it?

A Headband of Intellect comes with a prepackaged skill. This skill gives you your level ranks in it, but if you already had it maxed out does not provide a benefit. This skill cannot be changed.

If you increase Intelligence as a result of a stat increase, ou can spend the points how you like.


From the description of the Headband of Vast Intellect:

This intricate gold headband is decorated with several small
blue and deep purple gemstones. The headband grants the
wearer an enhancement bonus to Intelligence of +2, +4, or +6.
Treat this as a temporary ability bonus for the first 24 hours
the headband is worn. A headband of vast intelligence has one
skill associated with it per +2 bonus it grants. After being worn
for 24 hours, the headband grants a number of skill ranks in
those skills equal to the wearer’s total Hit Dice. These ranks do
not stack with the ranks a creature already possesses. These
skills are chosen when the headband is created. If no skill is
listed, the headband is assumed to grant skill ranks in randomly
determined Knowledge skills.

Hope this helps.


PFRPG pg 555

Permanent Bonuses: Ability bonuses with a duration greater than 1 day actually increase the relevant ability score after 24 hours. Modify all skills and statistics related to that ability. This might cause you to gain skill points, hit points, and other bonuses. These bonuses should be noted separately in case they are removed.

Wearing a headband of intellect +2 will grant you skill points as noted. You just have to wear it for 24 hours before it becomes "permanent". I'd also rule that the converse applies. A character who picks up skill points and/or languages from a headband doesn't immediately lose them if he or she takes off that item for a short while. It's all magic. How you learn a language in 24 hours from wearing a hat... whatever.


Anguish wrote:

PFRPG pg 555

Permanent Bonuses: Ability bonuses with a duration greater than 1 day actually increase the relevant ability score after 24 hours. Modify all skills and statistics related to that ability. This might cause you to gain skill points, hit points, and other bonuses. These bonuses should be noted separately in case they are removed.

Wearing a headband of intellect +2 will grant you skill points as noted. You just have to wear it for 24 hours before it becomes "permanent". I'd also rule that the converse applies. A character who picks up skill points and/or languages from a headband doesn't immediately lose them if he or she takes off that item for a short while. It's all magic. How you learn a language in 24 hours from wearing a hat... whatever.

That's not quite right. The passage you quoted above is correct of course, but the actual language of the Headband of Vast Intellience overrides it in this specific instance. I'm about to jump into a game right this second but James Jacobs has actually specifically given an answer on this.

No wait.. I actually saved the link because so many people have told me I'm wrong before. ;-)

Clarification by James Jacobs here

There it is. Wishes, Tomes, and attribute increases through level increases do give retroactive skill points.

Headbands of Vast Intelligence follow their own unique rules regarding skill points.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

I hate to necrobump, but if you have a Headband of Vast Intellect +2, and its skill is Linguistics, does the wearer or the builder determine what bonus languages it provides? Is there an order, since the number of HD the wearer has determines how many ranks he gains, and thus the number of languages known from the Linguistics skill.

How would this work with Tengu and other races or abilities that allow you to learn 2 languages per rank in Linguistics?


SmiloDan wrote:

I hate to necrobump, but if you have a Headband of Vast Intellect +2, and its skill is Linguistics, does the wearer or the builder determine what bonus languages it provides? Is there an order, since the number of HD the wearer has determines how many ranks he gains, and thus the number of languages known from the Linguistics skill.

How would this work with Tengu and other races or abilities that allow you to learn 2 languages per rank in Linguistics?

It would be really annoying to try and figure out how some pre-determined language ladder interacts with your race and previous choices, and the item description doesn't require it, so don't do it that way. It also doesn't say anything about allowing you to change previous language choices, so don't do that either. Just say that the wearer picks as many new languages as they'd normally get from having however many more skill points in Linguistics than they had before, and call it done. Sound good?


If the Headband's skill is linquistics, then the creator has to decide what languages it gives at each level. So, for these items, you need to give a list to the wearer, something like this :

1 : Common
2 : Dwarven
3 : Halfling
4 : Elven
5 : Orc
6 : Gnoll
7 : Aquan
...
14 : Terran
15 : Undercommon
16 : Drow
17 : Celestial
18 : Infernal
19 : Arial
20 : Goblin

Put them in any order you want. That's the way I interpret it anyway. As the headband should be completely self contained, same as the skill it grants is.

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