Skill Rules - Spheres of Power Wiki

Skills are perhaps the most pervasive part of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. They provide options whether you are exploring, conversing, or in the thick of combat. This section provides new uses for every skill, as well as some rules options that apply to skills more generally.

Skill Rules: Clarifications & Variants

The following rules are relevant to skills in general. Note additional guidance on using skills can be found in Chapter 4 of Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue.

General Skill Modifiers and Situational Skill Modifiers

Some rules here rely on the distinction between a general skill modifier and a situational skill modifier. A general skill modifier is one that applies to all uses of a given skill. For example, the bonus granted by Skill Focus applies to all uses to the chosen skill and is thus a blanket skill modifier. A situational skill modifier is one that applies only to certain uses of a skill or in certain situations. The bonus from invisibility to Stealth checks only applies when vision is relevant, for example, and is thus a situational modifier.

Opposed Skill Checks

The rules for opposed skill checks are sometimes ambiguous. If opposed skill checks exactly match each other, generally the result is that the situation does not change. An intact disguise is not exposed, a previously spotted creature fails to use Stealth, a liar does not change what the audience believes, and creatures fail to mislead others’ skill checks to learn about them.

Multiple Options: If a creature is allowed multiple skills for an opposed roll, they make a single check using whichever modifier is highest in the situation at hand.

Prolonged Skill Checks

Outside of combat or other fast-paced encounters, characters need not attempt skill checks for every action. This most often comes up for skills used as part of movement, such as Swim, Stealth, Fly, and Climb. Characters need only roll prolonged skill checks once for every new circumstance, such as rolling Stealth when you approach a new group of alert guards or changing movement modes.

Cooperating on Prolonged Skill Checks: A group attempting a prolonged skill check together can help each other along the way. Each member of the group chooses whether they are leading or following. (Multiple characters can lead.) All members of a group roll simultaneously; after everyone’s results are revealed but before they are compared to the DC (or opposed results), each leading character can choose one following character to guide, replacing both characters’ results with the leading character’s result – 5.

Recommended Variant: Degrees of Success

Some skills have optional penalties or DC increases to perform the skill better, sometimes referred to as degrees of success. For example, when a character attempts a Swim check, they can accept a –5 penalty to move more quickly. Using this variant, if a character’s check result exceeds the DC by the amount of an optional penalty or DC increase, they can choose to improve their degree of success by adding that adjustment after the fact. They must be trained in a skill to improve the result this way. The check must have a static DC and the only consequence for failure must be that the attempted action does not happen. Characters who have unlocked skill leverage with a particular skill can spend skill leverage to improve their degree of success this way on any check with that skill.

Skill Modifier Variants

As the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game has aged and various publishers introduced their own ideas into the game, the number of ways to add bonuses to skills has ballooned far beyond what was possible with just the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. If your group struggles to find a challenge with their skill modifiers, as often happens with very experienced players or groups who draw upon a wide variety of sources for their character options, a rule variant that exchanges very high skill bonuses for skill leverage might help your group have more fun while still getting something from the investments that produced those bonuses.

Variant: Capped Total Modifiers

Each character’s total general modifier to a skill, including all general bonuses but not counting situational bonuses, cannot exceed 10 + 150% the character’s level. If a character’s total modifier would be higher and they have unlocked skill leverage with that skill, they instead can use skill leverage on a check with that skill once every 10 minutes without expending any uses.

Variant: Leveraged Bonus Types

Aside from ranks, class skill bonus, and ability modifier, you can only add the two highest bonuses to any skill check; the rest are “leveraged.” For every bonus type a character has leveraged among all skills, they increase their maximum number of uses of skill leverage, up to twice their normal maximum. Treat each untyped bonus as a unique type for this purpose. The increase is to the maximum, not the current uses remaining, so they still need to regain it somehow to use it. These extra uses can only be used for a skill with a leveraged bonus.

A bonus that applies to multiple skills might be leveraged only for some of them and only increases your maximum by 1; that bonus only allows the extra uses of skill leverage to be spent on the skill or skills that it is leveraged for. A situational bonus is only leveraged for the purposes of checks that they apply to and never increases your maximum; leveraged situational bonuses merely let you spend your extra skill leverage on those skills.

Variant: Leveraged Temporary Bonuses

Whenever a character would gain a bonus to a skill lasting for less than 1 hour, they instead gain 1 temporary use of skill leverage that can only be spent on the skill or skills that it applies. If the bonus is general and has a value of +5 or higher, the character gets another temporary use of skill leverage. The extra use does not count against the character’s usual maximum count of skill leverage uses. If unused by the time the bonus would have expired, this use of skill leverage is lost.

Unchained Skills

As mentioned earlier, we recommend the Background Skills variant from Pathfinder Unchained. This simply gives each character an extra 2 skill ranks every level that must be spent on background skills. For convenience, the background skills are labeled in this section. These include two new skills, Artistry and Lore.

We also suggest granting the 5 rank unchained skill unlocks to all characters. If you use them, the Intimidate and Knowledge (10 ranks) unlocks might be best limited to only affected creatures with fewer Hit Dice than the character’s ranks in that skill. If you make skill unlocks universal and use the unchained rogue, we recommend giving the rogue a bonus non-combat feat in place of each instance of rogue’s edge.

Intrigue Variant: Replacing Opposed Rolls

This variant originally appeared in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue. Especially in intrigue-based games, there are situations in which many different creatures might normally need to roll an opposed skill check against a PC. For instance, if the rogue sneaks into a camp of 50 orcs, it would technically require rolling 50 Perception checks. This slows down the game, and it makes it almost certain that one of those orcs will roll a natural 20. This variant rule replaces opposed rolls to reduce this sheer number of rolls and the likelihood for a skilled PC to be defeated by math alone. With this variant, when a character attempts a skill check that would normally be opposed, he attempts the check as normal, comparing the result against the DC presented by each foe (DC = 11 + the foe’s total skill bonus with the opposed skill). If the initiating character fails this check, he simply fails and immediately experiences the consequences of failure. If he succeeds, however, he does so only against the rank-and-file opponents (such as most of the warriors in an orc camp, or most of the hangers-on at a royal court). Select foes (such as major NPCs or dedicated scouts and guards) can attempt a check with the opposing skill (DC = 11 + the initiating character’s total skill bonus with skill he originally used). This resembles the way the Disguise skill works, where only those who pay attention to the character and are suspicious of her can attempt a Perception check.

Multiple Bonuses: If the opposing group possesses a mix of bonuses, use the highest value to determine the DC. In the example of the orc camp, if 40 of the orc warriors have a –1 Perception modifier and 10 scouts have a +10 Perception modifier, the hunter would be attempting a DC 21 Stealth check. Note that because this variant does not specify which opponents beat the check, it is up to the GM to decide how the consequences of the failed check manifest.

Spheres of Guile Update: Multiple High Bonuses: If there are multiple characters tied for the highest modifier or within 2 points of it relevant to the same check, each one increases the DC by +2.

A Note on Extreme Modifiers: If your game features characters with extreme skill modifiers, such as those using multiple feats, class features, and/or magic items granting large bonuses, this variant takes such characters from reliable to nearly invincible. This variant is best combined with leveraged bonuses or another variant that limits the size of modifiers.

Ultimate Engineering Skill Rules

The introduction of advanced machines into the world requires new ways for others to interact with technology both inside and outside of the adventuring day.

Some uses do not require additional training or familiarity with technology, however, other skill uses may require a character to possess the Tinker sphere, Technologist feat, a sphere which grants ranks in a Craft skill, or other similar ability (subject to GM discretion) to use normally or without taking a penalty.

Skill Uses

The following skill uses are available to all characters unless marked trained only. Some skills otherwise usable untrained have new options that are trained only. If a skill use does not state its action or whether it can be tried again, use the default for that skill in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook.

Summarized Core Skill Uses: For completeness and reference by other rules, this chapter briefly summarizes some skill uses outlined in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue, Pathfinder Unchained, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Combat, and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Wilderness. These summaries are marked with superscript UI, PU, UC, and UW respectively.

Skill Uses that Cost Skill Leverage: Some of the skill uses below cost 1 use of skill leverage. You cannot spend skill leverage this way unless you have unlocked skill leverage with that skill.

Skill Uses that Require Outwitting: Some of the skill uses below can only be used on opponents that you can outwit. You outwit the creature as part of the action to use the skill, and you get no other benefit of outwitting the target (you must still roll the die normally, rather treating it as a 13).

Universal Skill Uses

The following special skill uses are available to many or all skills.

Alternative Aid Another: Some skills can be used with the aid another action to provide a bonus on certain skills other than the same skill (or occasionally, other d20 rolls). If two skills can perform similar tasks (such as Diplomacy and Intimidate to improve attitudes), either can be used to aid the other. In some cases, using an alternative skill changes the DC to aid another.

Assess Proficiency (trained only): You estimate a creature’s capability with a skill by attempting a check with that skill. Certain skills, most often Knowledge and other skills that can identify creatures, can also be used to assess other attributes. You can use a skill to assess anything it can teach.

You must observe the creature using the skill or other attribute you wish to evaluate for at least 3 rounds, after which assessing them is a free action. The DC is 20.

Your estimate has some error to it even if you succeed unless you exceed the DC by 5: If your skill check succeeds by 4 or less, the GM secretly rolls 1d3–2 and adds it to the true value to determine your guess (minimum 0 for base attack bonus and caster level, minimum 1 for ability score). For example, if evaluating a creature with base attack bonus +7 the GM would roll 1d3–2+7 to get the estimate: rolling a 3 on the d3 results in a guess of +8. Succeeding by 5 or more gives you the exact value. If you fail by 5 or more, you misestimate by 1d6+2 up or down. If you failed an unopposed check, the GM chooses the direction. An aware opponent can oppose your check without an action. They choose Bluff or Intimidate. A successful Intimidate check makes you overestimate, while a successful Bluff check allows them to make you overestimate or underestimate.

Spellcraft and a few Knowledge skills can be used to assess caster level this way; when you attempt to learn a caster level, the caster can try to fool you with an opposed Spellcraft check rather than Bluff.

Survival and Knowledge to identify a creature can assess speed; if you succeed, you learn its fastest speed in the movement mode you observed. If you fail by 5 or more, you misestimate by 1d3+1 x 10 feet.

Impressive Display of Skill: You can attempt to use almost any skill to impress at least some other creatures. You must spend at least a standard action demonstrating the skill in one of its usual uses to one or more creatures who are receptive and able to pay attention to the demonstration. For example, a skill like Diplomacy that requires conversing with the target is only effective with one target that can see and hear within 30 feet, whereas a skill like Acrobatics can be demonstrated to an interested audience in larger numbers up to 120 feet away.

Generally, you choose a skill and attempt a skill use with a DC high enough to demonstrate your prowess. If both the DC and your result are higher than 20 + observer’s Hit Dice, and the skill is one that they value, they gain the impressed condition toward you. The duration is generally for about as long as you spent on the impressive action, minimum 1 round up to 10 minutes, although the GM might rule a different duration is more sensible. The duration ends immediately for a creature that sees you fail at a check or that begins its turn in combat.

Most characters value skills in which they possess ranks, although individuals often value some other skills that they themselves are not trained in. Of particular note, Acrobatics, Perform, and Sleight of Hand can impress most audiences as part of entertaining, and when entertaining with these skills, you can choose any DC to attempt your skill check against. The DC to impress someone increases by 5 for every d20 roll the target observed you fail in the past day.

Teach (trained only): You can use any skill you are trained in to teach up to ten other creatures how to perform a certain task with that skill (such as balancing with Acrobatics or lying about a specific person with Bluff). You spend at least 1 hour teaching and attempt a DC 15 skill check. For 24 hours, the student gets a +2 bonus as if from aid another on checks using that skill to perform that task as long as the DC is no higher than your check result. Perform (oratory) and some Artistry and Profession skills can be used for teaching other skills. If a character gains this bonus to multiple skills, they choose one bonus to keep and lose the others.

Uses from Other Skills: Some skills can be used as other skills in certain circumstances. A skill check using the alternative skill has the same DC calculation as the original skill unless noted otherwise. Apply general bonuses only for the skill you are rolling, not general bonuses to the original skill. Apply situational bonuses for the original skill specific to the task.

For example, Perception can be used as Survival to find tracks (but not follow them). When finding tracks with Perception, Perception is the skill you are rolling and Survival is the original skill. You use the DC calculation and situational modifiers for Survival (such as for the passage of time or recent rain) but otherwise use Perception (including bonuses to all Perception checks like that from Alertness). You apply bonuses to Survival checks to track, but not a bonus from Skill Focus (Survival) nor a bonus specifically to Perception checks when searching.

Acrobatics

Modifiers: The modifiers on the table can apply to any Acrobatics check to balance or jump.

Task	Acrobatics DC
Assess proficiency for Combat Maneuver Defense (trained only)	20 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate
Balance on a rope	25
Balance on a wire	30
Earn income as the Perform skill	Varies
Entertain as the Perform skill (no emotion effects)	10 + target’s HD + target’s Wis modifier
Impressive display of skill	20 + observer’s HD
Wall hop (trained only)	25 or surface’s Climb DC

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Avoid losing your Dexterity bonus to AC or having to attempt further Acrobatics checks to avoid falling when damaged due to balancing until the start of your next turn	–10
Charge or run while balancing	–20¹
Jump as part of a charge; you can attack your target in midair, but you then land	–5

¹ Does not stack with penalty for moving at full speed

Wall Hop (trained only): After you high jump along a surface too steep to balance on, you can hop off the surface to change direction once, starting a new jump, as a swift action. The DC is 5 + the normal DC for a high or long jump from that point, with a minimum of 25. This jump does not have a running start and counts as traveling twice as far as you actually jump against your movement for the turn.

Appraise [background]

All uses of Appraise are a standard action unless noted otherwise.

Task	Appraise DC
Assess proficiency	25 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate with +5 bonus
Deduce primary use of an unfamiliar non-magical tool or clothing that is not advanced technology	15
Deduce simplest use of magic item	5 + Spellcraft DC
Deduce simplest use of alchemical item	5 + Craft (alchemy) DC
Deduce simplest use of technological item	5 + Knowledge (engineering) DC
Evaluate common service	10
Evaluate specialized service	20
Evaluate bribe or unique service	20 + the creature’s HD
Recognize an item is disguised or not authentic	Opposed Craft or Disguise check
Request (as the Diplomacy skill) when offering a bribe that grants you a bonus on the check	5 + Diplomacy DC
Request (as the Diplomacy skill) to get costly aid that will also get the target money enough to further one of their motivations	Diplomacy DC
Understand item as Craft (Pathfinder Unchained)	5 + Craft DC

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Appraise as a free action with a single observation	–10

Assess Proficiency: Appraise can be used to evaluate the rough proficiency of another character using any skill, although it is not as useful as assessing someone using the skill itself. The DC to assess proficiency other than Appraise itself is increased to 25 and can never reveal exact values. If the creature opposes your check, they get a +5 bonus to mislead you. You can also attempt to roughly guess any creature’s Strength score, a humanoid’s base attack bonus if they have class levels and you watch them fight, or a spellcaster’s caster level by watching them cast spells gained from class levels.

Artistry [background]

Artistry was introduced in Pathfinder Unchained. Any class that gains Craft or Perform as a class skill also counts Artistry as a class skill.

Assess Perform Proficiency: In addition to being used to assess someone else’s Artistry modifier and the skills that Artistry skill can teach, you can use Artistry to assess another’s Perform modifier or to assess the caster level of someone casting spells using performance (as a bard does, for example).

Artistry	Skill Use	DC
Choreography	Teach Acrobatics, Fly, Perform (dance), or Swim	15
	Recognize function of a visual effect	Save DC
Criticism	Teach Artistry, Craft (paintings or sculptures), or Perform at a –5 penalty	15
	Demoralize as a language-dependent effect, but you must have observed a skill check by the target	As the Intimidate skill
	Critique a visual or auditory effect, like using the Linguistics skill to find a loophole; for an illusion you disbelieved, you grant a further +2 insight bonus beyond the automatic +4 bonus	Save DC or opposed skill check
Literature	Teach Perform (oratory or sing)	15
	Sense emotion as the Sense Motive skill	Sense Motive DC
Musical composition	Teach Perform (keyboard, percussion, sing, string, or wind)	15
	Recognize function of an auditory or sonic effect	Save DC
Philosophy	Claim implausible truth (as the Bluff skill) if they had detailed context and you explain for 1 minute	Opposed Sense Motive
	Find loophole as the Linguistics skill, but for any compulsion effect (even if not languagedependent)	Save DC
	Infer as any Knowledge skill if context is detailed	10 + DC to recall
Playwriting	Teach Perform (act or comedy) or Bluff to lie about an identity you write lines for	15
	Get a hunch as the Sense Motive skill	25
	Aid another’s Disguise; roll only when they do	15

Bluff

Bluff is useful for persuading someone of a claim whether or not it is true.

Betrayal in Combat: You do not have to feint against an opponent who believes you are an ally; they are automatically denied their Dexterity bonus to AC with no action from you. Although your attack can benefit from flanking if your target recognizes the other flanking assailant as not their ally, you cannot provide flanking to the other assailant for the same reason the target is denied their Dexterity to AC: they do not view you as a threat, so you do not distract them from defending against the obvious threat. A creature is no longer fooled and no longer treats you as an ally once you take an action inconsistent with that belief.

Outwit (trained only): If a target is not treating you with enough caution, you can outwit them (defined in Using Spheres of Guile) to attempt a more reliable Bluff check. By ending the circumstance that allowed you to outwit (usually, a disorientation condition or the impressed condition), you can choose not to roll and instead calculate your result as if you rolled a 13 on the die.

Modifiers to Claim: The following circumstance modifiers apply to lying, claiming an implausible truth, or misleading in addition to the modifiers in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.

Aftermath^UI: After most successful bluffs, your targets eventually discover new information and realize the truth (penalizing future Bluff checks as if this one had failed). If they do, their attitude toward you generally decreases by one step, depending on the severity of the bluff’s consequences.
Conclusive Proof: If you provide convincing enough proof that your claim seems obviously true, you do not have to attempt a Bluff check.
Contradict Previous Claim: The following rules clarify what happens if you attempt a Bluff check to tell a lie or implausible truth that contradicts a previous successful Bluff. If you contradict your own previous lie, your attempt to lie takes a penalty proportional to how likely it is that they can overlook the contradiction; the target notices the contradiction if your check fails, and in that case they disbelieve both lies. If you successfully tell a lie or implausible truth but do not exceed the result of a contradictory previous Bluff from someone else that the target believes, then the target believes you are mistaken. If the target’s Sense Motive check meets or exceeds the Bluff result of both contradictory claims, then the target does not know what to believe. They gain the uncertain condition while you continue interacting and they avoid acting on either claim. The save DC to reduce the condition is equal to 10 + the highest number of ranks between you and the other claimant.
Bluffs Prove Sincerity, Not Credibility: A successful Bluff check only guarantees that the target believes you believe what you are saying. If your words contradict something they already believe and they do not find you trustworthy enough to overrule that knowledge, then they might be undecided or might conclude you are honestly mistaken. Their reaction should be shaped by the nature of your claim, your apparent credibility, and their knowledge of the situation. If it is unclear, you generally need to exceed the DC by the value of the penalty you get for how unlikely your claim is in order for them to believe you without reservation. If something seems truly impossible to them, no mere Bluff check will convince them it is possible.

Troubling Claim: A claim that embarrasses or troubles the target is more difficult to make. You take a penalty to your Bluff check for the creature’s bias. If you fail by the value of the penalty or less, the target gains the uncertain condition for 1d4 hours. If you successfully convince the creature of a new, troubling claim (true or not), they gain the shocked condition for 1d4 hours. The Will DC to recover early from either condition is equal to 10 + your ranks in Bluff.

Circumstances of Claim	Bluff Modifier
Troubling claim, such as showing the target was previously tricked or betrayed their own minor motivation	–5
Very troubling claim, such as reversing a belief that previously informed significant choices or showing the target betrayed a major motivation	–10
Minor evidence	+2
Target already suspected the claim was true	+5
Target believes you a liar but has not caught you lying to them before	–5
Target knows your reputation for honor, impartiality, or trustworthiness	Up to +5
Target is helpful	+5
Target is friendly	+2
Target is unfriendly	–5
Target is hostile	–10

Modifiers to Feint: The following modifiers can be applied to the feint task.

Feint Circumstance	Check Modifier
Apply your feint to an ally’s next attack rather than your own (trained only)	–4
Task	Bluff DC
Claim an implausible truth just like lying, except failure makes target believe you are mistaken^UI	Opposed by Sense Motive; use modifier for lying
Create a diversion	Opposed by Sense Motive
Evade a question by answering a different related question for at least 1 minute and move conversation on as if it were a sufficient but unhelpful answer	Opposed Linguistics or Sense Motive
Feign condition	15; opposed by Sense Motive
Mislead opponent to a false conclusion when using a skill to understand your goals, abilities, mental state, or the like	Opposes skill check; use modifiers for lying
Pretend your attention is directed in a different place than it actually is	Opposed by Sense Motive
Surprise opponents by beginning combat mid-conversation or while pretending you are unaware of them^UI	Opposed by Sense Motive

Create a Diversion: This updates the use in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Choose a direction, creature, or object to divert all observers to and attempt a Bluff check as a standard action. Creatures who fail the opposed Sense Motive check are distracted (new condition) by the subject of your diversion until the start of their own turns. Since the condition is so fleeting, you must take the Stealth penalty for moving at full speed (–10) to take advantage of the positional concealment it grants on your current turn.

If the diversion is particularly distracting to an opponent (such as a looming hazard or threatening creature), their distracted condition lasts until the end of your next turn. You do not have to accept a penalty to Stealth to hide during the turn you create a diversion if all your opponents are distracted for this longer duration.

Feign Condition: You pretend to be injured, unharmed, dead, flat-footed, frightened, other suitable conditions, or having an affliction. Your act is usually part of other actions. For example, pretending to be distracted is not an action, but you cannot take a standard action and feign being nauseated. Pretending to be unharmed or more injured by an attack is an immediate action. If you feign being knocked out or killed, you fall prone.

Opponents can oppose your Bluff check with the higher among their Sense Motive or Heal skill only when they interact with you (much like Disguise). Modifiers to lie also apply to fooling a creature with your feigned condition.

Climb

Climb can be used to scale a creature as well as climb surfaces.

Task	Climb DC
Climb a larger creature	Target’s CMD
Swing on a rope as far past whatever it is anchored to as the start of your swing was from the anchor point	DC to climb
Avoid losing your Dexterity bonus to AC due to climbing until next check	–8
Climb at three-quarters land speed	–10
Climb at full land speed	–15
Climb (not just cling in place) using only three limbs	–8

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Per two size categories a creature you climb is larger than you	+3

Climb a Larger Creature: As a standard action, you climb on a creature of a larger size category. Your movement provokes attacks of opportunity normally. The Climb check DC is the target’s CMD if it is unwilling and not helpless. You get a +3 bonus on your check if the creature is at least two size categories larger than you, or +6 if the creature is at least four categories larger.

The climbed creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls (and combat maneuvers) against you.

You share the creature’s space and move with it but do not otherwise treat an unwilling creature as a mount. Climbing off is a move action (but see the Ride skill).

The creature can drop you into an adjacent square by succeeding at a combat maneuver check as a move action. If the creature rolls prone as a full-round action, it gets a +10 bonus and you take 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage for each size category larger the creature is unless you allow it to knock you off. If you are moved to another square you can reach the creature from, you remain climbing.

Craft [background]

We recommend the alternate crafting rules from Pathfinder Unchained. All uses of Craft are limited to items from the skill used.

Fast Crafting (Trained Only): If you provide materials worth half an item’s market price, you can make progress measured in gp rather than in sp for a single day’s work.

Task	Craft DC
Aid another’s skill check to use an appropriate item (trained only; does not require artisan’s tools)	5
Appraise an appropriate item	As the Appraise skill
Craft appropriate item that functions as a trophy^UW	15 + CR
Discern statistics of an appropriate item^PU	20
Identify the creator or cultural origin of an appropriate item^PU	10 to 30
Ignore 3 points of an appropriate object’s hardness as part of attacking or sundering (trained only; does not require artisan’s tools)	20
Disguise (as the skill) appropriate item as another appropriate item as part of crafting, modifying, or repairing it	Opposed by Perception
Examine an appropriate item as a move action to notice if it is fake, disguised, sabotaged, or contains a trap or other hidden feature (trained only; does not require artisan’s tools)	As the Perception skill
Modify item	5 + DC to create
Salvage crafting materials from appropriate ammunition, a permanent nonmagical item, or a magic item^UW	5 + DC to create salvaged item
Use as the Disable Device skill for appropriate items	5 + Disable Device DC
Undo sabotage of an appropriate item using same action as Disable Device to sabotage	DC to create

Modify Item: You can spend 1 hour tinkering with an appropriate item to make it better suited for a particular circumstance. For example, you might tune a lute to distract from singing more effectively using Craft (musical instruments) if you expect to fight harpies. The Craft skill DC is 5 + the usual DC to make the item you are modifying. This typically grants a +2 circumstance bonus to skill checks to use the item as you intended, but applies a –2 penalty to other skill checks using the item. Other similarly narrow benefits and commensurate drawbacks might also apply as appropriate, such as improvising snowshoes with Craft (shoes) to treat snow as normal terrain but treat non-snow normal terrain as difficult terrain. This requires the usual artisan’s tools and the alteration falls apart after 1d4 hours of use, plus 1 hour per point by which you exceed the DC.

If you spend materials worth 20% the item’s market price, the modification lasts indefinitely. Undoing the modification or replacing it with a different one takes just as long.

Other Uses: Most common Craft skills have additional uses listed below. These uses do not require artisan’s tools unless they say so. (For more uses, see the expanded Craft uses in the Background Skills section of Pathfinder Unchained.)

Table: Uses for Common Crafts

Craft Skill	Additional Uses
Alchemy	Identify alchemical character options (as the Knowledge [local] skill), Preserve harvested poison^UW, Prepare herb to unlock additional effects and prevent spoilage for 1 month^UW. Salvage a potion to brew a lower-level potion^UW (DC 15 + (3 × the original potion’s spell level))
Armor	DC 20 as you target a shield with Sleight of Hand or steal to halve the CMD bonus or skill check penalty for the item being worn (trained only), Assess proficiency for flatfooted Armor Class
Books	Create or detect forged books or printing (as the Linguistics skill; requires artisan’s tools)
Blacksmithing	DC 20 as a move action to gain a +2 insight bonus to a Strength check to instantly break an object made of or reinforced with metal
Bows	DC 20 as you break a bow to snap the string (it is unusable until repaired)
Calligraphy	Disguise your handwriting (opposed by Linguistics or Craft (calligraphy))
Clockwork	DC 20 as you attempt a dirty trick combat maneuver against a clockwork creature to gain a +2 insight bonus
Cloth	Protect against heat and cold (as the Survival skill)
Clothing	Stop bleeding or treat deadly wounds with stitches (as the Heal skill, +5 DC), DC 20 as you target clothing with Sleight of Hand or steal to halve the CMD bonus or skill check penalty for the item being worn (trained only), Sew item into clothing in 10 minutes to hide as the Sleight of Hand skill with +2 bonus (requires artisan’s tools)
Glass	DC 20 as a move action to apply Stealth to the sound of you breaking glass this turn (requires artisan’s tools)
Jewelry	DC 20 as you target jewelry with Sleight of Hand or steal maneuver to halve the CMD bonus or skill check penalty for target being worn (trained only)
Leather	DC 20 as you target a leather item with Sleight of Hand or steal maneuver to halve the CMD bonus or skill check penalty for target being worn (trained only)
Mechanical	DC 10 to improvise a simple, immobile lift or winch that allows you to multiply your push or drag maximum by 2; you can increase multiplier by 1 per +5 DC (requires artisan’s tools)
Paintings	Examine any creature or object visually (as the Perception skill, +5 DC), DC 15 or 20 to reproduce a likeness from memory or eyewitness account^PU
Sculptures	DC 25 to be certain whether a statue is truly a petrified creature, Examine any creature or object visually (as the Perception skill, +5 DC)
Shoes	Recognize footwear from tracks (DC 5 + Survival DC to find tracks)
Taxidermy	Stop bleeding or treat deadly wounds with stitches (as the Heal skill, +5 DC)
Traps	DC 20 to improvise an extraordinary alarm or snare in 1 minute using rope; its Perception and Disable Device DCs are both 10 + half ranks in Craft (traps) + Intelligence modifier

Diplomacy

Diplomacy can draw upon your understanding of a creature’s motivations to work out a deal with much greater stakes than a basic request or attitude adjustment.

Diplomacy with a Group: You might need to sway a group with Diplomacy, such as a group of councilors, a jury, or a faction’s leadership. If the decision must be unanimous, simply use the DC for the most difficult target +2 for a small group or +4 for a large group. If you merely need to persuade the majority of a group, start with the average modifier among the group and add +2 for a small group or +4 for a large group.

Variant: Scaling Diplomacy DCs: Instead of the usual formula, we recommend you calculate the Diplomacy DC to influence a creature as follows. The DC is 15 + target’s Hit Dice + Wisdom modifier + Charisma modifier + attitude modifier. The target’s attitude applies the modifier below to this DC.

Starting Attitude	DC Modifier
Helpful	–10
Friendly	–5
Indifferent	+0
Unfriendly	+5
Hostile	+10

Motivations: As described on page 10, motivations are very important to the Diplomacy skill. While NPC reactions are ultimately up to the GM, only simple, brief good impressions are generally possible without knowing an NPC’s motivation. Improving an attitude by multiple steps or for long periods should almost always require understanding and appealing to an NPC’s motivation. In addition, you must further an NPC’s motivations to convince them to provide costly aid. For player or GM advice on discovering a creature’ s motivation, see the other content in Spheres of Guile.

Modifiers to Request: The following restrictions and modifiers apply to attempts to make a request.

Costly Requests: It normally takes at least 1 minute of conversation to establish why a target NPC should grant a request that poses a substantial cost to the NPC. Unless the request directly furthers one of their motivations, you must fairly repay the creature (effectively hiring them). Favors in return can be partial or full payment. Allies who are permanently helpful to you are open to costly requests without equitable payment and might not track a balance of debt between you, but they generally expect you to be equally willing to go out of your way to help them as they are to help you. Of course, hiring an NPC does not require this check unless you are asking for something beyond their normal services.

The DC of the Diplomacy check to make a costly request is at least 10 higher, but might be 15 or 20 higher. If the cost is life-changing, such as sacrificing an important relationship or impoverishing the character, it is generally impossible to achieve with a simple check.

Common forms of costly requests include the following:

Getting a benefit from faction membership or organizational influence beyond what you can afford with your fame, prestige, or sway (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Campaign and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue).
Secure a new contact (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Campaign) at rank 2 (+10 DC), rank 3 (+15 DC), or rank 4 (+20 DC).
After you already fooled them into trusting you, swindle them into giving you something of minor importance to them (+10 DC), something of moderate importance to them (+15 DC), or something very important to them that could be replaced (+20 DC).

Attitude, Personality, and Goals^UI: Attempts to persuade a creature to take big actions that might clash with its personality or get in the way of any goals must generally use more costly or time-intensive methods, such as quests, verbal duels, or individual influence. Note that attitude adjustments are minor impressions that last only a few hours by default and never overrule the creature’s personality and goals.

Requests of Unfriendly or Hostile Characters^UI: Requests made to unfriendly or hostile characters are not truly impossible, but must seem to be in the target’s best interests (which can include an idea that is better for them than facing the consequences of combat). Even if adversaries agree to a brief ceasefire to negotiate, they will not let their guard down or allow you to keep weapons or spell components in hand. Creatures that seem to be at a short-duration advantage in combat almost never agree to a ceasefire long enough for the advantage to expire.

Modifiers to Improve Attitude: The following modifiers apply to attempts to improve an NPC’s attitude. See also gifts (Using Spheres of Guile, and Purchases) and social encounters (page 365).

Bare Your Soul: If you share personal information or a valuable secret, such as one of your motivations, you get a circumstance bonus on your Diplomacy check to improve an NPC’s attitude toward you. You can of course lie to share fake information, but you take a penalty to your Bluff check at least equal to the bonus it could give to your Diplomacy check.

Improve Attitude by Additional Step: In the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, exceeding the DC by 5 or more always increases the NPC’s attitude by two steps. In most cases, this should only be possible if you invoke one of the NPC’s motivations or give a suitable gift. (For what a suitable gift is, see Purchase and Using Spheres of Guile.)

Indefinite Attitude Improvement: If you invoke an NPC’s motivation or give a suitable gift and exceed the DC to improve their attitude by 10 or more, their attitude toward you not only improves temporarily by two steps but their starting attitude remains improved by one step after the temporary attitude ends. Essentially, their attitude improves by two steps temporarily and then returns only one step toward their starting attitude and remains one step improved indefinitely. The GM might decide the improvement should merely be long-term rather than indefinite, but it rarely lasts less than 1 week.

This new attitude can be improved further. (The GM can also decide that an NPC’s attitude indefinitely changes as a result of your actions even without a skill check or gift.)

Task	Diplomacy DC
Counteroffer as a standard action if a PC would make a request of an NPC successfully, making the request conditional on an equivalent favor from the PC	Opposes Diplomacy
Improve attitude by one step for 1d4 hours (variant DC)	15 + HD + Cha modifier + Wis modifier + attitude modifier
…Improve attitude indefinitely	+10¹
…Improve attitude by two steps instead of one	+5¹
Influence attitude toward another creature (not yourself) one step up or down, from indifferent	+0 (beyond usual DC including modifier for attitude toward you)
…From friendly or unfriendly	+5
…From helpful or hostile	+10
Over 1 hour, persuade NPC to add a new minor motivation	15 + HD + Cha modifier + Wis modifier + attitude modifier¹
Over 1 hour, persuade NPC to strengthen a long-standing minor motivation to major if you relate it to a major one	20 + HD + Cha modifier + Wis modifier + attitude modifier¹
Request	15 + HD + Cha modifier + Wis modifier + attitude modifier
Costly request	+10 or higher¹
Find loophole as the Linguistics skill, but for any emotion effect (even if not language-dependent)	Save DC or opposed skill check

¹ Impossible without invoking the target’s motivation

Circumstance	Diplomacy Modifier
Bare your soul with a minor motivation, a minor embarrassing secret, or similar act of vulnerability	+2
Bare your soul with a major motivation, a dangerous secret, or similarly significant act of vulnerability	+5
Reduce time required to half, or by one step: standard, move, swift	–5

Disable Device (trained only)

The Disable Device skill can be used to sabotage many common items.

Modifiers to Disable: The following modifiers can be voluntarily applied to a Disable Device check.

Fast Sabotage: You can attempt a Disable Device check one step faster on the following list by accepting a –8 penalty per step: 2d4 rounds, 1d4 rounds, full-round action, standard action, move action, swift action.
Personal Sabotage: Sabotage reduced to a standard action or faster (whether by accepting a penalty or by using the Infiltration sphere’s fast sabotage ability) can target an item carried or worn by another creature using a dirty trick combat maneuver check (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Player’s Guide); if your maneuver succeeds, you can attempt a Disable Device check targeting an accessible item they wear or carry instead of any other trick. Outside of combat, if you reduce the action to a move action, you can target a creature’s worn or carried item after a successful Sleight of Hand check (like lifting the item at +5 DC and +5 to their Perception check to notice your attempt).

Task	Disable Device DC
Disastrous sabotage	+10

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Fast sabotage	–8¹

¹ Can be applied multiple times

Common Sabotage: Listed below are some common forms of sabotage used by adventurers (see the Disable Device skill in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook for rules). If you exceed the DC by 5, creatures examining the device only spot your sabotage if they succeed at an opposed Perception check.

Device	Disable Device DC¹	Common Sabotage
Alchemical item	10	The item has the broken condition, but seems normal to casual handling.
Armor or shield	10 + AC bonus	The item breaks after physical attacks hit the wearer or glance off it 1d4 times (missing by an amount less than or equal to the item’s AC bonus). Damage to the sabotaged item ignores 3 of its hardness. A broken shield falls off.
Artificial surface (floor, stair, etc.)	20 + hardness	The surface becomes unsteady in up to a 10-foot square. It requires a DC 12 Acrobatics check to balance on.
Leg armor, bulky clothing, or footwear	10	When the wearer runs or charges, they must succeed at an Acrobatics check or Reflex save (DC 10 + ranks in Disable Device) or fall prone and end their action.
Lock or portal	15	The item becomes jammed or stuck after 1d4 uses.
Trap with a built-in bypass	Trap’s DC	The bypass obviously stops functioning after 1d4 uses. Failing the Craft (traps) check to undo by 5 or more triggers the trap.
Tool or weapon	15	The item breaks after 1d4 attacks, uses, or checks. Damage to the sabotaged item ignores 3 of its hardness.

¹ At +5 DC, your check opposes Perception to examine the item.

Disastrous Sabotage: With exceptional skill, you can sabotage an item to fail in a way that wastes a creature’s action. The DC for disastrous sabotage is 10 higher than simple sabotage and it takes three steps longer to perform: 1 round, 1d4 rounds, 2d4 rounds, 4d4 rounds, 1d4 minutes, 2d4 minutes. If you exceed the DC by 5, not only is the sabotage hard to spot with examination, but even the effects are noticed only with a successful Perception check (unless they are innately obvious).

Device	Disable Device DC¹	Common Disastrous Sabotage
Alchemical item	20	The item is inert, but seems normal with casual handling.
Armor or shield	20 + AC bonus	The item breaks after physical attacks hit the wearer or glance off it 1d4 times (missing by an amount less than or equal to the item’s AC bonus). After another 1d4 attacks hit or glance off, its AC bonus is reduced by another 2 (minimum +0) while broken. Damage to the sabotaged item ignores 5 of its hardness. A broken shield falls off.
Artificial surface (floor, stair, etc.)	30 + hardness	You partially disassemble the surface. It becomes unsteady in up to a 10-foot square. It requires a DC 15 Acrobatics check to balance on. If the structure is flimsy and lacks redundancy (like a rope bridge or gangway), you can loosen parts so that when a certain amount of weight is placed on it (typically, a chosen size category), that section gives way. Creatures can avoid falling with a DC 20 Climb check or Reflex save.
Leg armor, bulky clothing, or footwear	20	When the wearer next moves more than half speed, they must succeed at an Acrobatics check or Reflex save (DC 10 + ranks in Disable Device) or fall prone and end their action.
Lock	20	When next locked, the lock jams or unlocks 1 round later.
Portal	20	When next closed, the portal opens or sticks 1 round later.
Trap with built-in bypass	10 + trap’s DC	The trap quietly reactivates 1 round after its bypass is next used. Failing the Craft (traps) check to undo by 5 or more triggers the trap.
Vehicle	25	The vehicle breaks during the next driving check after 1d4 checks (penalizing that check). After 1d4 driving checks while broken, the vehicle crashes during any subsequent driving check that does not exceed its DC by 10.
Weapon or tool	25	The item breaks during the next use after 1d4 uses (penalizing that use). After 1d4 uses with the broken condition, the penalty from the broken condition worsens by 2 during the next use. Damage to the sabotaged item ignores 5 of its hardness.

¹ At +5 DC, your check opposes Perception to examine the item and to notice the effect.

Disable Device: Gizmos [SUE]

Task	Time	DC
Disable gizmo	2d4 rounds	15 + 1/2 gizmo level

Disable Gizmo [SUE]
Gizmos may be disabled with a successful check. Gizmos that are disabled this way require 1 minute of work to ‘unjam’ with a DC 10 proficiency check (using the gizmo’s associated skill) before they can be activated again (or can be restored as part of the crafter maintaining their gizmos). Routines can be disabled as though they were a gizmo but require specific tools (such as an ICE-pick or other similar means).

A character without the Tinker sphere, Technologist feat, a sphere which grants ranks in a Craft skill, or other similar ability (subject to GM discretion) takes a -5 penalty to their check.

Sabotage Gizmo [SUE]
As an extension of disable gizmo, the character may adjust which signals the gizmo is capable of receiving (as though they were the crafter), as well as adjust other parameters of the gizmo (such as its voice control activations or other parameters subject to GM discretion).

Note that the character can adjust parameters that are included with the gizmo, but cannot add or remove those parameters (i.e. voice control activations cannot be added to a gizmo that were not initially crafted with them).

Disguise

The Disguise skill can be used to disguise objects and other creatures as well as yourself.

Betrayal in Combat: See the Bluff skill.

Quick Disguise (trained only): You can create a disguise faster by accepting the listed penalty on your check. The penalty is reduced by 10 if the changes are few and simple (such as just a robe, cloak, and pair of spectacles), by 5 if it features changes that are either many but simple or few and not delicate (like several accessories and a major feature that does not have to match a specific person).

Time Taken on a Quick Disguise	Check Penalty
1d4 minutes	–5
1d4+1 rounds	–10
1 full-round action	–15
1 standard action	–20
Disguise Check Modifiers	Check Modifier
Minor details only, such as an elf and a slim human	+5
Apply disguise to someone else	+2
Disguise or fake injury, affliction symptoms, or condition	–2¹
Substantially different body type, such as a burly dwarf and a slim elf	–2
Age category at least two steps different²	–2
Dissimilar but related object (like a statue and a humanoid, or a firearm and a crossbow)	–4
Different materials (objects, elementals, and constructs only), or adding or covering fur, feathers, or scales	-4
Different size category or number or arrangement of limbs	–8
Unrelated object (a shortsword and a helm)	–10
Task	Disguise DC
Change your voice as you speak^UI	Opposed by Perception
Change your accent or mannerisms as you interact	Opposed by Sense Motive
Familiarity	Opposed Check Bonus
Viewer saw you wear the same distinctive article in another identity	+4
You changed only your accent, voice, or mannerisms	+10

^1: Allows opposed Heal instead of Perception only to recognize this element of the disguise
^2: The steps are: young (younger than adulthood), adulthood, middle age, old, and venerable.

Table: Object Disguise DCs and Modifiers [SUE]

Disguise	Disguise Check Modifier
Minor details only	+5
Similar object	+0
Related object¹	-4
Unrelated object¹	-10
Different materials¹	-4
Disguised as a different size category¹	-8

¹ These modifiers are cumulative; use any that apply.

Table: Object Disguise Time by Size [SUE]

Object	Size Disguise Time
Same size or smaller	1d3 x 10 minutes
1 category larger	1d3 x 1 hours
2 categories larger	1d3 x 1 days
3+ categories larger	1d3 x 1 weeks

Variant Disguise Modifiers: The modifiers above can replace those in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. They are cumulative; add all that apply.

Disguise an Object [[SUE]]: You can disguise an object as another object, disguise an object as a creature (generally a stationary creature), or disguise a creature as an object (which also requires Stealth to remain still if not helpless). Objects can use some modifiers for creatures (such as minor details only).

If you rebuild, paint, or otherwise modify an object to disguise it and it is larger than you, the length of time to disguise it increases from a multiple of 10 minutes to a multiple of 1 hour (if one category larger), 1 day (if two categories larger), or 1 week (if three or more categories larger); see Table: Object Disguise Time by Size. You do not change the object’s function, so using it will often spoil the disguise. If the discrepancy is minor, using the item merely allows observers a new chance to attempt a Perception check against the disguise.

Viewers gain bonuses to recognize objects familiar to themselves similarly to how they would recognize familiar creatures.

Minor Details: Examples include changing the texture of a blade’s pommel, the color of a jewel, or hiding a manufacturer’s seal on a crate.
Similar Object: Examples include disguising a dagger as a butter knife, or a natural stone wall as a hewn stone wall.
Related Object: Examples include disguising a firearm as a crossbow, or a large bathtub as a dingy.
Unrelated Object: Examples include disguising a longsword as a vase, or a bush as a cake.
Different Materials: Examples include disguising a metal weapon as being made of wood, or a vial of liquid as being another type of liquid. An object cannot be disguised as another state of matter (you cannot disguise a rock as an immaterial gas).

Disguised as a different size category: You can attempt to disguise an object to appear smaller or larger than it actually is. An object disguised to be another size occupies the same space.

Skill Unlocks and Disguise Objects [SUE]: Disguise skill unlocks aid in disguising objects as well as creatures, reducing the time required to disguise an object as normal for objects of up to your size category. For objects larger than you, treat them as one size category smaller for the purposes of time investment for every 5 ranks in Disguise you possess.

If a character possesses the Tinker sphere, Technologist feat, a sphere which grants ranks in a Craft skill, or other similar ability (subject to GM discretion), they may use the following modification when disguising an object:

Disguising Someone Else: In terms of simple appearance, it is easier to disguise someone else than to disguise yourself. However, if you disguise a character and they then must substantially alter their mannerisms or voice to avoid suspicion, they must attempt their own Disguise check and use it if it is lower than your Disguise result.

Changing Voice or Mannerisms: A separate check is not required for your voice or mannerisms if they are simply supporting a change of appearance you already attempted a Disguise check for. If you later change your voice or mannerisms to one that no longer matches how you played the disguise before, you must attempt a new check for the element you changed and use the lower of the two results. If you change the same element multiple times, only the most recent check for that element applies.

Disguise Maker [SUE]: This is a special use of the minor details modification, specifically for gizmos or other technological objects. You disguise the object by hiding the mechanisms or underpinnings of the gizmo to seem to have been made by someone else. A disguise with this modification hides against onlookers using Knowledge (engineering) to identify a gizmo but not Perception checks to notice the gizmo has been disguised. The bonus associated with disguising a gizmo in this manner is reduced to 0 (from +5) if you attempt to disguise a gizmo as another individual’s crafted gizmo (requiring personal knowledge of the crafter’s handiwork).

Author's Note: The Disguise Maker rules can also be applied to any normally crafted item (or item from an ability), such as items crafted with the Alchemy, Artifice, and Trap spheres, to identify magic items, and so on. This only applies where a crafter has a certain style or "handiwork" to mimic.

Escape Artist

You can help another creature escape in addition to escaping yourself.

Task	Escape Artist DC
Assess proficiency for Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense	20 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate
When you free yourself, free another creature from the same creature or object	+8
Squeeze through half-width space at your full speed; failure wastes 10 feet of movement	25
Squeeze through a confined space at one-quarter speed	15
…at half speed	25
…at three-quarters speed	35
Squeeze through a tight space as a full-round action	50

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Free another creature using two hands	+2
Free another creature using only one hand	–4
Escape from a grapple as a move action	–12
Escape entanglement as a standard action	–8
Escape from restraints in 2d4 rounds	–5
…in 1d4 rounds	–10
…as a full-round action	–15
Until the start of your next turn, ignore penalties for squeezing through a half-width space or treat a confined space as a half-width space	–10

Outwit (trained only): If a target is not treating you with enough caution, you can outwit them (defined in Using Spheres of Guile) to attempt a more reliable Escape Artist check to escape a grapple. By ending the circumstance that allowed you to outwit (usually a disorientation condition or the impressed condition), you can choose not to roll and instead calculate your result as if you rolled a 13 on the die.

Free Another Creature: You can free another creature from an effect using the same action as freeing yourself with Escape Artist. The creature must be no more than one size category larger than you and you must grab it. You take a bonus or penalty determined by how many hands you use. If you free a helpless or willing creature, you can move it 5 feet.

If you and another creature are trapped by the same object or creature, freeing yourself might automatically free them (such as if you are tied together by a single rope). Even if not, if you exceed DC to free yourself by 8, you can free one other creature from the same object or creature as part of the same action.

Squeeze with Inhuman Physiology: A creature with no fixed parts, such as an ooze, can attempt to move at full speed through any gap it can fit through at all as if the gap were half as wide as its space (or squeeze at half speed with no check).

Squeeze through Confined Spaces: You can move a minimum of 5 feet per full-round action through gaps narrower than half your space but wider than your shoulders. You can attempt an Escape Artist check to move faster; your result on the table determines your speed. If you lack shoulders, use the widest part of your profile facing the gap instead.

Fly

Anyone with a fly speed has the capacity to arrest a fall.

Task	Fly DC
Glide with wings (or similar appendages) 60 feet in a straight line at least 30 feet downward (which is 50 feet laterally)	10
Stop falling as an immediate action after the farther of either the distance you flew this round or 60 feet	15

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Careful flight (trained only)	No check required
Pull a flying or levitating creature or object your size or smaller with you; creature must be willing, unconscious, grappled, bull rushed, or dragged	–5

Careful Flight (trained only): You can avoid pushing your limits in order to fly without risk. You do not have to attempt a check to fly while the following are true:

There is not wind strong enough to check you
You do not ascend more steeply than a 45-degree angle
You move at least 10 feet

Handle Animal [background] (trained only)

Some of the following new tricks are updated from options originally introduced in Rogue Glory.

Task	Handle Animal DC
Aid another’s wild empathy or Ride	10
Aid animal’s skill check to use a skill as part of a trained trick	5 + higher of trick’s DC or aided check’s DC
Domesticate indifferent adult wild animal with 2 weeks of effort	25 + HD
Improve attitude (as the Diplomacy skill) of an animal with 10 minutes of interaction	5 + Diplomacy DC
Milk poison from an animal^UW	10 + animal’s HD + animal’s Wis modifier
Reduce time to train by 1 day	+5
Reduce time to domesticate by 1 day	+2
Work with mindless plants, vermin, or oozes (maximum two tricks)	+8
Trick, collect	20
…open/close	20
…play	15
…seize	20
…unlock	25
General purpose, pick lock	25
…pickpocket	20

New Tricks: You can use Handle Animal to teach the following tricks. Some tricks allow you to retrain the animal into skill ranks or feats you possess while teaching it, even if the animal otherwise would not qualify. Retrained skill ranks cannot exceed yours.

Collect (DC 20; requires fetch trick): You name a category of item and the animal searches up to 1d6 rounds for an example to fetch. Typical categories are glassware (including potions), documents (scrolls), treasures (small and shiny), sticks (wands, rods, and staves), and metal weapons. Teaching the trick includes three categories, and teaching it again adds three more. Pushing this trick requires displaying an example of the category.
Open/Close (DC 20): The animal opens or closes a door, drawer, or similarly simple opening. Unless you point one out, it operates the closest one. If the target cannot be opened, the animal attempts to force it open for 1d6 rounds.
Play (DC 15): The animal interacts distractingly with another creature, playfully batting or getting in the way. If the animal is attacking, it deals nonlethal damage at no penalty unless it has suitable feats or abilities for grappling or tripping, in which case it uses that maneuver. Otherwise, the animal uses Bluff to create a diversion of itself. Teaching this trick can retrain ranks into Bluff.
Seize (DC 20): The animal attempts to steal from a creature. If you do not point out a creature, it picks one. Unless you specify an item using fetch or collect, it picks a loosely carried item. The animal attempts a Sleight of Hand check to lift the item unless a steal or disarm combat maneuver is necessary. Teaching this trick can retrain ranks into Sleight of Hand and a feat into Improved Disarm or Improved Steal.
Unlock (DC 25; requires open/close trick and a trunk, tentacle, or hand): The animal attempts to open a lock using an available key or thieves’ tools. Teaching this trick can retrain ranks into Disable Device.

New General Purposes: You can use Handle Animal to teach an animal one of the following general purposes.

Picklock (DC 25): Collect, Fetch, Open/Close, Unlock. (4 weeks)
Pickpocket (DC 20): Perform, Play, Seize. You can designate a particular item to steal. (3 weeks)

Heal

A skilled healer can tell a great deal about a patient’s health and can even revive those who have technically died.

Task	Heal DC
Assess health	5 + HD or opposed by Bluff or Disguise
Assess proficiency for Constitution and Fortitude saving throws (trained only)	20 or opposed by Bluff or Intimidate
Autopsy for 10 minutes to recognize injuries and cause of death despite confounding factors (trained only), simple wounds	15
Subtle or partially obscured clues	20 or 25
Bizarre or heavily confounded clues	30 or higher
Check for pulse by touch as a move action	5, or higher for special circumstances like coma
Diagnose affliction (trained only)	Affliction’s save DC
Harvest internal body part suitable for a trophy^UW	15 + CR
Recognize damage type	10
Recognize weapon from injury	15
Resuscitate dead creature (trained only)	20 + negative hit point total (minimum 30)

Circumstance	DC Modifier
Assess or diagnose unresponsive creature	+10

Assess Health: You can study a creature to gauge whether it is healthy (missing no more than a negligible number of hit points), merely bruised (missing less than half its hit points), bloodied (missing between half and three-quarters its hit points), seriously wounded (missing more than three-quarters its hit points), or near death (0 or negative hit points). For every 5 points by which you exceed the DC, you learn a condition the creature has (if any) of the GM’s choice. If you exceed the DC by 20, you learn their current and maximum hit points. This check does not require an action if the creature is not apparently helpless, or is a move action otherwise. Creatures can use Bluff or Disguise to oppose your check.

If the creature is undead or alive and disguised as the other, your Heal check opposes their Disguise only to recognize that fact.

Diagnose Affliction (trained only): Identifying a creature’s affliction is a free action with obvious symptoms or cause. Otherwise, it takes 10 minutes of examination. With a successful Heal check, you learn the affliction’s rules if it is a disease or poison, or its current effect otherwise. If you fail by 4 or less, you can retry after 24 hours. If you fail by 5 or more, you mistake the affliction for a different one.

Resuscitate (trained only): As a standard action, you can spend 1 use of skill leverage to revive a creature who died of hit point damage in the last round with a successful Heal check. The DC is 20 + the absolute value of its negative hit point total. If you succeed, the target is restored to -9 hit points and becomes stable. You cannot resuscitate a creature killed by a death effect, energy drain, or Constitution damage or drain, or whose vital organs are not intact.

The trauma of clinical death deals 1d4 points of ability damage to the patient’s Constitution, Dexterity, and Intelligence. This does not reduce their hit points further, but if a creature’s Constitution damage would equal or exceed their Constitution they are not resuscitated and cannot be resuscitated by this skill again until revived by magic. This ability damage cannot be healed except by rest. The DC to resuscitate the target is increased by 10 per previous time they have died and been resuscitated by this skill until their Constitution damage is all healed.

Heal: Surgery [SUE]

Task	DC	Time
Amputate arms, legs, or other appendages	15	2 hours
Amputate head¹	25	8 hours
Extract sensory organ (eyes, ears)	20	4 hours
Extract internal organ	20	6 hours
Implant object	15	2 hours
Implant object internally (i.e. prosthetic organ)	20	4 hours
Implant vital body part (i.e. prosthetic head, heart)	25	8 hours

¹ This includes full amputations as well as piecemeal extraction.

Requirements: Heal skill uses that amputate limbs, extract organs, or implant them, require 2 uses from a healer’s kit to perform the task. The surgeon takes a -2 penalty for each healer's kit use that they lack. If the surgeon does not have a healer’s kit, the surgeon must incapacitate the patient (render the patient helpless or unconscious).

Amputate Extremity or Extract Organ
Limbs or organs may need to be amputated or extracted for a variety of reasons. In a world with advanced cybernetics, it is most common to replace the limbs with better ones. The skill is used for safely amputating limbs or organs without inducing pain or causing infection.

On a successful check, the patient immediately takes an amount of hit point damage equal to 50% of their maximum hit points (rounded up; this damage may not be prevented, but may be healed normally) and the limb or organ is amputated or extracted.

A patient missing their head or a vital organ (such as a heart, brain, etc.) may die if they are not consecutively subject to a procedure to implant a new organ or prosthetic (such as one from the Tinker sphere).

This use of the Heal skill can also be used to remove implanted prosthetic or organs (such as those from the Tinker sphere, but also certain magic items, etc.).

Failure: A failed check fails to properly amputate/extract the limb/organ, which reduces the patient to -1 hit points. Creatures without a Constitution score are instead reduced to 0 hit points and gain the disabled condition until they receive healing (instead of being destroyed); if a creature in this state would take damage, they are destroyed as normal.

Implant Object
Objects may be implanted into a creature with a sufficient Heal check. This Heal check increases by +5 if the object is being implanted internally, and an additional +5 if replacing a vital body part that, if removed, would normally kill the patient (such as a new heart, head, etc.).

This skill use is also applied for swapping implants or removing implants.

The Tinker sphere provides prosthetics, including the ability to craft prosthetics of internal organs.

Note - Implanting Items and Game Balance: This skill use has been left “open” to allow for generally implanting objects into and out of creatures. The Tinker sphere notes a gizmo loses its functions, or has greatly reduced functionality, when internally implanted, but are otherwise able to be sundered and targeted as normal. GMs should be careful when allowing other items (i.e. most magic items) to be implanted as it removes the ability to reasonably interact with the object (i.e. disarm or steal the object, as appropriate). Magic items should generally not be allowed to be internally implanted.

Head Amputation & Implantation
If a check to amputate a creature’s head succeeds, the creature is treated as dead unless an attempt to implant a prosthetic head begins immediately after. Creatures which possess additional heads or do not require a head to survive are not treated as dead (and instead are simply missing one of their heads).

A head amputation and implantation procedure can be done simultaneously, such as by adding piecemeal new parts to the patient’s head as pieces are removed, supplanting the missing pieces with the new prosthetics. This requires the head amputation and head implantation checks to be made consecutively (performing the two 8-hour procedures over 16 hours).

Intimidate

If you know what a creature cares about, you can use the Intimidate skill to manipulate it more effectively.

Outwit (trained only): If a target is not treating you with enough caution, you can outwit them (defined in Using Spheres of Guile) to attempt a more reliable Intimidate check. By ending the circumstance that allowed you to outwit (usually, a disorientation condition or the impressed condition), you can choose not to roll and instead calculate your result as if you rolled a 13 on the die.

Modifier to Demoralize: The following modifier can be applied to the demoralize use of Intimidate.

Threaten a Motivation: Invoking a creature’s motivation lowers the DC to demoralize it as normal, and can alter the effect. If the target is already shaken and has fewer Hit Dice than the number of ranks in Intimidate you possess, it becomes frightened. The target can choose to gain the livid condition instead of the shaken condition (or enraged instead of frightened).

Task	DC
Bluster back as an immediate action if an opponent would Intimidate you successfully, negating the attempt if you tie or win (trained only)	Opposes Intimidate
Costly demand	+10*
Demoralize at range by firing a warning shot	Demoralize DC; apply range penalty to check
Insult	Demoralize DC
Pose a menace	Demoralize DC
Mislead evaluating creature to overestimate your prowess (no action) (trained only)	Opposes Appraise
Substantial demand	+5

*: Requires invoking the target’s motivation

Circumstance	Intimidate Modifier
Demand cooperation as a standard action	–10
Demoralize target who can only see you or only hear you	–5
Double the number of targets you apply your result against, ignoring the general rule on doublings (so –4 quadruples, –6 octuples, etc.)	–2

Modifiers to Demand Cooperation: The following modifiers apply to attempts to make a creature act friendly and assist you.

Costly Demand: If you exceed the DC by 10, the target provides costly aid you demand if you could apparently do substantially greater harm to them (or their motivations) than what they lose by helping you. Demanding costly aid means taking enough from the creature that they feel the consequence, and as such is often an evil act.
Substantial Demand: If you exceed the DC by 5, you can increase the target’s attitude to helpful. They get information for you, give complicated but not dangerous assistance, or provide simple and modestly dangerous help (if clearly less dangerous than you seem). You can also strongarm them into accepting a roughly commensurate trade that they would not normally agree to. If you forced the creature to act helpful and did not further one of the creature’s motivations, the target becomes hostile afterward. Note this might be an evil act.

Insult: As a standard action, you attempt to anger a creature within 120 feet. This language-dependent, mind-affecting emotion effect can be visual (if a rude gesture) or auditory (if spoken). If you succeed, the target gains the angry condition (page 18) for 1 minute + 1 minute per 5 by which you exceeded the DC. If you invoke one of the creature’s motivations in the check, you increase the condition to livid. You can attempt a Bluff check as part of the insult to claim it is from another creature (opposed by the target’s Sense Motive as normal).

Pose a Menace: As a standard action, you make an imposing glower or bellow a challenge to inflate others’ estimation of your might. Attempt an Intimidate check and compare the result to the DC for each creature observing you. Each creature you succeed against becomes distracted by you until the end of your next turn. If you exceed the result by 5 or more, you can also convince the target you are a credible threat to its safety. This is not a fear effect.

Knowledge and Lore (trained only)

Beyond simple recall, Knowledge skills can be used to learn new information and convey certain facts to others.

Table: Common Knowledge and Lore Uses

Common Tasks	DC
Appeal to precedent (arcana, dungeoneering, history, local, nature, nobility, planes, religion, and relevant Lore skills only)	Diplomacy DC to make a request invoking a motivation
Claim implausible truth (as the Bluff skill) if you spend at least 1 minute explaining supporting facts	Opposed Sense Motive
Identify parts of a creature usable as trophies^UW	15 + CR
Infer from detailed context (identify distinctive tracks)	+5
Infer from partial context (guess a magic item’s command word if you know the creator well)	+10
Infer from one or two clues (guess which published work is the key to a coded message’s cipher)	+15
Perplex	10 + target’s HD + Int modifier or opposed Knowledge
Practical advice	DC to identify
Retry a failed Knowledge or Lore check with 1d4 hours of study in a library on that topic	Failed check’s DC
Teach a topic no broader than a single Lore skill (i.e. one city, the history of one nation, red dragons); checks with the bonus can succeed untrained	15

Appeal to Precedent (arcana, dungeoneering, history, local, nature, nobility, planes, religion, and relevant Lore skills only): You make a request (as the Diplomacy skill) that furthers the target’s motivation.

You must spend at least 1 minute explaining how their motivation supports your request and use a Knowledge skill relevant to that motivation. The check DC is the Diplomacy DC (lowered by 2 or 5 as normal for the motivation), with a modifier for how relevant your request is to the target’s motivation.

Relevance to Motivation	DC Modifier
Request is obligatory or vitally important	–10
Request aligns well with a motivating person or group’s goals or teachings	–5
Request would be appropriate or encouraged	+0
Motivation is only modestly relevant to the request	+5
Request is only tenuously motivated, such as pleasing an ally of a motivating person or group	+10

Assess Proficiency: You can assess proficiency (a universal skill use) for skills that are practical applications of the subject of a Knowledge skill; each Knowledge skill lists attributes it can assess. In addition, assessing a creature’s ability score, saving throw modifier, skill modifier, base attack bonus, caster level, speed, Armor Class, or CMD is a useful bit of information that you can remember with a Knowledge skill check to identify a creature as long as you exceed the Knowledge DC by at least 5; your recollection is only precise if you exceeded the Knowledge DC by at least 10.

Infer: You infer new information if you have a clue about it. The Knowledge check starts with the usual for how obscure or technical the information is (such as 10 + CR for a common creature) with a modifier for how much context you have (see Table: Common Knowledge and Lore Uses). If you fail the check by 5 or more, you make an inaccurate guess. You can retry a failed attempt to infer after 24 hours if you failed by 4 or less. The GM should roll for you in secret.

Perplex: You can ask a trick question, use a red herring argument, or point out the significance of a confusing event to throw creatures off guard. Usually, perplexing takes at least 1 round, although pointing out a confusing event is only a move action. Only creatures your skill is relevant to are affected. A skill can be relevant because it covers that creature, because the creature is trained in it, or because the skill covers one of their motivations or significant concerns.

Roll a single Knowledge check and compare the result to the DC for each opponent within 30 feet. If an opponent has any relevant trained Knowledge skills, they also oppose your check with a Knowledge check. Affected creatures gain the uncertain condition until the current conversation ends or until the creature spends the same amount of time orienting itself as you took to perplex it and succeeds at a Knowledge check or Will save against DC 10 + the number of ranks in that Knowledge skill you possess. The condition increases to shocked if you invoked the creature’s motivation. The DC to perplex a creature increases by 5 for every previous time you have attempted to perplex them with the same skill that day. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent emotion effect.

Practical Advice: As a standard action, you attempt a Knowledge or Lore check to wrack your brain for a useful bit of information about a specific creature, item, or hazard. The DC equals the DC to identify that target. If you succeed, you grant yourself or one other creature that can understand you a +2 insight bonus to their next attack roll, skill check, ability check, or caster level check against the target or to impersonate the target. The bonus is lost if not used within 1 minute. The practical advice is wasted if it is for interacting with a creature who overhears and understands you. This is a language-dependent benefit. Giving practical advice as a secret message using Bluff (or Linguistics) increases the action to a full-round action.

Knowledge (arcana)

Task	DC
Appeal to precedent (dragon custom)	Diplomacy DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for Spellcraft	20 or opposed Bluff, Intimidate, or Spellcraft
Identify effects of a metamagic feat, magic trait, magic talent, or magical class feature	15 + caster level
Identify effects of magic trap	Perception DC
Identify famous or common magic item	15 + caster level

Knowledge (dungeoneering)

Task	DC
Appeal to precedent (aberration tradition)	Diplomacy DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for Climb or Disable Device	20 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate
Any untrained task of the Survival skill underground	5 + Survival DC
Use as the Profession (herbalist) skill underground	Profession DC

Knowledge (engineering) [background]

Task	DC
Aid another’s Craft, Disable Device, or Profession (engineer)	10
Assess proficiency for Craft or Disable Device	20 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate
Identify functioning of a mechanical trap	Perception DC
Recognize function of alchemical or mundane item	As the Craft skill

Knowledge (engineering): Gizmos [SUE]

Special: While Knowledge (engineering) is assumed to be the default skill for mechanical knowledge, in settings where the mechanisms are created through other means, the Knowledge skill may be substituted. Such as using Knowledge (nature) where mechanisms are grown, not engineered.

Task	DC
Determine properties of a gizmo	10 + 1 per gizmo level
Identify a gizmo	10
Identify a gizmo’s effect as it is being used	15 + 1/2 gizmo level
Identify a mechanical hazard	15 + hazard’s CR
Identify a mechanical monster's abilities & weaknesses	10 + monster’s CR

Determine properties of a gizmo
Successfully identifying the properties of a mechanism grants knowledge of its functions, gizmo level, and gizmo DC. A gizmo’s Tinker tradition (if any) can be identified if you exceed the DC by 5 or more.

Retry? No. Like a Knowledge check for monster lore, the check represents what you know when you attempt the check. You can only attempt to determine the properties of an individual gizmo once per day.

Identify a gizmo
Identifying that an object is a gizmo. You must be able to clearly see the gizmo, and this incurs the same penalties as a Perception check due to distance, poor conditions, and other factors. This check can be made simultaneously when determining the properties of a gizmo, gaining additional relevant information based on your success.

Retry? No. Like a Knowledge check for monster lore, the check represents what you know when you attempt the check. You can only attempt to identify a gizmo once per day.

Identify a gizmo’s effect as it is being used
Identifying a gizmo’s effect as it is being used (which means any effect that requires a swift action or more to use including activating the gizmo) requires no action, but you must be able to clearly see the gizmo as it is being used, and this incurs the same penalties as a Perception check due to distance, poor conditions, and other factors.

Note - Identifying Technology belonging to Different Technology Settings, Tinker Traditions: In settings with disparity between technology levels (such as a lower technology world without the (computation) package with a higher technology setting with the (computation) package), subject to GM discretion, the Knowledge DC to identify a gizmo belonging to a package not part of the user’s technology level may be higher (or more) and may not return the exact effects of the gizmo (see Section 1.2 New Skill Uses, Knowledge (engineering) for more details).

In addition, Tinker traditions (see more under [[Tinker Traditions]]) can define accessibility to specific Tinker packages as well as model and design a setting’s technology, which also means what individuals using that technology can know. When attempting to identify technology belonging to a different technology level or tinker tradition, subject to GM discretion, an individual may receive penalties (such as a -5, -10, etc.) or be unable to properly identify a gizmo or technological item because it is different from the technology the creature is familiar with (such as 1950’s scientist trying to identify gizmos in a futuristic alien spaceship, but also futuristic aliens trying to understand how a gas lamp works when their technology operates using high-speed transmission plasma). A creature with exposure and time to learn about a different Tinker tradition or technology level can reduce these penalties or gain bonuses when identifying them as appropriate.

A gizmo’s associated skill (from its Tinker tradition) may be substituted for Knowledge (engineering) when attempting to identify that gizmo and its effects or properties.

Identify a Mechanical Monster or Hazard
This functions the same as identifying a monster or hazard in order to identify a monster or hazard which is mechanical in nature. Mechanical monsters include creatures with the clockwork or robot subtypes (primarily constructs) as well as other reasonable mechanical creatures (subject to GM’s discretion). Likewise, a mechanical hazard includes traps which involve mechanical parts, triggers, or mechanisms as well as environmental hazards, such as the dangers presented by moving through an active factory.

Knowledge (geography) [background]

Task	DC
Aid another’s Profession (fisherman, herbalist, merchant, shepherd, trapper) or Survival check above ground	15
Assess proficiency for Survival	20 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate
Recall famous explorers, travelers, expeditions	15
Identify hazardous terrain	15 + hazard’s CR
Know reliable description of a location (suitable for teleportation or other ability that can function off description alone)	15 + DC to know of location
Know about international incidents	10 to 40

Knowledge (history) [background]

Task	DC
Aid another’s check with any other Knowledge or Lore skill by discussing related or similar historical events	Aided check’s DC
Appeal to precedent (tradition)	Diplomacy DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for a legendary creature’s highest ability score; if best known for combat training, assess base attack bonus; if best known for spellcasting, assess caster level	25 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate with +5 bonus
Identify a legendary creature and recall its most iconic ability	15
Identify a legendary magic item (typically, caster level 11th or higher)	20

Knowledge (local)

Task	DC
Appeal to precedent (bandwagon, an organization, humanoid custom)	Diplomacy DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for Bluff, Diplomacy, or Sense Motive	20 or opposed Bluff
Identify a non-combat mundane feat, trait, class feature, or skill talent	10 + target’s HD
Determine all skill spheres target knows when they use a sphere ability you have not seen them use before	20 + target’s HD
Identify the trade tradition that a creature possesses by witnessing them use a skill sphere ability	10 + target’s challenge rating
Identify a combat feat or combat trait	5 + target’s base attack bonus
Recall a local taboo before blundering afoul of it	10 for grave offenses, 15 for rude actions

Knowledge (nature)

Task	DC
Appeal to precedent (fey or monstrous humanoid custom)	Diplomacy DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for Handle Animal or Survival	20 or opposed Bluff
Gather herbs as Profession (herbalist)^UW	Profession DC
Identify a druid spell, similar magic, or a famous or common magic item with such effects	5 + Knowledge (arcana) DC
Identify a class feature, feat, or talent involving plants, animals, vermin, wilderness, Survival, or movement	10 + target’s HD

Knowledge (nobility) [background]

Task	DC
Appeal to precedent (real or perceived authority over the target or any of their motivations)	Diplomacy DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for Bluff, Diplomacy, or Sense Motive	20 or opposed Bluff
Get a hunch someone lacks an upper class education or does not often interact with nobility	15 or opposed by Knowledge (nobility)

Knowledge (planes)

Task	DC
Aid another’s Survival off the Material Plane	10
Appeal to precedent (outsider law)	Diplomacy DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for caster level of sorcerer with an outsider-derived bloodline or similar magic or any spellcaster using summoning, teleporting, or calling effects	20 or opposed Bluff, Intimidate, or Spellcraft
Identify a spell with the shadow descriptor, conjuration (calling, summoning, or teleportation), a similar effect, or a famous or common magic item with such effects	5 + Knowledge (arcana) DC
Identify effects of a feat, talent, or class feature involving extraplanar creatures, teleportation, or different planes of existence	15 + target’s HD

Knowledge (religion)

Task	DC
Appeal to precedent (faith) Diplomacy	DC + relevance modifier
Assess proficiency for caster level of cleric spells, paladin spells, or similar magic	20 or opposed Bluff, Intimidate, or Spellcraft
Exorcize an incorporeal or possessing creature	Target’s CMD
Identify a cleric or paladin spell, similar magic, or a famous or common magic item with such effects	5 + Knowledge (arcana) DC
Identify a class feature, feat, or talent closely associated with religion or undead	10 + target’s HD
Quell a haunt	15 + the haunt’s CR

Exorcise Creature: You invoke rites and incantations to render a spirit vulnerable to attacks. As a standard action, you may outwit an incorporeal or possessed creature within 30 feet to attempt a Knowledge (religion) check against the creature’s CMD. On a success, any attacks may deal half damage to an incorporeal target when wielding a nonmagical weapon or 3/4 damage to an incorporeal target when wielding a magical weapon. When attacking a possessed creature, a success allows the attacker to deal half damage to the possessed creature and half damage to the possessing creature.

The creature is rendered vulnerable for 3 rounds, plus an additional round for every 10 by which you exceed the DC.

Quell Haunt: You can invoke religious rites to suppress the nearest haunt within 30 feet. As a standard action, you may spend 1 use of skill leverage to attempt a Knowledge (religion) check against DC 15 + the haunt’s CR. Success deals 1 point of positive energy damage for every rank in Knowledge (religion) you possess, plus an additional point of damage for every 5 points by which you exceed the DC.

Lore [background]

Lore was introduced in Pathfinder Unchained. It is a class skill for all classes.

Specialized Use: Due to the thorough understanding that only comes from specialized study or immersion in a subject, the DC for any Lore check clearly in its subject area is 2 lower than it would be for the equivalent Knowledge skill.

Additional Lore Uses: You can use any of the new Knowledge skill uses above (including those for specific Knowledge skills) with a Lore skill if they are relevant to the topic of that Lore skill (with the DC adjustment listed above).

Linguistics [background] (trained only)

Linguistics is invaluable for making yourself understood and preventing others from understanding what you do not want them to know.

Task	DC
Assess proficiency for Diplomacy	20 or opposed Bluff
Decipher a scroll	30 + caster level
Decode encoded message with neither cipher nor key	35 + scribe’s Linguistics modifier
Decode encoded message using either cipher or key	20 + scribe’s Linguistics modifier
Deniably phrase a Bluff or Intimidate check so that the target treats a failed check as a harmless joke or hypothetical (avoiding consequences), original check fails if this fails by 5 or more	Opposed Linguistics or Sense Motive, with +5 bonus per previous attempt; -5 per previous failed attempt
Disguise your accent	Opposed Linguistics or Sense Motive
Find a loophole	Opposes another skill or save DC
Notice hidden message in a page of text you spent at least 1 minute reading	20 + scribe’s Linguistics modifier
Pantomime simple concept in 1 round to a creature that knows a language without sharing one (can be attempted untrained)	20
Pantomime message of up to 25 words in 1 minute to a creature that knows a language without sharing one	25
Read lips if not fluent	15 + half distance in feet beyond 15 feet
Understand a simple spoken or signed message in a language you do not know	25
Understand a complex spoken or signed message in a language you do not know	30
Understand signed or spoken words in a language you know at a distance or in unfavorable conditions	Perception DC
In place of Bluff to pass secret messages at –5 penalty	Opposed Sense Motive
In place of Sense Motive to notice secret messages at –5 penalty	Opposes Bluff
In place of Sense Motive to notice an accent is fake	Opposes Disguise
In place of Disguise to change your accent	Opposed Sense Motive

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Attempt a check in half the time, or one step faster: standard, move, swift	–5

Decode Encoded Message: You can use Linguistics to decipher a message that is encrypted. Generally, an encrypted message has a cipher and a key. Having both allows you to automatically read the message in 1 minute per page. If unaware of at least one of the cipher or the key, you must succeed at a Linguistics check and spend at least 1 hour working to decipher it. The DC is 20 + the Linguistics modifier of the scribe if you know either the cipher or the key. If you know neither, the DC increases by 15. If you know neither the cipher nor the key but fail at your Linguistics check by 4 or less, you learn the cipher.

Often, a key is a published text (Knowledge to infer at +15 DC). Creating a cipher takes 1 hour, and encoding takes 1 minute per page.

Find a Loophole: As a standard action, you point out flaws in a language-dependent spell or effect either placed by a skill check or that allowed a saving throw. You must have understood the words of the effect. The check DC equals the effect’s save DC or opposes the skill check result that caused it. Successfully opposing a skill check ends the effect.

If you succeed and the effect allowed a saving throw, you and each target who can understand your words within 30 feet can attempt a new save immediately. Success on this saving throw grants the usual effect of a success for that effect while failure does nothing. You cannot use Linguistics to find a loophole in that effect for that creature again for 24 hours. This is a language-dependent effect. At the GM’s discretion, the wording of a particular spell or ability might be especially difficult to talk around, increasing the DC by 5.

A character trained in Linguistics can attempt to set a higher DC for finding a loophole in the effect by attempting their own Linguistics check when casting the spell or using the ability; use the Linguistics result instead of the usual DC (this can make the DC lower if they are unskilled or unlucky).

Read Lips: To understand what someone is saying by reading lips without being fluent in reading lips, you must be able to see their mouth and understand the speaker’s language. The base DC is 15, but it increases for complex speech or an inarticulate speaker and penalties similar to the Perception skill apply for bad conditions. The DC increases by half the distance to the speaking creature if they are farther than 15 feet.

You must maintain a line of sight to the lips being read, which means the creature cannot look away from you or successfully hide from you. (Thus, it is often impossible to read the lips of a creature you have positional concealment from.) A speaker attempting to obscure their lips without hiding or looking away can oppose your Linguistics check with their Sleight of Hand check (with modifiers to the DC for range and conditions added to their Sleight of Hand check).

If your Linguistics check succeeds, you can understand the general content of a minute’s worth of speaking, but you usually still miss some details.

If the check fails by 4 or less, you cannot read the speaker’s lips. If the check fails by 5 or more, you draw some incorrect conclusion about the speech. The check is rolled secretly in this case, so that you do not know whether you succeeded or missed by 5. If you are fluent in reading lips, you do not generally need a check while within 15 feet.

Learning Sign Language and Lip Reading: You can also learn to read lips fluently or use a sign language like learning a spoken and written language. Fluency removes the need for a Linguistics check within a comfortable distance (typically 15 feet to read lips or 60 feet to sign), although you might need a Perception or Linguistics check to make out lip movements or gestures at a greater distance with DC equal to half the distance in feet beyond a comfortable distance. A signed version of a language that is also spoken does not cost an additional language or rank in Linguistics if you also learn the other versions of the language, but you only learn all the versions of a language at once if trained for them. If you were not, you can learn a version you missed previously any time you gain a level or by retraining with the same cost as if you were changing 1 skill rank.

Linguistics: Virtual Forgeries [SUE]

Table: Virtual Forgery Timetable

Condition	Modifier	Time
Forging images	-2	10 minutes per image
Forging audio	-4	10 minutes per 1 minute of audio
Forging video or other	-4	1 hour per 1 minute of footage
Forging memories	-8	10 hours per 1 minute of memory

Create or Detect Virtual Forgeries
As an extension of creating or detecting a forgery, virtual forgeries can be created and detected using the Linguistics skill. Virtual forgeries are generally images, audio, video, or other technologically-supported media. Most virtual forgeries are created by using specialized tools (generally found in an engineering kit). Modifiers that would allow a creature to forge or inspect documents faster apply to checks to create or inspect virtual forgeries.

A character without the Tinker sphere, Technologist feat, a sphere which grants ranks in a Craft skill, or other similar ability (subject to GM discretion) takes a -5 penalty to their check to create or detect a virtual forgery.

Creating Virtual Forgeries: Creating a virtual forgery is treated as though creating a text-based forgery, taking a penalty to the check based on the type of media. Creating a virtual forgery benefits from your familiarity with the material and how specific the material is to an individual (i.e. an image of a tree versus a specific tree from an individual’s childhood).

Inspecting Virtual Forgeries: Virtual forgeries may be inspected and scrutinized without the need for a tool, although using an appropriate tool allows a character to scrutinize a virtual forgery 1 step faster (1 hour > 10 minutes > 1 minute > 1 round). The examiner gains modifiers on their check to inspect a virtual forgery as though inspecting a handwritten document.

Memories (such as those created when using the Tinker sphere Cognition Set brain jack) cannot be forged or falsified without the Tinker sphere Multimedia Mastery advanced editing software ability or other equivalent effect.

Note - About Virtual Forgeries: Many routines can store data of varying complexity, from simple images (such as those created by a camera gizmo from the Tinker sphere Sensory Set talent) to memories themselves (such as the Tinker sphere Cognition Set brain jack gizmo). Creating a virtual forgery is not something that can be done to a creature and is generally limited to data stored on a routine or other technology capable of storing information.

The difficulty and time required to create a virtual forgery depends on the type of information being changed, with images being the easiest to change and memories being the hardest.

Subject to the GM's discretion, a willing or unconscious technological creature could have virtual forgeries implanted in their storage (such as a complicated robot's memory banks, a golem’s programming, etc.).

Regardless of the contents of a forged memory, a forged memory cannot grant new abilities nor can it remove abilities known by a creature (unless otherwise noted); however, a creature may be made to forget it has a certain ability.

Perception

Perception is usually reactive, but can also be used actively.

Active Perception^UI: Searching with Perception is at least a move action to inspect a relatively open 10-foot square space, but is slower for cluttered areas.

Against Positional Concealment: As described in the new mechanic, creatures have positional concealment from you when they are in plain sight but you have not glanced in their direction this round. You typically glance around in every round of combat, but might miss reasonably improbable approaches such as directly above you. When conditions impair your alertness, you only glance around when you use Perception as an action.

Opponent uses Sleight of Hand and Stealth: If you succeed against an opponent’s Sleight of Hand check while they are hidden with Stealth, they break Stealth against you.

Perception with Smell and Other Indeterminate Senses: Indeterminate senses (like a human’s sense of smell) usually alert you only to the presence or absence of something. Of course, other senses can help. For example, if a smell is only detectable when a creature approaches, the creature is likely the source. Size modifiers apply to the DC of Perception checks using indeterminate senses just as any other sense. (A smaller source of a smell produces less of the smell.) The DC to use an indeterminate sense to detect an individual creature or object rises faster with distance than for precise or imprecise senses, increasing by +2 per 5 feet of distance. The DC decreases by 5 if you place a potential source right up to your face.

For more about indeterminate senses and senses with greater precision see the base rules for Spheres of Guile. If you gain the scent ability, you instead use scent as an imprecise sense, which is about as precisely as humans use hearing (with the limitations listed in the scent ability, rather than this skill use). Wind: Note that wind can make it impossible to detect odors with an indeterminate sense of smell. Up to moderate winds (11+ miles per hour) shift the apparent source of a smell, but faster winds render smell useless for all but the largest or strongest sources of an odor.

Gauge Distance: By noting when the sensation gets weaker or stronger, you can guess whether you are moving closer to or farther from the source. You can attempt a Perception check to smell as part of using an action that moves you to a different location. If you succeed, you learn only whether you have moved at least 10 feet closer to the source, at least 10 feet farther from the source, or remained the same approximate distance from the source. Search with Indeterminate Sense: When you attempt an active Perception check as a move action, you compare your Perception result to the lowest DC for creatures you are attempting to sense.

If your active Perception check succeeds using smell or another indeterminate sense and the source is within 5 feet, you pinpoint the source. Note the DC to smell a creature might be much lower than the DC to use another sense if it is skilled at Stealth, since Stealth rarely alters the DC to smell something.

Detail	Perception DC
Smell a troglodyte or other creature with a stench aura	–20
Smell a strong perfume, acid, or decaying zombie	–10
Hear verbal components for a spell	0
Smell an open spell components pouch or burned hair	0
Smell an open potion or pungent food or drink	5
Smell invisible smoke or burned flesh	5
Smell a wet canine or fresh zombie	5
Smell a closed spell components pouch	10
Smell new leather or paper	15
See or hear an unconscious creature breathing	15
Smell rot on a well-preserved undead	20
Smell most common metals or cloth	25
Identify a potion by smell	20 + caster level
Smell food or drink on someone’s breath	+5
Per 5 feet away from a smell (without scent ability)	+2

Task	Perception DC
Aid another’s Disguise; roll only when they do	Aided Disguise check result
As you point out an illusion, grant a +2 insight bonus as a standard action beyond the usual +4 bonus	Illusion’s save DC
Assess proficiency for Dexterity and Reflex saves	20 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate
Reconstruct event, but any kind of event (trained only)	As the Survival skill
Spot a clue, such as a piece matching a hole you previously saw or an inconsistency in sensory information	+5

Perform [background]

All Perform skill uses are sensory effects, and might be auditory, visual, or both depending on the manner of performance. The distance at which a performance is clearly audible (Perception DC 0) is usually about 8 times as far as its effective range.

Task	DC
Accompany (trained only; keyboard, percussion, string, and wind only)	5 to 15; see individual skil
Assess proficiency for any Perform skill and caster level for bard spells or similar magic (trained only)	20 or opposed Bluff, Intimidate, or Spellcraft
Entertain	10 + target’s HD + Wis modifier
-Dispirit	15 + target’s HD + Wis modifier
-Encourage	15 + target’s HD + Wis modifier
-Improve focus (trained only; keyboard, percussion, sing, string, and wind only)	Task DC
-Relax	10 + target’s HD + Wis modifier
-Spook	10 + target’s HD + Wis modifier
Gather crowd	DC 15
Impressive display of skill	20 + observer’s HD
Project voice (trained only; act, oratory, and sing only)	5

Accompany (trained only; keyboard, percussion, string, and wind only): You play an instrument to help yourself or someone else pull off an eligible check you choose from the list for the Perform skill you use. Your target gets a +2 morale bonus on the check. Playing is a move action each round for as long as the accompanied task takes. The DC depends on the Perform skill.

Gather crowd (trained only): You can spend 1 minute performing within a settlement or populated area to draw the attention of a crowd. If the check is successful, a crowd gathers over the next 1d10 rounds; the size of the crowd depends on the local population or the performance, but typically gathers a crowd containing a number of 5-foot squares of people equal to 1d3 × your check result–the GM may incur a penalty or bonus to the attempt depending on the size of the settlement.

The crowd lasts for as long as you engage with the crowd, to a maximum of 1 hour. If a crowd perceives something obviously dangerous, the crowd immediately disperses.

Entertain: As a standard action, you use any Perform skill to make creatures pay attention to you (and not others). Attempt a Perform check and compare the result to the DC for each creature that perceives your performance. The range depends on the Perform skill you use and circumstance. The DC is 10 + target’s Hit Dice + target’s Wisdom modifier. Each creature you succeed against is distracted (new rule) by you until you stop entertaining each round (a standard action) or until the creature starts its turn aware of a potential threat. Attempt a new check for each change of circumstance, such as a new distraction or switching to a different topic. They cannot be distracted by your use of that skill again for 24 hours.

You can choose one other effect to add to your entertainment from among those available for the skill you used. This additional effect does not require the creature to be distracted by your performance but does require your Perform result to exceed the DC for the chosen effect (which might be the same or higher than the DC to entertain them). These are mind-affecting emotion effects unless noted otherwise. Certain Perform skills can be used like another skill while entertaining; when you do so, you must entertain for at least as long as the original skill task normally requires and you apply your single Perform check result to the DC for each audience member. The DC is never lower than the DC to entertain the target.

Dispirit: You make the audience feel morose. Your allies who are already familiar with your performance are not affected. Each affected creature takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks other than Sense Motive while you entertain. If you exceed the DC by 5 while using a language-dependent performance, the duration lasts for as long afterward as you performed (maximum 4 hours in a day).

Encourage: You raise the audience’s spirits. Choose attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks other than Sense Motive. Each creature not opposed to you gets a +1 morale bonus on the chosen d20 rolls while you entertain. If you exceed the DC by 5 while using a language-dependent performance, the duration lasts for as long afterward as you performed (maximum 4 hours in a day).

Improve Focus (trained only; keyboard, percussion, sing, string, and wind only): Allies you entertain focus better on skill checks. Combat and other stressful situations do not prevent them from taking 10 on as long as the check’s DC is lower than your Perform result. For an opposed skill check, use DC 10 + the ally’s skill modifier. This is a mind-affecting emotion effect.

Relax: The audience is amused or soothed. Your Perform check opposes any Perform skill check targeting the creature. The creature also gets a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against emotion effects with save DC lower than your check result. If the creature is fatigued, it falls asleep naturally after 5d4 minutes of relaxing performance; if exhausted, it falls asleep after 1d4 minutes.

Spook: You put on a creepy show. Each affected creature gets a +1 circumstance bonus to initiative checks and a –2 penalty to saving throws against fear effects for as long as you entertain and for 5 rounds after per round you performed (maximum 10 hours). This is a fear effect. If already spooked, they instead become shaken, but other fear conditions do not worsen

Project Voice (trained only; act, oratory, and sing only): You project your voice farther as a swift action when you use any verbal skill task with a range (such as demoralize with Intimidate). Attempt a Perform (act, oratory, or sing) check and increase the range by 5 feet per 5 points of your result.

Perform (act)

Perform (act) is both auditory and visual; a creature need only perceive it with one sense. Its typical range is 120 feet.

Task	DC
Disguise voice	As the Disguise skill
Disguise mannerisms	As the Disguise skil
Entertain (influence attitude toward another as the Diplomacy skill)	5 + Diplomacy DC
Lie (as the Bluff skill) about an identity you studied for 8 hours	Opposed by Sense Motive
Mislead skill check (as the Bluff skill)	Opposes Sense Motive
Pantomime simple concept (as Linguistics skill)	20
Pantomime complex message (as Linguistics skill)	25
Project voice (trained only)	5
Teach or aid another’s Bluff	15

Perform (comedy)

Perform (comedy) is either auditory or visual, chosen when you perform. Its typical range is 60 feet.

Task	DC
Entertain with a relaxing show for 1 hour to grant audience a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against all diseases for 1 day	Disease’s save DC
Entertain (influence attitude toward another as the Diplomacy skill)	5 + Diplomacy DC
Mislead skill check (as the Bluff skill)	Opposes Sense Motive

Perform (dance)

Perform (dance) is visual. Its typical range is 120 feet.

Task	DC
Aid another’s Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, or Swim as part of moving within 5 feet (trained only)	20
Move past an enemy or through their space (as the Acrobatics skill) (trained only)	5 + Acrobatics DC

Perform (keyboard)

Perform (keyboard) is auditory. An accordion’s range is 250 feet.

Task	DC
Accompany concentration, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Perform (trained only)	10
Improve focus (trained only)	Task DC

Perform (oratory)

Perform (oratory) is auditory using speech or visual using sign language. Its range is 120 feet.

Task	DC
Entertain (influence attitude or make a request as the Diplomacy skill)	5 + Diplomacy DC
Entertain (lie or claim implausible truth as the Bluff skill)	5 + Bluff DC
Project voice (trained only)	5
Teach one use of any skill you are trained in at a –5 penalty	15

Perform (percussion)

Perform (percussion) is auditory. The instrument determines range; a one-handed instrument like a tambourine is clear at 250 feet, a hand drum at 500 feet, and a snare drum at 1,000 feet.

Task	DC
Accompany concentration, Intimidate, or Perform (trained only)	5
Improve focus (trained only)	Task DC
Entertain (play for 1 minute to demoralize opponents while you play)	As the Intimidate skill
Overwhelm tremorsense of creatures within 10 feet touching the same surface as a standard action, disabling sense for 1 round	20 + HD + Con modifier

Perform (sing)

Perform (sing) is auditory. Its range is 120 feet.

Task	DC
Deal 1d6 sonic damage to a Tiny fragile object within 30 feet as a full-round action (trained only), mundane target	25
…magic item target	30 + caster level
Improve focus (trained only)	Task DC
Project voice (trained only)	5

Perform (string)

Perform (string) is auditory. The instrument determines typical range; adventurers often use lutes, with range 120 feet.

Task	DC
Accompany Bluff, concentration, Diplomacy, or Perform (trained only)	10
Improve focus (trained only)	Task DC

Perform (wind)

Perform (wind) is auditory. Adventurers tend to use the trumpet because it is easy to play one-handed. The instrument determines range, but most are 1,000 feet.

Task	DC
Accompany any concentration, any Perform, your Handle Animal, or another’s Diplomacy (trained only)	15
Deafen a creature within 10 feet until the start of your next turn as a standard action	20 + target’s HD + Con modifier
Distract a particular species that is an animal, a vermin, or a magical beast with Intelligence 2 or less that you have heard; if any distracted creature cannot see you or any threats, it moves in your direction	10 + target’s HD + Wis modifier
Improve focus (trained only)	Task DC

Profession [background] (trained only)

We recommend the expanded version of the Profession skills from Pathfinder Unchained.

Task	DC
Appraise the skill’s tools and services	As the Appraise skill
Avoid relevant hazards (driver, farmer, fisherman, gardener, herbalist, pilot, miner, sailor, shepherd, and woodcutter only)	As the Survival skill
Earn income from working a single day^PU	Amount earned in sp
Find a client, hireling, market, partner, or consultant by gathering information	As the Diplomacy skill
Recall practical information	Knowledge DC
Create a commissioned work	As the Artistry skill

Avoid Hazards (driver, farmer, fisherman, gardener, herbalist, pilot, miner, sailor, shepherd, and woodcutter only): You can use a Profession skill as Survival to avoid hazards that it can be used to recall practical information about.

Recall Practical Information: Profession skills can be used to recall practical information using the relevant Knowledge DC. Local taxes and customs around the job and its suppliers or clients are relevant to all professions. When you use a Profession skill to recognize a hazard, trap, or creature, you cannot recall detailed tactical information. You just recall general information and the primary threat it poses to the job.

Other Uses: Each common Profession skill has additional uses listed below. (Each also has expanded uses in the Background Skills section of Pathfinder Unchained.)

Table: Uses for Common Profession Skills

Profession	Skill Task
Adventurer	Recall famous adventurers and organized outlaws, adventuring guilds, typical pay for adventuring jobs, and laws regarding use of force and abandoned property
	DC 15 to obtain a letter of marque, privateer license, deputization, or similar way to authorize adventuring activities for the public good
Architect	Actively search for secret doors (as the Perception skill)
	Discern statistics of a structure^PU
	Teach Craft (carpentry, stonemasonry, or traps) in structures
Baker	Bake a single alchemical remedy, potion, elixir, or tincture into bread as part of brewing it; you can create two different items at once using the longer crafting time if each is baked into a separate bread (DC 5 + higher of the two items’ Craft or Spellcraft DCs)
	DC 10 to prepare trail rations^PU
Barrister	Appeal to precedent (as the Knowledge skill) of legal authority over the target or their motivation
	Remember and apply laws
Blacksmith	As Survival to protect from hot environments
Brewer	Identify and brew (as the Craft, Perception, or Spellcraft skills) potions, elixirs, alchemical remedy drinks, tinctures, and similar beverages
	DC 25 to notice poison in a drink^PU
Butcher	As you deliver a coup de grace, increase the save DC by 2 (DC 20 + HD)
	Aid another’s Survival check to get along in the wild (DC 5)
	Identify creature a body part came from (DC 5 + Knowledge DC)
Clerk	Identify officials and how to navigate bureaucracy
	Request (as the Diplomacy skill) from officials
	Use as the Linguistics skill for official documents
Cook	Craft two different alchemical items or tinctures at once using the longer of their crafting times (DC 5 + higher Craft DC)
	Aid another’s Survival check to get along in the wild (DC 5)
	DC 25 to notice poison in food^PU
Courtesan	Get a hunch or sense emotions (as the Sense Motive skill)
	DC 15 to assess a social hierarchy^PU
	Recall social norms
Driver	Aid another’s Acrobatics check to pull your vehicle (use aided check’s DC)
	Assess proficiency for land speed
	Identify land vehicles, routes and their hazards, racing, driven or ridden creatures
	DC 5 to control a land vehicle outside combat^UC or to continue driving after taking damage^PU
	DC 20 to control a land vehicle in combat^UC
	Smooth the motion of vehicle you drive to prevent concentration checks for spellcasters (DC 30 for vigorous motion or 40 for violent motion)
	Take cover (as the Ride skill) in a land vehicle^PU
Dungeoneer	Appraise and recall information about historical art objects
	Assess proficiency for burrow speed
	Gather information (as the Diplomacy skill) about buyers and sellers of items and bodies stolen from tombs without drawing attention
	Identify dungeon hazards and traps
	Recall laws about abandoned property and graverobbing
Engineer	Teach Disable Device or Craft (carpentry, locks, ships, stonemasonry, or traps)
	DC 20 as you attack a device or structure to ignore 3 points of hardness
	Identify vehicles, devices, and mechanical traps
Farmer	Identify domesticated animals, their predators, non-creature plants, weather, landowners
	Blaze a trail or predict weather (as the Survival skill)
Fisherman	Assess proficiency for swim speed
	DC 15 to feed 1 creature plus another per 2 over the DC per day^PU
	Recall dock culture, fished creatures, water hazards
Gambler	Mislead an opponent’s skill check (as the Bluff skill)
	Sense an opponent’s goal (as the Sense Motive skill)
Gardener	Use as the Heal skill for plant creatures
	Aid another’s Survival check to get along in the wild (DC 5)
	Identify non-creature plants^PU and weather
Herbalist	Gather alchemical supplies, healer’s kit uses, or magical components worth income from plants
	Gather 1 yield of herbs if while traveling for 8 hours, or 2 yields if spending 8 hours in one area^UW
	Identify plant hazards, plant creatures, and weather
	Prepare herbs as the Craft (alchemy) skill (DC 5 + preparation DC)^UW
	DC 10 to sate hunger or thirst^PU
	Treat poison (as the Heal skill)
Innkeeper	Remove evidence (as the Survival skill) on artificial or hard surfaces
	DC 15 to halve average or lower cost of living^PU
	Identify taverns, famous destinations, popular entertainment
Librarian	Teach research or studying using Linguistics or Knowledge
	DC 5 to use texts to aid another’s Knowledge or Lore^PU
Merchant	As the Appraise skill to evaluate items that are not unique (DC 5 + Appraise DC)
	As the Diplomacy skill with your current or prospective customers or suppliers of goods
	Recall trade routes, settlements, authority figures with economic power
	Understand item as the Craft skill (Pathfinder Unchained)
Midwife	Recall medicine, birth rites, baby needs, death rites
	Provide first aid (as the Heal skill)
Miller	As the Perception skill for touch, dust, and any fine particles
Miner	Find alchemical supplies or magical components worth income by mining
	DC 15 to identify a precious metal or precious gem^PU
	DC 20 to ignore half hardness when attacking a stone or metal object^PU
	Identify hazards and creatures that threaten mines
Monster slayer	Identify shapechangers and non-humanoids that commonly attack peoples you are familiar with (including strategy and offensive abilities used)
	Harvest alchemical supplies or magical components worth income from slain monsters
Pilot	Aid another’s Fly check pulling your vehicle (use aided check’s DC)
	Assess proficiency for Fly and fly speed
	Identify air vehicles, routes and their hazards, driven creatures, weather
	DC 5 to control an air vehicle outside combat^UC or to continue flying after taking damage
	DC 20 to control an air vehicle in combat^UC
	Smooth the motion of vehicle you pilot to prevent concentration checks for spellcasters (DC 30 for vigorous motion or 40 for violent motion)
Porter	Recall merchants, suppliers, expeditions
	DC 15 to increase carrying capacity as if Strength were 2 higher^PU
	DC 20 to move full speed through crowds or non-hostile creatures’ spaces
Sailor	Assess proficiency for swim speed
	DC 20 to control a water vehicle in combat^UC
	DC 5 to control a water vehicle outside combat^UC or to continue sailing after taking damage
	Identify water vehicles, routes and their hazards, ports, and weather
	Smooth the motion of vehicle you sail to prevent concentration checks for spellcasters (DC 30 for vigorous motion or 40 for violent motion)
	Take cover (as the Ride skill) in a water vehicle^PU
Scribe	Create a forgery (as the Linguistics skill)
	Identify nobles, officials, and translators
Shepherd	Assess proficiency for land speed
	As Handle Animal for herd animals and dogs
	Identify herd animals and dogs, their predators, plains and hills hazards
Siege engineer	Identify all tactical details of constructs, siege engines, fortifications, vehicles
Soldier	Identify all tactical details of soldiers, mercenaries, and their organizations
	Assess proficiency for Armor Class, base attack bonus, and Strength
	Give tactical advice (as the Sense Motive skill)
Stable Master	Assess proficiency for Strength, Handle Animal, Ride, and land speed
	Teach Ride and Handle Animal with mounts
	DC 10 to keep horses fed in the wild^PU
	DC 15 to halve time spent removing or fitting barding^PU Identify mounts (including exotic ones, but not ones unknown as mounts)
Tanner	Aid another’s Craft (alchemy) (DC 10) or Craft (leather) (DC 5)
	Appraise leather items (as the Appraise skill)
	Identify creature that skin or leather came from (DC 5 + Knowledge DC)
Trapper	DC 5 to aid another’s Escape Artist check against a trap^PU
	Harvest skins (for armor, clothing, leather, taxidermy) worth income
	Identify traps in wilderness and commonly trapped creatures
	Teach Craft (traps) or Disable Device on outdoor traps
Woodcutter	Identify trees, forest and river hazards and monsters
	DC 10 to forage a club or quarterstaff in 10 minutes
	DC 20 to ignore half hardness when attacking wooden object^PU
	Gather wood (for carpentry, weapons, etc.) worth income

Ride

You can perform incredible feats of equestrian daring with enough training in the Ride skill.

Task	Ride DC
Aid another’s next Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, or Swim check if it is your mount	Aided check’s DC
Assess proficiency for Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Swim, CMD, Strength, Dexterity, Reflex, and any speeds if it is your mount	Task’s standard DC + mount’s CMB + Climb modifiers
Climb a larger creature (as the Climb skill) (trained only)	Climb DC
Stand on mount as a move action; can drop back into a seated position as a swift action	20 while moving less than double speed, 25 while moving faster
Take cover under mount, rather than beside, to get cover against attacks from above	20
Melee full attack before or after mount moves up to its speed (–4 to the attack rolls if more than half its speed) (trained only)	30
Take cover, soft fall, fast mount, or fast dismount with an unwilling mount (trained only)	+ Mount’s CMB + Climb modifiers

Sense Motive

You can use Sense Motive to get important clues to other creatures’ motivations when you sense their goals and notice their emotional reactions to various creatures and events.

Task	Sense Motive DC
Assess a social hierarchy	15
Assess proficiency for Perception, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Will save (trained only)	30 unless subject to overt mind-affecting effect
Avoid surprise by opponent pretending not to be hostile^UI	Opposed by Bluff
Notice accent or mannerisms are faked	Disguise result
Sense emotion	10 or opposed by Bluff; add circumstance modifier
Sense goal creature is directly pursuing	10 or opposed by Bluff
Sense goal creature is indirectly pursuing that would apparently further a motivation you know	20 or opposed by Bluff with a +10 bonus
Sense goal creature is indirectly pursuing without you knowing an apparently relevant motivation (trained only)	30 or opposed by Bluff with a +20 bonus

Task	Sense Motive DC
Assess tactics of visible foe within 30 feet as a standard action to give yourself or one ally a +2 insight bonus to AC or attack against them until used or your next turn ends (trained only)	15 + enemy’s base attack bonus
Understand simple pantomimed message	25 – pantomiming creature’s Linguistics modifier
Understand complex pantomimed message	30 – pantomiming creature’s Linguistics modifier

Assess Proficiency: In addition to assessing someone else’s Sense Motive modifier and Perception modifier, you can assess someone’s Will saving throw modifier, but assessing Will saves is more difficult. The Sense Motive DC for Will saves increases to 30 unless the creature was subject to a mind-affecting effect with an obvious effect on them.

Sense Emotion: You read the emotional cues of a creature you can see or hear. This is often automatic, but you can attempt to learn more or try again with 1 minute of interaction or attentive observation. A creature trying to hide their emotions attempts a Bluff check modified by the circumstance which opposes your Sense Motive check. The base Sense Motive DC is 10, modified for the circumstance. On a success, you deduce the most apparent emotion. If you exceed the DC of multiple emotions by at least 5, you learn the next most apparent emotion. If you fail by 5 or more, you conclude something false about the target’s emotional state.

Circumstance	DC (or opposed Bluff) Modifier
Intense emotion (including most emotion effects)	–8
Strong emotion (often caused by helpful or hostile attitudes)	–4
Faint emotion (often caused by friendly, indifferent, or unfriendly attitudes)	+4
Repressed emotion	+4
Deeply buried emotion	+8
Target was surprised by the emotion or the emotion’s cause	–4
Target is a different creature type	+4

Sense Goal: You attempt to sense which goal, if any, is driving a creature’s actions. 1 round is only enough to sense immediate goals, like tactical priorities in a combat. For other goals, you need at least 1 minute or as long as it takes the target to make a choice informed by that goal. This goal might be as basic as avoiding a topic of conversation or as complex as indirectly acting to satisfy a long-reaching major motivation.

The DC depends on how directly the creature pursues its goal and whether you already know the motivation, as listed on the table.

If an action is caused by a mind-affecting effect, you learn the effect’s directive. If the creature has an immediate goal supporting a long-term goal, you might learn the immediate goal without learning the long-term goal due to the difference in DC.

Understand Pantomimed Message: You can sense the approximate meaning of a pantomimed message with a successful Sense Motive check. This takes an action at least as long as the pantomiming creature took. The DC is reduced by the Linguistics modifier of the pantomiming creature, but starts at 25 for simple messages or 30 for complex messages. If your result exceeds the DC by at least 10, you understand the exact intended meaning.

Sleight of Hand [background] (trained only)

Sleight of Hand can be used to take or place a wide variety of items.

Variant: Scaling Lift Item: We recommend adjusting the DC when a character lifts an item from a character who is not senseless. In this variant, the DC is equal to the target’s touch AC + the target’s base attack bonus. Whether you are noticed in the attempt is still resolved with a separate opposed Perception check. However, if the Perception check exceeds your Sleight of Hand check by at least 5, they spot you in time to foil your attempt.

Modifiers: The following modifiers apply to all relevant uses of Sleight of Hand.

Combat Sleight: You can use Sleight of Hand to take or plant items in combat if the target is helpless or is not observing you (such as when a creature is blinded) and is not alert.

Combined with Stealth: If you use Sleight of Hand while hidden with Stealth, you only break Stealth against creatures who notice your Sleight of Hand attempt.

Hide a smaller creature on your person: You can hide a willing creature (most often a familiar or animal companion) on your person much like an item (its size might give you a penalty; see table). The creature is revealed in any manner that would break Stealth (although if they can then avoid notice by succeeding at their own Stealth check).

Task	Sleight of Hand DC
Catch a falling creature or object in a free hand as an immediate action (not a ranged attack or similarly fast)	20 or effect DC or combat maneuver check that made it fall
Impressive display of skill	20 + observer’s HD
Lift item	Touch AC + base attack bonus; opposed Perception to notice attempt
Plant item on a creature in a manner similar to lifting it	Touch AC + base attack bonus; opposed Perception to notice attempt
Subtle action	20; also opposed by Perception
Use or disable an item worn or carried by a creature without taking it if normally a move action or less	+5 (also applies to opposed Perception to notice)

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Target is larger than palm-sized (larger than Diminutive for a Medium creature; never larger than your body size)	–4 per size category larger
Target is in a pocket or container normally accessible as a move action	–5
Loosely worn item can be removed as a standard action or faster	–10
Loosely worn or fastened item takes longer to remove (take the normal time and attempt only one Sleight of Hand check)	–15
Avoid a subtle action taking longer than usual	–10

Subtle Action: You can use Sleight of Hand to make others overlook an action that would normally be conspicuous. You can subtly draw or stow an item, provide tangible spell components (somatic, focus, or material), make a gesture to Handle Animal, or use a skill such as Disable Device. The action takes twice as long as usual, to a minimum of a standard action if it is normally a move action or less. Failing the DC 20 Sleight of Hand check leaves the action obvious. Observers that succeed at an opposed Perception check notice your action anyway. If your action has an obvious effect (as many but not all spells do), the effect is not hidden by your skill check. Taking an action subtly does not prevent you from provoking attacks of opportunity or causing spell manifestations. You can accept a –10 penalty to your Sleight of Hand check to avoid making a subtle action slower.

Spellcraft (trained only)

Spellcraft has the following additional uses.

Task	Spellcraft DC
Aid another’s Disable Device with magical traps	15
Aid another’s Use Magic Device	Use Magic Device DC
Estimate magic aura’s age as few or many of its largest unit (such as many minutes or a few weeks)	15 + caster level
Assess proficiency for caster level	20 or opposed Bluff, Intimidate, or Spellcraft
Salvage magic item materials or spell components (either gem dust or items incorporated in the item’s creation) by destroying a magic item^UW	10 + caster level
Salvage a potion to brew a lower-level potion^UW	15 + (3 × the original potion’s spell level)
Understand magical technique	15 + caster level or opposed Spellcraft check
Whisper verbal components, increasing spell failure chance by 20% (even on a failure) and preventing anyone you succeed against from hearing you (hiding your location if you are out of sight)	10 + opposed Perception to hear

Circumstance	Check Modifier
You have observed activation of a magic item you are identifying	+4

Understand Magical Technique: When you observe a spellcaster cast a spell, you can attempt a Spellcraft check to understand the technique of the spell in addition to simply identifying which spell it is. The Spellcraft check DC is 15 + caster level or is opposed by the target’s Spellcraft check if they attempted to disguise their magical signature. On a success, you identify the spell’s tradition (arcane, divine, psychic, or something more specialized) including any rules on how that character or class casts magic, which ability score is used for spellcasting, and any other relevant information such as a metamagic feat applied to the spell, a specific spellcasting class’s special rules, and whether the effect is a true spell or a spell-like ability. You also learn the caster’s unique magical signature, or recognize it if you have learned it before. If you recognize it from another spell or magic item aura, you can be reasonably confident the same individual is responsible for both unless the caster intentionally attempted to mimic someone else’s magical signature that they are familiar with and succeeded at a Spellcraft check to falsify their magical signature. The spell greater detect magic (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue) allows you to recognize a magical signature without a check.

Stealth

You can take a wide manner of actions quietly and using the Stealth skill.

Circumstance	Stealth Modifier
Gently operate a mechanism (pick a lock, open a door)	–10
Hide a creature or object	–5; use target’s size and appearance
Hidden maneuver (trained only): dirty trick, disarm (item grabbed), or steal	–5
…drag, grapple¹, or overrun	–10
…bull rush, disarm (item dropped), reposition, sunder, or trip	–20
Stifle a noisy action (force a stuck door, weapon attack)	–20
Creature you hide behind is one size category larger	–4
…is your size category	–8
…is neither willing nor helpless	–8
Hiding in positional concealment	–5*
Move at less than full speed but more than half speed	–5
Move at full speed	–10
Skulk in the open	–20*

¹ If you succeed against the target’s CMD, you can quietly abduct it.
^*Does not stack with the penalty for moving faster than half speed.

Modifiers: The following modifiers apply to all uses of Stealth.

Combined with Sleight of Hand: If you use Sleight of Hand while hidden with Stealth, you only break Stealth against creatures who notice your Sleight of Hand attempt.
Hide behind a Creature: You can hide in cover provided by a creature if the creature is helpless, willing, or larger than you. You take a penalty to your check (see table) unless the creature you hide behind is at least two sizes larger than you and willing or helpless. For example, a Tiny familiar hiding in the bag of a Medium creature takes no penalty.
Hide in Positional Concealment: You have positional concealment from creatures that are not looking at you, even if they could observe you by glancing the right way (as long as they do not). This counts as having concealment when initiating Stealth, but you take a –5 penalty to your check. This penalty does not stack with that for moving quickly.
Hide Creature or Object: As a standard action, you can guide an object you carry or a willing creature you touch into a hiding position within reach. You take a –5 penalty and use modifiers for the target’s size, armor check penalty, and appearance rather than your own. Your Stealth result applies until it leaves that space or breaks Stealth. Hiding a larger object typically takes 4 times as long per size category the object is larger than you.
Hidden Maneuver (trained only): If you succeed at a Stealth check to hide after you attempt a combat maneuver while hidden, you also remain hidden during your maneuver. Your Stealth check takes a penalty depending on which combat maneuver you used. The target of your maneuver automatically locates you (or observes you, if grappled).
Quiet Abduction: If you successfully grapple a creature and your Stealth check result exceeds the target’s CMD, you also prevent it from vocalizing or making other noise. You can attempt a drag combat maneuver as part of the movement to use Stealth. The drag combat maneuver uses the same Stealth check result to keep quiet.
Skulk In the Open: You can take a –20 penalty to Stealth to move quickly enough to avoid being spotted by alert observers as they glance around an open area. It is not possible to slip past creatures observing the entire area at once, such as creatures with all-around vision or attentive guards stationed so that a cone from their position covers the entire area.

Survival

Survival is useful for learning more about other creatures than merely where they have been.

Task	Survival DC
Assess proficiency for Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Swim, Reflex save, and speed (trained only)	20 or opposed Bluff or Intimidate
Blaze a trail (trained only)	10
Forage for alchemical components, material spell components, repair materials, clubs, quarterstaffs, or improvised weapons in an abundant area^UW	10
…Standard area or rugged abundant area	15
…Barren or rugged area	20
…Barren and rugged area	25
Harvest poison from a dead creature or hazard^UW	15 + CR
Harvest external body part suitable for a trophy^UW	15 + CR
When navigating, find a shortcut that improves overland speed multiplier by 1/4 (maximum multiplier 1)	+10
Reconstruct event, simple (trained only) (Marks from a breath weapon reveal its area and type; approximately count creatures who left tracks)	15
…messy (Blood spatter from attack that killed a Medium humanoid in a certain location; deduce whether tracks end because the creature fell, climbed, or teleported; estimate speed at the time from tracks)	25
…subtle (guess approximately what a creature did while accessing a container from prints on the floor or item; assess proficiency in Acrobatics or Climb from tracks; estimate maximum speed from tracks)	35
Remove evidence of actions; a standard action for a few items or dust in a 5-foot square, but cleaning might take up to 10 minutes	Opposes Survival

Blaze a Trail (trained only): As a full-round action using a sickle, machete, or similar tool, you move up to half your speed and either clear a 5-foot square of light undergrowth or reduce heavy undergrowth to light undergrowth with a successful DC 10 Survival check. A scythe gives you a +4 bonus. For every 5 points you exceed the DC, you clear or thin another 5-foot square. You can break up your movement before, after, and in between clearing squares. You cannot remove magical difficult terrain this way, and exceptionally thick plants might take longer to clear.

Get Along in the Wild: This rule adjusts the task in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. The task takes 1 hour if you hunt, fish, or gather around a single locale, or 2 hours if you are traveling. The DC is 5 for an area abundant in food and water, like a typical forest, but increases to 10 for most other wilderness, or 20 for a barren area such as a desert or mountain. Reduce the time by half in an abundant area, or double it in a barren area. The DC increases by 5 and the time it takes is doubled if the area is rugged, with enough difficult terrain to slow overland movement (remember two doublings makes a tripling).

Reconstruct Event (trained only): When you search for tracks as a move action, you can deduce a single weather event or a creature’s activity (not just movement). The DC depends on how much evidence it left. Understanding all events in a complex situation generally takes multiple checks. Once you attempt to reconstruct an event, you can't try to reconstruct more about it until you have another clue as to what happened.

Swim

Especially skilled heroes can swim as quickly as they can walk.

Kicking off from a Firm Surface: If you kick off from a firm surface, you can move 5 feet directly away from the surface by spending only 5 feet of your land movement. You also get a +2 circumstance bonus for kicking off.

Task	Swim DC
Swim at your three-quarters your land speed	+8
Swim at your full land speed	+15

Circumstance	Check Modifier
Kick off from a firm surface	+2
Keep a creature or object your size or smaller at the surface or move it with you; creature must be willing, grappled, bull rushed, repositioned, or dragged	–5

Use Magic Device (trained only)

The following uses of Use Magic Device are part of using the item.

Task	Use Magic Device DC
Use a command word mentally	30

Simultaneous Emulation: If you emulate multiple item requirements with Use Magic Device, roll a single Use Magic Device check against the highest DC + 4 per additional requirement you emulate. You still cannot emulate multiple alignments.

Spheres of Guile by Drop Dead Studios
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