* 8) SKILLS *

Learn about Neverwinter skills, including skill checks, ranks, class vs. cross-class skills, and exclusive skills. Enhance your character's abilities.

Skills in Neverwinter represent individual areas of practical knowledge that customize a character beyond their base class and race abilities.

Skill Checks

A skill check involves rolling a d20, adding skill ranks and ability modifiers. Success is achieved if the total equals or exceeds the Difficulty Class (DC) of the task. DCs can be static properties of objects or determined by another character's skill check result (an opposed test). Miscellaneous modifiers like racial abilities, feats, armor check penalties, and spell effects can also apply. The formula for a skill check is: Skill Check = d20 + skill ranks + miscellaneous modifiers.

Note: Due to modifiers, a natural '1' isn't always a failure, and a natural '20' isn't always a success.

Ranks

Skill ranks are purchased with skill points, awarded at character creation and with each new class level. Each skill has a rank from 0 to 23 (maximum for a 20th level character). More ranks improve skill checks.

Class Skills

Class skills fall within a class's expertise. Each skill point spent on a class skill adds 1 rank. The maximum rank in a class skill is character level + 3.

Cross-Class Skills

Cross-class skills are outside a class's expertise. Each skill point spent adds a half rank. The maximum rank is (character level + 3) / 2. Two half ranks equal one full rank.

Exclusive Skills

Some skills are exclusive to a specific class and are treated as class skills for skill points and maximum rank calculations.

Skill Synergy

Certain skills offer a +2 Synergy bonus on checks if you have five or more ranks in a related skill. For example, Disable Traps and Set Traps have a synergistic relationship.

Types of Skill Checks

• Untrained Checks: Some skills can be attempted with 0 ranks, as indicated in their descriptions.
• Opposed Checks: Made against another character's skill check result. The higher result wins; ties are re-rolled.
• Difficulty Class (DC): A target number for skill checks, set by developers or module designers. Circumstances can modify modifiers or the DC.
• Taking 20: Outside of combat, skill checks are treated as if a natural 20 was rolled, meaning the skill modifier is added to 20. Combat rolls are made normally.

Skills List

Neverwinter Nights features a wide array of skills. It's recommended to focus on skills that best complement your character's capabilities and role.