Niche D20Associated Ability Modifier: Psyche
You know how to tell a lie, and deceive others.
Check
Bluff is an opposed skill check against your opponent’s Sense Motive skill.
Common Uses
Pass Secret Message[
A character may use Bluff to pass a hidden or encoded message to another character without others being able to understand the true meaning. This is a DC 15 bluff check for simple messages, or a DC 20 for a complex message. If successful the other character must make a sense motive at the same DC; if the other party is successful they automatically understand your message. If the check fails by 5 or more the message is delivered incorrectly. Other creatures may attempt to decipher your message using Sense Motive but must instead make it against your Bluff check result. This may only be used to convey verbal messages; messages using hand signals are instead handled with sleight of hand.
Creatures you are not familiar with, or have never previously spoke with, are treated as other creatures for this as must make a check against your Bluff check instead of the DC as it is assumed you have some sort of tell, code, or knowledge of the creature that allows you to pass a message only they would understand.
Action/Retry
Secret messages take twice the time a message would otherwise take to relay. You may reattempt to pass the message multiple times, but obviously this carries the risk of outside parties becoming aware of this message.
Deceive
When using bluff to fool someone, you are attempting to convince a target that what you are saying is true. This check is made by an opposed sense motive check, though your bluff check receives additional modifiers depending on the plausibility of the lie, with the lie becoming more difficult the more easily the target can substantiate your claims (such as attempting to convince a foe of your physical state).
| Circumstances | Bluff Modifier |
|---|---|
| The target is hostile to you | -5 |
| The target wants to believe you | +5 |
| The lie is believable | +0 |
| The lie is unlikely | –5 |
| The lie is far-fetched | –10 |
| The lie is impossible | –20 |
| The target is drunk or impaired | +5 |
| You possess convincing evidence. | up to +10 |
Action/Retry
A bluff check is done as part of speaking to a creature. If you fail to deceive a creature you may try again, but take a cumulative -10 penalty to additional bluff checks against that creature to convey the same lie. Repeated attempts may cause a creature to become hostile.
Feint
A creature may make a Bluff skill check to Feint. More information on the Feint action can be found on the Actions In Combat section.
Action/Retry
Performing a feint is a 3 AP action, with feats and abilities allowing a feint to be made more quickly or as part of another action. You may feint a creature multiple times in the same combat..