In certain instances, a PC receives 1 free rank in one or more skills, usually through special rules which are related to his specie.

When spending starting XP, are free ranks intended for use on the first rank, or can it be applied to the second rank? The end result being that you spend less starting XP (ie: 5 instead of 10 if a career skill).

Personally, I allow the "rebate", but I wondered how other GMs rule this.

the species comes first in the process of character creation, so XP will always be for the second more expensive rank of a skill.

Edit:

Ranked talents dont chang cost based on how many ranks you have but the position in the tree, so that doesnt matter.

If its an unranked talent then it can be ticked off automatically as if xp had been spent for it.

IMO, if a PC receives a free rank in something due to his species or something else, that’s going to be the lowest-cost slot of that rank.

If the PC wants any more ranks of that same thing, then they would spend extra points, just as if they had paid for that first rank.

You are born a Wookiee before you become a Marauder. My answer would be nice try, but no dice.