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2d10 for Skill Checks
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<blockquote data-quote="5ekyu" data-source="post: 7583832" data-attributes="member: 6919838"><p>Regarding the bolded portion about skill checks being binary - not according to the core rules for ability checks.</p><p></p><p>PHN 5e under the double secret hidden title section called Ability Checks</p><p></p><p><em>To make an ability check, roll a d20 and add the relevant ability modifier. As with other d20 rolls, apply bonuses and penalties, and compare the total to the DC. If the total equals or exceeds the DC, the ability check is a success — the creature overcomes the challenge at hand. Otherwise, it's a failure, which means the character or monster makes no progress toward the objective or makes progress combined with a setback determined by the DM.</em></p><p></p><p>Not that you have not binary pass-fail at all but instead have pass (overcome the challenge), fail (with no progress) and fail (with progress and a setback determined by the GM.)</p><p></p><p>That is not all that much different from attacks, right, where you can have hit (does enough to kill enemy), hit (does some damage to enemy but not enough to kill it - "makes progress" in other words) and fail (does no damage, makes no progress.)</p><p></p><p>Sure, the combat system has a lot more detail provided and specced out for the very narrow category of "damage to drop foe" but the core elements put forth as part of the resolution of the challenge in the system are much the same. </p><p></p><p>if you use a codified "skill challenge" for the "make progress" you are just fleshing out that bit of the ability vcheck resolution but not really adding that. others might do it more on the fly. I myself often use the same three-way race for "extended tasks" - the get to three success before you get to three fails - myself. </p><p></p><p>But i also make very frequent use of all of the options presented under the ability check system - so thats not binary - not even close cuz "some progress with setback" is a powerful tool for scenarios and challenges. its one of the most dramatic IMX.</p><p></p><p>Which makes me surprised everytime i see folks so strongly proclaiming how binary the ability check is.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="5ekyu, post: 7583832, member: 6919838"] Regarding the bolded portion about skill checks being binary - not according to the core rules for ability checks. PHN 5e under the double secret hidden title section called Ability Checks [I]To make an ability check, roll a d20 and add the relevant ability modifier. As with other d20 rolls, apply bonuses and penalties, and compare the total to the DC. If the total equals or exceeds the DC, the ability check is a success — the creature overcomes the challenge at hand. Otherwise, it's a failure, which means the character or monster makes no progress toward the objective or makes progress combined with a setback determined by the DM.[/I] Not that you have not binary pass-fail at all but instead have pass (overcome the challenge), fail (with no progress) and fail (with progress and a setback determined by the GM.) That is not all that much different from attacks, right, where you can have hit (does enough to kill enemy), hit (does some damage to enemy but not enough to kill it - "makes progress" in other words) and fail (does no damage, makes no progress.) Sure, the combat system has a lot more detail provided and specced out for the very narrow category of "damage to drop foe" but the core elements put forth as part of the resolution of the challenge in the system are much the same. if you use a codified "skill challenge" for the "make progress" you are just fleshing out that bit of the ability vcheck resolution but not really adding that. others might do it more on the fly. I myself often use the same three-way race for "extended tasks" - the get to three success before you get to three fails - myself. But i also make very frequent use of all of the options presented under the ability check system - so thats not binary - not even close cuz "some progress with setback" is a powerful tool for scenarios and challenges. its one of the most dramatic IMX. Which makes me surprised everytime i see folks so strongly proclaiming how binary the ability check is. [/QUOTE]
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