On this page, you will find quick help for each skills in Pathfinder 2.

Skill DCs
Task Difficulty Simple DC
Untrained 10
Trained 15
Expert 20
Master 30
Legendary 40


In this section, you'll learn about general skills, their scope, and the actions they can be used for.

General Skill
  • Recall Knowledge 1 (Untrained)
  • CONCENTRATE
    SECRET

    You attempt a skill check to try to remember a bit of knowledge regarding a topic related to that skill. Suggest which skill you'd like to use and ask the GM one question. The GM determines the DC. You might need to collaborate with the GM to narrow down the question or skills, and you can decide not to Recall Knowledge before committing to the action if you can't don't like your options.

    Critical Success You recall the knowledge accurately. The GM answers your question truthfully and either tells you additional information or context, or answers one followup question.
    Success You recall the knowledge accurately. The GM answers your question truthfully.
    Critical Failure You recall incorrect information. The GM answers your question falsely (or decides to give you no information, as on a failure).

    Skill Uses

    [Arcana] Recall Knowledge about arcane theories; magic traditions; creatures of arcane significance (like constructs, beasts, and elementals); and the Astral Plane, Elemental Planes, and the Netherworld.

    [Crafting] Recall Knowledge about alchemical reactions, the value of items, engineering, unusual materials, and alchemical or mechanical creatures. The GM determines which creatures this applies to, but it usually includes constructs.

    [Lore] Recall Knowledge about the subject of the Lore skill's subcategory.

    [Medicine] Recall Knowledge about diseases, injuries, poisons, and other ailments. You can use this to perform forensic examinations if you spend 10 minutes (or more, as determined by the GM) checking for evidence such as wound patterns. This is most useful when determining how a body was injured or killed.

    [Nature] Recall Knowledge about fauna, flora, geography, weather, the environment, creatures of natural origin (like animals, beasts, fey, and plants), the First World, and the Elemental Planes.

    [Occultism] Recall Knowledge about ancient mysteries; obscure philosophies; creatures of occult significance (like aberrations, spirits, and oozes); and esoteric planes like the Astral Plane, Creation's Forge, the Ethereal Plane, the Netherworld, and the Void.

    [Religion] Recall Knowledge about divine agents, the finer points of theology, obscure myths regarding a faith, and creatures of religious significance (like celestials, fiends, and undead), Creation's Forge, the Void, and the Outer Sphere.

    [Society] Recall Knowledge about local history, important personalities, legal institutions, societal structure, and humanoid cultures. The GM might allow Society to apply to other creatures that are major elements of society in your region, such as the draconic nobility in a kingdom of humans ruled by dragons.

  • Subsist (Untrained)
  • DOWNTIME

    You try to provide food and shelter for yourself, and possibly others as well, with a standard of living described on page 295. The GM determines the DC based on the nature of the place where you're trying to Subsist. You might need a minimum proficiency rank to Subsist in particularly strange environments. Unlike most downtime activities, you can Subsist after 8 hours or less of exploration, but if you do, you take a –5 penalty.

    Critical Success You either provide a subsistence living for yourself and one additional creature, or you improve your own food and shelter, granting yourself a comfortable living.
    Success You find enough food and shelter with basic protection from the elements to provide you a subsistence living.
    Failure You're exposed to the elements and don't get enough food, becoming fatigued until you attain sufficient food and shelter.
    Critical Failure You attract trouble, eat something you shouldn't, or otherwise worsen your situation. You take a –2 circumstance penalty to checks to Subsist for 1 week. You don't find any food at all; if you don't have any stored up, you're in danger of starving or dying of thirst if you continue failing.

    Skill Uses

    [Society] Subsist in a settlement by finding shelter, scrounging, or begging for food.

    [Survival] Subsist in the wild by foraging for food and building shelter.

  • Decipher Writing (Trained)
  • CONCENTRATE
    EXPLORATION
    SECRET

    You attempt to decipher complicated writing or literature on an obscure topic. This usually takes 1 minute per page of text, but might take longer. The text must be in a language you can read, though the GM might allow you to attempt to decipher text written in an unfamiliar language using Society instead.

    The DC is determined by the state or complexity of the document. The GM might have you roll one check for a short text or a check for each section of a larger text.

    Critical Success You understand the true meaning of the text.
    Success You understand the true meaning of the text. If it was a coded document, you know the general meaning but might not have a word-for-word translation.
    Failure You can't understand the text and take a –2 circumstance penalty to further checks to decipher it.
    Critical Failure You believe you understand the text on that page, but you have in fact misconstrued its message.

    Skill Uses

    Arcana: Decipher Writing about arcane theory.

    Occultism: Decipher Writing on occult topics, including complex metaphysical systems, syncretic principles, obscure philosophies, and incoherent ramblings.

    Religion: Decipher Writing of a religious nature, including allegories, homilies, and proverbs.

    Society: Decipher Writing that's a coded message, text written in an incomplete or archaic form, or in some cases, text in a language you don't know.

  • Earn Income (Trained)
  • DOWNTIME

    You use one of your skills to make money during downtime. The GM assigns a task level representing the most lucrative job available. You can look for lower-level tasks or search for better work, which may require Diplomacy, research, or socializing.

    Critical Success: Outstanding work. Earn income as if the task level were 1 higher.
    Success: Competent work. Earn income based on the task's level and your proficiency rank.
    Failure: Shoddy work. Gain minimal pay listed in the failure column.
    Critical Failure: No payment and immediate dismissal. Reputation suffers.

    Income Earned
    Task Level DC Failed Trained Expert Master Legendary
    0141 cp5 cp5 cp5 cp5 cp
    1152 cp2 sp2 sp2 sp2 sp
    2164 cp3 sp3 sp3 sp3 sp
    3188 cp5 sp5 sp5 sp5 sp
    4191 sp7 sp8 sp8 sp8 sp
    5202 sp9 sp1 gp1 gp1 gp
    6223 sp1 gp, 5 sp2 gp2 gp2 gp
    7234 sp2 gp2 gp, 5 sp2 gp, 5 sp2 gp, 5 sp
    8245 sp2 gp, 5 sp3 gp3 gp3 gp
    9266 sp3 gp4 gp4 gp4 gp
    10277 sp4 gp5 gp6 gp6 gp
    11288 sp5 gp6 gp8 gp8 gp
    12309 sp6 gp8 gp10 gp10 gp
    13311 gp7 gp10 gp15 gp15 gp
    14321 gp, 5 sp8 gp15 gp20 gp20 gp
    15342 gp10 gp20 gp28 gp28 gp
    16352 gp, 5 sp13 gp25 gp36 gp40 gp
    17363 gp15 gp30 gp45 gp55 gp
    18384 gp20 gp45 gp70 gp90 gp
    19396 gp30 gp60 gp100 gp130 gp
    20408 gp40 gp75 gp150 gp200 gp
    20 (critical)50 gp90 gp175 gp300 gp

    Skill Uses for Earning Income

    [Crafting]: Earn Income by crafting goods for the market.

    [Lore]: Earn Income by using your knowledge to practice a trade.

    [Performance]: Earn Income by staging a performance.

  • Identify Magic (Trained)
  • CONCENTRATE
    EXPLORATION
    SECRET

    Once you discover that an item, location, or ongoing effect is magical, you can spend 10 minutes to try to identify the particulars of its magic. If your attempt is interrupted, you must start over. The GM sets the DC for your check. Cursed magic or esoteric subjects usually have higher DCs or might even be impossible to identify using this activity alone. Heightening a spell doesn't increase the DC to identify it.

    Critical Success: You learn all the attributes of the magic, including its name (for an effect), what it does, any means of activating it (for an item or location), and whether it is cursed.

    Success: For an item or location, you get a sense of what it does and learn any means of activating it. For an ongoing effect (such as a spell with a duration), you learn the effect's name and what it does. You can't try again in hopes of getting a critical success.
    Failure: You fail to identify the magic and can't try again for 1 day.
    Critical Failure: You misidentify the magic as something else of the GM's choice.

    Skill Uses

    [Arcana]: Identify Magic, particularly magic of the arcane tradition.

    [Nature]: Identify Magic, particularly magic of the primal tradition.

    [Occultism]: Identify Magic, particularly magic of the occult tradition.

    [Religion]: Identify Magic, particularly magic of the divine tradition.

  • Learn a Spell (Trained)
  • CONCENTRATE EXPLORATION

    You can gain access to a new spell of your tradition from someone who knows that spell or from magical writing like a spellbook or scroll. If you can cast spells of multiple traditions, you can Learn a Spell of any of those traditions, but you must use the corresponding skill to do so. For example, if you were a cleric with the bard multiclass archetype, you couldn't use Religion to add an occult spell to your bardic spell repertoire.

    To learn the spell, you must do the following:

    1. Spend 1 hour per spell rank, during which you must remain in conversation with a person who knows the spell or have the magical writing in your possession.

    2. Have materials with the Price indicated in the "Learning a Spell" table.

    3. Attempt a skill check for the skill corresponding to your tradition (DC determined by the GM, often close to the DC on the "Learning a Spell" Table). Uncommon or rare spells have higher DCs; full guidelines for the GM appear on page 52 of GM Core.

    Critical Success: You expend half the materials and learn the spell.
    Success: You expend the materials and learn the spell.
    Failure: You fail to learn the spell but can try again after you gain a level. The materials aren't expended.
    Critical Failure: As failure, except you expend half the materials.

    Learning a Spell
    Spell Level Price Typical DC
    1st or cantrip 2 gp 15
    2nd 6 gp 18
    3rd 16 gp 20
    4th 36 gp 23
    5th 70 gp 26
    6th 140 gp 28
    7th 300 gp 31
    8th 650 gp 34
    9th 1,500 gp 36
    10th 7,000 gp 41

    Skill Uses

    [Arcana] Learn a Spell from the arcane tradition.

    [Nature] Learn a Spell from the primal tradition.

    [Occultism] Learn a Spell from the occult tradition.

    [Religion] Learn a Spell from the divine tradition.



The next section described each skills individually.

Acrobatics

Acrobatics measures your ability to perform tasks requiring coordination and grace.

When you use the Escape basic action, you can use your Acrobatics modifier instead of your unarmed attack modifier. You can also use it for the basic actions Arrest a Fall and Grab an Edge instead of Reflex.

  • Balance 1 (Untrained)
  • MOVE
    Requirement: You are in a square that contains a narrow surface, uneven ground, or another similar feature.

    You move across a narrow surface or uneven ground, attempting an Acrobatics check against its Balance DC. You are off-guard while on a narrow surface or uneven ground.

    Critical Success You move up to your Speed.
    Success You move up to your Speed, treating it as difficult terrain (every 5 feet costs 10 feet of movement).
    Failure You must remain stationary to keep your balance (wasting the action) or you fall. If you fall, your turn ends.
    Critical Failure You fall and your turn ends.

  • Tumble Through 1 (Untrained)
  • MOVE

    You Stride up to your Speed. During this movement, you can try to move through the space of one enemy. Attempt an Acrobatics check against the enemy's Reflex DC as soon as you try to enter its space. You can Tumble Through using Climb, Fly, Swim, or another action instead of Stride in the appropriate environment.

    Success You move through the enemy's space, treating the squares in its space as difficult terrain (every 5 feet costs 10 feet of movement). If you don't have enough Speed to move all the way through its space, you get the same effect as a failure.
    Failure Your movement ends, and you trigger reactions as if you had moved out of the square you started in.

  • Maneuver in Flight 1 (Trained)
  • MOVE
    Requirement: You have a fly Speed.

    You try a difficult maneuver while flying. Attempt an Acrobatics check. The GM determines what maneuvers are possible, but they rarely allow you to move farther than your fly Speed.

    Success You succeed at the maneuver.
    Failure Your maneuver fails. The GM chooses if you simply can't move or if some other detrimental effect happens. The outcome should be appropriate for the maneuver you attempted (for instance, being blown off course if you were trying to fly against a strong wind).
    Critical Failure As failure, but the consequence is more dire.

  • Squeeze (Trained)
  • EXPLORATION
    MOVE

    You contort yourself to squeeze through a space so small you can barely fit through. This action is for exceptionally small spaces; many tight spaces are difficult terrain that you can move through more quickly and without a check.

    Critical Success You squeeze through the tight space in 1 minute per 10 feet of squeezing.
    Success You squeeze through in 1 minute per 5 feet.
    Critical Failure You become stuck in the tight space. While you're stuck, you can spend 1 minute attempting another Acrobatics check at the same DC. Any result on that check other than a critical failure causes you to become unstuck.

Arcana

Arcana measures how much you know about arcane magic and creatures.

Recall Knowledge about arcane theories; magic traditions; creatures of arcane significance (like constructs, beasts, and elementals); and the Astral Plane, Elemental Planes, and the Netherworld.

  • Borrow an Arcane Spell (Trained)
  • CONCENTRATE
    EXPLORATION

    If you're an arcane spellcaster who prepares spells, you can attempt to prepare a spell from someone else's arcane spellbook, arcane witch familiar, or the like. The GM sets the DC for the check based on the spell's rank and rarity; it's typically a bit easier than Learning the Spell.

    Success You prepare the borrowed spell as part of your normal spell preparation.
    Failure You fail to prepare the spell, but the spell slot remains available for you to prepare a different spell. You can't try to borrow this spell again until the next time you prepare spells.

Athletics

Athletics allows you to perform deeds of physical prowess. Most Athletics actions let you move about the environment (Climb, High Jump, Long Jump, Swim) or control your opponent's movement in combat (Grapple, Reposition, Shove, Trip, and Disarm).

Escape: When you use the Escape basic action, you can use your Athletics modifier instead of your unarmed attack modifier.

  • Climb 1 (Untrained)
  • MOVE
    Requirement: You have two hands free.

    You attempt an Athletics check to move a maximum distance of 5 feet up, down, or across an incline. You're off-guard while climbing unless you have a climb Speed. The GM determines the DC based on the nature of the incline and environmental circumstances; you might get an automatic critical success on an incline that's trivial to climb. If your land Speed is 40 feet or higher, increase the maximum distance by 5 feet for every 20 feet of Speed above 20 feet.

    Critical Success You move along the incline, increasing the maximum distance by 5 feet.
    Success You move along the incline.
    Critical Failure You fall. If you began the climb on stable ground, you fall and land prone.

  • Force Open 1 (Untrained)
  • ATTACK

    Using your body, a lever, or some other tool, you attempt to forcefully open a door, window, container or heavy gate. Without a crowbar, prying something open takes a –2 item penalty to the Athletics check to Force Open.

    Critical Success You open the door, window, container, or gate and can avoid damaging it in the process.
    Success You break the door, window, container, or gate open, and it gains the broken condition. If it's especially sturdy, the GM might have it take damage but not be broken.
    Critical Failure Your attempt jams the door, window, container, or gate shut, imposing a –2 circumstance penalty on future attempts to Force it Open.

  • Grapple 1 (Untrained)
  • ATTACK
    Requirement: You have at least one free hand and your target is no more than one size larger than you.

    Attempt an Athletics check against the target's Fortitude DC. You can Grapple a target you already have grabbed or restrained without having a hand free.

    Critical Success Your target is restrained until the end of your next turn unless you move or your target Escapes.

    Success Your target is grabbed until the end of your next turn unless you move or your target Escapes.
    Failure You fail to grab your target. If you already had the target grabbed or restrained using a Grapple, those conditions on the target end.
    Critical Failure If you already had the target grabbed or restrained, it breaks free. Your target can either grab you, as if it succeeded at using the Grapple action against you, or force you to fall and land prone.

  • High Jump 2 (Untrained)
  • You Stride, then attempt a DC 30 Athletics check to jump vertically. If you didn't Stride at least 10 feet, you automatically fail. This DC might be increased or decreased due to the situation, as determined by the GM.

    Critical Success You Leap up to 8 feet vertically and 10 feet horizontally.
    Success You Leap up to 5 feet vertically and 5 feet horizontally.
    Failure You Leap normally.
    Critical Failure You fall prone in your space.

  • Long Jump 2 (Untrained)
  • You Stride, then attempt a DC 15 Athletics check to make a long jump in the direction you were Striding. If you didn't Stride at least 10 feet, you automatically fail your check. The GM might increase or decrease this DC depending on the situation.

    Success You Leap up to a distance equal to your check result rounded down to the nearest 5 feet. You can't jump farther than your land Speed.
    Failure You make a normal horizontal Leap.
    Critical Failure You make a normal horizontal Leap, then fall and land prone.

  • Reposition 1 (Untrained)
  • ATTACK
    Requirement: You either have at least one hand free, or you're grabbing or restraining the target. The target can't be more than one size larger than you.

    You muscle a creature or object around. Attempt an Athletics check against the target's Fortitude DC.

    Critical Success You move the creature up to 10 feet. It must remain within your reach during this movement, and you can't move it into or through obstacles.
    Success You move the target up to 5 feet. It must remain within your reach during this movement, and you can't move it into or through obstacles.
    Critical Failure The target can move you up to 5 feet as though it successfully Repositioned you.

  • Shove 1 (Untrained)
  • ATTACK
    Requirement: You have at least one hand free. The target can't be more than one size larger than you.

    You push a creature away from you. Attempt an Athletics check against your target's Fortitude DC.

    Critical Success You push your target up to 10 feet away from you. You can Stride after it, but you must move the same distance and in the same direction.
    Success You push your target back 5 feet. You can Stride after it, but you must move the same distance and in the same direction.
    Critical Failure You lose your balance, fall, and land prone.

  • Swim 1 (Untrained)
  • MOVE

    You attempt an Athletics check to move a maximum distance of 10 feet through water. The GM determines the DC based on the turbulence or danger of the water; in most instances of calm water, you get an automatic critical success. If your land Speed is 40 feet or higher, increase the maximum possible distance by 5 feet for every 20 feet of Speed above 20 feet.

    If you end your turn in water and haven't succeeded at a Swim action that turn, you sink 10 feet or get moved by the current, as determined by the GM. This doesn't apply if your last action on your turn was to enter the water.

    Critical Success You move through the water, increasing the maximum distance by 5 feet.
    Success You move through the water.
    Critical Failure You make no progress. If you're holding your breath, you lose 1 round of air.

  • Trip 1 (Untrained)
  • ATTACK
    Requirement: You have at least one hand free. Your target can't be more than one size larger than you.

    You try to knock a creature to the ground. Attempt an Athletics check against the target's Reflex DC.

    Critical Success The target falls, lands prone, and takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
    Success The target falls and lands prone.
    Critical Failure You lose your balance, fall, and land prone.

  • Disarm 1 (Trained)
  • ATTACK
    Requirement: You have at least one hand free. The target can't be more than one size larger than you.

    You try to knock an item out of a creature's grasp. Attempt an Athletics check against the target's Reflex DC.

    Critical Success You knock the item out of the target's grasp. It falls to the ground in the target's space.
    Success You weaken your target's grasp on the item. Further attempts to Disarm the target of that item gain a +2 circumstance bonus, and the target takes a –2 circumstance penalty to attacks with the item or other checks requiring a firm grasp on the item. The creature can end the effect by Interacting to change its grip on the item; otherwise, it lasts as long as the creature holds the item.
    Critical Failure You lose your balance and become off-guard until the start of your next turn.

Crafting

You can use this skill to create and repair items.

Recall Knowledge about alchemical reactions, the value of items, engineering, unusual materials, and alchemical or mechanical creatures. The GM determines which creatures this applies to, but it usually includes constructs.

  • Repair (Untrained)
  • EXPLORATION
    MANIPULATE
    Requirement: You are holding or wearing a repair toolkit.

    You spend 10 minutes repairing a damaged item, using both hands and a repair toolkit on a stable surface. Roll a Crafting check. The DC is usually about the same DC to Repair a given item as it is to Craft it in the first place. You can't Repair a destroyed item.

    Critical Success You restore 10 HP to the item, plus an additional 10 HP per proficiency rank you have in Crafting (a total of 20 HP if you're trained, 30 HP if expert, 40 HP if master, or 50 HP if legendary).
    Success You restore 5 HP to the item, plus an additional 5 per proficiency rank you have in Crafting (for a total of 10 HP if you are trained, 15 HP if expert, 20 HP if master, or 25 HP if legendary).
    Critical Failure You deal 2d6 damage to the item (Apply the item's Hardness).

  • Craft (Trained)
  • DOWNTIME
    MANIPULATE

    You can make an item from raw materials. You need the Alchemical Crafting skill feat to create alchemical items and the Magical Crafting skill feat to create magic items.

    To Craft an item, you must meet the following requirements:

    - The item is your level or lower. An item without level is level 0. If the item is 9th level or higher, you must be a master in Crafting, and if it's 17th or higher, you must be legendary.
    - The item must be common, or you must otherwise have access to it.
    - You have an appropriate set of tools and, in many cases, a workshop.
    - You must supply raw materials worth at least half the item's Price.
    - You attempt a Crafting check after you spend 2 days of work setting up, or 1 day if you have the item's formula.

    If your attempt to create the item is successful, you expend the raw materials you supplied. You can pay the remaining portion of the item's Price in materials to complete the item immediately, or you can spend additional downtime days working on it. For each additional day you spend, reduce the value of the materials you need to expend to complete the item. This amount is determined using the Income Earned table, based on your proficiency rank in Crafting and using your own level instead of a task level.

    After any of these downtime days, you can complete the item by spending the remaining portion of its Price in materials. If the downtime days you spend are interrupted, you can return to finish the item later, continuing where you left off.

    Critical Success Your attempt is successful. Each additional day spent Crafting reduces the materials needed to complete the item by an amount based on your level + 1 and your proficiency rank in Crafting.
    Success Your attempt is successful. Each additional day spent Crafting reduces the materials needed to complete the item by an amount based on your level and your proficiency rank.
    Failure You fail to complete the item. You can salvage the raw materials you supplied for their full value. If you want to try again, you must start over.
    Critical Failure You fail to complete the item. You ruin 10% of the raw materials you supplied, but you can salvage the rest. If you want to try again, you must start over.

  • Identify Alchemy (Trained)
  • CONCENTRATE
    EXPLORATION
    SECRET
    Requirement: You are holding or wearing an alchemist's toolkit.

    You can identify the nature of an alchemical item with 10 minutes of testing using your alchemist's toolkit. If your attempt is interrupted in any way, you must start over.

    Success You identify the item and the means of activating it.
    Failure You fail to identify the item but can try again.
    Critical Failure You misidentify the item as another item of the GM's choice.

Deception

You can trick and mislead others using disguises, lies, and other forms of subterfuge.

Deception often has a drawback if you get found out, and it's often best to be out of town by the time this happens.

  • Create a Diversion 1 (Untrained)
  • MENTAL

    You can create a diversion that draws creatures' attention elsewhere. If you use a gesture or trick, this action gains the manipulate trait. If you use distracting words, it gains the auditory and linguistic traits.

    Attempt a single Deception check and compare it to the Perception DCs of the creatures whose attention you're trying to divert. Whether or not you succeed, creatures you attempt to divert gain a +4 circumstance bonus to their Perception DCs against your attempts to Create a Diversion for 1 minute.

    Success You become hidden to each creature whose Perception DC is less than or equal to your result. (The hidden condition allows you to Sneak away) This lasts until the end of your turn or until you do anything except Step or use the Stealth skill to Hide or Sneak. If you Strike a creature, the creature remains off-guard against that attack, and you then become observed. If you do anything else, you become observed just before you act unless the GM determines otherwise.
    Failure You don't divert the attention of any creatures whose Perception DC exceeds your result, and those creatures are aware you were trying to trick them.

  • Impersonate (Untrained)
  • CONCENTRATE
     EXPLORATION
     MANIPULATE
     SECRET

    You create a disguise to pass yourself off as someone or something you are not. Assembling a convincing disguise takes 10 minutes and requires a disguise kit, but a simpler, quicker disguise might do the job if you're not trying to imitate a specific individual, at the GM's discretion.

    In most cases, creatures have a chance to detect your deception only if they use the Seek action to attempt Perception checks against your Deception DC. If you attempt to directly interact with someone while disguised, the GM rolls a secret Deception check for you against that creature's Perception DC instead.

    Success You trick the creature into thinking you're the person you're disguised as. You might have to attempt a new check if your behavior changes.
    Failure The creature can tell you're not who you claim to be.
    Critical Failure The creature can tell you're not who you claim to be, and it recognizes you if it would know you without a disguise.

  • Lie (Untrained)
  • AUDITORY
    CONCENTRATE
    LINGUISTIC
    MENTAL
    SECRET

    You try to fool someone with an untruth. Doing so takes at least 1 round, or longer if the lie is elaborate. You roll a single Deception check and compare it against the Perception DC of every creature you are trying to fool.

    At the GM's discretion, if a creature initially believes your lie, it might attempt a Perception check later to Sense Motive against your Deception DC to realize it's a lie. This usually happens if the creature discovers enough evidence to counter your statements.

    Success The target believes your lie.
    Failure The target doesn't believe your lie and gains a +4 circumstance bonus against your attempts to Lie for the duration of your conversation. The target is also more likely to be suspicious of you in the future.

  • Feint 1 (Trained)
  • MENTAL
    Requirement: You are within melee reach of the target you attempt to Feint.

    With a misleading flourish, you leave an opponent unprepared for your real attack. Attempt a Deception check against your target's Perception DC.

    Critical Success You throw your enemy's defenses against you entirely off. The target is off-guard against melee attacks that you attempt against it until the end of your next turn.
    Success Your foe is fooled, but only momentarily. The target is off-guard against the next melee attack that you attempt against it before the end of your current turn.
    Critical Failure Your feint backfires. You are off-guard against melee attacks the target attempts against you until the end of your next turn.

Diplomacy

You influence others through negotiation and flattery, or find out information through friendly chats.

  • Gather Information (Untrained)
  • EXPLORATION
     SECRET

    You canvass local markets, taverns, and gathering places in an attempt to learn about a specific individual or topic. The GM determines the DC of the check and the amount of time it takes (typically 2 hours, but sometimes more), along with any benefit you might be able to gain by spending coin on bribes, drinks, or gifts.

    Success You collect information about the individual or topic.
    Critical Failure You collect incorrect information about the individual or topic.

  • Make an Impression (Untrained)
  • AUDITORY
     CONCENTRATE
     EXPLORATION
     LINGUISTIC
     MENTAL

    With at least 1 minute of conversation, during which you engage in charismatic overtures, flattery, and other acts of goodwill, you seek to make a good impression on someone to make them temporarily agreeable. At the end of the conversation, attempt a Diplomacy check against the Will DC of one target. You can instead choose up to five targets if you take a –2 penalty.

    Critical Success The target's attitude toward you improves by two steps.
    Success The target's attitude toward you improves by one step.
    Critical Failure The target's attitude toward you decreases by one step.

  • Request 1 (Untrained)
  • AUDITORY
     CONCENTRATE
     LINGUISTIC
     MENTAL

    You can make a request of a creature that's friendly or helpful to you. You must couch the request in terms that the target would accept given their current attitude toward you.

    Critical Success The target agrees to your request without qualifications.
    Success The target agrees to your request, but they might demand added provisions or alterations to the request.
    Failure The target refuses the request, though they might propose an alternative that is less extreme.
    Critical Failure Not only does the target refuse the request, but their attitude toward you decreases by one step due to the temerity of the request.

Intimidation

You bend others to your will using threats. Unlike Deception or Diplomacy, Intimidation is typically a blunt instrument with little room for nuance or care.

  • Coerce (Untrained)
  • AUDITORY
     CONCENTRATE
     EMOTION
     EXPLORATION
     LINGUISTIC
     MENTAL

    With threats either veiled or overt, you attempt to bully a creature into doing what you want. You must spend at least 1 minute of conversation with the creature. At the end of the conversation, attempt an Intimidation check against the target's Will DC.

    Critical Success The target gives you the information you seek or agrees to follow your directives so long as they aren't likely to harm the target in any way. The target continues to comply for an amount of time determined by the GM but not exceeding 1 day, at which point the target becomes unfriendly (if it wasn't already unfriendly or hostile). However, the target is too scared of you to retaliate—at least in the short term.
    Success As critical success, but once the target becomes unfriendly, they might decide to act against you—for example, by reporting you to the authorities or assisting your enemies.
    Failure The target doesn't do what you say, and if they were not already unfriendly or hostile, they become unfriendly.
    Critical Failure The target refuses to comply, becomes hostile if they weren't already, and is temporarily immune to your Coercion for at least 1 week.

  • Demoralize 1 (Untrained)
  • AUDITORY
     CONCENTRATE
     EMOTION
     FEAR
     MENTAL

    With a sudden shout, a well-timed taunt, or a cutting put-down, you can shake an enemy's resolve. Choose a creature within 30 feet of you who you're aware of. Attempt an Intimidation check against that target's Will DC. If the target doesn't understand the language you are speaking, or you're not speaking a language, you take a –4 circumstance penalty to the check. Regardless of your result, the target is temporarily immune to your attempts to Demoralize it for 10 minutes.

    Critical Success The target becomes frightened 2.
    Success The target becomes frightened 1.

Lore

You have specialized information on a narrow topic. Lore features many subcategories.

They should never be able to take the place of another skill's Recall Knowledge action. For instance, you couldn't choose Magic Lore to recall the breadth of knowledge about magic covered by Arcana, Nature, Occultism, and Religion, or choose Adventuring Lore to give you all the information an adventurer needs, or choose Planar Lore to gain all the information spread across various skills and subcategories such as Heaven Lore.

Medicine

You can patch up wounds and help people recover from diseases and poisons.

Recall Knowledge about diseases, injuries, poisons, and other ailments. You can use this to perform forensic examinations if you spend 10 minutes (or more, as determined by the GM) checking for evidence such as wound patterns. This is most useful when determining how a body was injured or killed.

  • Administer First Aid 2 (Untrained)
  • MANIPULATE
    Requirement: You're wearing or holding a healer's toolkit.

    You perform first aid on an adjacent creature that is dying or bleeding. If a creature is both dying and bleeding, choose which ailment you're trying to treat before you roll. You can Administer First Aid again to attempt to remedy the other effect.

    - Stabilize Attempt a Medicine check on a creature that has 0 HP and the dying condition. The DC is equal to 5 + that creature's recovery roll DC (typically 15 + its dying value).
    - Stop Bleeding Attempt a Medicine check on a creature that is taking persistent bleed damage. The DC is usually the DC of the effect that caused the bleed.

    Success If you're trying to stabilize, the target loses the dying condition (but remains unconscious). If you're trying to stop bleeding, the target benefits from an assisted recovery with the lowered DC for particularly appropriate help.
    Critical Failure If you were trying to stabilize, the target's dying value increases by 1. If you were trying to stop bleeding, the target immediately takes an amount of damage equal to its persistent bleed damage.

  • Treat Disease (Trained)
  • DOWNTIME
     MANIPULATE
    Requirement: You're wearing or holding a healer's toolkit.

    You spend at least 8 hours caring for a diseased creature. Attempt a Medicine check against the disease's DC. After you attempt to Treat a Disease for a creature, you can't try again until after that creature's next save against the disease.

    Critical Success You grant the creature a +4 circumstance bonus to its next saving throw against the disease.
    Success You grant the creature a +2 circumstance bonus to its next saving throw against the disease.
    Critical Failure Your efforts cause the creature to take a –2 circumstance penalty to its next save against the disease.

  • Treat Poison 1 (Trained)
  • MANIPULATE
    Requirement: You're wearing or holding a healer's toolkit.

    You treat a patient to prevent the spread of poison. Attempt a Medicine check against the poison's DC. After you attempt to Treat a Poison for a creature, you can't try again until after the next time that creature attempts a save against the poison.

    Critical Success You grant the creature a +4 circumstance bonus to its next saving throw against the poison.
    Success You grant the creature a +2 circumstance bonus to its next saving throw against the poison.
    Critical Failure Your efforts cause the creature to take a –2 circumstance penalty to its next save against the poison.

  • Treat Wounds (Trained)
  • EXPLORATION
     HEALING
     MANIPULATE
    Requirement: You're wearing or holding a healer's toolkit.

    You spend 10 minutes treating one injured living creature (targeting yourself, if you so choose). The target is then temporarily immune to Treat Wounds actions for 1 hour, but this interval overlaps with the time you spent treating (so a patient can be treated once per hour, not once per 70 minutes).

    The Medicine check DC is usually 15, but it may be adjusteded based on circumstances like treating patients outdoors in a storm or cursed wounds. Experts can attempt a DC 20 check to regain 10 extra HP, masters a DC 30 check for 30 extra HP, and legends a DC 40 check for 50 extra HP. Critical failure damage remains the same.

    If you succeed at your check, you can continue treating the target to grant additional healing. If you treat it for a total of 1 hour, double the HP it regains from Treat Wounds.

    Proficiency DC Success Healing Critical Healing
    Trained 15 2d8 4d8
    Expert* 20 2d8+10 4d8+10
    Master* 30 2d8+30 4d8+30
    Legendary* 40 2d8+50 4d8+50

    * Rolling against a higher DC is optional.

    Critical Success The target regains 4d8 HP and loses the wounded condition.
    Success The target regains 2d8 HP, and loses the wounded condition.
    Critical Failure The target takes 1d8 damage.

Nature

You know about the natural world, and you command and train animals and magical beasts.

Recall Knowledge about fauna, flora, geography, weather, the environment, creatures of natural origin (like animals, beasts, fey, and plants), the First World, and the Elemental Planes.

  • Command an Animal 1 (Untrained)
  • AUDITORY
     CONCENTRATE

    You issue an order to an animal. Attempt a Nature check against the animal's Will DC. The GM might adjust the DC if the animal has a good attitude toward you, you suggest a course of action it was predisposed toward, or you offer it a treat.

    You automatically fail if the animal is hostile or unfriendly to you. If the animal is helpful to you, increase your degree of success by one step. Most animals know the Drop Prone, Leap, Seek, Stand, Stride, and Strike basic actions. If an animal knows an activity, such as a horse's Gallop, you can Command the Animal to perform the activity, but you must spend as many actions on Command an Animal as the activity's number of actions. You can also spend multiple actions to Command the Animal to perform that number of basic actions on its next turn; for instance, you could spend 3 actions to Command an Animal to Stride three times or to Stride twice and then make a Strike.

    Success The animal does as you command on its next turn.
    Failure The animal is hesitant or resistant, and it does nothing.
    Critical Failure The animal misbehaves or misunderstands, and it takes some other action determined by the GM.

Occultism

You know a great deal about ancient philosophies, esoteric lore, obscure mysticism, and supernatural creatures.

Recall Knowledge about ancient mysteries; obscure philosophies; creatures of occult significance (like aberrations, spirits, and oozes); and esoteric planes like the Astral Plane, Creation's Forge, the Ethereal Plane, the Netherworld, and the Void.

Performance

You are skilled at a form of performance, using your talents to impress a crowd or make a living.

  • Perform 1 (Untrained)
  • CONCENTRATE

    When making a brief performance—one song, a quick dance, or a few jokes—you use the Perform action. This action is most useful when you want to prove your capability or impress someone quickly. Performing rarely has an impact on its own, but it might influence the DCs of subsequent Diplomacy checks against the observers, or even change their attitudes if the GM sees fit.

    Critical Success Your performance impresses the observers, and they're likely to share stories of your ability.

    Success You prove yourself, and observers appreciate the quality of your performance.
    Failure Your performance falls flat.
    Critical Failure You demonstrate only incompetence.

Religion

The secrets of deities, dogma, faith, and the realms of divine creatures both sublime and sinister are open to you. You also understand how magic works, though your training imparts a religious slant to that knowledge.

Recall Knowledge about divine agents, the finer points of theology, obscure myths regarding a faith, and creatures of religious significance (like celestials, fiends, and undead), Creation's Forge, the Void, and the Outer Sphere.

Society

You understand the people and systems that make civilization run, and you know the historical events that make societies what they are today. Further, you can use that knowledge to navigate the complex physical, societal, and economic workings of settlements.

Recall Knowledge about local history, important personalities, legal institutions, societal structure, and humanoid cultures. The GM might allow Society to apply to other creatures that are major elements of society in your region, such as the draconic nobility in a kingdom of humans ruled by dragons.

Subsist in a settlement by finding shelter, scrounging, or begging for food.

  • Create Forgery (Trained)
  • DOWNTIME
     SECRET
    Requirement: You provide the proper writing materials for your forgery.

    You create a forged document, usually over the course of a day or a week. The GM rolls a secret DC 20 Society check. If you need to forge a specific person's handwriting, you need a sample of that person's handwriting. Otherwise, you need only to have seen a similar document, and you gain up to a +4 circumstance bonus to the check (the GM determines the bonus).

    Success The forgery is of good enough quality that passive observers can't notice the fake (but see Examining Forgeries).
    Failure The forgery has some obvious signs of being a fake, potentially allowing passive observers to detect it. Each time a passive observer sees the document, the GM compares your check result to the observer's Perception DC or Society DC, whichever is higher. If your result doesn't exceed a passive observer's DC, that observer knows the document is a forgery.

Stealth

You are skilled at avoiding detection, allowing you to slip past foes, hide, or conceal an item.

  • Conceal an Object 1 (Untrained)
  • MANIPULATE
     SECRET

    You hide a small object on your person (such as a weapon of light Bulk). When you try to sneak a concealed object past someone who might notice it, the GM rolls your Stealth check and compares it to this passive observer's Perception DC. Once the GM rolls your check for a concealed object, that same result is used no matter how many passive observers you try to sneak it past. If a creature is specifically searching you for an item, it can attempt a Perception check against your Stealth DC (finding the object on success).

    You can also conceal an object somewhere other than your person, such as among undergrowth or in a secret compartment within a piece of furniture. In this case, characters Seeking in an area compare their Perception check results to your Stealth DC to determine whether they find the object.

    Success The object remains undetected.
    Failure The searcher finds the object.

  • Hide 1 (Untrained)
  • SECRET

    You huddle behind cover or greater cover or deeper into concealment to become hidden, rather than observed. The GM rolls your Stealth check in secret and compares the result to the Perception DC of each creature you're observed by but that you have cover or greater cover against or are concealed from. You get a +2 circumstance bonus to your check if you have standard cover (or +4 from greater cover).

    Success If the creature could see you, you're now hidden from it instead of observed. If you were hidden from or undetected by the creature, you retain that condition.

    If you successfully become hidden to a creature but then cease to have cover or greater cover against it or be concealed from it, you become observed again. You cease being hidden if you do anything except Hide, Sneak, or Step. If you attempt to Strike a creature, the creature remains off-guard against that attack, and you then become observed. If you do anything else, you become observed just before you act unless the GM determines otherwise. The GM might allow you to perform a particularly unobtrusive action without being noticed, possibly requiring another Stealth check.

    If a creature uses Seek to make you observed by it, you must successfully Hide to become hidden from it again.

  • Sneak 1 (Untrained)
  • MOVE
    SECRET

    You attempt to move to another place while becoming or staying undetected. Stride up to half your Speed. (You can use Sneak while Burrowing, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming instead of Striding if you have the corresponding movement type; you must move at half that Speed.)

    At the end of your movement, the GM rolls your Stealth check in secret and compares the result to the Perception DC of each creature you were hidden from or undetected by at the start of your movement. If at the end of your movement, you neither are concealed nor have cover or greater cover against any creature. You automatically become observed by such creature.

    Success You're undetected by the creature during your movement and remain undetected by the creature at the end of it.

    You become observed as soon as you do anything other than Hide, Sneak, or Step. If you attempt to Strike a creature, the creature remains off-guard against that attack, and you then become observed. If you do anything else, you become observed just before you act. If you speak or make a deliberate loud noise, you become hidden instead of undetected.

    If a creature uses Seek and you become hidden to it as a result, you must Sneak if you want to become undetected by that creature again.

    Failure A telltale sound or other sign gives your position away, though you still remain unseen. You're hidden from the creature throughout your movement and remain so.
    Critical Failure You're spotted! You're observed by the creature throughout your movement and remain so. If you're invisible and were hidden from the creature, instead of being observed you're hidden throughout your movement and remain so.

Survival

You are adept at living in the wilderness, foraging for food and building shelter, and with training you discover the secrets of tracking and hiding your trail.

Subsist in the wild by foraging for food and building shelter.

  • Sense Direction (Untrained)
  • EXPLORATION
     SECRET

    You can stay oriented in the wild. Typically, you attempt a Survival check only once per day. The GM determines the DC and how long this activity takes (usually just a minute or so). More unusual locales or those you're unfamiliar with might require you to have a minimum proficiency rank to Sense Direction. Without a compass, you take a –2 item penalty to checks to Sense Direction.

    Critical Success You get an excellent sense of where you are. If you are in an environment with cardinal directions, you know them exactly.
    Success You gain enough orientation to avoid becoming hopelessly lost. If you are in an environment with cardinal directions, you have a sense of those directions.

  • Cover Tracks (Trained)
  • CONCENTRATE
     EXPLORATION
     MOVE

    You cover your tracks, moving up to half your travel Speed. You don't need to attempt a Survival check to cover your tracks, but anyone tracking you must succeed at a Survival check against your Survival DC if it is higher than the normal DC to Track.

    In some cases, you might Cover Tracks in an encounter. In this case, Cover Tracks is a single action and doesn't have the exploration trait.

  • Track (Trained)
  • CONCENTRATE
     EXPLORATION
     MOVE

    You follow tracks, moving at up to half your travel Speed. After a successful check to Track, you can continue following the tracks at half your Speed without attempting additional checks for up to 1 hour.

    In some cases, you might Track in an encounter. In this case, Track is a single action and doesn't have the exploration trait, but you might need to roll more often because you're in a tense situation. The GM determines how often you must attempt this check.

    You attempt your Survival check when you start Tracking, once every hour you continue tracking, and any time something significant changes in the trail. The GM determines the DCs for such checks, depending on the freshness of the trail, the weather, and the type of ground.

    Success You find the trail or continue to follow the one you're already following.
    Failure You lose the trail but can try again after a 1-hour delay.
    Critical Failure You lose the trail and can't try again for 24 hours.

Thievery

You are trained in a particular set of skills favored by thieves and miscreants.

  • Palm an Object 1 (Untrained)
  • MANIPULATE

    You pick up a small, unattended object and try not to be noticed. Roll a single Thievery check against the Perception DCs of all creatures who are currently observing you. You can typically only Palm Objects of negligible Bulk, though the GM might determine otherwise depending on the situation.

    Success The creature doesn't notice you Palming the Object.
    Failure The creature notices you Palming the Object.

  • Steal 1 (Untrained)
  • MANIPULATE

    You try to take a small object from another creature without being noticed. Typically, you can Steal only an object of negligible Bulk, and you automatically fail if the creature who has the object is in combat or on guard.

    Attempt a Thievery check to determine if you successfully Steal the object. The DC is usually the Perception DC of the creature wearing the object. It's easiest to steal an object that is worn but not closely guarded (like a loosely carried pouch filled with coins, or an object within such a pouch). The GM might increase the DC if the object is protected or if the nature of the object makes it harder to steal (such as a very small item in a large pack, or a sheet of parchment mixed in with other documents). For instance, the DC is typically 5 higher if the object is in a pocket, held in a creature's hand, or similarly protected.

    You might also need to compare your Thievery check result against the Perception DCs of observers other than the person wearing the object. The GM might impose a circumstance penalty to the DCs of observers who are distracted.

    Success You steal the item without the bearer noticing, or an observer doesn't see you take or attempt to take the item.
    Failure The item's bearer notices your attempt before you can take the object, or an observer sees you take or attempt to take the item. The GM determines the response of any creature that notices your theft.

  • Disable a Device 2 (Trained)
  • MANIPULATE

    This action allows you to disarm a trap or another complex device. Often, a device requires numerous successes before becoming disabled, depending on its construction and complexity. A thieves' toolkit is helpful and sometimes even required to Disable a Device, as determined by the GM, and sometimes a device requires a higher proficiency rank in Thievery to disable it.

    Critical Success You disable the device, or you achieve two successes toward disabling a device requiring more than one success. You leave no trace of your tampering, and you can rearm the device later, if that type of device can be rearmed.
    Success You disable the device, or you achieve one success toward disabling a device that requires more than one success.
    Critical Failure You trigger the device.

  • Pick a Lock 2 (Trained)
  • MANIPULATE

    Opening a lock without a key is very similar to Disabling a Device, but the DC of the check is determined by the complexity and construction of the lock you are attempting to pick (locks and their DCs can be found on their page). Locks of higher quality might require multiple successes to unlock. If you lack the proper tools, the GM might let you use improvised picks, which are treated as a shoddy toolkit.

    Critical Success You unlock the lock, or you achieve two successes toward opening a lock that requires more than one success. You leave no trace of your tampering.
    Success You open the lock, or you achieve one success toward opening a lock that requires more than one success. You leave behind damage that indicates the lock was picked on close scrutiny.
    Critical Failure You break your toolkit and leave behind obvious damage. Fixing a broken toolkit requires using Crafting to Repair it or else swapping in replacement picks (costing 3 sp, or 3 gp for an infiltrator thieves' toolkit).


SpellCard by Anthony Coadic.

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