[RPG] How to figure out a jermlaine’s racial bonuses to skills

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The jermlaine from the Monster Manual II were given a non-cohort LA of +0 by the 3.5 revision, making the jermlaine an appropriate race for a PC.

Using the standard array, a jermlaine's ability scores are adjusted as follows: −8 Strength, +6 Dex −2 Constitution, −2 Intelligence, +6 Wisdom, −6 Charisma.

However, no one talks about a jermlaine's racial skill bonuses. How does it get that Hide +14? How can I reverse-engineer the jermlaine's skills?

Best Answer

Neither the original jermlaine (Monster Manual II 131) nor the revised jermlaine (3.5v Accessory Update 34 and available separately for the Monster Manual II here) has a jermlaine receiving racial bonuses on skills so a jermlaine receives no racial bonuses on skills.

In a jermlaine's skill modifiers are the result of its ½ fey Hit Die. The Monster Manual says, "A creature with less than 1 Hit Die is treated as having 1 Hit Die for the purpose of determining skill points and maximum skill rank" (301). This makes the revised jermlaine's starting skill points 20 due to its Int 8 (i.e. 6 fey skill points to start then −1 from an Intelligence score of 8 then that total ×4 for what is, essentially, 1 racial Hit Die). Some of its skill points are spent as follows:

  • Craft (trapmaking) +2 [3 ranks −1 Int]
  • Hide +14 [3 ranks +3 Dex +8 bonus via size Tiny]
  • Listen +8 [3 ranks +3 Wis +2 bonus from the feat Alertness]
  • Move Silently +6 [3 ranks +3 Dex]
  • Spot +8 [3 ranks +3 Wis +2 bonus from the feat Alertness]

However, the revised jermlaine still has 5 skill points unspent. This reader recommends the DM put 1 more skill point in each of the jermlaine's class skills.

In case you're curious or you're trying to reverse-engineer the original jermlaine's skills, in a fey receives its Intelligence score ×3 in skill points for its first Hit Die and an additional +2 skill points per extra Hit Die, so the original jermlaine receives 24 skill points, spent as follows:

  • Animal Empathy +1 [4 ranks −3 Cha]
  • Craft (trapmaking) +3 [4 ranks −1 Int]
  • Hide +15 [4 ranks +3 Dex +8 bonus from size Tiny]
  • Listen +9 [4 ranks +3 Wis +2 from the feat Alertness]
  • Move Silently +7 [4 ranks +3 Dex]
  • Spot +9 [4 ranks +3 Wis +2 from the feat Alertness]

The original jermlaine's skill points are spent correctly.

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