Skills
Description: You can keep your balance while traversing narrow or treacherous surfaces. You can also dive, flip, jump, and roll to avoid attacks and overcome obstacles.
Check
You can use Acrobatics to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground without falling. A successful check allows you to move at half speed across such surfaces—only one check is needed per round. Use the following table to determine the base DC, which is then modified by the Acrobatics skill modifiers noted below. While you are using Acrobatics in this way, you are considered flat-footed and lose your Dexterity bonus to your AC (if any). If you take damage while using Acrobatics, you must immediately make another Acrobatics check at the same DC to avoid falling or being knocked prone.
Surface Width
Surface Width | Base Acrobatics DC |
---|---|
Greater than 3 feet wide | 0* |
1–3 feet wide | 5* |
7–11 inches wide | 10 |
2–6 inches wide | 15 |
Less than 2 inches wide | 20 |
* No Acrobatics check is needed to move across these surfaces unless the modifiers to the surface (below) increase the DC to 10 or higher. |
In addition, you can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics. When moving in this way, you move at half speed. You can move at full speed by increasing the DC of the check by 10. You cannot use Acrobatics to move past foes if your speed is reduced due to carrying a medium or heavy load or wearing medium or heavy armor. If an ability allows you to move at full speed under such conditions, you can use Acrobatics to move past foes. You can use Acrobatics in this way while prone, but doing so requires a full-round action to move 5 feet, and the DC is increased by 5. If you attempt to move through an enemy's space and fail the check, you lose the move action and provoke an attack of opportunity.
Situation
Situation | Base Acrobatics DC* |
---|---|
Move through a threatened area | Opponent's Combat Maneuver Defense |
Move through an enemy's space | 5 + opponent's Combat Maneuver Defense |
* This DC is used to avoid an attack of opportunity due to movement. This DC increases by 2 for each additional opponent avoided in 1 round. |
Long Jump
Long Jump | Acrobatics DC |
---|---|
5 feet | 5 |
10 feet | 10 |
15 feet | 15 |
20 feet | 20 |
Greater than 20 feet | +5 per 5 feet |
High Jump
High Jump | Acrobatics DC |
---|---|
1 foot | 4 |
2 feet | 8 |
3 feet | 12 |
4 feet | 16 |
Greater than 4 feet | +4 per foot |
Finally, you can use the Acrobatics skill to make jumps or to soften a fall. The base DC to make a jump is equal to the distance to be crossed (if horizontal) or four times the height to be reached (if vertical). These DCs double if you do not have at least 10 feet of space to get a running start. The only Acrobatics modifiers that apply are those concerning the surface you are jumping from. If you fail this check by 4 or less, you can attempt a DC 20 Reflex save to grab hold of the other side after having missed the jump. If you fail by 5 or more, you fail to make the jump and fall (or land prone, in the case of a vertical jump). Creatures with a base land speed above 30 feet receive a +4 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for every 10 feet of their speed above 30 feet. Creatures with a base land speed below 30 feet receive a –4 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for every 10 feet of their speed below 30 feet. No jump can allow you to exceed your maximum movement for the round. For a running jump, the result of your Acrobatics check indicates the distance traveled in the jump (and if the check fails, the distance at which you actually land and fall prone). Halve this result for a standing long jump to determine where you land.
When you deliberately fall any distance, even as a result of a missed jump, a DC 15 Acrobatics skill check allows you to ignore the first 10 feet fallen, although you still end up prone if you take damage from a fall. See the falling rules for further details.
Many conditions can affect your chances of success with Acrobatics checks. The following modifiers to target DCs apply to all Acrobatics skill checks. The modifiers stack with one another, but only the most severe modifier for any one condition applies.
Acrobatics Modifiers
Acrobatics Modifiers | DC Modifier |
---|---|
Slightly obstructed (gravel, sand) | +2 |
Severely obstructed (cavern, rubble) | +5 |
Slightly slippery (wet) | +2 |
Severely slippery (icy) | +5 |
Slightly sloped (<45°) | +2 |
Severely sloped (>45°) | +5 |
Slightly unsteady (boat in rough water) | +2 |
Moderately unsteady (boat in a storm) | +5 |
Severely unsteady (earthquake) | +10 |
Move at full speed on narrow or uneven surfaces | +5* |
* This does not apply to checks made to jump. |
Action
None. An Acrobatics check is made as part of another action or as a reaction to a situation.
Special
If you have 3 or more ranks in Acrobatics, you gain a +3 dodge bonus to AC when fighting defensively instead of the usual +2, and a +6 dodge bonus to AC when taking the total defense action instead of the usual +4.
If you have the Acrobatic feat, you get a bonus on Acrobatics checks (see Feats).
Description: You can evaluate the monetary value of an object.
Check
A DC 20 Appraise check determines the value of a common item. If you succeed by 5 or more, you also determine if the item has magic properties, although this success does not grant knowledge of the magic item's abilities. If your fail the check by less than 5, you determine the price of that item to within 20% of its actual value. If you fail this check by 5 or more, the price is wildly inaccurate, subject to GM discretion. Particularly rare or exotic items might increase the DC of this check by 5 or more.
You can also use this check to determine the most valuable item visible in a treasure hoard. The DC of this check is generally 20 but can increase to as high as 30 for a particularly large hoard.
Action
Appraising an item takes 1 standard action. Determining the most valuable object in a treasure hoard takes 1 full-round action.
Try Again
Additional attempts to Appraise an item reveal the same result.
Special
A spellcaster with a raven familiar gains a +3 bonus on Appraise checks.
Description: You know how to tell a lie.
Check
Bluff is an opposed skill check against your opponent's Sense Motive skill. If you use Bluff to fool someone, with a successful check you convince your opponent that what you are saying is true. Bluff checks are modified depending upon the believability of the lie. The following modifiers are applied to the roll of the creature attempting to tell the lie. Note that some lies are so improbable that it is impossible to convince anyone that they are true (subject to GM discretion).
Circumstances
Circumstances | Bluff Modifier |
---|---|
The target wants to believe you | +5 |
The lie is believable | +0 |
The lie is unlikely | –5 |
The lie is far-fetched | –10 |
The lie is impossible | –20 |
The target is drunk or impaired | +5 |
You possess convincing proof | up to +10 |
Feint
You can use Bluff to feint in combat, causing your opponent to be denied his Dexterity bonus to his AC against your next attack. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + your opponent's base attack bonus + your opponent's Wisdom modifier. If your opponent is trained in Sense Motive, the DC is instead equal to 10 + your opponent's Sense Motive bonus, if higher. For more information on feinting in combat, see Combat.
Secret Messages
You can use Bluff to pass hidden messages along to another character without others understanding your true meaning by using innuendo to cloak your actual message. The DC of this check is 15 for simple messages and 20 for complex messages. If you are successful, the target automatically understands you, assuming you are communicating in a language that it understands. If your check fails by 5 or more, you deliver the wrong message. Other creatures that receive the message can decipher it by succeeding at an opposed Sense Motive check against your Bluff result.
Action
Attempting to deceive someone takes at least 1 round, but can possibly take longer if the lie is elaborate (as determined by the GM on a case-by-case basis).
Feinting in combat is a standard action.
Using Bluff to deliver a secret message takes twice as long as the message would otherwise take to relay.
Try Again
If you fail to deceive someone, further attempts to deceive them are at a –10 penalty and may be impossible (GM discretion).
You can attempt to feint against someone again if you fail. Secret messages can be relayed again if the first attempt fails.
Special
A spellcaster with a viper familiar gains a +3 bonus on Bluff checks.
If you have the Deceitful feat, you get a bonus on Bluff checks (see Feats).
Description: You are skilled at scaling vertical surfaces, from smooth city walls to rocky cliffs.
Check
With a successful Climb check, you can advance up, down, or across a slope, wall, or other steep incline (or even across a ceiling, provided it has handholds) at one-quarter your normal speed. A slope is considered to be any incline at an angle measuring less than 60 degrees; a wall is any incline at an angle measuring 60 degrees or more.
A Climb check that fails by 4 or less means that you make no progress, and one that fails by 5 or more means that you fall from whatever height you have already attained.
The DC of the check depends on the conditions of the climb. Compare the task with those on the following table to determine an appropriate DC.
Climb DC
Climb DC | Example Surface or Activity |
---|---|
0 | A slope too steep to walk up, or a knotted rope with a wall to brace against. |
5 | A rope with a wall to brace against, or a knotted rope, or a rope affected by the rope trick spell. |
10 | A surface with ledges to hold on to and stand on, such as a very rough wall or a ship's rigging. |
15 | Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artificial), such as a very rough natural rock surface or a tree, or an unknotted rope, or pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands. |
20 | An uneven surface with narrow handholds and footholds, such as a typical wall in a dungeon. |
25 | A rough surface, such as a natural rock wall or a brick wall. |
30 | An overhang or ceiling with handholds only. |
— | A perfectly smooth, flat vertical (or inverted) surface cannot be climbed. |
Climb DC Modifier* | Example Surface or Activity |
–10 | Climbing a chimney (artificial or natural) or other location where you can brace against two opposite walls. |
–5 | Climbing a corner where you can brace against perpendicular walls. |
+5 | Surface is slippery. |
* These modifiers are cumulative; use all that apply. |
You need both hands free to climb, but you may cling to a wall with one hand while you cast a spell or take some other action that requires only one hand. While climbing, you can't move to avoid a blow, so you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). You also can't use a shield while climbing. Anytime you take damage while climbing, make a Climb check against the DC of the slope or wall. Failure means you fall from your current height and sustain the appropriate falling damage.
Accelerated Climbing
You try to climb more quickly than normal. By accepting a –5 penalty, you can move half your speed (instead of one-quarter your speed).
Make Your Own Handholds and Footholds
You can make your own handholds and footholds by pounding pitons into a wall. Doing so takes 1 minute per piton, and one piton is needed per 5 feet of distance. As with any surface that offers handholds and footholds, a wall with pitons in it has a DC of 15. In the same way, a climber with a handaxe or similar implement can cut handholds in an ice wall.
Catch Yourself When Falling
It's practically impossible to catch yourself on a wall while falling, yet if you wish to attempt such a difficult task, you can make a Climb check (DC = wall's DC + 20) to do so. It's much easier to catch yourself on a slope (DC = slope's DC + 10).
Catch a Falling Character While Climbing
If someone climbing above you or adjacent to you falls, you can attempt to catch the falling character if he or she is within your reach. Doing so requires a successful melee touch attack against the falling character (though he or she can voluntarily forego any Dexterity bonus to AC if desired). If you hit, you must immediately attempt a Climb check (DC = wall's DC + 10). Success indicates that you catch the falling character, but his total weight, including equipment, cannot exceed your heavy load limit or you automatically fall. If you fail your Climb check by 4 or less, you fail to stop the character's fall but don't lose your grip on the wall. If you fail by 5 or more, you fail to stop the character's fall and begin falling as well.
Action
Climbing is part of movement, so it's generally part of a move action (and may be combined with other types of movement in a move action). Each move action that includes any climbing requires a separate Climb check. Catching yourself or another falling character doesn't take an action.
Special
You can use a rope to haul a character upward (or lower a character) through sheer strength. You can lift double your maximum load in this manner.
A creature with a climb speed has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks. The creature must make a Climb check to climb any wall or slope with a DC higher than 0, but it can always choose to take 10, even if rushed or threatened while climbing. If a creature with a climb speed chooses an accelerated climb (see above), it moves at double its climb speed (or at its land speed, whichever is slower) and makes a single Climb check at a –5 penalty. Such a creature retains its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus to their attacks against it. It cannot, however, use the run action while climbing.
If you have the Athletic feat, you get a bonus on Climb checks (see Feats).
Description: You are skilled in the creation of a specific group of items, such as armor or weapons. Like Knowledge, Perform, and Profession, Craft is actually a number of separate skills. You could have several Craft skills, each with its own ranks. The most common Craft skills are alchemy, armor, baskets, books, bows, calligraphy, carpentry, cloth, clothing, glass, jewelry, leather, locks, paintings, pottery, sculptures, ships, shoes, stonemasonry, traps, and weapons.A Craft skill is specifically focused on creating something. If nothing is created by the endeavor, it probably falls under the heading of a Profession skill.
Check
You can practice your trade and make a decent living, earning half your check result in gold pieces per week of dedicated work. You know how to use the tools of your trade, how to perform the craft's daily tasks, how to supervise untrained helpers, and how to handle common problems. (Untrained laborers and assistants earn an average of 1 silver piece per day.)
The basic function of the Craft skill, however, is to allow you to make an item of the appropriate type. The DC depends on the complexity of the item to be created. The DC, your check result, and the price of the item determine how long it takes to make a particular item. The item's finished price also determines the cost of raw materials.
In some cases, the fabricate spell can be used to achieve the results of a Craft check with no actual check involved. You must still make an appropriate Craft check when using the spell to make articles requiring a high degree of craftsmanship.
A successful Craft check related to woodworking in conjunction with the casting of the ironwood spell enables you to make wooden items that have the strength of steel.
When casting the spell minor creation, you must succeed on an appropriate Craft check to make a complex item.
All crafts require artisan's tools to give the best chance of success. If improvised tools are used, the check is made with a –2 penalty. On the other hand, masterwork artisan's tools provide a +2 circumstance bonus on the check.
To determine how much time and money it takes to make an item, follow these steps.
1. Find the item's price in silver pieces (1 gp = 10 sp).
2. Find the item's DC from Table: Craft Skills.
3. Pay 1/3 of the item's price for the raw material cost.
4. Make an appropriate Craft check representing one week's worth of work. If the check succeeds, multiply your check result by the DC. If the result × the DC equals the price of the item in sp, then you have completed the item. (If the result × the DC equals double or triple the price of the item in silver pieces, then you've completed the task in one-half or one-third of the time. Other multiples of the DC reduce the time in the same manner.) If the result × the DC doesn't equal the price, then it represents the progress you've made this week. Record the result and make a new Craft check for the next week. Each week, you make more progress until your total reaches the price of the item in silver pieces.
If you fail a check by 4 or less, you make no progress this week. If you fail by 5 or more, you ruin half the raw materials and have to pay half the original raw material cost again.
Progress by the Day
You can make checks by the day instead of by the week. In this case your progress (check result × DC) should be divided by the number of days in a week.
Create Masterwork Items
You can make a masterwork item: a weapon, suit of armor, shield, or tool that conveys a bonus on its use through its exceptional craftsmanship. To create a masterwork item, you create the masterwork component as if it were a separate item in addition to the standard item. The masterwork component has its own price (300 gp for a weapon or 150 gp for a suit of armor or a shield, see Equipment for the price of other masterwork tools) and a Craft DC of 20. Once both the standard component and the masterwork component are completed, the masterwork item is finished. The cost you pay for the masterwork component is one-third of the given amount, just as it is for the cost in raw materials.
Repair Items
You can repair an item by making checks against the same DC that it took to make the item in the first place. The cost of repairing an item is one-fifth of the item's price.
Table: Craft Skills
Item Craft | Skill | Craft DC |
---|---|---|
Acid | Alchemy | 15 |
Alchemist's fire, smokestick, or tindertwig | Alchemy | 20 |
Antitoxin, sunrod, tanglefoot bag, or thunderstone | Alchemy | 25 |
Armor or shield | Armor | 10 + AC bonus |
Longbow, shortbow, or arrows | Bows | 12 |
Composite longbow or composite shortbow | Bows | 15 |
Composite longbow or composite shortbow with high strength rating | Bows | 15 + (2 × rating) |
Mechanical trap | Traps | Varies* |
Crossbow, or bolts | Weapons | 15 |
Simple melee or thrown weapon | Weapons | 12 |
Martial melee or thrown weapon | Weapons | 15 |
Exotic melee or thrown weapon | Weapons | 18 |
Very simple item (wooden spoon) | Varies | 5 |
Typical item (iron pot) | Varies | 10 |
High-quality item (bell) | Varies | 15 |
Complex or superior item (lock) | Varies | 20 |
* Traps have their own rules for construction (see Traps). |
Action
Does not apply. Craft checks are made by the day or week (see above).
Try Again
Yes, but each time you fail by 5 or more, you ruin half the raw materials and have to pay half the original raw material cost again.
Special
You may voluntarily add +10 to the indicated DC to craft an item. This allows you to create the item more quickly (since you'll be multiplying this higher DC by your Craft check result to determine progress). You must decide whether to increase the DC before you make each weekly or daily check.
To make an item using Craft (alchemy), you must have alchemical equipment. If you are working in a city, you can buy what you need as part of the raw materials cost to make the item, but alchemical equipment is difficult or impossible to come by in some places. Purchasing and maintaining an alchemist's lab grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks because you have the perfect tools for the job, but it does not affect the cost of any items made using the skill.
A gnome receives a +2 bonus on a Craft or Profession skill of her choice.
Description: You can use this skill to persuade others to agree with your arguments, to resolve differences, and to gather valuable information or rumors from people. This skill is also used to negotiate conflicts by using the proper etiquette and manners suitable to the problem.
Check
You can change the initial attitudes of nonplayer characters with a successful check. The DC of this check depends on the creature's starting attitude toward you, adjusted by its Charisma modifier. If you succeed, the character's attitude toward you is improved by one step. For every 5 by which your check result exceeds the DC, the character's attitude toward you increases by one additional step. A creature's attitude cannot be shifted more than two steps up in this way, although the GM can override this rule in some situations. If you fail the check by 4 or less, the character's attitude toward you is unchanged. If you fail by 5 or more, the character's attitude toward you is decreased by one step.
You cannot use Diplomacy against a creature that does not understand you or has an Intelligence of 3 or less. Diplomacy is generally ineffective in combat and against creatures that intend to harm you or your allies in the immediate future. Any attitude shift caused through Diplomacy generally lasts for 1d4 hours but can last much longer or shorter depending upon the situation (GM discretion).
Starting Attitude
Starting Attitude | Diplomacy DC |
---|---|
Hostile | 25 + creature's Cha modifier |
Unfriendly | 20 + creature's Cha modifier |
Indifferent | 15 + creature's Cha modifier |
Friendly | 10 + creature's Cha modifier |
Helpful | 0 + creature's Cha modifier |
If a creature's attitude toward you is at least indifferent, you can make requests of the creature. This is an additional Diplomacy check, using the creature's current attitude to determine the base DC, with one of the following modifiers. Once a creature's attitude has shifted to helpful, the creature gives in to most requests without a check, unless the request is against its nature or puts it in serious peril. Some requests automatically fail if the request goes against the creature's values or its nature, subject to GM discretion.
Request
Request | Diplomacy DC Modifier |
---|---|
Give simple advice or directions | –5 |
Give detailed advice | +0 |
Give simple aid | +0 |
Reveal an unimportant secret | +5 |
Give lengthy or complicated aid | +5 |
Give dangerous aid | +10 |
Reveal an important secret | +10 or more |
Give aid that could result in punishment | +15 or more |
Additional requests | +5 per request |
Gather Information
You can also use Diplomacy to gather information about a specific topic or individual. To do this, you must spend at least 1d4 hours canvassing people at local taverns, markets, and gathering places. The DC of this check depends on the obscurity of the information sought, but for most commonly known facts or rumors it is 10. For obscure or secret knowledge, the DC might increase to 20 or higher. The GM might rule that some topics are simply unknown to common folk.
Action
Using Diplomacy to influence a creature's attitude takes 1 minute of continuous interaction. Making a request of a creature takes 1 or more rounds of interaction, depending upon the complexity of the request. Using Diplomacy to gather information takes 1d4 hours of work searching for rumors and informants.
Description: You are skilled at disarming traps and opening locks. In addition, this skill lets you sabotage simple mechanical devices, such as catapults, wagon wheels, and doors.