Raising Int - how does it effect skills?

[Rechan]

Okay, I have a 15 int, and I just hit 4th level, so I am raising it to 16.

How does this effect my skill points? Do I basically get new points retro-actively (because skill points: 6 + Int/level), or is it just for this level that I get 1 more skill point?

 

[frankthedm]

Okay, I have a 15 int, and I just hit 4th level, so I am raising it to 16.

How does this effect my skill points? Do I basically get new points retro-actively (because skill points: 6 + Int/level), or is it just for this level that I get 1 more skill point?

Just that level by the rules.

 

[Rechan]

Okay, thanks.

 

[Rackhir]

Okay, I have a 15 int, and I just hit 4th level, so I am raising it to 16.

How does this effect my skill points? Do I basically get new points retro-actively (because skill points: 6 + Int/level), or is it just for this level that I get 1 more skill point?

From 4th lvl on you get the extra skill point. It does not work retroactively. So you'd have say 4 skill points a level up to 4th when you would start getting 5 a level.

 

[Enforcer]

Well, just this level AND all future levels. No retroactive skill points though, unlike Con for hit points.

 

[Rackhir]

Well, just this level AND all future levels. No retroactive skill points though, unlike Con for hit points.

The key distinction here, is that skill points are something you get at a new level. They are a feature of that level specifically. Thus you get different amounts of skill points from different classes at different levels and there's no interaction between getting 4pts for a barb and only 2 for a fighter level. Where as the con bonus to HP, is per Hit Die, which is a cumulative number.

 

[irdeggman]

From the SRD:

When an ability score changes, all attributes associated with that score change accordingly. A character does not retroactively get additional skill points for previous levels if she increases her intelligence.

Same info is on pg 10 of the PHB

 

[Lord Zardoz]

I will point out however, that this is the one rule that I expect I will not worry about getting right. Working up skill points for higher level characters that improve their Int score is typically not a game breaker.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[evilbob]

That is very true.


Also worth noting is that +Int items do not allow you to gain extra skill points, either.