Retroactive skill points.

[Kylas]

Do you gain or lose skill points retroactively based on int boosting items like X of intellect?

Do you gain bonus points upon level up? I.e. more than your natural Int.

Also where is this discussed in any core rule book?

Thanks.

 

[Herzog]

Headband of Intellect. DMG p.258:

This enhancement bonus does
not earn the wearer extra skill points when a new level is attained;
use the unenhanced Intelligence bonus to determine skill points.

Furthermore, skillpoints are NEVER retroactive.
PHB p.10:

She does not
retroactively get additional points for her previous levels (that is,
skill points she would have gained if she had had an Intelligence
score of 16 starting at 1st level).

Note: I realise this is a very specific example that does not automatically mean you NEVER get retroactive skillpoints.
However, it's the one I found first. There's probably more references to this rule, including ones that are more generic regarding Intelligence and skillpoints.

 

[frankthedm]

Yeah, really not any RAW ways to get retroactive skill points.

IMHO I think it is a very good idea for granting retroactive skill points for the ability score boosts received for every 4 character levels.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

IMHO I think it is a very good idea for granting retroactive skill points for the ability score boosts received for every 4 character levels.

I think retroactive skill point additions in general are fair, personally. I think the only reason they were disallowed were spells and magic items that boost Intelligence. (Not that that's not a good reason, though Pathfinder did come up with a good solution, IMO.)

 

[irdeggman]

I think retroactive skill point additions in general are fair, personally. I think the only reason they were disallowed were spells and magic items that boost Intelligence. (Not that that's not a good reason, though Pathfinder did come up with a good solution, IMO.)

The problem with retroactive skill points is that you must keep track of what you spent them on at each level with each class. Per the RAW (and with very good reason) you can't save skill points for later use but must use them when you level up.

Usually not a problem at low levels but once a PC is mid-to high the sheer number of character sheets you've gone through (due to rewriting) makes this a daunting task.

Most people I have played with do not manage to keep track of things like that going back very far in their character history.

Another problem that arises is what would happen if you suffered a temporary Int loss? All of a sudden you would have to "retroactively" lose skill points too. Way to hard mechanically to handle.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

[Stuff.]

With the advent of character rebuilding in Player's Handbook II, there's really no need to track precise skill purchases. Rebuilding allows the shuffling of skills anyway, so as long as the total skill points remains correct, the occasional movement due to Intelligence increases or decreases wouldn't be a big deal.

The only real issue is temporary change (a subset of which is the headband of intellect), for which Pathfinder found a solution. Pathfinder has retroactive skill points as a result. (Arguably; the language could be more precise.)

 

[irdeggman]

With the advent of character rebuilding in Player's Handbook II, there's really no need to track precise skill purchases. Rebuilding allows the shuffling of skills anyway, so as long as the total skill points remains correct, the occasional movement due to Intelligence increases or decreases wouldn't be a big deal.

Yeah but not everyone uses the rebuilding rules from PHB II. In fact none of the game I play in do. So I wouldn't automatically assume that it is an allowed option - albeit a sound one.

I am going to allow my PCs to do it in my Age Worms Game because one of the key players dropped out and there has been a rather large gap (real life) in the game.

 

[Kylas]

Once again thanks for the input.

Love this board