Intelligence, Trained Only.
Use this skill to analyse a crime scene and use an evidence kit. Investigate allows you to discern patterns in clues, turn clues into evidence, and otherwise prepare a crime scene and evidence for further analysis by a crime lab.
Check: A character generally uses
Perception to discover clues and Investigate to analyse them. If the character has access to a crime lab, the character uses the Investigate skill to collect and prepare samples for the lab. The result of the Investigate check provides bonuses or penalties to the lab workers.
Analyse Clue: The character can make an Investigate check to apply forensics knowledge to a clue. This function of the Investigate skill does not give the character clues where none existed before. It simply allows the character to extract extra information from a clue she has found.
The base DC to analyse a clue is 15. It is modified by the time that has elapsed since the clue was left, and whether or not the scene was disturbed.
Collect Evidence: The character can collect and prepare evidentiary material for a lab. This use of the Investigate skill requires an evidence kit.
To collect a piece of evidence, make an Investigate check (DC 15). If the character succeeds, the evidence is usable by a crime lab. If the character fails, a crime lab analysis can be done, but the lab takes a –5 penalty on any necessary check. If the character fails by 5 or more, the lab analysis simply cannot be done. On the other hand, if the character succeeds by 10 or more, the lab gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its checks to analyse the material.
This function of the Investigate skill does not provide the character with evidentiary items. It simply allows the character to collect items he or she has found in a manner that best aids in their analysis later, at a crime lab.
Action: Analysing a clue is a full-round action. Collecting evidence generally takes 1d4 minutes per object.
Try Again?: Generally, analysing a clue again doesn’t add new insight unless another clue is introduced. Evidence collected cannot be recollected, unless there is more of it to take.
Special: A character can take 10 when making an Investigate check, but cannot take 20.
Collecting evidence requires an evidence kit. If the character does not have the appropriate kit, the character takes a –4 penalty on his or her check.
A character with the
Attentive feat and at least 1 rank in this skill gets a +2 bonus on all Investigate checks.
