In D&D 3.5e, do ability modifiers apply to all skills, or do they only apply to skills that you've spent skill points putting ranks into? The way the rulebook explains it is a bit confusing.
[RPG] In the skill list, when do ability modifiers apply
dnd-3.5eskills
Related Solutions
On page 30 of the D&D 3.5 Player's Handbook, the bard starting package lists:
Knowledge (any one) | Rank 4 | Ability Int
(my emphasis)
Knowledge ("any" or "any one") is sometimes used as a shorthand for the ability to select any of the game's Knowledge skills (listed under the skills section in the book and -- if you're playing D&D 3.5 -- listed here). Contrast it with the Druid, who can select Knowledge (nature) but not any of the other Knowledge skills.
If a bard has six skills to choose, she can have from zero to all six of them be knowledge skills. For example a bard with six skills to choose might choose Knowledge (arcana), Knowlege (religion), and Knowledge (local), leaving three additional skills to select.
Note also that by default in D&D 3.0 and 3.5 one puts four ranks in whatever skills they choose at 1st level, which is why you see "Ranks 4" next to each skill in the starting package.
How to Use Skill Points
The maximum number of skill points a character can put into a skill is equal to his current level +3. Each skill point buys 1 rank of a class skill or 0.5 ranks of a cross-class skill. Anyway, I suspect if the ranger has too many skill points he's not putting the maximum number of skill points in his skills.
Sample Skills for a Human Rrg2 with Int 14
The human Int 14 Rgr1 has 6 skill points granted by his class (PH 47) and 2 granted by his Intelligence modifier (PH 9). That 8 is multiplied by 4 at level 1 for 32 skill points. As a level 1 human he also receives 4 skill points from his racial trait (PH 13) for a total of 36 skill points. At level 2 when he takes his second level of ranger he'll receive 6 skill points from his class, 2 from his Intelligence modifier, and 1 from his human racial trait for a total of 9 more. That's a grand total of 45 skill points as a Rgr2.
The following is one method of spending all of these skill points.
- Bluff [4 skill points but a cross-class skill so only 2 ranks]
- Handle Animal [1 skill point thus 1 rank]
- Hide [5 skill points thus 5 ranks]
- Knowledge (dungeoneering) [1 skill point thus 1 rank]
- Knowledge (nature) [1 skill point thus 1 rank]
- Listen [5 skill points thus 5 ranks]
- Move Silently [5 skill points thus 5 ranks]
- Search [5 skill points thus 5 ranks]
- Sense Motive [4 skill points but a cross-class skill so only 2 ranks]
- Spot [5 skill points thus 5 ranks]
- Survival [5 skill points thus 5 ranks]
- Tumble [4 skill points but a cross-class skill so only 2 ranks]
Explanation
I picked the skill Bluff as it's both used to create a diversion to hide (PH 68) and one of the skills to which the ranger's favored enemy bonus applies, as is the skill Sense Motive, which I also picked. I didn't pick the skill Balance because having 2 cross-class ranks in the Balance skill isn't a worthwhile investment compared to the 5 ranks in Balance that the character will be able to put into the skill at a later level.
The skilled city dweller alternative class feature (available here) allows a ranger to trade the following class skills: Handle Animal for Gather Information, Knowledge (nature) for Knowledge (local), Survival for Sense Motive, and Ride for Tumble. Trades aren't made all-or-nothing group but can be done individually. Trading the skill Ride for the skill Tumble is an especially good deal in most campaigns.
Best Answer
Ability modifiers apply to all skills even if you haven't trained in them. If your dexterity modifier is +5, all your dexterity-based skills have an ability modifier of +5 - you just have a natural aptitude at these skills.
Someone who's strong, for instance, is just naturally good at climbing, and gets their strength bonus to climbing checks even if they've never trained in it. Likewise, someone who's very charismatic is just naturally good at diplomacy and intimidation.
That said, some skills - such as Disable Device, Appraise, or Knowledge - are trained only. Some like Disable Device cannot be used at all if you're untrained in them, whilst for others like Appraise and Knowledge, you can only do a limited amount without training (e.g. you can't do an untrained Knowledge check for over DC 10). For these ones, your natural aptitude at them won't matter much until you've trained in them, because your character simply can't do most of this stuff.