Your character's skills represent a variety of abilities, usually those that improve with practice and experience.
A character gets a number of skill points at each level equal to a base allotment of 4, 6 or 8 (depending on the class to which that level was added) plus the character's Intelligence modifier. At 1st character level, the character multiplies the total of base allotment plus Intelligence modifier by four.
Skill points are used to purchase skill ranks, which represent the benefits of training and practice. Class skills cost 1 skill point for 1 rank; cross-class skills cost 2 skill points for 1 rank. Characters can have a maximum number of ranks in a skill equal to character level + 3.
Most skills can be used even if the character is untrained and there are no ranks invested in the skill. However, some skills can only be used if the character has a minimum of 1 rank in the skill, or (in some cases) if the Difficulty Class (DC) required for success is 10 or lower. These skills either require specialised training or they represent something a character either knows or doesn't know, such as a language or magic spell.
Skills without a hyperlink are unchanged from the description in the 3.5 PHB.
| Skill | Key Ability |
| Acrobatics | Dexterity (1) |
| Athletics | Strength (1) |
| Bluff | Charisma |
| Concentrate | Constitution |
| Craft | Intelligence |
| Diplomacy | Charisma |
| Disguise | Charisma |
| Escape Artist | Dexterity (1) |
| Forgery | Intelligence |
| Gather Information | Charisma |
| Handle Animal | Charisma (2) |
| Intimidate | Charisma |
| Knowledge (Arcane Lore) | Intelligence (2) |
| Knowledge (Architecture & Engineering) | Intelligence (2) |
| Knowledge (Geography) | Intelligence (2) |
| Knowledge (History & Current Events) | Intelligence (2) |
| Knowledge (Nature) | Intelligence (2) |
| Knowledge (Society & Culture) | Intelligence (2) |
| Knowledge (the True Faith) | Intelligence (2) |
| Language | None (2) |
| Magic Spell | None (2) |
| Navigate | Intelligence |
| Notice | Wisdom |
| Perform | Charisma |
| Profession | Wisdom (2) |
| Research | Intelligence (2) |
| Ride | Dexterity |
| Search | Intelligence |
| Sense Motive | Wisdom |
| Sleight of Hand | Dexterity (1) (2) |
| Sneak | Dexterity (1) |
| Tinker | Intelligence (2) |
| Translate | Intelligence (2) |
| Treat Injury | Wisdom |
(1) Armour check penalty applies to checks.
(2) This skill cannot be used untrained.
Some skills work well together, such as Acrobatics and Athletics. In general, having 5 or more ranks in one skill gives the character a +2 bonus on skill checks to each skill it has a synergy with. This bonus increases by +1 for every additional 10 ranks (that is, +3 at 15 ranks, +4 at 25 ranks, and so on). In some cases, this bonus applies only to specific uses of the skill in question, and not to all checks. Some skills provides bonuses on other checks made by a character.
| Skill | Gives a bonus to |
| Acrobatics | Athletics checks involving jumping |
| Athletics | Acrobatics checks |
| Bluff | Diplomacy checks, Intimidate checks, Sleight of Hand checks, and Disguise checks to act in character |
| Craft (any) | Tinker checks involving a relevant object |
| Handle Animal | Ride checks |
| Knowledge (any) | Research checks involving the relevant field of Knowledge |
| Knowledge (Arcane Lore) | Translate checks involving written arcane magic |
| Knowledge (Architecture & Engineering) | Search checks involving secret doors and built environments |
| Knowledge (Geography) | Navigate checks |
| Knowledge (History & Legends) | Gather Information checks |
| Knowledge (Nature) | Search checks involving tracks and natural environments |
| Knowledge (Society & Culture) | Diplomacy checks |
| Sense Motive | Diplomacy checks |
| Translate | Bluff checks made using the Trick Magic Device feat involving written arcane magic |