Skill Descriptions
Pathfinder Core Rulebook, page 87
This section describes each skill, including common uses and typical modifiers. Characters can sometimes use skills for purposes other than those noted here, at the GM’s discretion. For a complete summary of all of the skills, see Table 4–3.
Table 4–3: Skill Summary
| Skill | Bbn | Brd | Clr | Drd | Ftr | Mnk | Pal | Rgr | Rog | Sor | Wiz | Untrained | Ability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acrobatics | C | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Dex* |
| Appraise | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | C | Yes | Int |
| Bluff | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | — | Yes | Cha |
| Climb | C | C | — | C | C | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Str* |
| Craft | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | Yes | Int |
| Diplomacy | — | C | C | — | — | — | C | — | C | — | — | Yes | Cha |
| Disable Device | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | — | No | Dex* |
| Disguise | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Cha |
| Escape Artist | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Dex* |
| Fly | — | — | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | Yes | Dex* |
| Handle Animal | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | C | — | — | — | No | Cha |
| Heal | — | — | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | — | — | Yes | Wis |
| Intimidate | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | C | C | — | Yes | Cha |
| Knowledge (arcana) | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (dungeoneering) | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (engineering) | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (geography) | — | C | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (history) | — | C | C | — | — | C | — | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (local) | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (nature) | C | C | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (nobility) | — | C | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (planes) | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
| Knowledge (religion) | — | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | — | — | C | No | Int |
| Linguistics | — | C | C | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | C | No | Int |
| Perception | C | C | — | C | — | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Wis |
| Perform | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | — | C | — | — | Yes | Cha |
| Profession | — | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | No | Wis |
| Ride | C | — | — | C | C | C | C | C | — | — | — | Yes | Dex* |
| Sense Motive | — | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | — | — | Yes | Wis |
| Sleight of Hand | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | — | — | No | Dex* |
| Spellcraft | — | C | C | C | — | — | C | C | — | C | C | No | Int |
| Stealth | — | C | — | — | — | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Dex* |
| Survival | C | — | — | C | C | — | — | C | — | — | — | Yes | Wis |
| Swim | C | — | — | C | C | C | — | C | C | — | — | Yes | Str* |
| Use Magic Device | — | C | — | — | — | — | — | — | C | C | — | No | Cha |
| C = Class Skill; * Armor check penalty applies | |||||||||||||
| High Jump | Acrobatics DC | ||||||||||||
| 1 foot | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2 feet | 8 | ||||||||||||
| 3 feet | 12 | ||||||||||||
| 4 feet | 16 | ||||||||||||
| Greater than 4 feet | +4 per foot |
Skill descriptions adhere to the following guidelines. Skill Name: The skill name line includes (in addition to the name of the skill) the following information.
Key Ability: The abbreviation of the ability whose modifier applies to the skill check.
Trained Only: If this notation is included in the skill name line, you must have at least 1 rank in the skill to use it. If this notation is omitted, the skill can be used untrained (with a rank of 0). If any special notes apply to trained or untrained use, they are covered in the Untrained section (see below).
Armor Check Penalty: If this notation is included in the skill name line, an armor check penalty applies (see Chapter 6) to checks using this skill. If this entry is absent, an armor check penalty does not apply.
Description: The skill name line is followed by a general description of what using the skill represents.
Check: What a character (“you” in the skill description) can do with a successful skill check and the check’s Difficulty Class (DC).
Action: The type of action using the skill requires, or the amount of time required for a check.
Try Again: Any conditions that apply to successive attempts to use the skill successfully. If the skill doesn’t allow you to attempt the same task more than once, or if failure carries an inherent penalty (such as with the Climb skill), you can’t take 20. If this paragraph is omitted, the skill can be retried without any inherent penalty other than the additional time required.
Special: Any extra facts that apply to the skill, such as special effects deriving from its use or bonuses that certain characters receive because of class, feat choices, or race.
Restriction: The full utility of certain skills is restricted to characters of certain classes. This entry indicates whether any such restrictions exist for the skill.
Untrained: This entry indicates what a character without at least 1 rank in the skill can do with it. If this entry doesn’t appear, it means that the skill functions normally for untrained characters (if it can be used untrained) or that an untrained character can’t attempt checks with this skill (for skills that are designated “Trained Only”).
In this section
- Acrobatics (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) You can keep your balance while traversing narrow or treacherous surfaces. You can also dive, flip, jump, and roll to avoid attacks and overcome obstacles.
- Appraise (Int) You can evaluate the monetary value of an object.
- Bluff (Cha) You know how to tell a lie.
- Climb (Str; Armor Check Penalty) You are skilled at scaling vertical surfaces, from smooth city walls to rocky cliffs.
- Craft (Int) You are skilled in the creation of a specific group of items, such as armor or weapons. Like Knowledge, Perform, and Profession, Craft is actually a number of separate skills.
- Diplomacy (Cha) You can use this skill to persuade others to agree with your arguments, to resolve differences, and to gather valuable information or rumors from people.
- Disable Device (Dex; Armor Check Penalty; Trained Only) You are skilled at disarming traps and opening locks. In addition, this skill lets you sabotage simple mechanical devices, such as catapults, wagon wheels, and doors.
- Disguise (Cha) You are skilled at changing your appearance.
- Escape Artist (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) Your training allows you to slip out of bonds and escape from grapples.
- Fly (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) You are skilled at flying, through either the use of wings or magic, and can perform daring or complex maneuvers while airborne. Note that this skill does not give you the ability to fly.
- Handle Animal (Cha; Trained Only) You are trained at working with animals, and can teach them tricks, get them to follow your simple commands, or even domesticate them.
- Heal (Wis) You are skilled at tending to wounds and ailments.
- Intimidate (Cha) You can use this skill to frighten your opponents or to get them to act in a way that benefits you. This skill includes verbal threats and displays of prowess.
- Knowledge (Int; Trained Only) You are educated in a field of study and can answer both simple and complex questions. Like the Craft, Perform, and Profession skills, Knowledge actually encompasses a number of different specialties.
- Linguistics (Int; Trained Only) You are skilled at working with language, in both its spoken and written forms. You can speak multiple languages, and can decipher nearly any tongue given enough time.
- Perception (Wis) Your senses allow you to notice fine details and alert you to danger. Perception covers all five senses, including sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
- Perform (Cha) You are skilled at one form of entertainment, from singing to acting to playing an instrument. Like Craft, Knowledge, and Profession, Perform is actually a number of separate skills.
- Profession (Wis; Trained Only) You are skilled at a specific job. Like Craft, Knowledge, and Perform, Profession is actually a number of separate skills. You could have several Profession skills, each with its own ranks.
- Ride (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) You are skilled at riding mounts, usually a horse, but possibly something more exotic, like a griffon or pegasus.
- Sense Motive (Wis) You are skilled at detecting falsehoods and true intentions.
- Sleight of Hand (Dex; Armor Check Penalty; Trained Only) Your training allows you to pick pockets, draw hidden weapons, and take a variety of actions without being noticed.
- Spellcraft (Int; Trained Only) You are skilled at the art of casting spells, identifying magic items, crafting magic items, and identifying spells as they are being cast.
- Stealth (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) You are skilled at avoiding detection, allowing you to slip past foes or strike from an unseen position. This skill covers hiding and moving silently.
- Survival (Wis) You are skilled at surviving in the wild and at navigating in the wilderness. You also excel at following trails and tracks left by others.
- Swim (Str; Armor Check Penalty) You know how to swim and can do so even in stormy water.
- Use Magic Device (Cha; Trained Only) You are skilled at activating magic items, even if you are not otherwise trained in their use.