Use this skill to learn information from books, the internet, or other standard sources. Research allows you to navigate a library, an office filing system, a newspaper morgue, or the World Wide Web. It doesn’t include talking to people and asking questions; that’s handled by Gather Information or role playing encounters.
Check: Researching a topic takes time, skill, and some luck. The GM determines how obscure a particular topic is (the more obscure, the higher the DC) and what kind of information might be available depending on where the character is conducting his or her research.
| Type of Information | DC |
|---|---|
| General Major corporations with offices in Des Moines. The address of a suspect. | 10 |
| Specific The meaning of an obscure arcane symbol. Court testimony from a trial. | 15 |
| Restricted* The maximum operating depth of a Seawolf-class submarine. The specific military units assigned to a covert operation. | 20 |
| Protected* The number of alien bodies recovered from the Roswell crash site. The identity of a government informer. | 25 |
Information ranges from general to protected. Given enough time (usually 1d4 hours) and a successful skill check, the character gets a general idea about a given topic, such as the latest news in an area, the public history of an old building, or a few facts about a well-know individual. This assumes that no obvious reasons exist why such information would be unavailable, and that the character has a way to acquire restricted or protected information.
The higher the check result, the better and more complete the information. If the character wants to discover a specific fact, date, map, or similar bit of information, add +5 to +15 to the DC.
Try Again: Yes.
Special: A character can take 10 or take 20 on a Research check.
A character with the Studious feat gets a +2 bonus on all Research checks. Computer Use can provide a +2 synergy bonus on a Research check when searching computer records for data (see Skill Synergy).
Time: A Research check takes 1d4 hours.