Pathfinder 2E Here's The Pathfinder 2nd Edition Skill List!

It's another Tuesday, which means another look at the previous night's Pathfinder 2nd Edition preview! There's only a couple of month to go until the full playtest rules are released (I have the hardcover on pre-order). Until then, Paizo continue with their twice-weekly glimpses into the ruleset - and this time we look at skills!

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• 17 base skills down from 35.
• Lots of consolidation -- Athletics contains a bunch, and Use Magic Device is replaced by the relevant Lore skill
• You are trained in more skills than before -- fighter has an extra one, for example (3+ Int mod)
• Skill list --
  • Acrobatics (Dex)
  • Arcana (Int)
  • Athletics (Str)
  • Crafting (Int)
  • Deception (Cha)
  • Diplomacy (Cha)
  • Intimidation (Cha)
  • Lore (Int)
  • Medicine (Wis)
  • Nature (Wis)
  • Occultism (Int)
  • Performance (Cha)
  • Religion (Wis)
  • Society (Int)
  • Stealth (Dex)
  • Survival (Wis)
  • Thievery (Dex)
• Skill proficiency --
  • Untrained -2, trained +0, expert +1, master +2, legendary +3 (plus level and ability modifier)
  • Each level of proficiency unlocks new skill uses
  • Medicine's Administer First Aid ability is available at the untrained level, being trained allows you to Treat Disease and Treat Poison
• Skill feats --
  • Usually at even levels you choose a skill feat
  • Rogues get them every level
  • Prerequisite is a level of proficiency in a skill (e.g. "legendary in Medicine")
  • Example is the Legendary Medic, which lets you remove diseases and conditions.
  • Stealth has skill feats like Quiet Allies (help your party sneak), Swift Sneak (move at full speed while sneaking), and at legendary level you just sneak everywhere constantly.

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[Baumi]

I wonder what the difference between Arcana and Occultism is.

 

[Aldarc]

I wonder what the difference between Arcana and Occultism is.

Possibly tied to their Occult Adventures book in PF1, but I also vaguely recall that it may have something to do with runes.

My first reaction to the skill list was to groan when I saw that Performance is still there. It's mostly a bard-only skill was previously something of a skill tax. But who knows how Paizo will change things up for PF2 when it comes to this skill.

 

[Kramodlog]

Gaining skill feats is neat. It is what the game needs to let players excel in and out of combat. Didn't Mearl or Baker say that he loved some skill feat he created for essentials, it wasn't worth taking because combat feats were too good?

 

[Eltab]

I am guessing that "Society" is the old "Streetwise", renamed so it sounds appropriate when applied to a variety of levels of social class, not just 'petty criminals'?

 

[Ghal Maraz]

There ain't no "Streetwise" skill in 3.X.

I guess it will have a function combining Knowledge (Local) and Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty), perhaps with a twist of Gather Information (that was consolidated into Diplomacy in PF1).

Regarding Performance: we already know it's used as a Downtime activity to make a living out of it. Let's see whatever else it does.

 

[ddaley]

I don't care for level being a factor in skill calculations. I would prefer skill level having a larger impact on the skill use. Seems a bit odd that a level 4 character who is untrained in a skill would have the same bonus as a level 1 who is a master...

 

[Charlaquin]

It’s weird to me that Arcana, Occultism, and Society don’t fall under Lore. I could maybe see Arcana as a separate skill if it stands in for Use Magic Device as the “interact with magic stuff” skill instead od just the “know stuff about magic” skill. I don’t really like pickpocketing and lockpicking/trap disarming being lumped together under Thievery. I’d much rather have Sleight of Hand and Disable Device back. Otherwise I like this.

 

[Markn]

I wonder what the difference between Arcana and Occultism is.

I believe there are 4 spell lists now. Arcane, Divine, Occultism and Primal. Presumably Occultism is for that list of spells (as in identification, etc).

 

[jmucchiello]

I believe there are 4 spell lists now. Arcane, Divine, Occultism and Primal. Presumably Occultism is for that list of spells (as in identification, etc).

If this is true, shouldn't there be a Primal skill?