Author Topic: [PF] Untrained Skill Optimization  (Read 1378 times)

Offline Power

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[PF] Untrained Skill Optimization
« on: May 18, 2022, 08:39:54 AM »
Wondering if anyone can help out there. How high can you push untrained skillchecks in PF? If you're a Human, you can take Fast Learner (prereq), Improvisation, and Improved Improvisation to get +4 to all untrained skillchecks and be able to do every skillcheck untrained. The Evangelist prestige class also lends you a +4 bonus to untrained skillchecks (but does not allow you to make all skillchecks untrained). The combination of the PrC and feats (which will put you down 4 feats total) will let you make any skillcheck untrained with a +8 bonus.

The Worldly social trait lets you roll twice and take the best result on any untrained skillcheck 1/day (but it's inferior to the Inspired faith trait which lets you roll twice and take the best result on any skill or ability check).

General spell buffs:
One-off bonuses:

Seems like you can get at least a solid +10 to all untrained skillchecks pretty easily between Heroism, Improved Improvisation, and Evangelist.

Does anyone know of anything else that buffs untrained skillchecks specifically or broad categories of skillchecks?

Offline Annabeth

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Re: [PF] Untrained Skill Optimization
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2022, 04:07:52 AM »
Half-elves have the "Reflexive Improvisation" alternative racial trait, which will add +2 to all untrained skills

On that note, they can also take the Breadth of Experience feat, which gives +2 to all knowledge skills.

Offline Power

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Re: [PF] Untrained Skill Optimization
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2022, 08:17:53 AM »
Nice. So a Half-Elf with Improved Improvisation and Evangelist PrC can attain +10 to all untrained skillchecks and roll all skills untrained, before factoring in things like Heroism and Tears to Wine. I suppose if you worship Magdh, you also get +4 to all int-based skillchecks (and you can use Fey Obedience as if it were Deific Obedience for Evangelist, Exalted, and Sentinel PrCs, according to the sourcebook Fey Obedience comes from). Evangelist PrC is usually easiest as a pickup on regular (non-Unchained) Monks (or used to advance PrCs that advance regular Monk, like Student of Perfection, Champion of Irori, or Brother of the Seal) since advancing Flurry of Blows basically gives you full BAB aside from the first level, but you could apply it to a lot of classes.

Tbh Knowledge skill optimization in particular seems a bit easy.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2022, 04:09:33 AM by Power »

Offline Annabeth

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Re: [PF] Untrained Skill Optimization
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2022, 07:27:25 AM »
If you plan to use a heroism spell, can add a Extreme Mood Swings feat, and Rousing Courage religion trait.

Offline Power

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Re: [PF] Untrained Skill Optimization
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2022, 05:08:32 AM »
Yes, and also a Fascinated by the Mundane feat and Untold Wonder spell. But those methods only give you a +1 to skill checks in exchange for a whole feat and the like. They're probably still decent with Heroism buffs though, since that's also a +1 to attacks and all saves, and depending on how many morale buffs you have it can apply to more too (rage, damage rolls, ability checks like initiative?).

Just in case you're curious about what being Drunk entails, here are the Inner Sea Taverns rules on it:
(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: August 07, 2022, 07:42:24 AM by Power »

Offline Power

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Re: [PF] Untrained Skill Optimization
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2022, 12:40:28 AM »
Founders' Blessing advanced rogue talent once per day lets you take 10 minutes to obtain a luck bonus equal to Rogue level for 8 hours to any one skill you have no ranks in and lets you make the skill check untrained. An Unchained Rogue's Greater Multitalented advanced talent can gain 2 or 3 extra daily uses of this ability.
« Last Edit: November 13, 2022, 09:28:40 AM by Power »