DMs - What rolls do you make for your players?

donremus · Mar 19, 2007

The DMG suggests making rolls for the following on players' behalf:- Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Use Rope, Search, Spot.

What rolls do you make as DM? I am curious as in a current game I play in the players make all rolls and it does detract from the suspense when for example the player rolls a high listen check at a door, DM says 'you hear nothing', players know if there was something to hear they would have heard it. Or the rogue gets a high search roll for finding a trap, finds none, he knows there are no traps etc etc

When I DM again (and it's been a good while) I am probably going to make certain rolls for the players. I think it adds excitement to the game.

Balgus · Mar 19, 2007

anytime you dont wanna give away a plot point.

My Dm usually just asks you to make random rolls at random points in the game. That way when he does ask for a real roll - you dont get suspicious

Crothian · Mar 19, 2007

I don't make any at this point.

Oryan77 · Mar 19, 2007

I mix it up a whole lot. I try to let players roll as many of the rolls as possible.

If I feel like being super secretive about a spot or listen check, I'll roll it and check my PC stats notes and not tell them anything unless I need to tell them the outcome from my roll.

If it's something that will happen immediately after the roll, I'll tell everyone to make a skill check. Then they can act on it or my NPC's can act, and we'll start an iniative count or whatever.

Sometimes I'll even just tell them to roll a D20 and give me the result. Then they'll ask what it's for and I smile like an idiot and tell them, "You'll find out".

catsclaw227 · Mar 20, 2007

The DMG suggests making rolls for the following on players' behalf:- Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Use Rope, Search, Spot.

I generally follow the DMG list, but I also roll initiative rolls behind the screen (actually with DMGenie). This makes round 1 suspense very high.

Vegepygmy · Mar 20, 2007

catsclaw227 said:
I generally follow the DMG list, but I also roll initiative rolls behind the screen (actually with DMGenie). This makes round 1 suspense very high.

Ooooh! I like that idea.

airwalkrr · Mar 20, 2007

Appraise, Sense Motive, and saving throws the PCs may not realize they had to roll. I sometimes roll Spot and Listen checks for them when they are being followed since asking them to roll is like telling them there is something to look for. Even the best roleplayers have difficulty not metagaming such information. Elf Search checks to notice secret doors I usually make as well. I keep initiative cards that have all this info on them and have the PCs update them at the beginning of each session. I also roll initiative myself since it makes combat more interesting and it is also easier for me to organize the cards.

thedungeondelver · Mar 20, 2007

Not salient to third edition, however:

All thief skill rolls, surprise, and any "special" events requiring saving throws.

Numion · Mar 20, 2007

I let players roll as many rolls as possible. In certain cases I roll the dice, but I try to keep it to a minimum, so that when it happens, it really does seem special. I mean,

thedungeondelver said:
All thief skill rolls

I always figured that a thief could ballpark how well he moved silently or picked a lock, not to mention climbing. There's still the unknown factor of the possible listen roll for the enemy, which DM rolls. Or was there in non-3E?

It's a literature staple that any lockpicker knows if he bungled it or if 'this lock is beyond my skills'.

The Cardinal · Mar 20, 2007

I never roll for my players - however, I often let them roll "just in case": usually this means nothing, but sometime it's a Listen or Spot check - or even a save...