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. Each time you take a rank in Culture, you learn to speak and read a new language. See page 41 for a list of common languages.

Decipher Writing

You can use Culture to decipher writing in an unfamiliar language or a message written in an incomplete or archaic form. It takes at least 1 minute to decipher approximately 250 words of writing or fewer. The GM often rolls Culture checks to decipher writing in secret. If you succeed at the check, you understand the general content of the text. If you fail, you don’t understand the text. If you fail the check by 10 or more, you entirely misconstrue the meaning of the text. You can’t take 20 on a Culture check to decipher writing unless you are trained in the Computers skill and have access to an information network or downloaded data set. In this case, there is no chance of misconstruing the information presented in the writing.

The DCs for Culture checks to decipher writing are based on the complexity of the text as well as other circumstances determined by the GM.

COMPLEXITY	DC
Simple message	20
Standard text	25
Intricate, exotic, or very old writing	30

Recall Knowledge

You can use Culture to recall knowledge about a culture’s customs, laws, government, leaders, prominent inhabitants, legends, religion, history, and related topics (see page 133).

DIPLOMACY (CHA)

You can persuade others to be friendly toward you, resolve conflicts and differences, and learn common knowledge and rumors floating around a settlement.

Change Attitude

When you interact socially with another creature, that creature has an initial attitude toward you. Attitudes fall into five categories (from worst to best): hostile, unfriendly, indifferent, friendly, and helpful. You can use Diplomacy to change a creature’s initial attitude to a more positive one, but at the risk of angering the creature and worsening its attitude toward you if you fail. This is a language-dependent ability. The creature must have an Intelligence of 3 or higher, and you must spend at least 1 minute interacting and conversing with the creature to change its attitude. The DC of this check is equal to either 10 + your opponent’s total Diplomacy skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR (or the encounter’s CR, if you are trying to change the attitude of a group of creatures), whichever is higher. The DC is modified by the creature’s initial attitude (see page 140) and other circumstances, as determined by the GM. If you succeed, the creature’s attitude improves by one category (for instance, a hostile creature becomes unfriendly). If you exceed the DC by 5 or more, you can choose to spend 10 more minutes interacting with the creature to improve its attitude by one additional category. If you fail the check by 5 or more, you anger the creature, and the creature’s attitude worsens by one category (for instance, a friendly creature becomes indifferent).

Attacking a creature always worsens its attitude by one category for each attack made, and may have other consequences based on the creature’s current attitude. Positively affecting a creature’s attitude takes time. You typically can't use Diplomacy to positively change a creature’s attitude by more than one category (or two categories if you spend the extra time) within a 24-hour period, unless the GM decides otherwise or you have an ability that allows you to do so.

The five categories of initial attitude are described below, along with the effects of negatively changing each attitude.

Hostile

D A hostile creature would rather attack you either physically

or verbally, than civilly converse with you. Most enemies you meet are hostile. It’s often hard to talk diplomatically with hostile creatures, though it can be done remotely (via a communication device) or by avoiding combat with the creatures while persuading them to listen to reason. If you fail the Diplomacy check by 5 or more, you can’t attempt to change a hostile creature’s attitude again for 24 hours.

Unfriendly

D Unfriendly creatures are typically wary of you, or afraid you will

try to hurt them if they aren’t careful or fail to keep you at bay. Unfriendly creatures become hostile when angered or attacked.

Indifferent

D Indifferent creatures take little notice of you, but hold no ill

will against you. They don’t care about your plight, but may give you simple advice or directions. Most creatures you meet in everyday life or in settlements are indifferent. Indifferent creatures become unfriendly when angered or attacked.

Friendly

D Either due to a generally cheerful disposition or a predisposition

to like you, friendly creatures treat you with kindness and respect. They may give you more-detailed advice or simple aid, but generally won’t go out of their way to be helpful. If angered or attacked, friendly creatures become indifferent and often try to avoid further contact with you if possible.

Helpful

D Helpful creatures are not only friendly, but desire to help

you, within reasonable means. Helpful creatures typically give you more lengthy or difficult aid, or offer small services that are readily available to them. When angered or attacked, helpful creatures become friendly, but somewhat guarded, as they are often confused by such reactions to their generosity.

The DCs for Diplomacy checks to change attitudes are adjusted based on the creature’s initial attitude as well as other circumstances determined by the GM.

INITIAL ATTITUDE	DC MODIFIER
Hostile	+10
Unfriendly	+5
Indifferent	+0
Friendly	–5
Helpful	—*

• You cannot improve a creature’s attitude above helpful.

Gather Information

You can use Diplomacy to gather information about a specific topic or individual. You must spend at least 1d4 hours canvassing people within a settlement or local region. If you succeed, you learn something about that topic or individual, though the GM may determine that some information is simply unknown to the local people.

The DCs for Diplomacy checks to gather information are based on the nature of the information being sought and may be adjusted by the GM to reflect other circumstances, such as bribes or gifts.

INFORMATION SOUGHT	DC
Common facts or rumors	10
Obscure or secret knowledge	20 or more
Prominent or well-known individual	5 + character’s CR
Average or ordinary individual	10 + character’s CR
Mysterious or obscure individual	15 + character’s CR

DISGUISE (CHA)

You are able to change your appearance to blend in and deceive others, whether to infiltrate

Change Appearance

You can use Disguise to change your appearance with 1d3 × 10 minutes of work with a disguise kit, by casting a spell such as disguise self, or by using a technological device such as a holoskin. The GM rolls the Disguise check in secret, so you’re not sure how good your disguise is. This check is opposed by the Perception check (see page 144) of anyone who might realize that you are not who you appear to be. If you are not drawing attention to yourself, other creatures do not usually get to attempt a Perception check to pierce your disguise. If creatures are being particularly alert for suspicious activity (such as security personnel on a starship or space station), it’s assumed that such observers are taking 10 on their Perception checks.

The effectiveness of your disguise depends on how much you’re changing your appearance. Without the aid of transformative magic or technology that allows you to do otherwise, you can use Disguise only to appear as a creature that is your size or one size category larger or smaller than you. This does not change your actual size or reach. Disguises are general—you cannot disguise yourself as a specific person.

Certain magic spells, such as disguise self, grant you a +10 bonus to Disguise checks.

The DCs for Disguise checks are adjusted by the type of disguise as well as other circumstances determined by the GM. These modifiers are cumulative; use all that apply.

DISGUISE	DC MODIFIER
Minor details altered only	–5
Major feature altered	+2 to +5
Disguised as a different race of the same creature type	+2 to +8
Disguised as a different creature type	+10
Disguised as a different size category	+10