Probably a dumb question on skill points [Archive] - Wizards Community

Probably a dumb question on skill points [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Maxxim
03-05-07, 07:09 PM Say you have a race that provides a few levels of HD, and also gives some number of skill points (I'll call it 50 just for a round number).

Then you apply a template that also gives skill points, let's say 60 here, again just for a round number.

So, before adding any class levels, do you have a total of 110 skill points, or do you just get the better of the two, or what?
Fireclave
03-05-07, 07:10 PM What templates give you skill points?
Maxxim
03-05-07, 07:17 PM I was looking at half-dragon. Here is what I read in the SRD:

"A half-dragon gains skill points as a dragon and has skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier) × (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation—the half-dragon gains dragon skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature’s list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class."

Is that meant to be in place of the skill points gained from the base creature's monster levels?
Kouk
03-05-07, 07:31 PM If he was born a half dragon, take the better result I think. If he later became a half dragon, his next racial hit dice would give skill points as a half dragon, it wouldn't be retroactive.

Are you starting as a level 1 half dragon character or making a monster?
Maxxim
03-05-07, 07:39 PM Making a monster. It's a Half-Dragon/Half-Fiend Rakshasa. THe first 7 levels of Rakshasa give me 90 skill points after Int bonus and such. But each of the two templates would give 110 skill points.

I assumed that a grand total of 390 skill points with only 7 HD and no actual class levels was not possible, and figured that it would just be the 110 (being the better of the two options).
Fireclave
03-05-07, 07:39 PM If the creature was born a half-dragon, its type changes to dragon. All of its racial HD become dragon HD. If it became a half-dragon later in life, its previous racial HD won't change, but all of its future racial HD will be dragon HD as well.

Example 1: A half-dragon lion would have 5 dragon HD instead of 5 animal HD. If it gains another level, it will gain an additional dragon HD.

Example 2: A half-dragon human fighter 1 will have 1 fighter HD. He has no racial HD to be turned into dragon HD.
Fireclave
03-05-07, 07:48 PM Making a monster. It's a Half-Dragon/Half-Fiend Rakshasa. THe first 7 levels of Rakshasa give me 90 skill points after Int bonus and such. But each of the two templates would give 110 skill points.
Each template doesn't give you skill points separately. You only gain skill points from gaining HD. The reason the amount of skill points change is because your type changes as well. A half-dragon creature is no longer a creature of its original type. It's officially a dragon and gains the dragon type. That means that its racial HD are dragon HD instead of whatever they used to be.

And a correction/clarification to the above post I made:
Templates usually specify what and what does not change for the templated creature. For the half-dragon template, size, attack bonus, and saves don't change, but skill points and HD do.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Maxxim 03-05-07, 07:09 PM	Say you have a race that provides a few levels of HD, and also gives some number of skill points (I'll call it 50 just for a round number). Then you apply a template that also gives skill points, let's say 60 here, again just for a round number. So, before adding any class levels, do you have a total of 110 skill points, or do you just get the better of the two, or what?
Fireclave 03-05-07, 07:10 PM	What templates give you skill points?
Maxxim 03-05-07, 07:17 PM	I was looking at half-dragon. Here is what I read in the SRD: "A half-dragon gains skill points as a dragon and has skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier) × (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation—the half-dragon gains dragon skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature’s list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class." Is that meant to be in place of the skill points gained from the base creature's monster levels?
Kouk 03-05-07, 07:31 PM	If he was born a half dragon, take the better result I think. If he later became a half dragon, his next racial hit dice would give skill points as a half dragon, it wouldn't be retroactive. Are you starting as a level 1 half dragon character or making a monster?
Maxxim 03-05-07, 07:39 PM	Making a monster. It's a Half-Dragon/Half-Fiend Rakshasa. THe first 7 levels of Rakshasa give me 90 skill points after Int bonus and such. But each of the two templates would give 110 skill points. I assumed that a grand total of 390 skill points with only 7 HD and no actual class levels was not possible, and figured that it would just be the 110 (being the better of the two options).
Fireclave 03-05-07, 07:39 PM	If the creature was born a half-dragon, its type changes to dragon. All of its racial HD become dragon HD. If it became a half-dragon later in life, its previous racial HD won't change, but all of its future racial HD will be dragon HD as well. Example 1: A half-dragon lion would have 5 dragon HD instead of 5 animal HD. If it gains another level, it will gain an additional dragon HD. Example 2: A half-dragon human fighter 1 will have 1 fighter HD. He has no racial HD to be turned into dragon HD.
Fireclave 03-05-07, 07:48 PM	Making a monster. It's a Half-Dragon/Half-Fiend Rakshasa. THe first 7 levels of Rakshasa give me 90 skill points after Int bonus and such. But each of the two templates would give 110 skill points. Each template doesn't give you skill points separately. You only gain skill points from gaining HD. The reason the amount of skill points change is because your type changes as well. A half-dragon creature is no longer a creature of its original type. It's officially a dragon and gains the dragon type. That means that its racial HD are dragon HD instead of whatever they used to be. And a correction/clarification to the above post I made: Templates usually specify what and what does not change for the templated creature. For the half-dragon template, size, attack bonus, and saves don't change, but skill points and HD do.