I'm relatively new to DMing and I have a general question about how multiple characters make opposed skill rolls against multiple characters. I'd be grateful for any input people would be willing to provide.
Here's an example to help explain the problem I'm having. Suppose a party of 5 characters are trying to hide from a party of 5 seekers. Do all 5 hiders roll individual Hide checks? Do all 5 seekers roll individual Spot checks? (That's what I'm assuming.)
If so, it seems like it would be virtually impossible for a group of 5 people to hide from any other group of 5 people. One of the seekers is almost certainly going to roll better than one of the hiders! (The best Spot roll is bound to be better than the worst Hide roll.) The same goes for Listen and Move Silently. Suppose a party of 5 people are trying to sneak past a group of 5 NPCs. Again, it seems like the best Listen roll is bound to be better than the worst Move Silently roll.
So this can't be the way these situations are meant to be resolved (can it?). If this type of situation is supposed to be resolved some other way, please tell me how to do it right. Or, if this *is* the way that opposed checks are intended to be used, please help me come up with a variant skill check mechanism that gives groups of characters a more reasonable chance of success against other groups.
Thanks in advance!
Here's an example to help explain the problem I'm having. Suppose a party of 5 characters are trying to hide from a party of 5 seekers. Do all 5 hiders roll individual Hide checks? Do all 5 seekers roll individual Spot checks? (That's what I'm assuming.)
If so, it seems like it would be virtually impossible for a group of 5 people to hide from any other group of 5 people. One of the seekers is almost certainly going to roll better than one of the hiders! (The best Spot roll is bound to be better than the worst Hide roll.) The same goes for Listen and Move Silently. Suppose a party of 5 people are trying to sneak past a group of 5 NPCs. Again, it seems like the best Listen roll is bound to be better than the worst Move Silently roll.
So this can't be the way these situations are meant to be resolved (can it?). If this type of situation is supposed to be resolved some other way, please tell me how to do it right. Or, if this *is* the way that opposed checks are intended to be used, please help me come up with a variant skill check mechanism that gives groups of characters a more reasonable chance of success against other groups.
Thanks in advance!