Master the Art of Creating Skill Checks
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ม.ค. 2024
- "Unlock the secrets of skill checks in Dungeons & Dragons with our latest video! 🎲 Join us as we delve into the art of crafting immersive and dynamic skill challenges for your D&D campaigns. From setting clear DCs to encouraging role-playing, this guide is a must-watch for Dungeon Masters looking to elevate their storytelling game. Discover the keys to creating memorable moments and engaging narratives that will leave your players eagerly anticipating the next roll. Subscribe for more DM tips and embark on a journey of epic adventures in the world of D&D! 🏰⚔️✨ #DnD #DMTips #TabletopGaming"
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No consequence for failure = no need for a skill check. That's a good rule of thumb.
Good video. My personal hack: I do not let some players roll for things that others must roll for. For example, if the barbarian tries to smash open a door, he can just do that. The wizard would need to roll for it. Also, one roll = all tries.
Edit: This was a fun video to watch, and I really appreciate your presentation style. I look forward to seeing more of your work!
One trick I use for knowledge checks in particular- I take note of what information they absolutely-100%-need-to-know, then go down various levels of detail, then mark various DCs that will give them variously detailed answers, sometimes including hints as to where they could go to acquire higher levels of detail. That way, you're guaranteed to get the point across, you have a way of triggering their intrigue, and best of all you have the rolls as actually mattering for the outcome, meaning that taking proficiency in knowledge types is rewarded.
One further detail I like to add is rewarding them for "specializing" in certain fields, by either spending time in a library in-game or as relevant for their backstory, in which case I give them the next tier up of information when it's relevant to their specialization.
With Passive Checks, I use it as an indicator of how much they notice about something being "off" with a room; less giving them any strict information, and more "giving them the feeling that something isn't quite right/is out of place/moved in the corner of your eye"... unless of course it's a goblin rogue rolling a nat one when trying to thieve, in which case there's a wrinkly little hand reaching into their purse in broad daylight.
Very helpful. Thanks
This vid was clear and concise thank you for your contribution to the mitigation of my suffering as a new dm, and may your channel prosper in the future
I am glad you found it useful, I hope other videos also ease your suffering. DMing can be very hard, but very rewarding as well. Welcome to the ranks.
I played Disco Elysium recently and I liked passive skill checks there a lot. Dice roll in secret, and on success you suddenly get a grasp on more information game throws at you, when a certain skill you succeded with adds on a commentary on something.
As a DM this would become handy in Exploration and Roleplay a ton. Even at Combat encounters!
Passive Athletics 13 would make it easier for you to make an impression on someone, lowering DC for your Intimidation roll by -3, for example. Or, basically give you halved climbing speed whenever you decide to climb on a rocky surface, which would require Athletics check for the others.
Passive Investigation would "light up" several points of interest in your mind, as you'll casually walk into a suspicious room as some sort of a detective, or a DM could explain to you a motives for the NPC you're talking to.
Passive Insight would make it easier for you to lower your DC for social checks, because an NPC DM made for you would be described more deeply, as if it was a book unfolding on your eyes or something like that.
After playing DE I can't look at most mental/social skills of DnD the same way, really :D
I really like the idea that a good passive skill will lower the DC of certain checks.
As a DM, I prefer passive skill checks to active ones. It makes it much easier to manage various 'mundane' activities, especially when the players have time to spare, without having players miss information potentially because they didn't utilize the right skill. It also greatly helps expedite things like stealth, so that rolling doesn't start happening until someone messes up or has an unlucky moment.
That being said, I don't just keep it at +10 in place of the d20 roll. I vary it based off how experienced/prepared the character is, how much time they are investing into what they are doing, and what they are investing into their check (a pair of guards chatting will have a +5 instead of a +10 for their passive perception for instance, or a player who's an accomplished scholar with proficiency & expertise in history will get a +20 if they spend the day searching the library for some piece of information - potentially a higher bonus if they spend a week of downtime attempting the task).
It shouldn't be all that's used, but it has its place.
That seems like a very reasonable adjustment. I may look into utilizing some of that.
How I run passive checks is. If a players passive beats the DC, I tell the player or players who did so to roll an actual skill check. If that then succeeds, then I give them the information.
This accomplished two things.
1. Players who invested in high passive abilities such as the Observant feat feel the benefit of it, even, or especially, if that player is usually reserved.
2. If I ask them to roll a check and they fail it, I can narrate that they feel like they are being watched, but they don't notice anything, which raises the stakes and tension for the entire table.
I think that is a great way to do passive checks. It makes them not auto successes on someone that is observant but doesn't remove the benefits completely.
passive checks represent your overall awareness over a period of time exceeding that of a search action (or search any amount of time if you're searching out of combat) - that is why you can have a check that is lower than your passive score and still fail
I guess that makes some sense, but I usually see it for things like noticing something you aren't searching for as you pass by. If you use them for extended periods of time checks then that would make more sense.
"The DC is only 1."
I'm cursed.
When the group are all doing something, I tend to have only one roll at either the highest or lowest possible modifier.
If you're tracking a bugbear, you roll once at the groups highest bonus
If you're sneaking past a sleeping troll, one stealth check at the groups worst bonus.
This way, you don't basically have the group just rolling over and over until depending on the situation, a good roll wins, or a bad role messes the group up.
That is good way to expediate the check.
Hi where did you get the art for the video it’s incredible! Great video very insightful!
Thanks! It seems to be controversial, but I use AI to make my images. It was becoming cumbersome to find images for the videos. But some people seem to think AI is stealing from artists' work.
Love the video man!
Appreciate it!
Oh no. You missed your entertainment check. Better luck next time.