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[Coffeespoons]

Wiki sets out basics pretty well:  http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Attribute

A couple of quick questions:

- At embark should I be looking at the dwarves' personal attributes in order to determine their skills?
- Presumably the choice is self-reinforcing as the skills that you pick based on the attributes then preferentially raise those same attributes as skill levels increase?
- Any way of determining the effects of the missing links such as willpower -> "melee combat" or focus -> "ranged combat"?  Anyone notice any ingame effects of high WP or focus on these skills?
- Anything more concrete on the other skills without info on the wiki such as "leader"?

[Untelligent]

1,2) I wouldn't know, I usually just give every most of my dwarves most of the labors anyway.

3) I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this question, but presumably they give a boost to the skill whenever the dwarf uses that skill. The Ranged combat skill (a.k.a. Archer) is a general purpose skill for every ranged weapon (and throwing, I think), so that dwarves who train with crossbows also have some proficiency with bows. Same thing for Melee combat (Fighter).

4) Leader has to do with squad leaders, and it's use is "currently unknown." Teacher probably affects how fast soldiers gain experience when the squad leader teaches them. Knowledge Aquisition is likely a mislabel for Student, which works similarily. Observer is suspected to help discover sneaking enemies (kobolds n' stuff).

[Johnny Madhouse]

As for Unintelligent's suspicions, I can add a little confirmation.

1 and 2. I typically don't worry too much about attributes on embark. Sometimes I give socially aware dwarves leadership positions and agile dwarves mining labors to speed things up, but that's rare.

As for the second part, the choices are pretty self-reinforcing if you do things that way, but I am still confused on a couple things, namely that dwarves that become incredibly amazing fighters due to danger rooms will become either very strong or very fast or very tough, but never all three at once from what I've seen. There seems to be some kind of balance at play where strong dwarves become slower for whatever reason, which seems a little bogus to me. There are people who are incredibly agile and tough!

3. I haven't witnessed any effect of focus on weapon skill gain rate or skill rate in general, but then I haven't really been looking either. It would be neat if focus were tied to skill rate and rate of martial trances: I'd make all the particularly ADD dwarves haulers!

4. Leader skill increases slowly for squad leaders. I'll keep an eye open and see when that happens.
Teacher increases when any dwarf, not just the squad leader, gives a combat skill demonstration. Student increases when any dwarf attending one of these demonstrations is learning. Both of these skills increase fairly slowly, which is a shame because it makes it hard to tell how useful they really are. An interesting test might be to see whether a teacher can impart more experience in a subject when they know more relative to the student.

EDIT: Unintelligent is also correct about Observer skill: I have personally seen it increase in dwarves who spot an intruder, but only to dabbling level. If there were a non-cheaty way to train it, I would, and then post a married couple with good observational skills on the gatehouse with an alcohol stockpile and some really nice statues to keep them happy.

[veok]

There seems to be some kind of balance at play where strong dwarves become slower for whatever reason, which seems a little bogus to me. There are people who are incredibly agile and tough!

I think I remember reading on the wiki (somewhere, don't know where) that this is because stronger dwarves have bigger muscles -- which means a larger size, which means reduced effect from agility. Specifically "gains in agility will be offset by an equivalent gain in strength".

http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Strength

"Strength
Alters the damage done in melee, increases muscle mass, and increases how much a creature can carry. Note that muscle mass will actually make a dwarf much slower, and gains in Strength will actually counteract equal gains in Agility."

[Untelligent]

Yeah, strength = more muscle mass = heavier dwarf = less agility.

Makes sense to me. Lots of games seem to try to balance out strong fighters and fast fighters, but DF is one of the few I've seen where that situation arises out of the gameplay mechanics rather than an arbitrary distinction.

[Burning_Iceman]

All my Dwarves have very high toughness, strength, agility and endurance after training in the danger room.
I suppose the gains in strengh and agility may cancel eachother out with regard to speed, but you can definately have all skills at maximum level at the same time.

[rephikul]

1) Physical attributes can be raised from danger room. Look their like list instead, a happy dwarf work better.

2) Yes it does increase relevant skills albeit very slowly. I see no difference in will power as my miner go from dabbling to legendary +5 (text doesnt seem to change, at least)

3) Not that I know of

4) "Leader" role utilize many social skills just as judge of intent or consolant. Check the dwarf's character to ensure he can learn all social skills because certain extreme characteristic prohibit skilling some leader-related social skills.