INT bonus to skill points retroactive?

[TracerBullet42]

Quick question that I am having trouble finding the answer to....

If you add a point to you INT ability score (via level raising at 4th, 8th, etc.) and raise it to an even number, do you get the bonus skill points for all of the levels you've earned as you would with the CON bonus to hit points?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Quick question that I am having trouble finding the answer to....

If you add a point to you INT ability score (via level raising at 4th, 8th, etc.) and raise it to an even number, do you get the bonus skill points for all of the levels you've earned as you would with the CON bonus to hit points?

No.

 

[Artoomis]

Not by the core rules.

That's the way we play it, though. We like to be able to recalculate points to check for errors, and that's harder to do if you must also keep track of exactly when your ability score was modified.

It's a house rule for sure, but we find it more consistent with other rules. Naturally this does not work for temporary increases/decreases - again, for simplicity. We don't want to have to recalculate all the time.

 

[TracerBullet42]

Thanks. You rock....and roll....sweet suzy.

 

[Magic Slim]

Thanks. You rock....and roll....sweet suzy.

Woot! Kung Pow Quote!

 

[Staffan]

The reason why skill point increases aren't retroactive is that Intelligence measures your learning capacity. Just because you're better at learning things now it doesn't mean that you get the time you spent learning stuff a year ago back. It does help you make mental connections you didn't manage back then, but that's reflected in getting a higher Int bonus to Int-based skills.

Constitution, on the other hand, measures how tough you are now, which is why hp changes are retroactive.

 

[Artoomis]

The reason why skill point increases aren't retroactive is that Intelligence measures your learning capacity. Just because you're better at learning things now it doesn't mean that you get the time you spent learning stuff a year ago back. It does help you make mental connections you didn't manage back then, but that's reflected in getting a higher Int bonus to Int-based skills.

Constitution, on the other hand, measures how tough you are now, which is why hp changes are retroactive.

Forget trying to logic it out - there is equally valid logic for doing it our way (more skill points could mean more insight into what you already knew, etc.).

It's just the rules, that's all.

 

[FireLance]

The definition of Intelligence is arbitrary. You could define it as learning capacity or you could define it as how much you can keep in your brain at any one time. I prefer the latter as it can be equally "realistic" and a lot less paperwork.

 

[Stormrunner]

The definition of Intelligence is arbitrary. You could define it as learning capacity or you could define it as how much you can keep in your brain at any one time. I prefer the latter as it can be equally "realistic" and a lot less paperwork.

Actually it's a lot more paperwork. If you make Int changes retroactive like Con changes, what happens when you take Int loss or drain? How do you allocate the loss of skill points? Take them from the highest-levelled skills? The lowest? Spread evenly? Better to just avoid the quagmire altogether, which I suspect was the reason behind WotC's decision to make Int changes non-retroactive.

 

[Celtavian]

re

Given that temporary intelligence increasing items don't affect skill points in 3.5, we also allow retroactive skill points for permanent intelligence increases. It makes bookkeeping easier for the character and uses a similar mechanic to constitution. I like consistent mechanics.