Syne
2014-06-02, 05:46 PM
This is a new use of the Search skill. I'm going to run a game that will have an investigation component, but one more similar to archaeology rather than whodunit. I didn't feel the current skills covered this sort of thing, so I made my own. I'd appreciate any suggestions/criticisms/ideas. I'm especially interested in how you think it will play out in an actual game.
I've made a major overhaul since a previous version (which is in the spoiler below). Changes:
Specified flat DCs for Investigate.
Clarified what exactly Investigate is used for: It's used for finding clues, which must then be analyzed to actually find information.
Gave example DCs for analysis checks.
Removed the "you Search while you Investigate" clause. It just causes problems.
Removed area investigation.
Removed the bit where you detect illusions. I'll make a feat of it or something. It doesn't really fit in base skill usage.
Fixed up modifiers
Thank you for your comments. I hope it's simpler/clearer now.
The Search skill is now also called Investigate. It now allows you to investigate objects in order to find clues. Each clue represents a specific piece of potential information. Some clues yield their information automatically, but others must be analyzed, which involves making another skill check in a specific skill (often a Knowledge or Craft skill). Clues normally hold information that you cannot uncover without investigating.
Each clue represents a specific piece of information that you can potentially get. When a clue needs analysis, you automatically know which skill you need to analyze it, and what information can be found from it. Sometimes, you’ll have a list of skills to choose from. You don’t have to analyze the clues you find yourself. Instead, you can have other experts analyze them (and make the skill check) for you; usually, these would be other members of your party.
Clues don’t have to be physical objects. They can be more like riddles that need solving. For example, you might notice that a slain creature is lying in a strange posture, or that the burn marks on a wall are reminiscent of a spell. This means that you can’t really carry clues around. You have to interpret them on the spot.
What it can be used for
Here is a list of examples that demonstrate what one can do with the skill.
Investigate the results of a spell, supernatural ability, etc. To identify the ability, and determine the caster.
Investigate an ancient room to determine what it was used for.
Investigate an item to determine who it belonged to.
Investigate the scene of a battle, to learn how the battle transpired.
DCs for finding clues
It’s more difficult to find clues that reveal intricate information. The following table illustrates general Investigate check DCs for uncovering clues that provide different levels of information. The examples provided are things you can discover by investigating the remains of a creature, although you can investigate other things as well.
DC
Clue Type
Example of Potential Information
5
Trivial
Race, type, subtype of a deceased creature
10
Basic
Vague time of death
15
Complex
Vague cause of death
20
Specific
Specific cause of death, more accurate time of death
25
Detailed
Information about the killer
30+
Intricate
Intricate or exact information. Things like victim’s favorite color,
pet name. How do you know this? You tell me.
Note that’s it’s possible that a clue is easy to find, but very difficult to analyze. For example, the body of a recently dead, very rare creature is an automatic clue, but identifying the creature’s type and race might require a lot of natural or arcane knowledge.
However, it’s still true that in most cases, difficult to find clues are also difficult to analyze.
Some circumstances cause penalties and bonuses on your Investigate check.
Description
Mod
Example
Contamination
The object has been contaminated, fixed, or sabotaged
Mild contamination
-5
Several parts are missing; object has been fixed or broken
Moderate contamination
-10
Skeleton only; object has been renovated
Severe contamination
-15
Most of the original is gone
Total contamination
-20
Little of the original remains
Extra information
You have extra information about the object
Familiarity
+2
You’re familiar with the object you’re investigating
Extra evidence
+4
You have many items belonging to the deceased
Verification
+8
You already know the facts about an object; you just need to verify them with evidence.
DCs for analyzing clues
After a clue is found, it usually needs to be analyzed. The following table provides examples of analysis checks (both the skill and the DC) that must be made when an appropriate clue is found.
If you find several clues about the same object, you can analyze the clues separately from each other.
Information
Clue DC
Skill
Analysis DC
Determine race, type, subtype
5 (Trivial)
Knowledge
10 + CR
Vague time of death
10 (Basic)
Knowledge, Heal
10
Vague cause of death
15 (Complex)
Knowledge, Heal
15
Profession of the deceased
15(Complex)
[No need to analyze]
--
Identify specific spell that caused death
20 (Specific)
Spellcraft, Knowledge (arcana)
20 + SL
Specific time of death
20 (Specific)
Knowledge, Heal
20
Class levels of deceased
20 (Specific)
[No need to analyze]
--
Class levels of the killer
25 (Detailed)
Spellcraft, Martial Lore, etc
25 + ½ HD
How it’s used
Investigate Object
This usage allows you to investigate a single object. You must be able to use all of your senses to do this, including touch, sight, and sound. You must be able to use all of your senses to investigate the object. You cannot investigate objects with concealment from you.
When you investigate an object, you automatically find all possible clues, based on their DC and the result of your check. You don’t need to make separate checks to find different clues.
The “object” you investigate can be many things. You can investigate a room or an area as an object, which will allow you to learn about its past, what it was used for, and about the things that happened within it. This wouldn’t be the same as investigating specific objects inside the room, though.
Action: 2d6 minutes.
Retry: You cannot retry this check on the same object.
Sabotage Object
As an additional usage, you can sabotage an object so that others would find it hard to investigate it, but without physically destroying it (which could be a lot of work). To do this, make a DC 10 Investigate check. You apply a cumulative -10 contamination modifier to future attempts to investigate the object. The total contamination modifier cannot exceed -20.
You also add a Trivial clue to the object: “This object has been sabotaged.”
Action: 2d6 minutes.
Retry: You cannot retry this check on the same object.
Skill Tricks
Flash of Inspiration
“Aha! I forgot to look behind the cupboard!”
Prerequisite: Investigate 5 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can retry an Investigate skill check you have taken previously during the session, with a +5 insight bonus.
All it Takes is a Glance
Sometimes, all it takes is a glance.
Prerequisite: Investigate 8 ranks, Spot 8 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can take a swift action to investigate an object within 30 feet, but you take a -10 penalty on your check. This action can be taken during combat, and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
When making this check, other characters cannot interpret any of your findings. You can still retry the check by investigating normally at a later time.
Feats
Arcane Investigation
You can use your arcane knowledge and skill as an investigator to detect an object’s magical properties.
Prerequisite: Investigate 6, Knowledge (arcana) 6, Knowledge (religion) 6.
Benefit: When you make an Investigate check, you can uncover clues that reveal an object’s magical properties. These are special clues that cannot be uncovered without this feat. Some must be analyzed using Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion). This is not a magical ability.
Effect
DC
Analysis DC
Detect Magic
10
--
Detect Good/Evil/Law/Chaos
15
--
Disbelieve illusion
20
--
Identify
25
15 + ½ CL*
Discern true nature
30
20 + ½ CL*
* Use HD if effect has no CL.
Detect Magic: This works as the 0th level spell (3rd round effect), but only affects the object being investigated.
Detect (Alignment): This works as the 1st level spells (3rd round effect), but only affects the object being investigated. You can see all auras active on the object; you don’t need to choose. You do not become stunned if the aura is overwhelming.
Disbelieve illusion: You get a second Will save to disbelieve any illusions on the object. You can use your Investigate check result instead of your save result if you wish. The DC of the save is the highest applicable DC of all the illusions on the object.
Identify: This allows you to identify the properties of a magic item, as the Identify spell. The caster level used is the item’s caster level.
Discern true nature: You discern the true nature of the object, as though through True Seeing, allowing you to perceive its true form. This doesn’t allow you to see into the ethereal plane. The CL used is the highest applicable CL, from all the relevant effects affecting the object. Note that in this case, you also automatically disbelieve any illusions on the object, and don't need to make a Will save.
Old Version
Investigate
The Search skill is now also called Investigate. It allows you to, well, investigate various things in order to discover more information about them. The skill allows you to uncover substantially more information than using skills such as Knowledge and Spellcraft alone.
The higher your check result, the more findings you get. Each finding either gives you information immediately, or allows you to interpret it. In the latter case, another skill check will be called. The skill you need for this will vary, depending on the circumstances, although they will usually be knowledge/craft skills. You’ll often have several options to pick from. If you need to interpret findings, you know which skills you need to use to do so.
When a check is called to interpret something, you can have one of your allies make the check. Anyone can do this, although other characters take -4 on the check, since they’re not actively searching.
When you investigate, you take 20 on a normal search check as part of the same action. This allows you to uncover valuable items, hidden doors, and traps.
Here is a table detailing example interpretation checks for investigations, as well as information to be uncovered:
Thing to Investigate
Example Interpretation Skill (any of these)
Information to be Uncovered
Remains of creature
Knowledge (anatomy), Heal
Cause of death, time of death, identity
Ancient masonry
Knowledge (history), Craft(stonemasonry)
Identify age, original craftsmen
Results of a spell
Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft
The spell that caused the results
Room
--
The person who lived in the room.
Retry: No. You cannot retry any check made to investigate something or interpret findings until you gain more ranks in the skill. However, several characters can investigate the same object, or interpret the same finding, possibly with different skills.
Action: An investigation can be quite time consuming. See “Specific Uses” below. If you end an investigation before it is completed, you don't find anything. However, in this case, you can retry the check.
Hasty Investigation: You can also reduce the time it takes to investigate something by half, but you suffer a -10 penalty.
Check DCs
Here is a table detailing the sort of information you can expect when investigating a single object. When you’re investigating the results of an ability, such as a spell, you must usually add ½ the caster level to find specific information.
Use HD as an effective caster level for extraordinary or supernatural abilities. If the ability is none of these (a natural ability, such as a standard attack), the effective CL is 0.
Even if you succeed on your Investigate check, you will sometimes still be called to interpret your findings by making another skill check, as detailed above. Note that the interpretation check may have a high DC, even if the investigation check has a low one. For example, to determine the race of the deceased you will usually have to make a Knowledge check with DC 10 + its HD. To determine specific spells, you will have to make a Spellcraft check.
DC
Info/Usage
Example/Description
5
Trivial
The race of the deceased
10
Basic
Time of death (order of magnitude), type of an ability
10
Detect sabotage
Detect that the area has been purposefully sabotaged. Contamination penalties don’t apply.
15
Complex
Vague cause of death
15 + ½ CL
Foil illusion
You can tell if the object is illusory, and a free Will save to disbelieve the illusion with a +5 insight bonus.
20
Specific
Specific cause of death
20 + ½ CL
Specific (ability)
Name of ability used.
25
Detailed
Detailed information
25 + ½ CL
Detailed (ability)
When investigating the results of an ability, gives you information about its caster.
35+
Intricate
Intricate or exact information. Things like favorite color, *pet name. How do you know this? You tell me.
35 + ½ CL
Intricate (ability)
Intricate information about the caster of an ability.
These are example modifiers for difficult or favorable conditions.
Check Mod
Condition
Up to +20
You have extra information at your disposal, such as items belonging to the deceased.
Normally, up to -30
Some parts of the object are missing, or the object has been contaminated or disturbed, perhaps purposefully.
Up to -20
You can’t use all of your senses to investigate the object. It could be behind a glass screen, have concealment, or you could be deaf. Note that in some cases, this makes investigation impossible.
Specific Uses
Investigate Single Object
This use allows you to investigate one object, such as a statue, the remains of a creature, etc.
Time: 2d6 minutes.
Investigate Area
You can investigate an area. This is similar to searching, and it allows you to uncover meaningful objects that you can later investigate individually. A normal search doesn’t uncover such objects. You also uncover general information about the area, such as its function.
Time: 1d6 minutes per 5-foot square.
Sabotage Area
This action allows you to destroy evidence in an area, so that others would find investigating it more difficult. To do this, make an Investigate check. Further attempts made to investigate the area or any object within it suffer a contamination penalty that equals your check result, or the existing penalty; whichever is higher.
Investigators can detect an area or object has been sabotaged with a DC 10 check. Contamination penalties don’t apply.
Time: 1d6 minutes per 5-foot square.
Skill Tricks
Flash of Inspiration
“Aha! I forgot to look behind the cupboard!”
Prerequisite: Investigate 5 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can retry one Investigate skill check you have taken during the session, with a +5 insight bonus.
All it Takes is a Glance
Sometimes, all it takes is a glance.
Prerequisite: Investigate 8 ranks, Spot 8 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can take a swift action to investigate a visible object within 30 feet, or investigate all squares within 15 feet, but you take a -10 penalty on your check. This action can be taken during combat, and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. When making this check, other characters cannot interpret any of your findings. You can still retry the check by investigating normally at a later time.
Battle Investigator
You have gained the ability to investigate people’s heads off. Well, not really.
Prerequisite: Investigate 12, Spot 12, All it Takes is a Glance
Benefit: You can expend your All it Takes is a Glance trick as an immediate action in order to get a +5 insight bonus on a single attack roll.
I've made a major overhaul since a previous version (which is in the spoiler below). Changes:
Specified flat DCs for Investigate.
Clarified what exactly Investigate is used for: It's used for finding clues, which must then be analyzed to actually find information.
Gave example DCs for analysis checks.
Removed the "you Search while you Investigate" clause. It just causes problems.
Removed area investigation.
Removed the bit where you detect illusions. I'll make a feat of it or something. It doesn't really fit in base skill usage.
Fixed up modifiers
Thank you for your comments. I hope it's simpler/clearer now.
The Search skill is now also called Investigate. It now allows you to investigate objects in order to find clues. Each clue represents a specific piece of potential information. Some clues yield their information automatically, but others must be analyzed, which involves making another skill check in a specific skill (often a Knowledge or Craft skill). Clues normally hold information that you cannot uncover without investigating.
Each clue represents a specific piece of information that you can potentially get. When a clue needs analysis, you automatically know which skill you need to analyze it, and what information can be found from it. Sometimes, you’ll have a list of skills to choose from. You don’t have to analyze the clues you find yourself. Instead, you can have other experts analyze them (and make the skill check) for you; usually, these would be other members of your party.
Clues don’t have to be physical objects. They can be more like riddles that need solving. For example, you might notice that a slain creature is lying in a strange posture, or that the burn marks on a wall are reminiscent of a spell. This means that you can’t really carry clues around. You have to interpret them on the spot.
What it can be used for
Here is a list of examples that demonstrate what one can do with the skill.
Investigate the results of a spell, supernatural ability, etc. To identify the ability, and determine the caster.
Investigate an ancient room to determine what it was used for.
Investigate an item to determine who it belonged to.
Investigate the scene of a battle, to learn how the battle transpired.
DCs for finding clues
It’s more difficult to find clues that reveal intricate information. The following table illustrates general Investigate check DCs for uncovering clues that provide different levels of information. The examples provided are things you can discover by investigating the remains of a creature, although you can investigate other things as well.
DC
Clue Type
Example of Potential Information
5
Trivial
Race, type, subtype of a deceased creature
10
Basic
Vague time of death
15
Complex
Vague cause of death
20
Specific
Specific cause of death, more accurate time of death
25
Detailed
Information about the killer
30+
Intricate
Intricate or exact information. Things like victim’s favorite color,
pet name. How do you know this? You tell me.
Note that’s it’s possible that a clue is easy to find, but very difficult to analyze. For example, the body of a recently dead, very rare creature is an automatic clue, but identifying the creature’s type and race might require a lot of natural or arcane knowledge.
However, it’s still true that in most cases, difficult to find clues are also difficult to analyze.
Some circumstances cause penalties and bonuses on your Investigate check.
Description
Mod
Example
Contamination
The object has been contaminated, fixed, or sabotaged
Mild contamination
-5
Several parts are missing; object has been fixed or broken
Moderate contamination
-10
Skeleton only; object has been renovated
Severe contamination
-15
Most of the original is gone
Total contamination
-20
Little of the original remains
Extra information
You have extra information about the object
Familiarity
+2
You’re familiar with the object you’re investigating
Extra evidence
+4
You have many items belonging to the deceased
Verification
+8
You already know the facts about an object; you just need to verify them with evidence.
DCs for analyzing clues
After a clue is found, it usually needs to be analyzed. The following table provides examples of analysis checks (both the skill and the DC) that must be made when an appropriate clue is found.
If you find several clues about the same object, you can analyze the clues separately from each other.
Information
Clue DC
Skill
Analysis DC
Determine race, type, subtype
5 (Trivial)
Knowledge
10 + CR
Vague time of death
10 (Basic)
Knowledge, Heal
10
Vague cause of death
15 (Complex)
Knowledge, Heal
15
Profession of the deceased
15(Complex)
[No need to analyze]
--
Identify specific spell that caused death
20 (Specific)
Spellcraft, Knowledge (arcana)
20 + SL
Specific time of death
20 (Specific)
Knowledge, Heal
20
Class levels of deceased
20 (Specific)
[No need to analyze]
--
Class levels of the killer
25 (Detailed)
Spellcraft, Martial Lore, etc
25 + ½ HD
How it’s used
Investigate Object
This usage allows you to investigate a single object. You must be able to use all of your senses to do this, including touch, sight, and sound. You must be able to use all of your senses to investigate the object. You cannot investigate objects with concealment from you.
When you investigate an object, you automatically find all possible clues, based on their DC and the result of your check. You don’t need to make separate checks to find different clues.
The “object” you investigate can be many things. You can investigate a room or an area as an object, which will allow you to learn about its past, what it was used for, and about the things that happened within it. This wouldn’t be the same as investigating specific objects inside the room, though.
Action: 2d6 minutes.
Retry: You cannot retry this check on the same object.
Sabotage Object
As an additional usage, you can sabotage an object so that others would find it hard to investigate it, but without physically destroying it (which could be a lot of work). To do this, make a DC 10 Investigate check. You apply a cumulative -10 contamination modifier to future attempts to investigate the object. The total contamination modifier cannot exceed -20.
You also add a Trivial clue to the object: “This object has been sabotaged.”
Action: 2d6 minutes.
Retry: You cannot retry this check on the same object.
Skill Tricks
Flash of Inspiration
“Aha! I forgot to look behind the cupboard!”
Prerequisite: Investigate 5 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can retry an Investigate skill check you have taken previously during the session, with a +5 insight bonus.
All it Takes is a Glance
Sometimes, all it takes is a glance.
Prerequisite: Investigate 8 ranks, Spot 8 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can take a swift action to investigate an object within 30 feet, but you take a -10 penalty on your check. This action can be taken during combat, and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
When making this check, other characters cannot interpret any of your findings. You can still retry the check by investigating normally at a later time.
Feats
Arcane Investigation
You can use your arcane knowledge and skill as an investigator to detect an object’s magical properties.
Prerequisite: Investigate 6, Knowledge (arcana) 6, Knowledge (religion) 6.
Benefit: When you make an Investigate check, you can uncover clues that reveal an object’s magical properties. These are special clues that cannot be uncovered without this feat. Some must be analyzed using Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion). This is not a magical ability.
Effect
DC
Analysis DC
Detect Magic
10
--
Detect Good/Evil/Law/Chaos
15
--
Disbelieve illusion
20
--
Identify
25
15 + ½ CL*
Discern true nature
30
20 + ½ CL*
* Use HD if effect has no CL.
Detect Magic: This works as the 0th level spell (3rd round effect), but only affects the object being investigated.
Detect (Alignment): This works as the 1st level spells (3rd round effect), but only affects the object being investigated. You can see all auras active on the object; you don’t need to choose. You do not become stunned if the aura is overwhelming.
Disbelieve illusion: You get a second Will save to disbelieve any illusions on the object. You can use your Investigate check result instead of your save result if you wish. The DC of the save is the highest applicable DC of all the illusions on the object.
Identify: This allows you to identify the properties of a magic item, as the Identify spell. The caster level used is the item’s caster level.
Discern true nature: You discern the true nature of the object, as though through True Seeing, allowing you to perceive its true form. This doesn’t allow you to see into the ethereal plane. The CL used is the highest applicable CL, from all the relevant effects affecting the object. Note that in this case, you also automatically disbelieve any illusions on the object, and don't need to make a Will save.
Old Version
Investigate
The Search skill is now also called Investigate. It allows you to, well, investigate various things in order to discover more information about them. The skill allows you to uncover substantially more information than using skills such as Knowledge and Spellcraft alone.
The higher your check result, the more findings you get. Each finding either gives you information immediately, or allows you to interpret it. In the latter case, another skill check will be called. The skill you need for this will vary, depending on the circumstances, although they will usually be knowledge/craft skills. You’ll often have several options to pick from. If you need to interpret findings, you know which skills you need to use to do so.
When a check is called to interpret something, you can have one of your allies make the check. Anyone can do this, although other characters take -4 on the check, since they’re not actively searching.
When you investigate, you take 20 on a normal search check as part of the same action. This allows you to uncover valuable items, hidden doors, and traps.
Here is a table detailing example interpretation checks for investigations, as well as information to be uncovered:
Thing to Investigate
Example Interpretation Skill (any of these)
Information to be Uncovered
Remains of creature
Knowledge (anatomy), Heal
Cause of death, time of death, identity
Ancient masonry
Knowledge (history), Craft(stonemasonry)
Identify age, original craftsmen
Results of a spell
Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft
The spell that caused the results
Room
--
The person who lived in the room.
Retry: No. You cannot retry any check made to investigate something or interpret findings until you gain more ranks in the skill. However, several characters can investigate the same object, or interpret the same finding, possibly with different skills.
Action: An investigation can be quite time consuming. See “Specific Uses” below. If you end an investigation before it is completed, you don't find anything. However, in this case, you can retry the check.
Hasty Investigation: You can also reduce the time it takes to investigate something by half, but you suffer a -10 penalty.
Check DCs
Here is a table detailing the sort of information you can expect when investigating a single object. When you’re investigating the results of an ability, such as a spell, you must usually add ½ the caster level to find specific information.
Use HD as an effective caster level for extraordinary or supernatural abilities. If the ability is none of these (a natural ability, such as a standard attack), the effective CL is 0.
Even if you succeed on your Investigate check, you will sometimes still be called to interpret your findings by making another skill check, as detailed above. Note that the interpretation check may have a high DC, even if the investigation check has a low one. For example, to determine the race of the deceased you will usually have to make a Knowledge check with DC 10 + its HD. To determine specific spells, you will have to make a Spellcraft check.
DC
Info/Usage
Example/Description
5
Trivial
The race of the deceased
10
Basic
Time of death (order of magnitude), type of an ability
10
Detect sabotage
Detect that the area has been purposefully sabotaged. Contamination penalties don’t apply.
15
Complex
Vague cause of death
15 + ½ CL
Foil illusion
You can tell if the object is illusory, and a free Will save to disbelieve the illusion with a +5 insight bonus.
20
Specific
Specific cause of death
20 + ½ CL
Specific (ability)
Name of ability used.
25
Detailed
Detailed information
25 + ½ CL
Detailed (ability)
When investigating the results of an ability, gives you information about its caster.
35+
Intricate
Intricate or exact information. Things like favorite color, *pet name. How do you know this? You tell me.
35 + ½ CL
Intricate (ability)
Intricate information about the caster of an ability.
These are example modifiers for difficult or favorable conditions.
Check Mod
Condition
Up to +20
You have extra information at your disposal, such as items belonging to the deceased.
Normally, up to -30
Some parts of the object are missing, or the object has been contaminated or disturbed, perhaps purposefully.
Up to -20
You can’t use all of your senses to investigate the object. It could be behind a glass screen, have concealment, or you could be deaf. Note that in some cases, this makes investigation impossible.
Specific Uses
Investigate Single Object
This use allows you to investigate one object, such as a statue, the remains of a creature, etc.
Time: 2d6 minutes.
Investigate Area
You can investigate an area. This is similar to searching, and it allows you to uncover meaningful objects that you can later investigate individually. A normal search doesn’t uncover such objects. You also uncover general information about the area, such as its function.
Time: 1d6 minutes per 5-foot square.
Sabotage Area
This action allows you to destroy evidence in an area, so that others would find investigating it more difficult. To do this, make an Investigate check. Further attempts made to investigate the area or any object within it suffer a contamination penalty that equals your check result, or the existing penalty; whichever is higher.
Investigators can detect an area or object has been sabotaged with a DC 10 check. Contamination penalties don’t apply.
Time: 1d6 minutes per 5-foot square.
Skill Tricks
Flash of Inspiration
“Aha! I forgot to look behind the cupboard!”
Prerequisite: Investigate 5 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can retry one Investigate skill check you have taken during the session, with a +5 insight bonus.
All it Takes is a Glance
Sometimes, all it takes is a glance.
Prerequisite: Investigate 8 ranks, Spot 8 ranks.
Benefit: You can use this trick once per game session. You can take a swift action to investigate a visible object within 30 feet, or investigate all squares within 15 feet, but you take a -10 penalty on your check. This action can be taken during combat, and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. When making this check, other characters cannot interpret any of your findings. You can still retry the check by investigating normally at a later time.
Battle Investigator
You have gained the ability to investigate people’s heads off. Well, not really.
Prerequisite: Investigate 12, Spot 12, All it Takes is a Glance
Benefit: You can expend your All it Takes is a Glance trick as an immediate action in order to get a +5 insight bonus on a single attack roll.