Skill point

Skill points are a measure of a character's ability to gain and improve skills. At each level, a character gains skill points and spends them to buy skill ranks. Each skill point buys 1 rank in a class skill or ½ rank in a cross-class skill.

Acquiring skill points

A character gets a base allotment of 2, 4, 6, or 8 skill points for each new level depending on which class is chosen. Intelligence provides a bonus (or penalty) equal to the ability modifier.

• Humans receive 4 extra skill points at first level, plus 1 additional skill point at each following level. (For a total of +33 Skill points compared to other Races.)

Base skill points per level

Points	Classes
2	Cleric, Fighter, Favored soul, Paladin, Sorcerer, Wizard, Warlock, Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep, Blackguard, Divine champion, Dwarven defender, Eldritch knight, Frenzied berserker, Pale master, Red dragon disciple, Red Wizard of Thay, Stormlord, Warpriest, Weapon master
4	Barbarian, Druid, Monk, Swashbuckler, Spirit shaman, Arcane archer, Arcane trickster, Assassin, Duelist, Invisible blade, Neverwinter Nine, Sacred fist
6	Bard, Ranger, Harper agent, Shadow Thief of Amn, Shadowdancer
8	Rogue

Spending skill points

For class skills (such as listen for a rogue or spellcraft for a cleric), a character gets 1 rank (equal to a +1 bonus on checks with that skill) for each skill point. For cross-class skills, a character gets 1 rank per 2 skill points invested ("half ranks" are not available in NWN2), unless they have the Able Learner feat.

• Characters may only save a maximum of 5 skill point between levels

• The maximum rank in a class skill is character level + 3.

• The maximum rank in a cross-class skill is ½ of that number (rounded down).

Pre-release notes

• Obsidian has stated that they are keeping the NWN1 implementation of skill points. However certain alterations have been made to prevent abuse of point-saving so as to keep closer to PnP. [1]

NWN comparison

• Cross-class skills in NWN had a max skill rank equal to (character level + 3) ÷ 2, with the final figure rounded down (e.g. the max cross-class rank of a character with 4 character levels would be 3).
• In NWN characters could "store" an unlimited number of skill points gained each level to spend at a later point, but only when levelling. In NWN2, character advancement may only be completed with 5 or less skill points remaining.