Skills – Temple of Elemental Evil

In D&D, skills are character abilities that can be improved as the character gains levels. You boost a character’s skill by adding points to it during level up and character creation. For class skills (marked with a “C” in the table), one skill point purchases one rank in that skill. For cross-class skills (marked with a “cc” in the table), two skill points purchase one rank in the skill.

Some skills can be used untrained, meaning a character does not have to possess any ranks to attempt to use the skill, while others require at least one point to have been spent in the skill in order to use it. However, a character may not have more ranks in a class skill than 3 + his level, or half that number for a cross-class skill.

Using Skills

Skills are normally checked against a Difficulty Class (DC), which requires that a character’s skill level meets or exceeds the DC value in order to succeed. Skill level is the sum of rank, plus any modifier from the skill’s key ability, plus any miscellaneous modifiers such as racial bonuses, armor check penalties, or bonus from feats. For some skills, such as Diplomacy, the skill level is checked directly against the DC. For others, such as Tumble, a random 1d20 is added to the skill level each time it is checked, so that success is not always a matter of exceeding the DC.

Some skills, including both Tumble and Diplomacy, are used passively, meaning the game will check their success automatically when appropriate. Other skills, like Open Lock, are used actively and you must select them from the Radial Menu under the Skills tab. A few skills, like Search, are used both ways, as a passive check when characters are close to a secret door or trap and as an active check when you specifically search an area.

Some skills are used to oppose other skills. When you use the Hide skill, opponents will use their Spot skill to attempt to see your hidden character. Similarly, when your character tries to Move Silently, opponents will use their Listen skill.

Some skills provide synergies with other skills, in that a high rank in the skill will provide a bonus to skill checks of other skills.

Some skills allow player characters to help each other to succeed. Usually, this works by having the selected character perform the skill using his skill level and any other character who helps makes a skill check against a DC of 10 and if successful, they add a +2 bonus to selected character’s skill level. These skills are called out below.

C = Class Skill
cc = Cross-class Skill
* = Armor check penalty applies to these skill checks