Trait Bonuses and Trained-Only Skills

[Avatar-1]

If you take a trait that gives you a trait bonus to a certain trained-only skill, and you don't put a rank in it to train it, are you able to use it?

For example, a trait gives you +1 to Knowledge (local). No ranks in Knowledge (local), but you've got a +1 bonus. Can you make a check with it? Or not until you put a rank into it (and waste the trait until then)?

Been wanting to know the answer to this one for a while, and I can't find anywhere that says what happens here.

[Weables]

You can use knowledge skills untrained, so its a poor example.

Quote:

Untrained

You cannot make an untrained Knowledge check with a DC higher than 10. If you have access to an extensive library that covers a specific skill, this limit is removed. The time to make checks using a library, however, increases to 1d4 hours. Particularly complete libraries might even grant a bonus on Knowledge checks in the fields that they cover.

But overall, no. The trait bonus does not count as a rank for determining if you're trained in a skill.

[Avatar-1]

You're right, it is a poor example; replace Knowledge with Disable Device, or any skill that requires a rank to use at all.

Is it a wasted trait until you put a rank in it?

[BigNorseWolf]

Yup. wasted.

There are many, many traits that give class skill along with the plus 1. for an effective +4. If you want a skill, get a trait that does both.