diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
index 480c335c2a..ac8f85d134 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
@@ -461,6 +461,26 @@ namespace MWClass
         throw std::runtime_error(std::string("Unexpected soundgen type: ")+name);
     }
 
+    int Creature::getSkill(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, int skill) const
+    {
+        MWWorld::LiveCellRef<ESM::Creature> *ref =
+            ptr.get<ESM::Creature>();
+
+        const ESM::Skill* skillRecord = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::Skill>().find(skill);
+
+        switch (skillRecord->mData.mSpecialization)
+        {
+        case ESM::Class::Combat:
+            return ref->mBase->mData.mCombat;
+        case ESM::Class::Magic:
+            return ref->mBase->mData.mMagic;
+        case ESM::Class::Stealth:
+            return ref->mBase->mData.mStealth;
+        default:
+            throw std::runtime_error("invalid specialisation");
+        }
+    }
+
     const ESM::GameSetting* Creature::fMinWalkSpeedCreature;
     const ESM::GameSetting* Creature::fMaxWalkSpeedCreature;
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp
index 34e19ebdc7..461410a491 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ namespace MWClass
             }
 
             virtual bool isFlying (const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr) const;
+
+            virtual int getSkill(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, int skill) const;
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
index c89822843c..8d51fd1cf9 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
@@ -1211,6 +1211,11 @@ namespace MWClass
         return MWWorld::Ptr(&cell.mNpcs.insert(*ref), &cell);
     }
 
+    int Npc::getSkill(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, int skill) const
+    {
+        return ptr.getClass().getNpcStats(ptr).getSkill(skill).getModified();
+    }
+
     const ESM::GameSetting *Npc::fMinWalkSpeed;
     const ESM::GameSetting *Npc::fMaxWalkSpeed;
     const ESM::GameSetting *Npc::fEncumberedMoveEffect;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp
index 9977866cdf..b729d01514 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ namespace MWClass
 
             virtual std::string getModel(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr) const;
 
+            virtual int getSkill(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, int skill) const;
+
             virtual bool isActor() const {
                 return true;
             }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/pickpocketitemmodel.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/pickpocketitemmodel.cpp
index 13ee4396d0..0196bf02d3 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/pickpocketitemmodel.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/pickpocketitemmodel.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace MWGui
     PickpocketItemModel::PickpocketItemModel(const MWWorld::Ptr& thief, ItemModel *sourceModel)
     {
         mSourceModel = sourceModel;
-        int chance = MWWorld::Class::get(thief).getNpcStats(thief).getSkill(ESM::Skill::Sneak).getModified();
+        int chance = thief.getClass().getSkill(thief, ESM::Skill::Sneak);
 
         mSourceModel->update();
         for (size_t i = 0; i<mSourceModel->getItemCount(); ++i)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp
index 14024dec6b..f86044841a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp
@@ -296,10 +296,10 @@ namespace MWGui
             const MWMechanics::NpcStats &sellerStats = mPtr.getClass().getNpcStats(mPtr);
             const MWMechanics::NpcStats &playerStats = player.getClass().getNpcStats(player);
 
-            float a1 = std::min(playerStats.getSkill(ESM::Skill::Mercantile).getModified(), 100);
+            float a1 = std::min(player.getClass().getSkill(player, ESM::Skill::Mercantile), 100);
             float b1 = std::min(0.1f * playerStats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Luck).getModified(), 10.f);
             float c1 = std::min(0.2f * playerStats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Personality).getModified(), 10.f);
-            float d1 = std::min(sellerStats.getSkill(ESM::Skill::Mercantile).getModified(), 100);
+            float d1 = std::min(mPtr.getClass().getSkill(mPtr, ESM::Skill::Mercantile), 100);
             float e1 = std::min(0.1f * sellerStats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Luck).getModified(), 10.f);
             float f1 = std::min(0.2f * sellerStats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Personality).getModified(), 10.f);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 39c4219079..5104a0f57f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@ void CharacterController::update(float duration)
                 cls.getCreatureStats(mPtr).setHealth(health);
                 cls.onHit(mPtr, realHealthLost, true, MWWorld::Ptr(), MWWorld::Ptr(), true);
 
-                const float acrobaticsSkill = cls.getNpcStats(mPtr).getSkill(ESM::Skill::Acrobatics).getModified();
+                const float acrobaticsSkill = cls.getSkill(mPtr, ESM::Skill::Acrobatics);
                 if (healthLost > (acrobaticsSkill * fatigueTerm))
                 {
                     cls.getCreatureStats(mPtr).setKnockedDown(true);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
index 4514c077c7..0dee4706aa 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -902,12 +902,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         {
             static float fSneakSkillMult = store.find("fSneakSkillMult")->getFloat();
             static float fSneakBootMult = store.find("fSneakBootMult")->getFloat();
-            float sneak = 0;
-            // TODO: According to Hrnchamd Research:Movement, "Creatures have generalized combat, magic and stealth
-            // stats which substitute for the specific skills (in the same way as specializations)."
-            // This probably applies to a large part of the code base.
-            if (ptr.getClass().isNpc())
-                sneak = ptr.getClass().getNpcStats(ptr).getSkill(ESM::Skill::Sneak).getModified();
+            float sneak = ptr.getClass().getSkill(ptr, ESM::Skill::Sneak);
             int agility = stats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Agility).getModified();
             int luck = stats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Luck).getModified();
             float bootWeight = 0;
@@ -935,9 +930,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         int obsAgility = observerStats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Agility).getModified();
         int obsLuck = observerStats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Luck).getModified();
         float obsBlind = observerStats.getMagicEffects().get(ESM::MagicEffect::Blind).mMagnitude;
-        int obsSneak = 0;
-        if (observer.getClass().isNpc())
-            obsSneak = observer.getClass().getNpcStats(observer).getSkill(ESM::Skill::Sneak).getModified();
+        int obsSneak = observer.getClass().getSkill(observer, ESM::Skill::Sneak);
 
         float obsTerm = obsSneak + 0.2 * obsAgility + 0.1 * obsLuck - obsBlind;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pickpocket.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pickpocket.cpp
index 8e8a70d885..53681caf8b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pickpocket.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pickpocket.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         NpcStats& stats = ptr.getClass().getNpcStats(ptr);
         float agility = stats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Agility).getModified();
         float luck = stats.getAttribute(ESM::Attribute::Luck).getModified();
-        float sneak = stats.getSkill(ESM::Skill::Sneak).getModified();
+        float sneak = ptr.getClass().getSkill(ptr, ESM::Skill::Sneak);
         return (add + 0.2 * agility + 0.1 * luck + sneak) * stats.getFatigueTerm();
     }
 
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
 
         float t = 2*x - y;
 
-        NpcStats& pcStats = mThief.getClass().getNpcStats(mThief);
-        float pcSneak = pcStats.getSkill(ESM::Skill::Sneak).getModified();
+        float pcSneak = mThief.getClass().getSkill(mThief, ESM::Skill::Sneak);
         int iPickMinChance = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>()
                 .find("iPickMinChance")->getInt();
         int iPickMaxChance = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/spellcasting.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/spellcasting.hpp
index a1ae254f61..52af26ad13 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/spellcasting.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/spellcasting.hpp
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
-    inline int spellSchoolToSkill(int school)
+    inline ESM::Skill::SkillEnum spellSchoolToSkill(int school)
     {
-        std::map<int, int> schoolSkillMap; // maps spell school to skill id
+        std::map<int, ESM::Skill::SkillEnum> schoolSkillMap; // maps spell school to skill id
         schoolSkillMap[0] = ESM::Skill::Alteration;
         schoolSkillMap[1] = ESM::Skill::Conjuration;
         schoolSkillMap[3] = ESM::Skill::Illusion;
@@ -38,10 +38,9 @@ namespace MWMechanics
      */
     inline float getSpellSuccessChance (const ESM::Spell* spell, const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, int* effectiveSchool = NULL)
     {
-        NpcStats& stats = MWWorld::Class::get(actor).getNpcStats(actor);
-        CreatureStats& creatureStats = MWWorld::Class::get(actor).getCreatureStats(actor);
+        CreatureStats& stats = actor.getClass().getCreatureStats(actor);
 
-        if (creatureStats.getMagicEffects().get(ESM::MagicEffect::Silence).mMagnitude)
+        if (stats.getMagicEffects().get(ESM::MagicEffect::Silence).mMagnitude)
             return 0;
 
         float y = FLT_MAX;
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                         "fEffectCostMult")->getFloat();
             x *= fEffectCostMult;
 
-            float s = 2 * stats.getSkill(spellSchoolToSkill(magicEffect->mData.mSchool)).getModified();
+            float s = 2 * actor.getClass().getSkill(actor, spellSchoolToSkill(magicEffect->mData.mSchool));
             if (s - x < y)
             {
                 y = s - x;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwscript/statsextensions.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwscript/statsextensions.cpp
index 095fad7ab5..7a59e96893 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwscript/statsextensions.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwscript/statsextensions.cpp
@@ -306,9 +306,7 @@ namespace MWScript
                 {
                     MWWorld::Ptr ptr = R()(runtime);
 
-                    Interpreter::Type_Integer value =
-                        MWWorld::Class::get (ptr).getNpcStats (ptr).getSkill (mIndex).
-                        getModified();
+                    Interpreter::Type_Integer value = ptr.getClass().getSkill(ptr, mIndex);
 
                     runtime.push (value);
                 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
index 07bd905717..f3128780b8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
@@ -358,4 +358,9 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return false;
     }
 
+    int Class::getSkill(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, int skill) const
+    {
+        throw std::runtime_error("class does not support skills");
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
index 5c1c063a34..bbc74323cb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
@@ -294,6 +294,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
             virtual bool isFlying(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr) const;
 
+            virtual int getSkill(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, int skill) const;
+
             static const Class& get (const std::string& key);
             ///< If there is no class for this \a key, an exception is thrown.
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp
index e8938b2c0e..82b827e755 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp
@@ -164,8 +164,6 @@ MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator MWWorld::InventoryStore::getSlot (int slot)
 
 void MWWorld::InventoryStore::autoEquip (const MWWorld::Ptr& actor)
 {
-    const MWMechanics::NpcStats& stats = MWWorld::Class::get(actor).getNpcStats(actor);
-
     TSlots slots_;
     initSlots (slots_);
 
@@ -190,10 +188,10 @@ void MWWorld::InventoryStore::autoEquip (const MWWorld::Ptr& actor)
                 !actor.getRefData().getLocals().getIntVar(actor.getClass().getScript(actor), "companion")))
             continue;
 
-        int testSkill = MWWorld::Class::get (test).getEquipmentSkill (test);
+        int testSkill = test.getClass().getEquipmentSkill (test);
 
         std::pair<std::vector<int>, bool> itemsSlots =
-            MWWorld::Class::get (*iter).getEquipmentSlots (*iter);
+            iter->getClass().getEquipmentSlots (*iter);
 
         for (std::vector<int>::const_iterator iter2 (itemsSlots.first.begin());
             iter2!=itemsSlots.first.end(); ++iter2)
@@ -210,16 +208,16 @@ void MWWorld::InventoryStore::autoEquip (const MWWorld::Ptr& actor)
                 {
                     // check skill
                     int oldSkill =
-                        MWWorld::Class::get (old).getEquipmentSkill (old);
+                        old.getClass().getEquipmentSkill (old);
 
                     if (testSkill!=-1 && oldSkill==-1)
                         use = true;
                     else if (testSkill!=-1 && oldSkill!=-1 && testSkill!=oldSkill)
                     {
-                        if (stats.getSkill (oldSkill).getModified()>stats.getSkill (testSkill).getModified())
+                        if (actor.getClass().getSkill(actor, oldSkill) > actor.getClass().getSkill (actor, testSkill))
                             continue; // rejected, because old item better matched the NPC's skills.
 
-                        if (stats.getSkill (oldSkill).getModified()<stats.getSkill (testSkill).getModified())
+                        if (actor.getClass().getSkill(actor, oldSkill) < actor.getClass().getSkill (actor, testSkill))
                             use = true;
                     }
                 }
@@ -227,8 +225,8 @@ void MWWorld::InventoryStore::autoEquip (const MWWorld::Ptr& actor)
                 if (!use)
                 {
                     // check value
-                    if (MWWorld::Class::get (old).getValue (old)>=
-                        MWWorld::Class::get (test).getValue (test))
+                    if (old.getClass().getValue (old)>=
+                        test.getClass().getValue (test))
                     {
                         continue;
                     }
diff --git a/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp b/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp
index b5ea495081..c0523025bd 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ struct Creature
 
         int mHealth, mMana, mFatigue; // Stats
         int mSoul; // The creatures soul value (used with soul gems.)
-        int mCombat, mMagic, mStealth; // Don't know yet.
+        // Creatures have generalized combat, magic and stealth stats which substitute for
+        // the specific skills (in the same way as specializations).
+        int mCombat, mMagic, mStealth;
         int mAttack[6]; // AttackMin1, AttackMax1, ditto2, ditto3
         int mGold;
     }; // 96 byte