Game Theory: Acquiring New Skills

What follows is something I banged out six months ago, and I haven't revisited the ideas on this post, since. When I look at it now, I think that my theories still hold up on this one. Either way, I would appreciate any input.


Skills are difficult to learn once one is beyond the years of their youth. Unlike feats (which characters pick up as new tricks being learned or old tricks being mastered) skills need something extra to learn if one has no formal training or real exposure.

The Player’s Handbook details how new skills can be picked up if the character is on his own. A PC must invest 3 skill points plus their character level (CL) to learn new skills. (Untrained skills are always considered “new” when first acquired.) This makes it virtually impossible to learn new skills – even for a rogue, who gets skill points up the wazoo – beyond fifth level when training on their own, assuming neutral intelligence. Even then, it only purchases a half rank for cross-class skills or one rank for class skills. (Almost makes one pity a PC who does not train a class skill at first level.) This is the “old dog, new tricks” theory at its strongest.

The PHB also details a need to get professional training strictly for skills. Here’s a hybrid idea:

A PC can mitigate the skill point loss with professional training. This is done by paying said professional for their time (or merely asking if the trainer likes the PC). It costs fifty gold pieces per week (on average) of training, and a PC needs to spend a number of weeks equal to their character level minus one. A second-level character needs only take a week out of their time with fifty gold out of their pocket, while an 11th level PC needs two months of training, with 500 gold to pay for it! Maybe more, maybe less, with the DM’s discretion…

For the most part, skill training is a week’s worth of daily 1- to 3-hour sessions. As mentioned before, prices are average, so the trainer and student can agree on different prices, again case depending. The training time is given for seven-day weeks with one day dedicated to resting and meditation for the week.

If a PC is training, it is typically expected that the person will take the time out of his hectic schedule of adventuring to ensure consistent sessions. If the PC practices what he had learned while away from the trainer, no loss is incurred, and they may rank up in the skill at next level as normal. However, for every day a character spends away from their trainer and teachings, they effectively lose half a week of training. A 5th level trying to learn to Ride, having three weeks of training under their belt, and they spend three days away from a horse, they could effectively need to start over at square one.

If this happens, a character needs to pay anew. Going back to the previous example, the three weeks’ training would not necessarily be at a total loss. He does, however, need to pay for the time lost. The idea is that paying for training does not rank up a skill, it only opens up the skill to do so.

A final note: Characters must seek trainers with at least eight ranks in the skill that they need. This makes it possible to have an 8th level cleric learn Perform skills from a 5th level bard, as the bard has spent arduous amounts of time learning the skill. A 3rd level bard with a check of +8 just means she’s good, not necessarily knowledgeable. Therefore, said bard would be unable to pass on her skills to another student.