602 skill points

[BiggusGeekus]

I'm satting out a Red Dragon (great wyrm) in 3.5. Sure, the actual abilities probably don't matter. But call me anal retentive --

"Hey, BG! You're anal retentive!"

-- but I thought it might be fun to stat the critter out. You can go as high as 43 skill points and the following are class skills: Listen, Search, Spot, Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Sense Motive, Use Magic Device

Sure, I could go the easy route and pick a few knowledge skills until I just had everything maxxed. But where's the fun in that? Besides, wouldn't be mildly embarassing to be a 2,000 year old dragon and not know how to swim? I don't care what your Intimidate skill is, everyone is going to make fun of a dragon with water wings.

I'll post what I'm using later on. In the meantime, go nuts guys!

 

[Chun-tzu]

My first run through the list came up with 14 skills of choice, and maxed out that makes 602 skill points, so I'll go with that.

Max out all class skills, with Arcana as the only knowledge skill. The other 4 cross-class skills that a red dragon would probably be interested in are Appraise (what greedy dragon wouldn't learn this one?), Bluff (gotta be the best liar you can be), Gather Information (still useful for a dragon) and Spellcraft (nice to know what those puny mortals are casting at you).

On my second run through, I'd probably not max out Gather Information, and pick up some ranks in Knowledge: Local and maybe a few languages. I don't know how useful Knowledge: History would be, since they probably shouldn't need to use the skill for anything within their lifetime, so they already have Knowledge: History for all intents and purposes.

Edit - p.s., I'd never have a Red Dragon take ranks in Swim. They're fire dragons, and supremely arrogant. They'd never worry about drowning.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I went with a more generalist Red Dragon. I wanted one that could pass for a puny mortal should he desire. I also tossed in a few skills at random to reflect his ability to adapt to other planes. I did, however, keep Intimidate maxxed out … naturally. I didn’t use any points on languages because his high Int could take care of that for him. The skill ranks are below with the modifications for synergy bonuses in parenthesis.

Appraise +10
Balance +5 (+7)
Bluff +25
Concentration +10
Decipher Script +5
Diplomacy +30 (+36)
Disguise +5 (+7 to act in character)
Escape Artist +10
Forgery +5
Gather Information +5 (+9)
Heal +5
Hide +5
Intimidate +43 (+45)
Jump +5 (+7)
Knowledge (arcane) +30
Knowledge (architecture) +15
Knowledge (dungeonering) +10
Knowledge (geography) +10
Knowledge (history) +14
Knowledge (local) +10
Knowledge (nature) +10
Knowledge (nobility) +10
Knowledge (religion) +10
Knowledge (the planes) +30
Listen +30
Move Silently +10
Search +10 (+12 for hidden doors)
Sense Motive +40
Spellcraft +10 (+12, +14 to decipher scrolls)
Spot +30
Survival +7 (+9 to keep from getting lost, avoiding natural hazards, to follow tracks, above ground environments, on other planes, or underground)
Swim +3 -- I took this anyway, I was thinking in terms of planar travel or to rout out adversaries or lava diving
Tumble +5 (+7)
Use Magic Device +30 (+34 to use scrolls)

 

[Wolf72]

doh!

I wish I was at home! ... I have the major dragons skill points all tabled out (3.0).

there were 3 skill that the MM said that all dragons take (but don't get free) ... so that cut into the total amount some (they took one rank per hd).

and, they get spell craft free at 1 rank/per HD.

... iirc they also get jump at the same rate.

BUT, I treated them as PC's and did not give them retroactive skill points for intelligence increase. ( WotC examples just do the easy thing (which I reccomend!) and calculate at the current HD )


[edit: as long as 3.5 kept the same rules and the 6 skillpoints/hd I shouldn't have to redo everything]

 

[hong]

I sure am glad that CRGreathouse is gonna update his dragon page for 3.5E.

...

I said, I sure am glad that CRGreathouse is gonna update his dragon page for 3.5E.

...

I said, I sure am glad that CRGreathouse is gonna update his dragon page for 3.5E.



Aren't you, Charles?