Use this skill to notice bandits waiting in ambush, to see a rogue lurking in the alley, to see through a disguise, to read lips, or to see the monstrous centipede in the pile of rubbish.
Check: The Spot skill is used primarily to detect characters or creatures who are hiding. Typically, your Spot check is opposed by the Hide check of the creature trying not to be seen. Sometimes a creature is not intentionally hiding but is still difficult to see, so a successful Spot check is necessary to notice it.
A Spot check result higher than 20 generally lets you become aware of an invisible creature near you, though you can not actually see it.
Spot is also used to detect someone in disguise, and to read lips when you can not hear or understand what someone is saying.
The DM may call for Spot checks to determine the distance at which an encounter begins. A penalty applies on such checks, depending on the distance between the two individuals or groups, and an additional penalty may apply if the character making the Spot check is distracted (not concentrating on being observant).
| CONDITION | PENALTY |
| Per 10 feet of distance |
-1 |
| Spotter distracted |
-5 |
Read Lips
To understand what someone is saying by reading lips, you must be within
30 feet of the speaker, be able to see them speak, and understand the
speaker's language. (This use of the skill is language-dependent.) The base
DC is 15, but it increases for complex speech or an inarticulate speaker.
You must maintain a line of sight to the lips being read.
If your Spot check succeeds, you can understand the general content of a
minute's worth of speaking, but you usually still miss certain details. If
the check fails by 4 or less, you can not read the speaker's lips. If the
check fails by 5 or more, you draw some incorrect conclusion about the
speech. Your DM rolls your check secretly in this case, so that you do not
know whether you succeeded or missed by 5. To read lips, you must
concentrate for a full minute before making a Spot check, and you can not
perform any other action (other than moving at up to half speed) during this
minute.
Action: Varies. Every time you have a chance to spot something in a reactive manner (e.g. when someone tries to sneak past you while hidden, or you move into a new area), you can make a Spot check without using an action. Trying to spot something you failed to see previously is a move action.
Try Again: Yes. You can try to spot something that you failed to see previously at no penalty. You can attempt to read lips once per minute.
Special: A fascinated creature takes a -4 penalty on Spot checks made as reactions.
If you have the Alertness Feat, you get a +2 bonus on Spot checks.
A ranger gains a +2 bonus on Spot checks when using this skill against a favoured enemy.
An elf has a +2 racial bonus on Spot checks because elves have keen senses.
A half-elf has a +1 racial bonus on Spot checks. Their eyesight is good because of their elven heritage, but not as keen as that of a full elf.
The master of a hawk familiar gains a +3 bonus on Spot checks in daylight or other lighted areas.
The master of an owl familiar gains a +3 bonus on Spot checks in shadowy or other darkened areas.
Based on the entry in the Player's Handbook 3.5 Page 83