Questions tagged [skills]
For questions about skills, abilities of characters that describe their capabilities in a range of areas.
941
questions
2
votes
1answer
97 views
If your class gives you a choice of skills to be trained in, can you choose a skill you're already trained in to gain a free skill choice?
I know that if a class would make you trained in a skill you're already trained in, you can select another skill to become trained in.
My question is about classes that let you pick between certain ...
30
votes
10answers
7k views
Is it ok to lie to players rolling an insight?
I've just started DMing (D&D-5e).
I have a question about the Insight mechanic. I've formulated this problem using D&D but the system is otherwise irrelevant (I'm talking about every ...
6
votes
2answers
771 views
How does the Variant: Skills with Different Abilities rule affect the game?
The PHB mentions how it is possible to make ability checks based on different abilities, a variant "Skills with Different Abilities" rule.
In some situations, though, your proficiency might ...
3
votes
1answer
251 views
Is the Wisdom (Survival) skill used for both tracking and finding tracks?
The rules mention that to follow tracks, you need to find them. It is also mentioned that it can take up to an hour outdoors to find tracks you have lost - all under tracking, which is Wisdom (...
4
votes
1answer
457 views
using Guidance and Resistance for long term effects
The Guidance and Resistance cantrips both last for 1 minite, but a lot of saves and checks represent longer stretches of time, and I want to know if those cantrips can be applied in those situations.
...
5
votes
2answers
129 views
Does a player need to perform a successful tool check with their Mason's Tools proficiency to benefit from the Demolition feature?
The entry for Mason's Tools within XGE (p83) lists this as one of the proficiency's benefits:
Demolition. Your knowledge of masonry allows you to spot weak points in brick walls. You deal double ...
3
votes
2answers
110 views
When does initiative happen after a failed sleight of hand check?
If someone uses sleight of hand and gets noticed, can they still take their movement or swift action before initiative is rolled? Or is initiative rolled as soon as they fail their check? (assuming ...
13
votes
2answers
991 views
Variant: Skills with Different Abilities confuses me
In the 5e PHB, the Variant: Skills with Different Abilities topic confuses the hell out of me.
Your DM might call for a Constitution Check... Your DM might allow you to apply your proficiency in ...
4
votes
3answers
324 views
What is the highest average charisma skill check a solo character can get, without directly using magic?
I was building a character that had levels in Fey Wanderer Ranger, that gains Otherworldly Glamour which allows you to add wisdom to charisma checks, and then I noticed Samurai fighters get Elegant ...
5
votes
1answer
39 views
Is there any official (or semi-official) clarification on how often Psychic Virtuoso allows a character to use occult skill unlocks?
The description of the Psychic Virtuoso feat from Occult Adventures states "You can use all of your occult skill unlocks more often and you are more talented at using them." However, the ...
3
votes
1answer
150 views
Is there a roll to determine if a character knows of a spell's existence?
Spellcraft can be used to identify a spell as it is being cast. Is there a roll to know of the existence of a spell? It seems like if you can identify a spell as it is being cast, you probably already ...
0
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0answers
50 views
Passive Perception and Traps [duplicate]
My question is this: should passive or active perception be used for spotting traps? If you use passive, then the DM knows ahead of time whether or not a PC will spot a trap as no die roll is involved ...
4
votes
1answer
81 views
Does Quickness work in the midst of battle without Skill Mastery?
The description of Quickness indicates that it only works with Routine actions.
You can perform routine tasks—anything that can be done as a routine check (see Routine Checks in The Basics)—fast, ...
8
votes
1answer
922 views
What skill is used to recognise someone?
Consider for example a character hears a voice recording of someone, such as a recording that a journalist made of an interview. Later the character coincidentally meets someone who spoke in that ...
0
votes
1answer
115 views
D&D 5e Variant Human +1 Skill [duplicate]
In D&D 5e, variant humans receive an additional skill upon creation. Does this skill have to belong to the same class as the character or can it be from any class? For example, if I made a ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What skill proficiencies can a Variant Human choose from at character creation?
When creating a variant human you get an extra skill to be proficient in. Does that skill have to be from your class skill list, or can it be any skill available to any class? For instance, if I'm ...
7
votes
1answer
147 views
What is the point of knacks like animal-lore or dodge at level 1?
In the Warrior Adventure Game, animal lore (at level 1) gives +1 per intelligence chip on intelligence or ponder for animal-related checks.
First, ponder is an intelligence skill, so why is it ...
10
votes
2answers
316 views
Nonviolent “social conflict” in Fate - which skills opposes rapport?
I'm running a campaign with a few nonviolent characters. I understand how to handle physical fights, but am a bit at a loss how to deal with "social conflict", where characters need to ...
1
vote
0answers
98 views
Discover a Monsters Weakness? [duplicate]
As a D&D5e newbie player, I'm getting to grips with all my skills and abilities and when to use them.
One thing that's come up is when we encounter monsters ... what do you roll against when ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
How do I demoralize more often?
So I recently picked up the PF-2e core book, and I noticed that Intimidate as a skill has a lot more built-in support than it had in PF-1e, having both rogue and fighter feats dedicated to it in the ...
29
votes
8answers
4k views
Can a persuasion roll avoid battling the BBEG?
So yesterday I was DM’ing our weekly D&D 5e session. For practical reasons it was a one-shot. At some point, one of my players, a Lvl 10 Bard, ends up in the BBEG’s lair alone (an adult red dragon,...
6
votes
2answers
621 views
Should a dragonborn Draconic Bloodline sorceror have only 4 starting skill proficiencies?
One of my party rolled up a dragonborn (race) Draconic Bloodline sorcerer in a session and after going through the race, class, and background (outlander), she ended up with just 4 skill proficiencies:...
3
votes
1answer
186 views
Can you use sleight of hand to hide a larger weapon?
Can you use the sleight of hand skill to hide a larger weapon, such as a longsword, dragoon pistol, or light crossbow? Or is it only usable for lighter weapons?
11
votes
3answers
703 views
When do you use ability checks without a specific skill?
When, if ever, as a DM would you ask players to make an ability check without allowing them to apply a skill proficiency?
The Player's Handbook (p. 174) says:
The DM calls for an ability check when a ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
What are the dots in the skills section of the standard character sheet for? [closed]
I'm filling out a pdf character sheet for my character who is a high elf wizard and I'm not sure how the skill box works. I've got all my saving throws done but I'm really just confused with the dots ...
14
votes
5answers
3k views
GMing with an overtuned skill monkey
I have a player in one of my games, who has managed to create a build that can roll a minimum of 41 by level 7 across a large plethora of skills (mostly excluding dex/str based skills). They use these ...
16
votes
8answers
4k views
What should players roll to “deduce” a solution?
Say my players are in a dungeon of many keys and many doors, where if a wrong key is used in the wrong door, they will be electrocuted, ambushed, etc. This makes the players wary to just try every ...
7
votes
2answers
230 views
What are the mechanics for hiding something that is not yourself?
How can a cleric hide a living body? asked for cleric spells that would keep the body of an unconscious but live comrade unseen.
I considered Pass without Trace, since it targets creatures with no ...
2
votes
2answers
153 views
What skill check should be used to hide your race in pathfinder?
I have a character who is a non-standard race, and he doesn’t want people to know what he is.
I’ve read the disguise rules but they only seem to apply for trying to look like something specific, and ...
2
votes
1answer
118 views
How many two-skill +2/+4 bonus feats are there and is it balanced to homebrew more?
Each skill except for Appraise, Linguistics, Craft, Perform, and Profession corresponds to a core feat that has no prerequisites and grants +2 to two skills or +4 if you have 10 or more ranks. Those ...
3
votes
2answers
171 views
What are the ticks for when advancing skills?
In Troika! the numinous edition in chapter 11 Getting Better the rules suggest a tick next to the advanced skill on every successful skill roll (roll under) on the character sheet. After rolling for ...
7
votes
2answers
246 views
How to check for normal skill or action?
For example a player wants to kick a door open or transport glasses over a slippery wet floor. The player has no fitting advanced skill for those.
The base SKILL is 1d3+3 which can be very low. ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
Can a Changeling with the Actor feat have permanent advantage on Performance and Deception checks?
The changeling's Shapechanger trait says (E:RftLW, p. 18; WGtE, p. 61):
As an action, you can change your appearance and your voice. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your ...
8
votes
2answers
177 views
Do racial features which benefit specific ability/skill checks provide a benefit for skill checks made with different abilities?
The rules for making skill checks are usually cut and dried. If a character is making a check to see if they can swim against a current, this would usually be a Strength (Athletics) check.
But the ...
0
votes
0answers
84 views
How can I resolve a repeatable skill check when there's no time constraint or clear drawback from repeating it? [duplicate]
Willem Renzema's answer to "Can you Investigate the same room twice?" and abalonemacaroni's answer to "I failed to open a lock. Now what?" seem to lean towards the idea that if an ...
1
vote
1answer
114 views
Does the Observant feat allow you to auto-succeed against illusions? [duplicate]
The Observant feat states:
You have a +5 bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) and passive
Intelligence (Investigation) scores.
To my knowledge, nowhere else in the rules is there discussion ...
15
votes
1answer
1k views
If a feature gives proficiency in a skill you are proficient with, can you always choose any skill to replace that proficiency?
Page 125 of the PHB in the rules for backgrounds we have this statement:
If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of ...
18
votes
2answers
3k views
How can I make the Observant feat worthwhile, but not boring, in a 1:1 adventure?
I've started DMing a one-on-one D&D 5e adventure. The PC took the Observant feat and as a result, has really high Passive Perception and Investigation (20 and 18 at level 1!).
If I use the rules ...
3
votes
1answer
59 views
Do you have to use a skill from the KRB when a character doesn't have it or should you use a generic characteristic?
Let's say a player wants to use a sword to fight an enemy in Call of Cthulhu 7e but didn't pick that specific skill for the character, should you as a keeper make the player roll a sword skill (20%) ...
11
votes
3answers
917 views
Can a druid/trickery domain cleric use Invoke Duplicity and Wild Shape, then cast spells through the illusion?
I am DMing a D&D 5E game. I have a player who wants to use Invoke Duplicity and Wild Shape, then cast spells through the illusion. My thoughts are Wild Shape says the druid can't cast spells, and ...
6
votes
2answers
938 views
Can the Echo Knight's Echo make Ability Checks?
In the Echo Knight subclass it states that the Echo "uses your saving throw bonus for [saving throws]", but says nothing about being able to make ability checks with the Echo. I'm primarily concerned ...
-1
votes
3answers
906 views
What is the point of tool proficiencies [closed]
I play an artificer who has a bunch of tool proficiency's, but it seems that every one can do the same things with normal skills. So is there a point to even having these tools?
5
votes
2answers
749 views
Where has my History proficiency come from?
I'm new to DnD. I was typing up my character sheet (I've decided to do this every now and then as my annotations become more messy), and in the process I didn't spot any reason for me to have the ...
3
votes
2answers
107 views
Applications of Will in Condensed vs. in Core
Some months ago, I noticed a difference between the Core and Condensed editions in the way the Will skill is described. I would like to know whether this is an intentional change between editions (or '...
asked May 23 '20 at 14:57
vicky_molokh- unsilence Monica
10.8k3 gold badges26 silver badges65 bronze badges
5
votes
1answer
105 views
How do short-duration buffs work when used to buff rolls for longer-duration actions?
How do buffs with short durations (let's say guidance, which has a duration of up to 1 minute) work when used to buff rolls for longer-duration actions (such as a heal check to treat disease, which ...
3
votes
1answer
83 views
Does a vivisectionist benefit from a healer's kit bonus?
The vivisectionist's cruel anatomist ability allows him to "use his Knowledge (nature) skill bonus in place of his Heal skill bonus". Does this mean that using this ability while making a check ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Is it possible to use Athletics (or other skills) for/with attack or damage rolls?
I just started a game in 5e with a new human greatsword-wielding fighter, and rolled stats pretty well (I have a Strength score of 17). I chose the Brawny feat (from UA: Feats for Skills) and ...
1
vote
1answer
122 views
Does polymorph replace my class-skills while polymorphed?
Polymorph (Player's Handbook v.3.5, p. 263) is based on Alter Self (Player's Handbook v.3.5, p. 197) that reads, in part:
Alter Self
[...]
You acquire the physical qualities of the new form while ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
What is my rogue's Stealth modifier?
What is my rogue's Stealth modifier?
Here's my attempt to calculate it:
My Dexterity modifier is +4.
I have proficiency in Stealth and Dex saving throws, so I think
that’s another +4 (+2 and +2).
...
1
vote
2answers
129 views
How does a “passive wisdom” check work? [duplicate]
I'm a Dungeon Master, and I can't figure out how passive wisdom works.
In the Player's Handbook it says:
A passive check is a special type of check that dose not use any dice rolls.
That is good ...
