Disguising your voice?

[Tyger]

Inspired by the thread on Mindbenders and their nefarious telepathy, the question of how one can disguise their voice via a RAW skill has arisen for our group.

RAW, Disguise doesn't make a lot of sense, as its opposed by Spot, rather than Listen or Sense Motive. PHBII has nothing, Complete Scoundrel and Complete Adventurer - nada.

Is there any official rule on how to do this, or would it be houseruled only? We're thinking use either Listen or Sense Motive to oppose the Disguise check, with the caveat that Disguise bonuses from non-auditory illusions, such as the Hat of Disguise and its ilk, ignored for the sound Disguise check.

[Tiki Snakes]

Bluff, I'd have thought.

[Xallace]

Bluff or Perform (Acting), since both are beneficial to Disguise checks.

[Lysander]

I'd make it two separate checks. Bluff to make people believe it's your natural voice (since by talking you are in essence lying), Perform (Acting) to convincingly sound like someone else.

Just slightly altering your voice so it doesn't sound like you should be a very easy Perform check. Adopting a specific foreign accent would also be fairly easy. Sounding like a specific person would be challenging. Making your voice radically different (a grown man speaking in a perfect feminine voice) would be very hard.

The DC of the perform check would vary depending on the situation. For example, it's easier to fake a Chinese accent to someone who doesn't speak Chinese since they don't really know how a Chinese accent sounds.

[hamishspence]

In a slightly more futuristic setting- what would the DC be to fool a voice recognizer? Of the kind that might be used on certain security systems?

[Lysander]

In a slightly more futuristic setting- what would the DC be to fool a voice recognizer? Of the kind that might be used on certain security systems?

That depends how good the security system's program is. I suppose you'd make an opposed check. But I assume any system reliable enough to be used would probably be the equivalent of at least DC20 or 30 if not much higher.

[Fitz10019]

I'd make it two separate checks.

I disagree with using two checks for any one attempt at something, because that's two opportunities for the player to fail. Choose a one-roll skill test, set a fair DC, and let that d20 roll just once. IMHO.

[Ponderthought]

In a slightly more futuristic setting- what would the DC be to fool a voice recognizer? Of the kind that might be used on certain security systems?

Im thinking a base dc of 20, then move up or down from there, depending on weather you screw around with the systems audio recognition or brought voice changing equipment.

[wizuriel]

I would just use disguise and have it opposed by a listen check in this case.