Maximum bonus from skills?

[Benifey]

So one of my friends recently started up his own campaign, and I thought I'd take a break from GMing and join in. So I made a wizard, and got some pretty good rolls (he used the 4d6 system.) I ended up with a 19, so I have a +4 mod. My total bonus for spellcraft checks came out to be +10 (+1 for rank,+4 for mod, +3 for class skill, +2 for selected school) but my GM said that the maximum bonus i could get was +6 since my hit die is a d6. I went with it, but when I got home and tried to find the rule, I couldn't find anything out about it. Nobody else was able to find the rule either. This isn't a huge deal because I'll be getting the full benefit at level 2, but I was wondering if anyone else knows and goes by this rule.

[Gauss]

I believe your GM is thinking that it is the size of the hit dice that limits the bonus rather than the number of hit dice limiting the number of ranks. The following quote should help.

CRB p86 wrote:

Each level, your character gains a number of skill ranks dependent upon your class plus your Intelligence modifier. Investing a rank in a skill represents a measure of training in that skill. You can never have more ranks in a skill than your total number of Hit Dice. In addition, each class has a number of favored skills, called class skills. It is easier for your character to become more proficient in these skills, as they represent part of his professional training and constant practice. You gain a +3 bonus on all class skills that you put ranks into. If you have more than one class and both grant you a class skill bonus, these bonuses do not stack.

It is not the bonus that is capped, it is the number of ranks which is capped by your Hit Dice (or level). Your Hit Dice is equal to your level plus any racial hit dice you may have (usually none). Your calculations are correct.

- Gauss

[Benifey]

Gauss wrote:

It is not the bonus that is capped, it is the number of ranks which is capped by your Hit Dice (or level). Your Hit Dice is equal to your level plus any racial hit dice you may have (usually none). Your calculations are correct.

Thanks for the reply. We are all very aware of the "ranks can't exceed the number of hit die" rule, I guess that he was just mistaken. What was strange to me was that other members of the group agreed with the rule when I questioned him about it, so I thought that I had to be missing something.

[GypsyMischief]

Yup, your Gm is just straight up wrong. I'm curious to see how he's gimped his own characters in an attempt to follow this "rule". When you really think about it that whole concept doesn't make any sense at all. Why would a barbarian have the highest bonus allowance, when she has one of the smallest lists of class skills, and a lack of focus on intelligence?

I once rolled a really cheesey Goblin Rogue with a +20ish to stealth, anything can be done.

[zarconww]

Yeah, check out the Pregenerated Characters. They all have skills done
correctly. BTW how do you get the +2 for selected school?

[Gauss]

zarconww

CRB p106 wrote:

Special: If you are a specialist wizard, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks made to identify, learn, and prepare spells from your chosen school. Similarly, you take a –5 penalty on similar checks made concerning spells from your opposition schools.

The only thing regarding that is that I would not include a situational modifier such as this in the total score. Situational modifiers are noted elsewhere and added in when the situation arises.

Without the situational modifier his spellcraft score is +8.

- Gauss