I feel really stupid for asking this, but I can't seem to find where the rules talk about the difference between a basic and trained skill, and what, if any effect being trained in something offers. I get the difference between a basic skill and an advanced skill, but otherwise, I'm lost. Any help out there?

I think you are mistaking Untrained and Trained skills.

If a skill is a basic skill, you can roll against it even if you aren't trained. If you aren't trained, you roll against half the associated characteristic, and if you are trained you roll against the whole characteristic.

If it's an advanced skill, you must be trained to roll against it. If you are trained, you roll against your full characteristic, and if you aren't trained, you can't even attempt a roll.

No, I got advanced and basic figured out, but the character sheets that you can download right off the support area for dark heresy have columns labeled "basic" "trained" "+10" and "+20". Am I to assume that the "trained" section should read "advanced" ?

bethor said:

The expanded character sheet? Basic skills are marked off as things you can test if you are not at all trained in it, for half the characteristic attached. Trained skills are skills your.. Trained in. You mark it off when you receive the skill to show that you do have the ability to make use of it properly.

bethor said:

No.

Basically, there are a set of "Basic" skills, these are defined in the book. Check off the basic box in all these skills. It is also possible to gain abilities and class features that let you treat advanced skills, like basic skills. Once again, check off basic for these skills.

If you are trained in a skill, check off the trained column.

You can be trained in basic or advanced skills. Basic skills do not turn into advanced skills when you train them, they become trained basic skills (not like this would matter anyway).

If you are trained in a skill, you can test on that skill at the full attribute value. If you are not trained, you can test at half value with basic, and not at all on advanced.

To expand on whats been said above with an example:

You make a Feral World character. As a Feral Worlder, you get to treat Survival (an advanced skill) as a basic skill. So, you write "Survival" on one of the skill lines and check off the "Basic" box indicating that you can make tests vs 1/2 your INT to survive in wilderness areas. However, you do not yet have the option of actually buying the skill so you don't check off any other boxes.

Latter in your career, you open up a rank that allows Survival to be purchased for 100 xp and you buy it. Now you go back to where you wrote "Survival" on your character sheet and you check off the "Trained" box indicating that your character is now trained in that skill and can now use his or her full INT when using Survival. Even latter in his or her career, the skill Survival comes up again but this time with a +10 listed out next to it and costing 100 xp. That means for 100 xp, you can now check off the "+10" box and every time you make a Survival test, you will receive a +10 bonus to you INT for that test.

ahh, that's what I was looking for. Thanks everyone for the info.