Max skill Ranks question

[Jovah]

I have a a character who is a 3rd level fighter who is going to take his next (4th) level as Expert.

i currently have zero ranks in Profession: Manager.

Can I put 7 ranks into it when I level up to level 4 ?

I have the skill points to spend.

Proffesion is a class skill for both Fighter and Expert.

 

[bret]

Yes, you can bring a Profession skill up to 7 ranks.


Profession is cross class for fighter.

Assuming it was one of the skills you chose, it would be a class skill for Expert.

Because it is not an exclusive skill, your max ranks is 7.

When buying it as a fighter, it costs 2 skill points per rank.

When buying it as an expert, it costs 1 skill point per rank.

 

[Xahn'Tyr]

I can see an argument being made that you would have had to spend those points while you were a fighter in order to achieve the maximum possible. I'm not certain on whether that is clear in the rules or not (and can't think of a string to search for in the SRD). Good question though.

 

[CRGreathouse]

I can see an argument being made that you would have had to spend those points while you were a fighter in order to achieve the maximum possible. I'm not certain on whether that is clear in the rules or not (and can't think of a string to search for in the SRD). Good question though.

Yes it's clear in the rules; no you wouldn't have to take ranks while fighter.

 

[The Souljourner]

Yeah, I agree with CRGreathouse, it is clear in the rules that you may spend any number of skillpoints on a single skill when you level up, as long as you don't bring it above its max.

-The Souljourner

 

[Tome]

by no means am I an expert on the subject, but I do know that Character Generator v1.2 does not allow you to use skill points in one class to advance a skill beyond your level + 3 in whatever class you gained the skill points in. In fact you have to have two separate entries for the skill on your skill list. When you print your character all of the double entries are consolidated into a single entry.

Example: Rogue 3/Illusionist1

Profession: Herbalist 6 (Rogue)
Profession: Herbalist 4 (Illusionist)

By those rules the above character could not have taken a single level of Rogue and added 10 ranks of Profession: Herbalist all at once.

 

[KGradert]

Char gen has some flaws (less now but still there are some).

By the rules, you can add all 7 into the skill to max it out.

Exclusive skills are the exception.

 

[The Souljourner]

Here are the total rules for skills (in my own words):

Each level you get a number of skill points based on the class you choose to level up as.

You may spend these points on class skills for the class you are levelling up, in which case one skill point gains you one rank.

You may spend these on skills that are not class skills for the class you are levelling up, provided they are not exclusive to another class. In this case one skill point gains you half a rank.

You cannot spend points on an exclusive skill unless it is also a class skill for the class you are levelling up.

The maximum ranks you may have in a skill are determined as follows:

If at least one class the character has taken has the skill as a class skill and it is not an exclusive skill, the maximum is equal to your *character level* + 3.

If none of your classes has the skill as a class skill and it is not an exclusive skill, the maximum is equal to your *character level*/2 + 1.5.

If the skill is exclusive to one or more classes, if you have one or more of those classes, the maximum is equal to the sum of those *class levels* + 3.

You may spend any number of points on a skill when you level up, as long as this does not raise it above the maximum ranks as determined above.

It's a little bit complicated, but if you go through the steps one by one you'll see it makes sense.

-The Souljourner

 

[dcollins]

Figured I'd quote the applicable rule for clarity. PH p. 56: "For purposes of calculating maximum ranks, a skill is a class skill if at least one of the character's classes has it as a class skill. The maximum rank for a class skill is 3 + the character level."

An example follows, along with an exception for exclusive skills totally restricted from some of the character's classes (like Animal Empathy or Use Magic Device).

 

[Magus_Jerel]

Max ranks are set by CHARACTER level - not class level. IIRC - there may be an exception somewhere about class exclusive skills.

Therefore - you could "dump" your points into whatever skill you chose - and your max is 3 + char level.


If I am reading the rule right - the challenge is multiclass characters.

Now - if you are advancing in say "fighter" and want to purchase say - spellcraft, and you had a level of wizard, you would have to purchase ranks at the "cross class" rate - but your maximum ranks are still level +3 - because you DO have it as a "class skill" - just not from THAT class - rather, another class you posess.