what skill should I need to start out as a beginner?

[Darkcymru]

I am going to start my own legacy of sims as a person just moved into town but I want to act as I am on the learning ropes but I find little to no answers anywhere on youtube.

where do i start?

[cruinne]

Each job requires a different skillset, so the first thing to do might be to decide what your Sim will do for a living.

A politician, a doctor, and a chef have very different skill needs to get up and going.

That said, I always try to start with a point or two in cooking, just so my Sim can fix themselves a meal without destroying it or burning down the house.

[Zod Rau]

These are skills:

https://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/skills/

Did you mean traits? Some of these have an effect on skills:

https://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/traits/

If you want to get rich quick, go with the 'born salesman' trait to sell your stuff at the consignment shop, combined with the painting or sculpture skill. If opting for sculptor, you'll also want the 'savvy sculptor' trait so your creations won't break. Look up 'consignment' under skills at carls guide.

If you don't want your sims eating crap food you'll want someone in the household with the cooking skill and if you're cooking you don't want everyone to die in a fire, The 'natural cook' trait prevents such cooking accidents (though the top end stove does also). Fireplaces can also set your house on fire, which brings me to the 'handy' trait.

'Handy', IMO, is the best trait there is. You can make electronics, appliances, and plumbing unbreakable, or in the latter case self-cleaning, And other upgrades. That's with the 'handiness' skill, but with the trait, you'll always succeed in these upgrade efforts, which is not always the case without it. With the 'handiness' skill you'll eventually even be able to fireproof fireplaces (though again the top end ones are already fireproof).

If you prefer working for a salary, the 'workaholic' trait causes your sims to enjoy being at their job. When they're not at work, and there's a computer handy, they'll not waste their time playing computer games but instead they'll work, which improves their job performance and also brings in some cash.

You can learn all of this and much much more from the linked guide.

[ModerNertum]

Originally posted by cruinne:

Each job requires a different skillset, so the first thing to do might be to decide what your Sim will do for a living.

A politician, a doctor, and a chef have very different skill needs to get up and going.

That said, I always try to start with a point or two in cooking, just so my Sim can fix themselves a meal without destroying it or burning down the house.

Definitely worth investing in cooking at some time (even if you wind up picking a career that has nothing to do with it) because the sims in the sims 3 are infamous for burning food (unless they are natural cooks) or even worse burning down their own lot while cooking without the skill

[Valden21]

The Cooking skill + Natural Cook trait is one of the most useful ones in the game. Handiness is a really good skill to invest in, as it means that if your stuff breaks down, you can DIY repair. Other than that, it's all based on what you want to do.

[HiFive]

I seldom have Sims that can cook. I usually have them harvest local plants or buy the cheapest fruits and veggies from the market. It's much faster to eat one of those than to cook a meal, eat it, then clean up the dishes and the counter. This way, my Sims have much more time available for doing other things.

I often have my Sims learn gardening, regardless of their regular occupation. Eventually they get the money tree and can collect Simoleans from it every day (except during winter weather). When my Sims eat the better quality fruits and veggies, they still get the buff from eating a great meal.

[Donald j. Trump]

So cooking is good since you use it always. Writing makes the most money and you can work from home. Alchemy if you have the dlc is handy.

You can cheese the game a bit if you get the life wish of making 4000k a week in royalties. You can get the freeze age potion quick and then master everything.

[marstinson]

Cooking definitely. The rule in my household is, "you burned it, you eat it" and "if you want good food, then cook good food."

Handiness is handy (no pun intended - stuff breaks). It will save you a couple of Simoleons here and there and will occasionally open up some opportunities with other Sims that can go interesting places in terms of relationships.

Every bookcase has the first skill books for Cooking, Handiness, and Logic, so getting a level or two isn't hard. Except for helping kids with their homework, I've never found much use for Logic outside of a career and playing Chess, but lots of folks say I'm weird, so there you go.

Beyond those two, it's whatever works for that particular Sim. Their job will usually require a skill or two, so your promotions will depend on your developing that skill. Self-employed Sims need to have at least one level in the appropriate skill before they can register as self-employed and stop getting those "join <whatever> career" wishes (Ambitions required). Aside from that, it's whatever works for you.

[Yxklyx]

Cooking skill is kind of overrated as a Quick Meal from a high end fridge is enough - even the one from the low end fridge isn't too bad. It's faster and you can sell the stove. I only get Cooking when I want some variety as eating cereal day in day out can get boring. Cooking is more important when you want to feed guests but you could always order a pizza.

[Zod Rau]

Agreed. Cooking is only useful if you really want to cook, and/or get the best fridge in the game. For the latter, I'll learn the skill and spend a week or so in the cooking job.

Now that I have World Adventures, my Sim eats high end dry rations exclusively. No cooking. No dirty dishes or trash.

[ModerNertum]

Cooking first automn salad so they dont burn down the house (still faster than cooking mac n cheese, waffles or pancakes). Automn salad is one of the few dishes your Sim cant actually mess up. There are more useless stuff you can sell (books that are not skill books are worth it if you have a bookshelf and low cash (they are also worth more than selling the starter stove in your house). Cooking is useful if you dont want to repeat having quick meals from the fridge all the time. Its always a useful skill to have even if your job is not about cooking

[Luna 51]

I usually put a Genie in my main household to more or less be a butler and banish paparazzis and since Genies can summon a serving of any food other than Ambrosia of perfect quality, I don't find Cooking a high priority. But it's still worth mastering just to get Ambrosia. Also I rather use a Food Synthesizer from Into the Future to have a slower hunger need decay rate for 3 hours.

I always emphasize on the Handy trait and its name is very apt. Alchemy from Supernatural can bring in a bunch of money especially once you complete the challenge to guarantee 3 elixirs each time you successfully make an elixir. The elixirs that turns sims into occults go for a good amount, especially the ones for the Werewolf and Genie. The skill along with the clothing is the reason why Supernatural is probably my favorite EP.

[ModerNertum]

Originally posted by Luna 51:

I usually put a Genie in my main household to more or less be a butler and banish paparazzis and since Genies can summon a serving of any food other than Ambrosia of perfect quality, I don't find Cooking a high priority. But it's still worth mastering just to get Ambrosia. Also I rather use a Food Synthesizer from Into the Future to have a slower hunger need decay rate for 3 hours.

I always emphasize on the Handy trait and its name is very apt. Alchemy from Supernatural can bring in a bunch of money especially once you complete the challenge to guarantee 3 elixirs each time you successfully make an elixir. The elixirs that turns sims into occults go for a good amount, especially the ones for the Werewolf and Genie. The skill along with the clothing is the reason why Supernatural is probably my favorite EP.

Assuming the OP only wants to go for base game skills (or may not have EP/SP you are discribing). I think its that kind of advice OP is looking for. Handiness at low levels is very limited I feel as you should only try and fix plumbing objects to avoid eletrocution (still better to level it up with skill books). Of the base game skills alone I still think cooking is the go to skill as its always useful regardless of career and Sim life you want to go for

[Darkcymru]

I can just have a 2 peep household one to be a villian mastermind aspiration and other is a house maid as household member.

[ModerNertum]

Originally posted by Darkcymru:

I can just have a 2 peep household one to be a villian mastermind aspiration and other is a house maid as household member.

So you need Logic and Athletic for that career (criminal career, evil branch) and household maid really is cooking that you want and handiness as a second skill

[Mati_Lublin]

Logic is good for a character who has a lot of skills at high level, as with maxed out logic you can teach others skills you know.