Trainer
Reduces the hiring cost of new soldiers by 2% per skill level. (Leader skill)
Skill Effects in Silverstag
- A Captain of the Guard provides a stacking reduction to the cost of troops hired at the same location based upon the Trainer skill if the fief has the Training Grounds improvement.
Why It Was Changed in v0.15
Since troops no longer upgrade based on experience earned this awesome skill has lost its usefulness entirely. I consider the purchase cost of a troop to represent the training & gearing of a new recruit so I have redesigned this skill to provide a reduction in that cost that is application in every location. This reduction is 2% per point invested in the trainer skill. Some improvements will also lower these training costs, but they're specific to their location. With this change the trainer skill has shifted from being a (personal skill) to becoming a (leader skill). It does not stack with your companions in any way. I may eventually reconsider that stance, but if it did the stacking would be very limited.
This doesn't, however, mean that leveling up the trainer skill on your companions is useless. Companion advisors directly take usefulness from the trainer skill. Since the AI also receives this reduction benefit then so do your companions that have been promoted to vassals. A promoted companion with a 10 in the trainer skill can enjoy a significant reduction (-20%) in purchasing costs which will make his option for troops much better.
Final note on the trainer skill is that it will still have both a readable and reference book available for your benefit, but the cap will still remain 10.