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Can someone please explain this....

Discussion in 'Icewind Dale 2' started by iwdrookie, Jan 28, 2023.

  1. iwdrookie Gems: 3/31
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    I've been trying to plan out my party (especially dividing who will train what skills), and I got to a place where I thought I had skills and skill points pretty much figured out. So I created my party. But when I opened up the character page I was totally confused by what I saw in the description of their skills.

    For some skills, the number of levels that I had purchased was simply listed beside the skill name. But for others, the number of levels I had purchased was in parentheses with a (usually larger) number to the left of it. For example...

    I created a rogue and put 4 points each into hide, move, open locks, search, disable, pickpocket, diplomacy, and bluff, and 2 points in intimidate. But his character sheet immediately after creation showed 8(4) for search, disable, diplomacy, and bluff. The other skills simply showed the number I had invested.

    I gave my cleric 2 in alchemy, but the sheet also showed 1(0) in concentration.

    I gave my Paladin 2 levels in diplomacy and 2 in intimidate. But it showed 6(2) in diplomacy and 8(2) in intimidate, plus 3(0) in concentration, 4(0) in bluff.

    I gave my Bard 4 levels each in Alch, SC, and knowledge, but it showed 9(4) in each of these. (Yes, I'm aware of the +1 to each of these for a bard.) I gave him 2 levels in search and 1 in intimidate, but it showed 6(2) in search and 5(1) in intimidate.

    By the way, I don't recall for sure, but I think the numbers also might have varied a bit depending on how I allocated their ability points. However, the increases don't always match perfectly with the ability score modifier.

    Anyway, there doesn't seem to be an exact pattern to this, and I didn't see in the manual or in any of the guides I read where these extra levels are coming from. Are there certain skills that you get "buy one get one free" at creation, or does each class start with a certain number of bonus levels given automatically at creation? I'd really appreciate if someone could clarify this for me.

    Thanks in advance!!
     
    iwdrookie, Jan 28, 2023
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  2. iwdrookie Gems: 3/31
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    Well, after studying it more carefully, I'm seeing that the new numbers actually do reflect the ability modifier being added (except for the 1(0) in conc for the cleric).
    I thought the ability modifiers were more of a plus to your roll....but I guess for skills....it's just added to your effective skill level. So....if I have 18 intelligence at creation and put 4 points in search...I actually have 8 in search.
    Feel kinda stupid for not seeing this earlier....but maybe this will help some other noob who comes along.
     
    iwdrookie, Jan 28, 2023
    #2
  3. Sorvo

    Sorvo Where's the nearest pub? Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    Just for future reference, You can edit your post so you don't have to do it twice in a row :beer:
     
    Sorvo, Jan 28, 2023
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  4. iwdrookie Gems: 3/31
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    That's true. No idea why I didn't think of that.
     
    iwdrookie, Jan 28, 2023
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  5. Sorvo

    Sorvo Where's the nearest pub? Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    NP, As anyone here can tell you, I'm a mistake :beer:
     
    Sorvo, Jan 28, 2023
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    iwdrookie likes this.
  6. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Member of the Week Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Some classes get more skill points per level than other classes do. Rogues are the skill-points champs among the classes. Bards aren't far behind iirc.

    Your Intelligence modifier (e.g. +3 for 16 Intelligence) also increases how many skill points you get on level-up.

    The modifier that gets applied to a skill check depends on the skill. Charisma modifier is applied to people skills, Dexterity to attempts to disarm and so on.

    Edit: There's also an important distinction between class skills and cross-class skills. Let's suppose during a level-up you take Rogue. You would only have to spend one skill point on your classic Rogue skills like the stealth and trap skills. If for whatever reason you wanted to take Concentration (a spellcaster skill), you would have to spend 2 skill points just to increase your Concentration by one.

    When you multi-class characters, that's when the distinction is important. If you were doing a multi-class Wizard / Rogue for example, raise your thieving skills when you level up Rogue, and raise your Concentration and Spellcraft when you level up Wizard.
     
    Beren, Jan 28, 2023
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  7. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    SlickRCBD, Jan 29, 2023
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  8. Sorvo

    Sorvo Where's the nearest pub? Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    The only reason I never tried this game is because my head is stuck in 2E :beer:
     
    Sorvo, Jan 29, 2023
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  9. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    IWD2 was my first encounter with 3E, I didn't have too much trouble adapting, but then again I'd played a bunch of other CRPGs based on or inspired by earlier editions of [A]D&D. Moria being one example. They've updated the page (or this was a different page) since the last time I looked, but I played the Apple IIGS port 30 years ago for instance.
     
    SlickRCBD, Jan 29, 2023
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  10. iwdrookie Gems: 3/31
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    iwdrookie, Jan 30, 2023
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