Skills: Things your characters do between beating things up—or sometimes even while they are.
Each class gets a base allotment of 2, 4, 6, or 8 skill points plus the character’s Intelligence modifier for each new level, depending on the class to which that level was added. A character’s very first level multiplies this sum by four. A human character adds 4 extra points on top of this.
If you buy a class skill, your character gets 1 rank (equal to a +1 bonus on checks with that skill) for each skill point. If you buy other classes’ skills (cross-class skills), you get ½ rank per skill point.
Your maximum rank in a class skill is your character level + 3.
Your maximum rank in a cross-class skill is one-half of this number (do not round up or down).
Using Skills: To make a skill check, roll:
This roll works just like an attack roll or a saving throw—the higher the roll, the better. Either you’re trying to match or exceed a certain Difficulty Class (DC), or you’re trying to beat another character’s check result.
Skill Ranks: A character’s number of ranks in a skill is based on how many skill points a character has invested in a skill. Many skills can be used even if the character has no ranks in them; doing this is called making an untrained skill check.
Ability Modifier: The ability modifier used in a skill check is the modifier for the skill’s key ability (the ability associated with the skill’s use). The key ability of each skill is noted in its description.
Miscellaneous Modifiers: Miscellaneous modifiers include racial bonuses, armor check penalties, and bonuses provided by feats, among others.
Each skill point you spend on a class skill gets you 1 rank in that skill. Class skills are the skills found on your character’s class skill list. Each skill point you spend on a cross-class skill gets your character ½ rank in that skill. Cross-class skills are skills not found on your character’s class skill list. (Half ranks do not improve your skill check, but two ½ ranks make 1 rank.) You can’t save skill points to spend later.
The maximum rank in a class skill is the character’s level + 3. If it’s a cross-class skill, the maximum rank is half of that number (do not round up or down).
Regardless of whether a skill is purchased as a class skill or a cross-class skill, if it is a class skill for any of your classes, your maximum rank equals your total character level + 3.
When your character uses a skill, you make a skill check to see how well he or she does. The higher the result of the skill check, the better. Based on the circumstances, your result must match or beat a particular number (a DC or the result of an opposed skill check) for the check to be successful. The harder the task, the higher the number you need to roll.
Circumstances can affect your check. A character who is free to work without distractions can make a careful attempt and avoid simple mistakes. A character who has lots of time can try over and over again, thereby assuring the best outcome. If others help, the character may succeed where otherwise he or she would fail.
A skill check takes into account a character’s training (skill rank), natural talent (ability modifier), and luck (the die roll). It may also take into account his or her race’s knack for doing certain things (racial bonus) or what armor he or she is wearing (armor check penalty), or a certain feat the character possesses, among other things.
To make a skill check, roll 1d20 and add your character’s skill modifier for that skill. The skill modifier incorporates the character’s ranks in that skill and the ability modifier for that skill’s key ability, plus any other miscellaneous modifiers that may apply, including racial bonuses and armor check penalties. The higher the result, the better. Unlike with attack rolls and saving throws, a natural roll of 20 on the d20 is not an automatic success, and a natural roll of 1 is not an automatic failure.
Some checks are made against a Difficulty Class (DC). The DC is a number (set using the skill rules as a guideline) that you must score as a result on your skill check in order to succeed.
| Difficulty (DC) | Example (Skill Used) |
|---|---|
| Very easy (0) | Notice something large in plain sight (Spot) |
| Easy (5) | Climb a knotted rope (Climb) |
| Average (10) | Hear an approaching guard (Listen) |
| Tough (15) | Rig a wagon wheel to fall off (Disable Device) |
| Challenging (20) | Swim in stormy water (Swim) |
| Formidable (25) | Open an average lock (Open Lock) |
| Heroic (30) | Leap across a 30-foot chasm (Jump) |
| Nearly impossible (40) | Track a squad of orcs across hard ground after 24 hours of rainfall (Survival) |
An opposed check is a check whose success or failure is determined by comparing the check result to another character’s check result. In an opposed check, the higher result succeeds, while the lower result fails. In case of a tie, the higher skill modifier wins. If these scores are the same, roll again to break the tie.
| Task | Skill (Key Ability) | Opposing Skill (Key Ability) |
|---|---|---|
| Con someone | Bluff (Cha) | Sense Motive (Wis) |
| Pretend to be someone else | Disguise (Cha) | Spot (Wis) |
| Create a false map | Forgery (Int) | Forgery (Int) |
| Hide from someone | Hide (Dex) | Spot (Wis) |
| Make a bully back down | Intimidate (Cha) | Special1 |
| Sneak up on someone | Move Silently (Dex) | Listen (Wis) |
| Steal a coin pouch | Sleight of Hand (Dex) | Spot (Wis) |
| Tie a prisoner securely | Use Rope (Dex) | Escape Artist (Dex) |
| ||
In general, you can try a skill check again if you fail, and you can keep trying indefinitely. Some skills, however, have consequences of failure that must be taken into account. A few skills are virtually useless once a check has failed on an attempt to accomplish a particular task. For most skills, when a character has succeeded once at a given task, additional successes are meaningless.
Generally, if your character attempts to use a skill he or she does not possess, you make a skill check as normal. The skill modifier doesn’t have a skill rank added in because the character has no ranks in the skill. Any other applicable modifiers, such as the modifier for the skill’s key ability, are applied to the check. Many skills can be used only by someone who is trained in them.
Some situations may make a skill easier or harder to use, resulting in a bonus or penalty to the skill modifier for a skill check or a change to the DC of the skill check.
The chance of success can be altered in four ways to take into account exceptional circumstances.
Conditions that affect your character’s ability to perform the skill change the skill modifier. Conditions that modify how well the character has to perform the skill to succeed change the DC. A bonus to the skill modifier and a reduction in the check’s DC have the same result: They create a better chance of success. But they represent different circumstances, and sometimes that difference is important.
Using a skill might take a round, take no time, or take several rounds or even longer. Most skill uses are standard actions, move actions, or full-round actions. Types of actions define how long activities take to perform within the framework of a combat round (6 seconds) and how movement is treated with respect to the activity. Some skill checks are instant and represent reactions to an event, or are included as part of an action.
These skill checks are not actions. Other skill checks represent part of movement.
A skill check represents an attempt to accomplish some goal, usually while under some sort of time pressure or distraction. Sometimes, though, a character can use a skill under more favorable conditions and eliminate the luck factor.
Taking 10: When your character is not being threatened or distracted, you may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, calculate your result as if you had rolled a 10. For many routine tasks, taking 10 makes them automatically successful. Distractions or threats (such as combat) make it impossible for a character to take 10. In most cases, taking 10 is purely a safety measure—you know (or expect) that an average roll will succeed but fear that a poor roll might fail, so you elect to settle for the average roll (a 10). Taking 10 is especially useful in situations where a particularly high roll wouldn’t help.
Taking 20: When you have plenty of time (generally 2 minutes for a skill that can normally be checked in 1 round, one full-round action, or one standard action), you are faced with no threats or distractions, and the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can take 20. In other words, eventually you will get a 20 on 1d20 if you roll enough times. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, just calculate your result as if you had rolled a 20.
Taking 20 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding. Taking 20 takes twenty times as long as making a single check would take.
Since taking 20 assumes that the character will fail many times before succeeding, if you did attempt to take 20 on a skill that carries penalties for failure, your character would automatically incur those penalties before he or she could complete the task. Common “take 20” skills include Escape Artist, Open Lock, and Search.
Ability Checks and Caster Level Checks: The normal take 10 and take 20 rules apply for ability checks. Neither rule applies to caster level checks.
When more than one character tries the same skill at the same time and for the same purpose, their efforts may overlap.
Often, several characters attempt some action and each succeeds or fails independently. The result of one character’s Climb check does not influence the results of other characters Climb check.
You can help another character achieve success on his or her skill check by making the same kind of skill check in a cooperative effort. If you roll a 10 or higher on your check, the character you are helping gets a +2 bonus to his or her check, as per the rule for favorable conditions. (You can’t take 10 on a skill check to aid another.) In many cases, a character’s help won’t be beneficial, or only a limited number of characters can help at once.
In cases where the skill restricts who can achieve certain results you can’t aid another to grant a bonus to a task that your character couldn’t achieve alone.
It’s possible for a character to have two skills that work well together. In general, having 5 or more ranks in one skill gives the character a +2 bonus on skill checks with each of its synergistic skills, as noted in the skill description. In some cases, this bonus applies only to specific uses of the skill in question, and not to all checks. Some skills provide benefits on other checks made by a character, such as those checks required to use certain class features.
Sometimes a character tries to do something to which no specific skill really applies. In these cases, you make an ability check. An ability check is a roll of 1d20 plus the appropriate ability modifier. Essentially, you’re making an untrained skill check.
In some cases, an action is a straight test of one’s ability with no luck involved. Just as you wouldn’t make a height check to see who is taller, you don’t make a Strength check to see who is stronger.
This section lays out how each skill is described, including common uses and typical modifiers. Characters can sometimes use skills for purposes other than those noted in their descriptions.
Here is the format for skill descriptions as found in each linked skill in the Skill List below.
The skill name line includes (in addition to the name of the skill) the following information.
Key Ability: The abbreviation of the ability whose modifier applies to the skill check. Exception: Speak Language has “None” as its key ability because the use of this skill does not require a check.
Trained Only: If this notation is included in the skill name line, you must have at least 1 rank in the skill to use it. If it is omitted, the skill can be used untrained (with a rank of 0). If any special notes apply to trained or untrained use, they are covered in the Untrained section (see below).
Armor Check Penalty: If this notation is included in the skill name line, an armor check penalty applies (when appropriate) to checks using this skill. If this entry is absent, an armor check penalty does not apply.
The skill name line is followed by a general description of what using the skill represents. After the description are a few other types of information:
Check: What a character (“you” in the skill description) can do with a successful skill check and the check’s DC.
Action: The type of action using the skill requires, or the amount of time required for a check.
Try Again: Any conditions that apply to successive attempts to use the skill successfully. If the skill doesn’t allow you to attempt the same task more than once, or if failure carries an inherent penalty (such as with the Climb skill), you can’t take 20. If this paragraph is omitted, the skill can be retried without any inherent penalty, other than the additional time required.
Special: Any extra facts that apply to the skill, such as special effects deriving from its use or bonuses that certain characters receive because of class, feat choices, or race.
Synergy: Some skills grant a bonus to the use of one or more other skills because of a synergistic effect. This entry, when present, indicates what bonuses this skill may grant or receive because of such synergies.
Restriction: The full utility of certain skills is restricted to characters of certain classes or characters who possess certain feats. This entry indicates whether any such restrictions exist for the skill.
Untrained: This entry indicates what a character without at least 1 rank in the skill can do with it. If this entry doesn’t appear, it means that the skill functions normally for untrained characters (if it can be used untrained) or that an untrained character can’t attempt checks with this skill (for skills that are designated as “Trained Only”).
Here follows a list of all skills with links to their full descriptions. Some skills, notably Craft, Knowledge, Perform, and Profession, are actually a collection of skills and have a list of specializations after each of these. Each specialization is a separate skill; one does not, for example, simply buy ranks in Knowledge, but in each specialization separately: Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (geography), and so forth.
Specializations: alchemy, armorsmithing, basketweaving, bookbinding, bowmaking, blacksmithing, calligraphy, carpentry, cobbling, gemcutting, leatherworking, locksmithing, painting, pottery, sculpting, shipmaking, stonemasonry, trapmaking, weaponsmithing, or weaving. Others can certainly exist.
Except for wizards and a few other scholarly classes, most classes only have a few of the following Knowledge specializations as class skills.
Specialization examples: apothecary, boater, bookkeeper, brewer, cook, driver, farmer, fisher, guide, herbalist, herder, hunter, innkeeper, lumberjack, miller, miner, porter, rancher, sailor, scribe, siege engineer, stablehand, tanner, teamster, woodcutter, etc.
Skill tricks are a way of customizing your character, allowing her to perform such cinematic effects as swinging across a chasm hanging from a whip, leaping off a warhorse while swinging a sword, jumping and running up a wall, and other similar actions popular in movies but previously unsupported in the D&D rules. Because they require the expenditure of skill points, skill tricks appeal most strongly to members of those character classes that focus on skills.
The four types of skill tricks are interaction, manipulation, mental, and movement. Each type focuses on a different subset of skills. While any character can learn tricks of any type, members of certain classes favor particular types of tricks (whether due to the class’s skill list, the character’s areas of expertise, or both).
Interaction: These skill tricks influence social interaction between PCs and NPCs. They typically rely on skills used in those situations, such as Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive. Bards are the most common masters of these skill tricks, but anyone who relies on social interaction to achieve their goals—from bold paladins to boisterous sorcerers—an benefit from them.
Manipulation: A manipulation skill trick depends on the character’s manual dexterity to perform some act of legerdemain. Such tricks use skills that employ similar talents, including Disable Device, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand. Rogues and ninjas often boast a few manipulation tricks in their repertoire.
Mental: These tricks pit the mind and senses of the character against an opponent. Mental tricks focus on skills such as Concentration, Knowledge, and Spot. Since this category includes a wide range of skills, many different characters dabble in such tricks.
Movement: As the name suggests, movement tricks typically involve the character physically moving from one location to another. They use skills that come into play during movement, such as Balance, Jump, Move Silently, and Tumble. Monks, barbarians, and scouts are most likely to learn such tricks, but anyone looking for an edge on the battlefield has something to gain from them.
Learning a skill trick costs 2 skill points. Whenever you acquire skill points, you can choose to spend skill points to acquire a skill trick instead of purchasing ranks in skills.
You can learn any skill trick, as long as you meet the prerequisite and can afford to expend 2 skill points. If you later no longer meet the prerequisite for a skill trick, you can’t use it again until you once more qualify.
You can’t learn more than one skill trick at any given level, and your total skill tricks cannot exceed one-half your character level (rounded up). Certain feats and prestige class features allow a character to exceed these limits. If you use the retraining rules, you can choose to unlearn any one skill trick when you attain a new level, assigning the reclaimed skill points as you wish (either to buy skill ranks or to learn a different skill trick).
You can learn a skill trick only once; you either know it or you don’t.
Skill tricks are special maneuvers, so you can’t just use them as often as you want. Unless otherwise noted, a skill trick can be performed only once per encounter (or once per minute, for scenes that don’t involve combat or other conflict). This restriction sets skill tricks apart from feats and class features, which are often repeatable.
Typically, performing a skill trick is either part of another action or an action in itself. Each skill trick’s description specifies what sort of action, if any, is required.
A skill trick usually either requires a successful skill check to pull off, or it “piggybacks” on a skill check you’re already making. For example, the Extreme Leap trick functions only if you’ve already succeeded on a DC 20 Jump check (or DC 10 with a running start) to make a horizontal jump; it doesn’t require a separate Jump check. Exceptions to this general rule are noted in the skill trick descriptions.
Using a skill trick does not provoke attacks of opportunity unless its description specifically states that it does (or it involves an action that would normally provoke attacks of opportunity, such as moving out of a threatened square).
The Skill Trick Index is formatted very much like feats are in the Feat Index:
Skill Trick Name: Short description. [Prerequisites] trick markers {book code}.
As skill tricks were introduced in Complete Scoundrel, the book code will almost always be {SC}. Likewise, with only four categories of skill tricks, the list of trick markers is short:
| 🫱🏾🫲🏼 | Interaction skill trick. |
| 🫳🏽 | Manipulation skill trick. |
| 🧠 | Mental skill trick. |
| 🦶🏽 | Movement skill trick. |
Assume Quirk: Familiar viewers get no bonus to see through your disguise. [Disguise 5 ranks] 🫱🏾🫲🏼 {CS}
Group Fake-Out: Feint against multiple foes simultaneously. [Bluff 8 ranks] 🫱🏾🫲🏼 {CS}
Never Outnumbered: Demoralize multiple foes in combat simultaneously. [Intimidate 8 ranks] 🫱🏾🫲🏼 {CS}
Second Impression: Make Bluff check to reestablish blown disguise. [Bluff 5 ranks, Disguise 5 ranks] 🫱🏾🫲🏼 {CS}
Social Recovery: Make Bluff check to replace a failed Diplomacy check. [Bluff 8 ranks, Diplomacy 5 ranks] 🫱🏾🫲🏼 {CS}
Timely Misdirection: Successful feint allows you to avoid attacks of opportunity. [Bluff 8 ranks] 🫱🏾🫲🏼 {CS}
Clever Improviser: Ignore penalty for Disable Device and Open Lock checks made without tools. [Disable Device 5 ranks, Open Lock 5 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Conceal Spellcasting: Conceal your spellcasting from onlookers. [Concentration 1 rank, Sleight of Hand 5 ranks, Spellcraft 1 rank] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Easy Escape: Gain bonus on check to escape grapple or pin. [Medium or smaller size, Escape Artist 8 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
False Theurgy: Your spell appears to be another spell of the same level. [Bluff or Sleight of Hand 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Healing Hands: Heal 1d6 damage when you stabilize a dying character. [Heal 5 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Hidden Blade: Draw hidden weapon as move action; treat foe as flat-footed. [Sleight of Hand 5 ranks, Quick Draw] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Mosquito’s Bite: Flat-footed target does not notice damage you deal with a light weapon. [Sleight of Hand 12 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Opening Tap: Open a lock as a swift action. [Open Lock 12 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Quick Escape: Escape from grapple or restraints more quickly than normal. [Escape Artist 12 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Shrouded Dance: Use move action to gain concealment for 1 round. [Hide 8 ranks, Perform (dance) 5 ranks] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Sudden Draw: Draw hidden weapon as part of attack of opportunity. [Sleight of Hand 8 ranks, Quick Draw] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Whip Climber: Use a whip as a grappling hook. [Use Rope 5 ranks, proficiency with whip] 🫳🏽 {CS}
Clarity of Vision: Notice invisible enemies for 1 round. [Spot 12 ranks] 🧠 {CS}
Collector of Stories: Gain +5 bonus on Knowledge checks to identify monsters. [Knowledge (any) 5 ranks] 🧠 {CS}
Listen to This: Perfectly repeat what you’ve recently heard. [Listen 5 ranks] 🧠 {CS}
Magical Appraisal: Determine properties of magic items. [Appraise 5 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks] 🧠 {CS}
Point it Out: Grant ally a free Spot check to see something you’ve spotted. [Spot 8 ranks] 🧠 {CS}
Spot the Weak Point: Make your next attack a touch attack. [Spot 12 ranks] 🧠 {CS}
Swift Concentration: Maintain concentration on spell as swift action. [Concentration 12 ranks] 🧠 {CS}
Acrobatic Backstab : Move through foe’s space to render it flat-footed. [Tumble 12 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Back on Your Feet : React immediately to stand up from prone. [Tumble 12 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Corner Perch: Perch in chimney or corner to leave hands free. [Climb 8 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Dismount Attack: Make a fast dismount from moving mount to charge a foe. [Ride 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Escape Attack: Make an attack the same round you escape a grapple. [Escape Artist 8 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Extreme Leap: Horizontal jump of at least 10 feet allows 10 extra feet of movement that round. [Jump 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Leaping Climber: Add jump distance to start of climb. [Climb 5 ranks, Jump 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Nimble Charge: Run or charge across difficult surface without Balance check. [Balance 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Nimble Stand: Stand from prone safely. [Tumble 8 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Quick Swimmer: Swim 10 additional feet with successful check. [Swim 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Slipping Past: Move into tight space without penalties. [Escape Artist 5 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Speedy Ascent: Climb 10 additional feet with successful check. [Climb 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Tumbling Crawl: Crawl 5 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity. [Tumble 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Twisted Charge: Make one direction change during a charge. [Balance 5 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Up the Hill: Move up slope or stairs at normal speed. [Balance 5 ranks, Jump 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Walk the Walls: Run straight up wall for 1 round. [Climb 12 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}
Wall Jumper: Leap from wall as if making a running jump. [Climb 5 ranks, Jump 5 ranks] 🦶🏽 {CS}