One of my players brought up that he read somewhere that in the pathfinder rules that all ability score increases are retroactive. I know that in 3.5 that a con. bump was retro...but a int. bump was not. Has that changed with the pathfinder core rules?
All ability score increases are retroactive in Pathfinder. This includes Intelligence. I know I've read it a dozen times but now I can't seem to remember where.
Yes, all stat increases are retroactive in pf so going int 13 to int 14 will grant you the extra skill points
The only reference I can find in the Core Rulebook is on page 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."
As the level increase is a typeless bonus that stacks with itself and cannot be removed (from the FAQ), that would mean that yes, even Intelligence increases are retroactive!
Was it not like that in 3.5? (Every game I've played in was like that even when the GM didn't know or didn't like PF)
Was it not like that in 3.5? (Every game I've played in was like that even when the GM didn't know or didn't like PF)
No, it was not like that in 3.5. If your intelligence permanently increased you gained more skill points from that level on, but not for levels you had already gained.
Here is a post by James Jacobs about this topic.
Short version: Yes you gain skillpoints retroactively