Skill/Feat Guide (What to choose and what to not)
Unfortunately for us, many of the skills posted above are useless, absolutely useless. Here is a guide to each skill, just for you:
*Note, this list is just an alphabetically ordered list, skills and feats are mixed together. Appraise - Determine an objects value (More $$$)
+ Personally, I like to max Appraise with a Rogue (since they get so many skill points anyways), and then just buy and sell items with the rogue.
Bluff - Mislead w/ faulty information
+ Pretty much useless. In about 3-4 situations could you use this skill, but when you do, the rewards are non existant. Don't waste any skill points here.
Climb - Climb out of a pit or trap door
+ An okay skill, used very sparingly. Since you should make Orc fighters (who may only get one skill point), but your fighter's skill points into this.
Concentration - Fewer fizzled spells in combat
+ Max this with both your Wizard(s) and Cleric. This skill is essential, especially if your wizard/cleric gets hit while casting a spell. Having a fireball fizzle is not a good feeling.
Decipher Script - Read unknown languages (Rogue only)
+ Don't worry about this skill, just ignore it. Any points into here is a waste. If you want to, put a point in, but it won't do anything. =)
Diplomacy - Perssuade people to get your way
+ I consider this another useless skill. Like Bluff, there are few opportunities to use this skill, and the skill isn't that good anyways!
Disable Device - Disarm traps, magical devices
+ A nice skill to have. I usually max it with a Rogue, because in some of the later levels traps on chests and in walls are fairly frequent. Having a few points in this skill saves you a little time.
Escape Artist - Escape out of traps, etc...
+ I don't really know how useful this skill could be to anyone, because most of the traps in the game aren't that damaging, so I'd recommend putting no points into this skill.
Forgery - Detect fake documents
+ I don't have a clue why they included this feat, it has no use whatsoever in this game. Another skill you want to ignore.
Heal - Keep wounded members from dying
+ Max this skill with your Cleric. If ever one of your fighters go down and you think you may be in for a long battle, you can use this skill to keep him around longer.
Hide - Hide from enemies
+ Max this with your Rogue. It will give you less unexpected encounters when you are trying to rest.
Intimidate - Get information from others
+ Suffers the same problems as Bluff and Diplomacy, there just aren't enough times to use this skill to make it worthwhile! No points.
Intuit Direction - Better sense of direction (map)
+ Useful. I like this skill quite a bit, and always max it with my Rogue. When you rest, a check is done with each character with their Intuit Direction skill. If all your characters fail, that's when your arrow points in all four directions and the map flips around. Putting points into this prevents that hassle.
Listen - Sense sounds, enemies
+ I always put some points into this because it sounds like a good idea. I don't really know how it works though, so it's up to your disgression whether or not you want to put points into this. If you have extra points, you could do much worse.
Open Lock - Pick locked doors
+ Max this with your Rogue. A pretty useful skill, you can even open doors for which you are supposed to have a key (thus, "pick locked doors").
Scribe Scroll - Copy a spell to a scroll
+ (Correction) Scribe Scroll can be useful. I was previously mistaken in thinking it could help you create scrolls, but what it really does is add charges to certain scrolls. Useful, if you use scrolls.
Search - Find secret doors and traps
+ I've searched. And searched. And searched. And I've never found anything. I always put some points in this just so I can see how many enemies are coming up.
Sense Motive - Use to see if someone is Bluffing
+ Don't put any points into this. Too little talking in this game to justify it.
Spellcraft - Identify spells cast in combat
+ I always max this with my Wizard because they have very little else to put points into. Sometimes this can be useful, so I'd at least put a few points into this, with both your Cleric and Wizard.
Spot - Notice hiding enemies
+ Put a few points into this. It's not essential though, but this skill may have more hidden features that I can't notice. That's why I'd recommend just putting in a few points with your Rogue.
Tumble - Land softly from falls
+ Toss in a point or two if you wish, but this skill is pretty useless. Falls don't hurt characters that much anyways.
Use Magic Device - Activate magical devices (Rogue only)
+ Get this if you want to use wands with your Rogue. If not, don't put in any points. |