Starfinder Roleplaying Game

Skill Descriptions

Starfinder Core Rulebook, page 134

This section explains each skill, including common uses and tasks, typical modifiers, and sometimes even established DCs. Your GM may require or allow you to use skills for tasks other than those listed here. For a complete summary of skills, see Table 5—1 above.

Each skill description is formatted in the following way.

Skill Name: The skill name heading provides not only the name for the skill, but also the following information.

Key Ability: The abbreviation for the ability score modifier that is added to skill checks of this type is provided in the parenthetical after the skill’s name.

Trained Only: If this notation is included in the parenthetical after the skill’s name, the skill is a trained-only skill, and you can accomplish tasks and attempt checks with this skill only if you have at least 1 rank in that skill. All other skills and their tasks can be attempted untrained, whether or not you have ranks in that skill. Rarely, a trained-only skill may have certain uses that can be attempted untrained, or a skill that doesn’t normally require training might have a particular use for that training.

Armor Check Penalty: If this notation occurs in the parenthetical, an armor check penalty (from the armor you are wearing; see page 196) applies to checks with this skill.

Description: The skill's description contains an overview of the skill’s scope, followed by a number of entries that detail the tasks most commonly performed using that skill. The task entries also contain information about the type of action commonly required to achieve the task, whether or not you can try the task again if you fail, or special effects that occur if you fail a check. Typically, you can’t take 20 to accomplish a task that does not allow you to try it again after a failure, or that has special effects if you fail a skill check.

Physical Science (Int; Trained Only)

You are educated in the scientific study of non-living systems, from the tiniest atoms to the largest celestial bodies.

Craft Drug, Poison, or Medicinal

If you have enough ranks in Physical Science, you can create drugs, poisons, and medicinals. See page 235 for crafting rules.

Recall Knowledge

You can use Physical Science to recall knowledge about astronomy, chemistry, climatology, geography, geology, hyperspace, meteorology, oceanography, physics, and other fields of natural science (see page 133).

In this section

  • Acrobatics (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) You can keep your balance while traversing narrow or treacherous surfaces, escape from restraints, and tumble to avoid attacks. You also use Acrobatics to determine the success of difficult maneuvers while flying.
  • Athletics (Str; Armor Check Penalty) You can scale vertical surfaces, leap over obstacles, and swim.
  • Bluff (Cha) You can use words and actions to create distractions, misdirect your opponents, tell convincing lies, and pass along secret messages.
  • Computers (Int; Trained Only) You can operate, manipulate, and hack into computer systems. If you don’t have physical access to a computer system’s user interface, you must use a hacking kit to access and manipulate the system.
  • Culture (Int; Trained Only) You are a student of the vast number of known cultures in the galaxy, and you have a deep and rich understanding of the undercurrents of cultures and language in general.
  • Engineering (Int; Trained Only) You can identify, build, repair, or disable technological devices; assess the stability of structures and machinery; and properly arm and disarm explosives.
  • Intimidate (Cha) You can rattle your foes or bully them to do what you want with verbal threats or displays of prowess.
  • Life Science (Int; Trained Only) You are educated in the scientific study of living things, from the smallest organisms to the largest biological systems.
  • Medicine (Int; Trained Only) You have knowledge of the biology of many species and can treat a number of different types of wounds and ailments.
  • Mysticism (Wis; Trained Only) You are educated in the fields of magic, religion, the planes, and spellcasting, and so can identify magic items and spells and make magic items yourself.
  • Perception (Wis) You can use all of your senses (hearing, taste, touch, sight, and smell) to notice danger, pick out fine details, and search for hidden objects or creatures.
  • Piloting (Dex) You know how to drive vehicles, pilot starships, and navigate.
  • Profession (Cha, Int, or Wis; Trained Only) You are skilled in a specific job, specialty, or creative art. You know how to use the tools of your trade, how to perform the profession’s daily tasks, how to supervise helpers, and how to handle common problems.
  • Sense Motive (Wis) You can detect falsehoods and gain glimpses of the true intentions of creatures with which you interact.
  • Sleight of Hand (Dex; Armor Check Penalty; Trained Only) You can hide small objects, pick pockets, and accomplish other feats of manual dexterity without being noticed.
  • Stealth (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) You can stay hidden and move silently to avoid detection, allowing you to sneak past foes or strike from an unseen position.
  • Survival (Wis) You can survive in and make your way safely through almost any kind of wilderness, follow trails and tracks, deal with wild animals, and ride tamed ones.