Realms of Chaos
2010-10-09, 04:18 PM
Yeah… skill tricks.
It occurred to me the other day that almost nobody has ever homebrewed these things so I just made up a huge batch for everyone here, more than doubling the amount out there. Some of them are probably a bit too powerful or random to be used in a real game so I’d appreciate any assistance in pointing them out and fixing them. After all, there isn’t exactly a guide out there for making skill tricks (at least as far as I know). :smalltongue:
Gentle Landing [Movement]
You are an expert of landing from tall heights.
Prerequisites: Jump 5 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks
Benefit: When you fall or jump down from at least 10 feet up, you may spend an immediate action to negate a single dice of falling damage and to land on your feet.
Connoisseur [Mental]
Your fine tastes allow you to appraise fine and exotic materials with greater accuracy.
Prerequisites: Appraise 5 ranks
Benefit: When you fail on an appraise check meant to appraise a rare or exotic item, you may spend a swift action to gain a rough estimate of its worth, ranging from 50% to 150% of its actual worth (much like with a failed appraisal of more common items).
Eyes on the Prize [Mental]
You have trained your eyes to pick out valuable items out with but a cursory glance.
Prerequisites: Appraise 8 ranks, Spot 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a DC 20 Appraise check to recognize the single most visibly valuable item within your range of sight (disregarding unseen factors such as most magic) and of which other items are visible worth at least 100 gp. The precise value of items is not revealed in this way.
Master of Balance [Movement]
You can move faster while balancing without problems.
Prerequisites: Balance 8 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you may eliminate the penalties to balance checks you make for moving at full speed or for charging at up to your full speed while charging for 1 round.
Innocent Act [Interaction]
You are a master of looking honest and innocent, making your lies more believable.
Prerequisites: Bluff 12 ranks, Perform (acting) 5 ranks
Benefit: When you make a bluff check, your acting skills can make the bluff seem one category more believable (PHB, page 68).
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Infallible Deception [Interaction]
It is almost impossible for others to see directly through your lies.
Prerequisites: Bluff 8 ranks, Deceitful
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make your next bluff made within the round impossible to see through, preventing listeners from piercing through your deception even if their Sense Motive result is 10 points or higher than that of your Bluff check. A creature may still fail to believe the bluff if it is utter nonsense (such as claiming gravity doesn’t exist or that you are a tree) or if there is sufficient evidence to the contrary (such as claiming to be a certain person to that person or claiming that they aren’t seeing something clearly visible, though bluffing that they are seeing illusions or hallucinations may work in such a situation).
Distracting Wit [Interaction]
You can momentarily distract foes with your words before catching them unaware.
Prerequisites: Bluff 8 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks, Deceitful or Negotiator
Benefit: As a standard action, you can attempt to distract and mislead a foe, making a Diplomacy or Bluff check (DC 10 + target’s HD + target’s Sense Motive modifier). If you succeed, the next attack made against the target before the start of your next turn treats them as being flat-footed. Furthermore, a hostile foe affected in this way becomes merely unfriendly towards you and your allies for 1 round or until attacked. Mindless creatures are unaffected by this ability.
Personal Message [Interaction]
You can deliver a personalized hidden message, one that others wouldn’t understand.
Prerequisites: Bluff 5 ranks
Benefit: When you deliver a secret message, you may spend a swift action to make it specific to a single person or a small group of people (up to 4 individuals). Other creatures take a –5 penalty to sense motive checks made to intercept a message if it is directed at an individual or a –2 penalty if it was directed to a group.
Titan Wrestler [Movement]
You have mastered the art of grappling larger creatures
Prerequisites: Climb 8 ranks, Improved Grapple
Benefit: When grappling a creature two or three size categories larger than you, you may spend a swift action to gain the ability to make a grapple check against them (you do not automatically fail on this roll as normal) until the end of the turn. If you succeed, you establish a hold on the creature (but may not pin them) and may continue the hold until you fail a grapple check against them.
Wall Grab [Movement]
When you fall, you can catch yourself on a wall or slope.
Prerequisites: Climb 8 ranks
Benefit: As an immediate action, you can attempt to catch yourself on a wall or slope while falling, even if you have already failed to do so once within the same round. You do so using the normal rules described on page 69 of the player’s handbook.
Quick Crafter [Manipulation]
You can craft and jury-rig cheap items in almost no time at all.
Prerequisites: Craft (any) 8 ranks
Benefit: With 10 minutes of work, you can craft an item with one of your craft skills worth up to 1 gp per rank you possess in that skill. You must possess full access to all normal tools that would be needed to make the item, however.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Quick Reader [Manipulation]
You’ve trained your mind to read through short bits scriptures and texts quickly.
Prerequisites: Decipher Script 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a DC 10 Decipher Script check. During that action, you read and digest the contents of up to 1 page of text (or its rough equivalent) plus 1 additional page per 5 points by which your check exceeded the DC. This check does not also perform normal function of the Decipher Script skill.
Haggler [Interaction]
You can talk others into making more profitable transactions, at least for yourself
Prerequisites: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Negotiator
Benefit: As a full round action, you can make a DC 15 diplomacy check against an indifferent, friendly, or helpful merchant. If you succeed, you may increase the amount that you sell a single item for or decrease the amount that you buy a single item for by 1d6 gp + 1d6 gp for every 5 points by which your check exceeded the DC. If the item is worth at least 1,000 gp, multiply this result by 10. If the item is worth at least 10,000 gp, multiply this result by 100. You may not increase or decrease the price of any item beyond 75% of its market price in this way.
You can use this skill trick on a given merchant once per day.
Disable Dweomer [Manipulation]
You can disarm many enchantments just as you can disarm traps.
Prerequisites: Disable Device 12 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks, Magical Aptitude
Benefit: With 2d4 rounds of work, you may attempt do disrupt the flow of a spell. Spells targeting a creature (such as hold person) or resulting in a creature (such as summon monster I) can’t be disrupted in this way. The DC to remove such a spell is 25 + caster level. Magical traps cannot be removed in this way.
You can use this skill trick once per day
Delayed Sabotage [Manipulation]
You can set an object to break after a certain amount of use.
Prerequisites: Disable Device 5 ranks
Benefit: When making a Disable Device check to sabotage an item, you can spend an extra full-round action to gain greater control over when it breaks. You can set the item to break after a set number of usages (up to 100) or to break after a set amount of time (up to one week).
More You than You [Interaction]
You can trick others into thinking the one you impersonate is the imposter.
Prerequisites: Disguise 12 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks
Benefit: If both you and a creature you disguise as are visible in the same place and at the same time, you may spend a swift action to make a disguise check opposed by the original’s diplomacy check with a +10 bonus. If you succeed, all creatures who haven’t pierced through your disguise assume that the original is the fake (though future evidence may place this in doubt).
Quick Crawler [Movement]
You can squeeze through tight spaces with greater speed than others.
Prerequisites: Escape Artist 5 ranks
Benefit: When squeezing through a tight space, you may spend a swift action to move 10 feet further than you would normally be able to, up to a maximum of your normal speed. Alternately, you may use this swift action to increase the distance you can travel while prone with a move action by 10 feet.
Split-Second Forgery [Manipulation]
You can forge a short note, message, or memo with the greatest of ease.
Prerequisites: Forgery 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you may make a Forgery check with a –5 penalty to write down a short message with up to one word per rank in Forgery you possess.
Interrogation [Interaction]
You can learn what people know by pressing them for information
Prerequisites: Diplomacy or Gather Information 5 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks
Benefit: With 1d4 minutes of interaction with a sentient creature, you can make a Diplomacy or Gather Information check against them, opposed by a Sense Motive check with a bonus equal to the target’s HD. If you succeed, you may ask them a single question and gain a truthful response from the target. The target is not compelled to answer, however, if doing so would put their life or the life of a loved one in danger. Creatures affected by a Glibness effect are also immune to this ability.
You can use this skill trick on a given creature once per day.
Empathetic Soul [Interaction]
You have a way with animals, letting them know that you mean no harm.
Prerequisites: Handle Animal 8 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a Handle Animal check against a hostile or unfriendly animal as if making a diplomacy check. If you increase its attitude towards you to at lest indifferent, it does not attack, snarl, or bark at you so long as you and your companions leave it (and its family, if any) alone. You cannot increase an animal’s attitude to helpful in this way, though you can make it friendly.
Animal Trainer [Manipulation]
You can teach an animal a trick in practically no time at all
Prerequisites: Handle Animal 5 ranks
Benefit: With but one hour of training with an indifferent or friendlier animal, you can make a Handle Animal check with a –5 penalty to teach it a trick for 24 hours, even if this would place it over it’s maximum number of tricks.
Unlike with normal tricks, you must make a new Handle Animal check with a –5 penalty as a swift action against the same DC whenever you want the animal to perform its trick.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Resuscitation [Manipulation]
You can save the life of a suffocating creature
Prerequisites: Heal 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a DC 20 Heal check against a suffocating creature. If you succeed, and the target is in an environment where it can breathe, it stops suffocating.
Note: If the drowning creature was previously below their current hit points before they started drowning, this skill trick has no effect on them. Nice try, though.
Tend to the Many [Manipulation]
You can provide medical care to a great many people.
Prerequisites: Heal 12 ranks
Benefit: By spending an extra eight hours tending to the sick, you can provide long-term care for up to one person per rank of Heal that you possess, rather than just for 6 individuals.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Absolute Submission [Interaction]
You can frighten a target into absolute obedience.
Prerequisites: Intimidate 12 ranks, Persuasive
Benefit: When you succeed on intimidating a foe outside of combat by 10 points or more, you may spend a swift action to make them utterly subservient to you, treating them as helpful towards you for as long as you are around and for one hour afterwards.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Quick Sneak [Movement]
You can move faster without giving away your location.
Prerequisites: Hide 5 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can move up to 10 feet further than normal without taking a penalty to Hide checks for 1 round. This skill trick does not improve your speed in any way, however, and does not mitigate the penalty to hide checks for charging. If you possess the Rapid Padfoot skill trick, you may activate it as part of the same action.
Opportunistic Concealment [Movement]
You can use the flow of combat to retreat back into hiding.
Prerequisites: Hide 12 ranks, Stealthy
Benefit: When an ally hits an opponent in combat, you may spend an immediate action to make a hide check with a –10 penalty even if you are being observed. You must possess either cover or concealment to make this hide check, as normal (unless you don’t normally possess this requirement).
Leap to Safety [Movement]
You can leap out of the way in the nick of time
Prerequisites: Jump 12 ranks, Lightning Reflexes
Benefit: As an immediate action, you may make a DC 25 Jump check to leap 5 feet in any direction. If this skill trick is used to move beyond the reach of an attack or the area of an effect, it has a 50% chance of affecting you.
Kangaroo Leap [Movement]
You can use the inertia from one jump to make another
Prerequisites: Jump 5 ranks, Athletic
Benefit: If you have jumped at least 10 feet within the past round, you may spend a swift action to avoid doubling the DCs of Jump checks made without running starts for a single round. If you do make a running start, you gain a +4 bonus to the check.
You can use this skill trick twice per encounter.
Mid-Air Assault [Movement]
You can attack an enemy in mid-jump.
Prerequisites:Jump 8 ranks, Spring Attack
Benefit: When you make a jump check, you can spend an immediate action to make a single attack against an opponent in mid jump.
Trivia [Mental]
Your research in one area of study has turned up a few interesting facts related to other studies; facts that have stuck in your head.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 8 ranks
Benefit: As a free action, you may make a knowledge check using another knowledge skill, taking a –10 penalty on your check. You may not use this skill trick if you have already used the appropriate knowledge skill for a knowledge check already.
Practical Knowledge [Mental]
Your knowledge has given you some fascinating insights.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 5 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you may make a DC 20 knowledge check. If it is successful, you gain a +1 insight bonus to a single skill check or saving throw made within the next round.
Research [Mental]
You can quickly research information that you may have forgotten
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 5 ranks
Benefit: If you possess access to a library or similar source, you may spend one hour to make a Knowledge check with a +2 insight bonus (in addition to any circumstance bonus the library would otherwise provide). This check may be made even if a similar knowledge check on the same subject has failed in the past.
Note: I am aware that research is a (poor and overly complicated) feat from the eberron campaign setting. Much like Investigator, it just allowed people to do what most DMs had already allowed their players to do. This skill trick, however, a) costs 2 skill points instead of a valuable feat slot and b) actually adds onto what DMs normally allow, shortening normal research time and adding an extra bonus to the check.
No Need for Eyes [Mental]
You can avoid attacks using only your ears to guide you.
Prerequisites: Listen 12 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make a DC 20 Listen check to gain blindsense out to 5 feet and retain your Dexterity bonus to your AC against unseen attackers for 1 round.
Rapid Padfoot [Movement]
You can move faster without making nearly as much noise
Prerequisites: Move Silently 5 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can move up to 10 feet further than normal without taking a penalty to Move Silently checks for 1 round. This skill trick does not improve your speed in any way, however, and does not mitigate the penalty to Move Silently checks for charging. If you possess the Quick skill trick, you may activate it as part of the same action.
Inspiring Oratory [Interaction]
Your words inspire the hearts of others.
Prerequisites: Perform (oratory) 5 ranks
Benefit: As a move action, you may make a DC 20 Perform (oratory) check. If you succeed, a number of allies up to your number of ranks in Perform (oratory) who can see and hear you gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves against fear effects for 1d4+1 minutes. If you possess the inspire courage class feature, these bonuses stacks with those of inspire courage.
High Roller [Mental]
You tend to take greater chances in everyday life. It tends to pay off… sometimes…
Prerequisites: Profession (gambler) 8 ranks
Benefit: As an immediate action, you may take a –2 penalty to your next d20 roll made this round. If you roll an 11 or higher on that roll, however, you gain a +1d8 bonus to the result.
Ride the Dragon [Manipulation]
You can ride upon another creature, guiding its actions for a short period of time.
Prerequisites: Ride 12 ranks, Climb 8 ranks
Benefit: If on a creature up to two size categories larger than yourself, you may spend a full-round action to make a Ride check (DC 25 + target’s HD). If successful, you can make the target take one move action at the start of their next turn, controlling where they move during it. The target is free as normal to take a standard action during that round but if they take another move action instead (and use it to move), you direct that movement as well.
God Speed [Movement]
You can spur your mount onto incredible speeds for short distances.
Prerequisites: Ride 8 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make a DC 25 Ride check. If successful, the speed of your mount is increased by +30 feet for 1 round. Afterwards, however, the mount is fatigued and takes 5 damage.
Uncanny Awareness [Mental]
You have a knack for spotting the hidden, even when not actively trying to.
Prerequisites: Search 8 ranks, Spot 5 ranks, Investigator
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make a single Search check as if searching all squares within 20 feet that you possess a line of sight, learning as much as if you had taken 10. This does not enable you to notice details obviously hidden from your line of sight (such as writing written on the underside of a table).
Deep Analysis [Mental]
You can read into every small movement that a person makes to tell more about them.
Prerequisites: Sense Motive 12 ranks, Negotiator
Benefit: When you succeed by 10 or more points on a Sense Motive check made to get a hunch about somebody, you may spend and immediate action to learn their general emotional state. In addition, you learn if the target is morally or ethically opposed to you (if their alignment opposes yours in any respect).
Pass It On [Manipulation]
Rather than stealing items from a creature, you can plant them on a creature’s person.
Prerequisites: Sleight of Hand 5 ranks
Benefit: As a standard action, you can make a DC 20 Sleight of Hand check to plant an object on another creature’s person. The object must be at least two size categories smaller than both you and the target in order for this ability to work. As always, observers are entitled to an opposed spot check to notice the attempt. Against a creature with no noticeable pouches, pockets, or bags of any sort, you take a –5 penalty on your check. At your option, the item planted may be easy to find (DC 10 search check) or difficult (DC = Sleight of Hand result).
You can use this skill trick twice per encounter.
Master Tracker [Mental]
You have seen hundreds of tracks before, allowing you to identify them on sight.
Prerequisites: Survival 8 ranks, Track
Benefit: As a swift action, you may make a Survival check in place of a knowledge check to identify what kind of creature left a set of tracks (though no other information is provided in this way).
Hasty Tumble [Movement]
You can tumble further and faster than most
Prerequisites: Tumble 8 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can tumble at full speed for one round without taking a penalty to your Tumble check.
Underfoot [Movement]
You can occupy another creature’s square
Prerequisites: Tumble 12 ranks, Hide 5 ranks, Medium size or smaller
Benefit: As a swift action, you may move into and remain in an adjacent creature’s square, so long as they are at least one size category larger than yourself. While in such a square, you gain cover against all attacks but take a –2 penalty against all creatures but the one whose space you occupy. This ability does not allow you to move along with the creature.
Quick Dive [Movement]
You can cover greater distances in shorter amounts of time.
Prerequisites: Tumble 8 ranks
Benefit: As a free action, you may make a DC 20 Tumble check. If you succeed, you may move 5 feet in any direction (unless immobilized or otherwise incapable of motion). This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
It occurred to me the other day that almost nobody has ever homebrewed these things so I just made up a huge batch for everyone here, more than doubling the amount out there. Some of them are probably a bit too powerful or random to be used in a real game so I’d appreciate any assistance in pointing them out and fixing them. After all, there isn’t exactly a guide out there for making skill tricks (at least as far as I know). :smalltongue:
Gentle Landing [Movement]
You are an expert of landing from tall heights.
Prerequisites: Jump 5 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks
Benefit: When you fall or jump down from at least 10 feet up, you may spend an immediate action to negate a single dice of falling damage and to land on your feet.
Connoisseur [Mental]
Your fine tastes allow you to appraise fine and exotic materials with greater accuracy.
Prerequisites: Appraise 5 ranks
Benefit: When you fail on an appraise check meant to appraise a rare or exotic item, you may spend a swift action to gain a rough estimate of its worth, ranging from 50% to 150% of its actual worth (much like with a failed appraisal of more common items).
Eyes on the Prize [Mental]
You have trained your eyes to pick out valuable items out with but a cursory glance.
Prerequisites: Appraise 8 ranks, Spot 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a DC 20 Appraise check to recognize the single most visibly valuable item within your range of sight (disregarding unseen factors such as most magic) and of which other items are visible worth at least 100 gp. The precise value of items is not revealed in this way.
Master of Balance [Movement]
You can move faster while balancing without problems.
Prerequisites: Balance 8 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you may eliminate the penalties to balance checks you make for moving at full speed or for charging at up to your full speed while charging for 1 round.
Innocent Act [Interaction]
You are a master of looking honest and innocent, making your lies more believable.
Prerequisites: Bluff 12 ranks, Perform (acting) 5 ranks
Benefit: When you make a bluff check, your acting skills can make the bluff seem one category more believable (PHB, page 68).
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Infallible Deception [Interaction]
It is almost impossible for others to see directly through your lies.
Prerequisites: Bluff 8 ranks, Deceitful
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make your next bluff made within the round impossible to see through, preventing listeners from piercing through your deception even if their Sense Motive result is 10 points or higher than that of your Bluff check. A creature may still fail to believe the bluff if it is utter nonsense (such as claiming gravity doesn’t exist or that you are a tree) or if there is sufficient evidence to the contrary (such as claiming to be a certain person to that person or claiming that they aren’t seeing something clearly visible, though bluffing that they are seeing illusions or hallucinations may work in such a situation).
Distracting Wit [Interaction]
You can momentarily distract foes with your words before catching them unaware.
Prerequisites: Bluff 8 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks, Deceitful or Negotiator
Benefit: As a standard action, you can attempt to distract and mislead a foe, making a Diplomacy or Bluff check (DC 10 + target’s HD + target’s Sense Motive modifier). If you succeed, the next attack made against the target before the start of your next turn treats them as being flat-footed. Furthermore, a hostile foe affected in this way becomes merely unfriendly towards you and your allies for 1 round or until attacked. Mindless creatures are unaffected by this ability.
Personal Message [Interaction]
You can deliver a personalized hidden message, one that others wouldn’t understand.
Prerequisites: Bluff 5 ranks
Benefit: When you deliver a secret message, you may spend a swift action to make it specific to a single person or a small group of people (up to 4 individuals). Other creatures take a –5 penalty to sense motive checks made to intercept a message if it is directed at an individual or a –2 penalty if it was directed to a group.
Titan Wrestler [Movement]
You have mastered the art of grappling larger creatures
Prerequisites: Climb 8 ranks, Improved Grapple
Benefit: When grappling a creature two or three size categories larger than you, you may spend a swift action to gain the ability to make a grapple check against them (you do not automatically fail on this roll as normal) until the end of the turn. If you succeed, you establish a hold on the creature (but may not pin them) and may continue the hold until you fail a grapple check against them.
Wall Grab [Movement]
When you fall, you can catch yourself on a wall or slope.
Prerequisites: Climb 8 ranks
Benefit: As an immediate action, you can attempt to catch yourself on a wall or slope while falling, even if you have already failed to do so once within the same round. You do so using the normal rules described on page 69 of the player’s handbook.
Quick Crafter [Manipulation]
You can craft and jury-rig cheap items in almost no time at all.
Prerequisites: Craft (any) 8 ranks
Benefit: With 10 minutes of work, you can craft an item with one of your craft skills worth up to 1 gp per rank you possess in that skill. You must possess full access to all normal tools that would be needed to make the item, however.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Quick Reader [Manipulation]
You’ve trained your mind to read through short bits scriptures and texts quickly.
Prerequisites: Decipher Script 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a DC 10 Decipher Script check. During that action, you read and digest the contents of up to 1 page of text (or its rough equivalent) plus 1 additional page per 5 points by which your check exceeded the DC. This check does not also perform normal function of the Decipher Script skill.
Haggler [Interaction]
You can talk others into making more profitable transactions, at least for yourself
Prerequisites: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Negotiator
Benefit: As a full round action, you can make a DC 15 diplomacy check against an indifferent, friendly, or helpful merchant. If you succeed, you may increase the amount that you sell a single item for or decrease the amount that you buy a single item for by 1d6 gp + 1d6 gp for every 5 points by which your check exceeded the DC. If the item is worth at least 1,000 gp, multiply this result by 10. If the item is worth at least 10,000 gp, multiply this result by 100. You may not increase or decrease the price of any item beyond 75% of its market price in this way.
You can use this skill trick on a given merchant once per day.
Disable Dweomer [Manipulation]
You can disarm many enchantments just as you can disarm traps.
Prerequisites: Disable Device 12 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks, Magical Aptitude
Benefit: With 2d4 rounds of work, you may attempt do disrupt the flow of a spell. Spells targeting a creature (such as hold person) or resulting in a creature (such as summon monster I) can’t be disrupted in this way. The DC to remove such a spell is 25 + caster level. Magical traps cannot be removed in this way.
You can use this skill trick once per day
Delayed Sabotage [Manipulation]
You can set an object to break after a certain amount of use.
Prerequisites: Disable Device 5 ranks
Benefit: When making a Disable Device check to sabotage an item, you can spend an extra full-round action to gain greater control over when it breaks. You can set the item to break after a set number of usages (up to 100) or to break after a set amount of time (up to one week).
More You than You [Interaction]
You can trick others into thinking the one you impersonate is the imposter.
Prerequisites: Disguise 12 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks
Benefit: If both you and a creature you disguise as are visible in the same place and at the same time, you may spend a swift action to make a disguise check opposed by the original’s diplomacy check with a +10 bonus. If you succeed, all creatures who haven’t pierced through your disguise assume that the original is the fake (though future evidence may place this in doubt).
Quick Crawler [Movement]
You can squeeze through tight spaces with greater speed than others.
Prerequisites: Escape Artist 5 ranks
Benefit: When squeezing through a tight space, you may spend a swift action to move 10 feet further than you would normally be able to, up to a maximum of your normal speed. Alternately, you may use this swift action to increase the distance you can travel while prone with a move action by 10 feet.
Split-Second Forgery [Manipulation]
You can forge a short note, message, or memo with the greatest of ease.
Prerequisites: Forgery 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you may make a Forgery check with a –5 penalty to write down a short message with up to one word per rank in Forgery you possess.
Interrogation [Interaction]
You can learn what people know by pressing them for information
Prerequisites: Diplomacy or Gather Information 5 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks
Benefit: With 1d4 minutes of interaction with a sentient creature, you can make a Diplomacy or Gather Information check against them, opposed by a Sense Motive check with a bonus equal to the target’s HD. If you succeed, you may ask them a single question and gain a truthful response from the target. The target is not compelled to answer, however, if doing so would put their life or the life of a loved one in danger. Creatures affected by a Glibness effect are also immune to this ability.
You can use this skill trick on a given creature once per day.
Empathetic Soul [Interaction]
You have a way with animals, letting them know that you mean no harm.
Prerequisites: Handle Animal 8 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a Handle Animal check against a hostile or unfriendly animal as if making a diplomacy check. If you increase its attitude towards you to at lest indifferent, it does not attack, snarl, or bark at you so long as you and your companions leave it (and its family, if any) alone. You cannot increase an animal’s attitude to helpful in this way, though you can make it friendly.
Animal Trainer [Manipulation]
You can teach an animal a trick in practically no time at all
Prerequisites: Handle Animal 5 ranks
Benefit: With but one hour of training with an indifferent or friendlier animal, you can make a Handle Animal check with a –5 penalty to teach it a trick for 24 hours, even if this would place it over it’s maximum number of tricks.
Unlike with normal tricks, you must make a new Handle Animal check with a –5 penalty as a swift action against the same DC whenever you want the animal to perform its trick.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Resuscitation [Manipulation]
You can save the life of a suffocating creature
Prerequisites: Heal 5 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a DC 20 Heal check against a suffocating creature. If you succeed, and the target is in an environment where it can breathe, it stops suffocating.
Note: If the drowning creature was previously below their current hit points before they started drowning, this skill trick has no effect on them. Nice try, though.
Tend to the Many [Manipulation]
You can provide medical care to a great many people.
Prerequisites: Heal 12 ranks
Benefit: By spending an extra eight hours tending to the sick, you can provide long-term care for up to one person per rank of Heal that you possess, rather than just for 6 individuals.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Absolute Submission [Interaction]
You can frighten a target into absolute obedience.
Prerequisites: Intimidate 12 ranks, Persuasive
Benefit: When you succeed on intimidating a foe outside of combat by 10 points or more, you may spend a swift action to make them utterly subservient to you, treating them as helpful towards you for as long as you are around and for one hour afterwards.
You can use this skill trick once per day.
Quick Sneak [Movement]
You can move faster without giving away your location.
Prerequisites: Hide 5 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can move up to 10 feet further than normal without taking a penalty to Hide checks for 1 round. This skill trick does not improve your speed in any way, however, and does not mitigate the penalty to hide checks for charging. If you possess the Rapid Padfoot skill trick, you may activate it as part of the same action.
Opportunistic Concealment [Movement]
You can use the flow of combat to retreat back into hiding.
Prerequisites: Hide 12 ranks, Stealthy
Benefit: When an ally hits an opponent in combat, you may spend an immediate action to make a hide check with a –10 penalty even if you are being observed. You must possess either cover or concealment to make this hide check, as normal (unless you don’t normally possess this requirement).
Leap to Safety [Movement]
You can leap out of the way in the nick of time
Prerequisites: Jump 12 ranks, Lightning Reflexes
Benefit: As an immediate action, you may make a DC 25 Jump check to leap 5 feet in any direction. If this skill trick is used to move beyond the reach of an attack or the area of an effect, it has a 50% chance of affecting you.
Kangaroo Leap [Movement]
You can use the inertia from one jump to make another
Prerequisites: Jump 5 ranks, Athletic
Benefit: If you have jumped at least 10 feet within the past round, you may spend a swift action to avoid doubling the DCs of Jump checks made without running starts for a single round. If you do make a running start, you gain a +4 bonus to the check.
You can use this skill trick twice per encounter.
Mid-Air Assault [Movement]
You can attack an enemy in mid-jump.
Prerequisites:Jump 8 ranks, Spring Attack
Benefit: When you make a jump check, you can spend an immediate action to make a single attack against an opponent in mid jump.
Trivia [Mental]
Your research in one area of study has turned up a few interesting facts related to other studies; facts that have stuck in your head.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 8 ranks
Benefit: As a free action, you may make a knowledge check using another knowledge skill, taking a –10 penalty on your check. You may not use this skill trick if you have already used the appropriate knowledge skill for a knowledge check already.
Practical Knowledge [Mental]
Your knowledge has given you some fascinating insights.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 5 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you may make a DC 20 knowledge check. If it is successful, you gain a +1 insight bonus to a single skill check or saving throw made within the next round.
Research [Mental]
You can quickly research information that you may have forgotten
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 5 ranks
Benefit: If you possess access to a library or similar source, you may spend one hour to make a Knowledge check with a +2 insight bonus (in addition to any circumstance bonus the library would otherwise provide). This check may be made even if a similar knowledge check on the same subject has failed in the past.
Note: I am aware that research is a (poor and overly complicated) feat from the eberron campaign setting. Much like Investigator, it just allowed people to do what most DMs had already allowed their players to do. This skill trick, however, a) costs 2 skill points instead of a valuable feat slot and b) actually adds onto what DMs normally allow, shortening normal research time and adding an extra bonus to the check.
No Need for Eyes [Mental]
You can avoid attacks using only your ears to guide you.
Prerequisites: Listen 12 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make a DC 20 Listen check to gain blindsense out to 5 feet and retain your Dexterity bonus to your AC against unseen attackers for 1 round.
Rapid Padfoot [Movement]
You can move faster without making nearly as much noise
Prerequisites: Move Silently 5 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can move up to 10 feet further than normal without taking a penalty to Move Silently checks for 1 round. This skill trick does not improve your speed in any way, however, and does not mitigate the penalty to Move Silently checks for charging. If you possess the Quick skill trick, you may activate it as part of the same action.
Inspiring Oratory [Interaction]
Your words inspire the hearts of others.
Prerequisites: Perform (oratory) 5 ranks
Benefit: As a move action, you may make a DC 20 Perform (oratory) check. If you succeed, a number of allies up to your number of ranks in Perform (oratory) who can see and hear you gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves against fear effects for 1d4+1 minutes. If you possess the inspire courage class feature, these bonuses stacks with those of inspire courage.
High Roller [Mental]
You tend to take greater chances in everyday life. It tends to pay off… sometimes…
Prerequisites: Profession (gambler) 8 ranks
Benefit: As an immediate action, you may take a –2 penalty to your next d20 roll made this round. If you roll an 11 or higher on that roll, however, you gain a +1d8 bonus to the result.
Ride the Dragon [Manipulation]
You can ride upon another creature, guiding its actions for a short period of time.
Prerequisites: Ride 12 ranks, Climb 8 ranks
Benefit: If on a creature up to two size categories larger than yourself, you may spend a full-round action to make a Ride check (DC 25 + target’s HD). If successful, you can make the target take one move action at the start of their next turn, controlling where they move during it. The target is free as normal to take a standard action during that round but if they take another move action instead (and use it to move), you direct that movement as well.
God Speed [Movement]
You can spur your mount onto incredible speeds for short distances.
Prerequisites: Ride 8 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make a DC 25 Ride check. If successful, the speed of your mount is increased by +30 feet for 1 round. Afterwards, however, the mount is fatigued and takes 5 damage.
Uncanny Awareness [Mental]
You have a knack for spotting the hidden, even when not actively trying to.
Prerequisites: Search 8 ranks, Spot 5 ranks, Investigator
Benefit: As a swift action, you can make a single Search check as if searching all squares within 20 feet that you possess a line of sight, learning as much as if you had taken 10. This does not enable you to notice details obviously hidden from your line of sight (such as writing written on the underside of a table).
Deep Analysis [Mental]
You can read into every small movement that a person makes to tell more about them.
Prerequisites: Sense Motive 12 ranks, Negotiator
Benefit: When you succeed by 10 or more points on a Sense Motive check made to get a hunch about somebody, you may spend and immediate action to learn their general emotional state. In addition, you learn if the target is morally or ethically opposed to you (if their alignment opposes yours in any respect).
Pass It On [Manipulation]
Rather than stealing items from a creature, you can plant them on a creature’s person.
Prerequisites: Sleight of Hand 5 ranks
Benefit: As a standard action, you can make a DC 20 Sleight of Hand check to plant an object on another creature’s person. The object must be at least two size categories smaller than both you and the target in order for this ability to work. As always, observers are entitled to an opposed spot check to notice the attempt. Against a creature with no noticeable pouches, pockets, or bags of any sort, you take a –5 penalty on your check. At your option, the item planted may be easy to find (DC 10 search check) or difficult (DC = Sleight of Hand result).
You can use this skill trick twice per encounter.
Master Tracker [Mental]
You have seen hundreds of tracks before, allowing you to identify them on sight.
Prerequisites: Survival 8 ranks, Track
Benefit: As a swift action, you may make a Survival check in place of a knowledge check to identify what kind of creature left a set of tracks (though no other information is provided in this way).
Hasty Tumble [Movement]
You can tumble further and faster than most
Prerequisites: Tumble 8 ranks
Benefit: As a swift action, you can tumble at full speed for one round without taking a penalty to your Tumble check.
Underfoot [Movement]
You can occupy another creature’s square
Prerequisites: Tumble 12 ranks, Hide 5 ranks, Medium size or smaller
Benefit: As a swift action, you may move into and remain in an adjacent creature’s square, so long as they are at least one size category larger than yourself. While in such a square, you gain cover against all attacks but take a –2 penalty against all creatures but the one whose space you occupy. This ability does not allow you to move along with the creature.
Quick Dive [Movement]
You can cover greater distances in shorter amounts of time.
Prerequisites: Tumble 8 ranks
Benefit: As a free action, you may make a DC 20 Tumble check. If you succeed, you may move 5 feet in any direction (unless immobilized or otherwise incapable of motion). This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.