Skills #

GM reference for adjudicating skill checks in Pathfinder 2e Remastered.

Skill Checks #

Source: Player Core pg. 227

A skill check is a d20 roll + the skill modifier against a DC. The result determines the degree of success.

A natural 20 improves the degree of success by one step. A natural 1 worsens it by one step.

Stealth #

Source: Player Core pg. 253

Stealth governs how creatures avoid detection. The GM must track the detection state of creatures relative to each observer.

Detection States #

Hide (single action) #

Requirements: You must have cover or concealment from the creature you’re hiding from.

1. The creature attempting to Hide makes a Stealth check against the Perception DC of each creature it’s hiding from.
2. Success: The creature becomes hidden from that observer (was observed, now hidden).
3. Critical Success: The creature becomes hidden and can Sneak as a free action immediately.
4. Failure: The creature remains observed.

GM Notes:

• A creature must have cover or concealment to attempt Hide. Without it, the action automatically fails.
• A hidden creature that stops having cover or concealment becomes observed again at the end of its turn, unless it successfully Sneaks before then.
• The observer doesn’t need to actively look; the Perception DC represents passive awareness.

Sneak (single action) #

Requirements: The creature must be hidden or undetected (not observed).

1. The creature moves up to half its Speed.
2. It makes a Stealth check against the Perception DC of each creature it’s hiding from.
3. Success: The creature remains hidden or undetected.
4. Failure: The creature becomes observed just before leaving its original space, potentially triggering reactions.
5. At the end of its movement, if the creature has cover or concealment from an observer, it stays hidden. If it has neither, it becomes observed.

GM Notes:

• If a creature Sneaks past a doorway, window, or other opening with no cover, it typically becomes observed by creatures on the other side.
• Creatures can Sneak to go from hidden to undetected if they move somewhere the observer can’t pinpoint them.
• A creature that is undetected doesn’t need to Sneak to move; however, moving noisily (running, opening doors) may allow the GM to call for a Stealth check or automatically make the creature hidden or observed.

Avoid Notice (exploration activity) #

When a creature uses Avoid Notice during exploration mode, it uses its Stealth modifier for initiative instead of Perception. If the creature succeeds, it starts combat hidden or undetected from creatures that didn’t beat its Stealth result.

GM Notes:

• Creatures using Avoid Notice travel at full speed (unlike in PF1e). There is no speed penalty.
• If there’s no reasonable way to hide (an open field with no cover), Avoid Notice has little effect.
• Creatures that rolled Stealth for initiative and beat an enemy’s Perception DC start combat undetected or hidden from that enemy.

Conceal an Object (single action) #

The creature hides a small object on its person. The DC to find it with a cursory search is usually 20, or against the creature’s Stealth DC if someone thoroughly searches them.

Athletics #

Source: Player Core pg. 233

Grapple (single action, attack) #

1. The creature makes an Athletics check against the target’s Fortitude DC.
2. Critical Success: The target is grabbed until the end of the grappler’s next turn, and the target is also off-guard until the end of the grappler’s next turn.
3. Success: The target is grabbed until the end of the grappler’s next turn.
4. Failure: The grappler fails and releases the target if it was grabbed.
5. Critical Failure: The target can grab the grappler, or force the grappler to fall prone.

GM Notes:

• Grapple has the attack trait, so it counts toward the multiple attack penalty.
• The grappler must have at least one free hand.
• A grabbed creature is off-guard and immobilized (can’t move, -2 circumstance to AC).

Trip (single action, attack) #

1. The creature makes an Athletics check against the target’s Reflex DC.
2. Critical Success: The target falls prone and takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
3. Success: The target falls prone.
4. Failure: No effect.
5. Critical Failure: The creature falls prone itself.

Disarm (single action, attack) #

1. The creature makes an Athletics check against the target’s Reflex DC.
2. Critical Success: The creature knocks the item to the ground in the target’s space.
3. Success: The target takes a -2 circumstance penalty to attacks and other checks using the item until the start of the target’s turn.
4. Failure: No effect.
5. Critical Failure: The creature becomes off-guard until the start of its next turn.

GM Notes:

• Disarm is very difficult to fully succeed at; the -2 penalty on a regular success is the most common outcome.
• The target can simply pick up a dropped item (an Interact action) on their turn.

Shove (single action, attack) #

1. The creature makes an Athletics check against the target’s Fortitude DC.
2. Critical Success: The creature pushes the target up to 10 feet away, and can Stride to follow.
3. Success: The creature pushes the target 5 feet away, and can Stride to follow.
4. Failure: No effect.
5. Critical Failure: The creature falls prone.

Medicine #

Source: Player Core pg. 248

Treat Wounds (exploration activity) #

Requirements: Healer’s toolkit (or worn healer’s tools).

The creature spends 10 minutes treating a living target.

1. The creature makes a Medicine check against DC 15 (or a higher DC for greater healing).
2. Critical Success: The target regains 4d8 Hit Points.
3. Success: The target regains 2d8 Hit Points.
4. Critical Failure: The target takes 1d8 damage.

GM Notes:

• A creature can’t attempt Treat Wounds on the same target again for 1 hour after a success or critical success, or 10 minutes after a failure or critical failure.
• The higher-DC options require the corresponding proficiency rank in Medicine.
• Treat Wounds is the primary way parties heal between encounters without magic.

Battle Medicine (single action, feat) #

Requirements: Trained in Medicine, Battle Medicine feat, healer’s toolkit.

Works like Treat Wounds but takes a single action in combat. Can only be used on a given creature once per day (unless the creature has Medic Dedication or similar).

Recall Knowledge (single action) #

Source: Player Core pg. 230

A creature attempts to remember information about a topic using an appropriate skill.

GM Notes:

• The DC is usually a level-based DC using the creature’s level or the topic’s level.
• On a critical failure, the creature receives incorrect information that it believes to be true. The GM should provide false but plausible information.
• A creature can only attempt to Recall Knowledge about the same topic once; further attempts give no new information unless circumstances meaningfully change.
• Identifying a creature typically reveals one useful fact about it (a resistance, a special ability, a weakness). Critical success reveals additional information.