Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition skill
Investigation
Investigation is a skill in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition: Piecing together clues, finding what is hidden by design, and deducing how something works.
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Key facts
- Ability
- INT
Overview
Investigation is the Intelligence skill for reasoning: locating the seam of a secret door, working out which lever disarms the trap, reading a crime scene, or spotting the forged line in a ledger. It comes up in dungeons, mysteries, and heists, whenever the answer is in front of the party but has to be figured out rather than seen.
How it works
Ability: Intelligence Common checks: Finding hidden objects or compartments, deducing the location of a concealed door, working out how a mechanism operates, examining wounds to learn what caused them, studying scrolls for a hidden meaning. Traps: Finding a trap is typically an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check; disarming it is usually a Dexterity check with thieves' tools. Typical DCs: 10 for a sloppily hidden cache, 15 for a well concealed panel, 20 or more for a master craftsman's secret door. Passive use: The GM may use passive Investigation (10 plus modifier) to decide what you notice in passing.
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Wizards, Rogues, Rangers, and Warlocks. Any character playing detective or dungeon delver. Character concepts: Sleuth, forensic scholar, tomb robber, spymaster, engineer. Synergies: Pairs with Perception so the party can both spot and interpret. Arcana and History turn a found inscription into a usable clue.
Frequently asked questions
Investigation or Perception to search a room?
Perception finds what is visible but unnoticed, like a glint under a bed. Investigation finds what is hidden by intent, like a false bottom. Many GMs accept either for a general search.
Can Investigation solve the mystery for me?
It gives you the clues a careful examiner would find. Connecting them is still the party's job, though a GM may offer a hint on a high roll.