A skill represents a specific aspect, and an individual’s capability in a skill demonstrates a focus on that aspect.
Usually, the GM will ask for a skill check using a specific skill—for example, “Make a Perception check.” At other times, a player might ask the GM if capability in a particular skill applies to a check.
For example, if a character attempts to climb up a dangerous cliff, the GM might ask for an Athletics check.
Table of contents
Skill checks
Typical difficulty
| Task difficulty | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Very easy | 5 |
| Easy | 10 |
| Medium | 15 |
| Hard | 20 |
| Very hard | 25 |
| Nearly impossible | 30 |
For every skill check, the GM decides which of the six abilities is relevant to the task at hand and the difficulty of the task, represented by a Difficulty. The more difficult a task, the higher its Difficulty. The Typical Difficulty table shows the most common Difficulties.
A skill check tests a character’s or creature’s innate talent and training in an effort to overcome a challenge. The GM calls for a skill check when a character or creature attempts an action that has a chance of failure. When the outcome is uncertain, the dice determine the results.
To make a skill check, roll 2d10 and add the relevant ability. As with other rolls, apply bonuses and penalties, and compare the total to the Difficulty. If the total equals or exceeds the Difficulty, the skill check is a success—the creature overcomes the challenge at hand. Otherwise, it’s a failure, which means the character or creature makes no progress toward the objective or makes progress combined with a setback determined by the GM.
Aptitude
Capability with a skill means an individual can add half of their Aptitude Bonus to skill checks that involve that skill. Proficiency with a skill means an individual can add their Aptitude Bonus to skill checks that involve that skill. Without aptitude in the skill, the individual makes a normal skill check.
Some skill usages require capability or proficiency with the skill to use and are marked with “capable” or “proficient” to indicate so.
A character’s starting skill aptitudes are determined at character creation, and a creature’s skill aptitudes appear in the creature’s stat block.
Using a different ability
Normally, a skill applies only to skill checks using a single ability. Athletics, for example, usually uses Strength. In some situations, though, an ability might reasonably apply to a different use of a skill. In such cases, the GM might ask for a check using an unusual combination of ability and skill, or you might ask your GM if you can apply a different ability to a use of a skill. For example, if you have to swim from an offshore island to the mainland, your GM might call for an Athletics (Constitution) check to see if you have the stamina to make it that far. Similarly, when your orc warrior uses a display of raw strength to intimidate an enemy, your GM might ask for an Intimidation check using Strength, even though Intimidation is normally associated with Charisma. Wilderness is generally used with Wisdom, but if a character studied books about plants, a GM could allow the character to use its Intelligence, even though Wilderness is normally associated with Wisdom.
Secret checks
Sometimes you won’t know whether you succeed at a skill check. If an action has the secret trait, the GM rolls the check for you and informs you of the effect without revealing the result of the roll or the degree of success. The GM rolls secret checks when your knowledge about the outcome is imperfect, like when you’re searching for a hidden creature or object, attempting to deceive someone, translating a tricky bit of ancient text, or remembering some piece of lore. This way, you as the player don’t know things that your character wouldn’t. This rule is the default for actions with the secret trait, but the GM can choose not to use secret checks if they would rather some or all rolls be public.
How the result is handled is up to the GM. If a character fails a check to identify a potion by 4 or less, perhaps the result is “you’re unsure what potion that is”. If a character fails the check by 5 or more, perhaps the result is “you think this is a potion of healing” when in actuality it is a poison potion or some other potion.
Passive checks
A passive check is a special kind of skill check that doesn’t involve any die rolls. Such a check can represent the average result for a task done repeatedly, such as searching for secret doors over and over again, or can be used when the GM wants to secretly determine whether the characters succeed at something without rolling dice, such as noticing a hidden creature. Here’s how to determine a character’s total for a passive check:
11 + all modifiers that normally apply to the check
For example, if a 1st-level character has a Wisdom of 2 and capability in Perception, they have a passive Perception of 14.
If the character has advantage on the check, add 3. For disadvantage, subtract 3.
The rules on hiding in the Stealth skill below rely on passive checks, as do the exploration rules.
Partial success
If a skill check fails by 4 or less, the check might partially succeed. Your GM should determine if a skill check can partially succeed and what a partial success means for each check. Some examples:
if you are attempting to identify a magic item and fail by 4 or less, you might learn a single property or the amount of charges it has instead of all the information about it.
if you are attempting to recall knowledge about a specific mushroom to determine if it is safe to eat and fail by 4 or less, you might be able to determine a level of certainty that is not fully accurate, but could give an indication.
if you are attempting to jump across a gap and fail by 4 or less, you might be able to catch hold of the ledge and attempt to hang on as a followup Nimbleness check to Grab edge.
if you are attempting to avoid notice and fail by 4 or less, the creature might not see you directly, but will have noticed your presence.
if you are attempting to escape manacles and fail by 4 or less, you might be able to force your way through at the cost of tearing the flesh of your hands (damage and potentially disadvantage on skill checks using your hands).
if you make a contested Brawn check to determine who can push the other creature and fail by 4 or less, you might be pushed half the distance you would’ve been pushed on a failure.
Working together
Sometimes two or more characters team up to attempt a task. The character who’s leading the effort—or the one with the highest ability—can make a skill check with advantage, reflecting the help provided by the other characters. In combat, this requires the Help action.
A character can only provide help if the task is one that they could attempt themselves. For example, trying to identify an alchemical concoction requires capability with Alchemy, so a character who lacks capability can’t help another character in that task. Moreover, a character can help only when two or more individuals working together would actually be productive. Some tasks, such as threading a needle, are no easier with help.
Group checks
When a number of individuals are trying to accomplish something as a group, the GM might ask for a group skill check. In such a situation, the characters who are skilled at a particular task help cover those who aren’t.
To make a group skill check, everyone in the group makes the skill check. If at least half the group succeeds, the whole group succeeds. Otherwise, the group fails.
Group checks don’t come up very often, and they’re most useful when all the characters succeed or fail as a group. For example, when adventurers are navigating a swamp, the GM might call for a group Wilderness check to see if the characters can avoid the quicksand, sinkholes, and other natural hazards of the environment. If at least half the group succeeds, the successful characters are able to guide their companions out of danger. Otherwise, the group stumbles into one of these hazards.
Extended duration
Some skill checks are an abstraction of an activity that took a long time. For example, a character might make a Wilderness check to avoid getting lost. Some cases of avoiding getting lost are an immediate effect such as determining which fork in the road to take. Immediate effect checks should only require one roll and are resolved immediately. An abstracted case of avoiding getting lost might occur if a character is guiding a ship at sea for more than a few minutes. In these abstracted cases, characters should make multiple rolls with a successful outcome being determined by the character succeeding on a majority of the rolls. Any advantages or bonuses must have been active for the full duration to count.
For example, if a character is steering a boat for an hour you can have them make 3 rolls where they are mostly on their course if they succeed on at least 2 of the rolls and are fully on their course if they succeed on at least 3 of the rolls. If a character is steering a boat for many hours, you can use the same process, but with one roll an hour. You can also use the rules of partial success to determine that 4 out of 8 successful rolls might result in the character being off course, but they can correct it by spending another 2 hours sailing.
Another example is if a character is climbing a wall that takes an extended amount of time then you can have them roll every minute with a successful outcome being determined by the character succeeding on a majority of the rolls. So if a character climbs for 5 minutes then they must succeed on at least 3 checks. Again, you can have some minor consequences for partial failures or benefits for partial successes.
Combat skills
Combat skills are useful when a character needs to punch, shoot, stab, or wrestle someone. Combat skills determine how good your character is with weapons and how likely they are to hit a target.
Weapons (str)
Alternate abilities
- dexterity. using a ranged weapon or a weapon with the finesse property
- strength. using a melee weapon
Weapons measures your ability to effectively use weapons of a certain group. When you become capable or proficient with the Weapons skill, you can choose two individual groups or choose one group multiple times to improve. Each group counts as its own skill, so applying a skill increase to knives wouldn’t increase your aptitude with swords, for example. See Weapons for a complete list of weapon groups.
Attack. When you use the Attack action with a weapon from the associated weapons group, make a Weapons check.
Use a maneuver. As the action specified by the maneuver, you can use a maneuver with a weapon from the associated weapons group.
- Maneuver save Difficulty = 9 + your Strength + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
General skills
General skills represent the majority of the actions a character attempts. They may be knowledge based, useful during exploration, or may occasionally be useful in combat.
Alchemy (int)
Alternate abilities
- intelligence. if you learn your concoctions through dedicated study and memorization (alchemist, rogue, and the default way)
- wisdom. if you learn your concoctions through ancient traditions and following the old ways (witchcrafter)
Alchemy measures your ability with chemicals.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about alchemical symbols, alchemical theories, alchemical reactions, concoctions, and alchemical items.
Create a concoction. As the action specified by the concoction, you can create a concoction.
- Alchemical save Difficulty = 9 + your alchemical ability + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
Identify a concoction (capable, secret). As you spend 1 minute, you can make an Alchemy check to try to identify a concoction in a formula book. The Difficulty is 11 + double the concoction’s catalyst cost.
Craft alchemical item, poison, or antivenom (capable). You can try to craft an alchemical item, poison, or antivenom using Alchemist’s Supplies based on the crafting rules in Adventuring.
Identify a herb, poison, or potion (secret). As an action, you can try to identify a herb, poison, or potion.
Athletics (str)
Alternate abilities
- constitution. physical exertion over an extended period of time or in a hostile environment like cold water
- strength. something physically demanding
Athletics measures your athletic ability.
Boost (capable, ki or stamina dice). As a reaction, which you use when you make an Athletics check, you can expend 1 ki or stamina die to gain a +2 bonus on the triggering skill check. You can use this before or after the skill check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
If you are proficient, you can expend 2 ki or stamina dice as a reaction to roll the check with advantage before the skill check is made or 3 ki or stamina dice to reroll the check after the check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
Climb. As part of your move, you can try to climb over surfaces. This check can be especially difficult when climbing a slippery vertical surface, climbing a surface with few handholds, avoiding hazards while scaling a wall, or clinging to a surface while something is trying to knock you off. You are flat-footed while climbing.
The distance you move while climbing is halved (quartered in difficult terrain), unless you have a climbing speed.
On a failure, you use at least 2 meters of movement and aren’t able to climb the terrain or object until your next turn. If you fail by 5 or more, you fall and land prone.
Jump. As part of your move, you can try to jump. You jump a distance of up to 30 centimeters × the check result or a height of up to 30 centimeters × a quarter of the check result If you move at least 3 meters on foot immediately before the jump. If you make a standing jump, you can leap only half the distance and height. If you want to jump a distance and height at a same time, work with your GM to determine how far you can move.
Each meter you clear on the jump costs a meter of movement.
You can extend your arms half your height above yourself during the jump. Thus, you can reach above you a distance equal to the height of the jump plus 1½ times your height.
If you land in difficult terrain, you must succeed on a Difficulty 10 Nimbleness check to land on your feet. Otherwise, you land prone.
On a failure, you use at least 2 meters of movement and aren’t able to jump over the terrain or object until your next turn. If you fail by 5 or more, you fall and land prone.
Run. As part of your move, you can try to run for an extended period of time.
Swim. As part of your move, you can try to swim or stay afloat. This check can be especially difficult in treacherous currents, storm-tossed waves, areas of thick seaweed, or when another creature tries to push or pull you underwater or otherwise interfere with your swimming.
The distance you move while swimming is halved (quartered in difficult terrain), unless you have a swimming speed.
On a failure, you are moved in the direction of the current and aren’t able to swim until your next turn. If you fail by 5 or more, you go underwater.
After each hour of swimming, you must succeed on a Difficulty 10 Fortitude saving throw or become exhausted 1. The Difficulty increases by 2 for each hour of swimming. If you have a swimming speed—including a ring of swimming or similar magic—you can swim all day without penalty and you use the normal forced march rules in the Player’s Handbook.
Swimming through deep water is similar to traveling at high altitudes, because of the water’s pressure and cold temperature. If you don’t have a swimming speed, each hour spent swimming at a depth greater than 20 meters counts as 2 hours for the purpose of determining if you become exhausted. Swimming for an hour at a depth greater than 100 meters counts as 4 hours.
Brawn (str)
Brawn measures your ability to perform physical feats of strength.
Boost (capable, ki or stamina dice). As a reaction, which you use when you make a Brawn check, you can expend 1 ki or stamina die to gain a +2 bonus on the triggering skill check. You can use this before or after the skill check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
If you are proficient, you can expend 2 ki or stamina dice as a reaction to roll the check with advantage before the skill check is made or 3 ki or stamina dice to reroll the check after the check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
Break free. As an action, you can try to break free from being grappled or restrained. Make a Brawn check opposed by the grappler’s passive Brawn or a set Difficulty for the restrained condition, breaking free on a success.
Forcibly open a door. As an action, you can try to forcibly open a stuck, locked, or barred door. If a creature is attempting to hold the door, make a Brawn check and compare it to the creatures’s passive Brawn.
Grapple. As an action, you can try to grab a creature or wrestle with it. The creature must be no more than one size larger than you, and it must be within your reach. Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the creature by making a Brawn check opposed by the creature’s passive Brawn or passive Nimbleness (the creature chooses the skill to use). It has advantage on its passive Brawn if it is larger than you (+3 to its passive Brawn) or disadvantage if it is smaller than you (−3 to its passive Brawn). If you succeed, you subject the creature to the grappled condition. The condition specifies the things that end it, and you can release the creature whenever you like (no action required).
Moving a Grappled Creature: when you move, you can drag or carry the grappled creature with you, but your speed is halved, unless the creature is two or more sizes smaller than you.
Hang on. You can try to hang on to a creature or vehicle such as a horse or a wagon while being dragged behind it.
Hold back. As an action, you can try to hold a door closed or keep a boulder from rolling. Make a Brawn check opposed by the creature’s passive Brawn or a set Difficulty.
Reminder
Another creature’s space is difficult terrain for you and you can move through a hostile creature’s space without overrunning it if the creature is at least two sizes larger or smaller than you.
Overrun (capable). As part of your move, you can try to force your way through a hostile creature’s space by overrunning the creature. Make a Brawn check opposed by the creature’s passive Brawn. It has advantage on its passive Brawn if it is larger than you (+3 to its passive Brawn) or disadvantage if it is smaller than you (−3 to its passive Brawn).
On a success, you can move through the creature’s space once this turn.
On a failure, you land prone next to the creature and cannot try to overrun it again this turn.
Push through. As part of your move, you can try to push through a tight space that is too small for you to fit normally. The space must be able to be moved to accommodate you.
Shove. As an action, you can try to shove a creature or an object. A creature must be no more than one size larger than you, and it must be within your reach. Make a Brawn check opposed by a Difficulty to shove an object or by a creature’s passive Brawn or passive Nimbleness (the creature chooses the skill to use). It has advantage on its passive Brawn if it is larger than you (+3 to its passive Brawn) or disadvantage if it is smaller than you (−3 to its passive Brawn). If you succeed, you either push it 1 meter away from you, or push it 1 meter to the side.
Trip. As an action, you can try to trip a creature. The creature must be no more than one size larger than you, and it must be within your reach. You make a Brawn check opposed by the creature’s passive Brawn or passive Nimbleness (the creature chooses the skill to use). If you succeed, you knock the creature prone.
Engineering (int)
Engineering measures your engineering ability and knowledge of engineering.
When you become capable or proficient with Engineering you become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with Lore about constructs.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about structural, mechanical, and potentially electrical engineering. You can use this to determine the weakest point in a tunnel that could cause it to collapse or to understand how electronics work.
Craft (capable). You can try to craft armor, weapons, fortifications, or a vehicle such as a wagon based on the crafting rules in Adventuring.
Identify a technological item (capable). During a short or long rest, you can try to identify a technological item by examining it.
If you succeed and the item is not legendary, sentient, or an artifact, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any.
If you fail by 4 or less, you might learn a single properly or the amount of charges it has.
If you fail, you cannot attempt to identify the item until a week has passed.
Repair (capable). As you spend at least 1 minute, you can try to repair armor, weapons, fortifications, or a vehicle such as a wagon given that you have the materials and time to perform the repairs.
Sabotage. As an action, you can try to rig simple devices (such as saddles and wagon wheels) to function normally and break after some period of time (usually 1d4 rounds or minutes of use), make an Engineering check. You can leave no trace of your tampering, if you beat the Difficulty by 5.
Lore (int)
Alternate abilities
- intelligence. use academic knowledge
- wisdom. use experience
| Creature Knowledge | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Creature type | 5 + half of its CR (rounded down) |
| Common name | 10 + half of its CR (rounded down) |
| Notable traits and actions | 15 + half of its CR (rounded down) |
| Resistances and vulnerabilities | 20 + half of its CR (rounded down) |
Lore measures your knowledge of a narrow topic. You might have Lore (Legends), Lore (Civilization), Lore (Vampire), or any similar subcategory of the skill. When you become capable or proficient with the Lore skill, you can choose three individual subcategories or choose one subcategory multiple times to improve. Each subcategory counts as its own skill, so applying a skill increase to Lore (Planar) wouldn’t increase your proficiency with Lore (Sailing), for example.
Your GM determines what subcategories they’ll allow as Lore skills, though these categories are always less broad than any of the other skills that allow you to Recall Knowledge, and they should never be able to fully or mainly take the place of another skill’s Recall Knowledge action.
Common lore subcategories:
- Ancient civilization (inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, historical events, disputes, and major wars of an ancient civilization)
- Civilization (inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, historical events, disputes, recent wars of a region such as a country or city-state)
- Creature (choose 2 specific creatures [angels, vampires, lycanthropes, etc.] or a creature type such as aberrations, animals, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends [choose demons, devils, or other fiends], giants, humanoids [choose 2 species], monstrosities, oozes, plants, undead, etc.)
- Deity (one specific deity)
- Legends (legends, legendary people, and famous personalities of a region such as a country or city-state)
- Planar (a specific plane other than the Material Plane, or the plane in which the game is set if not the Material Plane.)
Rare lore subcategories:
- Faction (one faction)
- Genealogy
- Guild (one guild)
- Heraldry
- Lore of a type of food or drink (Alcohol, Baking, Butchering, Cooking, Tea, etc.)
- Lore of a specific profession (Accounting, Architecture, Art, Circus, Farming, Fishing, Fortune-telling, Gladiators, Herbalism, Hunting, Legal, Library, Mercantile, Midwifery, Milling, Mining, Sailing, Scouting, Scribing, Stabling, Tanning, Theater, etc.)
- Warfare
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about the subject of your Lore skill’s subcategory.
If you try to identify a creature use the table to see how much you learn about it.
Medicine (wis)
Alternate abilities
- intelligence. use academic knowledge
- wisdom. use experience
Medicine measures your knowledge about how the body works and your ability to treat it.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about diseases, poisons, wounds, and forensics.
Diagnose illness (capable, secret). As you spend 1 minute, you can try to diagnose an illness.
Determine cause of death (capable, secret). As you spend at least 1 minute examining a body to try to determine a cause of death. If you spend an hour to perform a full autopsy you have advantage on this check.
Stabilize. As an action, you can try to administer first aid to a dying creature and attempt to stabilize it, which requires a successful Difficulty 15 Medicine check. Expending a Healer’s Kit or Bloodblock provides advantage on this check.
Staunch bleeding (capable). As an action, you can try to stop a creature from bleeding. The Difficulty is 11 + the bleeding level. On a success, the bleeding condition is reduced by up to 3 levels. On a failure by 4 or less, the bleeding level is reduced by 1.
Treat disease (capable). As you spend at least 8 hours caring for a diseased creature, you can expend a Healer’s Kit use to help it fight off a malady. The creature has advantage on their next Fortitude saving throws against disease within that 8 hours.
Treat poison (capable). As you spend at least 10 minutes, you can expend a Healer’s Kit use to try to prevent the spread of poison. The creature has advantage on their next Fortitude saving throws against poison within 1 hour.
Treat wounds (capable). As you spend at least 10 minutes, you can expend a Healer’s Kit use to try to treat the wounds of a creature during a rest. If the creature regains health at the end of the rest, it regains additional health equal to its level.
Nimbleness (dex)
Nimbleness measures how quick you can react as well as your flexibility and sure-footedness.
Boost (capable, ki or stamina dice). As a reaction, which you use when you make a Nimbleness check, you can expend 1 ki or stamina die to gain a +2 bonus on the triggering skill check. You can use this before or after the skill check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
If you are proficient, you can expend 2 ki or stamina dice as a reaction to roll the check with advantage before the skill check is made or 3 ki or stamina dice to reroll the check after the check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
Balance. As part of your move or as a reaction, you can try to stay on your feet in a tricky situation, such as when you’re trying to run across a sheet of ice, balance on a tightrope, or stay upright on a rocking ship’s deck. You are flat-footed while balancing.
Escape. As an action, you can attempt to escape from being grappled or restrained. Make a Nimbleness check opposed by the grappler’s passive Brawn or a set Difficulty for the restrained condition, breaking free on a success.
Grab edge (capable). As a reaction, which you use when you fall over an edge, you can try to grab the edge. On a success, you grab the edge, stopping your fall. You are flat-footed while grabbing an edge.
Smother flame. As an action, you can try to stop yourself from burning. The Difficulty is 11 + the burning level. On a success, the burning condition is reduced by up to 3 levels. On a failure by 4 or less, the burning level is reduced by 1.
If you drop prone to roll in your space, which costs 2 meters of movement, the check is made with advantage.
Soften fall (capable). As a reaction, which you use when you fall any distance, you can try to reduce the impact. Make a Nimbleness check and reduce the distance fallen equal to the result. You still end up prone if you take damage from the fall.
Squeeze. As part of your move, you can try to squeeze through a tight space that is too small for you to fit normally.
Reminder
Another creature’s space is difficult terrain for you and you can move through a hostile creature’s space without tumbling if the creature is at least two sizes larger or smaller than you.
Tumble (capable). As part of your move, you can try to tumble through a hostile creature’s space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. Make a Nimbleness check opposed by the hostile creature’s passive Nimbleness.
On a success, you can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn.
On a failure, you land prone next to the creature and cannot try to tumble through its space again this turn.
Vehicles. As an action, you can try to control a boat, a cart, a wagon, or another vehicle.
Perception (wis)
Alternate abilities
- intelligence. look around for clues and make deductions based on those clues
- wisdom. sense the presence of something
Perception measures your ability to sense.
Notice creatures and details. You can try to spot, hear, or otherwise detect the presence of something. Perception measures your general awareness of your surroundings and the keenness of your senses.
For example, you might try to hear a conversation through a closed door, eavesdrop under an open window, or hear creatures moving stealthily in the forest. Or you might try to spot things that are obscured or easy to miss, whether they are orcs lying in ambush on a road, thugs hiding in the shadows of an alley, candlelight under a closed secret door, or whether a seemingly dead or living creature is undead.
Search (secret). As an action or longer, you can try to look around for hidden details, creatures, or objects or scour through ancient scrolls in search of a hidden fragment of knowledge.
A creature can search a small area as an action. For example you might be able to search for a hidden creature or object “by the trees over there” or search whereas a medium sized room might take a minute.
Sleight of hand (dex)
Alternate abilities
- dexterity. manipulate a lock, rope, trap, or device requiring fine manual dexterity
- intelligence. understand how a lock, trap, or device works
Sleight of hand measures your fine motor skills to entertain or manipulate.
Boost (capable, ki or stamina dice). As a reaction, which you use when you make an Sleight of hand check, you can expend 1 ki or stamina die to gain a +2 bonus on the triggering skill check. You can use this before or after the skill check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
If you are proficient, you can expend 2 ki or stamina dice as a reaction to roll the check with advantage before the skill check is made or 3 ki or stamina dice to reroll the check after the check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
Arm a trap or device. As an action, you can try to arm a trap or device. If you fail the check by 5 or more, the device triggers.
Create a forgery (capable, secret). As you spend at least 1 minute, you can create or detect forgery. You must have a Forgery Kit and the proper writing materials to create a forgery. If the handwriting doesn’t need to be specific to a person, you need only to have seen a similar document before. To forge a signature, you need an autograph of that person to copy. You need a larger handwriting sample to forge a longer document in that person’s script. The check is opposed by the examiner’s passive Perception.
Disable a trap or device. As an action, you can try to disable a trap or device. If you fail the check by 4 or less, you don’t disable it, but can try again. If you fail to disable a device by 5 or more, the device triggers. You can leave no trace of your tampering, if you beat the Difficulty by 5. If you do not have a set of Trap Disarming Tools, you must use an improvised tool and have disadvantage on the check, causing it to take twice as long.
Open a lock. As an action, you can try to open a lock. If you fail the check by 4 or less, you don’t open it, but can try again. If you fail by 5 or more, the lock breaks. You can leave no trace of your tampering, if you beat the Difficulty by 5. If you do not have a set of Lock Picks you must use an improvised tool and have disadvantage on the check, causing it to take twice as long.
Pilfer or plant an object. As an action, you can try to pilfer an object from a creature or plant an object on them. Make a Sleight of hand check and compare it to each passive observer’s passive Perception. On a failure, a target notices your attempt regardless of whether you got the item.
You automatically fail to pilfer or plant an object if the creature is in combat or on guard and aware of your presence.
Secure a prisoner. As an action, you can try to securely tie up a prisoner.
Smother flame. As an action, you can try to smother a flame to stop a creature or object from burning. The Difficulty is 11 + the burning level. On a success, the burning condition is reduced by up to 3 levels. On a failure by 4 or less, the burning level is reduced by 1.
If the creature or object being extinguished is larger than the extinguishing creature, the check is made with disadvantage.
Stealth (dex)
Alternate abilities
- charisma. avoid notice by acting like you belong
- dexterity. avoid notice through subtlety
Stealth measures your ability to remain unnoticed.
Boost (capable, ki or stamina dice). As a reaction, which you use when you make an Stealth check, you can expend 1 ki or stamina die to gain a +2 bonus on the triggering skill check. You can use this before or after the skill check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
If you are proficient, you can expend 2 ki or stamina dice as a reaction to roll the check with advantage before the skill check is made or 3 ki or stamina dice to reroll the check after the check is made, but before any effects of the check are applied.
Hiding
You can hide from any creature that can’t see you clearly, becoming hidden. Some common circumstances when a creature can hide:
- A creature with three-fourths cover or full cover can try to hide.
- A creature that is heavily obscured can try to hide.
- An invisible creature uses its passive Stealth to determine its hidden Difficulty.
- The GM decides what other circumstances are appropriate for hiding.
In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the GM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack before you are seen.
Avoid notice (secret). As an action, you can try to conceal yourself from enemies, slink past guards, slip away without being noticed, blend into a crowd, or sneak up on someone without being seen or heard. Make a Stealth check and compare it to each passive observer’s passive Perception. If a creature is specifically searching for you, it can attempt a Perception check against your passive Stealth, finding you on success.
Conceal an object (secret). As an action, you can try to hide a small object, such as a light weapon, on your person. When you try to sneak a concealed object past someone who might notice it, make a Stealth check and compare it to each passive observer’s passive Perception. If a creature is specifically searching you for an item, it can attempt a Perception check against your passive Stealth (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.
Streetwise (cha)
Streetwise measures your ability to survive and thrive in rough and dangerous urban areas.
Gather information (secret). As you spend at least 10 minutes, you can try to find out what’s going on, who the movers and shakers are, where to get what you need, which locations to avoid after dark, where to go to obtain illicit drugs and services, and where not to go while in a settlement—a village, a town, or a city.
Locate a fence. As you spend at least 10 minutes, you can try to look for a merchant who sells black-market goods or illegal services.
Track and hunt. As an action, you can try to follow tracks and hunt in an urban environment.
Wilderness (wis)
Wilderness measures your knowledge of the natural world and ability to survive in any wild location.
When you become capable or proficient with Wilderness you become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with Lore about animals or plants.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about fauna, flora, geography, weather, and the environment.
Determine cardinal direction (secret). As an action or longer, you can try to determine which direction you’re heading to lead your group the right way or to avoid getting lost at sea.
Estimate the time of day or season of the year (secret). As an action or longer, you can try to estimate the time of day or season of the year using the sun, plants, animals, stars, or other tools at your disposal.
Avoid natural hazards. You can try to guide your group through frozen wastelands, areas of quicksand, or other natural hazards. See the “Wilderness Hazards” section of Adventuring for more details.
Handle animal. As an action or longer, you can try to calm down a domesticated animal, keep a mount from getting spooked, or intuit an animal’s intentions.
Identify a plant or herb (secret). As an action, you can try to identify a plant or herb.
Predict the weather (secret). As an action or longer, you can try to predict the weather using the sun and clouds in the sky.
| Food and water availability | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Abundant food and water sources | 10 |
| Limited food and water sources | 15 |
| Very little, if any, food and water sources | 20 |
Forage for food and water. As you travel at a normal or slow pace, you can gather food and water. The Difficulty is determined by the abundance of food and water in the region.
Track and hunt. As an action, you can try to follow tracks and hunt in the wilderness. You might identify signs that owlbears live nearby or track a heard of prey.
Magic skills
Magic skills are useful when a character needs to understand magic symbols, effects, items, and spells.
Arcana (int)
Arcana measures your arcane ability and knowledge of the arcane.
When you become capable or proficient with Arcana you become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with Lore about monstrosities or three types of magical creatures.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about arcane symbols, arcane theories, magical traditions, arcane spells, magic items, the planes of existence and the inhabitants of those planes.
Cast an Arcane spell (capable). As the action specified by the spell, you can cast a spell from the Arcane power source.
- Spell save Difficulty = 9 + your spellcasting ability + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
- Spell attack = Make an Arcana check.
Identify an arcane magic item (capable). During a short or long rest, you can try to identify a magic item by examining it.
If you succeed and the item is a arcane magic item that is legendary, sentient, or an artifact, you learn that is a arcane magic item, but is beyond your ability to identify.
If you succeed and the item is a arcane magic item, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn whether any arcane spells are affecting the item and what they are. If the item was created by a arcane spell, you learn which spell created it.
If you succeed and the item is not a arcane magic item, you learn that is is not a arcane magic item.
If you fail by 4 or less and the item is a arcane magic item, you might learn a single properly or the amount of charges it has.
If you fail, you cannot attempt to identify the item until a week has passed.
Identify an arcane spell (capable, secret). As an action, you can make an Arcana check to try to identify a spell from the Arcane power source. The Difficulty is 11 + double the spell’s effective mana to identify an ongoing spell from its effects or a spell in a spellbook. This check always uses the creature’s spellcasting ability.
As a reaction, which you use when you see a creature within 10 meters of you casting a spell, you can attempt to identify the spell. Pass or fail, you can attempt a reaction such as dampen spell, force shield, inspire, or lucky without spending your reaction.
Disable magical trap (capable). As an action, you can try to disable a magical trap. If you fail by 4 or less, you don’t disable it, but can try again. If you fail to disable by 5 or more, the trap triggers.
Divinity (wis)
Divinity measures your divine ability and knowledge of the divine.
When you become capable or proficient with Divinity you become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with Lore about celestials, fiends, or undead.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about divine symbols, deities, rites and prayers, religious hierarchies, divine spells, divine magic items, the practices of secret cults.
Cast a Divine spell (capable). As the action specified by the spell, you can cast a spell from the Divine power source.
- Spell save Difficulty = 9 + your spellcasting ability + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
- Spell attack = Make a Divinity check.
Identify a divine magic item (capable). During a short or long rest, you can try to identify a magic item by examining it.
If you succeed and the item is a divine magic item that is legendary, sentient, or an artifact, you learn that is a divine magic item, but is beyond your ability to identify.
If you succeed and the item is a divine magic item, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn whether any divine spells are affecting the item and what they are. If the item was created by a divine spell, you learn which spell created it.
If you succeed and the item is not a divine magic item, you learn that is is not a divine magic item.
If you fail by 4 or less and the item is a divine magic item, you might learn a single properly or the amount of charges it has.
If you fail, you cannot attempt to identify the item until a week has passed.
Identify a divine spell (capable, secret). As an action, you can make a Divinity check to try to identify a spell from the Divine power source. The Difficulty is 11 + double the spell’s effective mana to identify an ongoing spell from its effects or a spell in a spellbook. This check always uses the creature’s spellcasting ability.
As a reaction, which you use when you see a creature within 10 meters of you casting a spell, you can attempt to identify the spell. Pass or fail, you can attempt a reaction such as dampen spell, force shield, inspire, or lucky without spending your reaction.
Occult (int)
Occult measures your occult ability and knowledge of the occult.
When you become capable or proficient with Occult you become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with Lore about aberrations, oozes, or three types of supernatural creatures.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about ancient philosophies, esoteric lore, obscure mysticism, eldritch symbols, cursed items.
Cast an Occult spell (capable). As the action specified by the spell, you can cast a spell from the Occult power source.
- Spell save Difficulty = 9 + your spellcasting ability + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
- Spell attack = Make an Occult check.
Identify an occult magic item or a cursed item (capable). During a short or long rest, you can try to identify a magic item by examining it.
If you succeed and the item is a occult magic item that is legendary, sentient, or an artifact, you learn that is a occult magic item, but is beyond your ability to identify.
If you succeed and the item is a occult magic item, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn whether any occult spells are affecting the item and what they are. If the item was created by a occult spell, you learn which spell created it.
If you succeed and the item is not a occult magic item, you learn that is is not a occult magic item.
If you fail by 4 or less and the item is a occult magic item, you might learn a single properly or the amount of charges it has.
If you fail, you cannot attempt to identify the item until a week has passed.
Identify an occult spell (capable, secret). As an action, you can make an Occult check to try to identify a spell from the Occult power source. The Difficulty is 11 + double the spell’s effective mana to identify an ongoing spell from its effects or a spell in a spellbook. This check always uses the creature’s spellcasting ability.
As a reaction, which you use when you see a creature within 10 meters of you casting a spell, you can attempt to identify the spell. Pass or fail, you can attempt a reaction such as dampen spell, force shield, inspire, or lucky without spending your reaction.
Performance (cha)
Performance measures your ability to entertain.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about harmonies, moldies, or music.
Cast a Music spell (capable). As the action specified by the spell, you can cast a spell from the Music power source.
- Spell save Difficulty = 9 + your spellcasting ability + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
- Spell attack = Make an Performance check.
Identify a Music spell (capable, secret). As an action, you can make a Divinity check to try to identify a spell from the Music power source. The Difficulty is 11 + double the spell’s effective mana to identify an ongoing spell from its effects or a spell in a spellbook. This check always uses the creature’s spellcasting ability.
As a reaction, which you use when you see a creature within 10 meters of you casting a spell, you can attempt to identify the spell. Pass or fail, you can attempt a reaction such as dampen spell, force shield, inspire, or lucky without spending your reaction.
Perform. You can try to delight an audience with music, dance, acting, storytelling, or some other form of entertainment. If you are not skillful with a musical instrument or a practiced storyteller, you have disadvantage on the check.
Primal (wis)
Primal measures your ability the ability to tap into the natural energies that infuse the world.
When you become capable or proficient with Primal you become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with Lore about elementals or fey.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about ancient symbols, primal spells, and primal magic items.
Cast a Primal spell (capable). As the action specified by the spell, you can cast a spell from the Primal power source.
- Spell save Difficulty = 9 + your spellcasting ability + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
- Spell attack = Make a Primal check.
Identify a primal magic item (capable). During a short or long rest, you can try to identify a magic item by examining it.
If you succeed and the item is a primal magic item that is legendary, sentient, or an artifact, you learn that is a primal magic item, but is beyond your ability to identify.
If you succeed and the item is a primal magic item, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn whether any primal spells are affecting the item and what they are. If the item was created by a primal spell, you learn which spell created it.
If you succeed and the item is not a primal magic item, you learn that is is not a primal magic item.
If you fail by 4 or less and the item is a primal magic item, you might learn a single properly or the amount of charges it has.
If you fail, you cannot attempt to identify the item until a week has passed.
Identify a primal spell (capable, secret). As an action, you can make a Primal check to try to identify a spell from the Primal power source. The Difficulty is 11 + double the spell’s effective mana to identify an ongoing spell from its effects or a spell in a spellbook. This check always uses the creature’s spellcasting ability.
As a reaction, which you use when you see a creature within 10 meters of you casting a spell, you can attempt to identify the spell. Pass or fail, you can attempt a reaction such as dampen spell, force shield, inspire, or lucky without spending your reaction.
Psionics (wis)
Psionics measures your knowledge of psionics.
When you become capable or proficient with Psionics you become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with Lore about aberrations or three types of psionic creatures.
Recall knowledge. Once on your turn, you can try to recall lore about psychic symbols, ancient mysteries, psionic traditions, psionic spells, and psionic magic items.
Cast a Psionic spell (capable). As the action specified by the spell, you can cast a spell from the Psionic power source.
- Spell save Difficulty = 9 + your spellcasting ability + half your Aptitude Bonus (min 1) if you are capable or your Aptitude Bonus if you are proficient.
- Spell attack = Make a Psionics check.
Identify a psionic magic item (capable). During a short or long rest, you can try to identify a magic item by examining it.
If you succeed and the item is a psionic magic item that is legendary, sentient, or an artifact, you learn that is a psionic magic item, but is beyond your ability to identify.
If you succeed and the item is a psionic magic item, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any. You learn whether any psionic spells are affecting the item and what they are. If the item was created by a psionic spell, you learn which spell created it.
If you succeed and the item is not a psionic magic item, you learn that is is not a psionic magic item.
If you fail by 4 or less and the item is a psionic magic item, you might learn a single properly or the amount of charges it has.
If you fail, you cannot attempt to identify the item until a week has passed.
Identify a psionic spell (capable, secret). As an action, you can make a Psionics check to try to identify a spell from the Psionic power source. The Difficulty is 11 + double the spell’s effective mana to identify an ongoing spell from its effects or a spell in a spellbook. This check always uses the creature’s spellcasting ability.
As a reaction, which you use when you see a creature within 10 meters of you casting a spell, you can attempt to identify the spell. Pass or fail, you can attempt a reaction such as dampen spell, force shield, inspire, or lucky without spending your reaction.
Social skills
Social skills govern social interactions between characters. When a character uses these skills, they try to convince, force, trick, or make a deal.
Deception (cha)
Deception measures your ability to deceive others through disguises, lies, and other forms of subterfuge.
Diversion. As an action or longer, you can try to create a diversion with a gesture, a trick, or some distracting words that draws creatures’ attention elsewhere.
Make a Deception check and compare it to each passive observer’s passive Insight. Whether you succeed or fail, creatures you attempt to affect have advantage against your subsequent attempts to create a diversion for 1 minute.
Impersonate (capable, secret). As you spend 10 minutes, you can try to disguise yourself to appear as someone or something you are not. Putting together a decent disguise 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. You can also impersonate a creature’s voice or sounds.
To determine if a creature perceives through your impersonation make a Deception check and compare it to each passive observer’s passive Insight and passive Perception. If you’re disguised as a specific individual, the GM might give creatures you interact with advantage based on how well they know the person you’re imitating.
Lie (secret). You can try to hide the truth, either verbally or through your actions. Make a Deception check and compare it to each passive observer’s passive Insight. This deception can encompass everything from misleading others through ambiguity to telling outright lies. Typical situations include trying to fast-talk a guard, con a merchant, earn money through gambling, dull someone’s suspicions with false assurances, or maintain a straight face while telling a blatant lie.
Insight (wis)
Alternate abilities
- intelligence. use logic, your memory, or deductive reasoning
- wisdom. use experience
Insight measures your ability to detect falsehoods and true intentions.
Discern intent (secret). You can try to determine the true intentions of a creature, such as reading body language, understanding someone’s feelings, searching out a lie, or predicting someone’s next move. Doing so involves gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms.
Intuition. You can try to instinctively understand where an object may have been hidden or what course of action to follow.
Intimidation (cha)
Alternate abilities
- charisma. manipulate using veiled or overt threats
- intelligence. manipulate using logical arguments
- strength. manipulate using hostile actions and physical violence
| Friendly creature’s reaction | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| The creature does as asked without taking risks or making sacrifices. | 0 |
| The creature accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as asked. | 10 |
| The creature accepts a significant risk or sacrifice to do as asked. | 20 |
| Indifferent creature’s reaction | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| The creature offers no help but does no harm. | 0 |
| The creature does as asked as long as no risks or sacrifices are involved. | 10 |
| The creature accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as asked. | 20 |
| Hostile creature’s reaction | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| The creature opposes the requested actions and might take risks to do so. | 0 |
| The creature offers no help but does no harm. | 10 |
| The creature does as asked as long as no risks or sacrifices are involved. | 20 |
Intimidation measures your ability to bend others to your will. How a creature reacts is based on their standing with you, as detailed in the table.
A Friendly creature wants to help the adventurers and wishes for them to succeed. For tasks or actions that require no particular risk, effort, or cost, friendly creatures usually help without question. If an element of personal risk is involved, a successful charisma check might be required to convince a friendly creature to take that risk.
An Indifferent creature might help or hinder the party, depending on what the creature sees as most beneficial. A creature’s indifference doesn’t necessarily make it standoffish or disinterested. Indifferent creatures might be polite and genial, surly and irritable, or anything in between. A successful Charisma check is necessary when the adventurers try to persuade an indifferent creature to do something.
A Hostile creature opposes the adventurers and their goals but doesn’t necessarily attack them on sight. For example, a condescending noble might wish to see a group of upstart adventurers fail so as to keep them from becoming rivals for the king’s attention, thwarting them with slander and scheming rather than direct threats and violence. The adventurers need to succeed on one or more challenging Charisma checks to convince a hostile creature to do anything on their behalf. That said, a hostile creature might be so ill-disposed toward the party that no Charisma check can improve its attitude, in which case any attempt to sway it through diplomacy fails automatically.
Coerce. As an action or longer, you can try to intimidate someone. Examples include trying to convincing street thugs to back down from a confrontation or using the edge of a broken bottle to convince a sneering vizier to reconsider a decision.
Interrogate (secret). As an action or longer, you can try to pry information out of someone.
Linguistics (int)
Linguistics measures your knowledge of a language. You might have Linguistics (Dwarven), Linguistics (Infernal), Linguistics (Goblin), or any similar language. When you become capable or proficient with the Linguistics skill, you can choose two individual languages or choose one language twice to improve. Each language counts as its own skill, so applying a skill increase to Linguistics (Orcish) wouldn’t increase your proficiency with Linguistics (Jotun), for example.
Your GM determines what uncommon and rare languages are available for you to learn.
See languages for a full list of languages.
Understand the gist (capable, secret). You can somewhat understand the written language and what is being verbally communicated, or at least the gist of the message. You can communicate a few words and very short sentences. If you fail by 5 or more, you draw a false conclusion about the content.
Communicate in a language (proficient). You can fully understand the written language and what is being verbally communicated. You can also communicate with the language verbally or through writing.
Persuasion (cha)
Alternate abilities
- charisma. influence using tact, social graces, and good nature
- intelligence. influence using logical arguments
| Friendly creature’s reaction | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| The creature does as asked without taking risks or making sacrifices. | 0 |
| The creature accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as asked. | 10 |
| The creature accepts a significant risk or sacrifice to do as asked. | 20 |
| Indifferent creature’s reaction | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| The creature offers no help but does no harm. | 0 |
| The creature does as asked as long as no risks or sacrifices are involved. | 10 |
| The creature accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as asked. | 20 |
| Hostile creature’s reaction | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| The creature opposes the requested actions and might take risks to do so. | 0 |
| The creature offers no help but does no harm. | 10 |
| The creature does as asked as long as no risks or sacrifices are involved. | 20 |
Persuasion measures your ability to convince others. How a creature reacts is based on their standing with you, as detailed in the table.
A Friendly creature wants to help the adventurers and wishes for them to succeed. For tasks or actions that require no particular risk, effort, or cost, friendly creatures usually help without question. If an element of personal risk is involved, a successful charisma check might be required to convince a friendly creature to take that risk.
An Indifferent creature might help or hinder the party, depending on what the creature sees as most beneficial. A creature’s indifference doesn’t necessarily make it standoffish or disinterested. Indifferent creatures might be polite and genial, surly and irritable, or anything in between. A successful Charisma check is necessary when the adventurers try to persuade an indifferent creature to do something.
A Hostile creature opposes the adventurers and their goals but doesn’t necessarily attack them on sight. For example, a condescending noble might wish to see a group of upstart adventurers fail so as to keep them from becoming rivals for the king’s attention, thwarting them with slander and scheming rather than direct threats and violence. The adventurers need to succeed on one or more challenging Charisma checks to convince a hostile creature to do anything on their behalf. That said, a hostile creature might be so ill-disposed toward the party that no Charisma check can improve its attitude, in which case any attempt to sway it through diplomacy fails automatically.
Persuade. As an action or longer, you can try to influence someone or a group of people, the GM might ask you to make a Persuasion check. Typically, you use persuasion when acting in good faith, to foster friendships, make cordial requests, and exhibit proper etiquette. Examples of persuading others include convincing a chamberlain to let your party see the king, negotiating peace between warring tribes, or inspiring a crowd of townsfolk.