Using Stats Using Stats Certain tasks fall under specific stats. The following examples illustrate common uses for each one. The difference between Intelligence and Wisdom can be tricky. If in doubt, remember Wisdom is for sensory acuity and instinct, while Intelligence covers knowledge and logic. STRENGTH • Smashing open locked doors • Bending the bars of a prison cell or sewer grate • Lifting a large rock overhead • Stopping a runaway ship's helm from spinning DEXTERITY • Diving away from a trap that flings a hail of needles • Disabling a tripwire without activating it • Scaling a sheer castle wall • Fooling onlookers with sleight of hand tricks CONSTITUTION • Holding your breath underwater • Withstanding intense pain • Resisting the effects of poison INTELLIGENCE • Giving first aid to a dying character • Recalling the path through a twisting maze • Finding food and water sources in the wilderness WISDOM • Spotting a well-hidden enemy • Determining the direction of a faint noise or smell • Deciphering the sounds on the other side of a door CHARISMA • Performing ventriloquism • Applying a disguise • Rallying allies who are terrified by a monster

Making Checks WHEN TO ROLL? Usually, you succeed at what you're trained to do without needing to roll a check. For example, a wizard is always able to read magical runes, and a thief always finds a trap if searching in the right area. If you take the time to scan the sky for threats or examine a stretch of wall for a secret door, you simply succeed. Social encounters usually rely on what you say rather than Charisma checks. Narrating a moving speech or using secret information you gathered to influence an NPC does not require a check to succeed. The GM asks for a check when the following is true: • The action has a negative consequence for failure • The action requires skill • There is time pressure DIFFICULTY CLASS The four standard DCs represent how difficult an action is. Easy, DC 9. Leaping a narrow chasm, sneaking up on an inattentive guard. Normal, DC 12. Kicking open a stuck door, picking a poor lock. Hard, DC 15. Swimming against a strong current, giving first aid to stop a character from dying. Extreme, DC 18. Climbing a slippery cliff one-handed, restraining a frenzied lion. CONTESTED CHECKS If multiple creatures are working against each other on a conflicting task, a contested check decides who succeeds. To make a contested check, each participant rolls one relevant stat check at the same time, even if it's not their turn. The highest result wins (reroll ties).