Gaining the effect of a passive skill not researched in the skill tree

Items and Crafting
1

Is it possible to gain the effects of a passive skill through an item that you don’t have researched in the skill tree?

The example is as a Barbarian if you gain +3 to the rank of the counteroffensive passive through an amulet but you don’t have any skill points placed into it or the corresponding skill (thick skin) in the skill tree. Would you still gain the benefits of counteroffensive since it says 3/3 even though its path is not unlocked?

2

Yes. Any skill or passive you gain from an item gives you it’s effect even if you haven’t invested points in it or “unlocked” it by investing points into the prerequisite node.