Int and Skills: What we know its not.

[Stalker0]

The debate rages on, what exactly does int do in 4e? Many still believe it has something to do with skills. We don't know what int does yet, but with the info we have, there's a lot of information about what it doesn't do. I thought I would summarize here.

Disclaimer: This is based on information that has been publicly provided including wotc released info and pregen character stats. It is accurate as far as we know, but nothing is 100% accurate until the books come out.

1) Your number of skills are NOT affected by intelligence.

We have now seen two class descriptions and a host of pregens. Based on this evidence, intelligence does not have any factor in the number of trained skills you start with.

2) Rogues do NOT gain bonus skills based on int.

In R & C, it was mentioned that rogues get bonuses to skills based on int. However, with the rogue class description released, there is no indication that this is the case. It is possible that rogues get a bonus like this as a paragon path. We will receive paragon path info on weds, and may be able to confirm this.

3) The number of skills you gain through skill training is NOT affected by int.

The pregen wizard has a massive int, and the skill training feat. Yet he has gained but one trained skill. There was a belief for a while that skill training gave you a number of trained skills equal to your int mod, or perhaps half your int mod. This does not seem to be the case.

However, it is possible that skill training has an int requirement, or that you can take skill training only a number of times equal to your int mod.

4) Int does NOT seem to give you bonus skills as you level.

There was the notion that a high int might grant you bonus skills as you level up, similar to feats or ability bumps. Looking at the tier description, there doesn't seem to be any indication that you gain more skills except through the skill training feat.

 

[Ondo]

In R & C, it was mentioned that rogues get bonuses to skills based on int. However, with the rogue class description released, there is no indication that this is the case.

My guess is we'll see a skillful rogue build in Martial Power with a corresponding new option for Rogue Tactics that does something like this.

 

[Shroomy]

I could see INT being relevant to rituals. Its the one key sub-system that we really haven't seen.

 

[Vaeron]

2) Rogues do NOT gain bonus skills based on int.

In R & C, it was mentioned that rogues get bonuses to skills based on int. However, with the rogue class description released, there is no indication that this is the case. It is possible that rogues get a bonus like this as a paragon path. We will receive paragon path info on weds, and may be able to confirm this.

Have we actually seen a rogue pregen or actual rogue info? I was under the impression what we had so far on rogues is incomplete and compiled by community sources.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I could see INT being relevant to rituals. Its the one key sub-system that we really haven't seen.

Or Wisdom depending on the type of Ritual.

I am wondering if Intelligence could play a roll if there are say specialization of skills. Since some skills have been combined, could we see intelligence playing a roll in determining the number of specializations one could take in their trained skills. So you can choose a specific thing that skill does to gain a bonus in.

Intelligence could work, since it shows your intellect has allowed you in this instance conceive of how to more affectively use that skill in that event.

 

[Tsukiyomi]

Well, you get to pick the higher of your Dexterity/Intelligence for your AC (if wearing no or light armor) and your Reflex defense, so that's something. It might not matter much for a Rogue or Ranger, but that's pretty important for a Wizard and some Warlords.

Thing is, there aren't really that many skills anymore, so a high Intelligence character would have a whole lot of skills trained if you got bonus trained skills equal to your Intelligence modifier. A high Intelligence Rogue or Ranger could cover almost the entire list...

Stats in general seem to be somewhat less important in 4th edition. Because your AC and defenses can be boosted by the higher of two different stats, you don't really suffer too much for having merely average scores in stats that aren't central to your class.

 

[fba827]

Plus, given the preview of the Warlord, there is a Warlord build focused on Int. It is not unreasonable to say that at least another class or two will have at least one build option that favors a high Int.

Heck, taken to the extreme, given enough expansion books, we could conceivably see a build option for every class built around on every ability score...

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Have we actually seen a rogue pregen or actual rogue info? I was under the impression what we had so far on rogues is incomplete and compiled by community sources.

They showed off the opening spread of the Rogue class writeup in Dragon magazine back in February. That's one of the most complete bits of class info that we've had thus far, though it doesn't include many powers.

 

[The_Fan]

Bear in mind that is just the first level. It's entirely possible the rogue could get more class abilities at higher level. On the other hand, a lot has changed mechanically since R&C.

 

[Spinachcat]

There was a post way back when that mentioned how the pre-gens were created pretty quickly and may have some errrors. What if the designer simply forgot to add in the INT bonus stuff...or INT is the dump stat in the 4e WoW anime boardgame!