PF2e DC Reference - Difficulty Class by Level
Instantly look up the right Difficulty Class for any level in Pathfinder 2e. This PF2e calculator uses the official DC by Level table and supports all seven difficulty adjustments. Click any row to select that level. Use alongside the encounter calculator when setting trap and hazard DCs.
DC Lookup
Difficulty Class
Standard challenge for the level
Simple DCs by Proficiency
Full DC by Level Reference
| Level | Base DC | Hard (+2) | Very Hard (+5) | Inc. Hard (+10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -1 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 23 |
| 0 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 24 |
| 1 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 25 |
| 2 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 26 |
| 3 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 28 |
| 4 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 29 |
| 5 ◄ | 20 | 22 | 25 | 30 |
| 6 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 32 |
| 7 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 33 |
| 8 | 24 | 26 | 29 | 34 |
| 9 | 26 | 28 | 31 | 36 |
| 10 | 27 | 29 | 32 | 37 |
| 11 | 28 | 30 | 33 | 38 |
| 12 | 30 | 32 | 35 | 40 |
| 13 | 31 | 33 | 36 | 41 |
| 14 | 32 | 34 | 37 | 42 |
| 15 | 34 | 36 | 39 | 44 |
| 16 | 35 | 37 | 40 | 45 |
| 17 | 36 | 38 | 41 | 46 |
| 18 | 38 | 40 | 43 | 48 |
| 19 | 39 | 41 | 44 | 49 |
| 20 | 40 | 42 | 45 | 50 |
| 21 | 42 | 44 | 47 | 52 |
| 22 | 44 | 46 | 49 | 54 |
| 23 | 46 | 48 | 51 | 56 |
| 24 | 48 | 50 | 53 | 58 |
| 25 | 50 | 52 | 55 | 60 |
PF2e Difficulty Class - How DCs Work
In Pathfinder 2e, every Difficulty Class is tied to a level - from level –1 (DC 13) up to level 25 (DC 50). GMs use this table to set DCs for traps, hazards, skill checks, and any task that isn't opposed by a creature's statistic. The official source is the DC by Level table in the GM Core.
Use the difficulty adjustment buttons to shift the DC up or down. Adjustments range from Incredibly Easy (–10) to Incredibly Hard (+10), with Easy (–2), Hard (+2), and Very Hard (+5) as common choices. An Easy DC is appropriate when a task is straightforward for a trained character; a Very Hard DC challenges even experts.
Simple DCs by proficiency rank provide quick benchmarks: Untrained (10), Trained (15), Expert (20), Master (25), Legendary (30). Use these when a task's level is irrelevant and you just need a quick check. Pair with the creature stats table to cross-reference spell DCs and save DCs at a given level.