What are the exact rules to lvling skills?

Nox_Aeterna

By this i mean , for example , every skill tree that got atleast one skill slotted , gains exp from quests.

Does this count for both weapon sets? This does not affect passives? What else?

Castielle

I don't know if it counts for both weapon sets, as I haven't unlocked both. But any time you gain experience you gain experience towards the skill trees for which you have skills on your bar. In order to unlock the passives you would have to have a skill of that tree on your bar until you hit the rank required to put a point in it. The exception being your racial abilities which simply rank with your character level.

Cas

lupusrex

To level a weapon or armor skill, you need to have that weapon or armor equipped at the time you use it, take a hit, reach a new place on the map (at least I'm pretty sure I saw this happen), or turn in a quest. You could for example switch to a different weapon when you turn in a quest to level that weapon up.

To rank up abilities, they need to at least be on your hotbar when one of the above happens.

I think that covers it, but I may have left something out.

Rosebloome

Also, you can place a different weapon's ability on your hotbar and level it at the same time as your main.

So say, you're level 4. You're using Bow. But you'd really wanna have Resto staff as secondary. You get the first resto staff ability, put it on hotbar, and use bow. Since resto ability is on hotbar from resto staff line, resto staff line will level up.

Also it looks like the more of one type of tree you have placed on hotbar, the faster it levels. 2 summons and atronach class abilities on bar from sorc. Summoning is on level 26 at the moment. The other two class skill trees only 20 using 1 skill of each.