Preferred new skill training method?

[Helice]

I've been giving this some thought and haven't been able to come up with a satisfactory answer.

Which is the more efficient method of gaining a new skill: by reading a book, or by appropriating skill points in the character screen?

It would seem that the obvious answer is to read a book; adding skills in the character screen costs three points, whereas books grant two levels-- translating to two skill points--after gaining the initial skill. Theoretically, you come out ahead by saving one character skill point. But! It is important to consider that those two levels can be tacked on after maxing out eight levels with the respective skill trainer (or five levels in Book I). When combined with special items that give skill boosts (rings, weapons, amulets, etc.) I'm more inclined to favor saving my two levels for after training. But again, you only get three character points to spend after each level up...

Is there a general consensus on this? I'm curious to hear what other players think.

[Discoveria]

This issue is covered quite well in this strategy post here: http://www.basiliskgames.com/forums/vie ... =12&t=3171

Basically,
1. If a skill has a trainer for it, you should gain the skill from the trainer. (If you can wait long enough to reach the trainer and pay for it.)
2. If a skill has no trainer, but there is a book for it, you should gain the skill from the book instead of buying it with your 3 skill points. (If you can wait long enough to find the book.)
3. If you need Meditation, the one skill that has no book or trainer, you will need to buy it with 3 skill points.

[IJBall]

3. If you need Meditation, the one skill that has no book or trainer, you will need to buy it with 3 skill points.

And if you do, you should probably "get" Meditation during character creation, and not later on doing the game.

That said, there is basically no real reason to get Meditation, so your #3 doesn't really apply in many situations.

As to Helice's question, my preference is to always, as much as possible, to use Skill Books to raise 2 Levels in a Skill, rather than using a Book to "buy" a Skill from scratch. Now I know Randomizer and Slarty and others tend to have a different view on that; and sometimes I will use a Skill Book just to buy just the first level in a Skill that I have no intention of pursuing (e.g. Unarmed Combat).

But, in general, I'd rather use a Skill Book for 2 Levels over just getting the first level in a Skill. So, on that score, Skill Trainers are an important part of this equation...

[Slarty]

Of course it's better to get 2 levels from a book than 1... unless you are also buying skill at level up. This is a simple issue of math:

If you want 5 levels in a skill, the cost is:
5 skill points if you train at level up, THEN read the book.
4 skill points if you read the book, THEN train at level up.

If you want 3 levels in a skill, the cost is:
3 skill points if you train at level up, THEN read the book.
2 skill points if you read the book, THEN train at level up.

Obviously, the entire question is a non-issue if you can train that first level for just 100 gold, if you have it as your starting skill, or if you don't care about the skill at all or only want 1 level in it.

The fact that there is any difference whatsoever is, IMHO, one of the least elegant aspects of the character system.

[Krafen]

Don't read the book until you have purchased as much training as possible (either 0 or 8 levels).
Don't spend skill points until you have read the book.

[Gorgon Rider]

I don't fret too much about the efficiency equations.

What I do is buy one or two skills at the beginning that I feel I really want and will help the character until I can get to a trainer for the other skills. If I find a book, I may use it for the first level if it's something I feel I need/want right away. Other than that, I do follow the efficiency curve and train through coinage to level 8, then grab the extra two levels with a book.

Tough to go without any skills (other than the free starter) until you find the trainers, but it might be an interesting challenge.

Hmmmmmm... perhaps it's time to roll up another character.

[Tyranthraxus]

Hmmm. I wonder who's going to be the first to attempt the "no skills" challenge?

[Farwalker]

I started off doing a no skills (just the one point from my start class) no experience challenge... that was kind of fun. I had a lot of the world explored and most of the fast-travel markers ticked off before I got tired of it and tried something else. Some places you just can't get to though without racking up some experience for something.

Oh, and I was only taking items from fixed containers, as opposed to random containers. Finding food on a regular basis was a bit touch and go.