Expected skill DCs in PFS scenarios

[Axebeard]

Hello all,

I've heard it said that in PFS, you can expect some standard DCs for certain skill checks. For example, diplomacy might typically have a DC of 20.

I'm building a wizard and trying to anticipate where my character's skill points are going to go so that I don't have any superfluous points when I upgrade his headband and acquire full ranks in new skills. So, have any of you observed DCs on some skill checks that make arbitrarily high skill modifiers unnecessary?

Obviously monster knowledge checks (Planes, Nature, Religion, Arcana, Local, Dungeoneering) have no real cap, as you can generally roll as high as you possibly can and still will not learn everything about a monster. But what about other skills? Any skills totally useless? (like handle animal - anyone ever seen THAT used?) Any skills only worth putting ranks into up to a certain point? (+22 is wasteful when the DCs are all 15 and below).

Thanks!

[BigNorseWolf]

Any skills totally useless? (like handle animal - anyone ever seen THAT used?)

Druids controlling animal companions.

It could be worth it dropping one point into every knowledge skill (sing it with me... i am the very model of a modern major general.....)

1 rank 3 class skill bonus and your +4ish int modifier gives you a good chance of making a lot of rolls. You may not need to make a lot of knowledge arch. and engineering checks, but its more likely that you'll make that check than you'll miss another check by the 1 rank.

They're not only good for you, they're also good for your party. Most faction missions aren't actually secret (despite many people seeming to treat them all that way) so if you can help your party meat shield complete his mission , that puts better armor on him, which in turn is the best thing you can do to keep your organs in their full and upright positions.

[Axebeard]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Any skills totally useless? (like handle animal - anyone ever seen THAT used?)

Druids controlling animal companions.

Hm, apparently I didn't phrase the question properly. Most modules have skill checks that must be passed in order to succeed at objectives such as faction missions, trapfinding, and talking your way out of (or into) a situation.

Has anyone noticed a standard DC in their experiences playing PFS for any of these skills, or, at least, a number beyond which they haven't seen a DC? Most of the diplomacy check DCs I've seen, for example, have been 20 or less. Has anyone else had any correlating experience, or similar experience with other skills?