Skills (2)

Learn about the five skills in Pillars of Eternity: Athletics, Lore, Mechanics, Stealth, and Survival, and how they impact gameplay.

You receive 6 skill points to spend at each character level. The cost to increase a skill rank increases with each additional rank invested. The investment costs are as follows: Rank +1 costs 1 point, +2 costs 3 points, +3 costs 6 points, +4 costs 10 points, +5 costs 15 points, +6 costs 21 points, +7 costs 28 points, +8 costs 36 points, +9 costs 45 points, +10 costs 55 points, +11 costs 66 points, and +12 costs 78 points.

By level 16, you will have earned a total of 90 skill points. A skill rank can only be increased by a maximum of 12 through spending skill points, as a 13th rank would cost 91 skill points, which is unattainable.

The effective rank in a skill is the total of your starting rank, any points you've bought, and any bonuses from gear or completed quests. For instance, a Ranger with a starting rank of 2 in Survival, a Colonist background granting +2 Survival, and 6 points invested in Survival would have an effective rank of 7.

Skills Breakdown:

Athletics: A character with ranks in Athletics can use the Second Wind ability once per encounter to restore Endurance. The amount restored is 20 + 4 * rank (e.g., 24 at rank 1, 60 at rank 10).

Lore: Characters with Lore ranks can cast spells from scrolls. The maximum spell level castable from a scroll is half the skill rank (maximum level 6 at rank 12). A single rank in Lore allows casting level 1 spells, while 4 ranks are needed for level 2 spells.

Mechanics: This skill allows you to open locks and disarm traps if their difficulty rating is less than or equal to your skill rank. You can open locks with a difficulty level one rank higher than your own using lockpicks. Mechanics is also used to find hidden items. When setting traps, each rank in Mechanics adds +3 to the trap's Accuracy. The most difficult Mechanics challenges have a difficulty level of 15, requiring a maximum rank of 14. The Gloves of Manipulation item adds 2 to a character's Mechanics skill.

Stealth: Stealth is used for scouting, evading enemies, and stealing. A higher rank allows you to remain undetected for longer periods.

Survival: Having one or more ranks in Survival allows you to select a rank-dependent buff when you camp. The bonuses include Damage Resistance, increased received healing, Move Speed, Accuracy bonus against creature categories, Consumable duration, and damage to flanked creatures, with higher ranks offering greater benefits. Rank 18 is theoretically possible if you start with an innate rank of 4.

Skill Checks: At certain points, you will encounter skill checks that require specific skill ranks for different outcomes. For example, a conversation check related to the natural world might use your Survival skill. Other checks may target the party member with the highest rank or all party members. Athletics is frequently used for checks like climbing walls or jumping gaps, with a rank of 5 generally sufficient for most of these.

Innate Skills: Your initial skill ranks are determined by your chosen class and background. For example, a Barbarian starts with +2 Athletics and +1 Survival, while a Chanter starts with +2 Lore and +1 Mechanics. Backgrounds also provide starting bonuses, such as a Colonist granting +2 Survival, or a Laborer granting +1 Athletics and +1 Mechanics.