Tome of Prowess (3.5e Sourcebook)/Utility Skills

Utility Skills

Appraisal

Key Attribute: Intelligence

Appraisal is an analysis skill. It signifies an attention to detail that allows you to recognize forgeries, doctored goods, or knockoffs as well as price and identify goods and even share your insights with those suffering from a lack of logic. Return to Top

Untrained Uses

Appraise Common Items

When you’re out shopping, it’s nice to not be ripped off by the merchants. If you spend a full-round action examining an item, you can appraise common or familiar goods and objects. You can not appraise uncommon, rare, or exotic items untrained. The DC for this check is 10.

You also use appraise to see past knockoffs and forgeries. If you exceed the DC to detect the forgery, you learn the real value of the item and know that it was doctored to appear more valuable. If you succeed on the DC to appraise an item but do not exceed the DC to spot the forgery, you learn the false value of the item as set by the forger.

Base DC: 10, and Special
Check Result:

• DC and above: You know the general value of the item. If you know the local economic conditions relating to the item, you know its exact value in the market. If the item is a forgery you know its apparent value as a result of the forging unless your check result exceeded the forgery DC, in which case you recognize it as a forgery and know its real value.
• DC-1 and below: You do not have a firm grasp of the value of the item. Even though you are not confident in your appraisal, you believe the item to be worth 2d6+3 times 10% (so 50% to 150%) of its actual value, or apparent value if it is a forgery. It is entirely possible to fail the check and still come up with an accurate appraisal, it’s just not a confident one.

Detect Forged Documents

Forged documents are as good a liar as any silver tongued devil, but they sit in front of you and let you examine them for a longer time. With a full-round action and an appraisal check, you can spot forged documents, and deal with those who would pass them off on you appropriately.

Base DC: Forgery DC as set by forger
Check Result:

• DC and above: You recognize the document as a forgery and can point out several places they went wrong, if you’re into mocking people who try to slip one by you.
• DC-1 and below: You believe the document is genuine. Note that if you make this check on a genuine document you will still get this result, so you shouldn’t discount it just because you think something is up. If their papers are in order, their papers are in order.

Rank 1 Uses

Appraise Anything Mundane

You know what you’re looking for, and have a fair guess of what most things are worth. In addition to common items, you can also appraise uncommon, rare, exotic, and one-of-a-kind mundane items. This includes artwork, gems and jewelry, and all of the other pieces of loot that adventures often find themselves saddled with. Uncommon items should have a DC no higher than 15. Rare or exotic mundane items have a DC no higher than 20 in general, but exceptions may exist. The exact DC for this check is set by the GM, but they should follow the guidelines here. It is a full-round action to appraise objects with this ability.

Some items, like artifacts or poorly made jewelry pieces with high emotional value to wealthy kings, are fundamentally un–appraisable and likely to return a completely wrong objective measure of their worth. These should be rare; otherwise this ability is worth considerably less and you should complain loudly to your GM about it.

Base DC: 12 to 20 or (rarely) above, as set by GM
Check Result:

• DC and above: You know the general value of the item. If you know the local economic conditions relating to the item, you know its exact value in the market. If the item is a forgery you know its apparent value as a result of the forging unless your check result exceeded the forgery DC, in which case you recognize it as a forgery and know its real value.
• DC-1 and below: You do not have a firm grasp of the value of the item. Even though you are not confident in your appraisal, you believe the item to be worth 2d6+3 times 10% (so 50% to 150%) of its actual value, or apparent value if it is a forgery. It is entirely possible to fail the check and still come up with an accurate appraisal, it’s just not a confident one.

Detail Oriented

Your eye for detail and ability to spot forgeries extends beyond goods, but to people as well. You are able to pierce disguises with your appraisal abilities, finding the critical flaws that ruin the entire disguise. After five full rounds of interaction, you may make an appraisal check to determine if the creature is disguised. The DC for this ability is set by the individual who applied the disguise at the time of its application, and the results of your check are listed in the table below even though they will actually be given to you by the GM based on your check.

Base DC: Determined by the individual who applied the disguise
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: If the target is disguised, you recognize it as such. You also spot a flaw in the disguise that you could easily exploit to ruin it utterly.
• DC+0 to DC+4: If the target is disguised, you believe that there is something odd about them but can not identify any flaws in the disguise that actually give them away. If you attempt to remove the disguise you likely fail, and make yourself look foolish in the process. You may retry this check after another minute of observation.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You do not notice anything that would lead you to suspect that the target is disguised.
• DC-6 and below: If the target is disguised, you believe you’ve found a flaw in the disguise that you can exploit. Any attempt to exploit it will fail, however. Sometimes you’re wrong after all, and a manly woman is still a woman.

Rank 4 Uses

Forgery

Attention to detail can go both ways, allowing you to find or create forgeries and knockoffs. Anything that you can create, you can create in ways that make it look like something official or more expensive. You can create fake documents for example, make a normal sword appear to be a masterwork one, or remove the signs from a barrel of fish that would indicate its low quality. There is no set time for use of this ability as it strongly depends on what you’re working on. The DC to detect your forgery is your check result, less some special modifiers that depend on the type of object you are working with. Seeing past forged documents can be done with either an appraise check, as explained above, or a perception check against the above DC. Seeing past the forgery to an item’s true worth is covered by earlier appraise abilities, as explained above. If you’re attempting to sell a rare or exotic item for more than it is worth, and the buyer has never seen it before, you should be using bluff instead of appraise to sell it to them. Con games aren’t covered by this ability.

If you are working with art objects or sundries, you suffer a penalty that increases as you try to make it look more valuable. For items with bullshit inflated market values, like most adventuring gear and weapons, you suffer a penalty for each category improvement you wish to show.

If you are instead trying to forge a document or identifying mark (such as an imperial sigil or an artists signature), you suffer penalties to your check based your familiarity. You must have at least glanced at an original to make a forgery of something (otherwise you’re just creating something and attempting to bluff with it), and you must be familiar with the written language if you don’t have a sample on hand to copy.

Base DC: None. Your total check result sets the DC for others.

Condition	Check Adjustment
Increase apparent value of sundries	-1 per 10% increase
Increase apparent value of art object	-2 per 50% increase
Increase adventuring gear category (damaged to standard to masterwork)	-2 per category
Forging a document you’ve never seen	Not Possible
Forging a document you’ve only glanced at	-5
Forging a document you’re familiar with	0
Forging a document you have on hand	+2
Forging a security measure into a document (watermark, arcane mark)	-3 per security mark
Rushing a job (1/4 the time)	-5
Rushing a job (1/10 the time)	-10

Rank 6 Uses

Eye for Magic

You can tell if an object is magical just by handling it. You may also appraise magical items; this is a full-round action with a DC of 15 + the caster level needed to create the item. A successful appraisal doesn’t mean you know what it is of course, just that you have an approximate idea of its value and power level. If you fail this check by 10 or less, you guess an incorrect value, as if you had failed to appraise a common item. If you fail by more than 10 you have no idea what it is worth.

This ability may work on artifacts, but only on ones that you would have a reasonable chance of recognizing from stories or research. As such, it is essentially up to the GM if you can appraise an artifact, as well as what the DC is.

Base DC: 15 + the caster level required to create the item, or Special for artifacts
Check Result:

• DC and above: You recognize that the item is magical and determine the caster level required to create the item. You believe its value to be 2d4+5 times 10% (70% to 130%) of its actual value. It is impossible to guess its value more closely than that without knowing what it can actually do. If the item in question is an artifact, you learn its name in place of its value (which is probably incalculable anyway).
• DC-1 to DC-5: You recognize that the item is magical, but learn nothing more about it. Because you are unable to guess at its level of power, you learn nothing of its value.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to recognize the item as magical at all, and guess its value as if it were a mundane item.

Rank 8 Uses

Identify Magic Items

You’ve learned enough about items that you can identify them fairly accurately. You can determine the properties of any item you know to be magical, or you may attempt this check on an item you simply believe to be magical. The DC for this check is 15 + the caster level required to create the item, though it can not be used on artifacts. It takes an hour to learn the properties of an item, at the end of which you make this check. If you have activated the item blindly with another skill, you may make your initial check for the item after only 10 minutes.

Base DC: 15 + the caster level required to create the item
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: You learn every function of the item, and their methods of activation. This doesn’t mean you can use every function, just that you know them all.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You learn the function with the lowest caster level that you do not yet know, as well as its method of activation. If there are no additional functions of the item, you learn that as well. If there are additional functions, you may continue your identification after another hour and another check.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You learn nothing about the item this hour, but you may attempt identification again after another hour and another check.
• DC-6 and below: You’re not sure if you offended the item or not with your poorly thought out groping and babbling, but it’s probably best to leave it alone for now. You learn nothing and can not attempt further until you gain another rank in the skill.

Think It Through

Your ability to appraise a situation also lets you talk others through them. You can counter confusion and fascination effects just by talking to those suffering under them, affecting up to 1 target per 2 ranks in appraise. You can not affect yourself with this ability, however, as those conditions detract from your ability to analyze a situation. As a standard action, make an appraise check against the effect’s save DC + the effect’s level (in the case of spells like Hypnotic Pattern or Confusion) or 10 + the effect initiator’s character level + the effect initiator’s Chr modifier (in the case of supernatural abilities without an effect level). If you succeed on the check, you suppress the ability as indicated in the check result table below. Only make one roll for the round, and compare that roll to the DCs for each effect to see which are suppressed and which are not.

Base DC: Effect Save DC + Effect level, or 10 + Initiator’s Character Level + Cha mod
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You dispel the effect on your targets. This probably annoys whoever placed it on them.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You suppress the effect in your targets for this round, and may continue suppressing it for up to two additional rounds without an additional check. You must spend a swift action in the additional rounds to keep the effects suppressed however. At the end of that time the effects return if their duration has not expired, though you may make a new check as a standard action to suppress them again.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You suppress the effect in your targets for this round. Next round the effects return if their duration has not expired, though you may make a new check as a standard action to suppress them again.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to affect the ability this round, but may try again next round if you like.
• DC-6 and below: After accidentally talking them deeper into their condition, you become unable to affect this instance of the ability at all. Any further retries are futile, and you should really find something else to do with your actions next round.

Ciphers

Key Attribute: Intelligence

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Untrained Uses

None. Sorry, you actually can’t do this stuff without a bit of training.

Rank 1 Uses

Decipher Script

You’ve seen a few dusty tomes and can make sense of unfamiliar languages in them. You can decipher writing in languages you don’t read as well as piece together messages in incomplete or archaic forms. The base DC for this check is based on the content of the message. The shortest, simplest messages only require a DC 20 check. A longer or more detailed message, like a letter to family or a troop deployment, might be a DC 25 check. A complex or intricate message, like a legal document or a complete war strategy, would be a DC 30 check. These checks can be modified up to 5 higher if the language is particularly bizarre or ancient. If the script contains a hidden or coded message, you must also decrypt it with the Cryptography ability to understand that portion of the message.

You do not know the DC of the check before hand. The ability requires one minute per page of text (approximately 250 words), which must be spent before you can make the check. You do not know the check DC before hand, and you must check for each chapter separately in a larger work. You may retry a page or chapter once, regardless of your success or failure, but you must spend 15 minutes per page to properly comb it for missed details before making your second check.

Base DC: Determined by work, and not known to player
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: You have a very clear understanding of the document, and have not glossed over any details.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You understand the general meaning of the document but may be missing some minor details. They probably aren’t important anyway…
• DC-1 to DC-5: You have a vague sense of the document, but are missing some important concepts. That doesn’t stop you from working with a partial understanding of the work though.
• DC-6 and below: You have a vague sense of the document. Unfortunately, it’s a very wrong vague sense of the document. If you get this result on a retry after spending a 15 minutes per page going over it again, you simply understand that you have no idea what is going on in the work.

Rank 4 Uses

Decryption

Words can be hidden in symbols, numbers, or even other words if you’re worried about someone else finding them. You can analyze these hidden or coded messages. The DC is determined by the strength of the code, the length of the message, and the availability of other messages written in the same code. Each attempt at decryption requires five minutes per page of coded message. Retries offer no further insight, and do not return useful information. Note that once you have decrypted one different message per five points of the DC, rounded up, in the same code you do not need to check further to break any future messages that use it, and may compose messages in the code yourself if you have your notes.

Base DC: Code strength DC, -2 for each work using the same code you have previously decoded, -2 per full page of coded material
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: You decode the message in its entirety. Treat this as two successful decryptions of this code.
• DC+0 to +4: You decode enough of the message to understand its intent, even if you don’t have every single tiny little syllable.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to decode a substantial portion of the message, and have very little to work with.
• DC-6 and below: You decode the message wrongly. While you get something that makes sense, it’s not what the actual message is and so probably isn’t helpful.

Encryption

Aside from analyzing them, you can also create codes on your own. You can create codes with a decryption DC up to 15 + your ranks in Ciphers. It takes 4 hours to create a new code, less 1/2 hour for each 1 point less you accept for the decryption DC, to a minimum of 30 minutes. You can generate messages in any code that you have on hand or have analyzed, whether you created it or not, regardless of decryption DC.

The Finishing Stroke

Your ability to analyze magical scripts also lets you guess at the missing stroke or word that will release their stored power. You may attempt to activate any scroll or other spell completion item that you have already deciphered. The DC for this check is equal to 15 + the caster level of the spell stored in the object. This check is made as part of the action to activate the item.

You must have a minimum score of 10 + spell level in the relevant ability to use a scroll or similar item. If you have less than this you must fake it with another ability or you suffer a cumulative +2 DC penalty for each point you are short.

Base DC: 15 + object’s caster level, +2 for each additional attribute point you need to use the item
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: The spell completion item functions normally.
• DC+0 to DC+4: The item functions normally for 1 round, during which time you can use charges or receive the benefits of it as appropriate.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to activate the spell completion item.
• DC-6 and below: You activate the item, but in the wrong fashion. You have a 50% chance of suffering a scroll mishap (see table in the DMG). If you do not suffer a mishap, the item is consumed without effect.

Translate Scroll

Magic users often have ridiculous notation and idiosyncrasies in writing that make others cringe. You can read through that nonsense to find the magic stored beneath. With a DC 10 + Caster Level check you can identify the spells stored in spell completion items like scrolls.

Base DC: 10 + object’s caster level
Check Result:

• DC+0 and above: You learn which spell is stored within the work, and can either attempt to activate it yourself later, give it to the appropriate spell caster friend, or sell it without being particularly ripped off.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to identify the spell stored within the object.
• DC-6 and below: You misread a portion of the spell completion item, and doing so renders you unable to properly translate it. Until you receive new insight and can identify your error, by gaining a new maximum rank in ciphers, you may not retry this check.

Rank 8 Uses

Rosetta Stone

You know your way around a text, even when it’s written in an obscure, insane, dead language. Each successful use of your Decipher Script ability provides you a +2 cumulative bonus for works written in the same language. If this bonus reaches +10 you no longer need to make checks to read the language, and are actually fluent in its written form. You can even compose messages in it if you like.

You are unable to learn the spoken form of the language without a native speaker. If you have access to a native speaker who actually uses the tongue around you, you may learn the language, even if it is normally restricted and they aren't actually trying to teach it to you.

Rank 10 Uses

If Books Could Kill

You’re familiarity with writing, hidden messages, and symbols has made you familiar with their magical variants. Spells such as Explosive Runes, Sepia Snake Sigil, Secret Page, and the various Symbols can be triggered during reading, and you are prepared for them.

If you are about to trigger a magical effect by reading it, you are entitled to a Ciphers check (DC 15 + Caster Level) to avoid triggering it entirely. This check is treated like a saving throw, you either pass it and fail to trigger the effect or fail and trigger it. In either case you are aware of the effect after your check. If the effect is not triggered, but merely a standing effect that alters the page like Secret Page, you are entitled to a Ciphers check at the same DC to notice the effect. Once you notice an effect on a page you may use your Ciphers skill to disable it as if it were a magical trap. This check has a DC of 15+ Caster Level, and requires 2d4 full rounds to complete. The results of your work are listed on the table below.

You are also well versed in placing such traps, if they are a part of your class abilities. You may use your Ciphers ranks in place of your caster level when determining how difficult it is for others to notice and avoid your magical scribbling, but this does not increase any other aspects of the spell.

Base DC:15 + caster level
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You can either disable and remove the magic without issue, suppress it as indicated below, or make minor modifications to the magic as if you were casting the spell yourself. Maybe you change the secret word, or change the targeting instructions. These modifications are obvious to anyone who inspects the work, but that means that they probably have to survive it first.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You can either disable and remove the magic as if it were successfully dispelled or you can suppress it for up to 5 rounds per rank in the Ciphers skill.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You disable and remove the magic. It can’t hurt or frustrate you anymore.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You believe that you have disabled and removed the magic, but you haven’t actually done that. If it can go off, it does when you try to move on.
• DC-6 and below: The magic goes off in your face. If you were attempting to dispel a non-offensive effect like secret page, the hidden message is message is destroyed as if it were subjected to an erase spell. In general, the worst thing that could happen to you from monkeying with the effect is what happens.

Concentration

Key Attribute: Wisdom

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Untrained Uses

None. Sorry, you actually can’t do this stuff without a bit of training.

Rank 1 Uses

Ignore Distraction

It’s tough to pick a lock while you’re being melted with acid, pick a pocket while you’re bleeding out of your ears, or cast a spell while you’re being molested by plants. If you focus hard enough though, you can block these distractions out. Generally, a distraction will be listed as a modifier on a different skill check. As a swift action you may attempt to block the distraction entirely, such that you suffer no penalty from that condition or conditions. The standard DC for this check is 15; it rises to 20 for conditions where you are partially restrained or being tossed about or, for magical distractions, the save DC of the distracting spell. You must wait a full round between retries of this check, delaying whatever other task you had intended to complete.

Base DC: 15, or 20 if you are partially restrained / being moved by outside forces, or the save DC of the distracting spell
Check Result:

• DC+0 and above: You successfully tune the distraction out, and may proceed with your work without penalty.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to block the distraction, but it doesn’t cause you to miss a step. You make your check as usual, suffering full penalties for the distraction.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to block the distraction, and actually get a bit caught up in it. You lose the entire round, and must work through the distraction on subsequent turns.

Rank 4 Uses

Get Out of my Head!

The concentration skill may be used to fight off any lingering effects that would require a Will save. This includes almost all charm and compulsion effects like Charm Person or Suggestion, mental confusion effects, mental paralysis effects like Hold Person, and other status effect inducing effects. While it does include persistent damage over time effects that do not allow additional saves, it does not include instantaneous damage effects. If a spell contains both an instantaneous damage effect and a status effect, only the status effect may be fought with this ability. If you fail a save against such an effect you suffer the full effect immediately but perhaps not all of the time.

The DC for this check is the save DC + the spell level, or 10 + CR + relevant stat mod. This check is a free action, made on your turn after suffering an eligible effect. The check results below indicate how you suppress to the mental effect.

Base DC:Spell save DC + the spell level, or 10 + CR + relevant stat mod
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You shrug off the effect as if you had made your saving throw, suffering all effects normally associated with a successful saving throw. You no longer need to make these checks, as there is nothing left to fight against from this effect.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You are able to act normally this round, as you fight the cloud in your mind back for now. You gain a +2 cumulative bonus to any future checks to resist the effect.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You are able to take a standard action normally this round, as you work to keep your mind your own. You gain a +1 cumulative bonus to any future checks to resist the effect.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You force yourself to get a swift action off normally this round, though you are gradually losing the will necessary to resist. You suffer a -1 cumulative penalty to any future checks to resist the effect. If your total penalty reaches -5 you immediately suffer the full effects of the spell or ability and may no longer make checks to resist it.
• DC-6 and below: You are unable to will yourself to take any action free of the effect this round, instead suffering fully under your mental condition this round. You suffer a -2 cumulative penalty to any future checks to resist the effect. If your total penalty reaches -5 you immediately suffer the full effects of the spell or ability and may no longer make checks to resist it.

Photographic Memorization

Once you’ve seen something, you can pretty easily recall it. You can attempt to memorize a written string of numbers, a long passage of verse, a street scene, or some other particularly difficult piece of information. While you can memorize magical writing or similarly exotic scripts with this ability, you never gain the ability to understand or translate them if you did not have at the time you memorized it. The DC for this check is 20, though non-static magical work or extraordinarily complicated work may have a DC as high as 30, and the check requires one full minute of concentration. Each successful check allows you to memorize a single page of text (up to 800 words), numbers, diagrams, or sigils (even if you don’t recognize their meaning). If a document is longer than one page, you can make additional checks for each additional page.

Once memorized you retain this information indefinitely; however, you can recall it only with another successful check as a swift action. Once recalled you have access to it for 1 minute and can read it, describe it, attempt to analyze it, or even put it to paper or canvas as long as you have the proper implements at hand. You can not properly recreate a magical or exotic image that you did not understand, however. Your lack of understanding will make you unable to get or properly utilize some of the proper implements. You’ll know the recreation is wrong though, and can express that to others, so they’ll be able to treat any recreation as an approximation or degraded source. These recreations are not generally useful. This is why most people don’t memorize things they don’t comprehend, since it’s rarely useful to anybody. That doesn’t stop you from doing it if you want to though.

Base DC: 20, though it may rise to 30 for exceedingly complicated scenes, images, or texts.
Check Result:

• DC+0 and above: You successfully memorize the image, storing it away for later recall. If you were attempting to recall it, you do that instead, and have access to the image for one minute before you have to make an additional check.
• DC-1 and below: You fail to store the image, and you know it, so you probably try again if you have the time. If you were attempting to recall it, you fail to do so this round, but can try again next round time permitting.

Devices

Key Attribute: Intelligence

Note for the GM

Even though there may be temptation to make these checks yourself so players don’t know how well they do, you really should let players roll them. You don't need to tell them the disable DC, all you need to tell them is if they learn how it works, believe they have disabled it, or have set it off. If they roll catastrophically low, they probably set it off and know it. If they roll very well, they know how it works and how to bypass it so there’s not much suspense there. The middle case is the fun one; since they don’t actually know how they did compared to the DC they may open the still trapped door. In this setup, you don't actually lose anything by allowing your players to roll their own checks. Your players retain control over their actions and their rolls and you still get to surprise them once in a while when they roll poorly. Everyone wins!

The devices skill is an applied skill that helps you bypass dangers. With it you can disarm mechanical traps, disable waiting magics, open secured locks, and sabotage complex devices.Return to Top

Untrained Uses

Smash simple devices

While anyone can point a spike into an arrow trap to prevent it from coming out, or dip a lock in acid to get it to open, it takes a check to disable simple things with less brute force. This ability allows you to disable a lever or pulley, and other obvious, relatively simple stuff. Simple devices also include simple bits of sabotage, suck as jamming a lock so it is unusable rather than smashing it into bits. In general, you may disable any device with a disable DC of 10 or less or perform an sabotage with a similar DC.

You must spend 2d4 rounds working on the device before you make your check. If you wish to rush the job, you may add 5 to the DC for each d4 of time you wish to eliminate. Reducing 2d4 rounds to 1d4 rounds would add 5, for example, and reducing 1d4 rounds to 1 standard action would add another 5 to the DC. If you wish to hide your work so the device appears untampered, increase the DC by 5. You may retry this check if you have reason to believe the check failed, and a retry would still be appropriate.

Since you don’t actually know the disable DC of a particular device, you can attempt to disable anything you want with this ability. Attempts to disarm Tricky (DC 11 to 15) or Difficult (DC 16 to 20) are treated as attempting to use the rank 1 ability, and subject to the standard disable length and a -5 check penalty. Any attempt to disarm anything with a DC over 20 is a failure with this ability, regardless of how well you roll, that springs the trap on you immediately.

Base DC: As disable device DC (which may not exceed 10 with this ability) + special modifiers
Check Result:

• DC+0 and above: You believe you have disabled the device, and actually have. Good job.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You believe you have disabled the device, but really haven’t.
• DC-6 and below: You don’t believe you have disabled the device, because it triggers or otherwise does the worst possible thing for you. If you were attempting to damage a level so that the gate stayed closed, for example, you have instead damaged the level and stuck the gate in an open position.

Rank 1 Uses

Disable Tricky and Difficult Devices

You know a bit about how mechanical traps, locks, and other devices work, and can successfully disable more difficult devices. Tricky devices include traps with DCs between 11 and 15, as well as straightforward sabotage of mechanical devices like weapon handles or wagon wheels. Difficult devices include all traps with a DC between 16 and 20, as well as more complicated sabotage like bowstrings that snap on first use.

You must spend 2d4 rounds working on the device before you make your check. If you wish to rush the job, you may add 5 to the DC for each d4 of time you wish to eliminate. Reducing 2d4 rounds to 1d4 rounds would add 5, for example, and reducing 1d4 rounds to 1 standard action would add another 5 to the DC. If you wish to hide your work so the device appears untampered, increase the DC by 5. You may retry this check if you have reason to believe the check failed and a retry would still be appropriate, like when you test a door and find it still locked.

Base DC: As device DC (which may not exceed 20 with this ability) + special modifiers
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You understand how the device operates, and how to simply bypass it if you want. You can deactivate the device if you like, leave it active and just walk past it (along with anyone else you want to direct), or temporarily disable it so that you can re-enable it later on with only a standard action. If you were instead attempting to sabotage the device, you have done a very fine job of it. The DC to notice your sabotage is 20 + your current devices modifier.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You understand how the device operates. You can deactivate the device if you like or leave it active and just walk past it (along with anyone else you want to direct). If you were instead attempting to sabotage the device, you have done a very fine job of it. The DC to notice your sabotage is 15 + your current devices modifier.
• DC+0 and above: You believe you have disabled or sabotaged the device, and actually have. Good job. The DC to notice your sabotage is 10 + your current devices modifier.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You believe you have disabled or sabotaged the device, but really haven’t.
• DC-6 and below: You don’t believe you have disabled or sabotaged the device, because it triggers, breaks, or otherwise does the worst possible thing for you. If you were attempting to damage a gear so that a gate stayed closed, for example, you have instead damaged the lever and stuck the gate in an open position. This is generally not repairable without substantial time and effort or handy replacement parts.

Rank 4 Uses

Blindly Activate Item

You know enough random bits about magic and devices to activate magic items, even when you have no idea what they do or how they work. As a standard action (or longer if it takes more time to activate the item) and a DC 12 + CL check you can trigger any item in your possession. Activating it doesn’t mean that you control it, however, and there is a chance that you may not actually get the item to do what you want it to. If you fail by 5 or more the item loses 1d4 charges but generates no other effects. If you have previously activated the item before, you gain a +3 bonus to this check.

Activating it doesn’t mean that you necessarily control it, however, and there is a chance that you may not actually get the item to do what you want it to when activating it in this way. Once activated, you have a 50% chance of controlling it, plus 5% for each point that you exceeded the check by. You should make this percentile check yourself. If you succeed, you dictate how the item functions but remain bound to standard spell targeting and item rules. If you do not control the item, the GM is encouraged to be entertaining with the effect. Maybe it fires off one too many charges and both take effect, maybe it selects a different valid target, or maybe the effect is delayed for a round. When you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, magic can be a tricky thing.

Base DC: 15 + item caster level, -2 if you have previously activated the item before
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You activate the device and control its effects
• DC+0 to DC+9: You activate the item, but you may not control it. You have a 50% chance, + 5% for each point by which you beat the DC, of controlling how the item functions. If you fail to control it, control falls to the DM. They are encouraged to be creative and entertaining with the effect, and are given some leeway to ignore standard item procedures.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to activate the item.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to activate the item. If it is a charged item, it also loses 1d4 charges. If it is a daily use item, it loses 1d2 daily uses. If it is a permanent or continuous use item, it becomes non-functional for 1d10 rounds.

Disable Fiendish Devices

You’ve got all the basics down and can attempt to disable anything you run across, mundane or magical. You can attempt to disarm any mechanical trap with a DC of 21 or higher, as well as complete complicated, precision sabotage. Fiendish devices require 2d4 rounds to disable. Additionally you can disable magical traps or spells that create traps; these generally have a DC of 15 + caster level. Magical traps also require 2d4 rounds to disable. All of the rules and DC modifications from the Disable Tricky and Difficult Devices apply here as well.

Base DC: As disable device DC (for physical traps) or caster level +15 (for magical traps), + special modifiers
Check Result: As Disable Tricky and Difficult Devices ability above.

Rank 6 Uses

Item Feedback

You can use your knowledge of magical traps and items to rig magic items to backfire when next used. You can specify any parameters of the spell you like or set it to simply fail; other modifications may be made to other items if your GM allows it. This would allow you to pre-determine the target of a sleep wand, change the spell activated from a stave, or even to short an item out and cause it to be inoperable for 1d4 minutes as if it had been dispelled. The DC for this check is 15 + Caster Level of the item, and doing so requires 1d4 rounds of work. Once an item has been trapped it remains so for a period determined by your check result. The DC to notice your sabotage is 10 + your current devices modifier. A trapped item can be disarmed like any other magical trap; the DC is equal to 10 + your current devices modifier.

Base DC: 15 + item caster level
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You alter the functions of the device until your trap is disabled. That item won’t be much use for a while.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You successfully trap the item, and may extend your work to its next three uses if you like.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You believe you have successfully trapped the item, and this is in fact the case. When it is next activated, it behaves as you have set it.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You believe you have successfully trapped the item, but have in fact failed.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to trap the item, and instead simply drain it slightly. If it is a charged item, it also loses 1d4 charges. If it is a daily use item, it loses 1d2 daily uses. If it is a permanent or continuous use item, it becomes non-functional for 1d10 rounds. Depending on your goals, these might still be good things.

Rank 8 Uses

Pick Arcane Locks

Nothing is more annoying than a lock you can’t pick. You have learned how to disable the binding created from an Arcane Lock and similar spells in addition to regular locks. The DC to suppress an Arcane Lock is 15 + the spell’s caster level.

You must spend 2d4 rounds working on the arcane lock before you make your check. If you wish to rush the job, you may add 5 to the DC for each d4 of time you wish to eliminate. Reducing 2d4 rounds to 1d4 rounds would add 5, for example, and reducing 1d4 rounds to 1round would add another 5 to the DC. You may retry this check as long as you haven’t caused the lock to seize.

Base DC: 15 + spell’s caster level
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You suppress the arcane lock for 10 minutes, or may re-key it so that it believes you are the owner for the next 24 hours.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You suppress the arcane lock for 5 minutes.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You suppress the arcane lock for 1 minute.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to suppress the lock. Since this will be pretty obvious after you attempt to open it, you’ll be able to retry again soon.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to suppress the lock, and also cause the door to seize. You may not attempt to suppress it again until the caster walks through it or it is suppressed in another fashion.

Hey, Look, A Trap

With a bit of work, you can make it look like an object is trapped. With 1d4 rounds worth of work, you add enough bits to fake a trap. Since the trap is intended to slow people down instead of actually harming them (which would be accomplished with an actual trap), this false trap is easy to find, requiring only a DC 10 search check to uncover. When an attempt is made to disarm it, the attempt is always successful, revealing the trap to be a fake.

Rank 10 Uses

Disable Active Spell

Spells waiting in traps are really just practice for active spells that are less forgiving. You are able to dispel magic that is active on objects or in an area, but you are unable to dispel magic that is active upon specific creatures. This would allow you to disable invisibility on an object, a wall of fire, or even an Antipathy effect (since it affects an area) but not to remove a charm monster or sleep effect (which affects specific creatures in an area at the time of casting). The DC for this check is 15 + the spell’s caster level, and the check is made after 1d4 rounds. You may rush this, making the check after a standrad action, if you increase the DC by +5. You must be in the same square as the spell to attempt this check, likely suffering under the effects of the spell for that time.

Base DC:15 + spell's caster level
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: You disable the effect, ending it as if it entered an anti-magic field or was disjoined if you so choose.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You disable the effect, ending it as if it were dispelled.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to disable the effect, but can try again later if it doesn’t consume you first.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to disable the effect, but succeed in altering it such that you can’t actually try to end it with this ability anymore. It can still be dispelled, disjoined, suppressed by an anti-magic field, or even disabled by someone else normally though.

Dowsing

Key Attribute: Wisdom

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Healing

Key Attribute: Charisma

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Perception

Key Attribute: Wisdom

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Survival

Key Attribute: Wisdom

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