D&D 5E Does (or should) the halfling “lucky” ability apply when the DM is making the roll?

Mort

Legend

Supporter

• Sep 18, 2018

• #1

Does (or should) the halfling “lucky” ability apply when the DM is making the roll?

Relevant text says "when you roll a 1..."

But let's say the DM is making the roll secretly - for example he wants to see if the players get lost and makes a survival roll on the halfling ranger's behalf.

My inclination here is to have the halfling ability apply, after all it's the player's roll even if he's not the one making it.

Thoughts?

 

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jasper

Rotten DM

• Sep 18, 2018

• #2

It applies. You are just rolling in secret as Halfling "number 761-167 ". Why you are rolling in secret is just for you to decide.

 

Sorcerers Apprentice

Hero

• Sep 18, 2018

• #3

It's still the halfling's roll, even if the DM is performing it. It would be crazy to not have lucky apply as normal.

 

S

Shiroiken

Legend

• Sep 18, 2018

• #4

While I never roll for the PCs, if I did, the ability is referring to the character's roll, so I would apply it.

 

D

Dausuul

Legend

• Sep 18, 2018

• #5

Mort said:

Relevant text says "when you roll a 1..."

But let's say the DM is making the roll secretly - for example he wants to see if the players get lost and makes a survival roll on the halfling ranger's behalf.

My inclination here is to have the halfling ability apply, after all it's the player's roll even if he's not the one making it.

Click to expand...

I agree. If it is a roll the halfling's player would normally make, the benefit applies, even if the DM is the one performing the physical action of rolling the die.

A more interesting question is, how do you handle the situation where the player has an option to re-roll (or add an Inspiration die, etc.) after seeing the result, but the DM is rolling in secret? I'd probably handle it by asking the player, "What number would cause you to re-roll?"

 

Sadras

Legend

• Sep 18, 2018

• #6

Yes, and in the unfortunate instance of two 1's, you gain an additional roll if your DM is an actual halfling.

 

BookBarbarian

Expert Long Rester

• Sep 18, 2018

• #7

Shiroiken said:

While I never roll for the PCs, if I did, the ability is referring to the character's roll, so I would apply it.

Click to expand...

Same here.

 

ad_hoc

(they/them)

• Sep 18, 2018

• #8

5e is designed so that the DM will never roll for the players. That is the reason for the 'you'.

In the case of overland travel for navigation, if the situation calls for it, our table has the player make the ability check, and if they fail the consequences are narrated. There is no need for secrecy. The players chose a course of action and the die roll determined the result.

 

R

Rya.Reisender

Explorer

• Sep 19, 2018

• #9

Don't ever do hidden rolls. There are better solutions.

Especially in your example "rolling survival to see if the halfling gets lost", I don't even see the need to hide it in the first place. What would you do on a failure? Tell the halfling that he found the trail and but really make him follow the wrong one? Don't do that. Golden DM rule: Don't lie to the player.

Better:

Failure:
Player: "I want to follow the trail."
DM: "Roll survival."
Player: "1."
DM: "You travel deeper into the forest, following the trail. Eventually you realize you can't find any signs of a trail anymore and you've no clue where you are."

Success:
Player: "I want to follow the trail."
DM: "Roll survival."
Player: "20."
DM: "You travel deeper into the forest, following the trail. Eventually you reach a small hut."

As you can see in both cases there was no need to hide the result.

 

Blue

Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal

• Sep 19, 2018

• #10

It definitely applies. Any roll the character makes, regardless who is holding the die.