When we break DnD down to its most basic components, it’s all about a comparison of numbers. Every piece of data on a character sheet exists to not only define the PC, but to show how he or she can be compared against another character or monster. Obviously, this is most clearly seen in situations of direct conflict, such as combat. Of course, there is quite a bit your players will do that does not revolve around fighting. These actions may still be related to combat, or they may just be actions that your players outside of an encounter. In these cases, we rely on stats and skills to define how well the character performs. These actions are dictated by skill checks.
Having your players make skill checks is a normal part of your game. Most of the time, as you create encounters, you will determine where and when skill checks are necessary, as well as the DC that your players will roll against. Any material you use from source books, forums, or pre-made adventures will typically have the DCs included for any actions that require checks. But unexpected situations will always arise in a game. Maybe a player will do something that you didn’t plan for. Or maybe the plot will not flow exactly as you planned, and you have to improvise some story elements to get everything back on track. The old saying of “expect the unexpected” applies to DnD as much as anything else.
Coming up with the DCs for skill checks on the fly can be difficult. I know I struggled with it when I was first learning how to run a game. Of course, there are always charts to refer to. But charts can’t always fit exactly into what you’re doing in your game. There is a general rule that says find a DC that is similar and modify by plus or minus 2 or 5 based on your needs. This is OK, but it’s not definite enough for me. So let’s address what I feel are the two main difficulties with DC checks: determining when you need to have your players make them, and determining DCs on the fly.
In my mind, I’ve always viewed skill ranks as a rating of a PC’s overall experience and familiarity with a given topic. In game terms, it may be based on education, experience, training, or practice. Logically, then, there are situations that don’t require a check to be made. These would reflect situations where the action is performed so frequently or the information is used so often that it is not a stretch or challenge for the PC to make use of the skill. In true mechanical terms, these are cases where the DC is so low that the PC has no chance of failing. And yet, there are also situations where the PC has to make skill checks even for these frequently-used skills, such as in extreme combat or when under the effects of a certain poison or spell.
In an attempt to keep this as simple as possible, I require a skill check whenever there is the possibility of an extreme consequence to an action. This could apply to a good or bad consequence. For example, a PC can certainly walk in a straight line on the ground. But when that straight line is ledge of a building 30 feet of the ground and the PC has to balance carefully or risk falling, a skill check is needed. When it comes to knowledge skills, it isn’t always as easy to make this same judgement call. As DM, you can determine based on story events if the PC is overly tired or exhausted. This would make remembering or researching a fact more difficult. And of course, you never want to just let you players do everything they think of without an challenge. That’s no way to have a fun game. And of course, you have to apply this rule to all skill check situations, not just ones where danger is involved. For example, if a PC is negotiating for the cost of transport, you may just have the player roll play the situation. But making a skill check brings in some randomness, and could point to an unexpected success or failure. Maybe the transport becomes exceptionally cheap or extraordinarily expensive.
But then you have to decide what the DC of the check should be. This is where things get tricky. If you make the DC too easy or too difficult, there’s really no point in having your player make a skill check. Consider this. As DM, you should be keeping track of your players’ skill ranks, so you should make your “on the fly” DC specific to the player and skill you’re working with. The average roll of a d20 is 10, so add that to the skill in question as the foundation for determining the DC. The DC should reflect the level of the challenge. If the task is relatively easy or the consequences are fairly minor, consider subtracting at least 2, maybe as much as 5 from the DC. And if it’s a harder task, reverse that and add to the foundation DC. And yes this is pretty much exactly what I mentioned earlier as a generic rule, but there has to be something to base that rule upon, and that’s what we’ve had to establish.
The bottom line here is that there is no rule that is in effect 100% of the time. DnD is all about flexibility and choice. As DM, it’s your job to provide guidance and direction for your players. I’ve said this in previous articles and believe me, I will say this many times again. but everything you do as DM is about making a judgement call and sticking to it. My goal here is give some ideas and guidance based on how I like to run my games and the habits I’ve developed over time. I have found that this flexible approach to creating DCs for skill checks makes my task as DM slightly easier and keeps more involved with the moment to moment happenings of the gaming session.
E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page
Join our Google+ Community Page at: The RPG Academy
Support our show by becoming a Patron at www.Patreon.Com/TheRpgAcademy
1 ping