Skills

Each ability covers a broad range of capabilities, including skills that a character can be proficient in. A skill represents a specific aspect of an ability score, and an individual's proficiency in a skill demonstrates a focus on that aspect. For example, a Dexterity check might reflect a character's attempt to pull off an acrobatic stunt, to palm and object, or to stay hidden. Each of these aspects of Dexterity has an associated skill: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth, respectively. So a character who has proficiency in the Stealth skill is particularly good at Dexterity checks related to sneaking and hiding. Sometimes, the GM might ask for an ability check using a specific skill - For example, "Make a Wisdom (Perception) check." - At other times, a player might ask the GM if proficiency in as particular skill means an individual can add his/her proficiency bonus to abilities that involve that skill. Without proficiency in the skill, the individual makes a normal check. For example, if a character attempts to climb up a dangerous cliff, the Game Master might ask for a Strength (Athletics) check. If the character is proficient in Athletics, the characters proficiency bonus is added to the Strength Check. If the character lacks that proficiency, he/she just makes a normal Strength check.

## **Ability Checks**

An ability check tests a characters innate talent and training in an effort to overcome a challenge. The GM calls for an ability check when a character attempts an action (other than an attack) that has a chance of failure. When the outcome is uncertain, the dice determine the results. For every ability check, the GM decides which of the six abilities is relevant to the task at hand and the difficulty of the task, is represented by a Difficulty Class. The more difficult a task, the higher the DC. The Typical Difficulty Classes table shows the more common DCs.

Typical Difficulty Classes
 Easy
 Medium
 Hard
 Very Hard
 Nearly Impossible

To make an ability check, roll a d20 and add the relevant ability modifier. As with other d20 rolls, apply bonuses and penalties, and compare the total to the DC. If the total equals or exceeds the DC, the ability check is a success- the character overcomes the challenge at hand. Otherwise, it's a failure, which means the character makes no progress toward the objective or makes progress combined with a setback determined by the GM. Below is descriptions on how you use each skill:

## **Strength**

Strength measures bodily power, athletic training, and the extent to which you can exert raw physical force. A Strength check can model any attempt to lift, push, pull, or break something, to force your body through a space, or to otherwise apply brute force to a situation. The Athletics skill reflects aptitude in certain kinds of Strength checks.

### **Athletics**

Your Strength (Athletics) check covers difficult situations you encounter while climbing, jumping, or swimming. Examples include the following activities:

* You attempt to climb a sheer or slippery cliff, avoid hazards while scaling a wall, or cling to a surface while something is trying to knock you off.
* You try to jump an unusually long distance or pull off a stunt midjump.
* You struggle to swim and stay afloat in treacherous currents. storm-tossed waves, or areas of thick seaweed. Or another creature attempts to push or pull you underwater or otherwise interfere with your swimming.

## **Dexterity**

Dexterity measures agility, reflexes, and balance. A Dexterity check can model any attempt to move nimbly, quickly, or quietly, or to keep from falling on tricky footing. The Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth skills reflect aptitude to certain kinds of Dexterity checks.

### **Acrobatics**

Your Dexterity (Acrobatics) check covers your attempt to stay on your feet in a tricky situation, such as when you're trying to run across a frozen lake, balance on the edge of a cliff, or stay upright on a rocking ship's deck. The GM might also call for a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to see if you can perform acrobatic stunts, including dives, somersaults, and flips.

### **Firearms**

Your Dexterity (Firearms) check could be used to dislodge a jammed bullet, fix a misfire, clean your weapon or much more. Additionally, when you make an Attack Roll with any Handgun, Shotgun, SMG, Machine Gun, or Rifle, you would use your Firearms modifier as the attack bonus.

### **Sleight of Hand**

Whenever you attempt an act of legerdemain or manual trickery, such as planting something on someone else or concealing an object on your person, make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. The GM might also call for a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to determine whether you can pickpocket another person.

### **Stealth**

Make a dexterity (Stealth) check when you attempt to conceal yourself from enemies, slip away without being noticed. slink past without being caught, or sneak up on someone without being seen or heard.

## **Constitution**

Constitution measures health, stamina, and vital force. A Constitution check can model your attempt to push beyond your normal limits.

### **Endurance**

Make a Constitution (Endurance) check when you need to holding your breath for longer than normal, march for days, go without sleep or food, or resist the effects of alcohol.

## **Intelligence**

Intelligence measure mental acuity, accuracy or recall, and the ability to reason. An Intelligence check comes into play when you need to draw on logic, education, memory, or deductive reasoning. The History, Investigation, Nature, Religion, Tinkering, and Crafting skills reflect aptitude in certain kinds of Intelligence checks.

### **Crafting**

Your Intelligence (Crafting) check measures your ability to construct walls for your base, make armor and weapons, or Craft useful items to get out of sticky situations.

### **History**

Your Intelligence (History) check measures your ability to recall lore about historical events, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, recent wars, and lost civilizations.

### **Investigation**

When you look around for clues and make deductions based on those clues, you can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check. You might deduce the location of a hidden object, discern from the appearance of a wound what kind of weapon dealt it, or determine the weakest point in a tunnel that could cause it to collapse.

### **Nature**

Your Intelligence (Nature) check measures your ability to recall lore about terrain, plants and animals, diseases, and natural cycles.

### **Religion**

Your Intelligence (Religion) check measures your ability to recall lore about Gods, rites and prayers, religious hierarchies, holy symbols, and the practices of secret cults.

### **Tinkering**

Your Intelligence (Tinkering) check measures your ability to disable traps, hotwire cars, or Hack computers (provided you have power).

## **Wisdom**

Wisdom reflects how attuned you are to the world around you and represents perceptiveness and intuition. A Wisdom check might reflect an effort to read body language, understand someone's feelings, notice things about to environment, or care for an injured person. The Animal Handling, Insight, First Aid, Perception, Survival, and Cooking skills reflect aptitude in certain kinds of Wisdom checks.

### **Animal Handling**

When there is any question whether you can calm down a domesticated or wild animal, keep a mount from getting spooked, or intuit an animal's intentions, the GM might call for a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. You can also make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to control your mount when you attempt a risky maneuver or to tame a stray dog.

### **Cooking**

Your Wisdom (Cooking) check measures your ability to cook food to keep you and your group alive, or recognize useful ingredients in the wild.

### **First Aid**

A Wisdom (First Aid) check lets you try to stabilize a dying person or diagnose an illness.

### **Insight**

You Wisdom (Insight) check decides whether you can determine the true intentions of a person, such as when searching out a lie or predicting someone's next move. Doing so involves gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms.

### **Perception**

Your Wisdom (Perception) check lets you spot, hear, or otherwise detect the presence of something. It measures your general awareness of your surroundings and the keenness of your senses. For example, you might try to hear a conversation through a closed door, eavesdrop under an open window, or hear zombies moving through the forest. Or you might try to spot things that are obscured or easy to miss, whether they are survivors lying in ambush on the road, thugs hiding in the shadows of an alley, or candlelight under a closed door to indicate someone's inside.

### **Survival**

The GM might ask you to make a Wisdom (Survival) check to follow tracks, hunt wild game, guide your group through frozen wastelands, identify sign that bears live nearby, or predict the weather.

## **Charisma**

Charisma measures your ability to interact effectively with others. It includes such factors as confidence and eloquence, and it can represent a charming or commanding personality. A Charisma check might arise when you try to influence or entertain others, when you try to make an impression or tell a convincing lie, or when you are navigating a tricky social situation. The Deception, Intimidation, Performance, and Persuasion skills reflect aptitude in certain kinds of Charisma checks.

### **Deception**

Your Charisma (Deception) check determines whether you can convincingly hide the truth, either verbally or through your actions. This deception can encompass everything from misleading others through ambiguity to telling outright lies. Typical situations include trying to fast-talk another survivor, con a merchant, pass yourself off in a disguise, dull someone's suspicions with false insurances, or maintain a straight face while telling a blatant lie.

### **Intimidation**

When you attempt to influence someone through overt threats, hostile actions, or physical violence, the GM might ask you to make a Charism (Intimidation) check. Examples include trying to pry information out of a prisoner, convincing bandits to back down from a confrontation, or using the edge of a broken bottle to convince the leader of a community to reconsider a decision.

### **Performance**

Your Charisma (Performance) check determines how well you can delight an audience with music, dance, acting, storytelling, or some other form of entertainment.

### **Persuasion**

When you attempt to influence someone or a group of people with tact, social graces, or good nature, the GM might ask you to make a Charisma (Persuasion) check. Typically, you can use persuasion when acting in good faith, to foster friendships, make cordial requests, or exhibit proper etiquette. Examples of persuading other include convincing a community of survivors to lend you resources, negotiating peace between another group of survivors, or inspiring your group or survivors.

## **Advantage and Disadvantage**

Sometimes a special ability or circumstance tells you that you have to roll advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second d20 when you make the roll. Use the higher or the two rolls if you have advantage, and use the lower roll if you have disadvantage. For example, if you have disadvantage and roll a 17 and a 5, you use the 5. If you instead have advantage and roll those numbers, you use the 17.

If two different situations cause you to have advantage on a roll, then you roll with advantage as normal and add +2 to the highest die roll. If three different situations cause you to have advantage on a roll, then you add +5 to the highest die roll. From then on, the bonus to the roll increases by 5. The same works for if multiple situations cause you to have disadvantage on a roll, however you get a penalty instead of a bonus.

If circumstances cause a roll to have both advantage *and* disadvantage, you are considered to have neither of them, and you roll one d20. This is true even if multiple circumstances impose disadvantage and only one grants advantage or vice versa. In such a situation, you have neither advantage nor disadvantage.

When you have advantage or disadvantage and something in the game lets you reroll or replace the d20 such as the "Lucky" Random Trait, you can reroll or replace only one of the dice. You choose which one. For example, if you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check and rolls a 1 or a 13, you could use the "Lucky" Random Trait to reroll the 1.

You usually gain advantage or disadvantage through the use of special abilities, actions, or Random Traits. Inspiration can also give the character advantage. The GM can also decide that circumstances influence a roll in one direction or the other and grants advantage or impose disadvantage as a result.

## **Contests**

Sometimes one character's efforts are directly opposed by another's. This can occur when both of them are trying to do the same thing and only one can succeed. This situation also applies to when one of them is trying to prevent the other one from accomplishing a goal - For example, when a survivor is trying to force open a door that the character is holding closed. In situations like these, the outcome is determined by a special form of ability check, called a contest. Both participants in a contest make ability checks appropriate to their efforts. They apply all appropriate bonuses and penalties, but instead of comparing the total to a DC, they compare the totals of their two checks. The participant with the higher check total wins the contest. That character either succeeds at the action or prevents the other one from succeeding. If the contest results in a tie, the situation remains the same as it was before the contest. Thus, one Contestant might win the contest by default. If two characters tie in a contest to snatch a ring off the floor, neither character grabs it. In a contest between a survivor trying to open a door and a character trying to keep the door closed, a tie means the door remains shut.

## **Group Checks**

When a number of individuals are trying to accomplish something as a group, the GM might ask for a group ability check. In such a situation, the characters who are skilled in a particular task help cover those who aren't. To make a group ability check, everyone in the Group makes the ability check. If at least half the group succeeds, the whole group succeeds. Otherwise, the group fails. Group checks don't come very often, and they're most useful when all the characters succeed or fail as a group. For example, when characters are navigating through a swamp, the GM might call for a group Wisdom (Survival) check to see if the characters can avoid the natural hazards of the environment. If at least half the group succeeds, the successful characters are able to guide their companions out of danger. Otherwise, the group stumbles into one of these hazards.