You can identify, build, repair, or disable mechanical devices, assess the stability of structures and machinery, and properly arm and disarm traps.
Recall Information
You can use the Engineering skill to recall information about buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications, and other constructions, siege equipment and other mechanical devices, as well as advanced mathematics. This functions as the Recall Information ability of the Academics skill but only covers this specialized field of study.
Identify Creatures
This functions as the Identify Creatures ability of the Academics skill but only covers this specialized field of study. Engineering can identify constructs.
Assess Stability
| Task | Base DC |
|---|---|
| Assess stability | 15 |
| Determine structural weak point | 20 |
| Circumstance | DC Modifier1 |
| Simple structure (rope bridge) | -5 |
| Complex structure (suspension bridge) | +5 |
| Obvious damage | -5 |
| Slight but consequential damage | +5 |
| Intentional sabotage | +10 |
| 1 Add all modifiers that apply. | |
You can use Engineering to assess a structure or other a piece of engineering to determine its stability, usability, and structural weak points.
This takes 1 minute or more, and the DC is determined by the GM.
Use the DCs given on the table to assess stability. These DCs can be adjusted by other circumstances such as the complexity of the structure and damage to the structure, as determined by the GM.
Disable Device
| Device | Base DC1 | Time | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | 10 | 1 round | Jam a door |
| Average | 15 | 1d4 rounds | Sabotage a wagon wheel |
| Good | 20 | 2d4 rounds | Disarm or reset a trap |
| Amazing | 25 | 3d4 rounds | Disarm a complex trap |
| Master | 30 | 1d4 minutes | Disarm a fiendish trap |
| 1 If you attempt to leave behind no trace of your tampering, add 5 to the DC. 2 A lock of the same quality usually has a DC 10 higher than shown on this chart. | |||
You can use Engineering to disable a lock, trap, or mechanical device, as long as the device is unattended and you can access it. The amount of time this takes depends on the complexity of the device but typically requires at least a 1 round action.
The DC of the check is determined by the GM and is based on the complexity of the device, and particularly complex devices might require multiple checks.
If you succeed, you disable the device. If you fail the check by 5 or less, you can attempt to disable the device again. If you fail the check by 6 or more, something goes wrong. If the device is a trap, you trigger it. If you are attempting some sort of sabotage, you think the device is disabled, but it still works normally. If you want to leave no trace of your tampering, the DC increases by 5.
You also can rig devices to work normally for a while and then fail or fall off some time later. This increases the DC of the check by 5. If you succeed at the check, you can rig the device to become disabled up to 1 round later for each rank of Engineering you have. If you fail the check by 6 or more, your efforts have the same effect as if you were merely attempting to disable the device.