Spycraft

• Go back to the Epic Path page.
• Go back to the Skills page.

Spycraft (Special; Trained Only)

Only Bards, Prowlers and Rogues may learn this skill. No other class may place ranks in it.

You have a practical knowledge of all things related to the trade of intrigue. In any circumstance where a Knowledge (Local) skill check is required, this skill may be used in its place. Furthermore, this skill may be used in place of Perception for detecting the location of hidden traps. It also replaces the role of Linguistics for the creation of forged documents, though Linguistics is still used to identify that a document is a forgery.

At the time the player places her first ranks in this skill, she must select either Dexterity, Intelligence or Charisma, and use that ability modifier as the key ability modifier for this skill. Note that this skill is subject to Armor Check Penalties if Dexterity is chosen. Once selected, this ability modifier may not be changed.

Check

Spycraft is used to simulate your ability at intrigue, subtlety and streetwise. With Spycraft, you can notice traps, create forgeries, identify the properties of a magic item, and create new magic items. The DC for these uses varies.

Task	Spycraft DC
Spot a hidden trap or hazard	varies by trap
Create a forgery	opposed by viewer's Linguistics check
Determine the properties of a magic item	15 + item's caster level
Craft a magic item with the Creator feat	Varies by item

Action

Spot a Hidden Trap or Hazard

Actively searching for traps is a move action. There is no automatic check for this unless you have the Trap Spotter rogue talent, or some similar ability.

Creating a Forgery

Creating a forgery can take anywhere from 1 minute to 1d4 hours per page.

Forgery requires writing materials appropriate to the document being forged. To forge a document on which the handwriting is not specific to a person, you need only to have seen a similar document before, and you gain a +8 bonus on your check. To forge a signature, you need an autograph of that person to copy, and you gain a +4 bonus on the check. To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large sample of that person's handwriting is needed.

The Spycraft check is made secretly, so that you're not sure how good your forgery is. As with Disguise, you don't make a check until someone examines the work. Your Spycraft check is opposed by the Linguistics check of the person who examines the document to verify its authenticity. The examiner gains modifiers if any of the conditions are listed on the table "Detecting Forgeries" on the Linguistics page.

Determine Properties of Magic Item

Attempting to ascertain the properties of a magic item takes 3 rounds per item to be identified and you must be able to thoroughly examine the object. Note that this skill may be used to assist another party member's attempt at determining the properties of a magic item, even if the other party member is using a different skill to make the check.

Crafting Magic Items

Spycraft is one of the skills which, when combined with the Creator feat, may be used to create new magic items.

Try Again

Spot a Hidden Trap or Hazard

No. You cannot retry an attempt to spot a hidden trap or hazard.

Create a Forgery

No. You cannot retry an attempt to create a forgery. Since the forgery check isn't made until someone is examining your work to check its authenticity, there is no opportunity to retry.

Determine Properties of Magic Item

When attempting to learn the properties of magic items, you can only attempt to ascertain the properties of an individual item once per day. Additional attempts that day reveal the same results.

Crafting Magic Items

Yes, but resources used in the creation of the item are often expended and must be repurchased. Additionally, the process of the item's creation must be restarted from the beginning.

Epic Skill Uses

Note: All uses below require a minimum of 21 Ranks in the skill to use.

Forge Document Without Sample

(DC of Linguistics check to detect +50)

Tie unique knot

(DC opposed by escape artist) - knot is very difficult to untie, unless you’re you.

Make unique mark

(DC opposed by spycraft (not linguistics))- unforgeable signature

Lay False Trail

(DC opposed by sense motive) - frame someone for something they didn’t do, or lead investigators to a conclusion you desire (opposed by sense motive)