Taking Ten Passive skill checks allow that a character is neither hurried nor attempting anything difficult when they make that skill check, so they are entitled to “take 10” instead of rolling a d20. This most often applies to Perception, but there are other situations and skills where a player might be able to “take 10” on a check instead of having to roll for it, and these often require the character to be proficient with the associated skill or tool. These may include such things as Passive Insight: A character’s innate sense that something is “off” Passive Investigation: A basic search of objects that can be observed with Passive Perception An unhurried climb up a relatively normal wall or cliff when the user is proficient in Athletics or is proficient in (and uses) a climber’s kit Picking a lock when the character is proficient in Dexterity, Sleight of Hand, or the use of thieves’ tools and the character uses thieves’ tools for the check A street performer spending an hour or more busking for coin on a street or in a tavern who is proficient in Performance and proficient with the instrument of their choice Most uses of artisan
Category: House Rules
Skillful Applications Being proficient with a tool can grant advantage on certain checks where knowledge of that craft/trade is beneficial. For example, a character who is proficient with a poisoner’s kit would have advantage on Medicine checks to attempt to counteract poisons; similarly, a character who is proficient with cartographer’s tools would have advantage on Survival checks for orientation and navigation in the wilds based on their familiarity with maps and geography in general. Where such a synergy exists for a passive check—someone proficient with thieves’ tools noticing if a lock is trapped—the character’s proficiency bonus is applied to the check in addition to any existing bonuses (e.g. being proficient in the associated skill) to a maximum of double-proficiency. See Xanathar’s Guide to Everything for more examples. Added to House Rules 18 Feb 2024.
Critical Skills Critical successes and failures apply to skill checks as well: sometimes amateurs get a lucky break, and sometimes highly skilled experts fold under pressure. A natural 1 almost always fails and a natural 20 almost always succeeds, but you may be asked to “roll to confirm” (e.g. roll a d20 again) to find out what—if any—additional effect or condition may apply to the critical success or failure. For example, since it is possible to get a really lucky hit against an opponent of similar capability, rolling a critical hit against an opponent then confirming it with a natural 20 forces an opponent of equal HD or less to make an immediate Death Save; on failure, they drop to 0 hp and begin dying. Sometimes a character is not under pressure to complete a task with which they are familiar; see Taking Ten. Special circumstances and preparation may also allow a character to give a task their best effort; see Taking Twenty. Certain things can’t be done untrained, so even a natural 20 won’t succeed if it is literally impossible. A character who lacks proficiency with a specific musical instrument isn’t going to be able to pick it up and
Un-Wilding Shape While using wild shape, a druid retains their own proficiencies in the new form but does NOT gain the proficiencies of the form they have taken. They DO retain any innate physical traits of the new form, including the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores, and any abilities derived from physical or physiological features of the new form. However, beginning at 3rd-level and on every odd level thereafter, a druid may select one of the shapes they have used previously and designate it as a Preferred Form. By inhabiting the form consistently enough to gain familiarity with its capabilities and even learning to go among beasts of that kind while in that shape, the druid is then able to gain the proficiencies and non-physiological traits of a Preferred Form. For example, a 3rd-level druid who wild shapes to the form of a wolf for the first time would not be proficient in Stealth or Perception simply by taking the wolf’s form, so her skill check for Stealth might be as low as the +2 granted from the form’s Dexterity bonus. Even if she is not proficient in Perception, as a natural wolf would be, she does have the Keen
Warlock Versatility Warlocks are able to pick their key ability for spellcasting from Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Where class abilities state to add or use your Charisma modifier, use your chosen key ability, instead. Similarly, a Warlock’s proficient saving throws are Wisdom and either Intelligence or Charisma. If the warlock’s patron is a quasi-deity, exarch, or other deity-linked extraplanar being, they may choose the divine spell list instead of the arcane spell list, or if their patron is an archfey, primordial power, or other nature- or primordial-linked extraplanar being, they may choose the primal spell list instead of the arcane spell list. Regardless of their base spell list, the warlock still has access to the warlock spell list, however the DM may rule some spells off-limits to a warlock based on their pact source, such as a fiendish patron who forbids spells from the divination school or a celestial patron who forbids spells from the school of necromancy. Added to House Rules in 2023.