Miscellany

Boy, I'm no good at doing this early, am I? Oh, well. I don't really need more than 5 hours of sleep anyway...
I'm done with Heraldry for now, I think. The magic system still needs some hammering, but I'll save that for later. Right now, just some random stuff.

First, the writeups for Perception (Spot and Listen) and Stealth (Hide and Move Silently) combined skills.

Stealth (Dex)
Use this skill to avoid being noticed.
Check: Your Stealth check is opposed by the Perception check of anyone who might notice you. To make a Stealth check, you must be unobserved, and you must have at least partial concealment or cover. You can move up to one-half your normal speed and be stealthy at no penalty. WHen moving at a speed greater than one-half but less than your normal speed, you take a -5 penalty. It's practically impossible (-20) to be stealthy while attacking, running, or charging.
Certain conditions grant you a circumstance bonus to your Stealth check.
Immobile: +10
Inanimate: +10
Invisible: +15
Inaudible: +15

Immobile means standing as still as you can. This condtion only applies when you take no physical actions in a round.
Inanimate only applies to objects, not creatures. A creature capable of moving cannot be considered inanimate, as small involuntary movements are always present. An object, however, is considered immobile, and the two bonuses stack. A moving object (a rolling boulder, for example), however, is considered neither immobile or inanimate.
Invisible applies whenever it is impossible for an observer to see you. Typical examples include being under the effects of an invisibility spell, having total concealment, or a blind observer.
Inaudible applies whenever it is imposible for an observer to see you. A typical example is being under the effects of a silence spell.
If it is possible for an observer to see you, you may recieve a circumstance bonus or penalty based on your size: Fine +16, Diminutive +12, Tiny +8, Small +4, Large -4, Huge -8, Gargantuan -12, Colossal -16
If someone is observing you visualy, even casually, you can't use Stealth against them (you might be able to move silently, but the person would still see you, making it useless). You can run around a corner or behind cover so that you're out of sight and then use Stealth, but the others then know at least where you went. If your observers are momentarily distracted (such as by a Bluff check; see below), though, you can attempt to use Stealth. While the others turn their attention from you, you can attempt a Stealth check if you can get to a hiding place of some kind. (As a general guidline, the hidng place has to be within 1 foot per rank you have in Stealth). This check, however, is made at a -10 penalty because you have to more fast.
Sniping: If you've already successfully hidden at least 10 feet from your target, you can make one ranged attack, then immediately hide again. You take a -20 penalty on your Stealth check to conceal yourself after the shot.
Creating a Diversion to Hide: You can use Bluff to help you hide. A successful Bluff check can give you the momentary diversion you need to attempt a Stealth check while people are aware of you.
Invisible Objects: An object has no Stealth skill. Therefore, it cannot make actual Stealth checks. If an invisible object is simply placed somewhere, with no particular attempt to either hide it or place it in the way, then treat it as having rolled a 10 on its Stealth check, for purposes of noticing it with Perception. If you want to hide an invisible object more thuroughly, make a Stealth check. The result (including bonuses for immobility and inanimate, if the object is still), is the DC of the Perception check required to notice it.
Action: Usually none. Normally, you make a Stealth check as part of movement, so it doesn't take a separate action, However, hdiing immediately after a ranged attack (see Sniping, above) is a move action.
Special: A 13th level ranger can attempt a Stealth check in any sort of natural terrain, even if it doesn't grant cover or concealment. A 17th level ranger can do this even while being observed.

Perception (Wis)
Use this skill to notice bandits waiting in ambush, to see through a disguise, to read lips, to detect somone sneaking up on you from behind, or to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation.
Check: Your Perception check is either made against a DC that reflecs how difficult it is to percieve information you might notice, or it is opposed by your target's Stealth check.

Perception DC: Information
-10: Hearing a battle you can't see
0: Hearing people talking [1]
15: Hearing people whispering [1]

[1]: If you beat the DC by 10 or more, you can make out what's being said, assuming that you understand the language.

The following DC modifiers apply only to Perception checks for hearing, not seeing something:

+5: Through a door
+15: Through a stone wall.
+5: Perciever distracted.

All Perception check DCs increase by 1 for every 10 feet of distance you are from the source of the sound or sight.
Perciving invisible creatures: If you defeat the Stealth check of an invisible creature or object, you do not gain precise knowledge of its location. You simply gain the knowledge that there is a creature in the area. If it is within 30 feet of you, you are aware of this (which will generally indicate its invisible condition). If the creature or object is within 30 feet of you, and you beat its Stealth check by 10 or more, you pinpoint the exact square or squares it occupies. This does not eliminate the miss chance of total concealment, but it does prevent you attacking empty squares.
Action: Varies. Every time you have a chance to percieve something in a reactive manner (suhc as when someone makes a noise, or an invisible creature tries to move past you), you can make a Perception check withou using an action. Trying to percieve something you failed to percieve previously is a move action.
Try Again: Yes. You can try to percieve something that you failed to percieve previously with no penalty.
Special: A ranger gains a bonus on Perception checks when using this skill against a favored enemey. A sleeping character may make Perception checks at a -10 penalty. A successful check awakens the sleeper.


And, since a good bit of that was more or less copied from the Players Handbook, a feat I've been thinking of:

Up To The Challenge [General]
You are capable of achieving great successes even in areas you are totally untrained in.
Prerequsites: Jack of All Trades, character level 12+
Benefit: Whenever you make an untrained skill check, you add twice your ability bonus to the roll. For example, Joseph attempts to make an untrained Skill check. He has a Strength bonus of +3. Because of this feat, he adds +6 to his roll.