Investigate

Investigate
Skill Ability
Extended Action [Varies]
Effect: You search an area, looking for items, traps, secrets, or something similar. The time it takes to Search depends on the size of the object or area. Searching a small area, such as a small object or 5ft section of wall, takes 1 moment. Searching a room can take 1 phase or longer (GM discretion). At the end of the Focus Time, make an Investigate Check with a DC dependent on how well hidden an object or trap is or how cluttered an area is. If you succeed the check, you locate the trap, secret, or interesting object. If you fail the check, you don't find anything of interest.
Augment, Hasty Search
Effect: You may search a small area as a Focus Action [FT 9, REC 1], suffering a -4 penalty to your Investigate check.
Gather Rumors
Skill Ability
Extended Action [1 phase or more]
Effect: You settle yourself into a busy tavern, meeting hall, market place, or similar environment. Keeping your ears open and making small talk as necessary, you learn any rumors spreading through the area. At the completion of a phase, make an Investigate or Charm check to determine whether or not you were successful. The greater your check, the more information you gather or the more rare the rumors you learn.
Investigate – Intelligence & Wisdom
Trade Skill
"How did she find us?! We left her three towns back chasing a cold trail! I even saw her leave the other way! Doesn't she ever give up?!"
——Concerned Criminal

This Investigate Skill represents a character's ability to thoroughly search an area to find objects, information, or hidden compartments. Investigate can allow a character to pick useful information out of a pile of documents, find the valuable items in a monsters hoard, or find the disguised lever that opens a hidden door. Investigate is also useful in locating traps, either on doors or upon treasure chests. Investigate can further be used to gather information out of large groups of people, either by eavesdropping on conversations or making small talk with locals.

Investigate Lore allows a character to recognize clues or items tied to famous mysteries. It includes knowledge of famous investigators and their techniques. You also are also familiar with locations where you might be able to find more information on a particular topic.

Common Uses of the Investigate Skill
  • Use Search to find traps, secrets, or hidden objects.
  • Use Search to pick useful items or information out of a cluttered area.
  • Use Gather Rumors to garner interesting information from a crowd.
  • Identify information or objects connected with famous mysteries or famous investigators.
Example Difficulties for Search
Search through a chest for a particular itemDF 2DC 10
Notice generic pit trap*DF 3DC 15
Find typical secret door*DF 4DC 20
Find particular document in stack of papersDF 4DC 20
Find useful object in cluttered roomDF 4DC 20
Find mechanical trap on door*DF 5DC 25
Notice hidden wall compartment*DF 5DC 25
Find needle trap on keyhole*DF 6DC 30
Notice magical trap*DF 7DC 35

DCs for traps and secrets can be highly variable and depend on the constructor of the trap or secret.

Example Difficulties for Gather Rumors
Learn common rumorDF 3DC 15
Learn uncommon rumorDF 4DC 20
Learn rare rumorDF 6DC 30
Powers that Use Investigate
Feats that Use Investigate
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