Common Skill DCs

Setting Common DCs

When attemting to determin the DC of a check that is not otherwise calculated by an existing skill, such as climbing DCs, the following is a guide to give a general estimate of appropriate difficulty. Most DCs can commonly be broken up into the following tiers, with the difficulty being in relation to the character or creature making the check.
Effortless Task: If a task should be considered effortless for a creature of their skill level, it should not require a roll, and they should auto succeede simply by spending the time or actions require to make the check. EX: Apprentice rank chef making a soft boiled egg.
Simple Task: Simple tasks still require the creature to make a skill check even though it is relatively easy for them to complete. The DC of a simple task should be successfully met on a 2-6 die roll of the skill check. EX: Apprentice rank theif using manipulate device to open an old window.
Average Task: Average tasks require some effort from the creature making the skill check, and they have a chance to fail appropriate to their skill level. The DC of a average task should be successfully met on a 7-11 die roll for the skill check. EX: Apprentice rank hunter identifying a uncommon creature for the area.
Hard Task: Hard tasks have a greater chance of failure for a creature of their skill level. The DC of a hard task should be successfully met on a 12-16 die roll for the skill check.
Very Hard Task: Very hard tasks have a very high chance of failure for a creature of their skill level. The DC of a average task should be successfully met on a 17-20 die roll for the skill check.
Impossible Task: Impossible tasks are exactly what they say, without outside influence, proper preperation, or consuming a limited resource/material a creature should not even be allowed to roll on such a check. However, they may not know that the task is currently impossible, and as such should not be told.

Knoweledge Checks

Knowledge checks scale slightly diffrently than the common skill DCs listed above, being more tied to the rarity of what is trying to be identified or the rarity of the information being searched for. These checks follow a similar tiered system, as shown below. As an example we will list the guidline DCs for identifying monsters, however other information from knowledge checks can follow a similar style.

Monster Identification

Monsters and other creatures are identified with a DC based on the tier and rarity of the creature. Once the base DC has been met basic information of the creature is given, and additional information may be gained for every increment above the base DC that is reached. The base DC to identify creatures starts at a DC 5 for common 'mook' creatures. This DC goes up by 5 per creature tier, such as minor, lesser, average, etc. In addition it goes up by 5 per step of rarity of the creature type, for example a magical beast/ooze would be a +5 to the DC, but a fey or elemental outsider would be +10 to the base DC. See the list below for creature tiers.
To gain additional information past the initial DC requires the knowledge check to reach a higher threashold as mentioned above. The threshold is based on the tier of the tier of creature + rarity of creature type, starting at a +0 for a common mook and going up by 1 for each tier and rarity. For example a minor magical beast would have a DC 15 to identify with an additional piece of information given for every 2 the DC was beat by.

Creature Type Rarity

Common Creature Types (+0 DC): Animal, Vermin, Humanoid.
Uncommon Creature Types (+5/+1 DC): Ooze, Magical Beasts, Monsterous Humanoid, Plant, Undead(Corporeal), Native Outsider
Rare Creature Types (+10/+2 DC): Abberation, Construct, Elemental Outsider, Fey, Undead(Incorporeal), Prehistoric Beasts, Draconic Blooded, Hallowed(Underhollow), Plane of Caligo
Very Rare Creature Types (+15/+3 DC): Alignment Outsider(Angels, Deamons, Demons, etc), Spirits/Yokai, Minor Divine Touched, Plane of Dreams, Plane of Death, Fleshwarped, Timewarped
Mythical Creature Types (+20/+4 DC): True Dragons, Purgatory, Astral, Mana Saturated(Wild Magic)
Legendary Creature Types (+25/+5 DC): Major Divine Touched, Soulwarped, Voidic, Elder Draconic Wyrm, Primal Spirits
Altered Creatures: Some creatures may be altered by various aspects or corrupting energies. Such creatures count as 1 tier higher for rarity of their base type.