Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Skill Points... Why do I need skills?

Skills, in the game, are as powerful as a good weapon or spell. Rogues are wildly famous for their skills as they are the only ones able to effectively find and remove deadly traps.
For most other classes, skills are merely a side note that enhances the toon in some small way.

For instance, the jumping skill affects not only how far you can jump, but also how easy it is to control your jump. Balance affects your "balance" on grease and when teetering on the edge of a ledge or just catching the ledge as you get near it.
Swim affects how fast you can swim and slightly affects how long you can hold your breath. Strength and how much weight you have on you greatly affects your time to hold your breath.

Concentration for spellcasters isn't needed if you have a good group that can keep mobs off of you. Instead of concentration, invest in Diplomacy that convinces the mob to stop hitting you and go somewhere else! After all, why take damage if you have a good warrior nearby who will take it for you?

UMD - Use Magic Device... This is a tricky one as it usually pertains to rogues and halflings. Anyone who has point invested here can use weapons or wands or scrolls that normally would not be allowed for them to use. For instance, a wizard could use a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. A cleric could use a Wand of Web or Fireball that would normally be disallowed to them.

There are many skills that for most classes are secondary to their powers or melee abilities, but for the rogues, skills are what make them valuable as a scout, lock picker and trap finder/disabler. They can see further, see hidden or invisible mobs, unlock locked chests and doors and spot hidden doors as well as sense, find and disable traps. A high intelligence is essential for a rogue to exist well within the game. Assassin rogues, though useful, are not as sought out in the game as a rogue that can find and disable ANY trap. They are as coveted as a cleric and as vulnerable to attack.

I hope this helps when deciding on a few skills. Let me know if you have any questions!

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