This was a big emphasis during production. That skills would be "non-combat" 

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60578-update-7-non-combat-skills-with-tim-cain/

 

But as it stands now all of the skills have a direct combat benefit. What happened?

Stealth, Athletics, Survival, Lore, Mechanics

Whilst all of these skills have some form of auxiliary* application in-combat, they are primarily out of combat skills.

Stealth & Mechanics probably being the least applicable for combat.

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Skills

 

* Difficult word, used on the Wiki, it is a link to the definition.

Edited March 17, 201510 yr by Osvir

CUT

Stealth, Athletics, Survival, Lore, Mechanics

 

Whilst all of these skills have some form of auxiliary* application in-combat, they are primarily out of combat skills.

 

Stealth & Mechanics probably being the least applicable for combat.

Mechanics: Number of traps usable in combat and accuracy of those traps

Athletics: How long you can go before you recieve Combat debuffs. Also failing scripted interactions gives you additional combat debuffs. 

Lore: Ability to use scrolls in combat (which are OP)

Survival: Duration of combat consumables

 

Stealth is where is should be. Although initial position in this game is 90% of the fight. 

Edited March 17, 201510 yr by Bazy

You can't drop traps in-combat, you can only use them out of combat/before combat state begins. Also used to spot & disarm traps, as well as lockpicking (Some traps can be spotted visually by you without any Mechanics but you won't know where the trap AoE/trigger is).

Athletics also in jumping, climbing and swimming (scripted interactions),

wherein I know there's (at least?) 2 instances that use Athletics in the Backer Beta and I can recall 3 more from Obsidian feeds (Raedric's Hold vines, jumping over broken bridge, swimming/diving in cave). I'm guessing there's more of them.

I do think Survival & Lore could've gotten (past tense, because I believe it is a bit late for anything now) some more stuff to it (for instance, crafting requirements~ Lore for Scroll Crafting Level & Casting Level, Survival for Potion/Food Crafting Level), and also what I said in the other thread (spot ingredients with Survival).

I also think Lore could've added to "Chance of learning spell from dropped Grimoire"... hm... why is there something in the back of my head about this.... *shrug* I'm done trying to recall stuff... for now

Edited March 17, 201510 yr by Osvir