Tome of Prowess (3.5e Sourcebook)/Psychology

Psychology

Key Attribute: Intelligence

The psychology skill is a generally reactive skill that you use to learn things about those that you interact with. With it you can determine motivations, spot lies, and even read thoughts and actions before the occur. Return to Top

Check Modifiers

Rushing	DC Modifier
1 minute -> 1 round	+5*
1 round -> 1 swift action	+5*

Untrained Uses

Examine Statement

People lie, and it’s good to know when they’re doing that so you don’t get taken advantage of. As a free action, you can attempt to determine if someone is lying to you. The DC of this check is determined by the bluff check of the person lying to you. You can not retry this check.

Base DC: Bluff check result
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: You recognize if you are being lied to, and also notice several little “tells”. By process of elimination, this also tells you if you are being told the truth. If you attempt to convince others of the truth or falsehood of the statements they gain a +4 bonus on their checks.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You recognize whether you are being told the truth or lied to, but gain no bonus to convincing others of the same.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You don’t have a good read on the statements, and have no idea whether you are being told the truth or not. This is the case even if you really are being told the truth.
• DC-6 and below: You believe that what you are being told is the truth, especially if it really isn’t.

Rank 1 Uses

Assess Situation

People have a hard time hiding things. You can read people or groups to get a feel for the situation and even know that something is wrong before things fall apart. The DC for this check is 10 + CR or EL depending on circumstances. You don’t gain any other information aside from this sense of foreboding; you simply believe that something is out of place or not what it seems. This could mean that the person acting like your friend really isn’t, that someone isn’t telling you the whole truth or is afraid to, that the group you’re with to is planning something, or something similar. It is a full round action to gain a hunch in this fashion.

Base DC: 10 + encounter level or creature CR, + conditions
Check Result:

• DC+0 and above: You gain a somewhat vague hunch about the situation, as told to you by the DM.
• DC-1 and below: You don’t gain any particular insight into things, but it’ll probably become apparent soon enough anyway.

Rank 4 Uses

Detect Influence

Magic can make people do weird things, and sometimes it’s obviously the cause. You can tell when people are acting under magical influence. You can detect most active charm or compulsion effects with a DC 20 + caster level check. The DC is only 15 + caster level for domination effects. You gain a bonus to this check based on how well you know the person you are interacting with (as disguise penetration bonuses). You must spend one full minute interacting with the person before you can make this check, though the check can be hurried.

Base DC: 20 (15 for domination effects) + caster level, + conditions
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: Not only are you aware of magic making the individual act different, but you can almost talk them out of it. You may grant the target an additional save against the effect at any time within the next hour.
• DC+0 to DC+4: If magic is making the individual act differently, you are aware of it.
• DC-1 and below: While they may be acting out of character, you find nothing indicating a magic behind it.

Rank 6 Uses

What’s Your Motivation

People are pretty poor at disguising their motivations if you know what you’re looking for. If you interact with someone for at least one minute, you can make a psychology check to determine their alignment as a free action. A successful check provides you both alignment descriptors and knowledge of its aura strength. The DC for this check is generally 25, but it is only 20 for a creature with a strong aura or 15 for a creature with an overwhelming aura. Creatures under the effect of an undetectable alignment spell add 5 to the DC to determine their alignment. Against a target with a false alignment, such as the alignment gained from the liar’s aura ability of bluff, you learn the false alignment unless your check result also exceeds 14 + their bluff modifier, less any penalties they are suffering for altering their aura’s intensity.

Base DC: 25, or less for stronger auras
Check Result:

• DC+0 and above: You determine the alignment of your target, and the strength of their aura.
• DC-1 and below: You fail to determine the alignment of your target, or the strength of their convictions.

Rank 14 Uses

Before They Know It Themselves

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