Can someone please explain DC checks

[marcobravo]

Hello. Brand new gamer to D&D. I am playing 4e. I am very confused about DC

Can someone please explain how a DC25 is determined to be 25 and when I roll a d20 what I add to it?

Thanks

 

[fba827]

DC is a term used for many things. The easiest thing to remember is, the DC _number_ is the number you need to match or exceed with your dice roll plus something.

What that _something_ is depends on what it is.

As an example.
If you're trying to climb a wall, and the DM tells you that is is Athletics DC 15 to climb that wall. Then you need to roll a d20 and add your Athletics modifier (it's one of your skills).

So, the answer to your question is, the thing you add to the d20 depends entirely on what you're trying to do (what is it that told you the DC was 25?)

 

[ObsidianCrane]

DC basically means how hard the Task is, its short for Difficulty Class

There are basically three "classes" of difficulty - Easy, Moderate, and Hard.

Easy things happen most of the time for untrained characters.
Moderate things happen most of the time for trained characters.
Hard things can be done about half the time by trained characters, and about 1/4 the time for untrained characters.

Ie an Easy task will probably take a roll of 5 or better on the dice for an untrained character and (generally) never fail for a trained character.

A Moderate task will probably take a 10 or better for an untrained character or a 5 or better for a trained character.

A hard task will probably take a 15 or better untrained or a 10 or better trained.

Basically you need to roll (d20+training+trait mod+1/2 level) the value of the DC or higher to succeed at whatever the task is you want to do.

 

[Piratecat]

Hey, welcome to the boards!

First, don't panic. Think of DC ("difficulty class") as "how hard will this be for me to do?" In D&D, you always roll a 20-sided die and add stuff to it. When you do, you're trying to reach a particular DC. The DC is different by what you're trying to do, and the numbers you add to your d20 are different depending on what you're trying to do.

For things like skill checks, the DM has a little chart that gives him numbers to use. For instance, if your first level fighter was trying to jump a small pit, you'd probably roll an athletics skill check -- the DC would be around 10, and you'd add your athletics skill modifier (possibly around +8 or +9) to the roll. That number comes from 1/2 your level, plus a ability score modifier, plus 5 if the skill is trained for you.

Everyone, heroes and monsters, have four kinds of defenses. These are armor class (AC), fortitude, reflex, and will. If you're trying to hit a monster's AC, you roll a d20, add your attack bonus, and compare it to the monster's AC. In effect, the beastie's AC is the difficulty class that you're trying to achieve.

So: try to tougher things (climb a steep wall, hit a well-armored foe) and the DC can go way up. Try to do easier things (listen to a loud conversation, hit a slow and poorly armored foe) and the Dc goes down quite a bit.

That help any?