Sample DC's for Tasks

[Head Moderator]

Difficulty Class Examples
Difficulty (DC) - Example (Talent)
Very Easy (0) - Notice something large in plain sight (Perception)
Easy (5) - Climb a knotted rope (Athletics)
Average (10) - Hear an approaching guard (Perception)
Tough (15) - Rig a wagon wheel to fall off (Use Object)
Challenging (20) - Swim in stormy water (Athletics)
Formidable (25) - Open an average lock (Rogue)
Heroic (30) - Leap across a 30-foot chasm (Athletics)


Favorable & Unfavorable Conditions
Some situations may make a skill easier or harder to use, resulting in a bonus or penalty to the skill modifier for a skill check or a change to the DC of the skill check. It’s one thing for your character to climb a rough stone wall, but to do so with an array of guards firing crossbows is an entirely different matter.
The DM can alter the chance of success in four ways to take into account exceptional circumstances.
1. Give the skill user a +2 circumstance bonus to represent conditions that improve performance, such as having the perfect tool for the job, getting help from another character or possessing unusually accurate information.
2. Give the skill user a –2 circumstance penalty to represent conditions that hamper performance, such as being forced to use improvised tools or having misleading information.
3. Reduce the DC by 2 to represent circumstances that make the task easier, such as having a friendly audience or doing work that can be subpar.
4. Increase the DC by 2 to represent circumstances that make the task harder, such as having an uncooperative audience or doing work that must be flawless.
Conditions that affect your character’s ability to perform the skill change the skill modifier. Conditions that modify how well the character has to perform the skill to succeed change the DC. A bonus to the skill modifier and a reduction in the check’s DC have the same result: They create a better chance of success. But they represent different circumstances, and sometimes that difference is important.



Sample DC's
Balance
Narrow Surface
7-12 Inches Wide : 10
2-6 Inches Wide: 15
Less Than 2 Inches Wide: 20
Modifiers to DC
Lightly obstructed (scree, light rubble): +2
Severely obstructed (natural cavern floor, dense rubble): +5
Lightly Slippery (wet floor): +2
Severely slippery (ice sheet): +5
Sloped or angled: +2


Climb
Climb DC - Example Surface or Activity
0 - A slope too steep to walk up, or a knotted rope with a wall to brace against.
5 - A rope with a wall to brace against, or a knotted rope, or a rope affected by the rope trick spell.
10 - A surface with ledges to hold on to and stand on, such as a very rough wall or a ship’s rigging.
15 - Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artificial), such as a very rough natural rock surface or a tree, or an unknotted rope, or pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands.
20 - An uneven surface with some narrow handholds and footholds, such as a typical wall in a dungeon or ruins.
25 - A rough surface, such as a natural rock wall or a brick wall.
25 - An overhang or ceiling with handholds but no footholds.
— A perfectly smooth, flat, vertical surface cannot be climbed.

Climb DC Modifier - Example Surface or Activity
–10 Climbing a chimney (artificial or natural) or other location where you can brace against two opposite walls (reduces DC by 10).
–5 Climbing a corner where you can brace against perpendicular walls (reduces DC by 5).
+5 Surface is slippery (increases DC by 5).
*These modifiers are cumulative; use any that apply.*


Decipher Script
The base DC is 20 for the simplest messages
25 for standard texts
30 or higher for intricate, exotic, or very old writing.


Disable Device
Device - Time - DC - Example
Simple - 1 round - 10 - Jam a lock
Tricky - 1d4 rounds - 15 - Sabotage a wagon wheel
Difficult - 2d4 rounds - 20 - Disarm a trap, reset a trap
Wicked - 2d4 rounds - 25 - Disarm a complex trap, cleverly sabotage a clockwork device
*If you attempt to leave behind no trace of your tampering, add 5 to the DC.*


Escape
Restraint - DC
Ropes - Binder’s Use Object roll
Net, animate rope spell, command plants spell, control plants spell, or entangle spell - 20
Snare spell - 23
Manacles - 30
Tight space - 30
Masterwork manacles - 35
Grappled by Another - Contested Rolls


Jump
Long Jump Distance - DC
5 feet - 5
10 feet - 10
15 feet - 15
20 feet - 20
25 feet - 25
30 feet - 30
*Requires a 20-foot running start. Without a running start, double the DC.*

High Jump Distance - DC
1 foot - 4
2 feet - 8
3 feet - 12
4 feet - 16
5 feet - 20
6 feet - 24
7 feet - 28
8 feet - 32


Listen
Check: Your Listen check is either made against a DC that reflects how quiet the noise is that you might hear, or it is opposed by your target’s Stealth check.

Listen DC - Sound
–10 - A battle
0 - People talking
5 - A person in medium armor walking at a slow pace (10 ft./round) trying not to make any noise.
10 - An unarmored person walking at a slow pace (15 ft./round) trying not to make any noise
15 - A novice rogue using Stealth to sneak past the listener
15 - People whispering
22 - A cat stalking
30 - An owl gliding in for a kill
*If you beat the DC by 10 or more, you can make out what’s being said, assuming that you understand the language.*

Listen DC Modifier Condition
+5 - Through a door
+15 - Through a stone wall
+1 - Per 10 feet of distance
+5 - Listener distracted


Open Lock
Lock Type - DC
Very Simple Lock - 15
Average Lock - 20
Good Lock - 25
Amazing Lock - 30


Ride
Task - DC
Guide With Knees - 5
Stay in Saddle (Rough Riding) - 5
Fight with Mount - 10
Cover - 15
Soft Fall - 15
Leap - 15
Spur Mount - 15
Control Mount in Battle - 20
Fast Mount/Dismount - 20
Stay in Saddle (When Hit By Attack) - 20

Search
Task Search - DC
Ransack a chest full of junk to find a certain item - 10
Notice a typical secret door or a simple trap - 20
Find a difficult nonmagical trap (rogue only) - 21 or higher
Find a magic trap (rogue only) - 25 + gem level level of spell used to create trap
Notice a well-hidden secret door - 30
Find a footprint - Varies
*A successful Search check can find a footprint or similar sign of a creature’s passage, but it won't let you find or follow a trail.


Swim
Water Swim - DC
Calm water - 10
Rough water - 15
Stormy water - 20


Use Rope
Use Rope DC - Task
10 - Tie a firm knot
10 - Secure a grappling hook
15 - Tie a special knot, such as one that slips, slides slowly, or loosens with a tug
15 - Tie a rope around yourself one-handed
15 - Splice two ropes together