Niche D20Associated Ability Modifier: Agility
Sleight of hand allows you to stow and draw a hidden weapon, pick a pocket, or take other actions without being noticed.
Common Uses
Draw Hidden or Light Weapon
To draw a hidden weapon requires a DC 5 sleight of hand check to do so without drawing the attention of other creatures. Drawing a non hidden weapon or failing this check causes nearby creatures to take notice of your hostile action.
You may also make a similar sleight of hand check to draw a light weapon without a creature noticing, but as it was not already hidden this raises the DC to 20.
Palm Object
You can palm an unattended coin-sized object with a DC 10 sleight of hand check; using this skill while observed is instead made as an opposed roll against the observer’s perception check. Failure to beat the perception check does not give away what you palmed but allows the creature to determine you have attempted to palm an object.
Hiding a small object such as a light weapon or smaller is a sleight of hand check. If a creature is frisking you to find such objects it is made against your sleight of hand check rolled when you initially hid the object, though the observer receives a +4 bonus to this perception check. Some weapons are easier to hide granting a bonus to sleight of hand checks made to hide them.
Take Something Unnoticed
When attempting to take something from a creature, or an object observed by a creature, you must make a DC 20 sleight of hand check. Observing creatures may make a perception check to detect the attempt. Failure to make to the initial sleight of hand DC fails to take the item, and if the opponent succeeds on their perception attempt against your sleight of hand they notice you attempted to take the item, regardless if you succeed or fail. You cannot use this skill to take an object from another creature during combat if the creature is aware of your presence, and usually you must use the disarm maneuver instead.
Action/Retry
Sleight of hand is usually a 3 AP action.
You may attempt additional sleight of hand checks if you fail, though attempts against the same target (or observers) increases the DC for the task by 10 and grants an equal bonus to the observer’s perception check.