GUMSHOE Investigative Spends

These are the basic rules on using Investigative Abilities in GUMSHOE. Find the GUMSHOE SRD here.




Investigative Situations

• Core Clue Situation
• Example: A safe contains a Core Clue.
• Solution: Character describes using Locksmith. Automatic Success.
• Simple Search Clue
• Example: An NPC has interesting but not immediately useful information.
• Solution: Character describes using Reassurance or other appropriate ability. Automatic Success.
• 1 Point Spend Clue
• Example: Medical notes have useful but obscure information.
• Solution: Character spends 1 Medicine point. Success
• 2 Point Spend Clue
• Example: Noticing something rather subtly wrong with a room.
• Solution: Character spends 2 Architecture points. Success.
• Inconspicuous Clues
• An NPC is nervous.
• An investigator who has Assess Honesty is told that the man seems to be fidgeting a lot. 

Investigative Pools do not normally recover until a scenario is completed, spend them wisely.

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