Performing An Autopsy

Autopsies can be performed using the heal skill to determine the cause of death, or using Craft (Autopsy) to determine further details. Craft (Autopsy) checks will have easier DC's than the ones used for Heal checks to represent the specialization of the trade. Autopsies can be performed to determine traits of unfamiliar creatures, weaknesses, strengths and special abilities.

DC Action
Variable Determine Cause of Death
15 Determine time of death
20 Determine place of death
20 Determine unknown traits of unfamiliar creature
25 Determine strengths/weaknesses of unfamiliar creature

Certain things can confer circumstance bonuses to specific tasks. As well, an assisting character can add +2 to any autopsy with either a heal check, appropriate knowledge skill, or autopsy check.

Circumstance Bonus
Has 5 or more ranks of appropriate knowledge skill. +2
Has 5 or more ranks of Heal +2
Has fully stocked morgue laboratory +2

Determine Cause of Death

You may examine a dead creature to figure out what killed it. For every 5 points that the autopsy check exceeds the DC you can determine additional details about the death. For example; if an autopsy was performed on a creature killed by an obvious stab wound and the result is a 12, the coroner can determine that the instrument was an iron knife and the knife was 6 inches long. If they had rolled a 15 then they would have picked up the slight angle to the wound which illustrated that the attacker was also right handed.

Cause of Death DC
Physical Wounds 0
Environmental (fire, suffocation) 5
Spell with Visible Effects 10
Poison 15
Spell with no Visible Effects 20
per day since the creature’s death +5

From Complete Adventurer's alternate use for Heal skill.

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