# Gaining Additional Skills



## TarionzCousin (Mar 13, 2011)

Is there a way to gain additional skill(s) in Pathfinder? Is there a feat that enables a character to add a skill to his/her class list?


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## brewdus (Mar 13, 2011)

There are several feats that add specific skills as class skills, but it depends on what specific skill you want to add. However, you can still put points in a non-class skill, you just won.t get the +3 bonus.


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## Kaisoku (Mar 13, 2011)

I don't remember any specific feat that grants a skill as a class skill.

There are a pile of traits that do that, though. Usually with a minor bonus along with it.
The feat "Additional Traits" would then open access to that.

However, a class skill just gives a +3 bonus. This can easily be covered by Skill Focus (which, incidentally, now gives an additional bonus at 10 ranks, so +6 bonus). Even one of the +2/+2 feats can cover two skills for the most part (it turns into +4/+4 by 10 ranks).

Sooo yeah. If you are looking at feats to shore up a class skill deficiency, you've got some options.


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## TarionzCousin (Mar 13, 2011)

brewdus said:


> There are several feats that add specific skills as class skills, but it depends on what specific skill you want to add. However, you can still put points in a non-class skill, you just won.t get the +3 bonus.



And you won't be able to buy ranks in that skill as you progress, correct?



Kaisoku said:


> The feat "Additional Traits" would then open access to that.
> 
> However, a class skill just gives a +3 bonus. This can easily be covered by Skill Focus (which, incidentally, now gives an additional bonus at 10 ranks, so +6 bonus). Even one of the +2/+2 feats can cover two skills for the most part (it turns into +4/+4 by 10 ranks).



Are Traits optional? I know they're in the Advanced Players Guide.

I played 3.5E for many years, and although I own several Pathfinder books I've never played it. So I'm unclear on many of the differences.


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## Nikosandros (Mar 14, 2011)

TarionzCousin said:


> And you won't be able to buy ranks in that skill as you progress, correct?



You can buy ranks in any skill and there is no increased cost for non-class skills. The only difference is that if a skill is a class skill for any of your classes, you get a +3 bonus.


TarionzCousin said:


> Are Traits optional? I know they're in the Advanced Players Guide.



Yes, they are. You can read about traits here.


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## pawsplay (Mar 14, 2011)

TarionzCousin said:


> Is there a way to gain additional skill(s) in Pathfinder? Is there a feat that enables a character to add a skill to his/her class list?




No, and it's not really worth a feat (one time +3 bonus, basically, and even then, you might get that skill later on).


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## VanceMadrox (Mar 14, 2011)

The Cosmopolitan feat from the APG fits the bill.

Gives you 2 skills of your choice as class skills and 2 languages.


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## Kaisoku (Mar 15, 2011)

Ah yes, that one is restricted to Int, Wis or Cha based skills though. A little limited, but could be exactly what a limited class skill list character is looking for (typically a combat guy, like a Fighter, wanting to pick up something like Perception, etc).


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## Thanael (Mar 17, 2011)

What brewdus said.

Also check out traits. (PF half-feats)

Traits - Pathfinder_OGC

Many of those add class skills.

Edit: Well I shoulda read the thread. Traits already got mentioned. 

Here's the link to the Paizo traits web enhancement btw: www.paizo.com/traits


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## heymitch (Mar 30, 2011)

I think that if you use traits, it may be worth using one of your starting traits to pick up a class skill you want.  I wouldn't spend a feat on Additional Traits.

Cosmopolitan doesn't work with physical skills, as mentioned above.

The easiest way to add new class skills is to multi-class.  Even a 1-level dip in a class gives you all of it's class skills.

A Fighter who wants to add Perception to his list of class skills could just take 1 level of Ranger or Barbarian.  He'd get that skill, plus a bunch of others (not to mention Rage or Favored Enemy), and not take a hit to his BAB.

However, having something as a class skill in Pathfinder is not the be-all and end-all.  You just get a +3 bonus to the skill (once you put any ranks in it).  Pathfinder lets any character (regardless of class) develop any skill with ranks up to their character level.  So, a 12th level Fighter, with a 12 Wis, could put 12 ranks in Perception for a +13.  If it was added to his class skill list, it would just be a +16 instead.

If all you are trying to do is get that +3 bonus, I don't think it's worth either a feat or a level dip.


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