This material is Open Game Content, and
is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
Despite
the near-magical nature of some epic level skill uses, all uses of skills are
considered exceptional abilities (except if noted otherwise), and thus function
normally even within areas of antimagic.
Many
skills are noted as granting a synergy bonus to the use of another skill when a
character has 5 or more ranks in the first skill. This synergy bonus increases
by +2 for every additional 20 ranks the character has in the skill.
SKILL DESCRIPTIONS
This
section describes new DCs and new modifiers for skills.
The
character can sense magical auras in objects.
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Detect
magic |
50
|
Detect
Magic:
The
character can sense if an item has a magical aura. He or she can then use
Spellcraft to learn more about the item as if he or she had already cast detect
magic on the item. This requires a full-round action.
|
Surface |
DC
|
|
1–2
inches wide |
20
|
|
Up
to 1 inch wide |
40
|
|
Hair-thin |
60
|
|
Liquid* |
90
|
|
Cloud |
120
|
*Includes
any other surface that couldn’t support the character’s weight, such as a
fragile branch.
The
character can implant a nonmagical suggestion in a target, display a false
alignment, or disguise his or her surface thoughts.
|
Example
Circumstance |
Sense Motive Modifier |
|
Instill
suggestion in target |
+50 |
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Display
false alignment |
70
|
|
Disguise
surface thoughts |
100
|
Instill
Suggestion in Target: This is identical to the effect of the suggestion spell,
except that it is nonmagical and lasts for only 10 minutes. It can be sensed as
if it were an enchantment effect (Sense Motive DC 25).
Display
False Alignment: The character can fool alignment-sensing effects by
displaying a false alignment of his or her choice. Once set, a false alignment
remains as long as the character remains conscious and awake. Setting or
changing a false alignment requires a full-round action.
Disguise
Surface Thoughts: The character can fool spells such as detect thoughts (or
similar effects) by displaying false surface thoughts. While the character
can’t completely mask the presence of his or her thoughts, he or she can change
his or her apparent Intelligence score (and thus the character’s apparent
mental strength) by as much as 10 points and can place any thought in his or
her “surface thoughts” to be read by such spells or effects. If a character
attempts to use Sense Motive to detect his or her surface thoughts (see the
Sense Motive skill description), this becomes an opposed check (though any
result lower than 100 automatically fails).
The
character can climb otherwise unclimbable surfaces.
|
DC |
Surface
|
|
70 |
A
perfectly smooth, flat, vertical surface |
|
100 |
A
perfectly smooth, flat, overhang or ceiling |
Rapid
Climbing:
A
character can climb his or her speed as a move-equivalent action, or double his
or her speed as a full-round action (requiring two Climb checks), but the
character takes a –20 penalty on his or her check.
Special:
The Legendary Climber feat allows a character to ignore any penalties for
accelerated or rapid climbing.
The
character can cast spells with somatic components even while grappled.
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Cast
spell with somatic component while grappled |
50
+ spell level |
The
character can craft items more quickly than normal.
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Quick
creation |
+10
or more to DC |
Quick
Creation: A
character can voluntarily increase the DC of crafting an item by any multiple
of 10. This allows the character to create an item more quickly (since he or
she will be multiplying this higher DC by his or her skill check result to
determine progress). The character must decide the increase to the DC before
making the check.
|
Task |
DC
(or DC Modifier) |
|
Create
augmented substance |
+20
or more to DC |
Create
Augmented Alchemical Item or Substance: This requires the Augmented Alchemy
feat, and allows a character to create alchemical items and substances of
greater power than normal. To augment an alchemical substance, add +20 to the
DC required to create the item and multiply the cost by 5. If the item or
substance deals damage, double the damage dealt. If the item or substance
doesn’t deal damage, double the duration of its effect. If the item or
substance doesn’t deal damage and doesn’t have a specific listed duration (or
has an instantaneous duration), double all dimensions of its area. If the item
or substance doesn’t fit any of these categories, then it cannot be improved in
this manner. A character can create an item with multiple degrees of
augmentation. For every additional multiplier applied to damage, duration, or
area, add an additional +20 to the DC and add an additional 5 to the cost
multiplier.
|
Item |
Effect
of Augmenting |
|
Acid |
Direct
hit 2d6, splash 2 |
|
Alchemist’s
fire |
Direct
hit 2d6, splash 2 |
|
Antitoxin |
Duration
2 hours |
|
Smokestick |
Smoke
fills a 20-foot cube |
|
Sunrod |
Glows
for 12 hours |
|
Tanglefoot
bag |
Becomes
brittle and fragile after 20 minutes |
|
Tindertwig |
No
effect |
The
character can decipher magic scrolls.
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Decipher
a written spell (such as a scroll) without using read magic. One try
per day. |
50
+ 5 times spell level |
The
character can turn a person into a fanatic follower. Refer to the accompanying
table.
|
|
——————New Attitude
—————— |
|||||
|
Initial
Attitude |
Hos |
Unf |
Indif |
Friend |
Help |
Fanatic |
|
Hostile |
Less than 20 |
20 |
25 |
35 |
50 |
150 |
|
Unfriendly |
Less than 5 |
5 |
15 |
25 |
40 |
120 |
|
Indifferent |
— |
Less than 1 |
1 |
15 |
30 |
90 |
|
Friendly |
— |
— |
Less than 1 |
1 |
20 |
60 |
|
Helpful |
— |
— |
— |
Less than 1 |
1 |
50 |
Hos: hostile. Unf: unfriendly.
Indif: indifferent. Friend: friendly. Help: helpful.
Fanatic:
The
attitude of fanatic is added here. In addition to the obvious effects, any NPC
whose attitude is fanatic gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution
scores, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a –1 penalty to AC whenever
fighting for the character or his or her cause. This attitude will remain for
one day plus one day per point of the character’s Charisma bonus, at which
point the NPC’s attitude will revert to its original attitude (or indifferent,
if no attitude is specified).
Treat
the fanatic attitude as a mind-affecting enchantment effect for purposes of
immunity, save bonuses, or being detected by the Sense Motive skill. Since it
is nonmagical, it can’t be dispelled; however, any effect that suppresses or
counters mind-affecting effects will affect it normally. A fanatic NPC’s
attitude can’t be further adjusted by the use of skills.
|
Attitude
|
Means |
Possible
Actions |
|
Fanatic
|
Will
give life to serve you |
Fight
to the death against overwhelming odds, throw self in front of onrushing
dragon |
The
character can rush his or her Disable Device attempt, reducing the amount of
time it takes to perform the attempt.
|
Reduce
to |
DC
Modifier |
|
1
round |
+20
|
|
Move-equivalent
action |
+50
|
|
Free
action |
+100
|
The
character can change his or her apparent height and weight much more than
normal.
|
Disguise |
Modifier
|
|
Change
height and/or weight 11% to 25% |
–25* |
|
Change
height and/or weight 26% to 50% |
–50* |
*Can
be negated by any effect that can duplicate a height and/or weight change of
this degree.
The
character can pass through spaces smaller than his or her head, or even through
a wall of force.
|
DC |
Task
|
|
80 |
Extremely
tight space |
|
120 |
Pass
through wall of force |
Extremely
Tight Space:
This is
the DC for getting through a space when one’s head shouldn’t even be able to
fit; this can be as small as 2 inches square for Medium-size creatures. Halve
this limit for each size category less than Medium-size; double it for each
size category greater than Medium-size. If the space is long, such as in a
chimney, multiple checks may be called for.
Pass
through Wall of Force: This allows a character to find a gap of weakness in a wall
of force (or similar force effect) and squeeze through it.
The
character can forge handwriting he or she haven’t even seen.
|
Condition |
Reader’s Check Modifier
|
|
Forge
document without sample |
+50 |
Forge
Document without Sample: The character can forge a
document without having seen a similar document or having a sample of the
handwriting to be copied.
The
character can gather information without eliciting suspicion.
|
Task
|
Check
Modifier |
|
Avoid
suspicion |
–20 |
Avoid
Suspicion:
By
accepting a –20 penalty on his or her Gather Information check, a character can
avoid any suspicions that might otherwise be aroused by someone pursuing
sensitive information.
The
character can handle creatures other than animals, and can teach or train in
much less time than normally required.
|
Task |
Time |
DC
|
|
Rear
magical beast |
1
year |
30
+ HD of magical beast |
|
Train
magical beast |
2
months |
40
+ HD of magical beast |
|
Rear
vermin |
6
months |
35
+ HD of vermin |
|
Train
vermin |
2
months |
50
+ HD of vermin |
|
Rear
other creature |
Varies |
40
+ HD of creature |
|
Train
other creature |
2
months |
60
+ HD of creature |
|
Reduce
Teaching/Training to . . . |
DC Modifier
|
|
1
month |
+25 |
|
1
day |
+50 |
|
1
hour |
+75 |
|
1
minute |
+100 |
Reduce
Teaching/Training: Normally, teaching or training a creature requires two months
of time. A character can accelerate the process of teaching or training a
creature, reducing the time required to the listed time, by adding the DC
modifier to the base DC for teaching or training the creature. A character
can’t reduce the required time to less than 1 minute.
The
character can greatly speed a patient’s recovery of hit points.
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Quicken
recovery |
50
|
|
Perfect
recovery |
100
|
Quicken
Recovery: The
character can allow a character to regain hit points in a single hour as if he
or she had provided long-term care for a full day (2 or 3 hit points per level,
based on activity). The character can quicken the recovery of up to six patients
at a time. No character’s recovery can be quickened more than once per day
(even by different healers).
Perfect
Recovery:
The
character can allow a character to regain hit points in a single hour as if he
or she had provided long-term care for a full week (2 or 3 hit points per level
per day, based on activity). The character can use perfect recovery on up to
six patients at a time. No character’s recovery can be perfected more than once
per day, nor can perfect recovery and quicken recovery both be used on the same
patient in the same day (even by different healers).
The
character can hide others as well as hiding him or herself.
|
Task |
Check Modifier
|
|
Hide
another |
–30 |
Hide
Another:
By
accepting a –30 penalty on his or her Hide check, a character can hide another
adjacent creature whose size is no more than one category larger than the
character’s own. Modifiers to the check for the size of the creature still
apply, as do all other penalties, including those for moving faster than half
speed. Likewise, a character can only hide another creature when it is not
under direct observation by a third party. The creature the character hides
remains hidden until it is spotted or it takes some other action that breaks
its concealment, as normal.
Intimidate
does not possess an epic usage.
Special: The DC to intimidate any
creature whose attitude is fanatic is increased by +20.
Jump
does not possess an epic usage.
Knowledge
does not possess an epic usage.
The
character can pinpoint the location of an invisible creature, or detect an
illusion with an auditory component.
|
DC
|
Task
|
|
80
|
Defeat
illusion with auditory component |
Defeat
Illusion:
The
character can automatically detect any illusion with an auditory component for
what it truly is. No Will save is required, and the character doesn’t have to
interact with the illusion (but he or she must be able to hear its auditory
component). Special: A character can use Listen to notice the presence of an
invisible creature (generally opposed by a Move Silently check). If the
character beats the DC by 20 or more, he or she can pinpoint the location of
the invisible creature, though it still maintains total concealment from the
character (50% miss chance).
Move
Silently does not possess an epic usage.
The
character can open locks more quickly than normal.
|
Open
lock as . . . |
DC
Modifier |
|
Move-equivalent
action |
+20
|
|
Free
action |
+50
|
The
character can sway an audience’s attitude with his or her performance.
|
|
——————New Attitude
—————— |
|||||
|
Initial
Attitude |
Hos |
Unf |
Indif |
Friend
|
Help |
Fanatic |
|
Hostile
|
Less than 20 |
20 |
25 |
35 |
50 |
150 |
|
Unfriendly
|
Less than 5 |
5 |
15 |
25 |
40 |
120 |
|
Indifferent
|
— |
Less than 1 |
1 |
15 |
30 |
90 |
|
Friendly
|
— |
— |
Less than 1 |
1 |
20 |
60 |
|
Helpful
|
— |
— |
— |
Less than 1 |
1 |
50 |
Hos:
hostile. Unf:
unfriendly. Indif: indifferent. Friend: friendly. Help: helpful.
Fanatic:
The
attitude of fanatic is added here. In addition to the obvious effects, any NPC
whose attitude is fanatic gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution
scores, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a –1 penalty to AC whenever
fighting for the character or his or her cause. This attitude will remain for
one day plus one day per point of the character’s Charisma bonus, at which
point the NPC’s attitude will revert to its original attitude (or indifferent,
if no attitude is specified).
Treat
the fanatic attitude as a mind-affecting enchantment effect for purposes of
immunity, save bonuses, or being detected by the Sense Motive skill. Since it
is nonmagical, it can’t be dispelled; however, any effect that suppresses or
counters mind-affecting effects will affect it normally. A fanatic NPC’s
attitude can’t be further adjusted by the use of skills.
|
Attitude
|
Means
|
Possible
Actions |
|
Fanatic
|
Will
give life to serve you |
Fight
to the death against overwhelming odds, throw self in front of onrushing
dragon |
Profession
does not possess an epic usage.
The
character can stand upon his or her mount in combat.
|
DC |
Task
|
|
40
|
Stand
on mount |
|
50
|
Unconscious
control |
|
60
|
Attack
from cover |
Stand
on Mount: This
allows the character to stand on his or her mount’s back even during movement
or combat. The character takes no penalties to actions while doing so.
Unconscious
Control: As
a free action, the character can attempt to control a light horse, pony, or heavy
horse while in combat. If the character fails, he or she controls the mount as
a move-equivalent action. A character does not need to roll for warhorses or
warponies.
Attack
from Cover: The
character can react instantly to drop down and hang alongside his or her mount,
using it as one-half cover. The character can attack and cast spells while
using his or her mount as cover without penalty. If the character fails, he or
she doesn’t get the cover benefit.
The
character can sense the presence of magic in an area.
|
Task
|
DC
|
|
Sense
magic |
60
|
Sense
Magic: The
character senses the presence of any active magical effects in the area being
searched. The character can’t determine the number, strength, or type of the
effects.
The
character can discern a target’s alignment and even detect surface thoughts.
|
Task
|
DC |
|
Discern
partial alignment |
60
|
|
Discern
full alignment |
80
|
|
Detect
surface thoughts |
100
|
Discern
Partial Alignment: This use of the skill lets a character discern one component
of a target’s alignment. When making the check, the character states whether he
or she is trying to discern the law–chaos or good–evil component. A character
can’t retry the check, and he or she can’t use this to discern more than one
component of the alignment (but see below). The target must be visible and
within 30 feet of the character.
Discern
Full Alignment: This
use of the skill lets a character determine both components of a target’s alignment.
The character can’t retry the check. The target must be visible and within 30
feet of the character.
Detect
Surface Thoughts: This lets a character read the surface thoughts of a single
target (as the 3rd-round effect of the detect thoughts spell). There is
no saving throw to resist this effect, though the target can use Bluff to
disguise his or her surface thoughts (see the Bluff skill description), in
which case this becomes an opposed check (any result lower than 100
automatically fails). The target must be visible and within 30 feet of the
character.
The
character can lift another’s weapon and perform major feats of legerdemain.
|
DC |
Task |
|
50
|
Lift
a sheathed weapon from another creature and hide it on the character’s
person, if the weapon is no more than one size category larger than the
character’s own size. |
|
80 |
Make an
adjacent, willing creature or object of the character’s size or smaller
“disappear” while in plain view. In fact, the willing creature or object is
displaced up to 10 feet away—make a separate Hide check to determine how well
the “disappeared” creature or object is hidden. |
The
character can identify properties of a magic item.
|
DC
|
Task
|
|
50
+ caster level |
Identify
basic property of magic item |
|
70
+ caster level |
Identify
all properties of magic item |
|
50 |
Quick
identification of alchemical substances and potions |
Identify
Basic Property of Magic Item: This use of the skill requires one round of inspection, and
functions exactly as if the character had cast an identify spell on the
item. A character can’t attempt this on the same item more than once.
Identify
All Properties of Magic Item: This requires one minute of inspection, and reveals all
properties of a single magic item (including command words and charges
remaining). A character can’t attempt this on the same item more than once. If
an item has different caster levels for different properties, use the highest
caster level.
Quick
Identification: A
character can identify a substance or potion in the field as a full-round
action, without an alchemical lab or any cost. The character can’t retry this
check (or take 20); if he or she fails, the character must identify the
substance in an alchemical lab, as normal.
The
character can pinpoint the location of an invisible creature, or detect an
illusion with a visual component.
|
DC
|
Task
|
|
20
|
Notice
presence of active invisible creature |
|
30
|
Notice
presence of unmoving, living invisible creature |
|
40
|
Notice
presence of inanimate invisible object |
|
40
|
Notice
presence of unmoving, unliving invisible creature |
|
80
|
Defeat
illusion |
A
character can use Spot to notice the presence of an invisible creature. The
relevant DCs are reprinted here. If the character beats the DC by 20 or more,
he or she can pinpoint the location of the invisible creature, though it still
maintains total concealment from the character (50% miss chance).
Defeat
Illusion: The
character can automatically detect any illusion with a visual component for
what it truly is. No Will save is required, and the character doesn’t have to
interact with the illusion (but he or she must be able to see it).
|
Task
|
DC
Modifier |
|
Read
lips while moving at up to full speed |
+20
|
|
Pronounce
unfamiliar language |
+20
|
Pronounce
Unfamiliar Language: This use of the skill allows a character to repeat the speech
of an observed creature, potentially allowing a comrade to translate the
speech. It doesn’t grant the character any ability to understand the language
spoken.
The
character can ignore the effects of terrain on movement and withstand even the
harshest weather. If the character is capable of tracking, he or she can
identify the races of creatures being tracked.
|
DC
|
Task
|
|
40
|
Get
along in the wild while moving at full speed. The character can provide food
and water for one other person for every 2 points by which the check result
exceeds 40. |
|
60
|
Automatically
succeed on all Fortitude saves against severe weather. The character can
extend this benefit to one other character for every 2 points by which the
check result exceeds 60. |
|
60
|
Ignore
overland movement penalties of terrain. The character and his or her mount
can move at full overland speed regardless of terrain. The character can
extend this benefit to one other character for every 5 points by which the
check result exceeds 60. |
|
60
|
Identify
race/kind of creature(s) by tracks.* |
*Requires
the Track feat.
Wherever
the character is, he or she can determine the direction to a location on the
same plane.
|
DC |
Familiarity with Location |
|
40
|
Very
familiar |
|
60
|
Studied
carefully |
|
80
|
Seen
casually |
|
100
|
Viewed
once |
|
120
|
Description
only |
With
a successful check, the character knows the direction to the desired location.
This merely points the character in the direction of the location; it doesn’t
provide him or her with information on how to get there, nor does it take into
account any obstacles in the path. “Very familiar” represents a place where the
character has been very often and where he or she feels at home. “Studied
carefully” represents a place the character knows well, either because he or
she has been there often or has used other means to study the place. “Seen
casually” is a place that the character has viewed more than once, but which he
or she has not studied. “Viewed once” is a place that the character has seen
once, possibly using magic. “Description only” is a place whose location and
appearance the character knows through someone else’s description.
The
character can swim up vertical surfaces, or swim much faster than normal.
|
DC
|
Task
|
|
80
|
Swim
up waterfall |
Swim
up Waterfall: This
use of the skill allows a character to swim an angled or vertical surface, as
long as he or she remains completely or mostly immersed in water. Other
examples might include swimming up a whirlpool or an incredibly large wave.
|
Circumstance
|
DC
Modifier |
|
Speed
swimming |
–20
|
Speed
Swimming: By
taking a –20 penalty on the check, a character can swim his or her speed as a
move-equivalent action, or double his or her speed as a full-round action.
The
character can fall from great heights without taking damage, move greater
distances with an adjustment, or “climb” vertical surfaces with a series of
bounces.
|
DC
|
Task
|
|
30
|
Treat
a fall as if it were 20 feet shorter when determining damage. |
|
35
|
Free
stand. |
|
45
|
Treat
a fall as if it were 30 feet shorter when determining damage. |
|
50
|
Climb
vertical surface. |
|
60
|
Treat
a fall as if it were 40 feet shorter when determining damage. |
|
100
|
Ignore
falling damage. |
Free
Stand: The
character can stand up from prone as a free action (instead of as a
move-equivalent action).
Climb
Vertical Surface: The character can climb up to 20 feet (as part of normal
move-ment) by jumping and bouncing off walls, trees, or similar vertical surfaces.
The character must have at least two vertical surfaces to bounce off, and the
two must be within 10 feet of each other.
Ignore
Falling Damage: The
character can fall from any height and take no damage.
Special:
A character with 25 or more ranks in Tumble gains a +5 dodge bonus when
executing the fight defensively standard or full-round action, instead of a +2
bonus (or the +3 bonus from having 5 or more ranks). Increase this dodge bonus
by +1 for every 10 additional ranks above 25 the character has. A character
with 25 or more ranks in Tumble gains a +10 dodge bonus to AC when executing
the total defense standard action, instead of a +4 bonus (or the +6 bonus from
having 5 or more ranks). Increase this dodge bonus by +2 for every 10
additional ranks above 25 the character has.
Use
Magic Device does not possess an epic usage.
The
character can splice ropes together quickly, tie unique knots, and even animate
a rope he or she holds.
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Quick
splicing |
50
|
|
Tie
unique knot |
60
|
|
Animate
held rope |
80
|
Quick
Splicing:
The
character can splice two ropes together as a move-equivalent action.
Tie
Unique Knot:
The
character can tie a knot that only he or she knows how to untie. This doesn’t
affect any Escape Artist checks made to escape these bindings.
Animate
Held Rope:
The character can command any rope he or she holds as if it had the animate
rope spell cast upon it (except that using the skill in this way doesn’t
grant any bonus on Use Rope checks made with the animated rope). Each command
requires a separate Use Rope check. Because the effect isn’t magical, it can’t
be dispelled.
The
character has trained his or her mind to ignore poison, resist mental influence,
and convince his or her body that he or she is tougher than normal.
|
DC |
Task |
|
Poison’s
DC + 5 |
When
poisoned, the character can make an Autohypnosis check on his or her next
action. A successful check indicates the character does not have to make a
saving throw against the poison’s secondary damage, which he or she instead
automatically ignores. |
|
50
|
If
a failed saving throw indicates the character is affected by any
mind-affecting powers, spells, or spell-like effects, a successful
Autohypnosis check allows an immediate second saving throw to resist the
effect. If the mind-affecting effect normally does not allow a saving throw,
a successful Autohypnosis check allows a saving throw. |
|
60 |
With a successful Autohypnosis check, the
character gains temporary hit points equal to 10 + his or her Wisdom
modifier. The temporary hit points persist until lost. A character cannot
check for temporary hit points more than once per day. Temporary hit points
gained through Autohypnosis do not stack with temporary hit points gained
through any other source |
Mortal wounds
are less lethal for the character.
|
DC |
Task
|
|
30 |
If reduced to
negative hit points but not dead, make a Stabilize Self check. If successful,
the character does not go unconscious and can continue taking actions until
he or she bleeds to death or stabilizes (the character can also continue
making stabilization checks). If healed or stabilized, the character
continues to take actions normally. |
|
60 |
On a
successful Stabilize Self check, the character gains damage reduction 2/–.
The damage reduction lasts for 12 hours. The character cannot check for
damage reduction more than once per day. Damage reduction gained through
Stabilize Self does not stack with damage reduction gained through any other
source. |
Scrying spells
To attempt any of these tasks, the scrying
spell must be on your class spell list (though it need not be among your
spells known). If you have any bonuses that would apply to the caster level of
your scrying spell, add these to your caster level check.
|
Task |
DC
|
|
Learn
scryer |
30 |
|
Return
scrying |
50
|
|
Break
scrying |
Opposed
caster level check |
Learn
Scryer: If
you determine that you’re being scried upon, you can learn the identity of the
scryer with a DC 30 caster level check. If successful, you learn the name,
race, and location of the scryer.
Return Scrying: If you determine that
you’re being scried upon, you can look back through the sensor at the scryer
with a DC 50 caster level check. This allows you to spy on the scrying being as
if you had cast a scrying spell upon that person. This return scrying
can be detected by your target as normal.
Break Scrying: If you determine that you’re being scried, you can
make an opposed caster level check with the scryer. (Your caster level must be
at least 21st to attempt this task.) If you are successful, the scrying ends,
and the scryer may not target you with a Divination (Scrying) spell or effect
for a number of hours equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).