Pathfinder 1E Skill ranks after raising Intelligence?

[Eryndur]

Just a quick rules question:
If you raise your Intelligence enough to increase your ability bonus, do
you retroactively get the extra skill ranks to assign from previous levels?

 

[N'raac]

Yes - that was a specific change Pathfinder made from the 3.5 rules. All benefits of stat increases are retroactive.

The stat enhancers from magic items are treated differently - the skill(s) is set within the item itself, so your +4 INT Headband might grant ranks in Knowledge History and Use Magic Device, for example. IIRC, these would override, not supplement, any ranks the character has in the skills.

I suppose nothing would stop you making a variety of Headbands, each with different skills, but the benefits would only kick in after wearing the specific one for a day.

 

[Eryndur]

Excellent. Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Angrydad]

Well, I just learned something. I guess it pays to read through all the rules that I thought they didn't actually change....

 

[Starfox]

Pathfinder is more different than one would think by just skimming it.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Yes - that was a specific change Pathfinder made from the 3.5 rules. All benefits of stat increases are retroactive.

Where can I find this rule, please?

 

[paradox42]

Where can I find this rule, please?

This is actually a rather odd change, in that they didn't add a rule but rather removed one. On page 10 of the 3.5 PHB, you'll find text stating that raising Mialee's INT from 15 to 16 allows her to start gaining 5 skill points per level instead of 4, but does not retroactively give her skill points for previous levels. The Pathfinder Core book simply removed that text- so now, the rule that says all changes apply even retroactively (which was always the case for hit points from CON, for example) applies to skill points too.

There's a quote from James Jacobs here that explains this change. It's also listed in the ability scores page at d20pfsrd.com.