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Skills are just what they sound like; abilities learned on the job, or through other training.  Boy Scouts could be a source of skills nowadays.  And the more time you spend learning a skill, the better you become.  To emulate this, a character can select skills, and put points into them to improve his/her chances of success.

Skill points are given out by Class and Intelligence.  The following chart shows the skill points per level:

Class 1st-Level Skill points Higher-Level skill points
Barbarian (4+INT Modifier) x 4 (4+INT Modifier) 
Bard (4+INT Modifier) x 4 (4+INT Modifier) 
Cleric (2+INT Modifier) x 4 (2+INT Modifier) 
Druid (4+INT Modifier) x 4 (4+INT Modifier) 
Fighter (2+INT Modifier) x 4 (2+INT Modifier) 
Monk (4+INT Modifier) x 4 (4+INT Modifier) 
Paladin (2+INT Modifier) x 4 (2+INT Modifier) 
Ranger (4+INT Modifier) x 4 (4+INT Modifier) 
Rogue (8+INT Modifier) x 4 (8+INT Modifier) 
Sorcerer (2+INT Modifier) x 4 (2+INT Modifier) 
Wizard (2+INT Modifier) x 4 (2+INT Modifier) 

A human gets 4 additional skill points at first level, and 1 additional at each level thereafter.

When spending points, there are three notes to remember:

- Any skill marked with this emblem is a "Class Skill"  This means that your Class can purchase this skill at a 1:1 correlation.  This means that for every point that is placed in this skill, your chances of success improve by 1.

Cr -  This means that a skill is a Cross-class skill. In other words, the skill is not something normally taught to someone in your class.  These skills are purchased at 2:1; you must place 2 points in the skill to improve it by 1. And half points don't help.

X -  means that this skill is exclusive to another class.  If you are not a member of this class, you cannot buy it at any cost.

Skill BBN BRD CLR DRD FTR MNK PAL RGR ROG SOR WIZ Untrained Key Ability
Alchemy Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 
 No INT
Animal Empathy X X X
 
 X X X
 
 X X X No CHA
Appraise Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes INT
Balance Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes DEX*
Bluff Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes CHA
Climb
 
 
 Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes STR
Concentration Cr
 
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 Yes CON
Craft
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Yes INT
Decipher Script X
 
 X X X X X X
 
 X X No INT
Diplomacy Cr
 
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes CHA
Disable Device Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr No INT
Disguise Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes CHA
Skill BBN BRD CLR DRD FTR MNK PAL RGR ROG SOR WIZ Untrained Key Ability
Escape Artist Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes DEX
Forgery Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes INT
Gather Information Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes CHA
Handle Animal
 
 Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Cr No CHA
Heal Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Cr Yes WIS
Hide Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes DEX*
Innuendo Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr No WIS
Intimidate
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes CHA
Intuit Direction
 
 
 Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr No WIS
Jump
 
 
 Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes STR*
Knowledge (Arcana) Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 
 No INT
Knowledge (Religion) Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 No INT
Knowledge (Nature) Cr
 
 Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr
 
 No INT
Knowledge (Other)** Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 No INT
Listen
 
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes WIS
Move Silently Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes DEX*
Open Lock Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr No DEX
Skill BBN BRD CLR DRD FTR MNK PAL RGR ROG SOR WIZ Untrained Key Ability
Perform Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes CHA
Pick Pocket Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr No DEX*
Profession Cr
 
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 No  WIS
Read Lips X X X X X X X X
 
 X X No INT
Ride
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Cr Yes DEX
Scry X
 
 
 
 X X X X X
 
 
 Yes INT
Search Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes INT
Sense Motive Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Yes WIS
Speak Language Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr No None
Spellcraft Cr
 
 
 
 Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 
 No INT
Spot Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes WIS
Swim
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 
 Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes STR
Tumble Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr No DEX*
Use Magic Device X
 
 X X X X X X
 
 X X No CHA
Use Rope Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr
 
 
 Cr Cr Yes DEX
Wilderness Lore
 
 Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr
 
 Cr Cr Cr Yes WIS
Skill BBN BRD CLR DRD FTR MNK PAL RGR ROG SOR WIZ Untrained Key Ability

Borrowed from Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook. © 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.