Rules for Proficiencies
Rules for Proficiencies
The law should be brief, so that the inexperienced may more easily remember it. (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
Checks for Proficiencies or Ability Scores are performed by rolling 3d6 and adding the score of the Proficiency (base or active), the linked Ability Score, and any magic, circumstance, or Feat bonuses. The result must be communicated to the Game Master, who compares it with the difficulty (DC) of the check.
When you need to establish a difficulty, start by thinking about how difficult the check would be for a normal person. Do not ask, ``What would happen if I tried this?’ **’ ** Instead, consider how difficult the task would be for a normal person and how easy it would be for an expert such as Arsène Lupin. Start from the assumption that the difficulty must include all circumstantial elements.
Consider whether it is raining, there is little light, the character is running or wounded, the character is in a hurry, and how complex the task is. Jumping a 3-meter ditch is not the same as jumping a 3-meter ditch in the dark, without shoes, in the rain, while being chased, and with pockets full of coins…
Deciphering an ancient writing may be a walk in the park for an expert linguist, but for a normal person who has no idea what might be in front of them, the check is simply impossible. This impossible is your DC, the difficulty of the check.
And don’ **t be afraid if the characters fail the checks, it will make the adventure more interesting and allow the Game Master to introduce facts, clues, and new adventures.
Not always a check: Avoid asking for a check when players declare how they perform the check, how and where they search, or what dialogue they use to intimidate the target\ldots Carefully evaluate how the player describes what they do because this is already the check. It is not just to speed up the game; it stimulates players to think completely and to immerse themselves in the character and the environment.
It will make the game more dynamic and all players will participate in the situation and collaborate by declaring what and how they act. Always use common sense and save dice rolls! Rolling a die means creating the possibility of failure!
When you have to make a check for a Base Proficiency in which you are not prepared, that is, you have no points, you must roll only 2d6 + the score of the linked Ability Score.
When -1d6 is written, it means that you roll one die less (or two if it’ **s -2d6), conversely if there is +1d6 written, you roll one more d6 and add it.
The table below relates the difficulty of a check to the minimum Ability Score needed to succeed with an average roll (a score of 10 when rolling 3d6). Use these indications to get an idea of the difficulty scale.
The Game Master won’ **t tell you to make a check at difficulty 10, but will say that the check doesn’ **t present elements of particular difficulty.
Table: Difficulty Class
| Diff. | Description | Proficiency |
|---|---|---|
| DC | Difficulty | Level |
| 6 | Trivial | None |
| 10 | Simple | Poor |
| 15 | Challenging for a competent character | Normal |
| 20 | Difficult | Good |
| 25 | Very difficult | Excellent |
| 30 | Heroic | Outstanding |
| 35 | Near desperate | Amazing |
| 40 | Epic | Epic |
If you need to make a check on an Ability Score, you must roll 3d6 and add the Ability Score and other modifiers. Communicate this result to the Game Master who will compare it with the difficulty (DC).
The Golden Rules
Unless otherwise specified, for all proficiency checks (Base, Active) three basic rules apply called Golden Rules:
- 6s explode, meaning if in the 3d6 check a die rolls a six, add the result and roll again, and if it rolls 6 again, add the result and roll again and again…
- 1s bring bad luck. When a 1 is rolled with a die, that die does not contribute to the result. The value of the die showing 1 is considered zero.
- Trust in luck. For every 4 points between Proficiency (Base or Active) and Ability Score that you give up adding to the check, you roll one more d6 (Attack Roll, Saving Throw, Proficiency checks). This value cannot be taken from the score given by Feats or magic items.
- Rolling 3 sixes with the first three dice is a success, in Proficiency Checks, Saving Throws and Attack Rolls regardless of the final result.
- Rolling 3 ones with the first three dice is a failure, in Proficiency Checks, Saving Throws and Attack Rolls regardless of the final result.
- 1s, in check, rolled following a 6 are always worth zero
Use the Golden Rules to your advantage! Dare, try, risk when the situation allows no other solutions!
There’ **s not just the character sheet!: Don’ **t necessarily look for the solution on the sheet. Use your ability to imagine, to solve, to intuit to get out of and resolve situations. The sheet represents only a small part of what your character can do.
Succeeding or Failing the Test
The check is passed when rolling 3d6 and adding the relevant Skill and Characteristic as well as various modifiers, the result is equal to or greater than the DC set by the Game Master. If the result is lower than the difficulty, the test is failed.
A test can be repeated as long as the conditions that allow the test to be repeated do not change.
Repeating check: If the check can be repeated until eventual success without problems or interruptions, then don’ **t have the check made, describe the attempts, the difficulties encountered and declare success.
Critical Success - Critical Failure
If the check is passed by at least 8 points above the established difficulty, then it is considered a Critical Success.
The Game Master may decide to give more information, grant a bonus to subsequent actions (+1)… anything that can enhance how easily the test was passed.. Conversely, if the test fails by at least 8 points, the Game Master could describe how miserably the test failed and how the poor result influences the Action and subsequent ones.
For every 8 points above or below the established difficulty, one Critical Success or Critical Failure is counted. When the manual speaks of 2 Critical Successes, it means passing the test by at least 16 points. At the Game Master’ **s discretion, a critically failed test cannot be repeated by the same character.
Consider how competent a character is in order to avoid any check with a foregone conclusion.
Awareness
Awareness is one of those proficiencies that comes into play very often.
Make it so that the characters’ ** questions and reasoning reveal the clues; an Awareness check can be made whenever there is something to search for that is not obvious, something that must be searched for otherwise it is not immediately perceptible or intuitable, something that the players want to find and that is there but they are not asking the right question.
Playing not Checks: Don’ **t let checks govern your game. Let the players play, make them act, make them participate and based on what they say determine if the check is passed or not.
If they say, ``I convince the guard to let us pass,’ **’ ** ask for an Intimidate or Diplomacy check. If they engage in convincing dialogue, you may consider the check successful (or unsuccessful if they have not argued effectively). Reward the HOW more than the WHAT.
The Checks
Proficiency Checks opposed to an opponent
There are situations where the character must make an Opposed Check against an opponent, for example Stealth to move silently behind a guard, steal from the merchant’ **s pockets, intimidate the orc to give directions, push an opponent…
In this case, the character makes the indicated check whose difficulty (DC) is equal to 10 + the Ability Score + Proficiency or Saving Throw (as indicated by the check) + contingent modifiers (bonuses/penalties).
Whoever gets the higher value wins; if there is a tie, the one with the higher value in the Proficiency wins, then in the Ability Score, and finally the eventual opponent.
Some examples of Opposed Checks
-
- Deceiving someone: Deception Vs Sense Motive
-
- Disguising to look like someone else: Perform Vs Awareness
-
- Creating a fake map: Forgery Vs Appraise
-
- Stealth : Proficiency Vs Awareness, as long as not seen
-
- Intimidate: Intimidate Vs Will Saving Throw (with Charisma modifier)
-
- Stealing: Sleight of Hand Vs Awareness, or Sleight of Hand if possessed
-
- Untying from ropes: Use Rope Vs Escape Artist
-
- Arm wrestling: Fortitude Saving Throw (with Strength modifier)
Opposed Ability Score Checks
Whenever the Check or Opposed Check concerns an Ability Score and not also a Proficiency, make the check (3d6) adding to the most appropriate Ability Score the most suitable Saving Throw.
Table: Opposed Checks
| Opposed Check | ST |
|---|---|
| Strength | Fortitude |
| Dexterity | Reflex |
| Constitution | Fortitude |
| Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma | Will |
It is possible that Opposed Checks with different modifiers may be requested. Those reported in the table above are examples of typical use. It is possible to make an opposed Strength check, making a Fortitude Saving Throw and adding the Strength score to determine who wins in a weightlifting competition.
Non-Opposed Ability Score Checks
Some checks may be indicated as Make a Dexterity check at DC 20 without indicating Saving Throws or Proficiencies. In this case, it is necessary to make the check adding only the score of the indicated ability score. E.g. 3d6 + 1 (the value of Dexterity).
Checks against a static DC
When the Check is opposed to a static opponent, that is, not a creature endowed with Ability Scores and Proficiencies, but to a lock, a jump to be made… then the check is performed by comparing 3d6 + the interested Ability Score + the most suitable Active Proficiency (ST/MP/WP) or Base Proficiency (Disable Device, Athletics…) against the difficulty (DC) established by the Game Master.
Audentes fortuna iuvat (Fortune favors the bold, Virgil)
Bonuses and Penalties
Depending on the circumstances, there may be bonuses, advantages or penalties, disadvantages in the checks.
The modifier in dynamic checks is to be used when the check is made by rolling the 3d6, in this case bonuses or penalties can be added (-1, +2…) or even roll more or fewer dice (+1d6, -2d6), up to not rolling dice (with 3d6 of penalty)!
If the accumulated penalties bring the check dice below zero, only the value of the Proficiency and Ability Score is counted.
Fixed value checks are those where the value does not depend on the roll of dice (e.g. Defense), in this case the score is raised/lowered by the indicated value.
Try to always stay within these bonus and penalty values, otherwise you can directly say that the check is successful or failed.
The player may request to make the check even if the result is certain.
Table: Advantages and Disadvantages:
| Advantage / Disadvant. | Checks | |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic | Fixed | |
| Light bonus | +1 | +1 |
| Normal bonus | +2 | +2 |
| Strong bonus | +1d6 | +4 |
| Very strong bonus | +2d6 | +8 |
| Light disadvantage | -1 | -1 |
| Normal disadvantage | -2 | -2 |
| Strong disadvantage | -1d6 | -4 |
| Very strong disadvantage | -2d6 | -8 |
Weight of dice…: Bonuses and penalties in the 3d6 roll have more effect than in the check made with the d20. Try to stay within $\pm2$ and only in particular situations of effective and strong advantage or disadvantage apply greater bonuses or penalties.
Time Factor
If a character is not in difficulty or under pressure in making the check, they can take 10 (+ Ability Score + Proficiencies + Feats…), that is, consider that they rolled a 10 with the dice. The action takes 10 rounds.
If the character does not have urgent time limits, that is, they can dedicate at least 10 minutes to work on it (60 rounds) they can consider taking 14. That is, as if they had made the check and rolled 14 with the 3d6.
If time becomes a factor not to be considered, that is, the character has at least 1 hour to think and work and has no penalties or risk, consider having rolled 18 (but there is no dice explosion or Critical Success even if the total is 18).
If you want to take these values, ask the Game Master, who will tell you whether the situation, its urgency, and the danger posed by your surroundings allow you to take the score. Starting to pick a door lock in a dungeon and taking 10 requires extreme cool-headedness and recklessness. Taking 10/14/18 should not be granted for knowledge checks.
Good lecture: I recommend everyone to read the excellent article by Lorenzo Bertini \hrefhttps://dietroschermo.wordpress.com/2022/03/10/elogio-del-10-e-del-20Elogio del 10 e del 20 for a critical and intelligent examination of success and failure in checks.
Helping Another in Checks
You can help a friend in a check by giving them support and suggestions. The helper must make the same check with a +1d6 bonus, if they succeed they get no effects but grant a +1 to the companion’ **s check. If they execute a Critical Success then the bonus is +2. The helper performs the check as a Reaction in the round in which the actual check is performed.
Multiple characters can help the same character; bonuses of this type are cumulative up to a bonus equal to one-fourth of the difficulty to beat (e.g. +6 in the case of difficulty 25).
In the case of checks based on Proficiencies, the helper must have assigned at least one point in the Proficiency involved.
The Game Master will evaluate the possibility that more than one character provides help considering spaces, ways, and times (it’ **s not easy to help someone thread a needle).
If the check to help fails critically, the one who was supposed to be helped has a -1 penalty in the check.
Checks made by the Narrator
Avoid making checks for the Players yourself. Be descriptive but don’ **t tell the Player that a check of something might be needed. Should it be necessary to perform checks hidden from the player, don’ **t roll any dice but add to 10 the value of the Ability Score and the Proficiency score or the Saving Throw value in question of the character and compare the result with the difficulty of the check.
To Roll or Not to Roll dice
Don’ **t have dice rolled for checks that cannot fail, for checks that do not have or generate problems if they are failed or can be retried without problems. Have dice rolled whenever the check can have a spectacular, failing result or triggers further scenes. Let the player enjoy success or fear Critical Failure.
Optional - Partial Success
A Check with Risk is requested in checks of particular tension and urgency where the final result is more important than the risk being taken. This request should be made before rolling the dice.
If the check fails by 1, it can be considered successful, albeit with a slight problem; if it fails by 2, it carries a serious problem; if it fails by 3, it succeeds with a critical problem; if it fails by 4 or more, the check is still unsuccessful. Applied to Proficiencies such as Knowledge, you can decide to provide incomplete information or information that is partly true and partly false; if it is about opening a lock, the character could break the lockpick in the lock!
Group Checks
There are situations where the group must make a proficiency check but the result must be unique; in this case, if at least half of the group succeeds in the check, it is successful.
Examples of Proficiency Checks
Atypical Checks. The player is encouraged to find uses, solutions, and approaches that go beyond the most obvious checks. Be creative and describe to the Game Master the wonderful action you want to perform and how to do it! The Game Master will determine based on your action description what to check and how difficult it might be.
Skills that have a * next to their name, like Acrobatics*, have check penalties due to the armor worn.
Acrobatics*
A successful Acrobatics check with DC 15 allows the character to reduce falling damage by 3 when falling within 6 meters (Reaction).
Climbing Down or Up within 50 cm is difficult terrain, between 50 and 150 cm is doubly difficult terrain, beyond that is falling or climbing. Falling damage is 1d6 damage for every 3 meters fallen.
See paragraph Falls (page ) for details on how to use Acrobatics when falling.
Appraise
DC 12 + rarity factor of item. Common +0, Uncommon +2, Rare +6, Very Rare +10, Legendary +16. 3 Actions
Arcana - Identify a magic item
Identifying a magical object and its capabilities requires an Arcana check with a difficulty of 20 to learn general information about its powers and areas of use. Only a result of at least 25 allows you to learn its details, magic bonuses, and charges. The check takes 10 minutes. With an Arcana score of 6, it takes 5 minutes; with 12, it takes 1 minute; and with an Arcana score of 18, it takes 1 Round.
Arcana - Identify a spell
Identifying a spell while it is being cast is an Arcana check with a DC equal to 10 + the spell’ **s level. It costs a Reaction. If done together with casting a Counterspell, it doesn’ **t cost a Reaction.
Athletics* Armor Penalty. 1 Action
The distance jumped in long jump is equal to 30 cm per point obtained in the check, rounded to the nearest integer. E.g., if you get 11 on the jumping check, the jump will be 30 cm11=330 cm=3 meters; with a check result of 16, it is 30 cm16=480 cm=5 m.
The distance jumped in high jump is equal to 10 cm per result obtained in the check.
In a long jump, the highest point of the jump is equal to 1/3 of the length jumped. If you execute a long jump of 3 meters, at the halfway point you are 1 meter high.
If you don’ **t have at least 3 meters of running start, you jump half the distance. In long jump you jump at most your movement speed and in high jump half of it.
Performing a standing Jump costs 1 Action. A Jump performed within half of your movement (so jumping within 4 meters traveled for a human) uses the same Action as Movement, otherwise you consume one Action for Movement and one Action for the Jump.
Climbing/Scaling*
Climbing, scaling, or descending from a rough surface is equivalent to moving through doubly difficult terrain.
If the check fails, the Action is consumed without moving. If you get a Critical Failure in the check, you lose your grip and can make a Reflex Saving Throw at the same difficulty to grab onto something; if you also fail the Saving Throw, you fall all the way down.
The indicated modifiers are cumulative.
| Example Surface | DC |
|---|---|
| Movement only halved | -2d6 |
| Slippery surface | +4 |
| { Rough wall with handholds, protruding bricks} | +12 |
| A tree, a rope without knots | +15 |
| A wall with few protruding bricks | +20 |
| A wall with very few handholds | +25 |
| A smooth natural wall without handholds | +30 |
| You can lean against 2 opposite walls | -8 |
| You can lean against 2 walls at angles | -4 |
| Examples of checks with rope use | |
| Using a rope to descend | 12 |
| Using a rope to climb up | 15 |
| The rope has knots | -3 |
In case of Critical Success, you scale or climb as if it were difficult terrain. Using a rope allows you to treat climbing as difficult terrain.
See also the Table: Walls, page .
Escape Artist
1 Action every 10 of DC. 6p 1 Action every 15 of DC, 12p 1 Action every 20 DC.
First Aid
If the character has negative Hit Points, they are dying. A First Aid check costing 3 Actions, with a difficulty of 12 plus the value of the negative Hit Points, brings the character to 0 Hit Points, meaning unconscious. Each subsequent time the character returns below 0 Hit Points, the difficulty of the First Aid check increases by 2.
A successful check (DC 15) recovers 1d4 Hit Points after a combat, if the character is not dying, or grants a +2 to a Fortitude Saving Throw to resist a poison. Must be done within 1 Turn after the end of combat. Cost 2 minutes.
With a score of 6 it costs 1 minute and recovers 1d4+4 HP. With a score of 12 it costs 3 rounds and recovers 2d4+8 HP, with a score of 18 it costs 1 round and recovers 3d4+12 HP.
A successful check (base DC 12) reduces Bleeding damage by 1. For each value of Bleeding above 1, the difficulty increases by 2. Cost 2 Actions. A treatment of 1 minute guarantees 1 success, without a check. Each check that succeeds with a Critical Success reduces bleeding by an additional point.
A successful check (base DC 13) to care for 8 hours for a patient restores twice as many Hit Points, with a minimum of 4, and grants a new Fortitude Saving Throw to overcome natural Diseases or Poisons already in progress. If done during rest hours, the one administering the care will be Fatigued.
Items like Healer’ **s Kit (page ) and Bloodstopper (page ) can be useful in checks.
Knowledge - Identify a potion or natural poison
This is possible with an Herbalism check with a DC equal to the plant’ **s rarity factor, or the Saving Throw that it grants in the case of poisons.
It takes 1 Action per 10 points of DC. With 6 points in Herbalism, the time is 1 Action per 15 points of DC; with 12 points, it is 1 Action per 20 points of DC. If you fail with a Critical Failure, you come into contact with or ingest part of the potion and suffer its effects.
Knowledge - Identify a creature
Perform a Knowledge check. See the chapter Identifying Monsters in the Monster Manual (page ). It costs 1 Action.
Intimidate
The character uses 1 Action and performs an Opposed Check against the Will Saving Throw with a bonus given by Charisma. If the Saving Throw fails, the opponent suffers a -1 penalty to Attack Rolls against the intimidator until the end of their next round. The opponent must have Intelligence equal to or greater than -3. The Saving Throw takes a modifier of $\pm2$ per size difference. In case of Critical Success, the penalty to hit becomes -2.
If the one attempting the Intimidate check executes a Critical Failure, they suffer the same penalties as if they had been intimidated.
Handle Animal - Taming an animal
This is a Handle Animal check with a DC of 12+2*CR of the animal. It takes 1 minute per 3 points of DC; with 6 points, the time is 1 minute per 6 points of DC; with 12 points, it is 1 minute per 10 points of DC. The creature must have Intelligence -3 or higher.
Languages
In the world there are old human languages, used only in ancient tomes and in isolated communities, and there is the Common language built from the collection of old terrestrial idioms and comprehensible to most people. Every character who has at least Intelligence -2 speaks the language of their own culture, with 0 they write it. For every point equal to or greater than 2, they speak and write another language that will be chosen at character creation. For every point spent in the Knowledge Language Skill, they speak and write another language.
Languages marked with a * can only be spoken by creatures belonging to that species or cultural group.
Extraplanar creatures such as Celestials, Demons, Devils, Dragons, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes… speak and write their own languages by default.
Table of Languages
| Cultural Area | Spoken | Written |
|---|---|---|
| Old terrestrial languages | various | various |
| Sentient marine creatures* | Aquan | - |
| Sentient birds | Ictun | - |
| Sentient forest dwellers | Sylvan | - |
| Dragons | Draconic | Draconic |
| Fire Elementals* | Ignan | - |
| Earth Elementals* | Tremun | - |
| Water Elementals* | Aquan | - |
| Air Elementals* | Ictun | - |
| Undead | Expiran | - |
| Sign Language* | Sign | - |
Telepathy is a means to speak with any creature that has Intelligence at least -3. There is no language constraint; telepathy acts as a universal translator.
Profession
Any check on Profession is made with 3d6+Wisdom+half level.
Survival
Survival can be used instead of Disable Device, with a -1d6 penalty, to disarm traps or locks. It takes 1 Action per point of DC.
For every three points obtained in the Survival check above the DC (usually 13), the character is able to forage food for themselves and another person as long as they are in an environment capable of sustaining life.
Survival can be used to search for traps: it takes 1 minute to search a 3x3-meter area; with a score of 6 it takes 3 rounds, with a score of 12 it takes 1 round, and with a score of 18 it takes 1 Action.
Skill Score
When in the manual we talk about Skill value or score we always mean the value of the skill including all scores and modifiers.
Stealth*
Stealth encompasses the abilities to move silently, hide in shadows, pass unseen, and all those actions that require not being seen or heard. Trying to move silently does not cost Actions, it’ **s included in the Movement Action used to move. The terrain, however, is treated as difficult, and if it already was, it becomes doubly difficult. Moving at full speed while trying to make no noise imposes a penalty of 2d6 on the Stealth check.
Using 1 Action you can try to hide from the sight of opponents. It is not possible to hide if the environment does not allow it; no matter how high your check may be, you cannot hide if there is nothing that can hide or conceal you. To hide behind a creature, it must be at least 3 sizes larger than you (otherwise the creature only provides cover).
Swimming*
In calm water DC 10, in moving water DC 15, in very moving water DC 20, stormy DC 25. The check is necessary to stay afloat or swim. Swimming in water is considered difficult terrain.
See Chapter Adventures in Water (page ).
Tracking
To the Base Difficulty of 15, the following modifiers apply:
| If the ground is very soft | DC -4 |
| If the ground is stable | DC +5 |
| If the ground is hard | DC +10 |
| Depending on size | DC $\pm4$ |
| Every 3 creatures tracked | DC -2 |
| Every 24 hours passed | DC +4 |
| Every hour of rain | DC +4 |
| Poor visibility | DC +2 |
| Tries to conceal tracks | DC +4 |
Checks, checks, and more checks!: At its core, a role-playing game is all about checks, whether you’ **re trying to make a jump, hit someone, avoid a trap or a spell…! You need to be smarter and wiser. Checks can often be avoided or approached with advantage. Play with wit, use your imagination, be creative!