Can you get by with zero Lore?

[-$ilver-]

I am trying my hand at wizardry right now as a gnome, but I am curious for any class and race. Recommendation is 4 points in Lore at character creation. I assume for now it can not go any higher, even though I made the pool of points with a lot left over and it says it only costs 1 point to add. It just simply refuses to go any higher. I've maxed out my INT for now at 18 and I read you can get magic that helps with identifying, but not sure if that is useless with 0 Lore.

Regardless I assume I can just keep paying for identifying from a merchant. But I am curious if I had zero lore, what would happen? Would I not even know what a normal short sword was or a stone from a gem on the ground? Would I somehow otherwise severally gimp my character that can not be readily known up front? Thank you.

[DrLoboto]

A normal short sword, a stone and a gem don't need to be identified - identifying is required only for magical items. And not all magical items you find are unidentified by default, it depends on how they're set up in the toolset.

So yes, you can get by with zero Lore, but you'd most likely have to pay or drink Lore potions in order to identify unidentified magical items you find.

NWN Wiki[nwn.fandom.com] is your friend, if you want to know more.

[-$ilver-]

I've had trouble in the past with fandom and try to stay away from them. I've been to some other sites less advertisy recently, but they go into other aspects of what my questions is, more higher end or veteran status like aspects, so it is all way over my head. But I appreciate your time and patience, thank you.

[soltan-heatwave]

This is from the Wiki.

kills do not automatically improve when a character gains levels (though some feats, such as bardic knowledge, provide a level-derived bonus.) Instead, a character is given a number of skill points when a new level is gained. Those skill points can be used to buy skill ranks, which represent the character's training in those skills. The number of skill points gained depend on the character's class, intelligence modifier, and race (humans get an extra skill point). At level one (character creation), a character receives four times the normal skill points.

For class skills, ranks cost one point and the maximum number of ranks in a single skill is 3 + character level. For cross-class skills, ranks cost two points and the maximum number of ranks in a single skill is (3 + character level)/2. The determination of a skill being class or cross-class is based on the class being leveled in, and not any other classes the character may have. As a result, the maximum number of ranks in a given skill may go down when a character takes a new class. This is not a problem. What happens in this case is the character will not be able to buy additional ranks in that skill, and previously bought ranks will not be lost.

A player is not obliged to spend all skill points each level-up. Some (or all) skill points can be saved, presumably to be spent at a future level up. The probable motivation for this is to compensate for the lack of half-ranks (so players can save an odd skill point when cross-classing a skill). The more common use, though, is to save skill points until leveling in a different class, in order to spend them on class skills rather than cross-class skills.

Skill modifiers
Each skill has an associated ability. The ability modifier is added to the number of ranks to produce the character's level of competence in the skill. This number can be further modified by feats, items, and various effects (from spells and the like). Bonuses from items and effects typically stack, to a cap of +50. The final modified number, the skill level, is recorded on the character sheet. (The only time a character's base ranks are displayed is during level-up.)

[allenayen96]

With Zero lore you will spend a lot of gold identifying items. However your Wizard at level one has a lore of 8. With a INT of 18 you have a INT modifier of 4. Lore is affected by INT. For each point of modifier you get a point of lore.

[Proleric]

Wait until you have a bunch of unidentified items. Drink a Lore potion. Immediately pause the game. Identify the lot. Much cheaper than paying merchants 100gp or more per item.

If you have skill points left over when you've maxed the vital ones, spending them on Lore or Heal is a good idea for all classes.

[allenayen96]

My fighter use a Lore potion and got 13 lore points. Of course if you can't identify something with 13 points it is worth more than 100gp

[-$ilver-]

Originally posted by soltan-heatwave:

This is from the Wiki.

kills do not automatically improve when a character gains levels (though some feats, such as bardic knowledge, provide a level-derived bonus.) Instead, a character is given a number of skill points when a new level is gained. Those skill points can be used to buy skill ranks, which represent the character's training in those skills. The number of skill points gained depend on the character's class, intelligence modifier, and race (humans get an extra skill point). At level one (character creation), a character receives four times the normal skill points.

For class skills, ranks cost one point and the maximum number of ranks in a single skill is 3 + character level. For cross-class skills, ranks cost two points and the maximum number of ranks in a single skill is (3 + character level)/2. The determination of a skill being class or cross-class is based on the class being leveled in, and not any other classes the character may have. As a result, the maximum number of ranks in a given skill may go down when a character takes a new class. This is not a problem. What happens in this case is the character will not be able to buy additional ranks in that skill, and previously bought ranks will not be lost.

A player is not obliged to spend all skill points each level-up. Some (or all) skill points can be saved, presumably to be spent at a future level up. The probable motivation for this is to compensate for the lack of half-ranks (so players can save an odd skill point when cross-classing a skill). The more common use, though, is to save skill points until leveling in a different class, in order to spend them on class skills rather than cross-class skills.

Skill modifiers
Each skill has an associated ability. The ability modifier is added to the number of ranks to produce the character's level of competence in the skill. This number can be further modified by feats, items, and various effects (from spells and the like). Bonuses from items and effects typically stack, to a cap of +50. The final modified number, the skill level, is recorded on the character sheet. (The only time a character's base ranks are displayed is during level-up.)

Thank you for that. Which wiki did you get this from? The regular Wiki or most like Fandom?

[soltan-heatwave]

NWN Wiki

[Tesseract]

The most used NWN wiki has been on Wikia (now called Fandom) since 2005. The advertising is a bit obnoxious these days, but as far as I'm aware it hasn't crossed the line into actual malware.

[-$ilver-]

Originally posted by Tesseract:

The most used NWN wiki has been on Wikia (now called Fandom) since 2005. The advertising is a bit obnoxious these days, but as far as I'm aware it hasn't crossed the line into actual malware.

The website in and of itself, probably not. But the ads themselves, maybe. Sort of like other less scrupulous websites that feature a lot of them. I suppose I could use an ad-blocker, but even then that does not stop all ads. So I prefer just not to visit such websites. Especially when said ads try to trick you into clicking on them by accident, due to placement or popping up when you are about to click on something else.

[mr.raider2]

You don't need lore too much as a wizard. Your intelligence stat will boost your lore. The level one spell identify will give you a lore bonus. Just cast it, pause, open inventory and ID your items. If anything still fails to ID, it's probably way more valuable than the 100 bucks it costs to ID from a merchant.

[-$ilver-]

Originally posted by mr.raider2:

You don't need lore too much as a wizard. Your intelligence stat will boost your lore. The level one spell identify will give you a lore bonus. Just cast it, pause, open inventory and ID your items. If anything still fails to ID, it's probably way more valuable than the 100 bucks it costs to ID from a merchant.

Will you need at least one point in lore for that to be possible?

[Shia Luck]

Originally posted by -$ilver-:

Originally posted by Tesseract:

The most used NWN wiki has been on Wikia (now called Fandom) since 2005. The advertising is a bit obnoxious these days, but as far as I'm aware it hasn't crossed the line into actual malware.

The website in and of itself, probably not. But the ads themselves, maybe. Sort of like other less scrupulous websites that feature a lot of them. I suppose I could use an ad-blocker, but even then that does not stop all ads. So I prefer just not to visit such websites. Especially when said ads try to trick you into clicking on them by accident, due to placement or popping up when you are about to click on something else.

Ahhh, now I understand your reticence (which I was confused about in another thread). I use noscript so I guess I miss most of what you talk about. However that is the one site you can trust for its info.

Originally posted by -$ilver-:

Originally posted by mr.raider2:

You don't need lore too much as a wizard. Your intelligence stat will boost your lore. The level one spell identify will give you a lore bonus. Just cast it, pause, open inventory and ID your items. If anything still fails to ID, it's probably way more valuable than the 100 bucks it costs to ID from a merchant.

Will you need at least one point in lore for that to be possible?

NO. Your INT will automatically give you some lore and the identify spell or potion will add to that. Use Proleric's trick posted above (Oops mr.raider2 also says it) in SP and it is easy. You can also buy a ring that gives you +5 lore pretty easily. IIRC put 5 points in Lore, use the ring, and you will rarely need Lore potions in the OC.

Lore is quite a useful skill to have tho. As, let's say, a sorc, you need concentration and spellcraft, but Tumble and Lore (Lore especially in MP, unless someone is playing a bard) are so useful once you go beyond the OC that having INT 14 as a sorc is a very good idea, even if you are cross classing tumble. (But there are easy ways around that too. ;) )

Once you start playing the community modules (which are SO much better than the OC) or MP, you will often find yourself asked to make Lore checks to understand something. I find being useful to my MP party like that or being given rewards for my choosing lore in Sp satisfying enough to be worth investing in it. YMMV ofc.

Have fun :)

[-$ilver-]

Originally posted by Shia Luck:

NO. Your INT will automatically give you some lore and the identify spell or potion will add to that. Use Proleric's trick posted above (Oops mr.raider2 also says it) in SP and it is easy. You can also buy a ring that gives you +5 lore pretty easily. IIRC put 5 points in Lore, use the ring, and you will rarely need Lore potions in the OC.

Lore is quite a useful skill to have tho. As, let's say, a sorc, you need concentration and spellcraft, but Tumble and Lore (Lore especially in MP, unless someone is playing a bard) are so useful once you go beyond the OC that having INT 14 as a sorc is a very good idea, even if you are cross classing tumble. (But there are easy ways around that too.

Since I switched to my Sorcerer I see I have 0 lore, when I do not add points to it. I guess my INT is currently at 10 or 12 and it did not put a single point into it on its own. In order for the rings, potions or spells to work, would I still need at least a single point in Lore, either by my doing or due to high INT? Or the spells, potions and rings will work without a single point in Lore?

[allenayen96]

Originally posted by -$ilver-:

Originally posted by Shia Luck:

NO. Your INT will automatically give you some lore and the identify spell or potion will add to that. Use Proleric's trick posted above (Oops mr.raider2 also says it) in SP and it is easy. You can also buy a ring that gives you +5 lore pretty easily. IIRC put 5 points in Lore, use the ring, and you will rarely need Lore potions in the OC.

Lore is quite a useful skill to have tho. As, let's say, a sorc, you need concentration and spellcraft, but Tumble and Lore (Lore especially in MP, unless someone is playing a bard) are so useful once you go beyond the OC that having INT 14 as a sorc is a very good idea, even if you are cross classing tumble. (But there are easy ways around that too.

Since I switched to my Sorcerer I see I have 0 lore, when I do not add points to it. I guess my INT is currently at 10 or 12 and it did not put a single point into it on its own. In order for the rings, potions or spells to work, would I still need at least a single point in Lore, either by my doing or due to high INT? Or the spells, potions and rings will work without a single point in Lore?

The spells,potions, and ring will work.