New player, points and apprenticeship question

Hi there,

Finally getting around to playing this much talked about game; my first attempt a couple years back was ridden with bugs due to video card.

I just had a quick question regarding training:
I just got to Shady Hills and trained to apprenticeship in firearms. However, I notice that my progress bar reset; ie., the point(s) I had previously put int firearms were stripped. Although my rank is now apprentice, I am again at the base starting value for my race (dwarf) - I was wondering if these previously invested points were 'lost' upon training?

I know I must be missing something here...

 

Aye, I am - So, you're saying that the skill progress bar should remain in the same position?

...So, I loaded an older save game to double check my thoughts and, would you know it, it wasn't firearms I had put points into afterall :roll:

Well, thank you for the quick response, I had already been considering how to best minimize 'point losses' while leveling !

 

How high is your perception and how many character points have you put in firearms? If your perception is lowered beyond a certain point it will lower your firearms skill. Also sometimes if you have a natural bonus to a skill you will notice that it can disappear when are not near the required base stat level to increase that skill again. What I mean is that you can raise any skill at 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 (ST, DX, CN, CH, BE, PE, IN, WP). However if you have 9 Perception and two ranks of Firearms then your half-rank dwarven bonus might disappear unless you raise your perception to 10 or 11.

 

Interesting. My perception is plenty high - 12 I believe. It was just a case of some confusion in what I had done ( I actually had risen melee/dodge and not firearms).

Somewhat unrelated, is there a comprehensive web site that goes through technical aspects of the game (w/ no spoilers preferably)? Things like the bonuses incurred from having 20 points in skills, etc. The manual is, imo, not laid out very well.

 

You don't get anything for having 20 ranks. However, you can get master-training when you have certain rank, 18, I think. Apprentice, Expert and Master bonuses are in the holy book.

 

Wasn't he talking about skills, not stats? Or did he confuse the terms? Those can be found easily in the holy book, too.