Hearing

For hearing sounds.

Ability Score(s): Intuition

Usage: This skill is used for perceiving and detecting sounds around you, as well as attempting to discern their location and additional details. It is also often used as an opposed skill check (such as against the Silence skill).

Against situations where stealth isn't being attempted, normally the Hearing DC is determined by how loud or noticeable the sound is. Typically hearing something (such as someone speaking at a normal volume close by, or listening to the forest ambiance while traveling through it) is a DC 15. Auditory obstructions such as overlaying speech (ex. people talking over one another), distance, and distraction can affect this DC.

For each square something is outside of the creature's normal hearing range (around 6 squares) the Hearing DC is increased by 1.

Being distracted imposes a +5 to the DC. Distractions usually occur if the check is being made without the intention of looking out for it, or being preoccupied with another task. This doesn't apply to opposed skill tests unless the distraction is particularly severe such as performing a complicated surgery, or being engrossed in a book.

Physical barriers make sound difficult to travel through it, and increase the DC by +5.

Other sounds occurring which would make another sound difficult to hear increase the DC based on the strength of the obstruction; someone talking over another person would impose only a +5 to the DC, hearing someone call for help amidst a musical performance would be a +10 to the DC, and an explosion or the sound of battle would greatly affect your ability to hear anything and increase the DC by +20.

Alternatively, attempting to hear louder noises would instead convert those bonuses to the DC into penalties instead, making it easier to hear.

Waking Up
If you're asleep and wish to attempt to be roused by the sound of something, you increase the DC of whatever check you're making by +20, and on a success you are able to wake up (although you can choose to pretend to still be asleep, requiring the creature to check if you're awake themselves). This can only be done if you're asleep or have been put to sleep, being knocked unconscious makes this impossible to perform.