Sleight Of Hand

Sleight Of Hand (Dex; Trained Only; Armor Check Penalty)

The PC is skilled in acts of legerdemain, picking pockets, or hiding small items.

Check: A DC 10 Sleight of Hand check lets the PC palm a coin-sized, unattended object. Performing a minor feat of legerdemain, such as making a coin disappear, also has a DC of 10 unless an observer is determined to note where the item went.

When the PC uses this skill under close observation, his skill check is opposed by the observer's Perception check. The observer's success doesn't prevent the PC from performing the action, just from doing it unnoticed.

The PC can hide a small object (including a light weapon or an easily concealed ranged weapon, such as a dart, sling, or hand crossbow) on his body. His Sleight of Hand check is opposed by the Perception check of anyone observing him or the Search check of anyone frisking him. In the latter case, the searcher gains a +4 bonus on the Search check, since it's generally easier to find such an object than to hide it. A dagger is easier to hide than most light weapons, and grants the PC a +2 bonus on his Sleight of Hand check to conceal it. An extraordinarily small object, such as a coin, shuriken, or ring, grants the PC a +4 bonus on his Sleight of Hand check to conceal it, and heavy or baggy clothing (such as a cloak) grants the PC a +2 bonus on the check.

Drawing a hidden weapon is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.

If the PC tries to take something from another creature, he must make a DC 20 Sleight of Hand check to obtain it. The target makes a Perception check to detect the attempt, opposed by the PC's Sleight of Hand check result. A target who succeeds on this check notices the attempt, regardless of whether or not the PC got the item.

The PC can also use Sleight of Hand to entertain an audience as though he were using the Perform skill. In such a case, his "act" encompasses elements of legerdemain, juggling, and the like.


Task DC
Palm a coin-sized object, make a coin disappear 10
Lift a small object from a person (limit 5 pounds) 20

Action: Any Sleight of Hand check is normally a standard action. However, the PC can perform a Sleight of Hand check as a free action by taking a -20 penalty on the check. If the character is attempting to draw a weapon and the check fails, he draws it as a standard action instead.

Try Again: Yes, but after an initial failure, a second Sleight of Hand attempt against the same target (or while the PC is being watched by the same observer who noticed his previous attempt) increases the DC for the task by 10.

Untrained: An untrained Sleight of Hand check is simply a Dexterity check. Without actual training, the PC can't succeed on any Sleight of Hand check with a DC higher than 10, except for hiding an object on his body.

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