Character creation - starting with zero in a skill

[strangeattractor]

When creating a character at the beginning of the QFG2 remake, if you start with zero in a skill, can you learn it later? For example, if my character starts with zero throwing skill, could he increase his throwing stat by throwing rocks later? Or must he have a non-zero stat to begin with?

If a non-zero stat is required, then is a thief the only one who can acquire all skills? Or is there a way to start a magic or fighter character at the beginning of QFG2 and acquire all the skills through playing the game? Would importing a character with stats in all skills be the only way to do this?

[DrJones]

I haven't tested in QFG2, but in QFG3 having no throwing skills prevents you from throwing rocks. However, there's a chance in QFG2 to learn up to two new skills, but that chance happens too late in the game to be of real use.

[Brainiac]

Like Dr Jones said, you can gain two skills, regardless of if you have any points already in them, near the end of the game. However, any skill with a 0 value will not go up, regardless of whether or not you perform the action or not. For your example, you can throw rocks even without Throwing skill - you just won't gain points (and the rocks always go to the same spot towards the bottom of the screen since you lack the technical ability to aim properly).

A newly-created Thief is the only character that can start fresh in QfG2 with all skills. However, between the extra points for playing QfG1, the 25 points import characters get in this version, and the aforementioned possibilty for two skills added at the end, pretty much any class, imported or not, can have every skill by the end of Trial by Fire.

[strangeattractor]

Thank you for the detailed answer to my question.

[Erpy]

It's worth mentioning, btw, that no class needs non-native skills to finish the game. All puzzles that require the use of a certain skills have alternative solutions. (the mage, for instance, can do just about everything with his force bolts that the thief can do with rocks or daggers so he doesn't really need throwing skills) The only reason someone would want all skills is simply because they don't like zeros on their character sheet. If you want to access as much of the game's content in one go, you'll need a fighter with magic and thief skills though. (imported from QFG1)