dex bonus to skills (in General)

is the bonus from equipment (and the penalties?) applied to trained skills directly? or do you need to have natural dex for it to work?

I have haste and GS trained equally, and archery at 1/4th the effect of my GS. My question is will putting elven gear on have any effect?

1) Directly. You don't need natural Str or Dex for the Dex modifier to apply to your skill.

2) Yes. It will still alter your Skill level, it wil just have no effect on Haste (Or GS for Strength modifiers).

thanks. I knew that it wouldn't affect my haste dex, but wasn't sure how the bonus to skills was applied.

now I can put three EC's on my wish list (the one that never seems to get any smaller)

also visit the wiki, it's all in there ;)