Sleight of Hand measures your ability to manipulate small objects with speed and subtlety. It covers precision tricks, secretive movements, and delicate theft performed without drawing attention. This skill applies to feats like palming coins, picking pockets, swapping objects, or escaping bindings—anything where speed and deception combine.
Unlike larger-scale theft, lockpicking, or brute force sabotage, Sleight of Hand focuses on finesse and concealment in close quarters.
When You Use It:
Sleight of Hand applies when:
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Picking pockets or slipping items from targets unnoticed
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Concealing or retrieving small objects during searches
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Swapping items covertly in tense situations
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Removing bindings with improvised tools
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Performing tricks to distract, entertain, or deceive observers
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Drawing or using small hidden weapons in combat (GM discretion)
Stat Used:
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Always Dexterity.
Untrained Use:
You may attempt Sleight of Hand untrained using your full Dexterity %, but unskilled attempts are often clumsy and obvious.
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Against passive observation or when unsupervised, success is possible.
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Against alert or wary observers, failure is likely and may draw attention.
Opposed Rolls:
Sleight of Hand attempts are typically contested by an observer’s Perception or Vigilance.
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If you win, the action goes unnoticed.
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If the observer wins, they spot or interrupt your attempt.
For actions without observers (such as escaping bindings), use static difficulty set by the GM.
Mechanical Effects:
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Success: You perform the action subtly and unnoticed.
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Critical Success (01): You achieve it flawlessly, often gaining an extra benefit (e.g., the target is completely unaware or disbelieves anything happened).
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Failure: You fumble or hesitate—target may grow suspicious.
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Critical Failure (00): You are caught red-handed or cause an obvious disruption.
Situational Modifiers:
Apply the standard Difficulty Ladder (+50% to –50%) based on observation, conditions, and pressure:
+50% — Behind full cover or no observers
+40% — Palming something with no scrutiny
+30% — Performing relaxed sleight of hand for entertainment
+20% — Inattentive or impaired observers (drunk, distracted)
+10% — Dim light or modest distraction
0% — Average scrutiny and conditions
–10% — Under moderate watch or being searched casually
–20% — Target is alert and suspicious
–30% — Observers expect deception or are trained security
–40% — Under close, direct observation in tense circumstances
–50% — Attempting trickery while directly engaged (e.g., stealing during a duel)
Companion Skills:
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Stealth: Moving quietly and positioning for sleight of hand attempts
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Deception: Distracting or misleading targets during tricks
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Athletics: Freeing from heavy bindings or manacles (when force, not finesse, is needed)
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Performance: Entertaining crowds with harmless sleight of hand shows
GM Note:
Sleight of Hand resolves subtle, precise actions that avoid notice. Use Perception or Vigilance for opposition when relevant. Basic feats require no roll if unobserved, but risky or contested actions (picking pockets, weapon tricks, object swaps) should always demand rolls. Untrained users should expect failure in tense or watched situations.
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File Created: 05/01/2025 Last Modified: 05/01/2025