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List of example DC checks

A

Azhrei

Well-known member
Hey everyone.

I'm looking for a list of example Perception skill check DCs. My Google-fu appears to be pretty weak, since I can't find anything like that.

If anyone has such a list — or a URL to such a list — I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
 
Been there, seen that. :D

No, there was a longer list I saw somewhere. I thought it might've been in the old 3.5 Rules Compendium, but it's not there. It had on it the DC for hearing a cat walk across the floor (DC 30, IIRC). It was a full page of examples like that... the DC to hear someone whispering, someone breathing, someone scratching an itch, and so on. (Okay, maybe that last one wasn't on there.)

Anyway, I'm looking for those types of examples...
 
There's a list of "Difficulty Class Examples" in the 3.5 DMG on p31. That might be what you recall. It's a long list but it covers the whole range of Skills.
 
Ah, that's excellent. That goes a long ways towards what I was looking for. I know it's not the exact list of examples as it doesn't have the "hear a cat walking" specific item that I remember, but it's very good.

Thanks!
 
Thanks. I'll try googling some more for "stalking" instead of "walking". But I find that DC to be a little low — only 19 Listen to hear a cat stalking? But I'll take it. Thanks!
 
Dami said:
There's a list of "Difficulty Class Examples" in the 3.5 DMG on p31. That might be what you recall. It's a long list but it covers the whole range of Skills.
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Pathfinder is not 3.5 though... You need to be really careful on this as DCs fall under the purview of the DM, not the players. The one running the game makes the decision on what the DC should be, they do not have to stick to the letter of the writing in the books. The books only provide guidelines. This is something that is good on the inside of the game runner's screen, not so much for character sheets.
 
Yes, I realize that. I just wanted some kind of examples to show the GM as ballpark figures for how to set the DC of various perception checks.

In a recent game session, there was no check allowed for the PCs to notice an invisible creature in the room (although a check was made to allow an opponent NPC to notice a scry sensor). So my goal is twofold: to promote comparable checks for both groups, and to provide some guidelines on the types of things that might trigger a reactive Perception check and what the DC might be like.
 
Azhrei said:
Yes, I realize that. I just wanted some kind of examples to show the GM as ballpark figures for how to set the DC of various perception checks.

In a recent game session, there was no check allowed for the PCs to notice an invisible creature in the room (although a check was made to allow an opponent NPC to notice a scry sensor). So my goal is twofold: to promote comparable checks for both groups, and to provide some guidelines on the types of things that might trigger a reactive Perception check and what the DC might be like.
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In PF there is a flat DC 20 to notice that there is an invisible creature within 30 feet. (that doesnt tell you where, just that there is) the GM screen lists a few too.
 
Yes, that's part of my argument.

My character has a +19 on Perception (I think) so I should be able to know there's an invisible someone in the room with me, although adding to the DC because of combat is reasonable (maybe a +2 for being distracted, and even another +2 if I'm focused on combatants across the room and the invisible someone is behind me).

My point to the GM is simply that there should've been a reactive check available. Being able to show that with a roll of 20 my character can detect "a group of goblins moving across hard rock two weeks ago" would go a long ways towards showing that my character should at least have the chance of detecting an invisible someone.
 
Azhrei said:
Being able to show that with a roll of 20 my character can detect "a group of goblins moving across hard rock two weeks ago" would go a long ways towards showing that my character should at least have the chance of detecting an invisible someone.
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That would be Survival skill for tracking, not Perception :-)
 
Minous said:
In PF there is a flat DC 20 to notice that there is an invisible creature within 30 feet. (that doesnt tell you where, just that there is) the GM screen lists a few too.
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The rulebook says that Invisible creatures get +20 on their Sneak roll.

Where is the rule that a flat DC 20 to know something nearby is invisible?
 
Farling said:
The rulebook says that Invisible creatures get +20 on their Sneak roll.

Where is the rule that a flat DC 20 to know something nearby is invisible?
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HERE under the special ability Invisibility.

SRD said:
A creature can generally notice the presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Perception check. The observer gains a hunch that “something’s there” but can’t see it or target it accurately with an attack.
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Invisibility rules are in several spots in the rule book and its easy to not have them all memorized.

I advise being nice about this topic with the DM. They have allot on their plates and to not have known about this obscure rule is totally possible. Players too often take these mistakes as personal attacks and they are not. After a game its fine to nicely point out a mistake so the DM can become better. As seen in this very thread not everyone knows about these rules. :)
 
CRB pg 563 A creature can generally notice the presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Perception check. The observer gains a hunch that “something’s there” but can’t see it or target it accurately with an attack.
 
ShadowChemosh said:
I advise being nice about this topic with the DM.
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Good advice, in general. :D

After a game its fine to nicely point out a mistake so the DM can become better. As seen in this very thread not everyone knows about these rules. :)
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I agree. I have a rule that if I think the GM may have misruled something, I point it out, and will explain if I'm asked, but I drop it until after the game.

That's how I like players to do it when I'm the GM, and I know that I can forget stuff too, so I don't want to discourage them from pointing it out.
 
Farling said:
That would be Survival skill for tracking, not Perception :-)
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I wasn't following the tracks, I was just pointing out that I had found them. :D

From https://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/survival/
d0pfsrd.org said:
To find tracks or to follow them for 1 mile requires a successful Survival check. You must make another Survival check every time the tracks become difficult to follow. If you are not trained in this skill, you can make untrained checks to find tracks, but you can follow them only if the DC for the task is 10 or lower. Alternatively, you can use the Perception skill to find a footprint or similar sign of a creature’s passage using the same DCs, but you can’t use Perception to follow tracks, even if someone else has already found them.
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In general, the invisibility rules are a mess. Has PF2 cleaned them up? I certainly hope so!

(When you combine the text from the Perception and Stealth skills, the invisibility spell, the Invisible and Incorporeal definitions, and various feats like Blindfight, there are some peculiar inconsistencies.)

But it's a game. Grin and bear it. :)
 
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