INSIGHT (WISDOM)

The Insight skill is used to discern intent and decipher body language during social interactions. Characters use the skill to comprehend motives, to read between the lines, to get a sense of moods and attitudes, and to determine how truthful someone is being. (Monsters rarely use Insight.)

Insight is used to oppose Bluff checks and as the social counterpart to the Perception skill. The skill can also be used to gain clues, to figure out how well a social situation is going, and to determine if someone is under the influence of an outside force.

When a creature uses Insight, it is making a best guess about another creature’s motives and truthfulness. Insight is not an exact science or a supernatural power; it represents the ability to get a sense of how a person is behaving.

Action: Minor action. No action is required when opposing a Bluff check. The creature needs some amount of interaction with a target to interpret its words or behavior.

DC: See the Insight table, except when countering a Bluff check, which is an opposed check.

Success: The creature counters a Bluff check, gains a clue about a social situation, or senses an outside influence on someone.

Failure: The creature can’t try again until circumstances change.

Task Insight DC

Sense motives or attitude Moderate DC of the target's level

Sense outside influence Hard DC of the effect's level

Read the mood of a crowd (easy DC)

Discern who among a cagey group is the leader (moderate DC)

Interpret enemies’ hand signs (hard DC)

Recognize a creature as illusory (moderate DC of the effect’s level)

NATURE (WISDOM)

The Nature skill encompasses knowledge and skills related to nature, including finding ways through wilderness, recognizing natural hazards, dealing with and identifying natural creatures, and living off the land.

Training in this skill represents formalized study or extensive experience. Those that have training in the skill are likely to know esoteric information in the field of study.

NATURE KNOWLEDGE

Make a Nature check to recall a relevant piece of lore about the natural world—terrain, climate, weather, plants, or seasons—or to recognize a nature-related clue (see “Knowledge Checks").

Examples of Nature knowledge include determining cardinal directions or finding a path (easy DC), recognizing a dangerous plant or another natural hazard (moderate DC), or predicting a coming change in the weather (moderate DC).

MONSTER KNOWLEDGE

Make a Nature check to identify a creature that has the natural origin (see “Monster Knowledge Checks”).

FORAGE

Make a Nature check to locate and gather food and water in the wilderness.

Action: The check takes 1 hour of effort.

DC: DC 15 to find food and water for one person, or DC 25 for up to five people. The DM might adjust the DC in different environments: 5 lower in a cultivated environment or 5 higher in a barren one.

Success: The creature finds enough food and water for 24 hours.

Failure: The creature finds no food or water. The creature must wait 24 hours to try again in the same area.

CALM ANIMAL

Make a Nature check to calm a natural beast. For instance, a character might use this check to get a wild horse to let him or her ride it.

Action: Standard action.

DC: Hard DC of the beast’s level. The check fails automatically against a beast that the character’s group is fighting.

Success: The beast is calmed.

TRAIN ANIMAL

Make a Nature check to teach a natural beast a simple trick (come, fetch, heel, stay, and so forth). This use of the skill is usually part of a skill challenge, which might take much longer than an encounter to complete.

Camouflage a trap or some other construction in a natural setting (opposed by Perception)

Build a shelter that provides some protection against harsh weather (moderate DC)

Skills

The Following are the skills outlined in D&D as they are written in the Rules Compendium. When you want to use a skill to complete a task, you must role a skill check. This is a 1d20, plus any modifiers you have, campared to the skill’s Difficulty Class, DC for short. Here are the following DC’s that are most commonly used.

Easy:

The action involved isn’t trivial but is still pretty simple. These are the simplest checks and should represent a reasonable challenge for characters that have no training in the skill (an untrained character). An untrained character is typically adding half his level to the skill and probably doesn’t have an ability score that helps him out. He might get another +1 by Epic tier, since all his ability modifiers have increased by 21st level. Trained characters have little risk of failure, and expert characters are nearly guaranteed success. These are the DCs that we suggest DMs should use when every character in the party is expec

ted to make the check or for group checks (where half the PCs must succeed on the roll to earn a success for the group).

Moderate:

A moderate check requires a bit of training or innate ability, or a bit of luck. These checks are aimed at skilled characters who have training in the skill, though there are other options for getting a similar skill modifier, such as having a high ability score (18+) in the skill’s key ability or combining a r

acial bonus and a moderate (14+) ability score. These DCs scale a little faster than easy DCs, which accounts for ability score increases or adding a feat or path feature if the key ability isn’t your primary or secondary class stat. These DCs are the standard difficulty for a skill check in a skill challenge.

Hard:

These checks are designed to test characters who are even more focused on the particular skill, though there might still be some chance of failure even for these expert characters. Without additional assistance (such as a power bonus or another character’s aid), the expert PC will succeed against these DCs around two out of three times. The expert PC typically has training in the skill, and his or her primary ability score is the skill’s key ability (or secondary ability score along with a skill focus feat or racial bonus). As the character increases in level, we expect feat and item selection to provide an extra boost along the way, as well as ability score increases. This DC is a good choice to really challenge a focused PC, though it’s also a good DC to use for repeated successes with a single skill in a skill challenge (once the first, moderate attempt is successful).

Skill List Links

Acrobatics

Arcana

Athletics

Bluff

Diplomacy

Dungeoneering

Endurance

Heal

History

Insight

Intimidate

Nature

Perception

Religion

Stealth

Streetwise

Thievery

ACROBATICS (DEXTERITY)

*Armor Check Penalty

Creatures typically use the Acrobatics skill to maintain their balance while walking on narrow or unstable surfaces, to slip free of a grab or restraints, and to take less damage from a fall.

Moving across a surface that is slippery doesn’t usually require an Acrobatics check; that surface is instead treated as difficult terrain. If a surface is extremely slippery, the DM might require an Acrobatics check to cross it.

BALANCE

Make an Acrobatics check to be able to move across a surface less than 1 foot wide (such as a ledge or a tightrope) or across an unstable surface (such as a wind-tossed rope bridge or a rocking log).

Action: The check is usually part of a move action, but it can be part of any of the creature’s actions that involve the creature moving.

DC: See the table.

Success: The creature can move on the surface for the rest of the action,using squares of movement from the action. The creature must spend 1 extra square of movement for each square it enters on the surface. While on the surface, the creature grants combat advantage and might fall if it takes damage (see below).

Failure by 4 or Less: The creature can’t move any farther on the surface as part of the current action, but it doesn’t fall.

Failure by 5 or More: If the creature is on a narrow surface, the creature falls off it. If the creature is trying to move across an unstable surface that isn’t narrow, it instead falls prone. Either way, the creature can’t move any farther as part of the current action.

Taking Damage While Balancing

While on a narrow or unstable surface, a creature must make a new Acrobatics check whenever it takes any damage.

Action: Free action. The check is a response to taking damage.

DC: See the Balance table.

Success: The creature maintains its balance.

Failure: If the creature is on a narrow surface, the creature falls off it. If the creature is on an unstable surface that isn’t narrow, it instead falls prone.

Surface Acrobatics DC

Unstable Moderate

Narrow (less than 1 foot wide) Moderate (+5 if unstable)

Very narrow (less than 6 inches wide) Hard (+5 if unstable)

ESCAPE FROM A GRAB

Make an Acrobatics check to wriggle out of a grab (see “Escape”).

ESCAPE FROM RESTRAINTS

Make an Acrobatics check to slip free of physical restraints such as manacles.

Action: The check takes 5 minutes of uninterrupted effort. Alternatively, a creature can make the check as a standard action, but doing so increases the DC by 5.

DC: Hard DC of the creature's level.

Success: The creature slips free of the restraint.

Failure: The creature can try again only if someone else provides assistance, most often by using the aid another action.

HOP DOWN

Make an Acrobatics check to hop down 10 feet and land standing.

Action: The check is usually part of a move action, but it can be part of any of the creature’s actions that involve the creature moving.

DC: DC 15. The creature can make this Acrobatics check only if the drop is no more than 10 feet.

Success: The creature hops down, lands standing, and takes no falling damage. The downward move uses no movement from the action.

Failure: The creature falls.

REDUCE FALLING DAMAGE (Trained only)

If a creature that has training in Acrobatics falls, it can make an Acrobatics check to reduce the amount of falling damage it takes. The creature can make this check whether or not the fall is intentional.

Action: Free action. The check is a response to falling.

Result: The amount of falling damage that the creature takes is reduced by one-half the check result (rounded down). If the falling damage is reduced to 0, the creature lands standing.

Example: The floor beneath Keira swings open to reveal a pit 40 feet deep. As a rogue, Keira has training in Acrobatics, so she makes an Acrobatics check to reduce the falling damage. When she hits the ground, she takes 24 damage (from a roll of 4d10). Her Acrobatics check result is 21, which is divided in half and rounded down for a result of 10. Keira’s check reduces the damage by 10, so she instead takes 14 damage from the fall.

IMPROVISING WITH ACROBATICS

Slide down a staircase on a shield while standing (hard DC)

Somersault over a creature of the same size (hard DC)

Swing from a chandelier (moderate DC)

Impress onlookers with an acrobatic performance (moderate DC)

ARCANA (INTELLIGENCE)

The Arcana skill encompasses knowledge about magic-related lore and magical effects. Training in this skill represents academic study, either formalized or as a hobby. This knowledge can touch on any source of magical power—whether arcane, divine, primal, or another one—and extends to information about the following planes of existence, including the creatures native to those planes: the Elemental Chaos, the Feywild, and the Shadowfell. Those that have training in Arcana also have a chance to know something about the mysterious Far Realm, but not about its creatures (such knowledge falls under the Dungeoneering skill). A creature can sometimes use its knowledge of magic to interact with or manipulate magical phenomena.

ARCANA KNOWLEDGE

Make an Arcana check to recall a relevant piece of magic-related lore or to recognize a magic-related clue (see “Knowledge Checks”). A creature must have training in Arcana to possess information about the Far Realm.

MONSTER KNOWLEDGE

Construct, Elemental, Fey, and Shadow

Refer to these rules whenever a character makes a check to identify a mon-ster, regardless of the knowledge skill he or she is using. The DM typically tells a player which skill to use, based on the creature’s origin or relevant keyword. If a monster’s origin and keyword suggest the use of two different skills, the DM decides which skill can be used to identify the monster, and might allow the use of either skill. For example, a dracolich is both a natu-ral creature and undead, but the DM might decide that its being undead is more relevant than its natural origin and require the use of Religion. In contrast, an abyssal ghoul is an elemental undead creature, and the DM might allow the use of either Arcana or Religion.

DETECT MAGIC (Trained only)

Creatures that have training in Arcana can use the skill to identify magical effects and to sense the presence of magic.

Identify Conjuration or Zone

Action: Minor action. The creature must be able to perceive the conjuration or the zone.

DC: Moderate DC of the conjuration’s or the zone’s level.

Success: The creature identifies the power used to create the conjuration or the zone and knows the effects and keywords of the conjuration or the zone.

Failure: The creature can’t try to identify the effect again until after a short rest.

Identify Magical Phenomenon

Make an Arcana check to identify a magical phenomenon that was created by a magical ritual or that is part of the environment, such as glowing runes on a cavern wall, an eldritch sign glimmering on an altar, a waterfall that flows upward, or a piece of earth floating in the air. This use of the skill is not normally used to identify powers, magic items, or their effects.

Action: Standard action. The creature must be able to perceive the phenomenon.

DC: Hard DC of the phenomenon’s level. If it has no level, use the hard DC of the creature’s level.

Success: The creature identifies the phenomenon’s power source and other keywords, if any, as well as the phenomenon’s basic purpose if it’s not obvious. If a magical ritual created the phenomenon, the creature identifies the ritual and is familiar with its effects.

Failure: The creature can’t try to identify the phenomenon again until after an extended rest.

Sense the Presence of Magic

Make an Arcana check to sense the presence of magic in an area. Typically creatures use the skill in this way when no magic is observable, but they suspect it is present.

Action: Standard action. The creature attempts to detect each source of magical energy within a number of squares equal to 5 + its level, ignoring all barriers.

DC: Hard DC of the creature’s level. The creature automatically succeeds in detecting any source of magical energy within range that is five or more levels lower than its level.

Success: The creature detects each source of magical energy within range and learns its power sources, if any. If a source of magical energy is within line of sight, the creature pinpoints its location. If it’s not within line of sight, the creature knows the direction from which the magical energy emanates but does not know how far away it is.

Failure: The creature detects nothing, or nothing is within range to detect. The creature can’t try again until after a short rest.

Change the visible or audible qualities of one’s magical powers when using them (moderate DC)

Control a phenomenon by manipulating its magical energy (hard DC)

Contribute to a negotiation with an elemental, fey, or shadow creature by exploiting knowledge of its behavior or culture (hard DC)

ATHLETICS (STRENGTH)

* Armor Check Penalty

Make an Athletics check to attempt physical activities that rely on muscular strength, including climbing, escaping from a grab, jumping, and swimming.

CLIMB

Make an Athletics check to climb up or down a surface. A creature that has a climb speed doesn’t have to make Athletics checks to climb.

Action: The check is usually part of a move action, but it can be part of any of the creature’s actions that involve the creature moving.

DC: See the Climb table. If a creature can brace itself between two surfaces, it gains a +5 bonus to the check.

Success: The creature can climb on the surface for the rest of the action, using squares of movement from the action. The creature must spend 1 extra square of movement for each square it enters on the surface. While climbing, a creature grants combat advantage and might fall if it takes damage (see below).

When a climber moves from a vertical surface to a horizontal surface, such as when climbing out of a pit, the climber chooses to arrive either standing or prone.

Failure by 4 or Less: If the creature was already climbing, it doesn’t fall. If the creature was trying to start climbing, it fails to do so. Either way, the creature can’t move any farther as part of the current action.

Failure by 5 or More: If the creature was already climbing, it falls (see “Falling”) but can try to catch hold (see below). If the creature was trying to start climbing, it fails to do so. Either way, the creature can’t move any farther as part of the current action.

Example: Fargrim the fighter has a speed of 5 and is 2 squares away from a brick wall that he wants to climb. He takes the walk action and moves 2 squares toward the wall. He then makes an Athletics check as part of the same action and gets a result of 20, enough to start climbing. He’s able to climb up only 1 square, however, since each square of the climb costs 1 extra square of movement, and he has only 3 squares of movement left. He ends the action 1 square up the wall.

Taking Damage while Climbing

While climbing, a creature must make a new Athletics check if it takes damage.

Action: Free action. The check is a response to taking damage.

DC: See the Climb table. If the damage bloodies the creature, the DC increases by 5.

Success: The creature holds on.

Failure: The creature falls but can try to catch hold (see below).

Catching Hold

A creature that falls while climbing can make an Athletics check to catch hold of something to stop the fall immediately.

Action: Free action. The check is a response to falling.

DC: See the Climb table, and add 5 to the normal DC.

Success: The creature doesn’t fall.

Failure: The creature falls and can’t try to catch hold again as part of this fall.

Surface Athletics DC

Ladder 0

Rope 10

Uneven surface (cave wall) 15

Rough surface (brick wall) 20

Slippery surface +5

Unusually smooth surface +5

ESCAPE FROM A GRAB

The escape action allows the use of an Athletics check to muscle out of a grab (see “Escape”).

JUMP

Make an Athletics check to jump vertically to reach a dangling rope or a high ledge or to jump horizontally to leap over a pit, a patch of difficult terrain, a low wall, or some other obstacle.

Simply scrambling onto a terrain feature such as a table or a chair doesn’t require an Athletics check, because such terrain features are usually difficult terrain.

High Jump

Make an Athletics check to make a high jump, usually to reach or grab hold of something overhead.

Action: The check is usually part of a move action, but it can be part of any of the creature’s actions that involve the creature moving.

Result: Divide the check result by 10 (round down). This value is the number of feet the creature jumps up, or in other words, the height that the creature’s feet clear.

All the squares of the jump, if any, use squares of movement from the action. The High Jump table summarizes the total distances of various high jumps based on Athletics check results. If the creature runs out of movement before landing on something or grabbing onto something, it falls.

However, if the jump was part of a move action, the creature can continue the jump as part of a double move, ending the first move action in midair and continuing the jump as part of the second move action. The creature makes a single Athletics check for the jump but can use squares of movement from both actions for it.

Running Start: If the creature moves at least 2 squares as part of the action and then jumps, double the result before dividing by 10 (or simply divide the result by 5).

Reaching Something: To determine whether the creature can reach something while jumping, calculate what one-third of the creature’s height is (round down to the nearest inch). This extra one-third represents the length of a creature’s arms. Add that number to the creature’s height and the distance cleared based on its Athletics check.

Example: A 6-foot-tall creature would add 2 for its arms’ length for a total of 8 feet, which would then be added to the distance cleared. A 4-foot-tall creature would add 5 feet to the distance.

If a creature jumps and doesn’t have a height specified, consult the Vertical Reach table and use the value noted for the creature’s size. For example, if a Large creature’s height is unknown, add 15 feet to the result of its Athletics check to determine whether it can reach something.

HIGH JUMP

Athletics Result Distance Cleared

9 or lower 0 feet

10-19 1 foot

20-29 2 feet

30-39 3 feet

40-49 4 feet

And so on...

VERTICAL REACH

Creature Size Vertical Reach

Tiny 2½ feet

Small 10 feet

Medium 10 feet

Large 15 feet

Huge 25 feet

Gargantuan 35 feet

Example: Dendric, a 6-foot-tall human fighter, attempts a high jump to catch a rope dangling 12 feet overhead. His check result is 26. If Dendric leaps from a standing position, he can’t quite reach the end of the rope (26 ÷ 10 = 2 feet plus 1? × his height [8 feet] for a final reach of 10 feet). If Dendric leaps with a running start, he can reach the end of the rope (52 ÷ 10 = 5 feet plus 1? × his height [8 feet] for a final reach of 13 feet).

Long Jump

Make an Athletics check to make a long jump.

Action: The check is usually part of a move action, but it can be part of any of the creature’s actions that involve the creature moving.

Result: Divide the Athletics check result by 10 (rounded down). This determines the number of squares the creature clears with the jump. The creature lands 1 square beyond the squares it clears. All the squares of the jump, including the landing square, use squares of movement from the action. The Long Jump table summarizes the total distances of various long jumps, including the landing square.

If the creature ends the movement over a drop, it falls and can’t move any farther as part of the current action. If the creature runs out of movement before landing, it also falls. However, if the jump was part of a move action, the creature can continue the jump as part of a double move, ending the first move action in midair and continuing the jump as part of the second move action. The creature makes a single Athletics check for the jump but can use squares of movement from both actions for it.

Running Start: If the creature moves at least 2 squares as part of the action and then jumps, double the result before dividing by 10 (or simply divide the result by 5).

Distance Cleared Vertically: To determine the number of feet that the creature clears vertically during the long jump, divide the check result by 10 and then add 2 if the result is at least 1. If the creature doesn’t jump high enough to clear an obstacle along the way, it hits the obstacle, falls prone, and can’t move any farther as part of the current action.

Long Jump

Athletics Result Distance Cleared Total Move

9 or lower 0 squares 0 squares

10–19 1 square (3 feet up) 2 squares

20–29 2 squares (4 feet up) 3 squares

30–39 3 squares (5 feet up) 4 squares

40–49 4 squares (6 feet up) 5 squares

And so on . . .

Example: Lyriel the fighter attempts a long jump to leap over a 2-square-wide pit and clear the 5-foot-high wall of thorns beyond it. Her check result is 24. With a running start, she easily jumps the distance [(24 × 2) ÷ 10 = 4 squares] and clears the wall (4 + 2 = 6 feet). If Lyriel jumps from a standing position, she jumps over the pit (24 ÷ 10 = 2 squares) but doesn’t clear the wall (2 + 2 = 4 feet). She hits the wall of thorns and falls prone—right into the pit.

SWIM

Make an Athletics check to swim, which includes treading water. A creature that has a swim speed doesn’t have to make Athletics checks to swim or tread water.

Creatures that hold their breath for more than 3 minutes or that take damage while holding their breath risk suffocation. See the Endurance skill for information on swimming or treading water for an hour or more. See “Currents” for rules on swimming in a strong current.

Action: The check is usually part of a move action, but it can be part of any of the creature’s actions that involve the creature moving.

DC: See the Swim table.

Success: The creature can swim for the rest of the action, using squares of movement from the action. The creature must spend 1 extra square of movement for each square it enters while swimming. Alternatively, the creature simply stays afloat, treading water.

Failure by 4 or Less: The creature can’t move any farther as part of the current action, but it treads water.

Failure by 5 or More: The creature can’t move any farther as part of the current action and sinks 1 square.

SWIM

Water - Athletics DC

Calm - 10

Rough - 15

Stormy - 20

IMPROVISING WITH ATHLETICS

Hang onto a wagon while being dragged behind it (hard DC)

Force your way through an earthen tunnel that is too small for you (hard DC)

Move into a strong headwind while flying (moderate DC)

BLUFF (CHARISMA)

Characters use the Bluff skill to make what’s false seem true, what’s outrageous seem plausible, and what’s suspicious seem ordinary. A character makes a Bluff check to fast-talk a guard, con a merchant, gamble, pass off a disguise, fake a piece of documentation, or mislead in some other way.

Action: Standard action. A Dungeon Master might allow a creature to make a Bluff check as part of another action, depending on what a creature wants to do.

Opposed Check: Against a target’s passive Insight, or against the target’s Insight check if it is actively trying to see through the deception. A creature can make the check against multiple targets at once, opposing the passive Insight of each target with a single Bluff check.

Success: The deception is successful against the target that opposed the check.

Failure: The target doesn’t believe the deception. If the check fails by 5 or more, the DM might rule that additional Bluff checks against the target for the same deception are impossible, or that those checks take a -5 penalty.

GAIN COMBAT ADVANTAGE

Make a Bluff check to gain combat advantage against an enemy by feinting.

Action: Standard action. A creature can take this action only once per encounter.

Opposed Check: Against an adjacent target’s passive Insight.

Success: The feinting creature gains combat advantage against the target until the end of the feinting creature’s next turn.

CREATE A DIVERSION TO HIDE

Make a Bluff check to create a diversion and become hidden using the Stealth

skill.

Action: Standard action. A creature can take this action only once per encounter.

Opposed Check: Against a target’s passive Insight. The target must be able to see the creature creating the diversion. A creature can make the check against multiple targets at once, opposing the passive Insight of each target with a single Bluff check.

Success: The creature can immediately make a Stealth check opposed by the passive Perception of any target that failed the opposed Bluff check. If the Stealth check succeeds against a target, the creature becomes hidden from that target until the end of the current turn or until immediately after the hidden creature makes an attack.

Entice a guard into leaving its post (hard DC)

Impersonate someone’s voice convincingly (hard DC)

Entertain a crowd with a tall tale (moderate DC)

DIPLOMACY (CHARISMA)

Creatures use the Diplomacy skill to influence others using tact, subtlety, and social grace. (Monsters rarely make Diplomacy checks.) Make a diplomacy check to change opinions, inspire good will, haggle with a merchant, demonstrate proper etiquette and decorum, or negotiate a deal in good faith.

Action: Standard action. A Dungeon Master might allow a creature to make a Diplomacy check as a free action.

DC: The Dungeon Master sets the DC using the Difficulty Class by Level table. The target’s attitude (friendly or unfriendly, peaceful or hostile) and other temporary modifiers (such as what the creature performing the check is seeking to accomplish) might apply to the DC. The DC might also be affected by the number of targets the creature is trying to influence at once.

Success: The creature achieves the desired influence. This might be the first of several successes—perhaps part of a skill challenge—required to fully influence a target.

Comfort a distraught person (moderate DC)

Display proper etiquette at a formal event (moderate DC)

Give a pleasing speech (easy DC)

Give an inspiring speech (hard DC)

DUNGEONEERING (WISDOM)

The Dungeoneering skill represents knowledge and skills related to dungeon exploration, including finding one’s way through underground complexes, navigating winding caverns, recognizing subterranean hazards, and foraging for food in the Underdark.

Training in this skill represents formalized study or extensive experience. Those that have training in the skill can also identify creatures of the Far Realm.

DUNGEONEERING KNOWLEDGE

Make a Dungeoneering check to recall a relevant piece of lore about an underground environment or to recognize an underground hazard or clue (see “Knowledge Checks”).

Examples of dungeoneering knowledge include determining cardinal directions while underground (hard DC), recognizing a dangerous underground plant (moderate DC), spotting new carvings or construction (moderate DC), and noticing a change in depth while exploring an area (moderate DC).

MONSTER KNOWLEDGE

Aberrant

Make a Dungeoneering check to identify a creature that has the aberrant origin (see “Monster Knowledge Checks”).

FORAGE

Make a Dungeoneering check to locate and gather food and water in an underground environment that includes pools of water, edible fungi or lichen, small vermin, or the like.

Action: The check takes 1 hour of effort.

DC: DC 15 to find food and water for one person, or DC 25 for up to five people. The DM might adjust the DC in different environments: 5 lower in a cultivated environment or 5 higher in a barren one.

Success: The creature finds enough food and water for 24 hours.

Failure: The creature finds no food or water. The creature must wait 24 hours to try again in the same area.

Determine how to cause part of a tunnel to collapse (hard DC)

Figure out the direction to a source of moving air while underground (moderate DC)

Leave well-placed marks to avoid getting lost underground (easy DC)

ENDURANCE (CONSTITUTION)

*Armor Check Penalty

The Endurance skill is used to stave off ill effects and to push beyond normal physical limits. A creature that has training in Endurance can hold its breath for long periods of time, forestall the debilitating effects of hunger and thirst, and swim or tread water for extended periods. Some hazards—including extreme temperatures, violent weather, and diseases—require creatures to make Endurance checks to resist or delay debilitating effects.

Characters rarely use Endurance actively; the DM directs players to use it in response to certain hazards. Using the skill in that way requires no action, unless otherwise noted. See “Environmental Dangers” and “Disease” for some of the situations that require Endurance checks.

SWIMMING FOR AN HOUR OR MORE

A creature that does not have a swim speed and swims for more than an hour must make an Endurance check.

Action: Free action. The creature makes the check at the end of each hour of swimming.

DC: Use the appropriate DC from the Swim table (page 140) and increase it by 2 for each hour of swimming.

Success: The creature can continue making Athletics checks to swim.

Failure: The creature can’t make any further Athletics checks to swim until after an extended rest. In addition, the creature sinks 1 square and risks suffocation. The creature can still be dragged along by an ally at half speed.

Quaff an entire stein of ale in one go (moderate DC)

Roll down a steep slope without taking damage (moderate DC)

Sustain a swift rowing pace for an extended period (hard DC)

HEAL (WISDOM)

The Heal skill is used to help others recover from wounds or debilitating conditions, including disease.

FIRST AID

Make a Heal check to administer first aid to a subject.

Action: Standard action. The subject must be adjacent to the creature performing first aid.

DC: The DC depends on which of the following tasks the creature attempts.

Grant Second Wind (DC 10): The subject can use its second wind, if available, without taking an action. The subject doesn’t gain the defense bonus normally granted by second wind, but still gains any other benefits associated with its second wind, such as a benefit granted by a class feature or a feat.

Grant a Saving Throw (DC 15): The subject can either make a saving throw immediately or gain a +2 bonus to a saving throw at the end of its next turn.

Stabilize the Dying (DC 15): If the subject is dying, the subject stops making death saving throws until it takes damage. Being stabilized does not change the subject’s current hit point total.

TREAT DISEASE

Make a Heal check to treat a subject infected by a disease.

Action: Rather than taking a particular action, the creature must attend the subject periodically throughout an extended rest taken by the subject and make a Heal check when the rest ends. The attending creature can take an extended rest at the same time.

Result: The check result determines the disease’s effects if the result is higher than the result of the Endurance check (or other check) that the subject makes against the disease.

IMPROVISING WITH HEAL

Ascertain whether a creature is dead (easy DC)

Discern whether a seemingly dead or living creature is undead (opposed by Bluff )

Deduce what kind of weapon caused an injury (moderate DC)

Diagnose a disease affecting a creature (hard DC of the disease’s level)

HISTORY (INTELLIGENCE)

The History skill encompasses knowledge related to the history of a region and beyond, including the chronological record of significant events and an explanation of their causes. This knowledge includes information pertaining to royalty and other leaders, wars, legends, important personalities, laws, customs, traditions, and memorable events.

Training in this skill represents academic study, either formalized or as a hobby. Those that have training in the skill are likely to know esoteric historical information.

Make a History check to remember a relevant piece of historical lore or to recognize a historical clue (see “Knowledge Checks”).

Inspire a receptive militia with tales of its heroic ancestors (moderate DC)

Locate the secret tomb of a bandit prince by interpreting the chronicles of his final days (hard DC)

Recite a canto from one of the epic poems of old (hard DC)

Win a game such as chess using historic strategies (hard DC)

INTIMIDATE (CHARISMA)

An adventurer can make an Intimidate check to influence others through hostile actions, overt threats, or deadly persuasion. (Monsters can’t intimidate adventurers.)

Action: Standard action. Outside combat, the DM might allow an adventurer to make the check as part of another action.

Opposed Check: Against a monster’s Will. (Adventurers can also try to intimidate DM-controlled characters.) The monster gains a +5 bonus to Will against the check if it is unfriendly to the adventurer, or a +10 bonus if it is hostile. If an adventurer attempts to intimidate multiple monsters at once, make a separate Intimidate check against each monster’s Will. Each monster must be able to see and hear the adventurer.

If a monster doesn’t have defenses specified, the DM should select an appropriate DC from the Difficulty Class by Level table, usually a moderate or a hard DC of the adventurer’s level.

This check fails automatically against a monster that is immune to fear. The DM might decide that this check also fails automatically against a monster, such as a golem or a skeleton, that acts under some form of magical compulsion.

Success: The adventurer forces a bloodied monster to surrender, gets a monster to reveal a secret, or cows a monster into taking some other action. This skill is not mind control, so a cowed monster is unlikely to take any action that would cause immediate harm to itself.

Failure: In combat, the adventurer can’t try again against the monster during the same encounter.

Target Becomes Hostile: Whether or not the check succeeds, using this skill against a monster usually makes it unfriendly or hostile toward the adventurer

PERCEPTION (WISDOM)

The Perception skill encompasses perceiving things, most often by sight or sound. Make a Perception check to notice a clue, detect a secret door, find a trap, follow tracks, listen for sounds behind a closed door, or locate a hidden object.

In most situations, the DM uses passive Perception to determine if a creature notices things. A creature that has fallen asleep naturally (as opposed to being knocked unconscious by a power or other effect) is unconscious, but not totally deprived of awareness; it can use its passive Perception to hear things, but with a -5 penalty.

PERCEIVE SOMETHING

Make a Perception check to perceive something, such as a hidden door, a concealed object, a group of creatures talking, or a monster’s tracks.

Action: Minor action. No action is required when the DM is using a creature’s passive Perception. Carefully searching an area (the creature’s space and squares adjacent to it) requires 1 minute or more.

DC: The DM chooses a DC from the Listen table, the Spot table, or the Find Tracks table.

Success: The creature perceives something. If the creature is carefully searching an area, it finds something, assuming there’s something to find.

FIND A HIDDEN CREATURE

Make a Perception check to try to find a hidden creature (see “Stealth”). If a creature finds a hidden creature, it might point the hidden creature out to others, resulting in them knowing its location.

Action: Minor action.

Opposed Check: Against a target creature’s Stealth check. The DM might apply relevant modifiers from the Listen and Spot tables, depending on how the creature is trying to find a hidden target.

Success: The target is no longer hidden from the creature. If the creature performing the check cannot see the target for some other reason, such as magical invisibility, it still knows where the target is located.

LISTEN

Noise Perception DC

Battle 0

Normal conversation Easy

Whispers Hard

Through a door +5

Through a wall +10

More than 10 squares away +2

SPOT

Obscured Thing Perception DC

Barely obscured Easy

Well obscured Hard

More than 10 squares away +2

FIND TRACKS

Soft ground (snow, loose dirt, mud) Moderate

Hard ground (wood or stone) Hard

Rain or snow since tracks were made +10

Each day since tracks were made +2

Quarry obscured its tracks +5

Huge or larger creature -5

Group of ten or more -5

Sense the true direction of an echoing sound (hard DC)

Smell a fresh, concealed corpse (hard DC)

Notice that terrain or an object is illusory (moderate DC of the effect’s level)

RELIGION (INTELLIGENCE)

The Religion skill encompasses knowledge about gods, sacred writings, religious ceremonies, holy symbols, and theology. This knowledge extends to information about the undead and about the Astral Sea, including the creatures of that plane.

Training in this skill represents academic study, either formalized or as a hobby. Those that have training in the skill are likely to know esoteric information in the field of study.

RELIGION KNOWLEDGE

Make a Religion check to recall a piece of relevant religious lore or to recognize a religion-related clue (see “Knowledge Checks”).

MONSTER KNOWLEDGE

Immortal or Undead

Make a Religion check to identify a creature that has the immortal origin or the undead keyword (see “Monster Knowledge Checks”).

Craft a simple nonmagical holy symbol or other sacred object (moderate DC)

Preside over a known religious ceremony (moderate DC)

Soothe grief-stricken or panicked peasants by chanting a hymn (hard DC)

STREETWISE (CHARISMA)

The Streetwise skill encompasses knowledge of the ins and outs of life in a settlement (a village, a town, or a city), whether on its main streets or in its back alleys. This knowledge is gleaned from talking to people and observing them as they go about their lives, rather than from studying tomes or maps. A character who has training in this skill is especially adept at getting information out of people living in settlements.

When in a settlement, make a Streetwise check to find out what’s going on, who the movers and shakers are, where to get the best deals, and where the dangers are.

Action: The check takes 1 hour of effort. The DM might allow a creature to use Streetwise as a knowledge skill, in which case the check requires no action; either a creature knows the answer or not.

DC: See the Streetwise table.

Success: The creature collects a useful bit of information, gathers rumors, finds out about available jobs, or locates the best deal. The creature usually avoids attracting unwanted attention in gathering this information.

Failure: The creature can try again but is likely to attract unwanted attention.

Settlement and Information Streetwise DC

Familiar settlement Easy

Unfamiliar but typical settlement Moderate

Foreign settlement Hard

Information is secret or closely guarded +10

STEALTH (DEXTERITY)

*Armor Check Penalty

Creatures use the Stealth skill to conceal themselves from enemies, slink past guards, slip away without being noticed, and sneak up on others without being detected.

Action: The check is usually at the end of a move action, but it can be at the end of any of the creature’s actions that involve the creature moving.

Opposed Check: Against the passive Perception of each target creature present. If the creature moves more than 2 squares during the action, it takes a -5 penalty to the Stealth check. If the creature runs, the penalty is -10.

A creature can make a Stealth check against a target only if the creature has superior cover or total concealment against that target or if the creature is outside the target’s line of sight. Outside combat, the DM might allow a creature to make a Stealth check against a distracted target, even if the creature doesn’t have superior cover or total concealment and isn’t outside the target’s line of sight. The target might be focused on something in a different direction, allowing the creature to sneak around it.

Success: The creature becomes hidden from the target. Being hidden means being silent and invisible (see “Invisibility").

Remaining Hidden: The creature remains hidden as long as it meets these requirements.

Keep out of Sight: If the creature no longer has any cover or concealment from a target, it doesn’t remain hidden from the target. The creature doesn’t need superior cover, total concealment, or to stay outside line of sight, but it at least needs partial cover or partial concealment from a target to remain hidden. A hidden creature can’t use another creature as cover to remain hidden.

Keep Quiet: If the creature speaks louder than a whisper or otherwise draws attention to itself with a noise, it doesn’t remain hidden from any creature that can hear it.

Keep Still: If the creature moves more than 2 squares during an action, it must make a Stealth check to remain hidden, with a -5 penalty, or a -10 penalty if the creature runs. If any creature’s passive Perception beats the check result, it doesn’t remain hidden from that creature.

Don’t Attack: If the creature makes an attack, it doesn’t remain hidden.

Not Remaining Hidden: If the creature takes an action that causes it not to remain hidden, the creature retains the benefits of being hidden, such as combat advantage, until the action is resolved. The creature can’t become hidden again as part of that same action.

Also, if an enemy tries to enter the creature’s space, the creature doesn’t remain hidden from that enemy.

Example: After shooting a goblin with her crossbow, Keira uses acrobatic maneuver to move 4 squares through a doorway into an adjacent room. From her new position, the goblin does not have line of sight to her, so she can make a Stealth check to become hidden as part of the movement of her acrobatic maneuver. Because she moved more than 2 squares, though, she takes a -5 penalty to her Stealth check. She rolls a 12, adds her Stealth check modifier (+9) and subtracts the penalty for movement for a result of 16. Her check result is higher than the goblin’s passive Perception of 13, so she is hidden from it. The goblin moves during its turn, but Keira still has partial cover from it even after the goblin’s movement, so she remains hidden. During her next turn, Keira uses a rogue power that allows her to move 2 squares before her attack. She moves 2 squares out into the open to get a clear shot and then shoots the goblin. Because her movement and attack are both part of the action that causes her to be no longer hidden, she retains the benefit of being hidden until after the attack is resolved. She gains combat advantage and deals her Sneak Attack damage to the goblin. Keira can then use her move action to find a new position from which to make a Stealth check to become hidden again.

IMPROVISING WITH STEALTH

Hide an object in a room (opposed by Perception)

Craft a hidden compartment or sheath (moderate DC)

Embed a secret message in a letter (opposed by Insight)

THIEVERY (DEXTERITY)

*Armor Check Penalty

The Thievery skill encompasses various abilities that require nerves of steel and a steady hand: disabling traps, opening locks, picking pockets, and sleight of hand.

The DM might decide that some uses of this skill are so specialized that a creature is required to have training in Thievery to have a chance of succeeding.

DISABLE TRAP

Make a Thievery check to prevent a known trap from triggering. Some traps cannot be disabled using Thievery, as specified in those traps’ stat blocks (see “Traps and Hazards").

Action: Standard action. Unless otherwise noted, the creature must be adjacent to part of the trap to try to disable it.

DC: A trap’s description normally specifies the DC to disable it, generally the hard DC of its level. The creature gains a +2 bonus to the check if it uses thieves’ tools.

Success: The creature disables the trap. Some traps, however, require multiple checks to be disabled.

Failure by 4 or Less: Nothing happens, unless the trap’s description says otherwise.

Failure by 5 or More: The creature triggers the trap.

OPEN LOCK

Make a Thievery check to pick a lock.

Action: Standard action. Unless otherwise noted, the creature must be adjacent to a lock to pick it.

DC: If a lock has no DC specified, use the hard DC of the creature’s level. The DM might decide that a shoddy lock has a moderate DC instead. The creature gains a +2 bonus to the check if it uses thieves’ tools.

Success: The creature picks the lock. A complicated lock might require multiple checks before it can be opened.

PICK POCKET

Make a Thievery check to lift a small object (such as a purse or an amulet) from a creature without that creature being aware of the theft.

Action: Standard action. Unless otherwise noted, the creature must be adjacent to the target, and the target must not be holding the object.

DC: Hard DC of the target’s level.

Success: The creature lifts a small object from the target without the target noticing.

Failure by 4 or Less: The creature fails to lift an object, but the target doesn’t notice.

Failure by 5 or More: The creature fails to lift an object, and the target notices the attempt.

SLEIGHT OF HAND

Make a Thievery check to perform an act of legerdemain, such as palming an unattended object small enough to fit in the hand (a coin or a ring, for instance).

Action: Standard action. Unless otherwise noted, the creature performing the check must be adjacent to the object.

Opposed Check: Against the passive Perception of each creature present.

Success: The creature pulls off the sleight of hand.

Failure: The creature performs the sleight of hand but is obvious, unconvincing, or both.

IMPROVISING WITH THIEVERY

Fix a broken wagon (easy DC)

Craft a standard lock (moderate DC)

Bind a creature with rope (check result sets escape DC)

Tactical Movement: Cover, Concealment and Stealth Vs. Perception

For the upcoming adventure I wanted to go over in more detail the rules regarding using Stealth. There will be situations when you will want to sneak up on your target to spring a surprise attack or just to simply sneak by. Basically the use of stealth is skill check that the person’s stealth check versus the opposing target’s perception check. In all most all cases, the person hiding, must have cover or concealment. We will go over the rules regarding both. There are a few rare exceptions to this rule and I will go over those. In addition, I will outline the rules on perception as a skill and also fighting a target you can not see.

Cover: Player Handbook page 280-281
In short, cover is what we have when we shoot from around a corner, or when we hide behind a low wall. We are using the corner, tree, wagon or what ever you hide behind as a shield, making more difficult for the enemy to attack us.
In game terms that means if the attacker selected its’ best corner, it will still have at least one obstructed path to the corners the target occupies. If the target has cover, the attacker takes -2 to attack roles. This can be raised to -5 if the target is using “superior cover” like a window, or arrow slit. Another note about cover, is that it grants you partial concealment (unless you were hiding behind something translucent)

Concealment: Player Handbook page 280-281
Concealment is what we have when we are totally obscured from our enemy. For example, hiding in a room with total darkness, or hiding in or behind a smoke cloud. One of the things important to not about concealment is that, it does not provide and cover. Targets with in area of effect spells, are effected as normal.

Game rules
Concealment: -2 Penalty to attacks
Lightly Obscured - Fog, smoke, Heavy falling snow, heavy rain, foliage
Heavily Obscured, adjacent to attacker - Heavy fog, Heavy foliage, heavy smoke

Total Concealment: -5 Penalty to attacks
Heavily Obscured, not adjacent to attacker - Heavy fog, Heavy foliage, heavy smoke

Total Obscured or invisible
-you do not provoke attack of opportunity
-you have the combat advantage


Stealth
Stealth is a Skill, out lined in page 188 of the Player Handbook and refined in the Player Handbook 2. It is a Dexterity based skill, that is opposed to the skill Perception. Lets talk about basics in how Stealth works in D&D. Stealth is how an action is performed, so no move or standards action is used to become sheathed.


Step 1-the player announces that he will do an action using “Stealth”
Step 2 - the player roles 1d20 for his stealth check at the end of that action. This role will remain his stealth
check for the remainder of his next turn. Modifiers can include a Dex modifier, +5 if you are trained and more.
Step 3 - this stealth check is compared to the Passive Perception check of the target enemies, each has their own. A passive perception check is used when the enemy is not actively looking for you. The passive perception is a 10 plus their Perception modifier.

Fail by 1-9 points, the enemy knows what general direction you are in and about how far you are, but does not see you.
Fail by 10 or more point, the enemy knows exactly where you are.
Pass enemy is unaware of your presence. You have the combat advantage on the enemy.

In combat this is what this would look like. Erdan creeps up pair of orcs sitting by a fire. He uses his Stealth skill on his move action. He then roles a 16 and received a +10 modifier to Stealth that gives him a stealth check of 26. The orc’s passive perception is a 16. Erdan Stars with Deft strike allowing him to move 2 spaces and then attacking as a single standard action. Erdan will remain sheathed through the entire action and thus have the combat advantage on his target. This initiates a surprise round, only a single action can take place.

Create a diversion
In another scenario Edran desires to make a quick getaway. He uses a flask grenade to distract his enemy to hide. This requires that Erdan use a standard action and his place to hide is with in his movement.

Step1-Erdan makes a Bluff check vs. the enemy’s passive perception
Fail: enemy sees him
Pass: Role for Stealth check

Step2 Stealth check against passive perception for all enemies present
*You can hide behind your enemies back, if no other enemies are present.

Enemy Activity
If the enemy is actively looking for you, the make a active perception check, that means the role a 1d20 and add their perception modifier to it. This is done on their turn. Each enemy gets a perception check. Also if an enemy enters your square, you are no longer hidden.

Remaining Hidden
You must meet the following 3 conditions or you will need to complete a new stealth check.
1.Keep out of sight - you must have some degree of cover or concealment during your turn to remain sheathed
2.Remain quiet - Anything above a whisper can alert to enemy to your presence
3.Remail still- any movement above 2 squares (10 feet) will require you to make stealth check.

Modifiers:
-5 for movement above 2 squares
-10 for running